I once read an interview with REM, where they said that artists eventually reach a plateau where it becomes OK to be self-referrential.
Saturday Night Live is a TV show that's been on for just about 30 years. And, this fall, we're going to get not one, but two TV shows chronicling the behind-the-scenes angst, drama, and gallows humour of Saturday Night Live.
Well, for legal purposes, it will take place behind the scenes on thinly-veiled knock-offs of Saturday Night Live.
The first one is called Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. It's a one-hour drama. It focuses on the downfall of our SNL-like show (called..."Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip") and the two legendary comedy writers brought in to save the show. The two legendary comedy writers will be played by Matthew Perry (Chandler on Friends) and Bradley Whitford (Josh Lyman on The West Wing). It's created by Aaron Sorkin, the TV genius who gave us SportsNight and The West Wing.
The second one...is still untitled. It's a half-hour sitcom. It focuses on a fresh-faced, young female comedy writer who gets hired by an SNL-like TV show (called..."Friday Night Bits"), and eventually starts making a name for herself in this male-dominated world. This one stars Alec Baldwin and SNL cast member Rachel Dratch. This one was created by Tina Fey, the Saturday Night Live writer who's currently the genius behind the desk on Weekend Update. She also wrote the teen comedy Mean Girls. Fey has already described the show as being "semi-autobiographical." It should also be mentioned that this one is being produced by Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels.
I don't know...I'm curious about both shows. I think that Fey is one of the funniest people on SNL right now, and I also agree that Sorkin is a freakin' genius. I think that Sorkin's show will have more staying power, though.
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