By TERRY MORROW
Thursday, January 25, 2007
The ratings-challenged drama "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" (10 p.m. EST Mondays, NBC) has found favor with just the right audience to merit staying on the air.
Throughout the run of the critically acclaimed show, the audience has been slow to build. So why is this program still around when other shows have been cancelled?
Says creator Aaron Sorkin: "We are the No. 1 time-shifted show on television. That means more people TiVo us and watch us later. When you add the number of the people who record the show with the people who watch it live, our audience grows by 10 percent."
That figure is enough to make NBC think "Studio" has a chance to grow into a big hit. It certainly gives "Studio" time to generate more buzz if critics still find the show appealing.
Also playing in its favor: NBC research indicates that more educated people and more higher-income folks watch "Studio" than just about any other show on the air. (Or, as Sorkin says, they have the highest concentration of households making $75,000 or more a year. Advertisers like to hear that.)
If you're middle-aged, poor and hate the show, you may be out of luck, despite the fact everyone on your block feels the same way.
However, that does not mean "Studio" won't try to broaden its audience. There are plans to reach out to those of us who don't want so much "insider" stuff in the plots.
Sorkin admits that "Studio" is not for everybody, just as his show, "The West Wing," was not, either.
And, he says, he's not planning to go after everybody. Sorry, Charlie.
"I think it is a mistake to try and do something (different) creatively just to attract that audience," he says.
That said, the new episodes running through February will focus heavily on romantic comedy among the characters.
He's hoping that the comedy will draw some people "who otherwise would not pay attention to the show."
"Studio" is a drama about the inner workings of a late-night sketch show, similar to "Saturday Night Live." The cast includes Matthew Perry, Timothy Busfield, Amanda Peet and Bradley Whitford.
While the ratings have not been stellar, "Studio" has been a favorite among critics from the beginning.
The seven episodes will see romance heat up between Jordan (Peet) and Danny (Whitford), while the road to romance is tougher for Matt and Harriet (Perry and Sarah Paulson).
