The New Yorker: The Critics: On Television: Matt, who worries in the second episode, as airtime approaches, that he doesn’t have a “cold open”—the show’s first sketch, which has to strike a perfect note of historical awareness, contrition, and impudence. I won’t spoil the spare-no-expense solution that he and Danny and the cast finally come up with, except to say that Matt, beginning the search for sets and costumes, asks, “What do we have that says ‘Legacy of Television’?” what are the white dresses and the set a reference to?
Most writers would fade out there. Why risk bombing with the actual sketch, thereby eroding our belief in the characters’ talents? But Sorkin lets his majestic production number roll, and the gamble pays off. does it? (cmmt on feed machine - above - not impressed, and I wasn't. but I wasn't negatively impressed either. and I am glad we got to see some of the show, would have seemed ~cheap if not. we didnt see the crazy christians sketch though and that does seem an oddly dumb title. He more than convinces us that Matt (read: Sorkin) could run “Studio 60” or, for that matter, “Saturday Night Live.”
well he did show Matt and Danny acting like bosses, in fact I found them off-putting in their suits acting bossy..
Jordan still seemed ~bland but not problematically, really, to me.
more of a problem (at least, sth that stands out): "the big three." I guess wld be better to me if not called that. bcs they don't seem that big. dont seem like stars. Simon, maybe. (but he's worried about being fired bcs he can't do the voices?) anyway he does have a strong presence. the Cordry character I think named Tom seems sweet and mild and possibly funny but not like one of a big three. and Harriet well they keep saying how talented she is (Harriet to Jeanie: "I'd like my body to look like yours." Jeanie: "I'd like my talent to look like yours." and Matt says he doesn't love her, he loves her talent, he admires her, he likes when she makes him laugh, and he likes to make her laugh wh is gratifying bcs not easy) but have we seen her be funny? her talent is humor and acting and singing? was her singing remarkable in the cold open? (it wasn't remarkably bad). she doesnt radiate star-ness to me...
the Nyr article says One problem is that Harriet is more a conceit than a character.
maybe that's it.
oh and nice diction in the article, Tad Friend: ARCHLY (yes: Jordan calling Matt & Danny "boys" - it's annoying also); FECKLESS (M Perry on Friends); and "There’s something rum about these people". something RUM - ~wrong?

ah later elsewhere - By Ken Levine: Studio 60 & other stuff: they keep talking about how unbelievably talented that Harriet is. Have you seen evidence of it yet? I haven’t.

and Lance Mannion: Blogging Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip:
Pretty girl with full lips who played the Pinkerton/Governess on Deadwood to skinny girl: I wish my body looked like yours. Skinny girl: I wish my talent looked like yours.
Is the Pinkerton/Governess talented enough to carry the burden of that line?