Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Reviewed by:
Gregg Braverman

Inspired by Saturday Night Live—only with some laughs—this behind-the-scenes view of a popular sketch comedy TV show turns its star power into an ensemble hit drama. The cast credits read like an A-list roll call. Well, at least B+. Matthew Perry and Amanda Peet lead the charge of keen-witted, quick-paced dialogue that seems wholly authentic to the backstage mayhem that seldom seeps beyond the curtain. And there's plenty of chaos to endure. When show exec Judd Hirsch cracks, two screwballs (Perry and Bradley Whitford) are brought in with mixed reactions to take control of the show. The show-within-a-show angle provides Studio 60 with plenty of wells to draw material from, and the characters are either likeable or loathsome. Fortunately, both are enjoyable to watch, unlike an SNL sketch featuring Seth Meyers.