For those of us who really want to like Aaron Sorkin, but can’t get past his writing… check this out. I find it to be spot on.

Jim: Yeah, pretty much. Having said that, I liked the Christmas episode of Studio 60, and the show more or less dodges the cliches.

Late last night Mrs. Hillaryspot and I are on the couch, watching some bad romantic comedy. Boy meets girl, boy and girl are hitting it off, each thinks the other might be “the one,” girl goes to run an errand. The boy’s ex shows up, expresses desire to get back together. The boy declines, telling her once and for all that they won’t get back together, but he hopes they can still be friends. She agrees, they hug. Girl comes back to see through the window that the boy is hugging his ex-girlfriend. Girl is horrified, torn up inside, goes to leave in tears… the jealous ex exits, finds girl, tells girl that she and the boy are getting back together. Girl runs off, heartbroken… (Mind you, the characters appear to be in their late twenties, not junior high.)

And I just about kicked in the television. Who among us makes major decisions like “I will no longer be romantically interested in this person” because we see that person hugging another member of the opposite sex? Making out or doing the horizontal mambo, sure. But to this woman, an embrace was seen ispo facto incontrovertable evidence that Boy and Ex were back together. And she makes this decision based on seeing it through a window, not even talking to the Boy. And then she believes the Ex’s statement about getting back together, and doesn’t even bother to ask the Boy if it’s true, or why he’s making that decision. Even though that as of five minutes ago, she thought he was “The One.”

You see, our plot revolves around A Big Misunderstanding(TM)! Also commonly known as, Really Lazy Screenwriters.

“What! Oh! I thought you guys were talking about putting Grandpa to sleep because of his old age and failing health, not Rover!”

Arrgh. Shut up, shut up, shut up! This stuff was old by the time Three’s Company was doing it. At the very least, we could make it edgier.

“Oh, you got the Clapper to turn on your lights and appliances! I thought you said you got the clap!”

Cam: Mrs. Hillary Spot? I thought you were married to Mrs. TKS???! Did you ditch your wife and get another while you were in Turkey? Have you no shame, Jim? Have you no decency?

Oh, wait… I get it now.

I liked SportsNight, but I never watched the West Wing and despite my valiant efforts, I had to stop watching Studio 60. Sorkin’s writing reminds me of Kevin Smith… fairly amusing, but completely unlike the way real people talk. I can enjoy that in a guy that puts out a movie every couple of years. Watching it on tv week after week is another story.