"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip"
The Focus Group (2006)

Director:

Chris Misiano

Writers:

Aaron Sorkin (creator)
Aaron Sorkin (written by)

TV Series:

"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" (2006)

Original Air Date:

1 October 2006 (Season 1, Episode 3)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Focus group numbers have some people at the show and at the network up in arms, Matt seems apprehensive about airing skits that make fun of Republicans, and an embarrassing event from Jordan's past comes to light. |

Plot Keywords:

Television | Homosexual Subtext | Dramedy | Television Flop | Television Studio

Cast

Matthew Perry	...	Matt Albie
Amanda Peet	...	Jordan McDeere
Bradley Whitford	...	Danny Tripp
Steven Weber	...	Jack Rudolph
D.L. Hughley	...	Simon Stiles
Sarah Paulson	...	Harriet Hayes
Nathan Corddry	...	Tom Jeter (as Nate Corddry)
Timothy Busfield	...	Cal Shanley
Evan Handler	...	Ricky Tahoe
Carlos Jacott	...	Ron Oswald
Ayda Field	...	Jeannie Whatley
Simon Helberg	...	Alex Dwyer
Wendy Phillips	...	Shelley Green
Michael Hyatt	...	Maisey
Lucy Davis	...	Lucy Kenwright

Trivia:

In conversation with Jordan, Jack quotes from Stephen Sondheim's 1981 musical, "Merrily We Roll Along": "It's called thieves get rich and saints get shot. It's called God don't answer prayers a lot." The musical is about the fortunes of a writer and a producer in Hollywood.

Quotes:

Matt Albie: It's an acquired taste, but once you acquire it, it's like barrel-smoked whiskey.
Danny Tripp: What's that?
Matt Albie: I don't know, I think I might have made it up. What gets smoked in barrels?
Danny Tripp: Scotch.
Matt Albie: Scotch *is* whiskey. It's scotch whiskey.

Movie Connections:

References Broadcast News (1987)

Soundtrack:

Will You Love Me Tomorrow