For this coming week, and possibly the week after, I'm going to review two episodes of "Sports Night" on Wednesday instead of one. People have been requesting that I go at a faster pace so we get through more of the series before the summer is out. But the actual driving factor behind this (possibly temporary) shift is that I was so unhappy with "Intellectual Property," which would be the episode I'd review next week, and didn't want to waste a whole week of this project on it. I thought I'd double it up with whatever the episode after that is, but that one is "Mary Pat Shelby," which is itself the first half of a two-parter, so that made no sense. So instead, I'm going to double up "The Hungry and the Hunted" and "Intellectual Property," which are both fairly heavy on the Dana/Casey stuff, and if the two-in-one format seems workable, I'll try it again the following Wednesday with "Mary Pat Shelby" and "The Head Coach, Dinner and the Morning Mail." After that, we'll see if I can keep working at that rate.
It seems like most of you are way ahead of my one-a-week pace, anyway, so hopefully nobody will be too out of sorts by the shift.
Going through Season One at, as you say, a rather blistering pace, I could sense that your disapproval of the Casey/Dana stuff (totally understood, btw) would make some of the reviews particularly frustrating/painful for you.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to double the Sports Night.
Why not just skip "Intellectual Property"? I'm thrilled you're reviewing the series, and in that respect I'm fine with missing a disliked episode or two along the way.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Alan, you can just about do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. I'm so grateful to you for doing this--and everything else you give us--that you can send us the analyses any which way you want to. Ever since your NYPD Blue website, which I revisited this morning, I've loved the service you provide.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping we'd get through at least the first season, and doubling up for as long as you're willing to do so works for me, so thanks Alan!
ReplyDeleteThis will also force me to get caught up on Band of Brothers more quickly. Yay!
I like the change. Im keeping up with ur pace and one-a-week for a half hour show leaves me a lil unsatisfied, wanting to get 2 the next episode already. An hour a week of "Sports Night" seems just right.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Please don't skip anything. I happen to adore "Intellectual Property." One of my absolute favorites. The Casey-Dana argument at the end is essential. Plus, you've got Danny in some great scenes.
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous 6:43: Totally. How can you not like an episode that features Lisa Simpson speaking Sorkinese?
ReplyDeleteI was in Tokyo with no English TV, a portable DVD player, and the 10th anniversary Sports Night DVDs. So having watched every episode last month I am very excited that you'll speed up the reviews. It's one of the things making this summer fun.
ReplyDeleteAn, as an IP lawyer, I detest Intellectual Property. But please review it, I'll be happy to explain why in the comments.
I'll be interested to rewatch Intellectual Property. I am not a fan of Dana/Casey angst... or Dana/Casey scenes in general. But I don't remember any from the episode.
ReplyDeleteAll I remember is that it took two people to write that song.... and that is made of win.
Having just watched Intellectual Property, I can understand Alan's reaction. Acutally, I think it'd be pretty fun to review. Fun, but not pretty.
ReplyDeleteAw, really? "Intellectual Property"? The fly with stealth capabilities? "It took two people to write that song?" And I have to agree that the argument at the end is essential to the show. For people who did like the Dana/Casey stuff (up until the horrible, horrible dating plan), that's really where you find out that their dynamic is not as simple as the typical unresolved-sexual-tension business on most shows.
ReplyDeleteAnyway. I think your plan sounds fine, but I will defend "Intellectual Property," even though the conversation about "my predecessor" is pretty agonizingly overwritten Sorkinese.
While I find a lot of the dialogue bordering on Sorkin self parody, I have to agree with anon and Linda that the Casey/Dana backstory that comes out during the last scene blow-up is essential.
ReplyDeleteAnd there is the fun of seeing live action Lisa Simpson.
OTOH, I find "The Hungry and the Hunted" to be sort of meh. Anyway, doubling up is fine with me--for whatever reason. Bring on MPS.
I just figured we were only doing one SportsNight a week because you're only reviewing like 18 shows a week and needed a way not to burn out during the "slow" summer.
ReplyDeleteWorks for me. But what's with all the spoilers allowed in the comments for this show? I'm a newbie to this show and would love it if people didn't jump ahead, as per Alan's rules. Gracias.
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