What About “Studio 60?”

I have nothing against “CSI: Miami ” or “What About Brian?” (In fact I’ve written –- right here — about “Brian” being among my robust list of guilty pleasures.)

But I tape Brian and watch “Studio 60.” And each week, (and once again last night,) I am amazed and full of wonder at what seems to be a quiet layer of, well, quiet, stretched over NBC’s Monday night jewel in the crown.

Last night was no exception; unless I’m taking my weekly rocket ride over to Venus and happened to miss “just those moments” when NBC promoted one of its “most prime” prime-time shows, I remain completely baffled.

As Amanda Peet’s pregnant (in real life, too) Jordan battles against the seemingly unstoppable affections of Bradley Whitford’s Danny Tripp (whose courtship moves included getting references from the likes of Lauren Bacall) and even…imagine…Matt (Matt Perry) and Matt seems refreshingly lucid, spending thousands of dollars on taking a date away from Luke and Harriet; Steven Weber and Ed Asner defend the wrongs of censorship and there is seamless Sorkin interweaving of plot and philosophy, with enough satire, wit and gravitas to choke the rest of the Monday night line-ups on every network and cable station. “Studio 60” seems fragile and is so beautifully written, acted and directed, that each episode is as tender and smart as a hybrid beauty/geek that represents the reality show with which Jordan must make peace. (And, in case anyone is interested) of all the “reality shows” out there, Ashton Kushton’s “social experiment” truly strikes me as having some “sociological” basis. The rest if just pure lucre and its pursuit or embarrassment without any lessons learned.)

My son tells me that “Studio 60” earns top ratings in terms of being viewed later in the week. I say, “that’s great honey,” but nothing more because I don’t want him to know I can’t figure out how they can pluck those numbers out of nowhere. Yes I am showing my age when I admit, I didn’t know Nielsen didn’t “go there.”` Do they measure Tivo and its ilk for those kinds of numbers? And why wouldn’t NBC promote an emotionally generous, wildly inventive, smart, funny, beautifully acted and conceived piece of drama? Somebody, tell me what I’m missing….and will you watch an episode of “Studio 60” for me before, like a lovely, gossamer dream, it meets some oxymoronically un-subtle fate.