Why Sports Night Failed

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     I made it 5 episodes into Aaron Sorkin's half-hour single-camera comedy Sports Night before I realized that this two-season show was doomed from the start. It had an interesting premise- behind the scenes of an ESPN-style show. It even had a great cast of promising actors:

Felicity Huffman

Joshua Malina

Peter Krause

Josh Charles

1. The music did not fit the show
2.  It oddly reminded me of Melrose Place.
3. It was funny sad, not funny 'haha'
4. Awkward camera angles
5. The Sorkin "walk and talk." *
6. The love story that wasn't a love story
     Dana (Huffman) is the producer of the show and Casey (Krause) is the anchor. Casey gets divorced. Casey finally has a chance with Dana. Dana kisses Casey. Dana tells Casey he has to date other people because she can't be his rebound. This all happens over the first two episodes!

*Sorkin is big on passing from one location to another with a walk and dialogue. This builds a wonderful foundation for scenes in Gilmore Girls and Sorkin's movie The American President, but it is an over-used trope in this half-hour show.