So, I know at least 3 other people who are loving Studio 60 on NBC. I am definitely one of them, but I had to get past an initial uneasiness about a plot that is so similar to that of my beloved Sports Night. I thought maybe Aaron Sorkin was suddenly on the hook for the next big thing and simply recycled his last, best idea before The West Wing. After a few weeks I decided to get over it. However, linking the similarities of those two shows and all the connections to another media darling, Desperate Housewives, could turn into a fun parlor game.
* The first guest on the first minute of Studio 60 was Felicity Huffman.
* Two of the housewives (albeit one of them is dead) are former enemies on Sports Night -- Dana and Sally moved to Wisteria Lane and became friends.
* Jeremy is, was, and will always be Jeremy. I still don't remember his character's name on The West Wing. It's just Jeremy.
* On Sports Night, Dana goes a little nuts whenever they play the KC & the Sunshine Band hit -- a few years later Lynette did the same trying to ditch her needy boss.
* Why do all three of Aaron Sorkin's shows have a prominent character named Danny? (ok, he was Dan on Sports Night)
* The production company for Studio 60 is Shoe Money. Either you know this one or I've lost you entirely.
[If you go on Wikipedia and look up Sports Night there is an extensive list of these things with The West Wing.]