“Sports Night” is one of my favorite
television shows. It’s ability to mix
comedy and
drama exceed that of
M*A*S*H, and really haven’t been touched since.
The previous write-up is more than adequate, though there are a couple of points to make:
- The laugh track was not added by Comedy Central. Given fast pace of the show, the comedy/drama blend, and other factors, ABC was worried that the audience wouldn’t know when to laugh. So, in the first several episodes, there is the laugh track. One of the many evil acts ABC/Disney has committed over the years.
- Josh Malina was not only in “Sports Night”, but he was in both of Aaron Sorkin’s movies, The American President and A Few Good Men. He also played in the stage version of the latter. In the fall of 2002, he joined the case of "The West Wing."
- The cancellation of “Sports Night” has actually been tied to the success of “The West Wing.” ABC was worried that, given the success of the other show, the struggles of “Sports Night,” and their own lackluster support, the quality would suffer. Mr. Sorkin even confirmed that it was a struggle to serve two masters.
Too bad it is no more!