As someone who knows the SNL half of the equation quite well(I did a speech on it in the 8th grade for one thing) having seen so many hours of the show even through the less than stellar years, so I do feel somewhat qualified to judge both shows on how they manage to play to my expectations.
I've been very pleased with the development of Studio 60, and I have been vocal in professing that, though it has come to my attention that perhaps I enjoy it more because I don't know the Aaron Sorkin backstories. That being said, I have to say that I am looking forward to where this series is going, as I laughed heartily with the last episode. While there are storylines that you can see coming that are pretty standard dramatic fare, it does seem to be developing well for this Sorkin novice at least.
30 Rock on the other hand is supposed to be the comedic interpretation of the same kind of backstage action. I know that Tina Fey had originally wanted to remain behind the scenes from the conception of this show, but really, Liz Lemon is SO in keeping with her persona, it would be hard to see anyone else play that role. Tracy Morgan is surprisingly funny in the role of a quite clearly (and self-professed) mentally ill person in keeping with Martin Lawrence, Dave Chappelle and even Eddie Murphy, and at first, I thought that he perhaps couldn't pull it off, but manages to be believable as that character. And Alec Baldwin proves once again that he can pull of the SNL-type character comedy as he plays a corporate loon with a perfectly straight face, and in all honesty, I don't think the show would work without him. I am however disappointed that Rachel Dratch was replaced by Jane Krakowski in the best friend role, because I thought it would have been interesting to see real life best friends Dratch and Fey play that on the screen as well. That is not a knock against Krakowski mind you, rather just wistfulness that another talented actress was passed over for that role.
But in the end, there was just something about it that just didn't click for me. Maybe The Larry Sanders Show amongst others has set an artificially high bar for me, but at the moment it isn't hitting on all cylinders just yet, so at the moment I can only give it a moderate recommendation. Perhaps it will get better, perhaps not. I do think that part of the problem may be the fact that Lorne Michaels produces the show, so on some level it has to pull its punches about the show it is critiquing so it can't be as sharp as it could be given Tina Fey's wit and experience in that arena. I am still recommending Studio 60 highly though.
I will say that 30 Rock was more entertaining than the pilot of Smith was.
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