This show is highly entertaining, compelling, and extremely well acted. Each episode has a theme/message that is generally delivered powerfully and threaded well throughout the scenes. The on air interplay between the two sports anchors is hilarious. Unfortunately, that's as real as it gets. In their off air interactions, none of the characters sound realistic. They're all washed in the same color and have no real self or dimension. They also seem to be mouthpieces for a man with a message. Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing resolves all the issues that show up in this dramedy. Whether it was because Sports Night was a sitcom or because Aaron Sorkin had some adolescent issues to resolve, the women in the show come off as silly, insecure, and vain. They aren't without their strong points (e.g., capable at work) but they're constantly obsessing over men and rarely have great speeches. The men frequently act self-righteous speeches about how these silly women need to trust that they're not like other men and should be trusted and evaluated on their own merit. He uses the line "don't talk to me like I'm other people" no less than 3 times in the first season. Overall, it's a strong showing, but Aaron Sorkin had a lot of growing up to do when he wrote this one.
Review of Sports Night
