The West Coast Delay

Season 1, Episode 4, Aired
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Episode Summary

Matt fabricates a response to a gift sent by one of Harriet's fans while the show attempts to recover from 90 seconds of questionable material. An article about the show is approved by Jordan.
9.2
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EPISODE RATING: Superb
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Fan Episode Reviews (15)

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  • Hard to follow the delay process but still great

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By angelspinknose, Dec 10, 2006 Report Abuse
    Hard to follow how they were delaying the show but everything else was great. Loved that Ricky and Ron showed their true colors sticking up for the scared writer. Loved that Matt finally showed them some respect. What's her name from Chicago Hope did a great job as the reporter.

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  • Finally, a focus on the show itself.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By anne_o_nymous, Nov 18, 2006 Report Abuse
    The inaugural season of "Studio 60" has, thus far, not once disappointed. That being said, this episode was truly standout among the first few episodes. This is a function of several reasons. First of all, because of the fact that the main characters had already been pretty well-established, there was significantly more room to throw some humor into the mix. This was definately the funniest episode so far. Secondly, this is the first episode that really focused on the show itself and its production process. Granted, it was only a focus on the show as it runs under extraordinary circumstances, but it was well-done nonetheless.moreless

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  • A solid episode that gets going later than normal but still satisfies.

    8.0
    "Great"
    By Darthkee, Oct 23, 2006 Report Abuse
    Episode 4 of Studio 60 is a typically well written satirical look at life inside a majot studio.

    Personally I found it a bit slow going initially, as the relationship between Matt and Harriet is explored further as she gets asked out by a big time Baseball pitcher. Forgive me if I don't know his name but as a Brit we don't really get the chance to follow the sport as much as I would like.

    The plot of this episode focuses on a 90 slot Matt allows the writers to write. When they all struggle for ideas one person speaks up and suggests his idea to Ricky & Ron. They in turn take the suggestion to Matt, who after finding it funny agrees to place it in the show.

    Meanwhile Martha O'Dell, a writer for Vanity Fair arrives at the studio do to a piece on them. Despite some anxiety at first she is allowed full access.

    So the show airs and the writers segment is a big success, however Martha discovers the same material has been released onto the internet, time stamped a year ago.

    The studio naturally panics as talks of law suits deafen the area. The idea to salavge the situation is to cut into the west coasts live feed and edit in an apology with the original comedian doing the piece.

    However lady lick does not favour them as after the apology to the comedian is issued, they discover he didn't write the piece either.

    After a lot more research and much to the relief of Ricky & Ron they discover the piece was originally written by a former colleague at Studio 60 writer.... no more law suit!!

    After a slowish start, at least when compared to the previous 3 episodes, this one accelerates to attack speeds at a breath taking pace. With sharp writting and a real belief that the episode is going to be a disaster I ended up on the edge of my seat.moreless

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  • A pretty decent episode of Studio 60 overall, and it is definetly enough to keep people watching. While it wasn't my favorite episode thus far, it is a strong episode that is decently reccomended.moreless

    7.4
    "Good"
    By taylorcolefan91, Oct 15, 2006 Report Abuse
    I've pretty much liked this show from the beginning, and the concept is there. This is my first review of the show, but I have been pretty impressed. Matthew Perry is a good reason to watch this show, and he is good in this episode (as always). Some of the show seems a little unbelievable, but I enjoy watching this show, even though it's not my favorite show to watch during the fall season of shows. It was a kind of hit and miss episode, some aspects being filled with humor, while other's missing the target. However, it had some great parts in the show and I will continue to tune in next week. Overall, this is a decent episode, and the writing was on-key for the most part.moreless

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  • The West Coast Delay

    10
    "Perfect"
    By ltenight, Oct 13, 2006 Report Abuse
    This has quickly become my favorite show and this episode was fantastic. I do fear that the show is too "smart" for its own good and in the days of idiot tv it may take a while to grab an audience. As long as the show continues down this road it will grab a loyal audience.

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • When Matt is looking out the window, you can see the countdown clock behind them, the time in the seconds continue to count down, then the scene cuts back to Matt's head, and then it is back up. The count goes something like this, 40,39,38,35, all the way to like 20, then the next shot of it is back around the 35 area, with no change in the minute section. Edit
    • Simon reads out a cricket score when they first cut in to the West Coast video feed to prove that they are live, but the cricket match he describes, a test match between the Bangalore Union cricket club and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, is impossible. Test matches are only played by the national teams of England, Australia, South Africa, the West Indies, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. Edit
    • Christine Lahti is wife of producer Thomas Schlamme. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Music in this episode: "New Shoes" by Paolo Nutini Edit
    • Evan Handler and Bradley Whitford previously worked together in The West Wing. Edit
    • The story about a show-writer stealing another comic's bit and having it air is based on an actual controversy from the early 90s. While he was a cast member on Saturday Night Live (which Studio 60 is based on), Jay Mohr stole a bit from comedian Rick Shapiro and submitted it as his own, and it made it to air. Like in the episode, Lorne Michaels confronted Jay with a tape of Rick doing the bit. Unlike the episode however, Jay had in fact stolen the joke so the show settled with Shapiro. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • (Harriet gives Matt a gift - a baseball bat which a player had given to her.) Matt: He wrote his phone number on here. Harriet: What do you mean? Matt: I mean he wrote his phone number on here. You didn't see it? Harriet: That's his phone number? Matt: What did you think it was? Harriet: I just thought it was his uniform number. You know, they sign their name, and then write the number… Matt: Yeah, they do… do that. You thought his uniform number was 3 billion, 106 million, 786 thousand, 5 hun- he was asking you out. Edit
    • Ron: 90 seconds. That's what he's asked for, 90 seconds of material from the writers room, is the request patronizing and a veiled insult. Ricky: I didn't think the insult was that veiled. Ron: Me neither, but not being able to contribute 90 seconds to a 90 minute telecast is a good way to demonstrate that we are people that should be insulted. Ricky: Mmm. Ron: What? Ricky: It is. Ron: We have to produce something. Edit
    • Harriet: It was an honest mistake. Matt: Really? Harriet: You can accuse me of being dumb but not sinister. Matt: How about manipulatory? Can I accuse you of that? Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Tom: This is pure Strindberg. Matt: August Strindberg? Tom: This is right out of The Father. Scariest play I ever read.
      August Strindberg (1849-1912) was an influential Swedish writer and playwright, a contemporary of Henrik Ibsen. His play The Father was written in 1887. Edit
    • Matt: ...all the other couples in show business: Vincent Minelli and Judy Garland, Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe... Tom: Things worked out well for those guys. Matt: ...the Carpenters... Tom: Siblings. But again, she's dead. Vincent Minelli was the second of Judy Garland's five husbands. They were divorced after seven years of marriage. Playwright Arthur Miller was married to Marilyn Monroe for less than five years. Brother and sister Richard and Karen Carpenter formed the 1970's pop group The Carpenters. Karen Carpenter died in 1983. Edit
    • This episode mentions John Belushi and Chris Farley from Saturday Night Live, both of whom died from a drug overdose. Edit

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