THE TKTV NEWSLETTER
Season 2, Episode 16 aired April 19, 1999

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CONTENTS
1. Intro
2. Letters from the viewing audience
3. Why I Love Sports Night
     -by guest writer Carley Brennan
4. Don't miss
5. Favorite quotes of the week
6. A totally unrelated link

1. Intro

I love TV cross-overs. Whether it's actual cross-over casting, like when Dylan McDermott played Bobby McDonnell on "Ally McBeal" or when the detectives of "Homicide" and the detective of "Law & Order" solve a case together, or whether it's just subtle references, like when Mulder and Scully overheard a scene from "Millennium" on TV during an episode of "The X-Files."

Last night there were two wonderful show references on Sunday night Fox. First of all, when Peter was fighting over his "Dukes of Hazard" watch with a little kid in last night's episode of "Family Guy," there was a great moment when the fight froze, and Waylon Jennings's famous voice chimed in, "Folks in Hazard County hadn't seen a watch fight in a good long time. Them boys wrassled for a full five minutes before the manager stepped in." For anyone who ever watched "The Dukes of Hazard," this was a classic moment.

Even better than that, however, was a brief moment in "The X-Files" last night... so brief that it was very easy to miss. I let out a big "Omigod!" and my friend Tanya who was watching the show with me couldn't figure out why. That's because she's not a "Party of Five" fan. In a spooky scene in a cemetary, the camera panned over a large grave while focusing in on the girl who was about to be murdered. On the large grave was the title "Salinger," and underneath were the names "Diana Gordon" and "Nicholas Charles." Both died in 1994. For the rest of you out there who are not "Party of Five" fans, Diana and Nick are the Salinger kids' parents... the premise of the show is that they died in a car crash in 1994. I don't know whose idea it was to put that in the show, but I thank whoever did it.

To get on with the newsletter, today we have a brand new guest writer gracing our episode with her first guest article. Her name is Carley Brennan, and she originally wrote most of this as simply posts to a mailing list about "Sports Night," but I loved what she had to say so much that she put it together so that I could use it in the Newsletter. To figure out which episodes of "Sports Night" she is referring to, you may want to check out the episode guide on TKTV.

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2. Letters from the viewing audience

From Sam:
Is it me, or did no one mention Family Guy in your latest newsletter?? How is this possible? That show is sooo fresh, especially given that it's just starting out. It makes me laugh the way South Park did back in the day, and I'm shocked that it's not getting more credit. Also, how do you feel about the fact that you can't watch TV for 3 minutes without hearing a Fatboy Slim song? Just curious....
From my Dad:
Your father is becoming addicted to a TV program, The Sopranos. So far its only in hotel rooms because we do not have HBO at home. But I think we will get it just for TS. They are done for the season with new shows but there are a lot I haven't seen. Anyone you know tape them? They are funny, unlikely, and even a bit gripping. It's like post-modern Elmore Leonard, or something.
Letters from the viewing audience are always welcome. Please email any opinions, questions, comments, or random thoughts to TK at tk@tktv.net with the subject of "letters." Letters may be edited for length or content.

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3. Why I Love Sports Night by Carley Brennan

Okay, so I had been reading about this new show called "Sports Night" which was not supposed to be about sports and which contained snappy dialogue, intriguing characters and a less-than-formulaic disdain for sitcom plots and easy resolutions. I thought "What the heck, give it a try." So I watched "Mary Pat Shelby" and was stunned. I mean, I knew that what I was watching was great, but I had no idea how to describe it--let alone encompass it.

I congratulated myself on being intelligent, sophisticated and discerning enough to appreciate the unique quality of the show and promised myself I'd watch the next week. I did. I've been watching ever since, even while kicking myself that I didn't start watching in September.

No. 1 Clue That I'm Watching Sports Night: At every commercial break a resonant voice--accompanied by expressive arm/hand gestures--bellows "I LOVE this show! I CANNOT believe I haven't been watching and taping this from the beginning"!

I have hooked two friends. I tried unsuccessfully to hook my parents at Christmas, but they're both losing their hearing and couldn't keep up with the pace of the dialogue. I spent each commercial (after my usual exclamatory remarks) recounting each scene, but I guess a one-woman version sans props, lighting, costumes and moving camera just didn't have the same impact for them.

Since my first exposure (pardon the reference) was "Mary Pat Shelby," I guess I got hooked when I realized that Natalie wasn't going to do the obvious thing right away and report the locker room incident. I found myself arguing with her under my breath while gradually coming to understand and respect her reasons for not doing so initially: The idea that to do so would (I'm paraphrasing here folks...Yeah, like you fanatics don't recognize that immediately what with all that memorized dialogue floating around in your brains, causing synapses to fire every time a "YKYBWTMSNW" moment comes along!) ruin her professional credibility and reputation by making her a water-cooler joke.

This show breaks all the sitcom rules. It's surprising and emotive. It has amazingly long single-take scenes with fast movement and even more rapid dialogue. (I'm confess to being a bit of a snob when it comes to single-take scenes--I tend to pick them out and rate them as to how effective, realistic and difficult they are.)

I was asked who my favorite character was, and my only response was, "That's just NOT fair!" I like them all for their strengths as well as their weaknesses. I guess a dissertation is in order. Bear with me.

I love that Casey, the seemingly suave one, is really a mess personally. I love him because he slept with Sally. Not that he did it, you understand, but because he shouldn't have done it. Because he's trapped himself and he knows it. Because he wants to protect Dana from Gordon's infidelity even while recognizing how hypocritical that makes him. Because he's spent ten years with his co-anchor. Because he turned down Conan's spot to stay with Dan and sports. Because he really might not love Dana--just use her as an emotional rebound toy.

I love that Dan really was a schmuck to Bobbie in Spain (though how he could have forgotten about the Spain part is beyond me--I lived there for 16 months and every moment is burned into my brain from spotting the red rooftops when coming in to land at the Barajas airport in Madrid until the moment I left), even though that was in perfect contradiction to his could-this-guy-be-any-more-perfect? (Paraphrase Alert) "I am not your ex-husband" speech to Rebecca. I love him because he knows the names of and personal details about the crew and staff. Because he was hurt that Casey didn't remember their anniversary. Because he's honest enough to express his true feelings about Lisa. Because Sally frightens him.

I love Dana for loving her job and for being good at it. Because she really wants to do her best to make things work with Gordon, even though he's the Wrong Guy--not that I'm convinced that Casey is the Right Guy; the jury's still out on that one. Because her professional and personal relationship with Natalie doesn't threaten to erupt in cat fights just because they're both attractive and capable women. Because she truly loves Isaac and is not angling for his job. Because she's both neurotic and fearless. Because she doesn't pretend to be oblivious to her physical appearance while resisting the temptation to use it as a weapon. Because she hired Jeremy even after that disastrous interview.

I love Natalie for appreciating Jeremy. Because she stayed cool under fire while producing the show and getting the scoop. Because she thinks she can play poker. Because she made the "Mary Pat Shelby" episode work with strength and honesty and subtlety and without resorting to the obvious. ("Tonight, on a Very Special Episode of Sports Night, Natalie weighs sacrificing her personal dignity or her professional reputation." Kill. Me. Now.) Because she respects Dana's abilities and experience but also trusts herself.

I love Jeremy for being himself and not trying to fit himself to anyone else's mold. Because he loves trivia. Because he writes long, descriptive letters to his sister. Because he almost killed himself worrying about Natalie. Because he is devastated by his father's philandering. Because he loves the stories behind the scores. Because he cannot bring himself to edit a baseball clip down to big plays and final scores. Because he tried to bring himself to like eggnog.

I love Isaac for not micro-managing. Because he's not ready to retire. Again. Because he calls 'em as he sees 'em. Because he somehow manages to evade the emotional quicksand of his staff's lives. Because the idea of losing him almost paralyzes everyone else rather than galvanizing them into political maneuvering. Because he threatened J.J., and you just know he has the means and will to see the threat through.

I also love Kim, Elliott and the other guys in the Control Booth, and the (unseen, right?) folks in Graphics who are afraid of Dana.

The only thing I really hate about "Sports Night" is that it does not have a tag scene. Granted, I know that it's actually more effective to end as abruptly as they do rather than dragging the story out, but knowing that other shows give me 30 seconds more, I miss whatever it is I'd be missing.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled program...

TKTV is always looking for new guest writers. Do you have an idea for an article? Write to TK at tk@tktv.net with the subject of "guestwriter."

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4. Don't miss

For details and lots more fun TV to look forward to, see
http://www.tktv.net/index.html?/upcoming.html

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5. Favorite Quotes of the Week

From "The Simpsons"
"Hey, Mo, can I pay with a drawing?" -Barney
"Yeah, nice try there, twelve-step." -Mo

and

"How would you like it if I entered a belching contest?" -Marge
"Frankly, I'd be a little turned on." -Homer

From "Veronica's Closet"
"Is that your beeper, or are you backing up?" -Veronica

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6. A totally unrelated link

Rock, Paper, Scissors

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.