Sports Night Review

Before there was a West Wing, there was Sports Night, a weekly half hour seres on ABC brought to you by the team of Aaron Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme.

This was a brilliant series that ran for two seasons (1998 -2000).  It even won three Emmy's and a bunch of Golden Globe Rewards.  What happened?  Nobody watched it!  And when I say nobody watched it, I include myself.  Truth be told, while the series ran, I may have caught a few minutes of one episode and that was it.

The Complete Series DVD

It wasn't until about three or four years ago that my brother and sister-in-law loaned me the Complete Series DVD set that I became a serious fan.  What was wrong with me?  This was just brilliant TV comedy at its best.  Did I just call it comedy?  Sure, but it was more than that.  Call it a dramedy.  A half hour show that while written in a way to make it very funny tackled issues.

The series takes place on the set of a fictional late night sports show.  But the show wasn't about sports except in the most tangential way.  The show sported the quickly paced dialogue and wit that became the hallmark of Sorkin and Schlamme with their wildly successful West Wing series.

The Cast?

Could it have been miscast?  Hardly, this was a solid show featuring actors such as Peter Krause, Josh Charles, Josh Molina, Felicity Huffman, Sabrina Lloyd, and Robert Guillaume.  Their ability to work together couldn't be more precise than if they were a trapeze act.

A Sports Show?

Some have said there wasn't a big enough audience for a sports show.  Maybe, but as I said earlier this wasn't really about sports at all.  It was about human interactions.

And, perhaps that the audience that tuned into it thinking it was a sports show felt let down.  But what does it matter now.  The show failed on ABC and a move to HBO failed to materialize.

My Viewpoint

This complete series (45 episodes plus the pilot) is some of the greatest content ever to reach your TV.  If you were a fan, you know what I'm talking about.  If you're still scratching your head trying to remember the series, trust me this is a gem.  This complete series is available at stores such as Borders for about $45.  If you want to see a half hour series at its very best, this is something you shouldn't pass up.  I highly recommend it.