In The Mix

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Aaron Sorkin
NBC

Single-handedly responsible for penning A Few Good Men and the first four seasons of The West Wing, Aaron Sorkin’s auspiciously returns to television with Studio 60. Sorkin fans will note an almost embarrassing number of similarities to his previous work: fast-paced conversations involving an ensemble cast teeming with remarkably witty and insightful dialogue in a behind-the-scenes look at a live television program. Sound familiar? Though the self-aware pilot that aired this month borrows from Chayefsky’s Network and Sorkin’s own résumé, Studio 60 shows remarkable promise. The characters have changed, but Sorkin is picking up right where he left off. His powerful yet playful dialogue leaves no doubt in my mind that Aaron Sorkin is this generation’s Shakespeare. Studio 60 airs Monday nights at 10 p.m. on NBC. Clear your schedules.