Sports Night was one of favorite shows when I was younger. It was recently put back onto Netflix's instant watch and I decided to check it out once again to see if it sill holds up after 13 years. The show was created by Aaron Sorkin who would later create West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and recently won the Oscar for writing the screenplay for The Social Network.
There are early trademark Sorkin touches in the show, fast paced witty dialogue mixed with stories that can be both funny and serious in the same episode.
However, there is something off-putting about the early episodes; the laugh track. Laugh tracks have bothered me for a while, and they are unnecessary in an Aaron Sorkin production. Sports Night tells really interesting stories and it doesn't need the laugh track to make you think it is funny. It also becomes really irksome when you have the laugh track in one scene and then a really serious moment like this the next. Fortunately as the first season goes on, the laugh track gets toned down and the show really starts delivered great episodes, with powerful moments like this.
However, there is something off-putting about the early episodes; the laugh track. Laugh tracks have bothered me for a while, and they are unnecessary in an Aaron Sorkin production. Sports Night tells really interesting stories and it doesn't need the laugh track to make you think it is funny. It also becomes really irksome when you have the laugh track in one scene and then a really serious moment like this the next. Fortunately as the first season goes on, the laugh track gets toned down and the show really starts delivered great episodes, with powerful moments like this.
The mixture of dialogue and story still holds up today, and I enjoyed watching this show a second time.
