By Faith McQuinn
Tonight on a very special STUDIO 60 … Jordan survives. Tom’s brother survives. Harriet and Matt get back together. It’s the series finale, folks!
Even though Aaron Sorkin likes to hit us where it hurts with the serious stuff, the man likes a happy, satisfying ending. Tonight’s episode definitely hit a couple of melodramatic (as in music swelling, people cheering) bumps, but overall, I’ll stand by my claim that this show is damn good television. Why? Mostly because of two amazingly well-written, well-acted scenes.
The first is between Jordan (Amanda Peet) and Danny (Bradley Whitford). For the past three weeks, we’ve been waiting to find out if Jordan would live or die; if Danny would lose his new daughter or not. On tonight’s episode, Danny has finally given in and decided to get Jordan to sign guardianship papers. While having an awkwardly funny argument (awkward in the good, too-nervous-to-stay-serious way) with the nurse, the doctor comes out to give him some news. The camera pulls back to the waiting room where Harriet (Sarah Paulson) says a quick prayer. I’m just waiting for the overdone moment when a person crumbles to the floor after hearing bad news, but no. Of course, now is a perfect time for a commercial.
All through the commercial break, I swear I’m going to be kept in the dark until the end of the episode, wondering about the fate of Jordan and the baby. Alas, this is not the case. Back from commercial, I can now get to the point I started a paragraph ago — the first of two incredible scenes.
Jordan wakes up, groggy and not remembering anything, but Danny presents her with her new baby. The look on Amanda Peet’s face put a serious lump in my throat. But, that’s not the greatest part of the scene. Jordan, always the executive, springs surprise adoption papers on Danny. Let me tell you, I really don’t think I’ve ever seen a more sentimental moment that involved signing on the dotted line. Amongst all the political, social and religious issue slinging that’s been going on for the past few weeks on this show, Aaron Sorkin remembered the heart of his show and gave us a truly personal character moment.
I really thought that was going to be the only one. Most of the other moments, though happy and funny, just didn’t ring as
true as the hospital scene. Then came the end of the episode. The cast has just been dismissed. Harriet and Matt (Matthew Perry) are enjoying newfound (all over again) love, and Danny is about to go back to the hospital. Matt heads up to his office (always the worker, that guy), and Danny says, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I love you.” Aw, isn’t that sweet? If the scene had ended there, it would’ve been lost, but Aaron Sorkin should be given a little credit for knowing a comedy writer can’t leave anything alone. Matt throws back a wiseass comment about being a gay but still professes his love right back. I’m telling you, people — real moments make for good television.
I wish I could give a more glowing review about the whole episode, but I feel that a lot was packed into this one. Aaron Sorkin knew it was the end, and he decided to not leave the audience hanging. If this had been a season finale, I would’ve wondered where next season could possibly go. But, since it was a series finale, I really do enjoy not knowing. I’ll miss STUDIO 60, but I’m definitely not disappointed in its last hoorah.