I am – Hercules!!

NBC’s 12th hour of “Studio 60” kicks off a three-parter about a former cast member returning to host, a "Win A Date With Harriett Hayes!" contest, and loads of network turmoil.

Here’s “L-Prime,” one of the millions of Canadians who got to see it Sunday night:

What’s it called?
“Monday”

Who’s responsible?
Story by Dana Calvo & David Handelman; teleplay by Sorkin.

What does TV Guide say?
“As the staffers return from their vacation to begin work on the new year's first show, Danny goes full throttle in his pursuit of Jordan. Meanwhile, Matt competes online for a date with Harriet.”

What else is TV Guide not telling us? 

We get a meaty meeting of the board of NBS, leading to a possible employment crisis for Wilson White and, thereby, Jack; Jordan meets the new VP of Alternative Programming, who may butt heads more than a little (dang, they got all chummy/resolved by the end, lets hope that changes); plus, a couple more couplings start up, we’ll see how they go.

Does Jordan’s pregnancy show up?
Um, did we think it could not? She’s getting purty big, fellas. Gets thrown in her face a little too.

Is the FCC fine/news incident moving forward?
Is it ever. Threats to jobs, backseat maneuvering, pacing with a Chinese phrasebook, and that the fate of a national network may depend on knocking sense into a 20 year-old girl.

Been a while since we’ve had the argument: comedy funny?
Almost surprisingly, nearly each and every idea out of the writer’s meetings elicited a chuckle, some had me flat out eloheling. Methinks the presence of actual comedians is helping out the show immeasurably in this area.

What’s good?
“Cuz with Harriet gone, it’s like someone moved his food bowl.”; “At least I’m back on television.” (channeling David E. Kelley’s self-aware Boston Legal much?); the entire teaser felt like a lift from a pretty decent romantic comedy, though the line between cute and cloying is toed more than a smidge; “… and pancakes.”; “What’d I say?” “Illiterate programming.”; “No, this is what I eat while I’m waiting for the food.”; “Bossexy.” “Not Bossexy.” “Oop, too late.”; the delightful Kurt Fuller doing smarm as he does best; “And this would seem a good time for a break.”; “I’m thinking it’s odd to see the arts & leisure section in the boardroom.”; “Guys, I can hear you pretty good.”; “Leona, that’s an interesting name … put it up.”; “That means an organization that encourages people to have sex.” “It’s LA, you should be able to throw a rock and hit one.”; “I love it.” “Really?” “No, I was being unpredictable and keeping you in a state of suspended terror.”; “I need recommendations! I should inundate her with letters of recommendation!”; “Send a couple interns in here … who the hell knows their names, just send a couple in.”; “What’s the bid at!?!”; “Well lord, Massa Simon, you sho is good to us field niggas.” (SNAP! – possibly one of the best surprise lines of dialog I’ve heard in a while, and it singlehandedly saved a potentially unpleasant character twist from going off the rails); the comedy of manners and doorways going on in Matt’s office; pretty much the whole post-symphony scene, great development for Jack; the final moments that were both heartbreaking and a little kickass.

Not so good?
Sorkin’s really, really thinly veiled vitriol for reality TV playing itself out (whether we agree with it or not, it was an obvious card to play – though it may bring about a decent nemesis for Jordan in VP Blondie); don’t know if I’m willing to fully bash it yet, as the relationship angle that’s being emphasized more could really work if done well, but some of the angling and pairing is either coming off as contrived, or else being picked up and dropped too haphazardly to gain any traction for the long term; the Simon/Darius confrontation started off obvious and grating, but Darius said exactly the right thing (Columbus Short nailing the character) that it almost lifts it out of ‘not so good’ – lets just say Simon took a nosedive that may not have been out of character, but sure was asinine.

Rating for 1.12 (out of five)
****1/2. The Christmas ep is now my gold standard for five star ratings, and we’re not quite there, and if Simon’s plot goes down and the relationships start going south while taking up too much time, the stars may become harder to find, but for now I’m glad to have this thing back.

10 p.m. Monday. NBC.

Major season sets winging furiously toward you:
Batman Beyond 3.x * Justice League Unlimited 2.x * Moonlighting 5.x * NewsRadio 5.x * Northern Exposure 6.x * The Rockford Files 3.x * The Shield 5.x * South Park 9.x *Twin Peaks 2.x * The Venture Bros. 2.x