Recently, I decided to check out Sports Night (since a fair share of folks have claimed that Aaron Sorkin-helmed shows are some of the most groundbreaking and intelligent shows in TV history) and I'm finding it pretentious as hell (though I reserve the right to change my mind as I go along). Not only is the speechifying and pretentious dialogue preventing me from actually getting to know the characters and their conflicts onscreen, I'm finding myself put off by the obvious liberal pandering (as much as I do subscribe to and live by that POV, I prefer that it'd be just a wee-bit more subtle in its execution).

Are these just symptoms of this show or do all Aaron Sorkin shows suffer from these ailments?

Sports Night was the first and last Sorkin show I tried to watch more than a few times. The characters constantly went around smirking at the brilliance of their one-liners. I've rarely seen a smugger show in my life, with more, as you say, pretentious dialogue. It took years for me to accept Krause, Huffman, or Charles in other roles.

His shows also get noticed for sexism.

http://www.salon.com/2013/09/09/aaron_sorkin_gets_more_sexist_every_year/singleton/

Yep. That's Sorkin's style. Preachy, arrogant and unabashedly liberal. That's his trademark. Sometimes I've loved it (West Wing, Sports Night) other times it's just unbearable. I gave The Newsroom one viewing and couldn't take it but if you really want to see an ego-driven Sorkin trainwreck, check out Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

I absolutely adore The Newsroom.

I'm not sure that I'd call what I've seen of Sports Night as "arrogant" just yet (I'm about halfway through the first season, as per FXX's reruns), but the sledgehammer method of its POV makes Boston Legal look subtle by comparison. If this is what makes Sorkin's shows "incredible" (as per what some have tried to sell me), then I'm going to have to pass on checking out the rest of them.

Sexism? Hmm, I'll have to pay a bit more attention to make that call (though I'll definitely check out the article). I've got my own opinion on certain privileged liberal males, but again, I don't think that I've seen enough of this show to apply it it here just yet.

What prompted this thread was an episode when Janel Maloney's character spent five minutes speechifying to Peter Krause's (who I actually do enjoy on Parenthood) character about the color of a shirt-and-tie combination because he failed to thank the wardrobe department when he'd guest-starred on The View. Had this been helmed in a more, well, subtle manner, then I would've appreciated it a lot more than wishing that he'd tell her to STFU.

Edited September 10, 201312 yr by VirginiaHamilton

I just haven't the time for Sorkin's nonsense.

His shows tend not to age well too. The West Wing looks very dated now.

Well Sorkin's shows are as much known for that, as Amy palladino shows are known for employing the 40s type of banter (i.e Gilmore Girls, Bunheads), and as Brenda hampton's shows are known for religious topics and telephone style method of interaction.