Intellectual Property

You do NOT have to be a sports fan to love this show!
Sports Night is an intelligent comedy that rarely uses "slapstick" antics for a laugh, but relies instead on the clever, witty, rapid-fire dialogue. This show is quite a bit more light-hearted than West Wing, and doesn't delve into deep political topics, but it does often touch on a subject that will make you think, and quite possibly inspire you. It earned several Emmy nominations, and was declared by TV Guide as "Rookie of the Year" and "Best Show You're Not Watching".

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A SPORTS FAN TO LOVE THIS SHOW! I have friends who don't care for sports at all, but would absolutely never miss an episode. Sorkin masterfully integrates sports as a background, and weaves it into an occasional amusing subplot; but this show is about the relationships and interactions among the characters, not about the sports they cover.

And yet I don't recommend you buy this particular product (Season One). Why? Because for a few dollars more you can get the entire...

Another excellent and under-appreciated show
I managed to miss watching this show when it came out 14 years ago (no DVR back then), but I'm a huge fan of Sorkin, so I'm finally taking the time to enjoy this. The only annoying part is the laugh track (which is the reason I took off one star) - but this was several years before Arrested Development, and laugh tracks were still an integral part of comedies, so it has to be endured. Otherwise, it's as good as expected. And how could it be otherwise with such a fantastic cast! With some of the typical Sorkin monologues & dialogues about issues, it's much more than a mindless sit-com or even just a show about sports. Sort of "The Newsroom Lite" in some respects.

On my top 10 TV shows list
Many reviewers hit the highlights of this show: witty, intelligent dialog; talented cast and well-developed characters; funny and substantial at the same time. It is still relevant today - I find myself repeating lines from this show often in my job. And it's true, you don't have to be a sports fan to enjoy it.

Specifically about the DVDs, I had the first set of DVDs and replaced them with the 10th anniversary edition. The director and actor commentaries, plus the other extras, made it worth it if you are a fan of this show.

Haven't seen Sports Night or any of Aaron Sorkin's other shows? Give this a try if you like The Good Wife (which also features Josh Charles), or if you roll your eyes at morning radio shows. Highly recommended.

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