John Goodman was giddy as a schoolgirl on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip tonight. It’s true - he said so himself. Now for the benefit of those who haven’t watched tonight’s episode (folks, it’s only the best television playing right now), catch up now while you use up an enormous amount of NBC’s bandwidth and possibly allow for an alien attack.

Now, Tanto, for those who have seen the show, or are diligent young elves and stopped everything to heed my former words and go do so, I have only the following to say:

That was about the most unusual opening for an Aaron Sorkin show that I’ve ever seen.

Really, that’s all I have to say.

Well… okay. I also want to say that this has probably been my favorite Studio 60 episode yet. Sure, the show up until now has been the best TV out there. It’s the most well-made show on television, the production quality is completely top-notch, and above all, it’s winningly entertaining. But tonight’s was the episode where I began to realize that the show might, just might be able to prove it is just as important as The West Wing. The other half of what made The West Wing such great television was that it talked about something – it played with actual ideas. Going from the most politically entrenched place in the world to a television studio for a late-night comedy show punctured my hopes a bit for the same from Studio 60. But I think Aaron Sorkin has hit his stride now, and is allowing the show to become a dialogue forum for ideas and commentary on the current American culture wars. For many , as well as the show’s character of Harriet herself, Studio 60 is honestly attempting to reconcile our personal faith and modern culture – and to do so puts this show up there on the list right with The West Wing as some of the most challenging, meaningful television.

That’s really brilliant, is all. That’s what I wanted to say.