Studio 60 on The Sunset Strip: "The Harriet Dinner Part II"

I have to confess the idea of writing this recap, the last in a three episode arc which sets the denizens of "Studio 60" on a roof, at a dinner full of Catholics, and somewhere undearneath the studio floor, made me want to throw up my hands in the air, put down my laptop, and surrender to Aaron Sorkin. I understand that the business of writing about relationships concerning such tiresome people is exhausting, but I assure you, recapping the goings-on of said tiresome folks can be so much more so. I'm just saying that when this show goes on hiatus in March, I will not be sad.

It's not so much romance as cruelty that Harriet and Matt are waging upon each other. Still at the Catholics in Media dinner, Matt and Harry are fighting about the auction, where Matt won that evening's date with Harriet. Harriet brings up the kiss Matt planted on her during the Christmas show when Luke, a former Studio 60 castmember and current rival for Harriet's affections, was in the audience. The years of denying their relationship to the press when they had been together formerly. Matt was never one for confirming details about his personal life to the media, and Harriet should already know this. But why is he engaged in making these fairly public declarations now when Harriet is trying to move on? Did they break up because she wanted a commitment (read: marriage) and he never proposed?

I don't know if this question was answered or not (truth be told, there's something tedious about the Matt/Harriet storyline, so much so that sometimes I just don't listen when they're on -- oops!) but I guess that's what tonight's episode, with its promise of flashbacks to the early days of Matt and Harry's courtship, will answer. In any case, Harriet confesses that she never believed that Matt was being truthful when he told her that he loved her. And when she reveals that she'd thought about what it would be like to sleep with Luke, Matt asks her to stop talking but it's too late: he flubs his introduction in front of the audience, then proceeds to get drunk. Wendy, the Bombshell Baby who kindly lent him a boot the awaken whatever jealousy in Harriet he thought ladies footwear could draw, kindly takes him back to the studio, and listens to his sad, drunk, besotted ramblings before running back home (smart lady) to her own fiancé. He ends the evening watching the studio floor get ripped up (I'll get to that in a bit) while Harriet, alone in her dressing room, stares at herself in the mirror.

Meanwhile, up on the roof, Jordan and Danny are still going round. Is Danny genuinely attracted to Jordan, a woman pregnant with another man's baby? And even if he were, does Danny as a recovering addict have any business starting a relationship so soon? Jordan distracts them both with some magic tricks, "finding" notes written in Chanel eyeliner pencil behind his ear. She talks about Hallie being groomed, presumably to replace her, but back to Danny: how can he possibly be in love with her.

Before Danny can try to answer the question again, Cal rescues them when the stupidest plot ever (snake gets lost, so animal wrangler sends a ferret and then a coyote to catch it) sends him up to the roof. Jordan takes off while Danny and Cal talk about the animal situation. As soon as Danny finds Jordan's last note, tucked into his watch, he tears down the stairs after her: the note says "I'm crazy about you" and she truly is. Danny finds Jordan outside, where they proceed to make out like crazy. I guess Danny's record, whereas he has never been turned down by a woman to whom he was attracted, remains (frightfully) intact.

Kim, still on Tom's watch at the dinner, does enough tequila shots that she passes out. Tom takes her back to his room at Studio 60, as he doesn't know where she is staying. Jack turns up at Tom's room in time for Kim to express a desire for Tom to remove his pants. Jack directs Simon to make her a "Prairie Oyster", which should revive Kim. When Kim comes to, she and Jack have a talk about the real reason why she wants to give up the viola. She's eager for something new, having played the viola since the age of 3. This is really a conversation to have with her father, and it isn't long before the Taos arrive. Mrs. Tao whisks Kim off while Zhang hangs around with Jack who, in typical Jack fashion, yells about the threat of a fight with the FCC. Zhang reveals that he speaks and understands English, a revelation which I totally saw coming, but it's still a delight to see the look of genuine shock (and maybe a little dismay, considering what he's had to say over the last few weeks) on Jack's face before he displays relief upon a pledge of support in the FCC matter from Zhang.

And in case you were wondering, Tom was callous enough to believe that he could get away with lying to Lucy about his date with Kim. A writer of Lucy's modest stature would never had gotten tickets had somebody else much more important been able to attend. Somehow, Lucy ends up agreeing to see Tom that weekend.

Simon and Darius make up, if a bit uneasily, after Simon reminds Darius that the reason he was hired was because he was talented first, and Black second. Darius should not write to make White audiences or bosses happy, and Simon is only too happy to help him keep that principle in mind as the two of them get to work revising the militant Fruit of the Loom sketch.

• Airdate: Monday, February 5, 2007
• Episode info (IMDb)