In times of upheaval, I lean on touchstones–works of art that have shaped me and the continue to be sources of inspiration, influence, and solace. It might be rereading a favorite novel, a cherished poem, a movie, or (especially often) a favorite album with a good pair of headphones.
A tv show titled Sports Night doesn’t sound like a good match for me. I am not what you would call an avid sports fan.
And yet, since shortly after its premiere in 1998, Sports Night has been my favorite sitcom of all time. It’s become a sort of I Ching in terms of having a reliable reference for virtually all situations, despite only two seasons comprising 45 half-hour episodes. You can binge the show in a weekend.
I watched it live for those two seasons, and then I watched it on my box set of DVDs – rewatching the series multiple times during graduate school and our first years of teaching.
What do I love about Sports Night? It’s the things people typically love about all of Aaron Sorkin’s creations. Smart people doing work they are passionate about. Competent people confronting situations that make them feel incompetent. A balance of trivial details and high stakes, often in the same scene. And, of course, the music of Sorkin’s command of language. All of these things can be found in any Sorkin show (The West Wing, The News Room) but for my money, and as much as I love The West Wing, Sports Night is the Sorkin archetype. And it’s a comedy, which subtly alters the balance of drama and humor in his writing.
It’s over 20 years old now, and has certainly been surpassed in many ways by the single-camera workplace comedies that were inspired by it (The Office et al.), but the stellar cast, amazing writing, and great stories are worth the investment of time it will take to take in my television touchstone, Sports Night.
Touchstones is an ongoing series of posts I’ll be writing during the COVID-19 season, reflecting on the works of art that support me in times of upheaval. I encourage you to make a list of your own “touchstones” and if you like, share them with me to publish here.