“Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip”

NBC, Mondays at 10 p.m.

Here is a show that has imploded after just six episodes. The pilot of Studio 60 had me absolutely hooked by the witty writing of “The West Wing”‘s Aaron Sorkin and the phenomenal cast of characters. But every week since I’ve been less and less enthralled.

The first thing I noticed was that the comedy shown in the live show was never really funny. At all. I’ve come up with better jokes.

Then the plots began to become tired and predictable. Take the episode where a character rips off a comedy sketch almost verbatim from another comedian (it was unfunny as well).

Why would any writer think that they could get away with stealing something verbatim? At least change a participle or something!

It is revealed later that the person who originated the sketch actually ripped it off as well, and at that second it is so obvious it must have been ripped off from an earlier episode of Studio 60 that when the big shocker came, I yawned.

And now the characters are acting like dumbed-down versions of cardboard boxes.

Since when does the president of a network wander around an after-party asking people to be her friend? It’s completely out of character and makes her look fairly idiotic.

What the heck happened here? The acting is still top notch, and every hour or so I see a glimmer of hope in dialogue that reminds me just how good Sorkin can be when firing on all cylinders. But if this keeps up, I’ll be gone before November sweeps is over.

“One Tree Hill”

The CW, Wednesdays at 9 p.m.

In just the first five episodes of this fourth season of “One Tree Hill” we’ve had Peyton’s stalker get a tattoo of her art on his back, Rachel escape prosecution for running a limo off a bridge and then do a fashion shoot for Maxim, Deb popping pills and then shooting out a window. oh and Hayley is pregnant.

How can you not love this show because of how bad it is? It’s like an amalgamation of every possible soap clich‚ all stuffed in and wrapped up with Sophia Bush’s manly voice and Hilarie Burton acting like she knows about indie music.

Yes, I know “Top Model” is “real” and everything, but how can you turn down a scripted show that is destined to be remembered as the next “Dynasty” in terms of catfights and formulaic storytelling? Plus, would you ever see a limo submerge in four feet of water anywhere else?

Contact ALL correspondent Bob Taylor at [email protected].