"Sports Night" (1998) TV series 1998-2000

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Creator:

Aaron Sorkin
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

22 September 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

It's about sports. The same way Charlie's Angels was about law enforcement.

Plot Keywords:

Workplace | Office | Sitcom | Friendship | Television

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 10 wins & 24 nominations

Cast

Josh Charles	...	Dan Rydell (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Peter Krause	...	Casey McCall (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Felicity Huffman	...	Dana Whitaker (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Joshua Malina	...	Jeremy Goodwin (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Sabrina Lloyd	...	Natalie Hurley (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Robert Guillaume	...	Isaac Jaffe (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Kayla Blake	...	Kim (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Greg Baker	...	Elliott / ... (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Timothy Davis-Reed	...	Chris (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Jeff Mooring	...	Dave (44 episodes, 1998-2000)
Ron Ostrow	...	Will (44 episodes, 1998-2000)
Suzanne Kellogg	...	Alyson (22 episodes, 1998-2000)

(more)

Series Directed by
Thomas Schlamme		(15 episodes, 1998-2000)
Robert Berlinger		(12 episodes, 1998-2000)
Alex Graves		(5 episodes, 1999-2000)
Dennie Gordon		(4 episodes, 1998-1999)
Marc Buckland		(2 episodes, 1999)
Timothy Busfield		(2 episodes, 2000)
Don Scardino		(2 episodes, 2000)

Series Writing credits
Aaron Sorkin		(45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Joan Binder Weiss		(11 episodes, 1999)
Matt Tarses		(9 episodes, 1998-2000)
Bill Wrubel		(6 episodes, 1998-2000)
David Walpert		(5 episodes, 1998-2000)
Kevin Falls		(4 episodes, 1999-2000)
David Handelman		(2 episodes, 1999-2000)
Tom Szentgyorgyi		(2 episodes, 1999-2000)
Paul Redford		(2 episodes, 1999)

Series Produced by
John Amodeo	....	producer / supervising producer (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Brian Grazer	....	executive producer (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Ron Howard	....	executive producer (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Tony Krantz	....	executive producer (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Rob Scheidlinger	....	executive producer (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Thomas Schlamme	....	executive producer (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Aaron Sorkin	....	executive producer (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Stephen Putnam	....	associate producer (44 episodes, 1998-2000)
Matt Tarses	....	co-producer / producer (43 episodes, 1998-2000)
Tracey Stern	....	producer (22 episodes, 1998-1999)
Rachel Sweet	....	producer (22 episodes, 1998-1999)
Kevin Falls	....	co-executive producer (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
David Walpert	....	co-producer (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Bruce Chevillat	....	co-producer (21 episodes, 1999-2000)
Lynn Siefert	....	consulting producer (12 episodes, 1998-1999)
Ric Swartzlander	....	consulting producer / co-executive producer (5 episodes, 1998-1999)
Matt Berry	....	consulting producer (4 episodes, 1998)
Tom Brady	....	consulting producer (4 episodes, 1998)
Tim Doyle	....	consulting producer (4 episodes, 1998)
Jeff Lowell	....	co-executive producer (4 episodes, 1998)

Series Original Music by
W.G. Snuffy Walden		(45 episodes, 1998-2000)

Series Cinematography by
Peter Smokler		(43 episodes, 1998-2000)
John Huneck		(6 episodes, 1998-2000)

Series Film Editing by
Janet Ashikaga		(44 episodes, 1998-2000)

Series Casting by
Paula Rosenberg		(45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Bonnie Zane		(45 episodes, 1998-2000)

Series Production Design by
Thomas Azzari		(45 episodes, 1998-2000)

Series Set Decoration by
Mark Johnson		(44 episodes, 1998-2000)

Series Costume Design by
Maureen Gates		(22 episodes, 1999-2000)

Series Makeup Department
Brenda Blatt	....	hair stylist (22 episodes, 1998-1999)
Marie Del Prete	....	makeup artist (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Linda D. Flowers	....	hair stylist (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Karen Blynder	....	makeup artist (21 episodes, 1998-1999)

Series Production Management
Bruce Chevillat	....	unit production manager (44 episodes, 1998-2000)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Keri L. McIntyre	....	first assistant director (38 episodes, 1998-2000)
Nicole Burke	....	second assistant director (22 episodes, 1998-1999)
Shawn Hanley	....	second assistant director / first assistant director / ... (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Kristi Antunovich	....	second assistant director (6 episodes, 1999-2000)
John Amodeo	....	second unit director (4 episodes, 1998-2000)

Series Art Department
Jode S. Mann	....	property master (44 episodes, 1998-2000)
Dorn Merrill Kennison	....	set designer (26 episodes, 1998-2000)
Nathan Haas	....	leadman (23 episodes, 1998-1999)
Hardy Gates	....	set dresser (unknown episodes)
Daniel Maltese	....	assistant art director (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Larry Lasota	....	production sound mixer / sound (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Charles Bruce	....	sound editor (22 episodes, 1999-2000)

Series Stunts
Kurt D. Lott	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Benjamin Spek	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (45 episodes, 1998-2000)
Bruce Chimerofsky	....	key grip (44 episodes, 1998-2000)
Ted Lewis	....	best boy grip (44 episodes, 1998-2000)
Ted Shinneman	....	company grip (44 episodes, 1998-2000)
David Demore	....	camera engineer (23 episodes, 1998-1999)
Jim Duggan	....	company grip (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Adam Sklena	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joseph Roveto	....	costume supervisor / costumer (44 episodes, 1998-2000)
Brenda M. Ware	....	set costumer (28 episodes, 1998-2000)
Maureen Gates	....	costumer (22 episodes, 1998-1999)
Brooke C. Thatawat	....	key costumer (13 episodes, 2000)
Vincent Lapper	....	costumer (6 episodes, 1999)

Series Editorial Department
Rob Starnes	....	assistant editor (1 episode, 2000)

Series Other crew
Bill Wrubel	....	executive story editor / story editor (44 episodes, 1998-2000)
Carol McKechnie	....	script supervisor (42 episodes, 1998-2000)
Shayne Lewin	....	development (23 episodes, 1998-1999)
Vicki Beck	....	production coordinator (22 episodes, 1998-1999)
David Walpert	....	executive story editor (22 episodes, 1998-1999)
Lisa Annitti	....	production assistant (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Joan Goldberg	....	segment producer (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Matthew Conner	....	production coordinator (18 episodes, 1999-2000)
Jeffrey Wheat	....	technical coordinator (14 episodes, 1998-1999)
Paul Redford	....	story editor (10 episodes, 1999)
Robert Boles	....	production assistant (7 episodes, 1999)
Hannah Cooper	....	assistant to executive producer (6 episodes, 1999)
Jodi Miller	....	production coordinator (4 episodes, 2000)

Series Thanks
Paul Goldstein	....	special thanks (1 episode, 1999)
Pete Sampras	....	special thanks (1 episode, 1999)

Production Companies

• Touchstone Television
• Imagine Television

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1998-2000) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Buena Vista Television (1998-2000) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• AXN (2008) (Hungary) (TV)
• AXN (2008) (Bulgaria) (TV)
• AXN (2008) (Czech Republic) (TV)
• AXN (2008) (Slovakia) (TV)
• AXN (2008) (Poland) (TV)
• AXN (2008) (Romania) (TV)
• ABC1 (2004-) (UK) (TV)

Other Companies

• Camera Support Systems  camera and lenses
• Inter Video  24 frame video playback
• Laser Pacific Media  electronic laboratory
• Major League Soccer  stills and clips

Runtime:

30 min (45 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Touchstone Television

Trivia:

The character of Casey is loosely based on former ESPN SportsCenter anchor Craig Kilborn.

Quotes:

Casey McCall: Is it nature's special time?
Dana Whitaker: Oh, you know what, bite me so hard for that.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: Let's Go to the Hop (#2.14)" (2000)

One of the Best Shows Ever

I have seen a lot of sitcoms, and this is one of the best.

Offering a level of realism and intelligence rarely seen in a sitcom, Sports Night should have been destined for greatness. Alas, it wasn't. ABC pulled the plug on this amazing piece of work much to early. (ABC, by the way, should be flushed down a toilet after THAT blunder.) Rarely does any show on television, dramas included, engage the viewer in such a way as this one did.

The show is filled with great characters, dialogue, and plots. Further more, much like the Simpsons and Seinfeld, you really get to know and like just about every character on the show, rather than merely the main characters. The people whose names you may be hard pressed to remember offer up as many enjoyable moments as the 'stars' of the show.

I would wish that this show would be picked up again by some other network looking to continue this amazing show, but that is something out of fantasy. In the real world, it just can't happen like that. Which is a real shame.

For all of you who missed it's original airing on ABC (who could've done a MUCH better job promoting this show), I advise you to catch it in reruns on Comedy Central. You'll be glad you did.