This image was lost some time after publication.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but next Monday's series debut of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, fourth-place NBC's extravagant show of faith in troubled-but-gifted West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin, is easily the most important moment in the network's history since an infamous 1949 episode of Texaco Star Theater, in which a clearly intoxicated Milton Berle scandalized a then-record live television audience by allowing his enormous manhood to "accidentally" dangle below the hem of his dress for a full three seconds, threatened the shutdown of their entire broadcast operation. The NY Times visited Studio 60's set recently, where NBC's commitment to Sorkin's exacting vision was apparent:

Certainly much love — and cash — has been lavished on the production, the most expensive of the new season at more than $3 million an episode. Part of the reason is the talent involved: that cast (which also includes Bradley Whitford, Steven Weber and D. L. Hughley) and of course Mr. Sorkin and Mr. Schlamme, who do not work cheap.

The budget is also apparent in the lavishly appointed set, which is both huge (even bigger than the White House on "The West Wing") and detailed. The pseudostage where the series' sketch show takes place is large enough, and with enough audience seats, actually to put on such a show. The set also includes a massive balcony from which the fake executives can view the fake show; multiple offices, dressing rooms, make-up rooms and writers' rooms; and even a fake toilet for the performers.

One can't help but feel that such a convincing verisimilitude might eventually prove confusing, especially if the show initially falters in the ratings, actual executives start showing up to obsessively monitor the progress of the show, and the intense pressure of the scrutiny drives a disoriented, relapsing Sorkin into the on-set toilet stall with a massive bag of prop blow— which, of course, will prove nearly useless in dealing with the network suits' inane notes about things "still not feeling real-ish enough."