Comments | tommywestphall: Non-Tommy Crossover: The West Wing/Studio 60

crossoverman in tommywestphall

Non-Tommy Crossover: The West Wing/Studio 60

Feb 01, 2007 12:44

I always loved the fact that The West Wing took place in its own hermetically sealed universe - even though I would have loved the characters on ER to have left work to vote in the fictional 2006 election between Matt Santos and Arnold Vinnick.

And, so far, Studio 60 has avoided actual crossovers - though it looks like Sorkin might be pushed into ( Read more... )

studio 60, non-tommy, west wing

Comments 28

truthbealiar February 1 2007, 02:46:55 UTC

I caught that when I saw that episode (HUGE Studio 60 fan) but I figured it couldn't count as a crossover since it's already been established that Bush exists in the Studio 60 universe and, therefore, Bartlet could not exist in their universe.

crossoverman February 1 2007, 02:52:17 UTC

I can't remember the specific reference to Bush. Remind me :-)

truthbealiar February 1 2007, 02:57:21 UTC

There have been a number of references to Bush and to 9/11 (something else that never happened in the West Wing universe). The first episode starts out with them about to do a sketch about Bush and Cheney addressing the country, but it's interrupted when the show's executive producer gets in front of the camera and tells America to change the channel. In the second episode, Matt is in the writer's room and everyone is pitching him sketches about Bush, but he doesn't accept any of them.

Also, it's been established that the reason that Matt and Danny (the main characters of the show) were fired in the first place is because Matt supported Bill Maher's statement about the 9/11 terrorists.

crossoverman February 1 2007, 03:05:26 UTC

Ah, yes, I do remember the pitches about Bush.

I didn't think the opening sketch was specific, but you're right - they've referenced Bush and 9/11.

Hmmm...

Thread 11

Nix Bush and 9/11/Yes for GNN, CNB, etc. johnmunch February 2 2007, 07:53:40 UTC

References to common real-world events do not count for establishing a Westphall crossover (tele-Toby's approach not withstanding).

However, fictional news stations (GNN, ZNN, CNB etc.) and their respective reporters and anchors may serve as a connection. Still looking for hidden 24 crossovers - that show is chock-full of newsflashes ...

Re: Nix Bush and 9/11/Yes for GNN, CNB, etc. crossoverman February 2 2007, 10:10:34 UTC

You make a good point - Bush and 9/11 don't connect shows, but do they repel them? I guess not. Many direct crossovers don't make a lot of sense - The X-Files/Homicide, for example. Clearly there is no real threat of alien invasion in the latter.

It's an imperfect thing - and an interesting discussion. It doesn't yet connect to Tommy, so we don't have to make a definitive decision.

Re: Nix Bush and 9/11/Yes for GNN, CNB, etc. tele_toby February 2 2007, 16:16:38 UTC

"The X-Files/Homicide, for example. Clearly there is no real threat of alien invasion in the latter."

Don't tell Munch that! LOL

Re: Nix Bush and 9/11/Yes for GNN, CNB, etc. crossoverman February 2 2007, 22:23:56 UTC

Don't tell Munch that! LOL

*sniff* I remember when Crosetti was the conspiracy theorist...

Did Munch become the conspiracy theorist after his X-Files crossover? Or was more and more Richard Belzer written into his character?

Thread 9

Fran Fine in SIngapore??? johnmunch February 5 2007, 17:17:00 UTC

This is too weird, so I thought to share it with you.

Occasionally I browse through the tv.com and imdb entries of the major Westphall players in order to find some connections. (that's how I found Mimi Bobeck on Norm). Anyway, a couple of days ago, I entered Fran Drescher in imdb's searchbox and found an entry of her playing Fran Fine of Nanny fame in something called 'Phua Chu Kang'. (Gesundheit.)

Apparently this is a Singapore produced half-hour comedy now in its 8th season with 61 episodes listed on imdb. Fran's guest appearance happened in ep. 7.3 (30-Nov-2004).

Anybody got any more info on this?

Re: Fran Fine in SIngapore??? johnmunch February 5 2007, 22:50:11 UTC

Wow good find johnmunch

After seeing this i decided to do a little research on the show and it turns out that it would also bring in at least 3 other shows.

Phua Chu Kang had crossovers with shows called Living with Lydia and ABC DJ which had a crossover with a show called Police & Thief.

On an unrelated note every ones favorite cigarettes Morly have been spotted on two more shows Cold Case and Prison Break

Even though Tommy is now dreaming about Singapore for some reason Father Guido Sarducci douse not count

RAF

Re: Fran Fine in SIngapore??? crossoverman February 5 2007, 23:19:30 UTC

Ooh, where did you find all this info on the Singapore shows? And does it verify the Fran Drescher/Fran Fine appearance. Usually we like to see some corroborating evidence for IMDb lists.

Yay on "Cold Case" and "Prison Break", too.

Re: Fran Fine in SIngapore??? johnmunch February 6 2007, 00:09:04 UTC

I found the info about singapore shows on wikipedia

As for Fran several other filmographys also have her listed as being on Phua Chu Kang. Also the episode synopsis for it mentions that they hired a maid http://ch5.mediacorptv.com/shows/sitcom/episodes/797/1/3/.html

RAF

Thread 5

truthbealiar February 20 2007, 00:50:43 UTC

I'm hoping someone is getting emailed about this, because I like to let someone know that I know these things.

Even though we've already shown how Studio 60 and the West Wing can't exist in the same universe, tonight's episode of Studio 60 lends itself to the suggestion that they do. Tonight you will see a character who is a lawyer from Gage Whitney, coincidentally the lawfirm that Sam Seaborn worked for on the West Wing.

crossoverman February 20 2007, 01:30:47 UTC

Yes, I saw that!

So... it both does and doesn't exist in the same world.

Now, of course, Munch appeared in The X Files and there's no way to reconcile alien invasions with "Homicide" - but there it is!

So maybe George W Bush and Josiah Bartlett both exist in the same universe?

Alien Invasion in H:LOTS johnmunch March 20 2007, 08:26:03 UTC

How do we know there were to be no aliens on the show? It got cancelled before they could strike. Hehe.

Which reminds me. Almost every US show has at least one episode with fantasy elements - be it ghost stories, dream appearances, afterlife plots, etc. Sometimes they provide great stories. In fact, I got hooked on Third Watch when four dead teenagers helped the cast through their dark night of the soul.

Most of the time they suck, though.