Sports Night: Season 1

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Universal acclaim based on 19 Critic Reviews

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Season Details & Credits

ABC | Season Premiere Date: September 22, 1998

Starring: Sabrina Lloyd, Felicity Huffman, Robert Guillaume

Summary: Sports Night ran nearly two full seasons on the ABC network in the US during the '98-99 and '99-00 seasons. Created by Emmy Award winning writer/director, Aaron Sorkin. Sorkin created such movies as, A Few Good Men & The American President before his first venture into television (Sorkin would later create the massively respected & popularSports Night ran nearly two full seasons on the ABC network in the US during the '98-99 and '99-00 seasons. Created by Emmy Award winning writer/director, Aaron Sorkin. Sorkin created such movies as, A Few Good Men & The American President before his first venture into television (Sorkin would later create the massively respected & popular The West Wing). Smart, fast-paced, witty and featuring a fine ensemble cast, Sports Night struggled in the ratings from the start, particularly during its second season, when it was routinely pre-empted and moved from night to night. Art imitated life imitating art, as the show took on a consultant (William H. Macy in his first TV role since his stint on ER), was hired to "tweak" the ratings. The show within a show continued to falter, amidst rumors of the imminent sale of its network and the subsequent gutting of its staff, until it, like its parent Sports Night, simply disappeared from the schedule. Upon its cancellation, several networks, most notably HBO came to Sorkin for a possible move to the respected network, but nothing was ever solidified. Sports Night gained additional exposure through a subsequent syndication on Comedy Central.… Expand

Genre(s): Comedy, Drama

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Season 1 Episodes

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S1:E23. What Kind of Day Has it Been
Air Date: May 4, 1999
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S1:E22. Napoleon's Battle Plan
Air Date: April 27, 1999
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S1:E21. Ten Wickets
Air Date: April 13, 1999

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Robert P. Laurence

May 4, 2013

The pace is fast from start to finish, the situations believable, the actors are obviously enjoying their work, the production is excellent. If there's any justice in the TV business (talk about a reckless assumption), ABC, a network that desperately needs a new hit show, should have one in Sports Night. [22 Sept 1998, p.E-1]

100

Barry Garron

May 5, 2013

A wonderfully engaging combination of comedy and drama that could succeed simply on the passion of its characters and the strength of the performances. But the show also boasts intelligent dialogue and a willingness to grapple with thorny issues, both personal and professional. [21 Sept 1998]

Scott D. Pierce

May 3, 2013

There isn't another half hour like it on network television right now. It's a 30-minute show, but it isn't a sitcom. As a matter of fact, it's at least as much a drama as it is a comedy. It's also one of the best new shows of the season. [22 Sept 1998, p.TV]

Ray Richmond

May 5, 2013

The most entertaining new comedy premiering in primetime this fall, precisely because it doesn't look or feel like anything else the networks are tossing against the wall. It cleverly defies all of the dreary fall sitcom trends: black people moving into white neighborhoods, single parents struggling to hold housefuls of screaming brats in line, gay men yearning to make sense of a straight world, and young adults basically acting like idiots. [21 Sept 1998, p.44]

Matthew Gilbert

May 1, 2013

For a new series, Sports Night already has a nicely developed sense of ensemble and texture. Charles and Krause show a natural chemistry as anchors and friends, and Robert Guillaume has strong presence as the imposing executive producer. The most appealing actor, though, is Huffman, who is dynamic as the committed producer who lives only for airtime. She's got caffeine running through her veins. [22 Sept 1998, p.C1]

Caryn James

May 5, 2013

The series is acted with razorlike timing. [21 Sept 1998, p.E5]

Manuel Mendoza

May 3, 2013

The corny, almost maudlin conclusions, coupled with the show's we-are-family, us-against-the-network motif, is too sincere to swallow. [22 Sept 1998, p.4C]

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User Reviews

bob516

Dec 12, 2013

15 years after this show first aired, and I am still loving it. Watched it when it first came out, it was my must watch show. Now in syndication, the combination of drama and comedy still keeps me entertained and moved.

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Seasons & Episodes

84

Series Overview
Season 2

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- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: October 5, 1999
Season 1

84
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: September 22, 1998
- tbd
  S1:E23. What Kind of Day Has it Been
  Air Date: May 4, 1999
- tbd
  S1:E22. Napoleon's Battle Plan
  Air Date: April 27, 1999
- tbd
  S1:E21. Ten Wickets
  Air Date: April 13, 1999
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  S1:E20. Ordnance Tactics
  Air Date: April 6, 1999
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  S1:E19. Eli's Coming
  Air Date: March 30, 1999
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  S1:E18. The Sword of Orion
  Air Date: March 23, 1999
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  S1:E17. How Are Things in Glocca Morra?
  Air Date: March 9, 1999
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  S1:E16. Sally
  Air Date: February 23, 1999
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  S1:E15. Dana and the Deep Blue Sea
  Air Date: February 9, 1999
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  S1:E14. Rebecca
  Air Date: January 26, 1999
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  S1:E13. Small Town
  Air Date: January 12, 1999
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  S1:E12. Smoky
  Air Date: January 5, 1999
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  S1:E11. The Six Southern Gentlemen of Tennessee
  Air Date: December 15, 1998
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  S1:E10. Shoe Money Tonight
  Air Date: December 8, 1998
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  S1:E9. The Quality of Mercy at 29K
  Air Date: December 1, 1998
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  S1:E8. Thespis
  Air Date: November 17, 1998
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  S1:E7. Dear Louise
  Air Date: November 10, 1998
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  S1:E6. The Head Coach, Dinner and the Morning Mail
  Air Date: October 27, 1998
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  S1:E5. Mary Pat Shelby
  Air Date: October 20, 1998
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  S1:E4. Intellectual Property
  Air Date: October 13, 1998
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  S1:E3. The Hungry and the Hunted
  Air Date: October 6, 1998
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  S1:E2. The Apology
  Air Date: September 29, 1998
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  S1:E1. Pilot
  Air Date: September 22, 1998