"The Best Show You're Not Watching."
TV Guide once called Sports Night (1998) "The Best Show You're Not Watching." As a fan of the show, I'm greatly surprised at that. It features many of the characteristics of Aaron Sorkin's current hit, The West Wing (1999): Peppy, witty dialogue delivered cleverly at a rapid pace; artistic photography with a semblance of cinéma vérité that features frequent movement within frame with simultaneous movement throughout the set to create an intimacy and sense involvement; inspired casting of very talented actors who are comfortable with each other and their characters; and excellent art direction.
So why did this show fail? My bias as a fan tells me that it was a network issue. Lack of promotion, changing its timeslot, who knows? It failed. I'm just glad that I have the complete two seasons on DVD so I can watch them anytime I want. My neighbors are shopping for volume controls to quiet my laughter.