Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip began with veteran TV producer Wes Mendell (played by beloved TV legend Judd Hirsch) delivering an on-air diatribe against the state of television and the whole modern world. The media embarrassment puts the whole staff in crisis mode — which doubles as a nice introduction to the show's ensemble. It's almost identical to the inciting incident seen in The Newsroom's trailer when respected news anchor Jeff Daniels' Will McAvoy is caught on camera saying America isn't great. Sorkin plumbed similar territory way back in The West Wing when he began the series premiere with Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) getting into an on-air verbal scuffle with a Christian activist.