Produced by critical favorite Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing), NBC’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is another primetime soap opera with an interest in serious issues, this time set behind the scenes at a network television sketch comedy program.

The cast is strong and reasonably likeable despite their characters’ largely amoral and power-mad nature, and the show has some intentionally funny moments.

The discussion of issues is laughably earnest and elementary, as in Woody Allen’s non-comedy films and Sorkin’s other work, but it’s reasonably diverting to watch wealthy, influential people discuss how they should use their power.

In that way it’s a good deal like The West Wing.