A behind-the-scenes look at a fictional sketch-comedy TV show.
When the Executive Producer of sketch show 'Studio 60' has an on air meltdown, new network president Jordan McDeere hires Danny Tripp and Matt Albie to replace him and save the show.
Matt and Danny have five days to organize their highly publicized first show; Harriet and Matt try to work around their romantic history; Jordan defends a controversial sketch.
Focus group numbers have some people at the show and at the network up in arms, Matt seems apprehensive about airing skits that make fun of Republicans, and an embarrassing event from Jordan's past comes to light.
Jordan is approached by a Vanity Fair columnist, requesting access to Studio 60 to write a long lead story about the rebirth of the show. Harriet offers Matt a baseball bat she was given by a major league baseball player, unaware that the pitcher had written his phone number on it. When it is discovered that the show has inadvertently plagiarized another comedian's material during a sketch, the team scrambles to break into the taped West Coast feed to correct their error.
While the cast goes through rehearsals with Lauren Graham and Sting, Martha O'Dell tries to get the story on Matt and Harriet. Meanwhile, Jordan passes on a lucrative but tasteless new reality series.
A drunken Jordan makes friends with the cast during an after show party, Danny tries to get Matt's mind off Harriet with the help of three sexy women, Simon makes a plea to hire more black writers, Cal deals with a mysterious man backstage, and Tom gets a visit from his uptight conservative parents.
Members of the show's staff travel to Nevada to get Tom freed from jail in time for the Friday night taping, but a judge who doesn't particularly care for "Studio 60" complicates their mission. Part 1 of 2.
Conclusion. The show must go on, even with members of the "Studio 60" team in Nevada awaiting Tom's arraignment hearing just a few hours before taping; Matt orders a nervous Dylan to fill Simon's chair for the News 60 sketch; Harriet and Jordan each suffer repercussions from bad press.
Word of Ricky and Ron planning to leave the show along with the writing staff causes trouble at Studio 60. Meanwhile, Harriet considers doing a sexy lingerie spread in a magazine and Jordan and Danny wrestle with pending budget cuts.
A virus takes its toll on the cast, and Matt faces the challenge of coming up with material with a reduced writing staff. Also, Jordan drops a bombshell on Danny.
With a holiday show on the horizon, Matt is determined to bring the Christmas spirit to Studio 60. Meanwhile, following a visit to the OB/GYN, Danny has to confront his true feelings for Jordan. Harriett is offered a career changing opportunity.
The staff comes back from the holiday break to prepare for the first show of the year; Danny is in full pursuit of Jordan; Matt bids in an online auction for a date with Harriet; Jack and Wilson White continue to fight against the FCC fines, and Jack goes to see Zhang Tao to ask for his help.
Danny and Jordan are locked on the roof of the theatre while other members of the cast and staff attend a dinner honoring Harriet, whose relationship with Matt begins to unravel.
Conclusion. Harriet is feted with a special dinner, but things continue to fall apart with Matt, while above the event, Jordan and Danny spend time locked on the roof. Cal's attempt to save money by bringing snakes into the studio goes awry.
Matt takes a stroll down memory lane and recalls how he met Harriet. Tom and Dylan spend the episode lobbying to prevent their sketch from being cut between dress rehearsal and airtime.
Harriet works on her movie while Matt suffers from writer's block, but it's the sexual harassment lawyer who is the real distraction. Meanwhile, Jordan and Danny compete to see who would be a better parent.
Allison Janney is the guest host of a show that goes haywire when the prop masters and cue card workers stage a last minute wildcat strike. While the show is on, a bomb threat referencing a Muhammad sketch threatens the building.
Jordan experiences an emergency with her pregnancy during the live show when she suddenly cannot feel her baby kick. However, an even larger emergency is unfolding for Tom, whose brother is involved in a hostage crisis. Amidst all this, Matt's pill use gets discovered as he deals with the continuous presence of Mary Tate.
Part 1 of 3. Stress levels rise as Jordan faces emergency surgery and Tom's family issues take a turn for the worse.
Part 2 of 3. Simon loses control and takes it out on the press. Meanwhile, Jordan's condition worsens and flashbacks reveal why Matt and Danny were first fired from the show.
Conclusion. Jordan's pregnancy scare and Tom's family crisis make for a long day at work, during which flashbacks tell the story behind Danny and Matt's original dismissal from the show.
In the series finale, a stressful night involving a hostage crisis and a premature birth comes to an end. In the midst of this turmoil, Matt and Harriet find the strength for (another) new beginning.
