STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP rides off into the sunset tonight (9 p.m., Ch. 5), which is a shame.

Maybe expectations were too high for this show, which stumbled out of the starting gate. Yes, it took itself too seriously. (Although people who make TV shows really do take themselves too seriously.)

The bigger problem was the endless and annoying relationship between Matt (Matthew Perry) and Harriet (Sarah Poulson). And the fact that Perry and Poulson had no chemistry together. And that Poulson was miscast.

But the show got better as it went along. After most viewers had abandoned it.

It deserved a second season. Which it won't get. Don't be fooled by some online efforts to revive it. It won't happen.

Too bad.

TV TRIVIA: The title of tonight's "Studio 60" episode is "What Kind of Day Has It Been?" That was also the title of the last episode of the first season of "The West Wing" and the last episode of the first season of "Sports Night."

OK, so it's really not much of a coincidence. All three shows, of course, were created and produced by Aaron Sorkin.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com