The Newsroom

[Tannhauser]

Ok, episode 5 finally pulled it all together.  That was really good.

[eldaec]

SO, I'm not gonna lie...I got a little choked up at the end :)

Looking for some opinions on Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy... He is local to me and I think my opinion may be scewed but I think he's doing a great job.

I think he is doing a decent job with a script that (3 episodes in) doesn't make sense. Seems like Sorkin is struggling writing a republican point of view for the lead role, especially using real events as a backdrop. The real news thing is brave because it means they lose the ability of the characters to influence events. The news itself can't possibly be the central plot because it isn't going to change, yet that is all Daniels's character has touched. Until they bring him into conflict with the internal workings of the station nothing interesting can happen.

The Jane Fonda stuff at the end of ep3 was the best thing so far because it went beyond shouting idealism into an empty canyon.

I guess the whole thing turns on how Daniels faces off to that, but all he's had to do so far is beat up tea party strawmen. Which feels like self indulgent writing more than actual commentary.

By comparison Bradley Whitford in West wing or Matthew Perry in studio 60 were at least meaningfully engaged with the plot by episode 3.

[WayAbvPar]

There are some heavy-handed and cringeworthy moments, but I am just a sucker for Sorkin's flavor of pablum. I love this show, which means it will get canceled for killing horses or something any day now.

[schild]

There are some heavy-handed and cringeworthy moments, but I am just a sucker for Sorkin's flavor of pablum. I love this show, which means it will get canceled for killing horses or something any day now.

It has already been signed for a second season.

[Ironwood]

3rd episode was ok.

I take it we're meant to want Don to just FUCKING DIE.  And his useless bitch, who's fucking worthless.

Beyond that, it was an ok episode slamming the Tea Party.

But here's my problem :  Since episode one, I really, really find it fucking cheeky that you're writing the media you wanted, rather than the one you had.  It's just utter steaming fucking bullshit.  I don't think I WANT this to have a second season, even though it does.

[Tannhauser]

Don gets better.  He's part human now. 

[WayAbvPar]

There are some heavy-handed and cringeworthy moments, but I am just a sucker for Sorkin's flavor of pablum. I love this show, which means it will get canceled for killing horses or something any day now.

It has already been signed for a second season.

That didn't stop them from canceling Luck.

[schild]

Don gets better.  He's part human now. 

Valentine's Day Scene and his bit with the other newsanchor doesn't make him more human. He's still bottled twat.

[WayAbvPar]

I thought his (partial) redemption was standing up to the twatty suit about announcing GG's death. He is still quite unlikeable, but now he is not such a cartoonish villain.

[Trippy]

There are some heavy-handed and cringeworthy moments, but I am just a sucker for Sorkin's flavor of pablum. I love this show, which means it will get canceled for killing horses or something any day now.

It has already been signed for a second season.

That didn't stop them from canceling Luck.

If, say, Sam Waterston trips and breaks his leg they won't need to put him down though, probably.

[WayAbvPar]

He is method acting with all his bourbon Scotch* so the odds of that are reasonably high, I would suspect.



*should have remembered that an American hating liberal like Sorkin wouldn't have his characters drink good old fashioned American whisky.

[MahrinSkel]

He is method acting with all his bourbon Scotch* so the odds of that are reasonably high, I would suspect.

Rumor is that he has Parkinsons.  He's never confirmed or denied those rumors.

--Dave

[WayAbvPar]

That wouldn't surprise me at all. He sounds like my grandmother before her case really got bad.

[Tannhauser]

Another really good episode.  McEvoy's bully pulpit was revealed, Olivia Munn did pretty well in her first key episode and the humanization of Dastardly Don continues.  Glad to see the JimNPam romance toned down and Sam Waterson really brought the heat.

That said, Daniels commands this show like Kirk commands the bridge.

[WayAbvPar]

Pleasantly surprised with OM's acting chops. She might be one of those people who just clicks with Sorkin's style and rhythm (god that word is hard to spell!). Still, she could use a shower scene a week 

[Slayerik]

I agree with all of the above.

[Ironwood]

No.  This is crap.

Watch it if it makes you feel better about who you are as a nation, but it's a fucking lie.

I'm done.

[Mrbloodworth]

This show is fantastic. Its a reality that should have been.

[WayAbvPar]

It is very watchable despite Sorkin's best efforts to derail it almost constantly. There are very valid criticisms of it, especially his handling of most of the female characters (SS being the exception), but in the end it still makes my heart grow 2 sizes at least once per episode. Even though I know I am being manipulated I enjoy it as entertainment. And if it opens even one additional pair of eyes to whatever the injustice of the week is, it has more than done its job.


Sorkin really needs to hire some female writers to handle his female characters though. I am not one to see misogyny behind every door, but his utter contempt for women is pretty appallingly obvious. Ditto for the internet. His experience during TWW with TWOP (I was right in the middle of all that, btw- even had 'benjamin' respond to one of my posts directly) has soured him so badly that he almost completely disregards anything internet-related as nerd fappery. He is eternally stuck in 1996.

[Rendakor]

What are TWW and TWOP?

[Rasix]

TWW = The West Wing.  TWOP = Television without Pity, a television recap/commentary site.  

Some interesting commentary from time and time and I like reading the recaps of some shows. Some of their reviewers are mentally unhinged, as the current True Blood writer fucking loves this season. 

[Rendakor]

Ahh, thanks.

[Tebonas]

What a load of jingoistic crap. I'm officially done now as well.

Be glad you quit before this one, Ironwood. I think you would have popped a blood vessel.

[Rasix]

That episode was really, really bad.  Holy shit.  I'm not sure you can even assign a letter grade to something so poorly written and executed.  What a waste of time.   

[OandA]

I like the show. I just pretend it's a documentary and feel better about your part of the world. 

Then I come back to here... 

[Tebonas]

Really, you felt better about the US after that episode? Because all I could think was "If that is how a confirmed lefty sees this, then all hope is lost for our brothers and sisters across the pond and we'll have to nuke them from orbit to save the planet sooner or later."

I don't know if that was the intended purpose.

[OandA]

Really, you felt better about the US after that episode? Because all I could think was "If that is how a confirmed lefty sees this, then all hope is lost for our brothers and sisters across the pond and we'll have to nuke them from orbit to save the planet sooner or later."

I don't know if that was the intended purpose.

Oh ? It's tuesday already, isn't it ? I am on a doubletrippleshift since yesterday 5 p.m. local time, so I had no chance to get to watching the latest episode. Or realize that it's not Sunday anymore.

COFFEEEEEEEEE is my friend though.

Now I am looking forward to watching this.  

edit: Oh and this is Helm, just posting from a "work account" because I could not log in with my "private" account for the life of me. I hope this is ok (don't ban me)

[Tebonas]

Then I don't want to spoil you any further. Try to have fun, I would really like to know if there is a Non-Us citizen who liked this. Personally I think this will be standing alongside the movie Independence Day in infamy.

Also, love quadrangle ridiculousness in overdrive. This episode had it all 

[Ironwood]

"It's the Americans Sir !"  "Well, it's about time !!"

Independence Day.  Don't.  Get.  Me.  Started.



Edit;  Starring Charles Dence.

[Tebonas]

The quote that united the world in its hatred of it.  

[OandA]

"It's the Americans Sir !"  "Well, it's about time !!"

Wasn't that supposed to be a comedy ? And all the actors thought it was a comedy and then in the editing room they somehow "changed" it ?

[Ironwood]

How does that matter ?

I'm not going to go by the intent to swat a fly if the fucking asshole just punched me in the face.

[OandA]

Spoken like a true scotsman.

[Bunk]

Then I don't want to spoil you any further. Try to have fun, I would really like to know if there is a Non-Us citizen who liked this. Personally I think this will be standing alongside the movie Independence Day in infamy.

I enjoyed some of the individual bits, and I get where they were going with the whole respect to pilots and cops thing, but yea, it was a disturbing episode.

The entire show had basically one person who wasn't cheering like they had just won life - and that was because it wasn't quite enough of an awesome feeling to make her get over her dead dad.

I'd have enjoyed it a whole lot more if maybe just one of them could have brought up the fact that shooting an old man dead doesn't exactly do anything to address the root of your problems.

[Rendakor]

Glad I wasn't the only one who thought that episode was garbage.