Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom on HBO

[antsman41]

That was wonderful, the first 2 episodes were solid of course but this reminded me of the latter half of s2. Other then weird editing/hallmark feeling maggie flashback at the very end it was so great.

The on going escalation of ACN being smug to the OWS girl was the highlight. Sort of happy Jim is 'back' but really liked the campaign world we were getting...

 

[Zeus]

Pretty much the fake news stories are now becoming more compelling then the real stories...But how are they going to get around some of the bigger stories like the Boston Bomber, Colorado shootings...

This Operation Genoa thing is a neat storyline. Jeff Daniels is the show

 

[Thundercrack85]

Well, it's going to be a few seasons before the Boston Bombing.

I can only imagine what a field day the show will have with the gun massacres though (Sorkin hasn't exactly been shy about gun politics).

 

[runawayboulder]

This season ends with a 2 parter about the elections. I think next weeks preview mentioned the Trayvon Martin story breaking. The Boston Bombing will probably be next year.

Honestly, I like how they're working around the real stories now. The constant link a fictional character had to every major news story was getting really dull. I like how they're using the other stuff in a general way and using Genoa, which is based on a real story. Sorkin said it during an interview he did, I think on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Well, considering they're in New York, I don't really find them having a direct connection to Occupy Wall Street as a real stretch.

Now if a character gets hit in one of those shootings, then yeah, that would be ridiculous.

 

[runawayboulder]

It made sense that Neal would know about it during it's infancy since he runs the blog and handles stuff all internet related. I have no issues about him running down there to chase a potential story and meet some chick. It paid off to move the Genoa thing along so it worked well in the end.

Last year some of the connections were so blatant it was borderline ridiculous.

 

[Bruce Banner]

This Operation Genoa thing is a neat storyline. Jeff Daniels is the show

With so much going on it seems like we are seeing slightly less of Will so far in season 2, but at the same time it makes seeing Daniels scenes more memorable.

Anyone else feeling this way?

 

[Spidey-Bat]

We've been getting less of him but he always steals every scene. I expect them to cover him and Mac more. I'm assuming he's still dating Nina Howard which I don't see Mac taking well.

I hope they avoid making a lot of episodes devoted to big news stories. Not to be dismissive of them, but the show shouldn't be fictional news coverage of events from years ago. I liked the first episode with the BP spill because of how it showed that story quickly progress and everyone get into action. I didn't care for the bin Laden episode but being based in New York City, it had relevance. I'd rather see them cover the Colorado shootings when Sandy Hook happens so there's only one episode on gun control.

 

[runawayboulder]

I think they balance the cast pretty well. Jeff Daniels is the big dog of the show. After all the failed attempts Neal made with the OWS girl, Will popped up right at the end to deliver a strong scene.

The highlight last night was definitely the Maggie/Africa stuff. The flashback to her interaction with the kid admiring her blonde hair, then her chopping it off, mixed with the disposition interview all played out perfectly. And the last line by the Marcia Gay Harden's lawyer character was the cherry on top.

 

[MadVillainy]

Glad I was right about Gary getting killed. Although the show did a good job playing with expectations with the editing toward the end. The kid dying was really sad though

The rest of the episode was hilarious though with everyone getting called smug by the OWS lady

 

[DarkSovereignty]

This show is making me love Olivia Munn.

 

[chamber-music]

Last nights episode was the best of the season so far for me.

 

[Zeus]

Well we are what into the 3rd episode I believe...

 

[squeekness]

Fourth. I just watched them through again last night, lol.

 

[runawayboulder]

Only 5 left to go.

I think it being a short season helps it because it's moving at a perfect pace right now. If this were a full 13 episode season, Maggie's Africa trip would have been 3-4 eps and Jim would have probably been on the campaign trail for 10 eps.

 

[Marvolo]

Huge fan of season one, but this season ain't really doing it for me. Not enough Will in the newsroom doing what he does among other issues. And the Maggie trip to Africa is some of the most cliched lazy **** I've seen in a while.

On top of this I'm being treated to another dose of Romney. The two years I got of him leading up to the election was enough to do me for a lifetime.

 

[antsman41]

Even though I liked last weeks, it didn't settle well. The Maggie stuff in hidsight ruined everything else and it was all over the place.

Last nights on the other hand was a masterpiece, and reminded me why I love the show. Stick to the newsroom on The Newsroom, guys...

 

[Marvolo]

What did Will mean by:

"Well, I guess its just us now."

 

[Zeus]

What did Will mean by:

"Well, I guess its just us now."

no idea, was wondering that too

 

[Spidey-Bat]

Even though I liked last weeks, it didn't settle well. The Maggie stuff in hidsight ruined everything else and it was all over the place.

Last nights on the other hand was a masterpiece, and reminded me why I love the show. Stick to the newsroom on The Newsroom, guys...

I thought so, too. I thought the Maggie story was really well done, but it now seems like it was thrown in there just for the sake of it. And how do they end the episode with her cutting her hair and the very next one, her hair is now back to normal? Just seems like an odd choice.

I loved how this week's episode was basically an episode of News Night in real time.

 

[squeekness]

I thought so, too. I thought the Maggie story was really well done, but it now seems like it was thrown in there just for the sake of it. And how do they end the episode with her cutting her hair and the very next one, her hair is now back to normal? Just seems like an odd choice.

I loved how this week's episode was basically an episode of News Night in real time.

That threw me too. Makes me wonder if something else doesn't happen to her to push her over that edge. If so than the Africa thing loses some of its impact.

 

[runawayboulder]

I thought so, too. I thought the Maggie story was really well done, but it now seems like it was thrown in there just for the sake of it. And how do they end the episode with her cutting her hair and the very next one, her hair is now back to normal? Just seems like an odd choice.

I loved how this week's episode was basically an episode of News Night in real time.

That threw me too. Makes me wonder if something else doesn't happen to her to push her over that edge. If so than the Africa thing loses some of its impact.

This season is jumping back and forth through time. Right now Maggie is a borderline alcoholic and it seems like that's going to continue next week. She may finally have a breakdown and cut her hair at the end of next week. I think once it's all said and done, everything will come together.

Anyway, this past episode was radically different than any of the previous ones. If you take out a lot of the current established storylines, it would have made a better pilot than the actually pilot.

 

[kytrigger]

What did Will mean by:

"Well, I guess its just us now."

no idea, was wondering that too

I think it was a reference to what Mackenzie had said earlier to the kid that wanted to come out on the show. She talked about how there are people in your life and then an audience. I took it to mean Will talked to the audience as if there was nobody personal left in his life.

 

[Spidey-Bat]

This season is jumping back and forth through time. Right now Maggie is a borderline alcoholic and it seems like that's going to continue next week. She may finally have a breakdown and cut her hair at the end of next week. I think once it's all said and done, everything will come together.

Anyway, this past episode was radically different than any of the previous ones. If you take out a lot of the current established storylines, it would have made a better pilot than the actually pilot.

I get that it's jumping around, it's just an unusual decision to end last week explaining her change in hair and this week she's back to her normal style. It would have made more sense if her hair was just growing back and becoming blonde again. But complaining about it is nitpicking since it's just aesthetics and her PTSD is now in the form of being an alcoholic and "s-l-u-t" (don't know why that's censored).

I still really liked the episode, and the week before, but they just don't fit well next to each other.

 

[Thundercrack85]

But doesn't this episode take place before the interviews? At least that's what I got. It is kind of confusing. This takes place before the events in the past episodes, which had them talking to the lawyer.