Contributor: Edmund B.
Written by Aaron Sorkin
Directed by Greg Mottola
The first season of “The Newsroom” was in the can before the first episode aired, and the extremely divisive critical reception began. There was much speculation about whether Aaron Sorkin was oblivious to the reactions the show would provoke, or just didn’t care. The finale makes it clear that the former is false, and the latter is largely true. He is happy to play the television world equivalent of the “The Greater Fool,” and those of us enjoying the ride are just as glad to tag along.
The show opens with a newscast heralding Will’s return to the air. It then engages in a series of flashbacks to fill in the gaps. The back and forth started resembling the dizzying pace of “FlashForward,” but, thankfully did not descend to that show’s “2 mins. later/ 30 seconds earlier” minutiae. We learn that Will collapsed at home, not the victim of a death threat, but an ill-considered combo of pills and bourbon. This was a nice call-back to the feigned excuse for his infamous outburst, heralding a few loopbacks to the pilot.
We also learn that Will’s little experiment with Mac’s ex wasn’t gone well. Brian got his cover story, also titled “The Greater Fool”, taking Will to task for his pompous and arrogant attempt to realign cable news. The fact that all those criticisms have been leveled at Sorkin himself reinforces that he was well aware what buttons this show would push. Sloan’s eloquent reinterpretation of the title provides final proof. “The Newsroom” is not about how the news gets done, as “Sports Night” was. It’s about how it could be done better. The paradigm only shifts under pressure from outside. Going against the conventional wisdom, doing something that’s foolish and against your own interests is how change happens.
However, it’s not an easy path, and Will faltering under the weight of recrimination and expectation is understandable. One of the problems with using Camelot and Don Quixote as templates is neither ends well. However, Arthur’s myth has roots in the Fisher King, and that’s who Will resembles as he rises from his bed to redeem his kingdom, backed by the crashing, soaring chords of “Baba O’Riley.” Mr. Sorkin’s playlist may seem dated, but this is Will’s story, so it worked for me. (Although, also being of a certain age and an owner of Who vinyl, I’m probably biased.)
However, they still have the entrenched keepers of the keys, the protectors of the paradigm, to contend with. Between Nina giving Mac a warning shot and Charlie’s heartfelt lowering of Solomon’s expectations, I hoped they were clearing the way for Nina to unlock the hacking scandal. At least the actual resolution avoided the deus ex machina of the deathbed confession, turning instead on Charlie’s successful Liar’s Poker bluff. It was a convenience that Reese provided the audio to make it stick, but one that left it plausible that all of this dirty laundry should stay in-house.
As usual, the newscast showed how crucial it is to the show to keep Will on the air. Jeff Daniels has complete command of that anchor desk, and Mr. Sorkin is taking full advantage. While they do pop up on the actual news networks, it’s great to see issues like voter suppression and the fallacy of voter fraud given center stage in a popular drama. And, in case you doubted Sorkin’s chops as an entertainer, I’m sure his final shot at the Tea Party as the American Taliban will be discussed throughout the off-season, regardless of which side you’re on.
Also, as ever, the Rhombus of Romance (thanks for that, Bronzethumb) was the least effective part. After the briefest intimation that Jim and Maggie would finally meld their ineptitudes, we will have to endure their continued muddling through next season. With Sloan thrown into the mix, since apparently all those scenes with just her and Don were meant to show a spark that was never apparent to me. The “Sex and the City” rant that led into the denouement was made less cringe-inducing, if not exactly palatable, by Alison Pill pouring every ounce of her talent into it. It also made me realize that Aaron Sorkin is much better off keeping his personal life out of his scripts. Just as the Harriet/Kristen Chenoweth nexus weighted down “Studio 60,” this felt like fallout from his current flame, Kristen Davis. (Or he should just stop dating Kristens.)
The more cutting “Sex and the City” reference was the implication that Carrie Bradshaw was more likely to wind up as Nina Howard, rather than with Mr. Big. I hope Nina hasn’t been discarded along with the incriminating voicemail. There is still unfinished business from her clashes with Will, and she needs a job with TMI shut down. Making ‘Sorority Girl’ an intern brought this season full circle, while adding in all the implications from Mac finally admitting she was in the audience. With Will surviving the ominous closing moments, where the death threats suddenly loomed large, extending the crusade into tabloid journalism would be an intriguing direction for next season. I also suspect it would be more entertaining than rehashing the current political campaign.
Acting: 2/2
Writing: 2/2
Directing: 2/2
Style: 3/4
Final Score: 9/10
(Season 1 Final Average: 8.2)