S01.E10: The Interview

[Lady Calypso]

Quote

TMS faces a fateful day as a plan to shake up UBA is set in motion.

 

[Penman61]

This finale was a letdown, and I'm not yet sure why. 

One seemingly trivial thing, though it yanked me right out of the show:

When Bradley confronts Alex in her dressing room to say she's leaving the show, and Bradley exits, Alex chases after her, and then continues chasing after Bradley down the nighttime street.

Jennifer Aniston plays both scenes with a very distractingly comic prance-run, something right out of Friends or a rom-com. It was brief, but it was an absolute tonal clash with the moment (Hannah's suicide being announced). 

More generally: I do think having Hannah commit suicide (though I guess they left whether it was in fact suicide somewhat ambiguous) is a story mistake. Yes, it conveys the serious impact sexual abuse can have; but it felt forced, unearned, and didn't fit that character. 

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by Penman61

[StarBrand]

Well, that was pretty intense.  The big surprise was that big coup, getting Mitch on the air for an interview, did not in fact, happen. Mitch wanted to be part of the takedown, but in the end, it happened without him. Poor Hannah. I had an inkling that something would happen to her-it would appear that she didn't intend to kill herself, but self-medicated a little bit too much-and as we know from Ep 6, she's been doing that for some time now.

Another little surprise was the fact that Alex was the one to initiate dropping the truth bomb on the unsuspecting audience. The revealation of Mitch's actions with Hannah, and how that contribued to her death, was really the last straw for her, and she just coudln't pretend anymore.  The ending, with Alex and Bradley being cut off to a test patten, then the zoom-out of Mitch alone in his house, perhaps for the first time ever, having it dawn on him what his actions have caused. He's truly on his own now, with no way to salvage his reputation. He had chances to redeem himself, or at least own up to what he'd done, but played the vicim card until the very end. Now it's far too late.

I actually hope this is the last we see Mitch, because it would seem to me that his arc has come to an end.

So, things blew up pretty good at TMS. It'll be interesting to see what the fallout is like.

[dmc]

I like this show at times.  I think Jennifer Anniston is doing good work as Alex.  I'm less impressed with Reese but I think it's more her character than her acting.  Her constant...I'm quitting it's not for me is annoying because it's clear she's the same as everyone at the network.  Ambitious as all get out...her fake leaving every two mins is annoying.  Alex called out on it in the beginning at the award's dinner...her I don't know why I'm here...to which Alex replies...really then leave.  Also there is a weird dynamic between all the cast members than I cannot put my finger on...I don't know what atmosphere they are trying to create

 

 

[Dminches]

4 hours ago, Penman61 said:

More generally: I do think having Hannah commit suicide (though I guess they left whether it was in fact suicide somewhat ambiguous) is a story mistake. Yes, it conveys the serious impact sexual abuse can have; but it felt forced, unearned, and didn't fit that character. 

 

How did it not fit the character?  Frankly, we don’t know enough about the character to really make that assessment.  Based on how Hannah reacted to the questions asked by Bradley which clearly brought all her emotions up the surface, it was clear she had been completely overtaken by the moment.  At that point anything was possible.  Hannah seemed fragile even when she met the British woman for a drink and told her no to date the weatherman.  

[heavysnaxx]

1 hour ago, Dminches said:

How did it not fit the character?  Frankly, we don’t know enough about the character to really make that assessment.  Based on how Hannah reacted to the questions asked by Bradley which clearly brought all her emotions up the surface, it was clear she had been completely overtaken by the moment.  At that point anything was possible.  Hannah seemed fragile even when she met the British woman for a drink and told her no to date the weatherman.  

ITA. I don't usually pick up on stuff that other viewers say was telegraphed and I knew what the character was headed for. (Even before the scene where it fades out with her walking in the middle of a street facing into traffic.) Mbatha-Raw is very good at conveying real distress and the character's behavior seemed consistent throughout. If you haven't seen her as the leads in Belle and Beyond the Lights, you're missing her great performances.

I also agree that there was too much Rachel Green sneaking into Aniston's street- and set-freak-outs. It DID have a disconcertingly sit-com-ish tone.

I will say that for all of its blah-blah about blowing up the network, The Morning Show did not convince me that they could blow up real good. It is a sad day for tv shows that aspire to be zietgiezt-y when I'm watching The Big Finale's Big Final Scene and my mind wanders back to The Farm Film Report blowing up Dustin Hoffman. (And I'm distracted by the fact that DH - who's had his own MeToo moments - being satirized by none other than Martin Short.)

[Caseysgirl]

I felt that Hannah’s alleged suicide was contrived.. I feel that she was too hard edged  & career driven, to let this suddenly make her lose it.She may have felt used and abused by Mitch at the time, but she seems to have let that scar heal over to a real hard edge. I just thought that at this point, as long as her identity wasn’t revealed she would have just done it to get Mitch off her back or just say, “ fuck you, Mitch, you raped me, I don’t owe you a thing.”

[Stiggs]

I kind of liked the little run Aniston did when she was trying to catch up with Witherspoon, because I think sometimes in the most serious or intense moment, something can be randomly ridiculous. I also just generally think Aniston is doing a good job with such an odd character. When she screamed that she was empty I feel like that summed her up so much. 
 

Once they committed to outing everything I almost let out a breath. Like, yes, finally - I wasn’t sure where they were gonna go, but I kinda liked that they went nuclear. Wish they could have done it without a suicide/OD. 

[ichbin]

My favorite thing was Cory waving to Fred through the locked door.

There is enough meat on the bone for the next season . 

8 hours ago, StarBrand said:

. Mitch wanted to be part of the takedown, but in the end, it happened without him

I liked the way that played out. He lost the control he thought he had and Alex and Bradley became the star players. 
 

The show has had a lot of weaknesses but there was enough there to keep me coming back. Now that it’s all set up I hope they can polish it.

[sadie]

While I think the show had some trouble with pacing, very slow, overall I really enjoyed it. Not sure I love where they ended as I really want to see the fall out. I loved all the strong female characters, especially Marcia Gay Harden’s reporter. Alex was a bit uneven for me, I guess we were supposed to see this was her cracking. I liked that Mitch got left out in the cold. The scene where Crudup tells him to not blow it by going on camera and trying to play the victim was really well done and you could see the realization on Carrels face as it dawned on him he really was the bad guy. I thought Carrel did really solid work here as I totally understood why people would be charmed by him but that tinge of selfish malice you could feel just under the surface. Chilling really. 

On a shallow note, loved the clothes,  the NY scenery and the apartment porn. Everything Anniston wore screamed money, loved it! 

[SueB]

I f*cking loved it.  I'm glad Alex and Bradley scooped all the would-be scoopers. 

Character by character:

Alex: REDEEMED.  I was so pissed at her last week for throwing Chip under the bus.  But she found her moral event horizon and threw herself under the bus.  I don't feel there was anything but utter confession and outrage on her part.  It was authentic.  And I liked that as she paced the set, she knew where she was heading and it wasn't easy. It came out in fits.  She truly didn't know about Hannah.  At all.  And she knows she intentionally DIDN'T look.  She wasn't watching out for what was happening. She's culpable and she admitted it on national TV. Well done.
Bradley: My favorite part was when she admitted she was especially going to do the interview because Alex told her not to.  I loved the raw honesty the two bring out.  Second favorite: 'are we doing this?'  She is a fire-starter and even Alex took her by surprise.
Corey: Who would have thought chaos man was such a lynch pin player.  Was he doing it to oust Fred?  Definitely.  But he was spot-on when he called Bradley out for always running.  I think he's going to get addicted to honesty.  I'm here for it.
Chip: Oh my heart.  I loved his 'love letter' confession to Alex. "It was all for  you."  I don't know if it's actual love or just devotion to someone he believes in but Chip is MY HERO.  And he got to punch MITCH.  That was a fist-pump moment.  But like everyone else, he was weak enough to have an ulterior motive.  Still, I believe in Chip.  I want him back.
Hannah: Perfectly portrayed.  Her bouts of anger and dispassion showed she was in real trouble.  I hate it when characters die to progress other's stories but in this case I felt like it was a natural outcome of her tragedy.  I saw her as the junior TV professional unsure of how to navigate.  She tried to become the 'jaded' veteran and those clothes just did not fit. 
Mitch: The rapist.  The user.  BURN IN HELL. I have no idea where they are going to go but if I don't see him again, I'm okay with that.  He creeps me out (well played Steve Carell).
Fred: I want to see him in a perp walk.  We won't get it but it's due.    
Maggie: F*ck you.  Seriously.  She's feasting on the pain and tipped Fred off.  She see Pulitzer.  I'm glad Alex and Bradley scooped her.
Claire: My poor soul.  I want Yanko and her to cling to each other forever.  Hannah was wrong Claire.  Stay with your man.  

I watched those last 5 mins 5 times.  Such damn good TV. 

ETA: WHO was the one person Alex was apologizing to?  I think Mia thinks it was herself but I think it was Chip.  Opinions?
 

Edited December 21, 2019 by SueB

[CarpeFelis]

1 hour ago, SueB said:

ETA: WHO was the one person Alex was apologizing to?  I think Mia thinks it was herself but I think it was Chip.  Opinions?

I also think it was Chip. 

My favorite moments: 1) Cory giving the Queen Elizabeth/Miss America wave to locked-out Fred, 2) Chip punching Mitch and 3) Cory telling them not to go to tape.

Can’t wait to see the aftermath next season.

[Dminches]

17 hours ago, heavysnaxx said:

Mbatha-Raw is very good at conveying real distress and the character's behavior seemed consistent throughout. If you haven't seen her as the leads in Belle and Beyond the Lights, you're missing her great performances.

 

After the scene with Hannah and Bradley in her apartment I turned to my wife and said “she deserves an award just for that scene.”  She was that good.

[Stiggs]

20 minutes ago, Dminches said:

After the scene with Hannah and Bradley in her apartment I turned to my wife and said “she deserves an award just for that scene.”  She was that good.

Hannah in that scene made me cry without even realizing it. One of those, wait, are these tears? moments. Very powerful.

I think Alex was talking to Cory, as well.

Steve Carrell was brilliant casting - he was so gross and charming and damn monstrous. 

Alex’s live studio unraveling was awesome - can you imagine what riveting TV that would be IRL?  I’d be glued to the TV. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

11 hours ago, SueB said:

I f*cking loved it. 

Me too.

It also - finally - helped me a understand a bit of Bradley, Corey, and Hannah, albeit 10 episodes in.

13 hours ago, sadie said:

Everything Anniston wore screamed money, loved it! 

LOL.  I love this.

11 hours ago, SueB said:

Chip: Oh my heart.  I loved his 'love letter' confession to Alex. "It was all for  you."  I don't know if it's actual love or just devotion to someone he believes in but Chip is MY HERO.  And he got to punch MITCH.  That was a fist-pump moment.  But like everyone else, he was weak enough to have an ulterior motive.  Still, I believe in Chip.  I want him back.

Same.

This episode was directed really artfully, but I enjoyed it.  I loved the slo-mo at the end.

I loved the music when Hannah walked down the street, even though it was such a horrible moment.

I think Hannah being silenced AGAIN with ANOTHER promotion, plus the whole episode with Bradley, really sent her over the edge.

Edited December 22, 2019 by Ms Blue Jay

[Armchair Critic]

Chip was the one who leaked it to the NY Times, I wondered if it was him and now it makes sense. I hope he can come back if Fred is gone. Bradley isn't the only one to drop the F bomb on live tv, now Alex did. I also rewatched the last 5 minutes again. I loved Alex throwing the water in the guy's face, Fred running down the hall and then them locking him out of the room, then Alex finally speaking the truth and she and Bradley working together, then they get cut off.... can't wait until next season.

[StarBrand]

Indeed, shit blew up real good. No turning back from that.

I wonder how things will be like next season. Are we going to see the aftermath right away, or is time gonna pass before we pick up again?

One plotline I wouldn't be surprised to see happen is Hannah's family filing a lawsuit against the network. Going on live TV and more or less saying the culture of your network, which no one really tried to stop,  left your daughter unable to cope, well, that's probably not going to sit well for the family.......

[pennben]

I inhaled this show in 2 days. I admit to watching the finale right after 1st episode as I didn’t want to watch a disappointing show where two women end up bringing each other down and that being the lesson of a dickwad being fired for being such. 

I think maybe my viewing in a binge leads me to a less laudatory view of Chip.  He seems to me to be a go with the flow/power guy.  Sure, he was an Alex guy as she was rising and he was rising with her; but it was clear he was also turning into a Mitch guy as he was rising versus Alex.

So, when the horse (Mitch)  he was starting to back started to look shaky, and his other horse (Alex) )was about to be taken out of race, he hedged his bets to keep his longtime loyal person at helm rather than lose both  Hence his leak to the NYTimes  

Thats why I am skeptical of his “love” vm at end. Once again his staying in charge meant changing horses mid race in the new race (from Bradley back to Alex) and this felt more like a bit of trying to find a way to keep on the inside since his new new horse wasn’t going to win out either. 

It is of course all very much more complicated than that, I know, it’s just that having zipped through the story, I feel less loyal to him than I think others do with early seasons moments fresher in my mind. 

Edited December 22, 2019 by pennben

[ichbin]

9 hours ago, pennben said:

It is of course all very much more complicated than that, I know, it’s just that having zipped through the story, I feel less loyal to him than I think others do with early seasons moments fresher in my mind. 

I agree. The show is full of flawed characters although some are certainly less so than others.  Almost every one of them has been shown to place career and/or advancement over anything else.  I don't root for any one of them.  Out of all the featured players I think Yanko is at the top of the "good" end of the scale with Fred and Mitch fighting it out at the bottom, with Martin Short's character only being slightly above them because he at least admitted what he was doing during that conversation with MItch.

[dmc]

On 12/21/2019 at 11:58 AM, Stiggs said:

Hannah in that scene made me cry without even realizing it. One of those, wait, are these tears? moments. Very powerful.

I think Alex was talking to Cory, as well.

Steve Carrell was brilliant casting - he was so gross and charming and damn monstrous. 

Alex’s live studio unraveling was awesome - can you imagine what riveting TV that would be IRL?  I’d be glued to the TV. 

Wait why do you think Alex was taking to Corey?

[preeya]

11 minutes ago, dmc said:

Alex’s live studio unraveling was awesome - can you imagine what riveting TV that would be IRL?  I’d be glued to the TV. 

You'd never see it IRL. The feed would be cut the moment she went off script and TPTB surmised where she was going with it.

[marcee]

Maybe I've been watching too much TV, but I fully expected Hannah to fall to her death, smashing into the top of a car as Bradley left her apartment building. I suppose my guess was close enough and what happened was certainly more in line with her character than a dramatic fall so I'm good with it.

I, too, loved Alex throwing water in producer-guy's face. I think that may have been my favorite part of the entire series.

I enjoyed the whole thing. I thought it was very smart, very well written - yes, a little slow at times, but overall, really good writing and acting. I hope there's more to come.

Edited December 23, 2019 by marcee

[CarpeFelis]

On 12/21/2019 at 4:48 AM, sadie said:

On a shallow note, loved the clothes,  the NY scenery and the apartment porn. Everything Anniston wore screamed money, loved it! 

I suppose it’s because I’m old, but I loved everything about the clothes except the pants hems flapping around the ankles. They kept looking like they were waiting for a flood.

[txhorns79]

On 12/21/2019 at 9:22 AM, SueB said:

ETA: WHO was the one person Alex was apologizing to?  I think Mia thinks it was herself but I think it was Chip.  Opinions?

I thought she was apologizing to Chip.  She recently screwed him over and I have to think that was very much at the top of her thoughts when she was apologizing.  Though I can see how Mia would presume the apology was meant for her.   

I really enjoyed the whole ending scene, from Alex essentially having some kind of mental break down and recovery to the whole gang banding together to try to ensure what she and Bradley were saying aired. 

[funnygirl]

Great finale. Great performances.

Jennifer Aniston's Alex is the MVP for me.

I really hope Cory rehires Chip at UBA. (aside from the fact that I'm now shipping Chip/Alex so hard. lol)

This episode turned Bradley around for me. First time since 1x01 that I truly enjoyed her.

[Carolina Girl]

I'm guessing I'm the only one that isn't all that fond of Cory.  I really get this "Diana Christensen" (Network) vibe from him somehow.  

[Superpole2000]

I really wanted to see that Mitch interview. The season felt like a lot of leadup to what ended up being a pretty ragged finish and a promise unfulfilled. The conclusion was somewhat satisfying, I suppose, but the punchup with Mitch was lame. So was the suicide and all of the slow motion reactions that followed. I think the show could have provided more interesting ways of concluding the story than going over the top with the fistfight and death.

Edited December 30, 2019 by Superpole2000

[Fostersmom]

I binged most of the episodes yesterday and today and while most of them felt kind of disjointed and had too many things going on, they managed to tie them together pretty well for this season finale. It did all manage to come together well with just enough to tie things up if they didn't get renewed. 

Oddly enough, I almost feel like the casting in this show was too much. Too many names, too many known faces. It's sometimes too hard to not see them as their known role. I agree, Aniston slipped into Rachel a few times, and I can't not see Reese as the girl from Sweet Home Alabama with her southern accent in this, horrible hair color aside.

On 12/21/2019 at 11:58 AM, Stiggs said:

Steve Carrell was brilliant casting - he was so gross and charming and damn monstrous. 

I haven't seen him in something so out of the box for him since Foxcatcher and he did just as well there as he does here. 

I do find the casting of Brett Butler as Bradley's mom interesting though given her on set behavior in the past.

[txhorns79]

\

Quote

I binged most of the episodes yesterday and today and while most of them felt kind of disjointed and had too many things going on, they managed to tie them together pretty well for this season finale. It did all manage to come together well with just enough to tie things up if they didn't get renewed. 

My understanding is the show was initially picked up for two seasons, and had already been filming its second season when Apple TV+ announced the second season renewal. 

[perkie1968]

I had not seen Billy Crudup in anything before but man, did I absolutely love him here.  Just the right mix of intelligent business man mixed with slightly mischievious boy.  

I so desperately wanted the interview with Mitch to happen that it wratcheted up the tension for me.  But then not having the interview and having Mitch punched out and alone at the end was just better.  

I called Hannah killing herself as soon as she finished her chat with Bradley.  She was way too close to the edge at that point.  Worried that Chip would to the same at the end.  

Loved Claire running through the hallways to get to Yanko and his hug.  Those two were cute together and I was pissed when Hannah got into Claire's head.

Loved Cory telling his people to stay with the shot when the new guy wanted it shut down.  

Loved Alex pacing in front of the camera while Bradley tried to the news.  

[Higgins]

Hannah overdosed. We don’t know if she intended to. It appears she was planning the move to L A when she went out to score some dope. 

[IslandGirl]

On 12/22/2019 at 10:42 AM, ichbin said:

I agree. The show is full of flawed characters although some are certainly less so than others.  Almost every one of them has been shown to place career and/or advancement over anything else.  I don't root for any one of them.  Out of all the featured players I think Yanko is at the top of the "good" end of the scale with Fred and Mitch fighting it out at the bottom, with Martin Short's character only being slightly above them because he at least admitted what he was doing during that conversation with MItch.

With Fred & Mitch a 1 bad, & Yanko a 10 good, where do you put Chip, Alex, Bradley, Alex's brother & Cory?

[Soup333]

I throughly enjoyed this show. I’ve never seen a single episode of Friends and I’ve only watched a handful of movies with Jennifer Aniston So I don’t really have anything to compare this to but I really liked her in this. 

[Ravenya003]

I've just finished watching, so I'm still processing, but I really enjoyed this show (season?) and felt it did a great job of navigating the nuances and difficulties and complexity of the #metoo movement and the culture of silence that has harmed so many women and men.

A part of me is angry and annoyed that a talented, intelligent, beautiful young woman had to die just so everyone else could finally get their heads out of their asses, but I absolutely don't believe Hannah killed herself on purpose. The last scene of her alive is her making the call to accept the job in LA - perhaps that was the last bit of soul-selling that drove her to do something stupid, but not deliberately suicidal. 

I was certain that Mitch was going to get on the air and Bradley would surprise him with the recording of Hannah recounting her events of that night, just so he could finally come face to face with the ugly truth of how used and manipulated his victims really felt (not that he grasped that after the first victim that spoke out on-air), but then that would have been horribly disrespectful to Hannah herself. 

Instead I love that the coup was done entirely without him, leaving him with absolutely no leverage or power. 

The whole situation between Hannah/Mitch played out very well: at first we see Hannah seemingly being very much in control of her own life and Mitch passionately insisting that he's never committed rape. Then during the flashback episode I was pretty grossed out by Mitch, but could also see how he could walk away from that situation thinking it was consensual.

But what the heck was I thinking??? It goes to show how deeply trained we all are to "see both sides" of every little thing, when CLEARLY the power imbalance was staggering, Hannah was in an emotionally vulnerable place due to the shootings, and how Hannah simply freezes up when frightened. And he not only took advantage of all that, but had the sheer gall to declare that she used HIM to get a promotion.

That line she had about how surreal it is when men: "want you but don't give a fuck about you at the same time" definitely resonated. 

I was also very fascinated by the way this shows understands how catchphrases and language can be used against people. On a couple of occasions a woman (Bradley at the awards dinner, Hannah in the hotel room) finds herself in an awkward situation she doesn't extract herself from, and afterwards is asked by another character: "aren't you a STRONG EMPOWERED WOMAN?" It's a trap, because either you're admitting you're NOT that, or that you ARE and you were powerless to stop something terrible from happening to you anyway. 

Also, the way that Mitch was always whining about how his victims were "playing the victim" (another familiar refrain) while being utterly ignorant that HE was doing exactly the same thing. He could have stopped and reflected when he realized he was trying to collaborate with his misogynistic statutory rapist buddy on a documentary about accused men, but he didn't. He just kept screaming about HIS LIFE while ignoring his wife, co-star, children and victims. That the women did the coup without him was gloriously satisfying. 

As was the coup itself. Alex's rage and furiousness, with herself and the men around her, which finally exploded on air with Bradley's help and everyone else keeping Fred and his new henchman away from the broadcast room was fantastic. I laughed so loudly when she threw that glass of water in Marlon's face, and I love that her daughter was watching. Perhaps they can make amends through that.

Edited February 5, 2020 by Ravenya003

[Lemons]

That was the cheesiest ending to a TV show that’s been on in a long time.   That whole “I wanted a parent” was gross.  He’s not your parent.  And she wasn’t so young that she didn’t have experience with men initiating unwanted sex and how to say no.  It starts pretty early.  Yeah Mitch is a pig and the head of the show was the worst for not addressing it.   But women need to say no.  If there are repercussions from a woman saying no or if it is forced after a woman says no, then action needs to be taken immediately either with police or an attorney, depending on what happened. 

[Samsnee]

I love Billy Crudup in this role. I thought he was going to be another creep who was manipulating Bradley for sexual favors but he seems to be a genuinely smart good guy. I hope they don’t ruin him next season.

Pleasantly surprised by this series. I had low expectations going in because of the reviews but the acting is well done. The only arc I didn’t care for was Mindy Kaling’s character. There is no reason to bring her back. 

[MartyQui]

On 12/22/2019 at 12:11 AM, StarBrand said:

One plotline I wouldn't be surprised to see happen is Hannah's family filing a lawsuit against the network. Going on live TV and more or less saying the culture of your network, which no one really tried to stop,  left your daughter unable to cope, well, that's probably not going to sit well for the family.......

Late to the party, but I think one problem for poor Hannah is that she didn’t have a family...I think she mentioned in one episode that her mother had died?

[Mama No Life]

Do we really think she was going out to get dope? She was already self-medicating, I assumed she just OD's on that.

 

I loved this ending.  I have loved Corey all along and liked Chip--now I love him.  Bradley was my least favorite but this episode almost redeemed her.

[SoMuchTV]

Just binged this when I got Apple TV access with my new phone.  Hard to watch at times, but I am glad I watched.

And as a time-traveler from the future... the story that got stepped on with all the revelations at the end was "5000 cruise ship passengers quarantined with mystery illness".  Oh bless your hearts.

[iMonrey]

I enjoyed this series for the most part but the ending wandered into fantasy territory. I'm not sure where they could go from here, because there's no way in hell The Morning Show would ever go on the air again. Maybe Alex and Bradley get hired by some other network to do some other show? I don't know - whatever they come up with isn't going to feel realistic. Unless we just follow all of them in their post-show lives where none of them ever works in TV again.

I may be in the minority of one but I couldn't stand Cory. He spent the entire series smirking at everyone and it just made him seem so smug, I was very put off by him very quickly.

I was also usually annoyed with Bradley and her penchant for self-sabotage. There's a difference between empowerment or feminism and being an idiot who just doesn't care what the hell she says. It wouldn't have been tolerated  by a male counterpart either. 

Also, for all the money they spent on this series, you'd think they could have afforded a better wig for Reese Witherspoon if she didn't want to color her own hair. Good grief that rug looked fake. 

[Tara]

I just binge-watched the series.

I thought it had brilliant moments.  There were way too many overly emotional scenes.  Geez, I've never seen so many drama kings and queens.  A stiff breeze would have derailed everyone except Cory.

I thought they copped out on the ending. They set up such a good storyline, then threw it out in favor of tying everything up with a little bow. Hannah's suicide was forced and it was  too convenient that her body was found right before the show started. As much as I love Jennifer Aniston, it would have been a much better ending to see her go down.  It was as if the producers were afraid of portraying America's sweetheart in a bad light.  As a result, next season would be hypocritical if Mitch and Fred bear the brunt of it all, while she goes on to be absolved and loved.

[pasdetrois]

Agree that the ending was a cop out. And I can't stand Witherspoon's acting mannerisms. However, the show grew on me after my doubts during the first episode. Everyone frantically throwing everyone else under the bus was hilarious.

MVPs - Duplass, Pittman, Hayden. Crudup is an underappreciated actor, but in this he took the all-knowing wise guy schtick too far. There were no nuances.

Anniston also has annoying mannerisms - in this case the non-stop gasps, throat-clearing, hand to belly, etc. - and as others have said she and Witherspoon veered into madcap comedy territory in some scenes. But I think Anniston did good work here.

As she and Witherspoon took the network down on live TV, all I could think about was the great movie "Network."

Also, I've worked in several industries, and TV news is the one where I've personally known three suicides, including a dear friend. It's an inhuman business.

Edited August 6, 2020 by pasdetrois

[Ellaria]

I loved the finale. The show started off slow for me, particularly because the worst traits of these hard-to-like characters were front and center. Over time, the writing allowed the characters to soften and deepen and I was able to appreciate them for who they were.

Billy Crudup was a delight to watch, scheming and smiling and always hovering around the action. Jennifer Aniston did a great job playing a completely self-involved character. Nestor Carbonell has been one of my favorites since LOST and he was wonderful as the sincere Yanko. There are no words for the talents of Steve Carell.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s performance was heart-breaking. I only wish that her story had been introduced earlier in the show. She seemed to be a background character for too long. Her story was the catalyst for the show’s final events and I wish we had seen more of it and sooner. 

Alternatively, I was uncomfortable in every one of Mark Duplass’ scenes. While I understand his emotion, I did not enjoy the character. Claire annoyed me. Mia was perhaps unnecessary.

I will be interested to see where this show goes in S2.

[teddysmom]

On 6/5/2020 at 12:46 PM, iMonrey said:

Also, for all the money they spent on this series, you'd think they could have afforded a better wig for Reese Witherspoon if she didn't want to color her own hair. Good grief that rug looked fake. 

THIS. There was no scalp showing in the part.  For all the money they had to throw at the music budget, they could have bought a really good custom made wig.  The wig Nicole wore in Big Little Lies was much better. 

The episode where she shows up at the bar for the birthday party late, with a whole new hair do, color changed and it's longer, I thought that was absurd. The middle part wavy thing was doing her no favors, but why not just change the part and the style, it was two or so inches longer and much thicker. 

They could have just put a dark gloss on her hair, it wouldn't have damaged it and it washes out.  

Edited September 14, 2020 by teddysmom

[Blakeston]

I just finished this, and really enjoyed it. I'm bitter that the critics trashed it as much as they did - I would have watched the series a lot sooner if it wasn't for the reviews.

I was surprised that the finale depicted Chip as a genuinely good guy who was unfairly smeared. As far as I'm concerned, Chip was guilty of most of the things that Fred was guilty of (and Fred was depicted as the devil incarnate). Chip and Fred both turned a blind eye to Mitch's predatory behavior, they both allowed the boys' club atmosphere to thrive, and they both dealt with Mitch's discarded women in whatever manner best served Mitch. (Chip let Mitch kick Mia off of his team, and Fred shut Hannah up by promoting her.)

I realize that Fred had more power than Chip did, and probably did more to create the toxic atmosphere at the network. But at the end of the day, I don't think Fred could have fired Mitch any more than Chip could have. The network's parent corporation would never have tolerated Fred getting rid of their cash cow. 

Chip, to his credit, choose to leak the story to the New York Times. But if we're to take him at his word, he did that just because he wanted to help Alex. He knew all along that he could get Mitch fired, but he never acted on that power to protect any of Mitch's victims.

[l star]

I just finished binge-ing this show. Bradley irritated and there were times it was desperately in need of some kind of spark, but overall I found it compelling enough to watch in two days. 

Alex was the star of this for me. Even when she was getting on my last nerve, she was very watchable. Her husband was dead on though when he called her narcissistic and whatever else. She would be suffocating to live with. I think there's a lot of story left with her family. Her daughter was not a child just acting out. She seemed more like a child who had felt shunted aside for years, reduced to second place in her mother's life and left to bond with her similarly marginalized father. Alex's concern now just seemed like too little, too late. I hope that and her divorce are picked up again and Alex's relationship with Mitch is left behind though it is arguably the more important relationship to her.

I thought for a moment that Corey might have been able to get through to Mitch when he told him not to mess with Bradley but I don't think he did. And to some degree, I get that. Mitch looks at Hannah and sees that she never said no. He doesn't value the fact that she never said yes so he doesn't see every layer. I think that made Mitch compelling, but I've had enough of him. I think it was perfect that the final showdown came down to the women without Mitch or Chip. Too much time was sucked up chronicling the effects on the men in what is really a story about women.

Bradley was far and away my least favorite part of this show. I got so tired of the back and forth on the interview. I think it was supposed to come across as her holding onto her power but it just seemed like emotional waffling. I think that Hannah's story deserved more respect than that. In the end, her emotional reveal was more about Bradley's big decision than what Hannah went through.

Part of what struck me about The Morning Show within the show was their wardrobes. They were so frequently wearing black and structured formal suits on air. I think of morning show wardrobes as being brighter and more relaxed to suit the peppy on air vibes. It really stood out to me. Alex's personal style was gorgeous though. I loved her coats- so luxe. And the apartments!

On 11/5/2020 at 2:50 PM, Blakeston said:

I was surprised that the finale depicted Chip as a genuinely good guy who was unfairly smeared. As far as I'm concerned, Chip was guilty of most of the things that Fred was guilty of (and Fred was depicted as the devil incarnate). Chip and Fred both turned a blind eye to Mitch's predatory behavior, they both allowed the boys' club atmosphere to thrive, and they both dealt with Mitch's discarded women in whatever manner best served Mitch. (Chip let Mitch kick Mia off of his team, and Fred shut Hannah up by promoting her.)

I realize that Fred had more power than Chip did, and probably did more to create the toxic atmosphere at the network. But at the end of the day, I don't think Fred could have fired Mitch any more than Chip could have. The network's parent corporation would never have tolerated Fred getting rid of their cash cow. 

Chip, to his credit, choose to leak the story to the New York Times. But if we're to take him at his word, he did that just because he wanted to help Alex. He knew all along that he could get Mitch fired, but he never acted on that power to protect any of Mitch's victims.

Until I read this, I saw Chip as culpable in certain ways but I honestly didn't see Chip as a bad guy. He seemed so hapless that at times I wondered about his competency. He actually probably did more day to day to cover for Mitch than anyone. Unlike with Fred and Alex, the show completely glossed over Chip's involvement. His firing was always portrayed more as 'shit runs downhill' than ever even considering that it might be deserved. I think it was telling that he cared so much about what Mitch did to Hannah but never managed to care about Mia. If he'd found out about Hannah on his own like he did Mia, would he have given a damn? I doubt it. I think he'd have ducked his head, signed off on her promotion as planned and kept on going just like he did. Hannah's story had to be put to him as an outrage and communicated as such before he saw it for what it was. I wish we had seen more fallout for Mia in general but especially with Chip and Alex.

On 12/24/2019 at 2:11 PM, funnygirl said:

I really hope Cory rehires Chip at UBA. (aside from the fact that I'm now shipping Chip/Alex so hard. lol)

For most of the first episode, I thought that Chip was Alex's estranged husband. I think because of that, I always saw their relationship as shippy, at least on Chip's side. Finding out he did it all for her made sense to me. I think if it was brought up, Alex would feel very similarly to how she reacted to Mitch's dating suggestion though. She's just too narcissistic to recognize and respond the same way.

The pair that I kept thinking they were going to go romantic with was Bradley/Corey. I understand why they didn't complicate the power dynamics that way- they already had Yanko/Claire, but I think they are well set up for next season. Her growing relationship with Corey was one of the few genuine things about Bradley. I like Corey enough to be here for it.

Yanko/Claire were cute but it would take something major to come back from her being embarrassed of him. She was just too immature. Though wasn't he married? I could have sworn he had a wife at one point, but he was single at the end.

Edited November 8, 2020 by l star

[SuzieQ]

We just binge watched the whole season in 3 days.  Overall I loved it!  Probably Aniston's best work.  The 1st time her character didn't seem like a variation of Rachael Green (even with her little tip toe run after Bradley/Reese!).  Kudo's Jennifer!

Honestly I can't stand Reese Witherspoon and agree that the wigs were pathetic.  My dislike of her almost stopped me from watching.  She still annoys me but was playing someone annoying, so it worked.

Billy/Corey was fabulous!  You know deep down he's a total d@ck, but had great flashes of humanity even though you know he has his own agenda.  Loved him!

Does anyone think Hannah could have been murdered? I agree they made her look fragile towards the end, but I still wonder.

[30 Helens]

Just binged the whole first season (thanks, new iPhone!) and really liked it. Based on others’ comments, it appears that bingers had a more favorable reaction than weekly watchers, and I wonder if that was more than coincidental. Maybe this is a show that just needs to be consumed in quick succession. I’m also puzzled by the initial critical response. I remember a lot of critics wishing for less of a focus on sexual harassment, and wonder if their negative reaction was based on MeToo fatigue rather the merits of the show. 

I thought the show did a great job of displaying the “spectrum” of inappropriate behavior. On one end, you have the totally consensual relationship between two coworkers who, while having the same imbalance of power as Mitch and Hannah, had a much different outcome.  Early on, I thought Claire would end up accusing Yanko of taking advantage of her, and I’m glad they chose not to go that route. If anything, it seemed like he was the one being used. (As a side note, I never understood why she would be embarrassed to be seen dating him. How could anyone not love Batmanuel??) 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, there is Martin Short, who knows he’s a predator but doesn’t care because he is a total narcissist who thinks he deserves it. Fantastic skeevy performance, by the way.  And between those two poles is Mitch, whose position on the line seems to shift between episodes. Early on, he comes off as a man who, while misguided, is maybe being unfairly maligned. When he tells Martin Short that they are NOT the same man, I believe him. But as more aspects of his personality are revealed, it becomes apparent that they are more similar than not. The main difference is the degree to which they lie to themselves about their behavior.

And then you had all the various iterations of enablers, from the willfully ignorant (Alex) to the passively self-serving (Chip) to the actively complicit (Fred). 

While the show veered a little too far into soapy histrionics at times, I thought the performances, across the board, were first rate. This is the first role I have seen Jennifer Aniston play that did not constantly make me think “Rachel”.  Billy Crudup was deliciously malevolent. (I do NOT see the character as a “good guy” in any way— he is just as manipulative and self serving as Mitch, just not in a sexual way... so far.) Steve Carell brought such nuance to his character, it was riveting.  And while I’m not sure we need to see any more of Mitch (including his rehabilitation, which I fear is next), I definitely want to see more of Steve’s performance.

I have loved Gugu Mbatha-Raw since Undercovers, and thought she brought a wonderful combination of vulnerability and strength to Hannah.  I don’t think Hannah committed suicide, not after having just decided to meet with the LA show, so I hope the final verdict is accidental overdose. Because my first thought was that someone had her silenced, and I don’t think that’s a good direction for the show. 

In any case, I’m looking forward to a second season and hope it won’t be long! (I do plan to stick to the binge method and watch after all episodes have aired, as that seems to suit this show best.)

[chediavolo]

On 2/11/2020 at 10:11 PM, Lemons said:

That was the cheesiest ending to a TV show that’s been on in a long time.   That whole “I wanted a parent” was gross.  He’s not your parent.  And she wasn’t so young that she didn’t have experience with men initiating unwanted sex and how to say no.  It starts pretty early.  Yeah Mitch is a pig and the head of the show was the worst for not addressing it.   But women need to say no.  If there are repercussions from a woman saying no or if it is forced after a woman says no, then action needs to be taken immediately either with police or an attorney, depending on what happened. 

I’m having a little trouble with the Hannah character also.  

[chediavolo]

On 4/12/2020 at 9:38 PM, MartyQui said:

Late to the party, but I think one problem for poor Hannah is that she didn’t have a family...I think she mentioned in one episode that her mother had died?

So did mine but I also know how to say no and demand a Man take his hands off me if he doesn’t get the hint otherwise. . I’m having a lot of trouble with this whole scenario.  she went along with him and didn’t resist.. yes he’s a disgusting pig no doubt about it, unfortunately too many men are but Hannah was not 100% right in my opinion.  what she did to Claire was horrible. We have to be careful where we are going these days

If she said no and resisted and made it clear she did not want to go to bed with him and he persisted that’s a whole Nother story. But to act like you reached this age, go up to a man’s apartment and now you are shocked by what is happening? No. Would he have persisted if she said no? 
We have to be careful where all this is going these days. It’s not going to be a quick fix. the problem is many men are raised this way, it is our culture. It is going to be extremely hard to get them to change and respect women more. We need to start teaching them young,  in elementary school.