What Is THE COMEY RULE?

 Article first published as TV Review: THE COMEY RULE on Seat42F.

Showtime presented a two-part miniseries this week entitled THE COMEY RULE. Based on the book A Higher Loyalty by James Comey himself, it tells the former F.B.I. director’s version of events during the 2016 presidential election and the period immediately following. It is a biased account, to be sure, and it’s unlikely the majority of Republican voters will give it a chance to tell Comey’s side of the story. But that’s part of the point, and there’s a cautionary tale here worth listening to.

Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom) stars as James Comey, which immediately lends gravitas to the official, probably more than he deserves. Comey’s perspective throughout is that he must stay morally pure and apolitical, even as his agency is forced to wade into politics, first with the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails, and then with Donald Trump’s connections to Russia. Throughout, Comey is faced with impossible decisions about what to reveal and to whom, and he stays steady, following his own judgment and code of justice. Viewers will feel his pain and root for him, despite knowing the fate that awaits.

Now, even in THE COMEY RULE, there are plenty of people who disagree with Comey at nearly every step. His wife, Patrice (Jennifer Ehle, The Looming Tower), wants him to help Hillary, as do his four daughters. (His two sons never appear nor garner a mention.) His employees, who genuinely seem to respect and care about him, also argue some of the decisions he makes. The whole miniseries is couched in Rod Rosenstein (Scoot McNairy, Halt and Catch Fire) lamenting to a subordinate that Comey didn’t have to shoot himself in the foot.

However, THE COMEY RULE asserts that Comey is right and the rest are wrong. It talks about Comey’s arrogance, but in Daniels’ performance, it feels more like heroism than ego. There is one protagonist, and this series paints him in an almost saintly light.

That isn’t the only skewed point of view. Attorney General Loretta Lynch (Michael Hyatt, Snowfall) and most of the Department of Justice are seen as ineffectual and weak, at best, incompetent at worse. On Comey’s staff, we see Peter Strzok (Steven Pasquale, Rescue Me) and Lisa Page (Oona Chaplin, Game of Thrones) sleep together (well, no sex scenes, though there’s enough to make it obvious), but none of the scandal that resulted from their relationship is shown. This doesn’t feel fair and balanced, nor very realistic to the actual events.

Of course, Donald Trump (Brendan Gleeson, Mr. Mercedes) and his henchmen come across as villainous. But honestly, how could any sane or reasonable telling of events show them any other way? That’s not a political statement, that’s just fact, given the actions taken and the words spoken, many of which have been collaborated in real life or seen in full public view. Nor does THE COMEY RULE make any excuses for them.

There is a message worth hearing in THE COMEY RULE, though, and that’s that institutions and what is right alone cannot protect us. Not now; not with the current administration. One can quibble over if Comey should have said anything about Hillary’s emails or revealed the F.B.I. was looking into connections between Trump and Russia, and those are worthwhile debates to have. But at the end of the day, Comey thought that acting in good faith and relying on the system and norms would save him, and not only was he wrong, but all of us have been living with the consequences of it. That isn’t an assertion that Comey should have or could have spared us from a Trump presidency, but more a lesson to anyone that thinks the same way he does.

November is right around the corner, and I’m glad THE COMEY RULE aired now. Even if it will only be watched by liberals (and the smart Republicans that have defected), as well that small number of independents, it’s important to hear. We can’t afford to let this go on, and Trump must be stopped. Which cannot be done without overwhelming support rising up to stop him.

The miniseries may be somewhat mediocre, despite fantastic performances by far more fine performers than those listed above. But the message is anything but.

Watch THE COMEY RULE now wherever you stream Showtime programming.

In the Shadow of THE LOOMING TOWER

Article first published as TV Review: THE LOOMING TOWER on Seat42F.

Hulu’s latest miniseries is THE LOOMING TOWER. Based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Lawrence Wright, the ten episodes cover the lead up to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Beginning in 1998, with some flashes to hearings well after the fact, we see both the FBI and CIA bungle up their own investigations while refusing to work together, telling the vital story of how Osama bin Laden may have been prevented from killing thousands, but wasn’t. It’s pretty good drama.

At the center of THE LOOMING TOWER is John O’Neill (Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom). He’s head of the FBI New York branch, and he has personal issues with just about everyone in his life. His subordinates seem to mostly respect him, but his bosses don’t, nor do the CIA officers he comes in contact with. Thankfully for O’Neill, Richard Clarke (Michael Stuhlbarg, Fargo) listens to him, but Clarke can only do so much. If O’Neill’s professional flaws aren’t enough for you, he has multiple girlfriends and a wife in various locales, so he’s a deeply flawed character.

Contrast that with Ali Soufan (Tahar Rahim, A Prophet), a more traditional hero. Ali may have joined the FBI on a dare, but he is totally committed to working under O’Neill and trusts the boss’ judgment. He doesn’t hesitate to drop personal matters at a moment’s notice when called upon to do his duty, and is only too eager to put himself into dangerous situations if he thinks he can do some good. O’Neill tempers Ali by looking at the bigger picture, but that’s about the only place where O’Neill is better.

Other than those two, most of the other characters are much smaller. From CIA antagonist Martin Schmidt (Peter Sarsgaard, The Killing), to Schmidt’s loyal underling, Diane Priest (Wrenn Schmidt, Outcast), to teacher Heather (Ella Rae Peck, Gossip Girl), to many others, THE LOOMING TOWER is stuffed full of players, each with their own story and agenda, most of them minor to the main plot. This makes sense for a dramatization of this nature, which surely has a lot of moving parts. And with ten episodes, the miniseries doesn’t need to stay too focused. Still, much of their scenes seem like fluff, rather than driving the story forward, even if the supporting characters are fully formed.

An exception to that is Robert Chesney (Bill Camp, The Night Of). Although his role as a member of O’Neill’s team is not a huge one, he has some very compelling scenes in the first couple of hours that really make him an interesting character.

THE LOOMING TOWER has the weight of an HBO-level miniseries, and is a strong contender come awards season. It has great performances and the heft of being mostly real. The production value and directions are of good quality, and its narrative is smart and cohesive.

Where it wavers for me a bit is the pacing. It feels like it’s balancing too much, and is weighed down by it. When certain characters are on screen, it flies beautifully. When they’re gone, or when we’re venturing into O’Neill’s romantic territory, it falters. I enjoyed the first two hours I watched and will likely watch more, but I can’t help but feel that a leaner series would have worked better. The time frame covered could have been extended if they still wanted to make the same number of episodes.

One thing I thought was pretty cool was that the World Trade Center towers are not glimpsed for quite awhile at the beginning. And the only shot of them in the first two installments is in the background, not a focus of anything happening. They loom over everything, but aren’t part of the story. Not yet, anyway.

Hulu has released three episodes of THE LOOMING TOWER, with more coming weekly.

Late Night Television's Losses

Article first published as LATE NIGHT TELEVISION'S LOSSES on Blogcritics.

This week, late night television lost two of its three best hosts, with only Jon Stewart remaining as one worth watching regularly. The Colbert Report, Stewart’s Daily Show spin-off, and The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson both aired their series finales recently after nine and ten years, respectively. Given what they both bring to the overall landscape, this is a double-punch blow that will leave fans of originality on the small screen reeling.

First, let’s look at Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report. Perhaps the first character that has done a show like this, completely in character, Colbert took his correspondent persona from The Daily Show, and developed it into a full-fledged parody of Bill O’Reilly. That seems a good joke, but a four-times-weekly half hour series? It takes a very rare talent to pull something like that off and keep it fresh night after night.

Colbert did so much more than that. He skewered politicians with his brilliant satire, which led to politician from both parties boycotting him for an extended period of time, until they realized his lampooning could actually help them get the youth vote.

He ripped apart then-President George W. Bush to his face when the GOP failed to get his schtick and unwittingly gave him a forum to do so. Colbert’s endorsement became a valuable commodity, any product or charity he promoted sure to see huge contribution from his rabid fan base.

He created a Super PAC to expose a broken system. He ran for president as a joke, and polled higher than many of the real candidates. (Equally noteworthy, he knew to get out before it went too far.) He held a rally that drew hundreds of thousands of his followers (including myself, who never does things like that) to Washington D.C. He re-defined late night wars in his “feud” with Jimmy Fallon, got involved in the Olympics, made into the Smithsonian, and supported our troops time and again. That’s a lot for a short time, and I’m just scratching the surface.

Why did Colbert have such an impact? It’s hard to define his appeal, but he has a cool factor, an intelligence, and a harmless quality that captured the spirit of those frustrated with the power structure. He was our voice to fight back, orating in a way that said what we thought in a manner that we couldn’t. He was thoroughly funny, and completely committed to the bit. But we fans were in on the secret, even when those in power were not for quite awhile, and it felt great to be a part of that club. It also didn’t hurt that he premiered after the widespread adoption of the DVR, meaning I was able to watch every single episode he did without fail, never missing a minute.

His final episode, which aired this past Thursday, was the perfect capper. Beginning with a “typical show,” he spiraled into a bizarre cheating of death, ending with him forever circling the globe in Santa’s sleigh, accompanied by Abraham Lincoln (who is a unicorn) and Alex Trebek, meaning he gets to live on forever, always with us. He also included a tear-worthy sing-a-long with so many guest stars, actors, politicians, athletes, musicians, scientists, historians, and more, that it’s impossible to name them all without copious amounts of freeze-framing, the sheer number of famous faces taking part proving Colbert’s worth. Best of all, he finally tossed back to Jon Stewart, making the whole series one long segment for The Daily Show, giving due to Colbert’s creator and demonstrating Colbert’s humility and gratefulness. If there were only a way to thank him in return.

Colbert ends his run far too early because is being given Late Show, taking over for the retiring David Letterman. I’m just speculating on his reasons for doing so, having no personal insider knowledge of the situation, but it seems to me that comedians of Colbert’s age see that job as a career pinnacle. They grew up looking to Johnny Carson, and aspire to get either The Tonight Show or Late Show.

Yet, in the current, fractured age, those stalwarts aren’t what they were. I’ve outlined the impact Colbert has made. I can’t believe he’ll get to do half of that on CBS. Though, it has to be tempting for Colbert to finally get to be himself, having retired the character on the show that made him famous. I mourn deeply for the loss, and hope for his seemingly inevitable return in some, likely limited, fashion.

One reason I have a small hope that Colbert won’t turn into a cookie-cutter host, which seems the obvious thing to do, is that CBS has shown itself willing to take chances at night, surprising given its boring, safe prime time lineup. Letterman has long been followed by The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, and as Craig constantly tells us, he’s not like any other show on television. With a “band” too shy to show itself, a gay robot skeleton sidekick, and two guys in a horse suit that dance, Ferguson has longed thumbed his nose at the genre and made the series his own. He ignored the pre-prepared interview, preferring just to talk to people, and routinely improv-ed large segments of his hour. He didn’t follow any norm.

While I enjoyed Ferguson on The Drew Carey Show many years ago, I first discovered his brilliance during the Writer’s Strike of 2008. Curious to see how the various late night personalities would handle things on their own, I sampled them all and found Ferguson to be, by far, the funniest of the broadcast network guys. That has to come because he does so much of his stuff on his own anyway. But it made me a fan, and while I did not watch every minute of every episode of The Late Late Show, as I did The Colbert Report, I checked in periodically and was never disappointed. Craig is leaving to pursue other projects, tired of staying in a single format.

Craig delivered a semi-tame finale. After a huge opening number with almost as many celebrities as Colbert’s, though Ferguson’s were almost all Hollywood-types (with The Newsroom‘s Jeff Daniels being the only participant on both shows that I spied), he settled into a very routine formula. He had Jay Leno as his final guest, someone I personally have little respect for, but who seemed appropriate given his own recent departure from the genre, and who was very enjoyable in this instance.

Where Craig departed the most from his formula was at the end. After revealing Bob Newhart as the head of the horse on the show, Craig woke up in bed next to Drew, reprising their roles from the earlier sitcom while paying tribute to the series finales of The Newhart Show, St. Elsewhere, and The Sopranos. It was zany, unexpected, and rewarded long-time fans. It was perfect for him.

It’s also worth noting that Craig brought the voice behind Geoff the robot up on stage in the penultimate hour, a treat that felt very, very right.

Ferguson is being replaced by a British comedian and actor named James Corden, who also doesn’t seem likely to be “normal.” With a Colbert / Corden team up, will CBS finally do what only Comedy Central has been doing for years and deliver a late night lineup worth watching on a daily basis? Only time will tell, but for now, I mourn the loss of the two heavyweights, both quite different, but both bucking what amounts to “typical” fare in their field. Without them, the evening will get a lot more dull.

Colbert’s replacement, The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, premieres January 19th. The Late Late Show will have a series of guest hosts for the next couple of months before Corden takes over in March. Letterman retires in May and Colbert will be back on TV in August.  Ferguson is expected to next do a 7 p.m. half hour syndicated comedy talk show, with robot and horse in tow, in 2016.

"Boston" Beginning of the End for THE NEWSROOM

Article first published as THE NEWSROOM Review Season 3 Episode 1 Boston at Seat42F.

HBO’s stellar series THE NEWSROOM begins a six-episode third and final season this week with “Boston.” I know THE NEWSROOM polarizes people, and many viewers either strongly love or hate it. You can probably tell from the first sentence of this review that I am in the former category, seeing it as a brilliant piece of television that has been killed too early and will be sorely missed. But if you fall into the latter, stick with me briefly, if you would, and I’ll tell you why “Boston” and this show are fantastic.

As some may have already guessed from the episode title, the premiere takes place in the days immediately following the bombing at the Boston Marathon. Explosions go off, killing and injuring many innocents, and the country goes into panic mode. Our team struggles to balance expediency with rebuilding a sterling reputation, refusing to jump the gun in reporting rumors and tweets.

If you watched season two and stay up on current events, you can probably put the pieces together about where “Boston” is going. CNN gets out in front of a story, reporting misinformation, and it causes waves. Remembering the Genoa incident last year, in with ACN made a similar blunder, the staff takes pride in not falling into the trap again. However, with everyone else rushing to cover the latest Twitter and Reddit items, ACN begins losing their ratings share.

This presents a possible end-game for the series. The whole premise of News Night With Will McAvoy is to return to TV journalism’s roots, only reporting well-sourced, fact-based, non-biased information. This goes against the current trend in cable news, and without the immediate feedback that other networks practice, involving the public in the story, News Night risks being a dinosaur. That could kill it.

The depressing thing is, News Night is doing the right thing and everyone else is doing the wrong thing. We need a show like News Night, which currently only exists in this fictional world that Aaron Sorkin has created. It’s commentary on our current system, and those watching it should take note and demand better news. We deserve as much.

There’s another threat looming, too, but I feel like I can’t go into it here without spoiling one of the episode’s beautiful twists, several of which come together at the end of this initial hour to set the stage for the season and provide a driving force.

One thing not hampering the show any more is Reese Lansing (Chris Messina). He remains committed to his people with the newfound respect he develops for them last season. “Boston” very much represents a coming together of the cast with an us-against-the-world attitude. It may end in their version of The Alamo, but it’s one that is inspiring, nonetheless.

Besides Boston, THE NEWSROOM begins an Edward Snowden-esque plot when Neal (Dev Patel) receives thousands of leaked government documents, many of them classified. Another important debate of our time is how much the public has a right to know and if whistle-blowers should be protected. Since the Snowden saga hasn’t finished up in real life yet, Sorkin will have to bring us his version of how this story should end. I look forward to his take on such a complicated issue.

There are tons of moments and touches that make “Boston” a fine example of THE NEWSROOM’s proud run. MacKenzie (Emily Mortimer) and Will (Jeff Daniels) are planning their wedding and not understanding twitter, Sloan (Olivia Munn) uses her considerable genius to solve a puzzle no one even knows needs solving yet, and one of the primary players, who has only worked from the sidelines, finds themselves unexpectedly in front of a camera, with surprising results. And, of course, Will makes an impassioned, blood-pumping speech. These and more get me super excited about the coming season.

I’ve pounded out this review in ten minutes flat mainly because I am so excited that I cannot wait to get back to the other two episodes HBO was kind enough to send with this one. I hope the above illustrates how THE NEWSROOM is maintaining its gripping style, and gets you as anxious for this final run as it has me. There really is no better show on television.

THE NEWSROOM airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

THE NEWSROOM - "Election Night: Part II" Review

Article first published as THE NEWSROOM - "Election Night: Part II" Review on TheTVKing.

With the fate of HBO's The Newsroom officially still undecided, despite what star Jeff Daniels tweets, this week's season two finale, "Election Night: Part II," may very well serve as a series finale for the Aaron Sorkin drama. If it does, it will be a great loss for television, a medium that is bettered by such intelligent writing, bold characters, and inspiring stories, showing the media how they should be reporting. But in terms of closure, the episode satisfies pretty well.

"Election Night: Part II" has the team covering the results of the 2012 election, while waiting for the hammer to drop after the Genoa fiasco. Will (Daniels), MacKenzie (Emily Mortimer) and Charlie (Sam Waterston) are trying to resign to spare their colleagues' careers. Yet, the rest of the senior staff plans on leaving, too, showing their solidarity. This angers Will, but insults the others when he insists they not do this folly. They stick together and do the right thing; he taught them that.

One fantastic element of The Newsroom is the cohesion of the gang who work at ACN. These are not just co-workers, these are friends. They are united in a noble mission, and without the heads of the organization, the mission would fail, making the job not worth having. It is essential for everyone to stay together, and even after losing all credibility for Genoa, they can only recover by remaining on the job, working to build themselves back up.

This is the decision both Leona (Jane Fonda) and Reese (Chris Messina) come to, too. The heads of the company will not accept any resignations because they've studied the evidence and know that even though Genoa was false, the newsroom did as thorough job as possible given what they had. The snake Jerry Dantana (Hamish Linklater) screwed them; they didn't screw themselves.

I don't know why Charlie can't be gracious with Reese when Reese decides not to accept their resignations. Yes, Charlie has already decided that they will withdrawal their offers to quit, but he and Reese so rarely see eye to eye, he should celebrate, not fight, when this occurs. Yet, perhaps emotions are just running unusually high, as Charlie spends much of the episode yelling, faced with losing the profession he loves deeply, and so he can't bring himself to make nice with someone he considers so despicable.

It's funny how Reese and Leon have changed sides this year, now supporting those they tried to fire not so far in the past. I think crisis have a way of bringing people together, and also ACN being disgraced personally shames the Lansings, so they want to fight back, for their names as well as the network's. Even if their motivations are selfish, it's sure nice to see the pair of them in the room at the end, joining our beloved heroes.

We know The Newsroom's crew is righteous because even the lawyer who takes their depositions, Rebecca Halliday (Marcia Gay Harden), thinks so, and she seems a tough one to win over. She vows to defend them and argues against settlement. I hope she sticks around for a possible third season, as she will be needed to help with the major hanging thread of the Dantana plot, Don's (Thomas Sadoski) defamation lawsuit.

The Newsroom can never just do one thing at a time, though, so "Election Night: Part II" is about more than just the decision of who should stay and who should go. They also get to cover the 2012 election results, which is done in a very entertaining way. From Will constantly cutting off Sloan (Olivia Munn), to Neal (Dev Patel) being tasked with helping Sloan and MacKenzie with trivial things, to the bickering with the D.C. anchor, to Will gleefully sparring with Taylor Warren (Constance Zimmer), there's a lot to watch, and all of it very, very fun.

Taylor is another familiar face I'd like to see return. She ingrains herself in several characters, and her inquiry about having Jim (John Gallagher Jr.) work for her appears to be sincere. She's a sassy, combative type who unintentionally causes trouble, but her heart is in the right place, and she's a fair judge of character, even amongst people she disagrees with. She makes quite the impression this season, and the show could use more of her in the future.

Alas, any episode of The Newsroom would not be complete without some romantic stuff. Sloan and Don finally share a kiss in a spectacular, public fashion. This has been simmering all year, even if it usually is a very minor part of the subplot, and it's gratifying to see them get together, especially if this is it for the show.

Will and MacKenzie have an even better story, getting their feelings and secrets out in the open. MacKenzie is able to get the chance to explain her actions, with Will actually paying attention, and Will admits to wrongdoing, too. The viewers get to understand where both have been coming from, which leads to even more of an urge to see them put the past behind and get this couple together. They do, as Will produces the ring he lied about returning and proposes!

I don't think the dynamic of The Newsroom will change at all with Mac and Will married. They will still disagree and do all the things they normally do because they are passionate about their jobs and have always been united on that front. This doesn't change that. Unlike other shows where adjustments must be made for such a development, the only thing different will be them not pining over one another. Very cool.

The third couple fans root for is Jim and Maggie (Alison Pill), but they are not in a good place to be together, and any union at this point would seem false. That's probably why "Election Night: Part II" just has them bonding as friends over a screwed up call, and has Jim working to fix things between Maggie and her estranged roommate, Lisa (Kelen Coleman). Besides, Jim is happy with Hallie (Grace Gummer), as he should be, as it is a healthy relationship. Maybe, seasons down the line, this could change, but for now, they are where they should be.

Is The Newsroom the perfect show? Of course not. Characters frequently deliver parables instead of answering questions. The succeed as heroes when realistically they would fail. Personal moments happen most often in their place of business. And sometimes people devolve into caricatures. Yet, these aren't complaints because they are done so well, and are part of the charm of the fabric. The things that make it schmaltzy also make it awesome, and so while it isn't perfect, it is pretty darn good, and I sincerely hope it comes back, as it ranks among my favorite shows on the air right now. Even if Charlie acts a little too one-note in this episode, and I disliked knowing Genoa was a bomb from the start of the season.

HBO will likely announce the fate of The Newsroom soon.

THE NEWSROOM Declares "Let's Kill All The Lawyers"

Article first published as THE NEWSROOM Review Season 2 Premiere on Seat42F.

Grade: 91%

HBO’s THE NEWSROOM is back for a second season with “First Thing We Do, Let’s Kill All the Lawyers.” The main part of the story takes place two weeks after the events of last year’s finale, and the various characters must deal with the consequences of their actions, both professional and personal. If you have not yet watched the episode, I recommend viewing it before reading this review, to avoid anything being spoiled, as the various story points will be discussed below.

Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) is a subdued man in “First Thing We Do, Let’s Kill All the Lawyers.” Although he is fired up and passionate when dubbing the Tea Party ‘The American Taliban,’ he now must pay the price for doing so, namely, being pulled off of the network’s 9/11 tenth anniversary coverage. He deals with this by drinking and smoking and becoming a wimp on-air again.

While it is absolutely in keeping with his character to go back and forth between fearless crusader and appeasing ratings-whore, one must wonder how long the see-saw can continue. Will’s spirits are already bolstered multiple times in the first year alone, and it would suck if none of those efforts have lasting effects, always returning him to the same sad state in their aftermath. Will must find a way to break this cycle, committing to the persona he wants most.

It is my opinion that the way for him to do this is to be with Mackenzie McHale (Emily Mortimer). She still doesn’t know what is in the voice mail Will leaves her while high, but it’s obvious that she is sensing his anger towards her cooling, and is intending to reform as much of a bond with him as he will let her. She calls him in the middle of the night, and shares a drink with him at the bar. It can’t possibly be much longer before they are a couple again, and in that relationship, Will might finally stabilize.

Though where is Lonny (Terry Crews) during this installment? Why do we not see him guarding Will in the bar? Hopefully, Lonny’s absence is temporary, just an oversight caused by not needing the actor enough to warrant an appearance in this particular episode.

In keeping on the romantic track, Jim (John Gallagher Jr.) is unwilling to be friends with Maggie (Alison Pill) after she chooses to move in with Don (Thomas Sadoski), and so takes an assignment following the Romney campaign, where he is shunned for Will’s Taliban comment. This doesn’t seem like the environment where wounded Jim can heal, certainly not a comforting, supporting one, but maybe concentrating on work is what he needs. And if he finds victory in reporting the story, that could help. Running may seem cowardly to some, but Maggie has made her choice, so it’s understandable why Jim would find it hard to be around her, and perhaps he’s wise to get himself out of that environment.

Except, Jim may actually still have a chance with Maggie, as Don finds a YouTube video of her rant about Jim, and promptly decides they are over as a couple. I am very dissatisfied with this quick evaporation of their romance. Don and Maggie have plenty of ups and downs, but two weeks is all they can make it? Maggie chooses Don; that should count for something. And it seemed so fresh and realistic that Jim and Maggie weren’t going to ever be together because Maggie would be with Don, no matter what viewers thought should happen, and this has been ruined. Though, Maggie clearly won’t just have a happy ending with Jim, given her appearance in future scenes, which I’ll get to shortly.

This does leave open the possibility of a Don / Sloan (Olivia Munn) pairing now. Things are plenty awkward between the two, since Sloan confesses her feelings for him, even though Don isn’t holding it over her in any way. But now that he’s single, maybe after a short, respectful pause, he may pursue Sloan, thus solving at least one rocky dynamic in the workplace. Although is Don gets with Sloan too quickly, that could screw up Maggie even more.

Because of Jim’s absence, a producer out of Washington D.C., Jerry Dantana (Hamish Linklater, The New Adventures of Old Christine), is tapped to fill in for him. Jerry is immediately a hindrance, vaguely appearing to be a team player, but also having his own ambitions. We don’t know all of the details yet, but Jerry and the guest that he brings onto a panel will definitely set off a huge mistake involving Genoa.

Genoa is a secret military that has landed the staff in very hot water, as evidenced by the fourteen-months-later framing scenes in “First Thing We Do, Let’s Kill All the Lawyers” in which Will, Mackenzie, and Maggie are seen with a team of lawyers led by Rebecca Halliday (Marcia Gay Harden, Damages). Our beloved characters are in trouble after a string of unfortunate events, one of which leads Maggie to Africa and a terrible hair cut and coloring. Bringing in Jerry is a huge mistake they will all regret. Too bad, he seems so nice-ish.

I’m a little tired of television shows doing the flashback to death. THE NEWSROOM is only the latest in a long line of series using that technique lately, and it’s been being done way too often. I’d rather see the Genoa disaster unfold slowly, not realizing that there’s trouble until it’s too late, like the characters do, rather than getting a puzzle piece by piece. I know this trope can be implemented effectively when done right, and THE NEWSROOM is brilliantly written, but in this case, I feel it is a big, easily avoidable misstep.

There are two smaller plots unfolding, too, that may have some big impact. In the first, Neal (Dev Patel) gets involved with Occupy Wall Street. For Neal, this story is both a far-out, unlikely movement, and something playing to his prowess with social media, so it straddles the two interests we’ve known him to have. Those who remember the protests know that they get lots of attention for a short time, but don’t go anywhere, so this is both an opportunity for Neal, professionally, and another dead end for him to pursue, the perfect plot for the character.

In the second, Charlie (Sam Waterson) chooses to pull Will off of the 9/11 special. This is something very uncharacteristic, in that he chooses to bench Will with nearly zero pressure from Leona (Jane Fonda) and Reese (Chris Messina) to do so. Weird; Charlie always defends Will. Did Reese getting kicked out of SOPA scare Charlie that much? It doesn’t seem like it should, in keeping with Charlie’s established personality. I wonder what’s going on there?

THE NEWSROOM is a fantastic series that deftly balances character-driven drama with real-world events and a commentary on the state of journalism. It takes the big stories we’re familiar with, and makes them personal to people we watch on screen and care about. There are a number of new arcs introduced in this season premiere which promise a great season, even if the episode itself lacks any of the stellar, inspiring moments that were a hallmark of the first year. Once we get past the weird flashbacks, I think that will sort itself out.

THE NEWSROOM airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.

The Greater Fool rules The Newsroom

HBO's The Newsroom presented a season finale this week entitled "The Greater Fool." This episode is so layered, and jammed with so many references, that it's surely worth watching repeatedly to catch everything. The gist of the plot: Will (Jeff Daniels) loses hope, Mackenzie (Emily Mortimer) tries and fails to cheer him up, Charlie (Sam Waterston) saves the day in more ways than one, Neal (Dev Patel) oversteps and makes things worse, the Jim (John Gallagher Jr.) / Don (Thomas Sadoski) / Maggie (Alison Pill) love triangle comes to a head in an unexpected way, and News Night finds its voice. So, basically, another fantastic episode, written amazingly, visually pleasing, and with wonderful acting that sells the piece.

As "The Greater Fool" begins, we learn Will is in the hospital and wanting to quit the program. Interspersed are flash forwards showing him in a tour de force tear down of RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) on the air. At first, I want to gripe that The Newsroom kills the suspense of the drama they're trying to build up. But upon reflection, every viewer tuning in knows that Will will get back on television. This in of itself ruins any suspense. So why treat the audience like they're dumb? Fans know Will will rally and this episode will show what it takes for him to do so, so there's no reason to pretend at anything else. The Newsroom knows its viewers are smart, and acts accordingly.

One of the awesome things about "The Greater Fool" is all of the callback to the first episode of the series. The Don Quixote comparison returns in a big way, Will finally realizes that Mackenzie was actually at his college speech, and the girl who asked the dumb question that day is hired as an intern. Nearly a year and a half after it began, there's a pleasing symmetry that ties this freshman run up in a neat bow.

Of course, there are some things left hanging. Can Will admit that he still loves Mackenzie, as we're pretty sure the voice mail says, when he's not high? Is someone really going to try to kill Will? These are questions left for season two, which I cannot wait for!

People who regularly tune in to The Newsroom often do it to be inspired. It paints a picture of what reality could be, if we're lucky. There are naysayers, of course. Charlie and company's effort to turn Leona (Jane Fonda) around to their way of thinking, breaking through her cynicism, speaks to that nicely. In "The Greater Fool," we get to see Leona begin to give her blessing through a combination of blackmail and canoodling. Are the methods worth the outcome? Absolutely. Good has beaten evil, and News Night 2.0 will be allowed to go on. Talk about inspiring!

I like that The Newsroom does not feel confined to play by all the rules of the traditional television love triangle. In any other show, Maggie would wake up to Jim's interest in the season finale, finally ditching Don, who is an inferior mate. But that's not the way it plays out in "The Greater Fool." Sure, there's the terrific Sex and the City scene, where Maggie and Jim find each other. But as Sloan (Olivia Munn) points out, Don is not a bad guy. And when he makes a grand romantic gesture, Maggie stays with him, as most girls would. Jim's decision to keep things going with Lisa (Kelen Coleman), whom he likes but doesn't love, much as we've seen in Don with Maggie, makes Jim no better than Don. Though Don chooses to commit himself to Maggie in a real way, perhaps making him just a little bit man than Jim. For now.

These are merely the highlights of "The Greater Fool." It would be easy to go on for page after page about this episode, the meaning of the title, all of the supporting characters, breaking down each action or word for meaning. The Newsroom is designed to be chock full of substance. But who has time to do that? And even if I did, aren't I just robbing you of the joy of figuring these things out? So in keeping with the show's theme of knowing your audience is smart, I'll leave it here for now. Feel free to comment on the article, or tweet me @JeromeWetzelTV and I'll be happy to discuss any element further.

The Newsroom, my favorite show of the summer, will return to HBO in 2013.

Article first posted on TheTVKing

The Newsroom doesn't put up with "Bullies"

HBO's The Newsroom is generally about a crusader and his gallant team championing the facts, standing up to those who would deceive and mislead the American public. But what makes the kind of man who becomes this kind of leader of the righteous army? That is the question at the heart of this week's episode, "Bullies."

Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) can't sleep. He doesn't know why, and he doesn't want to know. But viewers do, and the only way Will can conquer his problem is to open himself up to inquiry. It's funny, but wholly authentic, how someone who can be so brave on the air shudders at the mere hint of personal analysis. Yet, that is exactly what happens. Luckily, Will does have some sense and wisdom, which is why he visits a mental health professional.

The doctor is named Jack (David Krumholtz, Numb3rs, The Santa Clause), a quirky prodigy, like just about every other character on The Newsroom, and Will has been paying him for two years without visiting. Actually, Will has been paying for four years, having previously been treated by Jack's father. It's as if, no matter how much Will protests, he knows he needs help, but just can't bring himself to ask for it, at least not until today. Jack sees right through the facade, and despite Will's attempts to just get a prescription for sleeping pills and get out, Jack makes Will confront those demons keeping him up at night.

The source of Will's issues? He has become a bully himself. Will is the son of an abusive alcoholic. The need to fight back is what drives him, first to become a prosecutor, and then to become the king of news. But there is a point where Will is no longer acting in self defense. Rather, he has become the bullier of bullies, kicking a man long after he goes down. Will might not want to admit to the bully label, but he knows what he's doing is wrong, and cannot live that way.

The subject of Will's attack this week is the former chief of staff for Rick Santorum, who happens to be a gay black man. Santorum is famously against homosexuals, and Will uses that angle. The staffer almost breaks, pleading with Will, near tears, to stop defining him by a simple label, and realize that his gayness is far from the only part of him. Will refuses, assaulting him over and over again. There's a moment where viewers think Will will back down, as the interview subject gives a wonderful speech. But Will can't resist one final blow, and respect for himself goes out the window.

This is a complex topic, both the conversation being had, and the psychology behind Will's actions. Will is right in that this man should not be working for someone who doesn't respect him. But the man is also right in refusing to be put into a box, and in defining his own priorities the way he wants to. That's what American freedom is about. Both are right, and yet, because they focus on different points, they can't reach an agreement. The Newsroom's masterful writing balances both opinions, as well as the way they are portrayed, so expertly, it leaves one in awe of "Bullies."

The question going forward is, now that Will knows his weakness, what kind of man will he be? Surely he will not slip back into the aggressor when it is unwarranted, checking himself. However, he also can't hang his head and be a passive anchor. So he must find his balance, being a protector, but not delivering unnecessary blows. Under the powerful skills of Daniels, this character is likely to remain intriguing and deliciously layered.

While this war rages within Will, a number of other significant events are going on around him. He rails on the internet, demanding a stop to anonymous posting. One commenter strikes back, delivering a death threat. This means Will now has a bodyguard (Terry Crews, Everybody Hates Chris, The Expendables). Adding the new guy into the mix changes the office chemistry slightly, and hints at a larger arc. Will anything come of this story, or is it just an excuse to bring in the talented, funny Crews to the ensemble? Either is totally acceptable.

Also, Will buys an engagement ring to gain the upper hand with Mackenzie (Emily Mortimer). He's not proposing, he's just messing with her so he can avoid embarrassment.

Or is he? A scene at the end where Will tears up the ring receipt, rather than returning it, might be a sign that he is forgiving Mackenzie for her past indiscretion. A year spent working together, seeing her passion, has rekindled something within him. It might take a bit longer, but he's thawing towards her, and there is definitely some spark left for the pair. One day, as cruel as this ploy might be now, he may actually give her the ring with all sincerity.

A year working together. Only six episodes in, The Newsroom has already covered an entire year in the lives of these people. This is an extremely rare pace for a show, and it's a little sad that so many news events get skipped over. It also means that the characters are soon going to reach present day, meaning season two (and any more after) will, by necessity, be more condensed. I don't know if I wish they'd started the timeline earlier, so they could keep up this rate, or if I'm looking forward to the series slowing down a bit, even if that means having to play into television drama conventions a bit more.

Another casualty of Will's unhinging is Sloan (Olivia Munn, Perfect Couples, Attack of the Show). She asks her trusted mentor for advice soon before going on air herself, and he urges her to not back down, turning her into a bully, too. Without the gravitas and reputation Will has, Sloan is called to task by Charlie (Sam Waterston), resulting in her suspension. Charlie does manage to fix things, but Sloan suffers a huge personal blow, and Will is feeling mighty guilty.

Sloan's story in "Bullies" is interesting because it proves the kind of woman that she is, and that Mackenzie chose very well in finding someone to sit alongside Will. It also shows that Sloan is still green and stubborn, unwilling to back down to Charlie, even though she really should to protect her career. She makes a mistake, but rather than apologizing and being humbled, she doubles down, yelling at her boss. Sloan will be a fine reporter some day, but she definitely has some growing to do in how she fits into the business.

An interesting result of the Sloan story is the revelation of Don's (Thomas Sadoski) vulnerability and compassion. He is deeply upset at Sloan for going off on her guest on his show. But knowing that she will get enough anger from Charlie, he holds himself in, and instead offers her support. This is a side of Don we haven't seen too much of, and makes him a much more sympathetic character. Credit The Newsroom for not just demonizing the man, who we've been rooting for to be dumped since day one.

There have definitely been hints that Don's girlfriend, Maggie (Alison Pill), might be interested in another man, Jim (John Gallagher Jr.). Amid the Sloan fiasco, Don still worries about that as much as anything. Are these feelings making him softer in his work, as his priorities shift? He really does seem to love Maggie. And while in most shows Maggie leaving Don for Jim would be a given, I'm not so sure The Newsroom will go down that path. It will probably still happen, but how interesting, and true to life, would it be if it didn't?

The Newsroom is an exemplary show with very realistic characters in an exploration of justice and shades of grey. It is brilliantly written and executed, with a team, yes a team, not a cast, of truly gifted performers. I dare anyone to hold up any show against The Newsroom, no matter their political beliefs, and find this series lacking. It will not happen. "Bullies" shows yet another side of the story, going in another direction from past episodes, and still upholds the expected level of excellence.

Watch The Newsroom Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my new website, JeromeWetzel.com! Article first published as TV Review: The Newsroom - "Bullies" on Blogcritics.

"We Just Decide To" love The Newsroom

HBO's THE NEWSROOM premiered last night with "We Just Decide To." From creator Aaron Sorkin, it is the story of a newsman, his patriotic executive producer, and a bold staff who have decided to bring back the art of journalism. No more pandering, no more softballs. They intend to make ACN, the fictional network which airs the fictional show News Night, a reputable organization.

As THE NEWSROOM begins, Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels, Dumb & Dumber, Pleasantville) sits on the stage at a college campus, in between a blowhard from each major political party. Seeing his ex-girlfriend, Mackenzie MacHale (Emily Mortimer, Lars and the Real Girl), watching disapprovingly from the audience, Will is spurred to speak his mind, declaring that America is not, in fact, the greatest country in the world. Plus, there are tear downs of liberals, conservatives, and Jay Leno that will resonate with a great many viewers.

It's an inspiring scene, just like the series itself. The haters will call THE NEWSROOM preachy and elitist. The believers will see it as a serving of hope that America can be as great as many Americans think, or claim to think, we are. The words the characters in THE NEWSROOM speak, and not just during Will's wonderfully rude rift, encourage optimism. If people like he and Mackenzie have their way, the news will be a bastion of true facts, informing the public into action, and forcing the powers that be to act rightly for the first time in a long time.

This is what Aaron Sorkin does best. THE NEWSROOM is definitely informed by his previous efforts. The theme song instantly calls to mind The West Wing, while Will's speech is similar to one in the pilot of Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip. Eager producers have the faith in their job that those that worked on Sports Night did. Sorkin takes all of these past efforts and rolls them together, delivering the message disillusioned and desperate people are looking for in the modern era.

As "We Just Decide To" gets underway, it becomes clear that the events of the first episode take place at a very specific date and time: April 20, 2010. Those current event buffs will recognize this as the date the BP Deep Water Horizon oil rig exploded and began spilling copious amounts of oil into the Gulf of Mexico because of lack of oversight and a screw up by Halliburton. This is a dark period of our history, and many think, with good reason, it has continued to be a tumultuous time these past two years since. Will THE NEWSROOM present an alternate reality, where the actions of this program change things for the better? Or will they struggle with other real events that we did, becoming discouraged as the fight refuses over and over again to turn in their favor?

Either way, THE NEWSROOM will connect with media savvy viewers and politic junkies. These events really happened, and people remember them. Thus, there is an instant avenue to relate to the characters. Seeing them behave the way we want people to, from Neal (Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire) exposing the true depth of the emergency, to Maggie Jordan (Alison Pill, The Pillars of the Earth, Milk) fingering the MMS inspector, to Jim Harper (John Gallagher Jr., Pieces of April) refusing to publicly name his sources, these are the types of people we want with the power and knowledge to make a difference.

Of course, THE NEWSROOM is more than just a political and social statement, no matter how effective it is at that mission. It is also a television show. In this by itself, it soars just as high. Sorkin's dialogue is as sharp and witty as ever. The characters are well defined and complex. Romance invades in a variety of ways, but not in anything too predictable nor forced. Mortimer and Daniels have impeccable chemistry, and the younger performers all shine at one more or another in "We Just Decide To."

The best part, keeping on the story angle, is the plot twist of discovering that big boss Charlie Skinner (Sam Waterston) orchestrated the entire thing. He saw a spark in Will that reawakened something deep within himself. Thus, he hatched a scheme to remove the old staff that Will had grown comfortable with and taken for granted, and replaces them with people who will nurture the greatness within Will. Mackenzie is the main weapon, of course, but she brings with her a host of others who will continue this theme. It's a genius move on Charlie's part, and one worthy of the actor in the fantastic role.

Will others, meaning the people watching at home, be as moved as Will is? There are plenty of people who are as cynical as him, who have given up on the dream of a triumphant nation, discouraged by the bickering and selling out. Of course, Will has to crack and come around, or else there would be no show. He is already showing signs of enjoyment and finding a passion that has laid dormant. This is the ember that Mackenzie, Charlie, and the others will cultivate, and hopefully, will be mirrored in fans around the country.

There is another character present who is just as hard to persuade to change as Will. Don (Thomas Sadoski, Loser) is Will's producer who is about to jump ship as the episode starts. When the rest of the departing staff leaves for a two week vacation, Don stays. While he does fight against the tide in "We Just Decide To," he is willing to admit he is wrong, and is impressed by what he witnesses. Maggie's affection for him also hints that there might be a kernel of goodness within. Will he come around and decide to stay at News Night, taking a demotion to do so? Or is he a temporary character who will be an antagonist, forcing things to a head in the coming weeks? Only time will tell.

Critics are divided on THE NEWSROOM, and the public at large would probably be, too, should it be seen by the masses. But HBO's subscriber base should be the right target for a program such as this one, and it is a moving, well-made show. For that reason, being self aware of what it is and delivering itself to the people who would seek it, it deserves more praise than criticism. And if you're anything like me, this will probably become your new favorite weekly appointment, a beacon of light in a dark world, internal thoughts splayed out for all to see and enjoy.

Watch THE NEWSROOM Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.