The Newsroom

[Cachoo]

I liked the Sorkin vs the Koch brothers theme: Go Sorkin!

[KHenry14]

I agree significantly better episode. I could actually do with less relationship angst, but other than that, I loved it.

[ArtisticFan]

I liked the Sorkin vs the Koch brothers theme: Go Sorkin!

Loved that.

I could actually do with less relationship angst, but other than that, I loved it.

Agreed, but I will say that any news outlet I have worked at was practically incestuous with the number of people who had slept with each other or even sources. Even the small town newspapers were bad. Election nights were the worst, as you just knew that people were hooking up as they waited on results.

I quit listening to those things after a while, as it is really hard to do a good interview with someone you've seen photos of and heard lurid details about in regards to the bedroom. It is one of the reasons that my strict policy is that I will not write about sex scandals. There are only so many things you want to know about people.

[dramagrrl]

Excellent third episode. I love the Neil/Jim bromance and Jim as a character in general. He's such a typical Sorkin earnest guy character - like Sam Seaborn on The West Wing or Tom on Studio 60 - and I always love them all.

[Artemis@BC]

Excellent third episode. I love the Neil/Jim bromance and Jim as a character in general. He's such a typical Sorkin earnest guy character - like Sam Seaborn on The West Wing or Tom on Studio 60 - and I always love them all.

ITA x3. This kind of personal dynamic is the heart of a Sorkin series.

I also really enjoyed, to my surprise, Jane Fonda. I'm not a fan of her normally, but this was a good character for her. And wow does she look good!

We've seen that "ratings are down/don't piss off the sponsors" scene before of course in both Sportsnight and Studio 60, but of course it is a reality for TV land so it does make sense. And I continue to love Sam Waterson's character.

Will's opening monologue was another farfetched-idealism-but-I-don't-care scene. I'm such a sap, I never tire of those.

But ... he's a Republican?!? Really?

[FiveRinger]

I watched all 3 episodes last night, and I really enjoyed it.

I never watched West Wing so it's all new to me!

[ArtisticFan]

I also really enjoyed, to my surprise, Jane Fonda. I'm not a fan of her normally, but this was a good character for her. And wow does she look good!

She must have learned something during her time with Ted Turner. I thought her performance was very effective. Though I did enjoy her telling of the Jesus/Moses joke. The way she delivered it was well done even if the ending was telegraphed a mile away.

She didn't even speak until that last scene with her. She did quite a bit of reacting.

[nlyoung]

I could listen to intelligent dialogue all day any day. I don't care if some of it seems recycled, the world would be a better place if people really did talk like this in real life...

[Holley Calmes]

I could listen to intelligent dialogue all day any day. I don't care if some of it seems recycled, the world would be a better place if people really did talk like this in real life...

Not in my world. If that incessant yammering happened in my world, I would probably wind up doing harm to someone, and I really don't want that. Maybe it's more about the delivery than the words. Different strokes.

[Bostonfan]

So after watching episode 2, I'm noticing now Sorkin repeats himself not just in the broad strokes and characterizations, but in the tiny dialogue details as well. In the opening run-down meeting, the phrases "Muhammed al Muhammed al Muhammed al Bazir" and "were you distracted by a bumble-bee?" were used, both of which I recognized from The West Wing.

I am finding it grating in places ... but still entertaining enough to keep going. For now at least. I'll be interested to see how they develop Olivia Munn's character (I've only ever seen her in The Daily Show). And I continue to love Sam Waterston as "the white Robert Guillaume."

More rehashing tonight. Mac's lack of understanding of economics and needing a co -worker to explain it to her is a rehash of C.J. seeking Sam out to teach her about the census. And next week's show centers around Will getting a death threat via email and needing security. Same as C.J.

[Bostonfan]

But I still like the show

[jl22aries]

Speaking of Sorkin reusing Sorkin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S78RzZr3IwI

[Bostonfan]

HILARIOUS!

[Cachoo]

I have to bow to Sorkin. This is not my favorite show that he has written but I have to hand it to a guy who can tie together the Supreme Court decision regarding Citizen's United, the Koch ties to that and the ties to the efforts to break the unions in Wisconsin. And then talk about Glass/Steagall act, it's repeal in 1999 and the resulting banking mess and still manage to have an enertaining show. That is not easy.

I understand David Koch is an intensely private man. It is one thing to tweak Rush Limbaugh but to display David caught in an alleged lie is something else. Aaron might need to watch his back.

[Wyliefan]

Watch his back? "Intensely private" does not necessarily translate to "out for vengeance every time someone tweaks you in public," as I'm sure every introvert on this board could tell you.

[Cachoo]

My apologies Wyliefan--I should have worded it differently. Once upon a time I liked the Koch's as they employ so many in my hometown but stuff happens. And I do worry for Sorkin. I'll just leave it at that.

[KHenry14]

This episode got me thinking about whether TMZ actually accepts bribes from people to keep themselves out of TMZ's shows. I hadn't heard that allegation before, but this ep got me thinking that there may be some truth in it.

[Artemis@BC]

I have to bow to Sorkin. This is not my favorite show that he has written but I have to hand it to a guy who can tie together the Supreme Court decision regarding Citizen's United, the Koch ties to that and the ties to the efforts to break the unions in Wisconsin. And then talk about Glass/Steagall act, it's repeal in 1999 and the resulting banking mess and still manage to have an enertaining show. That is not easy.

^ This. It is indeed an impressive feat.

More rehashing tonight. Mac's lack of understanding of economics and needing a co -worker to explain it to her is a rehash of C.J. seeking Sam out to teach her about the census.

Yup, made that connection right away. It was pretty well done though. Even tho CJ not understanding something fairly obscure like the census is more believable than Mac "not getting the economy" ... they way they treated it was still good. Loved the interplay with Sloan -- "I'm the closest thing to a female friend you have" "Does that mean I don't have female friends or you're not entirely female?"

And am I the only one who cheered when Neal punched the computer monitor with Rush Limbaugh? Who hasn't wanted to do that?

The final scene was cheezy but still good.

So ... now do we start counting down to when Will & Mac get back together? I guess it depends on whether it gets renewed. They had to rush the Danny-Jordan relationship when Studio 60 got cancelled.

[ArtisticFan]

More rehashing tonight. Mac's lack of understanding of economics and needing a co -worker to explain it to her is a rehash of C.J. seeking Sam out to teach her about the census. And next week's show centers around Will getting a death threat via email and needing security. Same as C.J.

While the death threat thing has been used before, it is still something that does happen in newsrooms more frequently than most people think.

[jenny12]

I like the idea of the show and some of the dialogue is pretty sharp, but, like some others on this thread have posted, can't stand the portrayal of women on the show. They are mostly, aside from Olivia Munn's character, whiny and incompetent and I don't like all the scenes of male characters having to teach the female characters something. Really, a war correspondent does not know how to use an e-mail in this day and age? Someone needs to introduce Aaron Sorkin to a actual, real-life woman or maybe he should imagine his female characters as men and write them from that perspective.