The Newsroom on HBO

[TheCrew07]

Is anyone else watching this? I'm not sure I can adequately explain why I'm so into the show, but it's certainly grabbed me. Every episode feels like it's only 15 minutes and I find myself instantly rewatching the episodes on the DVR. I haven't been this hooked on a TV show since Band of Brothers, and while the programs themselves couldn't be more dissimilar in context, each has characters that just grab you and somehow get inside you.

 

I'm not big on the news, especially on TV, though I do check certain news outlets a couple of times a day just to stay current on what's happening. I'm just completely unable to explain how I was immediately hooked after only 10 minutes of the first episode, but I hope other people are watching and enjoying the show as much as I do.

 

I read plenty of negative reviews but HBO has already renewed for a 2nd season.

[TooLiveBrew]

Good to hear you like it... I really like Jeff Daniels (no, I can't really explain that ), so seeing some of the negative reviews made me disappointed -- I think the premise of the show is pretty cool.

[Raw Biz]

I'm not sure why its gotten negative reviews either. Its probably my favorite new show from the past year. I also think its a great idea how its set a few years in the past so they can use real news stories instead of making stuff up. I can't stand watching news shows (I think they're so often all about entertainment and ratings, like the characters on the show say) but I love this show.

[nate82]

I find it rather boring and dull. The characters feel very dull and uninspiring to me and the main character feels like someone fused O'reily, Beck, and Olbermann together into one person.

[Invader3K]

I need to check this one out. We do get HBO, so I'll see if they have it On Demand yet.

[thebruce44]

I love Sorkin's writing, no matter how long winded and ridiculous the deliveries become. I also love Sam Waterston's character.

[EdgarDiazRocks]

It's my favorite hate-watch right now....It's not STUDIO 60 level funny bad, but it's pretty damn funny bad.

[Raw Biz]

It's my favorite hate-watch right now....It's not STUDIO 60 level funny bad, but it's pretty damn funny bad.

 

Not sure why you say that. I thought last night's episode was great.

[EdgarDiazRocks]

Hey, people have different opinions. The sexism/racism/just silliness really bothers me. I have watched a LOT of Sorkin and he just rehashes the same self important crap. Some people don't have a problem with it. I do.

 

Also I DO work in TV News, not that I have a problem with people calling that stupid it NEVER involves waiting around waiting for the AP NewsAlerts to "Change Color" or lucking out on the Big Story because your sister works at Haliburton and your college roommate is about to get fired from BP.

[MJLiverock]

Haven't watched it yet, the episodes are sitting on the DVR. I liked the first 5 or so season of The West Wing, Sorkin gets a little preachy at times which turns me off a bit but he is a good writer and in general I like his stuff.

 

A friend of mine used to be a TV reporter and said she loves the show although cautions that the newsrooms she was in were quite a bit different that this portrayal. A lot of her colleagues have commented they hate the show because it is so unrealistic but I think that is how many fictional shows play out to those who really know how it works. I know just about every show or movie I have watched regarding the financial industry leaves me screaming at the TV because of factual errors, procedural errors, etc. but the average person likely never notices and just enjoys.

[EdgarDiazRocks]

The inaccuracies in newsroom portrayal is the LEAST of my problems, even 'tho that's the thrust of the show. The preachy "we can do better" if we have hindsight on stories from 2 years ago is pretty annoying.

 

Especially when he has this big on high rant at the start of Episode 2 about it and then spells Richard Clarke's name wrong in it.

[Raw Biz]

Well I never watched Sports Night or The West Wing so I can't comment too much on that. I didn't mind Studio 60 and liked The Social Network and Moneyball, even if they were a little "wordy". Though I guess that is basically what Sorkin is known for. As for how unrealistic the show is, that's basically the same with every type of tv show/movie out there. Law & Order, CSI, House, etc. All those shows are pretty unrealistic in their portrayals of everyday business in those fields. If they were realistic, they'd probably be rather boring.

[Sixtofan]

I have enjoyed all of the Sorkin shows. Yep, they are preachy and that can be offputting but I do enjoy the overall "style" of the shows.

[EdgarDiazRocks]

All those shows are pretty unrealistic in their portrayals of everyday business in those fields.

 

See, and to me, The Wire broke all of that. There's no reason to not be accurate AND tell a great story other than laziness IMHO. But again that's the least of my problems.

 

The sexism in this particular show is mind crushing and has me tuning in to see just how bad it's gonna get.

[gypcasino]

Haven't watched the show but I've read way too much about it.

"I'm on a mission to civilize." Yuckaroo. I'll pass. The only thing I'd rather watch less than cable news is a fictional show about cable news.

[Raw Biz]

All those shows are pretty unrealistic in their portrayals of everyday business in those fields.

 

See, and to me, The Wire broke all of that. There's no reason to not be accurate AND tell a great story other than laziness IMHO. But again that's the least of my problems.

 

The sexism in this particular show is mind crushing and has me tuning in to see just how bad it's gonna get.

 

The Wire came to mind as well but that's like a once-in-a-generation show. Compared to other crap on tv (i.e. most procedural cop/courtroom dramas), I think The Newsroom is pretty good. And I'm not sure what sexism you're referring to (other than maybe Will "dating" a bunch of random chicks).

[EdgarDiazRocks]

And I'm not sure what sexism you're referring to (other than maybe Will "dating" a bunch of random chicks).

 

Have you ever seen Broadcast News? Obviosly Sorkin has and has based McKenzie McAlliteration (3/4 of the females have alliteration names in what I can only guess is a nod to Lois Lane) on Holly Hunter's (ha!) character in that movie. Only problem is Hunter's character is something all these characters aren't... decisive. She's deeply flawed, but that doesn't stop her from dominating at her profession. Both of Sorkin's female leads sit there and defend their "romantic" men ("He's the Land Rover of Men!") despite becoming unglued when another female looks at them and when they make mistakes, which they do a lot, cause they're silly girls, the men take them by the hand and remind them not to worry they will always be there to save them from their panic attacks, or not being able to send email, or not knowing that Don Quixote is Spanish, or not being able to handle a gun ("Is it wrong that this is turning me on?").

 

I thought this article pretty well nailed it...

 

http://www.indiewire.com/article/television/aaron-sorkins-female-trouble-the-women-of-the-newsroom

 

Also I would care less if I wasn't married to a former TV News Executive Producer who also finds these female characters horribly insulting, and as she said after episode 3, "And you know, I have VERY low standards!"

[Raw Biz]

Eh, I honestly don't really analyze characters that much when I watch a show. If it entertains me, that's usually good enough for me. Also, I find it hard to criticize a show after only 4 episodes. I think you can like a show after only a few but sometimes it takes a whole season for a show to really find its footing. I liked the pilot and didn't really like the 2nd show that much. But the 3rd was good and I really really liked the 4th, especially the ending.

[Team Canada]

My biggest complaint so far is probably the stupid "oops you accidentally added a * to the email address and emailed the whole company details about your past relationship" plotline. Just dumb.

[berniebrewer4life]

All those shows are pretty unrealistic in their portrayals of everyday business in those fields.

 

See, and to me, The Wire broke all of that. There's no reason to not be accurate AND tell a great story other than laziness IMHO. But again that's the least of my problems.

 

The sexism in this particular show is mind crushing and has me tuning in to see just how bad it's gonna get.

 

You are correct. But what all of the CSIs(which i hate for the exact reason you hate the newsroom), chicago blues and Houses of the world taught me is that hollywood is full of lazy people. The Wire came out 10 years ago right? There hasn't been another cop show like it since, despite a new one coming out every year(all of them CSI clones). Unfortunately the formula they use works. Most of these shows don't care about accuracy of the business they portray, they care about forming the story arches. My advice is if you don't like it, don't watch it. You'll end up being a lot happier.

 

 

Also, I find it hard to criticize a show after only 4 episodes. I think you can like a show after only a few but sometimes it takes a whole season for a show to really find its footing.

 

This. I thought Mad Men was TERRIBLE the first 1/2 season. I'm glad i stuck with it because it's now one of my favorite shows.

[gypcasino]

"The Newsroom," HBO's fictional series about a cable network newscast and its controversial anchor, played by Jeff Daniels, will include a storyline about the Madison protests in Sunday's show. HBO did not make a copy of the episode available in advance.

 

According to a synopsis:

 

"In the midst of covering the ouster of Egyptian president Mubarak, the “News Night” team learns of a protest in Wisconsin against Gov. Scott Walker’s bill to balance the budget by cutting teachers' jobs." Producers played by Alison Pill, John Gallagher, Jr. and Thomas Sadoski, "hustle to get side-by-side views of the simultaneous uprisings on air."

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/entertainment/162804006.html#!page=1&pageSize=10&sort=newestfirst

[MJLiverock]

If that's the spin they put on what happened here in Madison I don't know if I could stomach watching the show.

[patrickgpe]

With the brewers being off the last 2 nights, I caught up on the first 4 episodes. It is very well written and i agree that the hour goes by very fast. it is a very slanted show, which i believe hurts its overall quality

[EdgarDiazRocks]

he fired his entire writing staff yesterday for Season 2, to which most people responded, "He had a writing staff?"

 

http://www.grantland.com/blog/hollywood-prospectus/post/_/id/53495/aaron-sorkin-fires-most-of-the-newsroom-writing-staff

 

Only once on the first four did he credit another writer besides himself.

[bullox]

I've watched every week so far. I can't stand the relationship building parts. I don't know why, they just seem so forced. When it focuses on news and how everything comes together, I let my suspension of disbelief take over and it's an okay show.

 

I usually ruin shows like this for myself by over analyzing how things are happening. I find that the less I know about the actual subject, the more likely I am to be entertained. That way my brain isn't shooting down everything they are doing.