The Newsroom - new HBO series from Aaron Sorkin (1 Viewer)

[dparker713]

Count me among those who finds the Romney stuff almost unbearable. We're supposed to believe that a senior producer is so naive as to be shocked, SHOCKED at how campaign embeds do their job. And then we're supposed to believe that his only recourse is to keep being annoying and asking the questions in the hope that the other embeds will side with him.

It's not like Jim has a platform of his own to raise his questions. Oh wait, he does. He's a freaking television journalist. He could file a report at any time about the contradictions in Romney's position and close by saying "the Romney campaign refused to comment for this story."

What seems so frustrating about this show is that Sorkin has so many idea about television journalism should be doing while he has absolutely no idea about how journalists actually do their jobs. We never see anything to suggest that the ACN staff are good at what they do.

An actually effective protest could have been to file a story every night about the questions the Romney campaign refused to answer and never mention their talking points. That stuff on the bus was stupid.

 

[Apple Jack]

You guys understand that this is the guy responsible for President Bartlett, right? If you're looking for realistic, you're barking up the wrong tree.

 

[dparker713]

You guys understand that this is the guy responsible for President Bartlett, right? If you're looking for realistic, you're barking up the wrong tree.

I'm not expecting realistic. But I'm hoping its not cringe worthy.

 

[The Dude]

Count me among those who finds the Romney stuff almost unbearable. We're supposed to believe that a senior producer is so naive as to be shocked, SHOCKED at how campaign embeds do their job. And then we're supposed to believe that his only recourse is to keep being annoying and asking the questions in the hope that the other embeds will side with him.

It's not like Jim has a platform of his own to raise his questions. Oh wait, he does. He's a freaking television journalist. He could file a report at any time about the contradictions in Romney's position and close by saying "the Romney campaign refused to comment for this story."

What seems so frustrating about this show is that Sorkin has so many idea about television journalism should be doing while he has absolutely no idea about how journalists actually do their jobs. We never see anything to suggest that the ACN staff are good at what they do.

An actually effective protest could have been to file a story every night about the questions the Romney campaign refused to answer and never mention their talking points. That stuff on the bus was stupid.

I think you guys are missing the point - I think he's trying to do two things:

1 let the viewers know how the campaigns try to manipulate through their media outlets

2 expose some of the problems with the Republican candidate

 

[dparker713]

Count me among those who finds the Romney stuff almost unbearable. We're supposed to believe that a senior producer is so naive as to be shocked, SHOCKED at how campaign embeds do their job. And then we're supposed to believe that his only recourse is to keep being annoying and asking the questions in the hope that the other embeds will side with him.

It's not like Jim has a platform of his own to raise his questions. Oh wait, he does. He's a freaking television journalist. He could file a report at any time about the contradictions in Romney's position and close by saying "the Romney campaign refused to comment for this story."

What seems so frustrating about this show is that Sorkin has so many idea about television journalism should be doing while he has absolutely no idea about how journalists actually do their jobs. We never see anything to suggest that the ACN staff are good at what they do.

An actually effective protest could have been to file a story every night about the questions the Romney campaign refused to answer and never mention their talking points. That stuff on the bus was stupid.

I think you guys are missing the point - I think he's trying to do two things:

1 let the viewers know how the campaigns try to manipulate through their media outlets

2 expose some of the problems with the Republican candidate

Would be nice if he was trying to be entertaining.

 

[Apple Jack]

I think of his serials as a bit like a guy holed up in his house by himself binging on hard drugs whose imagination just runs and runs. It gets very insular and out there and often bears little resemblance to reality and there is nobody there to keep him tethered to the world. I don't think people call him on stuff like that or if they do, he doesn't care. The things he's focused on getting right are not the same things others are. He takes liberties to get to the emotional or intellectual end game he's after. And he's so good at the things he's good at that many of us are cool with that. Of course, the bus is ridiculous. But there is a broader, relevant thing that he's getting at, which is showing people who think that talking points are relevant news that they are morons and need to snap out of it and understand that campaigns are much more public relations than dialog. Which is completely insane, but something everybody seems to just accept. And I don't think Jim is surprised that's how it goes, I think the point is that it's much harder to stomach first hand coming from a place where he's accustomed to him and his team controlling the narrative. And seeing reporters just eat it because of the power/currency/loyalty thing that they're either just getting acquainted with or entrenched in. DC ####### sucks and for people who are driven to enlighten others, getting into the gears and levers of it can be pretty disgusting. Never mind when you realize how many supposed writers...hunters of truth...are not even remotely interested in doing that and much more interested in their own careers and building relationships with those who have or will someday have POWER.

 

[Fennis]

Count me among those who finds the Romney stuff almost unbearable. We're supposed to believe that a senior producer is so naive as to be shocked, SHOCKED at how campaign embeds do their job. And then we're supposed to believe that his only recourse is to keep being annoying and asking the questions in the hope that the other embeds will side with him.

It's not like Jim has a platform of his own to raise his questions. Oh wait, he does. He's a freaking television journalist. He could file a report at any time about the contradictions in Romney's position and close by saying "the Romney campaign refused to comment for this story."

What seems so frustrating about this show is that Sorkin has so many idea about television journalism should be doing while he has absolutely no idea about how journalists actually do their jobs. We never see anything to suggest that the ACN staff are good at what they do.

plus another blowhard writer/director (Cameron Crowe) already did that exact scene in Jerry Maguire

Spoiler

i like blowhard writer/directors

 

[Joe McGee]

Count me among those who finds the Romney stuff almost unbearable. We're supposed to believe that a senior producer is so naive as to be shocked, SHOCKED at how campaign embeds do their job. And then we're supposed to believe that his only recourse is to keep being annoying and asking the questions in the hope that the other embeds will side with him.

It's not like Jim has a platform of his own to raise his questions. Oh wait, he does. He's a freaking television journalist. He could file a report at any time about the contradictions in Romney's position and close by saying "the Romney campaign refused to comment for this story."

What seems so frustrating about this show is that Sorkin has so many idea about television journalism should be doing while he has absolutely no idea about how journalists actually do their jobs. We never see anything to suggest that the ACN staff are good at what they do.

An actually effective protest could have been to file a story every night about the questions the Romney campaign refused to answer and never mention their talking points. That stuff on the bus was stupid.

I think you guys are missing the point - I think he's trying to do two things:

1 let the viewers know how the campaigns try to manipulate through their media outlets

2 expose some of the problems with the Republican candidate

For me there is nothing on the show that is believable (except for news that already happened over a year ago). The Romney bus stuff wasn't believable. Does anyone really think he could really tout Obamacare on a Romney bus without getting his head handed to him? Him spouting off that the costs of Obamacare raising people's insurance is only due to increased costs in health care was an eye-rolling moment. No one (including unions and Sorkin himself) is stupid enough to believe that. That's why it is in the process of being repealed.

Add Olivia Munn playing a genius (though nice to look at) in a love rectangle that no one believes she would be in and the show really exhibiting any believable or highly entertaining moments. Don't get me started on the unlikable characters. I'll be glad when fall TV arrives. And football.

 

[packersfan]

Count me among those who finds the Romney stuff almost unbearable. We're supposed to believe that a senior producer is so naive as to be shocked, SHOCKED at how campaign embeds do their job. And then we're supposed to believe that his only recourse is to keep being annoying and asking the questions in the hope that the other embeds will side with him.

It's not like Jim has a platform of his own to raise his questions. Oh wait, he does. He's a freaking television journalist. He could file a report at any time about the contradictions in Romney's position and close by saying "the Romney campaign refused to comment for this story."

What seems so frustrating about this show is that Sorkin has so many idea about television journalism should be doing while he has absolutely no idea about how journalists actually do their jobs. We never see anything to suggest that the ACN staff are good at what they do.

An actually effective protest could have been to file a story every night about the questions the Romney campaign refused to answer and never mention their talking points. That stuff on the bus was stupid.

I think you guys are missing the point - I think he's trying to do two things:

1 let the viewers know how the campaigns try to manipulate through their media outlets

2 expose some of the problems with the Republican candidate

Yup and I thought he did it very well and in highly entertaining fashion.

Interesting to me that this is the type of episode that made me love the show last season and is also the type of episode some people really have a serious problem with.

 

[packersfan]

I'm a bit taken aback by those who question why Sloane would be into Don. Even if we stipulate that Don is an unattractive ######## with no talent or career possibilities whatsoever is it really shocking that a hot chick would be hot after a #####? Really? I see that pretty much on a daily basis. It's pretty much reached the point where I'm genuinely surprised when I see women who aren't involved with douchebags of some ilk.

 

[Joe McGee]

I'm a bit taken aback by those who question why Sloane would be into Don. Even if we stipulate that Don is an unattractive ######## with no talent or career possibilities whatsoever is it really shocking that a hot chick would be hot after a #####? Really? I see that pretty much on a daily basis. It's pretty much reached the point where I'm genuinely surprised when I see women who aren't involved with douchebags of some ilk.

I don't disagree with you. They lack chemistry together here.

 

[packersfan]

I'm a bit taken aback by those who question why Sloane would be into Don. Even if we stipulate that Don is an unattractive ######## with no talent or career possibilities whatsoever is it really shocking that a hot chick would be hot after a #####? Really? I see that pretty much on a daily basis. It's pretty much reached the point where I'm genuinely surprised when I see women who aren't involved with douchebags of some ilk.

I don't disagree with you. They lack chemistry together here.

I like both of their characters but that's entirely subjective. What struck me were the criticisms that it was unrealistic someone as hot as Sloane would be into Don. That doesn't strike me as unrealistic at all.

 

[Apple Jack]

You've never known a high achieving hot chick who is totally awkward when it comes to men? I live with one, never mind all those I've been acquainted with. A lot of high achieving people are basket cases when it comes to The early stages of getting together. That's among the most believable things going on.

 

[Joe McGee]

You've never known a high achieving hot chick who is totally awkward when it comes to men? I live with one, never mind all those I've been acquainted with. A lot of high achieving people are basket cases when it comes to The early stages of getting together. That's among the most believable things going on.

Yes, but Olivia Munn is a horribly wooden actress. There is nothing in the writing or the acting to make the two of them together seem remotely plausible. They need to devote some scenes to how those two could end up together. As it stands, it came out of left field and most of us wondered where in the world that came from. All we see right now is too hot girl after average man who does nothing to make us believe she would be into him.

 

[dparker713]

I'm a bit taken aback by those who question why Sloane would be into Don. Even if we stipulate that Don is an unattractive ######## with no talent or career possibilities whatsoever is it really shocking that a hot chick would be hot after a #####? Really? I see that pretty much on a daily basis. It's pretty much reached the point where I'm genuinely surprised when I see women who aren't involved with douchebags of some ilk.

I don't disagree with you. They lack chemistry together here.

I like both of their characters but that's entirely subjective. What struck me were the criticisms that it was unrealistic someone as hot as Sloane would be into Don. That doesn't strike me as unrealistic at all.

Its unrealistic that she'd be pining for him. Or for that matter that he'd turn her down when his relationship was in the crapper.

 

[Apple Jack]

It's not remotely unrealistic. Some of you appear to think there is some kind of hot chick mandate wrt who they want. There isn't. People are people.

 

[joffer]

Perfectly capturing the absurdity of today's political campaigns

 

[The Dude]

The criticism about Sloane and Don is laughable. That's just people wanting to be critical.

 

[packersfan]

The criticism about Sloane and Don is laughable. That's just people wanting to be critical.

Sure seems that way to me too. Doesn't strike me as even remotely unrealistic. Like I said before the women who make good choices with the men in their lives are the minority based on the ones I've met.

Then again I live in Wisconsin so that might account for a lot of that.

 

[The Dude]

Read yesterday that they had to reshoot eps 1 & 2 as the decided in a change in direction for one of the main stories. That may be why some people felt those episodes were weaker.

 

[packersfan]

Yeah I mentioned earlier that I would like to see what Sorkin originally filmed. I'm wondering if I would've liked that better. The first two episodes felt like a different show to me.

 

[hammerva]

Wow that short red head look on Maggie is just a disaster which of course is the purpose. The story how she got that is going to be interesting.

 

[tommyGunZ]

This is a show many of my friends tell me I would love, but I watched the first episode found it so irritatingly unbelievable and corny that I haven't watched another episode since.

Does it get better?

 

[Brady Marino]

Wow that short red head look on Maggie is just a disaster which of course is the purpose. The story how she got that is going to be interesting.

The story on how she dies in a car fire will be more interesting.

 

[joffer]

This is a show many of my friends tell me I would love, but I watched the first episode found it so irritatingly unbelievable and corny that I haven't watched another episode since.

Does it get better?

If you didn't like the pilot, you won't like the series

 

[Apple Jack]

This is a show many of my friends tell me I would love, but I watched the first episode found it so irritatingly unbelievable and corny that I haven't watched another episode since.

Does it get better?

There's a bit of a dialect thing going on that you might be missing. Maybe not. I'd just put this on ice and watch the first season of the West Wing. If you don't like that, you'd safe yourself some time not bothering with Aaron Sorkin serials. But his movies are slam dunks.

 

[tommyGunZ]

This is a show many of my friends tell me I would love, but I watched the first episode found it so irritatingly unbelievable and corny that I haven't watched another episode since.

Does it get better?

If you didn't like the pilot, you won't like the series

Thx. I thought the writing was very Dawson's Creekish. I'll probably pass on the rest of the series.

 

[The Ref]

Wow.... great episode. And the most surprising thing was Maggie brought it tonight.

 

[packersfan]

Seems pretty safe to now conclude that the "wrongful termination lawsuit" was filed by Jerry.

 

[The Ref]

I'm a little surprised here. I know this show isn't as well followed as say Boardwalk Empire or Game of Thrones but I figured I'd see more postings after tonight episode. It wasn't "the red wedding" but it was a darn good episode.

 

[joffer]

I'm a little surprised here. I know this show isn't as well followed as say Boardwalk Empire or Game of Thrones but I figured I'd see more postings after tonight episode. It wasn't "the red wedding" but it was a darn good episode.

Just finished it and agree, outstanding episode. I really like this storyline.

 

[Raider Nation]

I'm a little surprised here. I know this show isn't as well followed as say Boardwalk Empire or Game of Thrones but I figured I'd see more postings after tonight episode. It wasn't "the red wedding" but it was a darn good episode.

Too much other stuff on to get to this show right away. It's 5:23 am and I just finished it. I agree, great episode.

 

[Beerguzzler]

Maggie is already incredibly unattractive, the red short hair is a complete disaster. Granted it was the point and for once I didn't actually want to throw her into an empty elevator shaft throughout tonights episode. At least it looks like they finally killed that story line. Just make her asexual, since no one in their right mind would hit that.

I was disappointed that the Romney press secretary didn't get naked at the pool. She's a hot older woman.

The show is really solid this season.

 

[RUSF18]

I'm a little surprised here. I know this show isn't as well followed as say Boardwalk Empire or Game of Thrones but I figured I'd see more postings after tonight episode. It wasn't "the red wedding" but it was a darn good episode.

Eh. It was clear that Maggie's "traumatic event" was going to be about the boy getting killed, hammered home as soon as she told him to get on her back. She's dumb enough to think that was a good way to protect him.

And then you have so much of the episode following the same convenient luck that we kept seeing last year: someone they know happens to know someone who has a key piece of evidence for a story they're chasing. Just lazy writing.

 

[packersfan]

I'm a little surprised here. I know this show isn't as well followed as say Boardwalk Empire or Game of Thrones but I figured I'd see more postings after tonight episode. It wasn't "the red wedding" but it was a darn good episode.

Eh. It was clear that Maggie's "traumatic event" was going to be about the boy getting killed, hammered home as soon as she told him to get on her back. She's dumb enough to think that was a good way to protect him.

And then you have so much of the episode following the same convenient luck that we kept seeing last year: someone they know happens to know someone who has a key piece of evidence for a story they're chasing. Just lazy writing.

The guy in the park who just happened to write the report they needed was a contrivance but they even jokingly pointed that out before it happened. I'm fine with that. They went out of their way to acknowledge that it was contrived. Since this is entertainment first, I didn't mind it and I laughed when it happened.

As far as Maggie, I'm guessing she's never been shot at in a foreign country before so I'll forgive her for not being all James Bond in the situation.

Another great episode. Looks like the show is back on track.

 

[Fennis]

I am curious to see how Genoa unfolds as not being true after it lines up the way it is.

 

[Apple Jack]

Meh. I'd rank it fourth of the four so far, though I like the overall storyline. First time I've seen Marcia Gay Harden give a bad performance.

So I guess Dana Gordon called no takesy-backsies wrt to the go #### yourself line? It was such a big deal that she was going to eat #### and give him a half hour, yet she's willing to antagonize him by tattling on him to his boss? That made no sense whatsoever.

 

[dparker713]

I love how everyone outside the show keeps saying Will is an #######, yet the characters working on the show insist he isn't. If you have to keep trying to refute the claim, guess what, he is. Also, how is it that Sloane and Don are such children that they can't be diplomatic for 5 minutes?

 

[villa]

I love how everyone outside the show keeps saying Will is an #######, yet the characters working on the show insist he isn't. If you have to keep trying to refute the claim, guess what, he is. Also, how is it that Sloane and Don are such children that they can't be diplomatic for 5 minutes?

I thought it was more how annoying and pompous the OWS chick was that caused them to go off, or at least more of a commentary on her unprofessionalism on the air with Will that she pretty much confirmed in the end.

 

[Brady Marino]

Is it just me or do all these characters strive to be completely unlikable?

 

[packersfan]

The first two episodes had me concerned about the season. The last two have re-affirmed my belief in the show.

My only complaints now are I want more Tess and more Soriority Girl. I think it's high time the two of them "consoled" Lisa.

 

[General Malaise]

Damn, some pretty harsh critics in here.

 

[Koya]

Damn, some pretty harsh critics in here.

While I generally like this show, and enjoy watching it a lot, the show leaves itself open to some easy criticism.

Some really cheesy lines and even character development. Obviously the bleeding heart perspective, though that does not seem to be nearly as heavy handed as the first season.

Some plot "twists" that are, well, a bit too convenient (oh, wait, you know someone who knows about the random newpiece that we've been pursuing from Afghanistan? what a co-inky-dink!" and as mentioned a bit of a shallow and at times grandstandish portrayal of the Romney bus... though I liked the subtle point that Romney would win and Perry's done because, well, Perry doesnt hold the intellectual capital necessary to win, not that anyone noticed (and it was a good point, as much as we rip the GOP, they picked a respectable candidate, and one that likely would have won if not beholden to the insanity of that party's right)

And Maggie, well... sometimes (lots of times) just painful.

 

[General Malaise]

Maybe Maggie is playing the role the way her directors are telling her to play it. And yeah, she's obnoxious and pretty tough to stomach, but damn it, she NAILED her scenes in Uganda. And it's not like she's lacking credentials in the field of acting. Do I enjoy her character? Not especially. Do I think she does a good job playing a role that's been created for her? I do.

And for those of you saying she's too ugly to bone, please. Get a hold of yourselves. How many of you would turn her down? I've met some of you dorks. Some of you couldn't pull her with Gates money. Shake yourselves, boys.

 

[General Malaise]

Count me among those who finds the Romney stuff almost unbearable. We're supposed to believe that a senior producer is so naive as to be shocked, SHOCKED at how campaign embeds do their job. And then we're supposed to believe that his only recourse is to keep being annoying and asking the questions in the hope that the other embeds will side with him.

It's not like Jim has a platform of his own to raise his questions. Oh wait, he does. He's a freaking television journalist. He could file a report at any time about the contradictions in Romney's position and close by saying "the Romney campaign refused to comment for this story."

What seems so frustrating about this show is that Sorkin has so many idea about television journalism should be doing while he has absolutely no idea about how journalists actually do their jobs. We never see anything to suggest that the ACN staff are good at what they do.

plus another blowhard writer/director (Cameron Crowe) already did that exact scene in Jerry Maguire

Spoiler

i like blowhard writer/directors

Yeah, I am REALLY tired of this contraption in TV/Movies. Stop already. Thumb way down to that.

 

[Koya]

Is it just me or do all these characters strive to be completely unlikable?

The show will make much more sense if you tier off the characters

Will McAvoy - The conception of how Aaron Sorkin sees himself now. Powerful, rich and successful and desirable to women and one of only a very few people to have the guts to "tell" the "truth"

Jim Harper - What Aaron Sorkin sees of himself when he was starting, before he became Will McAvoy.

Mac - What will happen to any woman who either hurt or spurned or did something wrong to Sorkin, in his eyes. That they will be a total mess, only completely infatuated with his memory, desperately wants him back and her whole life revolve around his approval/displeasure

Maggie - What a woman was and on the edge of what she could be, before she becomes a "Mac" to a "Sorkin" That she's some kind of nostalgia for the kind of idealism and certain innocence that Sorkin misses in his current exes. When Mac tells Jim that he should work for ACN, she points out Maggie and say, "She was me before I ended up as me now" Not sure how Sorkin could lay it out any plainer than that.

Don - What you get if you don't end up with Sorkin or cheat on Sorkin or leave Sorkin for someone else, you get a jerk and you get to see all his jerkish behavior and see him repeat the pattern over and over, no one of substance but someone who knows how to dig into a woman's weaknesses to keep them.

Every other character, esp the minorities, exist to have those five in the center of their world, all the time.

In real life, Aaron Sorkin, when he wasn't hoovering cocaine like an aardvark knocking over a kids ant farm, he was completely whipped by singer Kristin Chenoweth. He probably put her on the West Wing, where her lack of acting skill continued to shine through, and his arguments with her view of Christianity and politics and her subsequently leaving him just left him a broken shell of himself. In Studio 60, so much of the show was devoted to personal digs at Chenoweth through the characters, plus the odd pairing of sketch comedy and shoving politics in people's faces, that it killed the entire thing. At least with West Wing and Newsroom, there is an actual storyline context for Sorkin to shove his politics in your face.

Here's the problem with Sorkin

Pre busted for coke Sorkin along with pre Chenoweth Sorkin didn't try to create perfect people. He created people with perfect "intentions" who tried to do the right thing and sometimes they failed and sometimes they won, but ultimately they tried to do the right thing. The West Wing characters made a lot of mistakes, but they were honest mistakes and they were very human people and he had actors who could show a lot of that human quality ( esp Bradley Whitford)

Angry at the world Sorkin with a criminal record and with Chenoweth sucking off some other guy era Sorkin simply created "perfect" people in his own archetype. A young him and an older him. And all he cares about is his view and grinding an axe against any chick who he thinks wronged him. It's also why Jim and Will have women all over the show all over them. Esp egregious was Lisa Lambert complaining that Jim won't think she's "smart enough for him"

With West Wing, even if you didn't share Sorkin's politics, you could engage with the characters. They were three dimensional and very human and while they all spoke "Sorkinese", they all have a distinctive voice because he had a great producer, John Wells and one of the best TV directors in TV history, Thomas Schlamme. With Newsroom, if you don't share Sorkins politics, then the show runs pretty hollow, because the show is designed to prop up Sorkins views and belittles anyone who has a contrary view. He's also without Wells and Schlamme, and lost their talent in fleshing out true three dimensional characters. If Sorkin wrote West Wing like he does Newsroom, all Republicans would be hairy trolls who eat babies and set cities in fire using classic books as kindling while raping women.

I don't think Sorkin is a misogynist, however his seething wrath with Chenoweth is a little tired. You could even see a lot of it seeping to the surface with The Social Netwoork and Moneyball. (Scenes with Eisenberg and Rooney Mara and scenes with Pitt and his ex wife)

What Sorkin does have in his favor is a hit show in West Wing under his belt that carries with him a cult following, he works in a town where being a one sided liberal with anger issues and almost heavy handed condescension is totally ok and he writes a hell of a pilot episode. He knows exactly how to write one big scene per pilot that encapsulates what a lot of people feel and want to say, but don't or can't put into words. The problem is those big scenes are generally moderately toned while the rest of his shows tend to bleed antagonizing liberal all the rest of the way through.

Oh, and for those of you whom seem to care. The actress who plays Lisa Lambert, she used to be a cocktail waitress in a club in Southern California at one point. If you look hard and deep enough, you might find pictures of her as such.

Have to say, one of the better quotes from the Double G, of late.

Interesting take(s).

Which club?

 

[packersfan]

Most writers tend to infuse their characters with their own attributes or idealized attributes. It's hardly a surprise that Sorkin might have created Will and/or Jim as visions of himself or idealized visions of who he thinks he is or who he may wish he was.

Oh, I'm not the only one who wants to find out what Charlie's plan is to bring astronauts back from Mars am I? Loved that brief exchange in the third episode with Will.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

I'm somewhat shocked to agree with much of what GG says. Not so much the armchair psychology of Sorkin. I have no idea whether the Chenowith relationship screwed with his head or what.

But I think that Sorkin has been a victim of his own success in television. He doesn't have anyone strong enough to stand up to him on his shows (whereas I imagine Fincher had the power to make suggestions on The Social Network). There are scenes that just need an editor. Someone to say, "Aaron, you're running this love of show tunes into the ground. It's ceased to be quirky or endearing." Or to say, "Aaron, that scene between Charlie and Will on 9/11 with the 'protect them' line is completely absurd."

The Newsroom is better than Studio 60, which is admittedly a low bar. And last week's episode was probably one of the show's better ones (kill a kid in Africa and it better be compelling). With that said, I didn't find it as compelling as the stuff ER did with Carter in Africa.

And I agree with those who think that having the entire Genoa story line progress from the perspective of hindsight is absolutely killing the dramatic potential of the story line. I can already see exactly how it's going to go. Jerry moves heaven and earth to keep the story alive. Every time it looks like it's going to crumble, he's able to find one more break to chase it further into the rabbit hole. And finally he gets to the end, with a senior Pentagon official. He's THIS close. And he just can't get the on the record confirmation he needs. So he fudges it. He cuts a corner. That could be a compelling story, but it's one we deserve to see play out with the surprises intact.

Why Sorkin has chosen to tell it the way he tells it (which is apparently an attempt to have a completely unrealistic litigator role for Marcia Gay Harden) is a bit of a mystery.

 

[joffer]

Studio 60 was fine until it was obvious they weren't getting renewed and tried to wrap everything up by the end of the season.

 

[Henry Ford]

And I agree with those who think that having the entire Genoa story line progress from the perspective of hindsight is absolutely killing the dramatic potential of the story line. I can already see exactly how it's going to go. Jerry moves heaven and earth to keep the story alive. Every time it looks like it's going to crumble, he's able to find one more break to chase it further into the rabbit hole. And finally he gets to the end, with a senior Pentagon official. He's THIS close. And he just can't get the on the record confirmation he needs. So he fudges it. He cuts a corner. That could be a compelling story, but it's one we deserve to see play out with the surprises intact.

Why Sorkin has chosen to tell it the way he tells it (which is apparently an attempt to have a completely unrealistic litigator role for Marcia Gay Harden) is a bit of a mystery.

Because it's based on a true story. We know how it actually happened, so telling it from the hindsight perspective is fine.