The Newsroom

PostThe Newsroom by **Meep** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 12:50 pm

I couldn't find a threat for this, so I apologise if I missed it.

Has anyone been watching this? I was a huge fan of the West Wing and have been enjoying it thus far (episode 4), however I think Sorkin can be a little grating at times. Yes, in case you were wondering, this show does involve a lot of very smart and witty people talking extremely fast and walking extremely fast. It is also littered with obvious set ups that are so blatant you groan at the pay off. However, for all that, it is still engaging. If you liked the West Wing you will like it but do not expect anything particularly ground shattering.

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Saint of Killers** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 1:08 pm

There's a discussion on it in here :arrow:

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=31276 But the show deserves its own thread too.

Despite the fact it's kind of obvious what the outcome of certain scenarios will be, that and I'm not keen on how light and comedic it as times, I'm watching it and enjoying it. Obvious but entertaining > Difficult to figure out and dull (like Luck). Plus it has Sam Waterston :wub:

, Jeff Daniels :wub:

and that girl who had cancer in the second series of In Treatment :wub:

.

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Crimson** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 2:53 pm

Saint of Killers wrote:There's a discussion on it in here viewtopic.php?f=17&t=31276 But the show deserves its own thread too.

Despite the fact it's kind of obvious what the outcome of certain scenarios will be, that and I'm not keen on how light and comedic it as times, I'm watching it and enjoying it. Obvious but entertaining > Difficult to figure out and dull (like Luck). Plus it has Sam Waterston , Jeff Daniels and that girl who had cancer in the second series of In Treatment .

Alison Pill. :wub:

It could be a lot better but I'm enjoying it for what it is.

PostRe: The Newsroom by **IGM** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:48 pm

I thought the first episode was amaaazing. I was only watching it to see Jeff Daniels but the rest of the cast were top notch too.

It totally hooked me and I want to be as awesome a sweary old bastard when I become an old bastard as the sweary old boss fella.

Bastard.

PostRe: The Newsroom by **PCCD** » Thu Aug 02, 2012 1:59 am

I was interested when I watched the opening rant at the university and hooked when the "seriously, I have a blog?" line came out.

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Ario** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 2:46 am

Fantastic episode this week, anyone who was turned by the show initially, I'd strongly suggest picking it up again.

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Meep** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 1:15 am

Yes it was great. Still, I wished I lived in a world created by Sorkin, populated by idealists willing to take a stand, rather than real world that is mostly full of cynical bastards relentlessly playing the system. Real life is like living a strangely dull HBO drama.

PostRe: The Newsroom by **HSH28** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 7:09 am

Really thats the episode you liked?

I'd have expected an episode from Sorkin on the subject of Bin Laden's killing would have had some perspective on the reaction from one of the characters at least. Can't believe that none of those characters would have had a bit of a tempered response to that news.

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Memento Mori** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 8:08 pm

Just watched 1x05 (the death threat one), easily the best episode of this show I've seen.

PostRe: The Newsroom by **PCCD** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:43 pm

Memento Mori wrote:Just watched 1x05 (the death threat one), easily the best episode of this show I've seen.

Brilliant from start to finish that one. Worth watching for the interview with the Santorumn aide and Sloan's sections alone. Also Charlie; "WHAT IN THE HOLY strawberry float JUST HAPPENED!?"

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Kanbei** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:34 pm

It's definitely getting better as it goes on, fingers crossed it'll be up to West Wing quality next year :shifty:

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Memento Mori** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:18 pm

PCCD wrote:
Memento Mori wrote:Just watched 1x05 (the death threat one), easily the best episode of this show I've seen.

Brilliant from start to finish that one. Worth watching for the interview with the Santorumn aide and Sloan's sections alone. Also Charlie; "WHAT IN THE HOLY strawberry float JUST HAPPENED!?"

Go back to Japanese!

:lol:

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Meep** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:50 pm

Worth watching just for Olivia Munn wearing nerd glasses. :wub:

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Rax** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:54 pm

Really liking this show so far. Hopefully it continues to improve and keeps Olivia Munn on my screen for a long time to come.

PostRe: The Newsroom by **PCCD** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:44 pm

Thought the Bin Laden episode layered it on a bit thick with the epiphany on the plane. Rest of it was pure gold though; Will getting baked, the fight with the Washington studio and Elliot's idea of a controversial political view "boy that Genghis Khan sure had some pretty great ideas!" Deepthroat stuff sounds promising too

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Cal** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 9:25 am

The Newsroom continues to delight and disappoint in almost equal measure - a statistic almost mirrored in it's current Metacritic rating (57%). Sorkin's scripts deliver as many verbal punches as they do corny set-ups and awkward characterizations. In the end, for me at least, I find I don't really like any of his grisly characters that much, except perhaps Will McAvoy, played reliably by Jeff Daniels. Still, it's quite something that Sorkin's clumsy, unrealistic, histrionic scripts can turn me against the ever-likeable Sam Waterston's Charlie Skinner and find me rooting for Jane Fonda's scheming Leona Lansing - a woman I wish more and more would succeed in her Machiavellian plans to have the entire annoying cast given the sack.

Nine of ten episodes into season 1 (a second series has been greenlit by HBO, despite the very mixed critical reception for S1), I'm still positively hostile to Emily Mortimer as MacKenzie "Mac" McHale - could she be any less convincing, any more irritating? As for the hopeless supporting cast - I'd gladly nailgun every last one of them - although the gorgeous Olivia Munn as Sloan Sabbith, News Night's economist, puts in a much better effort than most of her peers. One feels her character is struggling for breath, is capable of much more.

When Sorkin is writing about policy, about journalism, about current affairs, he - and we - are on much safer, far more assuredly enjoyable ground than when he launches into yet another dreary character exposition. These people and their personal lives are just not interesting. Their petty romances are trite; their selfish, self-obsessed, wise-cracking personalities are precisely the types I would avoid in real life. Conversely, when they are portrayed doing what they are supposed to be doing - putting on a prime time TV news programme - the whole enterprise positively crackles with kinetic energy and the characters become briefly engaging, albeit between over-dramatic displays of 'journalistic integrity' or clumsy set-piece monologues optimistically (if inappropriately) invoking the ghosts of Rather and Murrow...

The fact that anchor man Will McAvoy has been gifted a notional Republican voting habit seems almost irrelevant when set next to the show's (and Sorkin's) clear left-wing bias. I'm not sure who Sorkin thought he might have been trying to fool here - but it doesn't work, either for the character or for the viewer. If McAvoy is truly a Republican (even a very soft one - and we have so far no evidence to suppose this is true) he's clearly misunderstood the party membership small print as his every utterance screams CONFIRMED DEMOCRAT.

One episode left to go of this first season and I'm still entirely undecided about The Newsroom. It chafes. It entertains. But much of the time it's all a bit embarrassing.

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Crimson** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 12:55 am

Great finale I thought. The second half of the season was much better than the first. I'll be back next year for sure.

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Monkey Man** » Sat May 11, 2013 3:27 am

Teaser trailer for it's return on July 14th -

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Hank Scorpio** » Sat May 11, 2013 7:47 pm

Anyone got a link for the Season 1 finale please?

PostRe: The Newsroom by **Memento Mori** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 3:10 pm

2x01- A promising opener. Better than what I remember the patchy first season being.

The Newsroom

Who is online

Affiliates