The Newsroom....whaddya think?

[ChanceEncounter]

I like it better now that Don grew a spine in the last episode and stood up to Jane Fonda's sniveling son. Before it was much easier to root just for Jim/Maggie because Don was such a spineless putz, but now, I'm excited.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

I'm only about halfway through last night's episode, but I think I'm over it. I don't really get the allure of this show, and since I tend to agree with most of the overt politicism, it's not that. I think it's that the women are all a mess (seriously, Mackenzie needs to friggin grow up), no one talks or behaves like any of these people, and all of the actors seem to be in different tv shows, Sam Waterston especially. His is the most uncomfortable show to watch.

[ChanceEncounter]

Sam Waterson is a revelation.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

What exactly has he revealed to you?

[romantico]

Last night was episode 4. 6 More to go.

[dramamama611]

Phyll -- I'll agree with you a tad, I don't really care for the portrayal of the women, when the story is focusing on their personal lives.

I'm enjoying it, looking forward to more! (Thanks for the info, romantico!)

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

And see, I can't get into the news stuff, either, because I don't need lectures on the Koch brothers being evil or someone to tell me that in 2010, Sharron Angle was an idiot. I watch the news, something I don't think anyone involved with this show ever has, so all of the "real" stuff is just repetitive to me. I watch enough news to know that even after they lost Jan Brewer, there would be no shortage of elected officials who would have jumped to be on tv. All this insertion of the show into real (old) news just feels self-conscious and self-congratulatory.

ALL the women on this show are awful, even the ones we don't see, like Maggie's roommate with all her Xanax stealing men she's bringing into their apartment.

[Plum]

Fixed By Will McAvoy

[Wynbish]

[strummergirl]

I agree with Phyllis. I gave it a shot but I am not into the real **important** news stories and the unrealistic hyper-accuracy of News Night reporting those stories again in an armchair quarterback kind of way.

The relationship storylines and portrayal of women sans Olivia Munn's Sloan was the cherry on top. This is not for me and I say this as somebody who gets annoyed when historical events are a major plot point on Mad Men rather than in the background to the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce office.

[Wynbish]

With this past episode, the show has now caught up to 2011. 2011 was the year of Bin Laden's death and Occupy Wall Street. Can't wait to see how they handle those (especially the latter).
Top news stories of 2011

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Firing the entire staff of a show that got renewed is military grade villainy. Shows get renewed and people make decisions—get engaged, have children, etc —because it's so rare to be part of something successful out here. To be fired, en masse, is a petulant act that added IMMENSE amounts of stress to dozens of lives because he's a whiny bitch, upset he's not getting his customary chub-huffing from the press on that show.
Aaron Sorkin Cleans Out Newsroom Staff (Except For His Ex-Girlfriend),I<

[romantico]

Frank Darabont did the exact same thing with THE WALKING DEAD

http://blastr.com/2010/12/frank-darabont-fires-enti.php

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

After completing the most recent episode, all I can think is that while it must have sucked for Gabrielle Giffords got shot, it's probably a major consolation that her shooting managed to make the people of the Newsroom forget their interpersonal drama.

[EricMontreal22]

But with Walking Dead, technically they didn't have a staff I thought. I thought there was some issue because he was hiring writers on an episode by episode system.

[strummergirl]

Also Glenn Mazzara stayed on the entire way through since day 1 and replaced Darabont as showrunner so the notion the entire staff was fired was erroneous and as EricMontreal22 pointed out, not really accurate. It was just 6 episodes of people Mazzara and Darabont both knew working with them. The comic creator Robert Kirkman wrote one of the first six episodes too.

[wonkit]

As A West Wing-nut, I want very much to like this show. But where is the real Aaron Sorkin, the one who created Cj and the First Lady and doesn't make every woman look like she can barely find her way to work in the morning? Every woman on this show seems to be pathetic or bitchy. (Mind you, a lot of the men aren't coming across well either.) But the array of fine Broadway actors will probably keep me watching, even as Aaron trots out some highly manipulative plot lines and some equally questionable liberal politics.

[Wynbish]

I keep really enjoying the episodes. Last night's even brought a little tear in the Rudy-inspired scene. Dev Patel was a standout.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

His character should have been fired when he had them come in on a Saturday morning to talk about Bigfoot. Of course, then they were in the office to bravely refuse to say Gabrielle Giffords was dead!

[romantico]

I thought last nights episode was BRILLIANT! Each episode is better than the one before.I sometimes have to watch the episode over just because the dialogue is so fast,I usually miss something.

[Wynbish]

Thomas Sadoski had a great week as Don. They downplayed the Don/Maggie/Jim triangle and gave Don a real human moment when he admitted to sending Elliot down to the street.

Hope Davis was almost sinister in her role.

[winston89]

I am really enjoying this as well. I think that it's great that HBO is catching a break with some great shows like Newsroom. This is much needed for them specially since they got a lot of heat for not just canceling Luck, a show with high ratings. But, the reasons behind the cancelation.

[Jordan Catalano]

I'm actually really into this show. And as someone who watches RUDY a lot, last nights episode ha me sobbing.

[songanddanceman2]

Count me in as another one who is really in to this show.

[Luscious]

Love this show more and more with each passing episode! For one reason or another, every episode has me in tears by the end. Don't get what the deal is with Sorkin firing the entire writing team, save for his ex. I think it's some of the best writing on TV at the moment. Guess he's just looking for a scapegoat, and hopes that by bringing on a new writing team the critics will be more receptive next season. I say screw the critics. Everyone that I know who's watching loves the show!

[dramamama611]

I really like the show, its one of the few I actually look forward to watching.