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'The Newsroom' on HBO

20K views 408 replies 75 participants last post by  CPanther95 
#1 ·
Stars Jeff Daniels. and it looks fantastic.

 
#2 ·
Nothing to do with the other fantastic "The Newsroom" Canadian CBC television series I presume. Seems very sports night-ish.
 
#4 ·
Sorkin hasn't evolved. Same setup and delivery of everything he does: Guy/Gal sits there taking abuse quietly. Guy then explodes with a ton of blistering, quick retorts.


Yawn. Get a new schtick, dude.


The real sign that this show is going to bomb, though, is that Olivia Munn is in it.
 
#5 ·
The lead is a Republican who thinks like a liberal? Looks like Sorkin is trying to play both ends from the middle on this one. Will be interesting to see what liberal ideas get put in as Republican ideas. This should be an interesting show if just from that standpoint.


At least Sorkin is being true to himself and not trying to write him as if Sorkin knows how to be a Republican. Points for honesty. That goes a long way in my book.
 
#6 ·
First off. I think this show looks fantastic. Daniels looks pretty good in this role. But I think Sorkin is going for the bombastic and egotistic nature of Keith Olbermann, with a bit of Bill O'Reilly mixed in.


I can't wait. And then I will have this and the 2nd season of Boss for a fantastic season of Summer tv.
 
#7 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by skyehill /forum/post/21882288


Sorkin hasn't evolved.

To the extent that's true, I'm more than fine with that. I've never stopped being entertained by his writing. I just finished rewatching Sports Night for the third time, a few weeks ago, and thinking "I sure could use some more of that!"
 
#8 ·
I like a bunch of his shows. West Wing and Sports Night were great, but I tire of the characters he creates that call themselves Conservatives but act as liberals. Have the balls, and intelligence, to write an actual conservative point of view instead of just writing what you wish a conservative would be like. I say that as someone who is a liberal. It would be more entertaining, I believe.
 
#11 ·
It's funny. When Studio 60 bombed I mused in these very forums that the next project Sorkin needs to do should involve a courageous journalist, fighting the good fight as Jed Bartlett & Co. did for so many years. It would be a fitting use of his particular talents and gift for snappy dialog. And here we are! Maybe he reads AVS.



I was hoping it would be set in the newspaper world - and Heaven knows daily newspapers need all the help they can get these days - but since most Americans now get their news and information from television, I suppose this is more appropriate. Looking forward to it. A TV world with Sorkin in it is a more interesting place.
 
#13 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by archiguy /forum/post/21971158



I was hoping it would be set in the newspaper world - and Heaven knows daily newspapers need all the help they can get these days - but since most Americans now get their news and information from television, I suppose this is more appropriate. Looking forward to it. A TV world with Sorkin in it is a more interesting place.

I wish you wouldn't have said this, I never thought of it and it seems like such a great, obvious idea now
Love the old news room movies with all the great character actors bickering and bantering over politics and such. The last season of The Wire had some of that. Sorkin+bunch of grizzled character actors=heaven.
 
#15 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by skyehill /forum/post/21885514


I like a bunch of his shows. West Wing and Sports Night were great, but I tire of the characters he creates that call themselves Conservatives but act as liberals. Have the balls, and intelligence, to write an actual conservative point of view instead of just writing what you wish a conservative would be like. I say that as someone who is a liberal. It would be more entertaining, I believe.

Heh. This seems to miss the point, doesn't it? He is writing what he wishes conservatives would be like. That is the entire reason he introduces conservatives into his shows: to give them what he believes are perfectly reasonable and conservative-minded opinions that are, for whatever reason, verboten in the "real world."


Very excited for this show. But also very worried that the Jeff Daniels-Emily Mortimer relationship hinted in the previews will sink this show about as fast as the Matthew Perry-Sarah Paulson relationship sunk Studio 60. He either needs to put that stuff on the back burner or have someone else write it for him.
 
#16 ·
I have been looking forward to The Newsroom with great anticipation but am now wondering whether it is going to be any good. I read two reviews of the show this morning, both written by liberals; one by Andy Greenwald in Grantland and the other by Jake Tapper, the White House Correspondent for ABC news, in The New Republic . Although both critics are liberals, both were bothered by Alan Sorkin's blatant left wing biases. The only note of hope in either review appeared in Tapper's piece when he wrote:
Quote:
An HBO executive once told me that, since so much artistic freedom is given to its shows’ creators, new series often take a few episodes before they find their rhythm. I hope that proves to be true here. The cast is too good, Sorkin too skilled, and the subject matter too rich. There are too many fields to plow—a sub-plot involving one branch of the corporate empire plotting against another branch seems promising, as do the commercial pressures on the show to be first with information, its accuracy notwithstanding. But “The Newsroom” had me contemplating that which is so feared in my industry: changing the channel. And I was watching it on DVD.
I plan to stick with the show for a while in hopes that Sorkin's talent might rise to the top but the episodes that Greenwald and Tapper got to preview don't seem promising.
 
#17 ·
It sounds like using real news to guide the show within the show was possibly a mistake. It certainly has the potential to make the show feel very heavy handed. Manufactured stories that only nod at real world events might've made it feel less preachy. It's also possible that these types of things are only in the first few episodes, and only feel like they're at the forefront because we don't yet know the characters very well, and a more character-oriented drama will emerge as the season progresses.


To use an example, The West Wing is actually very preachy in the first few episodes as well (covering such topics as the religious right, gun control, and the use of military force, etc.), and also heavy handed in its judgment of where one ought to stand on those issues.


I mean, if you think about it, the premise of this show is not unlike the pilot of The West Wing, with Jeff Bridges' character the stand-in for Josh Lyman.
 
#19 ·
Based on all the reviews I've read so far (many from liberals, which I am one), Aaron doesn't stray at all from his usual position. It's a shame. Would be nice to see conservatives (intelligent conservatives, not fringe nutbags) represented well on one of his shows without them constantly spewing liberal beliefs and views.
 
#20 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by gruven42  /t/1404349/aaron-sorkins-latest-the-newsroom-on-hbo#post_22158231


I'm glad that technology today allows us to hate a show even before it airs! What an age we live in.

Thinking the same thing.
 
#21 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by skyehill  /t/1404349/aaron-sorkins-latest-the-newsroom-on-hbo#post_22158458


Based on all the reviews I've read so far (many from liberals, which I am one), Aaron doesn't stray at all from his usual position. It's a shame. Would be nice to see conservatives (intelligent conservatives, not fringe nutbags) represented well on one of his shows without them constantly spewing liberal beliefs and views.

Let's give him time to develop a feel for what he's doing. Remember, 'The West Wing' was a little rocky at the start before it hit its stride by being less strident. Sorkin's taken a few more lumps since then ("Studio 60" anybody?), and nobody argues he's not a smart guy. It may take the show awhile to find its footing.


I heard a portion of an interview with him today on NPR. He said his goal is the same as the guys writing NCIS, and that's to produce an entertaining television show. He views himself as a working scribe, and this is his latest turn at bat. He doesn't want to strike out.
 
#22 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by gwsat  /t/1404349/aaron-sorkins-latest-the-newsroom-on-hbo#post_22157608


I have been looking forward to The Newsroom with great anticipation but am now wondering whether it is going to be any good. I read two reviews of the show this morning, both written by liberals; one by Andy Greenwald in Grantland and the other by Jake Tapper, the White House Correspondent for ABC news, in The New Republic . Although both critics are liberals, both were bothered by Alan Sorkin's blatant left wing biases. The only note of hope in either review appeared in Tapper's piece when he wrote:


I plan to stick with the show for a while in hopes that Sorkin's talent might rise to the top but the episodes that Greenwald and Tapper got to preview don't seem promising.

Saw the Greenwald review today too. Wow, does this sound bad. Cancelled my season pass. If it ends up being a great show I can always catch it later, but if his descriptions are anywhere remotely accurate, I would be grabbing a barf bag...

Bummer.
 
#23 ·
From the "Hot Off The Press" Thread (top of 'HDTV Programming' page)


Critic's Notes
From Sports Night to Studio 60: Vulture Ranks Aaron Sorkin’s TV Characters

By Margaret Lyons and Amanda Dobbins, New York Magazine's 'Vulture' Blog - Jun. 22, 2012

On Sunday, aughts television auteur Aaron Sorkin will unleash another fiercely idealistic, alarmingly co-dependent, and unnaturally articulate ensemble upon the world. Many of The Newsroom characters will be familiar to the Sorkin faithful — the kind of people who remember Pixley from Sports Night, or can quote Leo's Big Block of Cheese Day speech in full — because most of them owe serious debt to the fast-talkers who came before, and whom you side with on Newsroom may very well depend on whom you loved on Sports Night or The West Wing (or, um, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.)


This seemed as good an excuse as any to rank the old characters, and so Vulture did — though we would like to note that the process became more emotionally draining than we could possibly have imagined. Tears were shed. Tough choices were made. And here now is our ranking of all the Sorkin television characters, from worst to best.


38. Harriett Hayes (Sarah Paulson), Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

There's a speech in episode two in which Matt Albie rhapsodizes about Harriet's "knockout" talent: "There are maybe 50 guys in town who know how good she is." Could those 50 guys please come forward? Because the rest of us are trying to figure out how on earth Sorkin decided to build a sketch comedy show around a deeply unfunny, proselytizing female lead.

37. Natalie Hurley (Sabrina Lloyd), Sports Night

When Sorkinese goes wrong, it goes terribly wrong — as exemplified by Natalie, who turned the rhythmic, witty banter into a grating mix of perkiness and yelling. She's also kind of a bully in romantic relationships. Free Jeremy!

36. Mandy Hampton (Moira Kelly), The West Wing

Pouty, shouty, and she flirted with Danny right in C.J.'s office. She got a hostage negotiator killed, and as punishment, she vanished after the first season, never to be heard from again.

35. Zoey Bartlet (Elisabeth Moss), The West Wing

She let Charlie put oregano in chili! Bleh. Plus, anyone who dates Jean Paul for that long basically deserves to be kidnapped.

34. Sally Sasser (Brenda Strong), Sports Night

Her body was put together by a technician very close to God. Her brain was put together by the assistant night manager at 7-11. And her story lines were put together by someone with no idea how women navigate sexual politics.

33. Simon Stiles (D.L. Hughley), Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Walk away from the news cameras, dude. Just Walk. Away.

32. Tom Jeter (Nate Corddry), Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

That Afghanistan situation really was a shame but: Yeah, he wasn't funny.

31. Kim/Elliot/Chris/Dave/Will (Kayla Blake, Greg Baker, Timonth Davis-Reed, Jeff Mooring, Ron Ostrow), Sports Night

They had some valuable suggestions for play of the year, but generally, the control room characters served only as cogs in the Sorkin echo machine.

30. Suzanne (Merrit Weaver), Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

We get it! She's green! Sorry, Suzanne, but there's no glory in being Matt's assistant. This stab at another acolyte-boss relationship never quite worked.

29. Cal Shanley (Timothy Busfield), Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Why would you put the delightful Danny Concannon on a comedy show and not give him jokes? (Follow-up: Why would you put anyone on a comedy show and not give them jokes?)

28. John Hoynes (Tim Matheson), The West Wing

"You know something, Josh, sometimes I wonder if I'd listened to you two years ago, would I be president right now?" Nope, probably not. That's why we don't have affairs with socialites!

27. Margaret Hooper (NiCole Robinson), The West Wing

Her loyalty to Leo is admirable, but Margaret was just a little too quirky for WW. Given how seriously everyone takes protocol and propriety, do we really think Margaret practiced forging the president's signature?

26. Ainsley Hayes (Emily Procter), The West Wing

She's a Republican! She's Southern! Don't tell her how to be a feminist! On her good days, Ainsley was actually a delightful foil for Sam, but on bad days, she tearfully stood up for her co-workers and insisted to her GOP pals that they were, sob, "patriots." Oy.

25. Danny Tripp (Bradley Whitford), Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Bradley Whitford made maniacal devotion to Jed Bartlet seem charming — cute, even. But Danny's maniacal devotion to Jordan was anything but. It was creepy, stalkerish, and deeply off-putting. (And those turtlenecks were no one's friend.)

24. Jack Rudolph (Steven Webber), Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Give the man credit: He was as uncharmed by the Studio 60 cast as the rest of America. He spoke for us! Or he stared snidely for us.

23. Amy Gardner (Mary-Louise Parker), The West Wing

If you can forgive her season-long cockblock of Donna, then Amy deserves some respect for her commitment to feminism and scaring the hell out of Josh. Bonus style points for the cell-in-the-stew move.

22. Dana Whitaker (Felicity Huffman), Sports Night

Yes, she has moxie; yes, she fights the good anti-network fights. But how can anyone possibly forgive the worst all-time dating plan in recorded relationship history? Date other women for six months? Unforgivable.

21. Joey Lucas (Marlee Matlin), The West Wing

She'd rank a lot higher if she'd never chosen Al Kiefer over Josh.

20. Matt Albie (Matthew Perry), Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Studio 60 suffered a misplaced obsession with two will-they-won't-they romances, one between Matt and Harriet, and the other between Jordan and Danny. It was bad for all of them (and for us! ho boy), but Matt seemed to escape with at least a little bit of character still intact.

19. Will Bailey (Josh Malina), The West Wing

How do you fill Sam Seaborn's shoes? You can't. But being a guy who's an officer in the Air Force, who can tolerate pockets full of olives, and who can get a dead guy to win an election in the California 47th is a good start.

18. Dolores Landingham (Kathryn Joosten), The West Wing

Her final scene in "Two Cathedrals" is still the most powerful ghost-conversation dream sequence that has ever made it to television. R.I.P, Mrs. Landingham.

17. Donna Moss (Janel Moloney), The West Wing

The cutest Midwestern turned Canadian exposition fairy you ever did see! How dare Sorkin keep her away from Josh.

16. Jeremy Goodwin (Josh Malina), Sports Night

Sports Night is in many ways told through Jeremy's eyes: It starts on his first day, he's the only character to have any voice-overs, and as Natalie likes to point out, he's always, always right. (Especially about how gross eggnog is.)

15. Danny Concannon (Timothy Busfield), The West Wing

He's responsible for The West Wing's secret best character, Gail the gold fish, and his romance with C.J. is one of the show's enduring joys.

14. Abbey Bartlet (Stockard Channing), The West Wing

"We had a deal. Do you get that you have M.S.? Do you get that your immune system is shredding your brain? And I can't tell you why. Do you have any idea how good a doctor I am and that I can't tell you why?" (Bonus screwball scene.)

13. Nancy McNally (Ana Deveare Smith), The West Wing

How many people can call Admiral Fitzwallace a sissy? One.

12. Charlie Young (Dule Hill), The West Wing

Charlie's deadpan is good, but his doe-eyed, "I just found the medical form that is going to undo my beloved boss's presidency" face is heartbreakingly great.

11. Casey McCall (Peter Krause), Sports Night

Blame any and all Casey-Dana annoyingness squarely on Dana, who came up with that terrible date-other-women plan. Casey just wanted to love.

10. Jordan McDeere (Amanda Peet), Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Consider the difficulties she faces: a tragic sketch comedy program, a jerky boss, a slightly stalkery former addict boyfriend, a mob of vengeful Christians, and an insane Afghanistan-hostage-slash-emergency-pregnancy plot. And she keeps fighting. Jordan was poised and plucky; she deserved a better show.

9. Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe), The West Wing

In addition to being the prettiest speechwriter in history, he's a nut for dental hygiene. He could have cured cancer. And one day, he's gonna be president.

8. Admiral Percy Fitzwallace (John Amos), The West Wing

"Did you change shampoo?" "Beat that with a stick." "No, but could you tell me more about Jackie Robinson and breaking barriers?" The noble Fitz, master of the one-liner (and the sea).

7. Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), The West Wing

Everyone in the Bartlet administration takes his or her position extremely seriously, but no one takes it quite as personally as Josh does. Not even a bullet could dampen his enthusiasm for governing. (Or for bantering with Donna, which is a whoooole other can o' worms.)

6. Isaac Jafe (Robert Guillame), Sports Night

Sorkin loves writing noble leaders, and Isaac Jaffe was his Ur-hero: sardonic but not unkind, brilliant but not condescending. Plus any time anything involving grating cheese comes up, the first thing that pops into our mind is "it's not something I hate ... "

5. Leo McGarry (John Spencer), The West Wing

"This guy's walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out. A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, 'Hey, you. Can you help me out?' The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole, and moves on. Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, 'Father, I'm down in this hole, can you help me out?' The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole, and moves on. Then a friend walks by, 'Hey, Joe, it's me, can you help me out?' And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, 'Are you stupid? Now we're both down here.' The friend says, 'Yeah, but I've been down here before and I know the way out.'"

4. Dan Rydell (Josh Charles), Sports Night

He loves Hillary Clinton. He dreams of growing a goatee. He outsmarts network executives by delivering a stirring monologue on the effects of drug abuse. And he worries about the "menschy thing to do."

3. Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen), The West Wing

"What's next?" What isn't? He's brilliant, he's funny, he's wise, and he puts on a jacket better than any ten men combined.

2. C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney), The West Wing

If all the Sorkin women were as classy, self-assured, and legitimately funny (the turkey pardon!) as C.J., we'd never have had the Sorkin woman argument in the first place. Also, Studio 60 might have made it through two seasons.

1. Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), The West Wing

He has Bartlet's smarts and fury; Leo's prickly charm; C.J.'s comedic gifts; Josh's loyalty; Sam's moral center. Toby is the quintessential Sorkin character, without the self-indulgence, and he brings out the best in everyone around him. Plus, he bought that house.

http://www.vulture.com/2012/06/vulture-ranks-the-sorkin-television-characters.html
 
#24 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by skoolpsyk  /t/1404349/aaron-sorkins-latest-the-newsroom-on-hbo#post_22159407


Saw the Greenwald review today too. Wow, does this sound bad. Cancelled my season pass. If it ends up being a great show I can always catch it later, but if his descriptions are anywhere remotely accurate, I would be grabbing a barf bag...

Bummer.

I would never, and I mean never, cancel my season pass on any show based on someone's, and in this case a single someone, review of a program that hasn't been screened yet. I like to make my own decisions based on my tastes, not someone else's. What do I have to lose, 2 hours? A perfect example of this, in reverse, is The Borgias. Gets great reviews, I watched two episodes and decided I didn't care for the program. Off it came from my season pass........ Just sayin'.......
 
#25 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by skyehill  /t/1404349/aaron-sorkins-latest-the-newsroom-on-hbo#post_22158458


Based on all the reviews I've read so far (many from liberals, which I am one), Aaron doesn't stray at all from his usual position. It's a shame. Would be nice to see conservatives (intelligent conservatives, not fringe nutbags) represented well on one of his shows without them constantly spewing liberal beliefs and views.

Got me thinking, as a liberal (I am a moderate with left leanings), which "intelligent conservatives" would you like to see? Every liberal I know thinks ALL conservatives are "fringe nutbags."
 
#26 ·
I really have mixed feelings whether I want to watch this or not. I do like Sorkin very much, but to be honest, I see enough liberal and conservative anchors/reporters everyday in real life. Do I really want to watch fabricated ones on TV? Don't know that answer yet.
 
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