HBO's Newsroom

[MattFancy]

Did anyone watch last night? I thought it was very well done and has alot of potential.

Here's a review: http://tv.yahoo.com/news/aaron-sorkin-s--the-newsroom--and-the-rise-of-smart-summer-tv.html

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I meant to watch it but forgot.

The previews made it seem a little overly Sorkiny. There is always a tipping point with his projects.

[ixcuincle]

Didn't know Roger Goodell was on this show.

[MattFancy]

I meant to watch it but forgot.

The previews made it seem a little overly Sorkiny. There is always a tipping point with his projects.

You could tell it was a Sorkin show, but I thought it was very well done.

[LeesburgSkinFan]

Jeff Daniels as Keith Olbermann.

[youngchew]

I recorded it, I'll watch it tonight.

[Bang]

It was pretty good. There were scenes in which the characters seemed very forced.. some of the back-plot setups were fairly clunky.
The show picked up considerably in the last half when they were on the air. Jeff Daniels is good.

Sam Waterson as the Dept. Head is a gem. He had me laughing hard several times, especially with his "I'm a Marine" bit. This character is a good fit for him. He's stretching his legs quite well in this role. I'll enjoy watching him.


~Bang

[MattFancy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI7Oq8y-jXA

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

Jeff Daniels as Keith Olbermann.
he is actually not Keith Olbermann. Not anywhere near Olbermann.

Its actually a really good show. Enjoyed the opening monologue and really liked the news broadcast.

The stuff with developing the love interests in the middle could have been done better but I like it.

[Renegade7]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI7Oq8y-jXA

Reminds me a lot of my favourite movie, Bulworth. May have to keep track of this one, cool...

[jpillian]

I liked it. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

[Jumbo]

Jeff Daniels as Keith Olbermann.

I guess if you count the dickish angle and they're both in media, but that covers a lot of people. Otherwise I'd say that's another one of your posts that just reads stupid to me.

Thought the first 7 minutes were great. Waterston was fun. Rest was ok, some good potential, and yeah, Sorkiny.

[Ellis]

My wife and I have enjoyed the first two episodes. We'll keep watching. I like the idea of exploring the news as "news" rather than ratings and viewer numbers. It's something that likely would never survive in our culture. I like that the show is introducing tidbits and general rules of the industry that most are unaware of regarding the news. They're things we all kind of assume but hope isn't true, like targeting demographics.

The show has great potential!

[MattFancy]

My wife and I have enjoyed the first two episodes. We'll keep watching. I like the idea of exploring the news as "news" rather than ratings and viewer numbers. It's something that likely would never survive in our culture. I like that the show is introducing tidbits and general rules of the industry that most are unaware of regarding the news. They're things we all kind of assume but hope isn't true, like targeting demographics.

The show has great potential!

I agree, I would love to watch a news channel for just news, but we know that will never happen now.

Last night's episode was good, not as good as the pilot, but was still good. I think it still has some good potential.

[Rodriggo]

Caught a repeat of episode one last week, it was an enjoyable show.

But I kept thinking to myself how unimportant tv news has become.

All this drama and hulubulu for an institution that on network channels only talks to senior citizens and on cable talks to it's "base."

Either way it's mostly interested in it's ad budget and entertainment over actual substance.

I'll give it a go b/c there's literally nothing on for me until Breaking Bad and Walking Dead come back plus Olivia Munn's in it………mmmmmmmmmm.

[Ellis]

Olivia Munn in a corporate black suit.... hollaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! :ols: :ols: :ols: :ols:

http://www.ineedmyfix.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Newsroom-Olivia-Munn1.jpg

[Rodriggo]

Olivia Munn in a corporate black suit.... hollaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! :ols: :ols: :ols: :ols:]

:ols::ols: HELLS YEAH!!! :ols::ols:

[ArmchairRedskin]

Veep and Newsroom both have that rapid fire dialogue. I mean they sure do try to cram as many one liners in as possible, don't they? Honestly I think both shows suffer for it to a certain extent. It dehumanizes the characters.

[steveo21]

This was picked up for a season 2 today :)

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Airs here a week today. (The 10th.).

Really looking forward to it given the stellar cast and trailers I've seen. Which have been pretty extensive.

Hail.

[Jumbo]

With the 2nd episode in, this is quickly becoming a favorite. Wouldn't call it among the very best yet, but it's hitting pretty solid on all cylinders.

[Bang]

The second was OK. A bit clunky in the dialogue. Rapid fire,, people don't really talk like that, do they?
hope that settles down once they figure we've got who the characters are supposed to 'be'.

It has it's merits, chief among them stil being Sa Waterson as Charley the Dept. head.

~Bang

[Jumbo]

The second was OK. A bit clunky in the dialogue. Rapid fire,, people don't really talk like that, do they?
hope that settles down once they figure we've got who the characters are supposed to 'be'.

It has it's merits, chief among them stil being Sa Waterson as Charley the Dept. head.

~Bang

Waterston has been great, and I actually like that rapid-fire dialogue style (not as a programming norm of course, and I am seeing others don't like it much at all). But I can tell you I interact with a couple units of folks working together and it is a lot like that (not that every person in those groups does it). It would be interesting to hear feedback from people actually in media if it reflects anything like their experience.

[Bang]

I can see it when a team is humming along and working,, I'll be more specific,, the scene with MaggieMargaretMargieMJ arguing with Jr ProducerJim about practicing the phone call,, it seemed very scripted.. which it is, obviously, but it's not supposed to seem so. It felt forced and rehearsed. There wasn't much time given for human reaction, like even a moment to think about anything, or a glance off to get a thought in order.. it all just came out in a 5 minute gush. No pauses for realism, I guess I'd call it.

This is nitpicky in a way, but with the first two episodes it seems like there's been good setup act, excellent final act, and a second act in the middle where they're trying to establish background character personalities and underlying storylines too quickly maybe?

~Bang

[scruffylookin]

I would agree with the critique that the show has too much rapid fire dialogue ala The West Wing and that it very much feels scripted. However saying that, Jeff Daniels is very good and he is proving to be a more than able anchor of the show like Sheen was for The West Wing. Right now the orbiting characters are not of the level of The West Wing however it's only been two shows so I think they can get better.

It's just nice to see another liberal idealism show on TV again. It's fantasy land, just like The West Wing, but it's still nice to see.

[boysetsfire]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=S78RzZr3IwI#!

[JMS]

I really like this show. It's very similar to West Wing but so what West Wing was a great show. I love shows like this that actually have an agenda, and make an intelligent argument for that agenda....

I also like the way they handled the immigration issue. Took the anchor put him on the more traditional side of the argument, but still showed the other side...

I especially like the producer and her opinions about how the news should be done. Like Cronkit did it, or Edward R. Murrow. It's like a sitcom built around Edward R. Murrow's incindiary farwell speech at CBS.

[ixcuincle]

I am a big broadcasting nerd but I have shown very little interest in watching Roger Goodell's new HBO drama. :(

Just not interested

[DCranon21]

Think I'll have to catch the 1st 2 ep's on demand I see. heard it's pretty good.

[Koala]

Anybody else really disappointed by the 3rd episode?

[Jumbo]

Anybody else really disappointed by the 3rd episode?

Call it corny if you want, but the speech Daniels' character gives to open his newscast in the first 7 minutes of the 3rd episode was right on the money and riveting IMO (haven't seen the rest yet).

Also, West Wing is one of those shows I never got around to, so it's interesting to hear the comparisons. I always heard it was a great show, and that it had a left-leaning agenda.

[JMS]

Call it corny if you want, but the speech Daniels' character gives to open his newscast in the first 7 minutes of the 3rd episode was right on the money and riveting IMO (haven't seen the rest yet).


Loved the third episode... Love any show which informs as well as entertains and does so while challenging you intellectually.



Also, West Wing is one of those shows I never got around to, so it's interesting to hear the comparisons. I always heard it was a great show, and that it had a left-leaning agenda.

The left wing told the story of a democratic presidency; but they had many positive portrayals of conservatives. I think it was informative and entertaining. A smart show, as is Newsroom.

I wouldn't say it was liberal unless you equate liberalism with intelligence which I don't.

[Bang]

I enjoy it.. dialogue in the background scenes is still silly, but at least the development of backstories are settling down to a normal pace.

~Bang

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

1 more day and I can finally see what all the fuss is about.

Hail.

[Sikbug]

I like the show, didn't know a thing about it except when I heard about it here. A few stuff bugs me though. The fact that they make the news seem like it's the most important thing in the world seems kinda pretentious. The whole email thing was lame as hell, just to get that secret out. Also, as someone who has lived in NYC for a good 6-7 years, there is pretty much no where in the city where there isn't tons of things opened late if not all night. They don't call it the city that never sleeps for a reason. The excuse that they went to a karaoke place because it's the only thing open in the area bugged me, but I'm sure that was just me. I'm about to watch the 3rd episode, hope it's good!

[ArmchairRedskin]

The manifesto at the beginning of the broadcast was balls out. Loved it.

They really gave Tea Partiers the business, didn't they? Harry is a shark with his new haircut.

So far so good for the most part with this show. Its got my interest more so than Veep does.

[Rodriggo]

Anybody else really disappointed by the 3rd episode?

It definitely was the worst so far.

The speech he gives about "taking a dive" was on point yes, but completely unrealistic b/c he would have been punished or fired immediately there after.

The problem I'm having with this show is trying to figure out where this hypothetical show/network would exist in real life.

The show is treated like a :30 min. network evening news program but yet it's a cable channel right? Which means there really isn't anything like it in real life to compare it to. Honestly, who really cares about the evening news on cable after Olbermann left? And that show had literally no set or production value whatsoever.

For me this "show within the show" would have to be way more underfunded and independent to maintain the reality of it's high moral ground, completely objective strategy. On network or at cable news channel owned by a media conglomerate this would never happen.

I enjoy the show anyway b/c of the great acting but that point still bugs me.

[Sikbug]

I actually like the 3rd episode more than the first two. I think I'm hooked.

[Ellis]

The manifesto at the beginning of the broadcast was balls out. Loved it.


Absolutely loved that opening monologue!

[JMS]

It definitely was the worst so far.

The speech he gives about "taking a dive" was on point yes, but completely unrealistic b/c he would have been punished or fired immediately there after.


Edward R. Murrow gave a very similar speech to broadcasters association including his superiors. Basically said the entire news business was going to hell because of commercialism and the "need" of news divisions to turn a profit, that coupled with executives in the networks need to be politically connected.... His speech from a living legend of the news was one of the reasons PBS news and shows like pbs Macneil Lehrer report was started. Murrow wasn't fired because he had such clout with the public both for how he covered WWII on the radio, especially the battle of britain, the holocost, and finally how he slammed dunked Joseph McCarthy heralding in the beginning of the end of that demogod and an ugly period in American history... "The UnAmerican Activities Comitee Hearings". Anyway Murrow Quit, and became JFK's press secretary.

Walter Cronkite had similar warnings in the early 80's.




The problem I'm having with this show is trying to figure out where this hypothetical show/network would exist in real life.


Think of it as CNN.

---------- Post added July-10th-2012 at 02:31 PM ----------


I actually like the 3rd episode more than the first two. I think I'm hooked.

Me Too.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Finally aired in the UK last night.

LOVED IT!

The Daniels character is great with a lot of scope to go in a host of directions whilst staying true to the premise of the character. Sam Waterson is clearly having the hoot of his life in his role. He had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. And it's real refreshing to see more British talent like Dev Patel and Emily Mortimer getting a shot on a big US show. After recent success' like Dominic West and Idris Elba in 'The Wire'; Stephen Moyer in 'True Blood'; Gabriell Anwar in 'Burn Notice'; Damian Lewis and David Harewood in 'Homeland'; and Andrew Lincoln in 'The Walking Dead'; it's personally brilliant to see deserving faces you know and love getting their breaks over the other side of the Atlantic.

Great opening. Typical Sorkin. Fantastic dialogue, with a solid, moralistic meaning; interspersed with his own inimitable brand of humor.

This show might just reignite my hope that good journalists are still out there the same way 'The West Wing' did for my faith there's still some politicians out there that care.

Roll on next Tuesday night.

Hail.

[Hersh]

Great episode tonight with some good story lines developing and the last ten minutes were really strong. I gotta imagine it's difficult keeping it together when reporting news stories like that.

[visionary]

Just watched the first 3 episodes.
At first I really disliked the main guy, but the rest of the cast kept me watching.
After that I really liked the first two episodes.
The third episode was a let down.
Will felt slightly out of character and I didn't care for the owner lady.
It seemed like they were trying to force everything to fit into a left wing p.o.v.
I haven't seen 4 yet, so hopefully that will be better.

[MattFancy]

Great episode tonight with some good story lines developing and the last ten minutes were really strong. I gotta imagine it's difficult keeping it together when reporting news stories like that.

I thought the beginning of last night's episode was pretty slow, but the end was terrific.

[deejaydana]

It seemed like they were trying to force everything to fit into a left wing p.o.v.


I tried to make it through an episode last night. When the Jeff Daniels character made a comparison between Tea Party people and registered sex offenders (and that both of these camps deserved equal treatment) I lost interest.

---------- Post added July-16th-2012 at 08:00 AM ----------



It seemed like they were trying to force everything to fit into a left wing p.o.v.


I tried to make it through an episode last night. When the Jeff Daniels character made a comparison between Tea Party people and registered sex offenders (and that both of these camps deserved equal treatment) I lost interest. The show seems ham-handed to me.

[FanboyOf91]

J
It seemed like they were trying to force everything to fit into a left wing p.o.v.
I haven't seen 4 yet, so hopefully that will be better.

That's classic Aaron Sorkin.

[War Paint]

I'm losing interest in this show pretty fast. I thought the pilot was good, but the show seems to be getting worse and worse. Last night's episode was pretty much anti-gun propaganda, such as when Jeff Daniels goes into that woman's purse and sees a loaded handgun. He acts like he found evidence that the woman was wanted for murder in 3 different states. God forbid if a woman carries a firearm in her purse lol.

Outside of things like that, I just find most of the characters dull and boring. Jeff Daniels has done a fine job. He's the only character on the show that is interesting. The other characters have boring story lines and I really don't have the desire each week to tune in to see what happens next. I've mostly been watching lately only because I watch True Blood and the show comes on right after it. The Maggie's love triangle storyline is tripe. The show is loaded with a boring supporting cast. I don't see this show lasting more than two seasons, but who knows.

[JMS]

I'm losing interest in this show pretty fast. I thought the pilot was good, but the show seem to be getting worse and worse. Last night's episode was pretty much anti-gun propaganda, such as when Jeff Daniels goes into that woman's purse and sees a loaded handgun. He acts like he found evidence that the woman was wanted for murder in 3 different states. God forbid if a woman carries a firearm in her purse lol.


I worked in Gary Indiana a while back. One of my buddies got mugged on main street at 9 am while walking to work from the train station. After that he started carring a gun. I was in a meeting where I was kind of astonnished that this friend of mine was now "packing"; every day for personal safety. What was more astonishing was after I made my comment it turned out I was the only one in the room of 10 folks who didn't regularly carry a gun to work... Eye Openner!!

I am a guns rights advocate, member of a local range, and shoot a few times most weeks. I will still be pretty shocked if I found my date was packing heat. I would especially be putt off If she was so careless while doing so. Leaving your purse with a loaded gun in it in another room? That's a problem.

Overall I thought the show's main point was not to caste Daniel character as anti gun, or anti anything. The gist was to do a little character development and to set up one of the major themes of the show. The Jane Fonda Character is coming for Danniel's job. She's doing that by first trying to destroy his reputation. That was the entire point of yesterday's show. She told the news director what she was going to do; and now she's doing it. It made for a sub par episode because it wasn't really obvious Daniels wasn't just being a jerk.. ( blocking the kiss from that blonde chick with his hand )... Hopefully this show will be an investment we will profit by in future scripts, as we learn more about the Fonda Character.

[War Paint]

I am a guns rights advocate, member of a local range, and shoot a few times most weeks. I will still be pretty shocked if I found my date was packing heat. I would especially be putt off If she was so careless while doing so. Leaving your purse with a loaded gun in it in another room? That's a problem.


What was so careless about her carrying a firearm in her purse? I can see a problem with her leaving a purse containing a loaded gun in another room if there were kids around. It's not like Jeff Daniels had a 7 year old kid left unattended in the room. Where was she suppose to keep it?

[MattFancy]

What was so careless about her carrying a firearm in her purse? I can see a problem with her leaving a purse containing a loaded gun in another room if there were kids around. It's not like Jeff Daniels had a 7 year old kid left unattended in the room. Where was she suppose to keep it?

I dunno but I'd be a little creeped out if my date had a gun just chilling in her purse.

[JMS]

What was so careless about her carrying a firearm in her purse?

That her purse wasn't in her control with a loaded gun in it was careless. That it occured in a strangers house which she had not been in before was a big problem too. Finally the way she was brandishing the gun after Danniels gave it back to her would have got her ejected from any domicile I owned.



I can see a problem with her leaving a purse containing a loaded gun in another room if there were kids around. It's not like Jeff Daniels had a 7 year old kid left unattended in the room.

Well to my mind if you are going to carry a gun it should always be in your possession especially in a strangers / aquantance's home. Did she know if he had a kid there? Did she "assume"... It's just not reasonable to carry a gun and be irresponsible with it in someone elses home. I would have pitched her too. Oh and after he unloaded it for her and she was pointing it at him while making her point. I would have gone banana's.
Can you imagine pointing a gun at anybody like that? WTF was that? That's like NRA gun safety 101, she failed.


Where was she suppose to keep it?

If she isn't willing to keep her purse with her then she certainly shouldn't carry a gun. If a dude had pointed a gun at me like she was to the Daniels character, I would have had a major problem with them. Major problem.


It's like saying I'm a deer hunter; thus I wouldn't have a problem going out with my buddy and shooting beer cans off the tops of our heads with our riffles. Guns require one to be more responsible, more vigilant, and more judgmental of those who aren't. I had no problem with Daniels actions... I thought he cleared the gun pretty proficiently too.

[War Paint]

I dunno but I'd be a little creeped out if my date had a gun just chilling in her purse.

I don't see a big deal with it, maybe because I grew up in the south where firearms are very common. I don't see what's creepy about a chick carrying a gun in her purse. Do you prefer her to wear a holster? The show last night was just a bunch of liberal anti-gun drivel.

[MattFancy]

Maybe it's because I grew up in the south where firearms are very common that I don't see the big deal with it. I don't see what's creepy about a chick carrying a gun in her purse. Do you prefer her to wear a holster? The show last night was just a bunch of liberal anti-gun drivel.

How was it all anti-gun? There was gun talk for maybe 10-15 minutes if that. And it wasn't anti-gun, it was showing how crazy the right were in saying Obama was out to take everyone's guns when in fact, that wasn't true. So how is that anti-gun?

And I'm sorry, if a girl I just met and knew nothing about came into my house with a loaded gun in her purse, I'd be a little creeped out.

[RabidFan]

I'm losing interest in this show pretty fast. I thought the pilot was good, but the show seem to be getting worse and worse. Last night's episode was pretty much anti-gun propaganda, such as when Jeff Daniels goes into that woman's purse and sees a loaded handgun. He acts like he found evidence that the woman was wanted for murder in 3 different states. God forbid if a woman carries a firearm in her purse lol.

Outside of things like that, I just find most of the characters dull and boring. Jeff Daniels has done a fine job. He's the only character on the show that is interesting. The other characters have boring story lines and I really don't have the desire each week to tune in to see what happens next. I've mostly been watching lately only because I watch True Blood and the show comes on right after it. The Maggie's love triangle storyline is tripe. The show is loaded with a boring supporting cast. I don't see this show lasting more than two seasons, but who knows.

Totally on the same page as you. Daniels and Waterston are great but the scenes without them are pretty boring. Maggie needs to be a little hotter to have two dudes after her and the brit Mackensie annoys me.

[War Paint]

How was it all anti-gun? There was gun talk for maybe 10-15 minutes if that. And it wasn't anti-gun, it was showing how crazy the right were in saying Obama was out to take everyone's guns when in fact, that wasn't true. So how is that anti-gun?

And I'm sorry, if a girl I just met and knew nothing about came into my house with a loaded gun in her purse, I'd be a little creeped out.

First, they demonized the woman carrying a gun in her purse. Second, they throw in a subtle message of "Obama hasn't done enough with gun control." This subtle message is given when he called conservatives like Palin liars for saying Obama is trying to crack down on guns, then goes to show how Obama is more pro-gun. The message is supposed to point out that the "other side lies" to gain power, but the subtle message was "Obama isn't for gun control. Truth is he hasn't done enough." Third, they end the show reenacting the tragic shooting of Gabby Giffords, the congress woman shot in the head by a mad gunman.

The whole thing was anti-gun garbage.

---------- Post added July-16th-2012 at 02:45 PM ----------


Totally on the same page as you. Daniels and Waterston are great but the scenes without them are pretty boring. Maggie needs to be a little hotter to have two dudes after her and the brit Mackensie annoys me.

I agree. The love triangle thing with Maggie is so juvenile. It's almost like watching a silly teenage flick where the 16 year old girl has a dumb crush on the jerk jock, then the cliche nice guy who has a crush on the girl doesn't understand why she likes the jerk. It's cliche tripe lol. If I want to see a love triangle like that, I'd just watch "The Wedding Singer". At least that was more interesting lol.

[MattFancy]

First, they demonized the woman carrying a gun in her purse. Second, they throw in a subtle message of "Obama hasn't done enough with gun control." This subtle message is given when he called conservatives like Palin liars for saying Obama is trying to crack down on guns, then goes to show how Obama is more pro-gun. The message is supposed to point out that the "other side lies" to gain power, but the subtle message was "Obama isn't for gun control. Truth is he hasn't done enough." Third, they end the show reenacting the tragic shooting of Gabby Giffords, the congress woman shot in the head by a mad gunman.

The whole thing was anti-gun garbage.

I still don't think the whole episode was anti-gun. But its whatever. I think its a great show and last night's episode was pretty good.

---------- Post added July-16th-2012 at 02:51 PM ----------


First, they demonized the woman carrying a gun in her purse. Second, they throw in a subtle message of "Obama hasn't done enough with gun control." This subtle message is given when he called conservatives like Palin liars for saying Obama is trying to crack down on guns, then goes to show how Obama is more pro-gun. The message is supposed to point out that the "other side lies" to gain power, but the subtle message was "Obama isn't for gun control. Truth is he hasn't done enough." Third, they end the show reenacting the tragic shooting of Gabby Giffords, the congress woman shot in the head by a mad gunman.

The whole thing was anti-gun garbage.

I still don't think the whole episode was anti-gun. But its whatever. I think its a great show and last night's episode was pretty good.

[visionary]

I just watched episode 4. I liked it a lot more than the previous one.
I loved the dialogue and it was actually really funny at times.
A couple of things that annoyed me though, Jim and the roomate and him lying about it.
That just seemed out of character and didn't really make sense to me.
Also I was confused as to when Will supposedly smoked pot with the gun/handbag woman.
I thought he found the gun instead of the joint and she left right after that.
Next episode looks intense. Looking forward to it.

I thought the anti-gun stuff was a bit over the top, but not too frequent and I didn't mind it nearly as much as the tea party obsession.

[EersSkins05]

I think a great example of the partisan hackery that the "News Night" folks are depicted as trying to steer us away from in this show can be seen in this thread.

"liberal anti-gun drivel"
"The message is supposed to point out that the "other side lies" to gain power, but the subtle message was "Obama isn't for gun control. Truth is he hasn't done enough"

At no point did they suggest Obama SHOULD do anything. Only that the perception and talking points are completely unsupported by facts. You drew your own conclusion there.

I really, really like this show, but I was hesitant to enter any threads like this one discussing it because I know it's almost always going to de-volve into "TYPICAL SORKIN LIBERAL COMMIE PINKO NONSENSE"- type discussion.

On a separate note, I kind of agree with those of you that don't necessarily enjoy the background characters that much. It's easily the slowest part of the show for me when they're focusing on the love triangle or anything else in their lives. But it really, REALLY picks up whenever they are tackling a major news story. The last scene in this week's show was amazing.

[visionary]

I actually prefer the characters and dialogue to a lot of the news portions of the show so far.
The news part is a bit too slanted and in your face.
They need more subtlety and reasonable discussion and less beating us over the head with their version of the truth.
The only episode where it really was too much for me was in #3 though.
I really liked the way they did the news segments in 1# and 4#.

[War Paint]

At no point did they suggest Obama SHOULD do anything. Only that the perception and talking points are completely unsupported by facts. You drew your own conclusion there.

BS. It's easy to read between the lines.

[Brad_Edwards_Fan]

BS. It's easy to read between the lines.

You do know that anytime you "read between the lines" you are not actually reading, and you are simply assuming that your perceptions of their intent matches their actual intent. Reading between the lines has become a polite way of saying "im ignoring the facts, and actual statements to simply take the opportunity to remove their beliefs and insert my own"

[Elessar78]

Washington Post did an article a few years back about how more dialogue was crammed into an hour show than there usually is and it re-emerges in Newsroom. I loved West Wing so naturally I'm hooked on Newsroom. Really enjoying the bristling pace of the dialogue, the relevancy of the events they cover—it's just a nice drama about the media. Great concept. Great execution.

I don't really enjoy the "love stories" jammed in there. Seems artificial, but I think that really happens anyway.

I've been up past midnight watching and trying to catch up and I really enjoy it.

[War Paint]

You do know that anytime you "read between the lines" you are not actually reading, and you are simply assuming that your perceptions of their intent matches their actual intent. Reading between the lines has become a polite way of saying "im ignoring the facts, and actual statements to simply take the opportunity to remove their beliefs and insert my own"

You do know that subtle messages can be delivered without spoon feeding? It's using common sense. Go study psyops.

[Jumbo]

Jesus.

Anyway, while the gun thing was nothing more than standard plot filler to me, if I were to take something form it it would be how easily he demonstrated the lady had little training in how to handle carrying or using it properly (like the ease he disarmed here). The message (if any) I'd take isn't anti-gun as it is many (untrained civilians) people with guns are incompetent in skill and judgment and the stats back that up, often tragically.

I was more involved in the overall direction of the shows political language in an overall sense. Per Sorkin's norm, it's left-sided, but I'm fine with that as long as the material that is used to make their points is logically, factually, and fairly accurately in how thy're argued/presented. I have to give them a B+ on that so far. Per the supporting cast, some of you guys are sure quick on the draw. They hardly suck. Not many shows of the topical drama genre hit their zenith in "supporting cast" in the first few episodes. I'm not wowed, but think Maggie's pretty good and see some promising complexity in her on/off bf's character. The triangle does little for me at this point, but it's hardly an issue overall with liking the show. I think Jane's (Fonda) brief parts and the nature of her role was cool---woulda been way too unimaginative to make her some lefty backer of Jeff's role though she may morph into that, I don't know. Overall, I still agree that Sam & Jeff are doing very well but it's too early for me to project whether this will end up a quality hit in high-quality premium-channel original-programming fashion. I'll keep watching and have been entertained to this point.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Two episodes in, and this is already on my 'must see TV' list each week.

Pure Sorkin. Pure genius writing. Fast paced, moralistic with his own quirky, inimitable brand of humor. Maggies day going from the bad to the utterly disastrous, particularly the cringe worthy hilarity of her retelling hiding under her dates bed whilst he, uhmmm, 'made up' with his ex; had me laughing aloud and really feeling for her at the same time. Brilliant writing and acting, which the pace just makes.

Ala my post after episode one, I LOVE this show.

Hail.

[War Paint]

I just want to say that my disappointment with the show isn't because it's left leaning and liberal. I loved the show "Six Feet Under", and that was back when I was a Bush supporting Neo Con. "Six Feet Under" had a lot of liberal ideas and took shots directly at Bush. I still loved the show though because the cast was very talented and the writing was well done.

[Jumbo]

I just want to say that my disappointment with the show isn't because it's left leaning and liberal. I loved the show "Six Feet Under", and that was back when I was a Bush supporting Neo Con. "Six Feet Under" had a lot of liberal ideas and took shots directly at Bush. I still loved the show though because the cast was very talented and the writing was well done.


Agreed. And personally, I don't get the impression that anyone invested in this thread so far is all bent because of any "liberal" content in the show. Which is rather miraculous for the tailgate. :ols:

[Elessar78]

I'm pretty jaded. TV shows by nature are formulaic and so is this one, but Newsroom's beauty is in the execution. Martin Sheen is Jeff Daniels, CJ Craig is Mac, Sam Waterston is the chief of staff, Jim Harper is Josh Lyman and Maggie is Donna Moss. Who cares? More than anything it draws something out of me. I found myself smiling through the last ten minutes of episode 4. It was an underdog moment we've seen a thousand times on TV, but (execution) they did it really well. Usually, I get douche chills seeing these ham handed attempts at emotional manipulation, not this time.

[Hersh]

Excellent show tonight. I really the thought provoking aspect of the show in general.

[Elessar78]

I liked it. Olivia Munn looked hot, particularly in her "I'm-cleaning-out-my-office" tank top. I'm nit-picking but I'm over the whole psychiatrist device—I feel like HBO shows have gone to that well far too often. The whole pan to the light (literal and metaphoric—Will's moment of "enlightenment") at the end of the show was subtle but also a little campy. I think they are fleshing out Don's character nicely, although they jammed that part about Maggie in there with a sledgehammer.

[GameWinner]

First, they demonized the woman carrying a gun in her purse. Second, they throw in a subtle message of "Obama hasn't done enough with gun control." This subtle message is given when he called conservatives like Palin liars for saying Obama is trying to crack down on guns, then goes to show how Obama is more pro-gun. The message is supposed to point out that the "other side lies" to gain power, but the subtle message was "Obama isn't for gun control. Truth is he hasn't done enough." Third, they end the show reenacting the tragic shooting of Gabby Giffords, the congress woman shot in the head by a mad gunman.

The whole thing was anti-gun garbage.

---------- Post added July-16th-2012 at 02:45 PM ----------



I agree. The love triangle thing with Maggie is so juvenile. It's almost like watching a silly teenage flick where the 16 year old girl has a dumb crush on the jerk jock, then the cliche nice guy who has a crush on the girl doesn't understand why she likes the jerk. It's cliche tripe lol. If I want to see a love triangle like that, I'd just watch "The Wedding Singer". At least that was more interesting lol.


BS. It's easy to read between the lines.

You clearly are upset with the whole Republican anchor going rogue and not blindly supporting his party and instead calling out aspects of his own party that he sees as misleading the American public -- what a journalist is supposed to do. Uncover the truth. Don't watch this show. You clearly don't have the open mind to do it. And no one cares if you do.

[War Paint]

You clearly are upset with the whole Republican anchor going rogue and not blindly supporting his party and instead calling out aspects of his own party that he sees as misleading the American public -- what a journalist is supposed to do. Uncover the truth. Don't watch this show. You clearly don't have the open mind to do it. And no one cares if you do.

Yes, you are right. As a Ron Paul supporter, I clearly get upset when people criticize the Republican party and don't stick to Republican talking points:doh:. Besides, I said my main problem with the show is the boring supporting cast. Outside of Jeff Daniels, there is not one character on the show that has a storyline I care to follow each week. If you look at all the good shows, they have multiple story lines that make the viewer want to tune in the following week. Jeff Daniels is the only one on the show worth watching. Also, I didn't watch the show last night, so maybe my run with the show is done:).

[JMS]

Yes, you are right. As a Ron Paul supporter, I clearly get upset when people criticize the Republican party and don't stick to Republican talking points:doh:. Besides, I said my main problem with the show is the boring supporting cast.

Well as a Ron Paul supporter you are pretty much in the cross hairs of this show. The Jeff Daniels character identifies himself as a "conservative" Republican and identifies the tea party as extremists equating them to conservatives what Abby Hoffman's and Jerry Rubin's YIPPIE movement of the 1960's were to liberals. You don't think that has anything to do with why you don't like the show?



Outside of Jeff Daniels, there is not one character on the show that has a storyline I care to follow each week. If you look at all the good shows, they have multiple story lines that make the viewer want to tune in the following week. Jeff Daniels is the only one on the show worth watching. Also, I didn't watch the show last night, so maybe my run with the show is done:).

I never watched 6 feet under. So I don't know anything about it. I'm guessing you weren't a big West Wing fan either.....

What I like about this show like all Sorkin shows, it's smart and interesting. I think the only comparison to the West wing is the Maggie Character as a neophyte is comparable to the Donna character. Other than that I don't see the characters matching up like others do.

[Gibbsisgod2006]

I like the show as well but they criticize the right way to much and does not take an objective view about it. Like only brining up Anthony Weiner briefly last week because McKenzie’s boyfriend wanted to run for his seat.

That is the only thing that bothers me about the show.

[War Paint]

Well as a Ron Paul supporter you are pretty much in the cross hairs of this show. The Jeff Daniels character identifies himself as a "conservative" Republican and identifies the tea party as extremists equating them to conservatives what Abby Hoffman's and Jerry Rubin's YIPPIE movement of the 1960's were to liberals. You don't think that has anything to do with why you don't like the show?

Yes, sometimes their point of view irritates me, but that isn't really my problem with the show. Like I said before, I loved the show Six Feet Under. Back when that show was new, I was a Bush supporter. Six Feet Under took direct shots at Bush. When those times happened, I would just roll my eyes. I watched that show because I found the characters interesting and they had story lines that had a lot of depth.


I never watched 6 feet under. So I don't know anything about it. I'm guessing you weren't a big West Wing fan either.....

What I like about this show like all Sorkin shows, it's smart and interesting. I think the only comparison to the West wing is the Maggie Character as a neophyte is comparable to the Donna character. Other than that I don't see the characters matching up like others do.

Six Feet Under was about a family who ran a funeral home. The show was loaded with very liberal ideology, but I still enjoyed it. I never watched The West Wing. I don't think I've seen one episode of it.

[JMS]

I like the show as well but they criticize the right way to much and does not take an objective view about it.

How so... I try to stay pretty informed about what's going on. I typically read multiple newspapers daily. I never knew about the Koch brothers, or they had bankrolled Citizens United, Cato Institute, the Heritage Foundations, and Americans for Prosperity to the tune of 100 million dollars.

The show sent me to the internet to read up on them... That's not unfair if it's true, and from what I've researched seems like it is true. they are Behind the tea party and many of the most ambitious Republican organizations... while remaining largely anonymous, due to their own efforts to change our election laws... That's a pretty amazing revelation.



Like only bringing up Anthony Weiner briefly last week because McKenzie’s boyfriend wanted to run for his seat.
.

You mean her Democratic Boyfriend who was portrayed as a scum bag for using his relationship with McKenzie clandestinely to support his political aspirations? The one McKenzie tells to do the following things in this order... "Leave (her office), Loose the election, and drop dead"... or something like that? You felt that exchange was overly biased in favor of Democrats?, the one which Republicans weren't mentioned and the Democratic hopeful was excoriated? You felt it was too easy on Democrats?

[Gibbsisgod2006]

How so... I try to stay pretty informed about what's going on. I typically read multiple newspapers daily. I never knew about the Koch brothers, or they had bankrolled Citizens United, Cato Institute, the Heritage Foundations, and Americans for Prosperity to the tune of 100 million dollars.

The show sent me to the internet to read up on them... That's not unfair if it's true, and from what I've researched seems like it is true. they are Behind the tea party and many of the most ambitious Republican organizations... while remaining largely anonymous, due to their own efforts to change our election laws... That's a pretty amazing revelation.



You mean her Democratic Boyfriend who was portrayed as a scum bag for using his relationship with McKenzie clandestinely to support his political aspirations? The one McKenzie tells to do the following things in this order... "Leave (her office), Loose the election, and drop dead"... or something like that? You felt that exchange was overly biased in favor of Democrats?, the one which Republicans weren't mentioned and the Democratic hopeful was excoriated? You felt it was too easy on Democrats?

I do not mind them brining up the Koch brothers being behind the Tea Party because I do think they did get out of control. However, but barely mentioning the Chile minor's, Eurozone crisis not really mentioning wiki leaks, The Haiti earth quake just shows that this show's focus more on right instead of actually making show that covers news.

[Hersh]

I do not mind them brining up the Koch brothers being behind the Tea Party because I do think they did get out of control. However, but barely mentioning the Chile minor's, Eurozone crisis not really mentioning wiki leaks, The Haiti earth quake just shows that this show's focus more on right instead of actually making show that covers news.

The did a show on the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill.

[JMS]

I do not mind them brining up the Koch brothers being behind the Tea Party because I do think they did get out of control. However, but barely mentioning the Chile minor's, Eurozone crisis not really mentioning wiki leaks, The Haiti earth quake just shows that this show's focus more on right instead of actually making show that covers news.

They did talk about wiki leaks several times,

They don't really have time to cover everything which happens in the world or in history. I don't know how talking about the Chile Minors, or Hati Earth Quake, would have made them more favorable to Republicans or not doing so makes them more favorable to democrats.

[Jumbo]

Great episode. Really enjoying the show just as good TV, even before getting into giving it the "under a microscope" treatment for it's "messages."

I think it's increasingly improving as quality entertainment. Not amazing, just very good. Munn is showing some growing acting chops. Waterston continues to be a treat. I like the psychiatric bit (though he did more a psychologist shtick--and well--in the process other than instantly seeing the sandwich angle in Will's insomnia) and it is a device getitng played a lot in shows but, oh well, what plot device doesn't?

Don't really care much as this point (neither upset or interested) for the ongoing love triangle stuff. So, IMO, they should do something to make it one way or the other (more upsetting or more interesting) or end it and stick something else in it's place.

But, message wise, I like the real-life social content of all the dynamics in the interview with the "Santorum's former adviser" segment. The actor in that role (Rick's former aide) did a great job and the dialogue was excellent. While the pacing draws fire from some, I think the dialogue is generally above average, often quite good, and sometimes simply outstanding.

[Gibbsisgod2006]

They did talk about wiki leaks several times,

They don't really have time to cover everything which happens in the world or in history. I don't know how talking about the Chile Minors, or Hati Earth Quake, would have made them more favorable to Republicans or not doing so makes them more favorable to democrats.

Because its a show about the news those were the biggest news story of 2010 thats why instead of focusing so political. Like at the end of the Arab Spring episode and they show Rush Limbaugh talking like an idiot about foreign reporters getting assaulted by the military or something like that and the one guy punches the screen was that scene really necessary.

[Bang]

Last night was pretty strong, and t's a good thing, because I was waning.
Glad to see they took little miss Associate Producer and Mr. BumbleBoy and dropped their little triangle back and brought Olvia Munn's character forward a bit.
There wasn't as much of the rapid-fire totally unebelievable dialogue, so that was good.

~Bang

[deejaydana]

I've watched a couple episodes and you simply have to take it as pure entertainment. Hollywood is throwing this out to (some) people who want to believe the right (Tea Party, etc) is the point of origination of all things evil. The show's not even slightly even-handed but hey, it's Hollywood and you come to expect them to demonize the right.

[Fight4RGIII]

I really want to bang Emily Mortimer after watching the first 6 episodes. Like really. Something about her accent and skirts she wears. Pill and Munn aren't too bad to look at either. I just marathoned the first 6 episodes today and can't wait for next Sunday. I try not to dive into the political implications in terms of comparing the different parties. I'm just trying to enjoy the show from an entertainment perspective...and the women too.

[Sikbug]

I really thought hearing Olvia Munn speak in Japanese would drive me nuts, but her Japanese voice wasn't any different from her normal voice, I was a bit disappointed. The episode was really good, like every episode, I feel like they take themselves too serious, but I still get pulled into some really good dialog from time to time.

[illone]

Im hooked on this show.

Definately quality stuff.

[fullnelson9999]

I really liked tonight's episode. The part with Will being stoned was funny, though a little unrealistic.

However, the preview for the upcoming weeks looked ridiculous. I guess things are gonna get wild.

[Fight4RGIII]

I wasn't feeling the show last night. It felt cheesy and over dramatic. Could have been done a lot better, but I guess a lot of those reactions to the news were similar in real life. Also, Will doesn't even know how to work his blackberry when on drugs but can all of the sudden sound so eloquent and put together on air in a matter of minutes?

[Bang]

Jim and Blondie need to fade away.

Good episode, but for them and this cheesy melodrama.

~Bang

[Rodriggo]

Jim and Blondie need to fade away.

Good episode, but for them and this cheesy melodrama.

~Bang

Yeah, I'm out.

Twenty minutes in I was like, naaaaah....."done with fish." I just decided to look up some Armisen impersonations of Sam Waterston.

Mostly b/c the intern, who I liked when she was eager and anxious, is now a raging ***** and Jim who seemed solid is now a total *female body part* and lets this **** go on. Why?

Maybe I'll get hooked in on a marathon but off my appointment list.

[elkabong82]

There wasn't as much of the rapid-fire totally unebelievable dialogue, so that was good.

~Bang

I'm trying to get into the show, and it does have some high quality moments, but what you mention is a big drawback for me. It seems to be a staple of Sorkin shows and it can be annoying since people don't usually talk that fast nor do they exchange quips at such a fast rate either. I feel like it's being done to try and elevate the perception of intelligence, and really it comes off as unbelievable when so heavily leaned upon. That may be the single biggest reason why I can't fully get into this show. It also does come off a bit preachy at times.

Not to go off topic, but I find that Suits does the quick dialogue thing the right way and doesn't use it often except in a tense situation, and instead of being preachy all the time they actually have the supposed good guys go into moral gray areas quite a bit, especially this season.

---------- Post added August-9th-2012 at 01:16 AM ----------

I remember that Sorkin's previous show about the Sports casters was pretty similar to this one, with the fast paced dialogue constantly, and the characters always doing the overly obvious morally right thing to the point it gets overplayed and corny. For example, the dude on the plane stopping his complaining and informing the captain of the news just seemed cheesy. It was trying too hard IMO, and normally that would have been a great scene.

[fullnelson9999]

I thought tonight's episode was way different than the others. Well done. Looks like the show is finally developing some good storylines.

[Sikbug]

I'm confused as when this black out was to have happened? They have been going on a real time line, but the NYC black out was in 2003. I was working in midtown when a manhole exploded and we lost power for a day or so in the sounding area's but even that has been years ago and on the other side of town.

[Chachie]

I thought tonight's episode was way different than the others. Well done. Looks like the show is finally developing some good storylines.


Yes, last night was the best episode yet. I like the show a lot.

[Hersh]

Yes, last night was the best episode yet. I like the show a lot.

I was happy they got away from the love triangle junk and focused on the core of the show. Was so much better than last week.

[Hersh]

Really good episode tonight. I would love a debate format similar to the one they put on in this episode. It would be great to see our leaders grilled and not permitted to avoid actually answering the questions. We need more Tim Russerts. David Gregory let's them off the hook to easily.

[Chachie]

The dialogue in this show is fantastic. Olivia Munn gets better every week. Tonight I loved the open where Mackenzie (played by Emily Mortimer) was giving the "power is out" speech. I knew the power was going to come back on but I didn't care. Great moment.

[fullnelson9999]

Olivia Munn definitely had the best line in that episode.

Not sure what to make of this last one. It was good, but not as good as last week. It jumped around a lot.

Jim was really weird the whole episode.

[Elessar78]

can someone fill me in on the flowers? I missed it and was too lazy to rewind.

[Hersh]

can someone fill me in on the flowers? I missed it and was too lazy to rewind.

A woman sent those flowers to Don and the guys in the office covered for him.

[Elessar78]

A woman sent those flowers to Don and the guys in the office covered for him.

Woman=not maggie? What woman sends a guy's flowers.

[Jumbo]

I know it's all simplistic and idealistic to the point of foolish, but the whole "debate" deal presented a picture I really wish could come to pass. I would love to see the level of political discourse in the nation go more to fact-based debate with ideological differences examined intelligently as opposed to spins, lies, hypocrisy, sound bites, talking points, and pandering.

Also felt the silly distraction of the ending and the same old gripe of this love angle crap was, well, silly and distracting. They need to start listening to all the viewer feedback on that matter and drop that dumbass material.

[Hersh]

I know it's all simplistic and idealistic to the point of foolish.

True and a sad indictment of politics today.

[Sikbug]

These always amuse me as I remember it bugged me when they talked about it the first time. http://gothamist.com/2012/08/23/the_newsroom.php

[Elessar78]

Interesting angle of how Neal found the death threat guy in his trolling quest. Seems a bit far fetched that he would run across.

[visionary]

Interesting angle of how Neal found the death threat guy in his trolling quest. Seems a bit far fetched that he would run across.

Did he? I thought he was going to impersonate him.
I wasn't really sure what the point of his trolling efforts was.

[Ellis]

Did he? I thought he was going to impersonate him.
I wasn't really sure what the point of his trolling efforts was.
He wanted to write a story on the culture of trolling. He trolled [Olivia Munn] in order to get in with the hackers. But he still needed to prove how great of a hacker he was to really get in with the group. So he went into a chat session pretending he was the one who issued the death threat in order to raise his "hacker cred" only to be called out by the hacker who actually did it. It could make a huge story now that he's found the guy.

[RabidFan]

i'd like to troll Olivia Munn :)

[fullnelson9999]

So...interesting end to the season. Definitely a very preachy episode, but John Stewart does the same thing every night to some extent. I agreed with most of it. Baba O'Riley was a nice touch.

I think the show worked out a lot of it's kinks by the end of the season (though there's still a lot of work left to do.) We'll see if they cut some of the fat next season.

---------- Post added August-27th-2012 at 01:12 AM ----------




Also felt the silly distraction of the ending and the same old gripe of this love angle crap was, well, silly and distracting. They need to start listening to all the viewer feedback on that matter and drop that dumbass material.

They probably will next year, but the entire season was filmed before the first episode aired so not much could be done about that.

[StillUnknown]

I wish they would have resolved that love triangle, instead they seem to be working on expanding that situation.

Episode was entirely too preachy for me, even if I agreed with the larger points.

[JMS]

I wish they would have resolved that love triangle, instead they seem to be working on expanding that situation.

Episode was entirely too preachy for me, even if I agreed with the larger points.

Ummm, Hello they did resolve the love triangle.. Some time ago they made it a love square... In the season finale it became a Love Pentagon if you were paying attention, totally out of the blue....

[Gibbsisgod2006]

I liked the season finale but I did not like the new voting requirements story that ran in it about how the republican party is forcing change and now that voters are required to furnish some type of ID in order to be allowed to vote. They make it out like the only forms of ID's someone can have is a passport of a drivers license did they forget that people who do not posses a driver license can get a walkers ID. I really like the show however, I do not like how they constantly bash the right in the show.

[Elessar78]

I liked the season finale but I did not like the new voting requirements story that ran in it about how the republican party is forcing change and now that voters are required to furnish some type of ID in order to be allowed to vote. They make it out like the only forms of ID's someone can have is a passport of a drivers license did they forget that people who do not posses a driver license can get a walkers ID. I really like the show however, I do not like how they constantly bash the right in the show.

They don't bash the right. They bash the idiots who have co-opted reasonable conservatism and turned it into this rabid-attack dog of close mindedness.

[elkabong82]

They don't constantly bash the right, they constantly bash the extremist element of the right who do things that could be seen as un-American or going against the party ideals. Jeff Daniels plays as a RINO. In this day and age though, many seem to think that any criticism of what the party does, especially on the right, means it's bashing of the party. You have to be self-critical in order to improve.

The voting ID is BS and is targeted at a specific block of voters to try and tilt the table in favor of Republicans. Voter fraud doesn't even account for one half of one percent of voters, but the ID laws take 20 million voters away, most of whom are poor or old, in areas where those demographics typically vote democrat. How does it makes sense to have laws which prevent tens of millions of people from voting in order to stop an issue that doesn't even account for a single percent of voters? It doesn't. It is purely a strategic thing, where Republicans are using the law not be fair, but to purposefully take away or at least impede the ability of other Americans to vote. Doesn't get much more un-American than that.

If anything, Daniels' character constantly calling for a return to pragmatism, civility, and actual American ideals instead of the manipulated, extremist message the tea party and neo cons have created, is an attempt at redeeming the Republican party and exposing its flaws.

[visionary]

They don't constantly bash the right, they constantly bash the extremist element of the right who do things that could be seen as un-American or going against the party ideals. Jeff Daniels plays as a RINO. In this day and age though, many seem to think that any criticism of what the party does, especially on the right, means it's bashing of the party. You have to be self-critical in order to improve.

If anything, Daniels' character constantly calling for a return to pragmatism, civility, and actual American ideals instead of the manipulated, extremist message the tea party and neo cons have created, is an attempt at redeeming the Republican party and exposing its flaws.

I can't recall very many things that they've called out Democrats or Obama over.
I love the show, but I do wish they would focus less on every idiot on the right who says something stupid. At times the show seems less about news and more about going after the Tea Party and catching every current Republican out in a lie. I wish they would focus more on the news aspect of things.

[elkabong82]

I can't recall very many things that they've called out Democrats or Obama over.
I love the show, but I do wish they would focus less on every idiot on the right who says something stupid. At times the show seems less about news and more about going after the Tea Party and catching every current Republican out in a lie. I wish they would focus more on the news aspect of things.

The main character is a traditional Republican who is pissed at what has happened to the party and is using his show as a platform to call them out. This whole first season was basically him vs. the tea party. The news focuses on the news aspect of things, or they're supposed to, the show focuses on things from Daniels' character's perspective mostly. It's not about left vs. right and being even handed, it's again about a character who considers himself a traditional Republican and uses his show to call out fringe elements that he believes have taken his party hostage.

Heck, the whole debate improvement format wasn't calling out the party, it was lining up questioning that got rid of BS and rhetoric so that the best candidate truly could be discerned. If the Republican Party actually used the debate format they used, the winning candidate would likely take the Presidency in a landslide. Instead you get the softball question shown on the laptop about whether Bachmann preferred Johnny Cash or some other singer, asked at a freaking candidates debate.

[visionary]

The main character is a traditional Republican who is pissed at what has happened to the party and is using his show as a platform to call them out. This whole first season was basically him vs. the tea party. The news focuses on the news aspect of things, or they're supposed to, the show focuses on things from Daniels' character's perspective mostly. It's not about left vs. right and being even handed, it's again about a character who considers himself a traditional Republican and uses his show to call out fringe elements that he believes have taken his party hostage.
I think we're all well aware of this excuse.
It gives him some leeway in going after the Tea Party and the current state of politics.
But they stretch that to it's limits and keep on going.
The point of the show is actually supposed to be about delivering news and not pandering to ratings or gossip.
When it focuses on that aspect of things is when it's at it's best, not when it's acting like a grudge match vs the Tea Party.
Obviously it's fine to have some of that in there, but it's just blatently and aggravatingly too much at times.

[Gibbsisgod2006]

They don't bash the right. They bash the idiots who have co-opted reasonable conservatism and turned it into this rabid-attack dog of close mindedness.

They constantly bash the right like I said it is a good show but it is apparent that they want to make the right look bad every chance they get.

---------- Post added August-28th-2012 at 07:35 AM ----------

Exactly I would like them to focus more on news then constantly finding some idiot in the Tea Party to call out.



They don't constantly bash the right, they constantly bash the extremist element of the right who do things that could be seen as un-American or going against the party ideals. Jeff Daniels plays as a RINO. In this day and age though, many seem to think that any criticism of what the party does, especially on the right, means it's bashing of the party. You have to be self-critical in order to improve.

The voting ID is BS and is targeted at a specific block of voters to try and tilt the table in favor of Republicans. Voter fraud doesn't even account for one half of one percent of voters, but the ID laws take 20 million voters away, most of whom are poor or old, in areas where those demographics typically vote democrat. How does it makes sense to have laws which prevent tens of millions of people from voting in order to stop an issue that doesn't even account for a single percent of voters? It doesn't. It is purely a strategic thing, where Republicans are using the law not be fair, but to purposefully take away or at least impede the ability of other Americans to vote. Doesn't get much more un-American than that.

If anything, Daniels' character constantly calling for a return to pragmatism, civility, and actual American ideals instead of the manipulated, extremist message the tea party and neo cons have created, is an attempt at redeeming the Republican party and exposing its flaws.

Really they can't go to the DMV and obtain walkers ID which is required to have for most states? They have to cash their check some how right.[COLOR="Gold"]

[Elessar78]

They constantly bash the right like I said it is a good show but it is apparent that they want to make the right look bad every chance they get.

---------- Post added August-28th-2012 at 07:35 AM ----------

Exactly I would like them to focus more on news then constantly finding some idiot in the Tea Party to call out.




Really they can't go to the DMV and obtain walkers ID which is required to have for most states? They have to cash their check some how right.[COLOR="Gold"]

I don't want to get into one of the classic ES political throwdowns and I started it off on the wrong foot. I consider myself slightly left of center. I believe in some of the tenets of conservatism but the current version of what it means to be a conservative is, IMO, so far from center. John McCain used to be in the centrist coalition in the Senate. I always said that he'd be a Republican I would vote for, but even he was spouting stuff that did not reflect his core beliefs just to court the far right.

You wanna talk about RINOs? I think you have one at the very top of Republican ticket this November.

[Bang]

Y'know,, maybe the right gets bashed because they're wrong.

Maybe the right gets bashed because some of the things they are doing are completely unamerican. Maybe they're getting bashed because some of the things they're doing even goes against what actual real conservatives believe in.

Maybe the right doesn't get bashed simply because the left doesn't like them.
The moderates don't like them anymore either. In fact, pretty much everyone BUT the hard core right is alarmed by their behavior, all around the world.
Maybe they constantly call out the Tea party because their idiocy is constantly in the news?

Maybe the right should wonder why so many people are bashing them,, instead of crying about being picked on.

~Bang

[Gibbsisgod2006]

Y'know,, maybe the right gets bashed because they're wrong.

Maybe the right gets bashed because some of the things they are doing are completely unamerican. Maybe they're getting bashed because some of the things they're doing even goes against what actual real conservatives believe in.

Maybe the right doesn't get bashed simply because the left doesn't like them.
The moderates don't like them anymore either. In fact, pretty much everyone BUT the hard core right is alarmed by their behavior, all around the world.
Maybe they constantly call out the Tea party because their idiocy is constantly in the news?

Maybe the right should wonder why so many people are bashing them,, instead of crying about being picked on.

~Bang

Really and the left aren't idiots either i.e. Anthony Wiener, Reid, John Conyers? Lets not forget the reincarnated FDR has done so much for this country with his plans and policy in place.

[Elessar78]

Isn't the Weiner debacle a running thing in Newsroom? Regardless, I don't think you can look to HBO for a fair and balanced approach. I mean the the lead-in to Newsroom is True Blood which has more than passing gay rights overtones.

---------- Post added August-28th-2012 at 09:56 AM ----------


Really and the left aren't idiots either i.e. Anthony Wiener, Reid, John Conyers? Lets not forget the reincarnated FDR has done so much for this country with his plans and policy in place.

I think you're also missing the distinction we are drawing between right and the far-right.

[Gibbsisgod2006]

Isn't the Weiner debacle a running thing in Newsroom? Regardless, I don't think you can look to HBO for a fair and balanced approach. I mean the the lead-in to Newsroom is True Blood which has more than passing gay rights overtones.

---------- Post added August-28th-2012 at 09:56 AM ----------



I think you're also missing the distinction we are drawing between right and the far-right.

Some of the topics that they talk about is about the far right which I dont have a problembut mix it up a bit especially with everything that has been going on in the News over the past 3 years. They barely covered it and they did not like covering it at all.

[elkabong82]

I think we're all well aware of this excuse.
It gives him some leeway in going after the Tea Party and the current state of politics.
But they stretch that to it's limits and keep on going.
The point of the show is actually supposed to be about delivering news and not pandering to ratings or gossip.
When it focuses on that aspect of things is when it's at it's best, not when it's acting like a grudge match vs the Tea Party.
Obviously it's fine to have some of that in there, but it's just blatently and aggravatingly too much at times.

It was the key point of contention between Macavoy and the owner, Jane Fonda's character, so of course it was going to get a lot of focus. It's also a major beef of the main character.

It's also just one season. Plus, maybe Sorkin is trying to say something when it seems like the right gets attacked more. Or maybe it says something about yourself when you complain about the right being attacked too much instead of talking about the issues they are being attacked over.

The platform is set with the characters for criticizing the right, and it seems every time that happens there are people who then whine about why the left isn't being attacked instead of actually looking at the merit of the argument against the right. That's been one of the biggest points of contention for the main character, that people just go along with it because they are afraid of "attacking" the party. By the way, criticism and calling out wrongs can be useful, and isn't merely attacking.

[Elessar78]

Jim: Does anyone know anything about Sex in the City?
Blonde Assoc Producer: You mean the tv show or sex in . . . trails off :ols:

[Jumbo]

Speaking of Hollywood liberal bias...it seems to me that just culling material (video clips and idea/story/topic leads) from Stewart and now this show would arm the dems with some great material of appeal to moderates and independents.

Everything else show-wise aside, a lot of the stuff they are showing here when McAvoy is taking the current state of the Republican party to task on various matters, seems like killer (effective) campaign material to me---whether one finds it "outrageous/slanted/false propaganda" or simply "coming from a partisan/biased place, but true."

[visionary]

Apparently the girl who plays Maggie in the show accidently tweeted a nude pic of herself today.

[Elessar78]

Apparently the girl who plays Maggie in the show accidently tweeted a nude pic of herself today.

You'll forgive me if I'm not rushing home to see this. Not even a little curious. ha ha. Maybe her friend or a couple of the other assoc. producers.

[MattFancy]

How do you accidentally tweet that?

[jaybrant]

Apparently the girl who plays Maggie in the show accidently tweeted a nude pic of herself today.

Haha. I don't get how you can "accidentally" tweet a nude pic. I guess since I'm not a celebrity I don't get these things.

I figure if you have nude pics on your laptop you should probably make sure you're uploading the picture you're trying to upload before hitting that upload button. If that's even what happened anyway. A lot of the times I'm sure it's purposefully done to get the twitterers twitterering.

[Elessar78]

I have never sent any picture accidentally. Innocent or otherwise. Not really sure I've known anyone to do it either.

[Ellis]

:cool: nude Alison Pill... sorry guys but I like the cute, smarty nerd type.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

How do you accidentally tweet that?

Ask Cooley.

Just caught up with the final episode of the first season, and I'm missing this already. It's been real strong right through for me. Pure Sorkin. Brilliant, fast paced topical writing with his own inimitable brand of humor. I've even not minded the side story's of the different romances. They've added to the office workplace for me. Brilliant stuff, and as I said at the start of this thread after the first episode, the show has indeed restored my faith in decent journalists still being out there the same way 'The West Wing' did in there being politicians that still care.

Oh, and a foreigners view on why the fundamentalist (which their nothing short of) right/ Tea Party have been constantly getting attacked ..... maybe Sorkins bashing them because their idiocy is constantly in the news and making the rest of the World shake their heads that some Americans actually swallow their drivel that is so, well, UNAmerican; and so totally opposed to what Republican/ Conservative ideals should be about that we feel embarrassed for you. It's not a coincidence that the right get's so readily attacked and made fun of from a whole host of angles for their lunacy.

Maybe anyone wondering should think about that and why the rest of the World is both continually disgusted by the extremists views of the right; and are both embarrassed and laughing at Americans that do support them in equal measure.

Hail.