Spoilers "The Morning Show" Discussion Thread (May Contain Spoilers)

[Canyda]

Reading through the whole thread, I saw a few people commenting on all the Apple product placement in the show.

Funny thing is, before posting anything about the show here and reading everyone else's thoughts, I had commented to my wife that I was surprised by how muted the Apple product placement was in The Morning Show. I expected way worse.

Yes, of course, everyone used new iPhones. Yes, of course, all the computers were Macs. Yes, some people had Apple Watches. They used iMessage and there were Apple News notifications.

But I don't think there was a single case (at least that I remember) of an Apple product being used as a plot device, or otherwise being overly conspicuous in its usage, i.e., did anyone ever FaceTime during the show? I don't recall, but imagine if every phone call during all 10 episodes happened on Facetime instead to show an Apple service. Was "Find My Friends" be used to track someone down who had gone missing? Did someone note out loud that they were so happy they had their Apple Watch on because they secretly recorded something in a meeting using Voice Memos?

I've seen way worse product placement than what we had here.

 

[Michael Scrip]

I've seen way worse product placement than what we had here.

Exactly. Remember seeing Windows Phones on TV shows? Or Sony movies where everyone had Sony Xperia Android phones or VAIO computers?

That was kinda weird. ?

But seeing iPhones on the Morning Show (or any show) actually looks rather normal to me since I see them nearly everywhere in real life. I bet they'd use iPhones on that show even if it wasn't an Apple show.

There were Razer laptops and various other Windows machines on Mythic Quest... and that's another Apple show. So I guess it can go either way.

I remember when everyone used a Blackberry in the early seasons of Veep... but they switched to iPhones towards the end of the series.

I wonder if that was a situation where Apple paid the makers of Veep to use iPhones? Or was it just a reflection of the real world when Blackberries fell out of favor? Art imitating life?

 

[nutmac]

After much anticipations, the second season is back, timely titled "My Least Favorite Year" (referring to 2019, on the eve of 2020 COVID-19 US outbreak).

The episode is organically tied to the first season finale, with a neat time jump to set the tone.

Mia is promoted to Chip's position, an executive producer. A dark cloud follows her everywhere.

Meanwhile, Chip has moved on to a local network, producing an autonomous news program. It's good to see him happy, if unchallenged.

Bradley has a new cohost, Eric, who seems like a great guy but perhaps too great. Poor Yanko is still haunted by Claire.

Alex is trying to put her past behind, coming to a realization that her best moments are probably in the past.

But the episode is all about Cory. He dominates every scene he is in. While he is still a visionary, he no longer sees chaos as an opportunity. He's not smiling all the time. The way he handles Bradley demonstrates what a mess he has become. Old Cory would've known what to do.

 

[Diskutant]

But the episode is all about Cory. He dominates every scene he is in. While he is still a visionary, he no longer sees chaos as an opportunity. He's not smiling all the time. The way he handles Bradley demonstrates what a mess he has become. Old Cory would've known what to do.

Yeah quite a shocker how bad he had become, at one moment he got whiny (this job is so hard, they gave me a mess - as if he didn't exactly knew that beforehand)
I thought it's a bit too much. I loved that character in season one, and now they are destroying him in the first episode of the new season.

 

[5105973]

Yeah quite a shocker how bad he had become, at one moment he got whiny (this job is so hard, they gave me a mess - as if he didn't exactly knew that beforehand)
I thought it's a bit too much. I loved that character in season one, and now they are destroying him in the first episode of the new season.

Are they going to try to make him and Bradley “a thing”? I hope not, because those two have a weird awkward vibe together. I get the impression we’re supposed to be seeing some chemistry between them, but whenever they’re in a scene the dialogue is awkward and they seem out of character.

Lol maybe the writers are saying that’s what true love does to people? But she just gets whiney and he gets cajoling and they seem to be different people.

And what has happened to Bradley? That character development is all over the place. I feel like it’s been very choppy and we missed too much. I don’t know how she talked herself into the transformation from hard hitting gritty street journalist to smiling blonde tv presenter doing song and dance. I thought “Aha, Reese finally had enough of the brown wig.”

What I did find mesmerizing was the camera touring a silent, empty NYC. That’s actually how I saw Manhattan when I visited several months after 9-11, on a weekend. (I’ve never actually seen NYC in person with people in it!!). But, like most people, I know it’s supposed to be a bustling city.

So it was something to see it empty and silent that way again and then we backtrack to everything leading up to that point. And I find it fascinating how they were filming this with the pandemic still going on, but depicting a world where people pack in close and share food freely without a care or hand sanitizer in sight. The behind the scenes part was worth watching. Green screens aren’t just for action movies!

Still, they’re just setting everything back up. I’m looking forward to seeing everything develop.

 

[trash eighty]

I think Cory is an example of be careful for what you wish for.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

I really liked the first episode, but I will say that the timeline through me for a loop for the first 20 minutes or so. It probably shouldn't have, but I got confused when Cory was fired and then not fired.

 

[mrsmith1]

Just watched episode 3 of series 2. The ending. Wow. Wasn’t expecting that!

 

[countryside]

Just finished episode 4. Why does there have to be so much focus on race?

 

[trash eighty]

Because its Apple Woke+, i'm joking! It IS one of the big issues of the day, and don't forget the show is set prior to the presidential election.

I'm finding the Italy story interesting and harrowing as we know whats going to happen next...

 

[nutmac]

Just finished episode 4. Why does there have to be so much focus on race?

Racism is a complex issue.

Race is one of the big parameters of one's success. But at the same time, it's all too easy for the victims to blame racism for their nonsuccess.

Take Daniel for instance. He is playing the race and gay cards for his "misfortune", unwilling to accept that The Morning Show is looking for qualities he hasn't delivered (or perhaps doesn't have).

More than anything, the second season of The Morning Show is about how these self-absorbed fragile ego individuals clash behind the scenes. Doing what it takes to survive and climb the ladder, while hating and be hated in the process.

 

[mrsmith1]

Really loving season 2. Having Covid in the background really adds to the drama.

 

[trash eighty]

Poor Yanko, it isn't going to end well.

 

[5105973]

Just finished episode 4. Why does there have to be so much focus on race?

I'm almost finally getting caught up. Whew! We decided to let the teens in the family in on this so my husband and I binge watched with them from the beginning.

As a mixed race female, therefore in two often marginalized groups, I understand the perspective: when you don't climb up the ladder in the way you expected, especially when you're praised to your face but are constantly kept strung along on promises that never materialize, and knowing and acknowledging there is both intentional and unconscious bias at place in society, you're going to start wondering many things. Is it me? Is it REALLY me? Or is something else at play? And since it's your livelihood and all your dreams and aspirations at stake you may very well feel anger and despair. There will be times you're right on, but the gaslighting is so unconsciously done, you will start to lose faith in yourself and unravel.

In this particular show, the producers have all stated that they wanted to tackle recent and current issues. The production freeze due to Covid means they didn't quite catch the Black Lives Matter and all ancillary discussions on overt and unconscious racism quite as they peaked in the media coverage. But it's all still recent. It's all still ongoing. So I think they're going to explore it just as they explored every point of view on the Me Too movement, which still hasn't quite ended and is still a catalyst for change.

And this show being nuanced and complex as it has been, I think is going to show more than one viewpoint. We see each character, even Mitch, going through some kind of introspection, albeit forced by circumstances.

And so I think you're going to also see the side of it that Daniel may see racism where it doesn't exist. I do think like every other character on this show, he will be depicted as flawed and at times insufferable. There won't be a St. Daniel, not when the "heroines" of the Me Too storylines are stabbing friends in the back, sabotaging themselves and living generally messy lives.

And a lot of people will find comfort in that. Yep, no racism to see here, just a massively insecure guy playing the race card, move right along.

But I hope and think we are also going to see the systemic racism that is unconscious and works against him. And they may explore homophobia and how that may be holding him back as well, from becoming the next Dad of America on The Morning Show. Because like it or not, see it or not, racism and sexism and other forms of bigotry are things that do hold our fellow human beings back. And sometimes they hold themselves back because they truly aren't good enough. But the devil of it all is that with bias being a real tangible roadblock, they have no way of knowing what the truth is.

And when we try to speak of these biases or address them, we have to deal with the very people who could help shutting their eyes and ears. If anyone is tired of hearing about bigotry, tired of seeing it depicted, spare a thought for how the people who have to live with it as a real stumbling block feel.

Does this mean white people, especially white men, don't have problems and struggles? Of course not. But we can't pretend that there aren't problems inherent in the system we've all been living under that haven't been an extra barrier to others. Or at least we shouldn't. Not if we hope to elevate the possibilities for ALL of us.

TL/DR: This is a show about a news program and the topic has been a focus of the media recently.

 

[5105973]

Oooookay. I’m really not sure here. I love Jennifer Aniston. Really, I do. But I didn’t realize how much the other characters carry this particular character until we got episodes focused on her.

I don’t think the acting is bad. The character is just really all over the place. Which is what she says is her problem. It’s just that it’s not much fun to watch. And I’m sure that’s the point. These tv show divas are not people you want to spend your down time with. They’re exhausting. Jennifer does convey that pretty well. But they better write something into her character to root for. Because she’s just about used up all my patience.

I mean even Mitch won me over at the end. The sleaze. And he was always fun to watch. Especially with Martin Short. My God I had no idea how creepy Martin Short could be when he wants to be.

I love Paola. More Paola please. I remember Valeria Golino from when I was young. She’s a year older than me. She was so gorgeous and still has an abundance of charisma and fire. Lol I’d love to see Cory try to deal with HER! 😆 I can’t see how it would happen. The cast is already large and almost to the point of being unwieldy. But I can dream about him trying to get her documentary on UBA.

 

[mrsmith1]

Wow. Episode 8 might well have been the best episode of The Morning Show yet. The drama, the drama!

 

[trash eighty]

It was pretty intense, i do find Apple series like to build up to a crescendo from a slow start.

 

[tivoboy]

I guess I'm the only one who thinks that last episode, 8 I guess was one of the worst.. it seemed more like a soap opera drama rather than the edgy, plot, content and dialogue based series its been leading up to it. I wonder if they lost a writer throughout the process, or the director of that episode changed. CLOSE to saying, pretty much hated it.

 

[trash eighty]

Well thats a big ending to the latest episode. Have they agreed a season 3 yet? That'll probably be a guide to what might happens to one of the main characters.

 

[Diskutant]

Normally I watch the new episodes the weekend they are released. But the last few I couldn't, so this weekend I watched Episode 6 to 9, that was quite wild. Alex slowly becoming aware that she wasn't the good person she thought she was. Mitch getting better and found some happiness and then...
Bradley destroying Maggie and her book, I think this is my favourite, how she was able to do that, at the same time also releasing the story of how she got the job. It was quite perfect. Only to be destroyed by Alex' speech which was a good one but antisocial media does it's job as it always does.

Have they agreed a season 3 yet?

No word on that yet.
Makes me wonder if Alex will survive, with Mitch already dead, the main starting plot sort of finished.
I guess it will be a quite different show if they do a 3rd season.

 

[nutmac]

Makes me wonder if Alex will survive, with Mitch already dead, the main starting plot sort of finished.
I guess it will be a quite different show if they do a 3rd season.

I read an article awhile back that none of the lead characters will die from COVID-19.

But in terms of surviving the cancellation, it will take a miracle. Alex has become a pariah, a symbol of both "whites refusing to wear a mask" and anti-woke movement.

If I were to venture a guess, Paolo releases the interview that paints Mitchell in more positive light, which in turn brings more sympathy to Alex. But even then, the damage has been done and I don't think Alex can come back to TMS anytime soon.

 

[nutmac]

Even though so much has happened, the second season finale felt anticlimactic.

Ironically, his suspension and dinner with Claire prevented Yanko from being exposed to Alex. He has been promoted as the temporary lead anchor of The Morning Show. Sometimes, being in the right place at the right time is all you need to succeed.

Daniel's Wuhan reporting and #BlackLivesMatter should give him much more leverage in finding a cushy lead anchor job. Good for him.

Alex's 1-hour rant could be seen as either her breakthrough hour or a rant of a self-absorbed has-been. For me, it felt overdrawn and ill-prepared, however genuine Chip and Alex's intentions were. Then again, she had nothing to lose and Chip's gamble should salvage at least some sympathy. I suspect his wedding to Madeline (played by Mark Duplass's real life wife Katie Aselton) is kaput?

Bradley applauds Alex for evolving. Their phone conversation is one of the highlights. But Bradley has evolved just as dramatically. She has shed her insecurities while keeping her signature integrity fully intact. BTW, no one recognizes Bradley on the street?

Cory, oh boy, where do I begin? With UBA+ streaming service in jeopardy, Cory's appetite for career ambition dwindled. He switches his ambition to romance but without authenticity. He does not confess to outing Bradley-Laura. He rambunctiously proclaims his love to Bradley at the most inconvenient time.

Finally, Stella and Mia. They are holding The Morning Show afloat. As people stay in shelter and work from home, a streaming service like UBA+ can become a huge hit. But without contents, it will become another Quibi. Stella is such a refreshing character and an embodiment of "she is a lot smarter than she seems" while simultaneously projecting "she's too smart for her own good" image. Mia is the captain who would rather go down with the ship than admit that she has risked everything for the wrong ship.

Overall, this episode is very meaty but messy -- BBQ party with too much sauce.

 

[trash eighty]

I did like how it was called UBA+ and wasn't getting subscribers, was this an Apple TV+ in-joke?

It felt like part 1 of an actual finale.

 

[tivoboy]

Even though so much has happened, the second season finale felt anticlimactic.

Alex's 1-hour rant could be seen as either her breakthrough hour or a rant of a self-absorbed has-been. For me, it felt overdrawn and ill-prepared, however genuine Chip and Alex's intentions were. Then again, she had nothing to lose and Chip's gamble should salvage at least some sympathy. I suspect his wedding to Madeline (played by Mark Duplass's real life wife Katie Aselton) is kaput?

When watching this, it made me think that they were trying to get the viewer to believe that Chips motives were positive. Do this to HELP Alex, get her back on the horse, tell her story, etc. During the filming, you saw him smiling and I think we the viewer were meant to think that he thought the stream of consciousness from Alex was positive, cathartic, gaining empathy with the viewers watching. Maybe.

But, what if Chip really is just DONE with her. The prior episode was a screaming match. Yeah, it could be a classic love hate couples relationship (I know this isn’t a romantic relationship) but you get the point.

Maybe Chip saw this as a way for Alex to just plunge herself in a giant hole with the audience. I mean, Alex really does come off as self absorbed, self interested, arrogant to the point of annoying in her live stream. Maybe Chips smiles during the stream were his realization that his plan has worked - Alex will be so vilified in the eyes of the viewers and fans - which is all she really lives for and craves. I could see a return (if there IS a return) where her twitter feed is just full of hate tweets no end.

Just a thought. Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[Diskutant]

But, what if Chip really is just DONE with her.

He infected himself with Covid by staying with her. Doing that for a revenge trip would be way too stupid.