Aaron Sorkin managed to keep The Audio Dope interested for at least one more weekend with the third episode of his new HBO series The Newsroom. After a train wreck of a second episode, The Newsroom’s third episode definitely set the series back on track. While the newest chapter in Sorkin’s drama was definitely an improvement, it was not nearly as breathtaking as the pilot. Here’s The Audio Dope’s breakdown of the latest The Newsroom episode.
The Good:
There were definitely a few signs of good things to come in the third episode of The Newsroom. After an episode full of soap opera love drama, the third episode reverted back to focusing on the actual coverage of the news, and true historical information that occured within the past three years. This was great because I feel the show’s at it’s best when it constantly references historical facts, events, and policies that potentially influenced the society we live in today. While it may be tough to understand what the characters are talking about at times, viewers are encouraged to research names and topics, thus building their own mental repertoire. I can’t get enough of the Murrow and McCarthy references after learning all about them back in my high school yesteryears.
Jeff Daniels is still the man while Sam Waterston is slowly becoming a fan favorite.
The Bad:
I’m all about “unbiased news”, just as the characters in The Newsroom are supposedly supporting. It did seem Sorkin was going a little apeshit with the left-ish propaganda however. Not that I had any problem with his focus on the hypocrisy and acts of the Tea Party, I just hope the show doesn’t serve as some kind of political vehicle to get an opinion across. I guess we’ll find out in episodes to come.
The Ugly:
The ugly was definitely a little less hideous in this week’s The Newsroom. Emily Mortimer had her fewest lines yet, allowing the audience’s ears to not ache with childish/campy lines coming out of her mouth. There was definitely less corny “past-lovers” dialogue and I hope the show continues to head in that direction.
Sam Waterston and Jeff Daniels
