HBO And Aaron Sorkin’s The Newsroom First Thoughts

We are now two episodes into the hugely interesting new 10 part HBO series The Newsroom, from the pen of Aaron Sorkin. It’s something like a cross between two of his earlier classics – Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip and The West Wing. The series stars Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy the leading light at a one hour cable TV news show. Also appearing prominently is Emily Mortimer as executive producer Mackenzie MacHale who just happens to be an old flame of McAvoy. As Poptimal’s excellently judged review has it…

The series is only two episodes in but there are already a litany of subplots and romantic relationships at play, but the thing that really works for me so far is the way they are trying to rebuild the idea of what journalism can be. Just like The West Wing gave us an idealized White House, The Newsroom intends to give us an idealized news delivery vessel. Mackenzie insists that every story they do matters in the voting booth, has historical context, and features actual voices of authority arguing the merits of the issues at hand.

And

the groundwork has been laid for some really great television here. Sorkin is one of the great commentators on modern American society working today and while not everyone may agree with his assessments, its hard not to at least respect his observations.

Any Sorkin drama is going to watchable, his skill with dialogue is a treat to be savoured in these sound-bite times. The show is currently on Sunday nights @ 10.00pm on HBO and it has already been commissioned for a second season.

Source: Poptimal