The Morning Show: Top 10 Most Dramatic Moments
#10: The Fencer’s Olympic Race
“My Roman Empire”
The newly rebranded UBN wants to keep things light with its coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics. It turns out to be a tense interview with teenage Iranian fencer Roya Nazeri after her father Arsham slips Alex a note stating their intention to defect. The host blows the interview by talking politics, pulling the fire alarm, and lending her driver to the Nazeris. They then narrowly evade their handlers via an epic Manhattan car chase. Over-the-top though it may be, Season 4 kicks off with “The Morning Show” amping up production once again. And as it’s revealed that Arsham works for Iran’s nuclear program, the stakes more than match the spectacle of his and his daughter’s escape.
#9: Cory and Chip's Meeting
“In the Dark Night of the Soul It's Always 3:30 in the Morning”
From Bradley Jackson’s viral vitriol at a protest, (xref) to Alex Levy’s confrontation of ex-colleague and -lover Mitch Kessler, (xref) there’s plenty of drama packed in the first hour of “The Morning Show.” But Cory Ellison sets the agenda during a dinner meeting with EP Chip Black. As they discuss scrapping plans to replace Alex amid Mitch’s sex scandal, the UBA CEO monologues about how digital media has spiked a market for bleak and biased headlines. He feels the only way to save the network is to focus on entertainment over legitimate journalism. Cory succinctly exposes a modern crisis in the information industry and consumers’ psyche, but insidiously values profiting off of it. He’ll soon find that the smart money is in controlling the chaos.
#8: Bradley Jackson, Reporting from Space
“The Kármán Line”
Bradley desperately needs a compelling story after she’s denied a potentially controversial interview. Alex abandons the story of Hyperion’s new space shuttle to cover a protest, quite literally leaving Bradley in the hot seat. The underprepared reporter is initially terrified as she joins Cory and Paul Marks in the shuttle’s test flight, then astonished by the beauty of Earth from this angle. The panic then reignites when UBA’s live feed suddenly cuts off during Bradley's awe-inspiring description. While it’s no surprise that this was just a technical glitch instead of a space disaster, the Season 3 premiere’s cliffhanger shows that there's always a new frontier for high-flying thrills on “The Morning Show.”
#7: Daniel Goes Off-Script
“Kill the Fatted Calf”
If Daniel Henderson wants to be taken more seriously as a media personality, this stunt is the wrong approach. The weekend edition “TMS” host welcomes Alex back to the show and addresses 2020’s political climate with a rendition of Neil Diamond’s “America.” The thing is, this skit was completely unsanctioned. Though Daniel is strangely not penalized for eating up airtime and apparently covering a song without the artist’s permission, the indignity was in vain. News division president Stella Bak missed the skit, and Mia is embarrassed by the stereotypical music routine. This marks the beginning of the end of Daniel’s time with “TMS,” but at least he’ll be going out on a literal high note.
#6: Bradley Interviews “Kessler Accuser”
“That Woman”
Bradley’s first broadcast on “TMS” goes off the rails when she clumsily reveals her troubled past, including a terminated pregnancy when she was 15. That controversial frankness later gets things back on-track in an interview with Ashley Brown, a former production assistant and one of Mitch Kessler’s accusers. As this poor woman details a disturbing workplace relationship, Bradley goes off-script to press her about why she never confronted Mitch or filed a formal complaint. She ignores producers’ panicked intervention to caringly guide Ashley through representing the climate that keeps so many women silent. The graphically sexual account may be a bit TMI for “TMS,” but such gutsy journalism affirms Bradley as an asset.
#5: Alex Bursts the Board’s Bubble
“Chaos Is the New Cocaine”
Alex finds herself in hot water when she shockingly announces Bradley Jackson as her new co-host during an award acceptance speech. She takes another opportunity when she's called before UBA’s executive board, well aware that they’ve been coming after her for some time. Alex asserts her experience and value beyond the bad optics in questioning her pick for a female successor to alleged sexual abuser Mitch. When Fred Micklen tries to speak up, Alex makes it clear that she's in charge this time. This sequence was the lead preview for “The Morning Show” for a reason. It's a stellar display of Jennifer Aniston’s dramatic chops and a supposed puff journalist’s authority. You also can't miss the perfect symbol of a woman not just taking a seat at the table, but taking charge.
#4: The Cybil Reynolds Interview
“White Noise”
The biggest bombshell to come out of the UBA hack is a leaked memo in which board member Cybil Reynolds makes a racially insensitive joke about hiring Olympic gold medallist-turned-media personality Christine Hunter. Eager to prove her worth as a “TMS” host, Chris herself sits down with Cybil to address the fallout. She ends up grilling her superior about her prepared apology and the network’s history of racial bias. Cybil is so overwhelmed by the line of questioning that she blurts out that Chris should be grateful for the opportunities she provided. This snafu seals the disgraced executive’s professional fate. There's a new hard-hitting journalist in town, and this intense standoff effectively earns her respect.
#3: Bradley Deletes the Footage
“Love Island”
Bradley seems to be hiding something when her coverage of the Jan. 6 riots earns her an award from the American Alliance of Journalists. A flashback episode halfway through Season 3 reveals that her integrity has its limits after all. As Bradley intimately films the chaos at the Capitol, she spots none other than her brother Hal fighting a police officer. She later begrudgingly deletes the footage. This heartbreaking coincidence with the family Bradley has been trying to escape finally presents an ethical dilemma she can't even resolve. Conscience ultimately prompts the siblings to surrender to the FBI at the end of the season, though cooperation at least allows Bradley to keep her secretly blemished reputation.
#2: Alex and Mitch’s Last Dance
“La Amara Vita”
The tension in Alex quarantining in Mitch’s Italian mansion is lifted by Adriano Celentano’s cover of “Stand by Me.” As the two dance, Alex reveals that a pregnancy scare after sleeping with Mitch got her thinking about the prospect of being with him. These old friends seem to reach bittersweet closure, but rampant media harassment leaves Mitch asking Alex how to be a better person. After she’s free to leave, Mitch spends the night with documentarian Paola Lambruschini, and the weight of the world comes down as he drives home. Mitch’s last thoughts as he sails off the cliff over Lake Como are of dancing with Alex, and what could have been with the last person who truly understood him.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Alex and Cory’s Duet, “No One's Gonna Harm You, Not While I'm Around”
A Karaoke Rendition of “Not While I’m Around” Symbolizes a Dark Professional Relationship
Mitch’s Birthday Party, “Lonely at the Top”
A Martin Short Musical Number is Spoiled by Dick Lundy’s Lewdness & Mitch’s Midlife Crisis
Cory Talks with Hannah’s Father, “Ghosts”
The Hotshot Finds Real Crisis of Conscience While Trying to Settle a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Alex Doesn’t Want to Be Alone, “Fever”
Chip Proves to Be Alex’s Literal Lifeline When She Calls Sick with Disgrace and COVID
Stella’s Martini Meeting, “The Green Light”
Disturbing Parallels in Stella Tolerating Investors Who Degrade a Waitress for a $20,000 Tip
#1: The Real Top Story
“The Interview”
The threat of exposure for UBA’s silence culture seemingly dies with Hannah after an overdose. It turns out, however, that Chip leaked the initial misconduct story to protect Alex’s job. Alex becomes so distraught that she can't bring herself to cover the top story of a quarantined cruise ship. Instead, she reveals to the audience that the internal investigation which found no wrongdoing at the network was fraudulent. Bradley joins her co-host in profanely demanding action against men like UBA president Fred Micklen, who is too late to cut the broadcast. His career is justly destroyed. But as Season 1 silently ends with Mitch mourning his missed interview, “The Morning Show’s” moral ambiguity speaks as loudly as its reckoning for a corrupt system.
What moments on “The Morning Show” do you think should be covered? Tune into the comments.
