The under appreciated, wrongly-maligned Aaron Sorkin drama came to a close last night, and I might be the only reviewer in America sad to see it go. [“Newsroom” was a little too hard on voyeuristic/vulture-istic new media to get most blogs behind it, and old media felt pitifully defensive about the show telling them how to do their job.]
To me, this was the show’s best season, and you wish Sorkin could have found a way to keep it going since the subject of the media pandering to its audience in the drive for ratings only finds new angles each day. This season’s big theme was the dangerous role “interactivity” can play on a news channel (crowd sourcing, citizen journalists, government leakers, twitter feeds and apps, etc. all played a role this season) and the need for people to drive the story if not become it. Plus, there were some great jabs at the current ratings-grabbing trend of covering the reaction to the story as part of the story. It’s the equivalent of mirror-gazing for the people watching the news or reading it online.
But the series finale wasn’t as strong as it could have been. It was basically showing some not-that-interesting background info on events before the show started mixed in with funeral scenes. I think the real ending of this show was set up so well in these last episodes that the actual series finale really didn’t have that many loose ends to tie up. In the end, we’re left with the feeling that The Newsroom’s core team will keep battling against The Powers That Be (including their new, very realistic a-hole tech owner who honestly thinks he’s being innovative when he chases the lowest common denominator in an effort to increase viewership, only a run-of-the-mill tech guy can think he’s re-writing the book on journalism by following a general trend over the last 30 years) and their media competitors. And maybe that’s all we really want.
It was good to have these last few hours with Jeff Daniels and Co. Here’s hoping we see them all again soon, and someone recognizes that Olivia Munn could easily lead a show of her own. Grade for Season: A…Grade for Series Finale: B
Hated to see it go. Such a great show.
It’s hard to believe it was on for only 25 episodes. Other shows have 200 episodes and don’t leave nearly as big an impact. I only wish more reviewers had dedicated less time to nitpicking every scene, and more time appreciating the sharp pacing, fine acting, and 90 mph dialogue.