The Newsroom: Season 2

I had just finished watching season 2 of The Newsroom in one day. I think the pace in which I watched it was based on the fact that I missed Aaron Sorkin's writing. I missed the witty banters; I missed the monologues; I even missed the aura of arrogance emanated by these people who are, for whatever reason, all much smarter than me. Or at least way more articulate than I am in expressing their opinions.

I somewhat see The Newsroom as Aaron Sorkin's ultimate TV show. It takes the news reporting aspect of Sports Night, and the politics aspect of The West Wing, and the behind-the-scenes production of a live show as in Studio 60 (although this is also a significant part of Sports Night). Then again, it might just feel similar because of all the Sorkinisms. The quick, lengthy dialogues and the similar line deliveries. It's very strange, that even though a lot of things are repeated across his projects like this, or this, I never tire of them. I just like the way they speak, I guess.

Operation Genoa

The reason I find season 2 more gripping than season 1 is the main story arc: Operation Genoa, which I just learned is based on Operation Tailwind and the false accusations of sarin gas usage. The entire thing, from the first tip, to the gathering of information and witnesses, to the actual report, and its downfall, was very interesting. I didn't know it would take months, and they had to go through many layers, to get a story on the air. Granted, it was a huge story that would negatively impact so many people. I also learned that a story like that might cause unrest and that the network, or at least parts of it, had to take riots into consideration.

The best part, though, has got to be Jane Fonda's Leona Lansing being high, twice, while rejecting the senior staff's resignations.

What's up ahead?

Hopefully this means the end of the relationship issues that we had to go through in the first two seasons. With Jim seemingly over Maggie and moved on with a new girlfriend, Will and Mac getting engaged, and Don and Sloan together, the show can (hopefully) put less focus on their uninteresting personal stuff and focus on the news. Or defending themselves from lawsuits.

The lawsuit story arc reminded me of the Studio 60 issue with the FCC trying to time delay or censor the news. I'm still disappointed that we never got the resolution to that storyline. If I remember correctly, the lawsuit against Don for a bad recommendation was also on Studio 60. Or another Sorkin show, I'm not exactly sure. Which means I should go back and watch them all again...