I find that Jimi Simpson earned the the right to give love to a woman in Breakout Kings, where we saw him fret obsess and care from a distance with an actress a hell of lot more attractive than Allison Pill.
The Newsroom S3 - Final Season Review & Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Locutus of Bored
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Last week's episode was tense, this week's was heartbreaking in more ways than one. It seems this season is about Sorkin's high-minded ideals crashing with reality and going down.
I loved Charlie's outburst and now I want another season even more because I would love to see how the relationship between him and Pruitt would develop.
I loved Charlie's outburst and now I want another season even more because I would love to see how the relationship between him and Pruitt would develop.
Well damn, that was rough. I wasn't expecting that at all. 
Well damn, that was rough. I wasn't expecting that at all.
The last few minutes of episode 5 were just BRUTAL
doubleohfive
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I figured something like this might happen. Knowing it was the end of the series certainly affected that, but I was convinced once Don and Sloan made note of how weird Charlie was acting.
Likewise, the whole Will-is-dealing-with-his-issues-with-a-fictionalized-version-of-his-dad-which-we-reveal-through-the-photo-at-the-end was pretty apparent (and not to mention Sorkin repeating himself - he did something much the same with Matt Albie (Matthew Perry) on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip seven years ago and Jed Bartlet and his own father before that on The West Wing) but dammit, it was all still great TV.
For a brief moment I was hoping Jim and Maggie would have been bumped onto a different flight and be furious about it only to find Snowden on their flight as well. As it is, it was totally Josh and Donna finally getting together, which let's be honest -- when we finally got the doom and gloom of Jim and Hallie breaking up last week, we all knew this was coming.
Sloan's epic takedown of the ACNgage programmer was beautiful. Though, reading some of the online reviews from various websites, the Don/Mary subplot (featuring Kiefer Sutherland's daughter, Sarah as "Mary") has really got a lot of intense discussion going, about the content, how it was presented, and how it was ultimately resolved.)
I'll be very interested in seeing what happens next week when Will returns to ACN. Will we see Neal again? What's Pruitt going to do now after this week's events? Will he fire Sloan and Mac?
Likewise, the whole Will-is-dealing-with-his-issues-with-a-fictionalized-version-of-his-dad-which-we-reveal-through-the-photo-at-the-end was pretty apparent (and not to mention Sorkin repeating himself - he did something much the same with Matt Albie (Matthew Perry) on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip seven years ago and Jed Bartlet and his own father before that on The West Wing) but dammit, it was all still great TV.
For a brief moment I was hoping Jim and Maggie would have been bumped onto a different flight and be furious about it only to find Snowden on their flight as well. As it is, it was totally Josh and Donna finally getting together, which let's be honest -- when we finally got the doom and gloom of Jim and Hallie breaking up last week, we all knew this was coming.
Sloan's epic takedown of the ACNgage programmer was beautiful. Though, reading some of the online reviews from various websites, the Don/Mary subplot (featuring Kiefer Sutherland's daughter, Sarah as "Mary") has really got a lot of intense discussion going, about the content, how it was presented, and how it was ultimately resolved.)
I'll be very interested in seeing what happens next week when Will returns to ACN. Will we see Neal again? What's Pruitt going to do now after this week's events? Will he fire Sloan and Mac?
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Quite sad by Charlie's quick and sudden death, but as others have said, it's not so surprising.
Every second of that scene was awesome. Sloan proves once again why she's my favorite character, even over the late Charlie.
I've noticed this as well. However, after reading the review at The A.V. Club, I feel like I watched a different episode from the reviewer.
"Mary" is Julia Louis-Dreyfus's TV daughter on Veep!!
That had been bothering me.
Bad dreams.
That had been bothering me.
Bad dreams.
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Wow. I've been quite vocal about what I perceive as this show's failings in the past, but this season had been a noticeable improvement. I mean, I still wouldn't say that it was good, but it was decent and had more hits than misses. If the show had been like that from the beginning it wouldn't have faced such critical scorn.
But then Oh Shenandoah happened. Every time we think we have measured Aaron Sorkin's capacity to write absolute schlock, we look on and are reminded that that capacity may well be limitless. That episode sucked on just about every level. Will's imaginary conversation with his dead father was clichéd beyond belief. The leaker randomly killing herself was mightily convenient. Jim and Maggie's romance subplot is one of the most forced I have seen on television and I don't know why Sorkin has stuck with it. Don's circular conversation about rape didn't go anywhere, and the subject was poorly served by being relegated to a c-plot. How was that despicable nerdy guy Sloane interviewed so stupid that he didn't realise he was walking into an ambush? That was an Aaron Sorkin shower conversation if ever there was one. Finally, the pièce de résistance, Charlie randomly died in the stupidest, schmaltziest sequence of television I have seen in quite a while.
I really had hoped that this season would end on a high note and that The Newsroom would have redeemed itself somewhat before the end. But I thought that episode was truly awful, and I really don't think that the finale will be able to wash away the after-taste.
But then Oh Shenandoah happened. Every time we think we have measured Aaron Sorkin's capacity to write absolute schlock, we look on and are reminded that that capacity may well be limitless. That episode sucked on just about every level. Will's imaginary conversation with his dead father was clichéd beyond belief. The leaker randomly killing herself was mightily convenient. Jim and Maggie's romance subplot is one of the most forced I have seen on television and I don't know why Sorkin has stuck with it. Don's circular conversation about rape didn't go anywhere, and the subject was poorly served by being relegated to a c-plot. How was that despicable nerdy guy Sloane interviewed so stupid that he didn't realise he was walking into an ambush? That was an Aaron Sorkin shower conversation if ever there was one. Finally, the pièce de résistance, Charlie randomly died in the stupidest, schmaltziest sequence of television I have seen in quite a while.
I really had hoped that this season would end on a high note and that The Newsroom would have redeemed itself somewhat before the end. But I thought that episode was truly awful, and I really don't think that the finale will be able to wash away the after-taste.
Well damn, that was rough. I wasn't expecting that at all.
I kind of did. That something was wrong witch Charlie had been foreshadowed throughout the season. Still rough, just like the whole season so far. Even Maggie and Jim getting together didn't feel fulflling, certainly not in the way their almost getting together in the episode with the Sex and the City tour felt.
So, we learned that Will really is insane, and not in a good way, imagining a cellmate and talking to him. I suppose the guard has another interesting story to tell now. I didn't see the reveal coming, to be honest. Up until that point, I liked how Will handled himself in prison. And I do find it rather unrealistic that he wouldn't notice the other prisoner's resemblance to his Dad. It will be interesting to see how that comes off in a rewatch.
As for the rape story, I think it was great they tackled the issue in a thorough and extensive way. Not sure about Don's decision as I believe she should have gotten her chance to go public. Then again, there are a number of ways to cover this and it's a shame the story will be left hanging with just one more episode to go.
I wonder how the show will end. I suppose it was always going to be a tragic ending of some kind.
Screw "The A.V. Club", bunch of nerds
This. The instant I saw "D-" I pretty much decided to not bother reading the review. I'd say this was one of the best hours of television this year.
I mean, what other shows on at the moment tackle such heavy and messy topics like College rape, take aim at news media and their obsession with celebrity, a story about principles and sticking to them, wrapping up a will they won't they, killing off a main character AND have a good six seconds of the USS Enterprise flying through space in one hour?
@TheGodBen: I couldn't disagree with you more.
I knew something was up with Charlie, but I didn't see that coming. Don/Mary was a good story, as it's a story that is happening in the real world that still isn't being properly reported. And Sloan's takedown was just masterful, I'm sure there's a lot of professional journos out there punching the air. And it was right. And just one ep left. They should change their minds. Or Netflix picks it up. Or something.
I knew something was up with Charlie, but I didn't see that coming. Don/Mary was a good story, as it's a story that is happening in the real world that still isn't being properly reported. And Sloan's takedown was just masterful, I'm sure there's a lot of professional journos out there punching the air. And it was right. And just one ep left. They should change their minds. Or Netflix picks it up. Or something.
I'm thinking it's going to be a comment on the death of journalism. Will and co. are going to lose the fight and ACN will become what Pruitt wants - an entertainment channel. That's really what news has devolved into in the real world.
Look for a Will speech summing up that thought; and then he'll sign off the air for the final time.
Interesting article on the show's pending finale, including that this is the first time Sorkin's actually gotten to write a series finale for one of his shows and that he was the one, not HBO, who decided to call it quits.
After the first two seasons and a strong opening the show has meandered a bit in the third season, and the finale was a bit blah. Pruit doesn't get bitch slapped as much as we'd like, Sorkin disappoints by not bucking the trend of flashback-filled final episodes and despite an increased duration and slow pacing it felt rushed. It would be good if they could've seeded some of Charlie's statements during the third season rather than flash back to unseen scenes.
Disappointing end to a great show.
Disappointing end to a great show.
It was well known that HBO wanted the show and Sorkin was too busy since season two was airing.
doubleohfive
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The finale was rather underwhelming and has a ton of issues, but it was also quite a lovely tribute to Charlie and a nice bow on the series proper. About the only real complaint I am astonished by is how poorl Neal's character was resolved. After going on the lam to another country during the majority of the season, with the news team all rallying behind him, he not only gets one minor scene and a round of applause he never gets to hear. On top of that, when the news team returns to the studio, not a single one of them interacts with Neal, let alone welcomes him home. That was entirely sloppy and a major letdown for me.
I'll come back to add more later when I've composed my thoughts better, but that was the big gripe I had with the episode.
I'll come back to add more later when I've composed my thoughts better, but that was the big gripe I had with the episode.
The way Neal was handled bugged me a lot, too. Great tribute to Charlie but at the cost Neal's story, unfortunately. Decent series finale that gave good closure for most of the characters, with a nice nod to The West Wing.
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