The Newsroom

Like the steadfast ideals that are always, always being trampled upon by those who are not the righteous centers of an Aaron Sorkin script, Sorkin’s new HBO series The Newsroom adheres to certain lasting principles of a prototypical Sorkin television show. It’s set behind the scenes of something—in this case, an MSNBC-style news program. It picks up with a passionate, intelligent, yet clearly flawed man (Jeff Daniels’ fiery news anchor) in the middle of a very public outburst because of integrity. It forces him to suffer fools and battle ideological opponents while speaking hard, if not exactly revelatory truths about the sad state of America. And it surrounds him with assorted driven female staffers/potential love interests—including at least one obligatory returning ex-staffer—and some other young, equally idealistic males, each with their own assorted idiosyncrasies, with whom he can walk, talk, and trade pithy remarks about the noble lives they have chosen. In short, it’s the perfect amalgam of Sports Night, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, and The West Wing, and it’s all unmistakably Aaron Sorkin. Welcome back.