Review: The Morning Show
Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at 8:17PM
By Spencer Coile
;)
It feels as though we’ve been discussing The Morning Show for years already. And how could we not? It was a main event for the latest streaming service, Apple TV+. It was headlined by Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell - three television titans. Plus, its behind-the-camera team - including Aniston and Witherspoon with producing credit, not to mention Mimi Leder and David Frankel directing the first three episodes - was enough to have television and film fans salivating for more.
The only problem is, The Morning Show was talked to death before it even premiered... hence the past tense of this intro...
Now that it’s here, the critical reaction borders on vitriolic with a side of apathy. Following the show’s trajectory, in many ways, is enough to give you whiplash. It is a righteously angry show, and it is most definitely a messy show. But for some, including as you may have guessed me, The Morning Show may win you over and also offer some catharsis.
Following accusations of sexual misconduct from her co-anchor Mitch Kessler (Carell) on their morning talk show - also called "The Morning Show" - Alex Levy (Aniston) is sent into a tailspin. Not knowing what to believe or who to trust, she’s left questioning her 15 year-long working relationship with Mitch, as well as who will replace him as co-anchor. Enter: Bradley Jackson (Witherspoon), a conservative correspondent prone to outbursts. A video of Bradley berating a protester at a rally in support of coal miners goes viral, landing her a coveted interview with Alex shortly after Mitch is fired.
;)
If that sounds like a lot of plot, please know that that's only the first episode! The Morning Show mov a break-neck pace, rarely letting you catch your breath. And did I mention that Mark Duplass, Billy Crudup, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Karen Pittman, Bel Powley, Jack Davenport (Smash fans rejoice!), and so many others round out the ensemble? Keep an eye out for Marcia Gay Harden and Mindy Kaling in guest roles as well. It is, without a doubt, one of 2019’s busiest shows.
That is both to is credit and detriment.
Certainly, The Morning Show has a lot on its mind. On its surface, it presents a complicated depiction of the #MeToo movement from those who abuse their power (and in Mitch’s case, not even understanding the power he wields) to those who watch the abuse unfold and do nothing to stop it. At the same time, it’s working to expose the blatant sexism and ageism that manifests in toxic working environments. The thru-line is Alex rediscovering her passion for journalism, after years of coasting on charm, to fight back against the men in power who think they know better than her. Aniston really sinks her teeth into those particular scenes.
At the same time, though, despite so much happening, it's difficult to get a firm handle on what the show is actually trying to say. With so many characters buzzing around, we’re not given much of a chance to connect with them. Even one of the leads, Witherspoon’s Bradley, remains an enigma. Although regarded as conservative, her character’s political ideologies are rarely touched upon, leaving us to wonder if that is a character point left to the wayside or one that will crop up much later.
;)
However busy and messy the series may be, at its core The Morning Show is a show about angry women. And Apple TV+ has really put their muscle behind it. The show stars women, is about women, and is produced, written, and directed largely by women. Aniston is the show’s beating heart, giving her finest performance. Notice, I didn’t put an addendum there; I didn’t say “since” or “in years.” No, this is Aniston at her finest. Alex is a prickly character, noted by many characters as an “ice queen,” but at the same time, she's America’s “mother.” It’s a tightrope performance, allowing Aniston space to pull out various complexities. Any time she berated a man in power (which, trust me, happens a lot), I found myself holding my breath in anticipation; taking a long sigh of relief once she was done monologueing.
The rest of the cast aren't exactly slouches, either. Witherspoon, despite a confusing character and a rocky start (let's not speak about the accent), eventually gets in touch with Bradley’s anger and fear. Keep an eye out for Billy Crudup’s delicious turn as Cory Ellison, the new head of the network. Sneering and sleazy, Crudup rarely needs to raise his voice to make an impact -- he's the perfect foil to Aniston and Witherspoon, a calculated villain, slowly revealing layers to be peeled away. At opportune moments, he discloses seemingly insignificant details about his life, but is it to express vulnerability or is it to garner sympathy that he can take advantage of later?
;)
With Aniston and Witherspoon dominating their screen time, and Crudup stealing his scenes, it’s a letdown seeing what Carell is doing. His performance and his character feel very nearly like afterthoughts in a series that so bustling with characters and story threads. After being fired, Mitch isolates himself in his own home, a misery of his own making. Rarely does he interact with any of the major characters - in the first three episodes, he only gets one confrontation with Alex, but even that feels underdeveloped. Mostly, Mitch is left to condemn those who accused him of sexual misconduct (he swears he did nothing wrong) and pontificate the flaws in the #MeToo movement. Give the lack of depth to the characterization, it's hard to care about these scenes and not interpret them as mere childish rants. Carell is plainly capable of playing both comedy and drama simultaneously, but because Mitch is portrayed as predatory at worst and toddler-angry at best, there isn’t anything comedic about his outbursts. They’re just cloying.
Clearly, there is a lot about The Morning Show that doesn’t coalesce yet. But I have confidence that it will since it gets progressively better with each episode. With so much television out there, will viewers wait for it do that or abandon ship? Still, considering the creative team, the show's pop culture salience, and its editorial appeal (positive and negative think-pieces are circulating ad nauseum), you should give it a shot.
Reader Comments (20)
I loved the trailer but I'm not ready to pay money for this streaming service yet.
I'm curious to see how this show will go in Golden Globe and SAG nominations next month.
Witherspoon is a television “titan”? Okay.
I mean, her TV screen time must amount to less than 20 hours.
Sounds awful. Who the hell would name a female character Bradley Jackson.
I'm loving The Morning Show so far. 3 episodes in & I'm totally sold. Can't wait for Episode 4 on Fri. Definitely worth my subscription.
The most telling thing about this show is the fact that Reese’s accent IRL is a) Southern as all get-out and b) so endearing, which is what the character needs to be. If it ain’t broke... why, beloved? This reminds me of the time someone on TFE’s podcast mentioned (my fellow Georgian) Julia Roberts completely overdoing the one she had in Steel Magnolias.
Seems like a giant waste of money. Is this the one that Steve Carrell gave up on and stopped promoting? I have never found Jennifer Anniston interesting, and it seems miscast.
MJ: thought you'd appreciate one of the only lines from a review that ever made me laugh out loud.
From a Time Out Chicago theatre review of 1776: "...has an amazing voice, but as an actor he specializes in creepy intensity, which doesn’t translate well to Southern gentleman. His work here is cringeworthy, strutting like a fop in a Restoration comedy and sporting the worst Southern accent since Julia Roberts in everything..."
RE: !! I love Julia, but when you’re right, you’re right.
Come on let’s be honest now- Julia was pretty terrible in Steel Magnolias.
I still think Friends with Money is the best professional decision JA ever made. Lead in a Nicole Holofcenter movie, a few years after Friends ended?
The other choices she makes are transparently cynical ($$$) or betray fundamentally bad taste in projects (Cake, what?). In The Morning Show's case: Why Apple? Couldn't she get a fierce drama series greenlit by Netflix or HBO? Even FX?
I like her and think she has talent. She just makes it hard to root for her.
"The Morning Show " my personal opinion fan review. What distracts me with Jen An as an actress was her low tone alto voice, so this is really her now, and her latest copyright 2014 chunky face. The genre was drama, but with Jen An on the show, I couldn't take Alex Levy (Jen's character) seriously. Why? Funny for me is when the actress is playing a role with confidence to her status around her when people around her see her fall short of her character example being a host, that makes her funny. Jen was splendid in her comedic timing though she was ruder, more aggressive, violent in her performance for her indoor dramatic personality. But I realize later on after watching 3rd repeat of Episode 1,2, and 3 Season I, that what she did justify what was needed to define her character as crazy. So Reese W for me is a better actress with seamless, refined with consistency in her role-playing. No wonder she was an Oscar winner. But on Episode 3 Jen An shines once again. For me, Episode 3 so far is the funniest and the best episode as director David Frankel's work. Jen An was so funny to me when she said that, "I OWN AMERICA..."
Who is funnier? Both Jen An and Reese are funny, each has a respective highlights in the show. Jen An is funny on her facial expressions and body movements while Reese is funny when she speak those clever funny lines of the script, she is like the 1.5 times of 'Monica Geller' strong character that Jen An's character had to contend with, I think would look Jen An just like one of us. The above statement is only my personal opinion as a fan of Jen An so I am bias to pick who is better of the two female lead characters in the 'The Morning Show.' One thing I choose right now, to be burned in hell, because I will continue to subscribe at Apple TV plus till the end of this world just to watch the 'The Morning Show.' The reason I utilize Netflix because I want to watch, 'Friends.' Without Friends in Netflix I could live without Netflix. I subscribe to Apple TV plus due to The Morning Show. I enjoy reality-based funny shows. For me, TMS Season I Episode 1 is 8.5 out of 10'; Episode 2 is 9 out of 10 and Episode 3 is 10 out of 10
When this show was announced, it seemed more like it would be an out and out comedy, which was really exciting since these actresses excel at that form. Then it was advertised as a dark comedy, which seemed interesting. Even the trailer presented it self as some sort of fun All About Eve type story, and I was excited to see Aniston and Witherspoon square off.
Now it's just straight drama with a ton of yelling (at least throughout most of the pilot. I'll be honest, I had a lot of trouble finishing it. Hopefully it improves, because Aniston - when she is in top form - and Reese, as well, are extremely gifted actresses. Aniston's big scene in the first episode, totally works, and she sells the hell out of the character, even when the script won't.
Also, for a show this expensive, there are some scenes that just look... cheap. Carrell's house is so devoid of any detail - it just looks like they rented a house for a few hours to quickly shoot in. And the night scenes with Reese and her crew weren't pretty to look at.
@Mafer
I was thinking exactly the same thing.
Really wanted this one to good, so the reviews sadden me. Can't justify paying for another streaming service for one damn show, and it's not even good. The rest don't interest me. "See" is so rotten, it's ridiculous. Get your head in the game, Apple!
Mafer and Cesar: Even discounting her "as herself" performances, it's more than 20. Not much more, but more. But to call someone a Titan of TV? Yeah, no. Get back to me when they're over 50 hours, at least. Krysten Ritter is a Titan of TV. Reese Witherspoon is just trying to avoid being in a This Means War level disaster again.
Ethery, you seem new, so just an FYI: never go full Volvagia.
Owen: To be clear, I was saying Julia’s accent in Magnolias is bad. It’s just strange since she’s from Georgia (and even went to my alma mater) so one would think she’d be better at it. I feel the same about Reese here. She should nail this part, and yet...
Watched the first episode and felt like I was spending most of the time forcing myself to like it. It didn't work for me. The talent in front of and behind the camera is undeniable, but I feel like so many TV shows nowadays have the sheen of prestige (high wattage actors, amazing productions, timely subjects, etc.), but are missing a soul.
Jenn and Julia are simply bad.
Beyond Outstanding