Network: HBO
Episodes: 25 (hour)
Seasons: Three
TV show dates: June 24, 2012 — December 14, 2014
Series status: Ended
Performers include: Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer, John Gallagher Jr., Alison Pill, Thomas Sadoski, Dev Patel, Olivia Munn, and Sam Waterston.
TV show description:
Created by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip), this TV series takes a behind-the-scenes look at the people who put together a nightly cable-news show on the fictional Atlantis Cable News (ACN) channel.
The unapologetically old-school president of the news division is Charlie Skinner (Sam Waterson), a professional who learned at the feet of the legendary newsmen.
The anchor and managing editor of News Night is Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels), a moderate Republican whose success is largely the result of never offending anyone. He’s in a lot of pain and that manifests itself in a gruff exterior when he’s off camera. His world is turned upside down when Mackenzie McHale, his new executive producer, re-enters his life.
MacKenzie (Emily Mortimer) is a highly respected news producer who was once romantically involved with Will. She returns from 26 months of reporting in Iraq and Afghanistan to executive produce News Night. She hopes to help her former flame to realize his full potential — something that he has little interest in doing.
Jim Harper (John Gallagher, Jr.) follows MacKenzie to News Night as senior producer. He served with her in Iraq and Afghanistan and she can’t live without him. Though he’s just 27, he’s more like Charlie Skinner than he is his contemporaries and has followed the news industry since he was a boy.
Margaret “Maggie” Jordan (Alison Pill) started at News Night as an intern and quickly rose to the role of associate producer. Her level of intelligence is equal to her lack of experience and lack of confidence.
The network’s financial news reporter is Sloan Sabbith (Olivia Munn), a young woman could be earning much more money as an analyst at Goldman, but her calling is economic reporting.
Neal Sampat (Dev Patel) writes Will’s blog and scours the Internet for stories and leads that others have missed. At only 21-years-old, he’s a self-made newsman and covered the London subway bombings with his camera phone.
Don Keefer (Thomas Sadoski) is the former executive producer of News Night, having taken over the show that follows it. He often butts heads with Will, mostly because they’re a lot alike. He’d love to be on the same quixotic journey as everyone else, but is a realist who understands the business and knows he’s always one ratings point away from being out of a job.
Episode #25 — What Kind of Day Has It Been
As Charlie’s friends and family gather to pay their respects at his funeral, Mac finds out she’s pregnant. She shares the news with Will, who is both elated and nervous for her. He accidentally reveals her pregnancy to some of the other staff and word quickly travels.
Jim and Maggie have been together for three days, and Jim recommends Maggie for a field producer role in D.C. Maggie is thrilled about the job prospect, but is put off that Jim isn’t more ambivalent about her leaving town for it. Sloan involves herself in making sure they don’t miss another opportunity to be together.
Don and Sloan both feel responsible for Charlie’s death. Don apologizes to Charlie’s widow for what he believes was his role in bringing on the heart attack. She reveals that in every one of the fights Charlie had with the staff since Pruit took over, he was glad they stood up to him. She gives Don and Sloan matching gifts: Charlie’s bowties.
Pruit is having PR issues — one of his companies is reportedly paying female employees less money; a separate story revealed he hired models to appear at his birthday party. Leona offers him some unsolicited advice. He doesn’t have a PR problem, he has an actual problem.
Neal returns from Venezuela and sees what’s become of ACN Digital. He remotely shuts down his replacements’ computers mid-story and chews them out for ruining everything he built. They’re going to shut down the site for a week and rebuild it.
At the reception after the funeral, Will spots Charlie’s grandson playing a standing bass in the garage. He joins him on guitar and they play “That’s How I Got to Memphis,” a song Charlie introduced him to.
At Leona’s urging, Pruit promotes Mac to Charlie’s role as network president. Don wants to stay at 10 o’clock, so Jim takes over as the new executive producer at ‘News Night.’ He offers Maggie his old job as senior producer so she can stay in New York, but she still wants to pursue the field producer position in D.C. They’re going to try to make it work long distance.
Three years earlier, Charlie watched Will peddle soft news for ratings and likability. Upset that his news channel wasn’t doing the news, he sought out Mac. Fresh from Afghanistan, she spent her afternoons drinking at a bowling alley. Mac brought Jim on board, and helped facilitate Will’s rant at the panel at Northwestern.
Thinking of Charlie, the staff powers up the newsroom and gets to work. The broadcast rolls and they do the news. (courtesy HBO)
First aired: December 14, 2014.
What do you think? Do you like The Newsroom TV series? Do you think there should have been a fourth season?
I cannot believe they have cancelled Newsroom. I LOVE this show so much. It was well written, had fantastic actors and just a “smart” show all the way around. I am going to miss it so much. Since HBO doesn’t want the show any longer, it’s too bad Netflix doesn’t buy it.
Aaron Sorkin was on The View and said that due to other projects he cannot continue with the show. Hopefully these projects will not take years and he will be able to give us back our most loved series.
I can’t believe they are canceling The Newsrooom. It is the only relevant, smart show of our time. Sadly, this is an indicator of what is going on TV. I bet HBO is going to put only stupid shows where the crime & nudity is the major plot.
Once again a brilliantly written, five-star program, NEWSROOM, is going to be axed from HBO alongside another excellent show, BOARDWALK EMPIRE. I realize that NEWSROOM might not bring in the numbers – that equates to dollars earned – and that working with Sorkin might be difficult, but as he always has done, he created another remarkable and highly intelligent show. I am saddened to hear that NEWSROOM’s demise was not one that was chosen by Sorkin and his people. It’s termination was decided by HBO and affiliates. I would hope that HBO would stay away from being one more network… Read more »
Oh, no. Every TV show that makes some sense, gets cancelled. Stupid shows like the Simpsons run forever, but good shows, shows that shed a different perspective of newsworthy happenings, get cancelled. Please, please renew this show… It is obvious by the number of blogs that lots of people like this show and would support it.
thank you.
Responding to the lack of promotion comment… exactly. Too much time between seasons. I’ve been waiting to hear it was back on for another season, now I’m wondering if it already started and I didn’t realize it. Never got the chance it deserved.
One of the most intelligent shows on TV. A damn shame to cancel it. It had smarts and class.
I am sorry to see The Newsroom cancelled. Too bad.
It is beyond refreshing to be able to watch a show that makes you think about the world around us and how quickly we can believe without getting all the facts. For a parent to be able to watch a show that doesn’t have gratuitous sex or violence is a rarity these days especially on cable. It is smartly written and engaging and a complete loss if cancelled. How about a little more promotion on HBO’s part? WE NEED SHOWS LIKE THIS!!!!!
PLEASE, PLEASE do not cancel THE most intelligent show on TV.
Please don’t cancel the smartest show on TV.
The Newsroom is far too great a show to cancel.
Please don’t cancel this show, it is the best.
Having worked on a television news crew I found this show to be very realistic of what goes on behind the scenes. It was one of my favorite shows, please don’t cancel.
I love this show, please, please keep it going…
Seems like all the shows with some intelligence in them, that inspire you to think a bit get cancelled. Witty writing, good cast I will not understand why this is cancelled. HBO was known for pushing the envelope, like the last bastion for good drama.
I am in shock ver this– how can it be? They got an Emmy! Why? What’s the real reason– seriously!? I watched each show twice– the dialog is so fast and interesting. What an inspiration the different story lines and characters were… i there any chance we could bring it back somehow?
I thought everyone watched this show… it is much better than “Scandal” or whatever… it is jut so NYC too…