I am not much of a TV watcher, so it completely floored me that for 6 straight nights I watched The Morning Show. Maybe it was the feature-film-level production values, maybe it was the sets, maybe it was the Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carell, Jennifer Aniston, and Billy Crudup? Maybe it is the rest of the cast, and the way the gender and race diversity roles are handled? Maybe it is the story of 50-year-old Jennifer Aniston’s character fighting to keep her job?
The show is produced by Reese Witherspoon’s studio — women run, women written and the heroes are all women. (I have to wonder, how does Witherspoon manage to act, supervise shows, run a studio, and have kids? An amazing human being.) There is a #metoo plotline that is fascinating to watch. Has that movement gone too far? What is it like for a guy to be caught up in it, and is he really ok, or is he a creep? I’ll let you pass judgment on that one, each to his own, but the way it is explored in the script is wonderful.
I’m clearly struggling a bit to explain exactly why I spent 10 hours of my holiday transfixed by this show and now wanting more. It’s not really my jam in any way I can think of. It’s a bit like a new snack that I can’t make my mind up if I like it or not, so I keep on tasting it. Then, boom, 10 hours go by and I want another helping. I have to think it is the very AGEIST plotline of someone fighting not to be “aged out” of a job.
In a couple of scenes, Aniston’s character goes rogue and pulls epic jiu-jitsu moves on her tormentors. Speaking truth to power, or rather setting everyone straight about who has the power, this is when she shines. When she can reach in and pull out her inner badass, that I’m-the-grownup-in-the-room voice, this is when the show hooks me in. I somehow don’t expect that of her. They nail it, though. Her lines, her body language…I know women exactly like her who are these incredible gladiators when faced with a sexist injustice.
The only negative thing I have to say about the show, which is minor, is that to watch it required 20 minutes of figuring out the Apple TV subscription service. For some reason, it is astonishingly obtuse to sign up, in a way that Apple never is. Apple is new at this, so I’ll give them a pass on this minor point.
The number of $10m/episode has been written as to the cost of the show, and it looks like they spent every penny of it. Give it a spin, and then give us a shout and let us know what you think. Did we lose our minds, or is it really good?
David, you are not out of your mind. The Morning Show hooked us too. Sorry it didn’t get any Golden Globes. Fantastic acting and oh what a cast.
Hi Brenda,
Good to know! I understand they are making season 2 now. I can’t wait. Will the studio head be fired? Will Steve Carell finally understand what he did? So much I want to know! TV at it’s best.
d
I loved it! I was traveling over the holidays and watched every episode twice. I found The Morning Show refreshing from all the other crap on TV. I really liked Big Little Lies also produced by Reese’s all woman company. That was a collaboration with Nicole Kidman.
Hi Chatlotte,
Twice? Wow, I may have to do the same thing. It is so gorgeous. Reese is a genius. I don’t know her personally, I only know what here and her company do, and it is extraordinary. So refreshing.
Have a wonderful day,
David
Love to see it. But not another subscription service @
I’m watching it on my freakin’ tiny screen ipod because AppleTV is SO hard to get. Tried downloading apps, Googling whether it actually plays on Chrome/chromebook,…..Aaarggh. But even on the ipod, episode 1 is awesome.