The Morning Show

I’ll admit, American #MeToo debates aren’t really my thing, but I gave The Morning Show a shot on my girlfriend's recommendation. I went in with mixed feelings, but by the third episode, I was totally hooked. The cast is stacked in a way you don’t often see these days—Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carell, Billy Crudup, and Mark Duplass? It’s like a producer found a piggy bank and smashed it. The show dives into discussions and themes that I didn't expect from conservative America, and it was honestly refreshing. I’m not giving it five stars, though, just because the ending clearly sets up a second season, and I think a more definitive conclusion might have been stronger for this kind of show. Still, the biggest surprise was Reese—normally, you expect her to play the "good and fair" character, but here, she fires up in ways that catch you off guard. Mark Duplass was also a standout; just watching him, you can feel the producer's stress in your own bones. Overall, a brilliant series! (2021.03.20)

This season just doesn't hold a candle to the first one. The show has veered sharply towards a more female-centric audience, with topics that are either trivial or overly focused on COVID. It feels overly simplistic, relationship-driven, and at times too much a product of the current moment. The heavy-handed LGBT themes were particularly grating, and some episodes were downright unwatchable. It’s one of those series that really should have ended after the first season. A real shame, especially considering the talented cast I usually enjoy. (2021.12.18)