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First things first: I am not a Republican. I am a conservative Libertarian
that often looks at both the Democratic and Republican Parties in pure disdain.
I believe the political discourse is usually way off course in America and
television news is 100% biased. I should’ve been the perfect audience for a
show like “The Newsroom.” After watching the pilot, however, I
realize that I am not.
The show centers on a character named Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels). He is
known as the “Jay Leno of newscasters” because he never takes a
stance on an issue and never offends anyone. He inevitably has a bit of a
mental breakdown at a college speaking event and mentally dismantles a harmless
college sophomore asking why America is the greatest country in the world.
After taking a brief vacation, McAvoy returns to the news and is convinced by
his ex- girlfriend/ new executive producer to produce a new kind of news show;
one that harkens back to the news reporting days of men like Edward R.
Murrow.
The show tries to pitch itself as middle of the road. Will is supposed to be
a registered Republican that sees both the Left and the Right as the villains.
Such a show would’ve been brilliant: a show about a culture warrior fighting
for common sense amongst the usual crap spewed by most news commentators of
today. However, what prevents the show from reaching such heights is its very
creator: Mr. Aaron Sorkin.
Sorkin has the right set up for such a show and he certainly has the writing
talent to make such a show informative and entertaining, but what holds the
show back is Mr. Sorkin’s politics. To be more exact: his left wing politics.
The pilot begins with Will at the previously mentioned college speaking
event. During his little breakdown, he attacks both the conservative
commentator and the liberal commentator sitting on either side of him. The only
issue with this is the fact that Will’s biggest argument for liberals is that
they lose too much.
In fact, McAvoy is given many speeches during the show where he goes off on
the uninformed Americans of today, but he doesn’t seem to feel anyone but the
Right is uninformed. He takes shots at both the Tea Party and James O’Keefe
(neither of which make much sense), but his only comment for the Left remains
that they happen to lose too much.
“The Newsroom’s” heart is in the right place, but it can’t seem to
follow its own rules. It tries to paint itself as a show that will exemplify
the unbiased and common sense reporting that news should be, but the show dips
so far to the left that it begins playing the same partisan games that it
originally wanted to fight against.
The show wants to be for everybody, but it’s really just for Sorkin’s
liberal friends. The show probably should’ve put someone else at the helm that
was a little less politically motivated than Sorkin (although he does write
conversations like no other person working in Hollywood today). Yet, we know
such a show can be done with a politically motivated mind behind it. Take
outspoken conservative Kelsey Grammer. But, he never uses the show as a
platform to preach his almighty word. He takes a step back and provides a truly
thoughtful and entertaining show that criticizes the political machine in
general without biasing itself to one side. “The Newsroom”
accomplishes no such thing. The temptation must’ve simply been too much for Mr.
Sorkin.
It’s a shame the show becomes so partisan. It had a great conceit, the cast
is exceptional (especially Daniels), the show looks convincing (the pilot is
shot by Greg Mottola) and the writing is phenomenal (no surprise there). But,
nothing to the table. It says it’s above partisan like programming, but plays
the same game it criticizes. The show’s middle of the road politics are about
as phony as Will McAvoy’s voter registration card.