Aaron Sorkin is determined to get it right, even if he gets in his own way sometimes. Admitting to crippling writers block that usually finds him delivering scripts at the 11th hour, and a bullheaded attitude that sometimes causes him to block out opinions from anyone else, and this led to the second season's first three episodes getting massively overhauled. After the first two episodes had been shot, and while in the midst of writing the third, Sorkin realized he had written himself into a corner and needed to change direction.
"I doubt HBO is going to be happy with my telling you this, but I got off to a false start with season 2. With my hat in my hand, I went to HBO and said, 'Would it be all right if I started again? I know it's going to cost time and it's going to cost a lot of money'. Other networks would have said no".
The result? Big chunks of episodes 2.01 & 2.02 were reshot, episode 2.03 was rewritten and season order dropped from 10 episodes to 9. And while Sorkin won't go so far as to admit he's taken criticisms to heart, he does hope season 2 offers a bit of course correction. "There are a great many people who weren't just disappointed with The Newsroom but really maddened by it. It was impossible to avoid hearing that. I hope some of the people who were turned off by the show last year take a second look and maybe are a little bit happier. But you're playing a dangerous game if you write to try to change people's minds".
Acclaimed HBO regulars Alan Poul (SFU, Rome, Big Love), Jeremy Podeswa (Carnivà le, SFU, The Pacific, Boardwalk Empire) & Lesli Linka Glatter (True Blood, The West Wing, Mad Men) are the directors of these troubled first three episodes. Season 2 premières on a great day on HBO, Sunday, 14th July.
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