This week's episode of The Newsroom, titled ''Red Team III'', was the culmination of six weeks (and episodes) of build up. The Genoa story finally airs and crumbles, it was a stellar hour of television.
In a surprising turn of events Will already heard of the story, from a source that was allegedly 'better than POTUS' and what seemed to be the same source as Charlie's. I look forward to next week when Will figures out what Shep did to Charlie and ACN. Or at least, I hope they will deal with that this season.
When the Genoa story aired and the newsroom staff looked on with concern, I was at the edge of my seat. What would go wrong? Would they find out about Jerry's tampering? It's the only negative I can give this episode: both the conversation about the game clock MacKenzie had with Will and someone from the control room showing Mac a led clock, felt a little to on the nose. It wasn't particularly subtle.
It all started moments after airing when a livid Stomtonovich called, they brushed it off as the General getting cold feet but the first seed of doubt was planted. Then the Department of Defense took a long time to respond to the accusations, furthering the belief something was off. When their response finally came, it came while quoting the Espionage Act.
Later that night, during Elliott's broadcast they interviewed Sweeney who was one of their first sources. He made the revelation that he suffered a traumatic brain injury, which startled both Elliot, Don and Sloan so much that they abruptly cut off the interview to go to commercial. By then everyone knew something definitely was wrong with the Genoa story. So while retracing their steps that led to the broadcast Maggie admitted to not being in the room during the interview with the General and now suspicion, rightfully, fell to Jerry. Who said the General admitted to it and had the raw footage as his evidence.
Mac now second guessing herself went over the transcript of her interview with Valenzuela and soon thereafter realized she had unintentionally led Valenzuela on. Only looking for more confirmation on the story.
On the other hand we had Charlie second guessing himself, he had a source (better than POTUS) who said it was all true. In another story that was simpler than I had expected, like Maggie's story in Uganda, it again packed a more emotional punch because of its simplicity. Shep started talking about his son David and my heart skipped a beat. Then he mentioned David going to rehab, my stomach started to feel uneasy and when he talked about David's funeral I was just waiting for the gut punch.
The Genoa story was no diabolical scheme to take down ACN, but an angry father wanting revenge for the death of his son. Wanting Charlie to suffer a fate worse than death. It packed quite an emotional punch for me, Shep waited until the time was right and ambitious Jerry was just the guy he needed. Though I admit it might have been even better if we had seen a glimpse of David early in the first season.
Jerry's firing was handled quick and clean, or so they thought. But it led to a heartbreaking scene where MacKenzie visitied Will in his office to tell him they had to retract Genoa. She said it as though there was no one else in the room but the two of them. And Will didn't say a word, his face said it all.
And so Charlie, Will and Mac went to deliver their resignations to Leona Lansing, but she would have none of it. Jerry Dantana deserved to get fired and wouldn't get the pay off money to make the lawsuit go away, so Leona brought in Rebecca Halliday to represent ACN. Oh, I would love to bear witness to a conversation between these two characters. In a moment that called back to season one Leona told Will, Mac and Charlie she was proud of them and the way they reported the news. Charlie tried to argue that ACN had lost the public's trust, but Leona had but one thing to say:
"Get it back!"
9.5/10
Pascal Buijnsters
Pascal's a Dutchman and has been a longtime commentator on SpoilerTV and started out as a writer for SpoilerTV last year. He is quite a TV addict and writes for a local, Dutch, newspaper. Next to that he's into soccer for his local team, a gamer and a fanatical swimmer. He writes previews and reviews for SpoilerTV for a variety of shows.
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In a surprising turn of events Will already heard of the story, from a source that was allegedly 'better than POTUS' and what seemed to be the same source as Charlie's. I look forward to next week when Will figures out what Shep did to Charlie and ACN. Or at least, I hope they will deal with that this season.
When the Genoa story aired and the newsroom staff looked on with concern, I was at the edge of my seat. What would go wrong? Would they find out about Jerry's tampering? It's the only negative I can give this episode: both the conversation about the game clock MacKenzie had with Will and someone from the control room showing Mac a led clock, felt a little to on the nose. It wasn't particularly subtle.
It all started moments after airing when a livid Stomtonovich called, they brushed it off as the General getting cold feet but the first seed of doubt was planted. Then the Department of Defense took a long time to respond to the accusations, furthering the belief something was off. When their response finally came, it came while quoting the Espionage Act.
Later that night, during Elliott's broadcast they interviewed Sweeney who was one of their first sources. He made the revelation that he suffered a traumatic brain injury, which startled both Elliot, Don and Sloan so much that they abruptly cut off the interview to go to commercial. By then everyone knew something definitely was wrong with the Genoa story. So while retracing their steps that led to the broadcast Maggie admitted to not being in the room during the interview with the General and now suspicion, rightfully, fell to Jerry. Who said the General admitted to it and had the raw footage as his evidence.
Mac now second guessing herself went over the transcript of her interview with Valenzuela and soon thereafter realized she had unintentionally led Valenzuela on. Only looking for more confirmation on the story.
On the other hand we had Charlie second guessing himself, he had a source (better than POTUS) who said it was all true. In another story that was simpler than I had expected, like Maggie's story in Uganda, it again packed a more emotional punch because of its simplicity. Shep started talking about his son David and my heart skipped a beat. Then he mentioned David going to rehab, my stomach started to feel uneasy and when he talked about David's funeral I was just waiting for the gut punch.
The Genoa story was no diabolical scheme to take down ACN, but an angry father wanting revenge for the death of his son. Wanting Charlie to suffer a fate worse than death. It packed quite an emotional punch for me, Shep waited until the time was right and ambitious Jerry was just the guy he needed. Though I admit it might have been even better if we had seen a glimpse of David early in the first season.
Jerry's firing was handled quick and clean, or so they thought. But it led to a heartbreaking scene where MacKenzie visitied Will in his office to tell him they had to retract Genoa. She said it as though there was no one else in the room but the two of them. And Will didn't say a word, his face said it all.
And so Charlie, Will and Mac went to deliver their resignations to Leona Lansing, but she would have none of it. Jerry Dantana deserved to get fired and wouldn't get the pay off money to make the lawsuit go away, so Leona brought in Rebecca Halliday to represent ACN. Oh, I would love to bear witness to a conversation between these two characters. In a moment that called back to season one Leona told Will, Mac and Charlie she was proud of them and the way they reported the news. Charlie tried to argue that ACN had lost the public's trust, but Leona had but one thing to say:
"Get it back!"
9.5/10
Main Account - All Shows
Great Review, Pascal! I just caught up this morning!! I def liked this episode. There was a lot of going back and forth in time and with characters picking up on sentences not finished from other characters.
ReplyDeleteI def think my favorite scene was at the end though. Leona (Jane Fonda) was just fantastic and completely opposite to what we would have expected of her based on what she was like last season. (And I think every time I see Daniel Craig and Skyfall, I will think of this scene!!)
Operation Genoa was def an interesting topic this season, considering the US (my country) is on the verge of military action that will surely lead us to more war due to Syria's government seemingly using sarin gas on their own people. Aaron Sorkin found away to base his story on something that happened with a news story in the past, but also make it about a similar and important topic that we have to face right now and I give him so much credit for doing it.
It was also interesting that the "loss of children" continued to be theme, first with Maggie loosing Daniel, to Charlie's source being a revenge plot relating to the firing and later death of his son.
I don't know how Will can ever forgive Mac now? First his personal life is destroyed and now his public life is...Maybe ACN can turn things around. I mean after all, Leona seems to think so!
Brilliant brilliant episode! That's what that was...
ReplyDelete(I agree though. A glimpse of David in S1 would have made it even more perfect!)
- Leona in the end was my favourite part. Lady was Badass! (also agreed that we need some more Becca/Leona scenes!)
- Charlie and Will's exchange: "How much do you believe what you're saying? - 60% - I thought it was in the mid 80s. You pulled it off - Experience" was my second favourite bit.