The Morning Show Season 4: Intricacy Meets Realism Again
Beware of potential spoilers for the fourth season, second episode of The Morning Show, titled ‘The Revolution Will Be Televised’, debuting on September 24. Despite its central theme revolving around the world of news reporting, the show strays away from realism quite frequently. In previous seasons, it habitually overlaid real-world events with intricate drama or wild portrayals. For instance, the story of Mitch Kessler, a TV host and sexual predator, who relentlessly plotted to regain his broadcast seat, only to meet his end off an Italian precipice.
In Mitch’s stead, emerged Bradley Jackson, who was coincidentally found amid the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol Hill, where she encountered her sibling. She subsequently concealed evidence pertaining to her brother’s involvement. The show also introduced Paul Marks, a tech-mogul turned astronaut, whose spacecraft, amusingly, bore resemblance to a certain facet of the male anatomy, a vehicle that Bradley later utilized for her space venture.
Jennifer Aniston assumes the role of Alex Levy, facing career jeopardy as the new season commences. Under the backdrop of fictional networks of UBA and NBN becoming a unified entity UBN, Alex finds herself under scrutiny for the company’s financial dealings. One significant addition to her responsibilities is the execution of one of her most important interviews to date, with Roya Nazeri, the Iranian fencer.
Some individuals voice concerns about fostering a dialogue with a representative from a potentially hostile regime. The series chooses to depict Iranians in a stereotypical light, whereas Roya is presented with a more westernized demeanor, subsequently making her more accessible to the audience. A clear dichotomy is quickly established among the characters.
The show then propels viewers into a riveting plotline with the season’s first episode. A clandestine message regarding defection is surreptitiously passed on to Alex, triggering an exhilarating sequence of events. This occurrence ignites a global incident, allegations of colluding with the family are raised against her by UBN executives and U.S. government officials.
Iran’s portrayal as a simplified, generalized adversary is evident. The Morning Show positions those in any association with Iran on a ‘suspicious to nefarious’ range, as figures inciting fear, conspiracy, and conflict. At certain points, the narrative seems to forgo the pursuit of impartiality.
However, despite these controversial elements, The Morning Show successfully communicates a critique of the evolving commercialization of news media. It highlights issues such as the implications of network conglomerations, the influence of tech investments, and how these elements make both networks and journalists more accountable to the whims of the super-rich, often at the expense of maintaining journalistic ethics and moral standards.
Additionally, the show hints at the possible perils of relying on incredibly resource-intensive, yet not fully comprehended technology. The Morning Show subsequently zigzags into an unexpected narrative arc, transforming Alex, the protagonist, into a dedicated advocate of climate justice and staunch opponent of accelerated technological progress.
This dramatic transformation is further underlined by a well-crafted subplot revealing that Alex has been the victim of deepfake technology. While The Morning Show may not be typically envisioned to offer profound political insights, nor does it consistently exhibit the audacity to comment on ongoing global narratives.
An appreciated highlight is when Alex corrects UBN’s legal counsel about Iran and Iraq being distinct nations. Its sheepish approach to such socio-political commentary seems to suggest a limited capacity to delve deeper into such dialogues.