The insecure crazy ones are the best.
Television Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom on HBO
- Thread starter Zen
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
Yeah, same principle as doctors, basically.
Good episode, but that whole bit about Islam/Christianity was just dumb.
There was quite a lot of news time devoted to that story at the time and the sentiment wasn't far off what was actually being said, what part of it was dumb ?
Yep, I remember.
The part where McAvoy tries to balance the criticism leveled at Islam by the dumb and unsophisticated Christian fascist of an interviewee by naming violent and evil acts allegedly done in the name of Christianity (except many of his examples had nothing (or close to nothing) to do with Christianity at all, and were merely perpetrated by people coincidentally holding Christian beliefs (or claiming to)), and then confidently making the assertion that the people who attacked the US on 9/11 were not Muslims at all, they were simply sociopaths, and voilà, McAvoy has supposedly proven that Christianity is just as bad as, or worse than, Islam. It was just a stupid and simplistic exchange between two rather ignorant people, neither of whom had a decent understanding of the argument they were having.
I also find it symptomatic among liberals (ironically enough, since McAvoy is supposed to be a Republican) that they don't pull any punches when it comes to Christianity (or even excessively over-doing it as McAvoy does in that scene), but are much more hesitant about applying the same kind of pressure on Islam (as is evident when McAvoy acrobatically evades and shrugs off any notion that Islam is responsible for, well, anything bad at all, and calls the 9/11 attackers sociopaths and not Muslims). It's something that continues to frustrate me about the absurd hypocrisy and political correctness on the left side of politics, and I had hoped for a bit more consistency and honesty from Sorkin.
But anyway, I don't want to turn this into another religion thread, so I won't reply again.
I think the parallels were fairly accurate, the fact is the people that claim to be religious then do the exact opposite of the teachings, how can they still be considered that religion.
Neo-nazi groups aren't very christian at all, the Ku Klux Klan don't make a lot of sense considering 98% of people in the bible are Jewish and/or dark skinned. The West borough protestors quote the bible all the time but seem to forget about the "judge not, lest ye be judged" part.
The heavy handed lecture boiled down to, if all Muslims can't be divorced from the extremists that shouldn't bear the name, then neither can Christianity.
If I started a hate group today, that wants to murder everyone that isn't Buddhist and I claimed I was one, even if that goes against everything Buddhism stands for, why does that make all Buddhists bad and should that prevent them from opening a temple near where I've committed crimes ?
Neo-nazi groups aren't very christian at all, the Ku Klux Klan don't make a lot of sense considering 98% of people in the bible are Jewish and/or dark skinned. The West borough protestors quote the bible all the time but seem to forget about the "judge not, lest ye be judged" part.
The heavy handed lecture boiled down to, if all Muslims can't be divorced from the extremists that shouldn't bear the name, then neither can Christianity.
If I started a hate group today, that wants to murder everyone that isn't Buddhist and I claimed I was one, even if that goes against everything Buddhism stands for, why does that make all Buddhists bad and should that prevent them from opening a temple near where I've committed crimes ?
Another episode another 'meh' reaction. It has very few good moments but its just about watchable. Olivia Munn's character just doesn't seem like somebody like that would really exist, though a lot of them fit that category.
Only line I actually liked/found funny was when that 'can do no wrong' producer said "The deep South could have used you when the Russians invaded"
Only line I actually liked/found funny was when that 'can do no wrong' producer said "The deep South could have used you when the Russians invaded"
I would like to have sex with Olivia Munn, that is all.
Very West Wingesque episode, not a bad thing at all. Also has anyone else thought that the lead character is similar to Jeremy Paxman?
They did that thing where they made the dippy girl with the stupid face dippy again for some reason...Though next week she'll be reciting informed political soliloquies again along with the rest of Sorkin liberal rant orchestra.
I've enjoyed this episode. Mostly because it reflects what I thought and felt that night.
The dating stories were fairly predictable.
The dating stories were fairly predictable.
I'm loving this series mainly because I'm a huge fan of Sorkin and his dialog, I actually find the whole Jim and Maggie thing funny, the dialog between them is brilliant. Despite others (on the forum) seeming to hate them, I actually quite like them as they remind me of two couples I know.
The whole episode reflected my 'holy fecking shit' reaction when I heard the news aswell (except the woo! america! stuff).
I really hope they give the series a decent run (I know they signed up S2 already).
The whole episode reflected my 'holy fecking shit' reaction when I heard the news aswell (except the woo! america! stuff).
I really hope they give the series a decent run (I know they signed up S2 already).
I really didn't like that episode for some reason. Sure, it was cheesy as hell, but Sorkin often is. Sometimes it works, like in the final scene in Two Cathedrals. And sometimes it just seems like forced sentimentality..Like the airplane scene with the pilots in this. Or the bit with the FDNY hat.
My main problem with it though was it felt like a massive missed opportunity. He used the 'people stuck in a room waiting' scenario in the 9/11 West Wing episode to discuss radical Islam and pontificate about stuff...Here he just used it to stretch out the Jim/Maggie relationship rubbish and some pointless comedy stuff about Will being stoned (which Daniels played very well, obviously) plus some schmaltzy stuff about how cool it is to tell cops & pilots that the government had murdered the bad guy. When he could've used it to discuss the weirdness of such euphoria stemming from an assassination that also killed a few other people, and one of their wives. I dunno, I found it rather odd. Beneath Sorkin if you will.
Also, what the feck was the guitar party duet about? It was like something out of the Starsky & Hutch parody. Very muddled, and it took News reporting far too seriously. "You'll remember this for the rest of your life...just take a minute to notice what you're doing"...They didn't kill Bin Laden. They just reported it slightly earlier than anyone else on television.
My main problem with it though was it felt like a massive missed opportunity. He used the 'people stuck in a room waiting' scenario in the 9/11 West Wing episode to discuss radical Islam and pontificate about stuff...Here he just used it to stretch out the Jim/Maggie relationship rubbish and some pointless comedy stuff about Will being stoned (which Daniels played very well, obviously) plus some schmaltzy stuff about how cool it is to tell cops & pilots that the government had murdered the bad guy. When he could've used it to discuss the weirdness of such euphoria stemming from an assassination that also killed a few other people, and one of their wives. I dunno, I found it rather odd. Beneath Sorkin if you will.
Also, what the feck was the guitar party duet about? It was like something out of the Starsky & Hutch parody. Very muddled, and it took News reporting far too seriously. "You'll remember this for the rest of your life...just take a minute to notice what you're doing"...They didn't kill Bin Laden. They just reported it slightly earlier than anyone else on television.
I simply can not believe that train wreck that is the supposed romantic comedy between the two characters is going on. It is just so fecking cringe worthy, I start gritting my teeth as soon as that Maggie character is on screen.
Aside that, I thought the last two episodes were alright. I hope they bring back the therapist character.
Aside that, I thought the last two episodes were alright. I hope they bring back the therapist character.
God it just gets more saccharine every week. Never mind the hypocrisy of all these liberals rejoicing in execution when I should imagine they are all against the death penalty.
This show is too crispy, I love it.
In terms of this episode, you have to realise that's probably exactly how it was, it may seem forced and acted but when you weigh up the magnitude of what had happened and the impact of Bin Laden's action and death the reactions etc were probably very much like they were portrayed.
I was working at The Guardian through out Libya's 'liberation' and Ghaddafi's death so I can't wait to see their take on it.
In terms of this episode, you have to realise that's probably exactly how it was, it may seem forced and acted but when you weigh up the magnitude of what had happened and the impact of Bin Laden's action and death the reactions etc were probably very much like they were portrayed.
I was working at The Guardian through out Libya's 'liberation' and Ghaddafi's death so I can't wait to see their take on it.
The writing's really curious on this. They jump forward large periods of time but then the personal relationships only seem to advance on the days we see them. If these people are so consumed as they seem to be when we're seeing them, what's happening on the days we don't see?
Maybe they've just got a very light work schedule?
Painfully nauseating level of your garden variety nationalism in the 9/11 episode....Flag wavers were positively giddy, I'm certain
Good point
The thing is that's what it was actually like at the time. I know a couple of yanks and their reaction at the time was ultra nationalistic.
You're spot on. I remember the first Daily Show episode after Bin Laden got killed and aside from poking fun at the coverage it was quite nationalistic. I suppose the episode did capture the mood of the US at the time.
It was very odd in some sections of the US after Bin Laden was killed. Charlie Brooker perfectly critiqued it in his 2011 Wipe
Wow, this show is just spectacularly melodramatic at times. Even more so than The West Wing. It usually works pretty well though, amazingly enough.
Also, Jeff Daniels is the best thing about the show by a mile.
Also, Jeff Daniels is the best thing about the show by a mile.
Just caught up with this last night.
Whilst I've enjoyed it so far, for the most part, apart from the arrogance, over indulgence and utterly ridiculous and boring love triangles, mainly due to Daniels and the fact that the actual news aspect of things (of which there isn't actually a lot) is written really well. But last nights episode was fecking awful.
Seriously, I know Americans did celebrate the Bin laden death wildly, but still, the cheese factor was RIDICULOUS, even by this shows standards. They literally threw everything they could into it. From the English guys girlfriend having a family member in the towers, Don telling the pilots, Will telling the bodyguard, then the bodyguard telling the police officers. Old hippy guy making a daft "you'll remember this forever" speech, the guy in the editing room putting on an NYFD hat. It was unbearable.
Whilst I've enjoyed it so far, for the most part, apart from the arrogance, over indulgence and utterly ridiculous and boring love triangles, mainly due to Daniels and the fact that the actual news aspect of things (of which there isn't actually a lot) is written really well. But last nights episode was fecking awful.
Seriously, I know Americans did celebrate the Bin laden death wildly, but still, the cheese factor was RIDICULOUS, even by this shows standards. They literally threw everything they could into it. From the English guys girlfriend having a family member in the towers, Don telling the pilots, Will telling the bodyguard, then the bodyguard telling the police officers. Old hippy guy making a daft "you'll remember this forever" speech, the guy in the editing room putting on an NYFD hat. It was unbearable.
The last episode was fecking awful. I liked the one with the therapist though.
Also Olivia Munn
Also Olivia Munn
It was the "America, feck Yeah!" episode, I can live with one of those now and again. As soon as I saw the title screen I was thinking "yep, this is gonna get cheesey".
Still enjoyed it though, take it for what it is. Daniels makes this show and as long as he is around its gonna be interesting to watch, they just need to lose the shitty love triangle shit, especially considering her best friend has big tits and is much better looking.
Still enjoyed it though, take it for what it is. Daniels makes this show and as long as he is around its gonna be interesting to watch, they just need to lose the shitty love triangle shit, especially considering her best friend has big tits and is much better looking.
Although that phone hacking stuff was quite interesting. Has the potential to turn into a good storyline.
All this show is just potential. It has been a massive disappointment so far in my opinion.
The first season of the West Wing was a bit shit, too, if people recall. But it improved significantly by the time the second one rolled around.
And just like this show, the WW also suffered with some fairly poor characters early on, but they quickly got removed by the second season after it had settled down.
Sorkin shows tend to get better as time goes on; at least until he gets dropped by the production team because his coke-addled rant-filled scripts are getting delivered too late for filming.
And just like this show, the WW also suffered with some fairly poor characters early on, but they quickly got removed by the second season after it had settled down.
Sorkin shows tend to get better as time goes on; at least until he gets dropped by the production team because his coke-addled rant-filled scripts are getting delivered too late for filming.
Yep this is all true. That's why I reckon Olivia Munn could be the Newsroom's Mandy.
The first season of the WW was much better than this though. Studio 60 was too. This is the weakest of Sorkin's shows so far IMO. That's not particularly a bad thing though. It's like saying "that's is the worst of Ronaldo's 30 yard freekicks"
This is still better than Sports Night...which wasn't really all that bad a show relative to the other stuff on tv.
When two characters are in a dialogue, one has to be super-smart and the other has to be as dumb as a box of rocks. Like when Mortimer was talking to Munn about the banks, FDR, the 1940s, etc. There is no common ground. It has to be one character knows less than feck all about a subject and the other is like Toby from the West Wing.
Wait do people really think the first season of WW was shit? It was my favourite just after season 2.
Season 1 of WW was brilliant.
Squishy face is such a fecking rubbish character.
I am 4 episodes in. Not sure if I want to continue watching. I like bits of it but it is far from great
Does it improve much?
Does it improve much?
I gave up at the same point. It will take a really good sell for me to keep up watching.