Each time those opening credits for The Newsroom roll and Thomas Newman’s opening titles score plays, I do admit to feeling a little weak at the knees. Though some of the shots included are typical fare of characters running, yelling and pointing while the actor’s name appears, it is still enjoyable. Having long been a ran of Thomas Newman’s scores from American Beauty, Six Feet Under and Angels in America, it is no surprise that his evocative stir creates such a reaction. Ultimately, it sets the scene for each episode, and as the music begins, sounding like a newswire, we know exactly what we are watching.
Episode Five (“Amen”) tackles the Egyptian leadership crisis of early 2011 with the ensuing riots that take place. Neal (Dev Patel) found a local reporter who was able to get out onto the streets and report what American journalists could not. Creator Aaron Sorkin makes a point of noting the news-making factor of Americans involved in the political events. Violence towards the American journalist became a large part of the story as it unfolded, and Sorkin does not shy away from this factor.
Thankfully, the idealism that featured so strongly in the first episode seems to be waning as the hours go by. The characters are making big mistakes that cost them not only a lot of attention, but could potentially cost them their jobs. The Leona Lansing (Jane Fonda; sadly only appearing in episodes 3, 4 and 10) plot continues to interest, as Will (Jeff Daniels) and Mackenzie (Emily Mortimer) are featured frequently in the tabloids owned by Lansing. It is interesting to wonder how far the inquisitions will go before the end of the season.
Clumsiness seemed to feature heavily in the episode, at first rather transparently referencing Broadcast News with Maggie (Alison Pill) cast a noticeable substitute for the Joan Cusack character as she stumbles her way down hallways while attempting to deliver a tape to the control room. The problematic nature of the female character’s and their coordinator inabilities has been mentioned before, but in this episode it seems that Don and Neal are also privy to the same clumsy fumblings, though usually out of heroic anger and determination rather than an incapable nature. The actors handle it all with grace though, and once again Dev Patel and Olivia Munn were particularly enjoyable in their supporting roles.
Coverage of the Egypt issue was handled well, but not to the same lengths as the Gabby Gifford shooting last episode. With a new theme and news story each week, it is always interesting to see how Sorkin retroactively recreates the events as they unfold, as we wonder just how noble he will make his characters actions and motivations. The developments occurring between the “on-the-ground” newsroom characters and those external competing forces (TMI, and Lansing) are definitely more interesting to follow.
The Newsroom airs Monday nights on the SoHo channel. Read more episode reviews of this season.
