Newsroom: Sorkin Attempts Fifth Estate

Aaron Sorkin of The Social Network, West Wing presents the world of cable news television in this series set in 2011.

It has some good qualities.  They take a critical view of the current news reporting situation in America, and the sensationalism or tabloidisation style that is deeply embedded.  The females wear nice office clothes.  You see all the action of an editing suite.  I'm clutching at straws.

On the other hand, it is consistently irritating.  Each episode has furiously paced sets of conversations and monologues, in which flashy intellectual superiority is showcased.  Uber sarcastic comments are used as ammunition in arguments, which aren't humourous because they're dressed up to be this smarter and holier-than-thou diatribe.  Characters are cliched and there is no opportunity to delve into personalities and emotions.  Even Will McAvoy, the deeply troubled anchorman, is a bore at the psychiatrist's office.

Embattled boss ranting at staff

One of the characters is preoccupied with Bigfoot being real.  It could have worked, but the premise and execution is so unbelievable that it makes you want to fast forward to the end.  There are 2 romantic relationships brewing, and the tension is dragged out.  But you know it is going to happen in the end as it is formulaic and predictable, as are the main plotlines.

Common Scene: Ranting

The staff at the newsroom claim to be upholding journalistic fourth estate principles, but end up being sanctimonious and targeting certain groups in the US (Republicans, Tea Party).  The Anchor is ridiculously aggressive in his approach to interviewing, which you would think would normally be a good quality in a solid interviewer, but he doesn't pull back or give people room to explain themselves.  Bullying dressed up as journalistic integrity. 

Further intent to explore humour results in splashes of slapstick which fail terribly as the moments feel contrived.  Constant counterfeit anger and lack of subtlety in manic pseudo-intellectual arguments lead to viewer disengagement.  For a look at a top notch series examining journalistic integrity and passionate reporting, seek out The Hour, a BBC series that is set in the 1950s.