Gary McCurry reviews the fourth episode of The Newsroom season 3…
When it comes to boxing and UFC matches (stay with me, my point is coming) it gets to a certain point in some fights that the person has been beaten about by the other opponent so much that they need to just go for the knock-out. He/she is so far behind that if it went to the end they would have no chance of winning on points so the only way to redeem it, is a KO. The Newsroom has taken a good few shots recently, last week it was tiring with ‘Main Justice’ and now, this weeks offering, ‘Contempt’ will have people calling for a knock out during the last two episodes to redeem itself.
You know the deal, spoilers ahead.
Let’s start with the good, then we’ll visit the bad and finish up with the ugly. Starting from the exact point where we left it last week, the members are lucky enough to gather a invite to the Correspondence Dinner. They are left stunned that not only has their commander and chief been handed a subpoena, but that a new website called “Carnivore” has picked up the spiteful words said by Will, regarding the event they’re currently attending. Oh, and that website happens to be where Hallie (Grace Gummer) has recently landed after being fired from ACN. Coincidence?
MacKenzie Mchale (Emily Mortimer) gives the team a deadline to get the Equatorial Kundu story that caused all this mess up to scratch to air in four days time. This gives the opening a thrust forward and an injection of excitement right from the get go.
B.J. Novak’s character, Lucas Pruit contributes the other credible moments of this episode. The indifference shown by Pruit towards the current regime and its methods, are exaggerated by Aaron Sorkin’s views of new age media and its gossip riddled nature. However he has a sense of charm that works against an often shouting Charlie Skinner (Sam Waterston).
Jim Harper (John Gallagher Jr.) has made one of the biggest character transitions. Spending his time around Charlie and Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) has brought with it a sense of superiority in regards to reporting the news and anyone not following their suit is second tier in the field. Take his girlfriend, Hallie. To get herself back on her feet she took a job at a start up news website that has bonuses for page views and instead of accepting that these bonuses aren’t a slippery slop to writing sub standard articles but simply as it suggests, a bonus. This could once again be Sorkin talking to his critics through a character, a release of his annoyance that his work hasn’t really hit the audiences like he and HBO would have liked. The inevitable break up after an awkward fight ends with a line that actually had me saying “right, come on.” to the screen.
From one bickering couple to another. Maggie defends Hallie’s decision to write a personal piece about her relationship with Jim, although her date Jack (Jimmi Simpson) believes that this is all a front as it would be too predictable for her to be on Jim’s side. According to Jack, every guy Maggie meets will always be chasing the ghost of Jim. In depth insight for a guy that has known her for a couple of weeks. Oh well.
Ugly comes in the form of Sloan, Don and HR Executive. After the whole fiasco of trying to discover and ruin their relationship, it comes to light that it was all just fun and games to pass the time. Was anything but fun for the audience.
Every week I write, wait until the next episode and then it comes to nothing. Sad to see a great TV show stumbling over its curtain call. Still, there is always next week.
Gary McCurry
Originally published December 11, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
