The Newsroom

[Dwayne Hicks]

Who watches this? I saw last season and it wasn't too bad. Over on imdb conservatives of course rip this show since its "liberal bullshit". Even though the main character Will Mcavoy (Jeff Daniels) is a republican. So far this season seems a little cheesy to me but does report the issues well. Im not sure how I feel about the fictional plot of Genoa, but we'll see how it develops. The show is on after True Blood (ridiculous show) so thats why I started watching it.

[brucefan]

1. If you think

True Blood is a ridiculous show,I can't talk to you.

[aikoaiko]

2. +1

[think]

3. I like both The Newsroom and True Blood.

[SwissTony]

6. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't True Blood a vampire series?

Suspension of disbelief is a complex and personal phenomenom. I, personally, have no trouble watching Harry Potter and LOTR.

But vampires...give me Lugosi, Karloff and Nosferatau.

[William769]

10. Those guys weren't as hot as these.

[SwissTony]

14. True, but they were scarier...

in 30s and 40s technology.

I thought vampires were supposed to be scary. But Buffy et al made them sexy as well.

Times change...maybe I should catch up....but I did like the black and white of the old vampires...I mean, Nosferatau...who's going to want to shag him?

[William769]

20. I still like the oldies when I want a fright night.

I like the new one's when I want a happy blissful dream state night.

[Atman]

28. True Blood has become ridiculous

The ONLY reason to watch it is to see Anna Pacquin naked. The plot has became absurd even for a vampire show.

[bigwillq]

39. Don't talk to me then.

True Blood sucks.

[think]

4. The Newsroom kicks ass. By far my favorite show now...

[SheilaT]

5. I just got done watching the first season of Newsroom

on DVD.

I liked it a lot. I'm looking forward to the next season coming out on DVD.

[think]

7. Genoa is fictional but it parallels the use of white phosphorous in Falujah

Warning graphic video:

[Drunken Irishman]

9. I don't like this plot...

I don't see where they can take it. The initial discussing of it revolves around potential impeachable offenses. Okay. So, Obama in this TL is President ... and we know he isn't impeached over this because it didn't actually happen.

AS for your link, I thought I read it was to resemble Operation Tailwind?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Tailwind

Either way - neither of our links have any connection to Obama, and the episode hints at the idea of impeaching him. Where can this story go?

[think]

11. I certainly never meant to imply that this happened under Obama nor

have I heard or read anything that would suggest that.

The video I posted is clearly about the incident in Falujah in 2004 under Bush.

As for the Newsroom storyline I am not sure why they use Afghanistan,mention sarin gas, and have the events occur on the Obama administration timeline.

[Drunken Irishman]

12. I'm not saying you did...

I'm saying the implication in this TL is that it happened under Obama. If that's the case, and it's an impeachable offense, where will they take it? Sorkin has said he wants to keep this series as close to reality as possible, so, if that's the case, we know Obama isn't being impeached (well, give it time with these asshole Republicans...), so, I'm not sure I see where this is going as a plot device...you know? What's the end game? If it's bad for Obama, how do they reconcile that with the reality that something of this magnitude A) never happened under Obama and B) he was never impeached...

That's all I'm wondering.

[think]

15. Your concern is understandable. I'm sorry I missed your point previously.

[Drunken Irishman]

19. It's okay. I could be wrong and maybe it's meant to take place before Obama's presidency.

[hootinholler]

16. I'll have to watch it again

I thought genoa was on the TL before Obama but is just now being looked at by the newsroom.

[Drunken Irishman]

18. Maybe? I don't know. I just remember the claim it could lead to impeachment...

Whose then?

[hootinholler]

25. I watched episode 2 last night

It is around 2009 or 2010 on the show timeline.

[burnodo]

33. Obama's

The current timeline of the show is late 2011. The "TL" occurred two years prior.

[Chiyo-chichi]

35. See #29. If you saw the season opener, you know Genoa didn't happen.

Or at least not the way they reported it.

[William769]

8. I like the show.

And I loved the opening of Sunday night's show about the republican crowd a the presidential debate booing a Gay solider and none of the people on stage stood up for the solider after showing all their campaign ads showing they support the troops 100% and then theres will's retort (perfect!).

I won't comment and why the threads I have seen on this subject not liking this show doesn't point that fact out.

As to your comment on "True Blood"? Thats where you lost me.

[hootinholler]

13. I do

It's on at the same time Coppers is on so they both get recorded for my pleasure later.

What is this True Blood thingy? Never watched it.

[Xyzse]

17. Thanks for reminding me.

Season 2!!

[Dwayne Hicks]

21. Well

I like True Blood but the plot is getting absurd, and I find myself routing for the humans.

I'm really looking forward to when the Newsroom gets to the presidential debates. That should be an interested episode!

[mnhtnbb]

22. I watch it. Nobody writes dialogue like Aaron Sorkin.

[RagAss]

23. Great writing and tailor made for political junkies.

I'm surprised there are not more threads about it on DU.

[Dwayne Hicks]

24. I agree

Though a couple characters are annoying, like Maggie.

[demwing]

26. good show with moments of brilliance!

Reminds me of West Wing, which is natural, as both are Sorkin creations.

[MrSlayer]

27. Last season was great, this season is kind of "meh" so far.

I like seeing how the stories of the day should have been covered but it's not really packing the punch of season one. I'm hoping it picks up as it goes along.

[jollyreaper2112]

29. Genoa is no surprise

Everyone gets it wrong. There was no nerve gas. It is a major screwup. That's the whole point. They got it wrong. The season shows you how they made the bad call and asks you if you would have done any different in their shoes.

This was in the first episode. The whole season is a flashback from the investigation.

[burnodo]

32. Yet there are people here speculating about where the show is going

without having seen the whole season

[Atman]

30. I enjoy it.

Probably my favorite show on the tube these days. But that's not saying much, as I only tend to watch cable series. There isn't anything on network tv which I care about enough to tune into.

That said, I think this season of Newsroom (so far) has relied too heavily on silly romance stuff and cheesy "comedy" pratfalls (the producer falling over in his chair? Really?) and gimmicky plot devices (the tape recorder). But it's still one of the best things on tv.

[burnodo]

34. THIS season full of silly romance stuff?

I guess you didn't watch the show last season. My biggest complaint about the show so far is how soapy it is.

[Atman]

36. I've seen every episode.

The first season soapy, to be sure, but I chalked it up to character development and laying out some storylines. I was hoping the show was going to rely so heavily on the romance angles this season. It looks as if I was wrong so far.

[burnodo]

37. Now Sloan and whatshisface are going to hook up

providing even more soap

[jollyreaper2112]

38. it's working for me

You have to balance big ideas and human interest. The biggest failing of most scifi is having a great idea explored by cardboard cutout characters. You have to care about the people involved as a springboard for enjoying the big ideas.

What I like this season is they're doing just that. The soapy drama is catapulting characters directly into their storylines. It all has bearing.

By comparison, there was an attempt at a hard SF space show about astronauts on a grand tour of the solar system. No bumpy forehead aliens, no FTL, super-long travel times, all plausible mid-future stuff. I hadn't even heard of it before it was canceled. The writers, unfortunately, had no idea what they were doing and so, when presented with this novel premise, it all devolved into soapy bullshit between the super-hot crew bumping astronaughties.

Ah, here we go.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defying_Gravity_(TV_series)

"Grey's Anatomy in Space." Fuck you, TV executives.

[B Calm]

31. I love this HBO series. True Blood is ridiculous, but I like it.

I also like Boardwalk Empire, Hung, ETC. . .