Review | In ‘The Morning Show’ Season Three, Apple TV+ Drama Finds its Footing
Led By Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, the Show Embraces its Dramatic Flair For a Compelling Watch
Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston in 'The Morning Show,' now streaming on Apple TV+. | Photo: Erin Simkin, Apple TV+
After a rough second season, The Morning Show makes a bold comeback with season three. With a star-studded cast lead by Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, the newsroom drama continues its journey through the ever changing political landscape, trying its best to keep up with current events while incorporating piping hot drama along the way.
When The Morning Show first premiered on AppleTV+ in 2019, it told the story of the impact and implications of the #MeToo movement in a news media setting, centering around allegations of sexual misconduct against lead anchor Mitch Kessler (played by Steve Carrell). Based on the 2013 novel Top of the Morning and meant to mirror the real-life allegations against former NBC anchor Matt Lauer, The Morning Show season one carefully explores the multitude of perspectives surrounding the misconduct.
Season two is where the show begins to go off the rails. In an effort to capture a wider variety of political topics, viewers were left watching an overwhelming amalgamation of almost every single current event. Characters were stretched out, plotlines ran wild, and it seemed like the show bit off more than it could chew.
As if being awoken by its own missteps from its predecessor, season three decides to lean into its often ridiculous plotlines and embrace its melodramatic side. The season starts off with lead anchor Alex Levy (Aniston) in Texas, set to go to space on a rocket owned by mysterious billionaire Paul Marks (Jon Hamm). Yet, hours before the launch, a combination of secret business deals, immigration detainment, and personal alliances within the network cause Alex to be replaced by former co-anchor Bradley Jackson (Witherspoon). It’s topical, over-the-top, and very dramatic — all things that The Morning Show excels at.
The craziness doesn’t stop there. Throughout the season, romantic relationships spark and explode, UBA becomes victim to a cyberattack, racism allegations plague the company’s board, and employees commit acts of surprising betrayal.
By diving deeper into the personalities and relationships of each character, season three is able to re-establish the emotional connection with the viewers, all while maintaining its topical nature. For example: the show touches on the January 6 Capitol insurrection, but there’s an added problem: Bradley’s brother was one of the rioters. The show continues to provide multiple perspectives on a variety of issues through its extensive cast of characters, making for a captivating watch.
This character-driven approach ends up exposing some of the weaker characters on the show. Billy Crudup’s Cory Ellison, CEO of the network, comes off as more of a caricature than a compelling individual, turning him into an unnecessary antagonist and increasing his manic personality to an annoying degree. And TMS executive producer Charlie “Chip” Black (Mark Duplass) is once again the punching bag for Alex’s high standards, offering little to no character development.
However, season three also paves way for some of the show’s strongest performances thus far. Aniston continues to be a powerhouse on-screen as the sharp, tough, and flawed anchor. Alex is mesmerizing when vulnerable and horrifying when angry, all while showcasing her tenacious personality. President of UBA’s news division Stella Bak (Greta Lee) is also a force to be reckoned with, often rocking boats with her fresh and modern approach to leadership while harboring some personal, business-altering secrets of her own. Lee rivals Aniston’s on-screen wit, frequently raising the bar with iconic one-liners and humorous reactions.
The Morning Show is far from perfect. Its ambition sets it up for failure, exposing it to flaws on all fronts. In each ten-episode season, plotlines are stretched thin, current events are handled clumsily, and characters are underdeveloped.
But season three does something unlike its predecessors. It takes advantage of its dramatic nature and allows the show to transform into what it was always meant to be: a glorified soap opera. And that makes for some really good television.
The show has been nominated for 16 awards at the Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series, two for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, three for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and four for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.