Apple TV+ makes a star-studded original drama debut with Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon playing news anchor rivals, but the series struggles out of the gate, according to one of the first reviews.
Daniel Fienberg for The Hollywood Reporter:
One needn’t know the show’s bumpy creative history — rare separate “created by” (Jay Carson) and “developed by” (eventual showrunner Kerry Ehrin) credits give some indication — to be aware of the series struggling and floundering to find its focus, tone and attitude toward its main characters.
After a brutally dull pilot and a meandering second episode, there are distinct hints in the third hour of a more satisfying and confident The Morning Show, one that actually gets value out of leading ladies Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. But did the behemoths at Apple really get into the crowded original TV marketplace to become the latest perpetrator of “It eventually gets better!” patience-testing?
…The Morning Show begins to find its footing in the second episode, tied to growing recognition that most of its male characters are just bad people, whether by intent or apathy… The third episode then steers into the desired soapy goodness and gives both Aniston and Witherspoon the sort of juicy monologues you sense attracted the two stars. That said, even the third episode remains sparing in how frequently it brings them together — and they’re mostly exceptional as individuals when what audiences will surely be wanting is to see them being exceptional together.
MacDailyNews Take: Nearly every television series ever made – surely there are exceptions, but none spring immediately to mind — starts out as “brutally dull” as the exercise of introducing the characters and the concept are chores that both the creators and audiences simply have to endure. This is, of course, why Apple smartly offered reviewers the first three episodes instead of just the first expository episode.
As Fienberg writes, “The third episode points to a series in which Aniston, Witherspoon and Crudup could make this backdrop fun to watch.”
Bottom line: You have to give every TV series the chance to establish their footing before deciding if they’re worth your time.
“tied to growing recognition that most of its male characters are just bad people”
And there you have it, more out of touch celebrity hollyweirdos with no morals trying to push their agenda down the throat of america……PASS 😉
You have an out-of-touch reality show prez with no morals trying to push his agenda down the throat of America… so it’s par for the course.
Haha you guys already sporting your bruised egos I see.
Yes I agree, craftytony’s bruised ego was very evident. Throwing stones from a glass home is a very silly and hypocritical thing to do.
It is written by a gal who has lived “inside the beltway” as it were. And maybe because her industry (TV and movies) that ageism and sexism is a massive, massive thing. I get the ageism. Do people spend $15 a ticket to see an action movie or love story with a bunch of old people? Uh, no… (That’s a hint to hang it up Cruise.)
For almost the rest of us, sorry, but we go to work, and uh, we work, and these issues aren’t around every single corner in massive fashion like it must be in Hollywood. People actually like a 60-year old accountants. Ha!
Thus, will Matt Lauer-like folk and women fighting for TV power interest me?…
Wait. What? Anniston, Carell? This isn’t a comedy?!
Leftists have already demonstrated they have no sense of humor..everything is deadly serious – (shame on you America! is their mantra). The only good comedy these days is Bill Burr and Dave Chapelle and anyone else (president Trump) strong enough to break through the oppressive bullying of the left’s attempts at restricting free speech. It’s actually quite funny, since the amount of incredibly stupid ideas people are trying to pretend is the truth that is ripe for comedy is at unprecedented levels.
Geez little sign you right wing one trick ponies sport much of a humour either. Clearly getting your vitriol in before you actually watch it then, I guess it saves time, but so much for the search for truth. No change there then.
by the way, I’m a liberal, but there’s no party anymore that represents liberals.
“But did the behemoths at Apple really get into the crowded original TV marketplace to become the latest perpetrator of “It eventually gets better!” patience-testing?”
New Apple product written off on first sight. Hey that’s never happened before.
Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead… The list of instant classics is quite long.
GOT is the only good one in that bunch.
Brutally dull? Is this actually then the story of Tim Cook’s life? 😂