TV Review: The Newsroom – “5/1”

First, apologies for being a bit late (and perhaps a bit brief) with this week’s review of The Newsroom‘s latest episode “5/1” while I’m in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest and Internet connectivity is a bit sketchy. On Sunday May 1, 2011, President Barack Obama came on the air late in the evening to announce that our military had shot and killed Osama bin Laden, putting at least a bit of closure upon the horrific September 11, 2001 World Trade Center bombings nearly a decade earlier.

This week’s The Newsroom is set in the hours preceding the announcement as small hints and leaks begin to emerge into the ears and Blackberries of Will’s (Jeff Daniels) earnest young staff. But the hour begins with a phone call to ACN News Division President Charlie Skinner (Sam Waterston) by a man who identifies himself only as “Deep Throat.” Deep Throat’s inklings about the evening about to unfold are simply his calling card (and proof of street cred) to hint at a much different and, likely, more personal story for Will and his team.

The question raised during “5/1” is “When is it both acceptable and responsible to release a breaking news story?” Is it responsible journalism to break an historic news story immediately? After one credible confirmation? After two? With a story like the killing of bin Laden, Will and Mac (Emily Mortimer) are reminded of All the President’s Men and breaking the story about the Watergate break-in. When you are dealing with a story that can change the world with a single sentence broadcast to millions, it’s not good enough to simply “know.” You need more than one independent confirmation, no matter how highly placed your source.

But to Charlie, even a double confirmation isn’t enough. He knows from personal experience the old wartime adage “loose lips sink ships.” He insists that ACN wait until they know the U.S. military is out of harm’s way before Will goes live on the air. It doesn’t matter that Geraldo is blabbing on Fox News what it thinks is the real story. Or what the New York Times is confirming. It is not until Vice President Joe Biden confirms to Will that not only has the U.S. killed bin Laden, but it’s okay to let the world know, that he is willing to broadcast the story.

Yes, we have a right to know the facts. Yes, news reporters have an obligation to report the news even when the establishment, government or whoever wants it sequestered (temporarily or forever), but integrity sometimes demands restraint, especially when jumping the gun can only serve the interest of self-aggrandizement (and/or ratings).

The story unfolds on an evening of celebration; it’s the one-year anniversary of Newsnight 2.0. It’s showrunner Aaron Sorkin’s way of letting the audience know that the narrative has jumped ahead once again, and now by episode seven, an entire year has passed.

Relationships among the characters have settled into routine, if not the mundane. Will and Mac have an easier camaraderie; their relationship is warm and caring, but not romantic. Jim and Lisa are still together, but those “three little words” now uttered by Lisa loom over the relationship, which now seems to run on inertia and convenience more than anything else, while there still exists much unresolved sexual tension between Jim (John Gallagher Jr.) and Maggie (Alison Pill). Don (Thomas Sadoski) is still neurotic about his relationship with Maggie, annoying everyone in his path.

As much as I like The Newsroom, I wish it moved more slowly, particularly in telling the relationship story. It seems too abrupt at times, without letting us get a feel for the emotional subtext of the character stories. We’re seeing months of unspoken character development as the narrative jumps ahead week to week. If the news aspect to the series were the main thrust, I could go with the relationship leaps and bounds, but more and more, the character arcs seem to be more important. Yes, the scripts tell us that months have passed, but it doesn’t feel quite that way to me.

I don’t agree with much of the criticism leveled against the series. I understand what Sorkin is trying to do; he has created a universe of flawed, intelligent, and interesting characters. I like the female characters, who are flawed just like the guys; they do stupid things and they do very smart things. Such is life (real and otherwise).

So, how did you feel about this week’s The Newsroom? Let us know in the comments thread below. The Newsroom airs Sunday nights on HBO.