Originally published January 7, 2014. Updated April 11, 2018.
Gary McCurry reviews the sixth episode of The Newsroom season 3…
Friends, Cheers, and more recently, True Detective. These shows all come with an unforgettable theme song. I mean, who hasn’t done the claps during “I’ll Be There For you” or sang along to the immortal lyrics “making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got.” My point is that TV has a unique way of showcasing a song that makes a good scene, great. Tom T. Hall’s “That’s How I Got To Memphis” capturing the heart this time around.
One final time in relation to The Newsroom, spoilers ahead.
The episode title has followed Aaron Sorkin through all three of his previous shows and could be laid to rest here if he sticks to his word and leaves television behind. It pleases me to say that the farewell to the show and its characters has a satisfying conclusion despite the two lacklustre episodes that came before it. Let’s look at how it ended.
We have to accept that during a finale we’ll have numerous moments all competing to win most memorable scene award. The first comes in the form of Mackenzie getting news (at Charlie’s funeral) she’s pregnant. This triggers a flashback to three years ago, just before the first episode and that magnificent rant on why America isn’t the greatest country in the world anymore. Charlie has become weary of Will’s, ratings first, news second attitude and attempts to talk him into the Will McAvoy we eventually see from the pilot onwards.
We go back and forth from past and present day with great effect, giving us an insight into the moments that lead to Will’s public meltdown and Mackenzie’s decision to take the Executive Producer (EP) job, knowing that it would be met with animosity by the show’s star. These all the result of Charlie’s scheming.
Next, new owner Lucas Pruit (B.J. Novak) gets a nudge from previous owner Leona Lansing (Jane Fonda) to place Mackenzie as ACN’s President in order to solve the gender equality issue currently causing him a headache. It’s all about the end game here and we watch the announcement during a heartfelt speech that Will makes after passing twice to eulogize his best friend for fear of not doing a worthy enough job. No surprise to anyone, Jim and Maggie are finally together and get the treatment most “will they, won’t they” couples get. During this season Jim has been, for lack of a better word, a dick. No real repercussions for telling his girlfriend she is a second rate journalist or for Maggie leading on her boyfriend, Jack (Jimmi Simpson) while still clearly hung up on another. Repercussions has no place in this finale. Neal returns and delivers an on point monologue before sitting down to join the others and build a new ACN Digital. Welcome home, Neal. You earned the respect of your peers by not giving up the source, fleeing to Venezuela and trying to expose Government wrongdoing. For all you’ve done you get a monologue and your old job back.
Now, we have the song. Set up with a scene earlier in the episode for an impromptu jam session to occur with Charlie’s Grandson. Yes, a little cheesy and during the last episode it just decided to insert the fact Jim and Will play guitar but it worked for me. This was met by an ever growing audience to turn up and enjoying the entertainment going on in the garage. I get people may, and probably had a “really” moment during it but I’m a sucker for that kinda thing.
Having been worried that the decline of season three would continue and therefore end the show in a bad light, my faith was restored, at least somewhat in the shows ability to capture news and the people who cover it. I’ll wave Sorkin off with a tear in my eye rather than a disappointing glance.
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