The Newsroom

I was drawn in by the first episode but the show quickly became horrible it is pretentious, arrogant, self-indulgence, wish fulfillment of a rich, white, male who believes all the world need is more Great White Men to civilize us. If that wasn't bad enough it has the worst female characters currently on television.

Let go down the list of all the ridiculous things thing supposedly brilliant, intelligent, show has women do:

Shoot bottles off of propane tanks.
Set Timothy Geithner on fire
Can't count without using their fingers
Signs card for condolence of the loss of a loved one "lol".
Woman suggest covering the ipad gets thrown out of meeting. Man suggests Bigfoot and calls in the main staff on their day off to discuss. "I'll take a look at it".
Women screws up, look to man for what to do.
Women spends half an episode despite to convince her staff that their male is really a great guy.
Can't use a Blackberry.
Needs a man to tell her all about how to mange her own medical condition.
Knows nothing about economics, accepts invitation to debate economics.
Has two phds, get hired for her two legs, none of these sanctimonious "best form of the argument" return dignity to the four estate people see a problem with this or that it doesn't even make sense (the job is sitting behind an opaque desk.)
Doesn't know the difference between Georgia the country and Georgia the state, remember this is a newsroom employee not a person off the street, and it was during the invasion of Georgia.
...and I could go one like this. less

First off you yourself said the following words: "ineptitude" "klutz" which is my point. Maggie is a one-dimensional incompetent cartoon at this point in other words a bad character. Even Sorken can't think of a logical reason why she is still employed "I dodge bullets" is not a display of competence.

"I'm not sure whom you're referring to in this. I think it's the Munn woman, but can't be sure."

Yes Mac very clearly says "they don't have your legs" to her character when asked why choose her for the job (they even put it on the previously on the Newsroom segment after words). When asked if she should strip to the answer is if that is what it takes, even jokingly, this proves my point. Again this is "The best form of the argument" Mac. "Hot legs" is not the best form of economics. Sorkin (and newsnight and its employees) is all about "the best form of the argument" when it suits his (or theirs) personal pet causes but are oblivious to anything else. Being above Casey Anthony is supposed to make them noble, even though you are under no obligation to cover it Nancy Gracy style and could spin it in to a critical discussion of several issues, yet pandering to horny males isn't above them at any time.

“Her reasoning was given in the show. Please pay attention to it.”
Her reasoning doesn't make it any less stupid, again this is the women that gave the sanctimonious "Best form of the argument" speech. You’re not the best form of the argument Mac, live up to your own speeches why don’t you!

"Scene also intended to show that man is a good guy, and plays into a later scene."
Showing that a man is a nice guy at the expensive of a women's competency is bad clichéd writing. Women= helpless, man= white knight, Sorkin= How romantic, Me= eyeroll.

"I can't use a Blackberry."
Are you an employee in place where competence in these types of things would be expected especially if you are "the best in the business"? Mac is. You wanted context? Context is what makes it bad and by comparing it to yourself you are taking it out of context by framing it within your own experiences instead of what the show presented. Her job would require a high degree of tech savvy, it makes no sense for her character.

"And the main character didn't even know he had a blog, and arrogantly thinks he fixed the internet after taking steps to curtail hate-filled comments on said blog."
He didn't know they had someone writing a blog for him this is different from not knowing how to send an E-mail. To be equivalent we would have to have a scene of him being unable to post something online. But more importantly the show presents his crusade as a good thing. Anonymous comments are seen as a bad, horrible thing and his idea is seen as an improvement to the site. Sorkin clearly agrees with Will his contempt for the internet is transparent throughout the show. If anything he is lionized as a persecuted martyr for his bold ideas.

"Also, scene tied into a later element of the episode."
You mean when she sends an E-mail about her private life to the entire company? That doesn’t make it good writing, indeed the Idiot Ball is consider to be a poor writing device only instead of being given the idiot ball, idiot is the closer to the default state.

"Because a good work environment depended on people being able to get along with Will."
Getting along professionally yes, but this was about seeing him as a good person personally, not creating a good working relationship. The show was all about building up the purely personal plot point of Mac having been the one to cheat on Will not solving inter-work relationships issues. Her going around telling people to like Will does not create a better work place indeed she is just being unprofessionally and string the pot even more. Also they rightful think Will is a jerk because he acts like a jerk to them; he should be encouraged to change his behavior by Mac not his victims. The show and you yourself called him a bully, he is the problem, Mac isn’t fixing a work place problem she is enabling a work place problem.

"Man screwed up. Looked to woman for what to do."
When!? Will screws up in the first episode, actively fights having Mac help and as you yourself point out is a bully to her in the workplace and when he becomes a bully goes to a male therapist. Meanwhile Sloan explicated ask if lying is what Will wants her to do says I need wisdom to Will, because Great White Man is just full of it. No man on the show has had comparable scenes with a women.

"Man was ridiculed for almost the entire show."
and still faces less professional consequences then the women that suggested the ipad story. The women is yelled at and throw out of the meeting, immediately. Man , even if being humored, is not and at the end Will says he will take a look at it which is a lot more respect than the woman got. In the real world, Will's response to the women would be an overreaction and Mr. Bigfoot would have been fried for his calling in the main staff on their off day for his nonsense.

And he is still being given more respect, when he suggest that White House announcement about getting Bin Laden might be about UFOs he is shoot down but moments later “Do you think it could be UFOs?” Does Maggie’s slightly less ridiculous the birthers are right idea get considered, no? Neither desires to be considered but why is it that the man’s ridiculous theories are continually met with more respect than women’s ideas? In addition, his idea about exposing internet trolls gets approved because “trolls” is high-minded news.

“That scene was shown to highlight how the main character is a bully, and feels a great deal of animosity towards the other character”
It makes Will look like a bully and Mac look stupid problem is we are supposed to see Will as bully (but not enough of one to tarnish his Great White male status), but see Mac as the “best in the business” not someone stupid we should pity.

“She thought it meant 'lots of love'. David Cameron did this”
David Cameron is in an age bracket that is less likely to understand internet culture. It is not a believable error for a character her age working in her field even if a klutz. Secondly, a typical text is a very different thing from a condolence letter. Texting practically requires the use of acronyms, using an internet acronyms in a condolence letter would be inappropriate even if it meant lots of love. “Sry about ur loss, lol”. Nope, doesn’t work no matter what the acronyms mean.

“Admittedly I don't remember this bit.”
Sloan. She says it in the first plane scene in the Bin Laden episode, Don announces it to the whole plane, and she admits it again. How on Earth does one accidently set fire to someone in an interview? Be a female on this show! Add to that the whole set up to the joke is designed to make Sloan look stupider then Don and his relationship drama, since we are making Don (male) look bad they had to have Sloan do something even more over the top unbelievable. That is the point when I gave up on this show actually it is absurd over the top, something you would except to see if Bugs Bunny where in the Newsroom therefore I’ll believe that Sorkin women are equal to men when I see Will take down a republican using the rabbit/duck season bit. less

First off you yourself said the following words: "ineptitude" "klutz" which is my point. Maggie is a one-dimensional incompetent cartoon at this point in other words a bad character. Even Sorken can't think of a logical reason why she is still employed "I dodge bullets" is not a display of competence.

"I'm not sure whom you're referring to in this. I think it's the Munn woman, but can't be sure."

Yes Mac very clearly says "they don't have your legs" to her character when asked why choose her for the job (they even put it on the previously on the Newsroom segment after words). When asked if she should strip to the answer is if that is what it takes, even jokingly, this proves my point. Again this is "The best form of the argument" Mac. "Hot legs" is not the best form of economics. Sorkin (and newsnight and its employees) is all about "the best form of the argument" when it suits his (or theirs) personal pet causes but are oblivious to anything else. Being above Casey Anthony is supposed to make them noble, even though you are under no obligation to cover it Nancy Gracy style and could spin it in to a critical discussion of several issues, yet pandering to horny males isn't above them at any time.

“Her reasoning was given in the show. Please pay attention to it.”
Her reasoning doesn't make it any less stupid, again this is the women that gave the sanctimonious "Best form of the argument" speech. You’re not the best form of the argument Mac, live up to your own speeches why don’t you!

"Scene also intended to show that man is a good guy, and plays into a later scene."
Showing that a man is a nice guy at the expensive of a women's competency is bad clichéd writing. Women= helpless, man= white knight, Sorkin= How romantic, Me= eyeroll.

"I can't use a Blackberry."
Are you an employee in place where competence in these types of things would be expected especially if you are "the best in the business"? Mac is. You wanted context? Context is what makes it bad and by comparing it to yourself you are taking it out of context by framing it within your own experiences instead of what the show presented. Her job would require a high degree of tech savvy, it makes no sense for her character.

"And the main character didn't even know he had a blog, and arrogantly thinks he fixed the internet after taking steps to curtail hate-filled comments on said blog."
He didn't know they had someone writing a blog for him this is different from not knowing how to send an E-mail. To be equivalent we would have to have a scene of him being unable to post something online. But more importantly the show presents his crusade as a good thing. Anonymous comments are seen as a bad, horrible thing and his idea is seen as an improvement to the site. Sorkin clearly agrees with Will his contempt for the internet is transparent throughout the show. If anything he is lionized as a persecuted martyr for his bold ideas.

"Also, scene tied into a later element of the episode."
You mean when she sends an E-mail about her private life to the entire company? That doesn’t make it good writing, indeed the Idiot Ball is consider to be a poor writing device only instead of being given the idiot ball, idiot is the closer to the default state.

"Because a good work environment depended on people being able to get along with Will."
Getting along professionally yes, but this was about seeing him as a good person personally, not creating a good working relationship. The show was all about building up the purely personal plot point of Mac having been the one to cheat on Will not solving inter-work relationships issues. Her going around telling people to like Will does not create a better work place indeed she is just being unprofessionally and string the pot even more. Also they rightful think Will is a jerk because he acts like a jerk to them; he should be encouraged to change his behavior by Mac not his victims. The show and you yourself called him a bully, he is the problem, Mac isn’t fixing a work place problem she is enabling a work place problem.

"Man screwed up. Looked to woman for what to do."
When!? Will screws up in the first episode, actively fights having Mac help and as you yourself point out is a bully to her in the workplace and when he becomes a bully goes to a male therapist. Meanwhile Sloan explicated ask if lying is what Will wants her to do says I need wisdom to Will, because Great White Man is just full of it. No man on the show has had comparable scenes with a women.

"Man was ridiculed for almost the entire show."
and still faces less professional consequences then the women that suggested the ipad story. The women is yelled at and throw out of the meeting, immediately. Man , even if being humored, is not and at the end Will says he will take a look at it which is a lot more respect than the woman got. In the real world, Will's response to the women would be an overreaction and Mr. Bigfoot would have been fried for his calling in the main staff on their off day for his nonsense.

And he is still being given more respect, when he suggest that White House announcement about getting Bin Laden might be about UFOs he is shoot down but moments later “Do you think it could be UFOs?” Does Maggie’s slightly less ridiculous the birthers are right idea get considered, no? Neither desires to be considered but why is it that the man’s ridiculous theories are continually met with more respect than women’s ideas? In addition, his idea about exposing internet trolls gets approved because “trolls” is high-minded news.

“That scene was shown to highlight how the main character is a bully, and feels a great deal of animosity towards the other character”
It makes Will look like a bully and Mac look stupid problem is we are supposed to see Will as bully (but not enough of one to tarnish his Great White male status), but see Mac as the “best in the business” not someone stupid we should pity.

“She thought it meant 'lots of love'. David Cameron did this”
David Cameron is in an age bracket that is less likely to understand internet culture. It is not a believable error for a character her age working in her field even if a klutz. Secondly, a typical text is a very different thing from a condolence letter. Texting practically requires the use of acronyms, using an internet acronyms in a condolence letter would be inappropriate even if it meant lots of love. “Sry about ur loss, lol”. Nope, doesn’t work no matter what the acronyms mean.

“Admittedly I don't remember this bit.”
Sloan. She says it in the first plane scene in the Bin Laden episode, Don announces it to the whole plane, and she admits it again. How on Earth does one accidently set fire to someone in an interview? Be a female on this show! Add to that the whole set up to the joke is designed to make Sloan look stupider then Don and his relationship drama, since we are making Don (male) look bad they had to have Sloan do something even more over the top unbelievable. That is the point when I gave up on this show actually it is absurd over the top, something you would except to see if Bugs Bunny where in the Newsroom therefore I’ll believe that Sorkin women are equal to men when I see Will take down a republican using the rabbit/duck season bit. less

“Please do.”

I will….

There is Mac confusing someone saying they are available to go on air with someone hitting on her and then again confuses it when he says to someone else till a man finally explain to her that national security analyses e-mail reporters about news not trying to score a date. Again, the best in the business is the person that is demonstrating this ineptitude. And again the man automatically realizes that the national security analysis is talking about a news story and starts to try and figure out what is going on. This is actually great example a male and female receive the exact same message women twice miss the obvious, man gets it in one.

There is Maggies roommate storming into the newsroom because she is angry at her boyfriend.

Man tells a women she needs to look ahead while walking, women of course then crashes into something.

Then there is the way Sorkin point out trivial female pursuits but doesn’t do the same for trivial male pursuits. He attacks reality TV targeted to women, like the real housewives and tabloid magazines “We becoming a nation of old ladies in hair dryers”. Yet does he attack the consents pandering to the male gaze, opposite actually see Sloan above. Does he attack our obsession with sports above other more serious issues and there are several issues that could be explored regarding the celebrity and exploration in professional sports. No we are supposed to admire that Will was an athlete and a sport fan. He example of tragedy porn is one of turning women against other women. Sorken doesn’t shine a critical eye on typically male pursuits the way he does typically female ones.

And while on that the irony is that the tabloid he vilifies actually did some investigating found out about Mac’s boyfriend having high political ambitions before Mac did. How is Mac the best in the business again?

There is Mac getting gum stuck in her hair on an apparently recurring basis…with short hair...this is known to the staff to the point they ask if that why she needs their help …again.

Sloan’s completely unprofessional poking of Will’s bodyguard’s chest. Imagine if it were a man and female bodyguard.

Sloan responds to a hypothetical troll article about her “having a big butt and sleeping her way to the top” by pining the man to the wall and asking if she really has a big butt follow up question: do some men really like big butts.

Will does a lot more preaching to women then men; she the sorority girl in the first episode, his various dates, the TMI reporter.

Sloan, remember she of two Phds., misinterprets her boss use of the word “expanding” as a jab at her weight.

We are told repeatedly told that these women are smart, competent and professional but shown them being stereotypical, unprofessional female wreaks, and this is just looking at things in the show. I can look up interviews that reinforce Sorken’s massive gender problem too. This is the first and last Sorkin show I will watch looking up interview it clear he is a dinosaur with misplaced nostalgia for the 40’s and 50’s and his women reflect that.

*huff* *puff*I think that’s… most of it…. till the next episode I hate watch. less

.1: Which episode is this?

.2: That was a type of drama that the show could have gone without, yes. Though I would like to highlight that the men are just as interested in their personal lives, as the women are.

.3: Person walks into lamppost. Person gave advice.

.4: I suspect that's because sports is seen by culture as a worthwhile pursuit link whereas reality TV is seen as a blight on society (rightly, in my opinion). Sorkin's comments, though, were in poor taste.

.4.5: You'd rather she spied on her boyfriend?

.5: Comedic purposes.

.6: Yeah, that's unfair. We should be allowed to poke female bodyguard's chests, too.

.7: I don't recall this. However, women, as do men, have weight issues. They're allowed to.

.8: So you missed the preaching he does to his boss, his employees, his therapist?

.9: Was it serious, or of comedic content?

.10: His men are smart, competent and professional but shown them being stereotypical, unprofessional male twats.

Alternatively, you could stop watching altogether. less