The Newsroom

Boy, some people did not like this show.

Someone here said the first five minutes of the pilot were fabulous (I'm paraphrasing) and then it was downhill from there.

This is what makes the world go round. In the beginning, I found "Newsroom" too chaotic. I wasn't connecting with the characters and it was all too much.

Then I really got into it, and I found it fantastic. I loved the acting and the characters, and I don't understand why it went off the air.

I also loved the witty dialogue, and I liked the fact that it showed the interpersonal relationships within the newsroom as well as out. The whole Genoa thing was particularly chilling, when you absolutely know what's going on - fascinating to watch.

This is an Aaron Sorkin show, along the lines of The West Wing. And what actors - Sam Waterston, Jane Fonda, Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer, Allison Pill, Marcia Gay Harden, everyone top-notch. Even though I haven't been the age of most of the newsroom characters for many many years, I could still appreciate their lives and what they went through.

How bad can something with Sam Waterston in it be, I ask myself. Certainly worth checking out.

In the tradition of his earlier 'behind-the-scenes of TV' shows, Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom takes a hard (and witty) look at the behind the scenes of cable news. And like all his other shows, The Newsroom deals as much with themes of honour, ethics, loyalty, idealism and love, as it does with the news. It's also written in Sorkinese – Aaron Sorkin's fast-paced, back-and-forth, sing-song dialogue that'll leave you heady on a good day but with a headache on a bad one.

So, like critics have lambasted, is it "weighted too heavily toward sermonizing diatribes (LA Times)?" Maybe. Does it "choke on its own sanctimony (NY Times)?" Perhaps. Is it "yet another platform in which to Set the People Straight is a worthwhile purpose (Huffington Post)?" Most definitely yes. But is this all really so horribly, terribly bad? NO!

The main bone of contention for critics for this show seems to be that it tries too hard to be good, do good and instill good, just like all of Sorkin's earlier work. But when did that become a crime, in times of shows about becoming the next scrawniest supermodel, douchiest reality housemate or Tim Allen's 30th comeback? What's wrong with a show fantasizing about a world upheld by a long-forgotten morality in a time infested with shows that fall over each other to portray stark, grim realities and apocalyptic futures?

The Newsroom's got a fantastic cast with enough charm to last you till the next Woody Allen movie. Emily Mortimer's already got me falling in love with her, Jeff Daniel makes you really root for him, John Gallagher Jr and Alison Pill have an instant chemistry and Sam Waterson's singularly enough to bring you back every week. Yes, it's longer than it needed to be, and yes, it could have done with a little more Noam Chomsky and a little less Don Quixote. But really, as long as it does what so few show can ever claim to together – rouse you, make you think and ENTERTAIN, bloody well at that – who's complaining?

Admittedly, I'm a fan of Aaron Sorkin. I've seen (repeatedly) and LOVED Sports Night and The West Wing, and I think Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is one of the best shows ever made. His writing has inspired me in the past, and after watching The Newsroom, I have all reasons to believe that it will continue to, well into the future.

Critics be damned, watch this show simply because it's good television. It may not change the world, but at least it's trying to.

I have never felt as driven to make sure other people understood just how perfect a show was. Not for Game of Thrones, Firefly, Sopranos or any of the other shows I obsess about. But this show changed that! This show boils down everything that is wrong with America and puts out a simple answer to solving that. DO THE BLOODY NEWS LIKE IT'S NEWS NOT A HIGH SCHOOL PROM ELECTION!

Jeff Daniels is perfect in his role as the tired beaten down journalist that just doesn't give a damn about anything anymore, but used too. And we can see the spark that ignites him to become great again. Why aren't real reporters like this? Why oh why?

If this show get's cancelled I will camp out in front of HBO HQ and not leave till the last Game of Thrones series comes out (because I have to get on with my life at some point).

This was my first review ever on IMDb, all because of this amazing show! You better watch it as well!

I've been watching television for all of my 57 years on the planet. It is a rare thing when I see a show that grabs me from the first moments and holds me to my chair until the very last, but this just happened tonight as I watched the first episode of The Newsroom. Brilliant writing, terrific characters, excellent dialog, smooth and sexy directing that organically brought all the pieces together, and there couldn't have been better casting. Every character just felt exactly right. When it was over, I said this will be the new West Wing. Jeff Daniels shines in this role and what a great opportunity to showcase his effortless acting. I can easily see major Hollywood "A" listers grabbing their telephone's right now making late Sunday night calls to their agents demanding they get a guest appearance on The Newsroom. I was hoping for good when I heard about this show last winter, but what was delivered was excellence. Well done HBO. You've got me hooked. Well done!

Maybe I am just coming into adulthood after my 45 years, but The Newsroom has always been food for thought. The pace, direction and writing has been excellent. I have watched and re-watched every episode over the past 3 seasons and really can't understand why they would cancel this show for the ages. First I was not a person that watched West Wing. I was younger and dumber for the show to stick. this show grabbed me from the get go and I have never been more surprised with it's greatness.

HBO - why oh why are buying into the big network belief that the public is not getting what you bring us. This show is why I subscribe to your network and seeing it leave is a shame. The past episode "Oh Shenandoah" was brilliant is so many ways. It left me thinking about my father and how we can challenge ourselves in moments of being tested. I came here to tell everyone I will watch the last episode with sadness and wish I could continue this great program going forward, but it's over. I will save these three seasons and remember every episode with fondness and hope to see these great actors, directors and writers in the future where they can continue to express themselves without worrying about ratings or money driven desires.

Thank you for 3 great seasons!