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.

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!

I had attempted to watch the West Wing, but found it to be too dated. Newsroom was my second attempt to watch an Aaron Sorkin show. I absolutely fell in love with some of the characters, most notably Will McAvoy and Jim Harper.

The writing is absolutely brilliant. The dialogue is very witty and creates some fun situations. There are several comedic moments in the show while balancing massive news stories such as Deepwater Horizon or the assassination of OBL. What I love most is how often Don Quixote comes into play through dialogue.

The premise of the show is to report the news the correct way, not through calling attention to reality TV stars or a celebrity feud. Don Quixote and his mission to civilize is a frequent presence of the show. I identify far too much with Will McAvoy. Will is fiercely loyal, protective and can be a bit of an ass. Will was fine reporting stories that were not necessarily newsworthy until his former flame MacKenzie McHale (Emily Mortimer) arrives as the new EP for his show. Mac forces and encourages him to report the actual news to the public. Will takes it upon himself to educate viewers, but also gossip columnists and others who he deems do not know the actual news. The relationship between Mac and Will is one of the series best.

Romance is a huge part of the show. There is a love between Will and Mac for the entirety of the series. I love Jim Harper (Josh Gallagher Jr.) though. He is kind, dorky and has the greatest bromance with Neal Sampat (Dev Patel). He also has a crush on fellow coworker Maggie Jordan (Alison Pill) and their chemistry is amazing.

Lastly, I was shocked to find the number of terrible reviews from numerous media outlets. The show does hope to change the way Americans view the news. The news does frequently mention the latest celebrity scandal and does not educate. The series hopes to fill that void. I believe that The NY Times, LA Times and others felt threatened by exposing the inner workings of a news station. I loved the show because it shows the idiocy of politicians, governmental mistakes and other key issues. Although, if you are conservative I do advise against watching the show.

I was very sad watching the series finale. I felt very close to some of the characters which is not something that happens to me very often. The series ends beautifully and I feel the series is so important as a whole. I wish the show was still continuing in the age of fake news, but I am thankful it was on for as long as it was. I found myself laughing, deep in thought and learning. I definitely recommend this!!!

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.

Rarely does a television show come along and sweep you off your feet with brilliant writing, an amazing cast and an actual message that is relevant and inspirational. Aaron Sorkin has done it again with The Newsroom! This show is truly a display of what television can achieve if we have the right people who are willing to break the rules of the mundane drab to make an engaging and intelligent show.

Jeff Daniels plays Will McAvoy, the cautious, veteran news anchor tiptoeing with his career in order to "play it safe", concerned more with keeping his ratings than stepping on toes. He has the smarts, the background and the ability to be something more, a challenger of beliefs and a defender of ideals, but lacks the motivation until Mackenzie MacHale (played beautifully by Emily Mortimer), a woman from his past, reenters his life. She is the spark to ignite his flame and gets him burning with an unquenchable passion once again.

Within the first five minutes of the show, Jeff Daniels delivers a speech of Aaron Sorkin's words about the state of America that is extremely touching, stimulating and brutally true for a vast majority of the population. It's reminiscent of his West Wing days, but with even more flare and aggression. I only hope he can keep the pace that he has set with the pilot; the bar is set high.