The Newsroom

If you have any desire to see important TV, pun intended, take a gander at this 6 episode comedy series(available on VHS & PBS) produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 'The Corp.' let writer/director Ken Finkleman(escaped from HOLLYWOOD hackdom) do whatever he wanted and it shows in a TV show that knows no bounds in its behind the scenes look at a Toronto TV Newsroom. Smashingly smart, searingly irreverant, better than Larry Sanders at giving you the inside scoop on the crap that makes (most) TV what it is. Lock up your sacred cows. Ken's knives are sharp and long. Also see 'More Tears'(1998) also by CBC and Finkleman.

The first time I attempted to watch "The Newsroom" I tuned out, bored. The second attempt was not only better, but I became hopelessly enslaved and devoted to the series which I have watched over and over, for therapy, a hedge against loneliness, and other times when I just want to be a part of Finkleman's wacky world. I love the man. He can do no wrong for me. For many of the cast it had to have been the "best of times" to have been part of this magnificent production. Along with Ken's "More Tears", and Dennis Potter's "Singing Detective" I know of nothing finer ever done on TV, and I could absolutely kill myself for not being able to write a more fitting tribute to this great artist.

This show was excellent and had me until the completely unnecessary and bizarre 8 and a half homage (the three episodes called the meltdown). The entire purpose of which seemed to be to allow finkelman to pretend to be the main character from the movie. Which was hopelessly self-indulgent ("which was the point! get it?!") and devoid of anything interesting to say.

Before that though the show lays the blueprint for one camera office politics satire which both the British and American Office have utilized (if not totally ripped off). The show features some of the best writing I've ever seen on Television, incredibly sophisticated and never broad, it still manages to be hilarious.

8.5 out of 10 (get it?)

I saw this years ago, so I'm reviewing this based on my response in the 1990s.

This harsh satire of the news industry was pointed, dark and very, very funny. I don't remember too many details, but I remember that it was absolutely brilliant.

And then came the last episodes, in which the main character snaps. And they were awful. What had been a straight ahead comedy suddenly, inexplicably turned into an obvious tribute to/ripoff of Frederico Fellini. It was clear that series creator Finkleman, like so many humorists, felt humor wasn't enough and that he had to prove himself as an artist. And the result was tedious, pretentious and a complete misfit with the rest of the series.

But it's still worth watching all the episodes up until that point. It's just a shame Finkleman couldn't have been satisfied making a really funny satire of television news.

While Ken has made the show much more darker (I think there has been a death in every show), it still remains an incredibly funny show. George Findlay was always the most interesting character in the original series, thus I have no problems with there being a lack of returning cast members. Amongst the new actors, I especially enjoy Matt Watts, whose deapan delivery makes his character much funnier than he should be. Overall, a solid return for Finklemen after all those artier than thou pretentious pieces that he did after the original series (More Tears was still good though).