PREMISE
A flashback episode to 2020 shows that unexpected connections emerge while the world is lockdown.
EPISODE CO-MVP’s
KAREN PITTMAN AND BILLY CRUDUP
I wouldn’t say this is a show that wastes its supporting characters to supplement storylines involving Bradley or Alex. Still, in my opinion, there is a lot of depth being presented within these supporting characters that usually don’t get a chance to be elaborated upon (especially Chip). Mia Jordan and Corey Ellison are two characters presented as extremely stressed-out hyper-professional types trying to keep the show afloat with all their might. Usually, they’re not given much more than that. But in this episode, we get to see a lot more of their very relatable types of pain.
Ever confess your love to someone only to get that love met with an icy cold shutdown? Happens to the best of us. Buying something extravagant and getting into a rebound-ish kind of relationship seems to be par for the course for someone seriously heartbroken. Ever try to win that same someone over by helping them when they are at their worst at the expense of your dignity? Have you ever heard of somebody who seemed to be in a “happy” relationship mentioning that being quarantined with their partner during the pandemic is what broke the relationship apart? Again, this happens to the best of us. Turns out they were not so much alike, turns out they did have a lot of differentiating opinions that led to direct conflict while they were trapped inside their house with each other during the quarantine.
Crudup and Pittman are wonderful in portraying the complexities of such situations.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
BRADLEY AND LAURA
Cory’s season two confession to Bradley occurred when she was involved with Laura. And in this episode, we realize that she ultimately made the wiser decision of the two. Bradley and Laura seemed to be working on TV very well and seemed to be flat-out in love. Unlike some other characters, it doesn’t seem as if being sheltered together during the pandemic is a direct result of why the desolation of their relationship came to be. As it turns out, the desolation came from a somewhat more common kind of emotional and psychological strain than a quarantine.
The morning show has gotten better at dealing with the really heavy stuff involving their characters. Feels less soap opera-y than last season.
THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE
BRADLEY’S BROTHER
I, for the record, have HATED all storylines involving Bradley’s brother. Everything involving him is always extrapolatory, and this s*** is now the prime example.
Here we are, five episodes into the season. We have more than enough things to speak about at length to cover… And now there’s this storyline that is big enough and could go deep enough to be the focal point of the entire season for the Bradley character entirely… And it shows up in episode five. I can only assume that there are ten episodes of this season like there have been for the past two seasons, so….. Remember how I said this show could bite off more than it could chew? Well…
*************
Ultimately, this is an episode that shines light on both the weaknesses and the strengths that THE MORNING SHOW has always had. It’s a show that has resorted to having Alex and Bradley having their own episodes now because there are so many big things happening all at once with both of those characters that we just don’t have enough running time per episode to get to everything.
Perhaps Apple TV can stretch the running time by twenty or so more minutes to get to lovely side characters like Chip, Mia, Corey, and others a little more often.
Sadly, I know that will never be the case.
It’s available on Apple TV+.
