So the end of another great TV series has come.

The Newsroom was a really smart and entertaining Semi political drama by Aaron Sorkin. The mastermind behind amazing series like The West Wing and Movies like The American President, A Few Good Men, and much much more.

The basic premise of the show was a bored but highly educated and intelligent TV anchor (moderate politically with right wing leanings) who has made a career of being liked rather then being about substance has his world woken up and shaken by a liberal (democrat) activist who steps in as his shows producer.

In the real world now a days that would most likely end up as a bitter name calling yelling match (and to Sorkins credit he did add abit of that in to make it more realistic) but mostly you are met with characters who are passionate about what they believe in and are willing to out think you to make their point (I know I know, you will not find that in modern journalism anymore. Its a TV show, you gotta suspend some disbelief).




The show wasn't perfect mind you. After an amazing first season they devolved into the 2nd season being very preachy and sadly very one sided politically as it attacked the Republican Tea Party. Now I'm not going to sit here and stick up for the Republican Tea Party as even here in Canada we get to hear some really wacky stuff coming from them.

I often liken the Republican Tea Party is to the Right what the Liberals (federal and provincial) are to the left in Canada. Both go way to far to their ideological extreme. 

And I know far to well that Aaron Sorkin writes stuff based in facts so its pretty easy to believe much of the demonizing is true and well deserved. But I also pay attention to daily news and know he passed up allot of flub's on the left during that time to focus solely on The Tea Party. So while his second season may be factually correct (in a artistic way of writing), its also very narrow minded and that's probably why the 2nd season was not as well received over all. The mastery of his work on The West Wing was always that he could write for his democratic characters while never really attacking their republican counter parts.

In season 2 of The Newsroom he lost that balance and the work suffered for it.

But that was just the stuff about the Tea Party, otherwise his writing even in season 2 was masterful.

As was his writing in Season 1 along with the greatest 8 minutes ever for opening a series (Take a look, you will not be disappointed).

But for me it was episodes 5 and 6 of season 3 that really hit home for me.

I live outside Toronto, Ontario, Canada and I also am politically moderate with right leanings.

So for the last 4 years I have watched the left wing media and political figures attack Toronto's old mayor (Rob Ford) with accusations after accusations after accusations. Every single day it was something new. Some eventually stuck and brought Rob Ford down. Many how ever failed to stick and were dropped for a new accusation the next day and so on and so on and so on. And I watched from outside Toronto with horror and disgust as the Left Wing media of Toronto worked togather to bring down a man they disagreed with politically.

90% of those accusations came from "anonymous sources", which to me means "someone with an ax to grind". Oh the Left Wing media would try to justify their "anonymous sources" but comparing them to Watergate and how Deep Throat played a huge role in Nixon being brought down. But what they always refused to accept or admit is Deep Throats accusations were never taken as biblical fact. He gave the lead and then Woodward and Bernstein would independently VERIFY the information before reporting it.

The Toronto Left Wing Media forgot about that little bit and just ran the gossip as fact. When it was disproven they didn't recant or apologize, they just moved onto the next "anonymous source" gossip.

And this went on for roughly 4.5 years until Ford withdrew from running for re-election due to health issues (cancer) and had his brother take over.

So I'm watching the final 2 episodes of The Newsroom and one of their opening scenes is the journalists are arguing in a room about how they report on celebrities and gossip rather then news. Specifically saying "We spent 30 minutes reporting on Toronto Mayor Rob Ford rumors and only 2 minutes reporting on the financial collapse of Detroit as they ran out of money and entered bankruptcy" (sorry could not find clip of scene)  and WOW did that hit home. Everything I had been complaining about regarding media ignoring news to present unchecked gossip.

But The Newroom was not finished there. The followed that scene up with an amazing remake of a famous Jimmy Kimmel (sitting in for Larry King) interview with Gawker (sorry no link as I refuse to link to that trash site).

The Newsroom Interview  (fictional)
The Gawker/Kimmel Interview (really happened)

There just is not writing of that degree on TV anymore.
Aaron Sorkin has that rare ability to look at both sides of a issue and understand both sides.
And when something is clearly wrong (as is modern journalism/media and these gossip rag sites) hes not afraid to call them out on their BS.
Its so refreshing in a modern landscape of over political correctness BS.

Great series.
Not as good as The West Wing
But still great in its own right.

PS: And WTF was Jeff Daniels thinking in not resigning to do this role in this series but instead doing garbage like Dumb and Dumber 2 (again no link because it simply doesn't deserve a link).

It was a role of a lifetime and he tossed it away to ... well honestly I'm not even sure what to call his next role with Jim Carey.

What a waste of talent.