What I’m Watching: The Morning Show

The Morning Show: Season 1, Episode 5 “No One's Gonna Harm You, Not While I'm Around” (B+)

I appreciated this episode because, even though it had two predictable developments – Bradley was going to sleep with the bartender and Mitch and Alex apparently have a past – it complemented those with some genuine surprises and very watchable moments. I’m speaking specifically of Cory’s attempt to apologize to Alex for being awful to her, which she chose not to accept, prompting him to start singing a tune from “Sweeney Todd” that he reminded Alex was a duet. I loved that scene and the performances in it; I just wish the singing had been a bit more natural instead of seemingly lip-synched for the sake of showier production values. I’m glad that we get to see Mitch again, who boldly marched in to work and asked people to speak up for him. We know already that Fred is pretty despicable as a person, and Mitch’s promise to take him down with him rather than be thrown under the bus is ominous and can’t lead anywhere good. Alex tried to control the story that Bradley gave Marcia Gay Harden’s Maggie Brener from New York Magazine and failed, and she evidently had more than a friendship with Mitch, even if their quick kiss isn’t indicative of just what the nature of that really was. Bradley going out drinking with her colleagues wasn’t necessarily a good idea, and the most memorable moment of that storyline was Mia shouting down a callous Claire and nearly revealing just how close she was to what happened with Mitch.