A delightful onion of story, character and motive reveal. Amazing actors playing off each other like a fine Bach musical movement with Reece Witherspoon, Jennifer Anniston and Billy Crudup. Just to watch the unfolding, both subtle and explosive between these three, is worth the watch.
It takes on the meetoo situation in a very balanced way. I am fully aware of how much agenda there is in Hollywood, usually left leaning politically, but also often hysterically too far left regarding any other issue (racism, sexism, capitalism etc), this program is not guilty of picking sides. It beautifully portrays the deadly crossing of lines and perception of what sexual abuse is. Can't say I have ever seen sexual exploitation portrayed so well, so subtly. All the power plays and players, both male and female, feeding into the problem, without the histrionics and manipulation of feminism turning everybody off.
Near the end of the season, the trip back in time to when Mitch (Steve Carroll) was King of the Morning Show, illustrates how he himself had already been seduced by glory, and spoilt by money and attention, finding his life somehow still wanting, as expressed to his friend (Martin Short). He is almost tempting fate to take it all away. Whilst looking for some meaning or even frivolity to relieve his dissatisfaction, someone else ultimately pays a deadly cost, as he is blind to his own flaws, but can clearly see them in others. Was the power the real reason for his ineptitude as a human being or was he inherently corrupt, or worse still - just a "normal man"?
Other great satisfactions to be found in all the support players as they take part in a very real feeling vibe of the situation of behind the scenes on a mainstream TV channel. I gather many of the makeup and camera people seen on camera are not usually actors but real makeup and camera people, playing themselves.
Lovely to see Jennifer Anniston playing such a complex human, she clearly understands all the dynamics. Billy Crudup is a terrific character, a "magician", seer or mischievous jester, but a part of the top corporate structure, his power play is 4D chess those above him didn't see coming.
Congratulations to the script writers, who don't insult the intelligence of the audience at any point.
It takes on the meetoo situation in a very balanced way. I am fully aware of how much agenda there is in Hollywood, usually left leaning politically, but also often hysterically too far left regarding any other issue (racism, sexism, capitalism etc), this program is not guilty of picking sides. It beautifully portrays the deadly crossing of lines and perception of what sexual abuse is. Can't say I have ever seen sexual exploitation portrayed so well, so subtly. All the power plays and players, both male and female, feeding into the problem, without the histrionics and manipulation of feminism turning everybody off.
Near the end of the season, the trip back in time to when Mitch (Steve Carroll) was King of the Morning Show, illustrates how he himself had already been seduced by glory, and spoilt by money and attention, finding his life somehow still wanting, as expressed to his friend (Martin Short). He is almost tempting fate to take it all away. Whilst looking for some meaning or even frivolity to relieve his dissatisfaction, someone else ultimately pays a deadly cost, as he is blind to his own flaws, but can clearly see them in others. Was the power the real reason for his ineptitude as a human being or was he inherently corrupt, or worse still - just a "normal man"?
Other great satisfactions to be found in all the support players as they take part in a very real feeling vibe of the situation of behind the scenes on a mainstream TV channel. I gather many of the makeup and camera people seen on camera are not usually actors but real makeup and camera people, playing themselves.
Lovely to see Jennifer Anniston playing such a complex human, she clearly understands all the dynamics. Billy Crudup is a terrific character, a "magician", seer or mischievous jester, but a part of the top corporate structure, his power play is 4D chess those above him didn't see coming.
Congratulations to the script writers, who don't insult the intelligence of the audience at any point.