The Morning Show (American TV series)

The Morning Show (American TV series)
The Morning Show, also known as Morning Wars in Australia and Indonesia, is an American drama television series starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell that premiered on Apple TV+ on November 1, 2019. The series is inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV. The show examines the characters and culture behind a network broadcast morning news program. After allegations of sexual misconduct, the male co-anchor of the program is forced off the show. Aspects of the #MeToo movement are examined from multiple perspectives, as more information comes out regarding said misconduct.
The second season premiered on September 17, 2021. The series was renewed for a third season in January 2022, which premiered on September 13, 2023. On May 1, 2023, ahead of the season three premiere, Apple renewed the series for a fourth season.
Premise
Alex Levy co-anchors The Morning Show (TMS), a popular morning news program broadcast from Manhattan on the UBA network, which has excellent viewership ratings and is perceived to have changed the face of American television.
In the first season, after her on-air partner of 15 years, Mitch Kessler, is fired amidst a sexual misconduct scandal, Alex fights to retain her job as a top news anchor while paired with a new partner, Bradley Jackson, a field reporter whose series of impulsive decisions increasingly threatens the network.
In the second season, the network CEO attempts to convince Alex to return to TMS as the COVID-19 pandemic engulfs the United States and the show itself. Meanwhile, Bradley deals with an identity crisis.
In the third season, the network struggles for viewers for its subscription service and contemplates a take-over by tech titan Paul Marks.
Cast and characters
Main
Jennifer Aniston as Alexandra "Alex" Levy, co-host of UBA's TMS
Reese Witherspoon as Bradley Jackson, former TMS co-host and news anchor at UBA
Billy Crudup as Cory Ellison, CEO of UBA
Mark Duplass as Charlie "Chip" Black, executive producer of TMS
Néstor Carbonell as Yanko Flores, the meteorologist of TMS
Karen Pittman as Mia Jordan, a producer at TMS
Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Hannah Shoenfeld, talent booker for TMS (season 1)
Bel Powley as Claire Conway, a production assistant at TMS (season 1; guest season 2)
Desean Terry as Daniel Henderson, co-host of the weekend edition of TMS (seasons 1–2)
Jack Davenport as Jason Craig, Alex's ex-husband (season 1)
Steve Carell as Mitch Kessler, the recently fired co-host of The Morning Show (seasons 1–2)
Greta Lee as Stella Bak, President of UBA’s news division (season 2–present)
Ruairi O'Connor as Ty Fitzgerald, social media expert at UBA (season 2)
Julianna Margulies as Laura Peterson, YDA co-host and former news anchor at UBA (season 2–present)
Nicole Beharie as Christine Hunter, a new TMS co-host (season 3)
Jon Hamm as Paul Marks, a tech billionaire looking to buy UBA (season 3)
Recurring
Victoria Tate as Rena Robinson, Chip's assistant
Shari Belafonte as Julia
Hannah Leder as Isabella
Eli Bildner as Joel Rapkin
Joe Marinelli as Donny Spagnoli
Amber Friendly as Layla Bell
Tom Irwin as Fred Micklen, UBA's president
Joe Pacheco as Bart Daley
Janina Gavankar as Alison Namazi, co-host of the weekend edition of TMS (seasons 1–2)
Michelle Meredith as Lindsey Sherman (seasons 1–2)
Andrea Bendewald as Valérie
Joe Tippett as Hal Jackson, Bradley's brother
Marcia Gay Harden as Maggie Brener, a reporter and journalist
Augustus Prew as Sean (seasons 1–2)
Katherine Ko as Dhillon Reece-Smit (season 1)
Ian Gomez as Greg (season 1)
Oona Roche as Lizzy Craig, Alex and Jason's daughter (seasons 1–2)
Markus Flanagan as Gerald Drummond
David Magidoff as Nicky Brooks (season 1)
Mindy Kaling as Audra Khatri, a rival morning news anchor
Embeth Davidtz as Paige Kessler, Mitch's ex-wife (seasons 1–2)
Kate Vernon as Geneva Micklen (season 1)
Roman Mitichyan as Sam Rudo (season 1)
Mark Harelik as Richard (seasons 1–2)
Theo Iyer as Kyle, Cory's assistant (season 2–present)
Choni Francis as RJ Smith (season 2–present)
Tara Karsian as Gayle Berman (season 2–present)
Holland Taylor as Cybil Reynolds, a seasoned board member of UBA (season 2–present)
Valeria Golino as Paola Lambruschini, a documentarian who befriends Mitch in Italy (season 2)
Jack Conley as Earl (season 2–present)
Aflamu Johnson as Aflamu (season 2–present)
Hasan Minhaj as Eric Nomani, Bradley's new co-host (season 2)
Patrick Bristow as Gordon (season 2)
Katie Aselton as Madeleine, Chip's girlfriend (season 2)
Tig Notaro as Amanda Robinson (season 3)
Stephen Fry as Leonard Cromwell (season 3)
Clive Standen as Andre Ford (season 3)
Guest
Season 1
Adina Porter as Sarah Gravele
Brett Butler as Sandy Jackson
Philip Anthony-Rodriguez as Gabriel
Fred Melamed as Neal Altman
Ahna O'Reilly as Ashley Brown
Natalia Warner as Cecily
Martin Short as Dick Lundry, a disgraced movie director
Andrew Leeds as Alan
John Marshall Jones as Noah
Zuri Hall as herself
Kelly Clarkson as herself
Kelly Sullivan as Vicki Manderly
David Morse as Mr. Jackson
Julian Morris as Andrew
Cheyenne Jackson as himself
Robert Cicchini as Robert
Mike O'Malley as Tim Eavers
Romy Rosemont as Sheila Lutkin
Brian Bowen Smith as photographer
Paul Guilfoyle as Reid
Ethan Cohn as Jared
Dana Davis as Christine
Maria Sharapova as herself
Hayes MacArthur as Marlon Tate
Season 2
Will Arnett as Doug Klassen
Dave Foley as Peter Bullard
Kathy Najimy as Sylvia Portman
James Urbaniak as Backstage Manager
David Bowe as Clyde Canter
Patrick Fabian as Jeff
Foo Fighters as Themselves
David Paymer as Mr. Shoenfeld
Brian Stelter as Carl Richardson
Meredith Scott Lynn as Linda
Martin Short as Dick Lundry, a disgraced movie director
Season 3
Natalie Morales as Kate Danton
Alano Miller as Marcus Hunter
Maria Canals-Barrera as Mercedes
Ilia Volok as Pavlo
Andrew Patrick Ralston as Elmer
Esther Perel as Herself
Will Arnett as Doug Klassen
June Diane Raphael as Eagle News Anchor
Meredith Scott Lynn as Linda
Retta as Herself
Fortune Feimster as Herself
Brent Bailey as Zach
Sasha Alexander as Salma
T.V. Carpio as Emma
Daniel Kash as Seth
Samantha Sloyan as Cheryl
Lindsay Duncan as Martha, Cory's mother
Eyal Podell as Larry Pane
Shannon Woodward as Jess Bennett
Elizabeth Perkins as Elena
Episodes
Season 1 (2019)
Season 2 (2021)
Season 3 (2023)
Production
Development
On November 8, 2017, it was announced that Apple had given the production a series order consisting of two seasons of ten episodes apiece. The series was set to be executive produced by Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Jay Carson, and Michael Ellenberg. Carson was expected to act as a writer and showrunner for the series as well. Production companies involved with the series were slated to consist of Media Res, Echo Films, and Hello Sunshine. On April 4, 2018, it was announced that Carson had departed the production over creative differences. He was replaced as executive producer and showrunner by Kerry Ehrin. On July 11, 2018, it was reported that Mimi Leder would serve as a director and executive producer for the series. On October 23, 2018, it was reported that Kristin Hahn and Lauren Levy Neustadter would serve as additional executive producers for the series.
On June 22, 2020, Aniston revealed in a Variety interview with Lisa Kudrow that the show's development began prior to the Me Too movement, but was ultimately reworked to include and partially focus on it.
The show cost $15 million per episode, with Aniston and Witherspoon each earning $2 million per episode, not including producing fees and ownership points. On January 10, 2022, Apple renewed the series for a third season.
On May 1, 2023, Apple renewed the series for a fourth season.
Casting
Alongside the initial series announcement, it was confirmed that Aniston and Witherspoon had been cast in the series' lead roles. In October 2018, it was announced that Steve Carell, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Billy Crudup, Néstor Carbonell and Mark Duplass had been cast in series regular roles. On November 7, 2018, it was reported that Bel Powley, Karen Pittman, and Desean Terry had joined the main cast of the series.
On October 9, 2020, Greta Lee and Ruairi O'Connor officially joined the second season as regular characters. On November 13, 2020, Hasan Minhaj was also announced as a new cast member. On December 3, 2020, Julianna Margulies announced she joined the second season of the series. In August 2022, it was announced that Jon Hamm and Nicole Beharie had joined the main cast for the third season, with Tig Notaro joining in a recurring role.
Filming
Principal photography for the first season commenced on October 31, 2018, at the James Oviatt Building in Los Angeles. Filming continued in Los Angeles until filming started in New York City on May 9, 2019. Production on the first season also concluded that May, after seven months of filming.
Production on the second season began on February 24, 2020. On March 12, 2020, Apple TV+ halted production on the series due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The second season resumed filming on October 19, 2020. Between February and March 2021, Steve Carell, Jennifer Aniston, Mark Duplass, and Hannah Leder were spotted in Los Angeles filming the second season. On May 18, 2021, filming for season two concluded.
Production on the third season began on August 16, 2022., and it was announced on February 11, 2023 that the season's filming had wrapped up.
Release
After the Apple Special Event of March 25, 2019, Witherspoon announced on Instagram that the series would premiere in the fall of 2019. It premiered on Apple TV+ on November 1, 2019. In January 2021, Apple announced that the second season would premiere in 2021. The second season premiered on September 17, 2021. It was announced that the third season would premiere on September 13, 2023.
During the Apple Special Event, a teaser trailer was released with footage from the series as well as footage from other original series set to premiere on Apple TV+. Furthermore, Aniston, Witherspoon, and Carell were at the event to promote the series. On August 12, 2019, Apple released a first look trailer for the series. It was also revealed that the series would be titled Morning Wars in Australia, in order to distinguish the series from the Australian morning talk show of the same name.
Reception
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes it received an overall score of 64%, and an overall score of 61 on Metacritic.
For first season of The Morning Show, the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 61% approval rating, based on 106 reviews, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Flashy, but somewhat frivolous, The Morning Show often feels more like a vanity project than the hard-hitting drama it aspires to be—but there is pleasure to be had in watching Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon give it their all." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 61 out of 100 based on reviews from 37 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
The second season of the series received a 67% from Rotten Tomatoes based on 51 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Morning Show'''s second season has a slew of stupendous performances—but too many characters attempting to address too many hot-button issues makes it hard to know what any of them are actually trying to say." At Metacritic, the website gave the second season a 60 out of 100, based on 25 reviews.
The third season of the series received a 66% from Rotten Tomatoes based on 64 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Leaning into its soapier elements while bolstering an already star-studded cast with some welcome additions, The Morning Show upgrades from a shaky prestige program into an addictive guilty pleasure." At Metacritic, the website gave the third season a 65 out of 100, based on 30 reviews.
Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave a positive review and wrote: "The Morning Show doesn't have the cinematic gravitas of the Showtime series The Loudest Voice or the Aaron Sorkin poetry of HBO's The Newsroom. It's more along the lines of the solid but underachieving Sports Night TV series from the late 1990s."
Audience viewership
According to TV analytics provider TVision, The Morning Show has been viewed by panel members 5.03 times as much as the average Apple TV+ original series or shows TVision has measured since Apple TV+ launched in November 2019. The series became the second most watched Apple TV+ series after Ted Lasso''.
Accolades
References
External links
– official site
2019 American television series debuts
2010s American workplace drama television series
2020s American workplace drama television series
2010s American satirical television series
2020s American satirical television series
2010s American LGBT-related drama television series
2020s American LGBT-related drama television series
English-language television shows
Television series about journalism
Television series about television
Television shows about the COVID-19 pandemic
Apple TV+ original programming
Television productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Television shows based on non-fiction books