Lonely at the Top

Alex and Mitch talk during a commercial break

**Lonely at the Top** is the eighth episode of the first season of *The Morning Show*.

## Short Summary

TMS celebrates the birthday of one of their own as the country struggles with a tragic event.

## Full Summary

Mitch wakes up to his alarm. Paige puts a cup of coffee on the nightstand for him. He has two more days of being 49 and she tells him to enjoy them.

Downstairs, Mitch finds cards and presents from his sons.

As he goes outside to get in the car, he asks the driver, Paul, what he's doing there in the middle of the night. Paul laughs and wishes him a happy early birthday, as they won't be seeing each other on Sunday. Mitch would rather forget about it anyway. He gets a text from Alex. It's the same song she sends him every year. He hits play and they listen as Paul starts to drive.

Greg tells Alex Chip wants her to reach out to J.Lo to see if she'll come on the show and talk about the situation in Puerto Rico. Sean says he'll set it up. Isabella hands her a list of questions for the eudcation reform debate, but it's the same day as another thing Alex is supposed to be doing.

Sean greets Mitch as he gets off the elevator, wishing him a happy birthday weekend. Next, he high fives Dhillon as she passes him. Then he hugs Jake. In the control, he gets many more birthday well-wishes. Joel hands him copy about Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. Mitch then meets Mia, who wishes him happy birthday. He tells her it's not until Sunday. Rena passes and briefly sings to him. Mitch leans in to kiss Mia, but she pulls away and asks if he has the Hurricane Maria copy. They part ways as he goes into his dressing room, where Bart also wishes him happy birthday.

Chip inspects a Ducati motorcycle. There's a mark, but it's just a finger smudge which Spencer easily wipes away. Alex comes in as Spencer leaves and says Mitch will love it. She asks him about the scheduling conflict. He tells her Mitch is going to do the wild card game while she does the debate. The network wants to try Mitch on the playoffs, even though she usually does them. Chip brushes it off as no big deal, but admits the network did a test and Mitch tested well. Alex says that's due to her. If they tested him with Alison, he wouldn't have tested as well. Chip tries again to reassure Alex. Alex remimnds Chip that he used to be her producer. He says he still isn't and he found her. She's his golden goose, but so is Mitch. Alex thinks the network is intentionally trying to put Mitch above her. Isabella comes to tell Alex makeup is ready for her, but Alex tells Chip she's not done with the conversation. Chip tells her not to worry.

Claire walks around giving out coffee to Mia, Dhillon, Layla, Lindsey, Donny, and Hannah. When she gives Hannah hers, she asks her who Jared is. There are so many names to learn. Jared interrupts, taking his coffee and telling Claire he's the head booker, so she should learn his name. She apologizes, but Hannah tells her not to take it personally. He's jut an asshole. He's Hannah's direct superior. Hannah says it's just part of the experience. She has goals to achieve and she's making the best of everything. Mia interrupts, asking Claire to make sure Alison's dress for the birthday segment has arrived. Chip comes through, pulling Jared with him to ask about Alex talkins to Owen Gorman for the Homeland Security story. Hannah follows them as they leave the room. Chip wanted a senator, not a representative. Jared says Gorman is great TV, but Mitch says he's an attention whore. Chip says Jared books him too much, so he's not allowed to do that anymore. Jared says he had Reuben Bowen, but his press secretary pulled him. Chip says there are 14 senators in the committee. Jared thinks it's too late to get them, but Hannah has connections in Sadie Worthington's office. Jared is upset that she didn't share that sooner, but Chip is excited and tells her to do it. Mitch has watched this and says Hannah's a go-getter. Drew agrees and says she's gorgeous, too, as he does Mitch's final touches.

Mitch steps onto the stage, where Alison wishes him a happy 50th. She jokes that he's not old enough for her yet. As she walks away, he compliments her dress. Alex comes in and Mitch asks why she doesn't wear any dresses like that. He asks Chip to get some for Alex, though Alex doesn't want that. Julia announces that they're live in 30 seconds. Mitch says he'd take Alex in the dress over Alison any day, because if Alex is in the dress, that means Alison is naked. Alex announces to the set it's the first joke of the day from Mitch. Julia counts them in and they start the show. They report on Hurricane Maria and the situation in Puerto Rico. They hand it over to Yanko, who is reporting from Puerto Rico.

In the control room, Claire watches Yanko's report attentively.

Hannah gets the answering machine at Sadie Worthington's office. She curses and hangs up. Her phone rings and she eagerly takes a call from Christine. Christine says she doesn't work for Senator Worthington anymore and calls Hannah out for being a bad friend. Hannah says she blew it, prioritizing her work over their friendship. She did the same with her other relationships, but she doesn't like to think about that. Christine only asked for a small amount of decency from a friend. Hannah says it's been awful living in New York without any support. Christine says that's why she moved home. Hannah's just trying to survive, but she hurt Christine's feelings. Christine asks what Hannah needs.

Alex and Mitch continue the show. Alex suddenly announces Mitch's birthday and confetti falls from the ceiling. Once they're clear, Mitch asks what they have planned for his birthday. Alex tells him it's just the usual. He wouldn't want to spend it with anyone but her. Someone coming to clean up the confetti scares both of them. Mitch takes the vacuum and starts using it to get the confetti off Alex.

Mitch plays soccer in the backyard with Teddy and Jeff. Paige comes out and smiles at them. She thought Mitch was getting ready. They're supposed to be meeting Fred and Geneva at the restaurant in less than an hour. He herds the kids inside, where they sit down to eat their dinner while Paige reminds them to put their napkins in their laps and helps cut their food.

Paige and Mitch are silent as they drive to the restaurant. He apologizes to her. He's been thinking a lot. She knows it's becuase his most recent affair just broke up. He apologizes again and she says okay. He reminds her they've built a life together and have two kids. He wants to try. She finds it hard to believe him. Chip calls and tells him they have to move two interviews. Paige says they can stop by to pick up the copy he needs to prepare for them. Chip says he'll leave it with security.

Mitch comes in to pick up the papers, but Jimbo says Chip didn't leave anything with him. Mitch asks if Chip is there and Jimbo says he's in the studio, but Mitch will have to go through the control room because they're buffing the floors outside the green room. Once Mitch is gone, Jimbo reaches for the phone.

Mitch takes a breath and opens the studio door, where everyone from TMS surprises him. Several dancers perform. Then Dick Lundy pops out of a fake cake and sings for Mitch.

Everyone mingles at the party. Hannah tries to talk to Alison, but Alison ignores her. Mitch tries out his new motorcycle, then Dick takes a seat on it.

Reid asks Fred why Dick has never done a show for the network. Chip says Dick Lundy would never deign to do broadcast television. Dick is a filmmaker. Fred wants to send Dick to meet with Cory. They celebrate having the fall's most popular show, which is a credit to Cory, who put it on air. He takes chance. They might need to take some big swings because Your Day, America is nipping at their heels. Reid says he'll start by adding lesbians. Fred asks Reid what the Ducati cost and Reid says it was nothing compared to how much money Mitch has made for the network. Reid asks if Fred's seen the latest numbers on Alex. Fred has and he hates them. People don't like Alex anymore. Reid never thought he'd have to let her go when he first hired her. Fred says they can still reinvent her.

Claire sees Yanko in the hallway and introduces herself to him. He welcomes her to the show. She tells him how much she enjoyed the piece he did from Puerto Rico. He seems to enjoy doing the weather, which is rare. They chat for a few minutes before separating.

Mitch tells Hannah she did a nice job getting the senator. She's surprised he knows it was her, but he says he knows everything that goes on there. He also knows that Jared is lazy and complacent. She made the show better through her efforts. He tells her to keep up the good work.

Alex gives a speech about Mitch and calls him up to make a wish as they wheel in his cake and sing to him. Mitch gives a speech of his own, thanking everyone for coming.

After the party has died down, Mitch talks to Dick. Dick put the whole thing together. Mitch isn't sure his legacy will be good, but Dick says they'll get over it, though he admits Penny never did when he married Rita. Mitch isn't feeling fulfilled with what he's done. Dick has his films and they'll last forever, but no one re-watches the news, except for big tragedies and those are rare. Mitch has had too much to drink, but he has to be back at the studio in a few hours, so there's no point in leaving.

An alert comes in on Hannah's iPad and she wakes up Chip to tell him there's an active shooting in Las Vegas. Rena comes in and adds to the conversation. Chip asks to them to get someone from LA to cover it and get Mitch and Alex there. Hannah says Mitch is still there. Chip sends her to get him and put him on a plane.

Chip tells Mitch his car is waiting outside and Alex is on her way to the airport already. Mitch doesn't think it's necessary to send Alex as well, but Chip says he needs both of them. Rena comes up and says she can't get a hold of Jared, but Mitch says Jared is slipping anyway. He suggests sending Hannah instead and Chip agrees. After Rena leaves, Mitch asks Chip to take Mia off her team and put her on Alex's team instead. It's uncomfortable for them.

Chip tells Mia that Mitch wants her off his team becuase it's too awkward for him. Mia thinks it's punishment for breaking it off, but Chip doesn't think that's true. She's going to Alex's team, which she doesn't like. She's not going to Vegas. Chip says he needs her help with this and she says she'll go figure out as much as she can.

Rena books hotel rooms for everyone. Chip tells Hannah she's going to Vegas and she thanks him.

Alex and Mitch watch news reports on the shooting. Greg says they'll give them updates when they get them.

Alex wonders why people keep doing this as she and Mitch prepare to go on camera. He reminds her that she can't cry and tells her to think of something else. Valerie does her last touch ups as Julia counts them in and they go live.

Hannah tells Greg she's meeting with a girl whose friend was killed in the shooting who might be willing to go on the show.

Alex asks Mitch if he thinks they're dead inside. He thinks they're in an induced coma. She wonders how long they keep doing this. It's not natural to reach this level of pain this often. Mitch agrees that it's awful, but thinks it might be the most natural thing there is. Alex finds it depressing. Mitch says having this much money is unnatural. Having money like they have is supposed to protect them from seeing sad things, which is why people want that. But he and Alex make their money by putting themselves right in the middle of everyone else's pain. Alex doesn't know how she'd do it without Mitch. Mitch says she's his best friend and will always be a part of him. Mitch invites Alex to go out drinking with him, but she says he should get some sleep instead.

Mitch walks along the strip. He sees Hannah and goes to talk to her. She says she's fine, but he says she shouldn't be because there's nothing fine about what happened. He asks her to walk back to the hotel with him. As they walk, they talk about how difficult this is. he tells her she doesn't have to be a robot. She admits that she's sad. She's not sure she's ever learned so much in a single day before. He's seen that she cares about her job. That's why he wanted her there.

Alex tells Chip she was just with Mitch and he didn't mention anything about it. She doesn't want to take Mitch's hand-me-downs. Chip says Mia's not a hand-me-down. Alex says she's not comfortable with Mia on her team. Chip says having Mia might help Alex, but Alex doesn't want to hear it and hangs up.

Mitch tells Hannah how he copes with the sadness by thinking about funny things. He started when he was just starting out in the business. He passed out his first time at the anchor desk and still has a scar from it. But Hannah's doing great with her big break. She's helping bring the news to the world. But there is one other thing he does.

Mitch and Hannah watch Caddyshack and Mitch laughs. He notices Hannah's not laughing and asks if she hates it. The day's still getting to her and she cries. He hugs her. She tries to pull back, but he keeps a hold on her and tells her she smells good. Then he starts to kiss her neck and tells her he likes her. She says she likes him, too. He then reaches into the front of her pants. She says this isn't what she expected, but he thinks it's a nice surprise for her. He pulls back and starts taking her pants off, telling her it's okay. He leads her back ot the bedroom, where he pushes her back onto the bed and starts kissing down her body. She tries to talk, but can't. He pulls her panties off and starts performing oral sex on her.

As Mitch sleeps in the bed, Hannah retrieves her panties from the floor. She gets dressed and leaves.

Hannah zones out as people around her talk about the show. She snaps back in when Rena hands her the Springsteen tickets Jared needed for the mother of the septuplets. Hannah takes them to give them to Jared. Rena asks her how Vegas was and Hannah says it was really sad. Hannah sees Mitch in the hallway and he barely acknowledges her as he passes. She looks in the direction he was walking and then turns around. She gets on the elevator.

At Fred's office, Hannah ignores James telling her she can't go in and walks into Fred's office. She tells him that she just got back from Vegas with TMS. She tries to tell him everything that happened with Mitch, but can't get the words out. She tells him who she is and he says he's heard she's been doing great work. He heard head booker might be in her future. She realizes in horror what he's doing. She clarifies that she's head booker now and leaves. As Fred goes back to his desk, a news report about Harvey Weinstein plays on his television.

A local reporter reports on the accuasions against Harvey Weinstein. Alex and Mitch are watching and Mitch calls him a creep.

## Cast

### Starring

* Jennifer Aniston as Alex Levy
* Reese Witherspoon as Bradley Jackson (credit only)
* Billy Crudup as Cory Ellison (credit only)
* Mark Duplass as Chip Black
* Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Hannah Shoenfeld
* Nestor Carbonell as Yanko Flores
* Karen Pittman as Mia Jordan
* Bel Powley as Claire Conway
* Desean K. Terry as Daniel Henderson
* Jack Davenport as Jason Craig
* Steve Carell as Mitch Kessler

### Guest Starring

* Janina Gavankar as Alison Namazi
* Tom Irwin as Fred Micklen

### Special Guest Stars

* Martin Short as Dick Lundy
* Paul Guilfoyle as Reid

### Co-Starring

* Embeth Davidtz as Paige
* Ian Gomez as Greg
* Augustus Prew as Sean
* Hannah Leder as Isabella
* Victoria Tate as Rena
* Andrea Bendewald as Valerie
* Kate Vernon as Geneva
* Shari Belafonte as Julia
* Eli Bildner as Joel
* David Magidoff as Nicky
* Amber Friendly as Layla
* Katherine Ko as Dhillon
* Michelle Meredith as Lindsey
* Judah Mackey as Teddy Kessler
* Benjamin Mackey as Jeff Kessler
* Christian Zuber as Fred's Assistant
* Nanrisa Lee as Local News Reporter
* Joe Marinelli as Donny
* Joe Pacheco as Bart
* Sean Alexander James as Security Guard
* Richard Whiten as Paul
* Michael Seitz as Spencer
* Ethan Cohn as Jared
* Jeff Pomerantz as Drew
* Dana Davis as Christine (voice only)
* Brittany O'Connor as Dancer
* Ferly Prado Mason as Dancer
* Rachael Markarian as Dancer
* Christina Quarternik as Dancer
* Ashleigh Wilson as Dancer
* Victoria Acker as Dancer
* Meagan Kong as Dancer
* Hannah Douglass as Dancer
* Traci Swartz as Dancer
* Hannah Hawkins as Dancer
* Ashley Everett as Dancer
* Audrey Douglass as Dancer
* Cassie Dzienny as Dancer
* Dana Holm as Dancer
* Kristin Johnson as Dancer
* Kathlee Mangan as Dancer
* Maurice Harris Jr. as Drum Major