Mandatory TV Battles: ‘The Newsroom’ vs. ‘The Morning Show’

Since its premiere late last year, Apple TV +’s flagship series, The Morning Show, has drawn numerous comparisons to HBO’s The Newsroom. Both shows seemingly revolve around broadcast news programs; however, on paper, they couldn’t be more different. While Aaron Sorkin’s political drama, The Newsroom, focuses on the revitalization of News Night’s journalistic integrity, Jay Carson’s The Morning Show takes place at the height of the #MeToo movement. Its timely plot follows the impact of a lead anchor’s sexual misconduct on a warm and sunny breakfast news program (obviously inspired by Matt Lauer’s The Today Show debacle). 

The Newsroom—which ran for three seasons (2012-2014)—was timely in its own way. That said, each production serves up a mixed dish of finger-waving commentary on the futile pursuit of truth. They’re high-stakes television that repeatedly slaps you in your smug and complacent face. In the latest edition of Mandatory TV Battles, we pit The Newsroom and The Morning Show against one another to see which handles its existential angst best. 

Cover Photo: Home Box Office (HBO)/Apple TV+

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Since we’re essentially forced to compare premiere seasons, The Morning Show wins. The Newsroom is certainly entertaining but The Morning Show is more nuanced (at times), focused, and its cast knocks it out of the recording studio. It’s still very flawed, but it sets out to convey a certain message and does so with pinpoint precision. It will be interesting to see what the show becomes in its second season. With everything that has happened this year, The Morning Show has an opportunity to say even more. Hopefully, it becomes a hybrid of itself and The Newsroom—following the redirection of a network in our contemporary landscape. 

Overall Winner: The Morning Show

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