Media Trip Report – THE NEWSROOM (Season 1, episodes 7-10)
(originally published on facebook, November 23, 2022)
TL:DR; What the hypothetical hell did I just watch: the home game.
Message begins.
What the hell did I just watch?
I don’t know, but I fucking loved it.
Part of me wants to describe this as the best season of television ever produced, but that would both be inaccurate, and presumptive. Even with my freakish memory and vast access to media libraries, it would be a generous estimate to say I’ve seen even 1% of available television shows, and until four days ago I hadn’t seen this one either.
Two posts ago I described the show as Aaron Sorkin’s finest work, and in light of tonight’s viewing I must also amend that statement.
It’s his finest achievement, so far. And here I can speak with some certainty, because I’ve watched a bunch of Sorkin’s stuff that came after this show, and never once have I asked this very important question.
What the hell did I just watch?
Why don’t I know?
And that’s really the issue here. THE NEWSROOM isn’t television, or even television about television.
It’s Art. And art isn’t meant to be classified. It’s meant to be seen.
It’s meant to live in public places, alongside all the other creations of fevered madmen who are not like the rest of us.
Art is meant to evoke emotion, be it good or bad. It’s meant to inspire, to challenge, to offend.
It exists to remind us of what we love, and when we loved it.
It’s for our children to ignore, until it reminds them of us.
It’s something different. Something new and old and here and now.
It’s art, and my soul hurts trying to describe it without direct quotes.
I have had far stronger reactions to weaker work. I have seen better written episodes of vastly different shows. But for the life of me, I can’t tell you why, and I don’t think I’m supposed to have that power.
What the hell did I just watch?
I‘m going to slip into an adverberial space right now, and say that I really, truly, absolutely, unreservedly reccomend this show, because it makes me feel feelings when not a lot of things can, and I think some of you may have those too.
You don’t have to like it. If my feed is any indication, many of you have already tried and failed to do so. But I also know there’s some art lovers out there who remember those somethings they never want to forget.
Who remember feeling good about their beliefs in the goodness of others. Who aren’t ashamed to be angry or sad or entertained by people whose problems are mainly caused by their inability to communicate their feelings.
Who want to believe that some somethings exist solely to be, and more things should.
Aaron Sorkin isn’t done with my feelings just yet. These characters and their world aren’t moving out of my head any time soon, and I find myself wondering just how many times I’m going to trust this man to bring me not to the right place emotionally, but maybe the place I need to be.
In closing, What the fuck did I just watch, and why aren’t there more shows just like it not created by Aaron Sorkin?
YMMV, of course. Talk amongst yourselves.
Mahalo.