# The Newsroom is coming back (for more punishment?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 10, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171 "2013-07-10T20:13:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/1 "2013-07-10T20:13:53Z")
\*\*Here’s the [Official Site.](http://www.hbo.com/the-newsroom/index.html) Apparently it starts this Sunday. Sort of snuck up on us. I subscribed to HBO when it was announced back when, being a big Aaron Sorkin fan, but it was so disappointing, I canceled. Here’s the [thread from last season.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=656323&highlight=newsroom) I hope the producers read our commentary and decided to put in (and cut out) all the crap we suggested. I just hope Maggie is on downers this season. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/2 "2013-07-10T21:33:32Z")
Is this going to be the thread where everyone says it’s terrible and they hate it, but they watch every single episode in minute detail so they can tear it apart? ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/3 "2013-07-10T21:40:44Z")
I find it reasonably entertaining, but there’s a reason my wife and I refer to it as “the smug show”. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/4 "2013-07-10T22:07:19Z")
I’ll watch anything with Emily Mortimer. Olivia Munn and Allison Pill are just bonuses. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/5 "2013-07-10T22:08:09Z")
I _vaguely_ remember seeing an interview with Aaron Sorkin last year in which he acknowledged some of the criticism of the show as being valid, but he pointed out that the show was already finished before it started to air, so he couldn’t change anything in the first season to satisfy his critics. So perhaps we’ll see some changes in the second season. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/6 "2013-07-11T00:27:07Z")
Half the entertainment value of that show’s first season was in ripping it to shreds. Truth be told, if it gets better, my feelings will be mixed. ---
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/7 "2013-07-11T00:47:03Z")
I head it was available on Netflix and spent the last 10 minutes trying to find it/add it to my queue. DVD only ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/8 "2013-07-11T03:21:11Z")
It was waaaaaaay too smug, and I say that as someone who really enjoyed _The West Wing_. I gave up on _The Newsroom_ after three episodes, and doubt I will return. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/9 "2013-07-11T03:45:17Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > It was waaaaaaay too smug, and I say that as someone who really enjoyed _The West Wing_. I gave up on _The Newsroom_ after three episodes, and doubt I will return. This plus one. Hate that show. Every time I see the commercials for it, I want to throw my drink at the tv. Smug and poorly acted. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/10 "2013-07-11T07:26:41Z")
(I also find HBO’s _The Newsroom_ smug.) Are you aware of the award-winning Canadian TV series with the exact same name? You can [watch much or all of its season 1 on YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNY_XLh5bAA). This show is opposite to HBO’s – it’s pure farce – but I found it fun. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/11 "2013-07-11T15:30:02Z")
From what I have read, this year will be different. I liked the first season…granted, I didn’t love it, but liked it enough to watch them all. So yeah, I will watch the new season and my guess is they will have fixed a few of the lesser appreciated aspects of the show. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/12 "2013-07-11T16:40:51Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > … Are you aware of the award-winning Canadian TV series with the exact same name? You can [watch much or all of its season 1 on YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNY_XLh5bAA). This show is opposite to HBO’s – it’s pure farce – but I found it fun. Reminded of this series, I’m rewatching the [two parts](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxXh8T06U2s) of [Episode 10](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6OPl5gM30o) right now. I’m not normally a fan of slapstick, but Newsroom’s reaction to impending nuclear meltdown is giving me uncontrollable laughter. Watch it; tell me if you agree. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/13 "2013-07-12T01:23:12Z")
From _The Atlantic_ online: [“I Hated The Newsroom’s First Season—and Can’t Wait to See the Second One: Watching this show is complicated.”](http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/07/i-hated-i-the-newsroom-i-s-first-season-and-cant-wait-to-see-the-second-one/277719/) ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/14 "2013-07-14T22:53:35Z")
Well, I signed up for HBO today. Guess I’ll be watching. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/15 "2013-07-15T02:03:02Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > From _The Atlantic_ online: [“I Hated The Newsroom’s First Season—and Can’t Wait to See the Second One: Watching this show is complicated.”](http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/07/i-hated-i-the-newsroom-i-s-first-season-and-cant-wait-to-see-the-second-one/277719/) That was good - thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/16 "2013-07-15T04:16:24Z")
I liked it in the first season and still like it. I kinda forgot about it until I started seeing commercials for it and noticed it in my Upcoming Shows a few weeks back. I have to say, the “hindsight is 20/20” thing sort of gets old after a while. In this episode it was “Occupy Wallstreet? Sounds like a joke, but ya know, why don’t you check it out” and then when he went down there he kept telling her to pick one thing and one leader and run with it. What sage advice. Barring that, I still think it’s a good show. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/17 "2013-07-15T06:09:59Z")
So… what ARE the eight musicals that one pulitzers for best drama? The love triangle-y storylines are still dire and irrelevant, and I had no idea what they heck they were talking about with “you better you better you bet”, but I enjoyed the deposition/news scenes quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/18 "2013-07-15T12:38:51Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > I’ll watch anything with Emily Mortimer. Olivia Munn and Allison Pill are just bonuses. Someone please explain the Alison Pill thing to me. In real life (and on the show) is not physcially attractive at all. And on the show she is a hot mess as they say, and yet she has two men fighting over her. In any office I worked in, men would be running in the other direction from her. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/19 "2013-07-15T13:39:54Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Is this going to be the thread where everyone says it’s terrible and they hate it, but they watch every single episode in minute detail so they can tear it apart? You know, I looked at the first season thread and in that one you were also the second poster and just as defensive over the show. That thread didn’t turn into a bash party so maybe relax? on subject: I liked the first season well enough. I found it a little preachy, like everyone, but since ISTM to be a huge point of the show it doesn’t bother me overmuch. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171/20 "2013-07-15T16:30:51Z")
I don’t have HBO, but I managed to see a couple of early episodes while staying at an HBO-equipped hotel last year (also my method of watching Game of Thrones). I learned recently that S1 is available on Amazon Prime, but unfortunately at $2/episode (or $3 for HD). I went ahead and got the pilot but it will be hard to justify buying the rest of the season. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-newsroom-is-coming-back-for-more-punishment/663171.md?page=2)