Of all the what-to-watch options out there, we are definitely adding The Morning Show to our list. Starring our favorite friend, Jennifer Aniston, as well as Reese Witherspoon (these two women also produced the series), Steve Carell, and Billy Crudup, it tells the story of co-anchors on a TV chat show … a long-standing duo until certain allegations lead to one (Carell) getting canned. Sound familiar? Given how we’ve all witnessed the downfall of Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose, and other men from their vaunted on-air positions, it has to!
Aniston, who plays the other half of the hosting team, is left onstage solo. Deemed to be “nearing her expiration date” in a realm in which youth equals success, she is joined by a new chair-warmer, who is sent in to save her … or to replace her.
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Getting Nudged Out to Pasture
Clearly, real-life situations in our #MeToo and #TimesUp moment informed this plot line. But it’s not just the scenario that feels torn from the headlines: the actors did their research to get the vibe right and appear authentic. Aniston shadowed the Good Morning America team (Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos, in particular) to get a behind-the-scenes bead on what life is like on-set. This marks her return to the small screen after Friends, and she gives a powerful performance of a woman being nudged out to pasture due to endemic age discrimination. Crupup is suitably smooth and villainous as a network exec; Carell poignant as always as a person caught in circumstances beyond his control; and Witherspoon is as engaging as ever.
It’s also makes for interesting viewing because we’re at a moment when the TV industry seems to be blowing itself up. When the Emmy Awards aired recently, many remarked how few network programs were represented among the nominees and winners. It seems the Old Guard of broadcasting is truly dissolving. This show—with its unflinching look at backstage backstabbing—may be another nail in that coffin. Find The Morning Show on Apple TV+, a platform that launches on November 1st, with the series set to debut soon thereafter.
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