The Interview (The Morning Show)

Last updated
"The Interview"
The Morning Show episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 10
Directed by Mimi Leder
Written by Kerry Ehrin
Cinematography byMichael Grady
Editing by
  • Carola Kravetz Aykanian
  • Aleshka Ferrero
Original release dateDecember 20, 2019 (2019-12-20)
Running time66 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Play the Queen"		Next →
"My Least Favorite Year"
List of episodes

"The Interview" is the tenth episode and first season finale of the American drama television series The Morning Show , inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning . The episode was written by series developer Kerry Ehrin, and directed by executive producer Mimi Leder. It was released on Apple TV+ on December 20, 2019.

Contents

The series follows the characters and culture behind a network broadcast morning news program, The Morning Show. After allegations of sexual misconduct, the male co-anchor of the program, Mitch Kessler, is forced off the show. It follows Mitch's co-host, Alex Levy, and a conservative reporter Bradley Jackson, who attracts the attention of the show's producers after a viral video. In the episode, Bradley, Cory and Chip try to secure Mitch's interview before the network stops their efforts.

The episode received highly positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances, writing and ending. For the episode, Mark Duplass received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, while Mimi Leder received a nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards.

Plot

Bradley (Reese Witherspoon), Cory (Billy Crudup) and Chip (Mark Duplass) visit Mitch (Steve Carell) to conduct the interview. He confirms Hannah (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) was the anonymous tip, and Bradley leaves to meet with her, while they prepare to get the interview ready as soon as possible, before the network interferes.

Alex (Jennifer Aniston) meets with Marlon Tate (Hayes MacArthur), courting him as the executive producer. Bradley meets with Hannah, who is not content with the interview. She refuses to be part of it, as she prepares to move for a new UBA job in Los Angeles. Hannah explains her encounter with Mitch in Las Vegas, and simply asks her not to reveal her identity. Fred (Tom Irwin) dines with Maggie (Marcia Gay Harden), and she informs him of an investigation into UBA, angering him. He subsequently tells Alex that he will allow her to choose the new co-host, getting her support in firing Chip. Later, Fred fires Chip, claiming the investigation found him responsible for covering Mitch's actions.

As Bradley and Chip work in getting the interview ready before tomorrow's show, Cory tells Mitch that he needs to own up to his action if he wants to find acceptance. At early morning, Chip explains the interview plan to his assistant, Rena, and gets her to agree to smuggle Mitch into *The Morning Show* to do the interview live and on air, letting her know that he has been fired and that they need to act soon. During this, Claire (Bel Powley) calls Hannah, but gets no answer. Hoping to make amends, she visits her at her apartment, but is horrified to find the police, as Hannah lies on the floor overdosed. She calls Bradley to inform her that Hannah died.

Feeling guilty, Bradley decides to not do the interview, asking Chip to inform Mitch. Chip visits Mitch and they get into a fight, with Chip revealing he leaked Mitch's actions to The New York Times . Bradley tells Alex her intended plans, which would also discredit Alex's image. Alex comforts her and agrees in helping her. She is then called by Chip, who confirms he leaked the story to prevent Alex's firing, as the network was planning to replace her. Upset, Alex refuses to participate on the show, and Bradley replaces her. Suddenly, Alex joins Bradley in taking over the presentation, while Cory prevents Marlon from cutting the feed. They report on Fred's cover-up leading to a toxic environment, and revealing the network's knowledge of sexual misconduct. As they ask more people to speak out, the feed is cut off. The episode ends with Mitch, alone in his house.

Development

Production

The episode was written by series developer Kerry Ehrin, and directed by executive producer Mimi Leder. This was Ehrin's third writing credit, and Leder's third directing credit. [1]

Writing

On Hannah's death, Ehrin explained, "She was in the eye of a hurricane. It's like everybody was swirling around her. Everybody wanted something from her, everybody was trying to manipulate her so that they got something out of this. She couldn't find a way out of it. And she had worked so hard to cover that up and not have it be public and she was so ashamed of it. She was ashamed she accepted the promotion, and she was ashamed it happened. She took on all of those things and had no outlet for. It eventually crushed her — whether it was just from self-medication, which she was doing on a regular basis, that went awry or it wasn't intentional. It was just too big for that young woman." [2]

Regarding Chip's actions, Mark Duplass explained, "I do think Chip was probably guilty of turning a blind eye to some things that he didn't want to see so that he wouldn't have to deal with them, so that he could keep his show going. And I don't think you can do that anymore. They figured that out in the course of the season." [3]

Filming

Mitch alone in his house was always conceived as the final shot of the season. Leder said that while they considered ending it with color bars, "it didn't feel as gratifying and haunting without seeing Mitch alone in the world of his own making." [4]

Critical reviews

"The Interview" received highly positive reviews from critics. Maggie Fremont of Vulture gave the episode a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Was it at times cheesy as hell and trying way too hard? Yes. Did Bradley Jackson never once make complete sense as a character? Also, yes. But does it pretty much stick the landing? You betcha. Once a show rolls out the Vivaldi while two main characters fist fight on an apartment building lobby floor, you know it is Getting! Things! Done!" [5]

Morgan Baila of Refinery29 wrote, "It has been a minute since a character's death affected me as much as Hannah Schoenfield's on The Morning Show. The season one finale — named "The Interview" discussed interview between Bradley Jackson and Mitch Kessler that never happens, and the ultimately life-changing interview between Bradley and Hannah — wrapped up the events of season one with a shocking death, and a predictable outburst, the combination of which left one recapper — myself — extremely frustrated." [6] Keri Lumm of Paste wrote, "What blew my mind was how the show deals with the loyalties of their staff to keep them in the top position. After all, their job depends on it too. And in this whole last episode, we see it all fall apart. All because Mitch was left unchecked in his hornballer ways." [7]

Esme Mazzeo of Telltale TV gave the episode a 4.5 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Exposing and preventing sexual predators is important. But if The Morning Show Season 1 finale teaches one lesson it's that victims' health comes first and the stories we read about incidents are just one piece of healing a toxic culture." [8] Veronique Englebert of The Review Geek gave the episode a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "While it does leave some things open, the drama manages to give a very satisfying conclusion, wrapping the main story up quite well." [9]

Awards and accolades

TVLine named Jennifer Aniston as the "Performer of the Week" for the week of December 21, 2019, for her performance in the episode. The site wrote, "Breaking Morning Show news: Aniston is an absolute revelation as embattled co-anchor Alex Levy. We knew the Friends all-star had comedy chops to spare. And courtesy of her indie film work, she's proven herself to be no dramatic slouch either. But the Apple TV+ series has afforded the A-list actress the rare opportunity to regularly play comedy and drama (and even camp) simultaneously and, at times, unsympathetically. And she has more than risen to the occasion. Truthfully, we didn't know she had it in her. But after watching this week's Morning Show finale, our skepticism has officially given way to conviction. Aniston is the real deal." [10]

Mark Duplass submitted the episode to support his nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards. [11] He would lose to his own co-star, Billy Crudup. [12]

Additionally, Mimi Leder received a nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. [13] She would lose to Andrij Parekh for Succession for the episode "Hunting". [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Aniston</span> American actress (born 1969)

Jennifer Joanna Aniston is an American actress. She rose to international fame for her role as Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends from 1994 to 2004, which earned her Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild awards. Aniston has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid actresses, as of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mimi Leder</span> American film/television director and producer (born 1952)

Miriam Leder is an American film and television director and producer; she is noted for her action films and use of special effects. She has directed the films The Peacemaker (1997), Deep Impact (1998), Pay It Forward (2000), and On the Basis of Sex (2018). She was the first female graduate of the AFI Conservatory, in 1973. She has been nominated for ten Emmy Awards, winning two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Wells (filmmaker)</span> American producer, writer and director (born 1956)

John Marcum Wells is an American producer, writer, and director. He is best known for his role as showrunner and executive producer of the television series ER, Third Watch, The West Wing, Southland, Shameless, Animal Kingdom, and American Woman, as well as the miniseries Maid and the upcoming series Rescue: HI-Surf. His company, John Wells Productions, is currently based at Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California. Wells is also a labor leader, having served as president of the Writers Guild of America, West from 1999 to 2001 and from 2009 to 2011. Wells serves on the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) Board of Governors. In 2011, he developed the series Shameless on Showtime, which ran for eleven seasons ending in 2021.

<i>Wizards of Waverly Place</i> American fantasy teen sitcom (2007–2012)

Wizards of Waverly Place is an American fantasy teen sitcom created by Todd J. Greenwald that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between October 2007 and January 2012. The series centers on Alex Russo, a teenage wizard living on Waverly Place in the Greenwich Village section of New York City, who undertakes training alongside her siblings, Justin and Max, who are also equipped with magical abilities. The siblings are trained knowing that one day they will compete to win sole custody of their family's powers. Episodes focus on Alex's challenges in keeping her secret powers hidden while she deals with the social and personal issues of her youth. She frequently uses magic in her everyday life, sometimes irresponsibly, and develops her supernatural abilities over the course of the series. The main themes depicted include family, friendship, and adolescence; the series also contains fantasy elements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natalie Morales (actress)</span> American actress and director

Natalie Morales is an American actress and director. She starred in the 2008 ABC Family series The Middleman and had a main role in 2009 on the first season of the USA Network series White Collar. In 2010, she appeared in the feature films Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and Going the Distance. Morales also had a starring role in the Fox comedy series The Grinder, the NBC sitcom Abby's, and recurring roles in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, HBO's The Newsroom, as well as the Netflix series Dead to Me.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerry Ehrin</span> Television screenwriter, showrunner, and producer (born 1960)

Kerry Anne Ehrin is an American screenwriter, showrunner, and producer. The first writer with whom Apple TV+ signed an overall deal, Kerry Ehrin developed and ran the first two seasons of the Apple TV+ series The Morning Show starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, which led the streaming service's launch. Ehrin was also the co-creator, executive producer, and co-showrunner of the Emmy-nominated and critically acclaimed A&E drama series Bates Motel which featured Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore in the iconic roles of Norma and Norman Bates, and aired for five seasons on A&E. Prior to that, she was a writer and producer on Friday Night Lights and Parenthood and has received numerous Emmy and WGA nominations, as well as four AFI Awards.

Shameless is an American comedy drama television series developed by John Wells that aired on Showtime from January 9, 2011, to April 11, 2021. It is an adaptation of Paul Abbott's British series of the same name and features an ensemble cast led by William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum. The series is set in the South Side of Chicago, Illinois.

<i>Room 104</i> American anthology television series

Room 104 is an American anthology television series created by Mark Duplass and Jay Duplass, first broadcast on HBO between 2017 and 2020.

The Morning Show, also known as Morning Wars in Australia and Indonesia, is an American drama television series starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell that premiered on Apple TV+ on November 1, 2019. The series is inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning. The show examines the characters and culture behind a network broadcast morning news program. After allegations of sexual misconduct, the male co-anchor of the program is forced off the show. Aspects of the #MeToo movement are examined from multiple perspectives as more information comes out regarding said misconduct. Subsequent seasons focus on other political topics and current events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, racial inequality, the Capitol insurrection, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The eleventh and final season of the American comedy series Will & Grace premiered on October 24, 2019, and consisted of 18 episodes, ending on April 23, 2020. The season was initially going to premiere midseason, but was moved up after the cancellation of Sunnyside.

"This Is Not for Tears" is the tenth and final episode of the second season of the American satirical comedy-drama television series Succession, and the 20th episode overall. It was written by series creator Jesse Armstrong and directed by Mark Mylod, and originally aired on HBO on October 13, 2019.

"In the Dark Night of the Soul It's Always 3:30 in the Morning" is the series premiere of the American drama television series The Morning Show, inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning. The episode was written by series developers Kerry Ehrin and Jay Carson, and directed by executive producer Mimi Leder. It was released on Apple TV+ on November 1, 2019, the same day when the service was launched.

"A Seat at the Table" is the second episode of the American drama television series The Morning Show, inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning. The episode was written by series developer Kerry Ehrin from a story co-written by her and Jay Carson, and directed by executive producer Mimi Leder. It was released on Apple TV+ on November 1, 2019, the same day when the service was launched.

"That Woman" is the fourth episode of the American drama television series The Morning Show, inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning. The episode was written by co-executive producer Adam Milch, and directed by Lynn Shelton. It was released on Apple TV+ on November 8, 2019.

"No One's Gonna Harm You, Not While I'm Around" is the fifth episode of the American drama television series The Morning Show, inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning. The episode was written by producer Torrey Speer, and directed by David Frankel. It was released on Apple TV+ on November 15, 2019.

"The Pendulum Swings" is the sixth episode of the American drama television series The Morning Show, inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning. The episode was written by producer Kristen Layden, and directed by Tucker Gates. It was released on Apple TV+ on November 22, 2019.

"Open Waters" is the seventh episode of the American drama television series The Morning Show, inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning. The episode was written by Jeff Augustin, and directed by Roxann Dawson. It was released on Apple TV+ on November 29, 2019.

"Lonely at the Top" is the eighth episode of the American drama television series The Morning Show, inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning. The episode was written by supervising producer JC Lee, and directed by Michelle MacLaren. It was released on Apple TV+ on December 6, 2019.

"Play the Queen" is the ninth episode of the American drama television series The Morning Show, inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning. The episode was written by co-executive producer Erica Lipez and Ali Vingiano, and directed by Kevin Bray. It was released on Apple TV+ on December 13, 2019.

"Chaos Is the New Cocaine" is the third episode of the American drama television series The Morning Show, inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning. The episode was written by co-executive producer Erica Lipez, and directed by David Frankel. It was released on Apple TV+ on November 1, 2019, the same day when the service was launched.

References

  1. ↑ "The Morning Show - WGA Directory". Writers Guild of America West . Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  2. ↑ Highfill, Samantha (December 21, 2019). "The Morning Show boss on the season 1 finale and where the show goes from here". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  3. ↑ Highfill, Samantha (December 20, 2019). "Mark Duplass talks Chip's big reveal in The Morning Show season 1 finale". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  4. ↑ Villareal, Yvonne (December 20, 2019). "'The Morning Show' ends with a bang. Here's how they made it happen". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  5. ↑ Fremont, Maggie (December 20, 2019). "The Morning Show Season Finale Recap: Cut the Feed". Vulture . Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  6. ↑ Baila, Morgan (December 20, 2019). "Breaking Down The Morning Show's Heartbreaking & Controversial Finale". Refinery29 . Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  7. ↑ Lumm, Keri (December 20, 2019). "The Morning Show Made a Bold Finale Choice, but What Is It Ultimately Saying?". Paste . Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  8. ↑ Mazzeo, Esme (December 20, 2019). "The Morning Show Review: The Interview (Season 1 Episode 10)". Telltale TV. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  9. ↑ Englebert, Veronique (December 21, 2019). "The Morning Show – Apple+ Season 1 Finale Recap and Review". The Review Geek. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Performer of the Week: Jennifer Aniston". TVLine . December 21, 2019. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  11. ↑ Beachum, Chris (August 7, 2020). "Mark Duplass ('The Morning Show'): Emmys 2020 episode submission revealed". Gold Derby. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  12. ↑ Evans, Greg (September 20, 2020). "Apple TV+ Scores First Emmy As 'The Morning Show's Billy Crudup Wins For Supporting Actor In Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Emmys 2020: List of Nominations". Gold Derby. July 28, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Emmy Awards: The Complete Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter . September 20, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.