Watching “The Morning Show” prepare for their early shoots always has immense satisfaction. In the third episode of the ongoing third season, we get an inside look at producer Mia’s (Karen Pittman) morning routine. She sleeps in her office, slips on her Jimmy Choos, heats the tea kettle, and clatters her heels onto the TMS stage. It’s like watching a “Get Ready With Me” lifestyle video; oddly calming.
That’s how “The Morning Show” began in 2019, before the bombshell allegations against host Mitch Kessler (Steve Carrell). We witnessed co-host Alex (Jennifer Aniston) in her luxurious Manhattan apartment, from her skincare routine to tossing aside her thick duvet at 3 a.m. Now, in Season 3, a similar routine unfolds, but chaos follows.
In the first two episodes, UBA suffered an implosion when it was hacked, exposing emails, texts, and even recorded conversations. Amid the chaos, network exec Cybil Reynolds (Holland Taylor) sent a racist email about anchor Chris Hunter (Nicole Beharie), igniting a scandal. Cory (Billy Crudup) fears the impact on the Emmys and UBA’s stock, which was soaring due to a rumored deal with billionaire Paul Marks (Jon Hamm). Cory rushes Chris into his office, emphasizing that they should report the news, not become it.
Cybil turns to Alex for help, but her leverage at UBA is minimal. Despite her family legacy, Alex declines Cybil’s request for an interview on “Alex Unfiltered.” UBA’s initial statement about the leaked emails doesn’t suffice. Alex, Stella, and Chip (Mark Duplass) propose an exclusive UBA interview with Chris or Cybil to address the crisis head-on, which Cory eventually, unenthusiastically, agrees to.
In the newsroom, leaked salaries reveal drastic pay disparities, leading to a protest. Mia and Stella, both women of color, attempt to mediate, but the situation escalates. Yanko (Nestor Carbonell) adds to the tension with uninformed remarks. Mia wonders if she truly belongs at UBA, reflecting on potential inequalities within the company.
Stella and Mia’s night out leads to a breakthrough idea: Chris should interview Cybil instead of Alex, confronting her about the derogatory comments. Despite potential consequences, they see it as a compelling opportunity.
Stella reveals her concerns about Paul Marks, and the Cybil/Chris interview becomes a double-edged sword: it could boost ratings or lead to Cybil’s ousting. Cory discusses this with Leonard (Stephen Fry), anticipating the board’s approval of the Paul Marks deal in desperate times.
Stella persuades Cory to approve the Chris/Cybil interview. The tension between them during the interview is palpable. Cybil’s on-air apology feels insincere. Chris excels, making Cybil appear foolish. Following the interview, the UBA board votes no confidence, removing Cybil from her position.
Cory rushes to Paul, but the hack and interview have made UBA undesirable. Paul withdraws from the deal, leaving Cory in a precarious position. However, he still has one of the most newsworthy anchors in the industry.
The Morning Show crew is definitely in need for some prime-time nightly news coverage with all this drama.