'The Newsroom' TV Show Premieres on HBO: What Are TV Critics Saying About It?
"The Newsroom," the new HBO drama from Aaron Sorkin, screenwriter of "The Social Network" and "Moneyball," premiered Sunday night to mixed reviews from TV critics and viewers.
The first episode of "The Newsroom," titled "Because We Decided To," was set in 2010 and focused on the newsroom staff's mission to cover the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in the face of corporate and commercial obstacles.
The show's cast is led by Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy, the anchor of ACN's "News Night" and Emily Mortimer as MacKenzie McHale, the executive producer of the show. Sam Waterson stars as Charlie Skinner, their boss and John Gallagher,Jr., Alison Phill, Thomas Sadoski, Olivia Munn and Dev Patel as the newsroom's staff.
TV critics had mixed reviews about the show praising Sorkin's dialogues and idealism but some of them worry that the show could become repetitive and fail to captivate the audience. As for viewers, most of those who were discussing the show on Twitter, raved about the show.
"'The Newsroom' accomplishes what a first-rate dramatist like Sorkin has always done best: Rouse your emotions while magically fooling you into thinking he's rousing your I.Q.," wrote Ken Tucker for Entertainment Weekly. "For all its flaws, 'The Newsroom' is well worth watching, every week."
"The premiere episode was certainly strong enough to get us on board for more viewing [but] here's hoping we've got another 'West Wing' on our hands and not another 'Studio 60,'" wrote Andrea Reiher for Zap2It.com.
" I'm making it seem like this show might be irredeemable. It's not irredeemable. Sorkin is a frequently great writer. He's got a really, really good cast. It's foolish to write any of them off after one or two episodes. But, so far, I'm very worried. Nine more episodes of this? Let's hope not," wrote Jack Mirkinson, the media editor of the Huffington Post.
"Each episode of 'The Newsroom' will tackle a story from the recent past, hindsight that seems an easy way for Sorkin to paint journalism in romantic glory," Lisa Reynolds wrote for The Wall Street Journal. "Will this annoy a potential chunk of the audience?"
As for viewers, check some of their reviews below:
"Went to HBO's premiere of Aaron Sorkin's #Newsroom last night - loved it. Jeff Daniels is to anchormen what Martin Sheen was to Presidents," @Piersmorgan
"BREAKING: TV media might just have it's West Wing #Newsroom could be good enough to inspire a new generation of journalists. We'll see," @PaulRieckhoff wrote on Twitter.
"You mean the media doesn't like a show that critiques the decline of American News? #Shocking! #Newsroom is awesome," @Nathaniel_Smith
"Just saw HBO's #Newsroom.Pure Aaaron Sorkin : idealistic+well written. Not for Cynicals. Piers Morgan said Live adrenaline +well rendered," wrote @adelesmithNYC
"Wow. Just wow. HBO has done it again. I can't wait til next week. Didn't want it to end," said @doidles.
"I am as liberal as they come, and even I find Aaron Sorkin insufferably pedantic and overly self-impressed. #Newsroom," wrote @mrsmichaelbluth
"HBO's #Newsroom debut was pretty much unwatchable.All shouts & sermons.Here's hoping there's better as this story develops," @jayrobb said.
"If you're a journalist and wanna have an everlasting (professional) erection/turn-on, watch #Newsroom by @HBO. Freaking awesome," wrote @parismemata.
"The 'press' mixed on a show about the Press... Shocking #Newsroom," @jthirsty said.
