I will probably subscribe to HBO for the rest of my life.
Watching The Newsroom convinced me.
I thought about cancelling my subscription after the season of Game of Thrones wrapped up, while waiting for fall’s new season of Boardwalk Empire to renew. I could have waited to watch True Blood, though I admit I like it, but I waited for the series premier of The Newsroom.
I’m glad that I waited.
My life doesn’t revolve around television shows, but HBO really kills shit. I call in on the regular to get my free or discounted subscription extended.
(Does that make me a bum? No, it doesn’t.)
My addiction to HBO programs started with The Sopranos. I didn’t even start watching the show until it completed and my wife hooked me up one Christmas due to WalMart’s $15 per season Black Friday sale.
Next came The Wire, which I still refer to as the best television series of all time. Entourage was really entertaining for a few seasons, and they have some other less known but hilarious comedies. But lately, they have been on a rampage with shows that I love.
First was Boardwalk Empire. After the first season, I had a tough time admitting to myself that the series was going to be better than The Wire. I loved The Wire because of the depth and social commentary, but Boardwalk Empire is just a cool fucking show. The sets and costumes alone make it worth watching. Not to mention how entertaining it is watching Steve Buscemi running around teaching kids how to be a boss.
Game of Thrones came into my life and made me want to read a sci-fi novel.Veep kept me laughing all season. And now we have The Newsroom (which I’m almost ready to put on the same level as the previously mentioned shows).
Created by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, Social Network), The Newsroom attracted 2.1 million viewers for its debut episode last Sunday, making it the most popular HBO series premier since Game of Thrones last April.
Is the show realistic? Not at all. But the dialogue is great and the cast (Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer, Sam Waterston, Alison Pill, Dev Patel, Thomas Sadoski) is phenomenal.
The Newsroom says everything that America needs to hear, and that the Network said in 1976.
The problem with journalism in America is that publications are judged on the same grounds as any other entertainment program; if they want to survive they need to secure an audience and bring in advertising dollars — even if it means telling people what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear.
(This is in no way a new problem, but it is still a huge problem!)
We can be better.
Expect more from your journalists.
The Newsroom starts its show in 2010, with the BP oil spill. As the season progresses, the crew will explore events such as the Casey Anthony trial.
I’m not as familiar with Sorkin’s work as I’d like to be, but The Newsroom is very entertaining to watch.
Catch it on Sundays and lets chat about it.
#OutHere