Review: The Newsroom Episode 1 - "We Just Decided To"

Review by Randy May

First off, if you haven't seen the pilot for The Newsroom that aired last Sunday, here's the trailer.

If you're thinking, "Man that looks great! It's too bad I don't have HBO." Good news, HBO has made the first episode available for free right here!

I'm gonna start off by saying two things. The first is that I love this show! It's been a while since I've been this excited about anything on TV. The second is that I don't review movies, at least not like most people do. So bear with me as I freight train through why I think Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom will be the greatest show on television right now.

Why is America the greatest country in the world?

It's not...but it can be.

This idea hits us like a punch in the mouth in the opening scene of the pilot episode. Through Jeff Daniels' superb performance and Aaron Sorkin's engaging spitfire dialogue, the notion that we are a people who were once great but lost sight of our potential somewhere along the way will no doubt carry on throughout the rest of this season as the over arching theme that ties together not only the struggles of the characters but also the hopes, fears, and projections of those watching.

It's not hard to see the similarities between this grand theme and the personal struggles of Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels). It's clear through his intensely entertaining back and forth with former love Mackenzie MacHale (Emily Mortimer) that this man was great, greater, in fact, when the two of them were together. And just as McAvoy finds the United States to be lacking as of late, he just might be realizing that he and the country are in solidarity.

Performances are fantastic all around but a few stand out above the rest. Maggie Jordon (Alison Pill) and Jim Harper (John Gallagher Jr.), the seeming Jim and Pam of the show, are wonderful to watch, along with the man in between them, Don (Thomas Sadoski).  However, the most enjoyable character by far is Charlie Skinner (Sam Waterston). The guy's hilarious. His character- brilliant!  Extremely funny and yet very wise.

Sorkin is at the top of his game. The writing is smart and funny with dialogue so fast and loose it's a blast to keep up with.  He has created an amazing ensemble of characters that stick with us long after the show is over.  As far as pilots go, this might be the best I've seen. It's an incredibly powerful beginning to what will no doubt be another strong addition to HBO's lineup. 

I'm very excited for what the future holds for Will McAvoy but even more so, I'm excited to see how we as an audience react.

What did you think of The Newsroom? Write your quick thoughts and profound discoveries in the comments below!