REVIEW: ‘The Morning Show’ Season 2 Continues Dialing Up The Intensity

It’s crazy to think we’re now at a point where a number of Apple TV+ shows have either started or finished their second seasons already, such as For All Mankind, Mythic Quest, and Ted Lasso. It feels like it was not that long ago the streaming service had just launched. Now, if you’ve not seen The Morning Show season 1, I’d highly recommend it. In fact, I’ve got a listicle detailing my top 5 recommended Apple TV+ shows here. For those that have watched the dramatic first season, however, welcome back to the snake pit as we dive into The Morning Show season 2.

The Morning Show is a drama series that follows the lives and events of the cast and crew of a popular fictional national morning show that is rife with scandal. Developed by Kerry Ehrin, directed by Mimi Leder, and starring Jennifer Aniston as Alexy Levy, Reese Witherspoon as Bradley Jackson, Steve Carell as Mitch Kessler, and Billy Crudup as Cory Ellison. This season sees a few new faces enter the fray, most notably Julianna Marguiles as Laura Peterson, Greta Lee as Stella Bak, and Valeria Golino as Paola Lambruschini.

The show is centered around the lives of the cast and stars of the show amidst a sexual assault scandal that resulted in America’s most popular news anchor, Mitch Kessler, being fired from the show and ostracized from society. Meanwhile, Bradley Jackson, a small town flailing TV journalist, is picked from obscurity and, in a power move by Alex Levy, selected to be the new co-host of the show. The season culminated in an explosive season finale that saw the anchors join forces on live television to publicly expose how deep the corruption in the workplace ran within the studio and the network before the executives pulled the live feed.

The show really hasn’t been talked about nearly as much as it should have been, but with the sequel season now hitting our screens, there’s no time like the present to celebrate the cutthroat world of morning news television.

In Season 2, we return to the UBA studios to pick up the pieces and discover what’s become of the noxious working environment. It’s been several months since the season 1 finale, and there are still predators being uncovered. The studio is suffering in the public realm as more truth comes to light. The truth becomes a prevalent theme throughout the season and becomes a driving force for a lot of the characters. Not just the truth, but the perception of the truth, which in the world of a celebrity is fickle at best.

With things ending the way they did in season 1, it’s expectant for everything to change, and change it does. The characters are dealing with real trauma, whether it be from the death of their friend and colleague or the horrific atrocities committed by Mitch. The theme of change will drive everything forward especially given the timeline the show exists in.

Episode 1 kicks off at the end of 2019 as the anchors prepare for their New Year’s Eve extravaganza. The characters are expectantly looking forward to turning over a new slate and welcoming in a better year as they enter 2020. Given the show reflects actual events from the real world, you can expect season 2 to go quickly off the rails, which for The Morning Show is a completely normal turn of events.

One character in particular who has been shaped and molded by these events is Cory, who is played by Crudup. Now with the weight of the studio on his shoulders, the executive is feeling the burdens of those prior sins, with every choice of his being scrutinized by the board of directors. The pressure will push him to make some ambitious decisions as he seeks to pull the show out of the depths of the mud. Crudup’s performance reflects the seriousness of his new role within the company. Before, he lit up the screen with this infectious chaotic energy, and now he’s neck-deep in a failing corporation.

Aniston and Witherspoon are the main attractions, though, and they absolutely delight. Bradley Jackson has fully embraced her status as a celebrity and a nationally recognized journalist, but celebrity also comes with its own problems. At the same time, Alex is on the road to self-discovery, as she’s forced to reconcile with past decisions and actions. Things will get ugly before they get better.

There are moments where the show feels a little rudderless, and certain plot points feel meaningless, and while the story all comes together in the end, it does result in a long-winded way to get there. There was a narrative in the finale that didn’t particularly work for me, but it’ll be curious to see where that thread leads if the show is renewed for a third season.

Overall, The Morning Show season 2 delivers another gripping and dramatic season. The character performances are again stellar, with performances that’ll leave you on the edge of your seat. With the intensity dialed up to 11, you’ll be begging Apple to drop the whole season!

The first episode of The Morning Show season 2 will be available exclusively on Apple TV+, Friday, September 17th, followed by new weekly episodes every following Friday.