Apple TV+’s liberal drama The Morning Show is back for its fourth season, and if the premier episode is any indication, it looks like we’re in for another woke fest, as it was filled with the usual, tiresome race-baiting, feminist, anti-masculinity and TDS garbage we’d expect.
“My Roman Empire” jumps two years ahead from season 3, taking us to 2024 before the summer Olympics in Paris. Less than ten minutes into the episode, we’re treated to a Joe Rogan-esque caricature of a masculine, conservative, white male podcaster named Bro Hartman and it’s as cringey as you can imagine:
Bro: Guys, let's be honest. Men are facing a major mojo crisis.
Sunny: I don't know. You seem a little fired up, Bro.
Bro: Yeah, I'm fired up, Sunny. People are asking, "Aren't you going to Paris in '24?" What? You don't want in on that? Well, here's the real deal. The first Olympics had chariot races. They competed naked and fought to the death. The games lasted six months. And when they were over, they sacrificed a f*ckton of goats and had an orgy.
Sunny: Right, so your 40th?
Bro: But now what do we have? Uh, synchronized... Excuse me, artistic swimming. Yeah. Freaking horse dancing, ping-pong, that thing with the ribbons. Come on. Where's the danger? The stakes? Where's the glory? But, hey, I'm trying to decenter my masculinity, checking my heteronormative bias.
Sunny: Oh, God.
Bro: Will you consent to a kiss? But seriously, bro to bro, the American sperm count's dropping faster than Biden's poll numbers. That's why you need to head over to my website and order a tub of Bro Greens. My own personal daily supplement to get those “T” levels on track to get you back in the sack.
Layla: Please, God, do not let this man spread his seed. Do you believe this guy?
Mia: I mean, 50 million other people do. Get used to it. He's here to stay.
Layla: Like a hemorrhoid?
Jamal: I think he's kinda funny.
Layla: That explains so much.
Keep diminishing conservative men as cartoonish idiots, Hollywood, and see where that gets you. Notice, however, the recognition that many people aren’t living in their echo chamber? That ends up being a theme this episode, which we’ll get back to.
But first, the show had to include a jab at Trump. It’s almost like they have Trump Tourette Syndrome and can’t control their urge to bash him. When Cory (Billy Crudup) learns filming is canceled for a scene in his upcoming movie due to orange smoke from wildfires, he quips, “Orange smoke? What’d they make Trump the Pope?”
Meanwhile, Alex (Jennifer Aniston) is about to interview teenage Iranian fencer, Roya (Ava Lalezarzadeh), who will be competing in the summer Olympics. Roya’s father slips Alex a note saying they want to defect.
Alex helps them escape, which causes a stir within the network. Board member Celine (Marion Cotillard) and CEO Stella (Greta Lee) discuss the possible fallout:
Stella: Sorry to hijack your evening.
Celine: Please, I hate the Hamptons. No one dances at parties. So, how exactly did this happen?
Stella: Ask Alex, our resident freedom fighter.
Celine: Funny, yes? You survive the rapіst, chase away the billionaire, then a teenager walks in, and we lose our heads.
Stella: Celine, believe me. If I had any idea that this was going to happen…
Celine: It doesn't matter. You know what you have to do.
Stella: If I ask Alex to step back from the Games, we will never hear the end of it.
Celine: And if you don't, the blame for this little incident lands on you.
Stella: People would love that. It's model minority hunting season.
Celine: Well, what do you expect? You chased away the old guard, bit the hand that fed you, and now they come for your neck.
Stella: Why do people hate it when women run things?
Celine: Stella. They don't care about our vaginas. They care about our eight-billion-dollar investment in the Olympics. And if that tanks, you'll take the hit, not me, or anyone else on the board. What a f*ckcluster.
Stella: It's actually "clusterf*ck."
Celine: My way's better.
Of course, sensible Celine is painted as a ruthless shrew. When it’s later discovered Roya’s father works for Iran’s nuclear program, panic ensues. Stella comments, “We promised (the Olympic committee) objectivity. The whole point of this interview was to show our coverage could be apolitical. And given the Iran-Israel standoff in Gaza, if this goes to sh*t, we lose our sponsorship, ad money…”
Ha! Are the writers admitting MSM news isn’t objective or apolitical? It’s decided Alex needs to be pulled from covering Olympics news, so The Morning Show’s (TMS) anchor Chris (Nicole Beharie) takes over.
TMS executive producer Mia (Karen Pittman) talks with Stella about bringing back disgraced journalist Bradley (Reese Witherspoon) to fill in for Chris on TMS. Bradley was fired last season after deleting footage of her brother Hal fighting with a police officer during January 6.
Mia: Okay. Chris and Yanko are good. They're a nice TV couple that make America feel better about their deeply ingrained fear of black women, but they are no Alex and Mitch. I mean, they're not even Alex and Bradley, which I will remind you, was the biggest audience... That was the biggest audience we ever had.
Stella: Mm hmm. Okay, I'm just going to say it.
Mia: Say it.
Stella: What do you think she's doing right now?
Mia: I don't know. But if she was doing anything, we would know about it.
Stella: People would watch, right? I mean, they'd be curious.
Mia: Yeah.
Stella: Or is she too controversial?
Mia: You're talking about the Cory of it all?
Stella: And her brother.
Mia: Oh, but maybe that works for us.
Stella: Really?
Mia: Because she's a woman who refuses to be defined by the f*cked-up men in her past, coming home to the place that made her a star, y'all. In an election year when, frankly, we could use a red state-friendly face on TMS. Ratings would kill.
Stella: Yeah.
Mia: Yeah.
So, the America that elected a black female vice president, has multiple black female billionaires (hello, Oprah!), and countless black women leading in business, sports, and entertainment, including this show, is supposedly afraid of black women? Make it make sense.
The only thing America is afraid of is another liberal TV drama telling us how racist we are while cashing checks from the very system they claim is oppressive. Stella drops by Alex’s office to let her know they want Bradley back and the show once again admits America is leaning right while at the same time continuing to insult the very people they know are in the majority:
Alex: Yeah, okay, great. Okay, just e-mail me a list, okay?
Doug: I mean, sure, but you got…
Alex: And no, it cannot be Bro Hartman. So, don't even go there. Swear to God.
Stella: Do you have a minute?
Alex: Yeah. All right. So, Doug is gonna send over some names for TMS.
Stella: Oh, anybody interesting?
Alex: Yeah. He said Ali Wong might be up for it, considering it's just two months.
Stella: Oh yeah, I love Ali.
Alex: I love her too. I think it could be great.
Stella: Mm hmm, ahh, what about Bradley? Mia and I were just talking about it. And I'm just curious what you think about that.
Alex: No, I wouldn't. I wouldn't. Considering how she left. And everything with Hal. I just don't think we should go anywhere near that.
Stella: Okay. Well, I do think the tide is turning with the Jan 6th stuff. And honestly, it's a demo we've been trying to reach for quite some time now.
Alex: The alternative facts crowd?
Stella: Alex. Like it or not, the center moved. We need to get the biggest tent for the biggest audience. And if half the country thinks we're just a mouthpiece for the Democrats, then this merger really doesn't work. Just doesn't.
Alex: Okay. Okay, you know what? I'll do it. I'll just do it. We'll just send Chris on the road. I'll sit at the teacup until we're all in Paris. Voilà, done.
Stella: I appreciate the offer, I really do. But actually, Mia just left for West Virginia. Mm hmm. Thank you.
All of this hating on conservatives while pretending to care about “big tent” inclusivity isn’t fooling anyone. It’s about as believable as Biden nailing a cognitive test.