The Newsroom Recap: Aaron Sorkin Saves the News

Meanwhile, out in the newsroom, Jim and Don are now hanging from the acoustic ceiling and flinging their poo at each other for dominance. Jim’s hectoring Don about how he’s covering the story and tries to tell him that Halliburton is now involved but Don, in lieu of nut-punching him, tells Jim he’s “being disruptive.” Oh no, Jim…time out for you. Instead, Jim runs into Will’s office to talk to…there it is…Mack. (hurl) He brings up the oil spill but Don’s trying to shuffle Jim out, saying he’ll prep Will at the 6:00 meeting. Don’s resistance makes Will want to hear what Jim has to say.

And they still think I’m the asshole.

Jim tells Will about his deus ex machina phone calls and how this spill is unique because they are drilling in deep water and that Neal has more information, setting up Will to throw around some light racism because, again, hero. Neal Mr. Peabody’s about why the spill is so dangerous but Will just wants to know why the “IT guy” knows so much. Because he’s not IT, he writes Will’s blog but pieced the WHOLE story together because he made a volcano as a class project in primary school.

No time to guffaw too hard at that one, Charlie wants to know about the explosion because the story’s been bumped up to orange. Jim continues expositing about how the rig was set to be moved and the well capped but the kicker is Halliburton tested the cement they were to use and it failed. Will wants to know who Jim’s sources are but he won’t reveal them, he thinks all Will needs to do is trust Mackenzie because she trusts Jim. And besides, Neal (via hindsight) knows this will be the biggest environmental disaster, ever. No one believes them, Don calls them the Hardy Boys, they continue spewing facts we already know about the spill, an extra decides to photobomb the scene, yadda yadda yadda…and Mackenzie tells Jim he needs to reveal his sources.

Photo BOMB!

Jim doesn’t want to so Will suggests that all necessary staff reconvene in his office. Turns out that the engineer at BP was his college roommate and his Halliburton source is his older sister. Really, Sorkin? Why not say the Loch Ness Monster and Glenda the Good Witch, that would have been just as believable. Don explains the myriad ways jumping the gun on the story would be a bad idea but the slowly dawning, inspirational piano music tells us that they’re going with the BP story, based upon nothing more than two phone calls, a wing, a prayer and two years of hindsight.

Not one to dwell, Don marches out of Will’s office and starts organizing the staff, the staff that Will ordered back from their pizza meeting mind you, to cover the story but Will’s butthurt that they’re leaving him so he gives everyone who’s going with Don to the new show the next two weeks off. BEFORE they tape because it’s not truly inspiring until it beats all odds. Some more hokum banter about how extra superfly awesome Mackenzie is because she allowed him to humiliate her and it’s showtime!

I’m walking and talking through a tracking shot. I. AM. AWESOME.

Everyone’s busybusybusy but in a cinematic way where everything’s perfectly choreographed and we learn that Tess the Blonde is actually named “Tess Westin” because Aaron Sorkin just can’t help himself. Don’s there to help out because he’s at least loyal to his employer if not Will. Of course, his help amounts to being a dick and demeaning Maggie, so thanks a lot, Don. Jibber jabber, jibber jabber, Will’s on two calls at once then he’s getting dressed but his hands are shaking because he’s either a dry drunk or this is really important and the clock’s winding down to going live.

The crew starts taking their places while Will goes over his notes, and this show really needs Joan Cusack running the gauntlet to get the video to broadcast in 90 seconds. Instead it’s just Tess the Blonde whispering and Will looking very important. Mackenzie takes a moment to “girl” out about how ugly Will’s suit is (it’s pinstriped) then tries to talk to him before they go live. She wants to establish her authority during the live show but he’s a dick so she changes his chyron to read “Vertigo Medicine with Will McAvoy,” but she really should have written “I’m a Cock, with Will McAvoy.”

You can do better, Mackenzie. You were embedded with Marines.