The Newsroom Recap: Is That All There Is?

Reese, for his part, is all “Fuck this noise, I’m not being blackmailed,” but Charlie, after compromising every last one of his journalistic principles and ethics smarms at Leona that she’s “one of them” and to stand for something like Will and Mackenzie who “were willing to lose their jobs,” (No, that would have been the case if they actually reported on Reese ordering the wiretaps, not blackmailing Leona to keep them.) and while Charlie’s quashing a major story to protect Will, he tells Leona, without one shred of irony in his voice, “Let’s do the news. You and me.” Gross.

Ethics: n. The standards that govern the conduct of a person. In a sentence: Killing a story to save Will’s job is unethical.

We’re back to the interminable newscast that eschewed actual news in favor of pontificating, and now it’s Sloan’s turn. While Will is distracted by the blonde in the newsroom, Sloan tells Will that the greater fool is an economic term for a patsy. He represents the perfect blend of self-delusion and ego that believes he can achieve where others have failed and that this country was founded by greater fools. I’m sure that sounded really profound in Sorkin’s head. But the upshot is Sloan’s staying so Yay?

Mackenzie gets the bright idea to go out to Will’s desk during the show to ask what was he rest of the voice mail message and he ignores her because it’s true love. Then he beats the RINO dead horse one last time so everyone can gaze adoringly at him on the monitors because he’s Big Daddy and he’s gonna save us from ourselves.

Sloan and Don pass each other in a dark and quiet hallway so she can tell him she’s mortified that they’re still working together so they will no longer speak or make eye contact. Don tries to make light of it but she cuts him off and refuses to listen to him. So he goes out into the newsroom and makes out with Maggie in front of Jim. But for once, making Jim feel insignificant doesn’t give Don a happy and he leaves.

You know, you always could have asked me out.  Just saying.

Maggie and Jim have a conversation that sounds like blahblahblah…I’manassholeyou’reanasshole… blahblah… then Jim excuses himself to follow up on the NSA story so, and I quote, “Hancock didn’t die for nothing.” Classy.

Mackenzie’s yipping at Will about the voice mail and other bullshit that’s none of her business then Will rehashes the pilot, again, so Mackenzie can show him her stupid signs. Will doesn’t take it as well as Mackenzie would have liked. Ah, true love between an idiot and a bully. Besides he wants to know who the blonde is.

No time to find out because we need more bullshit filler about the stalker who doesn’t stalk just posts on message boards about stalking. Well, Neal stepped in it good and unleashed more cranks who only post on message boards posting fake death threats against Will. For some reason, everyone is taking this cyber circle jerk seriously except Will who finally realizes who the blonde is.