The Newsroom: "Bullies" Review

Note: Full spoilers for the episode follow.

Another week, another whirlwind episode of The Newsroom. It's a shame most eyes were likely fixed on the Summer Olympics. Thankfully, that's why DVR was invented.

As usual with this series, "Bullies" was an intricate, complex episode that wonderfully balanced character with story, and it did so -- finally -- without the relationship mush gumming up the show's wheels.

"Bullies" focused on Will McAvoy in the wake of a rather stressful month in which he poorly coached Sloan (Olivia Munn) into having her own on-air meltdown, treating her interview subject with extreme hostility and potentially tarnishing her own credibility.

Meanwhile, McAvoy is also suffering from anxiety and insomnia after receiving a death threat on his comment board following an equally hostile interview with a supporter of presidential prospect, Rick Santorum. The supporter also happens to be a gay black man -- a demographic McAvoy feels Santorum is all greatly against. The episode is wonderfully contrasted with intercut scenes of McAvoy meeting with his therapist (David Krumholtz, an actor I hope to see in more episodes) for the first time.

Despite the brazenly unprofessional nature of both McAvoy and Sloan, and the somewhat contrived conclusion to Sloan's subplot, "Bullies" was a solid episode and a proverbial powerhouse of raw emotion, anger and bitter cynicism -- a haven for Aaron Sorkin's best work. Between the episode's staggeringly rich monologues, and biting political and social commentary, there was quite a bit of heart, perhaps more so than in previous episodes.

This is largely thanks to the singular focus on McAvoy. While the episode did jump around quite a bit, swapping between characters often (especially Sloan), the intercut bookends really helped center the episode, removing much of the needless relationship fodder. It still managed to creep into the episode (the scene between Don and Sloan was groan worthy), but the events unfolded in a far more organic manner. McAvoy's interactions with his therapist were also extraordinary, blending Sorkin's lightening-fast dialogue with a sense of candor. In other words, the therapy session felt shockingly real.

It was also nice to see Olivia Munn come into her own as Sloan. While she's had a few scenes here and there throughout the season, tonight's episode was really her first moment to truly shine. A great many have criticized Munn for her often stilted performances, but it's quite clear here that with a little guidance she's actually quite good. Munn fully embodies the character and her sometimes candid, quirky nature lends itself well to the role.

Another big highlight was the subplot involving McAvoy and the death threat. Not only did we get a hefty dose of humor courtesy of Terry Crews, who plays McAvoy's bodyguard, but it also allowed the show to explore the ramifications of McAvoy's words on the viewers at home. At first, McAvoy feels the comments on the boards of his website are unwarranted and cruel, and while he's not wrong, through therapy he sees another side of things.

One of my favorite aspects of this show thus far is how the character of McAvoy is evolving. All great shows have a lead, or leads, that grow and change throughout the series because of the experiences they have on the show itself. Dexter, for example, would cease to be interesting if Dexter stopped learning about himself and others around him. Even if he doesn't necessarily grow, it's all building toward something fascinating and potentially tragic.

The same can be said for McAvoy. The ramifications of his actions in the pilot have directly affected him as a newscaster. They've affected his crew, his friends, and his loved ones. Last week, McAvoy learned his role as the coach of News Night. This week, McAvoy uncovered a volatile side of himself born from cynicism and anger -- he learned that sometimes he's the arrogant bully. It's utterly fascinating to watch him explore his dark side, while also exposing his lighter side, the part of him that deeply hates his anger. It'll be even more than intriguing to see what he is like two or three seasons down the line.

To be frank, "Bullies" is exactly what I've wanted The Newsroom to become. This isn't a show about who's dating who, or why. It's a show about doing what is right even if it is not easy. It's a show about the men and women who bring you the news, nothing more and nothing less. Let's hope the rest of the season follows this episode's lead.

Source : ign[dot]com