Aaron Sorkin's journalistic fantasy "The Newsroom" is the stuff of hard news journalists' dreams. Due to high ratings, the popular show has turned out to be the stuff of HBO executives' dreams as well. According to Indiewire, HBO executive Michael Lombardo told the Television Critics Association on July 25 that the odds are "excellent" for a third season of "The Newsroom." They are currently in talks with Sorkin about scheduling. Lombardo said that he would be "shocked" if the show was not renewed.
"The Newsroom" chronicles the frenetic inner-workings of the top-notch breaking news team of TV's nightly news program "News Night" as they strive to enlighten the public while sorting out their own complicated personal lives. Despite mixed reviews from critics, "The Newsroom" has enjoyed popular success, and is one of the most talked about Sorkin shows since his landmark political drama "The West Wing."
Critics have given the show mixed reviews due to the show's polemical content, which some view as sanctimonious and overly liberal. However, the show has become a fan favorite due to the controversial content, snappy dialogue and intriguing personal drama. Many fans also enjoy the fact that Sorkin portrays journalism idealistically; the "News Night" journalists always try to adhere to high ethical standards and bristle when those standards are compromised.
Fans have grown to love "News Night's" sarcastic but lovable anchor Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels), a moderate Republican on a "mission to civilize" by grilling his guests to reach past political rhetoric to reveal thinly veiled truths. His news team is led by Will's ex-girlfriend Mackenzie McHale (Emily Mortimer), who feels passionately, along with the rest of the team, about McAvoy's mission to relay the news in its true form, regardless of the inevitable backlash from the public and other news outlets. Sorkin frames "The Newsroom" in a real-world context, with each season covering real news events from past years. The first season chronicled 2011, the year of the Arab Spring, the rise of the Tea Party (who Will contentiously called 'the American Taliban') and the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Season two is covering the events of 2011- 2012, including Occupy Wall Street and the campaigns for the 2012 presidential election. Jim (John Gallagher Jr.) is on the Romney campaign trail covering the Republican presidential hopeful, while his complicated love interest, Maggie (Alison Pill), is in Africa covering the "Genoa tip" that "News Night" got about U.S. forces using sarin gas on civilians.
The next episode airs on Sunday, Aug. 4 at 10 p.m. on HBO.