The Morning Show Season 4 Episode 2 Review: ‘The Revolution Will Be Televised’

The Morning Show Season 4 Episode 2 sees Bradley Jackson’s return to UBN, Alex Levy targeted by deepfakes, Cory Ellison being about as Cory as ever when he finds his perfect way back “in,” and Christina Hunter making her priorities very clear. Put all of these things (and more!) together, and what you wind up with is, somehow, a much, much more watchable hour than its predecessor. Is it without its absurdities? No, but this time the nonsense of it all actually works, in its own, weird way. Basically, now that we’re in the world that was set up in the season premiere — and with that world being a melodramatic, heightened version of the real world — feeling a little bit (sometimes a lot) insane is both expected and appropriate.

After a season of trying to weirdly force Alex Levy into some sort of hero position, it’s actually refreshing to see her put in a situation where we can really, truly root for her here. Even so, part of me wishes this story had been told without the audience knowing the truth from the start. Because of who she is, Alex is the perfect person for us to expect to lie about her innocence and even react in much the same way she does in ‘The Revolution Will Be Televised.’ So, letting viewers get duped by the doctored footage and letting the lie run a bit longer before she’s, ultimately, vindicated might’ve been more impactful.

Then again, one of this episode’s standout sequences couldn’t exist under those circumstances. Jennifer Aniston does a great job with the initial sense of betrayal when Stella, Celine, and the guy from Legal (who is most definitely not Chimney from 9-1-1) don’t believe her. But it’s in all that comes after, particularly Alex’s maddening obsessing over the footage, trying to to find proof of it being fake while also having all those memories cutting in, that’s really Aniston at her best. If nothing else, The Morning Show Season 4 Episode 2 is her episode. And it’s really nice to be able to sit back and enjoy the work Aniston does here without the frustratingly-frequent sense of “even this performance can’t save this.”

MORE: This is why The Morning Show Season 4 Episode 1 was a mess.

More on The Morning Show Season 4 Episode 2

Bit overboard with the birds there at the beginning.
“Iran just attacked Israel, ugly stuff. Let’s give the people some soap.” I promise it’s better to just…not mention every real-world thing than whatever this was.
“She’s traveling. Held up in hair.” “It’s always hair.” Why are men.
“Did y’all miss me? Cause I’m back!”
Alex’s reaction to Bradley’s first day back at The Morning Show is…basically mine. To her credit, Reese Witherspoon really sells Bradley’s nerves and inability to get through the entire segment on her brother completely unscathed. But I just very much have no desire to continue with this “let’s humanize insurrectionists through our second lead” thing that this series has been doing since Season 3. It’s especially sickening now. I just…can’t.
Tag yourself, I’m Mia’s whispered F-bomb.
“You know what, Bro? Your clown show is really good for our network, but our streams will never, never cross.” I absolutely adore everything about the delivery on “Bro.” Can we also take a moment to note that this guy is just straight up, unapologetically, consistently engaging in workplace sexual harassment here and knowing that, even against someone so high up at UBN, he won’t face consequences? Even after…everything. All of it. God, I hate how on point this is.
(Also would prefer the slasher to the rom-com, for what it’s worth.)
No, seriously. Chimney from 9-1-1! (Kenneth Choi plays the John from Legal, for those of you who don’t watch that unapologetic trainwreck.)
A couple more great line deliveries from Jennifer Aniston in The Morning Show Season 4 Episode 2: First up, “I mean, come on, you have AI software that has me speaking 40 fu***ng languages. Anyone with access could have done that. I was there! I know what happened.” (Emphasis on the 40 effing part.) And second, “you know that Iraq and Iran are actually different countries?”
“You’re silencing me for something I didn’t do?” Timely.
Leave it to Cory to not read the room and not see the glaring “something’s off” signs around Alex because he’s too busy rambling on about Bradley.
Bradley in the season premiere: No, no, FBI Man. I’m not doing any real reporting. Bradley in The Morning Show Season 4 Episode 2: Hi, Chip. Wanna do some deep investigating of a coverup with me? Pretty please? I’ll even manipulate you by pointing out that you were at the company at the time.
“You’ll get through this. You…you thrive in persecution” “Oh, God. Let’s just put this on my tombstone.” Please.
“Oh, God, you’re human trash.” Correct.
Is…is “Bro” more of a slimeball than Cory? I think Bro might be worse than Cory.
…wow.
No but the reflection of that particular deepfake in Alex’s glasses. Really interesting little touch there.
“…they want to be numbed from the hellscape that is America 2024. They don’t want content. They want a f—ing escape hatch…” Wait until he sees 2025.
I really love how Greta Lee played Stella’s reaction to Cory mentioning Alex in that bar scene. It’s second only to the commanding performance she delivers during their phone call at the end, and I’m sure most people will rightly praise that total shift from condescending and self-assured to just…horrified. But the more subtle, yet just as strong, work in the bar shouldn’t be overlooked.
“It hurts, doesn’t it? That the whole world keeps spinning without you. You’re played out, Cory. Everybody knows it…but you.” One good thing about having a series that’s all just terrible people being terrible is that we get to hear folks telling the most terrible among them about themselves like this.
We get it. They’re having an affair. The sexposition to transition between scenes just feels useless. Also: You’re wasting your music budget. Not entirely sure about that “can’t fix racism” talk either, seeing as how it feels forced in there.
That KID. MY HEART.
“He’s like the Joe Biden of academia.” This joke…would’ve played better a couple years ago.
Did The Morning Show Season 4 Episode 2 just inadvertently…highlight the point? There’s so much put into making that protest an inconvenience. Chris missing out on her kid’s recital (which was gutting, by the way), Alex missing out on catching up to Leslie, even Bradley not getting to meet her mysterious informant. But, like, that’s the point. A protest is supposed to be disruptive. And, notably, things didn’t fully get violent until the cops showed up, decked out like they were in a war zone instead of just clearing out protesters. That, also, is the point people have been trying to make for a minute now.
Please, for the love of God, let Karen Pittman and Nicole Beharie have more scenes like that. Beharie’s fantastic every time she’s on screen. But that controlled, yet daring and defiant, energy she brings to Chris standing up for herself with Mia is so good. That “wow, really” actually had me commenting “she’s going to murder her, right here, right now, with just that look.” There’s a particular type of anger and frustration from both actors here, and the way they stared each other down there at the end says there could be a lot more storytelling. Here’s hoping we get some follow through.
WTAF is a “bro-tallion,” and can I bleach it away.
The light in Billy Crudup’s eyes when Cory spots Stella’s lighter and realizes he’s got something…
That’s…it? Not a full season arc? Just “lol, j/k, you were telling the truth”? Ok then.
“Stopping traffic and vandalizing property…that can’t be the answer, right?” “Understood. But when no one is taking real action, is breaking the law justifiable for the greater good?” I—. Alex???? Go off?????
Claire! Conway! (Is this another case of resolving something too soon, though?)
“Jesus Christ.” “He is risen.”
If that isn’t the most Cory Ellison moment…
Again: Super from Lee and Crudup there.
This show really is good at those ending moments that make you be like, “ugh. Fine. Can’t wait to see what’s next.”