The Morning Show Season 4 Episode 4 Review: ‘Love the Questions’

The Morning Show Season 4 Episode 4 starts with a scene that comes out of nowhere and seriously feels like some sort of bad, medication-induced hallucination. The explanation, that Yanko — a character who is still talking about being “canceled” as if that’s ever been a real thing and who, quite frankly, hasn’t been worth paying attention to since at least his cultural appropriation fiasco in Season 2 — was preparing to propose on air…doesn’t make the whole thing any less absurd. Nope. It actually makes it worse, somehow, especially considering exactly one mention of Claire Conway pours ice water on his entire, grandiose plan. (Whatever you do, don’t consider the logic of Alex discussing Bradley’s side investigation when and where she does either.)

No, nothing improves significantly from there. The hour ends with Bradley looking shocked to learn that Cory Ellison is…not a good guy. As a reminder, this is something she has known since he outed her (if not before) but, apparently, forgot somewhere between covering for her insurrectionist brother and now. Somewhere in the middle, there’s a crisis that highlights how lost the network is without Mia Jordan, Alex Levy getting blackmailed by Justice (capital J because it’s a name!), and Celine once again showing she might just be capable of out-Corying Cory.

Put all of that together, and you have an episode that can best be described as “Exhibit A for proof that this series has no idea what it wants to be, much less what it is.” Is the episode entertaining? Sometimes, yes. At other times, the absurdity is just too much, even if you take the “just enjoy the mess. Anything this series does that comes across as real commentary is an accident” approach.

MORE: The Morning Show Season 4 premiere kinda insulted our intelligence. But then, Episode 2 was a great one for Jennifer Aniston, and Episode 3 was even better for Karen Pittman.

The Morning Show Season 4 Episode 4 reactions

They…Rickrolled us?
“I mean…that’s a lot of confetti.” Best thing anyone can say about the beginning of this episode, honestly.
Alexandra.
Ok. Here’s a positive for The Morning Show Season 4 Episode 4: Jeremy Irons and Jennifer Aniston, maintaining this completely opposite energy in the scene were dear ol’ Dad (derogatory) tells “Alexandra” about his little plagiarism scandal. Irons is 100% white male grievance, whereas Aniston switches back and forth between hurt, “???”, and just…blank.
“I came to see you. Also business affairs…mostly you.” Oh, ok. We’re flirty and sneaking around. Gag me.
No, seriously. Why.
Ick.
“That’s not plagiarism. That’s paying attention…” Ok but see, there’s a story to tell here about how PhD advisors can, on occasion, be garbage that’s more worried about their own egos than actually helping their students. Or. We could also dig into the way a certain university’s first Black woman president was targeted. But no, no. We’re going to make this about that evil student journalist doing a blackmail on the poor, innocent “aged, white male professor” and his very famous (and frequently unethical in her own right) daughter.
“I don’t believe in that woo-woo sh**, but also I’m not trying to get cursed.”
Amber Friendly is another bright point in an otherwise wild AF episode. Poor Layla. She’s trying so hard to hold things together and fill Mia’s considerably large shoes, but this network is, to use a word that pops up frequently when I discuss this series, a mess. You can feel Layla’s mounting anxiety through the screen, every time we visit with this character.
“I know what f**king book it’s from.”
“Little sh**. What a little sh**.”
I…did not need that information about Yanko. Literally no one asked, even.
“…they will crown us the Taylor and Travis of morning TV.” Narrator: They would not. I don’t even go here with Taylor Swift, but girl, y’all aren’t on that level — in this fictional world or any other. Please. Like, if we pretend anyone on TMS is a huge name on Swift’s level, it’s either Bradley or Alex. But Yanko? Girl. Not only can you do so much better, but also no.
Billy Crudup and Marion Cotillard are so good as scene partners. Completely, totally, deliciously fun to watch as Cory and Celine play this game of corruption with each other. If you want to make The Morning Show just…mess, this is it. They are it.
Cotillard is too good for this, though. The whole cast is, really. But wow.
“…and Stella doesn’t do enough press, so people think she’s in the chair as a diversity hire, a DEI gesture, who can’t really cut it, and that is not the case.” This could apply to someone way more important out here in the real world, but y’all don’t want to hear it. So, I’ll just say if Cory realizes Stella’s worth like that, being so excited to stab her in the back is…something. Nothing good, but something. And that thing is exceedingly on brand and in character.
I like the way Crudup slowed down Cory’s usual rambling to the “if…you’re…into that kind of thing” after mentioning real reporting. First time this guy’s been unsure of himself in ages.
“I forgot how much you talk.” “People like my voice, Celine. Competence is soothing.” Ok but. First, the obvious: No, we don’t like your voice. Second…Cotillard plays this scene, from the fond way she leans in that doorway to this laugh, in a way that would almost make me ship it if she weren’t married and he weren’t, well, Cory.
“He has no idea, so be prepared for him to start crying.” “Is this gonna be like when he sang ‘Copacabana’ with Barry Manilow?” “Probably not that bad.”
Eagle News? Harmful? You don’t say.
In which Chip looks like he’d rather drop dead than be here, and Bradley tries to scramble and lie her way out of trouble.
Never thought I’d say this so often in Season 4, but: GET THEM, ALEX.
“…come on my show and bring your patriot brother on Zoom.” He. Is. Not. A. Pat. Ri. Ot.
Easily one of the best scenes of the episode: Celine trying to get at Cory’s weak spot and Cory constantly deflecting because he knows his own playbook when he sees it. Do I think he fooled her at all? Eh, likely not. And yet.
“That position is not for you.” Cold as ice right here.
“My soul’s already spoken for.” “You know, the world isn’t waiting for your comeback, Cory. It wants you to fail. To see you humiliated. Either you let it bury you for good, or you fight back and claim it as your trophy.”
“Stand by for either Yanko’s proposal or a plane crash.” My vote was both.
And now, “Final Destination, but make The Morning Show cover it while the victims are livestreaming their goodbyes.”
“We show kids dying in war zones all the time without parents’ consent. It’s f***ed up.”
…I see what y’all did there with the conspiracy dude’s name.
Layla, shoving that headset off and telling everyone to GTFO. Iconic.
“Uh, you guys need a hand?” “You want to go on air and scream f*** 20 times? “Well, if you think it’ll help.” Would be better than giving airtime to conspiracy guy!
I very much don’t care about Yanko’s sad boy time while he pulls up Claire’s contact information.
“Watch them hire Chip.” “No, thank you.” Ouch.
“What does Lord Vader want?”
Ok but Chip and Alex will never not get to me.
He made me sit through that creepy closeup and the bizarre musical cold open for nothing. (I usually like musicals, but not this!)
“You are not doing this for those people. This is about your mistakes, this is about your lies, this is about your ego. Period. Come on.” Narrator: She was not wrong.
…at least partially because she recognizes her own M.O. But overall, I think some of us have just very much had it with Bradley.
Here for the facepalm and the “F— me!!!”
Bradley Jackson, you manipulative little…
The way Cory’s expression just drops, and drops, and drops while Chip’s talking about his movie. I cracked up.
If you want to see how very subtle changes can blossom into something really impactful, watch what Cotillard does when Celine learns about Stella. The actual atmosphere in that room shifts as the character slowly transitions from gleefully into it to just devastated.
“…the woke media…” OMG just stop talking.
“Keep her clean.” Something tells me whatshername from the faux newz…won’t honor that part of the deal. I hope I’m wrong.
“Justice’s work is pretty strong.” “Yeah. I know. It really is.”
I’m…proud…of Alex? For not caving? The second you give a bully what they want, they will only keep demanding more and more. Certain elite universities and media corporations keep learning and re-learning that lesson the hard way. Not to mention, “Justice” should learn not to operate that way; and Alex, of all people, probably knows that a career built on leverage and dirty dealings is in constant chaos.
…or maybe I just hate “Alexandra’s” dad.
Meanwhile, am I supposed to feel bad for Bradley when she’s all “it’s Cory…it’s Cory”? Because, well, no.