The Newsroom, S1 Ep9 – The Blackout Part 2: Mock Debate

We pick up right where we left off last episode, with the power having gone out in the whole AWM building.  Mack is excited, seizing the opportunity when battery-powered backup lights come on to start an inspiring speech about how they can do the show outside, blah blah, this power outage is a blessing in disguise because it means they can’t do Anthony Weiner and Casey Anthony.  She’s finishing up with, “This power outage is going to save our–”, when, of course, the power comes back on.  Mack transitions seamlessly to a heartfelt “Son of a BITCH!”  Heh.  Saw it coming, but still.

Poor Mack.

Next, Sorkin subjects us to bits and pieces of News Night‘s coverage of the aforementioned depressingly awful ‘news’ items.  Skipping right along. Neal is still trying to convince Sloan to let him attack her online to get in undercover on the troll website.  He’s going to do so on a particular economics website.  She eventually says yes, because she agrees with Neal that this could be a really good first story for him.  I’m not convinced, but whatever.

Next day, Mack discovers a bouquet of flowers in Will’s office when she comes in to protest Casey Anthony some more.  But Will is all mysterious about who they’re from and who they’re for (not him, not her).  In the conference room, Mack interrupts some mock debate prep to ask if anyone by any chance knows anyone who knows Casey Anthony, because they need a Casey Anthony-related guest that no one else will have.  Aaaaand of course someone—Maggie—does know someone.  Lisa went to high school with her.  Wow, what a coincidence!!11  But Lisa doesn’t want to talk—she’s already been approached by other networks.  Will orders Maggie to “do whatever you have to do” to get Lisa on the show.  So, Jim and Maggie go together to bother Lisa at her job at a high-end fashion boutique, in order to convince her to come on the show.  It’s very awkward, especially for poor Lisa.  In the end, it’s Lisa’s loyalty to Maggie that leads to her saying yes.

Meanwhile, Don is summoned to Will’s office.  It turns out the flowers are Don’s, from one of the other women he dated during one of the times he and Maggie were broken up.  Maggie doesn’t know about these women.  Oh, Don . And you were becoming one of my favorite characters on this show!  Turns out Jim signed for the flower delivery, but did pass on to Will that Maggie didn’t see.  Oh, Jim.  You’re way, wayyy too nice.  Will doesn’t chew Don out, but he does tell him he’s either lying to Maggie, or the other women.  Yeah.

Guest-star for as long as you want, David Krumholtz!

Now it’s another therapist appointment with Dr. David Krumholtz (I love him!).  Dr. DK tells Will that since Will had an abusive father who abandoned him and his family, Will is even more sensitive to betrayal than the average person.  Also, Dr. DK describes Mackenzie cheating on him as totally Mack’s response to the rejection she felt when Brian broke up with her; Will wasn’t even part of the equation.  In response, Will says he knows intellectually that Mackenzie should be forgiven, and understands all the reasons to do so, but yet he can’t. Dr. DK says that’s because Will wasn’t rejected, he was betrayed.  Well, and also because in order to forgive someone, you have to actually want to forgive them and stop holding onto your grudge.  But that was a very well-done scene between Jeff Daniels and DK.