Full disclosure: we knew someone involved with the first incarnation of The Newsroom. (We'd say "know" but, aside from Facebook, we haven't communicated with them in a few years.) So, when we tell you it's a truly great show, and that an appreciation of the bitter, verité workplace comedy like Salon's is more than overdue, you're just gonna have to believe us: if you haven't seen it, and you're a fan of The Office or Curb Your Enthusiasm, it will probably blow your mind.
"The Newsroom" ran for three seasons, garnering critical acclaim
(including an International Emmy for best comedy series), a small but
loyal following north of the border, and a re-airing on PBS. It's not
entirely surprising that the show didn't find a larger audience; when
it first aired in 1996, it was, in many ways, ahead of its time. Long
before "The Office" gained fame for its use of hand-held cameras,
prolonged awkward silences and horrendously painful humor, "The
Newsroom" employed the same strategy to skewer the racism and sexism of
the male-dominated workplace, applied it to television news, and took
on much meatier targets.
Ehhh... Sure. There's that. Also: there's an endless and supremely entertaining parade of extremely vapid, selfish people. (That's the part we like!)
