EXCLUSIVE The Newsroom: First Thing We Do, Let's Kill All The Lawyers Review

Get the definitive verdict on The Newsroom's return with our review of Episode One two weeks ahead of its UK broadcast!
In the realms of US drama, only one truth is certain these days- making a grand entrance is everything. The Newsroom managed that feat with aplomb last year, its initial season packing in a strong balance of emotion, laughs and substantially contemplative content for viewers to indulge and discuss. But not everyone was so pleased with the show as this reviewer. Indeed, over in the States, Aaron Sorkin's latest televisual drama took quite a battering from those with a firm political stance who its messages offended.

As we move into the premiere episode of Season Two, a new run which many critics believe its producers were lucky to have commissioned, there's an underlying implication both in the narrative and between the lines that Sorkin has acknowledged the criticisms of his peers and opponents. You'd expect First Thing We Do, Let's Kill All The Lawyers to be something of a groundbreaking initial instalment, then, a redefining set-up to the new season arc which does away with some of the minor niggles found in Season One. Sadly, that's not the case, and it's Sorkin's adherence to some of the most derided elements of his previous run that could potentially doom The Newsroom from an early stage.

The overarching premise of this second season is as follows: the News Night team slowly latch onto a monumental story which could change the careers of every member of staff, only to find the story leaked and thus be faced with a legal scandal as a result. We're presented this development via a flash-forward sequence featuring Will being questioned by those considering defending the team's case, leading to a variety of flashbacks that subtly explain the situation at a leisurely pace. This pacing decision proves to be an issue from the outset, with the 'examining a devastating narrative event' outline here often seeming like little more than a re-tread of what other US and UK dramas have both done before and have done better. What's truly a shame is that this reviewer could rarely throw so accusations at the episodes forming Season One, with only the Maggie-Jim-Don love triangle proving to be a source of genuine negative criticism here.

However, that aforementioned trio of wayward romantics has moved from remaining a point of contention for this reviewer to a notable shortcoming in Episode One. Almost a quarter of the running time is dedicated to a major shift in the paradigm of proceedings for these three characters, with a couple of the plot developments here genuinely coming off as if Sorkin simply couldn't fit them into last season's finale. This narrative-based issue of a season finale bringing about seemingly innovative changes to a show's format, only for the next season's premiere to undo them, is nothing new in the realms of US drama, yet once again it feels almost crippling to have to admit that The Newsroom has succumbed to this televisual storytelling trope in this particular case.

One element of the show which hasn't suffered from the transition through criticism and confidence hardships is that of the central cast leading the action on screen. Jeff Daniels' Will McAvoy remains a witty, cutting and remarkably comedic lead, although the star of the show in First Thing We Do, Let's Kill All The Lawyers is undoubtedly Sam Waterson, who aside from his usual hilarious one-liners has a sublime, emotional scene with Will discussing the repercussions of his final broadcast in Season One. In this single, solitary scene alone, The Newsroom (and of course Sorkin) displays with ease why it was regarded by yours truly as one of the finest shows of 2012, retaining much of its humor and intelligence while integrating into its narratives the consequences of televised journalism and indeed of our actions in a world where every consumer can discover any desired snippet of information at the click of a button. More along these lines, please!

What's perhaps a little unclear amidst the variety of flaws that are present in this episode is the fact that beneath it all, The Newsroom still remains a great TV drama. That's not a word which this reviewer will ever use lightly in terms of discussing the quality of British or American television shows, meaning that this is still an essential programme for viewers who want to indulge themselves in a broadcast that requires more thought processing than the turgid reality shows, soaps and alleged 'documentaries' of social status that plague our airwaves for the vast majority of the time. All the same, with First Thing We Do, Let's Kill All The Lawyers, Aaron Sorkin has merely brought his latest series back into the public eye, rather than doing so in an exemplary manner that entices the naysayers to give his show another try. For those loyal followers such as myself, there's enough in the way of quality content here to keep us compelled, but it's more than a little concerning that this time around, The Newsroom doesn't even necessarily engage its fanbase as much as it once did before.
3.5/5
The Newsroom returns to Sky Demand on Tuesday August 20th, and on Sky Atlantic this September.