The Newsroom

After Breaking Bad, I’d have to say my favorite Netflix show is The Newsroom. This HBO series chronicles the story of Will McAvoy, the controversial lead anchor of the fictional “Atlantis Cable News.” The show is a scathing critique of the modern cable news scene, picturing other networks as agenda-driven rating whores. In contrast to most networks, Atlantis Cable news sets out to tell the news as it really is, without playing to either side of the political spectrum. The coolest part about the show is that it chronicles events from recent-history such as the BP Oil spill and riots and Egypt.

The show features Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy, who has become a cultural icon as the lead anchor of Atlantis News Network. Famous for never specifically aligning with either party, McAvoy explodes at a debate and rants about all of the problems in America. McAvoy faces backlash and sees his beloved ratings drop. McAvoy reunites with MacKenzie McHale, McAvoy’s ex-girlfriend who has recently accepted the job to be the new executive producer for his show. The two decide to put ratings aside and tell the news without bias or agenda. Over the course of the series, the two tackle different polarizing stories, while struggling to gain support for their new philosophy.

I highly recommend this show to anyone with interest in modern world news. It has a great story line and thoroughly develops all of its characters. It also is quite funny from time to time, especially the interactions between the eccentric McAvoy and his team. Also, it only is two seasons in and the third is scheduled to be the final, so it requires less time commitment than many other HBO series. Although it isn’t as exciting or addicting as Breaking Bad, The Newsroom is definitely still a winner.