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The Newsroom Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
10 Episodes 2012 - 2012
Aaron Sorkin, creator of the Emmy-winning "The West Wing," moves into the Fourth Estate in this drama set at the fictional Atlantis Cable News, where actual events from the recent past are rehashed. In Season 1, popular "News Night" anchor Will McAvoy (Emmy nominee Jeff Daniels) returns to work after a public meltdown to find most of his staff has jumped ship, but new hires, including executive producer—and Will's ex-girlfriend—Mackenzie "Mac" McHale (Emily Mortimer), help steer the show when news of a catastrophe breaks in the spring of 2010. Over the next 16 months, producer Jim Harper (John Gallagher Jr.), associate producer Maggie Jordan (Allison Pill), executive producer Don Keefer (Thomas Sadoski), news blogger Neal Sampat (Dev Patel) and on-air financial whiz Sloan Sabbith (Olivia Munn) cover politics, foreign policy, nuclear crises, economics, terrorism, whistle-blowers—and even Bigfoot—all under the watchful eye of Charlie Skinner (Sam Waterston), an old-school journalist and bow-tied president of ACN's news division. Emmy nominee Jane Fonda costars as Leona Lansing, the icy CEO of ACN's parent company, and Hope Davis plays Nina Howard, a gossip columnist who takes aim at Will's personal life.
Episode 1
We Just Decided To
Sun, Jun 24, 2012 73 mins
In the premiere of this drama set at a cable-news network, popular "News Night" anchor Will McAvoy returns to work after a public meltdown to find most of his staff has jumped ship, but new hires help steer the show when news of a catastrophe breaks in the spring of 2010.
Episode 2
News Night 2.0
Sun, Jul 1, 2012 55 mins
MacKenzie takes charge of the revamped "News Night" and lobbies economist Sloan Sabbith to file a nightly financial report. Meanwhile, Jim takes responsibility for Maggie's mistake; Charlie puts a halt to Reese's meetings with Will; and a confidential breakup story is a secret no more.
Episode 3
112th Congress
Sun, Jul 8, 2012 55 mins
Will's apology for the lack of integrity in newscasts sets off constant critiques of the Tea Party before the November 2010 midterm elections, but draws the ire of network executives and Atlantis World Media CEO Leona Lansing. Meanwhile, Don confronts Elliot about his analytical skills; Jim helps Maggie during a panic attack; and Mac is unnerved by Will's endless parade of romantic conquests.
Episode 4
I'll Try To Fix You
Sun, Jul 15, 2012 55 mins
Will becomes tabloid fodder after a confrontation with a gossip columnist on New Year's Eve, which threatens to undermine his credibility on a current news investigation. Meanwhile, Don urges Maggie to set Jim up on a date with her roommate; Mac's boyfriend pitches a story about the government's inability to prosecute financial crimes; and Neal tries out his Bigfoot theory on anyone who will listen.
Episode 5
Amen
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 55 mins
News of unrest in Wisconsin in February 2011 in response to the governor's call for budget cuts bubbles up during coverage of the ousting of President Mubarak in Egypt, and Neal finds someone who can provide updates from Cairo as the staff strive to give equal attention to both uprisings.
Episode 6
Bullies
Sun, Jul 29, 2012 55 mins
Sloan subs for Elliot during the Japanese nuclear crisis following the March 2011 earthquake, but her harsh questioning of a Tokyo power-company representative could damage her credibility. Meanwhile, Will has a bout of insomnia that leads him to therapy, and he learns a lesson about bullying after his rude behavior in an interview.
Episode 7
5/1
Sun, Aug 5, 2012 55 mins
Charlie gets an anonymous tip about an important development that will be the subject of a televised speech by the president, prompting the "News Night" staff to switch gears from their one-year anniversary party back to the newsroom while wondering what the story could be.
Episode 8
The Blackout Part 1: Tragedy Porn
Sun, Aug 12, 2012 55 mins
The ratings for "News Night" plummet after it downplays a pair of sensational stories, and Will and Mac must find a way to lure back enough viewers to justify the network's quest to air a Republican debate. Meanwhile, Will considers writers for an all-access profile; Sloan is disappointed by the lack of coverage of an important financial story; and Charlie learns a National Security Agency whistle-blower's identity.
Episode 9
The Blackout Part II: Mock Debate
Sun, Aug 19, 2012 55 mins
The "News Night" staff host a mock debate for two Republican Party officials; a power outage energizes Mac's thought process; Charlie evaluates an intelligence-agency insider's reliability; Lisa does an on-air interview; Neal poses as an Internet troll.
Episode 10
The Greater Fool
Sun, Aug 26, 2012 55 mins
In the Season 1 finale, Mac is shaken by a potentially devastating revelation from gossip columnist Nina Howard. Meanwhile, Sloan mulls a new job opportunity; Neal's Internet alias could prevent a catastrophe; and Will, Mac and Charlie confront Leona and Reese during a volatile lunch meeting.
