The Morning Show (2019) s02e01 Episode Script

1
- [man] It's all set, ready to go.
- [woman] Hold on. Wait for me.
- Is Guy Fieri in the greenroom?
- Mm-hmm.
- Grab him. Don't let him go.
- Got it. Straight to rerun or
- I wanted to hear from upstairs.
- Go to The Twist!
Alex, what you did is amazing but
we need to deal with this. Let us in.
- Twitter's going fucking nuts.
- Oh, God.
[sighs] Does the room feel
like it's turning white?
- [Isabella] Alex. Alex.
- Oh, gosh.
- Just one second, please!
- [cell phone chimes]
- [Sean] Open up.
- [Alex] Those UBA fuckers,
they're going to fight
to keep their credibility,
and that means some version
of dragging us through the mud.
Fred has to go. They
have to understand that.
We crossed a line,
and they're not gonna do what we
want them to do because of that.
[Isabella] Alex,
everything is gonna be fine.
- We love you.
- [exhales] Okay. Okay! Okay!
- I have to let them in.
- Okay. I understand.
- Listen. I
- Wait, wait, wait. Before you do,
we have to stay together on this.
And whatever you do, don't
mention Hannah by name.
She didn't want that.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- [Bill] Alex, I will break down the door
- Okay, okay, okay.
[Bill] Oh, my God. Thank God.
- How are you?
- Oh, my God. I just needed a second.
- Amazing what you did.
- We're fine.
- Uh, where's the phone? Where's the phone?
- Where's the phone? Get the phone.
[Bill] Let's not say
anything to anybody.
- I'm not talking.
- Open our mouths, we weaken our position.
- Left, left.
- So we're gonna keep our mouths shut.
- [clamoring]
- Alex!
Wait, Brad.
Just keep your phone
on and near you, okay?
- I'll I'll call you.
- Yeah, no, I'll take care of it. Come on.
- Give me my jacket.
- Hold the elevator doors. Jim
- Hold the doors.
- [Bradley sighs]
- [clamoring continues]
- [footsteps departing]
You're a dead man.
Said the corpse.
[chuckles] No. Wait [clears throat]
Um
You're firing me?
You put Fred Micklen
on administrative leave,
and you're firing me?
Did you not hear what was said
on our airwaves this morning?
We heard. Loud and clear.
Uh, s What, do you
not believe the victim?
Or do you just not care?
'Course we believe the victim.
We believe all victims,
every last one of them,
forever and ever until the end of time.
And if we are proven
correct in that belief,
Fred will be terminated as well.
But none of us were in those rooms,
none of us can say with
any certainty at this moment
what happened, except for Fred.
That's because the other
person, Hannah Shoenfeld,
- died this morning.
- E Except for Fred.
Who steadfastly maintains his innocence.
If we find evidence that
any of that was true,
we will extend zero tolerance.
Okay, well, that's horseshit, but okay.
Well, you can't terminate my
contract without just cause,
and all I did was give
the truth some oxygen.
The truth? Look, here's the truth.
We suspect Fred might not be innocent,
but we know you're guilty of
taking over UBA's airwaves,
of allowing wild allegations to be
made against the CEO of the network,
and of physically locking him
out of his own control room.
Which, by the way, is
also a serious fire hazard.
[chortles] The fire hazard.
That was pirate television, and
it has no place on our network.
This really is the
land that time forgot.
All right. Well, I did my best,
but I cannot drag you idiots kicking
and screaming into the 21st century.
You're just so caught up in ruling
over your rotten little fiefdom
that you don't even see the world
that has sprouted up all around you.
All right. Well, enjoy
broadcasting your cave paintings
to the last remaining savages who are
still watching over-the-air broadcasting.
The rest of the world,
they've moved to the cloud, and
it is fucking gorgeous up there.
Cory, if you'll excuse us,
we have a television
network we need to fix.
Well, get out that superglue. [chuckles]
Do you really think that's
what all this is about?
Your little television network?
This is a battle for
the soul of the universe.
["Nemesis" playing]
[music ends]
["Return To Me" playing]
[siren wailing in distance]
[jazzy music playing]
Maybe it's much too
early in the game ♪
Oh, but I thought I'd
ask you just the same ♪
What are you doing New Year's ♪
New Year's Eve? ♪
[cameraman] Great move. Widen out.
And you didn't think
we'd get her to sing.
Mm-hmm.
[Mia] Eric talked her into it.
[Eric] Welcoming in the New Year ♪
[cameraman] Standby, camera
two. Take it, camera two.
Keep it fun, Bradley.
- Maybe I'm crazy to suppose ♪
- Camera two, zoom on Bradley. Take it.
I'd ever be the one you chose ♪
- Out of a thousand invitations ♪
- [cell phones chime, buzz]
You'll receive ♪
Did you know that this is actually about
making New Year's
Eve plans way too early?
All I know is we're
gonna freeze our balls off
- tomorrow night in Times Square.
- stand one little chance ♪
Here comes the jackpot
question In advance ♪
[mouthing words] Yes, we are.
[both] What are you doing New Year's ♪
- Oh, shit.
- [cell phone chimes]
- [cameraman] Beautiful. Four.
- New Year's Eve? ♪
- [brass instrumental plays]
- [cameraman] Two, ready? Take it, two.
- [cell phones chiming]
- [Stella] Yeah, I just saw.
Another one bites the dust.
Multiple current and former
employees have come forward
with allegations of emotional abuse
and are calling for the public to
Times asking for a comment on one,
Maggie Brener on three, said she'd hold.
- Media Relations left a word.
- [phone rings]
They need to know what
they're saying about Ray.
Is he still on a scheduled vacation,
or can we announce anything?
And what's the board doing?
Emergency meeting to discuss Ray's
replacement for the evening news chair.
Call back the Times,
give me Maggie Brener
first and assemble the team,
Mia Jordan, Stella Bak,
Vince Fontana, Legal, ASAP.
[news anchor] Additionally, one
of Marcus's former assistants
- Is she on?
- [Kyle] She's on.
that when she requested
time off to attend
- her mother-in-law's funeral, Marcus
- Maggie,
I hope we gave you enough time
to include this in your book.
What are you doing New Year's? ♪
What are you doing New Year's Eve? ♪
[Bradley laughs]
All right, don't forget,
Bradley and I will be hosting
UBA's New Year's Eve Extravaganza
tomorrow night live from Times Square.
Andrew W.K., Drake, Lauren
Alaina, actual musical guests.
No singing from us, thank goodness.
Hey, come on, I saw you having fun.
Is that what fun looks like to you?
Well, it looks like what
you'll be seeing here on UBA
- starting at 8:00 p.m. eastern
- That's right.
tomorrow night.
We hope you can ring in 2020 with us.
Eric and I will be looking for you.
Now stay tuned for The Twist.
- And we're out. Good job, you guys.
- [crew cheers, applauds]
- Whew!
- [chuckles]
Twitter's loving it.
- Really?
- I told you.
All right, it was more
fun than I thought.
Oh, Jesus.
Did you see this about Ray?
- Emotionally abusing his staff?
- What?
- God.
- No.
[Bradley] Gayle.
I pushed the issue, all right?
This is coming from Mia?
Mia wants to do "Nutrition
in the New Year"?
Well, I think it has less to do
with "Nutrition in the New Year"
and more to do with, you know,
bumming everybody the fuck out.
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are
two of the deadliest days of the year.
Alcohol consumption goes up,
drug use rises, people die.
It's a fact. I'm sorry it's a bummer.
Okay, I was trying
to give it to you easy,
but, um, we weren't given an option.
I'm gonna go talk to her.
Bradley.
Ratings are down. Pick your battles.
You know, if they don't
value me around here,
I have a feeling there's gonna be an
opening on the evening news very soon.
That seems like a safe bet.
And I seriously doubt
Vince would tell me to do
"Nutrition in the New Year"
on the evening news.
And by the way, Gayle,
you told me all this singing
and dancing and playing along
was gonna buy me some
freedom around this place.
I mean, I dyed my hair, I hosted
their celebrity bowling show,
I I did stupid TikTok dances on TV.
I did everything short of tattooing
UBA on my ass, and for what?
You've gotten to do most of
the stories you wanted to do.
[sighs]
If we stay the course,
people will catch up.
I hope you're right.
I'm gonna talk to Cory
about the evening news.
- He values integrity.
- [Cory] We need to get out ahead of this.
Bradley Jackson isn't
gonna find out on Twitter
that we're poaching her
partner for evening news.
When are we ready to
make the switch with Eric?
- [Richard] He's ready to close, almost.
- [Cory] Well, close the deal.
We were supposed to have time
to ease her into this idea.
You know, this is making my life
difficult to fire him, so maybe we don't.
Yelling at a PA isn't exactly
the same thing as sexual assault.
I had a boss throw a pineapple at my
head when I was a PA, and here I am.
We've heard that story before, Vince.
This network needs to clean up its act.
[Cory] Let me make this simple.
The press release announcing Ray's
firing and Eric's move to evening news
is being drafted now,
but we're not gonna release it
till everything else is in place.
The timetable has changed
now that somebody has decided to
leak the information to the press,
so we have to move expeditiously.
Let's just concentrate on who
we're pairing with Bradley.
Stellar. Our short list is
down to Mickey and Aaron.
- What the fuck happened to Miguel?
- He declined.
He He declined The Morning Show?
He wasn't excited about
working with Bradley.
[Cory sighs]
Listen, what about keeping Eric
on TMS, moving Bradley to evening?
- You know she loves her news hard.
- [laughs]
Okay, should we have the
conversation about Bradley
- that I think we're all thinking?
- What?
Is she really cutting it?
[chuckles] That seems extreme.
Ratings have been down. Her
contract is up in a few months.
Yeah, Bradley was poised to become
some sort of feminist superhero,
but she couldn't capitalize.
No, wait. She refused to capitalize.
Well, I kind of admire that she didn't
just jump on the Me Too bandwagon
and fill up her grocery cart with
free prizes and fake goodwill.
Yeah, but she went out of her
way not to fill up her cart.
She called that women's
club out on the carpet
For underpaying staff.
Listen, you know I love Bradley,
but she really needs
the poise and polish
and gravity of a
seasoned anchor like Alex
to balance her out.
- Fine.
- Okay then,
we have a list of potential
partner combinations
- that are ready to go
- What? No, I said fine. Fine, fine.
- "Fine," what?
- We get Alex back.
- No, no. I didn't I didn't mean
- [Stella] What? No.
- I don't think that's an option.
- Why, have you talked to her?
Uh, she publicly left the
show. It was a big deal.
Did she personally tell you no?
Yes, emphatically,
when she left the show eight months ago.
That's why we went out and
spent all that money on Eric.
But who else is a story like Alex is?
Who else can distract us
from the burning trash barge
that we are currently floating
right down the center
of the city? No one.
I don't know that bringing her back
is the event that you think it is.
She's a feminist icon.
Maybe. But I also don't love the idea
that she's another white woman as
co-anchor, feminist icon or not.
And especially one who admitted to
doing a lot of questionable shit.
And personally, I think Alex is done.
[Alex] The thing people don't realize is
that there is a cost
to success and fame.
There's a story by
Hans Christian Andersen.
A young woman becomes enamored
with these fabulous red shoes
that are more
attention-grabbing and exciting
than the humble brown shoes she wears.
- [typing]
- In a moment of bad judgment,
she succumbs to their charms
and wears them to church.
And lo and behold, her feet start moving
and she is dancing, and she can't stop.
And she dances for
hours and days and weeks
until she is bloody and bruised
from dancing like a whirling dervish
through the countryside and towns,
unable to stop.
She finally dances so much
and so hard, faster and faster,
that she knows she is
going to bleed to death.
So in a desperate attempt
to stave off death,
she finally implores a
woodcutter to cut off her feet.
And he does.
Then she dies.
- [typing stops]
- [sighs]
[groans, mumbles]
Times were different back then.
And I'm sure there's some
patriarchal message in this
to women who wanted to
step out of their role.
However, I always took
away from it as a kid
And it probably says
something about me as a kid
Is the idea that the world
might have you running so hard
that rather than running one step
more, you would cut off your own feet.
[whispers] Never
And I never I never
forgot that image.
I think success in the modern
world demands a similar dance
Soul-sucking, grueling, never ending.
- [whispering] Just wanted it to end.
- And I just wanted it to end.
I wanted it to end so
I could begin to live.
[inhales deeply, exhales]
- I'll let you know how it goes.
- [murmurs]
Stay tuned for The Twist.
[muttering] End manuscript.
[sighs]
[sighs]
You want a hundred
million a year to buy back
the streaming rights for Hampton?
[groans] Well, Bruce, normally I'd
hate to be the bearer of bad news,
but with you, somehow, I love it.
We're not gonna renew the deal
for Apocalypse 13. How's that?
So if you wanna see it,
you're gonna have to do like everybody
else and subscribe to UBA Plus.
And don't worry, there's a free
trial if you can't swing the $7.99.
[Bruce on phone] I guess anger
issues are endemic over there.
[chuckles] Nah, this isn't anger.
You'll know when I'm angry.
I'll make sure of that.
- Kyle, who's holding on three?
- That's Ivy. You told me to get her.
No, tell her I'll call her
back. I need Pete Freeman.
Keep rolling through the call
sheet. I need to get outta here soon.
- Hey. Should I come back later?
- [Kyle] Yeah, hi. Sorry
Hi. Uh, no, no.
- [Kyle] Pete Freeman on two.
- Uh, tell him I'll call him back.
- Look what the cat dragged in. Hi.
- [chuckles] Hey.
[Cory sighs] Been a while.
- Yeah, I've been a little busy.
- Yeah.
- Can Can you talk for a second?
- Uh, yeah.
- Oh, great.
- Yeah.
Thanks.
[groans] What a morning.
[groans]
Are you gonna have to fire Ray?
Well, I mean, I can't
tell you that, but yes.
So, who are you gonna
get to replace him?
Uh, yeah, I Um [sighs]
I don't I don't know.
Um, in fact, if you
find out, please tell me
because I'm dying to know.
- Well, you would be my first call.
- I appreciate it.
And if you can't find anybody
good, there's always me.
Well, I thank you for
that selfless offer.
[both chuckle]
Okay, you owe me, buddy.
Remember you were fired around here,
don't forget. And I got you un-fired.
I Uh, yep.
- And obviously, I I thank you for that.
- I'd do it again.
I really need you on The Morning
Show. I need that stability.
When people turn on The Morning Show,
they're gonna see Bradley Jackson.
And by the way, you have
been killing it this week.
- Just this week? I mean
- Oh. Don't do that to me.
[chuckles] No, I Look, I get it,
and I know that the ratings have gone
down a little bit since Alex left,
and I'm not oblivious,
I just think evening news,
uh, it just might be a
better fit for my talents.
And Ray leaving creates this square
hole that's perfect for a square peg.
And I know I know
that I would kill it.
Oh, abso Of course you would.
What are you talking about?
You would absolutely crush that.
But, you know, my problem is I like
to fit square pegs into round holes
[laughing] 'cause it's really hard,
but when you can make it fit, like,
perfectly, actually make it fit,
it's magical. It's totally magical.
Feels like magic. And not like
magic tricks, like actual sorcery.
And of course, of course the
ratings took a dip there for a while,
but that's what's gonna make
the ta-da moment so exhilarating.
So I can't move you before the ta-da.
Okay.
Okay. [chuckles]
Well, you know, and I kinda feel like
I've been finding my groove on the show.
- [inhales deeply] Yeah.
- And Eric,
he and I just complement
each other really well.
Well, that's you, you
complement anyone well.
I don't know about that.
I mean, I think he and
I are a good match.
It's much better than the last situation.
Oh, come on, you and Alex,
you had something special too.
For five minutes.
I mean, that's the most I ever felt
like we had a relationship. [stammers]
But, I mean, she left, and I
I haven't even heard from her.
Well, yeah.
It was a hell of a five minutes.
And who knows what would've happened
if you'd had a chance to build on 'em.
That's true. I guess we'll
never know. [chuckles]
Anyway, it's better this way.
Well, I have learned never to say never.
Except when I'm saying
never to say never,
in which case I say it
twice in one sentence.
[chuckles] I miss you.
Yeah, you know, we got
busy, a lot happened.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah.
It feels like that was
a million years ago.
- [sighs]
- And yet it was still 2019.
Yeah, tell me about it. [snickers]
And the Hannah stuff has, you
know, been hard and on my mind.
I
[sighs]
That stuff, I guess it just takes time.
But we'll get there. We
will. We'll get there.
[on phone] Hi, this is Shirlee
Alpert, from Horseheads.
I want to nominate my grandson,
Zack, for Hero of the Day.
Yesterday at the park, he and a child
he didn't know were eating candy canes,
until the other child
dropped his on the ground
and started crying like the dickens.
Well, Zack really has the Christmas
spirit in him, we've made sure of that.
And he offered to share his candy cane.
I have got photos of the
two of them licking it.
I just thought it was
the sweetest thing,
and maybe you could do a
story about that on the news.
- My number is 607-433-2
- [dial tone]
It cut off.
I know, we just missed
it. It was right there.
You want me to pursue it?
It's sort of gross.
Two kids licking one candy cane.
Yeah, but you know, kids need germs,
kinda bolster the immune system.
I say you track her down.
It's gonna be six months before
we do another Christmas story.
Actually, that's not true around here,
but you should track her down anyway.
[whistling "Carol of the Bells"]
Oh, my God. What are you doing here?
- Hi.
- Hi.
Mmm.
I got done at the school
and thought I'd swing by
and see my very successful
producer boyfriend.
- Really? Where is he?
- Mm-hmm.
- I'll tell him you're here.
- You're funny.
Well, I better be 'cause you're
not dating me for my looks.
- [chuckles]
- How we doing on the New Year's plans?
- Are we good?
- Yeah, you think you can get away?
Uh, I think so. This place runs itself.
Hey. The phones aren't working.
Um, have you called the phone company?
The phones are out.
Cell phone?
Hmm. Mmm.
- It doesn't like totally run itself.
- [giggles]
But turns out either it
doesn't matter, or I don't care,
- or I just wanna be with you.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
I'll see you tomorrow then.
- Oh, yeah, you'll see me tomorrow.
- All right. Bye.
[inhales deeply]
[sighs]
[Alex] Come on, baby. Oh, good boy.
[breathing heavily]
- [cell phone ringing]
- [grunts]
Did you read it already?
I just finished it. It's really good.
[stammers] So what's
not working for you?
Jesus, Alex, I said it's really good.
[Alex] Yeah, okay, come on.
I know what "really good"
means on feedback, okay?
It means "not great,"
"you didn't like it,"
"not out of the park,"
what? Don't bullshit me.
Let's not go off the
deep end here, okay?
It's really good. That's not bullshit.
You have lived an amazing life.
You've brushed elbows
with some of the most
influential people on the planet.
You've carved out a place
as a woman in that business
that few have even come close to.
You started a UBA revolution.
The events are all amazing.
It's raw, it's real.
S So So what's wrong?
[sighs]
I just think you need to go back and
dig a little deeper in certain areas.
Oh, my gosh! Come on.
I talked about [stammers] uh,
my insecurities and my
divorce and I mean
About Mitch.
I'm not interested in
talking about Mitch.
People are gonna be buying it for that.
Nothing against you, but
that shit sells books.
And not only that, Alex, it's
an important piece of a movement.
Yeah, I know. I know
the fucking movement.
I've destroyed my entire
career over the movement.
Please don't make me go
back in there. Come on.
I'm saying this as a friend, Alex.
We don't know what's
gonna be in Maggie's book.
[Alex groans]
That sounds like you do know
what's gonna be in Maggie's book.
No, I don't.
I know her editor,
but she won't tell me.
But whatever it is,
this gives you the opportunity
to go in there and respond
without looking like you're responding.
- To defend yourself.
- Jesus!
What am I defending myself about
that I didn't already admit
on national television?
Alex, all I'm saying is,
if there is any history with
Mitch, any personal history,
this is your chance to put
your own narrative on it.
Well, there isn't!
[wind whistling]
I'll go back and look at the manuscript
and see if I can dig up any
salacious bits about Mitch.
Keep the, uh, sharks fed.
Just think about what I'm saying,
all right? You'll get there.
Yeah, all right,
Adelle. Thanks, bye. Bye.
Fucking Mitch.
- [siren blaring]
- Mo Mommy, you
You gotta stop pressing the
button, okay, Mommy? [stammers]
[speaks Spanish]
The ambulance is coming because
you're pressing the button, okay?
It doesn't turn it off.
But it Ma, it's not
on until you press it.
I promise you, no one's
listening to your conversations
- through your Life Alert, okay?
- Yanko?
[speaking Spanish]
Okay, bye, bye.
Oh, my God. So good
to see you, Meredith.
Oh, my God. It's
It's been a while, yeah.
Yeah.
- Uh, have you heard anything from Claire?
- Uh, yeah.
- She's studying for her GRE.
- Oh, wow. She's bouncing back.
- That's so good to hear that.
- Yeah.
I think it was good for her to get away
after all of that unpleasantness.
Oh, yeah. No doubt. Yeah.
- Uh, well, good seeing you.
- So great seeing you.
When I talk to her next, I'll
tell her that I ran into you.
Sure, sure. Yeah. Take care.
Hey, Yanko. What's the weather, man?
Uh, well the earth's gonna
crash into the sun, but, uh,
tomorrow night you'll
need a fucking sweater.
[grunts, pants]
F
[grunts, pants]
[shouts]
[panting] Shit. Oh, God.
Oh.
Chopping wood. Alex. Hello.
Cory Ellison?
What the fuck are you doing in Maine?
Well, what the fuck
are you doing in Maine?
- [Alex] You really do need something, huh?
- Huh?
And I can't imagine that it's
anything that I have to give.
I need you to come back for a year.
Bradley's She's doing okay,
but she's not testing great,
and we're taking Eric
for the evening news.
Yeah. [sighs]
Wow.
Um, Bradley upset?
Well, she will be.
She will be.
God, you know what? Same old UBA.
- You You guys.
- Alex, business is business.
Those things don't change.
My job is to ensure the stability
of UBA. I do what I have to do.
- Uh-huh.
- Just to be clear,
I'm not talking about coming
back the same as before.
I am talking about a whole new deal.
You partner with the network.
You become a powerful
voice in the rebuilding
and the rebranding of
a a toxic empire that
It It's gonna rise.
It's gonna rise from the ashes like
Like Venus out of the clamshell.
And you are Venus.
I need you.
UBA needs you.
You were all we ever needed, and
we were too stupid to realize it.
Please come back to us, Alex.
You are the only thing that can save us.
[Alex sighs]
I agree with every single
thing you just said.
Every single thing you just said.
I j I can't come back. [chuckles]
Not e Even if I wanted to
come back, I just couldn't.
I-I I would look flaky.
- W-Wishy-washy. Mm-mmm.
- No, no, no, no.
When your new deal got announced,
you would look smart as fuck.
[chuckles]
- [tapping]
- I don't want to.
- I don't want to. I'm done. I'm done.
- [Cory sighs]
You know what, Cory I think
it's I think you better go.
I mean, you're not a horrible person.
I thoroughly enjoy you.
I mean, maybe you are actually
a horrible person, but
But I I I still
find you entertaining.
You're a little
You're a little crazy.
- [sighs]
- And it it scares me.
Look, I don't wanna harass you.
- Uh
- Okay.
I've said my piece.
I'm begging you to come back to
me, Alex Levy, on bended knee.
And if you do, I will support
this union at all cost.
You will be my first priority,
always. You have my word.
I'm not coming back. I'm really happy.
Okay, I'm just asking
you to think about it.
- I don't wanna think about it.
- You can tell me tomorrow.
- Think about it for a day.
- I'm telling you no now.
I don't want it.
I hate it.
I would rather die than
go back there, okay?
Well, think about it.
Oh.
[sighs]
[sighs]
[Ty] Oh, no, Yanko.
Twitter user Simplybarnaby has
taken issue with your weather report,
- I'm afraid to say.
- [Yanko] Oh, my God.
He said, and I will quote him,
- "@yankofloresuba owes me $500."
- [Yanko laughs]
"No rain in the Pacific Northwest?
Well, tell that to my
suede Ferragamo loafers."
I am sorry about the shoes, Barnaby,
but I think you need to take this
one up with the spirit upstairs.
Oh, so is that where
Barnaby should send the bill?
Well, he's definitely
got deeper pockets.
You take your life in your hands when
you leave the house with suede loafers.
Hey, Mia, you still need to approve
the year-end clip package for tonight.
Right, uh Donny, take it.
- Where we going?
- Joel's in the bullpen.
And remember you have a one
o'clock and you have a two o'clock.
- What's my two o'clock?
- Uh, your favorite head of news.
- Hey, Joel.
- [Lindsey] Hey, Mia.
Can you weigh in on
stories for tomorrow?
- [Mia] I Ugh.
- It'll only take a second. Pick two:
"Pakistan issues health ID cards to
trans people to reduce discrimination."
"China investigates respiratory
illness outbreak, sickening 27."
And, "Eighty people in the Bahamas
tested positive for tuberculosis
in storm shelters after the hurricane."
- Pakistan, Bahamas.
- Thank you.
Walk with me. Rena, are you good?
[sighs] Yeah, I'm just walking. For two.
Joel, give me what you got
for the year-end review, quick.
Okay. Uh, Mueller Report.
Uh, perfect Ukraine call.
Uh, impeachment
Stick to the Trump highlights or
that thing is gonna be four hours.
- Non-Trump?
- Uh, college admission scandal.
Uh, Brexit.
Uh, Notre-Dame burned down, Australia
burned down, the Amazon burned
Stop. Let's give the people some hope.
Let's give me some hope.
Did anything good happen?
[Jeffrey] Uh, the US won
the Women's World Cup.
- Jesus, 2019 sucked!
- Um, hey.
I really don't wanna be this person,
but do we need to include
ourselves in a packet about 2019?
Yeah, let's include Alex
and Bradley's moment.
Choose that clip wisely.
Play it as a triumphant send-off
to our departing hero, Alex Levy.
No Mitch. At all.
And what about the Hannah of it?
Uh, dedicate the broadcast to Hannah.
Archie was born this year, the
royal baby. Uh, that's optimistic.
- Mmm, babies are great! [chuckles] Yeah.
- Right?
Oh, hey. What are you still doing here?
- You should be at home taking a nap.
- Yeah, I will. I will.
It's gonna be a long
night. Get some rest.
Hey, Mia, um, I've just
been thinking, taking stock.
And [sighs] I realize
sometimes I can be difficult,
but you have always looked out for me.
And even when we were
dealing with some crazy shit.
And if I If I wasn't grateful enough,
I just wanna let you know
that I I am really grateful.
And I just wanna say thank you.
[Mia] Mmm. Oh.
Mmm.
I think he's the right call.
He does well with our
old and young demos,
men and women, and
non-gender conforming people.
Yeah, Aaron is great.
I don't know if he'll be enough
to move the needle with the press.
No, but you're not gonna
have any issues with him
like we've had with some of
our other talent, you know?
Aaron's solid.
Let's hope so.
We close down again today.
But, hey, let me know before
we announce officially?
Okay, why? 'Cause Bradley
still doesn't know?
Yeah, mostly that. I'm gonna tell
her after the broadcast tonight,
so hold off any press
until after I've told her.
Okay.
[siren wailing in distance]
[crowd whistling, cheering]
[Bradley] Check, check.
Okay. All right, okay. Great. Thank you.
Thank you.
[cheering continues]
[chuckles]
[Bradley chuckles] This
is crazy. It's so huge.
I mean, it looks huge when
you see it on TV from home,
but when you're in the middle,
it feels like this huge
responsibility that everybody has fun.
- Do you think we're gonna make it fun?
- Um, I know I will.
I don't know about you.
- You are just something else.
- I'm gonna make it fun.
Hey, I've got a little something
here, and I want to make a toast.
- Okay.
- To you.
Uh-oh.
Because you came in at
a really difficult time
and you just really
pulled me through it.
You've been, sincerely,
an amazing partner,
and I just I just wanna thank you.
Means a lot. Honestly. And, uh,
you've been a great partner too.
- Well, here's to the year ahead for us.
- All right.
[air horn blows]
- I got to? [scoffs]
- Yeah. Go, go, go.
- Quick.
- When in Rome.
Okay, we're back in seven
seconds. Good show, everybody.
Five, four, three.
Camera two, get the
both of them, two-shot.
Onward and upward.
- [fanfare plays on speakers]
- It's December 31st, New Year's Eve,
and all eyes are on Times
Square in New York City
as Baby New Year is starting to crown.
But we have got a lot of fun in
store for you before the ball drops
and 2019 gives way to 2020.
The excitement here is so thick
you can hang your laundry on it.
And why are we so excited, Bradley?
Who are we gonna be seeing tonight?
Well, we got performances
by Drake, Ariana Grande,
and the Radio City Rockettes.
And that's just the beginning!
We'll be checking in
throughout the night
with Daniel Henderson and Alison Namazi
down on Bourbon Street, New Orleans.
Ty Fitzgerald at the
Hollywood & Highland complex
in Los Angeles.
Yanko Flores is gonna
be down in the streets,
and Penn & Teller from
the strip in Las Vegas.
So get ready. Figure out
who you're gonna kiss.
Because we've got four hours
until the ball goes down.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
Oh, God.
Okay.
Hi. How are you? Hello.
Hi.
[man] Is that her?
[exhales]
She showed up.
[man] Oh, my God. It's Alex Levy.
Oh, my God. It's Alex. Hi.
[mouthing words] Hi. Hello.
[mouths word] Hi.
[guests chattering, laughing]
[Aria] Alex?
- [gasps] Hello.
- I thought you were gonna be in New York.
I know, I had a change of plans.
Lizzy ended up having a
party tonight at the place,
and I just didn't wanna be the lone
mom at a prep school party. [chuckles]
- I'm so glad you're here.
- Me too.
A lot of the people you know
from the book readings are here.
- Yes! Oh, hi.
- Yes.
- Oh, also, Sylvia Portman is here.
- Yes.
- Sylvia Yes.
- The psychic.
- Right.
- Her new book's coming out.
- She's doing a signing at the shop.
- Good.
- She is doing readings for everybody.
- Really?
- Sure she'd give you one if you'd like.
- Oh, fun.
- Let's get you a drink.
- Mmm, yes.
[cars honking]
What are we looking at here, Frank?
I'd say maybe a half hour at this rate,
- but it's just a guess.
- [sighs] Got it.
- Just sometime this year would be great.
- [chuckles] Yes, sir.
- [honking continues]
- [sniffs, clears throat]
[cell phone chimes]
[sighs] Oh.
[sighs]
[line rings]
[on voice mail] This is Alex.
- Please leave a message.
- [beeps]
So there's this poem.
[inhales] Okay. Mmm. All right.
Ah.
Your parents have passed on?
Not that I'm aware of.
Should I give 'em a call?
[chuckles]
- Ah, well, you have a child.
- I do.
A son?
No, but I'll give you another guess.
[breathes deeply]
- [crowd cheering]
- [Bradley] I know y'all are having fun,
but New Year's Eve is just getting good.
Ladies and gentlemen, Lauren Alaina.
- [crowd cheers]
- [upbeat pop music playing]
Thanks.
[Alaina] Put your hands together.
Hey, slow down there.
You got anything for me?
Don't be crazy now. I
know how much is in there.
[Lauren Alaina singing
"Road Less Traveled"]
Mmm. Oh, my God.
This is unreal. I mean,
if I told my ten-year-old hot-mess
self that this is what I'd be doing,
she would've never believed me.
But it's so fun. I'm so glad
I'm doing it with you too.
Isn't this magical?
Bradley, I gotta tell you something.
- Okay.
- Look, I'm not supposed to tell you this,
but I just don't feel
right keeping it from you.
You all right?
And you're gonna find out soon, anyway.
I'm leaving the show.
Wait, are Did they fire you?
- Look, I'll talk to Mia.
- No, no, no, that's not it.
They offered me evening news.
Oh.
Does everybody know?
Yeah.
I'm really sorry.
[song fades]
Well, this card shows a young man who is
or will be very important in your life.
Ooh, gosh. No one that I'm aware of.
But you are in a serious relationship?
No, I'm I'm not.
You know, sometimes you have to be
willing to just dig
around a little deeper
to let the cards reveal what
they're trying to tell you.
Oh.
But, wait, I thought that was your job.
- I don't wanna scare you.
- I'm pretty sure that's impossible.
Well, I know you don't
believe in what I'm doing.
[stammers] I kind of think you're right.
I mean no disrespect.
You know what? Let's just shake hands
- and call it a night.
- Okay.
- That was fun.
- That was fun.
- Thank you. [chuckles]
- Mm-hmm.
To be honest, Alex, I feel
a lot of resistance in you.
What do you mean resistance?
What am What am I resisting?
I came for a drink, to see my
neighbors, have some good cheer,
what the fuck am I resisting?
You are carrying around a
paralyzing amount of guilt.
No, I'm not.
Is that what you're running away from?
I'm not running away from anything.
[rock music playing on speakers]
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Have you seen him?
- Seen who?
Tell him I'm looking for him.
Hey. It's going great so far.
You're killing it.
How about I take you out for
a celebratory drink afterward?
[Bradley] What happened to you?
Well, um, a miracle named Bradley
Jackson walked into my life?
No, no, no. I mean, like,
w Who the fuck are you?
Because you're not the same
person that I thought you were
when all the Alex shit went down.
What's going on, Bradley?
- What's going on?
- You lied to me.
You put Eric in the evening news.
And apparently, everybody
here knows that except for me.
Seriously? What the fuck, Cory?
You're just gonna have to trust
- that I have your best interests in mind.
- My best interests in mind?
If you had my best interests in
mind, you would've told me the truth.
Goddamn it, I'm doing the
best that I can here. Okay?
- [titters] This job is hard.
- Oh, really?
- Everybody's job is fucking hard.
- It doesn't seem that way to you
because I walk in and out of a
room grinning like a Cheshire Cat.
But it is fucking hard,
'cause when I took over,
they didn't give me
the keys to a new car,
they gave me a raft that's
so riddled with holes,
and is so crudely
patched over and over a
There's not even a raft left.
It's just a million patches,
held together by a million more.
And I know you know how that
is because you're the patch
that holds together another
patch every morning at 7:00 a.m.
And I am trying to conjure
Noah's Ark out of thin air.
And I Frankly, I think I'm
doing a pretty decent job of it,
- all things considered.
- Are you? Really?
Actually, a pretty great job of it.
And I had hoped, frankly, you and I?
We would be able to walk
on together, two by two.
Is this the part where
I'm supposed to thank you
for saving me from some sort of flood?
Because you only have
this job because of me.
Man, you're just so certain you
know how the world works, huh?
You know, most people in the world
don't give a fuck about anybody else.
They don't care if you live or die.
I'm not talking about you personally.
Most people don't care
if anybody lives or dies
who doesn't answer to the name of "me."
But you, you seem to think somehow
that your friends, your fucking friends,
and I am counting me here,
- are somehow out to get you.
- Oh, oh, let me clarify.
You are not my friend.
You could've been my friend,
but that did not happen.
And I am so glad it did not.
Because all you had to
do was be honest with me.
But it turns out you're just the
weasel that everybody said you were.
It's just never occurred to you that
I obviously, obviously, obviously
can't tell you everything
'cause you're so obsessed
with telling the truth,
I can't be sure any
secret is safe with you.
And also, by the way
- So this is my fault?
- Pretty much.
'Cause I also can't tell
you how people feel about you
'cause your ego is too damn fragile
to be able to process the information
into something constructive.
- Go to hell.
- There you go, proving my point.
- I told you the truth, proved my point.
- You know what?
Fuck you. My ball's about to drop.
[rock music crescendos]
Come on, man. [sighs]
Fuck it.
Okay.
Jesus.
[clattering]
[sighs]
Oh, shit.
[sighs]
[Cory on voice mail] There's this
poem that I've been thinking of.
Uh, I had to take a test
on when I was in school.
Most of it doesn't really apply.
It's about the death of this guy's
best friend and he's missing him.
But there there's this one line.
It keeps rattling around in my head.
One line that specifically
It reminds me of you, right now.
"Fame is no plant that
grows on mortal soil."
You are not mortal soil.
Whether you like it or not.
And you can't just throw away
non-mortal soil. That's a sin.
And, I know, you think
you're meant to slow down.
I don't think that's right.
You have yet to do your greatest work.
[exhales shakily]
That non-mortal soil's more
fertile than it's ever been.
I believe that, Alex.
And somewhere inside yourself,
I think you believe that.
- [whimpers, sniffles]
- So, if I am right,
I need you to call me back in the
next hour and tell me you agree.
- [sighs]
- And if I'm wrong,
well, go and have a drink
and a laugh at my expense
- and enjoy your new year.
- [chuckles, sniffles]
[sighs, sniffles]
[breathing shakily]
And here it is, the great
countdown! Count with us.
- Sixty.
- Fifty-nine.
[Eric laughing] Fifty-eight.
- [Bradley] Fifty-seven.
- [Eric] Fifty-six.
- [cell phone ringing]
- [Bradley] Fifty-five.
[Eric] Yanko, what are
you doing there, man?
- [Bradley chuckles]
- [ringing continues]
- He's counting.
- He's counting down there? Okay.
All right, I hope
he's not bothering you.
Alex?
- Hi. Hi.
- [Cory] Hi. Did you get my message?
[sniffles] I did.
[crowd clamoring]
- And?
- And?
It was really nice.
- You okay?
- [sighs]
- I'm g I'm great.
- Okay, listen.
You know we wanna be in
the Alex Levy business
no matter what, Alex.
And I know you got a million problems
that are more important than mine.
Our deal fell through
on Eric's replacement.
We're in a hell of a bind.
You've done The Morning
Show, you've graduated.
You've earned the right to move on.
- [crowd cheering]
- Could you please
come back and fill in
until you're ready to launch
your new prime-time show?
[weeps, sighs]
[sniffles]
[clears throat] Okay, listen,
Cory? Let's talk tomorrow, okay?
I will call you tomorrow.
Alex, you won't be sorry.
Cory, can I trust you?
[crowd] Six.
[all] Five. Four.
- Three.
- Yes.
- [all] Two. One.
- [crowd cheers]
[both] Happy New Year!
- [party horns blowing]
- [all cheering]
["Auld Lang Syne" playing]
[fireworks popping]
- ["Auld Lang Syne" continues]
- [guests shouting]
[cheering, exclaiming]
- [audio fades]
- [music continues]
[music continues]
[music ends]
[cell phone ringing]
[Stella] Uh, hey, what's up?
Kill the deal with Aaron.
I'll explain tomorrow.
It's a new year, Stella.
Things are looking up.
[crowd cheering]
[woman sneezes]
Ah, fuck!
["New York, New York" playing]