The Morning Show concludes its most entertaining season with "The Overview Effect," a predictable finale that recasts UBA and its culture in a heroic light. The show's season has been filled with soapiest elements, but the finale feels contrived and preachy. It was expected that The Morning Show would shake things up, but it ends by undoing everything that made the season enjoyable. UBA is set to merge with NBN, which is expected to be a humorous and entertaining move. The petty and catty anchors of UBA will likely be on screen, offering an opportunity to introduce new characters and refocus the show. It's also possible that the merger will help cut dead weight. The outcome remains to be seen. The Morning Show's finale shows that Bradley will leave the FBI unscathed and Cory will wrangle power at the new UBA-NBN, despite his current injuries. The show's final scene and Bradley's testimony suggest the show is ready to move on with the Bradley/Cory relationship. However, the show does not provide any real closure to Laura and Bradley's relationship, even confronting Laura's decision to cover for Bradley's felony. Laura and Alex have a heart-to-heart, but Laura seems unwilling to forgive Bradley for lying to her and questions whether she ever truly knew the woman she loved. The show offers no real closure for the pair and almost completely ignores their relationship in the final episode of the season. The Morning Show has revealed that billionaire Paul Marks is a bully who is willing to go outside the lines to get what he wants. However, for at least 75% of the season, The Morning Show didn't write him that way, making him an unnecessary villain. The show's inability to commit to the character's supposed message, such as income inequality and the power of the mega-rich, makes his behavior in the last few episodes feel like whiplash. "The Overview Effect" also finds itself in the position of casting Cory Ellison as a hero, rushing in to save UBA from Paul Marks due to his concern for legacy media and the jobs of the 20K employees he has never cared about before. The only reason Paul Marks is involved in this is Cory, who stalked him while surfing. The idea that this is the hero is a lot of fun. The finale of the show, "The Office," focuses heavily on the friendship between Bradley and Alex, a bond that has been ignored for at least a season and a half. While it's good that Bradley is facing up to her actions, it's hard to believe that her decision to turn herself in was more about recognizing her wrongdoings than because Laura found out and dumped her. Bradley hasn't behaved as though she feels bad about her choices, but her decision to turn herself in and cover up Hal's becoming public knowledge is not well-received. The finale is more focused on reaching specific narrative destinations, such as the final scene outside the FBI building, than making sure those big moments make sense for the characters' respective journies. This is a shame, as Season 3 is the best the show has ever been, and it's difficult to imagine what it might have looked like if it had managed to stick the landing.
Review of The Overview Effect
