When Apple TV+ launched, The Morning Show was one of its original programming crown jewels. Over the years the show has changed quite a bit, as has its position with the streamer, but it remains an interesting series. Now it’s back for a fourth season where the landscape has changed even more. The premiere, “My Roman Empire,” picks up in April 2024. It’s been two tumultuous years for everyone at UBA—now UBN post merger—and everyone who used to call the network home. Let’s dive in.
SPOILERS BELOW.
We begin with a splash as UBN has acquired the rights to cover the Paris Olympic Games. It’s just what’s needed to pull the new network out of a tailspin. Alex (Jennifer Aniston), Stella (Greta Lee) are making the announcement of new AI technology to help the games have a global reach. But the employees are skeptical. It’s been a long two years of mergers, layoffs, and uncertainty. That’s left Stella, now the CEO, and Alex, an executive, feeling the strain. It’s also left UBN feeling a little different.
But it isn’t long before Alex is called to a big interview of an Iranian athlete, Roya Nazeri (Ava Lalezarzadeh). It was hard to land, and Alex needs to stick to the script. The interview is meant to show that UBN can be an impartial partner for the Olympics. But when the girl’s father (Alain Ali Washnevsky) slips her, a note asking to defect, Alex is in a pickle. She helps create a distraction and gets them away, but it creates an incident with Iran and the Olympic Committee. With everyone upset, there’s no choice but to pull Alex from the pre-Olympic coverage.
But Alex is more concerned with the defection. She’s told to stay out of it, but Alex isn’t good at listening to reason. Instead, she decides to visit her father (Jeremy Irons), a law professor of some renowned. He doesn’t offer her much help, but it’s clear Alex doesn’t intend to give up.
A bold return
With Alex sidelined, Stella taps Chris (Nicole Beharie) to lead the Olympic coverage. That means Chris is stretched thin and has to take a hiatus from The Morning Show. All that leaves Mia (Karen Pittman) feeling like her show is taking a back seat. She doesn’t feel any better when Chris makes it clear she has designs on leaving the show altogether and raising her profile. All of which leaves Mia scrambling to keep her show on top.
Mia goes to Stella for help. She also goes with a bold proposal—the return of Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon). Alex isn’t fond of the move, but Stella gives the go-ahead. Mia heads to West Virginia where Bradley is teaching. She makes the offer, but Bradley is skeptical.
Soon, she gets a cryptic text about a cover-up that she needs to pursue. The person urges her to return to The Morning Show. Bradley debates but ends up reaching out. Her FBI handler makes it clear she can’t step out of line, and if anything of interest comes up, she’s to report it to them first. Her new “deal” was the price she had to pay for her actions on behalf of her brother. But we learn it kept her out of jail, and it kept her name out of the news.
Bradley heads back to New York and pays Alex a visit. While Mia led Bradley to believe Alex wanted her back, she gets a frostier reception. Turns out, no one but Alex knows the truth about what Bradley did, and Alex has reservations about her returning. That seems to put the two at odds.
Starting over in Hollywood
Cory (Billy Crudup) meanwhile is starting over. No longer in charge at UBA, he’s working as a producer in Hollywood. He’s trying to get a movie made, but he’s running into problems. His latest issue is a lead actress that quits during production. That leaves him scrambling.
Cory works to try and find a replacement, connecting with former friend Doug (Will Arnett), the agent. It’s through that connection he discovers he’s a pariah even in Hollywood. Just as things are looking bleak, Alex calls to let him know Bradley is back. She asks to meet, which portends her planning to use Cory against Bradley in some way in the future.
Thoughts on The Morning Show season 4 episode 1
There was a lot going on in this week’s episode. I loved how it picked up and put plenty of stories in play. We were introduced to an edgy new personality—Bro Hartman (Boyd Holbrook)—who instantly clashed with Alex. And it turns out Stella is having a secret and torrid affair with Miles (Aaron Pierre). Turns out, Miles is the husband of the Board Chairman Celine Dumont (Marion Cotillard). That could put Stella in a pickle during a difficult time for the network. Overall, it was a fast-moving episode that made me glad The Morning Show is back.
The Morning Show streams Wednesdays on Apple TV+. We recap episodes here each week. Check back next week for a recap of episode two!