No one can hurt you quite like family. They know you and there is often a history that can lead to painful memories. For the characters on The Morning Show—really three characters in particular—difficulties with family were the theme in season 4 episode 8, “The Parent Trap.”
Let's dive in for our recap of the latest episode!
Celine and her brother
We open with Celine (Marion Cotillard) and her brother (Arnaud Valois) having words. He doesn’t think she should stay with Miles (Aaron Pierre) or with the network. He, along with the rest of the family, doesn’t see the value in it. She was sent to cover up the story about a chemical company. That’s done now—and provides confirmation that Celine is Bradley’s (Reese Witherspoon) real target. They want Celine to leave it all and come back to France.
After all, the family has its own issues with the upcoming Paris games. Celine argues that as CEO and President of the Board, she’ll never have a greater opportunity to shape the public narrative. That, she argues, is real power. But her brother doesn’t see it.
So, she shows him. Bro (Boyd Holbrook) has his own ambitions—to become the Senator for New Jersey. Celine offers to back his campaign in exchange for a little help. He wades in to support her family’s efforts to clean up the Seine. It impresses Celine’s brother, for now. He starts to see the value in her position.
If only she could manage to patch things up with Miles…
Cory’s mother
Cory (Billy Crudup), meanwhile, has his movie back on track. He’s sold a lot of his soul and suffered personal losses to get the funding. But he feels like he’s helping make something that will get him back on top. But his mother (Lindsay Duncan) has some rough news.
It’s clear from earlier that she is struggling. Her memory is failing. And she no longer wants to live that way—or live at all. She has the means and plans to end her life. Cory races to her house, sure he can convince her otherwise.
They seem to be having a real dialogue. She’s on the cusp of telling Cory something of meaning. And yet, when he slips in to grab his movie prop to show her, she takes her pill. As Cory is telling the story of his movie, she passes away. He sits with her for hours, but dutifully, he follows her instructions to leave before the coroner arrives. What she’s done is illegal, and she doesn’t want it to follow him.
Instead, Cory connects with Celine. In Miles’ loft, the pair do lines of cocaine and dance their problems away—for now.
Alex’s father
Alex (Jennifer Anniston), meanwhile, has a rough go of things. First, she confronts Bradley about what happened with Claire (Bel Powley). Alex is furious. So, when Bradley asks for help to travel to Belarus, Alex says now. Bradley leaves, but Alex’s problems are just beginning.
Now hounded by a plagiarism scandal, Alex’s father (Jeremy Irons) gets arrested for public urination. After picking him up to sleep it off in her house, she tries to get back on track. But by morning the story—and video—is everywhere. This could hurt her chances of landing a sit-down with the President.
Her father makes it worse by going on Bro’s show and giving a First Amendment tirade. It makes him more of a focus for the news, and he submarine’s the interview Alex spent months setting up. When she calls her dad on it, he turns on her. He offers up some painful truths about her mother, her childhood, and his lack of interest in her as a person.
By the end, Alex is somewhat shattered. Her father walks out and he, too, seems a bit shaken. In the wake of this traumatic day, Alex thinks about Bradley. She decides to help and heads to Bradley’s apartment.
There, she meets Chip (Mark Duplass). Turns out she’s too late. Bradley’s already gone. And now she’s being held by the authorities.
Thoughts on The Morning Show season 4 episode 8
One of the tricks of episodic television is to take characters who could be seen as villains and turn some softer edges. That’s certainly true this week for Cory and Celine, complex characters who are humanized some by the difficult interactions with family.
I enjoyed the journey. I also felt for Alex, who was badly shaken by her father’s callous revelations. This was a solid episode, even if it is somewhat of a departure from our larger ongoing stories. I’m curious to see where this arc with Bradley goes next.
The Morning Show streams Wednesdays on Apple TV!