As we approach the climactic finale of the second season of *The Morning Show*, I find myself grappling with a truly weighty question: Is Chip Black the biggest fool on the planet? Seriously, I'm not joking. Why on earth would he risk contracting a potentially fatal disease—in March 2020, of all times, when no one knew a thing about Covid!—just for Alex Levy? Is he still head over heels for this woman? After everything that's transpired? And I'm not even touching on the moment she screamed at him, vowing she'd never go down on him (though that should've at least given him pause). I'm referring to her consistent awfulness toward him unless she needs something from him, and sometimes not even then. Last season, he risked his career for Alex; this season, he's risking his life. Someone, please, tell this man to get a hold of himself.
Alex Levy has contracted Covid. Whether she picked it up in Italy with Mitch—it's been nearly 14 days now—or upon her return to NYC, no one knows for sure. It hardly matters at this point. She's home and suffering. Though she's not experiencing breathing difficulties and has been advised against going to the hospital, her symptoms are severe. And we, the viewers, are given a front-row seat to this ordeal. Do we really need to witness multiple montages of someone battling Covid? No, we've endured enough. No one asked for this; please, send it back. The only silver lining in this entire segment is the brief but glorious glimpses of Alex's opulent bathroom. That marble tub and that shower with its teak floor—now that's a bathroom fit for the wealthy, and I'm happy to ogle at it. But the whole scene drags on a bit too long, and things take a turn for the worse in that apartment. Honestly, I started to wonder if this whole storyline would culminate in Alex Levy being devoured by her dog on the kitchen floor while an acoustic rendition of "Nothing's Gonna Harm You" played in the background. It's not that far-fetched, considering the absurdity of this show.
But Alex doesn't get eaten by her dog. Instead, during the worst of her ordeal, she calls Chip, and he stays on FaceTime with her until she drifts off to sleep. "I'm not going anywhere," he tells her. This gives him an idea: Wouldn't people love to see Alex Levy suffer on television? Well, his idea is more nuanced than that. He envisions Alex "guiding" viewers through her experience, both to inform and to urge people to take Covid seriously. But the prospect of "watching one of the most disliked figures in morning television right now" is probably what piques Cory's interest more than anything, leading him to agree when Chip pitches an evening special featuring Alex. Plus, with UBA+ teetering on the brink of disaster—he has to cancel the grand launch day events once Tom Hanks contracts Covid and everything starts unraveling—Cory is desperate for any kind of buzz, I suppose.
And so, Chip arrives at Alex's apartment, lies, and tells her he already has Covid, making it perfectly safe for him to be near her. He convinces her to pull herself together enough to go on air that evening. It's surreal to watch Chip repeatedly assure Alex that this is "gold, baby," and that she's doing great, because from where I'm sitting, the woman looks increasingly unhinged. (And why wouldn't she? She's endured multiple personal traumas recently and is gravely ill.) She rants against cancel culture, ponders what lies beyond death, tries to make us feel sorry for her because of her fame, and tells us to "either hop on the Alex Levy train or stay at the station." In the end, though, she speaks about how this time has made her—and she suspects many others—far more introspective. She's contemplating the person she wants to be and questioning whether she truly embodies that person when she looks in the mirror. Everything she's endured this season has led her to this revelation, and it will be fascinating to see who Alex Levy becomes after she emerges from this ordeal and how she fits into *The Morning Show* moving forward.
And what about Bradley Jackson, her sometimes co-anchor? Bradley is hitting the pavement, scouring the streets in search of Hal. It seems almost inconceivable that among all those who receive a missing person flyer handed out by The Bradley Jackson, not a single soul would think to post that update on Twitter. Yet, that's precisely the scenario. It's not until Bradley receives a call from a gravely ill Alex, thanking her for stepping in to shield her during the tumultuous Maggie Brener interview, that Bradley resolves to escalate her search efforts. Upon hearing about Hal, Alex offers advice starkly contrasting Laura's—she tells Bradley that if completely severing ties with someone isn't an option, then she must fully embrace that person. Every family carries its own baggage, and Bradley must accept and own hers. Own them. They are her kin. It's clear that Bradley has already decided to claim Alex as one of her own. "Don't let your shame of what others think dictate your life," Alex advises Bradley. So, Bradley embraces Hal wholeheartedly and takes to social media, broadcasting that he's missing, expressing her love for him, and pleading for any information that could lead to his discovery.
Cory Ellison extends a helping hand. Should we delve into Cory's current state of mind? Alex Levy isn't the only one grappling with her true self. Cory has essentially staked everything on UBA+, and despite everyone urging him to push forward with the launch, he steadfastly refuses. Cybil queries, "Is this about the service or about you?" His reply? "They are one and the same." That's pretty grim, man!! You equate yourself with your streaming service? Cory, what traumas have you endured, whether in childhood or adulthood? What a tumultuous existence. Ultimately, though, it doesn't matter how fervently Cory wishes for success; the launch events are scrapped due to Covid, and the streaming service seems destined for failure. But then, Cory stumbles upon Bradley's post, and it dawns on him that there are matters far more significant than content available around the clock. He arrives at her doorstep, offering to assist in the search for Hal. It's in this pivotal moment, as Cory and Bradley traverse the streets of New York amidst a burgeoning pandemic, that Cory chooses to bare his soul to Bradley. He doesn't divulge his role in selling her and Laura's story to the tabloids; instead, he seizes the moment to declare his love for her. He's in love, and he doesn't care who knows it. There's no time like the present, and life encompasses far more than just streaming services or the like. Before Bradley can even begin to process this revelation, her phone rings. A nurse at a nearby hospital, having seen her social media plea, believes she's spotted Hal in their ER.
The hospital is a maelstrom of chaos. Bradley somehow manages to slip into the ER, bypassing countless individuals who fail to question her presence or her lack of a mask in this highly restricted area. Finally, she locates Hal in a bed—he's not under the influence; he just got caught up in a nasty brawl. The siblings share a tearful reunion. She embraces him fully, and he reciprocates, and I suppose this show has now ensnared us, but not in a heartwarming, affectionate manner. Rather, it's in the "there's no escaping us now" kind of way. And perhaps, dear friends, that was The Twist all along.
