They pulled it off. Those utterly bonkers madmen and madwomen actually did it. They catapulted Bradley Jackson into space. Had you told me back in 2019, when *The Morning Show* first burst onto the scene (yes, believe it or not, that much time has flown by), that this series, ostensibly centered around morning news anchors, would one day feature a scene with Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, and Jon Hamm adrift in zero gravity aboard a space shuttle, I would’ve replied with… well, you know what? Honestly, given how wild this show is, I’d have taken you at your word. And here we are! It’s both utterly bewildering and, in some strange, inexplicable way, entirely fitting. It’s precisely why we keep returning to this series, even as it forces us to endure two-year waits between seasons and, more often than not, leaves us scratching our heads in bewilderment. Maybe we’re just masochists at heart. Who knows? It’s a truly bizarre era!
“Who knows? It’s a truly bizarre era!” also seems to encapsulate the spirit of the third season premiere, which offers less hand-holding to guide the audience through a two-year time leap and more of a shove off a cliff, leaving viewers to piece things together on their own. It feels like you’re left to connect the dots unaided, which, come to think of it, has always been *The Morning Show*’s modus operandi. It’s been a chaotic ride from the start, and it shows no signs of straightening out anytime soon; bless its chaotic heart, it remains unwaveringly devoted to its unpredictable ways.
The last time we checked in with our intrepid journalists and their entourage, Alex Levy was broadcasting live from her apartment, giving the world a front-row seat to what having COVID-19 was really like. She was also on the brink of being “canceled” for her involvement with—not to mention defending—the predator Mitch Kessler, who, you’ll remember, met his end by driving off a cliff in Italy (what a time to be alive, indeed!). Meanwhile, Bradley Jackson was on a desperate search for her missing brother, Hal, who had vanished from the rehab facility she’d placed him in, only to eventually find him amid the chaos of a COVID-swamped hospital. He was mostly unscathed. Bradley, for her part, was juggling an offer to ride out the pandemic with her new girlfriend, Laura Peterson, in Montana, and a bold declaration of love from Cory Ellison. Cory, perhaps feeling particularly daring given that the UBA+ streaming service he’d staked his career—and the entire company’s future—on seemed teetering on the edge of collapse, had nothing left to lose. Yet, when we rejoin our cast in Season Three, so much has shifted (though, oddly, some things seem to matter little anymore?). It’s now 2022. Alex somehow avoided cancellation and is back at the helm of *TMS*. Bradley is now anchoring the evening news and, in her swanky new apartment, engaging in casual encounters with women she merely doses with Advil. Her interactions with both Laura—now co-hosting *YDA*—and Cory are painfully awkward. UBA+, it turns out, was a resounding success (launching a streaming service at the dawn of a global lockdown does have its perks, apparently), yet two years later, UBA is hemorrhaging cash as it struggles to sustain the service, forcing Cory to implement a slew of deeply unpopular budget cuts.
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So, we’ve mapped out the logistical chessboard—where everyone lands at the starting bell—but what about the mental battleground? Oh, sweetheart, am I ever glad you asked. Alex Levy isn’t just back; she’s *hungry*—for power, for control, for a seat at UBA’s throne—and she’ll burn the house down to get it. She’s resurfaced on *TMS* a few days a week, flanked by Yanko and Olympic gold medalist Christina (played by the luminous Nicole Beharie, though her name is mentioned so rarely in this episode you’d think the writers were hiding a plot twist—*brilliant* character intro, by the way). Meanwhile, she’s anchoring at least one show on UBA+ (supposedly more, if rumors hold). Let’s not sugarcoat it: Alex is UBA’s crown jewel, the network’s biggest star. She weathered a near-cancellation storm because audiences apparently found her raw, unfiltered COVID-era meltdowns on her show… *relatable*. From where I’m sitting, it looked more like the ravings of a woman unmoored, but sure, let’s call it “relatable.”
Now, Alex isn’t asking for crumbs—she’s demanding a feast. She wants her development slate doubled, profit participation jacked up, and, most absurdly, a seat on the board. Cory, ever the smooth operator, is placating her with a smile, but Alex cuts through the charm: *“Mess with me, and I walk.”*
What Alex *doesn’t* know is that Cory’s been quietly cooking up a deal that could blow the whole network sky-high. He’s been schmoozing with tech titan Paul Marks (Jon Hamm, because why not?) about selling UBA outright. And by “schmoozing,” I mean they’re lounging in bathhouses together, framed by awkward camera angles that scream, *“Did we really need this visual?”* Cory hasn’t breathed a word of this to anyone—not the board, not his inner circle. He’s holding out for a better offer from Paul, who thinks UBA’s price tag is laughable. (Fair—if Paul’s seen this show, he probably assumes UBA is the ninth circle of corporate hell. Can’t blame him.)
While the boys broker their shadowy pact, Cory’s selling Paul on UBA’s “value” by pitching a stunt that’s equal parts genius and insanity: Hyperion, Paul’s company, is launching its first private space shuttle just beyond Earth’s atmosphere. To generate buzz (and secure NASA’s contract), Cory proposes broadcasting the 13-minute flight live on *TMS*—with Alex Levy on board, reporting live from the void. Yes, you read that right. Sometimes this show hands me sentences that make me question reality.
But Cory, ever the narcissist, can’t resist the spotlight. He decides to tag along. *Because why not?*
The stakes? Astronomical. For Hyperion, it’s a PR coup. For UBA, it’s survival. But when Paul accidentally spills the beans to Alex—who promptly loses her mind over being left out (and honestly, *why would she ever be in the loop?*)—the entire scheme teeters on collapse.
Alex isn't the sole individual who's rubbed Cory the wrong way. There's an underlying tension simmering between Cory and Bradley. Clearly, a significant event transpired between them over the past two years, but the show is being deliberately vague. This underlying tension permeates several of their interactions in this episode. Bradley has been collaborating with a woman named Luna, who crosses the Mexican border monthly to procure abortion pills for women in Texas who are unable to access them legally. Bradley is eager to produce an in-depth story on medical abortions. However, Stella pulls the plug on the idea. She claims she wants to maintain Bradley's neutrality for the upcoming 2024 election, but the real reason is that advertisers would undoubtedly withdraw their support if Bradley reignites the abortion debate once again. It's utter nonsense, and Bradley knows it — she also suspects that this decision didn't bypass Cory's desk.
She encounters Cory at a grand reception honoring her with the American Alliance of Journalists First Amendment Award — in case you're curious why Bradley Jackson, who was at the Capitol during the January 6 insurrection and covered the entire ordeal with just her cellphone, is receiving this accolade or how she landed the evening news gig — and she's already half-drunk, fueled by the news of the canceled piece and a disastrous encounter with Laura. Cory attempts to intercept her at the bar, but Bradley calls him out for not backing her on the abortion story and then openly wonders if things would be different if she were dating him. Ouch! Her speech carries a similar edge. It seems like a dreadful way to behave, especially in a room filled with journalists, but that's Bradley for you — always the troublemaker.
Later, she receives word that Luna has been arrested and rushes to the border. On her way, she texts Alex, asking for assistance in finding a cameraman since Alex is already in Texas for the space launch (!!). Alex sees this as a golden opportunity to get back at Cory (and also to shed some much-needed light on abortion rights, though that seems secondary to Ms. Levy's motives). She decides she's done being Cory's puppet for the space show! She's going to show him who's really in charge, contracts be damned. Alex is going to skip the Hyperion One launch and, instead, she and Chip set off to meet Bradley. Unfortunately for Bradley, Cory has his henchman Earl keeping a close eye on her, and Cory decides to kill two birds with one stone by meeting Bradley at the airport, forbidding her from going to Luna's aid (he claims UBA's legal team is handling Luna's situation), and blackmailing her with something he "helped her through" to coerce her into replacing Alex for the space shuttle coverage. We get a cryptic cut to a disturbing scene unfolding in a bathroom as a hint at what Cory is alluding to here, but that's about all we get.
