Wow, wow, wow! What an absolute rollercoaster, friends. We kicked off Season Three of *The Morning Show* by blasting Bradley Jackson into the stratosphere (metaphorically, of course), and now here we are at the finale, watching Brad march herself straight into the arms of the Feds to face multiple felonies. We’re living! We’re thriving! Of course, Bradley doesn’t just stroll over to the FBI building right after her on-air resignation. No, no—a whole whirlwind of chaos unfolds around her and through the corridors of UBA before she reaches that point. And let’s be real: most of it is some gloriously petty, corporate-grade backstabbing with a side of personal betrayal. *The Morning Show* truly comes alive when everyone’s stabbing each other in the back. Backstabbing, backstabbing, shooting people into space (kinda), backstabbing, belting out “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” with someone’s mentally unstable mother, and backstabbing. There. That’s how you craft truly bonkers TV.
The backstabbing frenzy kicks into high gear as the fallout from Paul Marks’s multi-layered scheme unfolds. His plan? Get Bradley (and her pesky Hyperion investigation) out of the way, boot Cory to the curb, and fast-track his takeover of UBA—all so he can strip it for parts and funnel cash into his failing rocket program. Alex’s first clue that her boyfriend might be a certified villain? When he saunters in, all smug, and admits, *“Hell yeah, I leaked that story about Cory grooming Bradley and outing her as payback. And I’d do it again.”* Alex knows Cory’s messy, but a sexual predator? Nah. So when Paul spins his tale about Bradley resigning over the January 6th footage—*“She came up with the idea herself! Looked relieved once she decided!”*—Alex’s suspicion meter spikes. But let’s be honest: she’s not tossing aside all that *hot sex* without harder proof. Paul Marks oozes confidence, and a woman’s got needs.
After getting zilch from Bradley via text, Alex marches over to her place to demand answers. What she finds? A paranoid, wild-eyed Bradley at the door, demanding Alex leave her bag and phone in the hallway before stepping inside. Bradley’s a mess. Partly because she’s finally facing her guilt: turning in her dad for a hit-and-run as a kid (a trauma that explains why she couldn’t rat out her brother). But mostly because she’s realized Paul must’ve been spying on her since Day One of her investigation. *“He knows Laura knew. The only way he could’ve known is if he’s been watching me this whole time. He’s got eyes on me.”* If the stakes weren’t so high, I’d be howling at Bradley’s manic energy. (Just kidding—I’m still laughing. Girl’s got crazed eyes.) Alex remains skeptical that Paul’s gone full supervillain, but she can’t deny the math checks out. When Bradley spills about Paul threatening her and Laura’s livelihood, Alex finally believes her. But before she agrees to Bradley’s plea to *“stop the sale,”* she demands irrefutable proof.
Enter Alex’s masterplan: use Paul’s own spying against him. And oh, does this clown take the bait. Alex texts Bradley about laying low in *Hanover*—a super-specific town Paul couldn’t possibly know about… unless he’s been snooping. When Alex gets home, she feigns concern for Bradley, telling Paul how *“off”* her friend seems. Paul, ever the smooth operator, suggests Hanover as a hideout. *“Maybe she should go back there until this blows over.”* Let me repeat: Paul Marks just dropped *“Hanover”* within five minutes of casual chat? Dude, if you’re gonna spy on people, at least *pretend* it’s not obvious. This is Surveillance 101. Paul deserves to get caught. He deserves to watch his empire crumble. What a fool.
So now, Alex has finally come to terms with the horrifying truth—her boyfriend is a monster, precisely what everyone had been warning her about for weeks. It's almost comically ironic how things have unfolded. Now, she's determined to put a stop to him. She rushes over to Laura Peterson's place to hash out a plan, and you can tell it's something major because she immediately opts for one of those dramatic "I need something much stronger than tea" moments, the kind you only see on TV. I mean, why would Alex even consider accepting a cup of tea in the first place? She's just discovered she's been entangled with a genuine scumbag.
Let's hope whatever scheme they concoct is effective because Cory's attempt to thwart Paul falls flat before it even gains momentum. Cory is visibly distraught over the false grooming allegations and deeply remorseful about the very real revenge-outing accusations. He tries to apologize to Bradley, who is far more consumed by the threat of January 6th felonies that Paul is dangling over her head. Once Cory catches wind of that, he realizes it's a make-or-break situation. He agrees to cooperate with the investigation into his behavior, but he refuses to resign. He pleads with Leonard to help him stop the malevolent Paul and to safeguard legacy media for future generations, but Leonard simply shrugs it off, like, "Nah, I'm good." And honestly, that's a fair stance.
Cory is left with no choice but to turn to the only remaining ally: Cybil. It's a rather lackluster partnership, but truth be told, those two can accomplish quite a bit. As Cybil works to sway shareholders against Paul, Cory approaches Reid, the guy who was on the verge of granting UBA a substantial loan until Cory discovered Fred was double-dealing with them. Once Cory offers Reid equity and drops the bombshell that Fred is two-timing him with Paul, Reid is on board. He agrees to provide the necessary funds to save UBA if Cory can secure enough shareholder votes to reject Paul's offer.
Things are looking promising. Chip—yes, that Chip—goes on TMS and delivers a fiery rant, warning UBA employees that they could lose their jobs if the deal with Paul goes through. He unleashes a tirade against Paul, labeling him a motherfucker who's dismantling an 80-year-old company founded on a legacy of fighting fascism and, in a moment of candor, says what everyone's been thinking: his rocket ship looks like a penis. This impassioned speech prompts many shareholders to vote against Paul's offer. After all, who wants to side with a penis-shaped rocket, right?
With more votes shifting and a backup plan in motion, things seem to be going Cory's way—until they suddenly don't. Paul blackmails Cory's loyal henchman, Earl, and uncovers the details about Reid's loan. He crashes what was supposed to be a celebratory meeting between Cory and Reid, informing the floundering UBA president that Reid is now on Team Paul and his backup plan is null and void. Cory appears genuinely stunned that he's been outmaneuvered—it's all over now. Cory retreats to his office (which is basically his home at this point) and pours his heart out to his mom's voicemail. It's a real low point, and honestly, no one enjoys witnessing it.
And yet! Not all hope is lost! Enter Alex Levy, swooping in like a cinematic hero to rescue Cory's bacon one last time. It's Deal Day, but this ain't no fun-filled, buy-one-get-one-free kind of deal; it's the looming, doom-and-gloom scenario where an Evil Billionaire threatens to swoop in and wreck everything in sight. Way, way less fun! Paul is riding high on confidence, while Leonard is practically bouncing with glee. One wonders what Leonard's life story even is. Then, with a mere fifteen minutes left on the clock before Paul officially becomes the new owner of UBA, Alex bursts in. At first glance, she seems to be there to rally behind her man, but instead, looking as if she's about to lose her lunch, she stands at the head of the table and drops a bombshell: she's got an alternative to Hyperion’s offer. This is the kind of show that's so outrageously wild, it could totally pull off having someone scratch a record in the background for comedic effect, and yet, they miss the mark! What a letdown.
That's right, folks: Alex Levy has another ace up her sleeve, and it either matches or trumps the Hyperion deal, forcing everyone to sit up and take notice. With Laura's assistance, she's had a chat with the bigwigs at NBN, and they're keen on a merger. "Two entities joining forces, becoming something greater than the sum of their parts," she declares. It's a "chance to start anew," a "true partnership," she says, her gaze locking onto Paul. That poor boy is in deep water now!
When Paul pulls Alex aside to demand an explanation, she whisks him away on an impromptu field trip, leading them straight into the path of Stella and Kate. Yes, you guessed it! Stella dove headfirst into her virtual gaming realm and managed to track down her buddy Kate—kudos to the show for just throwing us into this rapid-fire virtual world scene without any setup and then never bringing it up again; this show plays by its own rules. Now, the cards are on the table: Kate spills the beans, revealing that the Hyperion One transmission failure wasn't UBA's doing after all. No, it was Paul who ordered Kate to cut the transmission to cover up a malfunctioning navigation system, which he then tried to sweep under the rug by hacking into UBA. And as if that wasn't enough, he's been sending fake reports to NASA. Kate has the evidence, and she's done with keeping quiet, NDAs be damned. Paul is toast!
His professional life is about to crumble into dust, but his personal life isn't faring much better. Forget the rocketship fiasco and the toxic workplace; what really sets Alex off is Paul silencing Bradley to save his own skin. He muzzled a journalist, and Alex, being a journalist herself, is beyond fed up. Oh, wait, scratch that last part—that was Bradley from season one, but the rest about silencing journalists still stands, and it's a serious black mark! Paul knows he's cornered, with no escape route in sight, so he does the only thing he can think of: he pulls out of the deal. Or rather, he tells Alex to inform Leonard that he's backing out, which is honestly so quintessentially Paul.
Two weeks have passed since the whirlwind of deal-making drama, and life is inching forward. The UBA and NBN merger has left everyone on tenterhooks—questions swirl about who will keep their job, whether genuine change is on the horizon, and so much more. Only time will reveal the answers!
Meanwhile, the investigation into Cory’s conduct is in full swing, though he’s likely to emerge unscathed, largely thanks to Bradley’s testimony, which insists he never crossed any lines. Yet, she does concede that one fateful night, he declared his love for her, prompting her to flee to Montana, terrified of being truly seen—and loved—by someone who knew her all too well. No one in the room actually blurts out, *“Wow, way too much information!”* but let’s be real—everyone’s mind was racing with that exact thought.
Then, fate intervenes: Cory and Bradley collide in the hallway, sparking an emotionally charged moment. Cory offers a heartfelt apology for the pain he caused her and Laura, and their goodbye lingers with raw tension and tears. I’m not entirely sold on this pairing, but oh, did my sentimental heart ache for them. When Cory tries to stifle his sobs by feigning interest in a picture frame? I was a mess, right there with him. Poor guy. Here’s hoping his mom has a steaming pot of lobsters waiting at home to comfort him.
Elsewhere, Paul stops by Alex’s place to collect his belongings, leading to another emotional farewell. Look, Paul is practically the devil incarnate, but when he murmurs to Alex that he wishes they’d “taken that helicopter anywhere but there,” it packs a punch. I don’t exactly root for these characters, but deep down, I want happiness for people—or at least for Alex. She deserves better. Fingers crossed that next season, she finds someone who isn’t a complete nightmare.
Yet, the burning question for the upcoming season remains: When will we see Alex and Bradley reunite? In the finale’s closing scene, Alex walks her friend to meet her brother before the Jackson siblings head into the FBI building to face the consequences. Alex tries to reassure Bradley that everything will be fine, but Bradley’s fear is palpable. Still, they both know turning themselves in is the right—the only—path forward.
So, what does Season Four hold? Will we witness the chaotic, likely disastrous merger unfold from the start, or will we leap ahead a few years, skipping the messy integration of two networks, with Bradley having served her time? Who knows? But here’s hoping the season retains its signature insanity. May it capture the sheer audacity of Alex Levy telling Bradley Jackson she has zero regrets about the past year—not a single one—because, honestly, that might just be the wildest twist this show has ever delivered.
