All eyes are fixed on Stella Bak this week. After she bravely confronted Paul Marks, detailing the callous and manipulative treatment she endured as a college student in one of his tech incubators—thanks to the yet-to-be-aired Alex Levy Unfiltered interview—you might remember that Paul, in a surprising twist, extended an offer to her. Not just any offer, but The Offer: the presidency of UBA. Currently, that coveted seat is occupied by Cory Ellison. Now, while Cory may often come across as a psychotic jerk, Stella also sees him as someone who once took a chance on her. What’s a tech-savvy woman turned Head of the News Division for a legacy media company to do in such a predicament?
On one hand, this opportunity is everything she’s ever dreamed of. Once Amanda hands Stella the ultra-secretive employment agreement from Paul, and her team meticulously crunches the numbers, they all concur that this is a once-in-a-lifetime shot. However, signing that agreement comes with a hefty risk: if the deal between Paul and UBA crumbles and Cory discovers the backdoor dealings, Stella will undoubtedly lose her job and everything she’s worked so hard for up until this point. Then again, a brief yet impactful conversation with Mia serves as a wake-up call for Stella. Mia reminds her, “There are only so many jobs at the top, and white men don’t just hand them over willingly.” She also points out that Stella isn’t above getting her hands dirty; after all, she’s “stepped over a few bodies” to reach her current position. “The only difference between us and them,” Mia asserts, “is that we let the ghosts haunt us.” Now, listen up. The Morning Show can be patently absurd, and I don’t take it seriously 92 percent of the time for the sake of my sanity, but wow, wow, wow, what a profound sentiment! If only Mia would embody this seemingly ruthless life philosophy she preaches more consistently. She’s just another character (cough, Bradley Jackson, cough) whose personality seems to shift with the wind. Nevertheless, at this moment, Mia empowers Stella to say, “You know what? Screw Cory Ellison.” She takes one decisive step closer to signing those papers and throwing him under the proverbial bus.
Would Stella’s attitude toward Cory change if she knew about the emotional torment he’s not only enduring at this very moment but has apparently lived with his entire life? Would it shift if she discovered he was raised by a frighteningly hellish psycho who can actually harmonize beautifully on “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”? Perhaps! Let’s meet Cory’s mommy, shall we?
Cory receives an annoyed plea from Leonard, the Chairman of the Board, informing him that a political consultant is pestering the DOJ about the Hyperion deal, threatening to derail the entire thing. Could Cory please take care of her? Cory enlists Bradley—who just dropped by to inform him that the Hal situation has been “handled,” which is hilarious because we all know that little felony will resurface to haunt us all—for a road trip to Connecticut to deal with the political operative. He hopes Bradley’s presence will coerce the person into behaving. He pulls up to a quaint suburban house and blasts “Kokomo”—to pump himself up? Calm himself down? Please, never reveal the answer; it’s better left a mystery. Bradley still doesn’t know who they’re meeting until they walk through the door, which is utterly amusing to me. Didn’t she ask once during the car ride? Isn’t she a journalist? Her literal job is to ask questions. She’s the one who’s always demanding, “I want the TRUTH.” What on earth did they talk about the entire time?
Anyway, as each minute ticks by, the visit home becomes increasingly unsettling. At first, everything seems to be going swimmingly. Martha beams with pride over her son, even if she dismisses the media industry as "all smoke and mirrors" and frets that the Hyperion deal might be a bad move. She still can't resist showing him off to Bradley. Cory, with equal pride, tells Bradley how his mother once served as the press secretary for Geraldine Ferraro. Bradley turns out to be the perfect companion to bring along—Martha is an admirer, calling her a "true feminist" and an "icon." Perhaps that should have been the first red flag that something was amiss.
Things take a dark turn when Bradley mentions that they won't be able to stay for dinner because she has to deliver the evening news. Martha's demeanor shifts instantly. She lays a subtle but expertly crafted guilt trip on him, reminding him of his father leaving them and how no one seems to want to be around her. It's done quietly, almost masterfully, and Cory caves. Of course, they'll stay for dinner. As if on cue, Martha reveals she has a stash of live lobsters ready to be cooked up, which is apparently fantastic news for everyone. (Well, except for the lobsters, I suppose.)
The tension eases for a moment until Cory brings up the real reason for his visit: to ask her not to meddle in his big business deal. But no matter how carefully he phrases his plea—essentially, "please back the hell off"—Martha gets upset and leaves the table regardless. She never raises her voice, which is, I think, what makes it so deeply unsettling and uncomfortable. She launches into a tirade about how women of a certain age are overlooked and forced into silence. Cory retreats to the next room and starts playing "Ain’t No Mountain High Enough" in an attempt to soothe her, and it actually works. The two even share a little duet. Surprisingly, none of this feels like a fever dream. Not even the part where Bradley starts to tear up, her thoughts drifting to her own mother rather than the sheer dysfunction of the entire dynamic.
The musical distraction holds for about five seconds because as soon as the song ends and Martha overhears Cory apologizing to Bradley for not being there when her mom passed away, the mood flips again. She tells her son he deserves to be alone. She warns Bradley that he's just manipulating her. She delivers the heartwarming (read: cutting) parting shot to Cory: "There’s something really wrong with you."
On the car ride home, Bradley tries to coax Cory into talking about what it was like growing up with a mother like that, reassuring him that he can confide in her. She reminds him that he's a good person (though that's debatable). As they make their way back to UBA for the big UBA and Valentino fundraiser for FIT, they soon realize they have bigger problems brewing—everyone does. The SCOTUS leak drops about potentially reversing Roe v. Wade, and the world shifts beneath their feet.
As if *The Morning Show* hadn't already tortured us enough with those harrowing flashbacks to 2020 and 2021, now we're forced to relive the rollercoaster of rage and heartbreak that accompanied the news of women's bodily autonomy being stripped away. Oh, joy—what a delightful and entertaining ride! One can't help but wonder: Why does *The Morning Show* seem to harbor such a deep-seated animosity toward its audience?
Amidst the chaos of people grappling with the unfolding events, Bradley breaks the news, while Alex and Chip make references to *The Handmaid’s Tale* that feel jarringly prescient even now. Amidst this turmoil, Stella receives an unexpected visitor. Her friend Kate has arrived in the midst of the upheaval to confide in her old comrade that Paul Marks has fired her for holding a dissenting opinion on a project they were collaborating on. After dedicating 12 years of her life to working for him, she arrives one day to find her badge no longer grants her access. While Kate might have anticipated finding solace and understanding in Stella—someone who truly comprehends the horror that is Paul Marks—she quickly realizes that Stella is not the ally she hoped for. Suddenly, Stella is making excuses for the man, defending him, and Kate intuits that he must have dangled a tantalizing carrot in front of Stella to win her back to his side. With a biting remark—"This is how you are with him; he owns you"—a hint of sarcasm—"You two belong together"—and a dash of resignation—"You’ll always choose him"—Kate departs, their friendship seemingly in ruins.
Yet, this confrontation forces Stella to take a hard, introspective look at her alliance with Paul. She seeks out Cory, and in a surprising twist, she lays bare the truth of what's transpiring behind his back. In an even more unexpected move, Cory instructs her to sign the papers. He wants Paul to place his trust in her, eager to witness how this entire saga unfolds. "It's not the first time you've been underestimated around here," Cory remarks to Stella. Now, they hold the upper hand over Paul Marks.
But just because Cory has a strategy doesn't mean he's not seething with anger. Stella's revelation, coupled with his time spent with his mother, has left him rattled. Like his mother, Cory can switch personalities in the blink of an eye, and we witness this transformation firsthand with Leonard. Up until now, their relationship has been relatively cordial, but here, Cory makes it abundantly clear who holds the reins of power. He demands that Leonard do his job and rally the board to support Cory's plans. When Leonard attempts to assert his authority, Cory reminds him of his track record of disposing of both Fred Micklen and Cybil Reynolds. "[...] Their heads are on pikes in the armoire of my office where I keep my extra shirts," he adds for good measure. Suffice it to say, Cory is in a particularly foul mood at the moment!
