It’s that most magical time of the year: chaos reigns supreme on *The Morning Show*. And by magical, we mean everything is unraveling in the most spectacular way possible—a glorious convergence where every plot thread from the entire season is weaving together to wreak havoc upon our beloved (and oh-so-flawed) characters. Yes, folks! If you doubted *The Morning Show* could somehow stitch together the UBA sale, Cybil Reynolds’s dramatic exit, the reprehensible antics of billionaires, the January 6 insurrection, a cyberattack, and even literal outer space into one mind-bending tapestry of turmoil, then clearly, you haven’t been paying enough attention to this delightfully deranged masterpiece.
The official sale of UBA to Paul Marks is imminent, and at times, it seems as though the entire cast has collectively lost their minds. Panic is in the air! Alex, who vacillates between wanting to save UBA and tearing it down at least three times per season (because consistency is overrated, apparently), is now airing her doubts aloud—to her fridge, no less—and to Paul himself. She questions whether Paul’s grand plan to dismantle UBA might not be the wisest course of action. He reassures her that she owes UBA nothing, painting a rosy picture of how they can use the proceeds for Alex to launch her own studio, do things her way, and finally enact "real change" (cue the inspirational music). Of course, what Alex doesn’t know is that Paul’s true motivation for stripping UBA bare is that his Hyperion Two project—his latest rocket endeavor—is hopelessly behind schedule and bleeding money. If *The Morning Show* has imparted any wisdom, it’s that Reese Witherspoon should never go brunette and that attractive people are inherently untrustworthy. Consider those life lessons, people!
But the truth about Hyperion is on the verge of spilling out, thanks to the not-so-crack team of Bradley, Chip, and Stella. (Spoiler: they’re not exactly a dream team.) Despite their best efforts, they’re having zero luck getting anyone to talk about what’s really going on behind closed doors. Their strongest lead—Stella’s friend Kate, who was fired after hinting at unsafe working conditions—has gone completely dark, and everyone else they approach refuses to spill, even off the record.
It doesn’t take long for word to reach Paul that Bradley is sniffing around Hyperion’s secrets. (Kudos to Amanda, Paul’s assistant, for being disturbingly efficient—here’s hoping she’s being paid handsomely for her loyalty.) Now, Paul has Bradley in his crosshairs while also scouring the offices for leverage against Cory. As we know, Paul’s endgame is to oust Cory the moment the sale is finalized, and that task would be infinitely easier if Cory were publicly humiliated and forced to forfeit his $150 million buyout. But Cory isn’t going down without a fight, and Paul knows it. The stage is set for an epic showdown—one that promises to be as messy as it is thrilling.
Buckle up, folks. This train wreck just keeps getting better.
If only Alex had any inkling of how ruthless her new boyfriend truly was. Pardon me—if only Alex would heed the warnings from those around her who see right through Paul’s charade. Bradley, certainly, is doing her best to get through to Alex. As Alex wrestles with whether to back Paul’s audacious plan, she finds herself in an intriguing dialogue with none other than Maggie Brenner. Alex seeks Maggie’s take on the impending sale and UBA’s future, only to be met with a grim prognosis. Maggie predicts that even with Paul Marks at the helm, UBA will barely stay afloat for five years. The other networks are struggling as well, she notes, and soon, they’ll begin to “cannibalize” one another. Armed with this bleak outlook on the state of broadcast media, Alex proceeds to meet with Bradley. She doesn’t divulge Paul’s scheme, but she does share her ambition to launch her own studio post-deal and extends an invitation to Bradley to join her. Bradley not only declines—citing her own commitments and responsibilities at UBA—but also issues a stark warning about Paul’s questionable character. Alex doesn’t take kindly to this. In fact, she reacts so poorly that she storms home and tells Paul she’s fully on board. They’re going to take UBA down, come what may. We don’t witness any intimate moments between them, but one can only imagine the fervor brewing beneath the surface.
Yet, the situation is far more intricate than Alex simply choosing her boyfriend over everything else. Days before the monumental sale, Earl informs Cory that someone is buying up a substantial amount of UBA stock. In a delightful twist, that someone turns out to be Cybil Reynolds. “Let me guess, you forgot your white hood?” Cory quips as the disgraced former chair of the board struts into his office. Cory may throw all the shade he wants, but Cybil holds a valuable piece of information. She’s been acquiring as much UBA stock as she can in an attempt to thwart the deal with Paul Marks. A little birdie—Genevieve Micklen, Fred’s wife—tipped her off that Paul is “stripping the network for parts,” and Fred is complicit. “Do I have your attention now?” she asks. Oh, indeed, Cory is furious. He punches the wall in a fit of rage, as one might, and then pays a visit to Alex Levy—the closest he can get to Paul at the moment. He knows she must be in the know and launches into one of his legendary rants, which Alex is, frankly, tired of hearing. They both accuse each other of self-righteousness—if only they’d admit how alike they truly are! Alex remains steadfast in her decision, and Cory sets off to rally the board for a last-minute course correction.
But hold on, folks—the lead-up to a Morning Show finale is a treasure trove of drama, and there’s more. Paul is so close to finalizing the UBA sale and securing the funds he needs to keep Hyperion Two afloat and his dreams of launching his “penis rocket” into space alive that he won’t let two pesky obstacles—Bradley and Cory—stand in his way. He deals with them swiftly and decisively.
First, he pays a visit to Bradley’s dressing room just minutes before she’s set to go on air for the evening news. Bradley is already in distress; Laura has just dumped her, screaming about Bradley’s betrayal of both her country and their relationship as she once again cleaned up her brother’s mess. It’s utterly devastating. And then Paul arrives. Without mincing words, he tells Bradley to cease her investigation into Hyperion. He knows all about the January 6 footage, how both she and Cory lied to the FBI, and, somehow, he even knows that Laura is aware of the truth. All of them could face serious consequences if the truth comes to light. He wishes her a good show and departs. On air, Bradley tries to maintain her composure, but she can’t. In a tearful farewell, she thanks the people who’ve supported her at UBA, declares her time there a privilege, and announces her immediate resignation. UBA is plunged into chaos.
But wait! We're far from finished! Stella dashes in, hoping to find Cory, but her visit isn't about delving into Bradley's affairs. A bombshell has just dropped on *The Vault*: a photograph surfaces showing a visibly inebriated Bradley being carried by Cory in the Archer Gray elevator. Accompanying the image are allegations—baseless, mind you—that Cory Ellison had been grooming Bradley. And then there's the kicker: the claim that when Bradley spurned his advances, Cory sought revenge by outing her and Laura (which, regrettably, rings all too true!). This is Paul Marks' masterstroke to bring Cory crashing down. And just think, those two had recently graced the cover of *Forbes* with a seemingly amicable photo op!
