As we delve into the fourth season of "The Morning Show" with three episodes under our belt, a character finds themselves on the verge of a hasty exit. And let's be clear, no one will shed a tear for Mia, the ever-loyal UBN employee who was willing to compromise her principles for a promised promotion. In "Tipping Point," those compromises catch up to her, and her clucking doesn't herald good news.
Bradley, unfortunately, doesn't help matters - and she has no idea she's not helping. Her attention is so divided that she doesn't have a clue what's going on around her. As Mia leads an episode of TMS, Bradley is lost in her own world, not realizing the day has slipped by. But amidst her internal struggles, Chip is trying to track down Claire, and he finally succeeds. She reluctantly directs Bradley and Chip to Bethanne, the former Head of News, and slips Chip the next lead without violating the NDA she signed as part of her exit deal. Corporate shenanigans, as they say.
Speaking of corporate shenanigans, Alex isn't cut out for them, and it's not just her reporting skills that are lacking. After accidentally breaking a story about billionaire eco-capitalist Zeke Pemberton secretly using a climate summit as a front for energy deals, Alex is summoned to the office by Stella and Celine to learn that Zeke is one of UBN's biggest investors, and the recent coverage has compelled him to consider taking his business elsewhere. As an executive, Alex's duties now include groveling in person to keep Zeke on board.
Luckily for Alex, Miles knows Zeke - does this guy have any function in the plot beyond banging Stella and being a contrived presence? - so he can facilitate an introduction at a conference... where Alex runs into Paul Marks, who is now dating someone else. As if she wasn't stressed enough about the apology, she now has to deal with this. Paul is willing to broker a deal, asking Alex to run a story provided by Zeke in exchange for changing his mind about leaving the network. The tension is palpable, and Alex can barely think straight. Something tells me she's not exactly made for the executive life.
If "The Morning Show" Season 4, Episode 3 has a mandate, it seems to be reigniting familiar dynamics. We've already had Paul, and there's still Cory to consider. He's busy leaning on Stella, threatening to expose her affair with Miles if she doesn't get him a deal with the network, and suggesting not-so-subtly to Celine herself that he has a way of giving her leverage. He's a slippery one, that's for sure, but men in this show tend to be, pretty much exclusively.
To allay Celine's anxiety that a potential deal with Bradley might stir up trouble, Cory pays her a visit, igniting long-dormant passions between them once again. Perhaps the fact that she kept his name out of her dealings with the FBI acts as a subtle turn-on. Who can truly say? Either way, it's becoming abundantly clear that old habits die hard for both Alex and Bradley.
As for Mia, the connection between her promotional plight and this entire scenario is now clear. The decision technically rests with Stella, but thanks to Cory's blackmail, she's in a bind. Celine will only grant Mia her promotion if she appoints her first choice, Ben, as Head of News. In a situation that has nothing to do with Mia directly, she misses out on her well-deserved rise, and even the promise of a raise as a sweetener falls short.
The meeting quickly descends into hostility, and Mia takes the only power move available to her - she quits. By walking away from UBN, she hopes the network will finally realize how crucial she is to its operations. Of course, by then, it'll probably be too late, but at least her point will be proven. And if it offers any consolation to Mia, I highly doubt Stella will emerge unscathed from this season either.
