Home » Aaron Sorkin Talks THE NEWSROOM Season 2 at PaleyFest

Aaron Sorkin Talks THE NEWSROOM Season 2 at PaleyFest

by Jef Dinsmore
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Aaron-Sorkin

The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, CA hosts big events from time to time and recently at such an event Aaron Sorkin sat in on a panel and talked about his HBO venture THE NEWSROOM. The creator and executive producer had a few insights into how Season 2 will be structured and only one plot point was disclosed.

First, is that little tidbit about plot; the only one evidently offered during this panel. It was alluded that the characters of Don Keefer, who is the former News Night  producer, and Sloan Sabbith, the economist on staff, become an item in the second season. They are played by Thomas Sadoski and Olivia Munn, respectively.

Also, Aaron Sorkin told the audience that Season 2 will pick up a week after where we saw Season 1 conclude and rattled off a list of topics ACN and the show’s viewers will deal with – from

[box]“The Tea Party, American Taliban, the General Election including the primaries and conventions, Trayvon Martin, the Affordable Care Act, and drones”[/box]

will all be broached. He added extra comment about whether the Newtown Shootings would be a topic of discussion. He said –

[box]“That’s a tough thing to write about without minimizing or exploiting it or spreading Cheez Whiz around it. It’s a profoundly important moment, and the last thing you want to do is handle it poorly.” [/box]

We will have to wait and see if that plays out or not. Another snippet has Sorkin addressing the critical hits THE NEWSROOM took its first season. He didn’t dwell on it and simply stated –

[box]“I hope some of the critics who weren’t happy with the first season will take a look at the second and maybe reassess their opinion,” he said. “But no one has ever won a fight with a television critic, and I doubt that I’ll be the first one.”[/box]

Executive producer Alan Poul made a cool comment regarding the issues when he said –

[box]“…that part of the problem critics and viewers may have with The Newsroom is that it’s in fact entertainment. Some people get confused, it looks and sounds like news. The set feels like news. So people think we’re re-creating the news. But we’re not.”[/box]

Brief discussion about journalism and acting also happened when the session was opened up to the cast as well. Present were Jeff Daniels, Sam Waterson, Emily Mortimer, John Gallagher, Jr., Alison Pill, Thomas Sadoski, Olivia Munn and Dev Patel.

The_Newsroom

No actual date has been locked down for the premiere of Season Two expected in June but, HBOWatch will keep an eye out for news, teasers and trailers as the new season approaches.

Check out Steve’s personal report from Paleyfest here.

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11 comments

Linz April 29, 2013 - 5:05 pm

I thought reality had already been covered completely and comprehensively by our friends, well not my friends, at the now failing flux (fox) network.. Amanda Peet dealt with this subject perfectly during the course of the equally brilliant Studio 60 season.. And now the writers strike is clearly past can we please get our heads out of a place they shouldn’t be.. and even if the schooling system is under funded maybe this box that seems to be in a multitude of homes could have some relevance to real life situations, and,hence .. Reality!!
I think it’s time we gave Naomi Klein her own show..
See how the critics deal with that one., keep up the Good Work Guys
I know the hours are long but well done!!

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April April 29, 2013 - 12:51 pm

Television has become mind numbingly boring…..until now!! This show is smart and very entertaining. I like a show that makes you think. If the critics thinks this show is not worth your time to watch……then they have no idea what a good show is!!! I am hoping more people agree. I can’t not wait for July 14 for the beginning of season 2. I hope to have more people hooked on The Newsroom by then. This is an awesome show……love it!!!

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TheDave April 10, 2013 - 9:00 pm

The critics are nuts! Definitely my favorite show. Can’t wait for season 2!

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Stuart April 4, 2013 - 8:55 am

Great Series………I hope that Aaron Sorkin doesn’t relent to these so called “critics” assessments and change the format….. as this is probably THE best tv series to be broadcast for a decade!!! The cast and characters they play are fresh, intelligent and the quick fire approach to the action is a joy to watch. The inspirational way that the newsroom reporting is interlaced with humour, personal drama’s & peer pressures from the stations owner (brilliantly played by Fonda) are wonderfully well produced,directed and portrayed. If Series 2 can match the first then it should hopefully seal the basis for the shows continuance for the next 10 years, lets face it this is a show that has intelligence woven right the way through it, I hope that this fact doesn’t work against it! By the way it doesn’t matter whether this comes over with more liberal views, who cares it’s entertainment at it’s very best!!!!

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Chelon April 3, 2013 - 5:58 pm

Who are these TV Critics? Don’t they know that there is an audience out there that has a brain and wants to use it! We all know that with all of this “Reality Shit” that is on TV…it doesn’t leave much to true TV aficionados to watch! I say “Game On!” I can’t wait for Aaron Sorkin writing and Newsroom actors! Start the conversation!!!! That is exactly what this program does and what America needs! What the world needs…..and what our children need! Bring it…WE are waiting!
Chelon

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Matthew Roscoe June 4, 2013 - 2:15 am

Whoever those “critics” are, they aren’t very good at their jobs. I’ve noticed the movies/television shows that the “critics” say are terrible, usually turn out to be the best ones.

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cheriegirl April 1, 2013 - 9:46 pm

You know what I hate is that Fox and the Republicans have been so right wing I cannot even tune in to find out the stupid stuff Democrats say.

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Andy March 29, 2013 - 2:24 pm

The fact that the newsroom is one-sided liberal is a problem for sure. I hope season 2 will do more than pick up every conservative scandal and calling it news.

I am a liberal myself, but it is pretty obvious that they choose only bad conservative cases, and that gets boring and tedious.

I did not want the antithesis to Fox News, I wanted a show that tried to be OBJECTIVE.

The personal stories works well and the acting is good, but please be critical at the left as well as the right.

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Susan March 19, 2013 - 6:41 pm

Love, love, love the Newsroom! Going thru withdrawals for season two to begin!

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Lincoln Republican March 18, 2013 - 10:07 pm

NO DOUBT the critics were paid by the Coch brothers to give Newsroom a bad review!

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Lindsey Howard March 15, 2013 - 9:01 pm

LOVE NEWSROOM!!! My favorite show!! Can’t wait for Don and Sloan!!

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