The Newsroom 1.06 ‘Bullies’ review: Microcosm of everyone’s rants

If Aaron Sorkin’s goal was to get critics all around the Internet to bitch about how he hates women and just does not understand the Internet some more, then congratulations, because “Bullies” definitely succeeded.

Even worse, I think I’m starting to see it.

What more can you say about an episode where a woman who went through fifteen years of college and works at one of the most accomplished newsrooms in her country would state something that was off-the-record? Or perhaps that Mackenzie, a woman who has been in war zones, would get gum stuck in her hair? Or that a twentysomething assistant producer would not only get Georgia the state and Georgia the country mixed up but didn’t know that LOL didn’t stand for “lots of love”? What the hell are these things? Why were they just so noticeable during this damn episode?

Otherwise, I probably would have said that I absolutely enjoyed this episode. The structure of it was great, and the message behind it even more so. Will has come to realize that he’s a bully, and he doesn’t like that about himself. (Never mind the most absolutely perfect performance by the black, gay senator, which was absolutely perfect in an absolutely perfect way.) And I suppose that I can be okay with the women being absolute idiots now that we’ve confirmed that Will is a total jerk, but then Mackenzie has to go scream at Will and then be put down by an engagement ring.

Ugh, I think I’m beginning to transition from “entertainment” to “hate watching” at this point. I hope the next episode isn’t so glaring with obvious idiocy as this one. I can take zany, clumsy characters. But to make an episode where not one flub came from a man and have the women’s flubs be so downright childish made it so very apparent.  I don’t know what more to say beyond that.

Actually, I do have one last thing to say: Olivia Munn is great in this and I still don’t know why people don’t buy her as an actress. The point where this episode actually redeemed me on the whole woman front was when she said: “Do NOT call me ‘girl,’ sir!” I hope next week continues in that direction.