I can’t stop myself.

I’ve watched the season finale of HBO’s ‘The Newsroom’ 3 times since it’s aired.

I’ve seen the complaints on twitter that basically sum up the episode as “too happy” or “too convenient that it all wrapped up so nicely.”

To all you I say….get over yourself. I for once am happy to see Aaron Sorkin give me EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED!!!!!! <<<<SPOILER WARNING AHEAD!!!>>>

I hated every online recap/review of this finale.

I have so many different feelings and emotions about this ending. What I’ve written below will most likely sound like the rantings of a crazy person. I do know that these are not real people – but as in all Aaron Sorkin shows, I feel like they are, in fact, real. I want them to be real. So if you enjoyed the finale…hang on tight and let me know if I’m alone here…..

Just to recap:
The whole season has been about perhaps my favorite quote from an earlier episode, “I’m on a mission to civilize.” I love it so much and really want the shirt:

HBO’s The Newsroom shirt – On a Mission to Civilize.

The whole season has really been about trying to get the mission statement part of the workflow in the newsroom on a daily basis. Part of that is trying to write/produce stories that serve the greater good – instead of doing something for ratings or because everyone else is.

It was a roller-coaster of a (short) season. It was centered around a story dubbed Genoa where in short, a tip that could blow the top off government/military/etc. After vetting the story from every angle, they run with it, only to learn that a visiting producer “cooked” the story. So the entire season revolves around the vetting of the story from a legal angle, as they are being sued by the very producer who falsified the interview. It was truly fascinating, but very involved. I was a little disappointed throughout the season because I felt the relationships and love story of some of the characters was really taking a back seat. But it’s all changed now in the finale.

Random thoughts…

The writing is top-notch. There are so many great one-liners that are just simply so great. It actually forces you to watch each episode multiple times so you can catch them. Some of my favorites from the finale:

Exchange between Rebecca, Leona & Charlie:
Rebecca: “Here’s what I find strange about this…first of all it’s not like the husband voted for Obama – he just didn’t vote for Romney. ”
Leona: “He didn’t vote..”
Rebecca: “And second…isn’t Romney going to win the vote in Arizona by like 200% anyway?”
Charlie: “yeah, but you don’t think the strange part is the wife running over her husband with a car?”
Rebecca: “Well, she’s pregnant…”
Charlie: “Where are you getting this from?”
Rebecca/Leona: “Twitter!!!! (laughter)……

A few moments later from a high Leona: “You know…I want to get the Almman Brothers back together.” Which is so random that I LOVE it – and then she goes on this deep rant which is so fascinating and true…
Charlie: “Why are you letting Reese make the decision?”
Leona: “Because I’m not really sure Elizabeth Windsor is the world’s greatest mom? I mean why not just give her son the throne? On the other hand I think being queen is what keeps her alive. But doesn’t she want to be alive to see her son be King? But that’s not how it works, prince by birth, king by death. I want to see how Reese handles this…”

• There are some great moments between the DC bureau and the New York headquarters. My favorite being when everyone in the NY control room gave the DC bureau the finger. Well-deserved.
• Sloan getting cut off repeatedly by Will was great. I had to watch the episode twice to figure out why she kissed Don – and it was worth the wait. Pretty damn funny.
• The Rockette was outstandingly funny. Leona: “I mean over here you have a Harvard MBA and over here you have a line of synchronized Nutcrackers…”
• Sidenote – how funny is Chris Messina as Reese? “My mom told me I can’t fire you…” – I mean from Danny Castellano in the Mindy Project to Reese Lansing- I’m kind of loving him.
• I’m really, really, really, really, really obsessed with Mackenzie McHale. In fact, I think I am Mac. Well, I’m Mac if you take away the British accent and insert Liz Lemon. I understand Mac like no one ever on television. I’ve been in that same role on election night – just on a local news scale – but dealing with a presidential election and local/station elections. So much potential for error, so many judgement calls. The way she handles herself and is able to get it done without drama and chaos is inspiring. (I KNOW IT”S FAKE?!?!!)
• One of her best quotes of the night, “Are you sure you’re not just a massive bag of douche?”
• It took Aaron Sorkin about 300 West Wing episodes for Josh to finally do the right thing with Donna.
  It took the entire West Wing season to see CJ and Danny to get married and you only realize that in the last episode after a flash-forward sequence.
  Dana and Casey NEVER got together on Sports Night and that has left me eternally depressed.
  But praise the good Lord above, Will and Mac got there in just 19. I feel vindicated. I keep crying about it. I really want to go to the wedding.

“The point of the story was the kid could make himself happy by just stopping. I think that’s the point, I don’t know, I’ve been trying to figure it out. But I, uh, I didn’t return it… because I’m in love with you…and because…will you marry me?

Mac: “wait..”
Will: “I said, will you marry me? and before that I said I’m in love with you…that’s…that’s…I feel like I could do this so much better if I…”
Mac: “What in the fuck is happening right now?”
Will: “I don’t ever want to not be….no…I love you..I’m going to go back to that…will you marry me? Let me just say, I really think you should. I think you should just say yes. But, no matter what you say, there is no chance I’m ever going to hurt you. No matter what you say, I am going to be in love with you for the rest of my life. There’s no way out of that. It’s just a physical law of the Universe. You own me…No matter what you say…
Mac: Yes…
Will: “…I will never stop….”
Mac: “Yes, I’m saying yes…”
Will: “Yes…you’re saying yes…”
Mac: “Yes”
LONG PAUSE
Will: “Thank God”

All hail MacKenzie Morgan McHale McAvoy!

Now seriously, how do I become a consultant on this show? Did you love it? Hate it? Think I’m crazy? I would love to hear your thoughts. In the meantime, I’m going to go watch it again.

Long live Will & Mac!