What to expect on Apple TV Plus
The global streaming service Apple TV Plus is preparing for the second season of The Morning Show. The original drama will return next month with several new and returning actors.
The Morning Show was one of Apple’s flagship series, announced as part of the launch of Apple TV Plus, which featured big names. With Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carell and Billy Crudup, the young streamer’s prestige drama was right outside the door.
With a new season just around the corner, here’s everything we know about the second season of The Morning Show, which goes to Apple TV Plus in September. Read on for production details, cast and crew updates, broadcast dates, and more.
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Apple TV Plus may not have as much content compared to other streaming services, but it makes up for it in the quality of its content. This includes series like For All Mankind and Ted Lasso to films like The Banker, Greyhound and Palmer
Where we left off
Inspired by Brian Stelters Top of the Morning: In the cutthroat world of Morning TV, the first season of The Morning Show, premiered in 2019 amid the #MeToo movement. As a result, the series dealt directly with sexual misconduct in the workplace.
When popular morning host Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) is charged with sexual misconduct, his co-host Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) tries to stay afloat. How deep are Mitch’s misdeeds? How can she restore confidence in a toxic workplace? Is Your Own Position Safe? Who will moderate with her now that Mitch is suspended?
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Those questions led to big changes in the studio, with new blood in the form of fast-talking local news reporter Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon) and newly appointed manager Cory Ellison (Billy Crudup).
The first season received mixed reviews but was a hit with ratings, leading to an extension of the second season.
What is season 2 of The Morning Show about?
In the second season, Alex left UBA, the network behind The Morning Show. And Cory wants her back. “You are the only thing that can save us,” he tells her in the season trailer.
Bradley, meanwhile, is concerned that he will be “marginalized”. She seems to be exploring other options as the network struggles to keep ratings high in the face of the ongoing aftermath of Mitch’s fall.
Season two focuses on sexual misconduct, race in the media and COVID-19.
While the first season certainly focused on the race, the second season of The Morning Show seems to be as focused on the issue of white hosts as the first season on gender inequality and abuse in the workplace. Daniel Hendersen (Desean Terry) from the Morning Show can be seen in the trailer calling out UBA for his systemic racism as he continues to be banned from promotion.
And in line with the show’s current events focus, season two will also address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, though it’s unclear exactly how.
When and where can you see it?
The second season of the Morning Show starts on September 17th.
New episodes appear weekly, on Fridays. Like the first season, the season consists of 10 episodes, with the season finale on November 19th.
Apple has not yet revealed whether there are any plans for a third season of The Morning Show.
Who is involved
Recurring cast members include Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carell, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Nestor Carbonell, Bel Powley, Karen Pittman, Desean Terry, Janina Gavankar, and Marcia Gay Harden.
One of the standouts from season one, Gugu Mbatha-Raw is not returning. This is in line with her character’s exit from the show in season one.
New to the line-up are Greta Lee, Julianna Margulies, Hasan Minhaj and Will Arnett.
Mimi Leder, who directed numerous episodes in the first season, is directing the first episode of the second season of The Morning Show.
The show was created by Jay Carson and developed by Kerry Ehrin. It was written by Carson and Ehrin along with Jeff Augustin, Ali Vingiano, Erica Lipez, Adam Milch, Kristen Layden, JC Lee and Torrey Speer.
Executive producers are Kerry Ehrin, Mimi Leder, Michael Ellenberg, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Kristin Hahn and Lauren Neustadter.
Has COVID-19 affected production?
In March 2020, after just 13 days of shooting, Apple paused the second season of the Morning Show due to safety concerns. Due to various lockdowns and other restrictions due to COVID-19, the production of numerous shows and films had to be discontinued.
Filming resumed the following October, months behind schedule. While two episodes were already being filmed, the producers decided to include COVID-19 in the season’s plot, so elements of those two episodes were rewritten.
As serial actor Mark Duplass said meeting, Season 1 has also been given a major overhaul to accommodate the evolving #MeToo movement, which has become a central concern of the show.
COVID-19 delays are at the center of a legal battle with The Morning Show’s insurance company.
The filming delays on season two of The Morning Show are actually the subject of a legal battle. Always Smiling Productions has filed a lawsuit against Chubb National Insurance Company. The lawsuit alleges that while Chubb paid out $ 1 million as a result of the government-mandated shutdown, the company still owes over $ 100 million in cast coverage – the big names on the show come with heavy paychecks.
Other Apple TV Plus series affected by the end of production include See, Foundation, Servant, For All Mankind, Lisey’s Story, and Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet.
What else can you expect?
Apple didn’t reveal much about The Morning Show’s second season. However, the official season trailer reveals a lot. And it also leaves a lot of questions unanswered.
Here are a few pointers and open questions from the trailer:
- Where’s Mitch? He seems to be hiding in a beautiful and picturesque place. Is he stranded somewhere because of COVID-19? Is he hiding to avoid media inquiries after his fall?
- Why did Alex leave the UBA? The last time we saw her, Alex was against the culture of abuse that grew Mitch in the first place. She and Bradley took positions on the air before being interrupted. Did she stop? If she got fired, why not Bradley? Getting more information about Alex’s departure will help Cory’s attempts to win her back to add much-needed context.
- Who is Julianna Margulies playing? The ER and The Good Wife actress appears to be an executive from a competing show. She encourages Bradley to stand up for himself and ask for more. But what are their motives exactly and why doesn’t Alex like them?
- What is Cory up to? The UBA manager seems to have a knack for fighting top cadres, and now he’s fighting “a battle for the soul of the universe”. What could be the reason?
That’s all we know about The Morning Show season two and a few things we don’t know. You can try it out on September 17th on Apple TV Plus.
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