Newsroom: It's not about Will

note: Recaps and Remarks are going up later than usual due to Comic-Con and TCA.

The first episode of the season made it clear that the timeline would jump around from one period to another to tell the story. This episode allowed a month to pass from beginning to end, and the subsequent ones may eat up more time than that in order to catch-up to the depositions, so this is a technique to which viewers must quickly adjust. This episode also brought viewers some more history, explaining that, when 9/11 happened, Will was the legal correspondent, but when nobody else was available, he was put on the air for the first time, and stayed there most of the day. Whether he remained on-screen immediately or if anchoring was a gradual promotion remains unknown, but it certainly helps put into context Will's new obsession over the internet sites that blast him. Given that fact, why has his bodyguard not appeared recently? One would think that he is in danger now more than ever. And, one more thing about Will before admitting that this episode is actually not about him... the phrase "living outside the law keeps you from getting its protection" was very intriguing. It doesn't sound original, but it's not cliche (at least for non-attorneys), either. Are you familiar with that line?

The Newsroom "The Genoa Tip" (S02E02): August 25, 2011: Cyrus West told Jerry about Operation Genoa, and he asks Mackenzie for permission to look into the use of Sarin gas. She hesitates but allows him to. After a month of calls, he tracks down someone who knows about the Black Op, and admits that it existed, was an extraction, and confirms that Sarin gas was used. [Jerry was really dedicated to figuring this out!]

Don wants to help a guy on death row and hopes Will might assist in tearing apart the case. [his insistence on breaking into programming to cover the possible lobbying of a swing vote was interesting to the point of being disturbing...] Will, however, feels that the guy received due process, even if it wasn't with the best representation. Both men see reasonable doubt, and, in the end, the guy receives a lethal injection, though he maintained his innocence until his death.

Maggie tells Sloan about the youtube clip, and the two track down to poster to have it removed before more than 1,118 people see it. [where's Maggie's makeup? and why did they haul all that luggage to Queens??] The poster wants her Sex and the City blog to get hits, and the only way she'll take down the video is if Sloan promotes the blog on Twitter. Sloan reluctantly agrees, but rather than take down the video, the girl blogs about her encounter with Maggie and Sloan. [what a horrible woman!] So, when Maggie goes to move back in with Lisa, she's seen it and is upset, destroying the friendship between the roommates.

Now completely hating her life, Maggie wants a reason to go to Africa. Jerry suggests it's the next place that US soldiers will go to die, so she pitches it to Mack and gets permission to go with Gary, though there are many dangers of going there which are kept from Mackenzie. [... and we already know that Maggie will undoubtedly be deeply affected by what she experiences in Africa. also, what's with showing the gym twice in one episode??]

Meanwhile, in New Hampshire, Jim has issues getting on the press bus again, and he also learns that competitors can be helpful from time to time. He struggles to do his own camerawork and get a one-on-one with the candidate. [I always wanted Gilmore Girls to depict Rory going on the road as a political reporter, so I'm a little intrigued to see these scenes.]

September 19, 2011: Mackenzie makes fun of Neal for continuing to follow the OccupyWallStreet story, but two days later, he gets arrested for covering the first major protest of the group. He calls the newsroom from the precinct, and Will goes down to the station as Neal's lawyer and gets the arrest voided. [I love that the video footage was able to be salvaged.]