The Newsroom 

Resuscitation of the acclaimed 1996-97 series that picks up nearly a decade later. We again follow the exploits of George Findlay in this biting satire of the day-to-day operations of the mainstream news media.

Creator:

Ken Finkleman

Stars:

Ken Finkleman, Peter Keleghan, Karen Hines

14 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Ken Finkleman	...	George Findlay 32 episodes, 1996-2005
Peter Keleghan	...	Jim Walcott 29 episodes, 1996-2005
Karen Hines	...	Karen 25 episodes, 1997-2005
Matt Watts	...	Matt 19 episodes, 2003-2005
Douglas Bell	...	Allen 18 episodes, 2003-2005
Mark Farrell	...	Mark 13 episodes, 1996-1997
Jody Racicot	...	Alex 13 episodes, 2003-2004
Tanya Allen	...	Audrey 13 episodes, 1996-1997

Storyline

In a Toronto TV station, the newsroom is headed by a ratings freak. There is nothing George won't do! He is surrounded by a self-absorbed news anchor man who is as dumb as they come, a grungy trainee, and a couple of more down-to-earth producers. The cast is helped by famous guest stars each week who try not to get between George and his bran muffins.

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Plot Keywords:

muffin | canadian | running gag | news satire | malcontent | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 October 1996 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Híradósok

Company Credits

Production Co:

100% Film and Television, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), NR2 Productions Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

47 min (The Campaign)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In a 2016 interview with Stephen Colbert, actor John Slattery revealed he was up for the part of George Findlay for a US-based production of this show, and was almost cast, but at the last minute the producers decided to go with a then-unknown Stephen Colbert. The US show was never actually produced.

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Quotes

George Findlay: The entire muffin industry in this country is a joke.

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Connections

Referenced in Truth in Advertising (2001)

User Reviews

Thank you CBC!!

Let me be the first to say: The Newsroom is BACK, and darker than ever!

I've only seen the first episode, so I won't say much, but this premiere felt darker than all but the last few episodes of the original series. The original series was always black, but had a playfulness to it, and a certain charmingness about the characters; this new reinvention of the show carries most of the same issues and style, but is more unrelenting and comically depressing (and recasts all of the 'fun', 'quirky' characters). yes, I would even say they have taken it so far that it is no longer comedy, it's pure pain---but it in a good way! The Newsroom at its best achieved a kind of satire that made you fearful of seeing the characters as real people, and yet being forced into moments where we saw their saddest and honest humanity coming out (in the most crushing and embarassing and despicable ways); this entire first episode hit me with it again and again, at its most painful when Jim calls George Findlay practically in tears, and George could care less ...this is satire that dares you not to keep the safe comical distance (that even great satire usually makes use of), this is a *personal* satire that makes you bleed from the ears. I can't wait to see how far Finkleman takes this.

This said, I would be much more interested in seeing a totally new series from Finkleman, in a more open and more blatently surreal style.

Also, check out the insane and chaotic new series "This is Wonderland". I'm not sure if they can sustain it, but the pilot was ...different (and is one of the most de-centralized, self-destructive, frantic, infuriating narratives I've ever seen! almost every plot point collapsed in on itself and our heroine achieved essentially NOTHING!). It indeed manages to turn a court comedy/drama environment into a fairy tale world, and is about as unconventional and offbeat as it is possible for a court show to be these days. By way of comparison, the pilot would be best described as Ally McBeal on acid AND speed.

With this and an unexpectedly brilliant season of Da Vinci's Inquest (i was not such a fan in the past, but this season is something else), I'd say that CBC seems to have an almost violent level of energy this season!

(Schedule-- The Newsroom 8:30 Monday; Wonderland 9 Monday; Da Vinci 9 Sunday)