Jeff Daniels has had several impressive scenes throughout his acting career, but the monologue inThe Newsroom’s first episode was the speech he had been waiting for for 35 years. Centering around the fictional network channel, Atlantis Cable News,The Newsroomfollows what happens behind the scenes at the TV station and the lives of the people tasked with bringing news to the screen.The Newsroomis undoubtedly one of the most divisiveTV shows on HBO, but it’s still a great series despite its shortcomings.
Aaron Sorkin’s series ran for three seasons and wasn’t without its criticisms. Given thatThe Newsroom’s storyline featured news that had already happened in the world, some journalists thought that Sorkin had been trying to tell them how to do their jobs.Sorkin apologized for this perception onThe Newsroombecause that wasn’t what he was trying to do with the TV show. Regardless,The Newsroomhad several great moments, but none as memorable as Daniels' speech in the pilot.
Jeff Daniels Knew How Important The Newsroom’s Episode 1 Monologue Was For The Show
The Newsroom’s Pilot Drew Audiences In
The Newsroomseason 1, episode 1 hasDaniels’ Will McAvoygiving a speech about why America isn’t the greatest country in the world during a Q&A with college students. The speech, one of the best monologues in a TV show, played a significant part inThe Newsroom’s pilot, and Daniels was aware of that. At the time that Daniels was shooting the first episode,the cast and crew ofThe Newsroomdidn’t know if they even had a show.
This placed a heavy burden on Daniels because he had to get the speech right to save his and the rest of the crew members’ jobs. McAvoy’s monologue was also what would determine whether audiences stuck withthe political thrilleror decided not to watch it.Daniels was aware that the first five minutes of a series are importantsince that first scene was the first time that audiences would meet the primary protagonist and know what type of showThe Newsroomwould be about. McAvoy’s monologue essentially set the tone for the TV show.
Jeff Daniels' Performance Determined The Future Of The Newsroom
While the famous monologue was the first scene inThe Newsroom,Sorkin wrote it two weeks before they started shooting the pilot. So Daniels only had that time to learn his lines. While speaking toGQ, Daniels looked back at what happened during the time they were shootingThe Newsroom’s pilot. Several HBO executives and some ofThe Newsroom’s cast were present as Daniels got ready to perform one of the most important speeches of his career. He worked hard on doing the monologue justice, and it paid off because he got it right in the first take.
According to the actor, Sorkin walked over to him after he was done and told him, “OK, you’re pitching a no-hitter. I’m not going to talk to you.” While everyone else had a job to do, the majority of the work rested on Daniels' shoulders. It’s worth noting that it’s not clear whether he did other takes of the monologue after that, but either way, the “America is not the greatest country in the world” diatribe is a passionate speech that showcases whyDaniels was the best choice for the role.
How The Newsroom’s First Episode Saved Jeff Daniels' Career
Jeff Daniels Went On To Star In Other Movies And TV Shows After The Newsroom
AlthoughThe Newsroomwas penned by Sorkin, it didn’t necessarily mean that HBO would be going through with airing it, something which Daniels took note of.The Newsroom’s first episode wasn’t only important because it set the tone for the show, but also because it played a significant role inJeff Daniels' career. The monologue Daniels gives in the pilot is what pushed HBO to green-light the series. This, in turn, meant thatDaniels had a job which ended up preventing his career.
The actor had been waiting 35 years to perform a monologue as great as the one inThe Newsroom. So it’s not surprising that he not only knocked it out of the park, but that he also won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series due to his performance as Will McAvoy inThe Newsroom. The HBO series also has several nominations under its belt, including the Golden Globes’ Best Television Series and a Best New Series nomination at the 2012 Writers Guild Awards.
Cast
WHERE TO WATCH
At the fictional Atlantis Cable News station, lead anchor Will McAvoy and his staff work to put out a news show in the face of each week’s corporate challenges, political tension, and personal conflicts.
