Sorkin Season: More As The Story Develops
More As This Story Develops, the new Aaron Sorkin-penned drama for US cable network HBO, is, essentially, The West Wing set in a new building.
The show is expected to launch later this year or at the start of 2012 and the script was recently released online (see below).
There are obviously echoes of Sports Night and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, but ultimately, the show replaces Martin Sheen’s President Bartlett with Jeff Daniels’ Keith Olbermann-meets-Edward Murrow.
The plot:
Will McCallister (Daniels) is a brilliant, but flawed liberal news anchor on a cable TV show. His ex-girlfriend MacKenzie Machale (likely to be played by Marisa Tomei) is brought back to exec produce his show after his entire staff departs. There are love triangles between junior reporters and there are political tensions between senior staff.
Olivia Munn is also reportedly set to join the cast.
Good news:
There are a lot of potential walk-and-talk moments.
Best Quote:
“Are we or are we not the greatest country in the world?” That’s not a pitch in the dirt, it’s right over the plate. It’s not that I don’t like the sound of it, it’s just that there isn’t a single statistic to support it.
We’re 7th in literacy, 27th in math, 22nd in science, 49th in life expectancy, 178th in infant mortality, 3rd in median household income, #4 in labor force and #4 in exports. America leads the world in only three categories: Number of incarcerated citizens per capita, number of adults who believe angels are real and defense spending where we spend more than the next 26 countries combined, 25 of whom are our allies, and I’d even be down with that except we seem to be spending the money fighting the Soviets in Czechoslovakia in 1978! So when they say America’s the greatest country in the world, I don’t know what the fuck they’re talking about!!”
Download:
Olivia Munn officially joins Aaron Sorkin’s HBO pilot | EW.com
insidetv.ew.comThis is for the Munn haters.
Aaron Sorkin's HBO show to be called 'Newsroom'
mediabistro.comWhile in development at HBO the new project was tentatively called “More As This Story Develops.” The name “Newsroom” (or possibly “The Newsroom,” HBO hasn’t decided whether to add a “the”) is likely to remind Sorkin fans of one of his earliest TV series, the critically acclaimed but short lived ABC program “Sports Night.”
“JIM HARPER, late-20's, quietly enters the studio. JIM doesn't know that he's an incredibly good looking guy because he saw "All the President's Men" when he was 7 years old and never looked back. He has an easy sense of humor and he's confident without being arrogant. He's here for his first day of work--dressed in a shirt and tie--but he knows SLOAN and he's stopped in to say hi.”
—Description of Johnny’s character in a version of the pilot script he just filmed (“More As This Story Develops”)HBO Orders Aaron Sorkin’s Untitled Cable News Drama to Series
Though the project has been referred to by the working title More as This Story Develops, the cable news network based drama series set up at HBO is apparently still untitled. However, one thing that’s not uncertain is the future of the series as THR reports HBO has just given a series order to Sorkin’s first cable endeavor that will follow a cable news anchor, his executive producer, the newsroom staff and their boss as they set out on a mission to do the news in the face of commercial and corporate obstacles as well as their own personal entanglements.
Jeff Daniels, in his first major role as a series regular, plays the cable news anchor while Emily Mortimer plays his executive producer. Meanwhile, Alison Pill, John Gallgher Jr., Olivia Munn, Dev Patel, Thomas Sadoski and Sam Waterston round out the supporting cast. Since all of Sorkin’s previous series’ have been on regular network television, I’m hoping the cable arena really lets him cut loose. Of course, knowing Sorkin’s political sensibilities and the fact that he spent time with cable news personalities like Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann, I’m betting this series won’t hit that well with conservative audience members. Either way, any new series project from an amazing writer like Sorkin should be good news for everyone.
[source]
I can’t wait for this. I’ll still be tagging the show as ‘more as this story develops’ because it’s better than ‘untitled aaron sorkin hbo project’
Dialog from Aaron Sorkin's new HBO project (set at a 24-hr news network) "More as this Story Develops"
I have posted this before, under the above title. I am re-posting because HBO has ordered an initial season and will be calling the show “The Newsroom.” Looks like I will be getting HBO back in 2012. Enjoy.
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Jim: What? And why didn’t you tell me there was some kind of problem with you and Will?
Mackenzie: ‘Cause that’s personal. Do you see me asking personal questions? Now when was the last time you had a passionate relationship with a woman?
Jim: (pause) What?
Mackenzie: When was the last time you had a passionate relationship with a woman? When you lit up when you saw her name in your in-box and loved her hands and couldn’t handle the idea of another guy touching her and were absolutly certain that your life would be great if she’d marry you?
Jim: (pause) You know the only reason I’m still standing here is loyalty, right?
Mackenzie: Yes. When was the last time?
Jim: Never, that’s never happened.
Mackenzie: Right. And you know how you’ve always had a crush on me?
Jim: I’ve never had a crush on you.
Mackenzie: yeash you’ve always had a little crush on me, it’s been cute.
Jim: I’ve never had a crush on you but go ahead.
Mackenzie: The girl you just met? Maggie? She’s me before I grew into myself and got hotter with age.
Jim: I don’t understand why you chose this moment to go insane.
Mackenzie: Just—
Jim: Why are you afraid to see Will McCallister? You have to tell me.
Mackenzie: Hey, Jughead, I ain’t afraid a nobody. GAGGHH! I thought that was a spider. Just look at her. Not a big look, stupid!
Jim: I didn’t look at all.
Mackenzie: Oh okay. Just glance over.
Fine. JIM glances over. And then glances over again—he couldn’t help it. Whether he knows it or not he just fell in love with MAGGIE.
Mackenzie (cont’d): Cupid. Boom.
—-
Fuck you, Sorkin. I love the things you write on paper.
GUYS! I'M SURROUNDED
I HEARD ALL THESE FUCKING SIRENS AND THEY GOT REALLY LOUD. I FUCKING POKE MY HEAD OUT THE DOOR TO LET MY DOGS IN AND MY WHOLE FUCKING BLOCK IS CUT OFF BY POLICEMEN! I WAS TOLD, RATHER RUDELY, TO GET BACK INSIDE.
I AM ALL ALONE EXCEPT FOR MY TWO FUCKING DOGS! WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!?
How High Is Your Anticipation Level for Aaron Sorkin's Newsroom?
tv.comI dreamed that More as This Story Develops magically showed up on Netflix last night, so of course I had to Google it when I woke up… it’s now called Newsroom (much better title) and I still can’t wait
how great would it be if he had Peter Krause and Josh Charles guest star for a little Sports Night tie-in? that would make my life.
What. Is. Going. On.
deadline.comJosh Pence & John Gallagher have signed on to Sorkin’s HBO pilot.
My brain needs a minute to wrap around this.
DEV"S ROLE IN SORKIN HBO PILOT?
Variety doesn’t have firm word on who Patel will play, but five will get you ten that it’s Neal, described in Sorkin’s script as “a handsome young Indian staffer.” The character doesn’t have a huge amount to do in the pilot, but we’re sure that he’ll be fleshed out more if and when (and considering the pedigree, it’s when) the show goes to series. Filming on the pilot, directed by “Adventureland” and “Paul” helmer Greg Mottola, is getting underway any day now, and we’ll likely see the full series on HBO some time in 2012.
