20 years ago today: "Got to, man. This is America."

I will argue that the opening scene in The Newsroom takes top spot.

 

Started a lot of excellent careers. Created some of the most original characters, often multidimensional characters. Just plain the best written TV show Sorkin didn’t touch. And its th George Washington of HBO Mt Rushmore series. Wire, Deadwood Rome, Sopranos. In that order.

 

Season 2 is the best of the 5.

When Frank Sobotka walks toward The Greek ... so goddamn wrenching.

 

I thought it was least or 2nd least important season. Still great.

I forgot that Michael B Jordan was Wallace.

 

I hated Season 2 on my first watch. Like many others, I was upset that they had gone away from all of the main characters of Season 1 to introduce this entirely new universe. But after several rewatches, the season really grew in stature for me, to the point where it's probably my third favorite of all of the seasons. I'd rank them 4, 3, 2, 1, 5 ... with 5 being a distant last, despite the generally accurate depictions of newsrooms. There were just too many leaps of logic in that season for my tastes.

 

Season 2 was always my favorite (although 4 is close). It was just so well done.

 

I count myself as a Season 2 fan. I would rank them: 1, 3, 2, 4, 5.

I am most conflicted about season 4, because it is arguably the most important to the structure of the entire series, but to my mind it is the least enjoyable to watch.

 

For me season 4 was too much Pryzbo. And the education expert with the goatee would be my least favorite character in the series.

But of course the seasons are all gems. I sometimes find myself in an imaginary conversation with David Simon where I'm explaining to him my issue with season 5 (it's built around a satire premise, for a show that took its pride in realism) and then realize that I'm quibbling over flaws with the creator of one of the greatest pieces of art in American history.

 

Season 2 was too much of a repeat of season 1 for me in terms of structure.

 

1, 4, 3, 2 and by some distance 5

 

2, 3, 1, 4, 5