In the wide world of cancelled-too-soon TV shows,Great Newsstands out as a workplace sitcom that deserved more time. Created byTracey Wigfieldand executive produced byTina FeyandRobert Carlock,Great Newstells the story of a ragtag bunch of people who work together at The Breakdown, a news show at MMN Network. In the show, Katie (Briga Heelan) is a segment producer frustrated at her boss Greg (Adam Campbell) because he keeps assigning her news that doesn’t feel relevant. After Katie tries to stand against Greg, he retaliates by hiring Katie’s mom Carol (Andrea Martin) as the new intern.
Great Newsexplores the drama that happens behind the scenes drama of a daily news show. Although it is a workplace comedy, the series’ humor feels is more along the lines ofUnbreakable Kimmy SchmidtandGirls5eva. It has eccentric characters, ridiculous situations, and even some futuristic elements, likeKimmy’s Yuko The Robot orGirls5eva’s holographic Ashley.
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‘Great News’ Has an Incredibly Talented Cast
Great Newsrevolves around Heelan’s Katie Wendelson. She’s the voice of reason at The Breakdown but, after her mom starts working with her, her past traumas start flooding into her life. She has talent, but she has trouble overcoming her own insecurities. Katie believes in doing things by-the-book, but is also willing to bend some rules when driven to her limit. Heelan excels at portraying an awkward overachiever who has a “fun Bumble presence”.
With comediesDate MovieandEpic Movieunder his belt, Campbell’s Greg embodies a half-comedic and half-surly British man who exiled himself from England after failing to produce a segment on the Loch Ness Monster. Being everyone’s boss is something he does more by sense of obligation than passion. When it’s revealed his grandmother Mildred (Christina Pickles) is the owner of the network, nepotism fills in the blank of how he got to be the head of the show.
The Breakdown is led by two anchors: Chuck Pierce, portrayed by comedy kingJohn Michael Higginsand Portia Scott-Griffith played byNicole Richiein her first main acting role. Chuck is a news anchor who is past his prime and he feels stuck and misunderstood by his team. He found his calling when he discovered he likes to tattle, so that should tell you everything about him. Portia is a rich and optimistic millennial and entrepreneur. She’s Chuck’s fellow news anchor even though she admits she’s not smart. She appreciates Chuck even if she doesn’t like socializing with him.
Also joining The Breakdown’s roster of misfits is Carol, Katie’s mom. She’s a mix between an adult child and cool mom. Against all odds, she manages to return to school and applies to an internship at Katie’s job. Katie tries to sabotage her to get her fired, but when she realizes that Carol is the only one who can understand and calm Chuck, she begs her to come back. Carol, in her efforts to unite the office staff, becomes a mom to everyone. Andrea Martin has the time of her life playing jovial, cheery, and optimistic Carol. It’s hard to believe thatMy Big Fat Greek Weddingwas released 15 years beforeGreat News(gasp!).
‘Great News’ Is Full of Entertaining Character Pairings
IfGreat Newscharacters are great, then their pairings are greater. Chuck and Carol bond over their age, both averse to being considered obsolete. Portia and Chuck repel each other, mainly because of their contrasting views and age disparity. Eventually they learn to overcome their differences and their working relationship becomes more affectionate, they might even be considered friends. Katie and Portia form an unlikely friendship. Katie and Carol’s mother-daughter relationship is the backbone ofGreat Newsand plays a pivotal role to the final arcs of both seasons: the Biscuit Blitz cell phone hacking in Season 1 and saving Chuck from having to retire in Season 2.
Sinceno sitcom is exempt from a will-they-won’t-they relationship, Greg and Katie are that couple inGreat News, andit’s another slow-burn. Greg has a girlfriend, Cat (Jayma Mays), who happens to bring out the best in him. But Katie and Greg have a deeper connection impossible to deny. Even though they try to avoid the tension, and even though they get on each other’s nerves because they’re opposites that think alike, they finally admit that they belong together in the series finale, leaving the audience wondering if it really stuck.
‘Great News’ Is Full of Comedy and Surprise Cameos
The found family element ofGreat Newsis rounded out by meteorologist Beth (Tracey Wigfield), video editor Justin (Horatio Sanz), producer Gene (Brad Morris), and camera person Wayne (Sheaun McKinney). Despite the fact that they are very different, they end up working together to overcome all the conflicts that are presented in the series. When they are nominated for a journalism award, all of them assist and teach a lesson to Chuck about adapting to change and being there for each other.
Great Newshad a parade of guest stars that mix perfectly with the main cast and contributed perfectly to its storylines.Ana GasteyerandRachel Dratchas Kelly and Mary-Kelly, the boozy co-hosts of the Morning Wined Up segment appear early in Season 1 and return in Season 2, when Carol defects temporarily to work on the show.Tina Feyappears in several Season 2 episodes as Diana St. Tropez, the new head of the network, and has a hilarious storyline in which she’s “denied the opportunity” of receiving a massive settlement after harassing everybody in the office.Jim Rashappears as Fenton Pelt, Chuck’s nemesis who tries to get him to retire as vengeance for uncovering him as an adult competing in a kids’ science fair. EvenRay Liottacameos as himselfwhen Carol and Katie are searching for a way to bring Pelt down.
The quick jokes dropped in passing with every dialogue makeGreat Newsa comedy gem. We get to learn about how Chuck had a wax figure at Madame Tussauds, which was later replaced by Air Bud. Carol is revealed to be the originalKanye West, as he competed with Katie when they were kids and Carol took the microphone away in his acceptance speech. Richie’s Portia eats up every one-liner she has, as we learn she’s in a sexting relationship with all the Pittsburgh Steelers, doesn’t know what cents are, reveals her real name is Tabby Fudge, and that she might be the actualBanksy. The cherry on top is when she has a falling out with Diana and recreatesTaylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” music video.
Great Newsplayed with the satire of news programs and how many stories are ratings bait. The show included a real family element by including Katie and Carol’s relationship on top of the general found family atmosphere of the cast. True,it didn’t have a great start, but it definitely found its footing in Season 2. The two holiday episodes are worthy of a yearly rewatch, especially “A Christmas Carol Wendelson.“Great Newsshould have had a longer run but, for now, rewatching the 23 episodes will have to suffice. Let’s hope that Carol’s line in the Season 1 finale’s cold open, “I’ll never leave”, remains true in Netflix’s catalog.
