‘The Morning Show’ Recap: ‘Testimony’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 209 of ‘The Morning Show’.
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One particular theme that has continuously popped up in season two of The Morning Show on AppleTV+, is the reckoning. That moment where our past transgressions catch up with and stun us in a strange form of karma that is designed to teach us a lesson, and the reason, we’ve talked about this at length in regard to this series… is because none of the characters that have gone through the reckoning, have learned the lessons it has tried to teach them. Which is a stubborn surprise that has left all of us wondering, exactly what it will take for these intrepid characters to learn the lessons the universe is sending their way and it just so happens… that that next episode in his fascinating series, takes the time to answer that question. 
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As it turns out, being completely and utterly embarrassed at work, was enough for Bradley Jackson to finally come to understand that if she didn’t answer the call of the universe, her family would continue to hold her back in every way imaginable, including her career. Which is why she decided in ‘Testimony’, that the time had come to stand up to her family and her sorted past and just deal with it so she could finally embrace the future and that is why… she did something quite bold in this tale. In that, she finally convinced her brother to go to rehab and even took the day off to drive him there so that she could ensure he went inside to get clean, and she was also one hundred percent prepared for more of his antics. Which he did take part in and that brought forth Bradley’s wrath at last. Wherein she explained this was the end of the line for their relationship and it was up to him now to get his life back on track, and that it was time for her to move from the toxic behavior he and their mother brought to the table.

Which is about as bold of a move as it gets and it was indeed the right answer to the reckoning, since Bradley found newfound strength in this tale, to the point where she was able to handle quite the task. For Cory called out Maggie on the air and invited her on for an interview regarding her book. An offer she accepted, and it fell to Bradley to read the book and conduct the interview and having a clear mind and a newfound focus, allowed for her to take down Maggie on live television by proving to the world that this book was nothing more than a hit job on Alex Levy. One that was grounded in years of disdain and served as nothing more than a chance at revenge and calling Maggie to the carpet on live television and winning that battle, was her true arrival moment in the news industry, since it hammered home the potential that Cory saw in her a year ago when he opted to back her at TMS.

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Speaking of Alex Levy, well she served as the counterpoint to this exploration because in many ways… Alex represented the reality that sometimes… redemption from the reckoning might not ever be in the cards for some people. For despite hearing the message and understanding it, they simply cannot get out of their own way and the universe is quick to punish them for that. Which is unfortunate in this instance, since Alex was finally making progress in moving toward a better tomorrow. For she took the time to apologize to Laura for spreading the gossip about her sexuality, the very talk that eventually hampered Laura’s career and she was even starting to treat others with respect and dignity at work, making it seem as though at long last… she understood her legacy and her role, and the need to be good to those around her at UBA, despite the fact that she was planning to leave before the book came out.
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But alas, the thrill and personal satisfaction that came about from being good to others for a change, fueled that ego and made her feel invincible enough to confront and resolve all of the demons from her past and that’s why she attended Mitch’s memorial. Wherein she apologized to Mitch’s ex-wife and a room full of Mitch’s friends for not doing a better job of appreciating Mitch and some of them, and she even spoke to his genuine and final attempt to finally set things right in regard to his actions, to inform all of them that at the end, he was finally finding the right path, so that his legacy would be positive at last. And while that act of attrition was grounded in the right intentions, it was recorded by a guest. One who leaked her words to the world shortly after Bradley defended her on television, which led to disaster since everyone saw this as a double-cross from the big moment that played out in the season one finale and to top it all off, she even caught Covid and found herself in the hospital for it and a nasty fall she experienced after being exposed to the world.

Which is quite the punishment from the universe for letting ego control her, but that’s where we find her none the less. Reeling from the fact that she didn’t understand that the universe was trying to inform her to fix the rifts that she created, and control what she can control, and now… her fate remains up in the air in every way imaginable, especially when it comes to her health. But one thing that might be a certainty at this point, is that her career on television is likely over. Since there is no coming back from hypocrisy, and all the goodwill Bradley assembled for her is utterly gone and the book will undoubtedly be seen as gospel now and well, that really is quite the way to set up the season two finale. Because we simply don’t know how this saga is going to end and what will become of the good people at UBA that Alex has exposed to a deadly disease and that is going to make the wait for next week’s finale, an extremely difficult one. Until next time.

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