WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for The Morning Show season 3 finale.
In many ways, The Morning Show season 3 was a return to the original formula created in season 1, with the parallels in both finales–particularly with Jennifer Aniston’s character–being evidence of this. The Morning Show season 3 has officially come to a close with all 10 episodes currently streaming on Apple TV+. While viewers wait for The Morning Show season 4, which has been confirmed but doesn’t have a release date currently, they can revisit season 1 and see just how far the series has come as well as the ways season 3 returned it to its roots.
The Morning Show season 3 cast is full of powerhouse performers, with Jennifer Aniston being a clear standout. While she was given a lot to do in The Morning Show season 2, the writing often failed Alex’s character, especially after her heroic moment in the season 1 finale that earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award. Fortunately, The Morning Show season 3 finale redeemed Alex in a big way when she helped take down Paul, with moments directly mirroring her arc in the season 1 finale.
Chip Exposing Paul & Alex Working To Save UBA Repeats The Morning Show's Season 1 Finale Twists
At the end of The Morning Show season 1, Bradley and Alex made a last-minute on-air decision to expose then-network president Fred for enabling Mitch’s actions and silencing female employees. Where Bradley took on a calmer demeanor, Alex paced the studio like a caged animal–likely a metaphor for how she felt as a longstanding UBA employee–before delivering a passionate monologue that saw her take accountability for her own actions while forcing others to do the same. It remains an extremely powerful moment that reminds viewers how The Morning Show became so popular.
In The Morning Show season 3 finale, this moment was repeated, but with Chip’s character. With the support of The Morning Show employees, a recently fired Chip went live on-air to be interviewed on the impending Paul Marks deal and why he thought it should be stopped. Like Alex, Chip let loose and gave his own impassioned speech; with some humorous curse words sprinkled in. He also took accountability for the mistakes he’s made in the past but informed audiences that what was happening was bigger than him or Paul or even UBA. Rather, it was about the integrity of journalism and saving legacy media.
Alex going rogue in The Morning Show season 1 finale ultimately saved her reputation and changed the course of the series, and she managed to do it again in the season 3 finale with the UBA/NBN merger. Though Alex fired Chip in The Morning Show season 3, episode 8, his big moment in the finale raises his chances of being re-hired in season 4. The scene also proved that Alex and Chip are more similar than they’d like to believe at times, and even if he doesn’t become her personal producer again, he could still earn a position at The Morning Show.
The Morning Show's Season 3 Finale Parallels Fred's Season 1 Downfall
The Morning Show season 1 finale sealed Fred’s downfall when Bradley and Alex exposed him, and the same can be said in the season 3 finale with Paul. The Morning Show has always had messages about abusing power and holding powerful people accountable–men in particular–for their wrongdoings. In this way, the season 3 finale also mirrored Fred and Cory’s circumstances, as the latter underwent an investigation for his inappropriate behavior with Bradley. The references to The Morning Show season 1 finale in the season 3 finale are good signs for the future of the series as the characters look to rebuild UBA with the new NBN merger deal.
Where to Watch The Morning Show
