Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know about The Morning Show.
It’s one of Apple TV+’s most buzzworthy shows, which speaks volumes for a streamer that notoriously has some of the best prestige television that falls under the radar.
That said, as much as I heard about The Morning Show, I didn’t tune in to see what the hype was about … until now.
The Morning Show Holds Its Own, but One Character Keeps Me Hooked
Is it gripping? No doubt. The series features Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, who are both electric as a duo and individually, joining the ranks of some of television’s most complex, deeply flawed, and undoubtedly fascinating female characters.
I’m a sucker for those.
After sitting through the minute-and-a-half opener that scratches at something in my brain and watching how the series tackled the #MeToo Movement, I could eventually understand why the series appeals to many viewers.
But if I have to pinpoint one thing that has kept me glued to the screen late nights until my eyelids get heavy, it’s not a “thing” at all — it’s a “who”: Cory Ellison.
Give me a great, memorable character who sticks with me. Chances are, I’ll follow a series to the pits of hell, through slumps and ridiculous plot points if it comes to it, because characters are fun, fabulous, and complex; in many ways, they’re the precise reason a series can resonate with audiences.
For me, characters matter.
And The Morning Show may have just delivered to me one of my favorite characters of all time.
There’s something about Cory — he consumes entire scenes that he’s in. He doesn’t even have to say anything to do it. He’s such a deeply expressive person that he draws your attention during every moment.
The Chaos King Steals the Show
He’s just a damn great character who shouldn’t work, but somehow does. It’s like The Morning Show took a handful of archetypes and cobbled together this unique, quirky specimen who leaves a lasting impression. Billy Crudup elevates whatever is in the script and pushes it to a whole other stratosphere.
Cory is pure chaos, dipped in vulnerability and draped with charm.
He’s a host of contradictions as a character, simultaneously enigmatic and deeply vulnerable, calculating but compassionate, morally righteous and bankrupt at the same damn time, it’s riveting!
On paper, Cory seems like the type of corporate shark who would be downright villainous. He’s arrogant, smarmy, and the type who could crush the little people. But then, surprisingly, he puts his finger on the scale of righteousness and leans in.
Every other episode, I can’t figure out if he’s Chaotic Good or Neutral. Still, it’s that level of unpredictability, ironically, that gives the series a comforting sense of sureness, which keeps me glued to the screen.
There’s something so uniquely Shakespearean about Cory Ellison in the grand scale of The Morning Show’s characters.
Cory is almost mythological in his existence, a modern-day trickster god in a tailored suit and slicked back hair, with a mischievous grin that’s equal parts unnerving and alluring.
He’s always looking for his next crusade, utterly fearless in his approach to just about everything — his wild abandon is such a refreshing contrast to the structure, order, and attempts at bureaucratic red tape and uniformity that come with both broadcasting and corporations.
A Charming Conundrum I Can’t Resist
It makes him a unicorn; hell, some days, he seems like Russian nesting dolls, with so many layers peeling back, each brimming with more eccentricity and raw unhingement.
But then, that’s part of the appeal, too. Cory is so unapologetically, flamboyantly, ridiculously himself, which feels authentic, even as he still comes across as unknowable.
There’s something so compelling about him being the very antithesis of what he looks and seems like he should be, and, of course, something equally as captivating about seeing just how liberated he is as a character.
He’s totally unrestricted in an enviable way, and it makes for great television and dynamics that have me itching for more.
Cory’s combative yet reverent dynamic with Alex is something I cannot get enough of, and frankly, watching Aniston and Crudup play off one another is just delicious masterclass content that makes you geek out.
Even Cory’s Love Is Deliciously Complicated and Chaotic
And Cory and Bradley have one of the most intriguing dynamics that I’ve seen onscreen in a while. He’s his most vulnerable and transparent with her, effortlessly, and Cory may be the only person who actually sees to the core of who Bradley is and loves her unconditionally.
They’re such a captivating duo that perfectly embodies what I call an “everythingship” in which their dynamic works on so many levels, on all the levels, that it’s transcendent.
The two are somehow everything to each other and nothing at the same time, and that’s the type of dynamic that will always leave me wanting more.
Cory Ellison’s refusal to fit in anything that resembles a box is admirable and, in ways, relatable.
Every second where you think you could possibly have him figured out, he throws enough of a curveball to keep you on your toes, and he lives for that, thrives in it — the unpredictability, the chaos, the unknown.
I’ve found him to be the glue that keeps The Morning Show together. Periodically, the series feels like it has an identity crisis, sometimes satirical, other times a prestigious drama, and at others, primetime soapy goodness.
Masterful Show Stealer
And then there’s Cory, who can take the cheesiest lines and most outrageous, outlandish plots and make something magical and unforgettable out of them.
Through Cory, I’ve learned to embrace the chaos that is The Morning Show, and that’s certainly been enough to keep me tuned in.
If you ask me if I love The Morning Show or think the buzz and hype are accurate, I can’t lie — I wouldn’t be able to answer that for you. I’m still unsure how I feel about the series as a whole.
But what keeps me clicking “Play Next” again and again? That’s simple — Cory Ellison, the human embodiment of a Tasmanian devil in a suit, with an irresistible smirk and charm so alluring that I keep fiending for my next fix.
Cory Ellison is just too intoxicating to turn away from, and if anything else, that’s enough for me!
We’re not yelling about algorithms — just our love of Cory Ellison, but he’d love that, so ….
If you love him or The Morning Show too, let us know. Comments and shares make a difference, especially for small outlets like TV Fanatic. 💙
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The post I Relented to The Morning Show Hype and Stayed for Cory Ellison’s Chaotic Charm appeared first on TV Fanatic.
