Summary
Other truths are exposed, and perspective is gained as the penultimate chapter leaves much to be discussed for the finale.
This recap of Apple TV+s The Morning Show season 2, episode 9, “Testimony,” contains spoilers.
Read the recap of the last episode.
The penultimate chapter, folks, and how time flies. I remember when Apple TV+ launched The Morning Show as part of their first days as a streaming service. And here we are, finishing season 2.
The Morning Show season 2, episode 9 recap
Episode 9 begins with Bradley waking up, and her brother apologizes for going to her office and states he was hurt; he wanted to see her break the way she hurt him and calls himself pathetic. Hal asks for another chance and says he will go to rehab and fix it, but it feels like the beginning of the end for this sibling relationship.
Alex arrives at work. She meets Cory and Stella for a meeting. Cory tells Alex that she is family, and they will support her if there is any backlash. Alex says she should never have come back and wants to leave on March 16th. Maggie’s book comes out on the 17th. Stella and Doug leave the room to give Alex and Cory privacy. Alex reveals he is going to be canceled, but Cory is not buying it. She tells him that she slept with Mitch, dubbed the “sexual predator and enemy.” Alex also reveals he does not regret it one bit, and she’s finished on The Morning Show. Cory tries his best, but Alex is adamant that she’s leaving.
Alex finds Bradley in her dressing room and tells her she will be back to co-host The Morning Show. Bradley reveals that Laura will be co-hosting with her on Monday as she’s taking Hal to rehab. Alex is okay with that, and she tells Bradley to distance herself for her own good (due to the impending revelations in Maggie’s book). Alex seems different in episode 9; she accepts her situation and appears to be reflective and selfless.
Mitch’s ex-wife Paige arrives at the studio, and Alex tries to hide. Paige gives a speech to the studio; she reveals her youngest child wants her father’s friends to be at his funeral, so she’s here as a mother. She gives a date for the funeral. As she walks out, Paige looks directly at Alex before walking off. The situation between them is awkward but also resoundingly tragic.
Mia tells Alex that everyone will have studios placed in their homes in case the coronavirus becomes a problem. Alex is unsure about that plan due to her impending departure. And then Chip comes in, and he tells her he will stick around until she gets a new producer or when she’s undoubtedly canceled. Alex does The Morning Show with Laura; the central part of the news is the coronavirus — it’s all about “washing your hands.” Damn, this was a whiplash reminder, folks.
Bradley tells Hal that she will not be able to see him when he gets out of rehab. Hal refuses to go inside the facility unless she sees him after. Bradley tells Hal she’s paid for the place. Hal threatens to overdose and kill himself, but Bradley tells him to stop and states it is his life. This was a courageous moment for Bradley; she accepted that Hal is responsible for his own life and mental health and that the manipulation must stop. And she’s right.
After The Morning Show, Alex asks Laura why she doesn’t like her, as they used to be friends. Laura reveals that they were not friends once it “went south” — she tells Alex that she likes to talk. Alex admits that everyone talked about her sexuality back then, as it was gossip; she admits gossip used to be the norm. Alex wishes they’d have straightened it out sooner but admits she’d have probably denied it if they had talked about it in the past. Laura admits she spoke shit about her too. But again, more interestingly, Alex has had a shift of energy. She’s no longer being blameless.
And then, in a pivotal moment, Alex turns up at Mitch’s memorial. Paola greets her. Alex wants to help Paola out as she promised Mitch to bring her into the industry, but Paola isn’t ready yet.
Alex then delivers a speech at the memorial and tells Paige to “bear with her.” She talks about Mitch’s unforgivable choices and reveals that she saw Mitch in Italy on the day he died. She explains how Mitch was starting to understand the consequences of his actions and that he wanted to be better. She wants him to be remembered for that. She seems to be abiding by her friendship with Mitch; he was appalled that she wasn’t willing to speak the truth before she died, so she’s finally spoken out.
Bradley interviews Maggie about the book at the request of Cory — she knows she’ll be fair; Bradley tells Maggie that she’s disappointed at some aspects of the book for not writing about how she got on The Morning Show. Bradley notes how without Alex, she’d have never had this opportunity. She then turns the screw on Maggie and wonders why most of the book is about Alex and Mitch’s consensual relationship. She finds the point quaint, especially with Mitch’s horrors. Bradley wonders if Maggie has a personal issue with Alex.
Maggie reveals how Alex visited her in Las Vegas and was losing her mind; she wanted to know if her book included the part where she slept with Mitch and wanted it taken out. Bradley highlights that a woman came to her, who she’s known for a very long time, and who was in significant distress, and she published it anyway. She asks Maggie who is the worst person she has slept with, which feels like a thrilling response. Alex watches the interview, and Bradley’s defense of her heartens her. Bradley raises how she didn’t write about a changed woman who begged her for mercy. She believes that people change and grow, and she highlights how she and Alex risked their careers to oust Fred and UBA.
On social media, Alex is being heavily supported since the Bradley interview with Maggie. Alex is elated. Laura is surprised by the interview. Bradley tells Laura that she does not feel Maggie is being fair. Laura raises that with her heart condition and the covid-19 pandemic, she will go to her home in Montana. She invites Bradley to stay with her as she has a studio on her ranch. Bradley realizes that she’s Laura’s woman, and it makes her happy.
The ending
But as the penultimate chapter comes to an end, life catches up to Alex. Episode 9 proves that life can be cruel. As soon as Alex confronts the issue, her life hits rock bottom.
Someone drops off an envelope of money to Bradley, which concerns her. She wants to know when it was dropped off. Meanwhile, in the middle of the night, there’s a storm on social media — everyone has turned on Alex; there’s leaked footage of her at Mitch’s memorial giving that speech. Everyone knows that Alex visited Mitch in Italy on the day he died. Her worse fears have come true — she’s canceled. In a state of panic, Alex trips up, hurts herself, and ends up in the hospital. Doug rings her and tells her she has been canceled but also tested positive for covid-19.
The cameras move from her hospital room to see the hospital in complete disarray from covid-19 patients. Reality has hit — America is facing the coronavirus pandemic. Cancel culture seems less concerning in the grand scheme of things.
Additional points
- Yanko bumps into Claire. She wants to catch up with him. While catching up, Yanko reveals he is off to Mitch’s memorial service. Claire is furious, and it cuts their night short.
What did you think of The Morning Show season 2, episode 9? Comment below.
