The Newsroom
The Newsroom: Season 1
Season 2

Air Date

October 21, 1996

Episodes

13 episodes

The Newsroom

Season 1

Overview

The half-hour comedy is set in the tumultuous TV newsroom world of George Findlay. The overbearing regional news director is solely motivated by casualty statistics which will improve his ratings.

Episodes

The Walking Shoe Incident

1. The Walking Shoe Incident

October 21, 1996
24 min

George needs to hire an assistant to take care of such pressing matters as returning his shoes and fetching bran muffins. But he faces a dilemma; should he hire the qualified African-Canadian lesbian or the inexperienced yet attractive ski bunny?

Dinner at Eight

2. Dinner at Eight

October 28, 1996
24 min

When a sexy new co-anchor is hired to bring life back to the show, Jim feels threatened. He turns to George, who supports him pharmaceutically. However, when the ensuing power shift starts to affect George, it's time to fight dirty.

Deeper, Deeper

3. Deeper, Deeper

November 4, 1996
24 min

Cutbacks are coming to the network; but who will it be? George vows to 'go to the wall' to save jobs but everyone knows someone has to go. Back-stabbing, clandestine job hunts, prostitutes and religious conversions prevail.

The Kevorkian Joke

4. The Kevorkian Joke

November 11, 1996
24 min

When failed screenwriter Shane threatens suicide on tape, George turns it into a ratings booster. Also, a killer virus in Zaire could be hitting town - maybe even the newsroom.

A Bad Day

5. A Bad Day

November 18, 1996
24 min

George is having a bad day: he’s in trouble for hitting on a woman half his age, he made derogatory comments about Mr.Dressup, he offends Linda McQuaig (as herself) and she walks off the show, suicidal Shane is back, his BMW needs a new muffler, and Jim tells more than he should to a documentary crew (led by Dan Redican).

Petty Tyranny

6. Petty Tyranny

November 25, 1996
24 min

George's quest for the perfect bran muffin leads him to the cafeteria where he starts a fight with the cook. Later, he offends one of the country's top stars, Cynthia Dale (as herself), who is observing the newsroom as research for a role in a film.

Dis and Dat

7. Dis and Dat

February 10, 1997
24 min

George's quest for an indoor parking spot is thwarted when the Corporation hires Gillian Soros (Elisa Moolecherry) as the new head of regional programming. Gillian has definite ideas about George and the Toronto News.

Unity

8. Unity

February 17, 1997
24 min

George is annoyed when his name is left off the Globe and Mail list of government employees who make over $100,000 per year. Lise Leger (Guylaine St. Onge) appears on Toronto News with Linda McQuaig (as herself) to discuss the Canadian unity situation. Lise is inexplicably attracted to Jim.

Parking

9. Parking

February 24, 1997
24 min

George’s crusade for an indoor parking space continues, George’s paranoia surfaces after he receives a mysterious and vague voicemail and his office couch disappears. He immediately assumes the worst: the Corporation wants him gone.

Meltdown (1)

10. Meltdown (1)

March 3, 1997
24 min

When there is a potential nuclear accident only hours away, each of the newsroom staff react in their own way. David Cronenberg (as himself) is a guest on Toronto News to promote his latest film 'Crash’.

Meltdown (2)

11. Meltdown (2)

March 17, 1997
24 min

With the potential nuclear meltdown approaching, George’s priority is finding the right experts and analysts while trying to make them real but entertaining.

Meltdown (3)

12. Meltdown (3)

March 24, 1997
24 min

Unable to deal with the potential of how own death, George goes to into denial and can't cover the impending nuclear meltdown story.

Campaign

13. Campaign

March 31, 1997
47 min

After the collapse of public broadcasting, Jim runs for political office in a provincial election, George and some of the newsroom staff manage the campaign in this one hour series finale.