One of Apple TV+s’ most anticipated original series when the service launched in November was The Morning Show. And now that the season finale has aired its entire and explosive first season, fans are gearing up for an inevitable season two.
The series, which features a star-studded cast that includes Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell, follows the story of a morning show host Alex (Aniston) who is thrust into controversy and uproar when her long-time co-host and friend Mitch (Carell) is fired due to sexual misconduct allegations. As she struggles to find her place at the station, and the network looks for a replacement, a young and passionate local news reporter Bradley (Witherspoon) finds herself in the mix.
Each main character, as well as the supporting characters, has their own strengths and weaknesses. But when it comes to downright smarts, some are just more intelligent than others. Here’s a ranking. (Note: show spoilers ahead).
Claire Conway
Claire (Bel Powley) isn’t necessarily unintelligent: she is just privileged, young, and still has a lot to learn. Taking a low-level production assistant job at the station, even though she suggested to her boyfriend that her parents could buy the network if they wanted to, she seems more focused on canoodling with the weatherman than furthering her career.
She has a secret relationship with Yanko Flores, the show’s meteorologist, and consistently makes bad decisions that could impact her career. For a young woman just starting out, it wasn’t the smartest move to put love (or passion) above her career aspirations.
Yanko Flores
Played by Nestor Carbonell, who you might recognize from his role in LOST, Yanko is likable as the show’s meteorologist. But he doesn’t seem to be the most intelligent of the bunch. He makes the risky move of falling for a young production assistant and doesn’t seem phased by the sexual misconduct allegations that led to the firing of his former co-worker.
Any sensible person would have seen this as a clear sign to put an end to the relationship or at least fess up about it to management so they know it’s consensual. Sure, they eventually did. But Yanko getting involved with an underling was a dumb move to begin with.
Hannah Shoenfeld
Hannah (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) had big dreams of moving up the ranks at the station. And once she got the job of head talent booker, she demonstrated that she deserved it. She had a real knack for getting people who were at the heart of a story to come on screen and talk about it.
But, like Claire, she was young and still had a lot to learn about life and her career. Had she been given the opportunity to learn more on the job, however, she had the potential to skyrocket to the top of this list.
Daniel Henderson
Daniel (Desean Terry) is co-host of the weekend edition of the show though he has long been pining for the top weekly gig. And the firing of Mitch was his perfect opportunity to swoop in. Or so he thought.
Daniel might be pretty smart, but he seems more of a talking head than someone who really has the charisma to hold the hot seat. He didn’t pursue it craftily enough nor negotiate hard enough in order to get what he wanted. And that makes him closer to the bottom of the list among the characters when it comes to intelligence and confidence.
Mia Jordan
Sure, she might have acquired her position as a producer for the show because of an affair she had with Mitch. But she was smart enough to know that she deserved it anyway and not to let the way she got the job cloud the confidence she had in herself to do it.
That said, had Mia (Karen Pittman) been smarter, she might have turned Mitch in long ago and lobbied to get the job on her own merits instead to avoid feeling like everyone was always whispering behind her back. Nonetheless, she was put in a tough position, so while she could have handled it another way, she’s still smart enough to do the job she ended up getting.
Alex Levy
This lead character played by Aniston might seem like nothing more than a self-absorbed workaholic who loves her job but hates people. But there is more depth to Alex than meets the eye. While she might have wanted to ignore the obvious fact that the network was looking to replace her, she was smart enough to push her authority when it was needed.
Sure, she backstabbed a few friends along the way and might have lost sight of her morals and what’s really important in life (i.e. family) in her quest for stardom and career success. But Alex is one tough and smart cookie who deserved more credit than she got from the network.
Mitch Kessler
Mitch (Carell) might be the most deplorable character on the series who preyed on female employees as though they were his playthings, and truly believed he did nothing wrong. But he was also far smarter than he maybe wanted people to believe.
He was charismatic and charming, knew exactly how to capture an audience, and craftily left the women he abused thinking they should thank him, not speak out against them. As heinous as that is, we can’t ignore the fact that it takes some serious smarts (albeit also ignorance) to pull off something that ridiculously terrible.
Chip Black
Charlie (Mark Duplass), otherwise called Chip by his friends and colleagues on the show, was the executive producer and, it was revealed at the end, the person who anonymously ratted out Mitch in an effort to save Alex’s job. He knew how to work around both employees and high-powered network executives. He managed everyone, constantly putting out fires when needed and making sure the show ran smoothly every day.
He was intuitive enough to realize that Alex’s days were numbered and smart enough to find a way – the only way he thought might work – to save her. Not only is he super smart, but he’s also a really loyal friend.
Cory Ellison
Quiet, observant, and constantly smiling and cheerful, Cory (Billy Crudup) is an executive from the network’s entertainment division who has taken over operations of the news department. While he’s really hard to read – is he a good guy or a sociopath? – there’s no denying that he’s super smart.
He knows how to stand behind the sidelines and let others blow themselves up so he can step in. He knows when to step in and when to step back, how to assert himself, or when to take risks. He’s one of the smartest characters on the show, and also the most cunning.
Bradley Jackson
Among every character on the show, Bradley (Witherspoon) seems to be the one who had the hardest life growing up and the most life experience. She didn’t grow up with a silver spoon. She grew up in a low-to-middle-class family that had to deal with issues like alcoholism.
She worked hard to get where she was as a field reporter and eventually Alex’s new co-host. She knows how to speak to everyday people and isn’t afraid to be who she needs to be, regardless of the consequences. That makes her not only smart (and unpredictable), but also the toughest and most fearless of them all.