Recap: The Morning Show - Season 3, Episode 10


In the season three finale of The Morning Show, the UBA-Hyperion merger deal reaches its critical juncture. However, when Cory catches wind of Paul's intentions to dismantle UBA, the completion of the deal becomes a race against time. While Cory rushes to thwart the deal before it goes to a vote, Bradley makes a crucial choice. Meanwhile, Alex uncovers a troubling revelation about Paul, and she may be the only one capable of preventing the tech billionaire from dismantling the established media company.

The episode begins with a glimpse into Bradley's past, depicting a childhood moment where she reported her father for a crime. In the current timeline, Bradley has stepped down from her position at UBA and is gripped by paranoia following Paul Marks' menacing threat to harm her loved ones. She severs ties with everyone at the company, ignoring calls and messages. Meanwhile, Paul and Alex are poised to finalize the UBA acquisition deal, but Alex harbors worries about Bradley's state of mind and well-being.

Paul and Alex also engage in a conversation about the Vault article accusing Cory Ellison of sexually harassing Bradley. Paul discloses that Cory was attempting to sabotage the deal, prompting him to plant the article to tarnish the CEO's reputation. In the meantime, Stella scours online forums in search of Kate. Cory confers with Leonard about the looming investigation into the allegations and cautions Leonard to halt the deal, but Leonard believes that selling to Paul is the simpler option. He requests Cory to take a leave of absence from work. When Cory realizes that the board won't support him, he turns to Cybil.

Stella informs Mia about Paul's sale of UBA assets, which incites anger among the newsroom staff. However, Stella insists that they cannot run a story about Paul dismantling a well-established media company without concrete evidence. Consequently, Chris and Yanko host Chip on The Morning Show, where he outlines Paul's policies and plans for the UBA post-acquisition. Meanwhile, Cory meets Reed and appeals for the millions they had previously agreed upon in exchange for UBA's stock. However, Reed pledges assistance only if Cory can persuade the UBA board.

Chip's impassioned outburst convinces some board members to turn against the acquisition deal, leading Reed to agree to provide the loan. Meanwhile, Alex pays a visit to Bradley, who agrees to speak with her former colleague while being cautious of potential surveillance. Bradley confesses to her involvement in covering up Hal's assault at the Capitol. She expresses her fear that Paul is closely monitoring her and Laura, putting Laura's safety at risk. Bradley implores Alex to prevent Paul from dismantling UBA as she plans her departure from New York City.

Initially, Alex dismisses Bradley's claims against Paul, accusing him of employing unethical tactics and blackmail. However, when Paul accurately quotes a text message Alex sent to Bradley, she becomes convinced that the tech billionaire is concealing something. Cory confronts Paul, urging him to back out of the deal, but Paul turns the situation around by revealing that he has gained Reed's support. Although Paul offers Cory some money and a chance to leave with his dignity intact, Cory resolves to fight until the bitter end. Unfortunately, due to a lack of sufficient board votes and the withdrawal of the loan, Cory runs out of resources to prevent Paul from acquiring UBA.

With Paul's betrayal, Chip in meltdown and Bradley in no position to help, Alex turns to the only person she has left she can trust: Laura. While Laura is still angry with Bradley, she agrees to help Alex with a plan to keep UBA out of Paul's hands. Paul's threats towards Bradley and invasion of her privacy become a breaking point for Alex.

During the board meeting, Alex makes a significant announcement, declaring her intention to cut ties with Paul and revealing an alternative offer. She presents a last-ditch effort to rescue UBA by proposing a merger with NBN, a move planned with Laura and NBN boss Elena. This is aimed at ensuring the survival of the established media companies in the rapidly evolving media landscape. Alex then leads Paul into a carefully planned confrontation with Stella and Kate. It's unveiled that Kate was terminated due to the security lapse during the earlier space launch in the season.

Furthermore, Paul attempted to conceal the system malfunction by attributing it to a UBA hacking incident. This exposes Paul's true motives, indicating that his personal and self-serving interests were the driving force behind the UBA acquisition deal. In the end, Alex compels Paul to back out of the deal, ultimately saving the day. Alex successfully safeguards UBA from falling into the wrong hands and from potential dissolution. However, this victory comes at a significant personal cost, as her budding partnership with Paul is abruptly cut short.

Meanwhile, Bradley determines that it's in her best interest to depart from New York after her role in concealing the Capitol attacks comes to light. Initially, Bradley heads off to be with her brother, Hal. However, the episode's concluding moments provide additional insight into her situation. She meets with investigators who ask her about Cory's behavior towards her and happens to run into him in the hallway after. An odd choice for a sexual harassment investigation.

She then readies herself to meet with the FBI. Bradley and Alex exchange a heartfelt moment as Alex accompanies Bradley to the FBI office to meet Hal, offering her former colleague reassurance that everything will turn out alright.