Great News was a standout workplace sitcom that deserved more time in the world of cancelled-too-soon TV shows. Created by Tracey Wigfield and executive produced by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, Great News followed the antics of an eclectic group of people who worked together at The Breakdown, a news show at MMN Network. The show explores the drama that happens behind the scenes of a daily news show, but is more along the lines of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Girls5eva with its eccentric characters, ridiculous situations, and even some futuristic elements.
The talented and hilarious cast is led by Briga Heelan as Katie Wendelson. She’s a segment producer who finds herself frustrated with her boss Greg (Adam Campbell) because he keeps assigning her irrelevant news. Greg embodies a half-comedic and half-surly British man who exiled himself from England after failing to produce a segment on the Loch Ness Monster. He’s also the head of the show due to nepotism – his grandmother Mildred (Christina Pickles) is the owner of the network.
The Breakdown is led by two anchors: Chuck Pierce (John Michael Higgins) and Portia Scott-Griffith (Nicole Richie). Chuck is a news anchor who is past his prime and feels stuck and misunderstood by his team. Portia is a rich and optimistic millennial entrepreneur who admits she’s not smart but appreciates Chuck even if she doesn’t like socializing with him.
Joining The Breakdown’s roster of misfits is Katie’s mom Carol (Andrea Martin), who becomes the new intern after Greg retaliates against Katie for standing up to him. Carol is a mix between an adult child and a cool mom who manages to return to school and apply for an internship at Katie’s job. Against all odds, Carol becomes a mom to everyone in the office and plays a pivotal role in saving Chuck from retirement in Season 2.
The found family element of Great News is rounded out by meteorologist Beth (Tracey Wigfield), video editor Justin (Horatio Sanz), producer Gene (Brad Morris), and camera person Wayne (Sheaun McKinney). Despite being different, they end up working together to overcome all the conflicts that are presented in the series.
Great News had a parade of guest stars that mix perfectly with the main cast, including Ana Gasteyer and Rachel Dratch as boozy co-hosts Kelly and Mary-Kelly, Tina Fey as Diana St. Tropez, the new head of the network, and Jim Rash as Fenton Pelt, Chuck’s nemesis.
Great News played with the satire of news programs and how many stories are ratings bait. The show included a real family element by including Katie and Carol’s relationship on top of the general found family atmosphere of the cast. True, it didn’t have a great start, but it definitely found its footing in Season 2. The two holiday episodes are worthy of a yearly rewatch, especially “A Christmas Carol Wendelson.”
Overall, Great News should have had a longer run, but rewatching the 23 episodes will have to suffice. Let’s hope that Carol’s line in the Season 1 finale’s cold open, “I’ll never leave”, remains true in Netflix’s catalog.
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Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
