BBC’s Press recap: between the scoop and the fourth estate

Opinionated
Sep 9, 2018 · 3 min read

With the print media being one of the central character of some of the most iconic Hollywood features, the newspaper world has rarely enjoyed a similar success on the smaller screen. It’s not to say that the journalism as a profession is underrepresented on TV. Quite the opposite, — from now nearly a classic Sex and the City to latest Sharp Objects and the Bold Type, we had more than a fair share of writer characters, be it the lead or a sidekick. Still, no matter how significant of a part their craft played in the grand scheme of things, the plot was rarely about the business. BBC’s latest series “Press” seeks to right the wrong by bringing the spotlight on the drama of the newsroom. With the mixed reviews coming in from the British outlets, question is whether the drama about newspaper industry can only survive as a nostalgic tale or does the current state of business is sexy enough to get the show renewed for season 2?

BBC’s “Press” kicks off with a familiar Shakespearean set up: here we are caught up between two rival papers Herald and The Post, conveniently located a stone throw from each other.

The former, lead by the deputy editor on the verge of unravelling Holly Evans (Charlotte Riley) is in the business of “doing the right thing”, as in steering clear off scandal and backing government officials that give talks on feminism and rape culture at Oxford University. The later outlet, headed by your obnoxious editor-in-chef Duncan Allen (Ben Chaplin), is a tabloid that thrives on making a buck doing exactly the opposite. The first episode depicts both outlets chasing the same stories: the suicide of a gay football (soccer) player, newly resurfaced revealing photographs of the minister that might jeopardize her career, and a hit and run of a woman, ending up spinning them whichever way they see fit.

With Allen being under pressure from a Rupert Murdoch-esqu George Emmerson (David Suchet), and Evans’ obsession with an evidence that she needs for the piece about her late friend, it doesn’t take long till we wound up with a classic “sleeping with an enemy” trope. Unless, of course they’re not really rivals: the idea that is brought up by the end of the episode, as Allen gets reminded that the sales of the Post don’t really amount to much in the current media climate. Emmerson wants the Post to take a page from the Herald’s playbook, which essentially means Allen getting back to his journalistic roots, when he was as green and perhaps as principled as the Post newbie Ed Washburn (Paapa Essiedu). It might be too loud an announcement for Allen testing his chops, perhaps going as far as redeeming himself as a professional who was good enough to climb the career ladder all the way up. But it seems that it’s Evans who we should really look out for. After all it is she who is holding a press conference, becoming a subject of the story, very much at the mercy of her colleagues.

“Press” takes all the familiar ingredients and follows your mom’s recipe to the letter.

Opting for optimistic realism instead of Hollywood imaginativeness, BBC delivers a fast-paced watch with somewhat moralistic overtones (think fourth estate). Not that it doesn’t hide the ugly (Allen after all flat out blackmails the minister and cross examines the woman campaigning for the statuary regulations), but it lacks the grit associated with the newsroom environment. As I debate giving the show another ago, I find myself most fascinated with the change in dynamic between different levels of hierarchy within the newsroom (much alike to Sorkin’s Newsroom). Still, there’s a nostalgic feel to it, with the digitalization and the hype culture surrounding it being completely left out of the narrative. This in itself could’ve been a great show — no need to look for a rival next door. As a result, BBC’s “Press” comes off slightly dated, much alike to a print medium itself.

Final score: 3 / 5

Total Recap

Watch. Write. Repeat. TV & film reviews

Opinionated

Written by

by Rita Sailor / Watch. Write. Repeat. TV & film reviews

Total Recap

Watch. Write. Repeat. TV & film reviews

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade