After 'The Newsroom': What's Sorkin's Next Show?

Aaron Sorkin's revisionist news program The Newsroom's previously confirmed third season will be its last when it airs this fall in HBO. That's right: get all your crazy news-related hijinks out into the world before the spring, society, because Sorkin's got a limited time to cover. And a whole lot of fake television coverage to rage about and try to idealize.

In a press release from the network, the series' end was noted in only the most complimentary of fashions. "The Newsroom is classic Aaron Sorkin – smart, riveting and thought-provoking," explained Michael Lombardo, president of HBO Programming. "I'm sure this farewell season will be one to remember."

For those out there who may not be familiar with the series, it tells a revised media-based look on the recently historical news of our modern times and what it takes to tell fair and balanced news in the face of ratings, corporate, and audience demands. It stars Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy, anchor of the faux mega-network, ACN, alongside producers played by Emily Mortimer, John Gallagher, Jr., Alison Pill, and Thomas Sadoski. Sam Waterson, Dev Patel, and Olivia Munn are all slated to return.

Of course with the impending exit of Sorkin from the television landscape, it's only a matter of time before his grandstanding pops up elsewhere, so we've decided to take a stab at crafting Sorkin's next pitch for him. Following similar formulas from his previous series, of course.

The Movement: A crushing look at the misguided nature of culture co-opting in politics, John Gallagher Jr. stars as Mark Dewars, a 29-year-old gay man and founder of the Gay-OK, a youth-focused project focused on acceptance of gay youth in society. When Dewars campaign for social justice gains traction on the main media stage, he is faced with the harsh reality of his newfound fame: that sometimes people are just in it for himself. Watch Dewars and his colleagues fight the good fight and refuse to settle for any-old promotion and partnership in the name of honesty and justice. Featuring Kristin Chenoweth as Belinda Smartt, a high-powered political consultant with a flighty streak, hell-bent on getting her clients in with the organization by any means necessary. With recurring guest star Peter Krause as Republican Congressman Benjamin Barnies, the means-well politician with a lot to learn.

Viral, Inc: At pop culture curation house Viralate, creating the Internet's most sharable content is the name of the game. And for Walter Overmacher (Dulé Hill), he lives and dies by the traffic he pulls in. After being acquired by a major news outlet, Overmacher realizes his once-ambitious goals of create content that was as intelligent as it was sharable, has been eschewed for pictures of cats. Disheartened by the turn, he decides to say "fuck it all" and do the more noble work of convincing an uninterested public that you can learn something from memes. Co-starring Janel Maloney as Bridget Newhouse, the president of content at parent company AmeriNewsCorp and his greatest, most lovingly clueless adversary. Also featuring Sabrina Lloyd, Josh Malina, and Jane Levy.

One Note: When the music industry nearly collapsed following the rise of Napster in the early aughts, there was only Arthur Handler (Jeff Daniels) there to save it from itself. After being promoted to president of the once-iconic Raking In Records following the death of his mentor (very special guest star Martin Sheen), Handler must now face the reality of the music industry and its dearth of creativity and talent, and work alongside favorites like his old flame, punk rocker Caitlin Hart (Kristin Chenoweth) and vapid newcomers like the label's biggest star, Dame DaDa (Alison Pill), whose social media hijinks cause a near-daily PR nightmare. Guest starring Angela Bassett as Veronica Millicent, a marketing SVP with a penchant for coffee-spilling, will Handler single-handedly save the universe from its terrible taste?

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