The Morning Show season 3 episode 7 recap & review: Strict Scrutiny

Open Go TV / October 18, 2023 / Reviews

In the seventh episode of The Morning Show season 3, Bradley meets Cory’s mother, Alex and Paul’s affair is under threat of getting exposed, and Stella thinks about Paul’s offer. The episode is now streaming on Apple TV+.

Recap

Paul Marks and Alex are still meeting and sleeping together. However, they know neither the press nor the board is going to like this relationship. Hence, later at a party, they are going to act friendly with each other.

Leonard comes to meet Cory to talk about him reaching out to a political strategist who is now calling the Justice Department every day regarding the deal with Paul Marks.

UBA will be put under review, and Leonard doesn’t want that. He tells Cory to shut this down. Bradley visits Cory to remind him that she has taken care of Hal.

Cory decides to take Bradley to meet this person because this person needs handling. Bradley’s presence will make sure that this person will be on their best behavior.

Mia is trying to get an update on André’s situation but fails to get any news from her contacts. Amanda delivers Stella an agreement for the job offered by Paul. Stella’s team suggests that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Stella is still afraid about the deal falling apart or Cory finding out. At the end of the day, either Cory goes or she does.

Cory and Bradley arrive at the political strategists’ house. The strategist turns out to be Cory’s mother, Martha. Cory has to please his mother, who figures out why he has brought Bradley with him.

She gets upset upon learning that this is going to be a short visit. Cory is then left with no option but to extend this visit and make Bradley stay with him too.

The employees of UBA arrive for an event called FIT. They are asked about the leak, while Chris answers about the equal pay situation at UBA. Paul Marks and Alex do their best to keep away from each other.

Stella discusses the offer with Mia, who can have the news division. However, Stella can’t help but see how good Cory has been to her. She can’t do this to him.

Back at the party, Alex notices Paul worrying about something. Upon asking, she learns from him that the Vault has a picture of them kissing. They can’t make their relationship public, so Paul needs to find a way to bury it using money.

Stella’s friend, Kate, visits her. Kate has been recently fired from Hyperion by Paul Marks over a philosophical disagreement between them. Kate has heard about Paul Marks and UBA’s deal.

Kate also figures out that Paul Marks has offered Stella something after noticing that Stella is covering for him. She suggests that Stella should investigate Paul.

All Stella says is that Kate needs to stop blaming everyone else for her mistakes. Kate accepts that Stella will always choose Paul over her and leaves.

At Martha’s, Cory convinces his mother that he doesn’t need her help with the Hyperion deal, which again upsets Martha, who claims that she pulled strings just to see him.

Cory does his best to calm her down by singing a song with her, but she ends up accusing him of putting on an act. She also advises Bradley to stay away from Cory and asks the two of them to leave.

On their way back, Bradley attempts to comfort Cory, who claims they are just two friends who constantly use each other. The news of the Supreme Court overturning Roe spreads, making everyone mad, especially Chris Hunter, who posts a controversial image.

Stella visits Cory once he is back and tells him about the offer Paul Marks has made to her and his intentions to push Cory out. Cory wants her to sign it. They are going to let him think that he can manipulate Stella.

Leonard asks Cory if he has handled the problem or not, and Cory replies by ordering him to get off his back. He also warns that he can get him kicked out too.

Paul Marks’ assistant, Amanda, fails to come to an agreement with the Vault. She instructs Paul to get his head straight now. Alex and Paul Marks meet and kiss, intending to keep their relationship going. Chip watches them, and it breaks his heart.

Review

The seventh episode continues to be light. It is still building the drama that is on its way. All the viewers would get to see is the show adding breadcrumbs to an eventual disaster.
The scenes with Cory’s mother, Martha, are very uncomfortable to watch, knowing that none of the characters want to be around each other. Billy Crudup and Lindsay Duncan manage to give viewers this feeling that has them wanting Cory and Bradley to leave Martha’s home.
While one act makes viewers uncomfortable, the other involving Stella and Cory will give them some relief. Stella and Cory share quite a fun relationship, and watching Stella tie the wrist button on Cory’s shirt and tell him about the offer hints at what they have built together.