Likability is a mandatory quality for anchors and commentators who work in actual morning television. On The Morning Show, that same characteristic only needs to exist between when the camera's red light goes on and off. For those who work behind the scenes on the show-within-a-show, this trait is not required at all.
Even though the AppleTV+ series boasts A-list stars such as Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, it truly is an ensemble cast, with varied, hot topic storylines intersecting. As with all workplace shows, there are 9-to-5 comrades of convenience, but this drama has more backstabbing than a Shakespearean tragedy--sometimes it's done by an aforementioned friend and with a smile.
Mitch Kessler
The likability ship sailed for Mitch (Steve Carell) when "America's Dad" was exposed as the UBA network's resident sexual predator, and subsequently fired.
Prior to the multiple allegations of misconduct, he was the 20-million dollar anchorman whom everyone in the newsroom looked up to and whose approval meant everything. When he interviewed others on the topic of harassment, he understood that a person in a position of power can create an intimidating environment in which it's difficult for subordinates to come forward. Mitch did not see this in his own behavior. His contention that all his encounters were consensual turned out to be a lie, especially when it came to Hannah the booker.
Fred Micklen
As the head of UBA, one would think that Fred (Tom Irwin--the dad on My So-Called Life) would get daily reports regarding the goings-on at each of his network's shows (which he did). Also, because of his close relationship with Mitch, one would also figure that he'd hear first-hand about what one of his stars was up to (which he also did).
Yet he denied it, not only hiding the truth, but allowing it continue. He protected his cash cow, using HR to fire, transfer or, in Hannah's case, promote those who he feared would speak up. This worked, until someone leaked the unseemly events to the Times.
Charlie "Chip" Black
Executive producer and longtime BFF of anchor Alex Levy, Chip (Mark Duplass) is hard to like because he's ive/aggressive, and a sycophant who agrees with whomever is the most powerful person in the room.
One never knows what he really thinks, or if what he's saying is his belief or what people want to hear. He knew what the women in his newsroom were subjected to by Mitch, but unlike Fred, he didn't actively protect the anchor; instead, Chip turned a blind eye.
Cory Ellison
The head of both the entertainment and news divisions of UBA, Cory (Billy Crudup from Justice League) is charming, smart, unflappable, and knows exactly what he wants and how to manipulate people to get it.
He gives sage, practical advice, and if he likes you there's no one better to have in your corner. If however, he's an enemy, you'll never know it, hence you'll never see him coming when he's ready to pounce. By the end of season 1, Cory was staging a coup to take over UBA.
Alex Levy
Alex (Jennifer Aniston) loses likability points on several levels. First, there was the Mitch situation. Sleeping with him wasn't bad since it was consensual. However, Alex participated in her partner's deeds by "rolling your eyes at the others, making jokes at their expense, then mocked their desperate behavior," when Mitch moved on. He accuses her of being cruel, which is fair since she shamed other women for sleeping with him.
With Bradley, when Alex first interviewed her for the show, she is rude and condescending, making snide comments and putting her guest on the spot. When she names Bradley as her co-anchor, it was a retaliatory move against UBA. Lastly, there is Alex's husband and daughter, who always had to take a back seat to her career.
Mia Jordan
Mia (Karen Pittman) was Mitch's producer. When she ended their affair, she also reported their relationship to HR. Upon his exit, she sees an opportunity to redeem her self-esteem and jumps at the chance to be Bradley's producer.
When a male member of the production team makes a pointed remark about her sleeping with their former boss, she grabs the mic in the control room, its her bad decision to the entire staff, and announces she's moving on with her life and focus on doing her job. Mia took owning one's behavior to the next level.
Yanko Flores
Yanko (Nestor Carbonell) is a good man. The show's weatherman is sophisticated and intelligent. When Claire, a production assistant half his age, professes her interest in him, he's flattered and they begin a personal relationship. They decide to keep it private because HR might misconstrue it as a #MeToo situation.
Thinking that coming clean will not only let everyone see that he and Claire are a loving couple, and wanting the two of them to be able to date out in the open, Yanko goes to HR, who interviews both him and Claire. Unfortunately, the romance goes downhill after that, which is heartbreaking for him.
Claire Conway
The charming Brit took a job as a production assistant but pitches herself to be Bradley's assistant when the new anchor comes on board. She is young, ambitious, and comes from a wealthy family.
Claire pursues a relationship with Yanko who outranks her at the network and is older. Like him, she knows if colleagues find out, one or both of them could lose their jobs. After HR gets involved, the fun and sexy romance becomes too challenging, so she breaks up with Yanko.
Hannah Shoenfeld
The senior booker is easy to relate to. Hannah (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is alone in the big city, making her job her life in order to make something of herself. She started at the bottom, willing to pay her dues, and "use every part of the buffalo, even the a**hole," to achieve her goals.
Like a lot of young up-and-comers, she wants a mentor, which she thinks she's getting when Mitch takes an interest but is instead sexually assaulted. It's sad and anger-inducing to watch this nice person who just wants to do her job get used as a pawn in everyone's self-serving agendas.
Bradley Jackson
How can the top position not go to someone whose nickname is Two-F**ks Jackson? She gets so imioned about stories upon which she reports, Bradley (Reese Witherspoon) swore twice on-air, earning her the moniker. Part of her likability comes from the fact that she is indeed a truth-teller, as well as being a "whatcha-see-is-whatcha-get" person.
Unpretentious and vulnerable, she knows she is over her head but has a spunky "these people won't get the best of me" gumption. Cory sees her spark from the get-go and wants to use it to transform the network; Alex sees it, resents it, and wants to get rid of her. It's hard not to ire the fish-out-of-water who comes in and shakes things up.