We Need to Talk About The Morning Show’s Complicated Relationship With Queerness

During Season 2 of The Morning Show, Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon’s newly-blonde, both-sides anchor) came out as bisexual. Her flirtation with Laura Peterson (a criminally underutilized Julianna Margulies) started as just that, but it very quickly evolved into a relationship that was as heartwarming as it was complicated. From their very first interaction during the third episode of Season 2, Bradley and Laura’s chemistry and connection truly felt meant to be—Laura’s calm and cool demeanor balances out Bradley’s fiery temper, Bradley’s openness tears down Laura’s walls. However, The Morning Show, both in Seasons 2 and 3, has seemingly done everything within its power to keep them apart, and has muddied the waters of its once-solid queer representation along the way. 

Flashing back to Season 2, the queer storylines for both Bradley and Laura still remain stand-outs within the landscape of our current LGBTQ+ representation on screen. Laura, who was outed and then fired from TMS competitor Your Day America for being a lesbian, openly expressed her frustrations when Bradley seemingly refused to walk down the path that she paved for queer women in media. She couldn’t understand Bradley’s hesitance to come out when the world is a much more forgiving place than it had been for her in the past—that is, until Bradley is outed just as she once was, and she becomes the supportive figure Bradley needs during that time.

For Bradley, her storyline represents the real impact of internalized homophobia, and how, even if the world may seem more forgiving, a queer person’s upbringing can affect how they view themselves and their sexuality, even without the endless voices chiming in from outside sources. And Bradley’s fears are not unfounded; she is a woman in her 40s finally attempting to unpack her sexuality, and she ultimately faces prejudice from her own brother and becomes a pawn in Cory’s (Billy Crudup) twisted game. There is a recognition of the changes within the world, while still understanding the deeply personal journey of coming out, and it still holds up as a moving and nuanced depiction of queerness on screen. And moving into Season 3, Bradley and Laura’s tentative reconnection (as well as the pain at the center of their cohabitation in Montana) was a delight to watch unfold, elevated by the series’ signature soapy drama. 

However, there have also been problems within The Morning Show’s queer representation, and those are only exacerbated by the events of Season 3. First and foremost, Cory outing Bradley was one of the lingering secrets from the show’s second season, and it is simply brushed off in the finale as it gets lost in the larger catastrophes and power moves rotating around UBA. Bradley does tell Cory that it wasn’t okay, but both the reveal and the confrontation are undersized for the impact the outing had on Bradley in Season 2. She should be furious that Cory not only used her to further his agenda, but also exposed her to the entire world in a move that haunted her throughout the rest of the season. This underwhelming resolution minimizes the overall impact of the story on both a small scale within the world of The Morning Show, as well as for queer viewers in our real world. Outing someone before they are ready is a heinous act, and while Cory may have found a way to justify it to himself, there really is no excuse for what he put Bradley through. More than anything, to see the impact of the outing all but dismissed by the series is disheartening, to say the least. It undercuts the severity of the situation, and allows Cory to be removed once again from any consequences at the expense of one of The Morning Show‘s only queer characters. 

Alongside the lackluster handling of Cory’s actions coming to light, The Morning Show’s casual treatment of Laura’s move back to rival morning show YDA is disappointing as well. Laura was fired from YDA for being a lesbian after she was outed against her will, it would have been so interesting to see her struggle to move back there, or have a conversation with the head of NBN (who briefly appears in Episode 9) about changes made at the network that allowed her to feel comfortable enough to go back. In fact, it could have provided a mirror for Chris’ (Nicole Beharie) struggle to watch change be so slow-moving at UBA. It not only would have allowed more insight into the network that we are guaranteed to see much more of next season after the finale’s bombshell merger news, but it would have also allowed Laura to be much more than just a footnote and catalyst for Bradley’s story. In fact, rather than reduce Laura once again to a jealous lesbian stereotype, The Morning Show could have instead elevated a character that quickly became a fan-favorite in Season 2, expanding on her backstory and moving her away from only existing in Bradley’s orbit. 

And while Laura and Bradley have had their fair share of sweet, couple moments, there is a clear double standard when it comes to how The Morning Show portrays its queer and straight couples. For Alex (Jennifer Anniston) and Paul (Jon Hamm), intimacy is a given. Despite meeting in the first episode of Season 3, the two find themselves living together seven episodes into the season, featuring domestic moments and unabashed intimacy—both in the bedroom and outside of it. But for Laura and Bradley, who have been romantically connected for two seasons at this point, the closest they seem to get is a quick post-coital scene, and even when they’re supposed to be lovingly cohabitating in Montana, they sit on opposite ends of the couch even before their relationship turns sour. While explicit sex scenes and constant domestic moments aren’t a requirement for successfully showcasing a relationship on screen, it’s disappointing to see just how differently The Morning Show handles its relationship between two women in comparison to its heterosexual main couple. 

While the handling of queerness on The Morning Show has had its ups and downs, Season 4 seems perfectly set-up to allow a number of these critiques to be rectified. In fact, Laura playing such a huge part in the UBA-NBN merger places her at the forefront for the upcoming fourth season, where she and Alex could potentially be major players at this newly merged network. Laura finally getting to exist outside of her connection to Bradley is extremely exciting, and sets the stage for her to finally have a storyline outside of the petty jealousy that has unfortunately become synonymous with her character. And even if a reunion isn’t in the cards for Bradley and Laura in Season 4, both queer characters on the series having fully realized arcs separate from one another would be a huge step forward for The Morning Show, allowing queer representation to become further engrained in the DNA of the series. 

Being one of the most popular Apple TV+ series (and the most recognizable Apple Original still on the air), The Morning Show‘s pointed inclusion of queerness is admirable and undeniably important. It’s not often that shows with such star power and reach go out of their way to represent the community, and certainly not with a central female character over the age of 40. There are so many facets of The Morning Show‘s engagement with LGBTQ storytelling that shine, and its missteps in Season 3 are simply a disappointment—not a damnation. Hopefully The Morning Show will continue to grow and change in its queer representation, committed at the very least to Bradley’s journey and Laura’s development, and maybe even a grand reunion in the future for the love story that has undeniably captured its audience.

Anna Govert is the TV Editor of Paste Magazine. For any and all thoughts about TV, film, and her unshakable love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you can follow her @annagovert.

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