The Newsroom

Will McAvoy, the anchor of the news program "News Night," returns to work following a high-profile breakdown and discovers that much of his team has left, but fresh recruits help keep the show running when a major crisis erupts in the spring of 2010.

MacKenzie leads the restructured "News Night" and seeks to include daily financial updates from economist Sloan Sabbith. Jim steps up to address an error made by Maggie, while Charlie intervenes in Reese's interactions with Will. A previously confidential story about a breakup is now exposed.

Will publicly apologizes for the integrity of news coverage, leading to frequent critiques of the Tea Party in the run-up to the 2010 midterm elections, which angers network executives and CEO Leona Lansing. Meanwhile, Don questions Elliot's analytical abilities, Jim supports Maggie through a panic attack, and Mac grows uncomfortable with Will's continuous string of romantic relationships.

Will's public image is jeopardized when a New Year's Eve altercation with a tabloid writer complicates his ongoing news investigation. Don pushes Maggie to help Jim by setting him up with her roommate, while Mac's boyfriend proposes a story on the government's struggles with financial crime prosecutions. Neal persistently promotes his Bigfoot theory to anyone willing to listen.

As coverage of President Mubarak's ousting in Egypt overlaps with news of protests in Wisconsin over budget cuts, Neal secures a source in Cairo to help the news team balance reporting on both significant events.

Sloan temporarily replaces Elliot to cover the aftermath of the 2011 Japanese earthquake and nuclear crisis, but her aggressive interrogation of a Tokyo energy official risks undermining her reputation. Meanwhile, Will struggles with insomnia and seeks therapy, where he reflects on his conduct after behaving rudely during an interview.

An anonymous tip alerts Charlie to a major upcoming story, coinciding with news that the President will deliver a televised address that evening. The 2.0 team interrupts its anniversary celebration and returns to work, trying to determine the connection between the tip and the speech.

Viewership for "News Night" drops after the show chooses to minimize two high-profile stories, forcing Will and Mac to strategize ways to attract enough audience to support the network's Republican debate. Will also evaluates potential writers for an in-depth profile, while Sloan expresses frustration over the program's neglect of a significant financial issue, and Charlie uncovers the identity of an NSA whistleblower.

The "News Night" team organizes a mock debate featuring two Republican officials as part of their coverage. Meanwhile, a power outage sparks Mac's creative thinking, Charlie assesses the credibility of an intelligence source, Lisa conducts a live interview, and Neal impersonates an online troll.

Mac is rocked by a troubling secret revealed by gossip columnist Nina Howard. Sloan considers a new career move, while Neal's online identity may avert a major disaster. Tensions flare as Will, Mac, and Charlie face off against Leona and Reese during a tense lunch meeting.

Will is removed from 9/11 coverage following a controversial on-air comment, while the *News Night* team faces legal scrutiny over a problematic story. Meanwhile, Jim joins the Romney campaign as an embed and Neal begins investigating the origins of the Occupy Wall Street movement.

A potential story emerges that could severely damage the network's reputation, gaining credibility as the episode unfolds. Mackenzie and Sloan pressure Will to pursue a drone-related angle, while Don encourages him to support Troy Davis. Meanwhile, Maggie faces social tension with her roommate but secures a coveted assignment, and Neal is arrested on Wall Street.

Will attempts to guide Nina Howard toward the truth about Genoa, while a new Twitter witness surfaces with relevant information. Meanwhile, Jim's pursuit of answers in New Hampshire remains unsuccessful.

Maggie assures Rebecca that she is recovering well after a traumatic trip to Africa with Gary. An Occupy Wall Street protester, involved with Black Ops, becomes uncooperative with Neal and Jerry following a problematic on-air interview with Will. Jim secures an exclusive one-on-one interview for Hallie, but faces backlash from Mac.

Will is distracted during a live broadcast by a personal phone call and a damaging social media post. Charlie receives a visit from a familiar face at the Office of Naval Intelligence with insights into a classified operation. Meanwhile, Sloan reacts strongly to a personal attack online, and the news team struggles with the line between truth and speculation.

Mac and Charlie enlist a retired Marine general as a key witness to support Jerry's account of Operation Genoa. Meanwhile, Will follows Nina's advice to improve his public image with a surprise appearance on a morning talk show. Jim's reunion with Hallie is complicated by her presence at a Romney rally.

Rebecca investigates the circumstances behind ACN's decision to broadcast Dantana's controversial special report on Operation Genoa, as fallout from the report begins to jeopardize the network's flagship news program, *News Night*.

Leona's decision to keep three high-profile ACN talents leads to a tense 2012 election coverage for "News Night," with Will unexpectedly taking on a morale-boosting role. Meanwhile, Sloan deals with a book auction involving a forged signature, Mac assigns Neal to correct a Wikipedia entry, and Jim wrestles with the consequences of an early retraction. The team debates whether to delay a story that could influence a closely contested Senate race.

The season two finale unfolds on Election Night 2012 as Will and Charlie await a critical decision from Reese that could determine their roles at ACN and the future of the senior staff. Meanwhile, Sloan discovers who won the anonymous bid for her book, and Don consults with Rebecca about a potential countersuit against Dantana.

Following the fallout from the Genoa scandal, the News Night team adopts a cautious approach to a major breaking story. Neal receives an anonymous tip about fabricated news stories that triggered violence in Kundu, while Sloan investigates a corporate takeover mystery and Maggie steps in for Elliot after the Boston Marathon bombings.

Rebecca must defend ACN against a potential lawsuit, while Will works to shield Neal from consequences related to a leaked DOD document. Charlie and Leona become entangled in a corporate takeover involving Reese's siblings, and Sloan grows suspicious of Don's financial activities. Meanwhile, Maggie questions the morality of surveillance, and Hallie faces repercussions from an impulsive social media post.

Leona and Reece seek funding to save ACN from Blair and Randy's interference. Charlie experiences a vision swap with her ACN colleague, while Maggie breaks an EPA story featured on News Night. Meanwhile, Sloan and Don attempt to conceal their relationship from a new HR executive.

Will faces legal consequences for refusing to disclose the source of stolen military documents, while Charlie becomes increasingly frustrated with Lucas. Sloan and Mac urgently search for a last-minute buyer for ACN, and Jim's relationship with Hallie strains as she begins working at the controversial start-up Carnivore.

Will is jailed for refusing to disclose the identity of Neal's government informant. Charlie pushes Don to investigate a sexual-abuse scandal at a prestigious university as part of an effort to attract younger audiences. Meanwhile, Sloan resists a new digital platform created by Bree, Neal's replacement, and Jim and Maggie seek a flight out of Moscow to interview a prominent passenger traveling to Cuba.

A sudden death prompts Will and Mac to reflect on key moments in the newsroom's history and consider the future of ACN. Meanwhile, Maggie secures a field-producer interview in Washington, Neal faces the temporary shutdown of his digital site, and Leona provides guidance to Pruit.