There are spoilers ahead, so be sure to catch up by streaming the first three seasons with your Apple TV+ subscription before reading any further!
The Morning Show has been one of the best shows on Apple TV+ since its debut in 2019, and Season 3 certainly didn’t take its foot off the pedal. From Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) pulling big boss moves and Reese Witherspoon’s Bradley Jackson admitting she had committed a felony, viewers were certainly left wondering what fate awaits our beloved UBA journalists. So when will Season 4 premiere? Which of the cast members will return, and where will the story pick back up? Here’s everything we know about The Morning Show Season 4.
What Is The Morning Show Season 4 Premiere Date?
No premiere date for Season 4 has yet been announced by Apple TV+, but new showrunner Charlotte Stoudt was able to give fans a timeframe, telling a PaleyFest panel in April 2024 (via People):
The show will be out after the election. [The challenge will be] how do you go at it [the election] in an interesting way without being predictive.
It makes sense that The Morning Show won’t return until after the 2024 presidential election, given how the series likes to pull from real-world events. We therefore shouldn’t expect to see Season 4 included on the 2024 TV schedule. Assuming the production schedule follows the same trajectory as the first few seasons, we could be looking at Fall 2025 before we see Alex and Bradley back at the office. The first season premiered in November 2019; Season 2 began in September 2021; and Season 3 debuted in September 2023.
Which Cast Members Are Returning To The Morning Show For Season 4?
Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon will reprise their leading roles, as they continue to serve as executive producers and have huge stories in the works. They are expected to be rejoined by series regulars Billy Crudup, Greta Lee, Mark Duplass, Karen Pittman and Nestor Carbonell.
Julianna Margulies will not be back as Laura Peterson in Season 4, after Bradley and Laura ended their relationship in fiery fashion. Variety reports that decision was made before Margulies received backlash for comments she made on a podcast discussing the war in Gaza. The actress allegedly declined an offer for a one-episode appearance, presumably to wrap her storyline as UBA merges with her employer NBN, but she’s reportedly been asked about her interest in returning for Season 5 if the series is renewed.
In other casting news, Academy Award Marion Cotillard will join Season 4 as Celine Dumont, who Variety reports is “a savvy operator from a storied European family.”
Jon Hamm’s Paul Marks is one character whose fate is unknown. With his romance with Alex blowing up at the end of Season 3, it seemed like he might be one-and-done on the series; however, Hamm expressed interest in coming back, saying during an Emmys For Your Consideration event (per THR):
For want of a better phrase, I don’t think the relationship has run its course yet. It’s unfinished business for sure… It’s not fulfilled. There is something there, there has to have been for it to mean that much to both of these people.
When his colleagues asked if that meant a reunion might be in store for Paul and Alex, Jon Hamm joked: “I don’t know, I’m just unemployed.”
Season 4 may also bring us more of Elizabeth Perkins, who was introduced in Season 3 as NBN president Elena, and we’ll also likely see Joe Tippett return as Bradley’s brother Hal, as he has appeared in each of the first three seasons.
Season 4 Will Deal With Artificial Intelligence And Misinformation
From its inception The Morning Show has pulled plots from real-world headlines, crafting stories around the #MeToo movement, COVID, the January 6 insurrection and the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Season 4 may have a new showrunner, but that’s not a trend Charlotte Stoudt is going to change, as she said our TV news anchors will be battling misinformation and forced to ask who and what they can trust. Stoudt said at PaleyFest (via People):
I think the big question this year is, who and what can you trust? Can you trust your co-workers? Can you trust your own eyes? Can you trust what you see in a world of AI and defects? It's a tricky world. I mean, just look at the headlines. We just take it from the headlines. Honestly, because that's our inspiration. It's the real life.
A.I. is a huge topic right now, and misinformation — especially in an election year — is definitely a hot-button issue. These definitely seem to follow in the trend of what we’ve seen on the Apple TV+ drama in the past. The showrunner has also promised to resolve any stories left open at the end of Season 3, including what happened after Bradley turned herself in for destroying evidence that implicated her brother in the insurrection. Did she go to jail?
Bradley Jackson Might Not Actually Go To Jail
One of the biggest obstacles facing Bradley in Season 3 involved her deleting evidence from the January 6 attack on the Capitol. With Bradley owning up to her mistakes in the season finale, fans have wondered if that means she’s going to jail, but Reese Witherspoon doesn’t necessarily think so, telling Deadline:
Everybody keeps asking me if Bradley’s in jail,but I don’t know if I’m in trouble. … I think so many people can relate to the idea that you have a family history that maybe isn’t flattering or that you’re embarrassed about, or there’s a family member in your life that’s trying to actively drag you down.
Hal may be trying to drag Bradley down with him, but she still broke the law. Maybe there will be some leeway given, since they came forward of their own volition. The Morning Show did lean pretty heavily into its soap opera side for Season 3, so I suppose anything is possible, but at the very least it seems like Bradley might have trouble finding work after what should be a pretty brutal hit to her journalistic integrity.
Alex Levy Might ‘Struggle’ In Her New Role At UBA
Alex wanted a seat at the table, and her big move at the end of Season 3 gave that to her. The showrunner, however, seems interested in exploring how Alex handles the newfound power, so that might be something we see in Season 4. Charlotte Stoudt told THR:
I think Alex is so multifaceted, it’s fun to turn the prism and see a new side of her. She even said it in the last scene: Bradley was like, ‘Oh, you could remake this place.’ And Alex was like, ‘Yeah, be careful what you fight for.’ So there may be a little of that. It’s one thing to throw spitballs from the sidelines, but when you’re someone in charge, the equation becomes a little different. I think it would be good to see her struggle with all of that — in her very funny Alex way.
I’m interested to see how Alex handles the new responsibilities, and I certainly can’t wait to reunite with the rest of the characters as well to find out what messiness awaits them in a new season. In the meantime, though, you can relive any of the first three seasons of The Morning Show by streaming them on Apple TV+, one of best streaming services to subscribe to.
