Far from the series strongest outing, this is still mildly compelling viewing thanks to a stacked cast and an inherently buzzy setting. It’s already been renewed for Season 5 and we’ll all be back for more — despite ourselves.

While Alex and Bradley’s arcs suffer, and Cory feels like he’s overstayed his welcome despite Crudup’s natural charm and undeniable charisma, Stella and Mia shine, and Celine and Miles are interesting enough to justify their addition to an already too-packed cast. I was rarely particularly impressed by The Morning Show Season 4, but I was also definitely never bored.

Crudup continues to shine in a career-highlight role as Cory, arguably the most complex and interesting character on the series. Aniston and Witherspoon are excellent actors, but it almost comes across as if they share our feeling that Alex and Bradley are no longer particularly fresh and challenging roles, and have possibly been played out.

We’ve held out hope in the past that The Morning Show would control the impulse to spiral into flights of fancy and actually stick to the drama involved in trying to produce credible news shows in this trying media environment, but the fourth season has proven to us that this is not what the show is ever going to be about, and we’re just not into what it is trying to do.

It’s hard to muster up any real zeal about The Morning Show – it’s all so silly that it renders itself beyond reprehension. The only joy in watching it now lies in wondering just how far they will push the boundaries of plausibility this time.