'The Morning Show' Episode 5 reveals Alex turned blind eye to Mitch’s behavior as she struggles between their friendship and what’s right
Spoilers ahead for 'The Morning Show' Episode 5
'The Morning Show' Episode 5 started right where we had left Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon) and Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) -- the Friday broadcast of 'The Morning Show' that featured Ashley's interview. She shared details about what went on between Mitch Kessler (Steve Carrell) and her, and Bradley went off-script to hear Ashley's (Ahna O'Reilly) truth without watering down her experience to safeguard the network.
After all of that, Bradley asked Alex at the end of episode 4, if she knew what was happening in Mitch's dressing room and who else knew about it. Episode 5, in essence, is an answer to all of Bradley's questions about how aware the employees of 'The Morning Show' were about their star host's activities.
First, we see Mitch arrive at the office where he worked before and he almost begs his former colleagues to stand up for him. He wants his former team to speak up for his character and give quotes officially about how they felt and at the end of his speech, we see Alex arrive.
When he turns to her for help, she turns her back on him, literally. On the surface, it definitely seemed like she was in no way associating herself with him any further. Then again, in hindsight, it seems Alex couldn't stand what Mitch had to go through.
Mia Jordon (Karen Pittman), the person who had complained about Mitch in the first place to the HR, is in no place to show her emotions. When an investigator arrived at 'The Morning Show' in one of the previous episodes, she confessed she was not aware of how far the network would go in punishing Mitch. Her relationship with Mitch, which she believes was consensual, is something Mia cannot afford to speak about and so, just like Alex, she bottles it all up.
Alex, the same woman who told Bradley to never question her integrity in her own house, later reveals flippantly in Mitch's company that she did know about Mitch's affairs. Whether Alex knew about Mitch, is a question not just Bradley was curious about, but pretty much everyone who watches the show.
More than if she did, it was how much of it she turned a blind eye to that was most intriguing. In the premiere episodes, when Alex first confronts Mitch at his home, she doesn't really seem surprised about why he got fired.
It is more about why he didn't keep it under the wraps. It was always about her career, and it still is. This is why, despite feeling sad about where Mitch's life is headed, Alex throws a party to raise funds for a charity with a smile on her face.
Then, she sings a duet with Cory Ellison (Billy Crudup), who somehow brings out the worst in her. The duet is of 'No One's Gonna Harm You, Not While I'm Around', which is where the title of the episode is picked from as well.
Just as an argument with Cory led to Alex announcing to New York's press that Bradley will be her co-host after Mitch, this duet changes something in her. She leaves her own party to go out and meet Mitch, her friend.
It really is strange how comfortable Alex is in Mitch's company as the two are out on a drive. It is also sickening to see them make jokes about him being a predator, as he wonders if it is finally time for the two of them to sleep together.
It is during this time that a Times article featuring quotes from more women about their experience with Mitch is published and both Alex and Mitch read it. After reading it, Alex seems uncomfortable for the first time in Mitch's company and tells him she wants to go home.
That's when Mitch tells her that she knew everything all along. Alex replies that she thought she knew it all, but that she felt differently about it once she read the experiences of the women. She has clearly been one of the many enablers and is now realizing to what extent this has helped cover up Mitch's behavior.
The next episode of 'The Morning Show' can be streamed on Apple TV+ on Friday.