La Amara Vita
Mitch Kessler dies after a visit from Alex Levy in Italy.
"La Amara Vita" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American drama series The Morning Show, inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning. It was written by Kerry Ehrin and Scott Troy, directed by Mimi Leder, and released on Apple TV+ on October 29, 2021. The episode is notable for depicting the death of the character Mitch Kessler.
Quick Facts
- Series
- The Morning Show
- Released
- 29 October 2021
- Length
- 51 minutes
- Director
- Mimi Leder
- Writer
- Kerry Ehrin; Scott Troy
- Photographer
- David Lanzenberg
- Editor
- Sidney Wolinsky
- Guests
- Valeria Golino as Paola Lambruschini (special guest star)
Facts from the source article.
Plot
In Italy, Mitch Kessler, after finishing quarantine with Paola, asks her to delete an interview where he discussed Hannah. Alex Levy arrives and confronts him about speaking with Maggie, as his failure to deny their affair is taken as confirmation in a book. She wants a statement denying it, but he will only do so after consulting his attorney. Mitch convinces her to stay and understand his mindset. Alex later drives to Milan for a flight but falls asleep in her car; a police officer wakes her. With Italy on lockdown, she returns to Mitch's mansion. He has written the statement but welcomes her back. Alex confesses she once thought she was pregnant after sex with Mitch and was disappointed it was not true. Mitch asks her to help Paola build a career, and she agrees. After a news report about Mitch's preference for African American women, Alex leaves. Depressed, Mitch has sex with Paola, who reveals she kept the interview. As Alex drives to the airport, Mitch drives his car off a cliff, reminiscing about dancing with Alex before dying.
Development
The episode was co-written by series creator Kerry Ehrin and Scott Troy, with executive producer Mimi Leder directing. It depicts the death of Steve Carell’s character, Mitch Kessler. Ehrin had planned the death from the show’s start, originally envisioning it as “ambiguous,” but Carell, drawing on his deep understanding of the role, proposed making it an active decision, a change Ehrin found compelling.
Critical reviews
The episode received generally positive reviews. Maggie Fremont of Vulture gave it 4 out of 5 stars, praising the complex relationship between Alex and Mitch and the onscreen chemistry of Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carell. Linda Holmes of NPR criticized the depiction of Mitch's possible suicide as an extension of martyrdom, calling it a "wildly ill-conceived story idea." Lacy Baugher of Telltale TV gave 2.5 out of 5 stars, finding the show's choices bizarre and its attempt to make Mitch sympathetic questionable. Claire Di Maio of The Young Folks rated it 7 out of 10, noting the series began as a story of a disgraced public figure. Meghan O'Keefe of Decider called it one of the most dramatic episodes. Chike Coleman of We Live Entertainment gave 9 out of 10, praising its moral ambiguity and calling it "appointment television."
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