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September 11 - 17, 2023 Page 3 As if the communications busi- ness doesn't have enough compli- cations these days, "The Morning Show" is back to add some more. After almost two years, the award-winning Apple TV+ drama returns Wednesday, Sept. 13, to start its third season with an own- ership change of the fictional UBA network potentially in the offing. A major player in the tech world, Paul Marks — played by "Mad Men" alum Jon Hamm — shows interest in acquiring it, sparking concern for many employees, including those who work on the UBA morning program. Among them are hosts Alex Levy and Bradley Jackson, played by Jennifer Aniston ("Friends") and Reese Witherspoon ("Wild," 2014) — who are also among the executive producers of the series — after the characters were last seen dealing with respective crises when the world was at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. Returning cast members also include Billy Crudup ("Hello Tomorrow!") as UBA chief Cory Ellison, a role that brought the actor a Primetime Emmy Award for the show's first season; Mark Duplass ("Goliath") as the morning show's executive producer, Charlie "Chip" Black; Nestor Carbonell ("Lost") as meteorologist Yanko Flores; Karen Pittman ("And Just Like That...") as producer Mia Jordan; Greta Lee ("Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," 2023) as UBA news president Stella Bak; and Julianna Margulies ("The Good Wife") as news anchor Laura Peterson. Along with Hamm, joining "The Morning Show" in Season 3 is Nicole Beharie ("42," 2013) as Christina Hunter, a new UBA anchor. If the themes of "The Morning Show" (which already has a fourth season ordered) have seemed timely before, they've only become more so with real-world developments in the industry it concerns, in an era marked by numerous consolidations and takeovers. Season 1 began as an examination of sexual harassment in the workplace, with Alex's longtime co-anchor, Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell, "The Office"), fired over alle- gations of inappropriate behavior. It seemed like Alex might be the next to go, until she took control of the situation by naming the promising Bradley as her new on-air partner. ACROSS 1. Narc's find 4. president after F.D.R. 7. Attention-getters 11. Letterman's one-time rival 13. "Well, lookee here!" 14. perlman of "Cheers" 15. Otis product 17. Canadian/American fan- tasy series "Wynnona ___" 18. TV drama about a fami- ly of cops 20. "Star Wars" Force-user 21. Online admin 25. be unsure of 28. Spanish coins 29. "Frozen" (2013) princess 30. Deep in thought 31. prepares a banana for eating 33. Tennis legend monica 34. place to see floats 36. mandela's org. 37. Recently-revived judicial sitcom 42. "The mod Squad" role 45. Infantry need 46. motown's marvin 47. Opposite of wet, in many product names 48. Visored cap 49. Chemical endings 50. Equinox mo. 51. Cleopatra's undoing DOWN 1. One of the common folk 2. Honeycomb section 3. Quebec tire 4. How many sporting events are contested 5. "Scram!" 6. pamplona runners 7. Speedy "Top Chef" tech- nique 8. ___ Na Na 9. prescription notation 10. Gullible one 12. Causes to fall 16. Aid in crime 19. Salon supply 22. Word-of-mouth 23. Jude Law role in a 2016 miniseries 24. Fast fliers 25. Swashbuckling film star Johnny 26. Olive genus 27. Consumer 32. Cold war abbr. 33. 1960's civil rights org. 35. "Holy moly!" 36. Take ___ (travel) 38. bring on board 39. part of the eye 40. Gym set 41. Road ___ 42. T-shirt size: Abbr. 43. Fleming who created 007 44. TV's Science Guy bill CoverStory More news to share: 'The Morning Show' is on again Solution is on page 2. Reese Witherspoon in "The Morning Show" Advertise Here! (574) 533-2151

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