Sparks fly and tensions run high in this 1986 newsroom. The story of a grand, unconventional relationship in a world on the cusp of change.
This new six part series starts with a double bill on RTÉ2 on Tuesday 7 June and the entire boxset will be available on RTE player once episode 1 airs on TV. For preview links contact: sarah.neville@rte.ie
SHORT SYNOPSIS – In the cutthroat world of a commercial TV news, 1986, ambitious reporter Dale Jennings and notoriously “difficult” news star Helen Norville find themselves paired together. Covering an extraordinary chain of news events from the Challenger Disaster, to Halley’s Comet, to the AIDS crisis, Dale and Helen’s personal and professional lives begin to intertwine. This is a story of a grand, unconventional relationship in a world on the cusp of change.
LONG SYNOPSIS – In the maelstrom of a commercial television newsroom in 1986, Dale Jennings is a diligent young reporter, desperate to become a newsreader. Helen Norville is a notoriously ‘difficult’ star newsreader determined to build credibility. Paired together over three months, Dale and Helen will cover an extraordinary chain of news events—from the shock of the Challenger explosion, to the hype of Halley’s Comet, to the complexities of the AIDS crisis. From messy beginnings, a deep bond is formed that will upend their lives and transform the very fabric of the nightly news bulletin. This is a story of a grand, unconventional relationship in a world on the cusp of change.
(There are six episodes in this series.)
Tuesday 7 June
9pm – Episode 1:
In 1986, ambitious reporter Dale dreams of landing the most prized role on commercial TV: newsreader. But Helen, the network’s first female newsreader, struggles against her reputation as ‘difficult’. When their personal and professional lives collide, Dale and Helen embark on a fragile new alliance. Their first job together seems simple enough: cover the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger…
10.05pm – Episode 2:
Halley’s Comet is approaching, and change is in the air. As veteran newsreader Geoff is pressured to step away from the desk, the top job’s suddenly within reach. Dale scores a break that could supercharge his career, but Helen is plagued by severe mood swings that leave her a wreck. Dale finds himself torn between his desire for privacy and his desire to support his new ally. The closer he draws to Helen, the more he finds himself thrust into the spotlight…