THE LOUDEST VOICE
US, 2019, 7X 60 minutes, Colour.
Russell Crowe, Sienna Miller, Seth McFarlane, Annabelle Wallis, Simon McBurney, Aleksa Palladino, Naomi Watts, Joss Stamberg, Rod McLachlan, Mackenzie Astin, Barry Watson.
Directed by Jeremy Podeswa, Stephen Frears, Scott Burns, Kari Scogland.
This is a seven part miniseries, created by Tom McCarthy (The Visitor, Spotlight) and Alex Metcalf. It is a television portrait of the literally larger than life, Roger Ailes, ally of Rupert Murdoch, establisher of Fox News, supporter of Donald Trump and Conservative issues, eventually falling out with the Murdochs, and his being dismissed by Lachlan Murdoch.
At the same time, Bombshell was released, covering much of the same material but highlighting the sexual harassment issues. John Lithgow played Ailes.
Russell Crowe won a Golden Globe for this performance, one of his best. Ailes is a complex character in some ways, devious with his political alliances, a dominating in his creation of Fox News and those who worked behind the camera and in front of the camera.
In view of retrospect on the Trump years, and the role that Fox News played for Trump and then in the conspiracy theories that the election was rigged, it is most interesting, highlighting some of the personalities, including Sean Hannity, who are prominent is the time but also later in the rigging issue.
While Ailes was a family man, he was also a womaniser. And this was his downfall. The focus of attention in this film is Gretchen Carlson, played by Naomi Watts (and played in Bombshell by her friend Nicole Kidman). A great deal of attention is paid to Gretchen Carlson, her testimony, her stances against Ailes.
In many ways this is a story of rise, decline and fall at the centre of American media.
Episodes
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No. |
Title |
Directed by |
Written by |
Original air date |
U.S. viewers |
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1 |
"1995" |
June 30, 2019 |
0.299[3] |
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In late 1995, Roger Ailes is forced to resign from his position at CNBC. Manipulating a loophole in his non-compete clause, Roger immediately teams with Rupert Murdoch to create a new 24-hour news network named Fox News. Sensing an opportunity to create something in his own image, Roger successfully argues that Fox should cater exclusively to the conservative audience. Development of Fox is difficult, a problem not helped by an accelerated schedule from twelve months to just six. Nevertheless, Roger covers much ground and establishes what he sees as core hallmarks of Fox: an emphasis on bombastic journalists over hard facts, massaging reality to create superiority of conservative ideals and a tendency towards sexually attractive female journalists. Roger alienates several employees but compensates by recruiting old allies and building a new force of people loyal to him. Despite much chaos, Fox successfully launches in October 1996 and Roger begins openly proclaiming to his team that the goal is for the conservative movement to become "the loudest voice". |
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2 |
"2001" |
Kari Skogland |
Alex Metcalf |
July 7, 2019 |
0.356[4] |
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On September 11, Roger and the team are shocked and horrified by the unprecedented terrorist attack. Roger begins to push Fox to sensationalize the perceived attack on America, in particular by being the first to run controversial footage of jumpers from the World Trade Center. Karl Rove personally contacts Roger and admits that 9/11 presents an advantage to instigate a war with Iraq. Roger delights in promising to put everything behind the war effort. Mass hysteria and paranoia begin to grip the country, and despite clashes with Lachlan Murdoch, Fox becomes increasingly patriotic and begins proclaiming a war between good and evil. Roger becomes paranoid and starts installing cameras, hiring armed security to protect him and eventually moves his wife and young son out of the city and into Garrison, New York. Fox rises to number one in the ratings, Roger consolidates his relationship with the Bush administration and the Iraq War begins. |
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3 |
"2008" |
Gabriel Sherman & Jennifer Stahl |
July 14, 2019 |
0.343[5] |
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With the 2008 presidential election looming, Roger becomes obsessed with Barack Obama and views him as an enemy of the people. Fox enjoys its top ratings position and sets its sights on smearing Obama's campaign. On Roger's orders, Brian Lewis begins to eliminate sources at Fox leaking information to Rupert Murdoch and outside sources. Brian openly refers to anyone outside of Fox as the "enemy". Having been engaged in affairs and casual sexual harassment for years, Roger sets his sights on Gretchen Carlson. Rupert announces a new global business venture and ignores Roger at a launch event, causing Roger to start trying to attack Rupert's wife through the media. The Obama administration requests a meeting with Roger, but after a long wait Obama refuses to meet with him, instead using Rupert to relay their disgust with Fox. Roger's long-term affair with Laurie Luhn becomes even more toxic, as he begins to exert further control, forcing her to perform sexual activities for cameras in their hotel room. Laurie attempts to flee her job at Fox to escape Roger, but she discovers that her phones have been tapped and that she is under constant surveillance. Roger buys the local Garrison county paper and gifts it to his wife Beth so that it can be used as a tool for conservative views. The relationship between Rupert and Roger continues to disintegrate due to Roger's paranoia and Obama's election. Roger threatens Rupert and gains complete editorial control over Fox. Roger speaks at an event in Warren, Ohio and promises to help "make America great again". |
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4 |
"2009" |
Jeremy Podeswa |
John Harrington Bland |
July 21, 2019 |
0.354[6] |
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Laurie tries to end her affair with Roger, but he will only allow her to leave if another woman is selected by Laurie to replace her. Joe Lindsley, a 25-year-old journalist, is selected by Roger to help run the Garrison newspaper due to Joe's strong conservative leanings. Roger lays out his goal to rebuild America from the ground up in the wake of Obama's presidency, using Garrison as a base of operations. Beth and Roger begin grooming Joe and manipulate his work to personally attack their enemies. Fox comes under attack from the Obama administration due to their biased reporting methods. Roger mounts his team for full-scale war, utilizing Glenn Beck to accuse Obama of racism and corruption. Laurie starts selecting young women to be presented to Roger for sexual purposes, while privately she begins suffering from a mental breakdown. Gretchen increasingly feels like she is being subjected to sexual harassment both on and off the air. Joe gradually becomes uneasy when he gets first hand experience of Roger's willingness to manipulate fabricated news to benefit the conservative movement. Roger shrugs this off claiming, "History is written by the winners and we are winning". |
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5 |
"2012" |
Kari Skogland |
Laura Eason & Alex Metcalf |
July 28, 2019 |
0.359[7] |
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In the lead-up to the 2012 presidential election, Gretchen's professional relationship with Roger rapidly deteriorates. Roger remains frustrated that she has no interest in him sexually and works to stymy her job prospects with outside networks. He eventually offers her a show of her own, but gives her an afternoon graveyard slot. Gabriel Sherman, a journalist writing a book about Fox, begins to shadow the organization, although he is met with hostility. Joe is troubled when his entire newspaper staff quits and is further disturbed when Beth calmly shows him the Ailes family's fallout shelter. Roger explodes at Joe's sister at a dinner when she expresses support for Obama, claiming that re-election for Obama will lead to a Nazi police state. Joe later leaves Roger's employment on election night, causing significant distress to Roger and leading to Roger comparing himself to God. One year later Roger begins to support his friend Roger Stone in order to find an ideal Republican candidate in Donald Trump. Brian discovers that an unused floor at Fox is operating an elaborate smear campaign against Gabriel's book. After Brian confronts Roger, he has his loyalty questioned and is later fired. Roger blackmails Brian into signing a non-disclosure agreement. Her mental health completely collapsing, Laurie is forced to sign an NDA and given a cash settlement. Gabriel's book is published in 2014, although it is largely ignored by Roger and his allies. Gretchen confronts Roger about his abuse, harassment and attempts to gaslight her. Roger in turn accuses her of being disloyal and ungrateful. Gretchen expresses submission, but privately begins recording audio of Roger's sexual harassment. |
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6 |
"2015" |
Laura Eason |
August 4, 2019 |
0.419[8] |
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Roger suffers medical effects from various illnesses, leaving him weaker than he has ever been and causing him great fury at his body's decline (in particular his impotence). Lachlan and James Murdoch assume a higher level of control over News Corporation, leaving Roger out of the loop and forced to answer to them. Despite being ordered not to focus the media on one Republican candidate in the elections, Roger secretly coordinates with Donald Trump. After Trump announces his run, Roger delights in finding the ideal candidate and puts the entire network behind Trump. Later Trump verbally abuses Megyn Kelly, frustrating the Fox team and forcing conflict between Rupert and Roger. Continuing to secretly record his abuse, Gretchen builds a case of long-term sexual harassment against Roger. Meeting with lawyers, Gretchen discovers that the terms of her employment make it impossible to sue Fox, but a legal loophole allows her to personally sue Roger. After Trump gains the Republican presidential nomination, Roger makes plans to not renew Gretchen's contract, abruptly firing her and attempts to cause humiliation. Gretchen accelerates plans to sue. Roger attempts to sexually assault an employee but finds his impotence has rendered him incapable. Trump gains superiority in the election by replicating tactics used by Fox, while Gretchen files her lawsuit against Roger. |
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7 |
"2016" |
Gabriel Sherman & Jennifer Stahl |
August 11, 2019 |
0.477[9] |
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Fox's legal team seeks to minimise Gretchen’s charges. Lachlan Murdoch prioritises the company, not Roger. Gretchen discovers that many women have also been sexually abused. They begin to coordinate. Roger's paranoia grows, believing Gretchen's lawsuit is part of a vast conspiracy against him. Lachlan opens an investigation into Roger, finding that the women who work at Fox have been coerced into silence through NDAs and near-constant surveillance. Roger begins to lose control as some speak openly about their abuse; amongst them is Megan Kelly, who refused Beth’s request to stand by Roger. Gretchen uses her recordings to force Fox into a settlement. Lachlan moves to have Roger fired. Roger attempts to use the power base he has created to protect himself. Rupert and his sons force Roger to resign from the company. Beth suffers a breakdown |
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and cannot even look at Roger. Roger begins to work with Donald Trump, but dies in 2017. Some stay and some go, but Fox retains its position of power in the media landscape. |
