#the newsreader season 2

[bisexualgoth]

[greedandenby]

The fact that he's the last face we see in the s02 trailers for BOTH of the shows???

Oh they KNOW what they're doing.

[showmey0urfangs]

I just finished episode 2 and I am once again faced with the cruel realization that Dale Jennings is the loving and supportive partner Louis deserved. 😭

But he got egomaniac show pony on ketamine Lestat instead. #sad

[mundaneandmagicalcreature]

The Newsreader & gender expectations. Part II: Dale Jennings and being a newsreader

I feel like there's a line connecting Dale's mum with his career ambitions and with how he feels about his sexuality.

Dale's not that young. So, why hasn't reflected more about his sexuality and his relationships? Why is he still trying to erase parts of himself (darling, it won't work)? Why does he assume that everyone wants to get married?

"It's 1987, there was not really the language for him to discover that (and he's working in such a rigid environment), to even really understand what bisexuality is or what pansexuality is or maybe demisexual (sic)." Sam Reid. ABC Radio National

Both Sam and Michael have talked about Dale lacking the language about his sexuality. While it's true that that he may not have come across the word "bisexual" (although the famous Bowie interview is from 1979), I feel like more than a label he needs a narrative. It's pretty common for queer people, when we're discovering our sexuality to look for people like us: historical figures, fictional characters, people in our own life, etc. Just some one to show us how to live.

Gerry also doesn't have a label, and yet he seems much more happy and comfortable in his sexuality. His life history could be that narrative Dale needs: fall in love with a woman, marry, have a child, have a successful career AND have sex with men on the side. But Dale is set on monogamy. Which is absolutely fine, but he can't imagine himself as attracted to both men and women, and monogamous, AND happy.

My theory is that he's never had the time to think about this things because he was an emotionally parentified child. We know that Dale's father died when he was only 15. He had to take responsibility for his mum happiness. And he's holding that responsibility ever since.

This is more fanfiction than analysis territory, but I can imagine a recently widowed Val glued to the TV, watching news. And I can imagine a very young Dale thinking "Now that my dad's dead I have to be a proper man, the kind of man my mum values. And that man is a newsreader."

"I suppose Dale has always sort of believe that the pinnacle of... everything that represents stability and assuredness and the kind of like archetype of what it is to be a man and what it is to be a voice of authority is represented in this newsreader kind of form." Sam Reid. The Newsreader Podcast. 06 | Fireworks with Sam Reid and Michael Lucas

I know that sexuality is not correlated to gender, but these things intersect and the ideal man for society (specially in this moment in time) is a straight man (who gets married to a woman, has children, provides for them financially, etc). Queer men are seeing as feminine and therefore faulty. Dale's running away from being perceived that way.

What I would call "a partner" and Adam calls "a lover", Val calls "a friend". The euphemism makes it pretty clear that she's not comfortable with queerness. Dale wants to make her happy, so he has to be a straight man.

Even after more than a year of Helen and Dale being together, Val says she wasn't sure Dale was going to propose/marry her. Maybe she thought they were going to break up, or that they would continue to "live in sin" (lets note the religious expression for a moment...) for ever. But what I hear (and judging by Dale's awkward reaction, he may be thinking the same) is "up until this moment I was afraid you were actually gay".

By the end of the season, Dale and Helen have broken up. He buys his own house and while he's showing it to his mum, they have that little dialogue. "It's not a family home", once again that idea of nuclear family shows up. For the first time he's going against her wishes. Does this mean he's happy? Sam doesn't think so and neither do I. I think he just switched his mum's expectations for those of the society in general. And society expect for people who work on TV to have big fancy houses, so that's what he bought.

________

(part I)

feel free to comment in whatever form you like, I'm nosy and I like to read what other people think.

[fandomsmeantheworldtome]

He is so beautiful😭

[chicalepidoptera]

Do you want me to ask?

[xenobean]

I just downloaded two audio interviews that talk about Dale’s sexuality being fluid/him being bi. The video with the still image of Helen and Dale discusses labels at around 13:00.

I got that one from an unlisted YouTube video, and I couldn’t find the original source. It’s probably from ABC

The other one is from ABC listen: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/darwin-afternoons/sam-reid-the-newsreader-dale-bisexualty/102928512

[bigpharmacockandballtorture]

how fucking diabolical to name s2 ep6 of the newsreader “fireworks” and tim has less than a minute in the episode. the. THE FIREWORKS! christ

[kitmarloweki]

Okay the episode ended one minute ago where are the newsreader season 2 gifsets

[shrutithemisfit]

Just finished watching The Newsreader and I'm feeling so many emotions right now.

First, I want to share about Helen and Dale. I love them so much. They are my favourite couple. However, this season I don't know where I stand.

I missed the intimacy they had in season 1. This season they were seen more from a professional angle and sometimes I felt a power imbalance between them. I know it's been two years but Helen seemed to be not emotionally available for Dale like he was for her. He had her back completely multiple times, but she ignored his gesture and went to Charlie. Although, she realised it in the end and helped him out... It was too late.

I fucking hate Lindsay. That asshole.

I hope Helen runs a successful news media company of her own one day. Everyone working at News at Six who is under that tyrant leaves and work for her instead.

After watching the final scene between Helen and Lindsay, the way he was agonizing her. I want him destroyed. Helen killed Evelyn and Geoff with kindness, but with Lindsay I want the exact opposite.

Noelene is so sweet. I love her. I wish Helen could have been a little nicer to her. She and Rob are so sweet.

Last but not the least, Gerry... Why??? Why did you do it? Dale was on your side. He fought for you against everyone. Their friendship was so good. His betrayal was shocking.

I feel sorry for Dale this season. I'm glad how he stood up for himself and handled it.

[bisexualgoth]

dale jennings is SO REAL he gets bisexually flirted with ONCE and immediately tears up. and then goes teehee ☺️🤭 a guy flirted with me 🤪🤭

[greedandenby]

LIARS.

[showmey0urfangs]

SAM REID as Dale Jennings, The Newsreader s02e01

[mundaneandmagicalcreature]

The Newsreader & gender expectations. Part I: Helen Norville & marriage

The question of whether Dale and Helen will get married or not runs all throughout the season.

But what does marriage mean? and more specifically what does it mean for a woman?

There's a conversation between Helen and Dale that's missing. They talk about their future and what getting married and having children would mean for Noelene. Rob makes sure they're both on the same page before proposing to her. They have this conversation when she comes back after having to leave the Christmas lunch to do the Kay interview. Crucially, in that meal her future sister in law, who is pregnant, tells her that she'll be a stay at home mum.

Actually the conversation between Dale and Helen is not missing. It's fractured. Because it happens, but not with each other. Carla asks Helen if she wants kids. Helen doesn't answer no (can she say no? could she say no at the time? even today people can get very defensive when they found out a woman doesn't want children). But more importantly, she doesn't say yes.

And Gerry asks Dale if Helen wants to get married. Once again the answer isn't a clear and confident yes. As much as I love Dale, I think in this case his innocence and naiveté is just immaturity. He lives in a society that's structured around the nuclear family, and he just... accepts it without question. I want to grab to grab him by the shoulders and tell him "you're too old, too queer, and your job involves talking about all kind of human histories; WHY DO YOU THINK EVERYONE WANTS THE SAME OUT OF LIFE, MY FRIEND?"

So I think that's why Helen rejects Dale's marriage proposal. She's running away from the restrictive gender roles of the times that tell her that her role as a woman is to get married and have children and take a step back in her career. I don't think that's what Dale wants. This man has heart eyes when he sees her at work. But I can understand why she has a visceral rejection to the idea of being tied to a man-

Getting married doesn't necessarily mean they'll have to adhere to every societal convention. I think they could find a way to make things work for them if they sit and talk. But these two, WHO WORK IN COMMUNICATION DON'T TALK TO EACH OTHER.

________

(part II)

feel free to comment in whatever form you like, I'm nosy and I like to read what other people think.

[fandomsmeantheworldtome]

Why we haven't a release date for season 2 of The Newsreader yet?

[rocks-in-my-vodka]

hilarious to me tht to watch more of jacob anderson u hve to watch two of the biggest shows made in tv history (drwho and got) and to watch more of sam reid u hve to watch this weird assortment of films and shows where he's invariably playing the male love interest of powerful female leads whose actors hve a lesbian fan following