Television series
Broken News
- Satire
- Light-hearted
Broken News is a sharp satirical comedy about the desperate machinery of 24-hour rolling news. It follows competing news operations scrambling for stories, chasing ratings, and spinning nothing into spectacle. Fast-paced, ensemble-driven, with a cynical eye for professional vanity and journalistic compromise. Essential viewing for anyone who's noticed how strange modern news actually is.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you enjoy sharp, cynical workplace comedy that takes aim at the vanity and panic of television newsrooms, and you don't mind the jokes landing on people who clearly deserve them.
Skip it if you want warmth or a slow build; this is brisk, abrasive satire where the characters are mostly there to be skewered, so the mean streak may grate.
What it asks of you: Half an hour an episode, six episodes, so it's a quick commitment; it moves fast and asks you to keep up with rapid-fire jokes.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
The Thick of It2005
Crushingly funny satire of British political spin and media manipulation from the same era. Peter Capaldi's profanity-laden spin doctor is unforgettable, and the writing captures how power actually works with surgical precision.
But Relentlessly bleak and mean-spirited. If you need your comedy to be warm or character-driven rather than idea-driven, this will feel punishing.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy2004
A feature-length demolition of news culture's vanity and obliviousness. Will Ferrell's anchor is an idiot, but the film loves him for it, and the satirical target is always clear and viciously funny.
But Relies heavily on improvisation and absurdism. If you prefer plot over comedy set-pieces and character chaos, the structure will feel slack.
Drop the Dead Donkey1990
The British precursor to this kind of newsroom satire. Sharp, witty, and genuinely affectionate about the people caught in the machine while mocking the system relentlessly. Holds up remarkably well.
But Late-80s/early-90s production values look dated, and some references are very time-locked. The rhythm is slower than modern comedy.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Broken News
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Network1976
Both nail the existential crisis of 24-hour news: the hunger for content, the degradation of journalism, the audience as a commodity to be manipulated. Network predicted exactly what Broken News satirises.
Paddy Chayefsky's darkly prophetic film about a failing network's desperation for ratings at any cost. Ferocious satire disguised as melodrama. Every scene feels disturbingly relevant to contemporary news culture.
But Bleak and angry without laughs to soften it. The satire is surgical rather than entertaining. A furious film, not a fun one.
More like this (5)
Parks and Recreation2009
Like Broken News but for local government: a mockumentary about bureaucratic incompetence and the people trapped in it. Warm enough to care about characters while skewering institutions. Finds the humanity in absurdity.
But Takes a season or two to find its feet. The early episodes play it safer, and some viewers find the tone too sentimental compared to sharper satire.
Veep2012
Viciously intelligent comedy about political communication and the emptiness at the heart of power. Dense with jokes, brilliantly plotted, and features one of the great comedic ensembles of the 2010s.
But Every character is morally appalling and rarely learns. Relentless negativity exhausts some viewers. Also, it's American politics, so less relevant if you're invested in British satire specifically.
The Day Today1994
Chris Morris and Armando Iannucci's proto-Thick of It news satire. Absurdist, wildly inventive, and predates most of the formula. Genuinely influential and genuinely funny.
But Dated production style and some sketches haven't aged well. The absurdism occasionally overwhelms the satire, making targets unclear.
Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge1994
Steve Coogan's career-defining performance as a delusional, philandering chat-show host. The awkwardness is excruciating and funny, and it's a masterclass in character comedy built on cringe.
But The humour is entirely dependent on uncomfortable silences and social failure. If you need jokes to land loudly and obviously, you'll hate it.
Nightcrawler2014
Both expose the moral rot at the heart of news production: how the chase for stories corrodes everyone it touches. Nightcrawler is Broken News's dark mirror, played straight.
Jake Gyllenhaal as an amoral freelance cameraman hunting sensational footage for LA news stations. Brilliant, toxic, and utterly absorbing. Satire that works as a genuine thriller and character study.
But Bleak, misanthropic, and deeply uncomfortable. The protagonist is repellent and the film doesn't offer moral catharsis or redemption. Not cathartic in any sense.
People
Cast
Writing
- John MortonCreator
- Tony RocheCreator
Production
- Jon PlowmanExecutive Producer
- Paul SchlesingerProducer