‘The Newsroom’ starts final season on a strong note

I’ve had a love/hate relationship with “The Newsroom” since its 2012 debut on HBO.

The Aaron Sorkin drama started out as an intelligent, thought-provoking take on cable news. Then it disintegrated into a litany of preachy diatribes rounded out with cartoonish female characters and an insufferably smug tone.

The series is back Sunday for a third and final installment, so I decided to give it another try for old time’s sake. I’m glad I did, because the season premiere is “The Newsroom” at its best.

The Boston Marathon bombings are the backdrop for this fast-paced episode that probes the ups and downs of crowdsourcing, citizen journalism and knee-jerk tweets in today’s 24-hour news cycle.

Emmy winner Jeff Daniels continues to bring it as the whip-smart anchor of “News Night” as well as the comedic source of dry musings about his fiancee’s choice of bridesmaids — Diane Sawyer in a puffy dress? — and why Greek yogurt is suddenly A Thing.

I’m happy to report that the abbreviated final season — there are only half a dozen episodes — seems poised to burnish the show’s legacy, not tarnish it.

“THE NEWSROOM”

8 p.m. Sunday, HBO

Rating: [s3r star=3.5/4]

Follow @lorirackl

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