It’s not quite a problem yet — but it’s getting close. With so many new faces, returning characters, and overlapping political, personal, and social dramas, The Morning Show is flirting with exhaustion. The storylines are so densely packed and melodramatic that there’s barely time to breathe, let alone process. Chaos continues to reign.

Even with blackmail and possibly covered-up crimes by UBN, none of that drives the episode. The subplot involving Cory and Celine over Stella and Miles goes nowhere, the Wolf River case barely moves (though, as I suspected, it may not be what it seems), and the focus shifts away from Alex and Bradley.

Mia: talented, but trapped

Mia is looking for a new job after walking out of UBN — rightfully so, since she was passed over for the position she’d been promised. But Alex is determined to bring her back, which means Mia ends up being punished for being good at her job. Frustrated, she refuses to play the game, fights with Alex, and makes it clear that she’s exploring other opportunities.

This week’s episode also centers on former athlete and current UBN star Chris Hunter, who was supposed to be the face of the network’s Olympic coverage — until she’s accused of having won her two gold medals with the help of performance-enhancing drugs.

The rumor originates from Tunde Johnston, Chris’s former track teammate, and quickly gains traction. A drunken Chris leaves Tunde an angry voicemail — which, of course, goes public. Forced to address the controversy, Chris agrees to appear on Bro’s show (the ever-provocative podcaster who constantly clashes with Alex, seemingly the only person still working at UBN, since Stella has been missing for two episodes).

Nicole Beharie’s moment

Though it initially seems like Tunde is motivated by resentment, she presents a bombshell — a medical prescription in Chris’s name confirming the use of steroids. And then, shockingly, Chris admits it.

Nicole Beharie delivers an extraordinary monologue. In tears, Chris reveals that she was pressured to use steroids after being dropped by her sponsors for getting pregnant. But she lost the baby, and the trauma shattered her body and her mind. The steroids were the only way she could rebuild herself. When she finally did, she stopped. But the guilt never left her — not even on the Olympic podium — which is why she walked away from the sport and became a broadcaster.

Her honesty disarms everyone. Bro apologizes. Tunde cries. Chris walks away not just redeemed, but deeply human. And Nicole Beharie, deservedly, walks straight into awards season as one of the strongest contenders of the year.

Bradley and Cory: a dangerous game

The Cory-Bradley relationship remains as awkward as it is improbable. At first, the two seem to be in a warm, almost tender phase — until Bradley uses the opportunity to dig through Cory’s emails, looking for evidence about the Wolf River scandal. She finds nothing but starts to suspect a mysterious woman connected to Kenneth Stockton. Alex advises her to be direct and confront Cory, but Bradley stalls for time.

Thank God Cory is no fool. While looking for a lasagna recipe in his inbox, he notices her search history and realizes he’s been manipulated. Even though we know “it wasn’t quite like that” — Bradley slept with him before she suspected anything — Cory feels betrayed. He insists he had nothing to do with the case, explaining that he was new at the network when the story was buried, following orders from the legal department. But is that really true?

Against all odds — and better judgment — Bradley believes him. Which means the rabbit hole is much deeper than anyone thought. And the confirmation comes in the episode’s final image: Bradley arriving home to find a federal agent waiting for her.