I thought I loved Alaska Daily when the series first premiered, but the season finale—hopefully not the series finale—made me fall in love with it even more.
You don’t go into a show like Alaska Daily, one that deals with tough subjects like crime, corruption, and the murder of missing indigenous women, expecting a happy ending, but it sure feels good when you get one.
Roz and Eileen gave Gloria Nanmac’s case their all, pursuing the truth and following every lead, wherever it took them. When they hit dead ends, they backtracked and kept digging. And they never ever gave up, not only solving Gloria’s murder but calling out the state of Alaska for the broken system that it had in place.
They did the heavy lifting that no one else wanted to do because it was important. It mattered. And it’s what sets apart The Daily Alaskan from the competition—they are determined to pursue the truth at any cost.
Several times throughout the episode, it felt as though the answers just fell into their lap while pursuing the real suspect in Gloria’s case, but there was always an air of believability. Eileen and Roz put in a season’s worth of research, so when things started presenting themselves, it was their hard work and perseverance paying off. They established credibility amongst the Alaskan people and were shining a light on issues that others likely wanted to be addressed for a long time, so not only did people feel like they could trust them, many wanted to lend a helping hand in any way that they could, encouraging them to keep digging and keep hunting.
When they finally located Clarence Redding, a.k.a Skeeter, he was the missing puzzle piece that could hammer home the timeline of events from the presumed night of Gloria’s murder. He wasn’t willing to blow up the life he’d created for himself, however, his partner and mother of his child insisted that he finally come clean and stop carrying around Ezra’s secret.
If it wasn’t for Gloria’s 9-1-1 voicemail setting everything into motion, Skeeter may not have turned on his former friend, Ezra, but since Gloria uttered his name while begging for help—and effectively being ignored by the people who should’ve been putting together a full-fledged search party—there was no denying his involvement.
Skeeter provided the insight, but he also handed over the smoking gun, or, as Stanley said, the smoking crutches, which linked Ezra to Gloria’s murder. Eileen and Roz’s gut instinct about the guy was right, and I’m glad that he won’t be able to get away with any more violent crimes.
Not only that, but they were able to provide all of the evidence before Toby’s trial started, which meant that the DA cleared him of all charges. Roz and Eileen obviously wanted to get justice for Gloria, but Toby was their motivation in the end because they were racing against a clock—and they couldn’t see an innocent indigenous man go to jail for a crime he didn’t commit.
And they didn’t stop there. Ezra may have led to Gloria’s murder, but there’s no doubt about it that the broken system in place played a role every step of the way. The fact that the mayor called their reporting “fake news” proves that the government wanted to wash its hands of it.
So many people failed Gloria, and other men and women like Gloria, but Eileen and Roz were determined to bring the corruption to light after getting a tip from an anonymous texter by the name “Disillusioned,” who turned out to be Commissioner Haynes’ assistant, Mary Anne. She knew that there was a report that provided some very basic solutions to the MWIW problem—something as simple, straightforward, and obvious as getting these small towns a functioning 911 system—yet they were ignored and pushed aside because they weren’t a priority when they should’ve been.
ALASKA DAILY – “Most Reckless Thing I’ve Ever Done” – With rumors of a new Alaskan newspaper swirling, the team investigates their competition and what it means for the future of local news. Meanwhile, Eileen and Roz listen to Gloria’s final call and find their lead before an innocent man is put away. THURSDAY, MARCH 30 (10:01-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC. (ABC/Darko Sikman)
IRENE BEDARD
Eventually, Haynes did the right thing after realizing that Mary Anne got into public service because of her and left because of her. Haynes likely got in it for the right reasons once upon a time and then became a disappointment by always turning a blind eye when it was convenient. It was nice to see her finally come around and be on the right side of history after creating so many roadblocks for Eileen and Roz. Everyone views journalists as the enemy until they realize that it’s actually the system in place that’s doing a disservice to the people it’s supposed to be protecting.
Laying it all out there for the Alaskan people was a good start and a reminder of why they do all of this in the first place. They were holding the right people accountable for the first time ever. And it was also a reminder as to why local journalism matters and should be preserved. Sylvia’s visit and gratitude drove that point home as she wouldn’t have gotten the closure she needed if it wasn’t for Roz and Eileen.
Those two did not start on the best terms at the beginning, but by the end, they were two peas in a pod, bettering each other along the way. Stanley was right when he said that they could both learn a great deal from each other, and they went on one hell of an adventure together that really contributed to their respective character growth. Eileen still possessed the part that made her such a stellar reporter—her integrity never wavered—but she softened around the edges, opening up to the idea of being a part of something and learning new ways to get things done. She didn’t have all the answers when it came to figuring out the dynamics in Alaska, but by the end, she was part of the community that respected her for her work.
Most importantly, she stopped searching for that next big thing to consume her mind—she was finally comfortable where she was, informing Roz that she wasn’t going to take the job in New York and choosing to stay in Alaska instead. Not only did she have a family at The Daily Alaskan that she couldn’t leave behind, but she owed it to herself to explore a potential romance with the pilot poet, both on and off the ground.
I’m not confident that the series will get renewed, which is a damn shame because, with Gloria’s case wrapped up, there’s so much story left to tell in a series that has so much heart, warmth, and light, despite all the obstacles thrown in its way.
For starters, the situation between Conrad Pritchard and his father is intriguing, and I’d love to see how they would navigate a competitor daily. It’s one thing to say that they won’t be taking the bait and going into war with the Anchorage Eagle, but it’s another thing to actually see it pan out on screen when Pritchard’s money is pushing and pushing them against a wall.
I feel like things between Eileen and Conrad were also left up in the air, and while the pilot poet was the clear winner of her feelings, I don’t think Conrad would’ve been out of the picture completely. I could see them growing closer as they rallied to remain the best and most just publication in town.
Each newsroom member had storylines that didn’t get closure—from Bob’s sick wife to Yuma and Austin’s budding relationship, right down to Austin’s fight for paternity for his son.
We have a diverse cast of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and ages that bring so much to the table, and fans deserve more time with them.
On the other hand, if ABC never planned on renewing the series, it wasn’t the worst finale. I’d say it was the best possible finale we could’ve gotten—with the Daily Alaskan’s employees reinvigorated, and Eileen and Stanley soaking up their victory (and lamenting that embarking on this journey was the most reckless thing they’d ever done… though it paid off!) with the Northern Lights and a warm paper fresh off the press, proving that there’s still something to be said about the power of print and the written word.
What did you think about the season finale of Alaska Daily?