‘The Morning Show’s Billy Crudup Recaps Bradley And Cory’s Kiss In Season 4, Episode 3

Breaking news out of The Morning Show! After four seasons, 33 episodes, the COVID-19 pandemic, a trip to space, a January 6 coverup, countless other chaotic storylines, and lots of sexual tension, I finally got the kiss I’ve been impatiently longing for since Season 1. And, yes. I screamed!

Spoilers for The Morning Show Season 4, Episode 3 ahead.

That’s right, folks! At long freaking last, Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon) and Cory Ellison (Billy Crudup) locked lips in Episode 3, “Tipping Point,” and after literal years of anticipation, even Crudup himself said he was blown away when he read the crucial scene in the script.

“I remember reading it and going, ‘OHHH!!!!’” an animated Crudup told Decider over Zoom. “I reacted like the fans of Corey and Bradley did. Cory has has been pining for that kind of company from her for so long. And it’s been not reciprocated. But they’ve also been constrained by the parameters of the work environment. So it hasn’t really been a feasible option for either of them. Once they set up a scenario where he was no longer her boss, and they might encounter each other in a non-work related environment, I suppose the writers and everybody else was curious to see how far it would go.”

On top of Cory being Bradley’s boss for three seasons of The Morning Show, Bradley was also romantically involved with Julianna Margulies’ character Laura Peterson, who left the show ahead of Season 4. Even when Bradley was dating Laura, however, anyone with a beating heart could tell that Cory was smitten with Bradley would do anything to make her feel happy and protected — even if it meant risking his own happiness and safety. The man lied to the FBI to help her elaborate January 6 cover up, for goodness sake! And in the end, that’s essentially what brought them back together for the beautiful kiss…

After Episode 2 ended with Cory threatening to out Stella’s (Greta Lee) affair with Celine’s (Marion Cotillard) husband Miles (Aaron Pierre) unless she helped secure his independent film production an overall deal at UBN, Cory wanted to confront Bradley to ensure she was OK with him returning to UBN, and, crucially, that she hadn’t mentioned his involvement in her insurrection coverup to the FBI. You know, normal stuff!

Though Bradley and Cory share so much history, we can assume they hadn’t seen each other in years, since the Season 3 finale when Bradley cleared his name with HR and he said his poignant goodbye, visibly heartbroken that they couldn’t be together. As Bradley stood outside Cory’s apartment in Season 4 processing the weight of her potential knock, he enthusiastically opened the door before she could even lift her hand. Classic Cory!

“Oh hey! Sorry, I didn’t mean to, um…hi! Come in,” Cory said, his face simultaneously beaming from genuine joy in seeing Bradley again and his signature, exhaustive, upbeat “Everything’s great!” act.

While Bradley awkwardly navigated the early stages of their reunion, Cory didn’t miss a beat. He joked about the view of the Scientology celebrity center from his place in LA, he offered wine and pastries from the shop on the corder he’s singlehandedly supporting so it won’t become a Chipotle, and he told Bradley to make herself at home. And that she did!

As day turned to night, the old friends drank and dove deep into conversation about careers and personal lives, reflecting on the past and how shaping the world through UBN comes at the cost of privacy, friends, and “any chance at having a regular relationship.” Despite all the bad, Cory walked to the other side of the living room — creating intentional distance between them — and told Bradley he was considering a return. He just needed to know if his side of the street was clean. More breaking Morning Show news: Bradley kept Cory’s name away from the FBI! YAY!

As Cory tackled the second part of his mission — asking Bradley if she’d be OK with him working in the same building as her again, after everything that happened last season — she stood up from the couch, slowly walked towards him, and confirmed she’d be fine with the close proximity and curiosity from others. With each step Bradley took, Cory became more and more verklempt. As she looked at him with inviting eyes and spoke with a soft, subtly seductive voice, the king of monologues grew silent and could barely finish a sentence. As he repeatedly asked her for consent, he stood his ground, refusing to make a move in a show of respect and fear.

“It was pretty clear to me when we were blocking it that Cory is not moving, that there is no way under this circumstance that he is going to either be rejected again, be the one who might be accused of being predatory about, or whatever has been a part of their their drama up until this point. He was going to allow her to take the, the lead in that,” Crudup told Decider.

It wasn’t until Bradley finally reached him and brought her lips to his that Cory let himself give into his desires. WE FINALLY GOT THE KISS, and when he realized that after years of pining, his feelings were, in fact, being reciprocated, he regaining his confidence and sexily wrapped his arm around Bradley, cradling her neck, and fully leaning into the kiss. SWOON!

While viewers didn’t see what happened next, before the end credits rolled, we got a shot of Bradley and Cory in bed together as “If the World Falls to Pieces” by Young Summer set the mood. Bradley looked at Cory and touched his hand. He smiled, looked back at her, and placed his hand atop hers. She smiled back, and though — as the apt lyrics suggested — the world felt like it was ending outside of the bedroom, at least they had each other.

Let the record show that for at least one episode of The Morning Show, all was finally right in the worlds of Bradley Jackson and Cory Ellison. The question now, is can these two lovebirds sustain the high, or will they crash and burn under the pressure of UBN’s constant chaos?

New episodes of The Morning Show Season 4 premiere Wednesdays on Apple TV+.