In the aftermath of his public tirade, news anchor Will McAvoy returns to his job to find most of his staff are leaving. An immediate challenge faces Will & his overhauled staff when breaking news comes over the wire.

Mac asserts control over the new incarnation of News Night and enlists a beautiful on-air economist. Jim takes the fall for a Maggie miscue while Charlie forbids Reese from continuing his furtive meetings with Will.

In an on-air editorial, Will apologises for past newscasts & promises a new era of integrity for News Night. His new approach rankles the CEO of ACN's parent company, who warns that Will's stance will not be tolerated.

A New Year's Eve confrontation lands Will in the tabloids. Against Reese's wishes, Will refuses to follow the media rumour mill and makes a call on a breaking story.

While covering the ejection of Egypt's president, the team learns of a protest in Wisconsin over budget cuts detrimental to public sector union employees, leading everyone to try to cover both stories simultaneously.

Insomnia drives Will to keep a long-standing therapy appointment. Sloan pushes too hard during the Japanese nuclear crisis and Will comes to recognise the cause & effect of being a bully.

Staff cut short their one-year anniversary party and rush back to the newsroom amidst a flurry of speculation when they learn the President will be making an impromptu national address on a matter of national security.

The refusal to lead with a pair of sensational stories causes ratings to plummet and forces Will & Mac to abandon their principles in order to lure back viewers & shore up the network's bid to land a Republican debate.

Will and the staff stage a mock debate for a pair of Republican Party officials. Mac has an epiphany during a power outage, Charlie vets an NSA insider's credibility and Lisa goes off-script during an on-air interview.

In the season finale, Nina Howard's damning revelation jeopardises Will's future at ACN. Meanwhile, Will, Mac and Charlie face off with Leona and Reese during a tension-filled lunch meeting.