It follows Mitch's co-host, Alex Levy, and a conservative reporter Bradley Jackson, who attracts the attention of the show's producers after a viral video.
In the episode, the staff goes to California to report wildfires engulfing the state, while Alex struggles when her husband asks for the divorce.
Wildfires occur in California, prompting Fred (Tom Irwin) to get The Morning Show to report it, in an attempt to move past Mitch's scandal.
As Alex (Jennifer Aniston) wakes up, she is visited by her estranged husband Jason (Jack Davenport); he is fed up with her narcissism, and wants to officially divorce.
Maggie Fremont of Vulture gave the episode a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Truth be told, The Morning Show has always been about burning it all to the ground, and in “The Pendulum Swings,” the show takes that metaphor a little more literally, as TMS and its two leading ladies head to Los Angeles to cover the raging wildfires, currently destroying lives.
"[2] Jodi Walker of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "We're suddenly halfway into The Morning Show's first season, and the series is leaning in hard on the dysfunctional family aspect of its show-within-a-show.
"[5] Esme Mazzeo of Telltale TV gave the episode a 4.5 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Jennifer Aniston is brilliant throughout the entire breakdown.
"[6] Veronique Englebert of The Review Geek gave the episode a 3.5 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "The Morning Show remains an enjoyable drama with enough interesting characterisation and plot twists to keep you coming back for more.