By Elia Lawatsch
If you’re anything like me, you probably watch The Morning Show, currently #1 on Apple TV, as a guilty pleasure—a mix of sharp, addictive drama and the vicarious thrill of living a newsroom life (true story: I once dreamed of being a journalist).
For those who aren’t familiar, Cory Ellison, played by Billy Crudup, is the charismatic, often morally complex, fallen President of UBA’s News Division, and he’s often up to no good at all. In the latest few episodes, though, we get to finally feel some empathy for his character when the show turns a spotlight on his mother, who is struggling with dementia and facing the difficult reality of her own decline. Her story—grappling with cognitive loss, weighing her options, and ultimately taking her own life—is heartbreaking, honest, and devastating.
But there’s a detail I wanted to pause on: in the show, before dying by suicide in her backyard, Cory’s mom first considers traveling to Switzerland to die at a fictional “Aurora Death with Dignity Group.” While the name may seem harmless, it’s actually our organization’s namesake being used in a fictional context, and I want to take a minute to set the record straight.
Here’s the truth: Death with Dignity in the U.S. is the name of our real advocacy organization, and it’s also the moniker to name the aid-in-dying laws we support. These laws allow terminally ill, mentally competent adults in certain jurisdictions to request a prescription to end their lives on their own terms.
Because Cory’s mom had dementia, she would not have qualified under U.S. medical aid in dying laws, which require a prognosis of six months or less to live and the ability to make voluntary, informed decisions.
Switzerland, by contrast, allows what is often called “assisted suicide” under broader circumstances, including sometimes qualifying folks from around the world in the earlier stages of cognitive decline, including dementia or Alzheimer’s. While we are not experts on Swiss law, and only the various organizations in Switzerland could confirm whether a patient qualifies, it’s clear that the criteria and process for accessing aid in dying there are quite different in the United States.
Why does it matter? Because storytelling like The Morning Show can blur the lines between reality and fiction, especially around sensitive choices like end-of-life care. We want people to know what’s actually available where they live, so they can make informed, safe decisions and not be led astray by fictional shows like this.
So yes, watch the show. Laugh at the snappy dialogue, live vicariously through the newsroom drama, and marvel at the performances. But also, take a moment to remember: medical aid in dying in the U.S. is real, carefully regulated, and lives are impacted every day by these laws.
