Sloan subs for Elliot during the Japanese nuclear crisis following the March 2011 earthquake, but her harsh questioning of a Tokyo power-company representative could damage her credibility. Meanwhile, Will has a bout of insomnia that leads him to therapy, and he learns a lesson about bullying after his rude behavior in an interview.

The ratings for "News Night" plummet after it downplays a pair of sensational stories, and Will and Mac must find a way to lure back enough viewers to justify the network's quest to air a Republican debate. Meanwhile, Will considers writers for an all-access profile. Sloan is disappointed by the lack of coverage of an important financial story. Charlie learns a National Security Agency whistle-blower's identity.

The "News Night" staff host a mock debate for two Republican Party officials. A power outage energizes Mac's thought process. Charlie evaluates an intelligence-agency insider's reliability. Lisa does an on-air interview. Neal poses as an Internet troll.