For the first time in years, "The Breakdown" has been nominated for an American Journalism Award. Katie is looking forward to spending the night as a peer with the very reporters she has admired her whole life. Fearing her mother will ruin it, Katie tries to stop Carol from attending but is unsuccessful when Carol secures a position as a seat-filler. Katie is stuck babysitting her mom all night but gets distracted by Jeremy, a handsome New York Times reporter who looks down on cable news. Chuck is excited to reunite with all of his old anchormen friends, especially Len Archer.