S01.E01: Phyllis

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly considers another run for Congress, amid the women's movement's push for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. Written by Dahvi Waller; directed by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck.

Original air date: 4/15/20

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Even though Phyllis Schlafly makes my skin crawl, I had to watch this based just on the amazing cast. I knew about all the actresses but I was pleasantly surprised to see James Marsden who is always a delight.

If this episode was supposed to make me feel bad for Phyllis, then it was a massive fail. Yes, it sucks that the men, including her own husband, were condescending and patronizing but that's exactly what the ERA was trying to combat and she twisted it into some kind of housewife hating manifesto.

I'm looking forward to the other episodes because I'm more interested in the other women's stories.

[IndyMischa]

I just mini-binged the first three. Phenomenal. I'm realizing quickly how much I don't know about post WW2 history. 

[leighdear]

I was prepared to hate Phyllis, but she had a few moments of vulnerability that only an actress like C. Blanchette could expose, so I felt more distaste than hate. 

And it seemed to me that she really DID want to "have it all".  Be taken seriously for her knowledge and intellect, feel like she had influence and stature on her own, yet have her hubby pay for everything and allow her to make all the decisions at home for the family.  And she was Soooooo condescending to her poor, husbandless sister. 

Slattery isn't aging very well, sad to say.  I had a huge crush on Roger Sterling of "Mad Men".  (I know, time is a bitch!)

 

[Deanie87]

This is the show that I have been looking forward to the most this Spring. I am definitely liking it, but I thought that the first episode was pretty heavy handed. I don't know much about Shlafely but I'm wondering if they are white-washing her a little bit. The show is implying that the ERA definitely wasn't the hill she wanted to die on but the topic that would get her the most recognition. And that she used her looks and charms just as much as Gloria Steinem, who I know a little bit more about but am still wondering how accurate the portrayal is.

All in all the actresses and music are definitely enough to keep me watching.

[Cara]

22 hours ago, Deanie87 said:

but am still wondering how accurate the portrayal is..

I don’t think we are going to get an accurate portrayal of virtually any of the  characters who are based on real people in this show!

[Goldmoon]

In real life, Schlafly was a troll.  I took an introduction to feminism class in 1980 at SIUE (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville).  The professor, Sheila Ruth, had at least one debate with Schlafly concerning the ERA.  Prof. Ruth took a posterboard with the amendment displayed on it to the debate.  She told us that Schlafly was concerned that she had the poster because Schlafly didn't have something to display, evidently not realizing that Ruth WAS showing the thing that Schlafly was talking about too.

Schlafly had a great deal of privilege for a woman of her time, yet wanted to deny other women the same thing.  She was a walking example of the worst hypocrisy.  Having said that, that basically there was nothing to like about her, I thought this episode was far too heavy-handed.  There was no opportunity for me, a lifelong feminist, to feel anything for the character except the disgust leftover from reading about her exploits in real time.  

I was amused at the sex scene, which PS was clearly annoyed at having sex with her husband.  Does anyone else think that Marsden's character was trying to hit on PS or was he just being too handsy with her?

[SomeTameGazelle]

52 minutes ago, Goldmoon said:

Does anyone else think that Marsden's character was trying to hit on PS or was he just being too handsy with her?

I thought he was clearly making a move from the moment he first spoke to her and focused on her bathing suit. He was trying to convince her to stay overnight in DC by inviting her for drinks which became dinner and would make her miss her flight. If he had just been trying to help her meet donors he could have said that they could arrange something for the next time she could come back to town, but he was pressing for that night.

 

[tennisgurl]

Was that Beloved Character Actress Margo Martindale I saw?! This cast is amazing, I would have to watch just for them alone. 

I am liking the show so far, even if I think they might feel the need to make Phyllis Schlafly a bit more sympathetic if we are going to have her as the main character. I do feel for her at times, like when the men she was meeting to talk national security with told her to take notes, but all that goes away considering her reaction to being discriminated against as a women is to...try to help more women be discriminated against! She also very much has that politician style slippery slope strawman style of debate that I so loath. "Well if we give women equal rights, whats to stop women from getting drafted, men taking care of children (the presence of a dick clearly makes a person unsuitable and uninterested in childcare!) or women from being forced to get abortions against their will!!!" 

I am also loving the 70s soundtrack, and in general I have a soft spot for period pieces set in the 70s, as a decade I feel like it gets a bit ignored in TV and movies. Unless its watergate or Vietnam, it tends to get ignored in favor of the turmoil of the 60s and the pop culture wildness of the 80s, so its nice to see some attention being paid. 

[marinw]

Like @tennisgurl I love me a 70's soundtrack too. But the Disco Beethoven 5th didn't come out until 1976. Nitpick aside I am in love with the opening credits.

[ifionlyknew]

On 4/15/2020 at 7:13 PM, leighdear said:

 

Slattery isn't aging very well, sad to say.  I had a huge crush on Roger Sterling of "Mad Men".  (I know, time is a bitch!)

 

I think he might have makeup on.  He was in Amazon Prime's Modern Love last year and he didn't look that old.

[pasdetrois]

I was a very young congressional staffer during this period. The Abzugs, Chisholms, Steinems, etc. of the day were heroic trailblazers. The nasty shit (no other word suffices) that we all endured in the workplace was remarkable in that it was ROUTINE and never given a moment's thought by the men and women who perpetrated it. (One of my bosses asked me to don a French maid's uniform and serve drinks at a fundraising cocktail party. Not the sexy costumey one, the real one that his housekeeper wore.) I hope the show doesn't leave the impression that the women's movement was all about theory and ideals and pithy soundbites.

When the resistance arose, the pushback was vicious, daily. Congress exempted itself from the anti-discrimination legislation it passed. Schaffly aligned herself with some despicable characters. I cannot stomach watching it all over again.

Edited April 19, 2020 by pasdetrois

[poeticlicensed]

Phyllis was a self serving scumbag. The only solace I take is that she died when the polls were showing that Hilary was going to win the presidency, so she passed thinking a woman was going to be president.

As an aside, Mr. Poetic made dinner for me while I watched the show and sipped a martini. Methinks Phyllis wouldn't have been happy about that. 

[Zima]

On 4/18/2020 at 1:52 PM, tennisgurl said:

I am liking the show so far, even if I think they might feel the need to make Phyllis Schlafly a bit more sympathetic if we are going to have her as the main character. I do feel for her at times, like when the men she was meeting to talk national security with told her to take notes, but all that goes away considering her reaction to being discriminated against as a women is to...try to help more women be discriminated against! She also very much has that politician style slippery slope strawman style of debate that I so loath. "Well if we give women equal rights, whats to stop women from getting drafted, men taking care of children (the presence of a dick clearly makes a person unsuitable and uninterested in childcare!) or women from being forced to get abortions against their will!!!" 

 

She reminds me of Serena Waterford from The Handmaid's Tale.  She's fine with keeping other women in their place as long as she can remain in a position of power and privilege. I wonder if Phyllis was Margaret Atwood's inspiration for that character in her novel.  

I have heard of Phyllis Schlafly and her movement before, and was immediately disgusted. I must say that Cate Blanchett is making me hate her a bit less. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, lol. 

[marinw]

30 minutes ago, Zima said:

She reminds me of Serena Waterford from The Handmaid's Tale.  She's fine with keeping other women in their place as long as she can remain in a position of power and privilege. I wonder if Phyllis was Margaret Atwood's inspiration for that character in her novel.  

A brilliant comparison!

[IndyMischa]

13 hours ago, Zima said:

She reminds me of Serena Waterford from The Handmaid's Tale.  She's fine with keeping other women in their place as long as she can remain in a position of power and privilege. I wonder if Phyllis was Margaret Atwood's inspiration for that character in her novel.  

Atwood has confirmed this is true. And both are married to a guy named Fred! 🙂

[rejnel]

I had no idea about that Schlafly/Waterford connection--terrific!

The first episode did feel very heavy handed, and the music very on the nose. But there's no question I'll keep watching! Hopefully it will get a little more nuanced as we go. Either way, what a freaking great cast, all up and down the line. 

 

[marinw]

3 hours ago, rejnel said:

Hopefully it will get a little more nuanced as we go. Either way, what a freaking great cast, all up and down the line. 

I already love this take on Gloria Steinem.

[Trillian]

On 4/19/2020 at 9:50 AM, pasdetrois said:

I was a very young congressional staffer during this period. The Abzugs, Chisholms, Steinems, etc. of the day were heroic trailblazers. The nasty shit (no other word suffices) that we all endured in the workplace was remarkable in that it was ROUTINE and never given a moment's thought by the men and women who perpetrated it. (One of my bosses asked me to don a French maid's uniform and serve drinks at a fundraising cocktail party. Not the sexy costumey one, the real one that his housekeeper wore.) I hope the show doesn't leave the impression that the women's movement was all about theory and ideals and pithy soundbites.

When the resistance arose, the pushback was vicious, daily. Congress exempted itself from the anti-discrimination legislation it passed. Schaffly aligned herself with some despicable characters. I cannot stomach watching it all over again.

I hear you, sister, particularly “I cannot stomach watching it all over again.”.   I’m somewhat younger than you - barely in my teens during this time- but was introduced to what we then called women’s liberation at about age 12 by an older cousin and never looked back.  Despite being Canadian, I followed the ERA debate with passion and considered Ms (hope that title makes you spin in your grave) Schlafly to be evil personified.  I’m finding this really hard to watch.  
 

Part of it is Cate Blanchett’s performance and part of that is the show itself. Is she supposed to be a villain, or are we supposed to feel sorry for the woman who campaigned against the criminalization  of marital rape as she is raped by her husband?  The feminist in me wanted to be outraged but another part of me is saying “serves you right” (and then the feminist part of me slaps the other part of me and I end up emotionally bruised and confused).   I suspect part of the problem is the writers don’t want to take a stand on the actual issues  because  -ratings  -  and are trying to have it both ways.  And Blanchett, to me, is coming across as not believing in her character (she’s said as much in interviews).  I appreciate it’s hard to strike a balance but it’s not coming across for me.   

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The Threat of the Women's Liberation Movement

 

[Goldmoon]

Trillian, I like that you read that CB didn't believe in her character, the revolting PS.  I have watched the first four now, and I don't like this series.  I wonder if it makes a difference to different age groups?  Maybe the twenty- and thirty- somethings find this new and riveting.  I just turned 60 so the ERA, R v. Wade, MS. Magazine, and Phyllis Schlafly's attack on her sisters are not new to me.  I like some, but not all, of the actors.  I usually like Cate but I think she is terrible in this.

[NotChristine]

The title sequence is phenomenal.

[txhorns79]

On 4/22/2020 at 6:49 PM, Trillian said:

Part of it is Cate Blanchett’s performance and part of that is the show itself. Is she supposed to be a villain, or are we supposed to feel sorry for the woman who campaigned against the criminalization  of marital rape as she is raped by her husband?

I would say the character is played as though she recognizes she is a fraud as to the ERA, while also knowing this issue is the only way anyone will pay attention to her.  I mean, she claims a woman who complains about sexism isn't trying hard enough, while simultaneously getting propositioned by one Congressman and being reduced to the role of note taker at a meeting where she appears to know more about the topic than most of the men in the room.  

[anyanka323]

On 4/20/2020 at 4:25 AM, Zima said:

She reminds me of Serena Waterford from The Handmaid's Tale.  She's fine with keeping other women in their place as long as she can remain in a position of power and privilege. I wonder if Phyllis was Margaret Atwood's inspiration for that character in her novel.  

I have heard of Phyllis Schlafly and her movement before, and was immediately disgusted. I must say that Cate Blanchett is making me hate her a bit less. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, lol. 

The book version of Serena Joy seems to be inspired by Schlafly, Anita Bryant, and Tammy Faye Bakker to name a couple women in the then emerging right wing, conservative movement and the evangelical movement.  In the book, Offred recalls seeing a pre-Gilead Serena Joy on TV as a kid watching her church TV show before her preferred cartoons were on.  The TV version seems to be inspired by Schlafly and her present day counterparts on Fox News and other conservative media. 

 

[Sarah 103]

On 4/15/2020 at 4:44 PM, IndyMischa said:

I just mini-binged the first three. Phenomenal. I'm realizing quickly how much I don't know about post WW2 history. 

I hope this doesn't come off as snobby or something else negative because that is not how I mean it at all. I can recommend some books on the post WWII era, especially the women's movement/feminism if you are interested. If not, that's okay too. 

The first episode is very clearly set-up. I like some of the subtle things they did. The idea of spotlighting a different woman in each episode seems like a smart idea.