S01.E09: Reagan

[ElectricBoogaloo]

SERIES FINALE!

Quote

Gloria, Bella and Jill put pressure on the White House to act on their proposals from the National Women's Conference; Phyllis prepares to leverage her political victories as the 1980 presidential election draws near.

Promo:

Original air date: 5/27/20

[Roseanna]

After the last episode I was astonished that Alice came to work for Phyllis. But I am glad that she began to work and got money for the work she had done for Phyllis. She didn't have to ask money for her husband - and he didn't have to pay for huge phone bills. 

Phyllis claimed that she worked for women who wanted to be house wives, but she never admitted such grievances bad husbands caused. Her advice was only that a wife must be "nice" and let the husband to be a "king". Really unempathic.

In the end it seemed that at least a huge part of Phyllis motivation in fighting against ERA was to get herself a position in the the foreign policy men had refused her in the first episode. But Reagan proved to be an ordinary male politican who cared about women only to get their votes. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Wow, I can't remember the last time I saw a cigarette machine.

I knew that watching the finale would make me sad because I knew how it would end (still three states short) so it was comforting to see the updates at the end (even though it's ridiculous that it took FORTY YEARS to get three more states).

[bmoore4026]

Ah hahahahahahahahaha!  AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!  Schlafly ultimately lost!  Reagan fucked her good!  AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

Still,  she did damage something - the Republican Party.  Now, it would be petty to lay all of the blame at her doorstep.  There were other factors in the metamorphosis of the GOP.  But she has had a sizable hand in that molding.

I take back what I said.  The ERA women should be on pedestals.  Well, most of them.  Betty Friedan can kiss my queer ass.  I hate how Bella Abzug was done dirty.  All this time I thought Reagan put the breaks on the ERA but it was Carter.  I never knew that.

With three states now ratifying the ERA, I have some hope.  It will take a miracle for it to become an actual amendment, though.  I guess all one can do is pray. 

And Cate Blanchette has that Best Actress Emmy locked down.  I mean, she can take something like getting baking ware and peeling apples and make it look like art.

I'm conflicted on who should get the Best Supporting Actress nominations.  Rose Byrne, Margo Martindale, Tracy Ullman.  I'm conflicted.

All in all, this has been an amazing miniseries and I'm glad I watched.  I knew next to nothing about the Women's Lib movement other than it being the butt of jokes in the 70s.  But it wasn't a joke.  It's something that matters.  For men and women.  And I will be praying for the ERA's success.

Edited May 30, 2020 by bmoore4026

[chocolatine]

3 hours ago, bmoore4026 said:

I hate how Bella Abzug was done dirty. 

True, but all the women lining up to resign in protest was glorious. I don't know if that actually happened - it looked a little too "made for TV" - but I hope at least some of them did resign.

Of all the vile things Phyllis has said and done, I was most bothered with the way she treated her housekeeper in this episode. Phyllis insisted that she stay late to pick up Anne even though the woman said she had to pick up her own child. I guess to Phyllis "family values" means her own family über alles.

Sad to see that Pamela ended up having another child she didn't want, exactly as she predicted in the previous episode. Nice to see Alice confront Phyllis, but I doubt Phyllis lost any sleep over her.

[Brn2bwild]

This was really effective.  The series as a whole was really strong in the back half.  I loved Phyllis's last exchange with Alice, and that Alice found some self determination.

The last moments with the music and the text stating when the final three states ratified the ERA left a lump in my throat.  

[Roseanna]

4 hours ago, bmoore4026 said:

Still,  she did damage something - the Republican Party.  Now, it would be petty to lay all of the blame at her doorstep.  There were other factors in the metamorphosis of the GOP.  But she has had a sizable hand in that molding.

I don't think that it's not chiefly about individuals because they can't succeed without favorable circumstances. The crux of the matter are the features characteristic to the US but not other rich countries.

1 hour ago, chocolatine said:

Of all the vile things Phyllis has said and done, I was most bothered with the way she treated her housekeeper in this episode. Phyllis insisted that she stay late to pick up Anne even though the woman said she had to pick up her own child. I guess to Phyllis "family values" means her own family über alles.

There has always been hypocrisy in Phyllis. In the gala she boasted how she had raised six children, but left out that she didn't do it alone. 

But it was a good example how some well-to-do women were liberated from working for pay not only because their husband worked, but because poor women had to work for them - and leave their small children in the care of grandmothers, neighbours, older siblings or even strangers willing to do it cheaply, because having municial nurseries were regarded as "socialist".  

[Blakeston]

What's Fact and What's Fiction in the Mrs. America Finale

The majority of Carter's committee quitting in protest of Abzug's firing did, in fact, actually happen.

[tennisgurl]

As frustrating as it was to see the ERA getting stopped in its tracks by the mechanisms of Phyllis and her cronies, but I loved the end and seeing the last three states needed for ratification finally passing the ERA, even if its nuts that its taken this long, and the shots of protesters in the 70s and today. Ties into the ERA leaders ending looking to the future of their movement and wondering what the next generation of feminists will bring. 

I admit, I got some real schadenfreude watching Phyllis realizing that Reagan not only kicked her to the curb, but she was never even really on the street to begin with. I think this is what she wanted all along, stopping the ERA was never really what she cared about, she wanted a post in foreign policy and thought that this was her way for men to see her as, basically, not one of those women, so that they would take her seriously. Unfortunately, she didn't understand that by fighting against women's rights, she was fighting against her own too, and while that may seem totally obvious to most people, that fact never seems to find its way into her thick skull. So now, after all of that, what did she accomplish? Screwed over thousands of people, and all so that she can get dinner on the table by six and get a pat on the head from the man she helped bring to power. 

What must have galled her even more was that Reagan did appoint a women to a big international policy position, a woman that was pro ERA. Almost like Phyllis is actually unqualified and not as smart as she thinks she is or something. The galla was all so Phyllis, making petty and mean skits about the ERA Women, humble bragging about how awesome she is, and going on about the importance of family while she keeps making cruel slights against her own family. Yeah, when someone asks who is watching her kids, she should probably say that its her sister in law who she treats like crap. 

I am really glad that Alice finally saw Phyllis for what she is and is on her own path to empowerment, especially after seeing how badly Phyllis treated poor abused Pamela. She even went and got a pantsuit! I am sure that Phyllis wont give Alice telling her off more than a few thoughts, but it was great to see Alice take charge of her own life. Quite a change from being Phyllis's "ringer." 

They really did Bella dirty, but I loved seeing the other women all resigned in protest/solidarity. I really didn't know much about the women's lib movement from the 70s and their leaders beyond some names (mainly Gloria) and some of the basic stuff that laid the basis for the modern movement, but it was really great learning so much more about them and all that they struggled against and accomplished. They had very real flaws, as both people and as an organization, but they did really great things and I have so much more appreciation for them now. This was a great miniseries, I am really glad to have seen it. I hope it cleans up at the Emmys!

Plus, so many 70s clothes! I really need to order some giant ass colored sunglasses, Gloria style. 

[BrownBear2012]

16 hours ago, bmoore4026 said:

Ah hahahahahahahahaha!  AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!  Schlafly ultimately lost!  Reagan fucked her good!  AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

Still,  she did damage something - the Republican Party.  Now, it would be petty to lay all of the blame at her doorstep.  There were other factors in the metamorphosis of the GOP.  But she has had a sizable hand in that molding.

I take back what I said.  The ERA women should be on pedestals.  Well, most of them.  Betty Friedan can kiss my queer ass.  I hate how Bella Abzug was done dirty.  All this time I thought Reagan put the breaks on the ERA but it was Carter.  I never knew that.

With three states now ratifying the ERA, I have some hope.  It will take a miracle for it to become an actual amendment, though.  I guess all one can do is pray. 

And Cate Blanchette has that Best Actress Emmy locked down.  I mean, she can take something getting baking ware and peeling apples and make it look like art.

I'm conflicted on who should get the Best Supporting Actress nominations.  Rose Byrne, Margo Martindale, Tracy Ullman.  I'm conflicted.

All in all, this has been an amazing miniseries and I'm glad I watched.  I knew next to nothing about the Women's Lib movement other than it being the butt of jokes in the 70s.  But it wasn't a joke.  It's something that matters.  For men and women.  And I will be praying for the ERA's success.

When I entered college in 1970, I dove in deep into the local NOW chapter where my school was located and even helped set up a coordinating group on my campus. I subscribed to MS magazine and wrote about seeing and hearing Jill Johnston, lesbian writer and leader of the lesbian separatist movement in the 70's....not to digress, but she was possibly one of the best speakers I've ever seen. She was inclusive to those of us who were not gay and spoke to the problems that women as a whole were having getting the ERA passed. Her passion and personal experiences as a former straight woman and as a gay woman were enlightening. I got the chance to actually speak to her after she finished and she couldn't have been kinder...her advice to me was to keep pursuing my writing, don't give up and challenge myself everyday to do something extraordinary. I guess my point is, there were many women in the movement who weren't in it to be famous or have followers...there many Jill Johnstons who inspired younger women and encouraged them to care about feminism and pay it forward to the women coming up. I think this series was excellent and we saw how these ERA activists and politicians worked together, argued with each other and disagreed on things but came together, despite their personal differences, to get the ERA passed.

[bmoore4026]

One thing occurred to me hours after watching this, though.  Why no mention of Reagan's nomination of Sandra Day O'Connor at the end?  She was pro-ERA and became the first woman on the Supreme Court but she didn't get a mention at the end.  Kind of irks me.

Edited May 30, 2020 by bmoore4026

[Blakeston]

One thing I really wish the series had done was explain the actual, practical ramifications of the ERA. As in, what effect it would really have on the law, if passed.

The writers clearly trusted the audience to understand some complex issues, so I think they also could have trusted us to be able to understand legal concepts like strict scrutiny (if explained properly).

Edited May 30, 2020 by Blakeston

[bijoux]

On 5/27/2020 at 11:09 AM, Roseanna said:

 

In the end it seemed that at least a huge part of Phyllis motivation in fighting against ERA was to get herself a position in the the foreign policy men had refused her in the first episode. But Reagan proved to be an ordinary male politican who cared about women only to get their votes. 

I think her chief motivation was to be the only woman in the room. Foreign policy was perfect because it was (or at least seemed to be) entirely male oriented. She practically orgasmed on that elevator going to see 'Ron' surrounded by all dudes. My overall impression is that she was a supreme mysoginist. I can't think of one woman she seemed to like. She looked down on, used and/or dismissed every single one of them. 

On 5/28/2020 at 7:37 AM, chocolatine said:

Of all the vile things Phyllis has said and done, I was most bothered with the way she treated her housekeeper in this episode. Phyllis insisted that she stay late to pick up Anne even though the woman said she had to pick up her own child. I guess to Phyllis "family values" means her own family über alles.

Sad to see that Pamela ended up having another child she didn't want, exactly as she predicted in the previous episode. Nice to see Alice confront Phyllis, but I doubt Phyllis lost any sleep over her.

Phyllis' family was another way to feel superior to those around her. If she gave a crap about any of them, she wouldn't be dismissing her sister-in-law's effort, care and contribution literally every time we saw the woman on screen. I got some fanfic going on in my head about her and the man who approached her outside the hotel.

Stupid Pamela not being able to deal with her abusive shithole of a husband was just another way in which Phyllis was better. Gag me. 

I did really enjoy Blanchett in the backstage during that godawful anti-feminist, anti-gay skit. Was that her closeted son on the piano during it? 

On 5/28/2020 at 8:47 AM, Brn2bwild said:

This was really effective.  The series as a whole was really strong in the back half.  I loved Phyllis's last exchange with Alice, and that Alice found some self determination.

The last moments with the music and the text stating when the final three states ratified the ERA left a lump in my throat.  

Effective was just the word that came to mind. I got slightly misty eyed when Bella called Shirley. "Hold the door open for those coming after us." But starting with the footage of real events, the run, Houston, the TV debate and so forth, yeah, my vision got blurry. 

[Roseanna]

26 minutes ago, bijoux said:

Stupid Pamela not being able to deal with her abusive shithole of a husband

I don't think it was due to stupidity but lack of resources. She had no work nor money.

But she could have no help from the institutions, either. Would the police arrested her husband for violence? Would her doctor given her contraception and her priest accepted that? 

 

 

[bijoux]

1 hour ago, Roseanna said:

I don't think it was due to stupidity but lack of resources. She had no work nor money.

But she could have no help from the institutions, either. Would the police arrested her husband for violence? Would her doctor given her contraception and her priest accepted that? 

 

 

I don't think Pamela was being abused because she was stupid. I think Phyllis saw it that way. 

[bijoux]

On 5/28/2020 at 4:22 PM, Blakeston said:

What's Fact and What's Fiction in the Mrs. America Finale

The majority of Carter's committee quitting in protest of Abzug's firing did, in fact, actually happen.

trying to get herself appointed instead as the first woman on the Supreme Court

 

Just wow. Supreme Court justice without practicing law. If that doesn't sum up Phyllis in a nutshell, I don't know what does. 

[Cara]

Just a reminder Alice and Pamela were not actual people. The writers made them up! There was an actual “Over The Rainbow” event. It occurred on June 30, 1982.  Ronald Reagan had already been president for more than a year and a half! So there was absolutely no way any discussion of who to support in the Iowa Caucus or any 1980  presidential primary  occurred in relation to that event. 

Edited May 31, 2020 by Cara

[txhorns79]

Margo Martindale is a queen.  That moment where Bella was being fired, and you could see all the bravado just evaporate, Bella was just devastated and essentially begging to be given a little dignity by being allowed to resign instead of being fired.  That was a masterclass in acting.    

[rejnel]

Quote

 I knew next to nothing about the Women's Lib movement other than it being the butt of jokes in the 70s. 

It's tragic that kids don't learn history anymore. The second wave of feminism (which is what you're talking about) made enormous strides that you and/or the women in your life benefit from every day.

'

[Cara]

12 minutes ago, rejnel said:

It's tragic that kids don't learn history anymore. The second wave of feminism (which is what you're talking about) made enormous strides that you and/or the women in your life benefit from every day.

'

I would be really disconcerting if someone thought this series was an accurate historical portrayal.
 

 

 

[DangerousMinds]

1 hour ago, rejnel said:

It's tragic that kids don't learn history anymore. The second wave of feminism (which is what you're talking about) made enormous strides that you and/or the women in your life benefit from every day.

'

 

I agree. It's depressing to hear from so many that (relatively recent) women's history is new to them.

[Kirkydee]

On 5/28/2020 at 8:46 PM, bmoore4026 said:

One thing occurred to me hours after watching this, though.  Why no mention of Reagan's nomination of Sandra Day O'Connor at the end?  She was pro-ERA and became the first woman on the Supreme Court but she didn't get a mention at the end.  Kind of irks me.

I agree with the Sandra Day Oconnor sentiment.  Also surprised they didnt mention Ruth Bader Ginsburg, since her character was briefly shown in an earlier episode. 

On this site I enjoyed the links to "what was and wasnt real"  I was a child during this time frame and the only names I heard of was Gloria Steinem and Shirley Chisholm.  Never heard of Phyllis until January while watching Mrs Maisel (hilarious bit about Phyllis's radio ad in the 60s). So Mrs Maisel got me interested in this show. 

Anytime a show has you googling names and events is a good show. It did a good job of making the audience care about the subject matter.  If I didnt care I wouldn't investigate the subject matter

[ruby24]

Hearing those parts of Gloria's speech at the end made me believe that she is who really deserved to have a show about her, not Phyllis Schlafly. I don't agree with the idea that this was glorifying her just because they showed what happened, but having it be Phyllis vs. "the feminists" as a group diminished how revolutionary and iconic Gloria Steinem really was (and is). And I think in a way it kind of does give Phyllis too much credit for taking down the ERA and it certainly shines a spotlight on her where she'd really become a forgotten figure since then. 

Gloria Steinem hasn't, but there are plenty of younger people who don't know her either, or what she did. A show that centered her (along with the other feminist activists) would have done wonders for educating people about who she was. 

As it is, I know that having Oscar winner Cate Blanchett as Schlafly is probably the reason the show was mostly about her, but still. Gloria deserved more I think. 

[txhorns79]

On 5/31/2020 at 2:24 PM, Kirkydee said:

Also surprised they didnt mention Ruth Bader Ginsburg, since her character was briefly shown in an earlier episode. 

I feel like exactly zero people need an update about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and what she was up to after her brief cameo on this series.  Heck, she basically had her own episode of Mrs. America with the movie, On the Basis of Sex (which is a very good movie, by the way).

[Roseanna]

On 6/8/2020 at 4:21 AM, ruby24 said:

Hearing those parts of Gloria's speech at the end made me believe that she is who really deserved to have a show about her, not Phyllis Schlafly. I don't agree with the idea that this was glorifying her just because they showed what happened, but having it be Phyllis vs. "the feminists" as a group diminished how revolutionary and iconic Gloria Steinem really was (and is). And I think in a way it kind of does give Phyllis too much credit for taking down the ERA and it certainly shines a spotlight on her where she'd really become a forgotten figure since then. 

I find that this serie makes people understand history much better than usual way to put "revolutionary" and "iconic" persons on the pedestal. 

I don't like Phyllis but to me she can at least partly explain why the US is different than countries where women don't have to be "Socialist" or "Radical" to find it quite natural that women work and children are in munical daycare and where politics isn't making divisions but finding the common ground. 

[purist]

On 5/28/2020 at 11:54 AM, bmoore4026 said:

And Cate Blanchette has that Best Actress Emmy locked down.  I mean, she can take something like getting baking ware and peeling apples and make it look like art.

Word. That scene was brilliant.

On 6/8/2020 at 11:21 AM, ruby24 said:

Hearing those parts of Gloria's speech at the end made me believe that she is who really deserved to have a show about her, not Phyllis Schlafly.

There is a movie called The Glorias (directed by Julie Taymor) coming out later this year about Steinem, with Julianne Moore as the adult Gloria, and Lulu Moore and Alicia Vikander as younger Glorias. And Bette Midler as Bella Abzug!

Edited June 18, 2020 by purist

[Trillian]

On 6/7/2020 at 9:21 PM, ruby24 said:

Hearing those parts of Gloria's speech at the end made me believe that she is who really deserved to have a show about her, not Phyllis Schlafly. I don't agree with the idea that this was glorifying her just because they showed what happened, but having it be Phyllis vs. "the feminists" as a group diminished how revolutionary and iconic Gloria Steinem really was (and is). And I think in a way it kind of does give Phyllis too much credit for taking down the ERA and it certainly shines a spotlight on her where she'd really become a forgotten figure since then. 

Gloria Steinem hasn't, but there are plenty of younger people who don't know her either, or what she did. A show that centered her (along with the other feminist activists) would have done wonders for educating people about who she was. 

As it is, I know that having Oscar winner Cate Blanchett as Schlafly is probably the reason the show was mostly about her, but still. Gloria deserved more I think. 

Steinem (we don’t call men by their first names so why would we do that with women) agrees that Schafly gets too much credit:

“In actuality, I don’t believe she changed one vote. Nobody could ever discover that she changed even one vote. The insurance industry here opposed the equal rights amendment because if they stopped segregating their actuarial tables it would cost them millions upon millions of dollars.”

Schlafly was someone “brought in at the last minute” to make it seem that women opposed equal rights when the truth was “the vast majority” always supported it... 

“The series makes it seem as if women are our own worst enemies, which keeps us from recognising who our worst enemies are. Not that we aren’t in conflict, yes we are in conflict, but by and large we don’t have the power to be our own worst enemies.”

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/may/22/tv-account-of-1970s-feminist-history-not-very-good-says-gloria-steinem-hay-festival.

I would’ve loved a show focusing on Steinem, Abzug, Chisolm, Friedan, et al. I’ll take what I can get and this was amazing but it could’ve been so much more. 

[AntFTW]

I have nothing to say about the plot. The acting was amazing!

[Mrs. Hanson]

On 7/1/2020 at 10:15 PM, AntFTW said:

I have nothing to say about the plot. The acting was amazing!

I am a little late to the party but man....this series was so good!  I watched all but the last two in a row on a Saturday. I did watch them all to the end.  I was born in 1965 so I grew up with all this movement. plus my family talked politics a lot.   When this was being promoted, I asked same age (more or less) "Do you remember Phyllis Shlafly?  No one did!!  I sure do - and she annoyed me then and she annoyed me now that she could have a sister in law do a lot of her heavy lifting, at least two maids/cooks, flew around the country and was gone a lot yet told other women they should not do that, or more importantly, should not WANT that.  I gotta give it to Cate Blanchett:  She made me feel a bit sorry for Phyllis- being dismissed by her male counterparts more often than not.  "Honey, could you take some notes?"  Having said that I didn't care for her, you gotta give her credit:  She wrote a playbook that is still being used today.  I wondered how she would have reacted to having a female nurse or a female doctor save her life, while said nurse/doctor's kids were at home with a sitter.  If they were home they could not be helping Phyllis, no?

 

On 5/28/2020 at 2:19 AM, Roseanna said:

There has always been hypocrisy in Phyllis. In the gala she boasted how she had raised six children, but left out that she didn't do it alone. 

This.  Exactly.  Plus it is very easy to tell others what to do when your husband is owner of his own law firm.  If not owner, a partner with a good salary.  Not so easy when your husband does not make a great salary.

 

On 5/30/2020 at 8:44 PM, txhorns79 said:

Margo Martindale is a queen.  That moment where Bella was being fired, and you could see all the bravado just evaporate, Bella was just devastated and essentially begging to be given a little dignity by being allowed to resign instead of being fired.  That was a masterclass in acting.    

It very much was a masterclass.  

 

On 5/30/2020 at 11:12 PM, rejnel said:

It's tragic that kids don't learn history anymore. The second wave of feminism (which is what you're talking about) made enormous strides that you and/or the women in your life benefit from every day.

'

The district that my kids graduated from (in 2016 and 2017) taught about this period extensively.

I thought all the casting was spot on (Bobby Cannavale as Tom Snyder was spot on) and the wardrobes were PERFECT.

Edited July 9, 2020 by Mrs. Hanson
Bobby Cannavale deserves to have his name spelled correctly

[Roseanna]

22 hours ago, Mrs. Hanson said:

This.  Exactly.  Plus it is very easy to tell others what to do when your husband is owner of his own law firm.  If not owner, a partner with a good salary.  Not so easy when your husband does not make a great salary.

It's strange that Phyllis's mother had experienced how weak is the position of a house wife whose husband fails (it was told before but I  can't any more remember exactly what had happened - maybe somebody does). So a woman who would have a different character than Phyllis would become a supporter of ERA. Why didn't she? Was she shamed of her failed parents and humble background? 

[MoreCoffeePlease]

Quote

I mean, she can take something like getting baking ware and peeling apples and make it look like art.

This, and when she is on the phone with Reagan and he tells her she won't be in the cabinet. Cate Blanchett is a goddess. Love her.

[lovinbob]

I am extremely late to the party, so probably not adding to the conversation, but I enjoyed and appreciated this series so much, so what the heck.

On 5/31/2020 at 12:12 AM, rejnel said:

It's tragic that kids don't learn history anymore. The second wave of feminism (which is what you're talking about) made enormous strides that you and/or the women in your life benefit from every day.'

In my IMO, it's less that children don't learn history. It's that the history they/we learn is centered on white males. Until that changes, the women's movement and the ERA, not to mention so-called "Black history," which should really just be called "history," are going to largely be part of niche studies rather than woven into the main study of history.

On 5/29/2020 at 2:48 PM, Blakeston said:

One thing I really wish the series had done was explain the actual, practical ramifications of the ERA. As in, what effect it would really have on the law, if passed.

The writers clearly trusted the audience to understand some complex issues, so I think they also could have trusted us to be able to understand legal concepts like strict scrutiny (if explained properly).

Totally agree on this. This show left a lot unsaid that would have been helpful and powerful. To be fair, I will admit I am definitely ignorant about my own history. 

On 5/30/2020 at 3:15 AM, bijoux said:

I think her chief motivation was to be the only woman in the room. Foreign policy was perfect because it was (or at least seemed to be) entirely male oriented. She practically orgasmed on that elevator going to see 'Ron' surrounded by all dudes. My overall impression is that she was a supreme mysoginist. I can't think of one woman she seemed to like. She looked down on, used and/or dismissed every single one of them. 

This is a great point, and it brings me back to Margaret, the Black writer at Ms., who wanted to write about tokenism. The Ms. staff may not have known the word, but it was a battle they were fighting, and that Phyllis either implicitly or explicitly understood. The dominant culture will only let you have one, and Phyllis was going to be that one. The Ms. didn't get it in terms of race--how they were leaving out important voices, and how involving one Black woman didn't make their staff inclusive and equitable. The women's movement struggled with it too, obviously, and STOP ERA -- well that was like the Hunger Games for women.

On 5/27/2020 at 9:54 PM, bmoore4026 said:

And Cate Blanchette has that Best Actress Emmy locked down.  I mean, she can take something like getting baking ware and peeling apples and make it look like art.

Ok, I will not dispute that Cate Blanchett is brilliant, but I was not terribly affected by this scene. I watched thinking Okay, what am I supposed to be thinking? (Also I was very distracted by the instant milk and the apples she was using--what was she making!? Those didn't look like baking apples ... so many questions.) On refection I have ideas but I think the direction deserves some credit, in addition to Cate's performance.

On 7/9/2020 at 4:14 PM, Mrs. Hanson said:

I thought all the casting was spot on (Bobby Cannavale as Tom Snyder was spot on) and the wardrobes were PERFECT.

This was so fun. In a million years I would not have cast Cannavale as Tom Snyder, but he was pitch perfect. Score one for being together with one of the stars of the show. 🙂

[Mrs. Hanson]

1 hour ago, lovinbob said:

This was so fun. In a million years I would not have cast Cannavale as Tom Snyder, but he was pitch perfect. Score one for being together with one of the stars of the show. 🙂

He is the real life partner of Rose Byrne who played Gloria Steinem.  Why do I see her saying, over dinner:  "Funny thought, dear, why not play Tom Snyder?  C'mon....it will be fun!"

[Lastwaltz]

On 5/28/2020 at 10:22 AM, Blakeston said:

What's Fact and What's Fiction in the Mrs. America Finale

The majority of Carter's committee quitting in protest of Abzug's firing did, in fact, actually happen.

This floored me, and I was a young woman then who should have been a little better plugged in, I guess. Making up for lost time now, lol.

[Lastwaltz]

On 5/30/2020 at 9:44 PM, txhorns79 said:

Margo Martindale is a queen.  That moment where Bella was being fired, and you could see all the bravado just evaporate, Bella was just devastated and essentially begging to be given a little dignity by being allowed to resign instead of being fired.  That was a masterclass in acting.    

She's a revelation. I first noticed her in The Americans, although she was familiar to me. Now it seems she's popping up in all kinds of places. She was a perfect Bella. 

[pasdetrois]

On 5/31/2020 at 12:29 AM, Cara said:

I would be really disconcerting if someone thought this series was an accurate historical portrayal.

Certainly the conversations/dialogue were drummed up by writers, but I found the series to be accurate in terms of the players, the major events, and the physical space (clothes, hair, etc.).

I was a very young legislative assistant working in the House of Representatives when these events transpired. I saw those women walk the halls of Congress and went to NOW and other meetings. I was glad to see the brief time the series spent on Members of Congress sexually harassing their own staff. Father Drinan, a Jesuit MC, held meetings in his Hill office to help establish an effort to push back against the harassment.

Many do not know that as Congress passed civil rights legislation, it exempted itself from those laws. The local media referred to Congress as "The Last Plantation." I think this was around the time that Liz Ray bragged that Representative Hays paid her $14K a year "to not type." (the sexy blonde in the green sweater in Hays' office)

Anyway, I could not watch this series when it aired because it was too depressing to remember how horrible the workplace was for many women, and the organized resistance to women's rights. But I just watched some of the episodes in honor of the women portrayed.

The actress who played the TX organizer was especially brilliant (the acting, not the character's opinions). As were the other leads (I was distracted by Gloria's wig, as I don't recall her hair being THAT BIG). I did find the fictional Alice character a bit too predictable and convenient. Did the writers feel they had to give the viewers some satisfaction after being exposed to Schlafly's rhetoric? Or did they pander to Paulson?

The final statements in the final episode stated that women never again achieved the same political power as the 70s. I disagree. The suffragettes started it - successfully - and it continues.

 

Edited March 7, 2022 by pasdetrois