S03:E05 Do You Hear What I Hear?

[txhorns79]

Quote

As Monica prepares to leave Washington, D.C., she grows concerned that someone is sharing news about her affair; Linda meets with the FBI.

 

[Spartan Girl]

Oh Monica. You weren’t being paranoid, your instincts were right. If only she’d listened to them and walked out before the FBI could get what they needed…

I cannot believe any of Linda’s coworkers would attend her Christmas party. She couldn’t even stop being a bitch to them during the holidays.

Also, Linda playing on Monica’s body insecurities to keep her from cleaning that dress for the interview? That’s pretty fucking low. Colin Hanks was right: a jury would hate her. And they did.

On a lighter note, the real Monica was on Jake Tapper today and the two of them had a laugh over their date in the beginning.

Even that small sighting of Brett Kavanaugh was enough to make my blood boil.

Edited October 6, 2021 by Spartan Girl

[txhorns79]

2 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

I cannot believe any of Linda’s coworkers would attend her Christmas party. She couldn’t even stop being a bitch to them during the holidays.

I was very surprised by this because they previously played it like they all hated her.  I mean, we've seen she and her cubicle mate engage in passive aggressive loathing for one another, so to see the same woman at the party loving Linda's dip felt off. 

[peridot]

It's frustrating to see that even moving to another city wouldn't damper Monica's obsession with Bill.  When Monica was having dinner with that guy in the beginning, I was hoping that would be her new path.  But nope, she was still trotting along to the Oval Office and hoping he would call her in New York.

When Bill was having his mock interview, I was rolling my eyes when he presented himself as an advocate for women.  I rolled my eyes even harder when he played the victim with Monica.  His enemies wouldn't be hounding him so hard if they didn't have so much material to work with in the first place.

I couldn't tell who those people who drove to Arkansas were associated with.  Were they really Paula's?

[choclatechip45]

Aw Jake Tapper!

I don't think I realized the job offer was so close to everything blowing up with Monica. I really hate Linda. She did this for the attention.

[LADreamr]

The actor playing Jake Tapper really nailed his voice and mannerisms, without coming off like a caricature.

[KaveDweller]

14 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

On a lighter note, the real Monica was on Jake Tapper today and the two of them had a laugh over their date in the beginning.

Did it really happen? I assumed so, because why else would they name drop him.

16 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

Even that small sighting of Brett Kavanaugh was enough to make my blood boil.

Which one was Brett Kavanaugh?

I felt bad for Monica and was wishing she'd listened to her instincts at that lunch. Linda really betrayed her, it seemed like Monica thought she was a great friend and trusted her. 

I will admit seeing this play out gives me a different impression of the whole scandal than when it happened. I was in high school and thought the whole thing was no big deal.

[choclatechip45]

1 minute ago, KaveDweller said:

Did it really happen? I assumed so, because why else would they name drop him.

Which one was Brett Kavanaugh?

I felt bad for Monica and was wishing she'd listened to her instincts at that lunch. Linda really betrayed her, it seemed like Monica thought she was a great friend and trusted her. 

I will admit seeing this play out gives me a different impression of the whole scandal than when it happened. I was in high school and thought the whole thing was no big deal.

Yes https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/279465/i-dated-monica-lewinsky/

[gatopretoNYC]

https://slate.com/culture/2021/10/impeachment-accuracy-episode-5-jake-tapper-monica-lewinsky-date.html

[Tdoc72]

4 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

 

Which one was Brett Kavanaugh?

 

I will admit seeing this play out gives me a different impression of the whole scandal than when it happened. I was in high school and thought the whole thing was no big deal.

He’s one of the guys in the Ken Starr meeting. The one who says I don’t want to take no for an answer (paraphrased but very similar), which made me LOL. Very sly, writers!

At the time, I didn’t think it was any big deal. I was 21-22. It was consensual. Now as an older, more experienced person, I see the abuse of power/sexual harassment side of Clinton.  I still feel Monica was young & made some mistakes, but they were mostly harmful for herself. 

4 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

 

I cannot believe any of Linda’s coworkers would attend her Christmas party. She couldn’t even stop being a bitch to them during the holidays.

Also, Linda playing on Monica’s body insecurities to keep her from cleaning that dress for the interview? That’s pretty fucking low. Colin Hanks was right: a jury would hate her. And they did.

 

Even that small sighting of Brett Kavanaugh was enough to make my blood boil.

I can believe some went. I can’t believe she invited Susan or that Susan went. I’d love to know who the IRL Susan is and what she would have to say about LT.

 
I also can’t believe that Monica was so gullible that one second she’s arguing w/Linda about keeping the dress for DNA testing, then believing Linda the next second b/c Linda says it makes her look heavy.  I feel for Monica but I want to shake her and tell her to wake up, Linda’s not your friend.  

I knew Brett was going to pop up, but I liked what the writers had him say. (See above.)

Edited October 6, 2021 by Tdoc72

[hoodooznoodooz]

I can’t believe they haven’t given us more Edie Falco.

[LADreamr]

3 hours ago, Tdoc72 said:

I also can’t believe that Monica was so gullible that one second she’s arguing w/Linda about keeping the dress for DNA testing, then believing Linda the next second b/c Linda says it makes her look heavy.  I feel for Monica but I want to shake her and tell her to wake up, Linda’s not your friend.

Yeah, objectively it seems clearer, but I think in a way, Monica had been conditioned or groomed by Linda (not necessarily on purpose; more likely just the nature of Linda's personality and narcissism).  She also seemed to be very much alone and already lacking in self-esteem, and all of the above will really mess with your ability to see things that clearly.  I'm glad she had a clue about her by the time the FBI showed up.  Just too bad it was too late by then.

[cardigirl]

4 hours ago, Tdoc72 said:

I also can’t believe that Monica was so gullible that one second she’s arguing w/Linda about keeping the dress for DNA testing, then believing Linda the next second b/c Linda says it makes her look heavy.  I feel for Monica but I want to shake her and tell her to wake up, Linda’s not your friend.  

I can't believe Monica is still protecting Bill re the whole "I'm an advocate for women" spiel he gave when he was being prepped for his interview. I guess she really felt that the "love" affair was just that.  It's clear she felt that Paula Jones' lawsuit was a publicity stunt and has no real feelings for that poor woman. Although, I did have to laugh a little when Bill chafed at being questioned about his propensity for chasing women and said no one went after John Kennedy like that.   Kennedy was in office for barely a thousand days. There might have been time for scandal had he not been tragically assassinated, Bill. 

The same old argument, his sex life was nobody's business, because he was fine on policy. Until he lied under oath.  I thought this was going to cover new ground.  

[Ohiopirate02]

9 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Even that small sighting of Brett Kavanaugh was enough to make my blood boil.

I feel the same about Ken football is more important than women being raped Starr.  Of course that fucker begins a meeting with a Bible quote.

[SailorGirl]

Linda's encouragement of Monica to wear a peach colored outfit over a navy dress should have been the tip-off -- most women who struggle with their weight know that dark colors are more slimming than light colors -- especially peach! 🤣

I think this conversation on the show (about Monica not wearing the dress to an interview) was creative license, because the tape excerpts played during Monica's HBO documentary had Linda saying that Monica should keep the stained dress because (I'm paraphrasing) "you don't know what's going to happen and you might need it in the future" and that the dress is Monica's only insurance policy "down the road." 

As well, the "someone has told them something" comment was on tape too, so the show definitely converted some of the recorded conversations to in-person conversations. 

THAT should have been a tip-off, but 22-year-olds haven't experienced enough life to be jaded to the point where that kind of comment would raise a red flag like it would to someone older and more mature. 

Edited October 6, 2021 by SailorGirl

[Retired at last]

1 hour ago, SailorGirl said:

Linda saying that Monica should keep the stained dress because (I'm paraphrasing) "you don't know what's going to happen and you might need it in the future" and that the dress is Monica's only insurance policy "down the road." 

She said exactly that on the show last night. When Monica replied that she didn't know why she would have to do something like that, that's when Linda had to think of something to keep her from cleaning the dress and came up with the weight thing. Seriously, who would believe that peach would look better????

[SailorGirl]

Fact-checks for this week's episode:

 

https://www.vulture.com/article/impeachment-fact-check-what-episode-five-gets-right.html

[ifionlyknew]

Note to Monica:  Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get you.

I was in my early 30s when this happened so I was aware of the politics of this whole thing but watching those people being gleeful about finally having something to nail Clinton with still bothers me.  A young woman's life was upended and I honestly don't think one single person involved cared at all about that.  

I can't make up my mind if Linda Tripp was just a vile person or if she had something wrong with her psychologically.  I wonder how her kids felt after all this happened. 

[TheGreenKnight]

8 hours ago, LADreamr said:

Yeah, objectively it seems clearer, but I think in a way, Monica had been conditioned or groomed by Linda (not necessarily on purpose; more likely just the nature of Linda's personality and narcissism).

Their first couple of interactions on the show definitely made it seem like deliberate grooming on Tripp's part. At least her face at certain details as Monica would speak showed that she could sense that there was more there with Monica. I think that's more believable, too, since the show is making it hard to think Linda Tripp would be nice to anyone longer than one or two conversations unless she had an ulterior motive driving her, lol.

[Dakisela]

Am I mis-remembering something?  Is Betty still alive?  What all did SHE know?  She was the gatekeeper for goodness sake?  Can anyone elaborate?  

[Route66]

1 hour ago, ifionlyknew said:

 

I can't make up my mind if Linda Tripp was just a vile person or if she had something wrong with her psychologically.  I wonder how her kids felt after all this happened. 

She comes across as someone with a very low level of emotional intelligence. For all her practical experience and knowledge, she was unable or unwilling to "play the game."  She seemed genuinely surprised that nobody at the White House valued her enough to have her work there. It was clearly incredibly painful for her to verbalize the fact that Monica was getting these fabulous job opportunities just because of Vernon Jordan. She was crushed to recognize the fact that nobody valued what she had to offer.

[hoodooznoodooz]

The theme of the American Crime Story series seems to be that arrogance and a strong sense of entitlement leads to very bad, if not criminal, behavior.

[iMonrey]

I'm enjoying the running gag of Linda's cubicle mate and her antagonism towards her. 

I'm still having a hard time scrounging up sympathy for Monica, sorry to say. Of course, this is all a dramatization, and we don't know how well Sarah Paulson is recreating some of these conversations. But it's pretty clear (to us) Linda is sketchy as hell, insincere and disingenuous (and at times even hostile) and yet Monica never (or rarely) seems to question her motives. Which is odd, given that Monica does seem to have some friends of her own age. 

[Route66]

1 hour ago, Dakisela said:

Am I mis-remembering something?  Is Betty still alive?  What all did SHE know?  She was the gatekeeper for goodness sake?  Can anyone elaborate?  

Yes she's alive.

She obviously knew what was going on, but both at the time (in reality) and onscreen, she doesn't seem to care. She was a career secretary, and probably believed that her boss's personal affairs were none of her business. She seemed entirely disinterested in any sort of gossip or drama surrounding the Clintons.

 

 

 

 

[WearyTraveler]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

I'm enjoying the running gag of Linda's cubicle mate and her antagonism towards her. 

I particularly liked the loud stapling of documents after Linda, fully power tripping, made that woman in the first episode go back and staple a document she had delivered with a clip saying: "around here we use staples" 😆

[qtpye]

17 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I was very surprised by this because they previously played it like they all hated her.  I mean, we've seen she and her cubicle mate engage in passive aggressive loathing for one another, so to see the same woman at the party loving Linda's dip felt off. 

 

17 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Oh Monica. You weren’t being paranoid, your instincts were right. If only she’d listened to them and walked out before the FBI could get what they needed…

I cannot believe any of Linda’s coworkers would attend her Christmas party. She couldn’t even stop being a bitch to them during the holidays.

Also, Linda playing on Monica’s body insecurities to keep her from cleaning that dress for the interview? That’s pretty fucking low. Colin Hanks was right: a jury would hate her. And they did.

On a lighter note, the real Monica was on Jake Tapper today and the two of them had a laugh over their date in the beginning.

Even that small sighting of Brett Kavanaugh was enough to make my blood boil.

We have been shown a lonely and almost friendless Linda, so the jolly, " I have a Christmas party every year and fill my house with people" thing seems so odd.

I know she was obsessed with Christmas but I think she was a little more socially savvy than what is being portrayed on the show. I think they are trying to make her look more pathetic to make her seem more sympathetic.

Linda has a cute house which was probably not cheap in the DC area.

[txhorns79]

35 minutes ago, qtpye said:

Linda has a cute house which was probably not cheap in the DC area.

Here is the real thing.  I don't think she had lived there for nearly twenty years before she passed away. 

[LADreamr]

5 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

Here is the real thing.  I don't think she had lived there for nearly twenty years before she passed away. 

Wow, nice place.  It looks like they made it a little fancier for the show, but still.  

Also, kept meaning to say - this was the perfect title for this episode.

[jschoolgirl]

We've noticed that Clive Owen is much slimmer than Bill Clinton was during his presidency.

And Vernon Jordan was an enormous man, and he had that sort of knowing smirk about him. This actor, too, is too slight, and he hasn't gotten the smirk down.

[tvfanatic13]

Nope. Still don’t like Beanie in the role. And Linda Tripp is still an ass. Is Hillary going to have ANY role in this show?

[Ms Blue Jay]

55 minutes ago, tvfanatic13 said:

Nope. Still don’t like Beanie in the role. 

Yeah, I'm sorry to Beanie but her face - especially the eyes - are just SO DIFFERENT from Monica and I can't get past it.  There have to be actors out there who somewhat resemble Monica.  

[TheGreenKnight]

I believe I'd read back when the show first began that Hillary wouldn't show up again (after Linda briefly met her in a bathroom) until the 7th episode--when everything's coming out, I suppose.

[Refresh]

1 hour ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Yeah, I'm sorry to Beanie but her face - especially the eyes - are just SO DIFFERENT from Monica and I can't get past it.  There have to be actors out there who somewhat resemble Monica.  

I think Beanie is doing a great job acting, but yea, I keep seeing Beanie. Not Monica. However, maybe it's a comparison thing? Most of her scenes are with Sarah Paulson who is very disguised, which makes you notice it more. Also, Analeigh Ashford looks sooo much like Paula Jones with her hair/makeup. It's uncanny. So that makes it even more noticeable that Beanie really doesn't look like Monica. I think better wigs would help and they could've adjusted her make up a bit. One thing about Monica, I think she's very pretty but she doesn't have a strong cupid's bow on her top lip -- little details like that and the lipstick colors they chose don't feel as of the time as I remember them.  

But I have been thinking and googling actresses around that age and no one really comes up. Maybe Kat Dennings but she's 35!

Ryan Murphy doesn't really cast unknowns, even down to small roles, he uses stars -- that's kind of his deal. So knowing that, and casting a lead there aren't many actresses that could pull this off with acting chops, look like her. etc.

Well, got that out of my system. 

The show is moving a bit slower than the pace I felt was set by episode 1 but I'll continue to watch it. I do feel that for a full history of the story, the Slow Burn podcast is the best and most thorough storytelling of what happened that I've sought out. If I hadn't listened to that I'd be confused about who the various secondary characters in the show are. I am Monica's age and remember it all quite well, I thought! But all the folks beyond Ken Starr and Ann Coulter? Eh. Not on my radar then. Context of who they would become today is something we couldn't have known then of course. 

 

[Ms Blue Jay]

I don't really consider Beanie a "star".  

It's so rare that female actors are actually curvy in 2021, which sucks.  Kat is one of the few.  People online mentioned Mae Whitman, who I think also doesn't look like Monica, and Bel Powley.  Bel would have to gain weight and her eyes are just so big and bulgy.  

Margaret Qualley actually looks like Monica.  But she's so skinny.

Edited October 7, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[gesundheit]

On 10/5/2021 at 11:23 PM, Spartan Girl said:

I cannot believe any of Linda’s coworkers would attend her Christmas party. She couldn’t even stop being a bitch to them during the holidays.

 

10 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I'm enjoying the running gag of Linda's cubicle mate and her antagonism towards her. 

That look on Susan's face after Linda was nasty to her at the party was priceless. She was DONE. Hilarious.

I still don't like Clive Owen in this.

I think Monica comes across as completely insufferable. She's lovely now, and she was obviously very troubled so she's still sympathetic to me, so it's not an insult so much as an observation. We've almost never seen her ask Linda a question about herself -- or anyone else for that matter, and she goes on and on and on at all hours about this one thing. We've all had that annoying friend. It's pretty clear to me that's why she got duped by Linda -- she didn't have anyone else who was willing to listen to and indulge all of that over and over again. She looked right past the red flags because her self-absorption was being enabled. (Well, if this depiction is true to life, that is.)

[AllyB]

1 hour ago, gesundheit said:

I think Monica comes across as completely insufferable. She's lovely now, and she was obviously very troubled so she's still sympathetic to me, so it's not an insult so much as an observation. We've almost never seen her ask Linda a question about herself -- or anyone else for that matter, and she goes on and on and on at all hours about this one thing. We've all had that annoying friend. It's pretty clear to me that's why she got duped by Linda -- she didn't have anyone else who was willing to listen to and indulge all of that over and over again. She looked right past the red flags because her self-absorption was being enabled. (Well, if this depiction is true to life, that is.)

I agree. I sympathise with Monica in the situation because she was a very young woman being used by an extremely experienced and powerful man. However, in this depiction, she is essentially using Linda, or at least she would be if Linda wasn't using her in a far, far worse way. In Linda she has found someone that she can just talk and talk at and she doesn't actually seem to care about Linda at all. Obviously this is television, she could have been a good friend to Linda in real life. What really got to me in this episode was how she continued to badger Linda into committing perjury and acted like it was very unfair of Linda to not immediately agree to committing a huge crime for her. We all know Linda is shady and has engineered the situation but Monica didn't. You can't expect someone to commit perjury so that your married boyfriend doesn't hate you. You can wish they would, sure. But you have to understand that they aren't going to.

[kj4ever]

7 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I don't really consider Beanie a "star".  

It's so rare that female actors are actually curvy in 2021, which sucks.  Kat is one of the few.  People online mentioned Mae Whitman, who I think also doesn't look like Monica, and Bel Powley.  Bel would have to gain weight and her eyes are just so big and bulgy.  

Margaret Qualley actually looks like Monica.  But she's so skinny.

They had no problem popping Sarah into a fat suit, so they could have done the same.  Beanie takes the whole experience of this show down because I just don't see her as Monica, and I don't think it's Beanie's fault.  They shouldn't have cast her.

[MaggieG]

5 hours ago, AllyB said:

I agree. I sympathise with Monica in the situation because she was a very young woman being used by an extremely experienced and powerful man. However, in this depiction, she is essentially using Linda, or at least she would be if Linda wasn't using her in a far, far worse way. In Linda she has found someone that she can just talk and talk at and she doesn't actually seem to care about Linda at all. Obviously this is television, she could have been a good friend to Linda in real life. What really got to me in this episode was how she continued to badger Linda into committing perjury and acted like it was very unfair of Linda to not immediately agree to committing a huge crime for her. We all know Linda is shady and has engineered the situation but Monica didn't. You can't expect someone to commit perjury so that your married boyfriend doesn't hate you. You can wish they would, sure. But you have to understand that they aren't going to.

This got me too. It really showed her naivety. "I'll just lie and deny and it will all go away." I don't think she really realized the consequences of lying under oath.

My husband and I both busted out a chuckle when Colin Hanks said that a jury would hate Linda.

[Ms Blue Jay]

1 hour ago, kj4ever said:

They had no problem popping Sarah into a fat suit, so they could have done the same.  Beanie takes the whole experience of this show down because I just don't see her as Monica, and I don't think it's Beanie's fault.  They shouldn't have cast her.

Right, they obviously had no problem doing it, but I have a problem with it.  LOL!

[ifionlyknew]

7 hours ago, gesundheit said:

I think Monica comes across as completely insufferable. She's lovely now, and she was obviously very troubled so she's still sympathetic to me, so it's not an insult so much as an observation. We've almost never seen her ask Linda a question about herself -- or anyone else for that matter, and she goes on and on and on at all hours about this one thing. We've all had that annoying friend. It's pretty clear to me that's why she got duped by Linda -- she didn't have anyone else who was willing to listen to and indulge all of that over and over again. She looked right past the red flags because her self-absorption was being enabled. (Well, if this depiction is true to life, that is.)

It is clear Monica didn't understand the ramifications of what she was doing with the President.  This wasn't just some ill advised hook up with your boss.  During her talks with Linda she sounded like a love sick teenager.  Even after she realized there could be trouble she still was only thinking about it in terms of how this would affect her relationship with the President. She didn't want him mad at her.  There was a scene in a previous episode where she hadn't heard or seen him in awhile and she made the remark he was probably seeing someone else, I think she said stewardess.   So Monica I think wanted to do anything she could to keep him happy lest he move on to someone else.  I wonder if she  mentally blocked out the fact he was seeing someone else, his wife Hillary.

And while Monica might have been ignorant of what could happen if they were caught Bill Clinton most certainly knew.   It still baffles me how someone so politically savvy could be so stupid when it came to cheating on his wife.  And not only cheating on his wife but exposing himself to federal charges.  Clearly he let his little head do most of his thinking.  

Edited October 7, 2021 by ifionlyknew

[Empress1]

18 hours ago, Route66 said:

She obviously knew what was going on, but both at the time (in reality) and onscreen, she doesn't seem to care. She was a career secretary, and probably believed that her boss's personal affairs were none of her business. She seemed entirely disinterested in any sort of gossip or drama surrounding the Clintons.

And if she was a career secretary for high-powered men, odds are excellent that this wasn’t the first affair she witnessed. No good comes from involving yourself in your boss’s drama.

[lovinbob]

I'd never seen or heard of Beanie before this show, and while I like her performance her physical dissimilarity to Monica has definitely thrown me off. Then I just learned that she is Jonah Hill's sister, and I think that's why it's not working for me. She looks exactly like him! A beautiful version of him, but I think I'm seeing him rather than Monica. 

Seriously, though--Monica's features are so soft and round, while Beanie's are more angular. Normally physical stuff like this doesn't bother me but for some reason I can't get past it. With Paulson I am seeing Linda Tripp, 100%. Clive Owen captures enough of Clinton's mannerisms. With Beanie I'm seeing another character completely. 

Linda's cube-mate is the Newman to Tripp's Seinfeld. "Hello .... Susan!" /Sneer.  Or like Jerry/Terry from Parks and Rec. 

[Ohiopirate02]

I feel like I'm the only person here who does not have any issues with Beanie as Monica.  She's a Jewish woman from LA who is not a size 2 playing a Jewish woman from LA who was not a size 2.  I would rather the actress playing Monica be a bit larger than Monica than the show having another skinny actress in a fat suit.  I also think we would not still be here in episode 5 talking about the mismatch between the physical appearances of these two if the writing and direction for Monica was better.  I find the lack of characterization of Monica to be the real issue here.  The plot is forcing Monica to do something but we never get any insight into her motivation.  The show is too focused on shoving lines of dialogue into the script to rile up the 2021 audience like the Brett Kavanaugh one or including scenes of Monica with Jake Tapper just because instead of giving the audience insight into who Monica Lewinsky was in 1997.  

[jmcd44]

12 hours ago, Refresh said:

I think better wigs would help and they could've adjusted her make up a bit

Monica did and continues to have gorgeous hair so I guess they are doing their best but I don't see it with Beanie. 

 

10 hours ago, gesundheit said:

That look on Susan's face after Linda was nasty to her at the party was priceless. She was DONE. Hilarious.

I do hope Susan ate the whole cheese log-or wrapped it up and took it home-just to piss off Linda! I love Susan. I wish she existed in real life.

 

4 minutes ago, chick binewski said:

During these scenes I get flashbacks of "No one asked you, PATRICE!"

lol-thank you for that.

I think it was the vulture fact check that talked about how Monica's closeness with the POTUS was well-known in "D.C. circles." It is always very obvious when coworkers (or... President and an intern-more than coworkers) are closer than average, even if the people involved think they are hiding it. (I speak from personal experience-except mine was another single coworker not in my chain of command) So people at the White House and probably Hill people knew about the rumors. I'm not sure one of them would've called up Ken Starr, but even if Linda wasn't such a horrible turncoat, it could've come out. 

I know Lucianne Goldberg is a villain here but God I love Margo Martindale. 

[SailorGirl]

13 hours ago, Refresh said:

I think Beanie is doing a great job acting, but yea, I keep seeing Beanie. Not Monica. However, maybe it's a comparison thing? Most of her scenes are with Sarah Paulson who is very disguised, which makes you notice it more. Also, Analeigh Ashford looks sooo much like Paula Jones with her hair/makeup. It's uncanny. So that makes it even more noticeable that Beanie really doesn't look like Monica.

 

I realized that its the height and body style that aren't working for me, because I do think Beanie is really nailing Monica's giggly upbeat personality and flirty tone.

Monica is at least 2-3 inches taller than Beanie, and Beanie has a short torso with her breasts seemingly taking up her entire torso. Monica has a torso, Beanie doesn't.

The high-waisted skirts, while true to the time and Monica's style, only cut off Beanie's torso even more.

And that has nothing to do with size -- you can be a size 2 and have no torso! 

Edited October 7, 2021 by SailorGirl

[gesundheit]

1 hour ago, jmcd44 said:

 

I know Lucianne Goldberg is a villain here but God I love Margo Martindale. 

So much. What was that line in the episode again? When Linda said something like "well, not everyone lives in New York!" and Lucianne said something like "yes, I do always have trouble understanding that" or something in this beautiful, dripping way. Absolutely spectacular delivery. We could've gotten zero other scenes and zero other context and that would have told us SO MUCH about who the character is. Martindale is so wonderful.

[txhorns79]

14 hours ago, gesundheit said:

That look on Susan's face after Linda was nasty to her at the party was priceless. She was DONE. Hilarious.

I thought she has been done with Linda.  When we see them at work, they barely speak and mostly just seem to hate one another.

Also, the SNL version of the lunch at the Ritz.

[LADreamr]

I like Beanie a lot and she was great in Booksmart, but I don't think her look is the problem as much as her energy.  She doesn't have the same kind of personality, so it makes some of the portrayal come across differently than Monica may have been, in the moment.  Not better or worse - because I like them both - just different.  

[babyhouseman]

11 hours ago, ifionlyknew said:

 It still baffles me how someone so politically savvy could be so stupid when it came to cheating on his wife.

I'm not excusing him, but I wonder if he has a sex addiction. He's so smart and charming, but addictions can affect the smartest people. 

I've enjoyed this so far. I'm close to Monica's age and I remember the news and the media jokes. 

[Milburn Stone]

This episode had me feeling the walls were closing in on me. Well done.

Was surprised Ken Starr was portrayed as something other than a complete scumbag. The folks he has working for him are no prize, but he himself is coming off a bit better (so far) than I would have expected.