Mrs America

[unique1986]

BBC 2 now😉

I'm living it so far!

Oops, LOVING it, I meant

It's so frustrating how she isn't making the connections!

They've really aged John Slattery up, haven't they?

She wasn't wrong about two jobs though!

She wasn't wrong about two jobs though!

Great stuff.

Loved it!

Excelent !

Enjoyed this

They really have aged John Slattery

I posted on the Feminist chat board but no one replied. I was surprised to read that STOP ( Mrs America's campaign group to fight the Equal Rights Act) has current issues in common with the MN Feminists on the Feminist Chat board.
Schlafly became an outspoken opponent of the Equal Rights Amendmentnt_ (ERA) during the 1970s as the organizer of the "STOP ERA" campaign. STOP was an acronym for "Stop Taking Our Privileges". She argued that the ERA would take away gender-specific privileges currently enjoyed by women, including "dependent wife" benefits under Social Securityy, separate restrooms for males and females, and exemption from Selective Servicee* (the military draftt*).

I loved it. It reminded me of Mad Men right from the start so it was lovely to see John Slattery in it. Cate Blanchett is flawless have they both got teeth fixtures in?

I see its all up on the iplayer but Im really going to try and ration it.

I decided as I dont know what actually happened in the US at that time not to be too worried about accuracy of the politics etc..

However, I was a bit surprised in the 2nd episode (but did get interrupted) that was titled Gloria, thatGloria Steinem never got the sort of set pieces speeches that Phyllis Schlafly did in the first episode. When she wasn't tossing her long hair around, or cannoodling with her boyfriend what indication was there of why she was of any signifigance. Bad story telling.

Also very confused by the portrayal of Betty Friedan who seemed to have drifted in from some pantomime, but having checked I see it was Tracey Ullman so I suppose inevitable.

But did think the first episode was really good and showed the conflict and double standards.

Loving it too. And trying to ration myself. Takes me back to reading The Woman's room when I was 16 and angry... now have a daughter of my own who wants to know what all the fuss is about!!🙄

It is interesting to see how the feminists & traditionalists share each other’s issues. Gloria Steinem in thrall to BF, Schlafly juggling work, home, thwarted ambitions. Having lived thru it in US,the characterisations are not too far off. Steinem was not a politician (journalist) & famous for going under cover as a Playboy bunny. She struck poses more than she ever spoke & represented the idea that you could be glamorous & feminist too.
I think the acting is terrific, esp Blanchett, & v well-written.

Currently inhaling this and loving it! The intricacies of American politics are beyond me but the acting, the casting, the style, the production, the music etc are all superb. Also a Mad Men nut and not surprised to see that it was written by a MM writer. And, of course, John Slattery even made up to be ancient is wonderful. Fascinated by all the contradictions and complexities in their lives and in the movements themselves and how so many issues are still so relevant today. It's very cleverly done.

Going backwards and forwards between the series and Wikipedia has been interesting. I thought Tracey Ullman's portrayal of Betty Friedan was far too sympathetic especially when even Betty Friedan described herself as a 'bad tempered bitch'. Rosie Byrne is also superb as GS wafting around. GS still looks like that at 80 odd!

Cate Blanchett is always wonderful, I would happily watch her in anything (well, except Lord of the Rings). And so beautiful in real life too, I saw her once shopping with her kids in the Asda's (yes, really), she is stunning.

Moanranger - thanks for that insider / US info. So in fact Gloria is being portrayed accurately.

User56781234 - Betty Friedan callling herself a bad tempered bitch is not the same as making her a pantomime figure that jars with the acting style of the series. Not forgetting of course that it has always been the way of putting down uppity women to make out they are "bitches" (for being uppity). Making it a joke doesn't make it real.

If she hadn't written the Feminine Mystique it is quite likely that the Second Wave would never have happened. But am aware she was in fact very mainstream and later worried about "lesbian infilitration" of the mainstream women's groups like NOW etc.. "The Lavendar Menace"

It seems nicely nuanced so far.

@stumbledin I disagree, I think Tracey Ullman's acting is superb but I find her portrayal much less scary than the real Betty Friedan who used to terrify me as a child when she came on TV. Yes, the character is larger than life and it does jar as it seemed BF did with most people in real life but its as complex as the other characterisations.

Enjoying it so far but I don't know much about the politics of the time and who the different senators etc are. Keep having to put subtitles on to catch their names.. annoying but my issue. Cate Blanchett is fabulous, I hate her so much!

Yes, it's very good. I just watched the Betty episode which was excellent, I never realised Tracey Ullman was such a good actress. I used to love her in that comedy show with Lenny Henry and David Copperfield as a young teen. Of course, Cate Blanchett is brilliant, even those she's the "baddie" in it.

Loved the bit when Phyllis got her back on her husband by inviting her Mother to stay!

User56781234 - never having seen her in real life or on tv I'll have to accept what you said! But she comes over as a pantomime figure and wonder whether in the same way as Gloria Steinem is shown as being a bit empty headed making Betty Friedan a harpy is to show off Schlafly as a more well rounded and clear thinking person!

stumbled I wouldn’t interpret it that way. Schlafly exploited the differences amongst feminists to her advantage, so she was clever in that regard.More well-rounded? I don’t think so- she was very right wing & rather loopy.

Moanranger - I am saying the script writers are giving the character a more rounded character. Everyone else is little short of a cliche. Loud Betty, floaty Gloria, arch politico Bella and so on.

I am saying the script writers are slanting the story. ie the first episode title Phyllis gave the character quite long and complicated speeched etc..

The second episode titled Gloria gave the character very few long speeches or showed in any other way her thought process. We were just given little cliched snap shots. That's why I asked up thread that from the series there was no indication why Gloria should be asked to have a meaningful role. She came over as some sort of ditzy acolyte.

A script writer shouldn't distort the story to give their favourite actress all the best lines! It destroys the story.