Our take
To mere observers, a grudge can seem like just that: a grudge. Shallow, inconsequential, and probably fixable. But for those involved, the cut feels deeper and saltier, despite (or because of) its inexplicable nature. This maddening feeling is what Ryan Murphy both explores and honors in Feud, and boy does he go all in: vicious dialoge, prima donna veterans, stylish costumes, and period-accurate sets. But the real cause for celebration is the empathy he affords to both sides of the feud. There is delicious drama of course, which is what makes this as addictive and watchable as any episode of The Real Housewives, but there is also space for difficult feelings and contradictory ideals. Real archenemies can’t get enough of one another, like Crawford and Davis, and Capote and his swans. It’s that obsession that ultimately makes feuds, and Feud, utterly fascinating.
The story
Anthology series of famous feuds with the first season based on the legendary rivalry between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford which began early on their careers, climaxed on the set of "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" and evolved into an Oscar vendetta.
Elsewhere
"Feud has its flaws-a jokey song cue here, blunt exposition there. But Murphy lets the contradictions sizzle: he knows that schlock can double as great art; that self-loathing can work both as a goad to ambition and as an emotional crippler."
— Emily Nussbaum
"Feud: Bette and Joan is a TV show built on pure gossipy indulgence; one that's inclined to believe the most juicy stories about its characters, but not in a bad way."
— Liz Shannon Miller
Each season, Feud explores a high-profile clash, usually among the famous and elite. The first season follows the longstanding beef between Hollywood darlings Joan Crawford (Jessica Lange) and Bette Davis (Susan Sarandon), while the second is about the deadly fallout between Truman Capote (Tom Hollander) and his New York socialite friends.
The women, as intended. It’s clear Murphy and co. exclusively hired divas to rein in the entire enterprise, and it works! Any scene with all the girls together in Capote vs The Swans was a heartstopping sight to see.
The day Ryan Murphy stops working with Jessica Lange is the day I stop watching him, I fear.
The details
Who picked it
Renee Cuisia is the lead curator at A Good Movie to Watch. In her spare time, she likes to watch K-dramas and analyze them to death. She's also seen You've Got Mail one too many times but is still convinced it's one of the greatest films out there.
