Feud (TV Series) Pilot (2017) User Reviews

Drama at a different level..

[akshatdave · 4 May 2017]

Slight spoilers..While the screen legends' rivalry didn't begin on the movie set -- the two classic Hollywood stars had competed for roles for years -- it certainly came to a head while they collaborated on Baby Jane. The premiere of Feud introduces that back story and establishes the pastel-colored world of early 1960s Hollywood. Think the sexism in Hollywood is bad now? Just get a load of how terrible things were then, when even two of the most famous and lauded actresses in the history of movies couldn't land roles because of their ages. At the time, Crawford and Davis were both in their 50s (Lange and Sarandon are around a decade older than each of their characters) and had been relegated to bit roles (Crawford) and -- gasp! -- Broadway (Davis). It was actually Crawford who came across the book of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? and, in Feud at least, took it to director Robert Aldrich (Alfred Molina) to get it made and even chose her rival, Davis, to be her costar. Even then, with two ultra-famous actresses attached, did they have trouble finding a studio to finance the film — everyone wanted to age the characters down. Age, however, is part of the story of the film-within-the show. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane tells the story of an aging actress - a former child star, who holds her paralyzed sister, an actual successful movie star, hostage in their Hollywood mansion. Ultimately, Warner Bros. chief Jack Warner (played here by Stanley Tucci) took a chance and the rest, as they say, is history. Or at least documented in this FX series...Today, of course, Baby Jane is a campy, darkly comedic classic -- but for young folks (or really anyone unaware of the movie's backstory), discovering that the behind-the-scenes drama was even juicier then the film is a voyeuristic delight. Feud's dialogue caters more to those in the dark about the rivalry, and leans heavily on establishing the historical context of the time. Everything is written with a wink, as if to say, "can you believe this s*** actually happened?" Both Lange and Sarandon play their larger-than-life characters with both sympathy and the cold, calculating nature necessary to survive as a woman in a difficult industry. Lange is more manic than her previous characters in the Murphy TV universe, while Sarandon inhabits Davis with a respectful homage to her down-to-business East Coast roots (and accent) without going over the top. They're not at each other's throats (yet) in the premiere, but it's made perfectly clear that the sexism and misogyny and ageism that both women have faced in their career will morph into weapons they'll use against each other rather than turn them against the system that treated them so horribly. Knowing that ultimately the feud will lead both women to deeply hurt each other both publicly and privately is sad -- so is knowing that not too much has changed in the industry in the past half-century -- but watching the women circle each other, just waiting for the right moment to release their inner petty bitches, is thrilling. The show doesn't necessarily say anything about the sexism and misogyny and ageism rather than simply point them out, but in the premiere, at least, it's enough to know that those things lurk beneath the surface of every scene. The set design and costume design are both incredible, and truly flesh out the campy, candy-coated world. Feud is exciting and fun to watch, and the entire cast -- Lange, Sarandon, Molina, Tucci -- is clearly having a blast. The moment when Bette emerges in her Baby Jane makeup will make you gasp, then cackle, and Sarandon (and Davis, too) seems to know it. The framing device that sees Catherine Zeta Jones and Kathy Bates as slightly older versions of Crawford and Davis' contemporaries Olivia de Havilland and Joan Blondell discussing the feud for a 1970s documentary about women in Hollywood so far seems nothing but a way to squeeze both actresses into the show. It doesn't detract from Feud, but it doesn't necessarily add anything yet. Yes, the super-sized premiere episode is long, but it's so fun to watch that you won't necessarily complain about the arbitrarily extended runtime. Plus, Lange and Sarandon are having such a good time that you'll want to stick around and watch them in action...

It's on!

[alinfatu · 10/10 · 6 March 2017]

This first episode was our introduction to the characters and I felt it was great giving us the opportunity to have a great behind the scenes look and choose our side.

Lange's Joan Crawford seems tough but also had a hard period recently and I felt sorry Bette Davis did not answer her congratulations card.It is good to see the little sensitivity behind a real life viper,who really seemed to push it hard at times and she always looked for an excuse to make her producer's life harder.She dominates almost every scene she is in,because of her acting experience and her character's power.

Susan's Bette Davis in my opinion,is perfectly done if we overlook the voice,she knows her age is over yet it still strives to bring something new to raise her kids and have a modest yet accomplished life.

The other characters we were introduced to,who give interviews and opinions on the legendary rivalry have themselves taken side,a thing most likely expected of us,the audience.

The best part is yet to come.

Pilot

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 16 December 2017]

Feud is the dramatic reconstruction between two actresses who in their prime competed against each other for film roles and were regarded as rivals.

Now older, these women are regarded as has beens, difficult to work with and no film studio wants to hire them.

The first episode sees Joan Crawford wanting to return to the movies now her husband has died and finances are drying up. Director Robert Aldrich taking out a second mortgage to finance the production and looking for studio backing which includes Jack Warner who has had run ins with both Crawford and Bette Davis who was always strongly opinionated and was involved in a famous litigation against Warner Brothers some years earlier.

Here we see Davis and Crawford trying to put aside their differences and make the film, 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane.'

The series has a starry cast with four Oscar winning actresses. Susan Sarandon (Davis) and Jessica Lange (Crawford) get to camp it up and ham it up but I was not convinced this was an interesting enough tale that could be dragged out to eight episodes.

Realizing You Need Each Other

[Michael_Elliott · 26 June 2017]

Feud: Bette and Joan (2017)

Episode 1: Pilot

Joan Crawford (Jessica Lange) realizes that there aren't any good roles coming to her so her agent recommends she look for her own project. This leads her to discovering the book What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. Joan realizes this could be the help her career needs but she's going to have to accept the fact that the only way to sell it is by getting her rival Bette Davis (Susan Sarandon) on board.

I actually went back and watched WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? before I started this series. I was a little shocked that they decided to tell the story of Crawford and Davis since, well, so many actors and actresses from previous decades just aren't remembered by anyone other than film buffs like myself.

This first episode at least got the series off to a good start. I'm not going to call this episode great because it seems like it was made to try and inform people of who Davis and Crawford were. As a film buff, I'm well aware of them so there really wasn't anything ground- breaking here story-wise. It did do a great job at building up your interest for what is obviously going to follow.

Both Sarandon and Lange have fit into their roles quite nicely so it's going to be interesting to see where these two legendary actresses go while playing legendary actresses. It seems the series gets a chuckle out of some F-bombs being dropped as well as even more profanity, which seems to be becoming the norm on FX.

Episode: B+