I do love me some Ryan Murphy drama, and I've seen the previous two seasons of "American Crime Story" - though I haven't written reviews for them. I was initially not as invested in "Impeachment" as much as I was the with the Versace and Simpson stories - but I was won over as it ran on.
Linda Tripp (Sarah Paulson), an unpopular former White house staffer becomes friends with Monica Lewinsky (Beanie Feldstein), a former White House intern who was involved sexually with the President Bill Clinton (Clive Owen). Realising that her willingness to talk to her about the affair might provide various opportunities, Tripp begins recording the conversations. These tapes, used in conjunction with deposition from an ongoing case, involving the Presidents actions with Paula Jones (Annaleigh Ashford) are used by the Clinton's political enemies to introduce articles of impeachment.
I don't think I'm going to comment on the real-life situation of this very much. It's somehow become even more politically charged now than it was at the time. I will say though that I thought the show was balanced and isn't a Hollywood Clinton apologist effort, he's unquestionably a liar, a philanderer and even alleged rapist. The victims are the women involved in the story. Jones, Lewinsky and even, to some extent, Linda Tripp. Their lives are reassessed from the comedic punchlines they were at the time and their suffering and embarrassment is made apparent.
Initially, I struggled to get into the show. Several of the cast are wearing obviously prosthetic noses and that was all I could really focus on. It didn't help that it started slow too, with the twisting legal aspects of the show not coming in until four or five episodes in. When that aspect does kick in though, that's when the show is at its most interesting. When the Jones lawyers surprise Clinton with what they know about his affair with Lewinsky and the bare faced cheek of Clinton's technicality response to the Starr commission.
Performances are really good. Does Sarah Paulson ever put a foot wrong? Feldstein is ideally cast and, once I got used to the prosthetic of Annaleigh Ashford she was excellent too.
Ultimately, I thought it was really really good, but do agree with the people suggesting that if it was 8 episodes, and a little quicker to get to the meat of its story, it would have been even better.
Linda Tripp (Sarah Paulson), an unpopular former White house staffer becomes friends with Monica Lewinsky (Beanie Feldstein), a former White House intern who was involved sexually with the President Bill Clinton (Clive Owen). Realising that her willingness to talk to her about the affair might provide various opportunities, Tripp begins recording the conversations. These tapes, used in conjunction with deposition from an ongoing case, involving the Presidents actions with Paula Jones (Annaleigh Ashford) are used by the Clinton's political enemies to introduce articles of impeachment.
I don't think I'm going to comment on the real-life situation of this very much. It's somehow become even more politically charged now than it was at the time. I will say though that I thought the show was balanced and isn't a Hollywood Clinton apologist effort, he's unquestionably a liar, a philanderer and even alleged rapist. The victims are the women involved in the story. Jones, Lewinsky and even, to some extent, Linda Tripp. Their lives are reassessed from the comedic punchlines they were at the time and their suffering and embarrassment is made apparent.
Initially, I struggled to get into the show. Several of the cast are wearing obviously prosthetic noses and that was all I could really focus on. It didn't help that it started slow too, with the twisting legal aspects of the show not coming in until four or five episodes in. When that aspect does kick in though, that's when the show is at its most interesting. When the Jones lawyers surprise Clinton with what they know about his affair with Lewinsky and the bare faced cheek of Clinton's technicality response to the Starr commission.
Performances are really good. Does Sarah Paulson ever put a foot wrong? Feldstein is ideally cast and, once I got used to the prosthetic of Annaleigh Ashford she was excellent too.
Ultimately, I thought it was really really good, but do agree with the people suggesting that if it was 8 episodes, and a little quicker to get to the meat of its story, it would have been even better.