Tells the story of the legendary rivalry between Joan Crawford (Jessica Lange) and Bette Davis (Susan Sarandon) during their collaboration on the Academy Award®-nominated thriller What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? and after the cameras stopped rolling. The series explores how the two women endured ageism and misogyny while struggling to hang on to success and fame in the twilight of their careers. Written by FX
This is rave review, no two ways about it. In retrospect Lang had the meatier role, as they fleshed out Joan's character in more detail. Susan with Bette, had a more SANE and centered character to portray.
Both actresses turned in A-Mazing performances and I won't even attempt to compare them as in one was "better" than the other. With both I quickly lost the sense that I was watching an actress "impersonate" a famous person---they both just became the two women they were playing. Obviously it's easily to do a Broad Characterization of Davis. Drag Queens have been doing that FOR DECADES. Sarandon didn't resorts except once or twice, where it made sense, to that shtick. She nails the Character without it. And Lang is no less phenomenal in the way she inhabits Joan Crawford. These are two extraordinary Actresses at their Peek Powers and I won't compare or try to rate one above the other.
The entire cast, male and female and the entire production was simply the BEST that TV has ever Offered. I could write Chapters about every single participated in this series.
It was simply Extraordinary. I captured it on my Spectrum DVR and have watched it over and over again. I can't seem to let go of it. I'm NOT done yet.
Brava/bravo/brave/bravi to EVERYONE involved.