TV Review - Mrs. America

In 1923, early feminists and suffragists proposed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would end legal distinctions between men and women in all matters. The majority of these legal distinctions were distinctions in and about the workplace. It also included legal distinctions with regard to marital issues. Nothing came of it prior to World War II. However, the Women's Liberation movement in the 1960's, which is sometimes referred to as second-wave feminism renewed interest in the ERA, causing it to be introduced again in 1971 and approved by the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate in March 1972. Once an amendment is approved by Congress, two-thirds of the U.S. states have to ratify it, meaning 38 states had to ratify. The Congress gave the states a deadline of March 1979 or else the amendment would die. The second-wave feminists came incredibly close to meeting the deadline, but their efforts were thwarted when a politically Conservative woman and activist successfully campaigned against the ERA.

Created by Dahvi Waller (Mad Men and Desperate Housewives), this series follows that Conservative woman, as she works to stop the ERA. It follows her from 1971 to 1979. The structure of the series though focuses on the various women on the other side, the various feminists who are taken down. It's not as if the feminists are totally defeated, but it's about how the feminists are foiled or hit whatever stumbling blocks that kept them from making the deadline. Even though it's about the rise of this Conservative woman, it neither portrays her as a hero nor as a villain. It's a fair look at not only her but other Conservative women as human beings who are simply worried about losing their livelihoods.

Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine and Elizabeth) stars as Phyllis Schlafly, a political activist whom we meet in 1971. She's nearly 50 years old. She's a Republican. She's married and has six children. She lives in Illinois. We meet her after she's lost her last election. She attempted to run for Congress and to have a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, but failed to do so. She really wanted a political career because she's very passionate about certain political issues, particularly foreign affairs. However, even she realizes that politics is mostly a man's game, and, as a woman, it's difficult for her to make any advancements against the obvious sexism. She decides not to fight the sexism but lean into it.

When the issue of the ERA comes up, she decides to start organizing other Conservative women to block the ERA from being passed. Her argument is that the ERA is a threat to women who want to be housewives. She argues that it will take away certain protections and destroy traditional, gender roles. The group that Phyllis assembles is very homophobic. The ERA is supported by gay women or lesbians who want more equality, so that comes off as even more of a threat to Phyllis' group. Phyllis organizes protests and debates, as well as petitions, anything she can to stop the ratification of the ERA in the various states. Given her beauty, charm and intelligence, we see her able to make in-roads.

Rose Byrne (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and Damages) co-stars as Gloria Steinem, a magazine publisher and writer. She was the co-founder of Ms. magazine, an off-shoot of New York magazine. Because of her writings, Gloria became one of the most outspoken voices in the feminist movement. We meet her in the early 70's before Roe v. Wade and she's a woman pushing for abortion and reproductive rights. She has lesbians working at her magazine and as friends, so she's pushing for sexual rights as well. Her beauty comes into question too in terms of her status in the movement as opposed to other feminists.

After the first episode, the next six are named after one of the feminists in the movement. Those episodes though don't simply venerate those feminists. Waller's series isn't hagiography. We see the flaws of these feminists and how they didn't always make the right decisions or handle bad situations stubbornly. You might agree with them, but I think the level of empathy and understanding on display for them is incredible. It's a great ensemble that includes Tracey Ullman (Howards End and Ally McBeal) who plays Betty Friedan, the author of The Feminine Mystique (1963), the book that launched the second-wave feminism and challenged the housewife stereotype.

Uzo Aduba (Miss Virginia and Orange Is the New Black) also co-stars as Shirley Chisholm, the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, as well as the first African-American candidate for President of the United States, which she accomplished in 1972. Aduba's performance is incredible, but the episode that focuses on her, which is the third episode, is one that has to spotlighted. For those that might think this series about politics nearly 50 years ago isn't relevant to today. The episode about Shirley proves how relevant this series actually is.

The battle between Shirley and Senator George McGovern, along with his supporters like Congresswoman Bella Abzug, played by Emmy-winner, Margo Martindale (The Americans and The Good Wife), is absolutely relevant to today. If you pay attention to the politics and the struggles, Shirley's experience mirrors in many ways the politics and struggles of Senator Bernie Sanders in this recent 2020 campaign. Vice President Joe Biden is obviously the McGovern of this current year. It's not a perfect, one-to-one comparison. Biden might be more comparable to Hubert Humphrey, if you were going to compare him to anyone at that time. However, based on conversations about the divide in the Democratic party between the progressives and more establishment wing, there are a lot of echoes and similarities between then and now.

There are so many other women that I could point the spotlight as great episodes here. Some are actresses who are very familiar, such as Elizabeth Banks who played Jill Ruckelshaus, a Republican appointee in both Nixon and Ford's White House administrations. There was also Sarah Paulson who played Alice Macray, one of the housewives who's taken into Phyllis' political group. Finally, I will mention Ari Graynor who played Brenda Feigen-Fasteau, a lawyer who dealt with a lot of sexism and who famously debated Phyllis on Tom Snyder's show in 1975. It was interesting how Waller and her writers contrasted both Phyllis and Brenda's lives and what they were going through. Despite being on opposite ends of the political and ideological spectrum, they faced a lot of the same things in a lot of the same ways. This series shows that perhaps we're not that far apart and that things really are cyclical.

Rated TV-MA-LS.
Running Time: 1 hr.

Available on Hulu / FX.