4/5
The People vs. Monica Lewinsky.
10 Episodes. Starring: Sarah Paulson, Beanie Feldstein, Annaleigh Ashford, Margo Martindale, Edie Falco, Cobie Smulders, Billy Eichner, Colin Hanks & Clive Owen. Creator: Ryan Murphy.
Impeachment. Some weren't familiar with the term until the orange Donald deserved to eat every bit of that peach product last year. Before this Z generation in the golden age of the 90's for the American dream that flew above the rim like the air of Michael Jordan telling everyone to just do it, we had another 'Impeachment' on our hands like torches for Nixon. All for those more familiar with 'Pizzagate' than Watergate. Saxophone loving President Bill Clinton was playing everyone when he told us he "did not have sexual relations with that woman". "That woman" being an intern at the White House. Miss Monica Lewinsky. And the scandal of their affair that today would have dominated everyone's small screens as well as it being on every channel made her more famous than an Internet breaking Kardashian when we were still dialling up to go online (one moment in the series sees Monica and a friend go to see the Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks (his son is here too) classic 'You Got Mail'...remember when your concrete block monitor told you that?). So why wouldn't this be the subject to complete the set (so far) of the Ryan Murphy 'American Crime Story' trilogy series after getting our gloves on 'The People vs. OJ Simpson' before the suit of 'The Assassination Of Gianni Versace'? Two groundbreaking shows that actually showed us these 90's nostalgic trips like Linda could also be American horror stories for Murphy like his other shocking syndicate. When it comes to Murphy and his trilogy acts, recreating entertainment and American fast food culture history on the tube. Nothing comes close. No cigar.
Now that's the only joke we will make with all due respect. Because look at what they did to Monica. From many a late show host, live like Saturday night. It's all there for the YouTube record like a Twitter account for all the SNL music introductions (how about those Tobey Maguire "Sisqoooooo" and Nathan Lane "METALLICAAAAA" ones?) that Adrien Brody (disgraceful) wishes wasn't after the now infamous Daniel Craig, "Ladies and gentlemen, The Weeknd" turned into a legendary meme that even the official James Bond Twitter used to promote his last 007 movie 'No Time To Die'. They took this woman to town and the court of public opinion found her guilty like the pitch fork of a witch hunt. When really in regards to how the media manipulated her, along with the President and someone she thought was a friend for the ultimate betrayal, she was one of the victims in all this like Hilary and Chelsea Clinton. This was a character assassination of Monica Lewinsky. Imagine what it would have done to her today in the age of social media trolls and abuse. Imagine what it did to her then, hiding in plain sight of switching every channel just to see her own face staring back constantly. Only to then turn off the tube and see herself again in reflection on the black mirror. And in a no holes barred look at the whole thing, stained dress and all, this series is actually produced by the real Monica herself. Signing off on everything like she humiliatingly had to do all those tapes. Yet she did it with grace. A composure that is composed perfectly by 'Booksmart' actress Beanie Feldstein in that famous beanie. The soul of this show and its beating heart in an American nightmare devoid of one as no one here can get a good night sleep for scrolling through the remote like we now do something we call "smart". A formidable Feldstein is that though, beyond the books in a true understanding of character and the one of her woman's worth and all the work this now activist has done to not only change her narrative, but the world along with the side of the story of many women around it. Who more than their day in court have been denied their right to say me too for far too long.
Marcia, Marcia, Marcia. After making her 'The People vs. OJ Simpson' star lawyer legendary, 'American Horror Story' star Sarah Paulson is back for 'Impeachment' and through the wire like Kanye ratchets up the tension, also serving as producer for this thing. Paulson in retrospect regrets wearing the fat-suit, but this has been done before in political connects (see 'Vice'). On a phone tap like The Firm, it's the wearing of the wire that's the real crime as he Linda Tripp records conversations with her former friend Monica after her affair with the President, breaking her trust in the process, even if she's convinced (or at least trying to convince herself) that she's doing the right thing with her own victim mentality. Get the Emmy's ready for her and Beanie. Because in a fall of some fantastic television (see the 'A Most Violent Year' reunion of best actor and actress in the biz Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain's remake of the Swedish 'Scenes From A Marriage' in HBO for a most subtly emotionally violent household), Paulson is perfect in nailing all the nuances as Linda is tripping at how she thinks she's not in the wrong. But credit to actor and muse for showing the humanity behind everyone in this fake world were we feel we can create ourselves in our own image like plastic surgery, no matter how many lines they can see. Tony theatre winning and 'Masters Of Sex' actress and her SNL boyfriend Annaleigh Ashford is perfect to as Paula Jones, whose Clinton story needs to be told too. Much like the concluding part which shows us "another Clinton victim" and a much deeper and darker one as a now apathetic world wants to turn over to the Grammy's and is actually more devastated that they missed the end of that performance. Whilst pulling the strings in the background like 'The Godfather' puppet an even more unrecognisable than Paulson, Margo Martindale brings the fire as literary agent Lucianne Goldberg, looking for a bigger scoop and payday than the papers can make, by the book. Add Tom's son Colin Hanks giving some humanity to the Star investigators whilst pops is playing with robots and dogs as 'Finch' on Apple TV. Plus a scene stealing Billy 'On The Street' Eichner as The Drudge and another chamelonic actress in Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D. veteran Cobie Smulders slipping into the skin of her character like an agent, for some of the best things about this show. But once 'The Sopranos' star Edi Falco steps in as Hilary Clinton half-way through the series and in turn steps up the show, it's truly on. And it's really her moment like the polls turning to this American political powerhouse who is stronger standing on her own two like the opposite of her Presidential running motto. Who cares about her emails Trump? This is someone who got flack for standing by her man, even off Tammy Wynette (but to be fair, she started it), but still stood pat. The man in question? Well who else to play Bill Clinton than Clive Owen? What?! The British actor who was once going to be the next James Bond? Well under all that make-up, one hell of a prosthetic nose and an accent that accelerates past all the perfect comedic impressions, Clive Owen IS Bill Clinton. And not just looking and sounding the part he brings even more conflicitons to this complex character and figure in American history for the record. His side is shared, its only right to give him his due and his day, because you best believe like the Royal Family and 'The Crown', he'll be watching, but certainly not enjoying this like 'The West Wing'. But the real story that needs to be told and is belongs to Monica and all the women like the other Clinton's that were wronged. And this is what makes this crimes story one all American's must investigate. Because there's no land of the free without the truth set in the right direction. All for a powerful land that losing its way needs to stop grabbing the you know what's and actually get to grips with itself. Impeach that! TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'The People vs. OJ. Simpson: American Crime Story', 'The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story', 'The Crown'.
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