Genre: Political drama, miniseries

Seasons: 1 (2020)

Stream on: Disney+Hotstar

Mrs America Review Summary

The miniseries is set between the early 70s and the start of the Reagan era in America.

The feminists led by Gloria Steinem are fighting for ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) to be constituted in order to guarantee equal legal rights regardless of gender, in matters of employment, property and other issues.

The opposing movement STOP ERA is led by Mrs Phyllis Schlafley, who believed that if the amendment came to be ratified, Women will be forced to be drafted into the military, share unisex bathrooms and give up alimony and social security benefits.

Mrs America Review – Emmy Nominations

10, including Outstanding Limited Series, Writing, Casting and acting nominations for Cate Blanchett (Phyllis Schlafley), Uzo Aduba (Shirley Chisholm), Margo Martindale (Bella Abzug), Tracey Ullman (Betty Friedan). 

It goes without saying, they all shine equally in their individual roles.

Is it worth your time?

Emmy nominee or not, the first question you’d ask yourself before spending 9 hours on a series ought to be – Is it any good? Or better still – Is it for me?

The simple answer is Mrs America is good, but it’s not all that great. It’s not for everyone. Boomers might like it. But the younger generation might find it awful. They’d figure – how’s this even a thing?

And here’s a semi-elaborate (and totally unbiased) justification to the simple answer above.

(At the risk of oversimplifying), it’s more or less housewives vs working girls.

And who wants to watch that old tale in the 21st century when the world is embracing robots and microchips as normal?

But history is important (especially when it’s still bleeding into the present and half of the world is still living with old school mindsets) and credit where credit is due (these historical women did a lot for the liberated women of today).

Eventually, the grassroots political movements depicted in the series grow bigger and find a footing in the larger political canvas of Republican vs Democrats (or libbers) while including other components like religious conservatism, homophobia, abortion and even the Ku Klux Klan.

There is national level politics but not in the engrossing House of Cards template. It’s non-violent and obviously realistic. But it’s divisive as hell, painfully so. One wonders why the housewives would fight working women in the first place? Why can’t they find common ground and peaceful coexistence? More on that later.

It’s emotional too on both sides (Phyllis’s housewives vs Gloria’s working women). And that’s where it kind of disappoints intellectually, (although it makes for compelling viewing because the acting is on point). Must all women, no matter progressive or regressive, be shown weakened and plagued by their emotions? Yikes. Whatever happened to the plain old outright war without tears and outbursts. 

Although in the show’s defence, there are some well-balanced portrayals like moderate Republican feminist Jill Ruckleshaus and also cold-hearted conservative like Phyllis’s housewife friend and the Head of STOP ERA Illinois chapter Rosemary Thomson who wouldn’t be budged from goal of destroying the feminists.

Mrs America Review Main Players

Phyllis Schlafley (played by Cate Blanchett)

Ugh. What a single-minded and ambitious woman who never gave up till the day she died! 

She had six children, a successful lawyer husband and a whole lot of background in defense and politics. 

Her motivation (aside from gaining political  clout) to stop the feminists is in the title of her movement. STOP ERA – STOP TAKING OUR PRIVILEGES. Such as the right to be a proud wife and a homemaker, mother and anything else she thinks is her privilege as an American woman. 

But no one (not even the government) was even remotely thinking of stripping her or any women of that. So why feel threatened? She advertised that only a happily married life is true and lasting happiness. Which the feminists will never have because they’re lonely and bitter. So why did she raise a national movement, join a law school at 50, authored several books, instead of being happy at home baking cookies and bread? Doesn’t compute.

She is joined by Alice Macray (a thoughtful and sweet composite character created to represent the women in Phyllis’s life), Lottie Beth Hobbes, a conservative who founded Women Who Want to be Women and Rosemary Thomson, all of whom wanted to assert the importance of family values against women’s rights.

They made bread, jam and apple pies and handed them out to congressmen with the slogan “Preserve us from a congressional jam; Vote against the ERA sham” and “from the breadmakers to the breadwinners”. How quaint. And it even worked for a while. 

Gloria Steinem (played by Rose Byrne)

An already bigger name than Phyllis Schlafley in America when STOP ERA started. A columnist, political activist, and the spokeswoman/leader of the feminist movement with a series of professional achievements.

The real Gloria Steinem was and remains radical in her ideas of feminism and is a force to be reckoned with. In this portrayal, however, she comes off as detached and not extremely passionate, certainly not as driven as Mrs Schlafley.

Her team constitutes Bella Abzug, the American lawyer nicknamed ‘Battling Bella’, Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to the US Congress and Betty Friedan, author of the iconic book The Feminine Mystique that started the second wave of feminism.

Whose side is better?

Neither.

Selective feminism does not help. As in you’d like equal rights but feel offended if a man doesn’t pick up the full cheque or calls you ‘bro’. Radical feminism can be off-putting too at times.

Total and compulsive housewiving is myopic too, especially if you look down on single women thinking they’re unhappy and frustrated.

Not all of today’s women consider themselves feminists. Not because that label is hated by men but because equal rights come with equal responsibilities. And some women genuinely prefer to have a family and be provided for instead of going out to work and be the breadwinners. And why not? It’s gruelling out there in the workplace. Being a working professional comes with its own problems and stress, whether you’re a man or a woman. But if having a career makes you happy, then yes, equal rights and wages do matter and are essential.

That said, being a homemaker seems like a better option to some. So be it. End of drama. Maybe Phyllis WAS right in her own way. 

But if someone can find a good work-life balance, that’s even better. It’s not mandatory to support either Gloria or Phyllis. Women can stay neutral and do their own thing without being either Desperate Housewives or Charlie’s Angels.

And that brings us to the final argument as the title suggests.

Should you watch Mrs America? 

Yes, if you want to watch great performances and extraordinary writing/screenplay.

No, if you don’t like a dramatic, fictional rendition of an actual political movement. 

Yes, if you’re interested in figuring out why this miniseries won so many Emmy nominations. (The title theme is lit, btw).

No, if you’d rather get your facts about both the movements from legit, non-fictional sources.

Yes, if you have nothing better to do. Like you’re quarantined at home and want to watch a pretentious miniseries because it has Emmy noms.

No, if you have better options. Like yoga, nap or if you want to watch a truly empowering and entertaining show like Orange Is The New Black. 

Mrs America Review Scorecard

IMDb rating: 7.9/10

BingeMeter rating: 3/5

Binge Worthy: Medium to low

Top Acts: All the nominees and also Sarah Paulson

Show Vibe: Women Who Want to be Women and Women Who Want to be Men and Women, Women, Women. Soooo many Women…

Shows like Mrs America: The Plot Against America, Girls, House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, The Good Wife

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