Mrs. America Review: Gloria (Season 1 Episode 2)
On Mrs. America Season 1 Episode 2, “Gloria,” both sides of the ERA fight look for the face of their movements.
Phyllis Schlafly (Cate Blanchett) is motivated, efficient, and organized. Her alarmist message spreads quickly as women’s groups rally to support her campaign to stop the ERA from being ratified on the state level.
By opposing the women’s liberation movement, she has created a movement of her own.
As her support grows, so does her ambition. She wants the credit, she wants to be the face to represent homemakers with family values.
Phyllis’ tactics change with this ambition. She prioritizes numbers and vocalizing over quiet dignity.
Phyllis: The person that everybody’s paying attention to always wins.
On the other side, Gloria Steinem (Rose Byrne) bemoans the support for her to be the public face. She has already achieved celebrity status, she’s more interested in sticking with her principles. Gloria is not as amenable to changing up her strategies as Phyllis.
Bella: But we need a face—a pretty face.
Gloria: Is that my only value to the movement?
Bella: No, we need your tits and ass, too.
Gloria: I don’t want people listening to me just because I have a pretty face.
Bella: I would love it if people listened to me because I have a pretty face. Then I wouldn’t have to shout. Who cares why they’re listening? They’re listening.
Although these groups are united for a common purpose, that doesn’t mean they agree on the best way to effect change.
Mrs. America Season 1 Episode 2, “Gloria,” focuses on Gloria so we see more of the workings inside the liberationist’s camp. They might have a leg up on Phyllis and the opposition, but things aren’t all hunky dory either.
There is quite a lot of infighting, and that can be a big hindrance to achieving their goals. Highlighted on this episode is the passive-aggressive feud between Gloria and Betty Friedan (Tracey Ullman).
Betty is not quiet about her desire to be the face of the movement. Bella Abzug (Margo Martindale) schemes to get the others to vote for Gloria until Gloria walks out of the meeting, saying she’s not in the running.
There’s a somber beat and then Betty pipes up, “Who wants to nominate me?”
Ullman is great in this role, providing a complex levity to serious issues.
As expected, there are little bits put in to signify the position of women at this time of history. The start of the episode has Phyllis doing sit-ups in front of her television as an ad for a diet product aimed at housewives plays.
This isn’t exclusive to those with Phyllis’ ideals. Bella talks repeatedly about being on fad diets and Gloria is shown ironing.
This is a clever way to speak to a broader example of infighting. Phyllis and Gloria are in two opposing groups, but they are both women—they are grouped together in that way, regardless of their values.
No matter the similarities, conflicts arise, especially when the stakes are this high.
What did you think of this episode of Mrs. America? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Mrs. America airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on FX on Hulu.
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Erin Allen
Erin is a former script supervisor for film and television. She's an avid fan of middle aged actresses, dark dramas, and irreverent comedies. She loves to read actual books and X-Files fan fiction. Her other passions include pointing out feminist issues, shipping Mulder and Scully, and collecting pop culture mugs.