The First Lady Review: Shout Out (Season 1 Episode 6)
The First Lady continues to be all over the place and nowhere, all at once.
Honestly, the story structure plays like a fifth grader’s history report on these three women, and Season 1 Episode 6, “Shout Out,” is no different.
Like all the previous episodes there are acting gems and beautifully real moments, but with the star power and high-end production advantage behind it, it should be much, much more. I know I sound like a broken record in these reviews, but the fact of the matter is The First Lady is not living up to its enormous potential.
The hinting at Eleanor and Lorena Hickock’s romantic relationship, thankfully, is no longer just hints. But why did it take so damn long to get here? Thusly, it feels rushed for them to go from their first night together to Eleanor moving her new, Franklin-approved girlfriend into the White House within the course of this episode.
It is kind of a funny reference to U-Haul lesbians, though, which I appreciate.
Pacing, like structure, is erratic, and that is maddeningly apparent on this episode. In turn, it doesn’t give the viewer a chance to really invest in the storylines. It also lessens the impact of these amazing performances.
It feels like both the audience and the actors are being gypped.
Connecting Eleanor’s queer relationship, Betty’s fight for the ERA, and Michelle pushing Barack to make a statement on gay marriage is, frankly, pedestrian—a prosaic approach to some vitally important storytelling.
The First Lady is historical, yet we are fighting for these very rights today. Women’s rights and gay rights are in danger in the here and now. If this is the show’s account of these events, focusing on these themes, then it better continue on in that vein. This frighteningly relevant history deserves more than a mere blip or one episode in this biographical history tale.
That’s my main issue—the lack of cohesiveness and depth—which, unfortunately, affects every other aspect.
There is a small thread that connects the Ladies’ daughters, but it is barely explored—not the mother/daughter relationship nor the young women’s involvement in these movements. Which is yet another missed opportunity.
The First Lady is guilty of oversimplifying. It’s a child’s picture book account of these women in history. All the wonderful complexity has been reduced down to a basic telling of the lives of this extraordinary trio of women with extraordinary women portraying them.
What did you think of this episode of The First Lady? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The First Lady airs Sunday at 9/8c on Showtime.
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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.