The First Lady Review: Rift (Season 1 Episode 9)

The First Lady Season 1 Episode 9, “Rift,” has the ladies going through big upsets, and it makes for a depressing episode. 

Hick breaks up with Eleanor, Betty gets confronted by her family and sent to rehab, and Michelle has to watch as Donald Trump takes the 2016 election. I mean, these are devastating losses, and some of it is difficult to watch. 

I’d rather not relive the disgust and hopelessness I felt on that election night, but unfortunately for me, The First Lady‘s depiction of it is painfully on point. Actually, the situation is made even more heartbreaking because it is from the perspective of a Black woman.

And not just any Black woman, but Michelle Obama. A woman who worked hard to try and make this country a better place, who led by example with grace and dignity. A woman, who despite her very valid anger at white feminism, spoke out in support of Hillary Clinton. 

It strengthens the story to include Michelle’s resistance to helping the Clinton campaign. Viola Davis’ portrayal of Michelle during this turbulent time does well to shine a light on the failure of feminism when it’s not intersectional.

It’s important to show this, but it doesn’t make the reality of it any easier to stomach, especially since the episode so accurately captures the tone of this time in our recent history. Many wounds are still fresh or being reopened as the US House committee investigates the January 6th attack on the Capitol in real time. Not to mention the continual attacks on basic human rights happening at both the state and federal levels all over the country.

It paints a bleak and accurate picture of the events, and the other two storylines offer no levity.

Michelle Pfeiffer continues her stunning portrayal of Betty Ford as the First Lady hits a low point that requires family intervention. 

Interventions were a relatively new concept in 1978 so Betty’s bitter reaction packs a bigger punch. She conveys a whole host of emotions in both the scenes with her daughter Susan (Dakota Fanning) and then with the whole family. 

Pfeiffer’s delicate crafting of Betty as a character pays off here. It’s easy to have empathy and compassion for her because of it. Additionally, the series has done a good job of showing how there was virtually no awareness of drug and alcohol dependency at the time, but that there was a giant stigma.

It’s evident in things like the way Betty reacts to the implication that she’s an alcoholic and a drug addict. President Ford’s (Aaron Eckhart) reactions on this episode adds to this as well when he admits to his contribution to her disease.

Many of the choices she made that brought her to this moment seemed reasonable. She combined liquor and pills at the approval of a doctor and her husband neglected her during hard times.

The end of “Rift” shows Betty going into rehab. I look forward to the light at the end of this story’s tunnel where Betty emerges strong and ready to bring much needed awareness to the public. 

Eleanor’s story is also defeating. I’ve been saying it since Episode 2, Eleanor and Hick’s relationship deserves a series all its own.  Gillian Anderson and Lily Rabe have captivating chemistry, and while I’m grateful to have what we have been given with these two, I’m still in dire need of more.

Thusly, Hick leaving feels abrupt and out of nowhere. Although, it is a beautifully-filmed scene with achingly-beautiful performances from Anderson and Rabe—one I will cling to along with the other precious crumbs.

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 Sundays at 9/8c on Showtime.

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