Mrs. America
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It is tempting to watch the end ofMrs.
Americaand conclude that, in the battle of Phyllis Schlafly versus feminism, nobody won.
As we see in the series finale, Reagan, the onlyMrs.
Kirkpatrick, the title card pointedly notes, was in favor of the ERA.
The women on both sides of the political spectrum look powerless by the time this series is done.
There is also another way to interpret the ending ofMrs.
America, and that is to conclude that ultimately somebody did win, and that somebody was Phyllis Schlafly.
Reminders of this appear in abundance in this episode.
For starters, theres Phyllis and Rosemarys blase attitude toward lying about the crowd size (!)
at the anti-ERA rally in Houston.
That sounded so familiar for some reason … oh, right.Thats why.
All of these allusions are less than subtle.
Their effect is blunt, and, assuming youre not a Trump supporter or an anti-feminist, effectively chilling.
Its funny to think that, when this series andthese recaps began, I was concerned thatMrs.
Americamight try too hard to make the audience empathize with Phyllis.
Pretty much everything Phyllis does in this episode is awful.
She completely tosses aside her husbands feelings and opinions to spontaneously endorse Ronald Reagan without consulting him first.
When did you get so mean?
Alice,the divine Sarah Paulson, snaps at her during their big blow-up at the gala.
The thing is, Phyllis didnt get mean.
She was always mean.
Alice, now gainfully employed, just got better at seeing it.
Well, it turns out, Ronald Reagan would.
It makes him look weak.
In both scenarios, women who have demonstrated political savviness are not taken seriously and pushed aside.
But you dont feel sorry for her.
Phyllis Schlafly got exactly what she campaigned for.
Actually, the real winners inMrs.
Americamight be the cast.
Seriously, how is this even going to work at the Emmys?
Is the entire Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series category going to consist of nothing but women fromMrs.
Every performance in this was excellent.
We are shown footage of the 2017 Womens March, including a sign that is completely relevant toMrs.
Americas interests: I cant believe we still have to protest this shit.
Americas subtle way, perhaps, of conveying this final message: Ladies, dont boo.
