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Season 1 – The First Lady

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – The First Lady Apr 2022 Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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41% Tomatometer 46 Reviews 59% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
A revelatory reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House.
The First Lady — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Despite formidable stars and a rich history to draw from, a lack of focus and shallow characterization make The First Lady second-rate television.

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Critics Reviews

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Amanda Whiting Independent (UK) 06/22/2022
2/5
The plaiting of the three narratives occurs almost arbitrarily, with the stories converging only in the broadest strokes. Go to Full Review Doreen St. Felix The New Yorker 05/05/2022
The Showtime miniseries, starring Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Gillian Anderson, manages to make life as a White House wife seem both cosmic and forgettable. Go to Full Review Kristen Lopez IndieWire 04/29/2022
C
If "The First Lady" gets another season itll need to find a way to create compelling narratives for all its leads and be unafraid to get into the mess that is the White House. Go to Full Review Jeff Simon Buffalo News 01/23/2023
The trouble? However brilliant the occasional impressions of each woman, they are all irredeemably minimized. They might as well have invented a show called "American Writers" and had A-list Hollywood actors show off... Go to Full Review Ren Jender INTO 01/10/2023
C-
The anachronism of being “first lady” is in the name itself: in 2022, hardly anyone under the age of 85 who is not a member of the British aristocracy (speaking of anachronisms) unironically refers to themselves as “lady”. Go to Full Review Susan Granger SSG Syndicate 07/11/2022
6/10
Because their parts are so blandly written - except for Gillian Anderson's Eleanor Roosevelt - the actresses seem to be delivering impersonations, rather than characterizations, which makes this historical anthology far too superficial. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Isa D @RT58890195 Jun 9 I cannot understand all the negative reviews. The cast is superb, the episodes are compelling. It was directed by the great Morgan Freeman. There is a thread about human rights that runs through and ties it all together, and that is fascinating. Plus, many details of the lives of these first ladies that I was completely unaware of. Is the negativity because in America we are still very prejudiced against women in politics or positions of high power? That is also a theme in this TV series that I found fascinating and rarely, if ever, discussed. The three First Ladies, Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford, and Michelle Obama, all made such important contributions, but often behind the scenes. To my mind, that has been very unfair indeed, especially to history. I recommend this show highly. I enjoyed it tremendously. See more Diaulas F @RT13630323 03/01/2025 Essa série com essas três grandes atrizes foi perfeito. Fiquei triste por não renovarem uma segunda temporada. Mais ficou guardado as cenas perfeitas do elenco e principalmente de Pfeiffer See more Linda P @RT73972380 11/18/2024 Superb stories and acting. The only downside is Viola Davis is too old to play Michelle Obama to a much younger actor who is playing Barack (he's 16 years younger ). See more Sunshine W @RT43580709 11/08/2024 Absolutely amazing show! So sad it won’t be coming back. These ladies brought so much life and depth to each of the First Ladies. I learned so much about all three ladies and by episode 2 I wanted to be friends with each of them. See more Chris I @Sfchrisrom 05/19/2024 Classless. What a joke of a "documentary". See more Lucas G @Floral_emissions 03/27/2024 Unbelievably cheesy, stiff and phony, the most propagandistic script ever that will make your eyes roll like never before. Such a stellar cast eclipsed by obvious wigs and cringey characterisation that may be good for a polished SNL chapter but not for a show that aims to be historical (being Davis and Anderson specially uncomfortable to watch, Michelle Pfeiffer does what she can) See more Read all reviews
The First Lady — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Aaron Cooley

Creator

Viola Davis

Michelle Obama

Michelle Pfeiffer

Betty Ford

Gillian Anderson

Eleanor Roosevelt

Dakota Fanning

Susan Elizabeth Ford

Aaron Eckhart

Gerald Ford

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Apr 17, 2022 That White House Eleanor commits to Franklin's uncertain political future; Betty unexpectedly becomes second lady upon Jerry's nomination; Michelle wrestles with the consequences of Barack becoming the first Black president of the United States. Details Episode 2 Aired Apr 24, 2022 Voices Carry Eleanor, Betty and Michelle face challenges in their first days in office. Details Episode 3 Aired May 1, 2022 Please Allow Me Young Eleanor makes her societal debut in New York and meets her ambitious cousin, Franklin; young Betty, trapped in an abusive marriage, finds herself pursued by hotshot lawyer Jerry; young Michelle trains an idealistic summer intern named Barack. Details Episode 4 Aired May 8, 2022 Cracked Pot Franklin's marital indiscretions push Eleanor to socialize with more politically active women; a stubborn shoulder injury begins Betty's troubled history with pain medication; Michelle vows to put Chicago's inadequate health care system to task. Details Episode 5 Aired May 14, 2022 See Saw Eleanor holds the White House's first all-female press conference and grows closer to journalist Lorena "Hick" Hickock; Betty publicly announces her breast cancer diagnosis; Michelle prompts new legislation with her healthy school lunch program. Details Episode 6 Aired May 22, 2022 Shout Out Eleanor moves Hick into the White House while Franklin has the FBI spy on her; Betty works to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, which aggravates Jerry's staff; Michelle pushes Barack to support marriage equality despite his reelection concerns. Details Episode 7 Aired May 29, 2022 Nadir Eleanor doubles down on her efforts to confront racism; Betty helps Jerry secure the Republican nomination for reelection while her problems with addiction worsen; Michelle grieves after gun violence tragedies and advocates for legislative action. Details Episode 8 Aired Jun 5, 2022 Punch Perfect Eleanor forces Franklin's hand in assisting Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany; while Jerry spends his retirement on the road, Betty seeks out new party companions at home; despite Barack's hesitations, Michelle directly speaks out about race. Details Episode 9 Aired Jun 12, 2022 Rift Eleanor rallies the country as the United States enters World War II; after Betty's addiction spirals, Jerry and her family intervene; Michelle joins Hillary Clinton on the 2016 presidential campaign trail to advocate for the dignity of women. Details Episode 10 Aired Jun 19, 2022 Victory Dance Franklin gifts Eleanor the charter for the League of Nations; after rehab, Betty vows to help others with addiction problems; Barack and Michelle prepare to leave the White House, determined to continue making a difference in the world. Details Episode 46 Aired Sep 15, 2022 Ingrid and Senator Allegra seem successful in their plans to undermine PGA's reelection candidacy. Details

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The First Lady — Season 1

The First Lady The First Lady The First Lady View more photos

Season Info

Director
Susanne Bier
Creator
Aaron Cooley
Executive Producer
Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, Cathy Schulman, Jeff Gaspin, Brad Kaplan, Aaron Cooley, Susanne Bier, Pavlina Hatoupis, Andrew Wang
Screenwriter
Aaron Cooley, Nikole Beckwith, Jennifer Westfeldt, Cathy Schulman, Alyson Feltes, Ellen Fairey, Zora Bikangaga, Hunt Baldwin, Abby Ajayi
Network
Paramount+ with Showtime
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date
Apr 17, 2022