In 1998 the world learned the name 'Monica Lewinsky' and neither blue dresses nor the words 'sexual relations' have been the same since. The latest installment in the American Crime Story anthology relates the infamous scandal that erupted in the wake of White House intern Lewinsky's affair with President Bill Clinton. Rather than merely rehashing familiar headlines, the series offers an insider's view of the Paula Jones lawsuit, the Lewinsky affair, and Clinton's impeachment courtesy of the women who lived them. Missing out on this scintillating mix of political intrigue, sexual politics, and media scandal would be nothing short of criminal.
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| The photo that launched a thousand headlines |
The story begins with Linda Tripp working in the Clinton White House as secretary to Deputy White House Counsel and personal lawyer to the Clintons, Vince Foster. Following Foster's alleged suicide Tripp is moved to the Pentagon where she meets White House intern turned DOD secretary Monica Lewinsky. The two bond over their shared outsider status and Lewinsky reveals that she is engaged in an affair with married President Bill Clinton. Meanwhile, Clinton is already engaged in a legal firestorm stemming from Arkansas civil servant Paula Jones' sexual harassment allegations. Eventually the paths of all three women are placed on a collision course that will redefine modern American politics.
American Crime Story: Impeachment tells the story behind the story that the American public thought they knew and makes for addictive drama in the process. Rather than limit its focus to the well worn details of Lewinsky and Clinton's affair, the series instead broadens its scope to include the events leading up to Clinton's impeachment and the inevitable fallout from the ensuing media circus. As a result, the series relates not the tawdry soap opera that dominated headlines in the late 1990's, but instead a damning indictment of America's media and political elites and the wreckage that they leave behind. The decision to tell the story from Lewinsky, Jones, and Tripp's perspectives proves to be one of the series' greatest strengths. Not only does this narrative structure offer vital insight into each of their unique experiences and motives, but it also highlights the ways in which all three were manipulated, used, and discarded by the very people and institutions that they trusted most. In this way the series flips the popular narrative which attempted to reduce all three women to little more than caricatures and instead offers an alternative, more complicated, tale which casts the supposed heroes of the impeachment saga in a decidedly darker light. The interlocking stories additionally ensure that the series relates a tale of power, corruption, and exploitation rather than merely the racy details of a scandalous affair. The series particularly sets itself apart from other recent dramas through its refusal to bow down to political correctness and willingness to tackle taboo subjects. For example, the series acknowledges the corruption allegations that dogged both Bill and Hillary Clinton for decades and even goes so far as to make numerous sly references to the notorious 'Clinton Body Count' conspiracy theory. For a must see all-American political drama tune in to American Crime Story: Impeachment.
The series transports viewers to the Clinton White House thanks to the brilliant work of its cast. Colbie Smulders and Judith Light infuse their performances as Republican operative Ann Coulter and Jones' attorney Susan Carpenter-McMillan with cool charisma. Billy Eichner steals each scene in which he appears as eccentric guerilla journalist Matt Drudge. Taran Killam perfectly balances insecurity and brutality in his portrayal of Jones' husband, Steve. Margo Martindale turns in another endlessly engaging performance as indomitable literary agent Lucianne Goldberg. Edie Falco combines steely resolve with cold calculation to bring the larger than life Hillary Clinton to the small screen. Clive Owen infuses his all too human portrayal of Bill Clinton with a fascinating blend of charm, ambition, and sleaze. Even in the midst of its superb supporting performances the series is dominated by its three leading ladies, whose multifaceted performances reveal the humanity behind the headlines. Annaleigh Ashford is achingly vulnerable in her girl next door turn as Paula Jones. Beanie Feldstein explores the woman behind the 'other woman' label in a portrayal of Monica Lewinsky that blends effervescent charm, endearing innocence, emotional trauma, and ultimately resilience. Sarah Paulson showcases an acting master class in a performance that goes beyond merely capturing Linda Tripp's public persona to fully embodying Tripp in all of her contradictions and complexity. Through their combined efforts the cast lend viewers an insider's view of the drama behind the drama of the Clinton administration that is certain to satisfy viewers across the political spectrum.
Through its unflinching portrayal of the scandal plagued Clinton White House American Crime Story: Impeachment sets itself apart as one of the most daring productions to ever grace the small screen. Through its well paced and intelligent script the series breathes fresh life into the familiar saga of the Clinton impeachment while offering pointed commentary at today's political climate. The series' performances bring the infamous women embroiled in the impeachment scandal to vivid life with a complexity and humanity that the media denied them. In an industry defined by woke trends and limited by fears of cancel culture the series defiantly pulls back the curtain on the hypocrisy, callousness, and machinations of America's political and media elite. Throughout the series Paula Jones, Linda Tripp, and Monica Lewinsky each yearn to share their side of the story with the American public; thanks to American Crime Story: Impeachment they just might have finally done so.
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