Ryan Murphy has another anthology series in the works at FX. It’s called Feud, and it’s about feuds, and the first season will be dedicated to the feud between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, who will be played by Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange, respectively.
This is the best television show I’ve ever seen, and I haven’t seen it yet. I’m on the verge of hysteria right now. I want to run out into the middle of the street screaming. I am losing it.
Produced by Fox 21 Television Studios, the eight-episode first season revolves around Joan Crawford and Bette Davis’ legendary rift they had on 1962 feature film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? The rivalry between the two stars was paramount to the movie’s popularity at the time. (The movie scored five Oscar nominations, including one for Davis.)
American Horror Story alum Jessica Lange will reteam with Murphy and star as Crawford, while Susan Sarandon will play Davis. The pilot is based in part on the script Best Actress by Jaffe Cohen and Michael Zam, which Murphy purchased.
If you’re wondering why so many anthologies, the New York Times recently offered a brief explanation. It is hard to imagine a better use of the form than as a way to go deep on great feuds of history.
If you’ve never seen What Ever Happened to Baby Jane, you should remedy that immediately. There is basically nothing better than Bette Davis crooning “I’ve Written a Letter to Daddy” while decked out like Pollyanna, then facing off with eyebrows-era Joan Crawford. If you only see one Davis movie, make it All About Eve, and if you only see one Crawford movie, it ought to be Mildred Pierce, but if you had to pick just one black-and-white classic to watch in your entire life, you could do a lot worse than Whatever Happened to Baby Jane.
Susan Sarandon is maybe the only woman alive who could get within striking distance of a convincing Bette Davis portrayal, and Jessica Lange? She was born to play Joan Crawford for Ryan Murphy.
I AM FUCKING LOSING IT.