The First Lady | |
---|---|
Genre | |
Created by | Aaron Cooley |
Directed by | Susanne Bier |
Starring | |
Music by | Geoff Zanelli |
Opening theme | "This Land Is Your Land" by Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 10 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Cinematography | Amir Mokri |
Editors |
|
Running time | 55–57 minutes |
Production companies |
|
Original release | |
Network | Showtime |
Release | April 17 – June 19, 2022 |
The First Lady [1] is an American anthology drama television series created by Aaron Cooley which premiered on Showtime on April 17, 2022. [2] It stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Viola Davis, and Gillian Anderson, among others, and portrays life and family events of three First Ladies of the United States: Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford, and Michelle Obama. The series received mixed reviews, with praise for Pfeiffer's and Anderson's performances, as well as the costuming, set design, and themes, but criticism for its pacing, plot, and Davis's performance. [3] [4] In August 2022, the series was canceled after one season. [5]
No. | Title | Directed by [7] | Written by | Original air date [8] | U.S. viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "That White House" | Susanne Bier | Teleplay by : Aaron Cooley and Ellen Fairey & Jennifer Westfeldt & Hunt Baldwin and Abby Ajayi & Zora Bikangaga Story by : Aaron Cooley | April 17, 2022 | 0.263 [9] |
2 | "Voices Carry" | Susanne Bier | Aaron Cooley & Cathy Schulman and Ellen Fairey and Abby Ajayi | April 24, 2022 | 0.224 [10] |
3 | "Please Allow Me" | Susanne Bier | Teleplay by : Jennifer Westfeldt & Hunt Baldwin and Aaron Cooley and Yolonda E. Lawrence Story by : Jennifer Westfeldt & Hunt Baldwin and Yolonda E. Lawrence and Zora Bikangagan | May 1, 2022 | 0.202 [11] |
4 | "Cracked Pot" | Susanne Bier | Teleplay by : Jennifer Westfeldt & Hunt Baldwin and Ellen Fairey and Cathy Schulman & Aaron Cooley Story by : Cathy Schulman & Aaron Cooley and Zora Bikangaga | May 8, 2022 | 0.185 [12] |
5 | "See Saw" | Susanne Bier | Teleplay by : Ellen Fairey and Azia Squire and Zora Bikangaga Story by : Azia Squire | May 15, 2022 | 0.226 [13] |
6 | "Shout Out" | Susanne Bier | Nikole Beckwith and Alyson Feltes and Abby Ajayi | May 22, 2022 | 0.185 [14] |
7 | "Nadir" | Susanne Bier | Teleplay by : Nicole Jefferson Asher and Ellen Fairey and Zora Bikangaga Story by : Nicole Jefferson Asher | May 29, 2022 | 0.202 [15] |
8 | "Punch Perfect" | Susanne Bier | Nikole Beckwith and Ellen Fairey and Abby Ajayi | June 5, 2022 | 0.287 [16] |
9 | "Rift" | Susanne Bier | Teleplay by : Jennifer Westfeldt and Aaron Cooley & Cathy Schulman and Abby Ajayi Story by : Jennifer Westfeldt and Cathy Schulman & Aaron Cooley | June 12, 2022 | 0.292 [17] |
10 | "Victory Dance" | Susanne Bier | Teleplay by : Nikole Beckwith and Ellen Fairey and Abby Ajayi Story by : Aaron Cooley | June 19, 2022 | 0.220 [18] |
On February 5, 2020, it was announced that Showtime had given the production, then known as First Ladies, a series order. Executive producers were expected to include Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, Cathy Schulman, Jeff Gaspin, Brad Kaplan, and Aaron Cooley, who also created the series and will write. Davis would star as Michelle Obama. [19] In January 2021, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jayme Lawson, and Kristine Froseth joined the cast of the series as Betty Ford, young Obama, and young Ford, respectively, with Susanne Bier set to direct and executive produce. [1] [20] That same month, Pamela Adlon and Rhys Wakefield joined the cast. [21]
On February 16, 2021, Aaron Eckhart joined the cast as President Gerald Ford. [22] That same month, Judy Greer replaced Adlon due to scheduling conflicts. [23] On February 22, 2021, it was announced that Gillian Anderson would portray Eleanor Roosevelt. [24] Three days later, on February 25, 2021, it was announced that O. T. Fagbenle would portray President Barack Obama. [25] Dakota Fanning was announced to have joined the cast as Susan Ford on March 2, 2021. [26] On March 9, 2021, Lexi Underwood joined the cast as Malia Obama in a recurring role. [27]
On March 10, 2021, nine more joined the cast, including Derek Cecil as Donald Rumsfeld, Aya Cash as Esther Liebowitz, Jake Picking as Gerald Ford (young), Cayden Boyd as Michael Ford, Marc Hills as Jack Ford, Ben Cook as Steven Ford, Leslie Kritzer as Martha Graham, Thomas E. Sullivan as Bill Warren, and Patrice Johnson Chevannes as Clara Powell. [28] [29]
On April 13, 2021, Regina Taylor joined the cast in a series regular role as Marian Shields Robinson, while Saniyya Sidney, Julian De Niro and Evan Parke joined the cast in recurring roles as Sasha Obama, young Barack Obama and SS Allen Taylor, respectively. [30] In June 2021, Gloria Reuben and Kate Mulgrew joined the cast as Valerie June Jarrett and Susan Sher, while Rosalind Chao, Michael Potts, Kathleen Garrett and Donna Lynne Champlin joined in recurring capacities. [31] [32] [33]
In July 2021, Kiefer Sutherland and Lily Rabe joined the main cast as Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok, respectively, while Ellen Burstyn, Eliza Scanlen, Cailee Spaeny, Clea DuVall and Charlie Plummer joined the cast in recurring roles. [34] [35] [36] [37] In August 2021, Jackie Earle Haley, Maria Dizzia, and Jeremy Bobb were cast in recurring capacities. [38] The series premiered on April 17, 2022, on Showtime and Paramount+ Internationally in 2022. [2] [39] On August 1, 2022, Showtime canceled the series after one season. [5]
On February 25, 2021, it was announced that filming had begun in Covington, Georgia. [40]
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 41% approval rating with an average rating of 6.00/10, based on 44 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Despite formidable stars and a rich history to draw from, a lack of focus and shallow characterization make The First Lady second-rate television." [41] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 50 out of 100 based on 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [42]
Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Black Reel Television Awards | Outstanding Actress, TV Movie or Limited Series | Viola Davis | Nominated | [43] |
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series | Michelle Pfeiffer | Nominated | [44] | |
Best Writing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series | Aaron Cooley, Cathy Schulman, Ellen Fairey, and Abby Ajayi (for "Voices Carry") | Nominated | |||
Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Period Costumes | Signe Sejlund, Felicia Jarvis, Matthew Hemesath, Paula Truman, Stephen Oh, and Jessica Trejos (for "Cracked Pot") | Nominated | [45] | |
Outstanding Period and/or Character Hairstyling | Colleen LaBaff, Louisa Anthony, Lawrence Davis, Julie Kendrick, Robert Wilson, Jamika Wilson, Evelyn Roach, and Jaime Leigh McIntosh (for "See Saw") | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Period and/or Character Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) | Carol Rasheed, Sergio López-Rivera, Valli O'Reilly, Chauntelle Langston, and Milene Melendez (for "Cracked Pot") | Nominated | |||
2023 | Critics' Choice Awards | Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television | Michelle Pfeiffer | Nominated | [46] |
NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special | Viola Davis | Nominated | [47] |
No. | Title | Air date | Rating (18–49) | Viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "That White House" | April 17, 2022 | 0.01 | 0.263 [9] |
2 | "Voices Carry" | April 24, 2022 | 0.02 | 0.224 [10] |
3 | "Please Allow Me" | May 1, 2022 | 0.03 | 0.202 [11] |
4 | "Cracked Pot" | May 8, 2022 | 0.02 | 0.185 [12] |
5 | "See Saw" | May 15, 2022 | 0.04 | 0.226 [13] |
6 | "Shout Out" | May 22, 2022 | 0.02 | 0.185 [14] |
7 | "Nadir" | May 29, 2022 | 0.01 | 0.202 [15] |
8 | "Punch Perfect" | June 5, 2022 | 0.04 | 0.287 [16] |
9 | "Rift" | June 12, 2022 | 0.03 | 0.292 [17] |
10 | "Victory Dance" | June 19, 2022 | 0.01 | 0.220 [18] |
I'm Dying Up Here is an American comedy-drama television series created by David Flebotte. The pilot was written by Flebotte and directed by Jonathan Levine. It premiered on Showtime on June 4, 2017. The series is executive produced by Flebotte, Jim Carrey, Michael Aguilar, and Christina Wayne. It was announced on January 12, 2016, that Showtime had ordered the pilot to series based on the bestselling nonfiction book by William Knoedelseder of the same title. On September 8, 2017, Showtime renewed the series for a 10-episode second season. The second season premiered on May 6, 2018. On September 28, 2018, Showtime announced that it had canceled the series.
The Chi is an American drama television series created by Lena Waithe about life in a neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. It premiered on Showtime on January 7, 2018. In August 2022, the series was renewed for a sixth season. On June 21, 2023, it was announced that the sixth season would consist of 16 episodes split into two parts. Part 1 premiered on August 6, 2023, and part 2 premiered on May 12, 2024. In May 2024, the series was renewed for a seventh season.
American Rust is an American crime drama television series created by Dan Futterman based on the 2009 novel by Philipp Meyer. The series premiered on September 12, 2021, on Showtime. In January 2022, the series was canceled after one season by Showtime. In June 2022, the series was revived for a second season by Amazon Freevee. The second season was released on March 28, 2024 on Amazon Prime Video.
City on a Hill is an American crime drama television series created by Charlie MacLean, based on a story by Ben Affleck and MacLean. The series stars Kevin Bacon, Aldis Hodge, Amanda Clayton, Cathy Moriarty, Kevin Dunn, and Jill Hennessy. The series premiered on June 7, 2019 (online) and June 16, 2019 (Showtime). On August 2, 2019, Showtime renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on March 28, 2021. On June 2, 2021, the series was renewed for a third season which premiered on July 31, 2022. On October 27, 2022, Showtime cancelled the series after three seasons.
Now Apocalypse is an American comedy television series that aired for one season of ten episodes from March 10 to May 12, 2019, on Starz. The series was written by Gregg Araki and Karley Sciortino. Araki also was director and executive producer alongside Steven Soderbergh and Gregory Jacobs. Starz canceled the series after one season on July 26, 2019.
Black Monday is an American historical dark comedy television series created by Jordan Cahan and David Caspe that premiered on January 20, 2019, on Showtime. The series stars Don Cheadle, Andrew Rannells, Regina Hall, Casey Wilson, and Paul Scheer, and follows the employees of second-tier Wall Street trading firm the Jammer Group during the year leading up to "Black Monday", the day when international stock markets crashed in 1987. In April 2019, the series was renewed for a second season that premiered on March 15, 2020. In October 2020, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on May 23, 2021. In January 2022, the series was cancelled after three seasons.
Your Honor is an American drama television series starring Bryan Cranston, adapted from the Israeli TV series Kvodo. It premiered on Showtime on December 6, 2020, and ended on March 19, 2023. While ordered as a miniseries, in August 2021, the series was renewed for a second season that premiered on January 15, 2023. In July 2022, it was reported that the second season would be its last.
Penny Dreadful: City of Angels is an American historical dark fantasy television series created by John Logan that premiered on Showtime on April 26, 2020. The series stars Natalie Dormer, Daniel Zovatto, Kerry Bishé, Adriana Barraza, Jessica Garza, Michael Gladis, Johnathan Nieves, Rory Kinnear, and Nathan Lane. The series follows two detectives as they investigate a murder in Los Angeles. A spin-off of the series Penny Dreadful, City of Angels was ordered in November 2018 and is set in Los Angeles, California, in 1938.
Cherish the Day is an American romantic drama anthology television series created and produced by Ava DuVernay. The series chronicles the relationship of one couple, with each episode spanning a single day marking a significant moment. The first season took place over the course of five years. The second one expanded over a few months.
Big Sky is an American crime drama thriller television series created by David E. Kelley and based on The Highway series of books by C. J. Box. Katheryn Winnick and Kylie Bunbury star as a pair of investigators who team up to work on multiple cases in Montana. Dedee Pfeiffer also stars. Brian Geraghty, Jesse James Keitel, John Carroll Lynch, Anja Savcic, and Omar Metwally join them for the first two seasons, while Jamie-Lynn Sigler and J. Anthony Pena join them for the last two seasons. Also starring in the series are Valerie Mahaffey, Natalie Alyn Lind, Jade Pettyjohn, Ryan Phillippe and Ted Levine in the first season, Janina Gavankar and Logan Marshall-Green in the second season, and Jensen Ackles and Reba McEntire in the third season.
Scenes from a Marriage is an American drama television miniseries developed, written and directed by Hagai Levi produced for HBO, and starring Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain. It is an English-language remake of the 1973 Swedish miniseries of the same name by Ingmar Bergman. It was presented at the 2021 Venice Film Festival and it premiered on September 12, 2021, on HBO. For his performance, Isaac was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award, a SAG Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film, with Chastain also earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Film.
Women of the Movement is an American historical drama miniseries that premiered on ABC on January 6, 2022. Created by Marissa Jo Cerar, the series centers on Mamie Till-Mobley, played by Adrienne Warren, who devoted her life to seeking justice for her murdered son Emmett, played by Cedric Joe. Tonya Pinkins also co-stars as Alma Carthan, Emmett's grandmother.
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty is an American sports drama television series created by Max Borenstein and Jim Hecht for HBO, based on the book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s by Jeff Pearlman. The first season, comprising 10 episodes, chronicles the 1980s Showtime era of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, featuring notable NBA stars Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It features an ensemble cast led by John C. Reilly, Jason Clarke, Jason Segel, Gaby Hoffmann, Rob Morgan, and Adrien Brody. The series premiered on March 6, 2022, with the pilot episode directed by Adam McKay. In April 2022, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on August 6, 2023. On September 17, 2023, it was announced that the series was canceled after 2 seasons.
The Man Who Fell to Earth is an American science fiction drama television limited series created by Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis. It is a sequel to the 1976 film starring David Bowie. The series stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as an alien who arrives on planet Earth and Bill Nighy, playing the role originally played by Bowie in the 1976 film. It debuted on Showtime on April 24, 2022. A portion of the series was shown at SXSW on March 12, 2022. The series was canceled after one season.
Shining Vale is an American satirical comedy horror television series created by Jeff Astrof and Sharon Horgan. The series stars Courteney Cox, Greg Kinnear, Sherilyn Fenn, Mira Sorvino, Merrin Dungey, and Judith Light. It premiered on Starz on March 6, 2022. In May 2022, the series was renewed for a second season. The second season premiered on October 13, 2023. In December 2023, the series was canceled after two seasons, with its seasons to be removed from the streaming service.
The Cleaning Lady is an American crime drama television series developed by Miranda Kwok, based on the 2017 Argentine television series La chica que limpia. The series premiered on Fox on January 3, 2022. In April 2022, it was renewed for a second season, which premiered on September 19, 2022. In February 2023, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on March 5, 2024. In May 2024, the series was renewed for a fourth season.
Super Pumped is an American anthology drama television series created by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, named for the 2019 nonfiction book of the same name by Mike Isaac. The first installment, subtitled The Battle For Uber, is based on Isaac's book and centers on the rise and fall of former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Also starring Kyle Chandler, Uma Thurman, and Elisabeth Shue, it premiered on Showtime on February 27, 2022. Ahead of the series premiere, the series was renewed for a second season, based on a separate forthcoming book by Mike Isaac about Facebook.
American Gigolo is an American neo-noir crime drama television series developed by David Hollander. It is based on the 1980 film of the same name written and directed by Paul Schrader. The series stars Jon Bernthal as Julian Kaye, the protagonist of the original film, alongside Gretchen Mol, Lizzie Brocheré, Gabriel LaBelle, Leland Orser, and Rosie O'Donnell.
The eighth and final season of the American sitcom Black-ish premiered on January 4, 2022, on ABC, for the 2021–22 television season and concluded on April 19, 2022.