My favorite television show of quarantine has been Mrs. America, a nine-part miniseries that examines the lives of the famous (and less famous, but equally affected) women who fought for and against the Equal Rights Amendment.
There are few things I like better than a book, movie or TV show that fictionalizes history in an engaging way -- and that introduces the major personalities, events and issues while remaining reasonably faithful to "the truth."
For me, Mrs. America presents 1970s feminism, and the battle over the ERA, in a way that highlights the stakes (the political and emotional ones) with subtlety and complexity. I've heard about Phyllis Schlafly since college, but I'd never taken the time to learn about her specific role in the political battles of the 70s and 80s; I'd certainly heard Mom and Dad talk about Gloria Steinem through the years.
Interestingly, I probably knew more about Bella Abzug and Betty Friedan than either Schlafly or Steinem, by virtue of my Women's History course with Annelise Orleck (in addition to Kenneth Shewmaker's course about American foreign policy, Women's History may have been the class that influenced me the most). I loved the show's portrayals of Abzug and Friedan, particularly seeing the way in which many feminists were both inspired and frustrated by Friedan (in particular, by her opposition to spotlighting and fighting discrimination based on sexual orientation).
Schlafly is a fascinating figure. She figured out how to use the American political system at both the grassroots and institutional levels, and she maneuvered her way to considerable success. Mrs. America shows how hard she is to like or respect, even while making it nearly impossible not to credit her with effectively using our democratic system to advocate for her perspective.
Every performance in the show is stellar; in that sense, I am reminded of The Wire, Six Feet Under, and the other ensemble programs for which I'd have difficulty choosing a "favorite" cast member. As I cross my fingers hoping for a second season, this is the kind of pop culture that makes me feel grateful to be living in the era of peak TV.
Cate Blanchett and the real Phyllis Schlafly
