Michelle Pfeiffer

Roberts' “Gaslit” turn as Martha Mitchell and Pfeiffer's Betty Ford in “The First Lady” rank among the best acting of the year. So why hasn't anyone been ...

It is also a story worthy of our time, and the humanity Roberts breaths back into Martha amid the toxic Washington landscape is a balm. “Some days, it is impossible to be me,” Martha says with a wave of her hand to excuse her lateness in the finale. Betty’s dreams of moving to Palm Springs are put on hold in 1973 (when the vice president resigned), and a flicker of crushing disappointment that she won’t be heading west anytime soon is quickly replaced by a practiced smile. In front of the press, Betty is a figure of strength who throws a football post-surgery ( and she did), but in private, Pfeiffer deftly portrays the grief and trauma when she looks in the mirror at her mastectomy scars. Roberts offers a nuanced reading that represents both opinions and is part of recontextualizing a maligned woman trend. Slipping into overacting when playing an intoxicated person is common, but Roberts and Pfeiffer could host a Masterclass on how to do it right. For me, a diet of All the President’s Men, The X-Files, and the brilliant Dick (yes, really) told me everything I thought I needed to know. Watergate and its aftermath are only a fraction of Betty’s narrative, but it also provides the foundation for searing exchanges. The latter reflects the painkiller culture of the time, which continues to this day. In fact, their performances are so mesmerizing that I wish both titles had simply chosen to focus on Martha Mitchell (Roberts) and Betty Ford (Pfeiffer). Excessive drinking, popping prescription pills like candy, and a media fascination with both women unite the GOP wives. The truth is, Julia Roberts and Michelle Pfeiffer gave two of the most searing and captivating—i.e. Best—performances on TV this season, in roles that may rank among the most interesting and juiciest of their respective careers. So, it is hardly surprising to see both Roberts and Pfeiffer headlining historical dramas like Gaslit and The First Lady.