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Parents' Guide to

Feud

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Stunning period piece full of juicy gossip, iffy messages.

TV FX Drama 2017
Feud Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 3 parent reviews

idiotbabe
idiotbabe Adult
December 17, 2018
age 16+

This Show Changed My Life

Time to be honest: I'm a college student, and in my free time, I like to write about media that has influenced me. I would be honored if anyone ever read or thought about what I have to say. I fell in love with Jessica Lange's work when I was pretty young, and started watching all of her work. This show came out when I was in high school, and I religiously watched every single episode. This show really did change me. I ended up making a giant thesis about agism and sexism in Hollywood during my senior year of high school because of this show. There are a lot of times when women are degraded, cursed at and extremely disrespected, but this is in the show for a reason; it's there to teach us what happened to these women and how far we have come (or haven't come) since the 60s. Pretty much everyone in the show drinks and smokes, but as you can see with many of them, Crawford in particular, it ruined many of their lives. This show has an incredible message. I think any kid who has the desire to look into this world and these injustices should be able to watch it. I credit this show and these women for the woman that I am today. I consider these women not to be my role models because they were mean, or because they drank and smoked and slept around, but because they were fighters. They never gave up. And they taught me so very much because of it. I'm thankful for this show, and I'm thankful to anyone who has read this far into my review.
Gabriel N.
Gabriel N. Parent
November 14, 2017
age 14+
My kids asked me to watch this show, because it had their favorite actress, from American Horror Story, Jessica Lange. I was unsure about it at first. As I watched on, I figured this would be okay for my kids to watch. Not a lot of questionable material here other than the obvious drinking and frequent smoking.
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In the 1940s, Joan Crawford (Jessica Lange) and Bette Davis (Susan Sarandon) were the biggest movie stars in the world, and fierce rivals who engaged in a long-running FEUD in gossip columns. But by 1961, everyone viewed them as washed up, too old to be cast as anything but a grandma. So Crawford went looking for her own project, and found it in a suspense book titled What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Soon Bette and Joan were starring in their very own horror movie -- both on- and offscreen.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (2 ):

With lush sets and clothes, ironic feminist subtext, and gossip even Baby Jane fans haven't heard, this series is a positively enthralling treat for vintage vultures. Ryan Murphy, a big Baby Jane fan himself, is clearly relishing unpacking the meta behind the 1962 mega-hit that launched the mini horror genre known variously as "psycho-biddy," or "hag horror," i.e. movies about older women. These movies seemed to view aging women as repulsive monsters, and carried with them a "good news/bad news" message: good news, there are parts for both Bette and Joan! Bad news, Bette's going to be a terrifying madwoman, Joan a faded, helpless wraith.

But at home, off the set, Sarandon and Lange play these outsized stars as vibrant, yet vulnerable women, tragically warring with each other instead of with the system that put them out to pasture. Still, what a pasture! The elegant furs, vintage evening wear, and designer furniture is enough reason to pause to admire every painterly shot -- particularly the ones that reveal Crawford's furniture covered in custom-made plastic protectors, just like in real life. Fans may be pausing, too, to look up period details: Did Crawford really upstage Davis when signing the movie's contracts? Did Davis really kick Crawford in the head accidentally on purpose while shooting? Feud is the rare show that works both on a guilty-pleasure level and on a deeper one, with the Crawford-Davis rivalry digging into questions about stardom, regret, and the value of older women in a culture that doesn't always recognize their value.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what old Hollywood was like for women, in general and in Feud. Despite their outward hostility, how do Bette and Joan show teamwork in making and publicizing Baby Jane? How do both of their long careers demonstrate perseverance?

  • Characters often make disparaging remarks about older women in general and Bette and Joan in particular. Do you think this show agrees with what's being said?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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