Impeachment: American Crime Story

Impeachment: American Crime Story
Promotional poster
Starring	Sarah Paulson Beanie Feldstein Annaleigh Ashford Margo Martindale Edie Falco Clive Owen
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	10
Release
Original network	FX
Original release	September 7 (2021-09-07) – November 9, 2021 (2021-11-09)
Season chronology
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List of episodes

Impeachment: American Crime Story is the third season of the FX true-crime anthology television series American Crime Story. It consists of 10 episodes and premiered on September 7, 2021.^[1] The season portrays the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal and is based on the book A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President by Jeffrey Toobin.

The cast includes Sarah Paulson, Annaleigh Ashford, and Judith Light (all returning from previous seasons), along with Beanie Feldstein, Clive Owen, Margo Martindale, Billy Eichner, Cobie Smulders, Edie Falco, Taran Killam, Colin Hanks, and Elizabeth Reaser. The series received generally favorable reviews from critics.

Cast[]

Main[]

• Sarah Paulson as Linda Tripp
• Beanie Feldstein as Monica Lewinsky
• Annaleigh Ashford as Paula Jones
• Margo Martindale as Lucianne Goldberg
• Edie Falco as Hillary Clinton
• Clive Owen as President Bill Clinton

Recurring[]

Guest[]

Episodes[]

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Prod. code	US viewers (millions)
20	1	"Exiles"	Ryan Murphy	Sarah Burgess	September 7, 2021 (2021-09-07)	4WAX01	0.92[5]
In January 1998, Monica Lewinsky receives an invitation to meet with Linda Tripp. The meeting turns out to be a trap organized by the FBI, who escort Monica to a hotel suite to be interviewed by the Office of Special Counsel. Five years earlier, Tripp is relocated to the Pentagon following the suicide of deputy White House counsel Vince Foster, whose life and death becomes the focus of a potential tell-all Tripp wants to write. Paula Jones pursues litigation against President Bill Clinton, demanding he apologize for unwanted advances he made to her when he was Governor of Arkansas, and files a sexual harassment lawsuit against him. In 1996, Tripp meets Lewinsky, who has been recently transferred from the White House to the Pentagon, and discovers she is involved with the President.
21	2	"The President Kissed Me"	Michael Uppendahl	Sarah Burgess	September 14, 2021 (2021-09-14)	4WAX02	0.69[6]
In November 1995, while working as a White House intern, Lewinsky learns that both she and her colleagues will take on greater responsibilities in light of the recent government shutdown. She begins her trysts with Clinton, which turn sexual after she confesses her love for him. In 1996, Lewinsky begins confiding in Tripp, revealing that her "boyfriend" has not been in contact with her. Following Clinton's successful re-election, Lewinsky reveals the truth of her affair with Clinton and his promise to bring her back to the White House upon his re-election. Jones' lawsuit attracts conservative feminist Susan Carpenter-McMillan, who promises to assist her. In 1997, Tripp meets with Newsweek journalist Michael Isikoff, who hopes she can corroborate the allegations made by former volunteer aide Kathleen Willey, and hints to him that there is a bigger story.
22	3	"Not to Be Believed"	Michael Uppendahl	Sarah Burgess	September 21, 2021 (2021-09-21)	4WAX03	0.66[7]
Tripp continues speaking with Isikoff, and ultimately tells him about Lewinsky's affair with the president. Jones is offered a financial settlement. Clinton and Lewinsky's relationship ends.
23	4	"The Telephone Hour"	Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre	Flora Birnbaum	September 28, 2021 (2021-09-28)	4WAX04	0.61[8]
In August 1997, Lewinsky begins to frequent the White House for job offers in the West Wing but hears of no opportunities, devastating her and becomes frustrated with both Clinton and Betty Currie, his assistant. Her friendship with Tripp also begins to deteriorate as well especially when she begins to consistently call Tripp to discuss Bill; eventually Tripp confides in Lucianne Goldberg about the affair and Monica but Lucianne suggests she tapes the calls with Lewinsky for evidence of the affair. Tripp struggles in her friendship to Lewinsky but as Lewinsky begins to further frequent the White House and even screams at Betty, she begins taping each call with Lewinsky to end this for Lewinsky's mental health. Eventually, Lewinsky visits Vernon Jordan, who arranges a job for her in New York City. During a sleepover with Tripp, she reveals the stained blue dress to her. Tripp soon decides to bring the evidence to Paula Jones's lawyers, who is subpoenaed in return and Bill discovers that Lewinsky is also on the witness list, forcing him to inform Hillary.
24	5	"Do You Hear What I Hear?"	Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre	Halley Feiffer	October 5, 2021 (2021-10-05)	4WAX05	0.54[9]
In December 1997, Lewinsky prepares to relocate to New York but hearing that she intends to wear the stained blue dress for the interview, Tripp convinces her not to clean it, as an insurance policy should the truth come out. However, during a late night call with Clinton, Lewinsky hears that she is on the witness list for Paula's lawsuit and Clinton encourages her to seek legal counsel and draft an affidavit which she does, falsely denying a relationship with Clinton. After discovering Tripp was subpoenaed, their friendship soon crumbles when Lewinsky persuades her to commit perjury and fearing the consequences, Tripp turns over the tapes to her lawyer who reveals that she could be sentenced for taping Lewinsky since it is a felony in Maryland. Lucianne soon reveals the knowledge of the tapes to Ken Starr and his prosecution team, who organize with Tripp to wear a wire. She meets with Lewinsky, who suspects Tripp of recording the conversation when she begins acting strange, even checking her bag. Starr's team obtains a confession from Lewinsky, after she discusses Vernon Jordan's role in getting her New York job and committing perjury in her affidavit.
25	6	"Man Handled"	Ryan Murphy	Sarah Burgess	October 12, 2021 (2021-10-12)	4WAX06	0.55[10]
Returning to the opening scene back in January 1998, Lewinsky is confronted by Tripp and FBI agents who escort her to a hotel suite to be interviewed by prosecutors and members of Starr's staff. There, she discovers that she faces a total of 28 years imprisonment for committing perjury-related offenses including filing a false affidavit; however, she refuses to cooperate with the investigation when she discovers that in doing so, she would have to disclose the affair and tape calls with Clinton, Betty, and Vernon Jordan. Furthermore, Lewinsky is horrified when she discovers Tripp's deception and betrayal in taping their discussions and demands to call her lawyer and mother, which she is discouraged from doing so, as Clinton is planned to testify the following morning. Lewinsky hears that her mother may also be prosecuted as well; her mother soon decides to leave New York for Washington to be with Monica. Lewinsky's father hires Bill Ginsburg, a family lawyer to represent her. As Monica's mother arrives late at night and on advice from Ginsburg, she is told to leave the room, which she does, with her mother after the team is unable to write up that Monica will receive full immunity for her testimony.
26	7	"The Assassination of Monica Lewinsky"	Michael Uppendahl	Sarah Burgess & Flora Birnbaum & Daniel Pearle	October 19, 2021 (2021-10-19)	4WAX07	0.61[11]
The morning after Lewinsky's confrontation with the FBI, Clinton is brought to testify where he denies sexually assaulting Paula and Kathleen Willey, as well as his relationship with Lewinsky. Soon afterwards, he discloses the news of the affair to Hillary but denies his involvement with Lewinsky. The story of the affair breaks on nationwide television and both Lewinsky and Tripp are subjected to media scrutiny — Lewinsky for being a stalker obsessed with Clinton and Tripp as a villain for her role in taping Lewinsky's conversations. Lewinsky and her mother are held up in the Watergate, as media descends on the building, while Lewinsky and Ginsburg both sign an agreement with Starr's team for immunity in exchange for her testimony. Upon discovering that Ginsburg is appearing on news outlets to deflect Lewinsky's role in the affair, Starr refuses to sign the deal to grant her immunity. Lewinsky is heartbroken when Clinton denies the relationship during a press conference with Hillary.
27	8	"Stand by Your Man"	Rachel Morrison	Flora Birnbaum	October 26, 2021 (2021-10-26)	4WAX08	0.62[12]
In 1992, Gennifer Flowers publicly claims she had a 12-year relationship with Clinton. Clinton and Hillary appear on 60 Minutes to dispute the claims; Clinton's popularity increases, while Hillary's demeanor is heavily criticized. In January 1998, while talking about the Lewinsky scandal on The Today Show, Hilary says a "vast right-wing conspiracy" is attempting to sabotage her husband's presidency. Ken Starr plans to indict Monica unless she cooperates; Ginsburg is fired, and Monica makes a deal to testify in exchange for immunity. In August, following the embassy bombings, Clinton orders a retaliatory strike against Al-Qaeda. He later discovers Starr intends to subpoena him and admits to Hillary that he lied about the extent of his affair with Lewinsky. Clinton gives a taped deposition, where he admits to an "improper physical relationship", before admitting the truth in a televised address to the nation. The Clintons leave Washington to celebrate Bill's birthday on Martha's Vineyard, but Hillary refuses to speak to him, eventually excoriating him for forcing her to defend him publicly. Returning to Washington, Bill learns that the strikes failed.
28	9	"The Grand Jury"	Rachel Morrison	Sarah Burgess	November 2, 2021 (2021-11-02)	4WAX09	0.59[13]
Lewinsky testifies before the grand jury where she is consistently shamed for her relationship with the President and undergoes tough questioning especially about her intention to arrive in Washington to start an affair with a married man. She soon asks Emmick to leave the room when asked about the events of January 1998 when she was held by the agents. When she recounts that day tearfully, she convinces the grand jury to guilt her and concludes her testimony with "I hate Linda Tripp". Meanwhile, due to the negative press attention, Tripp hides out in a hotel and when she appears before the grand jury, she is attacked for her disloyalty to Lewinsky in taping her conversations, especially when she implies that the Clintons may have been behind Vince Foster's death and that she was threatened into taping Lewinsky. Jones gets a nose job when she finds out her case has been dropped, gets in a fight with Steve, and breaks up with him after he implies that she went up to Clinton's room to have sex with him. Starr successfully obtains a tape of Lewinsky admitting the President aroused her and charges Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice.
29	10	"The Wilderness"	Michael Uppendahl	Sarah Burgess	November 9, 2021 (2021-11-09)	4WAX10	0.54[14]
In September 1998, the Starr Report is released, with the Internet crashing and the media consistently commenting on Clinton and Lewinsky's relationship. Two months later, while attempting to file a lawsuit against the Pentagon, Tripp learns she will be indicted in Maryland for the tapes, since she does not have state immunity. Lewinsky grows horrified after learning the tapes are being released. Jones, desperate to pay her mounting legal bills, accepts an offer to pose for Penthouse, angering her conservative audience. The House of Representatives votes to impeach Clinton when Juanita Broderick's rape allegations are uncovered, but the Senate acquits him. Lewinsky's biography about the affair is published and met with an extremely favorable response.

Production[]

Development[]

In January 2017, it was announced that a fourth season of American Crime Story was in development, set to air after Katrina, which was eventually dropped. It was to cover the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal and the ensuing events during Clinton's presidency, based on Jeffrey Toobin's book A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President.^[15][16] However, in April 2018, creator Ryan Murphy revealed that the season was scrapped and no longer in development.^[17]

On August 6, 2019, it was announced that the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal season was back in development as the third season of the series, which would be written by Sarah Burgess and titled Impeachment.^[18] The season began production in October 2020.^[19]

Casting[]

In February 2017, Murphy revealed that Sarah Paulson was to star in the season, but not as Hillary Clinton.^[20] It was later revealed that Paulson, Beanie Feldstein, and Annaleigh Ashford would star as Linda Tripp, Monica Lewinsky, and Paula Jones, respectively, with Lewinsky herself signing on as a co-producer. Later that month, it was announced that the character of Hillary Clinton would not be significant in the series.^[21] On November 15, 2019, it was reported that Clive Owen would play Bill Clinton and Anthony Green, Al Gore.^[22] Later that month, it was announced that Margo Martindale would portray Lucianne Goldberg.^[23] In January 2020, it was announced that Billy Eichner had signed on to play Matt Drudge.^[24] In March 2021, it was announced that Edie Falco and Betty Gilpin would portray Hillary Clinton and Ann Coulter, respectively; Gilpin later exited the series due to scheduling conflicts, and was replaced by Cobie Smulders.^[25][26] It was also announced that Judith Light would play Susan Carpenter-McMillan.^[4] In August 2021, it was announced that Mira Sorvino, Blair Underwood, Joseph Mazzello, Dan Bakkedahl, Kevin Pollak, and Patrick Fischler had joined the cast in recurring roles.^[27]

Filming[]

Principal photography was set to begin on March 21, 2020^[28] but was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On November 13, 2020, Sarah Paulson posted an image of herself as Linda Tripp with the caption, "Linda. American Crime Story: Impeachment has begun principal photography." Filming concluded in August 2021.^[29]

Release[]

The official teaser for the series was released on August 4, 2021.^[30] The series was set to have been released on September 27, 2020, but this was delayed due to the pandemic. The first episode was released on September 7, 2021.^[31]

Due to a 2016 agreement between 20th Century Fox Television (now 20th Television) and Netflix, which predates the acquisition of FX and 20th Television by Disney, Netflix holds exclusive global SVOD streaming rights to the American Crime Story franchise (except in Canada), with Impeachment expected to arrive on that service in 2022.^[32][33] As such, unlike most other FX shows, which are available on the FX on Hulu hub in the U.S., Impeachment was not made available on a next-day basis to subscribers to Hulu's base service, but is available on-demand (and on the FXNow TV Everywhere platform) to subscribers to the FX channel, including those subscribed via Hulu + Live TV.^[32]

The season was first broadcast in the United Kingdom in weekly episodes on BBC Two, starting on October 19, 2021.

Reception[]

Reviews[]

The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the season an approval rating of 69% based on 71 reviews, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Impeachment can't seem to decide whether it's unearthing the humanity of a presidential scandal or indulging the mythology of its media circus, but Beanie Feldstein and Sarah Paulson's performances ring true in the midst of all the noise."^[34] On Metacritic, the season has a score of 61 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."^[35]

References[]

External links[]

• Impeachment: American Crime Story at IMDb