Impeachment: American Crime Story Episode 3 recap: Not To Be Believed

Impeachment: American Crime Story Episode 3 focuses on Matt Drudge (Billy Eichner) and the beginnings of The Drudge Report. Eichner returns as a Ryan Murphy staple and does a stellar job of playing Drudge–fedora, and all.

There is a lot of conversation, or at least there was about, whether or not Drudge was the one to break the story about the Lewinsky/Clinton scandal. This week’s episode focuses on how Drudge always got the major scoops, starting off at the CBS Studios gift shop. He doesn’t have much attention from his fellow coworkers, but little do they know, he’s on his way to the top.

Drudge captures the attention of Ann Coulter (Cobie Smulders), who doesn’t exactly have things to praise him about. She thinks his way of “doing the news” is tacky, but all he has to say to that is, “print is dead”. He couldn’t have been closer to the truth!

Things take a drastic turn for Drudge when one of Coulter’s loyal minions divulges information to him about another woman that is considering suing the President of the United States for sexual harassment. And that is just the start of the chaos that is this week’s episode of Impeachment: American Crime Story!

More below!

Impeachment: American Crime Story Episode 3 recap: The news

With this information, Drudge is on the same level as Newsweek reporter, Michael Isikoff (Danny Jacobs) who has been looking into the same story about Kathleen Willey (Elizabeth Reaser). At this point in time, no one thinks that Drudge is credible and they think that the online format is not going to succeed.

But this bitterness towards Drudge only inspires him to dream bigger, which is why he doesn’t wait to report on the scandal news regarding Clinton and Kathleen. Unlike Isikoff who doesn’t want to report on pure gossip, Drudge doesn’t wait a single second. He beats Isikoff to the punch, who spends all his time trying to get Linda Tripp (Sarah Paulson) to talk to him.

Linda pretends to not have a stake in all of this gossip or rather factual statements, but she couldn’t be more invested. She gives him her personal phone number and then continues to prod Monica Lewinsky (Beanie Feldstein) for more details on her affair with Clinton (Clive Owen).

Impeachment: American Crime Story Episode 3 recap: The scandal

The scandal of it all gets more and more complicated as Monica is convinced by Linda to write Clinton an angry letter. It’s all part of Linda’s plan to create as much drama as possible so she can use the information for her own motives.

Linda is even cruel to Willey when she finds out from Monica that Willey has been calling the White House. Since Willey screwed her over for the job she was supposed to have, Linda is more than eager to do anything to take her down.

At this point in time, Willey doesn’t have much else going on. Clinton has hurt her, her husband left her, and now, Linda is just trying to add on to all of that. I love the moment between her and Linda when Willey calls Linda out for loving everything that is taking place.

She loves the drama, she loves the pain, and that’s all because she has nothing else in her life. It’s a bit harsh, but I see where Willey is coming from.

Impeachment: American Crime Story Episode 3 recap: The Drudge Report

Linda uses Monica’s letter to the President to vent her frustrations. It’s a conniving move and a low blow to a person that considers her a friend. Of course, that is not going to be the worst thing she does, but more on that next week.

Even though Linda meets with Isikoff, the Drudge Report ultimately reports on the Clinton/Willey scandal first. Isikoff does report on it eventually, but it’s hard to take what anyone has to say seriously. Both the Drudge Report and Linda Tripp are not to be trusted, but they are the ones that are a part of the reports. Who’s to say if anyone is worth believing?

But Drudge was onto something that no one else was at the time. He knew that hiding behind a screen, spewing facts or lies, is going to be the perfect clickbait. And as long as he had that, no one else mattered–and success was his.

More of Impeachment: American Crime Story next week!

What did you think of this week’s episode? Tell us in the comments below!