Impeachment: American Crime Story Episode 8 recap: Stand By Your Man
By Ariba Bhuvad
Impeachment: American Crime Story takes us down a heavy and emotional path this week as Hillary Clinton (Edie Falco) deals with the repercussions of her husband’s infidelities. Being the wife of President Clinton (Clive Owen) is difficult enough because of political responsibilities, but add in extramarital affairs and you’ve got hell to contend with.
One of the resounding, and perhaps haunting, aspects of this week’s episode is the fact that it had the words “Stand By Your Man” looming over it. Whether that was through dialogue, being implied, or via Tammy Wynette’s song, those words were a big part of the episode.
And that’s because of Hillary’s journey of learning the truth and feeling betrayed by her husband. While this could have been a different situation if they weren’t the President and First Lady, Hillary feels she has no choice but to stay. She has to put on a brave face and suck it up because that’s what is demanded of her, and she literally has to stand by her man.
It was quite an intriguing episode, and there’s plenty to talk about so let’s get right to it with this week’s recap of Impeachment: American Crime Story.
Impeachment: American Crime Story on Bill Clinton’s testimony
Most of this week’s episode focuses on the Clintons, specifically Bill Clinton and his testimony. We first witness how he manipulates the questions during the interview so as to deflect any responsibility for the alleged affairs. It’s disturbing to see how he tries to tiptoe around “sexual relations” and acts as if he is simply not to blame.
It’s almost as if we are supposed to feel sorry for him, and I must say that they do their darndest to make us feel sympathy. What’s even worse is watching Hillary fall apart in the process. Falco’s performance in this episode is absolutely phenomenal, and it’s so visceral to see her portray Hillary’s feelings. I was so drawn into every moment she was on the screen, and I know that she is going to get recognized come awards season.
We spend most of the episode suspended in this awkward family dynamic while still contending with the fact that Bill Clinton is the President and has things to deal with. You know like, locating Osama Bin Laden.
It’s a jarring back and forth, but Impeachment: American Crime Story does a great job of capturing the ping pong of the Clintons’ life. And I think it’s safe to say we’re looking forward to seeing how the series continues to tell the story of America’s biggest scandal.
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Until next week!
What did you think of this week’s episode of Impeachment: American Crime Story? Tell us in the comments below!