We’re just three episodes into Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, the long-awaited second season of the anthology series Feud, and the cracks in the facade are becoming more glaring each week.
The first season was a massive success, garnering critical acclaim and Primetime Emmy Awards for its depiction of the notorious feud between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. The casting, writing, production, and acting were all lauded in Bette and Joan. In Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, however, not every element hits the same way it did in Season 1, and the result is a season that’s far more dramatic than necessary.
‘Feud: Capote vs. The Swans’ Premise
Feud: Capote vs. The Swans follows famed author Truman Capote, known for works such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s and In Cold Blood, and his relationship with a group of New York socialites known as The Swans. The Swans set out to take Capote down after he ruins some of their reputations by airing their dirty laundry via his writing. The season is adapted from the book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era. Like most adaptations of real life, some of what’s depicted onscreen is true and some is not.
But whether Feud: Capote vs. The Swans tells the whole truth is inconsequential. What makes the season less appealing than it could be is its unnecessary flair for the dramatic. Every character, Capote especially, is exaggerated to a caricature level, and it gives the episodes a farcical feel without sufficient campiness in other areas to balance it. It’s tonally inconsistent, and it ruins what would otherwise be a fantastically fun season.
Ryan Murphy’s Legacy Won’t Lie in ‘Feud’
Co-creator Ryan Murphy obviously knows what he’s doing – he’s a master of television and has had a major influence on the entertainment landscape since the 2000s. But his entire output is not without flaws.
Murphy’s most pressing issue is that he continues with projects when they don’t need to continue. American Crime Story, for example, had an excellent first two seasons, but the third missed in many ways. Glee’s first two seasons were also excellent, but it fell off as it went on. Feud: Capote vs. The Swans is another example of Murphy making another season of a series that could’ve had a pristine legacy had it been left alone.
Don’t get us wrong – Feud: Capote vs. The Swans is still entertaining enough, and overall it’s good television. But it’s not great television like Murphy is capable of, and it just wasn’t necessary. There are plenty of other Murphy series and seasons to visit before this one.
Feud: Capote vs. The Swans is streaming now on Hulu.
