TV-MASeason 1
What happened to women helping women?
Synopsis
Mrs. America (2020), Season 1 — watch online on iFILM, nine episodes, each named for a different real woman from the 1970s political wars. Conservative lawyer and activist Phyllis Schlafly (Cate Blanchett) builds the Stop ERA grassroots machine to block ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. The feminist coalition — Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug, Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm, Jill Ruckelshaus — fights back from inside the Democratic Party, the media, and the House floor.
The season moves through about a decade in nine acts. Chisholm makes a historic run for the Democratic presidential nomination. Friedan challenges Schlafly to a televised debate. ERA gains White House backing under a Republican president, and Schlafly finds herself protesting her own party. The climax is the 1977 National Women's Conference in Houston, where a handful of conservative women cross into the convention to disrupt it — and find themselves face to face with the leaders they have spent years opposing.
The finale pulls back to 1980, Reagan's campaign and the ERA's ratification deadline converging, leaving the real question — who actually came out ahead — deliberately open. Blanchett's Schlafly is the show's magnetic center, but the rotating structure insists every woman in the story has her own version of events. Stream Mrs. America Season 1 — all episodes online on iFILM.
9 episodes
S1·E1Phyllis
Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly considers another run for Congress, amid the women's movement's push for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.
S1·E2Gloria
While Phyllis mobilizes grassroots support in her fight against the ERA, Gloria Steinem fends off Bella Abzug's attempts to drag her further into the political game.
S1·E3Shirley
Shirley Chisholm makes a historic run for president, while Gloria struggles to play politics at the DNC. Phyllis takes her new anti-ERA organization national.
S1·E4Betty
As Stop ERA grows and gains media attention, Betty Friedan, the mother of the Feminist movement, makes it her mission to take down Phyllis.
S1·E5Phyllis & Fred & Brenda & Marc
Phyllis and Fred Schlafly debate superstar Feminist couple Brenda and Marc Feigan-Fasteau on television.
S1·E6Jill
With a pro-ERA Republican in the White House, Phyllis protests her own party, which puts her in conflict with Republican Feminist leader, Jill Ruckelshaus.
S1·E7Bella
Bella is put in charge of the first ever government-funded National Women's Conference. Phyllis and her women clash over how to best disrupt the conference.
S1·E8Houston
Alice, Rosemary and Pamela cross into enemy territory at the National Women's Conference in Houston, where they come face-to-face with Feminist leaders.
S1·E9Reagan
Gloria, Bella and Jill put pressure on the White House to act on their proposals from the National Women's Conference. Phyllis prepares to leverage her political victories as the 1980 presidential election draws near.
1 seasons
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