A few years ago, rumours were swirling as to what the follow-up seasons to American Crime Story would be. The show had just finished its first season, The People v. O.J. Simpson, and plenty of interesting true crime tales were there for the taking. However one possibility kept cropping up – the Clinton impeachment scandal.
That was back in 2017, and looked as if that subject had been dropped in favour of others – a season on Hurricane Katrina was in the works – but it has now been confirmed as the third American Crime Story season.
Booksmart start Beanie Feldstein will play Monica Lewinsky, the White House intern who had an affair with President Clinton during his time in office. There’s no news on who will play Clinton yet.
Sarah Paulson, who played O.J. prosecutor Marcia Clark on the first season of the show, also returns as well as Annaleigh Ashford. Paulson will play Linda Tripp, while Ashford will play Paula Jones. Titled Impeachment: American Crime Story, the season will be based on Jeffrey Toobin‘s book A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President.
Sarah Burgess will write the script and executive produce alongside a number of names, one of which is Lewinsky herself, whose personal experience will surely be invaluable to the series.
Lewinsky became a national punchline at the time of the affair, but in the #MeToo era, the power dynamic between her and the President deserves to be put under the spotlight. The Slate podcast Slow Burn did a fantastic second season on this same incident through the #MeToo lens. If Impeachment can match the intrigue of that, American Crime Story will likely add to its 41 Emmy nominations.
John Landgraf, chairman of FX Networks and FX Productions, said of the announcement:
“This franchise re-examines some of the most complicated, polarising stories in recent history in a way that is relevant, nuanced and entertaining. Impeachment: American Crime Story will likewise explore the overlooked dimensions of the women who found themselves caught up in the scandal and political war that cast a long shadow over the Clinton Presidency”.
#Peace.Love.Impeachment
