Why Do Critics Hate ‘The First Lady’ So Much?

Fans and critics alike were rather shocked that Viola’s portrayal of Michelle Obama was bad, given her well-deserved reputation as a consistently excellent actress. One notable part of the Esquire review of The First Lady included this line: “Oh, to be alive during Viola’s (likely very short) flop era.”

However, critics agreed that Michelle Pfeiffer’s portrayal of Betty Ford was the most compelling part of the series so far.