Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
{{Short description|Season 2 of Feud}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox television season
| season_number = 2
| bgcolour = #dfccc6
| image = Feud - Capote vs The Swans.jpg
| caption = Promotional poster
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- Naomi Watts
- Diane Lane
- Chloë Sevigny
- Calista Flockhart
- Demi Moore
- Molly Ringwald
- Treat Williams
- Joe Mantello
- Russell Tovey
- Tom Hollander
}}
| network = FX
| first_aired = {{Start date|2024|01|31}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2024|03|13}}
| num_episodes = 8
| prev_season = Feud: Bette and Joan
| next_season =
| episode_list =
}}
Feud: Capote vs. The Swans is the second season of the American anthology television series Feud created by Ryan Murphy, Jaffe Cohen, and Michael Zam for FX. Directed by Gus Van Sant, Max Winkler, and Jennifer Lynch, it is written by Jon Robin Baitz. The eight-episode season is based on the book Capote's Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era written by Laurence Leamer.{{Cite web |last=Gallucci |first=Nicole |date=January 31, 2024 |title=When Does 'FEUD: Capote Vs. The Swans' Premiere on FX and Hulu? How To Watch Episodes 1 And 2 {{!}} Decider |url=https://decider.com/2024/01/31/when-does-feud-capote-vs-swans-air-fx-hulu-how-to-watch-feud-season-2-episode-1-and-2-premiere-date/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=Decider |language=en-US |archive-date=February 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203061135/https://decider.com/2024/01/31/when-does-feud-capote-vs-swans-air-fx-hulu-how-to-watch-feud-season-2-episode-1-and-2-premiere-date/ |url-status=live }} Its first two episodes premiered on January 31, 2024, with episodes available on Hulu the day after broadcast on FX.{{Cite web |last=Sherlock |first=Ben |date=January 31, 2024 |title=When Feud: Capote Vs. The Swan's Finale Releases & How Many Episodes There Are |url=https://screenrant.com/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-finale-release-date-episode-schedule/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=Screen Rant |language=en}}
Premise
Acclaimed writer Truman Capote ruins his friendships with the Swans, a socialite group of New York City high society, by writing a thinly veiled fictionalized account of their scandalous and hedonistic lives in his (ultimately unfinished) novel, Answered Prayers. When Esquire publishes the chapter "La Côte Basque 1965", after the restaurant of the same name frequented by the Swans and Capote himself,{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Elise |date=2024-02-01 |title=Inside La Côte Basque, the Ultimate See-and-Be-Seen Restaurant for New York City's Ladies Who Lunched |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/inside-la-cote-basque-the-ultimate-see-and-seen-restaurant-for-new-york-citys-ladies-who-lunched |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Vogue |language=en-US |archive-date=February 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203221108/https://www.vogue.com/article/inside-la-cote-basque-the-ultimate-see-and-seen-restaurant-for-new-york-citys-ladies-who-lunched |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Nash |first=David |date=2024-01-27 |title='Feud: Capote vs. The Swans' Is Basically a Walking Tour of a Forgotten New York |url=https://www.elledecor.com/life-culture/a46445674/feud-capote-vs-swans-cast-locations/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=ELLE |language=en-US |archive-date=February 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203221108/https://www.elledecor.com/life-culture/a46445674/feud-capote-vs-swans-cast-locations/ |url-status=live }} several vow to ruin his life in revenge.{{cite web |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=December 5, 2023 |title=Feud: Capote vs. The Swans' Gets FX Premiere Date; Details of Second Installment of Ryan Murphy's Anthology Series |url=https://deadline.com/2023/12/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-fx-premiere-date-ryan-murphy-anthology-series-1235652584/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231206150531/https://deadline.com/2023/12/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-fx-premiere-date-ryan-murphy-anthology-series-1235652584/ |archive-date=December 6, 2023 |access-date=December 7, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}{{cite news |last1=Mangan |first1=Lucy |title=Feud: Capote vs the Swans review – the starriest TV show in living memory forgets to be fun |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/apr/17/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-review-the-starriest-tv-show-in-living-memory-forgets-to-be-fun |access-date=18 April 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=17 April 2024}}
Cast
=Main=
- Naomi Watts as Babe Paley, a socialite and magazine editor, as well as Capote's best friend.
- Diane Lane as Slim Keith, a socialite and fashion icon with a distain for Capote.
- Chloë Sevigny as C. Z. Guest, a socialite and author, as well as the last "swan" to remain friends with Capote.
- Calista Flockhart as Lee Radziwill, a foul-mouthed socialite, as well as the younger sister of Jackie Kennedy.
- Demi Moore as Ann Woodward, a socialite and radio actress accused of murdering her own husband.
- Molly Ringwald as Joanne Carson, a show host and Capote's final martyr.
- Treat Williams as Bill Paley, the adulterous husband of Babe Paley.
- Joe Mantello as Jack Dunphy, Capote's longest-lasting boyfriend, who got him into rehab.
- Russell Tovey as John O'Shea{{efn|Despite being credited for all episodes, he's only in three}}, Capote's abusive side-piece with a "heterosexual dominance" complex.
- Tom Hollander as Truman Capote, the esteemed author of La Côte Basque, 1965, the book that ended the New York elite society, as well as a group of socialites known as "the swans".
=Recurring=
- Jessica Lange as Lillie Mae Faulk, Capote's mother.
- Ella Beatty as Kerry O'Shea, O'Shea's estranged daughter and Capote's protégé.
- Roya Shanks as Louisa Firth, a socialite with a love for Capote's stories.
- Jamie Askew as Jennifer Jones, an actress and health-advocate.
- Scott Zimmerman as David Selznick, a producer and screenwriter of Capote's short stories adapted to the big screen.
=Guest=
- Rebecca Creskoff as Happy Rockefeller, a philanthropist and wife of 41st vice president of the United States, Nelson Rockefeller.
- David Healy as Nelson Rockefeller, 41st vice president of the United States.
- Daniel Adaro as Chris O'Shea, O'Shea's estranged son.
- Tom Stratford as Bill Blass, a famous fashion designer and Capote's old friend.
- Marin Ireland as Katharine Graham, a lead publisher of The Washington Post, her family's newspaper.
- Alison Wright as Pamela Harriman, a socialite with a multitude of suitors, as well as the Ambassador to France.
- Pawel Szajda as Albert Maysles, a filmmaker that filmed the fictional documentary, "Masquerade 1966".
- Yuval David as David Maysles, a filmmaker and Albert's brother.
- Chris Chalk as James Baldwin, a civil-rights activist, author, and Capote's friend.
- Charlotte Cronin as Cornelia Guest, the daughter of C.Z. Guest.
- Jeffrey Grover as Richard Avedon, a fashion photographer and old friend of Lillie Mae Faulk.
- Dennis Staroselsky as Stanley Siegel, host of the The Stanley Siegel Show.
- Jessica DiGiovani as Kate Paley, Babe's estranged daughter.
- Dan Cordle as Joe Capote, Capote's stepfather and Lillie Mae Faulk's second husband.
Episodes
{{Episode list/sublist|Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
| EpisodeNumber = 9
| EpisodeNumber2 = 1
| Title = Pilot
| DirectedBy = Gus Van Sant
| WrittenBy = Jon Robin Baitz
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|01|31}}
| ProdCode = 3WBB01
| Viewers = 0.461
| ShortSummary = In 1968, Babe Paley tells Truman Capote that her husband Bill is having an affair. In 1955, Truman accompanies the Paleys and film producer David O. Selznick on a trip to Montego Bay, during which he charms them with witticisms and an outrageous story that Ann Woodward murdered her husband. After dinner, Babe tells Truman about her husband's affairs, which he tells her to use to her advantage.
{{hr}}
In 1975, Truman meets banker John O'Shea in a bathhouse and takes him to lunch with Babe, Slim Keith, and C. Z. Guest at La Côte Basque. Ann confronts Truman, but he is unmoved. O'Shea suggests Truman use his friends' lives as inspiration for his next novel, Answered Prayers. Despite attempts to dissuade him by Jack Dunphy, Truman's erstwhile partner, an excerpt is published in Esquire, with many recognizing it as a thinly veiled attack. Babe tells Bill she has been diagnosed with cancer. While lunching with Babe, Slim reveals Ann committed suicide before the excerpt's publication and suggests exacting revenge on Truman.
| LineColor = dfccc6
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
| EpisodeNumber = 10
| EpisodeNumber2 = 2
| Title = Ice Water in Their Veins
| DirectedBy = Gus Van Sant
| WrittenBy = Jon Robin Baitz
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|01|31}}
| ProdCode = 3WBB02
| Viewers = 0.263
| ShortSummary = A few months following the scandalous article being published, Truman's downward spiral begins. Following Ann's suicide, the Swans decide to present a unified front as they set in motion a plan of revenge against Truman.
| LineColor = dfccc6
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
| EpisodeNumber = 11
| EpisodeNumber2 = 3
| Title = Masquerade 1966
| DirectedBy = Gus Van Sant
| WrittenBy = Jon Robin Baitz
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|2|7}}
| ProdCode = 3WBB03
| Viewers = 0.298
| ShortSummary = In a documentary of 1966, Capote has cameras filming as he sets up for a Masquerade. Despite various times asking to not have their private issues shown on camera, the camera crew continues filming. In the background, Capote claims to be inviting a special guest, causing the women to guess unsuccessfully the identity. At the party, Ann Woodward and her son party crash with her wanting him to stop his smear campaign. At the end of the evening, Capote hallucinates dancing with his deceased mother.
| LineColor = dfccc6
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
| EpisodeNumber = 12
| EpisodeNumber2 = 4
| Title = It's Impossible
| DirectedBy = Gus Van Sant
| WrittenBy = Jon Robin Baitz
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|2|14}}
| ProdCode = 3WBB04
| Viewers = 0.259
| ShortSummary = Babe continues her radiation therapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, but receives unfortunate news about its progress. As she faces a harsh reality, Babe forgives her husband of his indiscretions and hints at forgiving Truman to the dismay of Slim. Slim tries to slander Truman in the press while the rest of the Swans discourage her efforts. Truman completes his stint at rehab, but quickly relapses and returns to John O'Shea and his old habits.
| LineColor = dfccc6
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
| EpisodeNumber = 13
| EpisodeNumber2 = 5
| Title = The Secret Inner Lives of Swans
| DirectedBy = Max Winkler
| WrittenBy = Jon Robin Baitz
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|2|21}}
| ProdCode = 3WBB05
| Viewers = 0.342
| ShortSummary = In 1975, Babe reads the Esquire article and argues with Bill about his lack of discretion in choosing his lovers. Despondent from a conversation with Bill Paley, Truman tries to commit suicide. He receives a phone call from James Baldwin, with whom he is acquainted, and James invites him to lunch at La Côte Basque. James offers Truman emotional support and encourages him to get sober. As they discuss behaviors of wild swans and compare them to the negative and hurtful behaviors of Truman's Swans, Truman recalls salacious details he did not include in the article. Truman awakens the next day (from his suicide attempt) in the same clothes he wore before the day with Baldwin, implying that the meeting has been a dream, and continues writing his book. That evening after telling Jack this is his best writing ever, he eats a roasted swan by candlelight.
| LineColor = dfccc6
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
| EpisodeNumber = 14
| EpisodeNumber2 = 6
| Title = Hats, Gloves and Effete Homosexuals
| DirectedBy = Gus Van Sant
| WrittenBy = Jon Robin Baitz
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|2|28}}
| ProdCode = 3WBB06
| Viewers = 0.281
| ShortSummary = Truman advises the professional styling of Kate Harrington, the daughter of John O'Shea who he has taken under his wing as a protégé, and pressures her to mimic the look of Babe for her upcoming photoshoot with Richard Avedon. Both Lee and Dick encourage Kate to not allow Truman to control her image. Kate loves and admires Truman, but grows disillusioned with his irresponsible lifestyle and resumed alcoholism. Meanwhile, both Truman and the Swans struggle with their advancing ages and fading relevance in the social scene as their favorite stores and fashions become outdated. Truman takes a boorish repairman as a brief lover, only to find the affair unfulfilling. Entrenched in the threat of a lawsuit from Gore Vidal, who he had defamed on television, Truman elects to undergo plastic surgery and later resumes writing, wistfully recalling happier times with the Swans.
| LineColor = dfccc6
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
| EpisodeNumber = 15
| EpisodeNumber2 = 7
| Title = Beautiful Babe
| DirectedBy = Jennifer Lynch
| WrittenBy = Jon Robin Baitz
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|3|6}}
| ProdCode = 3WBB07
| Viewers = 0.297
| ShortSummary = An increasingly frail Babe learns that she has only six months to live and makes peace with her mortality. She dies in the summer, surrounded by her family, and has a dying vision of reuniting with Truman, whom she praises as being one of the greatest and most important relationships in her life. The Swans attend her funeral, from which Truman has been banned, and begin to go their separate ways. Truman, grieving Babe and regretting their failure to reconcile, slips further into alcoholism and drug abuse, culminating in a disastrous and incoherent appearance on Stanley Siegel's talk show. Jack cuts ties with him and leaves him with Joanne Carson, Truman's only remaining friend. Joanne tries to support Truman's writing efforts, but Truman instead continues to drink heavily as his health declines. He hallucinates Babe comforting him as he dies of organ failure, and Joanne informs Jack that Truman's final words were "Beautiful Babe".
| LineColor = dfccc6
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
| EpisodeNumber = 16
| EpisodeNumber2 = 8
| Title = Phantasm Forgiveness
| DirectedBy = Gus Van Sant
| WrittenBy = Jon Robin Baitz
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|3|13}}
| ProdCode = 3WBB08
| Viewers = 0.307
| ShortSummary = In 1984, Truman visits Babe's grave and lies down on top of it, longing to be reunited. He later visits Jack's apartment while pursuing sobriety, and the two reconcile and part ways as Truman vows to finish Answered Prayers as an apology to his former friends. As he writes, he envisions himself reconciling with the Swans by selflessly granting their deepest wishes. Between chapters, he has a vision of his combative mother, which drives him back to drinking and using drugs. During one such episode, he recalls her suicide, and hallucinates Ann, who informs him that Answered Prayers will never restore his friendships, as he wrote it with the intent of destroying high society out of revenge for himself and his shunned mother. He destroys the completed manuscript in secret and departs for his final stay with Joanne. In 2016, Truman's ashes are sold at auction for $45,000 (with Kate Harrington in attendance) as the ghosts of the Swans critique the proceedings.
| LineColor = dfccc6
}}
}}
Production
=Development=
FX renewed the Feud series for a second season in February 2017, with Ryan Murphy and Jon Robin Baitz attached as writers, with an initial focus on the relationship between the then Charles, Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales.{{cite web |last=Patten |first=Dominic |date=February 28, 2017 |title='Feud' Gets Season 2 Order Ahead Of FX Series Premiere; Charles & Diana In Spotlight |url=https://deadline.com/2017/02/feud-season-2-charles-and-diana-fx-ryan-murphy-jon-robin-baitz-1202026567/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327102228/https://deadline.com/2017/02/feud-season-2-charles-and-diana-fx-ryan-murphy-jon-robin-baitz-1202026567/ |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |access-date=December 7, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}
By April 2022, the focus had shifted onto Truman Capote and his tempestuous relationship with New York high society with Gus Van Sant on board to direct and Naomi Watts attached to star.{{cite web |last=Anderson |first=Nellie |date=April 1, 2022 |title=Naomi Watts To Star In 'Capote's Women' Season 2 Of FX Series Written By Jon Robin Baitz & Directed By Gus Van Sant |url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/feud-naomi-watts-star-capotes-women-season-2-fx-series-jon-robin-baitz-gus-van-sant-1234992069/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401161622/https://deadline.com/2022/04/feud-naomi-watts-star-capotes-women-season-2-fx-series-jon-robin-baitz-gus-van-sant-1234992069/ |archive-date=April 1, 2022 |access-date=December 7, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}
Baitz adapted the bestselling book Capote's Women by Laurence Leamer for the series. Executive producers on the series include Murphy, Alexis Martin Woodall, Baitz, Van Sant, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Watts, Eric Kovtun, and Scott Robertson.{{cite web |last=London |first=Rob |date=December 6, 2023 |title='Feud: Capote vs. The Swans' Sets January Premiere Date |url=https://collider.com/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-release-date/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125175354/https://collider.com/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-release-date/ |archive-date=January 25, 2024 |access-date=December 7, 2023 |website=Collider}}
It was the last project of Treat Williams before his death in 2023.{{Cite web |last=Rosenbloom |first=Alli |date=January 3, 2024 |title='Feud' trailer glimpses the late Treat Williams in his final role |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/03/entertainment/feud-treat-williams-final-role/index.html |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=January 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240105121445/https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/03/entertainment/feud-treat-williams-final-role/index.html |url-status=live }}
=Casting=
In August 2022, Tom Hollander was cast as Truman Capote with the cast also including Diane Lane and Calista Flockhart.{{cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=August 17, 2022 |title='Feud' Season 2 at FX Casts Tom Hollander as Truman Capote, Adds Calista Flockhart and Diane Lane (Exclusive) |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/feud-season-2-fx-cast-tom-hollander-calista-flockhart-Diana-lane-1235343751/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125175342/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/feud-season-2-fx-cast-tom-hollander-calista-flockhart-diane-lane-1235343751/ |archive-date=January 25, 2024 |access-date=December 7, 2023 |website=Variety}} In September 2022, Demi Moore joined the cast.{{cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=September 16, 2022 |title=Demi Moore Joins 'Feud' Season 2 at FX (Exclusive) |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/demi-moore-feud-season-2-fx-1235375133/#recipient_hashed=543290449ab748aea2ae096779206179989658c01d22c5f1ea4df3debc27917a |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920220827/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/demi-moore-feud-season-2-fx-1235375133/#recipient_hashed=543290449ab748aea2ae096779206179989658c01d22c5f1ea4df3debc27917a |archive-date=September 20, 2022 |access-date=December 7, 2023 |website=Variety}}
=Filming=
Filming began in New York in the autumn of 2022.{{cite web |last=Seth |first=Radhika |date=October 12, 2023 |title=See The Jaw-Dropping First Stills Of Naomi Watts, Chloë Sevigny And Demi Moore In Feud: Capote vs The Swans |url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/feud-season-2-capotes-women |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207180422/https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/feud-season-2-capotes-women |archive-date=December 7, 2023 |access-date=December 7, 2023 |website=Vogue}}
Release
The first two episodes of the season premiered on January 31, 2024, with episodes available on Hulu the following day.{{Cite web |last=Buff |first=Christina |date=January 31, 2024 |title=How to watch 'Feud: Capote vs. the Swans' with or without cable |url=https://mashable.com/article/how-to-watch-feud-capote-vs-the-swans |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=Mashable |language=en |archive-date=February 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207092732/https://mashable.com/article/how-to-watch-feud-capote-vs-the-swans |url-status=live }} Internationally, the series will be available on Disney+ through Star and on Star+ in Latin America.{{cite web |last=Cobb |first=Kayla |date=December 5, 2023 |title=Capote vs. the Swans', Starring Tom Hollander and Naomi Watts, to Premiere in January |url=https://www.thewrap.com/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-fx-premiere-date/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231206150514/https://www.thewrap.com/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-fx-premiere-date/ |archive-date=December 6, 2023 |access-date=December 7, 2023 |website=TheWrap}}
Reception
= Streaming viewership =
Feud: Capote vs. The Swans debuted at No. 1 on Hulu's "Top 15 Today"—a daily updated list of the platform's most-watched titles—on its first full day of release.{{multiref2|{{Cite web |last=Cobb |first=Kayla |date=2024-10-18 |title=Ryan Murphy Charts Future of 'AHS' Franchise as 'American Horror Stories' Becomes His 8th No. 1 Show in 2024 |url=https://www.thewrap.com/ryan-murphy-ahs-american-horror-stories-interview/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}}|{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Kasey |date=February 5, 2024 |title=Ryan Murphy Confirms 'The Watcher' Season 2 Won't Release on Netflix in 2024 |url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/ryan-murphy-confirms-the-watcher-season-2-wont-release-in-2024/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=What's on Netflix |language=en |archive-date=February 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209014755/https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/ryan-murphy-confirms-the-watcher-season-2-wont-release-in-2024/ |url-status=live }}|{{Cite web |last=Potter |first=Jordan |date=February 6, 2024 |title=Ryan Murphy says 'The Watcher' won't renew on Netflix in 2024 |url=https://best-of-netflix.com/ryan-murphy-the-watcher-renew-netflix-2024/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=Best of Netflix |language=en-US |archive-date=February 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240212161810/https://best-of-netflix.com/first-look-at-drama-prince-andrew-newsnight/ |url-status=live }}
}} JustWatch, a guide to streaming content with access to data from more than 20 million users around the world, estimated that the show was the sixth most-streamed series in the U.S. for the week of February 5–11.{{Cite web |last=Gruenwedel |first=Erik |date=February 12, 2024 |title=JustWatch: Oscar-Nominated 'Past Lives,' 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' Topped Weekly Streaming Through Feb. 11 |url=https://www.mediaplaynews.com/justwatch-oscar-nominated-past-lives-mr-mrs-smith-topped-weekly-streaming-through-feb-11/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Media Play News |language=en-US}} The streaming aggregator Reelgood, which monitors real-time data from 5 million users in the U.S. for original and acquired streaming programs and movies across subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) and ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) services, calculated that the series was the eighth most-streamed television show in the U.S. during the week of February 4. It climbed to the third most-streamed show the following week, before moving to the ninth spot by February 21.{{multiref2
|1={{Cite web |last=Gruenwedel |first=Erik |date=February 9, 2024 |title=Reelgood: 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' Grabs Top Weekly Streaming Spot Through Feb. 7 |url=https://www.mediaplaynews.com/reelgood-mr-mrs-smith-grab-top-weekly-streaming-spot-through-feb-7/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240212161808/https://www.mediaplaynews.com/reelgood-mr-mrs-smith-grab-top-weekly-streaming-spot-through-feb-7/ |archive-date=February 12, 2024 |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=Media Play News |language=en-US}}|2={{Cite web |last=Gruenwedel |first=Erik |date=February 16, 2024 |title=Reelgood: 'The Holdovers,' 'True Detective' Return Atop Weekly Streaming Charts Through Feb. 14 |url=https://www.mediaplaynews.com/reelgood-the-holdovers-true-detective-return-atop-weekly-streaming-charts-through-feb-14/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Media Play News |language=en-US}}|3={{Cite web |last=Gruenwedel |first=Erik |date=February 26, 2024 |title=Reelgood: Oscar-Nominated 'Oppenheimer' Most-Streamed Weekly Content Through Feb. 21 |url=https://www.mediaplaynews.com/reelgood-oscar-nominated-oppenheimer-most-streamed-weekly-content-through-feb-21/ |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=Media Play News |language=en-US}}
}}
= Critical response =
On Rotten Tomatoes, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans holds an approval rating of 77% based on 64 reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "While this Feud might lack the abundance of incident that made its predecessor such a nasty delight, Capote vs. the Swans
David Bianculli of NPR praised the season, concluding that Capote vs. the Swans merits attention for its quality. Bianculli described it as a strong drama with a compelling story and a powerhouse cast, noting that the actors deliver particularly powerful performances in this installment of Feud.{{Cite web |last=Bianculli |first=David |author-link=David Bianculli |date=January 30, 2024 |title='Feud: Capote vs. the Swans' review: A compelling story with a powerhouse cast |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/01/30/1227854692/feud-truman-capote-vs-the-swans-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240131033120/https://www.npr.org/2024/01/30/1227854692/feud-truman-capote-vs-the-swans-review |archive-date=January 31, 2024 |access-date=January 31, 2024 |website=NPR}} Alison Herman of Variety commended the show's portrayal of the "complex, enduring, often co-dependent bond between straight women and gay men." Herman described the series as a sincere and moving exploration of this dynamic, a rarity treated with empathy and depth. Herman noted that this unique focus helps make the show's flaws more forgivable, viewing them as part of its ambitious storytelling.{{Cite web |last=Herman |first=Alison |date=January 31, 2024 |title=Naomi Watts and Chloë Sevigny Lead a Glamorous Flock in the Surprisingly Sad 'Feud: Capote vs. The Swans': TV Review |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/tv-reviews/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-review-1235876809/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240212232931/https://variety.com/2024/tv/tv-reviews/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-review-1235876809/ |archive-date=February 12, 2024 |access-date=February 14, 2024 |website=Variety}} Benjamin Lee of The Guardian awarded Capote vs. the Swans four out of five stars and praised it for its thoughtful approach, crediting the shift away from Charles and Diana. Lee commended the performances of Tom Hollander, Naomi Watts, and Chloë Sevigny, as well as the show's exploration of the emotional toll on high society figures. While the expected cattiness is present, Lee found the series more focused on the poignant relationships between Capote and his female friends. Despite some minor flaws in pacing, Lee concluded that the second season surpasses the first by emphasizing melancholy over meanness.{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Benjamin |date=February 1, 2024 |title=Feud: Capote vs the Swans review – starry New York catfight stings with sadness |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/feb/01/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-review |access-date=2024-09-15 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Carol Midgley of The Sunday Times awarded Capote vs. the Swans four out of five stars and found it to be a visually stunning and sharply written series that, while too long at nearly eight hours, is elevated by Tom Hollander's mesmerizing portrayal of Truman Capote. Hollander's performance, marked by his convincing physical transformation and voice work, captures Capote's descent into alcoholism, drug abuse, and self-destruction. Midgley also praised Naomi Watts as Babe Paley, highlighting the cast's strong performances. Though the series explores rich people's self-obsession, Midgley found that Hollander's nuanced portrayal brings depth and pathos to Capote’s tragic decline.{{Cite web |last=Midgley |first=Carol |date=April 17, 2024 |title=Feud: Capote vs the Swans review — Tom Hollander's portrayal is mesmeric |url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-tv-review-tom-hollanders-portrayal-is-mesmeric-jcxdpb3jc |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=The Sunday Times |language=en}} Emma Fraser of IGN rated Capote vs. The Swans eight out of ten, praising the actors' performances, particularly that of Hollander. Fraser also complimented the show's costumes and production design, describing it as a "delicious cautionary tale of writing.{{Cite web |last=Fraser |first=Emma |date=January 31, 2024 |title=Feud: Capote vs. the Swans Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240210101921/https://www.ign.com/articles/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-review |archive-date=February 10, 2024 |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=IGN |language=en}}
Jackson McHenry of Vulture noted that Capote vs. the Swans offers plenty of surface-level details about Capote, highlighting his public persona, but struggles to delve into his creative inner life. McHenry observed that while the show delivers on the cattiness, glamour, and intriguing facts—such as Capote serving spaghetti and chicken hash with champagne—it falls short in providing deeper insight into why Capote's social circle was so groundbreaking or how 1960s society was evolving during that time.{{Cite web |last=McHenry |first=Jackson |date=February 1, 2024 |title=Feud Sees Capote in Black and White |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-review-fx.html? |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209025425/https://www.vulture.com/article/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-review-fx.html |archive-date=February 9, 2024 |access-date=February 14, 2024 |website=Vulture}} Melanie McFarland of Salon observed that the female characters in Baitz's script lacked depth, noting that the writing focuses heavily on one layer of the women's interiority, primarily portraying their vindictiveness, prejudice, or selfishness, without suggesting deeper dimensions. She also critiqued comparisons made by FX and the show to The Real Housewives franchise, arguing that this comparison undermines the cast's efforts. McFarland pointed out that while Bravo's housewives may appear as shallow as Capote’s socialites, Andy Cohen excels at turning problematic personalities into captivating spectacles. In contrast, Baitz and the cast overwork the characters, making them appear rigid rather than allowing them the flexibility to be authentically wicked.{{Cite web |last=McFarland |first=Melanie |date=January 31, 2024 |title="Feud: Capote vs. The Swans" makes us miss Ryan Murphy's facility for writing difficult women |url=https://www.salon.com/2024/01/31/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-makes-us-miss-ryan-murphys-facility-for-writing-difficult-women/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240214072247/https://www.salon.com/2024/01/31/feud-capote-vs-the-swans-makes-us-miss-ryan-murphys-facility-for-writing-difficult-women/ |archive-date=February 14, 2024 |access-date=February 14, 2024 |website=Salon}}
Accolades
Notes
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb episodes|1984119|season=2}}
{{Ryan Murphy}}
{{Satellite Award for Best Cast – Television Series}}
Category:2020s American anthology television series
Category:2020s American LGBTQ-related drama television series
Category:2024 American television seasons
Category:American biographical series
Category:American English-language television shows
Category:American television docudramas
Category:Cultural depictions of Truman Capote
Category:FX Networks original programming
Category:Mass media portrayals of the upper class
Category:Television series created by Ryan Murphy (producer)
Category:Television series set in 1955
Category:Television series set in 1966
Category:Television series set in 1968
Category:Television series set in 1975
Category:Television series set in 1978
Category:Television series set in 1984
Category:Television shows about writers
Category:Television shows based on non-fiction books