Epic new anthology series The First Lady sees Designated Survivor star Kiefer Sutherland head back to the Oval Office but this time as President Franklin D. Roosevelt, with Gillian Anderson as his wife Eleanor.
The series is available on Showtime in the US and Paramount Plus in the UK, and has been described as a revelatory reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House. It also sees Michelle Pfeiffer starring as Betty Ford who entered the White House in 1974 and Viola Davis as a much more recent First Lady, Michelle Obama.
Here’s everything we know so far about Showtime's ambitious new drama series The First Lady…
The First Lady — UK release date
The First Lady is currently on Showtime in the US every Sunday with the final episode on Sunday, June 19, at 9 pm ET/PT.
The First Lady is launched in the UK on the new streaming service Paramount Plus from Wednesday, June 22 — yes the UK is officially getting Paramount Plus on June 22, 2022.
Paramount Plus Key Info
- What is it? Paramount's streaming service features bags of movies, TV dramas and plenty of original content.
- Is there a free trial? Yes, there's a one-week Paramount Plus free trial, so you can try before you buy.
- How much does it cost in the US? $4.99 (with ads) or $9.99 (ads-free).
- How much does it cost in the UK? £6.99 (there's just one plan).
Is there a trailer for The First Lady?
Yes a trailer for The First Lady has been released by Showtime, so you can see all three wonderful actresses in action as the presidential spouses Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford and Michelle Obama. Take a look below...
What is The First Lady plot?
The First Lady explores the personal and political lives of three dynamic First Ladies, tracing their journeys to Washington through interweaving storylines in every episode. It won’t just focus on their lives as Presidential spouses, but reveal what got them to the White House, starting out during their early years and following them as they move to Washington, D.C.
The First Lady episode guide and recaps
The First Lady switches the action between Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford and Michelle Obama, and here's our brief guide to each episode, which we'll update each week, plus links to What to Watch's in-depth recaps...
The First Lady episode 1, "That White House"
"Eleanor commits to Franklin's uncertain political future. Betty unexpectedly becomes Second Lady. Michelle wrestles with Barack's nomination." Read What to Watch's in-depth The First Lady episode 1 recap right here.
The First Lady episode 2, "Voices Carry"
"Eleanor presses Franklin to act more boldly against the Great Depression. After Nixon's resignation, Betty becomes First Lady days before a state dinner. Before Barack's inauguration, Michelle faces opposition from his transition team." Read What to Watch's in-depth The First Lady episode 2 recap right here.
The First Lady episode 3, "Please allow me"
"Young Eleanor reluctantly cuts short her progressive education in London to make her dreaded societal debut as a member of New York’s prestigious Roosevelt family, which includes her ambitious cousin, Franklin. In Michigan, Young Betty, trapped in an abusive marriage, finds herself pursued by hotshot lawyer Jerry. As she rises the ranks at a Chicago law firm, Young Michelle gets to know an idealistic and politically inclined summer intern named Barack." Read What to Watch's in-depth The First Lady episode 3 recap right here.
The First Lady episode 4, "Cracked Pot"
"Franklin's marital indiscretions push Eleanor to socialize with more political women. A stubborn shoulder injury begins Betty's troubled history with pain medication. Michelle vows to hold Chicago's inadequate healthcare system to task." Read What to Watch's in-depth The First Lady episode 4 recap right here
The First Lady episode 5, "See Saw"
"Frustrated by the male dominated world of media and politics, Eleanor holds the White House’s first all-female press conference and grows closer to journalist Lorena “Hick” Hickock. Betty’s public announcement of her breast cancer diagnosis shifts opinion of the Ford Administration away from Jerry’s controversial pardon of Nixon and makes Betty a popular figure among American women. After Barack Obama gets clobbered in the midterms, Michelle launches a new healthy school lunch program, which prompts a stalled Congress to enact new legislation."
The First Lady episode 5 recap right here
The First Lady episode 6, "Shout Out"
Eleanor, Betty and Michelle's daring stances put them in the spotlight. Eleanor moves Hick into an adjacent bedroom in the White House while Franklin has the FBI surveil her actions. Inspired by her growing influence and popularity, Betty steers a White House campaign office to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, which aggravates Jerry’s staff who worry about a conservative challenge for the upcoming Republican Party presidential nomination. Michelle pushes Barack to take a firm moral stand in favor of marriage equality over his political concerns about losing re-election.
The First Lady episode 6 recap right here
The First Lady episode 7 "Nadir"
Eleanor doubles down on her efforts to confront racism. Betty helps Jerry secure the Republican nomination while her problems with addiction worsen. Michelle grieves after recent gun violence tragedies and advocates for legislative action.
The First Lady episode 7 recap right here
The First Lady episode 8 "Punch Perfect"
Eleanor forces Franklin's hand in assisting Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. Jerry spends his retirement on the road, Betty seeks out new party companions at home. Despite Barack's hesitations, Michelle directly speaks out about race.
The First Lady episode 8 recap right here
The First Lady episode 9 "Rift"
Eleanor rallies the country as the U.S. enters World War Two. After Betty's addiction spirals, Jerry and her family intervene. Michelle joins Hillary Clinton on the 2016 presidential campaign trail to advocate for the dignity of American women.
The First Lady episode 9 recap right here
The First Lady episode 10 "Victory dance"
In the Season finale, Franklin gifts Eleanor the charter for the League of Nations. After rehab, Betty vows to help others with addiction problems. Barack and Michelle prepare to leave the White House, determined to continue making a difference in the world.
The First Lady cast — the Roosevelts played by Gillian Anderson and Kiefer Sutherland
Franklin D. Roosevelt (aka FDR) was the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945, and the only US president to serve for more than two terms. He married his fifth cousin Eleanor in 1905 and, despite contracting polio and losing movement in his legs in 1921, he went on to become one of the nation’s most revered presidents, navigating America through World War Two after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Eleanor was one of the first First Ladies to take an active interest in policy-making and promoting causes close to her heart such as Civil Rights and eliminating poverty.
Kiefer Sutherland is set to play FDR, having starred as fictional POTUS Tom Kirkman in Netflix series Designated Survivor, while Gillian Anderson is starring opposite him as Eleanor Roosevelt. And she’s no stranger to playing powerful women, either, having starred as British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in The Crown season 4 on Netflix.
The First Lady cast — the Fords played by Michelle Pfeiffer and Aaron Eckhart
Gerald Ford served as POTUS from 1974 to 1977 following Richard Nixon’s resignation for his role in the Watergate scandal. Domestically he presided over the worst economy since the Great Depression, while his wife, Betty, was noted for raising breast cancer awareness following her mastectomy in 1974 and her support for the Equal Rights Amendment. She also set up the Betty Ford Centre for addiction following her own long running battle with alcoholism and substance abuse. The clinic has been visited by many high-profile celebrities including Liza Minnelli and Robert Downey Jr.
Aaron Eckhart (Erin Brockovich, The Dark Knight) will play President Gerald Ford alongside Michelle Pfeiffer (Ant-Man and the Wasp) as Betty Ford, while Dakota Fanning (The Alienist) is the couple’s daughter Susan Ford.
The First Lady cast — the Obamas played by Viola Davis and O.T. Fagbenle
Barack Obama, the 44th president, was in office between 2009 and 2017 and made history as the first black US president. He married attorney Michelle in 1992, who has gone on to have success as an author since leaving the White House, with her bestselling autobiography Becoming. Both also executive produce shows such as Crip Camp and We The People for Netflix.
Viola Davis won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Fences and has starred in hit crime series How To Get Away With Murder. Viola will play Michelle in the series, while British star O.T. Fagbenle, from Black Widow and The Handmaid’s Tale fame, has been cast as Barack Obama.
Who else is starring in The First Lady?
There's a huge ensemble cast for The First Lady. Take a look at the rest of actors...
Dakota Fanning is Susan Elizabeth Ford
Marc Hills is Jack Ford
Cayden Boyd is Michael Ford
Ben Cook is Steven Ford
Lexi Underwood is Malia Obama
Saniyya Sidney is Sasha Obama
Regina Taylor is Marian Robinson
Lily Rabe is Lorena 'Hick" Hicko
Jayme Lawson is young Michelle Obama
Ellen Burstyn is Sara Delano Roosevelt
Jeremy Bobb is Theodore Roosevelt
Cailee Spaeny is Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
Judy Greer is Nancy Howe
Jackie Earle Haley is Louis McHenry Howe
Maria Dizzia is Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd
Kate Mulgrew is Susan Sher
Derek Cecil as Donald Rumsfield
Aya Cash as Esther Liebowitz
Kathleen Garrett is Laura Bush
Evan Parke is SS Allen Taylor
Isiah Williams is Martin Luther King III
Will there be The First Lady Season 2?
Obviously a season 2 will depend on the success of The First Lady season 1, but it could well follow a successful formula of following three First Ladies and Presidents. Could we get an insight into the Reagans, Carters, Johnsons, Kennedys, Nixons, Eisenhowers or even further back to the Wilsons, Tafts and Lincolns.
