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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Kevin E G Perry

Glenn Close hits back at All’s Fair reviews: ‘The first three episodes were the weakest’

Glenn Close has hit back at the scathing reviews of Ryan Murphy’s new legal drama All’s Fair.

The Hulu/Disney+ series premiered earlier this month to overwhelmingly terrible reviews. It debuted with a rare 0% score on review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes, although by the time of writing that score had climbed to 3 per cent.

Despite the near-universal critical panning, the show has proved a hit with fans. It had been watched by 3.2 million viewers globally after just three days of streaming, making it the most popular scripted series to debut on Hulu Originals in the last three years.

The show stars Close and Kim Kardashian alongside Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Sarah Paulson and Teyana Taylor.

In a new interview with Variety, Close argued that critics had judged the series prematurely. “I personally think that the first three episodes were the weakest,” she said. “That was a tough way to start. I’ve seen all nine episodes, and I think it actually adds up to something.”

The Fatal Attraction star added that she had been impressed by Kardashian on set, saying: “What surprised me was Kim’s seriousness of intent.”

“She always knew her lines,” continued Close. “She never was late. She always was prepared. She had no pretensions that she was a great actress, but she was smart enough to have people around her who she could learn from. If she was a big ego or what I call a ‘life-is-too-short person,’ I would have been unhappy, but she’s not.”

Close went on to argue that the star’s reputation likely fueled the critical mauling the show received, explaining: “The Kardashians would say this themselves, but not everybody likes them. They have an image.”

Kardashian has herself poked fun at the negative critical reception on her social media.

Kim Kardashian on Ryan Murphy’s new legal drama ‘All’s Fair’ (Hulu)

Sharing an Instagram post featuring a collection of reviews of the show, Kardashian said: “Have you tuned in to the most critically acclaimed show of the year!?!?!? All’s Fair streaming now on @hulu and @disneyplus.”

In one screenshot, a viewer had written: “Some of the worst acting I’ve ever seen in my life alongside the most predictable storylines and the most ridiculous styling. I’m obsessed and I need 14 seasons.”

Another posted: “All’s Fair on Hulu dares to ask the question, ‘Does a show need to be good?’ and the answer is no, it doesn’t. We have legendary actresses here giving the worst performances of their careers, it takes a special kind of talent to pull that kind of inability out of them. Amazeballs.”

Kardashian also posted a meme that read: “Critics realizing their reviews of All’s Fair ended up making people watch and love the show.”

Writing for The Independent, Ellie Muir argued that the show’s depiction of the “girlboss archetype” has “never been more embarrassing.”

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