1x06 Marcia, Marcia, Marcia

7.2/10. A good episode centered on the difficulties of being a woman, especially in the 1990s. Again, this is American Crime Story, so none of this is going to be especially subtle, but the way that Clark was criticized, in her divorce proceedings and in the OJ trial, for the care she provided for her kids, the way that she was attacked, in the media and in her own office, for her appearance and demeanor, and as a final insult, to have nude photos of her released to the press, was all just horrifying. Sarah Paulson does a great job, showing the strength behind Clark and the way that everything gradually chipped away at that strength simply because she has two X-chromosomes. She's the MVP of this episode, and maybe the series for how she brings life and depth to a season scrounging for it much of the time through her performance alone.

Still, there's a weird C-plot about the media coverage of the case, which isn't done especially well. There's something about this show where, like the Faye Resnik scenes in the prior episode, it just throws in a handful of moments centered on some interesting sidenote to the case without really integrating it into the proceedings. Similarly, the bits with F. Lee Bailey and his N-word strategy were a little too on the nose, especially with the bizarre, overly showy direction and editing when he was cross-examining Furman.

But overall, Clark's struggles and Paulson's performance carry the day here. Her struggle is a moving and in some ways dispiriting one, and the episode builds the confluence of events that lead her to break down nicely. I also enjoyed her relationship with Chris Darden which continues to be a highlight of the show. Their little late night dance in the office was adorable (if probably apocryphal) and as much as Paulson sold the transition from sexy self-confidence to utter defeat when her makeover didn't go over as she hoped, she also sold the sunshine in the darkness that is Chris's support amazingly well. The two of them (plus Sterling K Brown's Cochran) are the only things holding this show together (give or take Bruce Greenwood and Kato Kailin) and so giving Paulson's Clark a spotlight does well to elevate the proceedings over some of the prior doldrums.