Veteran actress Glenn Close has launched a staunch defence of the heavily criticised Ryan Murphy legal drama All's Fair, and her co-star Kim Kardashian, following a series of scathing zero-star reviews.
A Critical Mauling for the Legal Drama
The series, which stars Close and Kardashian, was met with an overwhelmingly negative reception from television critics. The Guardian's Lucy Mangan described the show as "fascinatingly, incomprehensibly, existentially terrible". This sentiment was widely echoed, resulting in the programme holding an abysmal 3% rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.
In a recent interview, Close argued that the decision to air the series' weakest episodes first severely hampered its chances. "I personally think that the first three episodes were the weakest," she told Variety. "That was a tough way to start. I've seen all nine episodes, and I think it actually adds up to something."
Praise for Kim Kardashian's Professionalism
Close also spoke out in support of her co-star, Kim Kardashian, who plays one of the women founding a divorce law firm in California. The Oscar-nominated actress revealed they developed a good rapport on set, which even included a viewing of Close's iconic film Fatal Attraction organised by Kardashian's mother, Kris Jenner.
Contrary to what some might expect, Close was impressed by Kardashian's work ethic. "What surprised me was Kim's seriousness of intent," Close stated. "She always knew her lines. She never was late. She always was prepared." She further explained that Kardashian had no grand illusions about her own abilities, which made her a pleasure to work with. "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."
The Kardashian Factor and Close's Final Verdict
Close suggested that part of the negative backlash could be attributed to the Kardashian family's controversial public image. "The Kardashians would say this themselves, but not everybody likes them. They have an image," she noted, implying that this pre-existing bias may have coloured the critical response.
This is not the first time Close has voiced her support for the maligned series. During a previous Guardian interview where the show's writing was questioned, she passionately declared, "I swear to God, I've seen all nine episodes and it's pretty fucking good. It is what it is: it's juicy and outrageous at times and touching." Her latest comments reinforce her belief that the show was unfairly judged and deserved more appreciation from both audiences and critics alike.
