Glenn Close has defended Ryan Murphy’s new legal drama All’s Fair after it received scathing reviews. The Hulu/Disney+ series debuted earlier this month to a rare 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which has since risen to 3%. Despite the critical panning, the show has been a hit with audiences, drawing 3.2 million global viewers in its first three days, making it the most popular scripted series debut on Hulu Originals in three years.
In an interview with Variety, Close argued that critics 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 star also praised co-star Kim Kardashian, noting her “seriousness of intent” and professionalism on set.
Close suggested that Kardashian’s reputation may have fuelled the negative reviews. “The Kardashians would say this themselves, but not everybody likes them. They have an image,” she said. Kardashian has embraced the backlash on social media, sharing a post that read: “Have you tuned in to the most critically acclaimed show of the year!?!?!?” and a meme stating: “Critics realizing their reviews of All’s Fair ended up making people watch and love the show.”
The Independent’s Ellie Muir criticised the show’s depiction of the “girlboss archetype” as “never been more embarrassing.” All’s Fair also stars Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Sarah Paulson and Teyana Taylor.
