The latest episode of Feud: Bette and Joan focused entirely on the 1963 Academy Awards, which creator Ryan Murphy (who directed the episode) and his team painstakingly recreated down to the smallest of details. The ceremony also featured the most devastatingly underhanded move by Joan Crawford (Jessica Lange) in her quest to take down archenemy Bette Davis (Susan Sarandon).
Time for #FeudFX and this is gonna be a good one! #OscarSmackdown. #Feudies #FeudBetteAndJoan #JoanCrawford pic.twitter.com/xjMaWG1akX
— half lass (@HalfLass) April 3, 2017
Joan Crawford was super bitter about not being nominated for an award, while Bette Davis could not have cared less about her co-star. She just really, really wanted her third Oscar statuette.
Bette wanted this Oscar so badly… she even brought her children to the ceremony because she was so excited! #FeudFX
— ruth elizabeth (@bettedavising) April 3, 2017
Viewers were living for Joan and Hedda Hopper’s (Judy Davis) plan to get Joan on stage to accept the award for Best Actress. Basically, she went after the other two frontrunners, Geraldine Page (Sarah Paulson) and Anne Bancroft (Serinda Swan), who were considered favorites alongside Davis, to get them to agree to let her accept for them in their absence.
This is some sinister plan underway to derail Davis' chance of an Oscar #FeudFX
— Mike Hanley ?? ?? (@Magic20099) April 3, 2017
Joan and Hedda Hopper plotting against Bette Davis is everything. @FeudFX #FeudFX
— Deidre (@Yankeefan2975) April 3, 2017
This is Joan right now… #FeudFX pic.twitter.com/zdDOjK2u2l
— Samantha Bernola (@theartist07) April 3, 2017
These women are cutthroat. Completely savage. #FeudFX
— Jaclynn Knecht (@jaclynn_k) April 3, 2017
OMG! Joan was such a mega witch!! OMG! #FeudFX
— Paul K. Stankiewicz (@ICONMSTR) April 3, 2017
I aspire to be on Joan Crawfords level of petty. #FeudFX pic.twitter.com/aLOGBoYvQa
— BriaECaruthers (@Bealooo) April 3, 2017
QUEEN SARAH PAULSON AND THE OSCAR EPISODE! I'm in heaven! #FeudFX
— Ty (@TyJohns1) April 3, 2017
Sarah Paulson as Geraldine Page is everything. #FeudFX
— ruth elizabeth (@bettedavising) April 3, 2017
Only one scene and @MsSarahPaulson has me crying. TALENT #FeudFX #FeudBetteAndJoan
— The Duchess ?️? (@HerBabyMonster) April 3, 2017
We always need more of @MsSarahPaulson #FeudFX pic.twitter.com/70fwLEVT2n
— CarolinaCHERCREW (@jameskwaters) April 3, 2017
Interestingly, while it seemed like Page was falling victim to some major Crawford manipulation, it turns out she was actually wise to what Crawford was doing.
"Hollywood should be forced to look at what they've done to her." that's the TEA. one of the reasons #JoanCrawford fascinates me so. #FeudFX pic.twitter.com/tQG8WrT2L9
— em (@golddust27) April 3, 2017
This is so sad #FeudFX
— Kristin Jazzfan (@lutz_jazz) April 3, 2017
Geraldine Page isn't fooled at all #FeudFX
— Kevin Klawitter (@KevinKlawitter) April 3, 2017
Wow Geraldine did it out of pitty for Joan, interesting #FeudFX
— Janine R. ? (@Janine_nyc) April 3, 2017
It wasn’t as overt, but it also seemed like Bancroft knew that Crawford needed her help.
#FeudFX Oh I adore Anne Bancroft. Can you imagine being married to Mel Brooks! pic.twitter.com/DWP8UkXXE5
— Bette V. Collins (@BetteVCollins) April 3, 2017
I adore Anne Bancroft @SerindaSwan is killing it. #FeudFX
— Brooke (@CrazyBoothSocks) April 3, 2017
@SerindaSwan is doing AMAZING work tonight as Anne Bancroft. #FeudFx
— Matt Jamieson (@THEmattjamieson) April 3, 2017
So when Bancroft won for The Miracle Worker, a silver-clad Crawford was there to strut out on stage and steal the big moment right out from under Davis. It was some epic, major league-level shade, and fans loved it.
Joan legit about to accept every damn #Oscar that isn't hers. Slay queen! #StillPettyAF ??? #FeudFX
— ?? (@06daNa) April 3, 2017
Dont you guys know Joan Crawford invented pettiness #FeudFX pic.twitter.com/gjA4hBKOXz
— Victoria (@Viccg) April 3, 2017
She did that. #FeudFX pic.twitter.com/Q0ilh49xO9
— boo radley (@walkinyourways) April 3, 2017
Davis was in total shock at not winning; she really did think she had it in the bag.
#BetteDavis looking at Oscar voters all like… #FeudFX pic.twitter.com/BdME0zSeRN
— Christian Montone (@ArtSkoolDamage) April 3, 2017
@FeudFX @SusanSarandon Bette may not have won an Oscar, but Susan deserves an Emmy #FeudFX
— High Altitudes (@highaltitudes) April 3, 2017
And Crawford apparently took Bancroft’s Oscar home, though presumably Bancroft was able to get her award back from Crawford at some point. But as for Joan, how did that Oscar really taste knowing it wasn’t hers?
Did Anne Bancroft ever get the Oscar from Joan? LOL #FeudFX
— My Kind Of Mom-Kelly (@dancingvalentin) April 3, 2017
Joan's getting pretty cozy with that Oscar…#FeudFX
— Allison Branen (@Reelisms) April 3, 2017
It was an empty success and now she's feeling it. #FeudFX
— Samantha Bernola (@theartist07) April 3, 2017
Joan looks even more lost and utterly devastated as she sits on her bed looking at the Oscars. #FeudFX
— Becky, USMC (@DuchessofBruce) April 3, 2017
There are just three episodes left in the series, which will chronicle the latter part of Crawford and Davis’ feud, including the drama surrounding Baby Jane’s sequel and the continuation of their rivalry into a new decade.
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Feud airs Sundays at 10 p.m. on FX
