‘Feud’ Finds Joan Crawford Finally “Abandoned!”

Joan Crawford makes her final stand as Bette Davis becomes co-producer of Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte in Feud’s latest episode, “Abandoned!”

I’ve never seen Robert Aldrich’s second film with Bette Davis Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte. Dramatic punctuation aside, the film appears far more Grand Guignol than Baby Jane, a source of great contention initially for Bette Davis (Susan Sarandon). Still, remember, Feud: Bette and Joan remains the Joan Crawford (Jessica Lange) show while Sarandon’s Davis fades into the background.

“Abandoned!” emerges as a decent episode of television, delivering more along the Mommie Dearest vision of Crawford. There is feigning of illness and throwing of vases (twice). There are several moments of camp glory where Sarandon’s Davis advises Crawford on her performance. You can imagine how that ends…

I’m dying to know how all of this wraps up. Not that I don’t know the reality, of course. I’m more curious how Ryan Murphy thinks he’ll stick the landing.

“Abandoned!” airs Sunday night on FX at 10pm ET.

“Abandoned!” | Season 1 Ep. 7 Trailer | FEUD: Bette and Joan

With production of Hush…Hush Sweet Charlotte underway, the feud is intensified when Joan learns of a new producer on the project. In an unguarded moment, Bette reveals her vulnerabilities to Bob.