‘Feud’ Reveals an Even Bigger Enemy Than Truman Capote

Babe’s (Naomi Watts) cancer treatments are failing. In the latest episode of Feud: Capote vs. the Swans, we learn that her tumors aren’t shrinking, and Babe hates radiation treatment—so what’s the point in continuing? Her doctor wants her to keep going. Bill (Treat Williams) still wants to be with her, and has a plan for her recovery. But Babe is more focused on figuring out how to make the best of the time she still has in this world, rather than trying to elongate it.

Which is why, when Slim (Diane Lane) asks the swans to boycott Truman’s (Tom Hollander) revival of his famed Black and White party, Babe finally protests against the stalemate. Babe has had enough of this tension between her friends. C. Z. (Chloë Sevigny) agrees with Babe: They need to have a friendship truce. Princess Margaret, Richard Nixon, and Fidel Castro will be in attendance—shouldn’t they, then, be there as well? Slim is infuriated by this betrayal from her friends. Truman is a “cockroach,” she says. They’ll never be able to kill him.

Across town, Truman finalizes his list of invitees for the soirée with current partner John (Russell Tovey). Walter Cronkite and Jodie Foster earn spots on the list. As the men continue to rattle off potential guests, John grows upset with Truman, who continuously teases him. That’s what couples do—they banter! But John can’t take a joke, once again resorting to violence and anger as a way to get Truman to stop talking. Truman needs to escape this abusive relationship.

‘Feud’ Premieres the Documentary Truman Capote Didn’t Want Us to See

Also in the “toxic relationship” department is this hot new couple: Slim and Bill, who are having a treacherous affair behind Babe’s back. Slim has become the real enemy of the swans, ripping them away from their closest friend and forcing Truman into a spiral into alcoholism while also betraying Babe, who has been her ally this entire time. Slim convinces Bill to keep Babe away from Truman. As if she hasn’t done enough, Slim is also suing Truman for defamation.

A few days later, Truman has an eventful dinner. He’s confronted by Slim, who uses reverse psychology to sway Truman away from inviting Babe to the upcoming ball. She dares Truman to do it—Babe is going to hurt him even more if he does! “Babe loathes you, Truman,” Slim snarks. “You’re not in the picture. You’re not in her life. You’re not in the will. And none of that will ever change, because you are incapable of change.” Damn. Slim is a vulture in swan’s clothing.

During that same evening, Truman has a more calming chat with his ex (but still close friend) Jack (Joe Mantello), who urges Truman to go to rehab. After that conversation with Slim, Truman is comforted by this calming presence and agrees to go. Jack also forces Truman to get rid of John. A redemption arc is coming.

Slim digs herself into an even deeper hole, calling gossip columnist Liz Smith to pen a scathing exposé about Truman’s ball shaping up to be a total failure. But C. Z. has already chatted with Liz, apparently, and she’s given Truman’s party planning skills a rave review. Still, Slim has more sway over Liz and convinces her to write the hit piece. Later, C. Z. begs Slim to stop planting blind items about Truman’s party. Truman is in rehab, for god’s sake! Give him a break.

Everyone Wanted an Invite to Truman Capote’s Party—and ‘Feud’ Got Us In

C. Z. and Joanne (Molly Ringwald) visit Truman at rehab. He’s doing much better, working on different art pieces with new friends he’s met. Not long after, Truman returns home with Jack, who has cleaned the entire apartment and thrown out all the alcohol. Truman is really on a road to recovery. Jack promises to help Truman—they may not be partners any more, but they’ll be friends forever. Jack says he feels more like a brother to Truman than anything else. Truman pledges to stay healthy, although he does warn that working on his ongoing manuscript is going to be a bit of a nightmare.

Running out of allies, Slim turns to Lee (Calista Flockhart), who became one of Truman’s fiercest adversaries after the Esquire piece smeared the swans’ names. But even Lee has turned and advises Slim to stop attacking everyone around her—especially Babe. Lee insists that Slim end her affair with Bill, but Slim says it’s not really an “affair” but rather a “friendship.” Lee rolls her eyes. Slim ends the lunch with a threat: What happens when Truman gets to the Lee Radziwill chapter of his slanderous book?

Somehow, everyone has picked up on this affair between Slim and Bill—even Babe. But Babe has no ill feelings toward either of the two. In fact, she approves of the relationship. Babe tells Bill he should find love after she’s gone, and Slim is the perfect new wife. But this only scares Bill away from Slim. Now that Babe knows and is acting quite weird about the affair, Slim and Bill finally agree to end it.

As hard as Jack may try to bring some normalcy to Truman’s life, Truman Capote will always be Truman Capote. Not long after his return from rehab, Truman goes on a bender, breaking his sobriety with a boatload of alcohol and his old fling John, who is now back in the picture. Jack bids his final farewell to the unfixable Truman.

A few weeks later, Truman is visited by a confusing guest: Kerry O’Shea (Ella Beatty), John’s daughter. Truman has finally—finally—cut John out of his life. But that’s exactly why Kerry is visiting. She wants to bond with Truman over their shared disdain for her horrible father, while also using him to get a job within and advice about the writing world. Truman takes a liking to Kerry, adopting her as his mentee. He finds her a job in modeling and tells her to start taking notes about the conversations in her life; talk, Truman says, “is where all the secrets live.”

How ‘Capote vs. the Swans’ Predicted Everything About 2024 Culture

At this point in the episode, we cut between Babe and Truman at similar breaking points in their lives. Both speak with their shrink, upset about the divide in their relationship. Babe is happy her life is almost over, but now she wants to reconnect with everything she’s disconnected with. Truman is delighted by his new friend Kerry, but there may only be hope in his life if he finishes this book. Babe keeps dreaming about seeing Truman, always in the same situation: They get lunch in Paris, it’s snowing, and they just sit with one another, happy to be together again.

When Truman and Babe finally meet up again, it feels like a dream. Truman, who is in the middle of shopping with Kerry, spots Babe on the street. He runs to her. They chat about the dress Babe has been eyeing in a window, Truman tells Babe he canceled the Black and White party. Babe compliments Truman on this decision—he should never repeat himself. They hug. This hug is the best moment of the season thus far; it’s so tender, quiet, subtle. Truman’s hand clings to Babe’s fur coat.

But they must release one another. The episode ends as Babe wraps up her speech about Truman to her therapist. “He was the love of my life,” she says, finally letting go of him.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.