What We Learned from The Netflix Trailer for “Ratched”

So what can we say that we learned about Ratched? Well, it’s going to look a lot like American Horror Story in a way considering the look and feel of it, and of course, the fact that Nurse Ratched would have likely been quite at home in a couple of seasons of AHS, namely Asylum and quite possibly Freak Show. But with Sarah Paulson as the lead in the series, it’s likely that this might even play out that way since one can state with all honesty that she’s a talented and gifted actress, but when digging a little deeper into her character she does tend to perform the same overall act from one character to another but is able to tweak it in a way that makes sense for each individual role she takes on. Keep in mind I’m not getting down on Sarah, it’s a simple observation that she has several tells to her character that make it obvious to point out certain hints and points within her acting that are similar across the many characters she’s portrayed. It’s the fact that she can mold each character around those traits that make her great and makes her uniquely convincing in almost everything she does. She’s made a career out of taking on roles that paint her as a troubled individual that’s capable of extremely vindictive behavior even if not all of her characters revel in it, and the part of Nurse Ratched doesn’t feel perfect for her, but it feels like a good fit all the same.

Obviously Nurse Ratched had to come from somewhere as she wasn’t bound to be the hard case that she appeared to be in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but seeing her origin take shape and realizing that something eventually made her this way is going to be an interesting development to watch. As a lot of fans of the character and the movie know, Ratched is no one to be messed with since she has ways of getting to people that aren’t to be challenged or underestimated. The series is already making it clear that she’s a no-nonsense individual that is extremely vindictive and isn’t going to take anything lying down since she wants what she wants and she’ll get it one way or another. Those that watched the old Jack Nicholson movie might be convinced that Sarah Paulson is taking things to a new extreme and that it’s not quite the Ratched they remember, but one thing is clear, the Ratched in the movie was obviously already at the height of her career and had done plenty to where to get where she was. The Ratched we’re bound to see in the series is the woman that came before the iconic movie presence and will be out to prove herself more than once as she seeks to define her place in the world and remind everyone around her why she is one of the hardest individuals they’ll ever meet. None of this really exonerates the fact that she’s a cold-hearted individual, but it does put the woman’s life into a stark perspective since there is a reason why Ratched became who she was.

Thinking that the antagonists in a movie shouldn’t be glorified or given an apologetic back story is one thing, but coming to realize that this isn’t what that is in any regard is even better since it reminds people that just because a villain has a back story doesn’t mean it’s going to explain why they should be given a break or possibly be seen as more of a tragic figure than the villain they would eventually become. Ratched is still every bit the villain and according to this trailer, it’s obvious that she started to revel in it for her own reasons at some point. What makes that great and horrifying at the same time is that she’s had self-awareness apparently for quite some time and has taken that in stride as she’s managed to create a persona for herself that others might not like, but will respect if she has anything to say about it. The manner in which Sarah Paulson can command that kind of respect is kind of creepy since she’s often the quiet, devious type that won’t get loud and obnoxious and attempt to overpower anyone by any obvious means, but will instead find a way to move past the defenses of any that stand in her way and make certain that they’re hamstrung before she makes it clear that she’s going to have her way, and that’s that. This is the feeling that comes from the Ratched trailer since it’s all too obvious that Paulson is going to play up this character as much as she can and make her appear to be one of the meanest women alive. It should an interesting show to watch.