It’s weird. When people talk about Michelle Williams, they usually bring up Brokeback Mountain or her uncanny transformation into Marilyn Monroe. Maybe they mention the raw grief in Manchester by the Sea. But if you haven't sat down with the Michelle Williams TV show Fosse/Verdon, you're honestly missing the definitive performance of her career.
She played Gwen Verdon.
Most people know Bob Fosse. They know the hats, the jazz hands, the "razzle dazzle." But they don't know Gwen. And they definitely don't know how much of Fosse's genius was actually Gwen Verdon’s labor. Williams didn't just play a dancer; she played the architect of a legacy who was systematically erased by the man she loved. It’s a brutal, sparkling, exhausting eight-episode run on FX that changed the way we look at Broadway history.
What makes this Michelle Williams TV show different?
Usually, when a movie star "goes to TV," it feels like a calculated move for an Emmy. This felt like an exorcism. Williams has this way of vibrating on screen—it's like she’s holding in a scream while smiling for a camera. In Fosse/Verdon, she had to do that while performing complex choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler.
Think about the stakes.
Gwen Verdon was the greatest dancer of her era. If Williams missed a beat, the whole illusion of the Michelle Williams TV show would collapse. But she didn't miss. She captured the high-pitched, breathy "Gwen voice" without it becoming a caricature. Sam Rockwell, who played Bob Fosse, is great, don't get me wrong. But Williams is the engine. She shows us Gwen at 20, 40, and 60. The aging makeup is good, but the way she changes her posture—the way her joints seem to stiffen as the years of dancing take their toll—is what sells it.
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The show isn't a standard biopic. It doesn't go "and then this happened, and then they won a Tony." It jumps around in time like a fever dream. You're in 1972 on the set of Cabaret, and then suddenly you're back in the 50s when they first met. It’s disorienting. It's supposed to be. That’s how their lives felt.
The Gwen Verdon erasure and why it matters
Why does this show matter in 2026? Because we are still obsessed with "the Great Man" theory. We love the idea of the lone male genius. Fosse/Verdon dismantles that. It shows that Bob Fosse literally couldn't function without Gwen’s eye. She was his uncredited collaborator on Sweet Charity, Chicago, and All That Jazz.
There’s a scene where Bob is struggling with a sequence. He’s spiraling. Gwen walks in, makes two tiny adjustments to a dancer’s hand placement, and suddenly it’s "Fosse."
Williams plays these moments with a mix of pride and quiet resentment. It’s heartbreaking. You see her realize that she is giving away her best ideas to a man who is cheating on her, gaslighting her, and taking the credit. It’s a power dynamic that feels incredibly modern despite the period setting.
How she prepared for the role
Williams didn't just wing it. She spent months training. She worked with Nicole Fosse, Bob and Gwen’s real-life daughter, who served as an executive producer. That’s why the show feels so intimate—it has the "family secrets" seal of approval.
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She reportedly listened to tapes of Gwen Verdon on a loop. She studied the specific way Verdon used her "turn-out." It’s a technical performance. If you watch the "Who's Got the Pain?" number from Damn Yankees, Williams recreates Verdon’s movements with terrifying precision. It’s not just mimicry; it’s an inhabitation.
Beyond the dancing: The emotional cost
The Michelle Williams TV show isn't just a musical. It’s a horror story about addiction and codependency. Fosse was addicted to Dexedrine, Seconal, and validation. Verdon was addicted to Fosse.
The middle episodes are hard to watch.
There is a sequence in the Hamptons—episode 4, "Glory"—where the facade completely breaks. It’s a weekend getaway that turns into a psychological war zone. You see Williams' Gwen realize that she’s no longer the muse; she’s the caretaker. The way she handles the "other women" in Bob’s life is fascinating. She doesn't play it as a victim. She plays it as a woman who has made a bargain with the devil and is determined to get her money's worth.
Where to watch and what to look for
You can find Fosse/Verdon on Hulu or Disney+ depending on your region. If you’re going to watch it, pay attention to the silence.
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The big dance numbers are the "Discover" bait, but the real meat is in the quiet scenes in their apartment. Look at the way Williams uses her hands. Even when she’s just holding a cigarette, she’s in character.
It’s also worth noting the costume design. Melissa Toth did an incredible job tracking Gwen’s evolution through fashion. From the bright, hopeful colors of the early years to the more structured, armor-like outfits of the Chicago era, the clothes tell the story of a woman hardening herself against the world.
Key episodes to re-watch:
- Episode 1, "Life is a Cabaret": Watch the rehearsal scenes in Munich. The tension is palpable.
- Episode 5, "Where Am I Going?": This is the emotional peak. Williams' performance during the "Sweet Charity" filming is a masterclass.
- Episode 8, "Providence": The finale. It ties the legacy together in a way that feels earned, not cheap.
Honestly, the show didn't get the massive cultural footprint it deserved when it first aired. It was a bit "theatre-nerd heavy" for the general public. But in the years since, it has aged incredibly well. It’s a template for how to do a limited series right. It doesn't overstay its welcome. It tells one specific, complicated story and then stops.
If you’re a fan of Michelle Williams, this is the mountain top. You see every tool in her kit being used at once. The singing, the dancing, the dramatic weight, the physical transformation. It’s all there.
Next Steps for the Viewer
To truly appreciate the depth of the Michelle Williams TV show, you should watch the original film versions of the musicals they are creating on screen. Start with the 1972 film Cabaret to see the result of the chaos depicted in the early episodes. Then, seek out the 1958 film Damn Yankees to see the real Gwen Verdon in action. Comparing Verdon’s actual movement to Williams' recreation will show you exactly how much work went into this performance. Finally, read Sam Wasson’s biography Fosse, which served as the source material for the series, to understand just how much of the "drama" was actually based on documented reality. Be prepared for a heavy experience; this isn't light "background noise" television. It's a demanding, rewarding look at the cost of being legendary.