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Life, Sexism, and Everything
NB: I wrote this late at night, and it's a bit rambly, but I thought I'd put it up anyway.
So, some background:
I mainlined Life this weekend. It's a hella good show, and I would recommend it to most people
Corollary: I was talking to Trudy about the discrepancy in the portrayal of sexuality (and character, really), between the two leads, and how it can be seen as sexist.
I've been reading "The Alphabet vs. the Goddess" for probably a month now as my nightstand book. It feels hella long, and I notice citations lacking in some places I'd like them, but it's interesting ideas, and I got it for free.
There's also been a sort of diffuse sensitivity toward gender stereotypes in the past few months, for a variety of reasons.
I've also been realizing that there are very few female characters (especially on tv) I could in good conscience tell a daughter of mine she was named after. Granted, with sons, you tend to get 5 for the price of one (e.g. Sam), but, still.
So, anyway, what all of this led me to was a midnight insomniac thought about "Why couldn't Charlie have been a woman?"
Really, there's no good reason. Oh, there are lots of little issues, and some big stupid reasons, but no good ones. And damned if Caroline Crews wouldn't be a hell of a character.
The genders of the rest of the main cast would have to change--well, many of them. Dani would need to become Danny, Ted would be Emma, I guess. I think Stark could stay male, and, really, Davis could go either way. Constance would have to change, since we're really not living in a world where we can have a lesbian lead on a network show.
Actually, Constance (the lawyer, for those of you as bad as me with names) is one of the biggest changes. Many of the plot points wouldn't work so well, or, at least, the subtext would be exceedingly different.
One of the other changes would have to be in the women Charlie brings home. I don't see the whole schtick working as sexy to pretty young things on a woman as it does on a man. It also would take a lot more work on the part of the writer and and actor to make it play the way they mean it to.
(Speaking of, we arrive at the issue of finding an actress. That one's tough. See, to my thinking, there are 2 key portions of the role that have to be right. The first, of course, is being able to pull of the Crews Zen, which would not be easy for anyone (props to Lewis there). The second is that you would have to believe her in a knife fight. There aren't a lot of actresses in the age range we're talking about who have a track record that would make you think they could do that. Yeah, sure, oh fandom-of-mine, Claudia Black could do it (although not with an American accent), but let's leave off that particular horse. I'd bet that Milla Jovovich might be able to pull it off, but I couldn't say for sure. But, really, there aren't a lot of actresses that leap to mind. Even Cate Blanchett, well, I'm not sure I see her kicking anyone's ass.)
There are other plot points that fall out as needing tweaking or more, of course. There are others that work even better.
The scene with the Vodka and needing a moment wouldn't work. The telegraphing/foreshadowing (I'm assuming this has to do with whatever Charlie did for Ted and what got him into Solitary for 2 years) of the animosity with the guards wouldn't work. I think Danny's "Cop's kid" stuff might work even better: hard to say. I know his backstory would be less cliche and irritating. That shower scene would have had a whole different vibe, probably in a good way. We could get some really interesting stuff with the lawyer.
(This next paragraph is based solely on my understanding of "conventional wisdom", and largely to be read in "executive voice")
But, really, the big issue is that that show wold never sell, not to network tv. That's not the kind of lead we can have. Female leads sell to women, unless they're wicked hot, or whatever. Male leads sell to both. This show, by it's nature, is going to skew male in viewership, and, unless we re-write it so that it could be played by Eliza Dushku (or Jessica Alba or Jennifer Gardner etc), that female lead is going to be off-putting to young men with disposable income. And a woman like that, well, she's just not relatable to moms in Peoria. She's all edgy, and not in acceptable ways (like, oh, say, getting in over her head working undercover). She's not Medium's Allison or SVU's Olivia or Alias's Sidney or any of the Desperate Housewives. She's not even Buffy or Veronica all grown up. She doesn't have a family or care about clothes and furniture. She's not particularly hung up over a guy. She has trauma, but not so much angst. She's not spunky: there's not enough weakness there for spunk.
Put bluntly, tv heroines have to be kinda domestic and/or hotternhell. And distinctly--not just feminine, though girly isn't the right word either. They need to conform to the guidelines for "strong female characters" that piss me off so much about Movie Hermione. I don't see a believable Caroline Crews being that person.
So, who is she like? Well, I've not seen everything, of course, but: She's a little The Bride from Kill Bill. She's sort of Kay Howard. She's Starbuck on a non-irritating arc. She's Aeryn a good deal, though she's also a lot Zhaan. She's what any number of female cops and detectives and military personnel could have been. (I know there was a short-lived series with a female cop that is trying to come up here, but I cannot for the life of me remember the title. That, btw, would be one of the things I'd hate most about prison: no way to find the answers to those niggling little trivia)
Would the show sell to Cable? Maybe, but, even there, look at your existing female leads, and, well, she'd be "groundbreaking".
HBO might pick her up, or Showtime. Could easily add to their Emmy collection.
So, what am I saying? I'm saying that I have no issue with these shows individually (well, no inherent issue. I often have issues with sexism and characterization on the shows. Yes, House, I'm looking at you). I adore a lot of these characters, but I do take issue with the pattern, and I do take issue with these stereotypes I'm fighting with my 4th-6th years being just as prevalent on tv, with very few exceptions.
So, some background:
I mainlined Life this weekend. It's a hella good show, and I would recommend it to most people
Corollary: I was talking to Trudy about the discrepancy in the portrayal of sexuality (and character, really), between the two leads, and how it can be seen as sexist.
I've been reading "The Alphabet vs. the Goddess" for probably a month now as my nightstand book. It feels hella long, and I notice citations lacking in some places I'd like them, but it's interesting ideas, and I got it for free.
There's also been a sort of diffuse sensitivity toward gender stereotypes in the past few months, for a variety of reasons.
I've also been realizing that there are very few female characters (especially on tv) I could in good conscience tell a daughter of mine she was named after. Granted, with sons, you tend to get 5 for the price of one (e.g. Sam), but, still.
So, anyway, what all of this led me to was a midnight insomniac thought about "Why couldn't Charlie have been a woman?"
Really, there's no good reason. Oh, there are lots of little issues, and some big stupid reasons, but no good ones. And damned if Caroline Crews wouldn't be a hell of a character.
The genders of the rest of the main cast would have to change--well, many of them. Dani would need to become Danny, Ted would be Emma, I guess. I think Stark could stay male, and, really, Davis could go either way. Constance would have to change, since we're really not living in a world where we can have a lesbian lead on a network show.
Actually, Constance (the lawyer, for those of you as bad as me with names) is one of the biggest changes. Many of the plot points wouldn't work so well, or, at least, the subtext would be exceedingly different.
One of the other changes would have to be in the women Charlie brings home. I don't see the whole schtick working as sexy to pretty young things on a woman as it does on a man. It also would take a lot more work on the part of the writer and and actor to make it play the way they mean it to.
(Speaking of, we arrive at the issue of finding an actress. That one's tough. See, to my thinking, there are 2 key portions of the role that have to be right. The first, of course, is being able to pull of the Crews Zen, which would not be easy for anyone (props to Lewis there). The second is that you would have to believe her in a knife fight. There aren't a lot of actresses in the age range we're talking about who have a track record that would make you think they could do that. Yeah, sure, oh fandom-of-mine, Claudia Black could do it (although not with an American accent), but let's leave off that particular horse. I'd bet that Milla Jovovich might be able to pull it off, but I couldn't say for sure. But, really, there aren't a lot of actresses that leap to mind. Even Cate Blanchett, well, I'm not sure I see her kicking anyone's ass.)
There are other plot points that fall out as needing tweaking or more, of course. There are others that work even better.
The scene with the Vodka and needing a moment wouldn't work. The telegraphing/foreshadowing (I'm assuming this has to do with whatever Charlie did for Ted and what got him into Solitary for 2 years) of the animosity with the guards wouldn't work. I think Danny's "Cop's kid" stuff might work even better: hard to say. I know his backstory would be less cliche and irritating. That shower scene would have had a whole different vibe, probably in a good way. We could get some really interesting stuff with the lawyer.
(This next paragraph is based solely on my understanding of "conventional wisdom", and largely to be read in "executive voice")
But, really, the big issue is that that show wold never sell, not to network tv. That's not the kind of lead we can have. Female leads sell to women, unless they're wicked hot, or whatever. Male leads sell to both. This show, by it's nature, is going to skew male in viewership, and, unless we re-write it so that it could be played by Eliza Dushku (or Jessica Alba or Jennifer Gardner etc), that female lead is going to be off-putting to young men with disposable income. And a woman like that, well, she's just not relatable to moms in Peoria. She's all edgy, and not in acceptable ways (like, oh, say, getting in over her head working undercover). She's not Medium's Allison or SVU's Olivia or Alias's Sidney or any of the Desperate Housewives. She's not even Buffy or Veronica all grown up. She doesn't have a family or care about clothes and furniture. She's not particularly hung up over a guy. She has trauma, but not so much angst. She's not spunky: there's not enough weakness there for spunk.
Put bluntly, tv heroines have to be kinda domestic and/or hotternhell. And distinctly--not just feminine, though girly isn't the right word either. They need to conform to the guidelines for "strong female characters" that piss me off so much about Movie Hermione. I don't see a believable Caroline Crews being that person.
So, who is she like? Well, I've not seen everything, of course, but: She's a little The Bride from Kill Bill. She's sort of Kay Howard. She's Starbuck on a non-irritating arc. She's Aeryn a good deal, though she's also a lot Zhaan. She's what any number of female cops and detectives and military personnel could have been. (I know there was a short-lived series with a female cop that is trying to come up here, but I cannot for the life of me remember the title. That, btw, would be one of the things I'd hate most about prison: no way to find the answers to those niggling little trivia)
Would the show sell to Cable? Maybe, but, even there, look at your existing female leads, and, well, she'd be "groundbreaking".
HBO might pick her up, or Showtime. Could easily add to their Emmy collection.
So, what am I saying? I'm saying that I have no issue with these shows individually (well, no inherent issue. I often have issues with sexism and characterization on the shows. Yes, House, I'm looking at you). I adore a lot of these characters, but I do take issue with the pattern, and I do take issue with these stereotypes I'm fighting with my 4th-6th years being just as prevalent on tv, with very few exceptions.
no subject
NBC will HEAR you!!!!!
They'll just flip the genders and re-shoot and re-air to fill the schedule!
D'oh!
And they'll cast Jennifer Love Hewitt.