TV and my feminist sensibilities

[claudia_writes]

Lately I’ve been feeling that we’ve taken a step back on the issue of TV’s female characters. There were two instances particular which made me think that.

Comments

Comment 1

[arubyslipper]

I would have to disagree with you about Bones, although I must confess I've only seen like the first 3 eps of S2.

I do see the point your making: Booth is a stereotypical heteronormative hero. Still, I somehow feel that the women are allowed to run the show much more than usual. I see Booth being steered (gently) by three strong, independent women (Brennan, Cam, his ex), and that Brennan and Cam are not only his equals professionally, also his superiors in higher brain function (which is often accentuated to the point where Booth is likened to the naive child who doesn't see complexities. In fact this discrepancy between intellect and empathy seems to me a very essencial one in Bones, as well as ambivalence towards rational thinking (the occasional distrust of which is actually an argument for the feminine, not the masculine).) and they are the ones making the choices in their relationships to Booth and other men.

It is made clear that it was the ex who chose not to get married and chose to end their new affair. Cam is not intimidated by working with his ex, in fact they're best chums, she's 'one of the guys' until she chooses not to be. She is playful and comfortably flirts with Booth, while remaining professional (which is generally true of the series, and too rare on TV in my experience): There's no conflict between the personal and the professional character. When she and Booth do hook uo for the night, she tells him, without remorse, that it will never happen again. She's cool with all that. And Brennan: It's Brennan who intentionally drives Booth to Cam, she is the one gently, often slightly patronizingly, steering her partner and his relationships. She is the social engineer (a part which the other characters also play), but she doesnt' let herself get too controlling, she only steers because she cares. And the incredible thing is that these proud, independent professionals are relatively comfortable with this friendly meddling; there's no dramatic storming off of neurotic women (like Meredith of GA), no immature tension in the workplace. It's all a big happy family! Friendly, flirty, siblingly but above all, professional. Males and females in equal relationships. The utopia!