I've been spoiled by Elementary and Sleepy Hollow. (LONG: Discussing Supernatural premiere)
Why am I spoiled by the CBS show Elementary and the Fox show Sleepy Hollow? Because those genre shows RESPECT women.
When I watch Elementary (casting across the board in terms of race and gender - not just in the headliners but in the supporting characters) and Sleepy Hollow (black women are the feuding siblings confronting the supernatural, in a racially-diverse police precinct), I can see the America in which I live - one where an all-white gathering would stand out as unnatural-looking, and where women's stories are as complicated and interesting as the men's.
Both shows - in the way they portray people of color which include women, in every kind of role from good to bad - sadly re-emphasize Supernatural's monochrome palette, and highlights the show's problem with women. Once again Supernatural reassures us that Only White Males have the important story to tell - and if a woman appears at all it's a good bet that she's an instant corpse if not outright evil (to be made dead ASAP).
When Dean sent out the AAB (All Angels Bulletin), I was kinda hoping ONE non-white angel would be seen in the montage. There ARE actors of color in Vancouver, guys - try casting a few now and then, especially if you don't want your show looking like film footage of a Tea Party rally.
And surprise, surprise - it would hardly be a season opener of Supernatural without one evil and/or dead woman. It's not always a sure thing, but over 50% of the time is NOT a coincidence:
Season One - pilot episode is a twofer, that begins and ends with women killed for the sole purpose of triggering the male hero's Journey.
Season Three - With her hunter husband's death, Octavia instantly changes from level-headed hunter to Hysterical Female who brainlessly endangers everybody by letting in the Deadly Sins.
Season Four - Waitress-Demon is gratuitously slapped around by Dean before she's eye-melted and then killed by Castiel.
Season Eight - Bye-bye, Kevin's girlfriend (again, only to make a male hero feel bad. At least for a change it's a non-white good guy, so I guess that's a step up).
Season Nine - Hael, the sole female angel we've seen from the Fall so far, is first mutilated in a car wreck and then killed by Castiel.
And before the howls of outrage from white fans begin, I will concede that yes, Supernatural is a horror show and that means a lot of death and destruction. And yes, white people and white men do get killed in droves in Supernatural too. But it's the WAY these deaths are treated that make the difference. Sam and/or Dean dies for the 12th time and it's a Major Trauma even though we know they're coming back. But women are tossed aside like Kleenex - Jo didn't even live long enough to do her heroic deed, her mother had to do it for her - and their deaths are not about them but how they affect the men in their lives, and they STAY dead. Bobby's death got a whole fucking episode, and several episodes more for both men to adjust to the loss; Rufus, who's been in the picture nearly as long as Bobby, got a half-second death and no last words. And the pattern repeats.
There is a glimmer of hope, though. Last season Supernatural showed that they can actually portray a woman (a lesbian one at that) as a complex, interesting character, who isn't necessarily death bait. ...But then I would have said that about Sarah from Season One - right up until the moment the show killed her off in 10 seconds last season, for the sole purpose of hurting Sam.
Charlie? You might want to get your ass over to Sleepy Hollow, NY - it's a lot safer for brave women facing supernatural stuff there.
When I watch Elementary (casting across the board in terms of race and gender - not just in the headliners but in the supporting characters) and Sleepy Hollow (black women are the feuding siblings confronting the supernatural, in a racially-diverse police precinct), I can see the America in which I live - one where an all-white gathering would stand out as unnatural-looking, and where women's stories are as complicated and interesting as the men's.
Both shows - in the way they portray people of color which include women, in every kind of role from good to bad - sadly re-emphasize Supernatural's monochrome palette, and highlights the show's problem with women. Once again Supernatural reassures us that Only White Males have the important story to tell - and if a woman appears at all it's a good bet that she's an instant corpse if not outright evil (to be made dead ASAP).
When Dean sent out the AAB (All Angels Bulletin), I was kinda hoping ONE non-white angel would be seen in the montage. There ARE actors of color in Vancouver, guys - try casting a few now and then, especially if you don't want your show looking like film footage of a Tea Party rally.
And surprise, surprise - it would hardly be a season opener of Supernatural without one evil and/or dead woman. It's not always a sure thing, but over 50% of the time is NOT a coincidence:
Season One - pilot episode is a twofer, that begins and ends with women killed for the sole purpose of triggering the male hero's Journey.
Season Three - With her hunter husband's death, Octavia instantly changes from level-headed hunter to Hysterical Female who brainlessly endangers everybody by letting in the Deadly Sins.
Season Four - Waitress-Demon is gratuitously slapped around by Dean before she's eye-melted and then killed by Castiel.
Season Eight - Bye-bye, Kevin's girlfriend (again, only to make a male hero feel bad. At least for a change it's a non-white good guy, so I guess that's a step up).
Season Nine - Hael, the sole female angel we've seen from the Fall so far, is first mutilated in a car wreck and then killed by Castiel.
And before the howls of outrage from white fans begin, I will concede that yes, Supernatural is a horror show and that means a lot of death and destruction. And yes, white people and white men do get killed in droves in Supernatural too. But it's the WAY these deaths are treated that make the difference. Sam and/or Dean dies for the 12th time and it's a Major Trauma even though we know they're coming back. But women are tossed aside like Kleenex - Jo didn't even live long enough to do her heroic deed, her mother had to do it for her - and their deaths are not about them but how they affect the men in their lives, and they STAY dead. Bobby's death got a whole fucking episode, and several episodes more for both men to adjust to the loss; Rufus, who's been in the picture nearly as long as Bobby, got a half-second death and no last words. And the pattern repeats.
There is a glimmer of hope, though. Last season Supernatural showed that they can actually portray a woman (a lesbian one at that) as a complex, interesting character, who isn't necessarily death bait. ...But then I would have said that about Sarah from Season One - right up until the moment the show killed her off in 10 seconds last season, for the sole purpose of hurting Sam.
Charlie? You might want to get your ass over to Sleepy Hollow, NY - it's a lot safer for brave women facing supernatural stuff there.