The female-character-centric TV show fandom isn't watching
Since there has been a wee bit of discussion, ohhhhh somewhere around fandom lately, about the dearth (or not) of interesting female characters in popular media, it seems timely to talk about my current favorite show, Damages: a show that not only is about two complex, intelligent female characters (and passes that much-bandied-about-lately Bechdel test in virtually every scene), but is also the only program I have EVER come across where it's the *men* who wind up in refrigerators. (I should meta about that sometime, if I can get my thoughts together.)
Season 1 of Damages was one of my favorite television shows EVER. It had everything I would want in a series: a tightly-written, twisty, genuinely thrilling plot; fabulous acting; attractive and multi-layered female protagonists with SERIOUSLY SLASHY CHEMISTRY WOOOOOOOO; morally ambiguous characters who lie and backstab (and maybe even kill) over high-stakes causes; lovely visuals (albeit sometimes really ominous and creepy-feeling)...you get the picture. Of course there is no fandom (to speak of) for it: not only is it about two women, but (to be fair), it would probably be a fringe fandom even with male characters -- I think the writing is so good, it's intimidating for fen to tackle.
Season 2 was good, but didn't live up to S1 -- too much tying up of dangling plot threads (sometimes in careless and rushed-seeming ways), and too many villains/rambling plotlines. Looking back on it, I think it mostly served as transition between S1 and S3. Which needed to happen, but wasn't as gripping as I would like.
If the first episode of S3 is any indication, though, the gripping quality is BACK. OH HELL YEAH!
First, may I say how interesting it is that the casting people seem to have a knack for finding actors mostly known for comedic roles and then showing off how AWESOME they are in drama? Ted Danson in S1 and S2, Darrell Hammond from SNL in S2, and now both Martin Short and Lily Tomlin...I always disliked Ted Danson and Martin Short, but in this show? I cannot get enough of them.
I realize that I can't necessarily judge just by one episode, but the plot seems more focused this season compared to last: the not!Bernie Madoff plot works perfectly as a (very topical!) framework, just as Frobisher and his massive ego did during S1. And once again, we have a dead male character (dumpster!Tom, just like bathtub!David) appear at the very end of the ep to provide shock value and drive the plot forward. The spooky atmosphere is back with the visuals, and you can just sense that everything is going to sloooooowly come together like a brilliant little puzzle.
And then, as always, you have Patty and Ellen, or Patty versus Ellen, or Patty/Ellen, or rather all three...because they're clearly always doomed to be together in some way or another -- after all, they're warped mirror images of each other, and how could you ever escape your own reflection?
Random squee: Reiko Aylesworth! Patty too busy enjoying a radio program about HER to notice the car coming at her! Keith Carradine being smiley and creepy! And....best of all, Lily Tomlin's character saying of Patty, "She's not particularly sharp, that woman." OH, FAMOUS LAST WORDS!
Season 1 of Damages was one of my favorite television shows EVER. It had everything I would want in a series: a tightly-written, twisty, genuinely thrilling plot; fabulous acting; attractive and multi-layered female protagonists with SERIOUSLY SLASHY CHEMISTRY WOOOOOOOO; morally ambiguous characters who lie and backstab (and maybe even kill) over high-stakes causes; lovely visuals (albeit sometimes really ominous and creepy-feeling)...you get the picture. Of course there is no fandom (to speak of) for it: not only is it about two women, but (to be fair), it would probably be a fringe fandom even with male characters -- I think the writing is so good, it's intimidating for fen to tackle.
Season 2 was good, but didn't live up to S1 -- too much tying up of dangling plot threads (sometimes in careless and rushed-seeming ways), and too many villains/rambling plotlines. Looking back on it, I think it mostly served as transition between S1 and S3. Which needed to happen, but wasn't as gripping as I would like.
If the first episode of S3 is any indication, though, the gripping quality is BACK. OH HELL YEAH!
First, may I say how interesting it is that the casting people seem to have a knack for finding actors mostly known for comedic roles and then showing off how AWESOME they are in drama? Ted Danson in S1 and S2, Darrell Hammond from SNL in S2, and now both Martin Short and Lily Tomlin...I always disliked Ted Danson and Martin Short, but in this show? I cannot get enough of them.
I realize that I can't necessarily judge just by one episode, but the plot seems more focused this season compared to last: the not!Bernie Madoff plot works perfectly as a (very topical!) framework, just as Frobisher and his massive ego did during S1. And once again, we have a dead male character (dumpster!Tom, just like bathtub!David) appear at the very end of the ep to provide shock value and drive the plot forward. The spooky atmosphere is back with the visuals, and you can just sense that everything is going to sloooooowly come together like a brilliant little puzzle.
And then, as always, you have Patty and Ellen, or Patty versus Ellen, or Patty/Ellen, or rather all three...because they're clearly always doomed to be together in some way or another -- after all, they're warped mirror images of each other, and how could you ever escape your own reflection?
Random squee: Reiko Aylesworth! Patty too busy enjoying a radio program about HER to notice the car coming at her! Keith Carradine being smiley and creepy! And....best of all, Lily Tomlin's character saying of Patty, "She's not particularly sharp, that woman." OH, FAMOUS LAST WORDS!