links about things I've been thinking about

[profshallowness]

Den of Geek has two articles up about stuff I've been thinking about.

Where are the female leads in UK geek TV by Andrew Blair, which is somewhat inspired by Atlantis and the still-not-gone-away discussion about the new iteration of the Doctor. I think the feature focuses a little too much on Dr Who, even though I get that that's THE flagship UK

Comments

[profshallowness]

I do understand the desire for a femal doctor a little better as someone who never watched the show - hey, they made a captain of a Star Trek ship one. Even from the outside, I know the Doctor is a totemic character, which means one thing to some fans, but it's also obvious that this show matters to UK TV and specifically UK sci-fi and fantasy. I can understand therefore why people are asking if it is possible why not? Why always be so limited by a convention that was set up in the 1950s when attitudes were very different?

Having said that, I've reached the point where I'd personally rather that something ambitious and huge and other was created with a female lead, if for no reason than I would watch it. And I would love for it to be massive.

I would also like a good comic book superheroine movie to be a blockbuster hit.

But I do wish that the producers and commissioners would question why they've filled the 'not Doctor Who' slot with very similar-type shows in terms of lead characters (homosocial boyish men) and women's roles in them. There are succesful North American SFF shows led by women, there are succesful British shows - the children's TV referenced. Doing the same thing over and over in genres that are supposed to be about speculating will have diminishing returns.

I see that Sleepy Hollow is being advertised as airing on some UK TV channel that Freeview plebs like me don't get, but someone else might pick it up, so you never know.

[swordznsorcery]

They created a new character to be the captain of a starship, though. They didn't turn Kirk or Picard or Sisko female. But yes, something properly new would be very welcome. The Not Who slot is a good place to debut new, family friendly drama, and it's a shame they seem to be following such a pattern. "Robin Hood" tried something legitimately different. It didn't always do it well, but it did do it differently! Now they seem stuck in a rut, though. Historical dramas provide scope for a sort of swashbuckling and derring-do that is well suited to such a time slot, and I'm afraid that women tend to get short shrift in historical dramas. There's this idea that they can only be princesses or handmaidens, which is nonsense, but a very common misconception (see also the idea that historically black people were only ever slaves, or somehow didn't exist at all).

i understand that they don't want to lose viewers, and that television shows are expensive to make, but as you say, you end up with diminishing returns. That can't be too great for the viewing figures either.

[profshallowness]

The Not Who slot is a good place to debut new, family friendly drama,

Yes, especially as it builds on what's been going on with children's TV.

Historical dramas provide scope for a sort of swashbuckling and derring-do that is well suited to such a time slot, and I'm afraid that women tend to get short shrift in historical dramas.

Sure, but we're not talking historical dramas that are sticklers for accuracy. (I know The White Queen was women-centric, had some fantastical elements, was based on popular books and didn't do amazingly. I had no desire to watch it.)

Anyway, we're agreed that something new would be welcome.