Complaining About Shows I Don't Watch. Even Still? Dear Misogynistic Producer Dude: FUCK YOU.

[demonqueen666]

I gave up on BBC's Merlin about halfway through the first season (or "series", you know, wtfever) because none of the characters were grabbing me, I didn't care for the story, and I thought it all just seemed kind of silly, in the kind of silly way where I'm not really interested in putting up with it

Comments

Are you watching Lost Girl?

[sivonni]

It has a female lead and I'm curious as to what you think of it.

[demonqueen666]

'Lost Girl'? I've never even heard of it. What station is it on?

[supersyncspaz7]

It's a Canadian series, but it's kind of awesome! There are fae!

[demonqueen666]

Hmm, interesting synopsis on it, wia le Wikipedia. I'll try to look up an episode or two if I remember.

[nicole_anell]

UGH, Merlin - never watched it but I have vicarious rage about it through dollsome's original Morgana post (when they made her super-evil all of a sudden).

I'm with you, it's almost more shocking than rage-making. Like, how can you say things like that and not even be *aware* of it?

Mostly I'm stuck on the part where Morgana's able to be more "proactive" now because she's EVIL. Gotta love the implicit feeling that women are allowed to drive the plot, make plans, etc. if they're mustache-twirling villians, in a way that was just impossible when she was a sympathetic fragile flower.

[demonqueen666]

Even back when there was only a 1st series I was hearing things about how the show had genderfail, but some people (and here I do mean fans, not show people) kept trying to wave it off as a time period thing. And then I guess s2 happened and IT GOT WORSE.

Mostly I'm stuck on the part where Morgana's able to be more "proactive" now because she's EVIL. Gotta love the implicit feeling that women are allowed to drive the plot, make plans, etc. if they're mustache-twirling villians, in a way that was just impossible when she was a sympathetic fragile flower.

You know, I loves me a good villainess. I really, really do. But as for the idea that that's the only way a woman can be in power (by, implication, subverting the natural order)...FUCK NO.

[entangled_now]

I had completely missed that and now I'm left with a very bad taste in my mouth. I already thought the treatment of both women was bad this season. Because Morgana may have more supposed plot now but she's completely lacking any of her original personality, and Gwen is rarely brought into the show as anything other than Arthur's love interest any more.

[demonqueen666]

Yeah, I've been hearing that they basically gave Morgana a 180 just so they could shoehorn her into the evil witch figure she is in the Arthurian legend. I'm tempted to ask why the hell they bothering making her anything different to begin with if they knew this was where they were heading, but...likely that'd be asking for too much in the way of thought. And in the few episodes I saw I have to admit I never very fond of Gwen's character, but at least SHE HAD ONE.

[entangled_now]

So painfully true, and yet it wouldn't have been hard to do it right, to take her there slowly in a way we could see and understand. It could have been tragic and interesting and kept her a whole rounded character. But it's like they couldn't be bothered, it was just *flashforward a year and now she's evil!*

[demonqueen666]

From what I've heard, there are plenty of believable and understandable ways in-story for Morgana to feel betrayed enough into turning against them. But instead of actually using that, they just had her wake up on the evil side of the bed one morning. Shame, shame.

[meridian_rose]

I keep meaning to do a meta on "Misogyny in Merlin

[demonqueen666]

I've never actually been very big on Arthurian legend, personally. I mean, I've read it, I know the stories, but I didn't exactly enjoy it. Possibly that's why I couldn't get into the series. Because I tell you, if nothing else, the ladies are very pretty, and I especially love Morgana's dresses. But it takes a little more than that to keep me showing up.

[misura]

"We just don’t subscribe to the conventional wisdom that you can’t have an action series led by a female character. It’s kinda nonsense to us."

THAT'S BECAUSE IT KINDA IS! Ahem, I mean, yay, awesome quote, awesome attitude and awesome series produced as a result.

[demonqueen666]

EXACTLY. And that's for "just a cartoon", no less! It's like comparing rotten apples with delicious sweet oranges.