The Feminist Filter: Ted

[gabrielleabelle]

I wanted to post this on Weds or Thurs, but LJ was going wonky. Now it's not. So here! :)

Mission Statement:This series is intended to outline the feminist text of each episode so as to provoke and encourage open discussion. It's not so much about making value judgments about events and/or characters but about analyzing the series from a feminist

Comments

[beer_good_foamy]

It's not the last time the show conflates "Strong, superficially open-minded and dependable but rather patriarchal Nice Guy" with "salesman". Viz Riley in "Restless".

So, from now on, you'll do what I say, when I say, or I show this (holds up her diary) to your mother, and you'll spend your best dating years behind the wall of a mental institution. (...) Midway through the episode, Buffy's wearing a rather low-cut top, and the camera doesn't shy away from displaying her cleavage.

On the other hand, it's also contrasted with the sexless, almost childlike dungarees she wears after she "kills" him the first time. One might argue that in having "defeated" him, she's basically let him define her. Shame is a powerful tool.

Also, it's hardly a coincidence that this episode comes right before the "sex has consequences" triple Bad Eggs->Surprise->Innocence...

[gabrielleabelle]

It's not the last time the show conflates "Strong, superficially open-minded and dependable but rather patriarchal Nice Guy" with "salesman". Viz Riley in "Restless".

lol! Good catch. I hadn't thought about that.

On the other hand, it's also contrasted with the sexless, almost childlike dungarees she wears after she "kills" him the first time. One might argue that in having "defeated" him, she's basically let him define her. Shame is a powerful tool.

Also, it's hardly a coincidence that this episode comes right before the "sex has consequences" triple Bad Eggs->Surprise->Innocence...

Awesome point, and yes. :)

[flagless_piracy]

It's also rather telling how the robots that we see during the course of the show take gender roles to the Nth degree. Ted is created to be the head of the household, to rule over the women in his life, to tell them what to do and basically perpetuate and reinforce stereotypes. Both Buffybot and April are created to please men, to be ruled by them, to fulfil their desires when they are wanted and to leave without a word when they are unwanted. And all the robots in the show are created by extremely misogynist men, the original Ted and Warren. It's interesting how both of them end up creating robotic versions of themselves which help them obliterate (or hide after having obliterated) women. It's as if the show is telling us how, even though gender roles are constructed and unnatural, even though they are harmful to both women and men, they are reinforced mostly by sexist men, and thus men still get a much better deal - they are forced into a role, but that role isn't one where they exist solely to please women, it's mostly just '

[norwie2010]

Just as i wanted to write something about Ted being a robot, a construct just as patriarchy (and the socio-psychological structure of the patriarchal man) is a construct - you come along and: BAM! Hit the nail on it's head!

Great combination of of "Ted" and "I was made to love you"!

[doublemeat]

Yes! You said what I was trying to say, only better.

[gabrielleabelle]

I love this comment and wish to be betrothed to it. Now. :)

[norwie2010]

I want to break a lance for Joyce here and the underlying theme: Sure, Joyce thinks that she "needs a man" to be complete, a "real woman".

But i don't think this undermines the fundamental themes of the episode/the show:

At the end of the episode Joyce is clearly better off without a man at all than someone like Ted.

Joyce is "normal", she has "normal" views and standpoints. And she tries to "force" these views on Buffy (and Buffy tries to adopt them) but the whole show shows again and again how these "traditional" (whose tradition?) views just don't work for Buffy.

So maybe there is even a bit of a generational commentary here: How the "young generation" hopefully tears the "traditional" view asunder (to build a better tomorrow).

[gabrielleabelle]

I tend to agree, but I can see that there's room for criticism there. Especially considering that the Joss convention of killing off Joyce at her happiest point involves her starting a new romantic relationship (as opposed to, I dunno, getting some great review at the gallery or somesuch thing).

[norwie2010]

Yes, there is of course room for criticism. I myself grapple with the multitude of instances of female-on-female slut-shaming a lot. (And i don't know if it is clever writing or idiot writing that Xander always suffers indirectly for his slut-shaming).

At least Joyce's "deathbed romance" is about great sex and affirmation of life - and not about being incomplete without a man. :)

[norwie2010]

Oh, that was meant as a reply to your latest answer to my post... *oops*

[local_max]

(And i don't know if it is clever writing or idiot writing that Xander always suffers indirectly for his slut-shaming)

Clever writing. :) (I know, I know -- I shouldn't start that again. Forget I said it, let's put that one off for another time. :) )

[norwie2010]

Hehe - but as you see by me questioning it i've come around a long way towards your POV. ;-)