Depictions of Women on TV Rant

[ubiquirk]

Ah, the past two weeks only confirm something I had already noticed in American culture.  My two favorite, currently running TV shows have been canceled.

Gilmore Girls - the critically acclaimed series tracking the lives of a single mother and her brilliant daughter was supposed to have at least half of a season 8 to tie things up.  But no - it's

Comments

[sshg316]

Can I just say - I love it when you rant. *happy sigh*

We don't watch much TV around here anymore. The kids watch some - when they aren't running around outside (and sometimes inside) like maniacs - the husband and I watch very little these days, however. We do watch Discovery Channel a bit - Mythbusters, that sort of thing. Other than that, we enjoy The Office and occasionally My Name is Earl, mostly because they poke fun at the things that make up our lives - husband's office life, my growing up life (I have relatives who fit right into My Name is Earl). LOL We also watch a bit of public television when something interesting is on

[ubiquirk]

I have to wonder why shows like The Bachelor are still on the air (and yet apparently here comes another one!). I read an article the other day that said it is actually women who are watching those types of shows. Considering the "relationships" never last, women aren't watching for the "romance factor." So why? The author speculated that it is because women like to watch other woman claw and scratch each other over a man. ??? THAT is just sad.

Amazingly sad, and not super surprising. There's a reason I chose Umbridge to enforce the overdone femininity decrees!

I don't have cable, or I know I'd be watching more things, but I only watch 3 shows.

The sad thing is that strong female protagonist shows are disappearing - no more Buffy or Alias (the latter of which I never watched but probably should have).

[sshg316]

Exactly. There are shows with strong female characters, but hardly any were a strong female character is the lead. What shocks me is that these shows - all but Veronica Mars - have had great ratings, wide viewership, and were critically acclaimed. So why aren't there more?

[ubiquirk]

I know - I just realized that there may have been more of them when I was growing up than are on now! Hmmm - I wonder if Cagney and Lacey are ever rerun?

[septentrion1970]

Reality TV is a universal plague. Well, I don't watch TV, so I'm safe from it.

[ubiquirk]

I hate reality TV and can say that I never watch it.

I only watch 3 dramas, and two just died - grrrrrr.

[dacian_goddess]

And so two of the precious few shows I enjoyed are gone...

I think Veronica was perceived as threatening because she was every bit as feisty and independent as she was smart. Even when things got tough, no one was the boss of Veronica but Veronica. Damn, I love that show.

And the Gilmores were fantastic for all the reasons you described above. It was in a sense subtler than VM, but everything about the character interactions in GG was about empowerment. Ooh, and you know what I loved about GG? They ate! I loved those little puns they worked in about their appetites.

I scoff at the idea that Pussycat Dolls could be about regaining women's equal rights to be sexual beings. I should hope they aren't trying to pass that travesty of a show as such.

[ubiquirk]

Yes - that was another thing about Veronica - she was even wiling to go against her father if she thought it best (and I love Keith's character).

I think the empowerment of GG being subtler is why it was more popular - Lorelei running an Inn isn't threatening, and Rory really hasn't had her career yet.

Urg - I updated in the post, but the Pussycats theme song is "Don't You Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me"? They are speaking (and vamping) directly for men! It does nothing more than reinforce that women can only be sexual being with male approval.

[dacian_goddess]

Another odd trend I sort of noticed, at least in the more female viewer base-oriented shows, was that if the ratings were too high to justify a cancellation they would instead start rendering the female protagonists unidimensional caricatures. I'm glad they didn't do that with GG, or at least I hope they didn't as I didn't see beyond season 5 yet.

But I used to watch Charmed, for instance. The first two or so seasons depicted the Halliwells as strong women who asserted themselves as witches while trying to juggle careers and "normal" lives. I don't know what they did after that they picked up one single trait of each character and rendered that their only feature. Piper became a baby- and normality-obsessed whingy witch; Prue was killed off so Paige became the sort of aloof sister who very nearly bailed on her sisters; and Phoebe became the 'maneater'. And of course, they lost the obligatory 50% of textile material making up their outfits.

[ubiquirk]

I tried that show at first because I like witchcraft and the thought of female protagonists - it was okay. Then it became insipid, and the writing was never up to much. The insipidness must have had a lot to do with what you're saying - that the women become one-dimensional. I think they pitched it to a younger and younger audience - i.e., 13 year olds.

[firefly124]

I've never watched either of those shows, but I'm surprised by both cancellations. I see so many people talking about or writing fic based on both of them around LJ that I've had the impression they're both hugely popular.

As far as the replacement shows, well those sound like some of the reasons I pretty much only use my tv to watch DVDs.

[ubiquirk]

They are both very popular! To be fair, GG had a good run, but if it had to end, they deserved more notice than they had.

VM is the only show I know of to have both Kevin Smith and Joss Whedon endorse a show to the point that they guest star on it! It may never have made the ratings, but the cult following is very dedicated. And Firefly should have proven that that can work - the DVD box set of that is an Amazon top seller.

[mundungus42]

Well, on the bright side, "King of Queens" will no longer be filling our airwaves with predictable, unfunny humor. Except in syndication. ::curses::

I've not seen Pussycat Girls, and I've no desire to.

Oi, Joss! Stop writing comic books and come do another show with sharp, funny females in it!

[mundungus42]

Or rather, DON'T stop writing comic books and come do another show!

[ubiquirk]

YESSSSS! He's already hinted that, as much as he loves comics, they don't pay the rent. But I think he's doing his horror movie right now - Goners.

As for TV, he's mentioned he loves it but wants a contract with guarantees before returning. I don't think studios give those. Sigh.

[ubiquirk]

I avoid half-hour sitcoms, but I think that's one of those ones that shows the 'skinny, very pretty wife with the heavy, slobbish husband' syndrome. Just another, shallow, way of saying: "Don't expect anything from the men ladies, but make sure you look great!"