Grey’s Anatomy Spinoff - The New Modern Woman, Ambitious and Feeble
i've only watched 3 episodes of GA in all the time it's been on tv. and i've noticed the same thing this review mentions:
On “Grey’s Anatomy” at least two female characters, Christina (Sandra Oh) and Dr. Bailey (Chandra Wilson) have confidence, big egos and an ability to keep their sorrows to themselves most of the time. The female leads on the new series are fragile and pitiable, and it’s a worrisome imbalance.
i wonder if these characters' perceived strength is because they're women of color, created and written by a woman of color.
just wondering...
5 comments:
I really liked that article, and felt too as though it well articulated my complaints with the show.
I agree that they are given more allowance to break stereotypical gender roles because they are women of color. I also think it is not coincidental that Dr. Bailey is married and a mom - were she not both, she'd be "too unfeminine" - it's okay for her to be strong (or bitchy) as long as some man loves her. And it seemed to me that Christina perhaps escaped this because she is Asian (thus it's okay that she is so singularly focused on her career). I don't watch it anymore - but I far preferred her when she was not in a relationship. I liked having female on tv who seemed to not need a man to make her complete (although she did seem almost borderline aspbergers - and thus somewhat damaged).
no matter how writers try, they never get their working female characters 'right.'
if a working woman is strong, independent, capable and happy then there must be something deeply wrong with her and it must be tempered by some neurotic 'thing' - which negates her strength. or she's a bitch or her fatal flaw is that she's too 'girly.'
like, cameron on 'House.' she's a fricking doctor for pete's sake. and, yet, every week, they show her crossing boundaries for the sake of emotional wholeness. she constantly complicates plot lines with her inappropriate 'you should be more caring' bullshit.
(not that caring is bad; but why does it have to be cameron who takes this position?)
yesterday my roomie and i went to see 'fracture' (which was actually pretty good.) rosamund pike's character was totally pointless - and didn't act like any woman we've ever known in real life. she's a corporate lawyer working for the top firm in los angeles but she is in expressive and displays no sharpness, no acuity, no knowledge that this is who she is.
it's like the people who write these roles don't actually know anyone smart at all.
I've not seen House or Fracture. Have you ever watched "Wonderfalls"? I think they got smart women right in that show - albeit hugely neurotic, flawed, and underacheiving women - but still smart and independent. Plus, the main character makes me want to live in a trailer so badly - and that takes some skill. If you've not seen it, rent it (it was on Fox and was canceled after 4 episodes, but the whole first season is on DVD). It is snarky and brilliant. I'd be curious to see what you think.
can smart women be neurotic, flawed and underachieving? (i kid. sorta.)
i'll have to check it out. i have never heard of this show and, believe me, i have the tv schedule memorized.
over at alas, a blog, they're having this conversation about female characters, too:
here,.
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