Feminism Decoded

Character: Lydia Martin

Known for: Teen Wolf

Why? “I didn’t get any of what you just said, is it worth repeating?”

At first you would be forgiven for seeing Lydia (Holland Roden) as the popular girl, who can be a bit nasty at times, but she becomes so much more. Lydia is smart and witty, and as the show lets us into her life more we see that she is actually a wonderful and talented person.

Lydia is definitely one of my favourite characters on the show, and with good reason. Let’s face it, she is dealt quite a few shitty hands by the writers but they have definitely done a great job at developing her into a

Character: Leslie Knope

Known for: Parks and Recreation

Why? Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) is one of my all-time favourite characters, regardless of gender. Why? She knows what she wants and will do almost anything to get it.

Parks and Recreation is a comedy show about the Pawnee Parks department, and Leslie is definitely the most enthusiastic employee there with the aim of moving through the ranks and up to Presidency. Her overall enthusiasm and excitement throughout the series is both funny and endearing, making her a character that is hard not to like.

Her loyalty is second to none and her ambition to succeed ensures hilarity. Leslie is a great character that always stays true to herself and those around her. Honestly, I wish there were more characters like her on our televisions screens today (especially as Parks has recently ended its 7 season run).

Also, did I mention that she is a proud feminist?! What more can we ask for?!

Starring: Krysten Ritter, David Tennant, Rachael Taylor, Eka Darville, Carrie-Anne Moss.

Synopsis: Ever since her short-lived stint as a superhero ended in tragedy, Jessica Jones has been rebuilding her personal life and career as a hot-tempered, sardonic private detective in Hell's Kitchen, New York City. Plagued by self-loathing and a wicked case of PTSD, Jessica battles demons from within and without, using her extraordinary abilities as an unlikely champion for those in need... especially if they're willing to cut her a check (IMDb).

Rating: 4/5

Review: Marvel’s Jessica Jones is an extremely fast paced television show that is bound to keep you on the edge of your seat. Being produced by Netflix, the show is able to break free of the constraints that would have been placed on it if it had been produced for traditional television.

Jessica Jones (Ritter) is the ultimate anti-hero. She wants no part in the life she has got and will do anything to avoid it. The story revolves around Jessica and Kilgrave (Tennant), who is a man with the ability to make people do whatever he chooses. Having been under his control for a very long time, she is left almost crippled, especially as he works his way back into her life.

Jessica is a character that grows on you. Initially, it can be hard to warm up to a character that appears so cold to the world but as we get glimpses into her life through flashbacks it certainly becomes an understandable trait. She is an interesting character with an interesting perspective on things and it is, strange as it seems, wonderful to see a female character written with major faults and fears.

Trish Walker (Taylor) is Jones’ best friend, and her evolution throughout the season is truly remarkable and satisfying to watch. Whilst always having a protective side when it comes to Jessica, Trish comes into her own, particularly in the second-half of the season. Toward the end, she shows a great amount of bravery in order to help Jessica take down Kilgrave. She is always a headstrong character, but in saying that you can see this character grow and develop into a tough female character that I hope I will get to see on the screen again.

Rounding out the main trio of women is Jeri Hogarth (Moss). Hogarth is an interesting character who proves to have little selflessness and is ironically a lawyer (because lawyers are never nice, right?). Ruthless is a word you could definitely use to explain Hogarth, but in saying this she is an extremely well written, multifaceted female character. You never know what to expect from Hogarth and when you think you do, you don’t.

Starring: Eliza Taylor, Bob Morley, Paige Turco, Marie Avgeropoulos, Devon Bostick, Lindsey Morgan

Synopsis: Set 97 years after a nuclear war has destroyed civilisation, when a spaceship housing humanity’s lone survivors sends 100 juvenile delinquents back to Earth in hopes of possibly re-populating the planet.

Rating: 5/5

Review: What? A TV show aimed at teenagers that has incredible representation not only of gender, but race and sexuality too? It seems too good to be true! But alas, it is not. It is simply The 100.

This show is absolutely fantastic and challenges all the classic stereotypes and tropes that are generally associated with gender, race, sexuality and even adolescence in general. Moving away from gender for a moment, I really do love how it challenges the idea of the traditional and outdated ‘teenage delinquent’ stereotypes and it gives a strong voice to each character. They are not defined by their pasts and we are able to see them not only defy the expectations of the people that virtually sent them to earth to die, but become their only hope at survival.

Going back to gender, the group is led by Clarke Griffin (Taylor) who, even though she initially was an outsider to them, becomes their unofficial leader. She is smart and headstrong, naturally placing her into the leader position. She is the daughter of Abby Griffin (Turco), a respected council member and doctor on the Ark (the spaceship holding the remains of humanity), and you see a clear connection between their traits. As they are both similar in their straight-forward natures, they often clash on what they believe to be right and wrong especially going into season two. It is a fascinating dynamic to see played out, and one that I feel is not seen particularly often either.

Next we have Octavia Blake (Avgeropoulos), the younger sister of leading male Bellamy Blake (Morley) and all-round great female character. Octavia is a character that is classed as a delinquent for just existing (the Ark adopted a one-child policy in order to preserve oxygen and supplies), so knowing little of the world she is carefree as they hit Earth. You can’t blame her for it though; having been living in seclusion and never leaving one room, the freedom would certainly be an interesting adjustment! She is a great character that evolves (slight spoilers!) from an unsure young woman to a strong and selfless female warrior and you really can’t ask for much more than that!

Raven Reyes (Morgan) is the dark horse of the group. Not initially part of the group sent down, but dating one of them, she is sent down in an illegal ship to check whether the teens are safe and alive (but that’s another story!). Raven is one of, if not, the best mechanics on the Ark which in itself largely challenges the stereotypes regarding male-dominated jobs. Throughout the first two seasons, she becomes one of the most enigmatic characters and much like Clarke, Raven refuses to give in to something that opposes what she believes in. As mentioned before, she is definitely the dark horse of the group and largely remains that way throughout the season. Although dealt a few crappy hands by the writers, she is definitely a character that I hope is here to stay.

Starring: Jason Beghe, Jon Seda, Sophia Bush, Jesse Lee Soffer, Patrick John Flueger

Synopsis: From the executive producer and team behind Chicago Fire comes Chicago P.D., a riveting police drama about the men and women of the Chicago Police Department’s District 21 who put it all on the line to serve and protect their community. At the helm of the Intelligence Unit is Sergeant Hank Voight (Beghe), a man not against crossing legal and ethical lines to ensure the safety and security of the city he loves (DVD).

Rating: 4/5

Review: Chicago P.D. is a spin-off to the highly successful Chicago Fire and, as the name suggests, follows an elite homicide squad as they navigate crime in Chicago. Unsurprisingly, however, there are few women on this show.

Much like Chicago Fire, there are few females characters. This certainly isn’t saying that the few females featured aren’t well-written- they (mostly) are. However, 3 solid females in an ensemble cast of males leaves a lot to be desired. Erin Lindsay (Bush), is certainly our token female lead. She is a fantastic character- she is definitely the most prominent female character as she has a place on the elite intelligence squad. Well rounded and three-dimensional, she is almost the perfect female character. Next, we have Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati). Burgess’ goal is to achieve a spot in the Intelligence Unit, and will go above and beyond in order to prove herself. Even at the end of the season as she places herself in a dangerous and vulnerable position to help the squad, her male partner is picked over her. Admittedly, it is frustrating to watch. The third is Trudy Platt (Amy Morton), who fits into the typical tropes (x). She isn’t a character that is liked, and even as we briefly get a glimpse into her life the show remains unforgiving.

Starring: Hayley Atwell, James D’Arcy, Enver Gjokaj, Dominic Cooper, Chad Michael Murray.

Synopsis: In 1946, Peggy Carter is relegated to secretarial duties in the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR). When Howard Stark is accused of treason, he secretly recruits Peggy to clear his name with the help of his butler, Edwin Jarvis (IMDb).

Rating: 5/5

Review: Agent Peggy Carter (Atwell) may be familiar to many from Captain America: The First Avenger, but now she comes into her own. Agent Carter is a look at the aftermath of World War II, wherein the men are back from war and she is no longer seen as ‘useful’. Throughout the season, she is not only attempting to clear Stark’s name, but find out who or what the mysterious ‘Leviathan’ is.

Carter changes the game for Marvel and it definitely has a different feel to the testosterone-driven superhero movies we are all accustomed to. She is written in a way that feels natural, the writers aren’t setting her up to fall into the typical female tropes, or trying write her like a male superhero. They are writing her like a three-dimensional human being, and it is quite exciting. She is filled with quips and calls out sexism as she sees it, “I conducted my own investigation because no one listens to me. I got away with it because no one looks at me, because unless I have your reports, your coffee, or your lunch, I’m invisible”.

Some of the male characters we meet are fully aware of Carter’s capabilities, but certainly not many. Howard Stark (Cooper) and Edwin Jarvis (D’Arcy) are arguably the only two males who truly trust Carter and we see them rewarded for it. The banter that occurs between Carter and the pair make it evident that they do not treat her any differently due to her gender and it makes them enjoyable to watch. Agent Daniel Souza (Gjokaj) definitely has a soft spot for Carter, but he is still a product of his time and at many times when Souza defends Carter, it is seen that he backs down as to avoid looking too sympathetic and weak. Yet it must be said that throughout the season you can see a noticeable change in his behaviour, as he becomes more comfortable in not only her abilities, but his own.