I know itâs been months since The Residence came out, but thatâs completely irrelevant because Iâm on the verge of re-watching, and it will forever hold a place in my heartâand my hopes of more seasons/moviesâŚ?
Anyway, hereâs to Cordeila Cupp, maybe the best fictional detective of all time? She fits into the Freelance Detective tropes: genius/expert, unusually perceptive, concerned only with the truth/driven by curiosity, and distinctive in style and personality. But she is in NO WAY a caricature of ANYONE. She doesnât feel like she was a made-for-tv stock character.
Sheâs not a caricature of a Womanâvapid, soft, dragishly yet boringly feminine. Sheâs a real womanâdistinct, whole, complex.
Sheâs not a caricature of a Black Womanâsassy, aggressive, dramatic, hypersexual. Sheâs a REAL Black womanâdistinct, whole, complex.
Sheâs not a caricature of Autismârude, savant, inconvenient, callous yet sensitive; alien and inhuman. Sheâs autistic-coded, on accident or purpose, but she FEELS like she could be a real autistic personâdistinct, whole, complex.
Sheâs empathetic, but not in a way that pigeonholes her into a Mothering/Nursemaid stereotypeâshe listens, she cares, and she chooses who and what she actually needs to give attention to, without bending over backward to make others comfortable. She remembers personal details about who sheâs working with, and when Larry Dokes honestly confesses that this case might break his career, sheâs willing to give up the case to let him finish without the fuss.
She sets Boundaries! She has healthy, firm boundaries that are respectful to herselfâand to others, as well. She goes bird-watching for brief intervals on the job, to clear her head and help her function. She stays up late and goes over all the evidence, and returns to the scene when new information comes to light. She dedicates her full time and attention to the case, but knows when to take breaks or walk away.
She Knows Herself! She has a strong sense of self and wonât diminish herself to make others comfortable, but also knows when sheâs made a fuck-up and apologizes for it. She owns up to her mistakes! The whole âThis is not the only way to beâ speech really gets to me, because itâs a beautiful moment. Itâs not over-the-top or melodramatic with soapy orchestral stings, but it hits home. She has the healthiest mindset Iâve seen in main characters in a whileâshe acknowledges that her style doesnât work for everyone, but that it doesnât have to NOT work for her. She knows she can be obsessive, but she also knows what to prioritize and she acknowledges that there are always other opportunities.
She Stands Up for Herself, without Cutting others Down. She only gives shit when she gets it, and she tells the truthânot kindly, but accurately. Not everything she says is kind, but she is never unnecessarily harsh. She is firm with Didier and Sheila, respectful of the staff as a whole, and gentle with those who express true distress like Bruce or Elsyie. Sheâs ruthless when she needs to beâagainst Lily and the Foreign Minister, but sheâs never militantly cruel.
Those who dismiss her, she brushes off and ignores in turn. Sheâs observant, and knows exactly what needs to happen when she sees it. She asks for what she needs, and doesnât let herself get pushed around. Sheâs cunning, and empatheticâshe cares; about her sister, her cases, her hobbies, even the people sitting across from her in interviews. And because she cares, she will do the work it takes to get the job done. And yet, she never goes too far. She never makes threats, she never throws around her name or her connections. She acts with integrity, with regard to justice rather than strict rules.
Cordeila Cupp is smart, caring, interesting, funny, competent, and so much more. And perhaps best of all: sheâs REAL.
yousharknotpass
romaincrisis
2087
germansingergirl
