A few decades ago it was possible to count on the fingers in the series with female protagonists (and the female protagonists with foda, so it was possible to count only on the indicators). Gloriously though, the world is changing and they are becoming more and more common. We've already talked about some of the here, like Jessica Jones, The Fall, My Fat Fat Diary, Broad City, Bob's Burger, Gracie & Frankie and, handsome, Orange is the New Black a thousand times.
But I wanted to talk about two series, or rather, two characters that simply shook my structures.
How To Get Away With Murder
Most of you must know this wonderful Shonda masterpiece. For those who do not know, HTGAWM is an ABC series that tells the story of Criminal Law Professor Annalise Keating, who gives a very compelling chair and chooses the best students to work with her in her office.
The (wonderful) character won the Emmy for best actress for Viola Davis (marvelous). In fact, as in all Shonda series, the highlight is the incredible characters. Because if you analyze the plots are not necessarily disruptive and have even a half-soap opera vibe (which I love), but the characters never stay alone on the surface.
In addition to Annalize, who is a successful, career-focused black woman, the series still has many other female characters who are all complex, interesting and wonderful, each in her own way. And maybe what I love most about Shonda is that I've brought a lot of women to television, instead of just one. In fact, for those who walked with doubts, this is the famous place of speech.
Why is she fucking? I admit that I regard Annalize almost as a self-help, since it is impossible for me not to see an episode and get infected by the force of this character. She is charming to her students, employees, lovers, and to us. Even those who hate her can not stop thinking about her. The parallel I draw with Scandal is that, even though neither is a perfect character, Annalise captivates me much more because he is, affectively, independent. She is not a heroine in the original sense of the word but, damn, how good a woman character whose life does not revolve around a lover.
Honourable Woman
It's a BBC series with Maggie Gyllenhaal that tells the story of two brothers who took over the father's business after his death. In fact the series revolves around her sister, Nessa Stein, and how she became known worldwide for her commitment to promoting peace processes in the Middle East.
It may seem simple but this series is definitely not for everyone. It is dense, situations are heavy, characters are complex, the scene itself is brutal and, moreover, it is impossible to view history by filters of good and evil (or good and bad). But I admit that I was so deeply in love and touched that I dreamed of her.
The actors are amazing, the story is a wonderful thriller and I am controlling for not giving any spoilers, so I will only quote the Guardian: "Each frame seems full of meanings, each text full of subtexts"
For those who see, however, it is good to warn that scenes of misogynist violence, including rape, are represented graphically enough.
Why is she fucking? Because she is a human protagonist, the kind that we rarely see, and when she sees them, they are men. In addition, I think it enhances a trait we normally associate with women, empathy, but in a less predictable way, because it reminds us of the strength that is needed to maintain that posture. And, finally, she is a woman in a misogynistic and warlike environment and does not leave unharmed or behave like a heroine alien to everything.
Thank you for reading this far.
xoxo, lolla
@missy @rambo
