lindseyjane

I think comedies are certainly popular in subverting gender roles, but let’s not forget that drama have had just as big of an impact, if not larger on societal expectations of women.

Take Grey’s Anatomy, for example. Since starting its run in 2005, the show has defied expectations and redefined what it means to be a working woman in a dominantly male industry, such as medicine. I mean, just look at the show. Every head of surgery is a woman. The chief of surgery is a woman. The characters are messy, flawed, and unapologetic. Relationship wise, Meredith has fluctuated between being dominant or not dominant in her relationship with Derek. I think after his death, and even before, she was really starting to see that she was important and that her career and her life shouldn’t take a backseat to Derek’s for any reason.

I agree that comedies have played a large part in subverting gender roles. But let’s not forget the drama out there that are doing the same thing.

I think abortion is hard to portray accurately, because it is different for everyone. However, I’ve seen Scandal, Parenthood and Friday Night Lights, and I think each of those shows handled it admirably in different ways. I think a lot of shows have characters contemplate or go through with abortions, but I haven’t seen too much in terms of the effects afterwards. How do these characters feel? How should they feel? What symptoms accompany a decision like this? Guilt? Relief? Depression? Fear? All things that should be explored after making the decision to have or not have an abortion.

Very interesting read. I know there is a multitude of objects with hidden significance in Breaking Bad, but I didn’t realize that certain objects pop up season after season, like the pants.

The very first thing we see in the pilot of Breaking Bad is pants flying through the air-perhaps a commentary on who the dominant partner in Walter and Skyler’s relationship? Or the very concept of masculinity and what it means to be a man? This is a common theme explored throughout the season. Since Walt isn’t wearing pants when we first see him, it would seem that he is the lesser man in the relationship. However, as the season progresses, that definitely changes. Nice reversion of expectations.