A top 5 list of the best female villains of all time in either literature, TV or film with a description of what makes them so memorable, their motivations and their evil strategies. From Eve to Lady Macbeth to Catwoman to the Borg Queen.
Forever Femme Fatale: Reigning Female Villains A top 5 list of the best female villains of all time in either literature, TV or film with a description of what make them so memorable, their motivations and their evil strategies. From Eve to Lady Macbeth to Catwoman to the Borg Queen. – Munjeera9 years ago
I think this article should stick to one category (like only TV or only literature female villains) since there would be so many to choose from. – LaRose9 years ago
Analyze how TV shows can put people in a certain mindset which alters their real life behaviour. Are they just influencing and changing their perspective? or are they brainwashing as not every aspect of the situation is shown?
When thinking about reasons why people go to movies or why they are so engaged in television shows, it is either done to unwind and relax or to escape from one's own life.
TV shows often take place in very realistic settings, where the probability of the events taking place in the show are likely to take place in the viewers own life. However, especially after binge watching a show for hours on end, it is easy to get caught up in the TV shows world and try to apply their problem solving skills to one's own problems. This almost impossible to do. To perform a monologue of one's undying love for another may work in the staged construct of the show, but in reality it is kind of creepy and very over the top.
The situations on TV shows are being carefully calculated and balanced by the writers, and in real life people do not have set boundaries that they must act within. – Naomster79 years ago
I believe the TV shows give us unreasonable expectations for how relationships and behavior function. For example, How I Met Your Mother examines the relationship's between 5 friends in New York. Throughout the entire show I felt desperate to find similar relationships in my own life; but this is nearly impossible. Although fictional, the behavioral exchanges between characters seems realistic, but people do not behave like that in real life. Many of the characters have candid exchanges with new, and old, friends, but if the acted this way in real life, the responses would be quite different. For example, Ted's many romantic acts might warrant a restraining order in modern day society. People cannot be as carefree and friendly in real life as they are in shows, because our society does not support this type of behavior. – megduckworth9 years ago
I would actually be more worried about the influence of reputed news organizations in affecting the behavior of individuals. There are many viewers who will only watch one network, and since "news," follows the title, these individuals believe this to be the absolute, undisputed truth and will not pursue different avenues of thought. This leads to biases and ideologies that are difficult to change. – danielle5778 years ago
True. Look at right and left wing media. It does portray news in an unworthy way. – Munjeera8 years ago
House of Cards, Scandal, Veep and many before them have focused on The White House and what it means to be in power. Take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to portraying American politics on television. Is it a fair representation? Is it too sensationalized or is it brutally honest?
This sounds like a great starting point. One thing that you may want to keep in mind throughout this article is the relationship between the contemporary political landscape and political affiliations of the creators (ie. Left/Right creator under a Left/Right government). Noting how agreements and riffs between contemporary governments and creators could raise biases in presentation or other interesting patterns. – irmiculan9 years ago
I think this is a great topic, and i would be inclined to discuss the glamorization of underhanded dirty politics, and how that can even inspire people to want to take part in it (House of Cards inspiring law or political science majors). Despite it being a negative view of politics – justjosie9 years ago
I find this topic very interesting. I watch Scandal religiously (just starting House of Cards). As a Sociology and International Development major, I am intrigued by the way in which underhanded politics, optics, and spinsters to name a few are used to push agendas, garner support, and [re]structure the political landscape. I am Canadian, and admittedly not too familiar with the American political landscape, but I find that these kinds of shows are not only reflective of the America's politics, but of many political realities all too familiar to The West. Political-based shows are a niche at the moment, and capitalizing on them seems to be the way to go. I am interested in examining to what extent the sensationalization of American politics in these shows is accurate, and the effectiveness of these shows in reaching young adults and engaging them in/with politics. – TheSocialBee9 years ago
I think it would be interesting if someone from the political arena--let's say a poli.sci. major, or enthusiastic major--were to answer this question. Someone who believes in the system, or looks at it as a reputable powerhouse. Because, when analyzing the examples given, they do NOT paint a good picture of the political stage. Though, I am an avid fan of both Scandal and VEEP, I love shows that dig into this world, and part of me, thinks they are pretty accurate.... – danielle5778 years ago
I would say that to do this essay, there would need to be some development in the essay about the writers of these shows and where they are their information and background. – Joseph Cernik6 years ago
American TV shows tend to stay on the air for as long as they can get renewed. Could the stories be better if the shows were written with the intention of only being on the air for X number of seasons? Broadchurch, for example, is filming it's third and final season currently. If it went on to a fourth season just because it had the audience for one, there isn't much the story could go on to do in order to follow the characters it's introduced along the same tone as the show has set thus far (and I already don't know how they're going to manage a third season. The second season seemed a good place to wrap it.)
How would TV change if we signed shows up for a story arc instead of by season? Would we get fewer sudden cancellations of shows (say, how Firefly ended abruptly?) How would we deal with the departure of beloved characters at the end of well-wrapped stories that end before the viewers are necessarily ready for them to (instead of having a show go on for too long and have viewers drop off as the storyline gets convoluted or watered down)?
Or take a beat and return after an extended absence like Arrested Development and Prison Break – Munjeera9 years ago
Arrested Development was abruptly cancelled after Season 3 and was rescued by Netflix (and I'm finding Season 4 really bizarre). A planned extended break could work, but I don't think Arrested Development is an example of that. Season 4 of AD seems closer to the Firefly movie, Serenity. A last chance to give fans closure after an abrupt cancellation. I haven't watched Prison Break, so I don't know about that one. – Amanda9 years ago
This is entirely dependant on the show – Darcy Griffin9 years ago
Grey's Anatomy would be a good example to use for this article. They're now heading into the show's 13th season, and the fans are dropping off day by day. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Grey's, but I'm not oblivious to why fans are suddenly turning their backs on it. It's been on for a long time, so much has happened, so many new characters joining and old characters leaving. Not to mention the show is very different from the way it was when it first premiered. I'd like to see your topic fully explored. – Karyn Little9 years ago
This is definitely a subjective case, not a "one size series," fits all. Look at how successful Breaking Bad was; yet, the creator Vince Gilligan decided to end it after 5 seasons! I think sometimes this has to do with the creative overall vision, and writers truly knowing the "end game," before they begin. Some series go on forever because they are successful, have a solid fan base, and produce quality television. While others meet the first 2 criteria, but differ in producing poor quality television that they get away with. – danielle5778 years ago
Amanda, I agree: nothing topped AD in comedy for seasons 1-3, and S4 was poor. Watching a series after its expiration date is like watching Holmes destroy Ali or Willie Mays' creaky attempt to top Ruth's HR record: sad. – Tigey8 years ago
TV shows, for audiences, are entertainment and distraction that produce emotional attachment and addiction. For creators and producers, however, TV shows are revenues above all. How many seasons is too many seasons? How much money is too much money? – T. Palomino2 years ago
Look into the psychological effects of modern television and see if there is any scientific evidence to suggest if TV can influence human behavior, and if so then to what degree and in what ways.
Sounds fascinating and terrifying in equal measure. – J.P. Shiel9 years ago
There are two ways it can go. The first is to experience the trauma from the safety of your armchair, similar to reading. An example of a positive outcome would be the classic Disney cartoon in which separation from parental units are regularly depicted like Bambi, Jungle Book and Cinderella. The second direction is that regularly watching horrific scenes causes desensitization. So I agree with J. P. Shield that it is fascinating and terrifying simultaneously. – Munjeera9 years ago
I've always answered this in the same way as when someone begs the same question of video games. I find that it can be an enhancer for people who are already on unfortunate paths but it cannot be what initiates the affect. I'd love to know if there are any studies with findings on the subject. – TGoutos9 years ago
Interesting... Well if an individual is unstable to start with, even if unknown, it may trigger something on the inside. I wonder if children could be sensitive too this... It would be interesting to find out. – FandomCrasher9 years ago
I believe there has not been a scientific study that proves this one way or another but that being said, we all have to watch and limit the exposure of violence on TV on our children. While I do not believe a child would become a murderer by watching TV, it will certainly give those ideas or motivation that are more susceptible to manipulation or those that already have some sort of a chemical imbalance that might push them towards that path. It is the whole theory of nurture versus nature I guess. In so many cases, theorist have gone one way or another and it is still a much debated theory. – ferozan9 years ago
There have already been studies about this. The subject would have to be narrowed down more in order to be tackled in anything that wasn't a huge book. Maybe focus in generically (dramas, crime dramas, what have you) – darcvader9 years ago
Being someone who is totally empathetic, there's a lot of truth to this. I'm moved by just about anything that I watch on TV. Once Upon a Time makes me lovey dovey, Sons of Anarchy made me pray for violence against other characters. It's the strangest thing. – Karyn Little9 years ago
I would kill to read this article. – Tigey8 years ago
There have been several movies that depict a murder/crime that resembles a story from a book. One example that comes to mind is "The Raven". Whoever chooses this article could talk about the influences of both TV and books. – JennyCardinal8 years ago
There are no definitive experimental studies that uphold this notion; all that exists are correlations between television viewing and individuals who become murderers. Nature versus Nurture needs to be factored into this equation. Television alone cannot make someone a sociopath, but it can definitely give an unbalanced individual ideas as to how to extract their image of terror on the public. – danielle5778 years ago
With the internet becoming a popular choice for watching shows, but how often are people under the age of 30 watching a TV show at a scheduled time from a cable provider? Discussions could include the problem of pirating TV shows, the rise of streaming services and the future of millennials buying cable service.
Though the television series Breaking Bad has been discussed numerous times on this platform, a conversation that has yet to be broached is the amount of symbolism, allusions, and "clues," the creator, Vince Gilligan provides throughout the series. For example…In season 3 episode 7, "One Minute," the time on the dashboard is 3:07. At the same time, Hank gets a call that he has one minute, as two men are on the way to kill him. 3 7=10, or let's look at it as one minute. Also, the episode is from season 3, episode 7–same time displayed on the dashboard. Lastly, the room number of Skylar's room when giving birth to Holly is 307. All of these connections are intricately woven by the creator.
Other examples for discussion: the constant mentions of Icarus, The Godfather and Scarface references, the similarities between Hank (ASAC) and Ahab from Moby Dick, The meaning behind the title of the series finale, "Felina," (hint, think periodic table of elements and cooking meth; also a few other possibilities), etc. There are numerous connections and allusions, from episode titles that allude to popular movies, to songs, providing the missing puzzle pieces.
What does it all mean? It must be important or else why would the creator take great time to intricately weave every single element of the series together. Questions to consider: Why does Walt begin cutting off the crust on his sandwiches?, Look at the wardrobe evolution of characters, consider the episode title, "Grey Matter," etc. The possibilities are endless….let the explorations begin!!!
It sounds like some of these ideas are similar to LOST. Maybe some of these similarities could be written about, such as the significance of the numbers. – Munjeera8 years ago
I love shows like LOST, Mr. Robot, and Breaking Bad that reward multiple viewings. It's great to see that Better Call Saul isn't shying away from hiding its own Easter eggs like its predecessor. For this topic, I would suggest that the author of the article try to narrow it down. Even confining the topic to Breaking Bad leaves room for a never-ending article thanks to vast amount of clues and symbolism that Vince Gilligan worked into the show. Try to focus on explaining what the motive of a show creator could be in including all of these hidden secrets rather than trying to point out every example. – KennethC8 years ago
BB is loaded with fatalism. Gilligan is a moralist, raised Catholic. God's number is seven, three is the trinity. The bread crust trimmings, ala Crazy-8, recall the fatalism of Bob Dylan's "Ballad of Hollis Brown": There's seven people dead on a South Dakota farm,
There's seven people dead on a South Dakota farm,
Somewhere in the distance there's seven new people born. I think amoral Walt points out Hank's white whale - the futility of law enforcement and the hypocrisy of smoking illegal cigars - over Cuban cigars and booze, while contemplating what Walt states is the arbitrary nature of laws. It's an interesting mix, fatalism and Hank's faith in imperfect but necessary laws. – Tigey8 years ago
There also seems to be connections between Walt's ages (50, 51, and 52 years), and the corresponding elements of the periodic table. – Tigey8 years ago
Talk about the different ways that high school has been portrayed in TV, in particular the two subsets of Idealistic (ie. Saved By the Bell, That's So Raven) and Realistic (Daria, Freaks and Geeks). Compare these two portrayals to each other as well as the real life experience of high school.
Freaks and Geeks is a cult classic and the perfect example of a realistic TV show. Every individual can relate to a character on the show as each of them come from different backgrounds and face various adversities. Other TV shows like That's So Raven also tackle some real life issues like racism and portrayal of women in mainstream media (when Raven isn't allowed to be on a magazine cover) so it is not necessarily idealistic. There are different forms of TV shows, there are the recent Disney or Nickelodeon shows which completely set up false expectations for the kids.
Then there are other TV shows like Gossip Girl or Parenthood, with predominantly white casts and where the families are completely supportive and everyone tackles everything together. A really great portrayal of high school is also showed in Gilmore girls. then again this is all TV... nothing can be explicitly like real life. – Aish9 years ago
First, one would have to agree that these two "subsets" are the only possibilities for high school representation. And second, one would need to clarify that the subject is American/Western/Hollywood portrayals of youth life. – T. Palomino2 years ago
