Glee 109 Wheels
Nov. 12th, 2009 08:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
noracharlesIn this very special episode, Glee focuses on offending people with disabilities.
Othering. Accusing PWD of being problems and a burden. Accusing PWD of getting unearned special treatment and advantages. Accusing PWD of faking it for attention. Currently able-bodied people have to experience what it's like to use a wheelchair, before the challenges faced by wheelchair users become "real". Painting romantic and/or sexual advances from a PWD to a CAP as awkward, and a sign that the PWD does not see or want to see the CAP as "normal".
Bonus lantern-hanging on the fact that the solos always go to white people, and a reminder that gay men are femme and love fashion. Quinn's pregnancy, still all about Finn and Puck. Tina's feeling for Artie, all about Artie. Sue once again is the one shining light of female characters who have lives of their own.
Female bechdel pass, thanks to Sue and Becky, but theirs was a minor storyline. Another race bechdel fail on the second premise. Mercedes got to share a song with Artie, and Tina got to highlight Artie's issues with love and feeling different, so characters of color weren't completely invisible, not that that's saying much.
This show isn't worse than so many others, but its blatant fail is so much more disappointing when it's set itself up to be better and more diverse. I still like the bright colors, large cast, and snappy humor, so I can't say I'm not entertained. But why can't they entertain their viewers without furthering oppression all the damn time?
Othering. Accusing PWD of being problems and a burden. Accusing PWD of getting unearned special treatment and advantages. Accusing PWD of faking it for attention. Currently able-bodied people have to experience what it's like to use a wheelchair, before the challenges faced by wheelchair users become "real". Painting romantic and/or sexual advances from a PWD to a CAP as awkward, and a sign that the PWD does not see or want to see the CAP as "normal".
Bonus lantern-hanging on the fact that the solos always go to white people, and a reminder that gay men are femme and love fashion. Quinn's pregnancy, still all about Finn and Puck. Tina's feeling for Artie, all about Artie. Sue once again is the one shining light of female characters who have lives of their own.
Female bechdel pass, thanks to Sue and Becky, but theirs was a minor storyline. Another race bechdel fail on the second premise. Mercedes got to share a song with Artie, and Tina got to highlight Artie's issues with love and feeling different, so characters of color weren't completely invisible, not that that's saying much.
This show isn't worse than so many others, but its blatant fail is so much more disappointing when it's set itself up to be better and more diverse. I still like the bright colors, large cast, and snappy humor, so I can't say I'm not entertained. But why can't they entertain their viewers without furthering oppression all the damn time?
| Episode | Speaking characters | Female characters | F-Bechdel | Characters of color | R-Bechdel |
| 101 | 19 | 8 (42%) | Pass, 2 out of 3 conversations | 6 (32%) | Fail, 0 conversations |
| 102 | 21 | 11 (52%) | Pass, 6 out of 8 conversations | 6 (29%) | Fail, 0 conversations |
| 103 | 26 | 12 (46%) | Pass, 4 out of 8 conversations | 9 (35%) | Fail, 0 out of 1 conversation |
| 104 | 21 | 10 (48%) | Pass, 1 out of 2 conversations | 5 (24%) | Fail, 0 conversations |
| 105 | 18 | 9 (50%) | Pass, 4 out of 4 conversations | 4 (22%) | Fail, 0 conversations |
| 106 | 16 | 9 (56%) | Pass, 6 out of 9 conversations | 6 (38%) | Fail, 0 conversations |
| 107 | 18 | 10 (56%) | Pass, 5 out of ? conversations | 6 (33%) | Fail, 0 conversations |
| 108 | 16 | 7 (44%) | Pass?, 1 out of 1 one-sided conversation | 4 (25%) | Fail, 0 conversations |
| 109 | 19 | 10 (53%) | Pass, 4 out of 4 conversations | 5 (26%) | Fail, 0 conversations |
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Date: 2009-11-12 09:14 pm (UTC)I splorfled.
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Date: 2009-11-12 09:21 pm (UTC)