Gene was quite clearly there as Mr Let's Not Sanitise The 70s
The Professionals, being an actual 70s cop show, has a lot of similar problems. One show (apparently unaired in the UK) actually plays like a Very Special Episode on racism, so we know that the show is aware that it's Not Okay, but the treatment of women on the show is...uh...yeah. And sometimes it's the heroes who do the mistreating.
My problem with it is that, while the show is a product of its times, etc., a lot of excusing seems to happen within the fandom. Of course the main pair do have to privilege their jobs over their girlfriends, and we see dates being broken many times. That's really just shows how much CI5 takes over their lives. But Bodie, one of our heroes, slaps two women over the course of the series.* He's also the one with racial issues, which once addressed are never brought up again (the show is not very big on continuity). The character has reasons for these things--but the fact that he has reasons does not mean they can't be completely fucking wrongheaded reasons. And to me, they don't make him a bad person or a bad character, just a flawed one. But it can be tough to write him.
I guess there are a few different routes a writer can take. They can show the characters as they really are, and hope that the readers understand the difference between character voice and authorial voice. They can write around the flaws, avoiding situations where the character might act in ways that we don't like. Or they can excuse the character's actions in authorial voice, which is where I start to get twitchy.
But I still love the show, in all its tight-trousered, handbrake-riding glory. I guess it's more of a case of loving it "warts and all," which doesn't mean ignoring flaws for the sake of steamy-hot mansex.
*I think the first instance actually does have a legitimate argument, since it's basically a decision between a slap and the messy explosion of all involved. It's still cringe-worthy. The second one? No excuse.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2010-02-21 06:34 am (UTC)The Professionals, being an actual 70s cop show, has a lot of similar problems. One show (apparently unaired in the UK) actually plays like a Very Special Episode on racism, so we know that the show is aware that it's Not Okay, but the treatment of women on the show is...uh...yeah. And sometimes it's the heroes who do the mistreating.
My problem with it is that, while the show is a product of its times, etc., a lot of excusing seems to happen within the fandom. Of course the main pair do have to privilege their jobs over their girlfriends, and we see dates being broken many times. That's really just shows how much CI5 takes over their lives. But Bodie, one of our heroes, slaps two women over the course of the series.* He's also the one with racial issues, which once addressed are never brought up again (the show is not very big on continuity). The character has reasons for these things--but the fact that he has reasons does not mean they can't be completely fucking wrongheaded reasons. And to me, they don't make him a bad person or a bad character, just a flawed one. But it can be tough to write him.
I guess there are a few different routes a writer can take. They can show the characters as they really are, and hope that the readers understand the difference between character voice and authorial voice. They can write around the flaws, avoiding situations where the character might act in ways that we don't like. Or they can excuse the character's actions in authorial voice, which is where I start to get twitchy.
But I still love the show, in all its tight-trousered, handbrake-riding glory. I guess it's more of a case of loving it "warts and all," which doesn't mean ignoring flaws for the sake of steamy-hot mansex.
*I think the first instance actually does have a legitimate argument, since it's basically a decision between a slap and the messy explosion of all involved. It's still cringe-worthy. The second one? No excuse.