Transgender Television

I remember the first time I was formally taught the word "transgender". I was sixteen years old and attending a summer writing workshop at the University of Virginia. One of the other students liked to borrow girls' clothing and wear it to class. I'm not sure if he* was the impetus for our session about "Sex and Gender" or if it was already on the schedule but one afternoon someone somewhere decided that it was time for us to learn the correct terminology. We learned what LGBT meant. We learned the difference between sex and gender. We learned about pronouns. Coming from a slightly conservative public high school in Virginia, and a liberal but very sheltered upbringing, all of this was news to me. Interestingly, I took it all in stride. My biggest concern was that someone should really teach him how to dress better, because the skirt and top combo didn't match at all.

Later, when I attended Smith College, these early lessons in terminology came in handy. That's not to say that Smith wasn't a culture shock, because it totally was. During a weekend for accepted students I was housed by Junior who a) had the shortest hair I had ever seen on a girl and b) was openly gay. Interestingly, all the students that she lived with seemed to veer largely toward the Lesbian side of the spectrum. This certainly isn't the case all over the Smith campus, but in that particular house my long hair-polo shirt wearing- one step away from having pearls-high school self stood out.

Three years later I would be leading a session for new students where I talked about LGBT terminology. Full circle from clueless fashion-conscious sixteen year old to more knowledgeable but still pretty clueless twenty-one year old.

Yesterday I was riding a bus through Dorchester, which is one of the poorest neighborhoods in Boston. Two Black teenagers, a guy and a girl, were talking about what drag was, which then turned into a discussion about a family friend's decision to transition. They knew the terminology. Was that because they'd read up on what to say and how to say it after learning of their friend's decision? Of course that's possible. But I also think it's possible that media is playing a role.

Castle Season 6 Premiere & Potential Spoilers

In one short week the sixth season of 'Castle' will be premiering on ABC.

Thinking back over the last four seasons, it's easy to say that 'Castle' is a show that has succeeded in character growth. Beckett and Castle have both made strides and bounds in terms of mental and emotional well-being. Now even bigger changes are coming our way.

Although ABC and Andrew Marlowe (the creator of 'Castle') have been trying to keep a wrap on details of this season's premiere, it's pretty easy to piece together the key points. Stop reading now if you want to avoid potential spoilers (though keep in mind that I haven't seen the premiere and these are merely my best guesses--we'll see if they hold true).

Downton Abbey Season Four Update & Season 3 Recaps

I'm quite excited (see, I'm already talking like a British person) that 'Downton Abbey' is coming back in January. While I'll miss BLANK and BLANK (names redacted in case you're crazy and haven't watched Season 3 yet) I have faith that they'll give us an excellent show.

Apparently Michelle Dockery agrees.




This reminds me to plug my other blog which features recaps for all of season 3 of Downton Abbey:

OITNB: Can Season 2 Be As Good?

I may be mildly obsessed with 'Orange is the New Black'.

And by mildly obsessed I mean that Netflix should probably start paying me some serious change considering the amount of promotional work I'm doing for their show.

So far I've managed to persuade colleagues, relatives, friends, and the folks I volunteer with at a local homeless shelter to give in and watch the show. And, get this, no one has blamed me yet!

That leads to what I consider to be the big question: now what?

Orange is the New Black: Responding to Yasmin Nair

Race, Class, & Queer Issues in 'Orange is the New Black'

In These Times recently published an article in which the author, Yasmin Nair, stated that while Netflix's 'Orange is the New Black' gets "an 'A' on queer issues", it gets "a 'C' on race and an 'F' on class". While I agree it's important to contemplate and critique the portrayal of queer issues, race, and class in media, there are several points that the author states as fact which in reality rely on her personal interpretation of what is shown on screen.

In full disclosure, I am (as the main character in the show states) a white lady with blonde hair. I'm sure that colored my interpretation of the show, and I in no way claim that my perspective is the right one.

The first point that Nair makes is that 'Orange is the New Black' (OITNB) ensures that white women's nudity is "artfully covered" so that their "placement in the hierarchy of voyeurism" is made clear. To make her point she references a few key scenes; the first being the scene in the chapel where Morello and Nichols are having sex. Nair, rightfully, points out that Morello's breasts remain artfully covered throughout the scene in an unrealistic way. There is also a scene where Chapman gets out of the shower and her breasts are only briefly flashed before they are hidden by a towel (viewers will remember this as the "TV titties" scene). Nair states that in contrast women of color are shown naked fairly often--breasts and all. She sees this as a way to eroticize women of color, while the white women "preserve their putative modesty".

It certainly is true that eroticization of women of color in mainstream media is a major problem. However, I don't think that the examples Nair has given support her argument.

'The Bridge': Portrayals of Autism Worth Watching

'The Bridge' is great television.

It's a complex thriller with true human emotion and interesting cross cultural perspectives, but that's not why it's great television.

The show is unique because it deals so successfully with Asperger's syndrome.

Detective Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger) is a lot of things. She's the quintessential attractive American on the show--slim with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. Men are clearly attracted to her, as is evidenced by the man who hits on her during the second episode's bar scene. She's very intelligent...a lead homicide detective who is passionate about her work.

She's also socially inept, but unlike shows such as 'The Big Bang Theory', where the character Sheldon Cooper's (purported) autism leaves him constantly clueless about social conventions, and seemingly caring little about the reaction he's provoking, Sonya's reactions seem more accurate.

According to psychology research studies, individuals with high functioning autism spectrum disorders often have high levels of depression because they are aware of the awkwardness their behavior causes, but don't know how to interact with people in a more "socially acceptable" way. Sonya falls into this category, she repeatedly apologizes for her behavior after the fact, despite the fact that it is clear that she doesn't understanding why what she did wasn't socially acceptable.

'SVU' marathons are the bane of my existence (also, John Mulaney is right for once)

I didn't watch this season of 'Law & Order: SVU' as it aired (I had to work while it was on). I'm one of those weird people who watches the show for character development. The cases are fairly interesting, but I really just want to know what's going on in Benson's love life, and whether Rollins' character is actually straight, and what the hell is going on with Amaro. When you watch a show for character development it typically helps to watch the episodes in order so that you can, you know, observe the characters' development.

One of the main frustrations of my life is that despite the fact that USA seems to play 'SVU' marathons about 70 hours a week, they always have weird themes; "ripped from the headlines", "famous guest stars", "Benson's boyfriends". Okay, I may have made that last one up since it's a marathon I'd actually be willing to watch, but regardless you get my point. Those marathons really don't help someone who cares about character development. They skip from an episode where District Attorney Cabot is no where to be found because she's in witness protection and almost everyone thinks she's dead to six episodes in a row where she's lead prosecutor. Then you see Stabler and Benson solve a case, but the next episode he's gone. Then Benson has super short hair and you wonder if they were trying to make her a butch cop, but suddenly she's all femme and kissing David Haden. This is why I need to watch the episodes in order.

I'm apparently too cheap to pay for Hulu Plus so I've decided that I'll take advantage of their free trial and watch all of season 14 of 'SVU' in one week.

I started two days ago and I'm already starting to notice several patterns. I could probably write this show y'all. Besides that, I've also learned that John Mulaney is totally right: 14 years and Ice-T still has no fucking clue.

SVU marathons on USA are kind of a big problem

Here's why 'SVU' marathon's on USA are kind of a big problem, y'all

1) First you're all: Score! An 'SVU' marathon. I just love watching those sex crime detectives hard at work.

2) Episode two starts and you're happy because Alex Cabot is the ADA and she's your favorite.

3) Then Novak's on and you're all: Okay. Sure. I can deal with her.

4) They play that super dramatic episode where Cabot gets shot and hello Witsec.

5) Episode five begins. Benson wants a warrant so she calls up Cabot cause, you know, she's back or she never left, or something. (Wait, what season is this now?)

6) Benson and Stabler share several dramatic moments this episode. Boy, their partnership is the best.

7) Benson hugs Amarao: "You're a great partner". Oh right, Stabler's gone.

9) This is getting ridiculous. You should probably be able to tell which season this is by the five second still of the gang in each episode's opening credits, but at this point you're 9 hours in and kind of exhausted.

The Goodwin Games: Yay or Nay?

Execs at CBS certainly didn't think 'The Goodwin Games' had the "it" factor. After all, the show wasn't picked up the fall schedule, even though CBS chose to pick up four other new comedies.

Now that the show's been relegated to the summer line-up it seems like it's a lost cause. So why watch it?