Thursday, November 19, 2009

A Bunch of Dude Writers Congratulate Themselves on Their Inclusiveness


So, last night the National Book Awards were handed out, going to what appears to be a group of pretty white and pretty dudely dudes. Based on the NPR story I heard this morning, there was much back-slapping but also much hand-wringing over the state of publishing. Apparently, that thing called the Kindle freaks the crap out of the publishing folk.

Also interesting was the blatant self-congratulation on saving the voice of the other. Some quotes from Colum McCann, the Irish writer who won the Fiction prize:

"As fiction writers and people who believe in the word, we have to enter the anonymous corners of human experience to make that little corner right."

AND

"As someone who's come from Ireland, I am extraordinarily honored. It seems to me that American literature is able to embrace the other."

Okay, so if McCann actually believes that American literature is completely fair, equal, and unbiased, maybe these comments are not so bad. But put into the context of a sexist and racist society, where white men are the privileged class, which sadly continues to be the case in literature as well... um, yeah, they seem pretty bad. It's almost like he's saying, as long as us menfolk are here to interpret the world and tell the untold stories, the rest of you needn't worry about it!


Then there was this from Dave Eggers, who won the Literarian Award:

"I think this is the most exciting and democratic time," he said. "There is a pluralism in publishing that is unprecedented."

Okay, guys, really? These statements are quite the head-scratchers. Could you just look around maybe, be a little self-aware, and notice who happens to NOT be standing on the platform next to you? If you're such geniuses at pluralism and noticing who's anonymous and embracing the other, then why the fuck aren't you noticing those who are invisible at your own awards ceremony?

You'd think this would have been especially apparent when
Claudette Colvin, an African American woman who as a teenager in 1955 refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus (which sounds like a pretty kick-ass story and preceded the better-known Rosa Parks incident), accompanied writer Phillip Hoose on stage. However, the main focus here was on Hoose, who was accepting the award for Young People's Literature... which he won telling her story.

Sounds like a nice moment, and again, in a fair and balanced world, I would harbor no cynicism here. Absolutely none. Just wondering, though -- when women writers unearth these types of "unknown" stories, or write their own life stories, do they usually get this much attention? Just wondering...

Late author Flannery O'Connor did take honors for the Best of the National Book Awards prize (which for some reason the NYT article fails to even mention???), but according to GalleyCat's liveblogging of the event, nobody was that excited about it:

10:10
"The Complete Stories" by Flannery O'Connor wins Best of the National Book Awards award, nominated by 10,000 votes from the public. No one can come up to collect the award for the late, great author. Borowitz: "I have nothing to add."


Great. Thanks a million, National Book Awards!

This comes only a few weeks after
Publisher Weekly's Best Books list completely SHUT OUT women writers from its top ten. Here's their confidence-building statement on that list, from PW director Louisa Ermelino:

"We ignored gender and genre and who had the buzz. We gave fair chance to the 'big' books of the year, but made them stand on their own two feet. It disturbed us when we were done that our list was all male."

Uh, yeah. You think? Could it be that your sexism and racism was subconscious? Because that's maybe a little bit how things like sexism and racism work?

I'm sorry, but if publishing (i.e. the world of the literary elite) is really a sinking ship, as comedian and NBA host Andy Borowitz put it, then I'm gonna hazard a wild guess here. Purely WILD on my part. That perhaps these problems might have something to do with publishing's inherent gender/race bias, perspective imbalance, and all-round exclusivity? Um, maybe?

And you know, maybe it's not so much about the Kindle. But hey, keep blaming it on the Kindle if that works for ya. :P

Finally, in the name of righteous indignation, commiseration, and learning more about awesome women writers, I would highly recommend checking out the online community
She Writes, as well as the recently formed WILA (Women In Literary Arts).

Crossposted at
Radiant Likeness.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

We're Done Here... Or Perhaps Not


Ever since it came out a few weeks ago that Eric Braeden was leaving Y&R and his last day would be November 2nd, I've been preparing to write a farewell post on the subject. Now, after relishing the Victor retrospective earlier today (I mean, WOW, those old school blood-boiling Victor-Jack moments are priceless) and sensing the poignancy of Eric Braeden speaking directly to the camera/audience -- er, baby Faith -- after all that, I was finally ready to bid him adieu. Well, sort of. And then I pulled up Google to retrieve some links and found this:

Eric Braeden stays put on 'The Young and the Restless'

And this:

Eric Braeden: The Fans Changed My Mind

Okay, well, GREAT! Hallelujah. I'm ecstatic and, despite feeling like I was momentarily caught up in a Brett Favre moment, I'm pretty relieved. I mean, come on, Eric Braeden/Victor Newman is Y&R and there's really nothing to be done about that. He just is.

My biggest question now, in terms of storylines, is this -- when Victor & Nikki get back from Belgian heart rehab, is Ashley still going to be permitted to stay at the ranch?

The answer I'm hoping for is hell to the no.


No word yet on the exact date of Eric's return.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Y&R Quick Hit: Chaos is Awesome


Okay. There is some crazy shit. Going. Down.

Victor could get Colleen's heart. And Jack's in favor of it, which seems unfathomable... except, how could he or Traci ever face Abby again if they just let Victor die? Strangely enough, Billy is the voice of reason here: "Trust me, she's better off." Yeah, well, that's probably true. It's sort of hard not to think so.

And then there's Adam stealing Sharon's baby and handing it off to Ashley. Wow. One thing hasn't changed: Adam still has the best luck of any soap character I've ever seen. EVER.

And the Traci-Steve scenes. The Jack-Nikki scenes. Blasts from the past there. But definitely in a good way. Both pairs are rarely seen, yet moving and emotional together.

And the most shocking thing of all:

Jill is being supportive of Katherine!?!?

Yeah. I think I need to take a pill.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Katherine is Awesome, Let Me Count the Ways


She calls Deacon slime to his face.

She doesn't take crap from NO ONE.

She has female friends across the age spectrum.

Despite being filthy rich, she knows pretension when she sees it.

She's the only person Victor EVER listens to.

She married that adorable guy Murphy.

She uses her brain AND her intuition.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Sea of Love: Thoughts on "Shipping"

About a year ago now, I finally figured out the pop culture term "shipping." I know, I'm a slow study. Turns out, I've been "shipping" for years without realizing it.

Shipper (via Urban Dictionary)
relationshipper; One who believes there is, was, should, and could be a relationship between two characters in a certain fandom.

That's the bare bones definition. My own experience? I've found that shipping is a lot like being in love itself -- it mostly makes you sick, with brief pockets of delirious happiness, and at least half the time you can't stand the way things turned out.

Not to mention that:

  • You can't force a ship -- either there's chemistry there, or there's not.
  • A particularly intense ship can cause you to do things you wouldn't normally do (like write fan fiction or register at a fan forum).
  • Getting back together with a former ship can sometimes make things better... and sometimes worse.
  • Finding a new ship can often help you get over an old one.
  • Sometimes it takes years to discover your next big ship.
  • You can be fairly judgmental of shipping until it happens to you.


My first ship? Easily Scarlett and Rhett from Gone with the Wind, one of the most iconic ships of the 20th century. The not-so-secret success -- both the saving grace and agony -- of this particular ship? It's a cliffhanger. It's open-ended, which I've found to be a key factor in not losing my mind while shipping. Problem is, Hollywood doesn't usually agree. Fairy tale endings abound, which tend to drive me crazy even when I'm fortunate enough to champion a couple that actually ends up together.

One way of getting around this problem, I've found, is shipping within daytime soaps -- these are the least insane and most enjoyable ships in the long run, at least for me. The good and bad news about shipping in the soaps world is the temporary nature of most relationships -- there's almost always the possibility of a change in circumstance, of both reconciliation and disaster (and sometimes in whiplash-inducing succession). This can have the effect of making all right with the world, but it can also leave a sour, garbage-like taste in the mouth. On the other hand, hope almost always remains that things can eventually go your way once again.

A final point about shipping. It's easy to be scornful of it (and judgmental of those who engage in it) -- until it happens to you. But when that fever hits you, you're done -- there's no point fighting it. Or in feeling guilty. Right? Just say no shame, sit back, and enjoy. Honestly, I'm telling you, it makes life a lot easier.

So, here are mine. These are an elite group, all from TV, and either instant obsessions or enduring soaps favorites.

Kevin/Scotty from
Brothers & Sisters
Status: ongoing, currently together
Favorite clips:
Lobster scene (2.08), Car scene (2.11), Proposal scene (2.15).
These two captured a special place in my heart early in season 1, back when Scotty was showing up at the Walker manse with red velvet cupcakes. In what seemed to be fated timing, they got committed on the season 2 finale about a week prior to same-sex marriage becoming legal in California. But then the train wreck called Prop 8 happened, which sort of tainted, well, everything. But, still, I don't care. They're married. End of story.

Carrie/Aidan from Sex and the City
Status: divided forever
Favorite clips:
The Proposal (4.12),
Fight scene (4.13).
This ship was driven largely by my fondness for John Corbett (dating back to "Chris in the Morning," of course, from Northern Exposure), but there was something about Carrie and Aidan together that I really loved. They had an authenticity and a great comedic flavor (sort of a theme with my ships). And that loveseat he made, where the flaw in the wood was also its strength? Pure swoon.

Felicity/Noel from
Felicity
Status: divided forever
Favorite clips: Boggled First Kiss (1.04), Thanksgiving Bathroom Make-Out (1.09), Noel's Library Freak-Out (1.10).
Probably my favorite, most obsessive, and ultimately most painful ship. These two had best friendship, amazing chemistry, and a screwball comedy dynamic I absolutely adored. But not only did they not end up together, the series finale somehow managed to divide them, spectacularly, through both marriage and death. Oh my god, kill me now. The name of this ship is the Sweet Torture.

Brooke/Ridge from The Bold & the Beautiful
Status: ongoing, recently together but currently divided
Favorite clips:
Reminiscing (01-18-08).
My first soaps ship, dating back to the late 80s, Brooke and Ridge are so iconic as a supercouple that it almost doesn't matter if they're actually together on any given day or not. They just are.

Nick/Sharon from
The Young & the Restless
Status: ongoing, recently together but currently divided
Favorite clips:
Paris scenes (11-11-08).
Nick and Sharon got together as teenagers during my own teen years, so their love story pretty much has undeniable supercouple status for me. And who could forget the tragedy of their daughter Cassie getting killed in a car accident and the gut-wrenching aftermath of Nick turning to Phyllis? Just, sob.

Luke/Noah from
As the World Turns
Status:
ongoing, currently together
Favorite clips:
The Kiss (08-17-07), The Deed (01-12-09).
Nuke is simply adorable. And although it took forever for CBS to allow them to show much physical affection, the wait was totally worth it. They've recently moved in together and are just the cutest. thing. ever.

Gwen/Will from As the World Turns
Status: written off, together in the end
Favorite clips:
Retrospective (various).
Though no longer on ATWT, I still love Willen. They were sweet, sometimes contentious, and originally interested in other people. If they ever brought this couple back, the show, which tends to struggle in the ratings, would definitely be better off, in my opinion.

Notable others: McKitty from Brothers & Sisters, Callie/Hahn from Grey's Anatomy, Miranda/Steve from Sex and the City, Jim/Pam from The Office, Joey/Pacey from Dawson's Creek, Kelly/Brandon from 90210, Billy/Mac from Y&R, Daniel/Amber from Y&R, Katherine/Murphy from Y&R, and Nick/Bridget from B&B.

Who are yours?

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Y&R Quick Hit: Surprise!

Have to say, the reaction on Nick's face yesterday -- when Nikki told him (and how had she not told anyone sooner? She must have been dying inside) she'd seen New Adam kissing Rafe -- was priceless. It was an expression akin to, I didn't know we had gay people on this show!

Um, yeah, you do. Just not the ones you think. I cannot wait to witness Victor's reaction. If there's any character that should be 100% incompatible with the concept of homosexuality (in my mind he's sort of the TV symbol of retrograde, macho heterosexism), it's The Mustache.

Read the full recap here. Also, check out After Elton's interview with the new heteroflexible Adam, Michael Muhney.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Felicity Fangirl Angst: 10 Years Later

Or, why not Noel?

(Spoiler warnings)

This summer I marathoned the entire Felicity series with my sister. I was in college during its 1998-2002 run, but she, seven years younger, had never seen the show (and barely heard of it, actually). I hadn't seen it in years, save for a few re-runs on the WE network, although I had always, without question, reserved for it a special place in my heart. I wasn't quite sure how she would react to it, being a devotee of more recent shows like The OC, One Tree Hill, and Grey's Anatomy, and I basically had to twist her arm to get her to watch it at all. She was skeptical, it turns out. But as we popped in disc one, and freshman year started to unfold, she was sucked in -- immediately. And then we both spiraled into a DVD-fueled obsession that would. not. die.

So, here's the thing. I still love the show. I adore it, actually, probably more so than any other series, except for maybe Brothers & Sisters. Like B&S, the characters on Felicity are so well-crafted, flawed, and endearing, and the dialogue so smart, funny, and insightful, it's hard for me not to worship this show even when I admit I'm not in love with every storyline (cough, David, cough, Maggie, cough, Natalie, cough), or when I'm despising the second theme song (as much as I treasured the first) and fast forwarding through it as if to save my own life.

As we plowed through, I discovered my memory of each season was a bit hazy. It's amazing what you can forget over time, even about your favorite show. But, there were two things I remembered clear as day -- that she ended up with Ben, and that she and Noel never got back together.

I thought maybe that my feelings about these two facts -- being rather intense at that time, while I myself was in college -- might have lessened. But upon revisiting the Ben-Noel question all these years later, I found that my already-intense (thought dormant) feelings had only intensified.

Why the hell didn't she end up with Noel?

I still -- I don't get that. In my eyes, although Ben had endearing qualities and had his own path of growth to follow as a character, and while I didn't even mind him and Felicity dating in order to answer some questions and satisfy Felicity's insufferable high school obsession (which, come on, you never end up with that person), it just always seemed to me that she and Noel had the best possible thing -- real, lasting love based on an amazing, solid friendship.

Think about it. Felicity and Ben were all grand disappointments and unrealistic expectations (as the "popular" guy and the "brainiac" girl, they were stuck in high school categories that made them insecure), while Noel and Felicity were more about idiosyncratic flaws, humor, and realistic possibilities (they could relate to each other on an equal level, in which mutual honesty about their individual shortcomings actually made them stronger). Okay, well, that's just my take on it. I know everyone can't -- and won't -- agree.

Both couples were charming, I'll admit that, but I can't help but register a major injustice when a show glorifies the most unrealistic type of relationship, while throwing away the one that could actually work. And it's not just Felicity that does this -- television and movies do it all the time, ad nauseam. I mean, talk about expectations! No wonder there's this screwed-up cultural obsession with fairy tales -- they're perpetuated every single day. As a feminist, I recognize a fundamental problem in the way a show like Felicity emphasizes the main female character's relationships with men above all else -- yet, I can't help but feel this factor could be mitigated somewhat were the main character to choose (if she must) a less stereotypically masculine, more nontraditional type of guy. Or, gasp, a girl.

And so here's where I admit that despite my love for Felicity, or maybe because of it, this show breaks my heart every time. And simultaneously pisses me off. And not just in that Felicity and Noel don't end up together. I would have enjoyed (and probably preferred) a more open-ended finale in which Felicity asserted her independence yet the possibility of a future relationship still remained for them, and in which the egalitarian nature of their relationship/friendship was stressed as romantically valuable over time (rather than as inferior to the Felicity/Ben tug of war, that so-called "force," which tended to be fueled by drama and rooted in the crisis of the moment). Because that's what Felicity and Noel felt like to me -- the real deal. Future life partners who respected (and admired) each other's spaces and choices. So when they married Noel off to Zoe and Felicity forgave Ben once again after another charismatic apology (orchestrated through the elaborate time travel dream in which Noel ends up dead, which I guess was supposed to resign us to an unquestionable Felicity/Ben "destiny" but only ended up feeling cruel for Noel, unsettling for Felicity (uh, how can she ever trust Ben again?), and bitter in that Ben seems to get everything he wants, without true sacrifice (meaning, Arizona was Lauren's chosen location, not his, so Ben "following" Felicity to his own hometown after Lauren magically agrees to move there just does NOT feel like a legitimate hardship)) -- well, that was a crushing blow, a sour pill to swallow. And hard to forgive, quite honestly.

Truth is, I've found it's almost too painful to watch the whole series beginning to end anymore. The fact that Noel ends up in therapy and on depression meds, and Felicity in a psych ward by the end of season 4, seems entirely appropriate given that by then that's also where I feel I belong. In a mental hospital. Because as I get caught up in the stories and the way the romantic arcs were set up, starting in season 1, the same thing happens -- every time. I get hopeful. Just about the time Felicity and Noel confess their love during "Docuventary," and they kind of, almost, get back together then -- I have hope. But then Ben swoops in under the pretense that he "likes" her, whoopee!, and Felicity and Ben take that mysterious road trip together, only to come back in the fall to find that Ben's utterly incompetent to be in a relationship... Well, but then hope returns in early season 2 when Felicity cuts her hair, drops pre-med, drops Ben, and wants Noel back -- well, at that point it all feels inevitable. Surely, these two must get back together. Even if they don't stay together, they must get back together at some point.

Except they don't. Although there are a few close calls, many endearing scenes, and even time travel, they never really get back together. Look in the freaking drawer, already. Damn it. But she doesn't. Or she does, but slams it shut. And so that unresolved suspense of the Felicity-Noel relationship, never satisfied, is a very particular form of storytelling torture. I think it's called hell.

It's like zoning out to your favorite song only to have the original artist come along and smash your iPod to the pavement before you can savor those last few notes of satisfying resolution.

Or, you know, it's like a held breath -- you're always waiting for them to get back together and they never do (those time travel episodes help ease the pain a little, at first, but are ultimately a bucket of salt in the wound, let's be honest). So you suffocate. You never exhale.

This all might sound a bit dramatic or overly analytical, but I have to say, in a TV landscape littered with McDreamys and Mr. Bigs, there was something really special about witnessing a relationship based on unconditional friendship and chemistry at the same time. Ben was definitely a McDreamy, a Mr. Big. But Noel was... Noel. I'm really not sure there is, still, any other male character quite like him. Not in my mind, anyway. He sort of transcends gender categories of masculinity/femininity in that he was the funny guy/computer geek/best friend/adorable boyfriend who wasn't afraid to be kind. Or talk about things. McDreamys, Bens, and Mr. Bigs -- they don't open up because at some level they're fundamentally freaked out about who they are. Which always seems to become, unfairly, the chief problem of the person they're dating, and not a problem they stand up and own and deal with themselves. In a word, they're cowards; yet because of their masculine charisma, they get away with it. Over and over again. Noel wasn't like that.

I will say, I think the appeal of Noel has a lot do with the way Scott Foley portrayed him. He was really incredible in that role. The character was written well and with depth, especially by J.J. Abrams, but I think Scott Foley was the clinching factor, in that he has that intangible something. And even my sister confessed in the middle of our marathon that on most similar shows, she would have been all about the Ben/McDreamy/Mr. Big character, no questions asked... But on Felicity she was all about Noel. Swoon.

These gripes aside, in general I feel like the show has aged well. I still, overall, adore it. The themes -- self-discovery, survival, embracing and maintaining your independence, the definition of love, finding your way, finding your passions -- still ring true, even at age 30. And since I was in college while the show was running (1998-2002), Felicity also holds this intense nostalgia that will forever be bound up with my own college years. The music, the clothes, the hair. My god. Those plaid flannels, the Lilith Fair references, the lack of cell phones, subplots involving Episode I and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. These details make Felicity priceless to me, no matter how much of a malcontent I can be about the Noel question.

Expanded version at the Feministing Community.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Top Ten TV Reasons Life Isn't Fair

(Or, how TV execs conspire to ruin my life)

10. Gizzie. Need I say more?
9. Big Brother will. not. die.
8. Beloved soap characters recast... see Lily on ATWT for starters.

7. Female comedians rarely (basically never) get late night hosting gigs.
6. My So-Called Life got cancelled after one 19-episode season. Wtf?
5. The WB became the CW. It's just -- not the same.
4. Carrie and Aidan couldn't make it work.
3. Rebecca's not a Walker anymore.
2. Two and a Half Men exists.
1. Felicity and Noel didn't end up together.

What are yours?

Friday, June 26, 2009

R.I.P. Michael Jackson

And check out various blogger perspectives on "The Meaning of MJ" via Feministing.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Sexual Diversity on Soaps: Is It Getting Better?

Y&R surprised the hell out of me this week when it actually acknowledged the existence of gay people. Y&R, as far as I can remember, has never had a gay character -- yet, on Friday's episode, cute lawyer Rafe Torres came out to Colleen after Lily tried setting them up on the fly, completely unaware of Rafe's sexual orientation.

And why wouldn't she be? Soaps are notoriously awful when it comes to LGBTQ visibility (though it's worth noting that primetime network TV is really no better... and perhaps worse). This is especially bothersome since soaps focus so heavily on romantic relationships and potentially have the opportunity to address sexual orientation differences all the freaking time. Yet, heteronormativity is so ingrained in the storylines that soaps frequently run out of unique man-woman pairings and end up recycling the same couplings over and over. Which can be tiresome, offensive, and, in my opinion, an incessant detriment to the romantic storylines.

Rafe on Y&R might be just one sign that things are getting better, however. On As the World Turns, Luke Snyder and Noah Mayer have been a couple on-and-off since 2007. Bianca Montgomery on All My Children came out in 2000, has had multiple relationships (including one with transitioning MtF transwoman Zoe), and recently married her girlfriend Reese during February sweeps. The first ever gay teenager on a soap was Billy Douglas on One Life to Live, played by Ryan Phillippe back in 1992-93. These were all major LGBTQ strides for network television (albeit not without criticism and controversy) that came exclusively from the soaps community.

Yet, Y&R, which has been #1 in soaps ratings since the early 90s, has failed to go there -- until now.

When Rafe Torres was first introduced in December, it was as a marginal, filler character at best, a lawyer brought on to handle cases Michael Baldwin couldn't take on (there are a crap-load of legal issues in Genoa City, after all). Rafe was shown so sporadically and in such different contexts (first handling Ana's child custody issues, then Adam's criminal charges) it was rather easy to forget his name or that he was supposedly an old pal of Billy Abbott's. A few weeks ago, however, it was slipped in that Rafe was the nephew of Victor's house manager Estella, which made me think for the first time he might be sticking around. And then on Friday came the reveal about this sexual orientation.

This doesn't necessarily guarantee that Rafe will become a major character -- Y&R has been so neglectful of LGBTQ visibility, it's hard for me to trust them on this point. Still, the fact that Y&R willingly went there, when they never have before, might mean something. Could it indicate that another character, a major one, will be exploring their sexuality in a new way?

I have to admit, this is where my mind goes... if Rafe is going to have a love interest, who will it be? I think the best choice might be Daniel Romalotti, in which case I hope they go the route of bisexuality, rather than erasing/ignoring the heterosexual history of the Daniel character. Either way, this could be interesting. But I guess we will see.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day!





Spinoza the squirrel says, "Happy Earth Day!"

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Being Erica: A Feminist Review

I have a new TV addiction: Being Erica. If you haven't heard of it, it's an hour-long drama produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and airing on Canadian television since early January. Here in the States, I've been watching it on SoapNet, where it has quickly absorbed the Thursday night anticipation I usually reserve for Grey's Anatomy (a show that has steadily slipped in my must-see lineup the last couple years). Being Erica airs on SoapNet Thursdays at 10/9 Central.

The premise is this: Erica Strange, a 32-year-old single Jewish woman living in Toronto, periodically goes back in time to address the regrets of her life. In this endeavor she is assisted by her psychiatrist, Dr. Tom, who acts as a mentor-type character, showing up in various disguises and roles to offer her words of wisdom. He's been a janitor, bondage-style bouncer, dog-walker, and all-around lurker, in addition to his usual place behind a huge desk in a huge, dim, musty office where Erica sits opposite him during their sessions, entering and exiting abruptly due to her time-traveling (which he instigates).

Although I haven't even gotten into exactly what I like about the show yet, this is perhaps the one aspect I don't like about it. Although Dr. Tom has his enjoyable moments, overall the positioning of an older male as Erica's spiritual/psychiatric mentor creates a creepy paternalistic vibe that brings to mind the unhappy history of women being subjected to male psychiatrists who supposedly understand them better than they understand themselves. See Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique, Erica Jong's Fear of Flying, or the character of Betty Draper in the first season of the TV series Mad Men. And if Erica and Dr. Tom somehow end up together at the end of all this, that would probably ruin the entire show for me. I don't think that's going to happen, but still, yuck.

That said, there is a lot I love about this show. One of the blurbs SoapNet likes to flash around compares it to Sex and the City. I don't really agree with this, however, though it's not necessarily a bad thing. But Sex and the City was clearly a show focused on opposite-sex relationships and same-sex friendships, rather than the influences of family or life choices as a whole. Carrie was the main character, nudged slightly ahead of the other three friends, but it felt like you really only knew her through a certain scattered lens, and saw her from one particular angle that presented an incomplete picture of the character. (Did she have siblings? Did she go to college?) And of course, there was all that shoe shopping.

The character of Erica Strange feels more holistic to me... and less superficial. For one thing, Erica has a family. And that (often troubled) family takes center stage just as often, if not more so, than any of her romantic interests. We learn that Erica had an older brother Leo who died thirteen years ago; not long after that, for multiple reasons, her parents divorced. Erica also has a younger sister Sam, and the ups & downs of their sister relationship, as well as the mother-daughter/father-daughter angles, has been a major part of the family storylines. And because of the time travel flashbacks, we are able to get to know the brother Leo and see his relationship with Erica and the rest of the family. There's also a bit of a mystery angle here, since we don't have complete information at all times, and details of the past fill in gradually. As a result, the family element feels complex and layered.

The show also deals quite a bit with Erica's struggle to find a career path she can be happy with. One of the main issues examined here is how do you reconcile your true self with the compromises you often have to make in order to be successful? Erica regrets that she wasn't as cutthroat and ambitious in college as she could have been -- as a literature major, she was more into cultivating her interests, writing poetry, and finding herself, rather than lining up a solid job future. (As an English major myself, I can totally relate to this.) Yet, when she goes back in time to do just that, she finds she is unable to force herself to be someone she's not.

And then there's the romantic level -- yes, I won't lie, it's there. This is a fairly mainstream-type show, so of course the love plot is going to be hanging around. What I like, though, is how it hasn't overwhelmed the other plots, and also how Erica is neither desperate to get married nor wildly commitment phobic. The object of her affection is long-time college pal Ethan, who has either been dating someone else or married the entire time they have known each other. In the present time, he has separated from his wife and moved into Erica's apartment building, making it seem like an opportune moment for something to happen between them. So far, however, not much has. They've kissed, once; almost immediately after, Ethan's wife Claire shows up and those two sort of patch things up. Erica then starts dating another guy, Ryan, who likes her a lot -- a bit more, even, than she likes him. This all results in a fairly mild love triangle that smacks more of awkward real life than anything else.

All in all, this love plot seemed pretty heterosexist until the most recent episode, entitled Everything She Wants. In it, while in the midst of exploring her feelings for both Ethan and Ryan, Erica revisits her best friend from graduate school, Cassidy -- a relationship she describes as "one step short of a love affair." This made me sit up and take notice, as I thought for the first time the show might really surprise me in terms of where the love plot was going.

Cassidy is a lesbian who makes no secret of her feelings for Erica; in the process of going back in time and intending not to lead Cassidy on (as she did before, which led to them never speaking again), Erica realizes that her feelings for Cassidy were indeed real and intense, and that she did in fact reciprocate on a romantic level. And in spite of Erica insisting to everyone that she's straight, over and over, her feelings seem to lead her in the other direction, until she and Cassidy are stripped down to their bras in front of each other.

And while there did seem to be a small amount of male voyeurism going on, it was not at all the impetus of the storyline. Ethan walks in on them accidentally, but the incident is pretty much absent of any "whoa-ho!" girl-on-girl moments, as he's really more gently concerned about why his best friend never told him she was gay (which she still insists she's not); in general Ethan doesn't make a big deal out of it. And Dr. Tom is the one who sort of pushes Erica away from her stubborn declarations that she's straight -- "Labels are for cans, not people," he says -- though because of their unsettling shrink-patient dynamic, that advice doesn't come off as admirable or innocent as maybe it should. But in spite of these moments, overall I would say that the Erica-Cassidy attraction was presented in good faith, as being about those two people alone -- and their feelings for each other -- as well as the implied fluidity of sexual orientation. Which was pretty cool, I thought.

That said, I found that the Cassidy storyline broke down just when I thought it was getting promising. For instance, the word "bisexual" was never one uttered. There was always the sense that you were either gay or straight, even though Erica's actual experiences with Cassidy, contrasted with the two guys (all of whom she cared about, and cared about her), seemed to scream otherwise. Also, the general theme behind the episode was unrequited love, more so than really examining the fluidity of sexual experience. By the end, it was about "all or nothing" commitments, and not really about Erica being more open to partners of different genders. Going into the episode, I was hopeful it might change the direction of the love plot entirely, but by the conclusion, the Cassidy arc felt more like a one-time, one-shot occurrence that probably won't be revisited. Still, I'm glad they went there, and maybe in the long run I'll be surprised, after all.

Turning to pure entertainment value for a second, one thing I enjoy immensely about this show is the use of music and current events from the different time periods Erica revisits. This taps into a nostalgic angle that I can't help but be sucked into, being 30 years old myself (Erica is 32). So far, these past mileposts/events range from the late 1980's when she returns to her Dirty Dancing-themed Bat Mitzvah where her overweight gay uncle serenades her in a Patrick Swayze-style boogie, to the mid-2000s when she and her sister get stranded at a house party during the East Coast blackout of August 2003. These incidents range from thematically resonant to absurdly comic, the latter evident in choices such as highlighting the Y2K parties of 1999, a quip about Chumbawamba totally not being a one-hit wonder back in 1997, or Erica reciting a bit of a Britney Spears' song (pre-"Baby One More Time") rather than the poem she actually wrote, and the irony of how the pretentious, verbally abusive creative writing professor loves the plagiarized "Baby One More Time" more so than her actual work.

Overall, Being Erica has its flaws, but actress Erin Karpluk makes Erica shine -- I find her to be an extremely endearing, likable actress who, along with the writers, creates a character absent of most female stereotypes. She is neither virgin nor whore, angel nor bitch, tomboy nor fashionista. And in the context of mainstream television, where shows are still rarely centered around one female character, I find Being Erica thoughtful, funny, and refreshing in its willingness to examine the joys, heartaches, and regrets of a single, 30-something woman trying to navigate her way through life on her own terms and in her own way.

Are other people watching this show? If so, what do you think of it?


Crossposted at Radiant Likeness.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Y&R: Kids Caught in the Middle of Eff-ed Up Adults Who Only Want What's "Best" for Them

So it was child custody day on Y&R... Karen, Neil, and Tyra were in court regarding Ana, while Billy, Chloe, and Cane were gearing up for their throw-down over Delia. Things seemed to be going Karen's way until Neil stood up at the end "to say something." Who wants to bet he has something to say about the stability of their marriage? Or the total instability... caused by him, incidentally. I usually like Neil, but lately he has been a royal jackass. Poor Karen.

I have mixed feelings about stories like these. On one hand, real-life courts still tend to favor mothers, which may not always be fair. But on the other hand, soaps often make an extreme effort to create messed-up mothers they can take children away from, like Chloe and Tyra, even though soap fathers are usually equally wack and unstable. For confirmation of this phenomena, see the case of Meg, Paul, & Eliza on ATWT.

And this has been bugging me for some time -- can Ana please stop calling her foster parents Mr. Neil and Miss Karen? They're hardly strangers at this point, and especially because of the Devon connection, every time she says that it ends up feeling like some weird racial, class-based throwback that just gives the whole thing an uncomfortable dynamic. So
just stop it already, writers!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Y&R Quick Hit: Say What?

Was that our sweet, modest Murphy claiming he couldn't dance on Y&R today? Because that "evidence" he gave about stepping on Katherine's toes... well, it sure didn't match the amazing mambo I saw him do last week. But at least Katherine wasn't buying it, either.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

The Soapbox: Papa Loves Mambo


So how adorable are Kay and Murph? They got engaged yesterday -- Murphy gave her the smallest ring in soaps history! (and probably Katherine's most modest on record, yet she loved it) -- and right after, they danced their butts off to "Papa Loves Mambo." Which just might be the cutest thing ever.

Then today we get the "Empress Katherine" photo shoot for Restless Style -- I was loving it! And it was appropriate because older actresses like Jeanne Cooper (she's 80!) are the queens of daytime television. And in my book she has one of the best gigs of any actress out there, of any age, at any time of day.

That's one thing I've always loved about soaps -- the willingness of TPTB to center entire shows around older female actresses. And give them storylines of substance, at that. Katherine is an enjoyable reminder of that practice, especially within this particular storyline.

There were some fun lines
today:

Murphy: "I know I'm not the sort of guy she usually goes for."
Nikki: "And thank God for that!"

Chloe: "I know you'll make an honest woman out of me."
Billy: "I don't think that's possible."

Ashley (after being fired by Jill): "I loathe her."
Victor: "I do not blame you."


And starting Monday, the countdown to Mac begins!

Friday, March 20, 2009

Vernal Equinox Half & Half Musings


Today is the Vernal Equinox, one of two days a year when the center of the Sun lines up over the celestial equator, causing day and night to be of roughly equal durations. For those of us in the northern climes, it also marks a significant transition in the gradual move from majority darkness to majority daylight. Finally. Spring is on its way.

Something silly that people like to do on the equinox is balance eggs on their ends. This practice, however, according to Snopes, is based on a myth. Eggs will balance on their ends any day of the year, if you try hard enough; but it's only on the equinoxes that people actually do it.

The equinoxes have historically been celebrated by cultures throughout the world. Today, President Obama addressed the Iranian people by wishing them a happy Nowruz, which is their New Year as well as an equinox holiday. I have to admit, I'd never heard of Nowruz before this morning. So I hope Obama's goodwill message taught Americans a thing or two as well.

America often feels somewhat devoid of nature-oriented holidays. What we do have is usually an ancient kernel of paganism disguised and watered down via Christianity... Easter eggs, for example. Or trees at Christmastime. But I dig the idea of bringing those old holidays back as themselves, for their own sakes. Celebrate Easter, if you want, but celebrate the equinox too -- because heavenly bodies are in motion. And that's freaking cool.

As it is, I didn't plan anything special (though we have done winter solstice parties before), but my husband found his old George Winston Winter into Spring album, so we've been drifting in and out of that all evening. Really, the perfect thing.

The Soapbox: Yep, Mac is Back


After my last post concerning Katherine's DNA, I was thinking I would stay patient and let myself be surprised by what was around the bend... and then March Madness preempted two full days of the show, evoking much madness in me. Grrrr. (This happens every year, yet for some reason I'm always surprised by it.)

And since soaps are on five freaking days a week all year long, I don't usually feel the need to go looking for spoilers or casting news. But because of the preemption, I couldn't help myself -- I went on a quest for spoilage. And I found it.

It's true. Mac is coming back. After three years working for a relief organization in Darfur, something brings her back to Genoa City. I wonder what that could be... la la la...

Amazing news. I didn't quite realize how much I adored this character until I considered her return. But I'm also a little nervous. See, I was a big fan of the original Mac, Ashley Bashioum (there were two others in there as well), but the role has now been recast with Clementine Ford (Cybill Shepherd's daughter). Although she's been on The L Word, my only knowledge of Ford goes back to her stint as Miss Golden Globe in 1998. And that's about all I know.

Still, I'm willing to keep an open mind. Billy was recast, after all, and that seems to be working out fine. Uh, yeah! Just fine. I actually think he's the best Billy they've ever had. And I can certainly understand the need to reevaluate the Mac-Billy chemistry under these circumstances.

One of the most fascinating questions: could Mac be the new girl for Cane & Billy to fight over? (While Chloe & Lily raise Delia?) Please, please, please. Let it be true.

According to the word on the Internet, Mac returns April 1st.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The Soapbox: DNA Tests Never Prove Anything edition

So, Katherine's second DNA test came back a big whopping negative today on Y&R... and, just like that, holy crap people!!! I don't believe she's Marge, so can it be possible that she and Jill are NOT mother & daughter after all? Could that original DNA test from 6 years ago be the one that was wrong? Though, come to think of it, I can't recall if they did a DNA test at all back then. Hmmmm.

Can you imagine the sheer entertainment value lurking in the tragedy of Jill losing her mother (to supposed death), only to find out she's still alive (despite Jill's perpetual doubt and scorn on the matter), only to discover Katherine's not her mother after all... and then basically losing her all over again?

Have to say, I'm not hating the idea. Jill & Katherine have always been better adversaries than friends, even when they thought they were related. So breaking that biological connection probably wouldn't change much on a basic level... they would still share the house (Jill had half ownership before anyway... sorry, Esther), most likely continue to work together (Jill originally had Jabot privileges because of John Abbott, not Katherine), and still possess lives hopelessly enmeshed and entangled in each other's. They would still drive each other bonkers and maybe Jill would even try to steal that sweet guy Murphy away. This all sounds like fundamental Jill-Katherine stuff... stuff that's going to happen whether or not they're actually mother & daughter.

But... there could be some other, more interesting side effects here. Both Billy & Cane would no longer be Katherine's biological grandchildren. And Delia would be exclusively an Abbott and not technically a Chancellor at all (though maybe still something of an adopted Chancellor because of Esther... sorry, Jill).

And yet, here comes the most intriguing possibility of all... Mac could come back! Squeeeeeee! She and Billy would no longer be, ahem, cousins, and Billy could piece back together the sanity that once was his. Come on, I think that's all they need to know.

Today's recap here.

Monday, March 2, 2009

The Soapbox: Y&R


Nauseating as it is to dwell on, Nice Cane was back today and was very, very nice to Lily, complete with red bed sheets and flowery harp music followed by an instrumental 80s-style power ballad. Unlike me, she seemed to dig that sort of thing, but luckily I was eating my favorite seasonal treat, Cadbury Mini Eggs, which I find impossible to vomit.

Why does Billy keep beating himself up over falling in love with cousin Mac so many years ago? He doesn't actually talk about it much, but anyone who knows the story knows it's the real reason he's so broken and adorable. Every time he talks about screwing things up, you know that's what he's referring to. But we all know it wasn't his fault!

Jack, in the scene with Chloe, reminds me of another empty nest-er -- Nora Walker from Brothers & Sisters. She's always taking in strays and troubled cast-offs (and I don't mean animals) that are marginally related to her family, and really, so does Jack Abbott. As happens in these cases, it's usually just as one tangential relation is going that another is coming (e.g. Ryan Lafferty), and so based on Colleen's sudden exodus I wouldn't be that surprised if Chloe were to take Jack up on his housing offer right away... by Friday, even.

Is Ashley's best chiding advice to Billy really based on an argument of stability? Isn't she the mother who carted Abby from Paris to L.A. to London to Paris to Genoa City, and from Rick Forrester to Ridge Forrester to Rick again and finally to shattered Victor, with an end result of placing herself squarely in the middle of the same bloody Jack-Victor feud she had sought refuge from in the first place? And then she starts freaking out over some (fairly) mild bickering?

And who is this mystery woman with the bandaged head already? A new Victor protege? Sheila, back from the dead (again!), played by a new actress with a new face (again?)? Well, one can dream...

And for anyone who might be missing Professor Adrian Korbel, my hubby tells me you can currently catch actor Eyal Podell on the FOX show 24. Who knew?

Friday, February 27, 2009

Brothers & Sisters: the 2-hr Movie Event!


I love love LOVE Brothers & Sisters. Hands-down it's my favorite primetime show on network TV right now, and on my list of all-time favorite shows EVER. It's one of very few that comes close to meeting my ideals of equality and tolerance in America, right up there with Northern Exposure and The Cosby Show. And it's damn funny.

This Sunday, B&S is getting what ABC has been hyping as a "2-hr Movie Event." The promo alone is, well, oh so dramatic -- will someone really die? Uh-huh. You can almost hear the promo people winking.

All of this is rather unlike the subtle, beautifully acted, down-to-earth, socially-minded show I am obsessed with. Still, aside from the pretty consistent Sally Field/Rachel Griffiths awards exposure, B&S is often largely ignored, even by its own network. (Because Grey's, DH, & Lost are all just a bit more, you know -- consumable.)

But, as a fan who wants her show to stick around into a 4th season, I can't always take the high road. So I'm all for this "Movie Event" if it means my B&S getting a little love for a change. Usually, I'm stuck waiting for a lightning-quick verbal blurb at the tail-end of a Desperate Housewives promo just to make sure it still exists. Well, not this week because B&S is taking over the DH timeslot completely! Wahoo!

I do have to say though, I think the inclusion of the word "movie" here is a little silly. Is it going to be commercial-free? Will it be shown in widescreen? Somehow, I think not. But if the ratings are high, the action is riveting, and I'm glued to my seat, I guess it's okay.

Watch the promo here. For speculation on who might be kicking the bucket, check out Terri's analyses at Watching B&S.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

The Soapbox: Young & the Restless


So it's official -- Nasty Cane is here to stay. Which, for me, makes him 100% more interesting than Nice Cane. And hopefully 100% less appealing to Lily, though the verdict's still out on that one (maybe we'll know more tomorrow). But if I were Chloe, I'd be taking very specific notes documenting everything Nasty Cane does from here on out. Because if this Delia tug-o-war does end up in court, Chloe's going to need all the ammunition she can get, which at this point NC is supplying in spades. Picking fights that end in throwing unreturned punches against charming brother Billy doesn't seem like the smartest way to get custody of a newborn, especially in the presence of multiple witnesses. Nothing like a domineering "I'm in charge here" proclamation to persuade everyone you'll be a splendid father.

In other developments, Sharon has quickly morphed from a mildly disturbed shoplifter into someone who is actually losing her mind. It never once occurred to me that she might not fully realize what she was doing, yet after seeing her unload on Nick today and freak out in front of Eden, I'm convinced Jack is right and she really is on the edge. Still, Jack can claim all he wants that none of this is his fault... and that's all it is, an empty claim. Take a little responsibility, please. If you'd tried for even two consecutive days to be a decent partner, she probably wouldn't have been alone at the cabin at all... and neither the Brad thing nor the Nick THING would have happened the way it did. Though I suppose Noah would dead instead... so there's that.

Read today's recap here.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The President Speaks

Senator Robert McCallister once said on the show Brothers & Sisters, "I am the most ambitious man you'll ever meet." Had he not been a fictional character, this would still not be true, as the most ambitious person anywhere has got to be President Obama. If I didn't know that before tonight, I surely know it now. Yet, Obama's ambition is not really about personal gain or achievements, which is what makes it so appealing to me. Listening to his speech tonight, I was amazed by how much he wants to accomplish in this country... by the end of the year even! Some would say it's too much, but I for one am all for optimism. I think that if you are realistic, it is realistic you will achieve realistic goals. Obama obviously craves the extraordinary, which means fostering a palpable belief in those goals among Americans... which is really the first step towards making anything possible. It's pretty apparent that not everyone believes yet, and some probably never will, but I think if this country can attain half of what he talked about tonight, we'll be doing okay.

Transcript of the speech
here.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

81st Oscars: General Impressions

If the theme of this year's Oscars was meant to something of a throwback to the 1930-40s variety shows of classic Hollywood, there were certain things I liked about this theme and others I would prefer to leave in the past.

What I loved: everything about Kate Winslet and Sean Penn's acceptance speeches, the gathering of Best Actresses (I hope they continue this part of the format next year -- it gave me chills), and Meryl Streep -- can she sit in the front row every year, whether she's nominated or not?... because I get a lot more joy out of seeing her there than I ever did Jack Nicholson.

What I liked: Hugh Jackman in general, the singing & dancing, sort of a loosening up of an often uptight event, which created a Tony-meets-the-Oscars feel (as a musical theater fan, this was enjoyable, I thought).

What should be left in the 1930s: any reference whatsoever to blackface, the bevies of pants-less beauties during the dance numbers, and the once-again male-dominated categories (almost every one except the actress and documentary categories, it seemed).

One thing that's often discussed in feminist circles during awards seasons is why in the world there are sex-divided categories for acting at all. On principle, I agree that this seems bizarre, since it's a much more artificial division of abilities than in sports (although I would probably argue those divisions are largely artificial too). But by dividing acting categories by sex, you're basically saying that female performances can't be compared to male performances even though they can be compared to each other, and vice versa. Which IS weird, especially when you see Sean Penn competing with Mickey Rourke and Brad Pitt in the same category, all with three wildly different styles and characters.

All of this I agree with. But when year after year it becomes so freaking obvious how male-dominated most of these categories are, I find myself clinging to the ones that are actually female-only. When Shirley MacLaine & Sophia Loren were up there with the other Best Actresses right before Kate won, I was loving it. Which makes me worry that if the acting categories were co-ed, women might be pushed out altogether, or reduced to token nominations.

[Sidenote... During the credits they showed snippets of upcoming films, and I caught a glimpse of Amelia starring Hilary Swank, which appears to be a biopic about Amelia Earhart. Not sure when it's coming out, but I'll be pretty excited for this one!]

Crossposted at Radiant Likeness.

81st Oscars: Live Blogging

Have to say, I'm really liking the format for the acting awards, with a handful of winners from the past introducing the current nominees. Feels personal and emotional, which is nice. When Whoopi Goldberg, Anjelica Huston, & the others got out there right before Penelope Cruz won, I was really into it. It felt like history -- and community -- rather than a single person winning a single award in a singular moment.

One awkward? moment -- I wasn't quite sure about Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s presentation of Robert Downey, Jr. as a Best Supporting Actor nominee. On one hand, it seemed like he was poking fun... on the other hand, he used all the time allotted him to poke fun. If there was some real resentment there I wouldn't be all that surprised (or blame Cuba in the least). I haven't seen Tropic Thunder but it's my personal opinion that a white actor in blackface will always be a slap in the face, no matter how "clever" the character supposedly is. But again, I haven't seen it. Still, Hollywood is often rather clueless about these sorts of things, even as "liberal" as they claim to be. So I'm not quite willing to take their word for it in this particular instance. Especially since no men of color were nominated in either acting category at all. Stay classy, Academy.

81st Oscars: Live Blogging

Good stuff so far... Jackman's intro, Penelope Cruz, Tina Fey & Steve Martin, Dustin Lance Black (Milk screenwriter)... not to mention Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto! :D

In general I'm liking the format this year... it feels more authentic and less gimicky than in the past, though still uber-glitzy of course.

I'll be checking in again... keeping fingers crossed for Kate Winslet.

The Soapbox: Grey's Anatomy


This is a couple days old already, but when did Derek Shepherd stop specializing in neurosurgery and start specializing in jackassery? We are told over and over again that he is the best, OMG so amazing!, neurosurgeon in the country -- and really they do say it over and over, just in case you might have forgotten -- yet, a patient dies, he feels responsible (which he probably should have), and not only does he throw a temper tantrum, he does it in a hugely inappropriate & ridiculous way... by picking a fight to the bloody death with his supposed best friend, and in the workplace no less, after Sloan has confessed to seeing Lexie, which is really something that doesn't concern Derek in the first place. Great messages about masculinity here.

[A brief aside... Contrasted with that, we see Bailey getting chewed out by the Chief for requesting a simple letter of recommendation. Say what?]

Some might say this jackassery has often been the case with Derek... and although I was in love with the show early on (which is not really the case now), in all fairness it's hard to look at his original behavior towards Meredith (carrying on without divulging his marital status) and turn a blind eye to the idea that he's always been this way.

One thing that drives me the most crazy about soaps -- daytime or primetime -- is the willingness of many producers/writers to repeatedly put female characters in relationship positions that:

#1 Make them feel responsible for their guy's jackassery, such as when Meredith wasn't ready to settle down and Derek proceeded to take up with Rose rather than support his girlfriend through a difficult time. Yet, she had driven him to it, he had no choice!

#2 Allow them to rationalize this jackassery with a positive trait, such as Derek is a brain surgeon, so of course he's high maintenance.

Just, yuck. And I'm not saying all soap relationships are handled this way. Yet, despite Grey's great potential to circumvent gender expectations/norms in being created/run by an African American female director/producer/showrunner, Shonda Rimes (a scenario which is disappointingly rare in network television), as well as the pretty amazing diversity of female characters on the show (compared with most network shows)... despite all it has going for it, the gals almost always take a backseat to the guys. And that burns me up.

Sure, it's easy to argue that's because the group of interns we've been following (now residents) will of course end up secondary to the attendings. This doesn't really explain, however, why the show was set up this way in the first place, with an overwhelmingly female group of interns/residents and an overwhelmingly male group of attendings.

My view is that the two female attendings that ever showed any backbone and played on an equal field with the guys were Addison and Hahn... who were of course both ushered/removed from the show at different times (for different reasons... Hahn's exit was sudden and controversial... and Addison of course can still be seen on Private Practice where she must now deal with her brother Archer's jackassery, rather than Derek's). And Callie and Bailey, both high-ranking residents, have a lot of potential as characters, and always have, but I tend to end up frustrated with how their storylines are either nonexistent or marginalized. They seem to orbit around what is happening more than they participate.

Perhaps my view is skewed because on daytime soaps female characters play toe-to-toe with men at high levels of professionalism (mostly in business) all the freaking time. It's hard not to watch Y&R's Jill, Katherine, or Nikki (who ran against Jack for state senate last year) or ATWT's Lucinda or Margo (top cop in the police department) and feel like the Grey's Anatomy women deserve so much better.

Despite what I've said here, my overall view of Grey's is not entirely negative. I love its diversity, as well as its willingness to represent women of realistic body types. I'm also fond of its penchant for objectifying men (the McDreamy, McSteamy aspect), which, in a society based on white male privilege, comes off as subversive. But these explorations will have to be left for another post.