Wednesday, April 16, 2014

AR-EN: Television & Difficult Women Pt. 2

[A Notebook on Alyssa Rosenberg & Emily Nussbaum]

In her article “Difficult Women,” Emily Nussbaum argues that the protagonists of Sex and the City were “odder birds by far,” but they were also “real and abstract, emotionally complex…women identified with them…but then became furious when they showed flaws.” Based on Nussabaum’s descriptions in the article, what did you think of those complex or “difficult” women characters (even if you were not familiar with the show)? Why?

8 comments:

Ajeenah Johnson-Brown said...

I am not too familiar with Sex and the City. However, based on what I have heard about the show it is about four single women in New York City balancing friendships, careers, and also looking for love. I do agree with Nussabaum that Sex and the City opened doors for shows with female casts. It probably also opened the worlds eyes to the fact that women are more than a pretty face and body, they can be as gritty as The Sopranos.Creating these difficult and complex characters is probably what kept the show going for so long because writers were able to keep the story going through these four women's personalities.

Brenda W. said...

I thought these complex and difficult women characters were genius. They showed how women can be strong, successful, and beautiful while being flawed, emotional, and vulnerable all at the same time. Those characters are a reflection of every woman combined which is why women can relate to the show and its characters. Although the cast seems very odd at times, there is no denying how realistic the show is. The situations those women have gone through are very real and can happen to anyone. The show also offers a hint of optimism because at the end of the day, these women were all able to conquer their demons and come out on top. This is inspirational for women to see; watching these women experience the light at the end of the tunnel gives hope to us that we will also experience that light during tough times.

Georgy N said...

I have never really followed Sex and the City but I feel that such strong women are needed. I understand what Nussbaum meant when she said women identified with the characters until they made mistakes. No one likes to admit when they are wrong so they distance themselves from anything that would make them second guess their good nature. This series forced women to be portrayed as real people and not just as flighty and superficial. These complex women showed how life can be difficult at times but your friends can help you through them. These women grow throughout the series and learn to understand themselves.

Tia S. said...

I never watched Sex and the City, but the complexity that Nussbaum described is what we need to see in more female characters. These women were more than just their looks. They all had more than one dimension and went through plenty of ups and downs that reflected the lives of real women. Nussbaum said that women became mad when a character had a flaw, but I think their flaws make them more realistic and relatable. Nobody is perfect, no matter how perfect you may think they are. Perhaps that's a reason women would get upset; they related to a character so much that they recognized that flaw somewhere in their own lives. Regardless, it's a good thing that the show portrayed a different kind of female character that opened the doors for future women in other series.

Ashley bass said...

I am not familiar with Sex and the City, but from what Nussabaum said it seems like the girls showed a different side to females then what is typically portrayed. The show didn't just choose the stereotypical single girls and go with them. They showed that all single girls weren't lonely and depressed. They let everyone into their lives and showed that the single life could actually be "glamorously threatening". From the little info that I read, I think the concept of the show and the females in it was a good idea. They took a risk and decided to show the real and different lives of all females, not just the same stereotypical life portrayed in other shows.

Jessica Oranika said...

I thought that the characters were extremely important because they showed a more realistic though risqué version of women. The popularity of the show was proof that women craved to be better represented instead of hopelessly idealized. They got to have an honest peek into the lives of modern progressive women as opposed to the sugar coated versions that were more common.

Candace P said...

As a fan of the show Sex and the City, I believe that these particular characters demonstrated various characteristics of every woman, such as assertiveness. Sex and the City also gave females the opportunity to become dynamic characters instead of the stereotypical woman that many shows portrayed. However when these characters revealed their flaws, female fans would be offended because it was as if the female viewers were admitting their flaws to the world. Overall, I believe Sex and the City provided a very realistic account of what many females encounter on a daily basis.

Unknown said...

I was not allowed to watch Sex and the City when I was a kid, but i am pretty familiar with the show. I thought that the complex characters of the show were really the factor into having bold female characters on TV. It was refreshing to see women who were unapologetic about their sex life, who they dated, their success in the their jobs, and how they lived their lives in general. The show showed the lives of the everyday city girl and I liked that about the show. If it wasn't for shows like Sex and the city, we wouldn't have shows like Girls or Being Mary Jane that also depict the struggles of the successful city women. Its a shame that it doesn't get the recognition it deserves.