A classmate posted a brief blog last week about House of Cards and it's leading female characters that got my mind jogging.
The show premiered its second season last weekend on Netflix. One percent of Netflix's US subscribers, nearly 634,000 viewers, polished off the ENTIRE 13-hour season in its opening weekend.
Variety reports, "The only stat that might provide a comparison is Netflix's own disclosure in 2012 that 50,000 subs watched the entire 13-episode fourth season of 'Breaking Bad' the day prior to its fifth-season premiere on AMC."
The show's rising popularity has called attention to some of its most ruthless female leads, including the notoriously merciless Claire Underwood. The web has been abuzz with fans hailing Claire's character as a "feminist warrior", as labeled by Jezebel's Tracie Egan Morrissey. But others have criticized the cynical character, including Eric Sasson of the New Republic, opting instead to label her a "sociopath" and scrutinizing Morrissey's opinion on the character.
"I suppose if feminism means empowering women to behave in the same cruel, vindictive, and shamelessly opportunistic way that many men have behaved since time immemorial, then yes, Egan Morrissey is right," said Sasson. "But I suspect that most women do not view characters like Claire as role models."
Personally? I think Claire embodies a ruthless edge that we need could use more of in our female business moguls and politicians. Perhaps not to the extreme that the show takes - for all entertaining and dramatic purposes, her dramatic moments are what keep us hooked. But we, as women, should take note of her willpower and ambition. Take a peek at this second season House of Cards trailer, which pays homage to the infamous Claire Underwood.
What do you think?
I have never watched this show, but after watching the trailer, I am interested! But, I can't comment about this character because I have never seen her behavior in the show.
ReplyDeleteWhat struck me is that the quote exists; it's being talked about; her behavior is abnormal. If this character was a man, the quote would not exist because no one would pay attention to his behavior. "Acting like men" and "acting like women" is a societal creation. It IS an act. I think we could be much more authentic and full as a society if people were fulfilling who they are and not the role they have been assigned. I imagine great potential and identity is lost in that transition. I know this doesn't really address your question, but that's what it got me thinking about.