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Though this is a cast of superstars, and the central "whodunit" theme is interesting, the writing of Bill Gallagher is abysmally sexist, so much so I felt compelled to write my 1st review.
I am not someone who watches movies or TV shows with the Bechdel test at hand. Far from it. Nor am I someone who bothers with reviews. However, this series should be taught in film/TV studies as a shining example of how to fail that test spectacularly....and blatantly.
Every single female character is a horrible stereotype and completely unbelievable. To be fair, the male characters aren't written well either, but the way the women are represented is close to criminal.
The lead female character, Nina, is written to seemingly be incapable of thinking about anything other than finding a man and having a child. She literally declares she is "now a woman" when she finds out she is pregnant. She is churlish with other women, highly erratic with her emotional outbursts, and can't let go of her insecurity which inhibits her ability to perform her job...or to "get a man". When she confronts Dennis with her pregnancy, she is a pathetic mess who is begging - an actual quote - for validation from a man who has been established as a right-rat-bastard (turns out he is also a used car salesman, a profession stereotypically associated with sleazeballs)
The character Lucy is a reformed "Quaker slut". Literal quote. Or it might be "Quaker Sex Queen" She is only redeemed through years of penance as a Quaker and through her love and caring of the Bobby Day character.
Alec's mother, Monica. is presented as a lying and manipulative sociopath, a terrible mother who is also a loose and unstable woman. Of course she goes on a drunken shopping spree before she attempts suicide. WTF was that scene all about? Let alone the dress.....
The scene in which Monica and Lucy interact is trite and, frankly, a disgusting representation of "sisterhood". The word sisterhood is actually used in dialogue. Snidely I might add.
The character Sheri is an alcoholic and apparently stupid woman who cannot cope without booze or men. May I also mention the stereotypical representation of Americans? (boozy & stupid Sheri and greedy & murderous Nick)
The minor character Mindy, though seemingly intelligent (or at least a savant when it comes to numbers), is only engaged when speaking with Alec. The interaction with her character and Nina is COMPLETELY offensive as is the gratuitous boob shot.
Ghost detective's wife is literally described as a complete "nag" and loony irritant by her husband- that is until she becomes an invalid, which elevates her to a weak martyr for mental illness.
The German detective, Linda, is the least offensive, but she still spends too much time and energy in being a mother, matchmaker and eating french pastries, when in fact she is a bright police officer who is very capable at her job. Although what cop comes home and discusses cases with their spouse and children?
The victim, Angela, is referenced as "difficult" because she is blunt with her patients.
The character of Marquita is devious, duplicitous and completely without power.
NONE of the female characters really get along with each other. Nina says something negative about every woman she encounters. Monica is rife with jealousy, Lucy cannot get any more passive aggressive. Lucy and Monica are pitted against each other as ex-lovers of Dr. Crowley. The ancillary characters of Mindy and Megan are just used as flirtatious and young competition for Alec's attention, underlining the ageism that fuels Nina's insecurity. The female doctor who worked with the victim almost relishes in "speaking ill of the dead". Linda barely masks her disdain for the American Sheri and her choices, even though she appears to help her.
Additionally, the responses from all male characters to the female characters are ridiculous. Dennis' behavior towards Nina, Bobby's reaction to Lucy's revelation, Ghost Detective's description of wife, and Dr. Crowley's interaction with Lucy in the hospital are particularly offensive. These are just a few examples of such interactions.
On top of the rampant sexism, there are so many procedural and plot problems, inane dialogue and loose ends with this show, it is hard to overlook...or swallow for that matter. I refer to the total ignorance of typewriter ribbons, the fact that the doctor took pills from a victim's home before the police got there (mentioned as an aside), and the scene where Nina asks Lucy if the woman who visited her had "big lipstick" when, in the scene before, the character was clearly NOT wearing any lipstick are, again, just a few examples of plot nonsense.
And I haven't even brought up how terribly mental illness is represented.
If you can tell the character of the author by they way he crafts his fictional characters, then I doubt I will be watching anything in the future created by Mr, Gallagher. Some woman must have hurt him pretty badly. Poor soul.
This show rates 1 star .........and 27 TV bricks.
score 1/10
kirahspectacle 12 July 2017
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3752632/ |
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28-3-2021 11:25:06