Underline the key terms
Compared with the past, David Gauntlett argues that in the media today ‘we no longer get singular, straightforward messages about ideal types of male and female identities.’
Evaluate the validity of this claim with reference to the set episodes of Humans and The Returned and the historical contexts in which they were produced. [30]
Knee jerk reaction
Both Humans and the returned demonstrate complex and challenging representations of gender, as these shows both reflect the issues of our time, and suggest that representations of gender have become significantly more complex
Plan
Feminist theory - van Zoonen
Gender performativity
Patriarchy
Stereotypes
Genre
MES
Hegemony
Hyperreality
Binary oppositions
Intersectionality - (bell hooks)
Polysemy
Atypical
Reception theory
Close up
Long shot
Lighting
Anchorage
Target audience
Narrative
Diegesis
Pick and mix
Audiences
Secondary audiences
Introduction
DAC - definition, argument, context
David Gauntlett argues that the representation of gender, and what it means to be a man and a woman, have changed dramatically over time. He also argues that diverse audiences can pick and mix the ideological perspectives from a media product, and use it to form their own diverse identities. As time has progressed, gender archetypes have shifted wildly, and TV shows in particular have attempted to reflect this through presenting an ever more complex system of representations to an ever more fragmented and complex audience. In this essay I shall argue that the television industry can present complex and challenging representations to position their audiences, that deliberately subvert and challenge the hegemonic and often patriarchal representations of gender we have seen in the past. Additionally, I shall argue that the producers of TV shows present diverse and challenging representations precisely to engage with audiences, who have vastly more complex ideals and expectations of gender performance. To explore these ideas I shall use the examples of Humans, a UK sci-fi TV series co produced with AMC and first broadcast on channel 4 in 2015, and Les Revenants (the Returned), a highly atypical horror show first broadcast in France on prestige cable channel Canal + in 2012.
Paragraphs
PEA - Point, evidence, argument
Les revs - the Lake Pub
Simon subverts gender expectations through his narrative arc that sees him desperately trying to find his true love and avoiding casual sex with a pretty young woman. His performance is anchored through a CU shot of him looking away, which symbolically encoded his lack of sexual desire to Lena, and deliberately subverts a stereotypical romance narrative. This complex representation of gender suggests that men do not have to be defined by their sexuality, an ideology that may be appealing to the target audience
The setting of the Lake Pub is a stereotypical location where teenagers may hang out, which anchors Lena as a stereotypical teenage girl. The MES of groups of young people construct an ideology of community, friendship and togetherness, and allows audiences to identify with a comfortable, relatable, and non-threatening social space. This sense of community is only emphasis through the binary opposition formed through the scene before than depicts Julie isolated in a mid shot on a bleak deserted bus.
That Lena assertively and confidently is situated in the lake pub presents a complex and subversive representation. Lena assertively says to Simon “buy me a drink and I’ll tell you”, which proairetically encodes her own desires and the fact that she is confident and sexually active. This representation challenges the stereotypical hegemonic gender construct that it is a man’s role to romantically pursue women, and challenges Van Zoonen’s notion of the patriarchal male gaze through Lena’s proactive gender performativity. Female audience members may find Lena’s performance inspirational and influential, and may take pleasure in her sex positive representation
Humans - the brothel scene
In the brothel scene, female synths are represented as being submissive, highly sexualised and othered through a lingering montage tracking sequence that presents them in a highly sexualised way. However, Niska forms a binary opposition to this stereotypical and hurtful representation. Much like Lena, Niska is assertive, but is also aggressive towards er so called male captor
Niska’s eyes are green, and their vibrant colour anchors her status as a non-human other. This positions the target audience in a deliberately challenging mode of address as they negotiate the ethics of sexual activity with a robot
Niska’s severe fringe is blocky and unstylish, and presents a fetishistic mode of address to the target audience by representing her as childlike and naïve. This is further anchored through her tiny body. Niska seems initially timid, which suggests to the audience that she is vulnerable. However, after Leo enters the room, Niska violently assaults him, and, in a lingering and uncomfortable close up, announces to Leo “I'm making it look like you just fucked me”. By trying to mould her personality to the situation, Niska presents a range of different aspects of gender performativity that explicitly interact with and change the world around her. Audience members may be deeply uncomfortable through Niska’s gender performance, reject her timid persona, yet delight in her later expression of rage.