SEX AND THE CITY, Sarah Jessica Parker, (Season 1), 1998-2004. © HBO/ Courtesy: Everett Collection
The conversation around television characters often reveals underlying societal biases, especially regarding gender. In recent discussions, actors from popular shows such as Sex and the City and Girls have pointed out the stark contrast in how audiences critique female protagonists compared to their male counterparts. This disparity raises important questions about misogyny and societal expectations in storytelling.
Sarah Jessica Parker, who portrayed Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City from 1998 to 2004 and later in the spinoff And Just Like That, expressed her frustration about the intense criticism faced by Carrie. In an interview with The Huffington Post in June, she stated, “It’s always interesting to me that [Carrie] is so condemned, but a male lead on a show can be a murderer and people love him.” Parker highlighted the differing standards applied to male characters, referencing figures like Joe Goldberg and Dexter Morgan, who, despite their dark actions, remain popular among viewers.
Critique of Female Characters
The backlash against female characters often reflects deeper societal issues. Amelia Ritthaler, host of the “Girls Rewatch Podcast,” noted how characters like Hannah Horvath faced harsh scrutiny when the show aired from 2012 to 2017. “Originally when [Girls] aired, everybody was like, ‘Hannah and Marnie should die,’” she recalled. In contrast, the male lead of The Sopranos, Tony Soprano, was often viewed as a misunderstood character, despite his violent tendencies.
Lena Dunham, the creator and star of Girls, echoed Ritthaler’s sentiments, pointing out the discrepancies in audience reactions. She remarked that while viewers condemned female characters for their flaws, they could easily overlook similar traits in male characters. “One handjob goes awry in Brooklyn [on Girls] and everyone’s like, ‘You ladies need to take a swim in a pile of toxic waste,’” Dunham said, underscoring the harsh judgments women face.
Understanding Misogyny in Media Critique
The disparity in how male and female characters are portrayed and received can be attributed to entrenched misogyny. Shawn French, founder and host of the podcast “The Determined Society,” emphasized that male protagonists are often framed as “antiheroes,” allowing viewers to excuse their flaws as layers of complexity. In contrast, when women exhibit similar imperfections, they are frequently labeled as “unlikable.”
French explained that society still expects female characters to embody aspirational qualities, such as nurturing or moral integrity. When they fail to meet these expectations, criticism often follows. This bias is evident in the reactions to contemporary shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty and Emily in Paris, where social media chatter reflects ongoing scrutiny of female leads.
“The truth is, women don’t need to be perfect to be worth watching,” French stated. He highlighted that allowing female characters the same freedom to be flawed and authentic as their male counterparts leads to richer, more relatable storytelling.
As discussions about gender bias in television continue, the reactions to characters like Carrie Bradshaw and Hannah Horvath remind us of the need for a more nuanced understanding of female narratives. By challenging the double standards in character critique, audiences can foster a more inclusive representation of women in media.
