![]() ![]() And Veronica does want and (spoiler alert) eventually gets Archie. Yes, Betty and Veronica circa 2017 have their ups and downs and petty jealousies over Seven Minutes in Heaven. It's as tired and misogynist as tropes get, which is why I’m glad Riverdale lives to upend it at every chance. ![]() If we cut female characters the same slack we did men, these women-powerful, sexual, funny, and yes, sometimes even selfish or sadistic-would be celebrated antiheroes, not villainesses you love to hate.īut back to the whole blond-versus-brunette thing. Next to these genuinely disturbed dudes, even the bitchiest, most backbiting BGB looks downright quaint. Or Walter White, who cut a ruthless path of destruction as he built an international drug empire. Don Draper, who slept with and/or lied to 98 percent of the women in Manhattan. ![]() Think Tony Soprano, a neurotic teddy bear with a body count to rival Jason Voorhees. After all, the last 20 years of television have been defined by men exhibiting antisocial behavior that puts almost any raven-haired temptress to shame. Haughty rich girl Lila Fowler stealing boys from Cali-queen twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield in “Sweet Valley High.”īut the fact that the BGB’s selfishness and scheming makes them hated by some has always struck me as hypocritical. Vivienne Kensington scheming to humiliate Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (like Reese Witherspoon in a Playboy Bunny costume is ever not winning). Cordelia Chase’s mean-girl wisecracks at Buffy Summers, who’s literally trying to save the world. Think Beverly Hills, 90210’s drama-queen Brenda competing with poor little rich girl Kelly over Dylan’s affections. That’s because BGBs are often asked to play another, less glorious role-that of the rival to a perky blond lead.Įxamples of the blond-versus-brunette trope abound in every form of pop culture, from TV and movies to teen lit. For every person like me who eagerly breaks out the popcorn every time a ball-busting brunette steps onscreen, just as many people hiss. Of course, not everyone feels that way about BGBs. I’ve always found these characters easy to root for, even (or especially) when they’re a little bit evil. ![]() And, OK, I’ll lay it out on the table: I’m a moody brunette weirdo myself and not ashamed to admit I get my life watching BGBs own the room. In a pop-culture landscape often lacking in complex depictions of women, it can be totally, vicariously thrilling to see a female character own her power and sexuality. In short, the BGB knows what she wants and is not afraid to demand it. Even more terrifying, she’s fully aware of her power over men (think Twin Peaks’ seductive schoolgirl Audrey Horne). She’s often-and this is key-unapologetically sexy. At her worst, she’s a scheming, unapologetically selfish alpha-bitch (Courtney Shayne in Jawbreaker or Dynasty’s Alexis Carrington). Sometimes she’s troubled and weird (Allison Reynolds in The Breakfast Club), sometimes she’s rich, sophisticated, and wise beyond her years, making her a one-liner dispenser par excellence ( Buffy’s Cordelia Chase). What is a BGB? She’s self-assured, headstrong, maybe a bit domineering (think Jackie on That 70s Show). ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |