Reading/Watching Log #34

There was a definite theme to this month, and that was female characters that are difficult, complex and/or broken to one extent or another. Whether a shameless gold-digger like Becky Sharpe, a damaged investigative reporter like Camille Preaker, or a sociopathic assassin like Villanelle, this month really proved to me that entertainment in general has moved well past the Madonna/Whore dichotomy and is comfortable letting women be flawed, messy and amoral (that said, Becky Sharpe has been around for a long time now).

It was also Halloween month, so I watched some of my spooky favourites (though I'll write about them in a separate post), and a time for Avatar spin-offs (well sort of – the third part of The Legend of Korra comic books finally arrived, and Aaron Ehasz's new show The Dragon Prince aired).

So let's get to it...

Doctor Who: Rosa

I have to admit, my first reaction on hearing that Doctor Who was going to tackle Rosa Parks and segregation in 1950s Alabama was trepidation. It's not that the show hasn't tackled issues of equality or prejudice before, but it's usually "disguised" within sci-fi metaphors (like the Silurians being a stand-in for the Palestine/Israel conflict).

Long story short, had they got this wrong then a lot of people were going to be ticked off. Thankfully, it was handled gracefully and sincerely. Like the Vincent van Gogh episode during Matt Smith's run, it's hugely manipulative in what it wants you to think and feel, and yet (also like the van Gogh episode) it still works.

Standing Tall #25

This was a fun one, and during conversations with people about which giraffe was their favourite, The Animal Biscuit came up a lot. Animal biscuits from Arnotts are a long-time favourite in New Zealand, coming in a range of different shapes and colours.

This giraffe was clearly based on that particular brand; designed by Publica and created by Adam Fields, located at the Colombo Mall (near the food court, naturally).

There's not much else to say, except that it was one of three more light-hearted giraffes, based on recognisable kiwi pop-culture giraffes (the others being Harold the Giraffe and the Longest Shake in Town Giraffe – but we'll get to them in due course).

And with this as the 25th giraffe featured, we're officially halfway through the Standing Tall collection!

Doctor Who: The Ghost Monument

We're two episodes in, and things are pretty solid so far. Jodie Whittaker is still killing in, though the Companions aren't quite as three-dimensional as they could be (perhaps there shouldn't be quite so many straight away?)

In any case, here are some brief thoughts...

Xena Warrior Princess: Altered States, Ties That Bind, The Greater Good

We're getting towards the end of season one – they certainly go fast when you're watching/reviewing in groups of three! – and the show on the whole has found a sense of its own rhythm without quite reaching the heights of its potential (though Callisto is just around the corner...)

Contained here are three pretty solid episodes: one which really kicks the subtext into high gear, one which delves into a familial relationship of Xena's past, and one which goes with a tried-and-true formula of genre television – the hero is injured and the sidekick steps up to the plate.

Doctor Who: The Woman Who Fell to Earth

As you're very well aware (even if you don't watch the show), the first episode starring our first female incarnation of the Doctor has aired, and even though I haven't done an episode review for Doctor Who in years, I feel galvanised enough by the event to share some brief thoughts.

Woman of the Month: Coraline

Coraline from Coraline

It's the 1st of October, and you know what that means: I prep for Halloween by choosing a spooky Woman of the Month!

There are actually two Coralines in the world: the one in Neil Gaiman’s original children's book, and the other in Henry Selick’s filmic adaptation. The former is quiet and cautious, whilst the latter is out-going and a little bratty. Perhaps not un-coincidentally, the first is British and the second American. Just sayin’.

However, both are bona-fide heroines, thrown into a frankly terrifying situation with only wits and courage to see her through. You probably know the story by now: Coraline discovers a small door in her new house that leads to an enchanting parallel world filled with games and toys and delicious food, ruled over by her Other Mother. Despite the rather unnerving addition of having buttons instead of eyes, Coraline’s Other Mother is attentive and kindly, urging her “daughter” to stay in the world she’s designed especially for her.

But when things seem too good to be true, it’s because they usually are. When the situation inevitably turns nasty, Coraline has to step up and challenge the Other Mother to a contest in order to win her real parents back, ticking off a lot of my favourite fairy-tale tropes along the way.

In a story like this, a character like Coraline doesn’t really need much character development, but the film adds a subtle little arc which allows her to grow from a rather whiny child during the first half of the film, to an older and wiser pre-teen by its conclusion. The technical artistry that goes into creating her is utterly incredible; not only in her fluid movements and complexity of expression, but all the tiny details that make her a fully-formed girl: like swinging on an open door, or playing with a dowsing rod, or bracing herself when the time comes to be brave.