Just in time for Valentine's Day, a reminder that ...
February 13, 2016 9:17 AM   Subscribe

 
Schlemiel, Schlemazel, Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!
posted by infinitewindow at 9:47 AM on February 13, 2016 [5 favorites]


This reminded me that Sorkin described the series arc of The West Wing as a platonic love story between Jed Bartlett and Leo McGarry.
posted by Navelgazer at 9:51 AM on February 13, 2016 [5 favorites]


infinitewindow -- Yah, there are a LOT of great relationships that don't even get a mention in this article.
posted by pjsky at 9:51 AM on February 13, 2016


The best love story on TV is between a woman, a horse, and a dog named Mr. Peanut Butter.
posted by escabeche at 10:01 AM on February 13, 2016 [10 favorites]


Yes! I love that there are so many shows about women's relationships. This article could have been expanded so much. Growing up in the 80s and 90s I don't remember at lot of shows with the type of relationships we see on tv now (blossom and six?).

I recently marathoned girlfriend's guide to divorce mostly because it was nice to see women who are actually friends (the mother/daughter relationship is also pretty good though much like prominent).

It's interesting that the Mindy project started off this way and Mindy gradually shed her female relationships- I'm hoping women come back into her life after what happened in the last season finally.

I even check in with the big bang theory occasionally just to see what the women are up to.

I'd love to see a really long form piece that looks at the ways in which the downturn of network television has led to more opportunities for women to run shows and make them about their experiences and interests.
posted by betsybetsy at 10:03 AM on February 13, 2016


I've just been re-watching Parks & Rec over the past few weeks, and keep texting my best friend all the things Leslie says to Ann. You brilliant, powerful, talented, beautiful musk ox!
posted by ChuraChura at 10:10 AM on February 13, 2016 [17 favorites]


I love that the article talks about PLAYING HOUSE because it is the best show that everybody is not watching. Such a shame. It is really well written and the actors are great. So glad it finally got renewed for another season.
posted by pjsky at 10:22 AM on February 13, 2016 [1 favorite]


Kinda surprised they don't reference OITNB at all, although I suppose the emphasis in this article is on platonic friendships.
posted by panama joe at 10:26 AM on February 13, 2016


...and, Jessica Jones & Trish. The "I love you" in the finale was e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.
posted by pjsky at 10:46 AM on February 13, 2016 [9 favorites]


Xena and Gabrielle 4ver
posted by maxwelton at 11:08 AM on February 13, 2016 [6 favorites]


Kinda surprised they don't reference OITNB at all, although I suppose the emphasis in this article is on platonic friendships.

Yeah, I do have to say it feels a little weird for me that "relationships between women" is so easily elided to "friendship" or "nonromantic relationships" in the piece. I enjoyed it a lot otherwise, and it's probably a result of erasure more generally, but I wish they'd taken a moment to note that "friendship with other women" and "romantic love with man" are not the only relationship permutations for a woman to have.

On the other other hand: LESLIE KNOPE AND ANN PERKINS 4EVER LET ME SHARE MY FAVORITE FANVID CELEBRATING WOMEN'S FRIENDSHIPS HERE. Because, you know, at least we DO have that kind of representation on the screen, sometimes.
posted by sciatrix at 11:35 AM on February 13, 2016 [15 favorites]


seriously I am totally sincere, everyone who cares about women's friendships and either Community or Parks & Rec should watch that video. it is beautiful perfection.
posted by sciatrix at 11:38 AM on February 13, 2016


Korra and Asami
posted by Stu-Pendous at 11:44 AM on February 13, 2016 [3 favorites]


Happy Galentines day!
posted by tinwhiskers at 11:46 AM on February 13, 2016 [1 favorite]




As a queer lady, I agree, but at the same time, friendship and all sorts of other types of non-romantic, non-familial relationships tend to be devalued in our society, even in queer communities, so I ended up being pleasantly surprised that the article was about friendship. I'm a perpetually single person, and it's been friends who have been the most positive, durable presences in my life, rather than my occasional romantic partners. That's who I celebrate on Valentine's Day...
posted by heurtebise at 11:56 AM on February 13, 2016 [4 favorites]


Kinda surprised they don't reference OITNB at all, although I suppose the emphasis in this article is on platonic friendships.

Plenty of platonic ones there though - Tucky and Boo; Red and Norma; Tastee and her crew; Martiza and Marisol. I have to wonder if they avoided the whole show because it would mean having to look at the whole variety of relationships women can have; friendship, family, romantic, sexual, rivals, enemies.
posted by nubs at 12:23 PM on February 13, 2016 [3 favorites]


I miss Christina Yang so damn much. I miss her privateness and introversion. I miss her simple expressions of her desire to not be a mother. And I miss her friendship with Meredith.

In general, I think Shonda Rhimes is great with friendship on all of her shows. In Christina's absence, the long story of arch of the friendship between Meredith and both Alex Karev (always platonic) and the always in the shadows and ready to step up Callie Torres have been lovely. And Olivia Pope and Abby Whelan on Scandal also have a complicated, beautiful friendship.
posted by hydropsyche at 12:48 PM on February 13, 2016


I used to love GA but gave up after Rhimes started killing off everyone who was leaving the show. It became emotional torture porn. But the Grey/Yang friendship was always the heart of the show.

My own pick for best love story on television is actually between two men. One of them is a serial killing cannibal so perhaps this is an idiosyncratic pick.
posted by Justinian at 2:19 PM on February 13, 2016


Happy Anna Howard Shaw Day, Metafilter. A happy Anna Howard Shaw Day to us all!
posted by officer_fred at 5:12 PM on February 13, 2016


I love that the article talks about PLAYING HOUSE because it is the best show that everybody is not watching.

This. Between Playing House and Womp It Up, Jess and Len give me so much joy.
posted by bakerina at 8:27 PM on February 13, 2016


Plenty of platonic ones there though - Tucky and Boo; Red and Norma; Tastee and her crew; Martiza and Marisol

What I love most about OITNB is its emphasis on chosen family. And they openly allude to this by having a clique of women known as "the Golden Girls."

Lots of great parallels between the two shows, actually.

Wouldn't it be awesome if Betty White guest starred on OITNB?
posted by panama joe at 11:12 PM on February 14, 2016


Also, the S2 friendship between Vee and Suzanne is a thing of awesomeness.
posted by panama joe at 11:56 PM on February 14, 2016


C'mon! How can you have any discussion of female friendship without mentioning Cagney & Lacey? Always sniping, kvetching and nagging, always got each others' backs. Or Rizzoli and Isles, the show that plays with the tropes of lesbian relationships but never quite succumbs. Or how about Alicia and Kalinda? Betty and Wilma? Every single one of The Golden Girls? So many better shows to reference, so, so many
posted by Maverick_Mac at 1:45 AM on February 15, 2016


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