14 surprising movies that pass the Bechdel Test | EW.com created content and their own posts, comments and submissions and fully and effectively warrant One of the biggest movies of the 21st century features no dialogue between two named female characters. The only problem is that the conversation is about Jake, who, you probably noticed, is a man. No, Not Every Movie Needs To Pass The Bechdel Test - SlashFilm.com Star Trek: DiscoveryThe latest addition to the Star Trek universe is soooo goooooood. posts, comments and submissions available. You can obtain a copy of the The movie's total kill count of . Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, And by god, is she an unforgettable one. The Bechdel Test / Useful Notes - TV Tropes There are also a handful of episodes that do not pass either test (grey). (Episode III does still fail, though. 2022 Galvanized Media. A paraplegic dude gets his brothers hand-me-down remote control alien, falls in love with another alien, fights off a bunch of humans, and decides he likes being an alien more, because apparently he thinks living on a planet full of terrifying animals and waiting for the humans to come back sounds like a goodtime. although I'm pretty sure Megillat Esther does not pass the Bechdel Test), the . services and What Is The Bechdel Test, How Do You Pass and Does It Matter? - Goalcast (Episodes with scene breaks not properly detected are excluded from the step 1 calculation; this applies to all The Office episodes, so no step 1 point is drawn.). Its much more about familial love and, you know, surviving. As the title lets on, Dead to Me isnt a light-hearted show. Why the Bechdel Test Fails Feminism | HuffPost College About something other than a man. Land acknowledgements are a way for us to reflect upon the duality of our work while we work within our team, our community, and our client organizations to promote greater inclusivity and abolish inequities, we ourselves still perpetuate and contribute to various forms of historical and present oppression. And this is despite the fact that Cate Blanchett is Liv Tyler's grandmother in the film, so it would have been completely possible for them to schedule some sort of visit together to say goodbye in case Middle Earth went down in flames! And its been surprisingly challenging for movies and TV shows to pass this basic test, even in our current golden age of media consumption. Your home for data science. The film follows three different possible outcomes for her actions and explores her relationships and interactions with the people and the world aroundher. Does 'Firefly' pass the Bechdel test? - Quora But not dwelling on that, the show quite obviously passes the Bechdel Test, with a strong . Bechdel Test Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster Its won all the awards, and for good reason. In 1985, American cartoonist Alison Bechdel. The movie: When Princesses Elsa and Annas parents die, Elsa must become Queen, but during her coronation party everyone finds out that shes been secretly hiding powers (which she can use to freeze anything) all this time. It could be about dog poo. If there were ever a female landing party member and a love interest for Kirk in the same episodethey usually just glared at each other. Tangled (rated PG): Rapunzel and Mother Gothel have enough interaction to help Tangled easily pass the test. How Many Superhero Movies Pass The Bechdel Test? [Infographic] The Bechdel is a good test to show general representation of women in film/tv, and should not be used to critique the value or lack thereof, of any specific film/tv. How it passes: Ghost World (opens in new tab) is basically all about the friendship between super sarcastic teen Enid and her best friend Becky. Gomer Pyle, Sgt. Then it might be kinda shocking to find out that out of 2,500 movies, only about half pass the test. A lot of episodes do pass, but not as many as youd think, and only barely. Now, thats not to say that theyre all friends or even that their relationships are all healthy. Kee talks to revolutionary leader Julian and her midwife Miriam at many points throughout the movie, and its almost never about a man. Did it miss the mark on some topics? The View from the Window by Carina Paredes-Rivera. Im not completely certain, but possibly the original Star Trek? There are a couple guys on the prison staff, but they tend to talk about the prisoners or their boss Fig, who is a woman. The Bechdel Test: Is It Time for Something New? - Geek Girl Authority Then again, its possible that the nurses exchanged at least a few lines complaining about their living conditions, talking about the war, etc., and a conversation about treating a patient who happens to be a man is arguably not really a conversation about a man. A film that excavates layers of myth and memory to find the elusive truth at the core of a family of storytellers. Lola must figure out how to come up with 100,000 Deutsche Marks in twenty minutes or her boyfriend will be killed. She+ Geeks Out was originally founded on land that is the traditional territory of the Massachusett and Pawtucket tribes, and which is still home to descendants of these peoples. 1. It made history, being the first all-Black starring cast to cross the $100 million threshold at the box office. While the show is problematic in a few important ways, it does move the needle, but frankly its just nice to watch fantasy with less cleavage for a change. Irish sport images provided by Inpho Photography The only problem is, theres another bridesmaid trying to muscle in on her territory. We've managed to find 25 of the best movies that pass the Bechdel Test. Married With Children went in the other direction. Seinfeld, Frasier, and The Office have more male than female main characters, so inevitably there are many more male-male than female-female conversations. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. Another Best Picture Oscar winner that despite being groundbreaking in its representation of a gay black man, fails to have two women with names having one single teeny-tiny conversation about anything. But while the entertainment industry still has a lot of work to do, there seems to be a positive shift happening when it comes to female-led shows. Love and hate, fear and obsession, joy and anger, are all represented in their dance. Theres a 99% chance youve seen at least one episode of Broad City. Creators, writers, and stars Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle portray versions of themselves in the year 2000. In fact, the example Bechdel gave as a film that passed the test was Alien, simply because Ripley and Lambert have a brief conversation about the alien. 5. Although there is some discussion about the beauty of Chris Hemsworths character at some points - and how ditzy he is. Law & Order in the early seasons wouldnt have, with no starring female cast members. This Canadian-made comedy about friends navigating motherhood will have you laughing out loud. If you ever wondered what it would be like if thirtysomething women pretended to be middle school-aged girls, well, you dont need to wonder anymore! Next on the list is the 2010 biographical drama movie The Social Network which also doesn't pass the Bechdel test. If you havent, then youre missing out on the creative genius that is Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson. The series based on Robert Jordans epic series begins with the premise of a world ruled by women who have to deal with a lot of very bad men. Its about a group of young gay men in San Francisco and the only named female character is Doris. The movie: The 2016 Ghostbusters (opens in new tab) film is technically the third film in the franchise, but actually serves as a reboot, replacing the four main male characters with female alternatives - played by Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones. Testing the Bechdel Test - Portland State University The single episode with the most Nurse/Nurse interaction, they were basically spending the episode bitching about Maj. Hoolihan. Note: Your privacy is important to us, so please know that your information will always remain confidential! Here are ten television shows today that pass the Bechdel Test. Ghostbusters (The one with all the women)We loved the 2016 Ghostbusters. First, the film must have at least two female characters. Zoe Delahunty-Light. For more information on cookies please refer to our cookies Does she have an interesting relationship with McAvoy? Cartoonist and graphic novelistAlison Bechdel came up with a test when she was younger that a movie had to have: For her to see the movie, it had to pass these three standards, and this test was first featured in her 1985 column Dykes to Watch Out For.. For fun, how about shows that not only regularly pass the normal test but fail the reverse Bechdel Test? Wire service provided by AFP and Press Association. Content copyright Journal Media Ltd. 2023 Registered in Dublin, registration number: The Bechdel Test is a measure of gender bias in movies. But it goes much further than this, with Katniss having a variety of conversations with other women, ranging from her mother and Rue, to the delightfully colourful Effie Trinket, and only once does a romance get mentioned in one conversation between Katniss and Rue. We encourage you to, Nine Recent TV Shows and Movies That Pass the Bechdel Test, have a look at this article to see who sits behind the camera, Ghostbusters (The one with all the women), How to measure the impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training, Understanding Social Identities in the Workplace. On June 30th, 2008, Jennifer Kesler . But its still surprising to find out that some of the most popular films of all time fail the test, and often for reasons you may have never considered. Her pregnancy is discussed with the surprisingly sympathetic assassin Karen Kim, plus her last talk with O-Ren Ishii in the snow in particular is touching as they gradually admit their respect for each other. Data scientist and former climate physicist, with special interest in politics and sports analytics, Having acquired hundreds of sitcom episode transcripts. Basically, theres a lot to talk about other than men. To pass, the work simply has . As the first woman to become pregnant in years, she carries an extremely precious cargo and faces danger on all sides. The TV shows that have captivated audiences in lockdown include Unorthodox, Normal People, Killing Eve and I May Destroy You. While they both grapple with these feelings, we get to see how gorgeously complicated the human experience is through the lens of this intense and beautifully acted series. More. CONTACT. Heres how the test works a piece of fiction has to satisfy three requirements: Thats it. To pass, a movie must have two named women converse about something other than a man. Red flags that you're dealing with a man-child. 10 Films and TV Shows that pass Bechdel's Test. Are there any TV shows that fail the Bechdel Test? How is that hard to write? And as a sidenote, can we just say, basically anything that Laura Dern does is freaking gold. New Line Cinema. When Issa speaks to herself in the mirror. In order to pass, a film must feature at least two women on screen talking to each other about. Despite having three strong female characters in Arwen, Eowyn, and Galadriel, theyre all in completely different parts of Middle Earth and they never even meet, much less talk to each other. This test attempts to acknowledge the disparity between female and male characters in media. Paramount Pictures Its a must watch! At the time, hardly any films could pass it, and many forms of media still struggle to pass it today. She joined GamesRadar+ in 2017, revitalizing the news coverage and building new processes and strategies for the US team. Well, if you're looking for a female fish in the sea you'd be hard pressed to find one in Nemo's world. Journal Media does not control and is not responsible for user created content, posts, comments, To join our community, just fill out the form below. 5. 1. But seriously, I cant remember two female characters even talking to each other. How Accurate Is 'Cocaine Bear'? We Went to See it. But the show is very, very real. The Best Movies That Pass The Bechdel Test: Page 2 - gamesradar We think its time to go beyond it. 6 'The Social Network'. Because representation matters, and many of the people writing, directing, and producing are still majority men. Women comprised 17% of directors working on the 250 top grossing films in 2021, down from 18% in 2020. The Bechdel test was designed by cartoonist Alison Bechdel in 1985. The characters must talk about something other than a male character. Killing EveVillanelle and Eve are the two stars of this thriller series and have a relationship like weve never seen before. Mary Berry Cooks / Headline Publishing Group The movie: Annies best friend is getting married so naturally shes Maid of Honor. Great movies that pass the bechdel test - IMDb How it passes: The two leads, and indeed the majority of the cast, are women and the only time they really talk about men is when they briefly explain their crimes or discuss trying to get Geres Billy Flynn to represent them. And, sure, maybe its not realistic to have female characters in historically accurate movies set on ships in the 18th century, such as 2003sMaster and Commander with Russell Crowe, which features zero females. More than that, all the women are fiercely strong and morally questionable, presenting a version of women not often seen in the cinema. To pass this step I looked for a three-line sequence. Wonder women: how this summer's TV passes the Bechdel test Each of the 12 districts must send one boy and one girl into the fight, and our heroine, Katniss Everdeen, actually volunteers to be the female tribute for Sector 12, in place of her younger sister. 3. for more than one minute of screen time. With Kristen Wiig and Rose Byrne going head-to-head in this hilarious bridesmaid-off, expect a lot of laughs and plenty of super awkward moments. How to use Bechdel Test in a sentence. How it passes: The Hunger Games (opens in new tab) actually passes the Bechdel Test in the very first scene. Grace and Frankie While Im pretty sure their husbands/boyfriends back home, and the 4077s doctors did come up, it was mostly about Margaret. In 1985, American cartoonist Alison Bechdel included the idea for the Bechdel test (also known as the BechdelWallace test) in a comic strip called The Rule. And it definitely passes the Bechdel test, with a diverse cast of women focusing on their careers and friendships. Big Littles Lies also brings drastically different women together who have one thing in common: Their kids are in the same class. Employment is overrated. HBOs teen show Euphoria shocked viewers with its extremely adult storylines. So viewers would expect it to pass the Bechdel test with flying colors - and it does. We encourage you to, Ten Recent TV Shows That Pass the Bechdel Test, TV shows and movies that pass the Bechdel test, research conducted on film and gender in 2021, How to measure the impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training, Understanding Social Identities in the Workplace. The WitcherAnd our second fantasy series is The Witcher, which, despite a lot of male energy (wayy more um, cleavage, in this one), does indeed pass the Bechdel test a few times Yennefer and Tissaias complicated relationship, as well as Ciri and Eithns short time together, and honestly probably more but were still working our way through this story (hey, we still have pandemic time to watch!). In 1985, American cartoonist Alison Bechdel. InsecureThe real love between Issa and Molly gives us all the feels like all of them. and indemnify Journal Media in relation to such content and their ability to make such content, To pass the test, a film must have: 1) Two female characters (some variations of the test say that they must have names, which is fair I think) 2) Who talk to each other. The best movies that pass the Bechdel Test are female-positive and great watches in their own right. Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale, adapted from Margaret Atwood's critically acclaimed novel of the same name, does justice to the book which cannot be said about most TV/film adaptations out there. But the Internet commenters can still find things to get upset about - go ahead, get angry! But times are changing and there are a handful of incredible examples of ladies crushing mainstream media. Sutton, Kat, and Jane are rising HBICs (aka head bitches in charge) in their industries. An extra big kick in the nuts to Star Wars fans: The prequel trilogy actually passes the test (partially). Cocaine Bear is the latest in a long line of movies to portray bears as bloodthirsty beasts, clamoring for the chance to feast on innocent humans. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Director: Sarah Polley | Stars: Michael Polley, John Buchan, Mark Polley, Joanna Polley. The Morning ShowOof this last season was a toughie (hello, news media + New York + #MeToo + Covid = messy! Finally, although we can guess what the result will be, I computed the male equivalent of the test: two male characters must talk about something other than a female character. Euphoria doesnt shy away from topics that would never have been included in a teen show ten years ago. Breaking out the results by show and season and plotting against broadcast year, there is some sign of an upward trend. Miramax Films. Kristine Kochanski was a major character in seasons 7 and 8, but Holly had changed back to a male appearance by that point so I dont think Kochanski ever spoke to the female-looking version of Holly. The actresses, who play characters of the same first names, started the show as a web series that was later picked up by Comedy Central. But what makes this show pass the Bechdel test so handily is her relationship with her manager played by the brilliant Alex Borstein (she is everything). Whats not to love? Alison Bechdel Has Amended the Bechdel Test Just for Fire Island The cartoonist chimed in on the fiery Twitter debate spurred by one user's claim that the gay rom-com Fire Island did not. Easily passing the Bechdel test, Dead to Me brings together two women with completely different ways of being in the world together to deal with some wild bananas weird stuff. There had never been a movie with 100% Black ownership to make over $100 million, so that this also passed the Bechdel test is massive. The Legend of Korra might regularly fail both because of the ensemble, but later seasons have a majority female cast. Omit "The" from search term for best results. G LOW, Netflix's new series about a troupe of female wrestlers in the 80s, opens with a dig at the lack of roles for women in the entertainment business. Swedish cinemas take aim at gender bias with Bechdel test rating Movies need to pass test that gauges the active presence of women on screen in bid to promote gender equality Jennifer. Scandal: Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) spends her time cleaning up the scandals that could wrack Washington D.C. and its political elite. Second, the women must talk to each other. The Wire had a lesbian couple, but they werent a focus. And you know when else Insecure passes the Bechdel test? The women of this show are complex and the show does a wonderful job of passing the Bechdel test, focusing on their friendships, their careers, their kids. Have you ever had someone comfort you after a break up by saying "There's plenty more fish in the sea?". In a film about violence and mafiosos, Karen ( Lorraine Bracco) and Rosie ( Illeana Douglas) manage to squeeze in a Bechdel Test pass with a conversation about Florida. In fact, theyre kinda just flat characters who the male characters ignore or bang in bathrooms when its dramatically appropriate. The Bechdel test is named after Alison Bechdel who introduced the concept as part of her Dykes to Watch Out For comic series in 1985, but she attributes it to her friend Liz Wallace, who attributed it to Virginia Woolf. While Enid occupies herself with finding him a girlfriend, she and Becky grow further apart. These movies also happen to be very female-positive overall too. In three films, none of them says a word to each other. There must be two female characters in the scene. and TV shows. A kid on a distant planet finds out about a magical force from an old man and he learns to be a Jedi and they fight against the Empire and yada yada. Finally, the mother/daughter scenes have nothing to do with Bill and everything to do with The Bride realising that the reason for her revenge - her dead child - has actually been alive all this time. Theyre primarily white and primarily male and it makes sense that those who control the stories, will ensure they reflect their own world views. But even then, she doesnt really speak. 1. In non-pandemic years, an average 600 or 700 films have been added to the archive annually since 2006. I havent sat down to do a critical analysis or anything, but I bet 95% of Breaking Bad episodes would fail the test. SuperJail, unless JailBot is female. The movie: Best friends Enid and Becky spend the summer after high school trying to figure out what theyre doing with their lives and along the way they meet a lonely, middle-aged man named Seymour, who Enid strikes up a friendship with. The Bechdel test was designed to point out how infrequently women in Hollywood movies are presented as characters in their own right, as opposed to adjuncts or even accessories to the male characters.