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PaperclipPerfector  6d ago (text post)   22618 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of October 19, 2026

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Little of this, however, is actually the cost of his skills. Except maybe the recklessness and ethics violations. You could have a show about a less-flawed House, but it wouldn't be as good.

But to me the interesting question is where are the female versions of this type of character? I can't think of any off the top of my head, and I suspect a big part of the issue is that people (including feminists) think that Women are Wonderful and would be very uncomfortable with a female protagonist who is so deeply flawed. I suspect that even giving the woman a limp (when there are male colleagues around who walk perfectly fine) would bother feminists quite a bit. The upshot of this is that it would be difficult to prevent a female House from being a Mary Sue type who is extremely annoying outside of the narrative. (Of course the actual House is annoying within the narrative but it's entertaining for viewers.)

I don't think feminists are the issue with that one there- the general lowest common denominator public doesn't want to watch it. Even The Big Bang Theory had to soften Penny's character because test audiences didn't like her.

where are the female versions of this type of character?

I haven't watched all of it, but Bones comes to mind: it ran contemporaneously, and the title character is an autistic-coded female pathologist forensic anthropologist who often rubs the other characters the wrong way. I don't think she was a Mary Sue type, but had to be paired with a cop archetype for the actual "dealing with violent criminals" parts.

I haven't watched all of it, but Bones comes to mind: it ran contemporaneously, and the title character is an autistic-coded female pathologist who often rubs the other characters the wrong way.

So you would say her main flaws are that she is autistic (or at least somewhat autistic) and that she is a difficult person?

From what I remember of the first few seasons, yes. But it has been a while.

From what I remember of the first few seasons, yes. But it has been a while.

I'd never even heard of or watched the show, but I watched a couple clips just now on YouTube and I'm not really seeing it. Her big flaws (being obsessed with her work and easily distracted) kind of reminds me of Bella Swan of Twighlight's big flaw: That she is clumsy. Maybe link to a couple clips to show me what you are talking about?

Its been at least a decade since I saw it: I don't remember any specific scenes.

Jessica Fletcher? OK, maybe it's only me who'd want to punch her at least three times an episode.

Black Widow from the Avengers. Any number of "La Femme Nikita" type characters would work. They all do tend to be portrayed more sympathetically than House, though House is an extreme among male characters. So it probably can be done, but it's harder to do.

Jessica Fletcher? OK, maybe it's only me who'd want to punch her at least three times an episode.

I never watched Murder She Wrote, not even once. However out of curiosity I just watched a couple clips on YouTube, and I would say that based on this limited sample, she is more annoying to viewers than she is narratively annoying. By contrast, Dr. House is narratively annoying but entertaining to viewers.

Black Widow from the Avengers.

I watched a couple clips of her as well, and I'm not seeing it there either.

To be sure, I am going by very limited samples . . maybe link to a couple clips?

Black Widow is written as a person haunted by the evil she’s done suggesting her internal goodness.

Black Widow is written as a person haunted by the evil she’s done suggesting her internal goodness.

Would you mind linking a couple clips of her showing what you mean? TIA.

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