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. Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. Fox Searchlight Pictures Red flags that you're dealing with a man-child. City Lights (1931) G | 87 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance 8.5 Rate 99 Metascore 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. Yes, please. SuperJail, unless JailBot is female. 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 actor describes Harry Styles as "a very kind guy.". Here's 10 from the past 25 year that may surprise you. Lauren OCallaghan. At this point in time, the SGO team is fully remote, and we are located across the United States. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: PartII. I assume Yeoman Rand and Sulu dont count. Did it miss the mark on some topics? Proving that women . . The singer reveals how grueling life was on the road. It is important to note that many fans refer to the queen as Queen Grimhilde, so she may in fact have a name. (Though it should be called the Bechdel-Wallace test, according to the lesbian cartoonist Alison Bechdel, who helped create it.) But, even though this movie passes the Bechdel Test, it doesn't pass the Dangerous Bear Trope Test. 6 'The Social Network'. 101 Dalmatians (rated G): The original 1961 animated version squeaks . On June 30th, 2008, Jennifer Kesler . Seinfeld has only one female character in its main cast, so was bound to do badly in this test; however, it does pass step 1 in almost 90% of episodes. Not only are the relationships between the female characters strong and loving (see: Rebecca and Keeley, Nora, Noras mom Sassy, and the powerful moments between Rebecca and her mother), one might argue that Teds lack of patriarchal bullshit is what makes him a part of the feminist society ideal that many of us wish for. 1. TH3 RUNDOWN. The women definitely rule the show and its no surprise that women are also behind the scenes as well here. policy. EEEP! The movie: In this particular post-apocalyptic world, children are sent to battle to the death on TV. Im not completely certain, but possibly the original Star Trek? And its been surprisingly challenging for movies and TV shows to pass this basic test, even in our current golden age of media consumption. By role, women accounted for 17% of writers (even with 17% in 2020), 26% of executive producers (up from 21% in 2020), 32% of producers (up from 30% in 2020), 22% of editors (even with 22% in 2020), and 6% of cinematographers (even with 6% in 2020).. So, what is the Bechdel Test? The Bechdel Test asks three key questions about a movie's female characters. The Duchess of York casts "no judgment" toward her nephew. Ted LassoWhile it may be a mans name in the title, this might be one of our favorite TV shows that passes the Bechdel test with flying colors. submissions or preferences. 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. To pass the Bechdel test, a work of fiction must fulfil the above criteria at least once. Each step was calculated by scene and aggregated to episode level. How it passes: Both the main characters are named women, who talk to each other a lot about football, their families, and yes, occasionally boys. Fantasies are notoriously male-dominated (Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, we see you!). There's a third named female character, Agent Maria Hill (Colbie Smulders), but she only directs orders to her staff and there's no dialogue. The percentage of women working as directors on the top 100 films retreated from 16% in 2020 to 12% in 2021. There are also a handful of episodes that do not pass either test (grey). Shes got a bit of a grudge. 6) Encanto. 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 three female mathematicians in the 1960s (played masterfully by Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae) rarely talk about a man, focusing instead on their goals, their work, and the obstacles that they overcome every step of the way. GamesRadar+ is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Anything, even if its something stereotypically feminine, like shopping or shoes. But alas, many Marvel movies do not actually pass the Bechdel Test. The readers of Dykes to Watch Out For (where the test originated) probably love this show. Wikipedia says that Ms. Bechdel prefers the name "Bechdel-Wallace test". In 2020, the archive shows that 78 films passed the Bechdel Test out of 329 films released in the U.S. and Canada. The test is named for Alison Bechdel, creator of the comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, who made it known to the world with this strip. Doesn't Lara need any friends? Anyone else feel like going for a little drive? Movies with female directors have higher Bechdel scores. It also crushed the Golden Globes in 2017. Scared her people will turn on her, she runs away and loses emotional control plunging the Kingdom into an eternal winter. Answer (1 of 3): Disclaimer: I love Firefly. The movie: Annies best friend is getting married so naturally shes Maid of Honor. In some cases, my processing couldnt pick up the scene breaks, or the transcripts didnt contain any; these episodes are each treated as one long scene, which makes it easier to pass this first step, but only slightly easier to pass the other steps than when scenes are properly detected. Theyre flawed, complicated, and sometimes make horrible decisions. Why? And by god, is she an unforgettable one. Miramax Films. In a world where superhero movies reign supreme, it's hard to imagine any of them not passing the Bechdel Test. For example, the archive has almost 120 films passing for 2019 out of those couple hundred that were added. Advertisement How to. Now its up to Elsa to find her and help her get control of her powers so she can unfreeze their home. Love and hate, fear and obsession, joy and anger, are all represented in their dance. supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press ABOUT. Here are our favorites! 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. I think it's a show that has great female characters. The Bechdel (pronounced beck-dell) Test was first created in 1985 by cartoonist Allison Bechdel. There is no clear correlation between the budget or revenue of a movie and its Bechdel score. The Bechdel Test, if you're not familiar with it, is a benchmark for movies developed by Alison Bechdel in 1985. Shes also right pretty much all of the time and her male captains need to listen to her more often. Directed by Amy Poehler, Moxie is an overt rebellion against the toxic patriarchal systems that are rife in youth culture. 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!). Dobby and Sophie have several conversations with each other for example and theres multiple other examples. Marvel Studios. It's a quiz developed in 1985 by graphic novelist Alison Bechdel and her friend Liz Wallace that reveals just how sexist (or not) any given work of fiction might be. To pass the Test, the movie must include at least two women, who have names in the film, and that have a conversation with each other about something other than a man. Over the years, there has been an increasing number of movies that pass the Bechdel test. Miramax Films Summit Entertainment Despite all the bitchy girl-on-girl crime that goes on though, at its heart this film is about female friendships and how complicated they can be. The Morning ShowOof this last season was a toughie (hello, news media + New York + #MeToo + Covid = messy! About something besides a man Movie list 2023 (5 movies) Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Infinity Pool Missing Pathaan Reflect 2022 (153 movies) The 355 A Fada do Lar A Man Called Otto The Adam Project All the old knives 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. Sounds simple, right? The Bechdel Test (BT), which checks for a rudimentary level of female-centricity in media, has elsewhere been covered thoroughly for movies, with a crowd-sourced manual approach, but not, to my knowledge, for television, except at a high level or in very selected cases. This is straightforward, as the transcripts contain scene indicators, usually. Needless to say, a lot of superhero movies fail the test. Rachel Weber is the US Managing Editor of GamesRadar+ and lives in Brooklyn, New York. 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. Although there is some discussion about the beauty of Chris Hemsworths character at some points - and how ditzy he is. By providing the information below you will receive early-bird invitations to our events, exclusive musings tailored to your interests, and access to our curated mentorship program. It could be about dog poo. Atomic BlondeYes, please give us more Charlize Theron! The Bechdel Test -- created by Alison Bechdel in her 1985 comic, "Dykes to Watch Out For" -- is a well-known measurement of gender bias in movies. 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. More. Most are finally passing the Bechdel test, aka a test that analyzes a scene where two or more women talk about anything else other than men. Remember the test was originally invented to help lesbians find movies theyd like. How it passes: Brilliantly, theres not a romantic relationship in sight in Ghostbusters. Yes, but her relationship with French agent Lasalle is significantly more interesting. As the first woman to become pregnant in years, she carries an extremely precious cargo and faces danger on all sides. The rise in the overall number is due to increases in the percentages of women working as executive producers and producers. How it passes: Its true that Frozen (opens in new tab) only has two named female characters, but the movie is literally about them and their relationship to each other. Seriously, George, why is the whole galaxy a sausage fest? As with previous Ghostbusters movies, the busters are tracking down some ghosts who are wreaking havoc in New York. Some of the most popular films of all time fail The Bechdel Test, and often for reasons you may have never considered. She is complicated and shes funnier than most (all?) In one installment of her comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, one character informs the other that she will only go to see films in theaters that have adequate female representation. In 1985, American cartoonist Alison Bechdel. 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. Director: Sarah Polley | Stars: Michael Polley, John Buchan, Mark Polley, Joanna Polley. How it passes: This ones obvious. Most people probably werent as mindful of the cringe-worthy storylines, one-dimensional characters, and lack of diversity that was, unfortunately, part of the norm before the early 2000s. As the title lets on, Dead to Me isnt a light-hearted show. Sam Loveridge. Padme speaks to Shmi Skywalker in Episode I and to her handmaidens at various points in Episode II, and in both cases, they discuss things other than men. 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! 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. One of the biggest movies of the 21st century features no dialogue between two named female characters. Omit "The" from search term for best results. You can obtain a copy of the "Glitch". Girls TripGirls Trip is everything. Shes not like those other girls because shes basically one of the guys. Some deviations from reality were for humor; some were for drama. Despite having an array of fierce and funny female characters, the last movie of the Harry Potter installments disappointingly doesn't feature a single conversation between the women. There are only three named female characters in the original trilogy with speaking roles Princess Leia, Aunt Beru, and Mon Mothma, one of the leaders of the Rebel Alliance. 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. Sutton, Kat, and Jane are rising HBICs (aka head bitches in charge) in their industries. 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. How is that hard to write? Congratulations to Fast & Furious 7: Furious 7 for becoming the fifth movie in Big Stupid Movie Month to pass the Bechdel test. The Bechdel test is a simple test to evaluate films (and other media) for portrayals of women. 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. 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. To join our community, just fill out the form below. But the show is very, very real. Paramount Pictures Have you ever had someone comfort you after a break up by saying "There's plenty more fish in the sea?". So if you want to watch a TV show that passes the Bechdel test and shows the full picture of what it means to be a woman, try turning on one of these TV shows about female friendship below. (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.). To identify female characters, I manually selected names from the list of all speaking characters in the dataset, including both major and minor characters, but excluding unnamed characters like Waitress. 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.