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To an extent. :-)
I disagree that Zach got a free pass from fans. I don't know what correspondence you may have gotten, but I know that I and many others were extremely upset that Zach was involved in Spawngate. Fans DID call out of character writing for BOTH Bianca and Zach.
I do agree that if you happen to like Zach more than Bianca, you're going to be willing to overlook his flaws more easily than her's, but the reverse is true as well. I've seen some fans completely excuse Bianca's actions and even say, "Kendall deserved it."
As for Reese, why would we say it's the writing for her? We don't know this character at all so we're only going by what we see and what AMC has presented to us is a weak, whiney, clingy, selfish character. That may not have been their intention, but it's how she comes across and remember, Reese so proudly declared to everyone many times it was SHE who convinced Zach to donate.
Another thing I have to disagree with you is the comment about holding the soaps responsible for the treatment of women just because we're willing to let a male character's actions slide. I don't believe that's true. I do think many, many, many viewers have been screaming long and loud for years about the treatment of women on soaps, but the shows and the networks simply don't listen and it's got nothing to do with letting a male character's actions slide. I know the audience has been screaming about Ryan's behavior, yet the show constantly let's him get away with everything. Ryan is never held accountable for ONE thing and when a character does step up and call him on his actions, something bad usually happens to that character or he/she is a villain to begin with (I'm thinking David Hayward as an example). This abusive, violent jerk is actually called a hero by the show AND the network! Now with upcoming spoilers, Ryan, to me, is going to be even more repugnant and AMC just sinks lower into a cesspole of abusing women.
To blame the audience for what is simply a lack of respect for women that's shown by the soaps' producers and writers and the networks is misplaced. The audience DOES complain and tries to make itself heard, but shows and networks, and yes, the magazines too sometimes, simply don't listen. But what can we expect when an executive producer like Julie Hanan Carruthers blames the AUDIENCE for "re-writing" things such as Reese's pursuit of Zach or when a head writer like Charles Pratt decimates every female character, if he even writes for them, and has quotes like,
The story concerning the baby, Binks & Zach was so far off. It made no since & should have been a short story as a nightmare for Kendall if it HAD to be a story. The whole thing was so far out for both personalities for both Zach & Binks, it just made no since. It is a shame that this & other things have been done to this show, these wonderful actors & those of us who have watched for many, many years.
Quote:Hey, Birdie! Thanks for reading!The shows and networks obviously hold a large portion of the culpability when it comes to how women are written, and regular readers of my column know that I don't hesitate to call them to the carpet for it.However, I do think it's important to recognize that a portion of the viewing audience often displays misogynistic traits as well, and that a lot of hero worship occurs where it shouldn't, thus continuing to perpetuate writing that's detrimental to women. Sure, Ryan may be criticized on the Internet in some forums you frequent, but he's hugely, hugely popular offline. Ditto for Zach. Both of them, along with the Todds, the Lukes, and the Sonnys, of the soap world are held up as a romantic ideal by thousands of women -- even when they do unforgivable things. I agree that there's always going to be a portion of the audience, whether knowingly or not, who does have the same misogynistic attitude that you're talking about. I don't know if it's as widespread as you may think. I simply don't know. But why don't the soaps and the network try to bring themselves into at least the 1990s? Soaps are losing their viewers. Obviously what they're doing is NOT working.Mala for years, YEARS!, I've written to not only your magazine, but your competitor and sister magazines as well regarding this treatment of women from AMC (and I only watch AMC which is why I'm focusing on them), especially about Ryan and yet, nothing is ever published on that. Recently, I'm starting to see all the mags be a little more critical. I don't know if it was a management issue or what, but prior to that, I saw a lot more criticism in magazines for the female character actions than for the male character actions. I'm not pointing fingers at you, Mala, but it was an atittude that was present. Again, I'm going to focus on Ryan because he's been so obviously promoted as a "hero" by the show and network. For goodness sakes! This is a man who raised his fist at his pregnant wife! He's a hero? And after reading Cameron Mathison's interview in the recent SOD issue, I'm finding his character even more distasteful, yet he's pushed by ABC and AMC as this terrific guy. Why??? I'm not saying Zach is being portrayed any better, but at least I get the sense the show is saying Zach isn't acting wonderfully nor are his actions excused. But Ryan definitely seems to be given a pass.How can we get the networks and shows to sit up and listen? I've written endless letters, yet it seems to do no good.Any advice Mala?
You know I would agree with you except that Ryan has taking a different, selfish turn that he didn
Quote:. Sure, Ryan may be criticized on the Internet in some forums you frequent, but he's hugely, hugely popular offline. Ditto for Zach. ]. With all due respect, I don't agree with that statement at all. I think Cameron Mathison is hugely popular offline but I don't think Ryan Lavery is popular anywhere. And I don't see the comparison with Ryan and Zach..I really don't. Zach and Ryan are certainly not without fault but Zach as a rule usually stands up and takes his penance like a man, while Ryan has spent his entire life blaming others for what he does himself. I am perfectly happy to blame the writing for 95% of this mess and so I can give the characters a pass at times. I can't excuse Reese because Reese was created by these writers so this is the character they created..so i hate what I get.
I know that I had (have) major problems with Zach's actions and have called him out on them since October when the Gabrielle story first broke. I also have major problems with Bianca and with Reese. I have no problem passing blame around to those characters who deserve it, regardless of gender, and I think most viewers did as well, since this is one heck of an unpopular storyline, and I think SOW knows that only too well from the amount of mail it's received on the subject.If I went more lenient on Zach by thismuch, compared to Bianca or Reese, it's because I am a Zach and Kendall fan, first and foremost, and because I want the couple to make it through this horrific storyline. It wasn't because I was lost in Zach's eyes, or thought his Red Wings shirts were great. I had to find a way to live with what Zach's done if I'm going to support the couple that he's half of, and despite what I keep thinking is AMC's best efforts to turn the audience off of Zach and Kendall, I'm sticking it out. I've never been that invested in Bianca's relationship with Kendall, but I didn't want to see their sisterly bond destroyed over this story. Still, I am one step closer to forgiving Zach than I am to forgiving Bianca because the Zach and Kendall relationship means something to me, more than Bianca's relationship with Kendall. That should make sense, especially when you consider that Bianca is not a fulltime resident of Pine Valley, while Zach is, and that I've spent a few years now being invested in the Slaters' first marriage, divorce, second marriage, and the 101 obstacles they've faced since they last exchanged vows.I am hoping that Zach will apologize to Kendall even more than he has already for what he's done and that he'll be more sensitive to Kendall. But I've given Zach more leeway for the sole reason that I need Zach and Kendall to exist on AMC if I'm going to keep watching, and I don't think that makes me misogynistic or vapid because I made that choice. It makes me committed to a couple, and a loyal AMC viewer, despite very, very, very bad writing.
Quote: If I went more lenient on Zach by thismuch, compared to Bianca or Reese, it's because I am a Zach and Kendall fan, first and foremost, and because I want the couple to make it through this horrific storyline. It wasn't because I was lost in Zach's eyes, or thought his Red Wings shirts were great......or because I am misogynistic or vapid because I made that choice. It makes me committed to a couple, and a loyal AMC viewer, despite very, very, very bad writing.
I will take that a step further. I am more sympathic to Zach is this situation no matter how I look at it. And the way I see it, there are only two ways to look at it..you blame the writers or you blame the characters.
If I am here to blame the writers, I can blame Pratt for writing something that makes previous writers look like liars. If they want me to believe what is written, then they have to be consistent. If Zach supposedly went behind Kendall's back as Pratt has indicated, then he would not have been spouting about not keeping secrets last April. Those famous words.."what have secrets ever done for us, Kendall" were spoken at the same time of this baby nonsense. I may not always agree with what Zach has done over the years but he has never been a hypocrit..he has taken responsibility for everything when asked, no excuses..the blackout, Madden, whatever.. he is not a liar.
It's just incredibly bad writing and as a viewer of gazillion years, I deserve better. If you expect the viewers to buy what the writers are shoveling, they can;'t say "red" and then change it to "green" and expect me to believe it so Zach gets a pass from me because it makes little sense.
But if I am to blame the characters, I am sure as hell going to blame Bianca and Reese more than I am going to blame Zach. No, no one twiisted his arm and forced him to use the turkey baster. But I am sorry, Zach had the year from hell. Spike and Ian almost lost their lives in a horrific accident... ..his stepson was found to be deaf, his wife couldn't cope, she went off the deep end and almost went to jail, he was run over by a nut case, locked in a hole for almost two months, almost died, came home and learned his wife had sex with Aidan when he was in the hole.
In this frame of mind, Bianca and Reese approach him to make a life altering decision? On what planet would two women who have NO reason to rush into having a baby at that minute even consider putting any more on the plate of this man who was still recovering from his traumatic year??
So he made a poor decision. Sure I am upset that he agreed, but I am furious that he was even asked!!!! And that Bianca would put both Zach and Kendall in that position..for what? To have a baby with someone she just met? And to jeopardize the trust that Kendall and Zach have trusted over the years..
Bianca said she loved Zach and Kendall. Oh really? At least Zach's mistake was to help someone he cared about. Bianca's mistake was to help herself. That to me is 100X worse and the fact that I put more of the blame on her has nothing to do with the fact that I think TK is cute or he has nice eyes. It is because Bianca and Reese are takers...period...and when I look in them deep down, I see two selfish women.
Great post, Kathy. I won't expand on it because you have said it so well.BTW, I do not believe Ryan is popular anymore either. There are other ways to judge beside the internet boards and I have seen them. Cam is popular yes, but not Ryan
Quote: To blame the audience for what is simply a lack of respect for women that's shown by the soaps' producers and writers and the networks is misplaced. The audience DOES complain and tries to make itself heard, but shows and networks, and yes, the magazines too sometimes, simply don't listen. But what can we expect when an executive producer like Julie Hanan Carruthers blames the AUDIENCE for "re-writing" things such as Reese's pursuit of Zach or when a head writer like Charles Pratt decimates every female character, if he even writes for them, and has quotes like,
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Hey, Birdie! Thanks for reading!
The shows and networks obviously hold a large portion of the culpability when it comes to how women are written, and regular readers of my column know that I don't hesitate to call them to the carpet for it.
However, I do think it's important to recognize that a portion of the viewing audience often displays misogynistic traits as well, and that a lot of hero worship occurs where it shouldn't, thus continuing to perpetuate writing that's detrimental to women. Sure, Ryan may be criticized on the Internet in some forums you frequent, but he's hugely, hugely popular offline. Ditto for Zach. Both of them, along with the Todds, the Lukes, and the Sonnys, of the soap world are held up as a romantic ideal by thousands of women -- even when they do unforgivable things.