According to . Dead To MeJen and Judy are complicated. Often, the two women must be named, prominent characters to meet the criteria. Thankfully, by Toy Story 3 Pixar had included a conversation between female characters that involved something other than men. Basically, theres a lot to talk about other than men. Avatar (2009) James Cameron's 2009 blockbuster movie does have strong feminist themes but fails the Test in one key aspect: its strong female leads Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and Dr. Grace Augustine . Your home for data science. According to the . This movie about the pressures and pleasures of family-life, will have you teary . Answer (1 of 3): Disclaimer: I love Firefly. Hidden FiguresThis top box office earner deserves every bit of its acclaim, and easily passes the Bechdel test. How it passes: The Hunger Games (opens in new tab) actually passes the Bechdel Test in the very first scene. Its much more about familial love and, you know, surviving. For a movie or TV show to pass the test, it has to feature at least two women talking to each other about a topic other than a man. Dobby and Sophie have several conversations with each other for example and theres multiple other examples. Seems simple enough, right? Please know that these are only a portion of the new television series passing the test. Its pass rate drops dramatically at steps 2 and 3. Lauren OCallaghan. The test has gained traction in recent years, but there's still some big-name films that don't meet the criteria. For a movie to pass The Bechdel Test, it must contain just one thing a scene in which two or more named female characters have a conversation (that is, back and forth dialogue) about anything at all besides men. The Bechdel test is the most popular tool for assessing female representation in film. She quips that the last film she was able to go see was Alien in 1979. Journal Media does not control and is not responsible for user created content, posts, comments, Sutton, Kat, and Jane are rising HBICs (aka head bitches in charge) in their industries. The twentysomething BFFs navigate life in New York City while getting into the most bizarre yet weirdly relatable situations. When Ive seen people discussing the Bechdel test with regard to television, theyre usually talking about individual episodes and not the series as a whole. . although I'm pretty sure Megillat Esther does not pass the Bechdel Test), the . 101 Dalmatians (rated G): The original 1961 animated version squeaks . The best movies that pass the Bechdel Test are female-positive and great watches in their own right. Growing up, TV was mostly used as a way to entertain oneself. 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. American supervillain. Marvel Studios She works closely with Abbey Whalen (Darby Stanchfield), and has numerous confrontations with First Lady (Bellamy Young). Zoe Delahunty-Light. Creators, writers, and stars Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle portray versions of themselves in the year 2000. TV shows tend to run far longer than movies and thus, most of them end up passing the Bechdel Test. Considering the fact that the entire population of New Zealand is in these movies, it kinda seems statistically impossible. 5. 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. Third, that conversation must be about something other than a man. 3) About something other than a man. But there's no back-and-forth dialogue that actually amounts to a conversation. 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. The movie: In this particular post-apocalyptic world, children are sent to battle to the death on TV. Emma Stone chills, sings, dances and colour-coordinates her outfits with her three gal pals, buuuut the friends themselves are never named. and TV shows. Having acquired hundreds of sitcom episode transcripts, I can apply the test programmatically to each episode of these . supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press It also crushed the Golden Globes in 2017. About something besides a man. 20th Century Fox. New Line Cinema. The Bechdel Test - Everything You Need To Know No Film School 116K subscribers Subscribe 150K views 4 years ago This video essay is part of the "Everything You Need to Know" series created. I dont think its really within the spirit of the test to count a brief conversation in a single episode of a TV series that ran for years as a pass. News images provided by Press Association While Im pretty sure their husbands/boyfriends back home, and the 4077s doctors did come up, it was mostly about Margaret. HelloGiggles.com is part of the Dotdash Meredith Beauty & Style Group. Some Western animated shows would fail a reverse. Lers kick things off with a choice that surely wont disappoint. Scared her people will turn on her, she runs away and loses emotional control plunging the Kingdom into an eternal winter. The best movies that pass the Bechdel Test are the ones that really, truly, pass with all the flying colors. The dramedy follows Issa, her best friend Molly, and their other girlfriends as they navigate life in Los Angeles. Red flags that you're dealing with a man-child. Heres how it works. It originated in a comic strip by Bechdel in 1985. HBOs teen show Euphoria shocked viewers with its extremely adult storylines. This Canadian-made comedy about friends navigating motherhood will have you laughing out loud. Movies that pass the Bechdel Test "Wonder Woman 1984" behind the scenes Courtesy Warner Bros. Movies that do pass the test include: "Kill Bill" Volumes 1 and 2 (2003-2004) "Frozen" (2013). It's commonly used as a commentary about the lack of female representation in Hollywood. 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. A lot of Hollywood films fail this test miserably and portray women in a sexist and unfair way. Fail. The Bechdel Test is a metric used for measuring how women are represented in a given film. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. Friends, Will and Grace, and Married With Children had more conversations between different gender characters than same gender. Plus, the entire film is about a young woman and her pregnancy (which could save the world), and the fact that the main character is a man is more incidental than anything else. The readers of Dykes to Watch Out For (where the test originated) probably love this show. Alison Brie's Ruth . Movies with female directors have higher Bechdel scores. Seinfeld, Frasier, and The Office have more male than female main characters, so inevitably there are many more male-male than female-female conversations. The squads a little more preoccupied with ghost bustin than affairs of the heart, and casually saving the world from an evil menace. The Bechdel Test is a simple test which names the following three criteria: (1) it has to have at least two women in it, who (2) who talk to each other, about (3) something besides a man. 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. And, apparently, successfully robbing banks is one of the things they can accomplish together. Alright, now were heading into the darker category. Are there any TV shows you can think of though that fail the Bechdel Test? 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. Yes, theres boy drama and girl drama (Kat identifies as bisexual), but the show isnt about romantic relationshipsits about friendships. They each have their own baggage which we learn about over time (and theres definitely more to unpack). Shes got a bit of a grudge. Women are not always these well-dressed, confident, and successful creatures; sometimes were just uncomfortable in our own skin. All Rights Reserved. Rise Together is key to creating greater opportunity by providing you with the support, knowledge, and community to break through barriers. 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. 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. I have compiled my ten movies and tv shows that have crushed the Bechdel test. For a movie to pass The Bechdel Test, it must contain just one thing - a. 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. 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. 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 It made history, being the first all-Black starring cast to cross the $100 million threshold at the box office. So real. Like Harry Potter, there are a few brief moments where female characters say a single line at each other, but they dont actually hold a conversationexcept in one scene, where Neytiri and her mother have a drawn out discussion. If so, then the very first episode aired passes. Remember the test was originally invented to help lesbians find movies theyd like. Here's 10 from the past 25 year that may surprise you. pic.twitter.com/rW4NDxMObf Seamus Ryan (@meanderingtripe) March 1, 2021 How it passes: This ones obvious. GamesRadar+ is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. (Lets ignore the fact that the alien was a walking penis-monster, as this was before the Xenomorphs had established sexes the Queens werent introduced until 1986sAliens.). Hilary Duff? The movie also includes Jess sister Pinky and a whole host of other named women on the football team, and besides that, the basic message of the movie is that women can do anything even become professional footballers. Gomer Pyle, Sgt. If you need a reminder of how strong women are, then turn on Glow. Needless to say, a lot of superhero movies fail the test. Anyone else feel like going for a little drive? posts, comments and submissions available. The measure sometimes is enhanced by adding that the two female characters be named in the film. Literally, it can be about anything but a man! A film that excavates layers of myth and memory to find the elusive truth at the core of a family of storytellers. The next plot explores further how male and female characters interacted in each shows episodes. The Legend of Korra might regularly fail both because of the ensemble, but later seasons have a majority female cast. Pen15 might give you flashbacks to being a preteen. We are now operating in a virtual space, but we can still honor and name the physical spaces we all inhabit. The singer reveals how grueling life was on the road. The Bechdel Test, Bechdel-Wallace Test, or the Mo Movie Measure [1], is a sort of litmus test for female presence in movies and TV. REVIEWS. The meaning of BECHDEL TEST is a set of criteria used as a test to evaluate a work of fiction (such as a film) on the basis of its inclusion and representation of female characters. The Bechdel (pronounced beck-dell) Test was first created in 1985 by cartoonist Allison Bechdel. For the most part, the shows that pass the Bechdel Test are shows about women who are devoted to their careers, Leslie Knope, Olivia Pope, Alicia Florrick. But even then, she doesnt really speak. note Additionally. So viewers would expect it to pass the Bechdel test with flying colors - and it does. Shes brilliant and weird and is really really good at choosing great roles. Holdo a total, er, force (RIP). 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. Please note that uses cookies to improve your experience and to provide Employment is overrated. 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. 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. 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. It is important to note that many fans refer to the queen as Queen Grimhilde, so she may in fact have a name. Why? Id guess most Orange is the New Black episodes would fail. Euphoria doesnt shy away from topics that would never have been included in a teen show ten years ago. Pixar's record in general is pretty poor. These movies also happen to be very female-positive overall too. 1. A Medium publication sharing concepts, ideas and codes. The information needed to compute the BT for every scene and episode can be obtained from these transcripts with only a little further work. Despite Lola being considered one of the most well-rounded female characters ever put to film, Run Lola Run still fails The Bechdel Test for one simple reason Lola never has a conversation with another female at any point in the movie. 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. This is a function of the number of main characters of each gender available to take part in storylines: in the extreme case of Will and Grace, if the characters were split into two pairs, the only combination that allows same-gender conversations is Will-Jack and Grace-Karen, whereas as the other two possible pairings involve different-gender conversations. Although there is some discussion about the beauty of Chris Hemsworths character at some points - and how ditzy he is. Thank you for subscribing to ENTITY. 95 percent of the characters are female, and they communicate with each other constantly throughout the series about non-male-centric topics. Rise Together is key to creating greater opportunity by providing you with the support, knowledge, and community to break through barriers. If you have a mixed ensemble cast its not unusual for it fail both the Bechdel test and the reverse Bechdel test because its rare for only the men or the women to have a conversation without talking about the opposite sex. The trilogy is over 10 hours long but Arwen (Liv Tyler), Eowyn (Miranda Otto) and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), all strong female characters, do not meet even once. The Bechdel Test, if you're not familiar with it, is a benchmark for movies developed by Alison Bechdel in 1985. This test is passed much more frequently: almost every episode of each show passes (blue plus purple, below): However, Friends, Will and Grace, and Married With Children do show some episodes that pass the BT but not the male version (orange). 1. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). It covers domestic violence, marriage hardships, and the misconception of perfection. 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. The test and its rules were first mentioned in Bechdel's 1985 comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For and has three (and later added four) simple rules: It also crushed the Golden Globes in 2017. Even shows that are deemed feminist sometimes dont pass the testand, frankly, its frustrating. Big Little LiesSpeaking of Laura Dern, lets talk about television for a moment. Cue epic action sequences, horrendously troublesome gameplay tactics, and even a little bit of romance. At this point in time, the SGO team is fully remote, and we are located across the United States. The percentage of women working as directors on the top 100 films retreated from 16% in 2020 to 12% in 2021. Despite being a children's animation company, only 25% of the characters in it are female, only 4 out of 14 Pixar films pass the Bechdel test, and Brave is the only movie to have a female protagonist. Eat Sleep Die (2012) Were ready for Season 6! She talks to her father, her boyfriend, the security guard at her fathers bankand not a single woman. Well, if you're looking for a female fish in the sea you'd be hard pressed to find one in Nemo's world. Mark Zuckerberg and his buddies spend two hours screwing over each other and everyone else around them in pursuit of Facebook billions, apparently in an attempt to prove that nerds cant havefriends. The Bechdel test is one of the most common ways that a movie or TV show's female representation can be judged. 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. Oh and hey, Meryl Streep is going to be in Season 2. 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. Should it be dismissed entirely? Registered office: 3rd floor, Latin Hall, Golden Lane, Dublin 8. 6 'The Social Network'. 6. We love this list and think many of them go farther than just passing the Bechdel test. Was it perfect? Its exciting to see them roll up with their emotional Away bags and yet be really nervous to unpack them in front of each other. A lot of episodes do pass, but not as many as youd think, and only barely. Fox Searchlight Pictures. Lauren OCallaghan. When Issa speaks to herself in the mirror. 3. 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. Because representation matters, and many of the people writing, directing, and producing are still majority men. New Line Cinema 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. YAS! 2022 Galvanized Media. GLOWThis Netflix series on its second season features a fictionalized account of how GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) came to be a cultural phenomenon in the 1980s. men. 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. On June 30th, 2008, Jennifer Kesler . A hobbit gets caught up in a huge war when he has to take a magic ring right to the bad guys front door. Okay, so, right, Atomic Blonde stars Theron as an MI6 agent who travels to Berlin as the wall is about to fall in order to retrieve a priceless dossier to take down an espionage ring. RELATED: 10 Best 2019 Movies That Passed The Bechdel Test, Ranked After witnessing a series of inappropriate events at school - none of which are taken seriously by the staff - Vivian . Leia and Rey have more agency than weve seen women have in previous movies, and one of our favorite scenes is when Laura Derns character (Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo) and other female soldiers were discussing their next military move. The three women talk about their work launching Project Mercury into space (ranging from aerospace engineering, to analytical geometry, to calculating trajectories, to phenomenally advanced maths), as well as about the professional obstacles in their way due to the prejudiced attitudes of their male, white co-workers. Overall, women accounted for 25% of those working in key behind-the-scenes roles (directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors, cinematographers) on the top 250 grossing films in 2021, up from 23% in 2020. As the title lets on, Dead to Me isnt a light-hearted show. Omit "The" from search term for best results. Don't get too bogged down in the requirements of the Bechdel Test test though because even if you're not sure what it means, every film on this list is a great movie in its own right, so you won't be disappointed. Women make up more than half of the population, but it seems that theres still a problem with representation in films and on television. This method probably fails to catch some cases where the topic of conversation was, broadly speaking, a male character, but a three-line sequence occurred without mentioning him by name or pronoun; but it seems too harsh to throw away the whole scene if a male is mentioned anywhere in the scene, since often scenes can involve multiple conversations between different groups of characters. Most any military-based show. 483623. Im not completely certain, but possibly the original Star Trek? 1. Definition Of Bechdel Test. The Bechdel Test is a way of evaluating the representation of women in film. Data scientist and former climate physicist, with special interest in politics and sports analytics, Having acquired hundreds of sitcom episode transcripts. Most of the cast is female. Women comprised 17% of directors working on the 250 top grossing films in 2021, down from 18% in 2020. 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. She is complicated and shes funnier than most (all?) Zoe Delahunty-Light. Each step was calculated by scene and aggregated to episode level. If you havent, then youre missing out on the creative genius that is Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson. Some of the most popular films of all time fail The Bechdel Test, and often for reasons you may have never considered. Yes, but her relationship with French agent Lasalle is significantly more interesting. A few years ago, we compiled a list of recent TV shows and movies that pass the Bechdel test and thought it was time to revisit this with a focus on TV we live in a golden age of television! Toy Story is such a beloved film to so many, but it unfortunately doesn't pass the test. For more information on cookies please refer to our cookies Content copyright Journal Media Ltd. 2023 Registered in Dublin, registration number: ), and there werent as many scenes that passed the Bechdel test in this season as there were in its first, but its absolutely still worth mentioning. This site uses cookies. A movie is typically no more than 2-3 hours long, while the complete run of a successful TV series could add up to over 100 hours. Heres an excerpt on research conducted on film and gender in 2021: After reaching historic highs in 2020, the percentages of women directing top grossing films declined in 2021. Of course, people watch movies for the simple pleasure that the story brings. Have we missed anything? There are also a handful of episodes that do not pass either test (grey). EEEP! You will have a very real assessment of how much screen time this element has. (Though it should be called the Bechdel-Wallace test, according to the lesbian cartoonist Alison Bechdel, who helped create it.) Books? Its a must watch! Killing EveVillanelle and Eve are the two stars of this thriller series and have a relationship like weve never seen before. Star Trek: DiscoveryThe latest addition to the Star Trek universe is soooo goooooood. One difference between what we found in our broader sample of 1,794 films released between 1970 and 2013 and the analysis at BechdelTest.com of about 5,000 films is that BechdelTest.com shows 56.