Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes) in FlashForward

If I could describe FlashForward in one word, it would be: AWESOME.  I had little knowledge of it except from glimpses on recent commercials.  My only thoughts were “Wow, where has Joseph Fiennes been all this time?” and “Wow, that’s such a flagrant plot device.”  However, after some good reviews I decided to give FlashForward a try.  It did not disappoint.

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Eastwick on ABC

Not all works of art and literature have to be feminist. Feminism itself is comprised of many different ideas and viewpoints, so even if you tried to create the “most feminist work evar,” you could never please everyone. As long as the female characters feel like real people, with hearts, minds, motivations and weaknesses, I can enjoy it. However, I take issue with works that wear a veneer of empowerment and girl power, but in the end serve up the same old stereotypical view of how men see women: that we’re fickle, emotional creatures who don’t know what we really want, who use our looks to manipulate but get offended when men judge us on our appearance, and who need a strong patriarch to survive in the world.

Eastwick is a major offender, not because it pushes these viewpoints, but because it pushes them as empowerment. You should be proud when a character releases her inhibitions and becomes a sexy, powerful woman, even when she’s abusing that power to steal from her boss. Putting your dignity up for auction is perfectly acceptable, as long it’s for a guy with a big dick so you and your girlfriends can fantasize about it in a girl power-y way. I have presented the evidence but readers beware: be ready for boobs, double entendres, drunkenness, and girls talking about sex! Because that’s what women like, right?

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