Example: A woman has only one minor female friend, all other characters are male. The Marvelous Mrs. MaiselYou must have been living under a rock if you havent heard of this one. Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini form an unlikely friendship over, well, the death of Applegates late husband. Although they spend a good portion of the film apart they still manage to have a many conversations about important things like their love for each other and saving their Kingdom from a perpetual winter. Theres glitter, spandex, and a lot of fighting. Some of the most popular films of all time fail The Bechdel Test, and often for reasons you may have never considered. 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. Couldn't have used all that time to write in a conversation between two female characters that wasn't Neytiri and her mother discussing Jake, about, I don't know - like the fact that their whole planet was under threat of being destroyed? It doesn't hurt that Rapunzel gets to do her fair share of saving the day. Rate. ), 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. 2022 Galvanized Media. On the list of TV shows I regularly watch, the only one I can . Holdo a total, er, force (RIP). Scandal: Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) spends her time cleaning up the scandals that could wrack Washington D.C. and its political elite. Here are ten television shows today that pass the Bechdel Test. policy. 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. It made history, being the first all-Black starring cast to cross the $100 million threshold at the box office. The Legend of Korra might regularly fail both because of the ensemble, but later seasons have a majority female cast. As the first woman to become pregnant in years, she carries an extremely precious cargo and faces danger on all sides. It originated in a comic strip by Bechdel in 1985. 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. Since an episode passing the test is usually achieved by one pair of speakers only, the results are sensitive to plot arcs in each season that affect who is present in the scenes and who the female regulars spend more time with, as indicated in the figure for the more recognisable cases. ABOUT. 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 . 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. Rise Together is key to creating greater opportunity by providing you with the support, knowledge, and community to break through barriers. But the show is very, very real. Directed by Amy Poehler, Moxie is an overt rebellion against the toxic patriarchal systems that are rife in youth culture. Pixar. They each have their own baggage which we learn about over time (and theres definitely more to unpack). Zoe Delahunty-Light. Dobby and Sophie have several conversations with each other for example and theres multiple other examples. However, since her name is never mentioned in the film, it fails the test. In a world where superhero movies reign supreme, it's hard to imagine any of them not passing the Bechdel Test. 20th Century Fox How it passes: Although we dont hear The Brides real name until about halfway through the second movie, her codename is enough to set her apart as a named character. The only problem is, theres another bridesmaid trying to muscle in on her territory. So real. How to use Bechdel Test in a sentence. Big Little Lies was produced by Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, two women who were sick of seeing women portrayed in a one-dimensional way. To pass the Bechdel test, a movie must follow three rules that are supposed to show if the story has a good representation of women. And so are five other '90s tattoo styles. We are now operating in a virtual space, but we can still honor and name the physical spaces we all inhabit. The only problem is that the conversation is about Jake, who, you probably noticed, is a man. 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. You were so very close, JamesCameron. TV shows tend to run far longer than movies and thus, most of them end up passing the Bechdel Test. The Bechdel test has three stipulations: two named women characters need to have a conversation about something other than a man. Another rule, that is sometimes included, is . Despite having two kickass female characters who are named, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) a.k.a. Women are not always these well-dressed, confident, and successful creatures; sometimes were just uncomfortable in our own skin. and TV shows. The film follows three different possible outcomes for her actions and explores her relationships and interactions with the people and the world aroundher. Her best friend and coworkers are there for her, even at her lowest. Seriously? Lauren OCallaghan. Next on the list is the 2010 biographical drama movie The Social Network which also doesn't pass the Bechdel test. Spoiler alert: Her secret doesnt stay a secret, and when her real age is revealed, she has to figure out how to repair broken relationships. Wikipedia says that Ms. Bechdel prefers the name "Bechdel-Wallace test". 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. The world has changed since the Bechdel-Wallace Test was created Hulu When The Bechdel-Wallace Test first appeared in 1985, the world was an entirely different place. According to the . Rachel Weber is the US Managing Editor of GamesRadar+ and lives in Brooklyn, New York. Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale, adapted from Margaret Atwood's critically acclaimed novel of the same name, does justice to the book which cannot be said about most TV/film adaptations out there. Books? 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. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Oh and hey, Meryl Streep is going to be in Season 2. TV shows tend to run far longer than movies and thus, most of them end up passing the Bechdel Test. The 25 best movies that pass the Bechdel Test with flying colors By Lauren O'Callaghan, Louise Blain, Zoe Delahunty-Light, Rachel Weber, Sam Loveridge last updated May 06, 2022 The best movies. The movie: Annies best friend is getting married so naturally shes Maid of Honor. But even then, she doesnt really speak. 10 Films and TV Shows that pass Bechdel's Test. Where this show shines with regard to the Bechdel test is her relationship with her first captain Philippa Georgiou, and then further on with Captain Tilly. About something besides a man. Why? 6. For example, the archive has almost 120 films passing for 2019 out of those couple hundred that were added. The information needed to compute the BT for every scene and episode can be obtained from these transcripts with only a little further work. The Bechdel Test is a type of sexism test in the bracket of films. The Bechdel Test is a test for whether a movie contains: Its commonly used as a commentary about the lack of female representation in Hollywood. Theres a 99% chance youve seen at least one episode of Broad City. The Bechdel Test is a metric used for measuring how women are represented in a given film. Did it miss the mark on some topics? Despite having three strong female characters in Arwen, Eowyn, and Galadriel, theyre all in completely different parts of Middle Earth and they never even meet, much less talk to each other. The Bechdel (pronounced beck-dell) Test was first created in 1985 by cartoonist Allison Bechdel. 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 Bechdel Test is a measure of gender bias in movies. Its not always pretty, but its a true representation of female relationships. But not dwelling on that, the show quite obviously passes the Bechdel Test, with a strong . Sam Loveridge. TV Show Recaps; TV Reviews; TV Lists; TV News & Trailers; TV Features; The L Word; The L Word: Generation Q; . By continuing to browse, you agree to the use of cookies. News images provided by Press Association 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. However, its not the case that these shows were full of male-male conversations without female involvement: as seen by the fact that no show lies below 0.8 on the y-axis, these shows had as many, or almost as many, male-female conversations, as male-male conversations. So, what is the Bechdel Test? We all play a part in creating a more equitable and just workplace and world. Beyond the central relationship between those two women, any time theres a moment between women features the show at its best. A scene fails this step if any of the three lines in the back-and-forth mention any of the main male characters by name, a male pronoun like he or his, or any of a short list of other male identifiers, such as men, boyfriend, dad, or mr. 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. I cant remember a landing party with more than one female. Needless to say, a lot of superhero movies fail the test. unless otherwise stated. Im trying to remember any women on McHales Navy. Heres how it works. But if females are in the story, theres no reason cant they be involved in at least one conversation with each other. Answer (1 of 3): Disclaimer: I love Firefly. 91 Metascore. Yes, please. 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). Hidden FiguresThis top box office earner deserves every bit of its acclaim, and easily passes the Bechdel test. Having a lot of lines between different gender characters makes it harder to pass the BT; from this perspective, it is better to concentrate the male characters in one storyline/scene, and the female characters in another. The best movies that pass the Bechdel Test are female-positive and great watches in their own right. How it passes: Dont let the name fool you, Children of Men (opens in new tab) passes the Bechdel Test with flying colours. Your home for data science. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, the critically-acclaimed reboot of the beloved 80s animated series, is a shining example of how to pass the Bechdel test. This movie about the pressures and pleasures of family-life, will have you teary . To join our community, just fill out the form below. The movie: The Bride is hellbent on - surprise surprise - killing Bill because he and his assassins tried to kill her and her unborn child many years ago. There are braces, acne, and lots of humiliating moments. We love this list and think many of them go farther than just passing the Bechdel test. Love and hate, fear and obsession, joy and anger, are all represented in their dance. Should it be dismissed entirely? Fox Searchlight Pictures. This evil stepmother figure in Disneys 1998 remake is finally receiving the appreciation she always deserved. A film that excavates layers of myth and memory to find the elusive truth at the core of a family of storytellers. To pass, the work simply has . This Canadian-made comedy about friends navigating motherhood will have you laughing out loud. 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. The Wheel of TimeIn a rare turn of events, we have one of two fantasy series on the list! The Bechdel test is named after Alison Bechdel who introduced the concept as part of her Dykes to Watch Out For comic series in 1985, but she attributes it to her friend Liz Wallace, who attributed it to Virginia Woolf. Alison Bechdel Has Amended the Bechdel Test Just for Fire Island The cartoonist chimed in on the fiery Twitter debate spurred by one user's claim that the gay rom-com Fire Island did not. More than that, all the women are fiercely strong and morally questionable, presenting a version of women not often seen in the cinema. She is complicated and shes funnier than most (all?) The Bechdel test is a simple test to evaluate films (and other media) for portrayals of women. And by god, is she an unforgettable one. The Bechdel test was designed by cartoonist Alison Bechdel in 1985. Have we missed anything? New Line Cinema Lauren OCallaghan. 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! 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. 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. 101 Dalmatians (rated G): The original 1961 animated version squeaks . PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1890 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie. Each of the 12 districts must send one boy and one girl into the fight, and our heroine, Katniss Everdeen, actually volunteers to be the female tribute for Sector 12, in place of her younger sister. The movie: In this particular post-apocalyptic world, children are sent to battle to the death on TV. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Its authentic to life, and theyre all trying to make their way in New York. Please know that these are only a portion of the new television series passing the test. The test is named after and . Go ahead and watch a few episodes while at work. services and Its about a group of young gay men in San Francisco and the only named female character is Doris. The test asks whether a film features at least two women talking to each other about something other than a man. Yes, Good Girls is about three women who find themselves caught in an organized crime ringyet its not that dark (except for a few scenes). . There must be two female characters in the scene. Stay tuned by signing up for our newsletter! The Bechdel Test is a simple test to see if a work of fiction passes the feminist [] Theyre flawed, complicated, and sometimes make horrible decisions. Shes brilliant and weird and is really really good at choosing great roles. The single episode with the most Nurse/Nurse interaction, they were basically spending the episode bitching about Maj. Hoolihan. Besides Friends, Will and Grace, and Married With Children, the other shows have a lopsided number of male characters, so are unlikely to be left without a male-male storyline. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Fantasies are notoriously male-dominated (Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, we see you!). Scared her people will turn on her, she runs away and loses emotional control plunging the Kingdom into an eternal winter. The View from the Window by Carina Paredes-Rivera. 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. TH3 RUNDOWN. Note: Your privacy is important to us, so please know that your information will always remain confidential! 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. This show might possibly be the highlight of 2017. ** Okay the first pilot actually has two women speak to each other. Beyond that, it paved the way for 2018's reboot, which does pass the Bechdel test, as star Alicia Vikander told Metro in 2016. Each step was calculated by scene and aggregated to episode level. The best part about Girls is that the characters arent that likable. 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. The actresses, who play characters of the same first names, started the show as a web series that was later picked up by Comedy Central. Seriously, George, why is the whole galaxy a sausage fest? 2.3 OTHER DIVERSITY TESTS An extra big kick in the nuts to Star Wars fans: The prequel trilogy actually passes the test (partially). The movie: Jess loves football, but she comes from an orthodox Sikh background, which means her traditional parents want her to give up playing and go to university, become a doctor, and marry a nice Indian boy. The movie: This dystopian movie paints a bleak picture of a future where humanity has lost the ability to reproduce. We've managed to find 25 of the best movies that pass the Bechdel Test. We can look at the results for each show, broken down by test step. This is straightforward, as the transcripts contain scene indicators, usually. Have you ever had someone comfort you after a break up by saying "There's plenty more fish in the sea?". 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. Others such as Bridgerton, The Nevers, and Yellowjackets make the list, too. 3) About something other than a man. Are there any TV shows that fail the Bechdel Test. How it passes: The Hunger Games (opens in new tab) actually passes the Bechdel Test in the very first scene. (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.). At a time when toxic masculinity is still very much alive and well, this entire show is a breath of fresh air. 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. 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. How it passes: Brilliantly, theres not a romantic relationship in sight in Ghostbusters. Failing the test doesnt mean the movies evil or anti-woman, or that passing makes it some sort of strongly feminist movie. Yes, theres boy drama and girl drama (Kat identifies as bisexual), but the show isnt about romantic relationshipsits about friendships. And its been surprisingly challenging for movies and TV shows to pass this basic test, even in our current golden age of media consumption. Get the best gaming deals, reviews, product advice, competitions, unmissable gaming news and more! Thankfully, by Toy Story 3 Pixar had included a conversation between female . 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! Lauren OCallaghan. And as a sidenote, can we just say, basically anything that Laura Dern does is freaking gold. Its clear that their relationships with each other, as well as with the larger community of human computers, gives them the support they use to succeed.