How it passes: Dont let the name fool you, Children of Men (opens in new tab) passes the Bechdel Test with flying colours. 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! *WaitShore Leave has two women on the planet at the same time. 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. Id guess most Orange is the New Black episodes would fail. Now, thats not to say that theyre all friends or even that their relationships are all healthy. Emma Stone chills, sings, dances and colour-coordinates her outfits with her three gal pals, buuuut the friends themselves are never named. All Posts; The Rundown; Entertainment News . How it passes: Brilliantly, theres not a romantic relationship in sight in Ghostbusters. They discuss many different topics through the film, including the trajectory of their lives after graduating high school, but rarely men. 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. Or if they did have semi-important male characters, but the only topics of conversation they had were about the women in their lives? 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. If you need a reminder of how strong women are, then turn on Glow. 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. note Additionally. When Issa speaks to herself in the mirror. although I'm pretty sure Megillat Esther does not pass the Bechdel Test), the . Probably because, well, just have a look at this article to see who sits behind the camera. 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. No females speak to each other in thatone.). New Line Cinema. To pass, a movie must have two named women converse about something other than a man. No, its not a T.V cooking show where Mary Berry judgesthe bestbechamel sauce for a lasagna, although that does sound like delicious competition Id wana be a judge on. The comic strip that popularized the test was titled "The Rule," and it says that to pass the test the movie must have three things. 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. Answer (1 of 3): Disclaimer: I love Firefly. While there are two female characters, Snow White and the Evil Queen, the latter is not given a name in the film. Does she have an interesting relationship with McAvoy? Thank goodness theres one more season to go. Gomer Pyle, Sgt. 3) About something other than a man. The show is set in the world of 80s womens wrestling and follows an out-of-work actress who decides to achieve fame by wrestling. Considering the fact that the entire population of New Zealand is in these movies, it kinda seems statistically impossible. This is straightforward, as the transcripts contain scene indicators, usually. Thats what makes it unique. This show will be missed. For example, the archive has almost 120 films passing for 2019 out of those couple hundred that were added. 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. Advertisement How to. Was it perfect? Have you ever had someone comfort you after a break up by saying "There's plenty more fish in the sea?". 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. Rate. The TV shows that have captivated audiences in lockdown include Unorthodox, Normal People, Killing Eve and I May Destroy You. People tend to have strong feelings about the Lena Dunham-created comedy. The best movies that pass the Bechdel Test are female-positive and great watches in their own right. We are now operating in a virtual space, but we can still honor and name the physical spaces we all inhabit. Shes got a bit of a grudge. Lauren OCallaghan. 2. Who talk to each other. Employment is overrated. Hilary Duff? Here's 10 from the past 25 year that may surprise you. Shes brilliant and weird and is really really good at choosing great roles. 11 The Imitation Game Based on the 1982 biography Alan Turning:. Some Western animated shows would fail a reverse. Rick coaches him to tell a story that passes the Bechdel Test, providing a succinct explanation: "Two women, they both have to have names, and talk to each other about something other than a. While reading a critical review of a popular show which noted that it didn't pass the Bechdel Test, it occurred to me, a long time fan of Hannibal I assume Yeoman Rand and Sulu dont count. submissions or preferences. Girls TripGirls Trip is everything. The Wheel of TimeIn a rare turn of events, we have one of two fantasy series on the list! The movie: In this particular post-apocalyptic world, children are sent to battle to the death on TV. The data Im using are the same as introduced in this previous post: episodes transcripts for most episodes of seven major sitcoms from the last 30 years. Content copyright Journal Media Ltd. 2023 Registered in Dublin, registration number: News images provided by Press Association How to use Bechdel Test in a sentence. In fact it can be pretty spectacular, especially when youre hanging out with other women! 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. Issa Rae embodies all of these qualities in her character, Issa. 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. (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.). 5. Lauren OCallaghan. 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. 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? 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. 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. Theyre the kind of friends you can share all your embarrassing moments with because theyve seen (and done) it all. Killing EveVillanelle and Eve are the two stars of this thriller series and have a relationship like weve never seen before. The film follows three different possible outcomes for her actions and explores her relationships and interactions with the people and the world aroundher. Were trying to be conscious of not just meeting this bar. These 11 iconic films, including "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" and "Mean Girls," pass with flying colors. At the time, hardly any films could pass it, and many forms of media still struggle to pass it today. It doesn't hurt that Rapunzel gets to do her fair share of saving the day. None of the women in the movie ever talk to each other. Its 2019, high time to get all underrepresented groups in significant numbers behind and in front of the camera! Others such as Bridgerton, The Nevers, and Yellowjackets make the list, too. Theres maybe 3.5 major female characters (Skyler, Marie, Lydia who came in late, arguably Andrea) and they rarely talk to each other. Users are reminded that they are fully responsible for their own 2020, however, has already been a promising year for Bechdel Test-passing hits. Some of the most popular films of all time fail The Bechdel Test, and often for reasons you may have never considered. And as a sidenote, can we just say, basically anything that Laura Dern does is freaking gold. Grace and FrankieHow often do we get to see older women rise up against adversity with a whole lot of laughter and a whole lot of love? Stay tuned by signing up for our newsletter! 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's only two named female characters in the whole of the 2008 Oscar winner of Best Picture: Jamal's mother (who dies early on), and Jamal's love interest. It gets uncomfortable at times, but their stellar performances keep us glued. So, what is the Bechdel Test? The Bechdel Test is a measure of gender bias in movies. If youve never seen Workin Moms, stop what youre doing right now, open Netflix, and cue up an episode ASAP. 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. I think it's a show that has great female characters. Anyone else feel like going for a little drive? Black Widow, the two characters never interact to have a conversation. Neither speak to each other or ever meet. Toy Story is such a beloved film to so many, but it unfortunately doesn't pass the test. Are there any TV shows that fail the Bechdel Test. Shes also right pretty much all of the time and her male captains need to listen to her more often. And its been surprisingly challenging for movies and TV shows to pass this basic test. I havent sat down to do a critical analysis or anything, but I bet 95% of Breaking Bad episodes would fail the test. The Good FightWe were fans of The Good Wife, and when The Good Fight aired, we were excited to see some of our favorite characters back and connecting with each other in fascinating and exciting ways. The Bechdel Test, also known as Mo Movie Measure and The Bechdel-Wallace Test, is a method used in media criticism to gauge the degree of representation and development of female characters within a work of fiction, and therefore, any gender bias against women that may be present in it. 6 'The Social Network'. (Though it should be called the Bechdel-Wallace test, according to the lesbian cartoonist Alison Bechdel, who helped create it.) This Canadian-made comedy about friends navigating motherhood will have you laughing out loud. 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. Heres how it works. We are now operating in a virtual space, but we can still honor and name the physical spaces we all inhabit. Scandal: Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) spends her time cleaning up the scandals that could wrack Washington D.C. and its political elite. The best movies that pass the Bechdel Test are the ones that really, truly, pass with all the flying colors. Doesn't Lara need any friends? 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 . 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. The dramedy follows Issa, her best friend Molly, and their other girlfriends as they navigate life in Los Angeles. Directed by Amy Poehler, Moxie is an overt rebellion against the toxic patriarchal systems that are rife in youth culture. The Marvelous Mrs. MaiselYou must have been living under a rock if you havent heard of this one. Lers kick things off with a choice that surely wont disappoint. Her struggle with alcohol comes to a head and it was powerful to see how her friends supported her without enabling her. Disney Movies That Don't Pass the Bechdel Test Pinnochio Dumbo Bambi Lady and the Tramp The Sword in the Stone The Jungle Book The Fox and the Hound The Great Mouse Detective Oliver & Company Aladdin The Lion King A Goofy Movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame The only problem is that the conversation is about Jake, who, you probably noticed, is a man. Star Wars: The Last JediWhile Carrie Fisher has always been a strong female presence in the Star Wars series, The Last Jedi takes female interaction to a whole new level. 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. Cue epic action sequences, horrendously troublesome gameplay tactics, and even a little bit of romance. But it easily passed the Bechdel test, focusing on their badass careers saving an entire CITY and their friendships. Well, surprisingly hard to manage it seems, with up to 50% of films failing the test. del test/n. New York? Over the years, there has been an increasing number of movies that pass the Bechdel test. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Omit "The" from search term for best results. 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. But what makes this show pass the Bechdel test so handily is her relationship with her manager played by the brilliant Alex Borstein (she is everything). Definitely not. Her best friend and coworkers are there for her, even at her lowest. 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. Should it be dismissed entirely? Honestly, if you dont know this, then I hope that 35-year coma was really peaceful andlovely. 20th Century Fox Alright, now were heading into the darker category. 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. 5. Friends performs the best on the BT, and passes the full test in almost every episode. 2.3 OTHER DIVERSITY TESTS The Bechdel Test asks three key questions about a movie's female characters. It doesnt matter what age you are or if you have kids or not, because its that good. We love this list and think many of them go farther than just passing the Bechdel test. We think its time to go beyond it. Its just something that makes you think how few fully developed female characters there are. 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 6 May 2022 The best movies. How it passes: The Hunger Games (opens in new tab) actually passes the Bechdel Test in the very first scene. This test, put forth by cartoonist Alison Bechdel in a comic strip from 1985, posits . The information needed to compute the BT for every scene and episode can be obtained from these transcripts with only a little further work. Go ahead and watch a few episodes while at work. To search the database, enter a search term below. Wikipedia says that Ms. Bechdel prefers the name "Bechdel-Wallace test". While Im pretty sure their husbands/boyfriends back home, and the 4077s doctors did come up, it was mostly about Margaret. Growing up, TV was mostly used as a way to entertain oneself. The characters must talk about something other than a male character. They might as well be talking to themselves (or, more likely, the audience). Toy Story 1 & 2. InsecureThe real love between Issa and Molly gives us all the feels like all of them. 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. 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. 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. Cinderella. Holdo a total, er, force (RIP). And by god, is she an unforgettable one. Cartoonist and graphic novelistAlison Bechdel came up with a test when she was younger that a movie had to have: For her to see the movie, it had to pass these three standards, and this test was first featured in her 1985 column Dykes to Watch Out For.. 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. These movies also happen to be very female-positive overall too. She later also attributed the idea to her friend Liz Wallace and to Virginia Woolfs writings. 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. Its authentic to life, and theyre all trying to make their way in New York. 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. 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. 1. Its about a group of young gay men in San Francisco and the only named female character is Doris. Imagine how tedious it would be if half of all of the films you watched never had any men who were important enough to be named in them? 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. The titular named Lara is the only named female in this movie. 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. Summit Entertainment. 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. There are braces, acne, and lots of humiliating moments. The squads a little more preoccupied with ghost bustin than affairs of the heart, and casually saving the world from an evil menace. YAS! The Bechdel Test is a metric used for measuring how women are represented in a given film. 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You can see most of the code used for this and the previous post here. Now its up to Elsa to find her and help her get control of her powers so she can unfreeze their home. Its not always pretty, but its a true representation of female relationships. The Morning ShowOof this last season was a toughie (hello, news media + New York + #MeToo + Covid = messy! 1. unless otherwise stated. Here are our favorites!