The “Alien” Female

On May 3, I’ll be joining the Mythgard Movie Club to talk about Ridley Scott’s classic sci-fi movie Alien. Here I share my thoughts on what the film means to me, especially when it comes to gender representation in cinema…

During the past few years, female fans have become increasingly vocal in their disappointment over the lack of female protagonists in science fiction and fantasy. To be honest, I initially found this somewhat puzzling – not because I didn’t want female action heroes, but because I thought we already had them. When I was growing up, the biggest pop culture franchises featured characters like Princess Leia and Sarah Connor, while Dana Scully, Xena, and Buffy dominated on the small screen. My favorite sci-fi action hero was (and still is) Ellen Ripley. 

“Jessica Jones” (Netflix)

As I prepare for Season 2 of Daredevil (March 18), I decided to go back and share my thoughts on Jessica Jones, Netflix’s other Marvel series. (originally posted on Legendarium Media)

Jessica Jones is Netflix’s second journey into the Marvel universe and has much in common with Daredevil. Both shows are set in Hell’s Kitchen, although the crossovers are for the most part minimal and subtle. Both shows feature heroes defined as much by their imperfections as by their superpowers. However, in some ways, Jessica Jones is the opposite of Daredevil, serving as a sort of mirror to its predecessor.