The show “No tomorrow” is well-balanced in relation with gender representation. We have almost the same number of men and women representing different roles through the show, although women represent the majority of the main cast.

The company in which the story happens is lead by a women. Deirdre is the CEO of the company and one of the main characters of the show. Besides that, more women take important roles through the story. Working at the same company in which Deirdre is the CEO, other women represent important roles through the episodes. Besides the important functions that women represent in this company, the TV show revolves around Evie. She was about to get married, but decided to live a crazy adventure with an unknow man. The facts evolving her attitudes and the way that each episode is going to end up are based on her decisions of what to do about her live.

TV shows always try to please their audience. Thinking about it, I was wondering if the roles were switched, what would have happen? If Evie was the crazy guy and the guy was the one that left his wife to live an adventure with an unknow girl. Would society judge the guy the same way as the girl would if the roles were to be switched?The audience would be different, and different comments would come up. Trying to end with the portrayed gender representation, I think that TV shows should start approaching this matter differently. They should show the opposite of our society, they should end with genders portrayed, they should end with defined roles that you have to take. We should be free to represent whatever we want and not be predefined by our society. Looking up to achieve this result, TV shows can be an excellent way to enforce this idea.

Throughout the first season of Orange is the New Black, several arguments attached to larger cultural discussions arise. One aspect of the show that aids in its popularity is its representation of gender and race. Now, since the show takes place inside a women’s correctional facility, an overwhelming majority of the characters are female. However, this metric does not discount from the show’s diversity.

A glimpse of the show’s uneven gender distribution

A great example of the show’s ability to display its diversity can be seen through the actions that characters take to alter the course of the show’s plot. In fact, this dynamic appears throughout the entirety of the first season. For instance, in the sixth episode, The Chickening, a few female inmates take it upon themselves to hang a cross, that was made in the prison’s workshop, from the ceiling of the prison’s chapel. In this segment, the women are depicted as assertive, and this portrayal of female characters opposes the manner in which they are presented on shows with male protagonists. In the aforementioned scene, most of the characters were Caucasian, but the show frequently uses segments with other racial groups to steer the direction of the show. During the fifth episode, Imaginary Enemy, a particular focus is placed upon Ms. Claudette, a Haitian inmate. Throughout the episode, several flashbacks of Ms. Claudette are showcased to give further insight into her background. The flashbacks are also used to develop her presence, since she occupies a secondary role, so that she can partake in a larger conflict later in the episode.

Although the show mostly focuses on the female characters, it does highlight the roles of its few male characters. In most of the instances that the men are shown in, many of the decisions they make occur in response to those made by the female characters. This is demonstrated in segments where the guards order the inmates to repair the chapel’s ceiling after breaking it and lock down the prison to recover a tool stolen from the prison’s tool shed. Unlike the female characters in the show, there appears to be no diversity among its male figures. Most of the recurring males on the show are Caucasian, and males of other ethnic groups only appear in flashbacks. The lack of diversity among the men in the show is expected since the number of males that are depicted is fairly small.

The show’s main premise essentially establishes the gender ratio that is maintained throughout the first season and all subsequent ones. Because of the large disparity that exists between the number of male and female characters, the show attributes multiple mannerisms to female characters that would normally be viewed as uncharacteristic in television series with male protagonists. In sum, the combination of race and gender portrayals within the show help foster the central image of Orange is the New Black.

Jessica Jones episode 7

As the name implies, Jessica Jones is a show focused primarily on a female character. However the show focuses on a pretty evenly distributed spread of female/male characters. With about 11 main characters on the show, there are 6 female characters. With a pretty even distribution, the show tends to focus on the female characters, with Jessica Jones receiving the most screen time. Rarely, Jessica Jones is not shown in a scene, and when there are other characters in a scene, it is often Jessica Jones interacting with Trish Walker, her closest friend in the show.

Trish talking to Jessica.

Besides screen time, Jessica Jones puts female characters at the center of its focus regarding its plot. Usually, Jessica Jones makes most of the important decisions, and male characters often react to her decisions. Both some male and female characters exist on the outskirts of the show, but unconventionally more female characters drive the plot of the show. This is one of the main reasons I believe Jessica Jones is revolutionary for our time. It puts female characters at the center of its focus while it also uses a good proportion of male characters to add to its plot.

In regards to other representational axis, the show does great on representing other races. In the main cast, there are 2 African-American, 1 Asian-American, and 1 Latino-American characters 2 of which are female characters. However, some of these characters do not have important/impactful roles in the story. With regards to sexual orientation, there is 1 character in the main cast who is portrayed to be lesbian. The show does well with not hiding sexual orientation representation in the show. Although only 1 lesbian character exist, the show does not shy away at showing the character’s relationships with her female partners.

Finally, mental illness is a topic greatly covered by this TV show. With Jessica Jones herself battling through PTSD and depression, the show constantly tackles and deals with issues regarding mental illness. Actually, every episode in the entire season is about Jessica dealing with her past and overcoming her personal struggles.