Sexual harassment? never heard of it.

but many productive lines of analysis could be opened up if it were possible to operate outside the the theological constraint that men and women are, or at least should be, the same in every way that matters.

Hey, Rebecca, I can't remember when I have had more wonderful Mondays than this past July and August. Strong, middle aged amazing women with flaws have had kick-ass roles backed by interesting males with flaws as well. The writing has been mostly great! You do have to pay attention or you miss something hysterically funny or profound!

The stuff you are talking about for fall doesn't interest me one iota! I want strong female and male charactors who are real and facing life's real problems from the top or from the bottom. I don't need fantasy, I crave real drama and studies of reality. I want to see the old, middle aged and young drag themselves through life and try to get it right this time or the next time.

I want some maturity, people mostly dressed, less mindless sex and violence and more relationships. I am sick to death of superficiality. I think my new venue for entertainment will be mostly cable. I seldom watch network anyhow. May have to wait until next July since summer is their time to blossom.

I also want fewer commercials that interrupt the flow, even if the remaining commercials have to be longer and more actors of a certain age starring in quality vehicles on cable dramas. Men seem to show up but women are but in the freezer when a wrinkle appears. PLEASE put these women to work. They are a blessing!!!

Jodie Foster plays The Punisher in

The Brave One (2007)

Tagline: How many wrongs to make it right?

Plot Outline: A woman struggles to recover from a brutal attack by setting out on a mission for revenge.

Except I'd watch this one (if it were free).

...where are the Black women? Oh, I remember, we're somebody's friend, right?

See my reaction in the column, stage left.

Men are evil, hate women, adolescents and the patriarchyal TV writers are oppressing women through their scripts. Yawn.

Or there's the Occam's Razor approach

Many many TV writers, male and female are finding some common themes: men are abused, men are different, and yet, it is okay to bash men.

Which approach will Rebecca Traister take? Conspiracy Theory, or Occam's Razor finding common themes with an element of truth?

Well, never let it be said that Traister was afraid to confront the harsh reality of a Conspiracy Theory. It's the rest of us cowards that insist on Occam's Razor.

The truth? We can't handle the truth!

Thank you Colonel Jessup Traister.

Leave it to broadsheet to be all smug about this TV stuff.

OK that's TV - how about reality? It takes more than just "female empowerment" shows that sell, to make real strides in where it *really* matters.

It shouldn't be solely about shows with women in power. It should shows that feature PEOPLE in power, bringing both sides to the table, not just focusing on one thing.

What about the minorities? What about seeing more Blacks, more Hispanics, more under-represented groups into positions of power? Shouldn't be just about women.

women never had it as bad as men are going to have it. In the past, even a non working, non voting woman had some value to men and to society. These men have NOTHING-- no vagina to make value, no unique male traits to barter with, no more esteem.

Enter: a perfect society where the puffed up liars and players are the only ones who win. Women's idea of 'equal' is extremely disingenuous-- no wonder the bitterness quotient keeps rising between the sexes. If women cared at all about men and mankind, they would stop lying and begin to figure out what value men have to them and act on exacting real change.

completely man hating smug attitude extremely offensive. It shows in every sentence of this article.

Contemporary movies (particularly comedies) are dominated by guy stories and fanboy "knock up gorgeous blonde and she'll marry me" fantasies. As well, they are written mostly by men (and young ones at that) who not only resent having to understand women, but don't even want to halfway try. What "women's movies" that are out there are usually patronizing, condescending, reek of "famblee values uber alles" or "view" like the writers have never met real women in their lives. If TV provides a balance to that crap--and fantasies one doesn't have to grit one's teeth to sit through--what's the problem?

Since the assumption that men were "totally in charge" and now just "have to share" is the abslute and total relevant truth of the situation past and present then any analysis must be based on that premise and must not conflict with it. Therefore if men are not "sharing nicely" then it has to be a conspiracy to remain "totally in charge" and when it is obvious, such as in this case, that there is no capacity to conspire to do anything then the situation is just inexplicable (or is evidence of innate defectiveness).

I wonder who the target audiance is for most of the shows Traister describes?

From my own group of 30 something friends only the wives/girlfriends are plugged into standard pop culture. We guys just check out of the whole debate, by finding other entertainment options. The few television shows that are mentioned from time to time are mostly on Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, or Discovery.

It doesn't surprise me that few (any?) of the TV week articals are writen by men. Network television is not even on the radar for all the guys I personally know.

So to the (mostly) women who are busy teasing out the BIG MEANING behind all this, enjoy. Have at it. Meanwhile I'd rather discover how humans figured out that the Universe is 13.7 billion years old by watching the history channel.

I'd be uncomfortable with a lot of these shows. Not only because of what sounds like a lot of awful male characters but that the females don't sound much better. I mean, walking in on someone in the toilet isn't a symbol of 'empowerment', it's just rude. And if my husband carried on like a pork chop just because I might earn more money than him there's no way he'd get anywhere near my goodies once it was all revealed to be a 'misunderstanding'. Geez, sack up son. If you're that insecure there's no way I want your genetic material anywhere near me.

It's stuff like this that makes feminism look bad because there never can be a middle ground, it's always overly submissive doormat or prickly, ball busting harridan.