If I have any musical theater nerds out there, you should know the name, Alison Bechdel. For the Bechdel test, there are three parts.
1. Is there more than one named female in the media?
2. Do those two females have a conversation?
3. Is that conversation something other than about a man?
It is a litmus test to look at are we writing female characters that are not there to further a mans storyline. I have compiled my ten movies and tv shows that have crushed the Bechdel test.
Broad City created by Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson super modern and funny. Proving that women can handle wacky stoner comedy. Modern and fun that reminds of how I talk to my girlfriends.
The Favourite, really great if you're into period pieces. Olivia Colman won the Oscar for this one. I remember being so excited that I watched women being monstrous for two hours.
Orange Is The New Black. I'm not going to argue that this is a perfect show but as terms of representation, I think it's one of the best out there.
Mean Girls, such a funny movie. You have heard it quoted this movie. I love it because its something that every girl has dealt with. The cliques and the in-crowd in high school.
G.L.O.W. based on the actual Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. the costumes are fun and the humor is on point. it makes me want to be a wrestler. I love the empowering imagery and how the show changed the actor's perceptions of their own bodies.
Mad Max Fury Road. Maybe one of the first things that really brought the Bechdel Test to my attention in a genre where we usually don't get a lot of women.
Brave, Pixar can be a bit of a boys club. I think this movie was a really strong effort to move past that. The woman doesn't exist to be a love interest. After a childhood of Disney being made to get married and saved by a prince, it was good to see a movie where the focus was on the mother and daughter relationship.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Shout out to Tina Fey, super funny show starring Ellie Kemper. Wacky and off the wall and a really good example of letting women be funny and weird.
Derry Girls based in Derry Ireland in the 1990s where you have a squad of girls and all of the performances are really fresh and funny but the accents were so strong so I had to use the subtitles. I'm a sucker for a good girl squad. this is an underrated gem.
Parks and Recreation, Amy Poler. One of my feel-good show. it passes the test with almost every episode. A wonderful example of if you have a lot of women they can all be interesting, flawed, different, and funny. Such love of female relationships.
Let me know what you think. If you have one that is a better example of the Bechdel test let me know. You can watch the full video of the 10 films and tv shows that pass the Bechdel test below.