Producers, latched onto the contradictory notions of commodity feminism and used it as a basis and produced programs that reflected such notions as heavily influenced by advertisers. It’s use as a marketing tool will now be analysed through Charlie’s Angels will be discussed.
As referred to early, The Avengers (1961-1969), became extremely popular in the US. It was seen as selling foreign British ideologies abroad as well as earning profits. David Buxton terms such action genre as ‘pop series’ whereby emphasis is placed on focus style and design over content. In particular, the depiction of strong sexually challenging characters working within a ‘mans world’ led the path of female action genre. This became a typical format amongst the female action T.V series and extremely visual in Charlie’s Angels.
Charlie’s Angels was smartly programmed in relation to it’s Lifestyle Feminism concept. For example, In 1976 television viewing was dominated by adult women. At that time the head of programming at ABC was Fred Silverman, who reprogrammed the CBS daytime schedule and moved the network into the number one daytime position. Silverman, who was hired by ABC, saw the appeal of Charlie's Angels for female viewers, which generally held the highest percentage of adult female viewers and as a result moved the series to a prime-time slot (Higashi, 1980;28). Marketers of the show found that it was popular amongst young females. As a result the company designated a high budget for clothing, make-up and hair styling. The show, proved extremely popular to advertisers and as a result ABC was charging the highest rates ever at the time for a one minute commercial. Therefore the marketing strategy, and specifically the emphasis on the show’s image display’s the importance of style over content, in this case we can argue that producers at the time were more concerned with generating lucrative profits from advertisers rather than addressing feminist discourses.
In an explicit analysis of Charlie’s Angels, Cathy Swichtenberg (1981) advocates that the girls appearance was specifically focused upon. For example, once coming out of many of the fight scene’s, the girls appear with no scratch marks on their faces with their hair intact. Whereas in male action series such as, such as Starksy and Hutch present more ‘realistic’ versions of fight scenes where they often come out as ‘roughed up’ or with gushes of blood (Schwichtenberg, 1981, 13). Moreover Higashi highlights that action scenes in series such as Police Woman and Wonder Woman, were unconvincing and that more focus is placed on their body parts. This is illustrated through the opening credits of Police Woman whereby a camera is zoomed on Sergeant Pepper Anderson (Angie Dickonson), legs descending down the stairs. Likewise, Lynder Carter in Wonder Woman and her depiction as the Amazon Princess emphasises on her cleavage. This reinforces the concept of the objectification of the female body over her professional status, a process which is the basis of Commodity Feminism, thus illustrating that Lifestyle Feminism is illustrated through such action genre rather than true feminism itself.
Linked to this, in ‘Angel’s in Chains’ (ABC, 1976), Jill Manroe (Farah Fawkett) uses her sexuality as a means of capturing ‘docile’ villains, and would usually strip, Again reinforcing that the objectification of the female body used within Charlie’s Angels.
In relation to this, Dine and Humez (1995) argue that the male gaze identifies with the female protagonist as an object rather than a subject. Therefore women whilst watching television are seduced by the male point of view. They argue however that this is used for marketing purposes, ideology is produced through genre and that women interpret these images as a process of self reflection. They conclude that the reasons for this are not ultimately down to the men’s sexual desire to dominate women but that women become economic decisions made by men. Lorraine Gammon (1998) argues that common sense assumptions are used to formulate such imagery of femininity and feminism on television, however, these assumptions are contradictory and can change gradually or radically according to time.
The concept of the female gaze serves Commodity Feminism, as advertisers compete to bridge the differences between feminism and femininity, they constantly produce new and many images which the female has to conform to. As a result, feminist values of equal treatment are combined with the labour markets trend, therefore focussing on how the female body can be transformed into a commodity appealing to both men and women (Goldman 1992; 132) Therefore in action genre, the female bodies are used and substituted to zones of consumptions.
Douglas argues that this emphasis is related to the consumer culture on promoting narscism and self-indulgence. In this case, Farah Fawcett became a media icon, with her hair being accredited her best asset which later led to her being the face of hair styling companies such as Fabarge (Gough-Yates, 2002;140). Concepts of individualism and narcism, distracts the female or feminist from core feminist goals such as ‘sisterhood’ but instead seeks to promote competition.
This illustrates marketers and advertisers play a pivotal role in constructing images, which are thus influenced on program content. Therefore action genres with this concept undermine true feminist goals which serves the capitalist system. Therefore television shows focused on the workplace, Individual achievement and success was largely focused on over the screen as women overcame their oppressive bosses, rather than overcoming institutional patriarchy. However, Bradley advocates that producers
“.. found new ways to increase profits, to say nothing of the benefits of handwringing, a practice that further disguised the fact that power relationships had not changed even as woman’s visibility increased.” (Bradley, 1998; 171)
Could this mean that Charlie’s Angels and action genre alike were not just a response to the economic effects of feminism, but were reflections of true male patriarchy?
In answer to this, criticism has been placed on the use of Charlie’s voice in regards to it’s representation of patriarchy. They work for a ‘playboy’ they have never seen, who talks to them through intercom. Angels are always ‘dispatched’ by Charlie’s command to solve each crime, again reflecting the authoritative male and the obedient female or females following his instructions. Swichtenberg (1981;15) adds the voice is associated with the male law of patriarchy, as the father figure setting out the ‘house-rules’. Their upward mobility is granted by Charlie and that is suggested in the opening credits,
“Once upon a time there were three little girls who went to the police academy…they were ‘each assigned very hazardous duties.’ But I took them away from all that” (Charlie’s Angels; ABC 1975-81)
The credits further reinforce Charlie’s role as the parenting authority as he addresses them as ‘three little girls’. ‘Once upon a time…’ is told like a fairy tale, and could therefore suggest that Charlie’s Angels perceived ‘progression’ of women’s working role in society is really a fantasy, again this interpretation reflects the series explicit antifeminist connotations.
Swchtenberg adds Charlie is really the shows Producer Aaron Spelling, from which he operates the system of the patriarchal media where he constructs consumerist images of women. The fact that they are supervised by the male minder ‘Bosley’ who is somewhat dim, and is a support to Charlie’s/Spellings network writers, sub-editors who aspire to him (Swchitenberg, 1981;15). The same concept can be applied to the Bionic Woman. For example, she was created by her ‘OSI’ agent Oscar and is transformed into a revolutionary figure. Symbolically, Oscar, like Spelling, is the shows producer, who has created a media image of the new independent woman, and lifestyle feminism, but due to her bionics, she acts as a ‘robot’ conforming to the male’s instructions. The analysis show that the women are not liberated or equal, but instead is used as a guise for consumerism. Therefore this advocates the show’s explicit patriarchal agenda’s and thus reiterating the genre’s anti-feminist.
‘Bosley’s’ supporting character is typical within the genre. For example, in Police Woman Angie Dickinson would report to her colleague ‘Bill’ who would often come to her rescue is she was in trouble. Likewise, ‘Jamie’ in The Bionic Woman would rely on ‘Oscar’ for instructions. Therefore the action genre reinforces the importance of male authority and female dependency. Hence, these women are not really independent or liberated, and are not emancipated from the realms of patriarchy. Moreover, in regards to the Civil Rights movement, all of the male characters are white-middle-aged. Likewise in regards to black feminism, none of the female character’s are white, Apart from Get Christie Love (1974, 76) although seen at the time to exploit ‘blaxploitation’.
Nevertheless, Douglas (1992;191) advocates that media experts and market researchers produce programs on gut’s and initiative, and that producers are not white men who are constantly thinking of ways to abolish feminism. Furthermore Gammon (1988) reiterates that females are not passive receptors of commodity but are hegemonic towards it whereby they know the effects but are caught of it’s trapping of having to conform to ideological discourses.
Farrah and Jaclyn Smith (Kelly) lounging in the detective agency's office braless in tight T-shirts. The braless representations, could also be linked to the 1968 Miss America Pagent contests whereby it was hyped by the media that feminists burnt their bras where in fact they were chucked out as a reference to female sexual exploitation. Therefore the Angels in such scenes could easily reflect the irony of such a juxtaposition.
"Angels In Chains" can be can interpreted as an example of both feminism and anti-feminism. The feminist enforcement could be reflected by the Angels working together to save themselves from corrupt prison wardens who are abusive. This reinforces feminist concepts such as sisterhood thus themselves from domestic abuse. In contrast, the episode also comes across as anti-feminist as they compare the angels to a ‘butch’ and ‘grotesque’ lesbian police warden, therefore reinforcing stereotypes of lesbians as ‘bad’ and therefore undermining such feminist concepts.
Charlie’s Angels altogether went threw six different character castings, but came to a decline in 1981. This might have been due to audience’s demand’s of programmes that were more thought provoking (D’acci, 1994). Cagney and Lacey ( 1982-1987), written by women, the cop action drama was believed to contain feminist ‘true’ feminist themes, and a break through for providing an equal representation of both the male and female protagonist (Gammon, 1988;10). They were not seen as glamorised female characters. This is depicted in their credit sequences showing, ‘rough’ edged, and yet realistic portrayals of a police woman integrated with their personal life, whereas Charlie’s Angels credits were visually glamorised with fact cars accompanied by fast music. Unlike the voice of the male patriarch, in Charlie’s Angles, there is no male who finally resolves the murder. The late 1980’s also was perceived to be a “Backlash” which further depolitisized the roles of second wave feminism. (Dow, 1996;87) Such concepts were reinforced by shows such as Dallas and Dynasty, with its popular female characters in competing ‘power dressing’ attire, it tried to again compromise to the demands of feminists and the resistance of antifeminists. (Doglas1994;194 )
Contemporary action television with leading females such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Xena: Princess Warrior, have managed to attract a large and diverse viewing audience. Both shows have proved popular in around the globe. Xena’s body is objectified, as emphasis is placed on her and bronze breast plate whilst Buffy’s kickboxing with demons in feminine attire with her blond hair coifed leaves a lot to be desired for! Emphasis on individualism and narcissim is expressed through their attained superior status with Buffy being the ‘Chosen One’ and their contrasting with their ‘inferior’ female characters which melt in the background. Although Xena’s relationship with her friend Gabrielle has been linked to lesbian connotations These shows still contain many of the anti-feminist flaws entrapped within the parameters of lifestyle feminism.
Finally, the re-emergence of Charlie’s Angels as a film and its’ subsequent success still shows the female action genre based around commodity feminism remains appealing. It is soon to be remade in a Bollywood version too. Although it has tried to transform itself by casting multi-ethnic characters, and has tried to make their characters have more of a personal identity, it still ridicules feminist concepts such as lesbianism and the objectification of the female body. For Demi Moore plays a lesbian who was is an Angel ‘gone bad’. Again representing the stereotypes associated with ‘feminist gone bad’.
Overall the 1970’s action series was perhaps the most prominent decade which encapsulated the contradictory notion of combining feminism and femininity. The media’s circulation of the various woman’s movement reinforced the creation of such shows that would reflect many of the audiences changing views. Advertisers are constantly seeking to latch on to the next cultural phenomena and sell it as an image or lifestyle that women conform to. In retrospect Charlie's Angels became the most marketed television show of the seventies and ultimately the “Angels” reflect it marketing contradictions. If anything Charlie’s Angels in the realm of Charlie “Liberation” is seen as an attitude shift with emphasis on individualism, concepts reinforced within the genre by advertisers promoting Lifestyle Feminism, thus consciously blocking the political issues addressed by radical feminism. Although shows such as Cagney and Lacy tried to represent feminist perspectives, ultimately, they were replaced by consumerist orientated shows such as Dallas. Again reasons for maybe down to attitude shifts within discourse and the media.
Charlies Angels and action genre alike with advertising as it’s nucleus mirror that regardless of anti-feminism or feminism, for T.V producers, whatever lay in the advertisers interests are also lay in the producers interests, and due to the anti-feminist rhetoric’s examined, the action genre for it’s time was perceived as progressive, it’s anti-feminist contradictions are reflected through it’s use of lifestyle feminism, thus resulting such action genre as anti-feminist.
Bibliography
Articles
Higashi, S 1980 ‘Hold It! Women in Television Adventure Series’, Journal of Popular Television and Film, Autumn.
Schwichtenberg, C. (1981) ‘A Patriarchal Voice in Heaven’, Jump cut, no. 24/25
Publications
Bradley, P 1998. “Mass Communication and the shaping of US feminism’ in Carter, C. etal., eds. 1998. News, Gender and Power. London: Routledge
Chapman, J. 2002 Saint and Avengers: British Adventure Series of the 1960s. London : I.B. Tauris
D’Acci, J. 1994. Defining Women: Television and the Case of Cagney and Lacey, Chappel Hill: University Pressof North Carolina.
Douglas, S. 1994 Where the girls are: Growing up female with the Mass Media, London: Penguin
Dow, B. 1996 Prime-Time Femisnism: Television, Media Culture and the Women’s Movement Since 1970. Pheladelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press
Friedan, B. 1963. The Feminine Mystique, New York: Dell
Gamman, L. 1988. ‘Watching the Detectives: The enigma of the female gaze’ in Gamman, L. and Marshment, M., eds. The Female Gaze: Women as Viewers of Popular Culture. London: The Woman’s Press.
Videos
Charlies Angels, ‘Angels in Chains’ (ABC, 1976)
The Bionic Woman (ABC film production 1971, directed by Dick Moder)
Websites
http://www.sirlinksalot.net/charliesangels.html
www.welovebuffy.com
