The Bechdel Test Discussion - Television Tropes & Idioms

Logical Dash: No examples? Not even links to analyses using the test? Even a link to a comment thread would do.

DomaDoma: Okay, "love interest" over "man" is a huge improvement in actually gauging feminism. Even if it's clearly not what Bechdel meant.

Lale: The only conversation between women I remember in The Incredibles is between Edna and Elastigirl... discussing her husband. I don't think that fits.

Machiavellienne: Edna and Elastigirl also discuss the costumes, the family members' various powers and Jack Jack. I don't know if it counts if there is a male character present, but Helen also has conversations with Violet, most notably the scene where she gives the children the masks. And to really stretch it, she has a conversation with the babysitter.

Gwen Stacy Wannabe: Would Firefly count? Inara and Kaylee are very close, Kaylee and River play games together, and even Saffron and Inara had some interaction.

Daibhid C: It seems so obvious to me that Kim Possible should be listed, that I can't help wondering if the fact it isn't means I'm missing something...

Lale: This article might help

Aside from the fact that it's really a Magical Girlfriend show like Haruhi Suzumiya, only the writers screwed up the title, about that conversation about something other than a love interest...

Kim: I'm stuck dating the football captain or Middleton'll lose the game, plus there's a worldwide satellite crisis!

Mrs. Dr. Possible: Kim, you have to be honest with Brick. If the football team loses, it's not your fault. beat I can't help you with the satellite thing.

Conspicuous. Meanwhile, all Kim and Yori talk about is Ron, all Kim and Bonnie talk about are boys, fashion, cheerleading, and insulting each other, and all Kim and Monique talk about are boys and fashion. The one time Kim tries to involve Monique in the action part of the plot, it fails abysmally. While her male You Suck sidekick is off saving the day and discovering his destiny, the so-called protagonist is swooning over the hot new guy. The only grounds for real feminism in this show is the lesbian subtext (Or So I Heard), but that was unintentional, and of course went nowhere officially. Bottom line is, the show alternates between treating girls like perfect goddesses who can do anything or like hopeless fangirls but never regular characters.

Lale: Judging by the trailers I've seen, it does look like The princess and the Frog counts, but I thought Tiana wanted to be an actress, hence all the princess costumes and stuff. Is her mom the one who wants to open her own restaurant?

Seven Of Diamonds: Nope, her mom's "the best seamstress in N'awlins." Tiana's the one with the restaurant dream, although she got the idea from her late father. Does it fail the test if they mention him during that scene? The blue princess dress is for a masquerade party, though it's actually a second costume that she borrowed after her less fancy one was ruined.

Lale: Oh. Man, how many times has this story changed? Well, it counts. The idea is that women have something on their mind besides love or being with a male partner, not necessarily never thinking about any men, including late fathers.

Lale: This sounds like an aversion. Plus, maybe I only happen to remember those "few seasons," but I recall female love interests and "girlier" pink rangers. Hasn't it usually been 2 female rangers, which would be The Smurfette Principle?

Power Rangers scores shockingly high for a series aimed at prepubescent boys. Then again, aside from a few seasons it's an aggressively No Hugging No Kissing franchise.
- Indeed, one of the biggest complaints leveled at RPM's Summer is that she has no personality other than "love interest." Even her two-part focus episode was centered around getting out of her arranged marriage so she could end up with Dillon.

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