Gender Stereotypes In TV Drama

Ryan. A. Henson

Male StereotypesDANNY DYER

Male StereotypesDanny Dyer has constantly played roles in TV drama as a “London Hardman” portraying a stereotypical view of men: Violent, Aggressive Protects the family by any means Cold hearted Strong Swears heavily Less intelligentHe, amongst others such as Vinnie Jones, has been presented by the media as these rough characters in TV drama who influence others through violence and intimidation. they are shown to be bullies involved in criminal activity who use scare tactics to get what they want. However he is also shown to be the protector of his family, often taking the responsibility of keeping them safe. This can provoke his emotional side but it is only shown toward his family and may be brief.

Males Breaking StereotypesSTEVEN YEUN

Males Breaking StereotypesSteven Yeun, appearing in rising success series The Walking Dead as Glenn, represents the image of the more modern man. Well groomed and much less of a tendency to be violent. However this may cause them to receive negative stigma by others as it is seen to be a sign of weakness by some members of society. Steven Yeun’s character in The Walking Dead is often shown to be pushed around by the other male characters who have a larger body build and display a larger tendency for violence.These stereotypical alpha male type tend to shun those who choose to break the stereotypical view of a man such as Steven Yeun. Those who break the male stereotype in TV drama will often be presented to display more emotion to the audience, for example crying and explaining their feelings to other characters. They will be turned away, or told things such as to “man up” or “grow a pair” referring to their masculinity, by the stereotypical alpha male type.

Women StereotypesSOFIA VERGARA

Women StereotypesSofia Vergara is often used in TV drama as a sex object, she is often presented in provocative clothing. Adding evidence to the theory of the Male Gaze, a theory investigated by feminist film critic Laura Mulvey. The concept of the Male Gaze refers to the way visual arts are structured around having a masculine audience, it describes the tendency in visual culture to depict the world and women from a masculine perspective and in terms of men’s attitudes. Sofia Vergara depicts the following modern stereotypes of women when starring in TV dramas: Sexual object Provocative figure House wife Needs a man for financial support Emotional and caringAn example of this is her role in Modern Family, in which she is the house wife to a wealthy business man who is of a much older age than her. During episodes she does not support her self financially is often presented in skin tight clothing such as short dresses and tops, moulding her into a sexual object for the viewing pleasure of the male audience.

Women Breaking Stereotypes

JENNA COLEMAN

Women Breaking Stereotypes

Jenna Coleman, mainly referring to her role in hit series Doctor Who, has been shown to contradict the stereotypical view of women in TV drama. She is portrayed as a highly intelligent and witty character which helps her male counter part and has some level of authority over him. She has the ability to discipline him when he acts and makes decisions which she does approve of and she does not consistently rely on him to help her when is in trouble. She also displays a highly intelligent thought process, much superior over most male characters she encounters. Dismissing stereotypes that women are sexual objects, she is not presented by the producers in provocative/revealing clothing. Jenna’s costume consists of practical and casual clothing. There is little to no evidence of the Male Gaze in process regarding her leading role in Doctor Who. She does not show any of the previously mentioned stereotypes except for being emotional and caring, she has been shown to cry in episodes and her emotions can be very easily read through her facial expressions.