Thought about Halt and Catch Fire
Sep. 28th, 2017 02:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chelseagirlI really enjoy this show, but it occurs to me that Donna is being punished for being a woman with ambitions.
Spoilers for episodes in the US to date.
Donna seems to be falling apart, what with the drinking, the injudicious sex, always seeming so lonely and on the edge.
Cameron is allowed to get away with things, but Cameron is kind of like a guy, in a lot of ways. The writers seem to understand her better.
Gordon gets the camaraderie and friendship that Donna is denied, and the hot younger girlfriend, and he gets to still be the Good Guy with Donna (when he picks her up after her DUI).
Joe . . . is Joe.
But Donna dared to be ambitious, to want to actually capitalize on what they've achieved. And her browser idea is way better. Joe got to be super-successful for awhile in season 3, when he seemed to be channeling Steve Jobs. He lost a lot, but he landed on his feet.
All of them suffer at times, but Donna is the one who seems to actively be punished by the narrative, for her hubris. And why is it hubris? If a man acted that way, would it be considered so bad?
Also, last year for Yuletide, I wrote a fic which explained Donna's motivation, in part, as being in love with Cameron. Judging by her reactions this year, I think I was not wrong.
Spoilers for episodes in the US to date.
Donna seems to be falling apart, what with the drinking, the injudicious sex, always seeming so lonely and on the edge.
Cameron is allowed to get away with things, but Cameron is kind of like a guy, in a lot of ways. The writers seem to understand her better.
Gordon gets the camaraderie and friendship that Donna is denied, and the hot younger girlfriend, and he gets to still be the Good Guy with Donna (when he picks her up after her DUI).
Joe . . . is Joe.
But Donna dared to be ambitious, to want to actually capitalize on what they've achieved. And her browser idea is way better. Joe got to be super-successful for awhile in season 3, when he seemed to be channeling Steve Jobs. He lost a lot, but he landed on his feet.
All of them suffer at times, but Donna is the one who seems to actively be punished by the narrative, for her hubris. And why is it hubris? If a man acted that way, would it be considered so bad?
Also, last year for Yuletide, I wrote a fic which explained Donna's motivation, in part, as being in love with Cameron. Judging by her reactions this year, I think I was not wrong.
