The Rational Female

  Disclaimer: I am not a fan of the term 'person of colour', however I am using it because everyone understands what I mean by it and it will help SEO etc. Wow-ee-ka-za-rii. I consider myself a left-leaning person and always have. In the UK I vote for the Labour party. Most of my socio-political views are centre-left; I support social democracy, regulated capitalism, the NHS, high taxation on the wealthy, secularism, etc. In many social spaces both online and offline, I interact with people who have similar views to me. Unfortunately, a common trend popular among left-leaning folk at the moment is 'wokeness' and the obsession with identity politics. This is not a new fad, it's been going on for several years now. It doesn't just affect the Internet, it bleeds into real life. Take the latest JK Rowling controversy . There are many folk like me out there who are anti-woke, anti-cancel culture, and tired of identity politics being thrust upon us all the...

  Diversity in fiction is important, but it shouldn't be 'forced' or for diversity's sake. One of the many things I love about Black Panther is that it doesn't go out of its way to tell you that it's about African people. It simply shows its pride for those of African descent . It uses good storytelling, strong character development, captivating visual scenery and effects, and sells itself on its own merit. Afrika Wha? Black Panther is a movie that tells a good story, and also happens to make every single melanin-induced person feel good about themselves. It makes me very happy knowing that my future children are going to watch Black Panther and see Africa portrayed in splendour. When I was growing up, Africans were constantly made fun of by Caribbeans. Stereotypes of Africans being 'jungle zulu monkeys' and eating each other and swinging from treetops have run circles around my life. One of my favourite films, Mean Girls , does this no ...

   I'm not a fan of feminism of the feminist movement for several reasons . Namely, I find it to be founded on principals that absolve women of accountability, turn us into victims, and vilify men. However, I do recognise that if we truly had a thriving women's movement, it could work, with some serious tweaking. Here are four things that it could entail. Accountability Hold women accountable for bad behaviour, recognise female-on-female callousness, stop blaming the patriarchy and take responsibility, which shows true female empowerment. Encourage and empower women to be responsible for our own choices. This puts women in control of our own lives, and means that we stop viewing ourselves as victims. Feminism is so obsessed with making women hate ourselves and think we're all 'oppressed.' What about teaching women that we can LOVE ourselves, LOVE being women, and that we have personal agency? That being a woman means being someone who is in control of her o...

  These are my ten favourite episodes of Community . One of the best sitcoms I have ever seen, this show fantastically blends heart and soul with meta-commentary . These are all my personal favourites, not the ones that are 'objectively' the best . It was really hard but I was going on the ones I mostly enjoyed and thought had a mix of good humour and interesting concepts. 1) S3E4: Remedial Chaos Theory This is my overall favourite episode of Community . I love everything about it. It's witty, clever, and explores the multiverse which is a concept I always enjoy. It could easily be boring and repetitive, but instead it's hilarious, intelligent and emotionally solid. 2) S2E10: Mixology Certification One of the most heartfelt episodes of Community . A Troy-centred episode about coming-of-age as an adult, and realising that those older than you don't necessarily know better. 3) S1E21: Contemporary American Poultry This is my favourite episod...

  In 2020 I watched the TV series Dexter with my partner, who had seen it years before. We finished it earlier this year. I understand that Dexter came out years ago, and writing about it years after it ended sounds a little pointless. Or does it? Season 9 is coming soon, hopefully to redeem the disaster that was season 8. Here's my take on the ending of Dexter and why it's the worst TV show ending I've ever seen. (Spoilers for those who haven't seen the TV series Dexter .) An Iconic Beginning The first two seasons of Dexter were fantastic. I adored the show right away, and we binged the second half of season one. Doakes was my favourite character. Him dying at the end of season two was sad but made narrative sense. The show was like some of the other iconic TV shows I adore with dramatic storylines and moral ambiguity. The Sopranos , Breaking Bad , Mad Men , and my beloved Game of Thrones . The ending of Game of Thrones is universally hated. I perso...

  I love TV shows. For me, television is about connecting with characters and engaging storylines. As a writer and viewer, I love analysing character behaviour and getting engrossed in well-written dramas. On this blog I have written a lot about my favourite TV shows. I have discussed characters who touched me and written about why I like/dislike them. Here I'm going to talk about some popular TV show endings with ratings out of five for them. (To be clear, these are my PERSONAL subjective opinions.) Spoiler alerts for endings of Game of Thrones , Mad Men , Breaking Bad , Jane the Virgin , Orange is the New Black , The Sopranos , The Big Bang Theory , Sex and the City , The Good Place , and Dexter . Game of Thrones - 4.5/5 A very controversial opinion I thought I'd get out of the way. I loved the Game of Thrones ending. Understandably it wasn't flawless, although I do have a blog post saying it ended perfectly. However, the build-up to the ending was rushed,...

  America is at the centre (not center) of the world. That’s what Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Sopranos, Dexter, Rick and Morty, The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad, South Park, Orange is the New Black, The Big Bang Theory, Friends, How I Met Your Mother, The Good Place, Community, Jane the Virgin, House of Cards, YOU, Weeds, Totally Spies, 13 Reasons Why, Stranger Things, Oz, Star Trek, Sex and the City, Daria, Spongebob Squarepants , and all the amer-illians of US movies I’ve watched over a twenty-three year lifespan have shown me. Let’s also not ignore the fact that the American Hollywood Cinema is well aware of this. Case in point: American Hustle, American Psycho, American Beauty, American History X, American Gangster, American Horror Story . Surrounded by Americans I love American TV and movies . My only real favourite British show is The Inbetweeners . But I have grown up in a world consumed by the USA. Most of the world's biggest websites; Amazon, Google, Faceb...