While Bones is a show I like more than others, since I love the character of Temperance Brennan and the way she's portrayed by Emily Deschanel, there are occasional things that make me cringe and wonder about what the producers are thinking.
First, she is supposed to "almost" have Asperger's. Sorry but wtf is "almost"... Her "lack of social skills" is attributed to a probable disability, while the same kind of nerdiness in a male character elsewhere, like Grissom on CSI, is attributed to a focus on work instead of socializing. Her seriousness and lack of empathy (so unfeminine!) are seen as alien and comical. Yeah, thanks. Ha ha ha - a woman behaving like that - isn't that funny! Not.
I suppose a lot of my reaction comes from the gut, as I was identified as "gifted" and acted a heck of a lot like Bones, minus the "diagnosis".
But there's a more troubling aspect to her suggested "disability" - using it for its sexploitation potential. In one episode she and her policeman sidekick Agent Booth go to a strip club to investigate a murder. Bones' "lack of social skills" magically translates into a detached observation of the stripper's attractiveness and a complete indifference to the lap dance the stripper is giving Booth. In other words: hey, this disability has the potential to be every guy's fantasy! A non-jealous woman who clinical understands other women being sexy and doesn't get upset. Wow. Cue in the kleenex...
On the one hand, I appreciate the idea of Bones being sexually confident and independent to the point that she espouses polyamory, etc. However, the way the series is showing still seems androcentric. In the episode where she experiments with polyandry, she ends up not keeping either guy (well of course it won't work, silly. Polygamy only works for men).
The bisexuality of other characters also seems exploited to titillate viewers rather than provide insight into the character's humanity and complexity.
This said, I still think Bones is one of the better shows out there. But it could probably use more female writers on staff who are not coopted by an androcentric viewpoint.
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When has Brennan ever been "diagnosed" with a disability. Nothing in the show has ever been alluded to that. She is introverted and had trauma during her childhood that she overcame by focusing on her analytical and serious side. There are plenty of scenes where you see her have feelings and empathy. She just doesn't overtly show it. When she explains what she does and trying to find justice for those victims. When she related to other foster children.
I don't see how you get detached observation magically. She is an anthropologist and that in itself is about detaching yourself and observing people without interfering.
Eh, actually, Brennan's behavior on a male would seem equally odd. Even people with "true" Aspberger's don't remain as detached from their emotions as Brennan, nor do they coldly analyze things-- I've had friends with severe Aspberger's who are more openly emotional that Brennan. Compare Brennan to pre-serial killing Zack, or early Hodgins, who were supposed to be the male dorks of the show-- Zack in particular was supposed to be the stereotypical dorky male scientist. Yet he clearly understood most social conventions, even if he ignored them, and was much more socially aware than Brennan. If a guy didn't act jealous or at least uncomfortable about his partner receiving a lap dance, that would not be just "oh, focused on work," it would be seen as very abnormal.
I always interpreted Brennan's lack of social awareness as more the result of a crazy-mixed-up childhood teaching her that emotions were painful and everyone will always leave you, thus they should be suppressed, or else the result of the writers simply not understanding that that is NOT Aspberger's.
I don't think they attribute her strangeness to disability, honestly. They attribute to her being a genius who had a terrible childhood, so she preferred to escape into being overly clinical. There's not really any hint of a diagnosis of disability that I've seen on the show and I've watched every single episode.
As far as the strip club thing goes, I really don't think they're trying to portray that as a male fantasy. No one in that scene is delighted that Bones just doesn't care about the lap dance, it's just in character.
Considering that they've had many other episodes where it was obvious that Bones was involved with more than one man, I don't think the one episode where the men decide they aren't comfortable with it makes the whole show anti-poly.
I'm not sure what you mean about the bisexuality issue. There are two major episodes in which they hint at Angela's bisexuality. Yes, in the one with the delivery girl they certainly give each other "hey, you're hot" looks, but that's the extent of it, there's no "hey, look at these two hot chicks make out" or any hint of anything happening beyond that. In the episode with her former girlfriend, they still like each other but decide it won't work out. I think it's just a realistic portray of a love life, really.
I have to say I disagree with this part:
Her "lack of social skills" is attributed to a probable disability, while the same kind of nerdiness in a male character elsewhere, like Grissom on CSI, is attributed to a focus on work instead of socializing. Her seriousness and lack of empathy (so unfeminine!) are seen as alien and comical. Yeah, thanks. Ha ha ha - a woman behaving like that - isn't that funny! Not.
Zach Addy was presented as a sort of young male version of Brennan, with many of the same problems fitting in socially, and it was presented as just as alien and comical as Brennan's social quirks - only Zach usually was played off of Hodgins (who is also nerdy, but much more socially adept) instead of off of Booth, who was more annoyed and confused by Zach than anything else. The theme of "socially awkward but unfathomably brilliant scientists interact with less socially-awkward people" has been a recurring theme in Bones regardless of gender. That isn't to say that gender isn't a factor there, but rather that I think the humor from Brennan's social awkwardness isn't written entirely as a function of her gender.
I think I may have missed the ep that alludes to Bones having a mild form of Asperger's. (Don't get me started on "mild form" and why there has to be a diagnosis for her at all. You raise an absolutely spot-on point about her compared to Grissom.)
Take a look at the books that "Bones" the series is based on. by Kathy Reichs. I think Deja Dead is the first one.
Told in first person, they give Tempe Brennan a lot more depth, range of emotion, and plausibility. She's older. Which might have something to do with it. But connected to her emotions and her desires in an independent, smart way, that the TV-Tempe might grow into someday.
Really, though, it comes down to a sad commentary on the subject of what TV writers (probably, as you say, male) think TV audiences will accept. "An unsympathetic, pragmatic, emotionally detached woman? Must be something clinically wrong! But not toooo wrong, so she's still sexy! Ooo, I know! Mild Asperger's." Sigh. Wish they were closer to the book.
The "almost Asperger's" interpretation comes from the actress saying this in an interview, btw. Apparently it came up when she was discussing the character with the producer.
the Asperger's reference comes from an interview with the actress who said she discussed this with the producer.
I honestly think you've misinterpreted the polyamory example - it didn't not work out because she's a woman, but because she wasn't being honest and both the guys wanted to be monogamous. It's basic courtesy to be open about polyamory but she knew they wouldn't want to do it, so she didn't tell them.
I'll have to disagree.
- I've never heard them say in the show that she 'almost' has Asperger's; I think her lack of social skills is frequently chalked up to her nerdiness and involvement of work, that is, she doesn't always understand things that laypeople consider important because she's secluded in a highly scientific community. It's the WAY she interacts with people, and not her level of intelligence or socialising, which indicate that she has Asperger's. Some male characters on tv who are not social don't have Asperger's, that doesn't make her character somehow antifeminist.
- Her seriousness is sometimes used for comedy, but EVERY character has had their nerdiness or lack of it used for laughs, because that's part of what the show's about: unusually intelligent and somewhat insulated people. Honestly, I'm extremely nerdy and rather pedantic and I need a good laugh at that sometimes.
- As for the stripper scene, I think the crux of the matter is that Bones and Booth are not in a relationship. If they were it might be different but since they're not, what was she supposed to do, turn into a shrill, screaming harpy like women are supposed to do in tv and movies? She's not playing to a men's fantasy, she just doesn't give a shit because she treats sex and sexuality like a nonissue so there's no reason for her to care.
- The reason her attempt at polyandry failed is because she was cheating: her partners both thought they were exclusive. That's not generally tolerated in male characters either.
- I just don't see the bisexuality-as-exploitation argument here. We know from the start of the show that Angela is bi, and her relationship with a woman is discussed very matter-of-factly and doesn't seem to be treated any differently than if her partner were a man. There's no indication she's 'faking it', or doing it for the male gaze. If they conducted it like most shows where a formerly straight character is suddenly 'going gay', or the reverse, and the make-out scenes are major advertising points to lure male viewers, then yeah, that's exploitative. But that's not what happened. How would you have had them handle a same-sex relationship on the show?
How does Zack Addy fit into your thoughts about Bones being treated in a certain way because she's a woman? He was pretty identical to her and yet I never got the feeling that we were supposed to view him as a Grissom type. He was like Bones' Mini-Me.
I also don't think Angela's bisexuality is exploited. Quite the opposite, actually, since she didn't suddenly become bisexual and have some Event Lesbian Kiss for one episode. Ever since the character was introduced in season 1, her bisexuality has always been part of who she is, and her identity doesn't revolve around it like Thirteen on House.
Yeah, ditto this as well. Reading the OP's post reminded me immediately of Zack.
I'm always excited to see a feminist interpretation of Bones.
No episode has alluded to Brennan having Asperger's. Deschanel referenced it once during an interview, saying (if I recall correctly) that her character's lack of social skills was similar to that of someone with Asperger's. It was an interesting clip to me, because I always felt that the writers sometimes went past the line of the character being awkward and unaware and into disorder.
The debate over whether Asperger's and other autism-spectrum disorders are truly disorders is certainly meaningful, and I by no means intend to offend anyone with my word choice, but it is a tangent for another time and place.
I don't see her "disability" or lack of social skills to be offensive - in fact, I think they're quite charming.
If "disability" were diagnosed based on her interaction with others, or the way she approaches the world, I can tell you that a lot of feminists would be considered disabled, not because we do not know or understand the way social interactions work, but because we reject some of these social interactions, branding them silly or sexist.
I am a big fan of the show - and think that it's one of the more feminist television shows out there, and am surprised that it's even on FOX, of all networks. In fact, if such a woman as Brennan exists in real life, I'd date her in a heartbeat.
As for Angela's bisexuality and relationships, I don't it has anything to do with objectification, or even done as a way to draw in male audience. Her relationship with her ex-girlfriend, as the show portrays it, is really sweet and a reflection of some of the struggles my bi friends also go through.
I am missing this season because I am not home to see it - but good news, I bought all four seasons on DVD here for $15 the other day! :)
I recommend it to everyone!
I wish I had the ability to follow a series, but due to my Asperger's it is mostly impossible for me to tear myself away from whatever I'm doing at the moment - even to eat or pee. I do love Bones, though, because whether or not she has Asperger's she's certainly very similar to one who does. That means I can identify with her. Diagnosis-wise I could also identify with Zack and to a certain degree Sweets has some of the traits as well, but Bones is female, and it is very rare to see female geeks on tv, who are *that* geeky. They always seem to have a "but she's not *really* that geeky, because she still likes pink"-clause somewhere. Bones doesn't, so whether or not she has Asperger's is actually irrelevant. Her behaviour makes it possible for Aspies to identify with her and to me that's far more important than whatever "almost-diagnosis" she has been announced to have or not.
"A non-jealous woman who clinical understands other women being sexy and doesn't get upset."
Yes, that is me. How nice to know that you don't consider me a real and realistic person, and that you therefore must rail against the existence of one such as me on the tv. The situation you describe does not emotionally involve Bones, therefore she has no emotional reaction to it. This is not a lack of social skills, it's a lack of emotional involvement. There's a difference.
You got labeled as gifted? Congratualtions, one can be labeled as gifted and/or genius without having Asperger's you know. There's more to Asperger's than just being analytical and not showing emotions much. You put disability in scare quotes in an unfortunate way - Asperger's IS a disability, you don't seem to express awareness of this, I'm uncertain as to whether you are aware. Also, not all Aspie's are geniuses. It doesn't come with added intelligence.
She is not portrayed as having a lack of empathy btw. She has a lot of empathy, she just shows it in atypical ways, just like most autists do. And whether you like it or not, that sort of thing IS alien and comical in this society, where autists are frequently teased, bullied and otherwise laughed at for not being like everyone else (ie alien). It just shows all the more in women, because there's a prevalent stereotype that makes the autistic traits even more 'wrong' in women, but that has to do with sexism and not with a portrayal of a specific disability.
From the admittedly few episodes I've seen of Bones, the show seems considerably less sexist than most other shows. It has more than one female protagonist, for instance, which is more than can be said of many other shows. But don't confuse society's sexism with a good portrayal of disability within a sexist society.