Dr. Horrible is great. It is funny and clever and entertaining. So why do people get so upset about it? As a female, I was expecting to get all worked up over the feminist controversy surrounding Dr. Horrible, but after watching it, I had the same feeling I get after I watch a Seth Rogen movie. I felt like I had been entertained, could repeat funny lines from it, and would recommend it to my friends, but nothing more. I do understand that the only female character was terribly written and annoying and ultimately killed, but I think it kind of works with the entertainment factor. If Whedon wanted to, he could have made us love Penny. He could have developed her character and made her funny and wonderful, which would have made her death tragic and created even more controversy. But he didn’t do that. Whedon kept her as a slightly unlikable, shallow character whose death I did not really care about. That sounds bad, but I think many of you may share my feelings. Just because Whedon did not make Penny a deep character does not make him anti-feminist or smart or bad or brilliant. It doesn’t make him anything. Whedon created an ass-kicking, female vampire slayer so I think it is safe to say he is not anti-feminist. Anyone can find problems with any show, movie, or book if the work is analyzed hard enough. I just think Dr. Horrible is what it is: a fun project that actors took part in for their fans. But look what some of those fans have done to it.
2 comments:
I agree with you Corinne, I think alot of people have made Penny's role in Dr. Horrible a bigger deal than it was ever meant to be. I personally saw her as a support character, and didn't really read much into her role in the show. Dr. Horrible is the main focus, and I feel as though Penny served her purpose in the show well. I really don't think her character should be evaluated as thoroughly as most critics have done.
I really like the point that obviously Whedon could have made her a better character, but chose not to. I think that is a very good point in favor of the idea that this show was meant to be entertainment, and if we take it deeper than that, it is (at our own risk) and more about the character of Dr. Horrible.
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