Excessive Opinions

The first post: http://www.66seven.co.uk/post/347251252

This post, a follow on from: http://www.66seven.co.uk/post/364942305

OK so just an overview here, I want to finish these Man Men posts before I start on season two. Man men has a lot of good points and a lot of bad ones. It’s definitely a show aimed at an American audience and it kinda makes me want to drink.

I really do like how they portray the racial inequality of the time. You notice that all the blacks in the show are always working and always have very low end jobs (lift attendants, maintenance, cleaning), they are always just out of sight and rarely talk. It’s not pointed out like this, either, which I like. It’s all shown as if it’s the norm and that’s how it should be in a show like this.

The times attitude to women, however, is not so great. OK, so all the women are secretaries or the like, the housewives all meet to gossip and most are reliant on their man. But it’s all lacking, no women actually aim for the higher work positions, none express any want to change things and no one thinks it’s unfair. Maybe it’s too early, but every women is very passive about their situation.

The program tries to show a forward thinking nature but it doesn’t quite succeed. One major character starts to move into a very man-orientated job situation but not by choice, she doesn’t even indicate that she wants it until after it’s given. It’s given to her by a man, she then needs permission from another man and even after her success she’s never given any respect or accepted as anything more than a secretary. No females ever actually attempt to improve their situation whatsoever, it works in some instances; the wife is perfectly written. My problem is they try to push the idea that women were mistreated but they don’t give that attitude to any of the characters who matter.

My overall feelings of the show, it’s done well. It’s got some good writing but what I think really helps is that they’ve obviously got an idea of the future. They’ve either known where the storylines will lead from the start or have simply have been very lucky with the types of situations they’ve used; regardless, the show feels like it’s been thought out well. I’m hoping they keep this up in season two as programs like this do often fall apart the longer they’re on air.