The Women of GoT

[plashy]

Recently read this cool article on the great women of Game of Thrones (the piece pits them in relation to those of Mad Men), and it got me thinking. First, the article:

http://ahorizontalmyth.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/the-other-women/

Wondering -- if all of us were able to set aside our biases for the show, in particular our pre-determined love for the characters from the books, do you think that there's a stronger group of women on a single show on television? The Walking Dead is pretty awful in that regard, and I'm struggling to think of any show that comes close.

[AureliaC]

As a group, no. I don't think there is or there ever was a group of women that even comes close to GoT. I'd add that also as singular characters GoT gifts us with the most kickass and strongest girls/adolescents around.

As for fully-grown females I have seen better (and stronger) characters but we can't ask everything to one single series ;).

[Daske]

It's up there with best. Really, really strong female characters.

Battlestar Galactica had an amazingly strong female cast too.

Sopranos and The Wire (to pick two non-fantasy shows in most people's top-10) were pretty weak in this area really.

[freetickles]

I made this comment on the article page:

I disagree about Catelyn's decisions being logical or that the viewers hate her for trying to bring peace and cut into our entertainment. The likelihood of the Lannisters actually returning the Stark girls was very low, which is what made her decision so stupid. The north is actually more likely to be able to bring peace when they still have Jaime captive and thereby have something to bargain with the Lannisters over. An exchange of hostages could have worked, but not the idiotic way she did it, and even if it'd worked, the return of two girls wouldn't have done anything to avenge Ned or end the war.

[plashy]

Thanks for the responses. Battlestar is a good one that I forgot about.

[Padraig]

The likelihood of the Lannisters actually returning the Stark girls was very low, which is what made her decision so stupid.

But in the TV series she released Jaime because she expected him to be killed. Better take a risk than just let that happen. Makes sense.

[plashy]

But in the TV series she released Jaime because she expected him to be killed. Better take a risk than just let that happen. Makes sense.

Yeah, especially in the context of her being a mother, I think.

[Tommen]

My fave, Buffy the Vampire Slayer ;)

[Marya]

I agree, Battlestar was the first thing that came to mind, maybe Sons of Anarchy?

And yes, of course the Women of the Buffy Scoobie Gang

[Ser Tom]

I would've said Buffy myself.

I still haven't gotten over Battlestar's terrible ending, three good seasons then a massive wtf? Never mind female, it had one of the best ensemble casts ever on tv.

And what about ER?

[Theda Baratheon]

The female cast of GoT are just fabulous! :love:

[Techelles]

GoT girls are hard to beat. I especially love Michelle Fairley as Cat Stark. Every time I even see a picture of her in costume I just get sad.

I'll second Battlestar Galactica, though. Totally different show, but the narrative is more female-dominated than any other I can think of (GoT excepted, possibly), and they are all stellar.

Rome also has some great ladies, but not as many. Same goes for Deadwood.

Twin Peaks, though. How 'bout that? Very memorable cast of girls. Audrey Horne drives me crazy.

[SerMixalot]

IDK, I think D&D have done some negative things to the women of Westeros, changing Cat's motivation in releasing Jaime, Dany being so whiny and entitled, Arya not being a badass, Cersie being so inconsistent. I think that the changes make the characters far weaker than the novel and far more cliched and uninteresting-Ooona anyone? I wish they could have stayed truer to the novel like they did in season one. I dont think it does the characters any justice to take their empowerment moments-Cat releasing Jaime, Arya escaping Harrenhall by kiling a guard, and put thatempowerment onto male characters.

As an example Brienne, book Brienne, despite her warrior longings is still conflicted over killing someone, that is a real emotion that impacts her relationship with Jaime-she is far less confident with him than tv Brienne. Instead we have the clichedwarrior princess who killsthree men single handily, even adding the standard pre kill quip. That type of character would be far less likely to take shit from anybody. And more boring IMO.

[Lord Varys]

I still don't get it why they ended up changing Cersei's character of all the women they have. Book Cersei is very much a straightforward, easy character (all about power, using her sex appeal to get what she wants). She is also a rather bad mother although she loves her children very well (despite the fact that she ignores Joffrey's bad habits, and puts Tommen completely under her thumb).

Making her a (somewhat) nice person who only became what she is due to her marriage to Robert feels strange. Especially since all the other women were changed to fit more clichéd roles. Cat is the prototypical good mother (and wife) who only wants the best for her children (and husband) but repeatedly fails to see the big picture. Being manipulated by Tyrion and Littlefinger into releasing Jaime is not exactly what drove Cat into doing this, nor was it the mere reaction to the Fall of Winterfell.

The Dormer-Margaery is very much a slut and an ambitious woman. Book Margaery seems to be much more balanced. She is aware of her role in her family's game of advancement, but - if we can trust Littlefinger - then she does not hunger for the crown herself.

[catelynstark4ever]

Yeah, especially in the context of her being a mother, I think.

Well it would have made even more sense if they had followed the storyline....She had just received new of Bran and RIckon's "deaths" and THAT was what ultimately made her release Jamie.

[Mother of Mini Dragons]

I wish they could have stayed truer to the novel like they did in season one. I dont think it does the characters any justice to take their empowerment moments-Cat releasing Jaime, Arya escaping Harrenhall by kiling a guard, and put thatempowerment onto male characters.

.

I try hard not to get caught up in criticizing the changes the show makes from the books, but I do I agree with what you are saying here. I've seen that throughout the show that some the powerful moments of the female characters are given to the male characters. Another example of that is that Cat is the one to urge Ned to take the position as Hand and in the show she whines about him deciding to go. I was most disappointed by them not showing that it was actually Arya who freed herself from Harrenhall, instead of relying on a "hero" to do it for her.

[DarkAndFullOfTurnips]

I disliked most everything about Cat in the show, which is probably because I barely even liked her in the books, but I agree that they should have given her credit for being stronger.

[Blue Winter Roses]

As soon as finished reading the series I went online to do some more reading about it and came across some reviews of the TV series. I was so surprised to see that the show was criticised for being misoginistic, when there are clearly so many strong female characters.

[Darryk]

As soon as finished reading the series I went online to do some more reading about it and came across some reviews of the TV series. I was so surprised to see that the show was criticised for being misoginistic, when there are clearly so many strong female characters.

I think a lot of not-exactly-bright people confuse "historical accuracy regarding Medieval sentiments" with actual sentiments conveyed by the material.

[_Oberyn_]

IDK, I think D&D have done some negative things to the women of Westeros, changing Cat's motivation in releasing Jaime, Dany being so whiny and entitled,

Tbh this is a common misconception. That is all Danny has ever been. The character is spot on, it just seems different because all the whining and the posturing does not register with some readers untill they hear it out loud.