As part of my parental due diligence, I make sure to watch a few episodes of whatever it is catches my daughters attention in this media saturated hellscape. In this case its Super Hero Girls on Netflix.
Considering the state of modern comics and Netflix animation in general I was already prepared to consign this one to the black hole of permanent removal from suggestions. Imagine my surprise when my expectations are subverted. I had expected a whole bunch of third wave feminist drivel complete with bumbling men, overpowered girl power monologues and situations people who I assume were never children but are definitely what a focus testing committee of space aliens ASSUME are situations human children get into presented with deadpan seriousness.
Actually none of that. The batgirl episodes central conflict is Batgirl needs to go out and fight poison ivy during her weekly daddy/daughter "date" with her father commissioner Gordon. Hijinks ensue but in the end everything is accomplished and the episode ends with the two watching a movie together. At no point is commissioner gordon portrayed as overbearing, or their relationship as anything but positive. Nor is he used as the butt of jokes, as we would assume.
The other episode I watched involved Wonder Woman, who despite being a highly trained Amazon Warrior had never been taught how to interact with boys and was immediately brought low by "her first crush". Now this one was very surprising to me because it hits on the fact that girls could be attracted to boys, and that this might actually have to be something they have to deal with growing up. The object of infatuation was of course a high school version of Steve Trevor (yay for canon). Hijinks ensue and the episode ends with most of the girls trying to beat Trevor up, while Batgirl saves the day by hacking into the military academies systems and getting trevor accepted there. But, plot twist! At the end Prince still had pictures of her Trevor in her locker. What a shocking idea that teen and pre-teen girls might do that, I know.
And wouldn't you know it, the showrunner behind this delightful show is Lauren Faust, of Season 1 of MLP fame. Its absolutely amazing what a difference having someone who is well adjusted and is not a troon or blue haired harpy can make for shows like this.
Considering the state of modern comics and Netflix animation in general I was already prepared to consign this one to the black hole of permanent removal from suggestions. Imagine my surprise when my expectations are subverted. I had expected a whole bunch of third wave feminist drivel complete with bumbling men, overpowered girl power monologues and situations people who I assume were never children but are definitely what a focus testing committee of space aliens ASSUME are situations human children get into presented with deadpan seriousness.
Actually none of that. The batgirl episodes central conflict is Batgirl needs to go out and fight poison ivy during her weekly daddy/daughter "date" with her father commissioner Gordon. Hijinks ensue but in the end everything is accomplished and the episode ends with the two watching a movie together. At no point is commissioner gordon portrayed as overbearing, or their relationship as anything but positive. Nor is he used as the butt of jokes, as we would assume.
The other episode I watched involved Wonder Woman, who despite being a highly trained Amazon Warrior had never been taught how to interact with boys and was immediately brought low by "her first crush". Now this one was very surprising to me because it hits on the fact that girls could be attracted to boys, and that this might actually have to be something they have to deal with growing up. The object of infatuation was of course a high school version of Steve Trevor (yay for canon). Hijinks ensue and the episode ends with most of the girls trying to beat Trevor up, while Batgirl saves the day by hacking into the military academies systems and getting trevor accepted there. But, plot twist! At the end Prince still had pictures of her Trevor in her locker. What a shocking idea that teen and pre-teen girls might do that, I know.
And wouldn't you know it, the showrunner behind this delightful show is Lauren Faust, of Season 1 of MLP fame. Its absolutely amazing what a difference having someone who is well adjusted and is not a troon or blue haired harpy can make for shows like this.
