I thought I would watch Mixology, a new TV show on ABC. The Hollywood Reporter's article describes the show as, "[Revolving] around ten people in one bar on one night [and] breaks up their various pursuits to get laid." I watched the Pilot, and I now see why the reviews say the show is so bad. I thought it seemed somewhat promising, but the misogynistic "humor" ruined it for me. You will hear "jokes about rape, about women being slapped by men, women who men think are whores and one-liners like this: 'Look at that chick throwing up. I'm going to bang her out,'" according to the Hollywood Reporter's article. This description is very accurate.
I had a major problem with the rape joke, first of all: "You are a Viking!" one character says to another. "You rape and pillage and take what you want! Obviously, don't rape her." This line came as the form of advice from one friend to another friend, who is going through a breakup.
Next, there was this picture, advertised on the Mixology ABC Twitter page:
I wear heels sometimes, yet I'm not looking to have sex every night I go out. I have friends who wear flats because we go bar hopping in Annapolis. Cobble stones, drinking and heels do not mix, plus it's very uncomfortable. I think this advertisement for the show really degrades women: they will either be ignored because they are wearing flats or they are slut for wearing really high heels.
Yet, to counter argue my point, I found an article where the author loved the show. The author writes about the line, "Girls who wear flats are never trying to get laid. . ." pictured above. She says: "I laughed at that. There's a reason I don't wear six-inch high stilettos when I go out to a bar. I don't want skeevy guys like [the one who made the comment] hitting on me." I though her point was valid, because that does happen, I just think that women shouldn't have to worry about what they are wearing attracting unwanted attention.
In a Flavorwire article, the author explains why they thought the show was infuriating:
"It is exhausting to listen to someone repeatedly get called a bitch (both the
men and the women, so at least there’s some kind of equality?), to heard the
phrase “smash it out” for the millionth time (no one on this show has sex;
they “bang” and “smash”), and to listen to men describe their mission to find
very drunk girls to go home with (but not girls in flats — “the higher the heels,
the looser she feels!”). It is exhausting to hear a woman claim that “real” men
are the Don Draper types who would smack her in the mouth if she sassed."
I think this description really points out some very true observations. The show begins to repeat itself, because I don't think you an go very far with the idea of one bar, one night and ten people trying to "smash." I think the show's portrayal of women and men are limited because most of the characters are undeveloped and stereotypical. TV shows don't always have to be about something to make you think, but if you're going for comedy, at least make it funny. I'm tired of TV shows slut shaming women, approving of rape culture, and saying that men who cry are weak and unlikable.
