Netflix celebrates International Women’s Day with fave women (Includes first-hand account)
Television has generally been ahead of the curve when it comes to pushing the limits of antiquated boundaries. Recently, a significant difference has been in the number of female-driven narratives on the small screen versus the big screen. And it seems this trend has poured over to the streaming networks as well.
In honour of International Women’s Day, Netflix released a YouTube video highlighting the importance of female characters (and actresses) in at least four of their top-rated shows: Stranger Things, House of Cards, The Crown and Orange is the New Black. Alluding to the related protest, “A Day Without a Woman,” each of the leading female protagonists is absent, walking out or literally protesting.
After each segment, the virtual viewer is told “Eleven/Claire Underwood/Queen Elizabeth II is not available”, followed by the familiar buttons “Continue watching” or “View another title.” Since these shows are not worth watching without the inclusion of these central characters, the latter is selected.
“Our stories don’t work without women. And the world wouldn’t either.” The message is clear, powerful and a commendable effort to use Netflix’s most popular series to make a relevant statement; particularly in a climate in which women’s issues are a hot topic and at the centre of controversy. Not to mention this was a brilliant way to promote these programs, which may be experiencing a lull in viewership since their last seasons were launched.