Window of opportunity.

[rogueslayer452]

Viola Davis winning and providing a beautiful, powerful speech at the Emmys was truly the most and only remarkable thing to come out from the event. I know many were disappointed that Tatiana didn't win, but let's be real, Tatiana was up against some major competition and honestly it's kind of like placing your favorites against each other and deciding who is more deserving. Both Viola and Tatiana are incredibly talented women in their own right and deserve recognition for their work, even the fact that they're nominated means so much, especially in Tatiana's case where it was a miracle she was recognized at all at this event especially for a little genre show that probably nobody at the academy knew or cared about until very recently. But since it's been 67 years since a WOC won such an award, Viola certainly was more than deserving of this moment. She has been very vocal about racism in the industry, and the fact that she made history with this speaks volumes, which hopefully will become a huge step in the right direction.

Similarly, Lilly Singh, one of my favorite YouTubers, won at the Streamy Awards the other night as well, providing a fantastic bookend to her speech which she further elaborates on in her vlog, before and after the event. Just seeing these amazing women getting the proper recognition and opportunity in a positive light is phenomenal to me. ♥

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

I'm really glad that Viola Davis got the Emmy. I haven't seen Transparent, but it's good it got some Emmys as well. Apart from that, I'm rolling my eyes that GoT got 12 of these things. Yes, it's well done, but it's not the best show out there. I read a comment somewhere a few weeks ago that ASOIAF so far was 5 books of prologue and it made me laugh because that's not wrong.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Ugh, don't get me started on Game Of Thrones. It has become the TBBT and Modern Family of genre television, where it's less about the quality, which has been in decline after the first season (the latest season being the worst of all thus far) and more about the popularity. I mean, that's all these award shows is, right? One huge popularity contest and only a few are rightfully deserving of their wins. I mean, I'm not saying it didn't deserve it during its prime, aka their first season, and I'm willing to give them their dues on that, but it has gotten so horrible as the seasons go on that the criticism is worth noting on how the writing and direction has just been shit. D&D doesn't deserve being praised for making it such a misogynistic gross mess. There are so many other shows wayyyy more deserving of those many awards, and the fact that they "broke records" with those wins is such bullshit.

It's so disappointing that the show is the face of fantasy now when we could have had something like Legend of the Seeker, a show that turned a sexist book series into a fantastical woman-positive beautiful show. We could have had it all, I tell you.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

I don't know anything about Shannara (I'm evading all spoilers as usual), but I'm so glad it's coming to our screens because I am finally going to drop GoT and I'll still have heroic fantasy to watch. I really hated all the disgusting things that happened to young girls in Season 5, in addition to the usual heavy character deaths. D:

Unfortunately, I was bored by the pilot of LotS and never watched past it. I heard good things and was tempted to catch up, but then they killed a queer lady, I rolled my eyes and gave up.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

The fact that the show waited until one of the actresses was of age so they could have her in a rape scene was disgusting as fuck, never mind killing off major characters that are still alive in the books, and ruining some of the most important and fantastic characters as well (i.e. everything in Dorne, having no Arianne Martell, ruining the Sand Snakes).

I have seen a few previews for Shannara, and I have no idea what it's about either, so I'm hoping that it's good so I can have another fantasy series to get into.

I would suggest giving Legend of the Seeker another try, because even though I love it to bits I have to admit the pilot was very slow-going since it was more introducing the characters and what it was about. And I don't recall the show killing off someone who was queer?? I mean, the show wasn't perfect, but it was way more delightful and positive with the lady characters, something I think we took for granted at the time. The show gets way more interesting as the season progresses, with season two being absolutely a delight. It's just a fun, lighthearted fantasy show that I highly recommend to everyone. :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

Well, most of the awful stuff still comes from the books, but I've at least heard that the book plot wasn't to kill Myrcella, which would mean that book!Ellaria isn't a psycho, a typical bisexual lady trope... You know, apart from the dead LGBT character trope, like Oberyn and Renly.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

but I've at least heard that the book plot wasn't to kill Myrcella, which would mean that book!Ellaria isn't a psycho, a typical bisexual lady trope...

Yeah, Myrcella was attacked but not by any of the women from Dorne, especially not from Ellaria. She never wanted to harm her and she, along with Arianne, were very protective of her. In fact, they attempt to scheme a plan so that Myrcella will become Queen of the Seven Kingdoms after Joffrey dies, since in Dorne the eldest daughter inherits before any younger son. The fact that the show changed not just the inheritance factor by excluding Arianne, but they also turned it into some kind of nonsensical revenge plot against Myrcella because she is a Lannister/Baratheon, something that Ellaria was absolutely against in the books since she saw how the cycle of revenge hurt Oberyn, it is quite disgusting and horrible. It's like the show goes out of its way to treat the women like shit simply for entertainment value, to "up the stakes". Instead of having women be protective of each other, they're trying to kill one another, and that's such bullshit.

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

I am so glad that Viola Davis won the Emmy - heck, I was overjoyed when I heard the news :DD

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

That sounds much better. I would definitely have preferred to see that on the show.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Me too. The show could have been much, much better than what it turned out to be. There was so much potential, so many storylines and character growth scenes that would've been fantastic to see adapted on screen, to give fluidity of the story being told. Had the show been handed off to showrunners who respected the characters and the world, we would've had such a different and better show.

[sakuraberries]

Sorry to butt in here, but I just want to say, regarding LotS, I had the same experience! In fact, it took me three times of watching the pilot (in parts) over the course of about a year to get past it. The second episode as well was very meh, but then things pick up really quickly and it becomes excellent very fast.

I'm sure you've probably heard this before but I can't help but push LotS onto every fantasy fan, because it's so amazing (especially when compared to something like GoT).

[lusimeles.livejournal.com]

yay, lilly singh! i like her a lot as well.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

Maybe I'll try again once I'm done rewatching Dollhouse. If I remember correctly, the pilot was a two-parter and I stopped after the first part. It would make some sense to rewatch it to refresh my memory, but I was so bored that I'll probably just skip it. I mean, at that point, it was all basic fantasy, so I'm sure I won't miss much.

[saturnsdaughter.livejournal.com]

That whole moment had me in tears, starting with Taraji being so overjoyed for Viola as well. It's so inspiring to see Black women starting to get mainstream recognition like this. I'm tired of having to be content with the few token characters that might as well not be there.

I didn't realize Lilly had won an award too, but that's awesome! I found her channel one day by accident and I'm glad I did. She's so funny and seems like a cool person.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Taraji being overjoyed whenever a WOC won was fantastic. She was just over the moon, it was beautiful.

I'm tired of token characters, as well. Just having a POC in the background or as a minor character in some shots doesn't make your show/movie progressive. Develop them as three-dimensional characters in their own right, give them a storyline, make them human beings rather than caricature background props.

Lilly is so awesome! When I discovered her channel it was such a delight. She seems like such a chill person to be around, so positive and laidback, but also very hardworking. Just looking at how her schedule is through her vlog channel is insane. But I love how she loves to work and it's quite inspirational, I'm not gonna lie. So her winning is well deserved, indeed. :) ♥

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yay, another fan! She is amazing. I love her videos, and her personality is so fun and upbeat and positive. She makes me wanna be her friend, since she seems like someone who is super chill. :)

[lusimeles.livejournal.com]

yes, she is great to watch! the fact that she is a canadian woc makes my girlboner for her extra hard <3 (gawd, i am naturally so creepy, what is wrong with me.)

[giallarhorn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I mean....Tatiana (or maybe OB in general) could've had some awards if there wasn't so much given to GoT for whatever reason.

But that said, it's not really fair to say that Tatiana was jipped out of an award over Viola that some people have been saying? Like...Viola Davis winning both as a black female on a show that's written by a black female on a day that features mostly shows by same female which can be called soap operas by genres which are the traditionally most looked down upon shows...well. That's a big, big thing.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

Yeah it seemed like Tatiana considered it enough of an honour to do recognised for her work this year and nominated, I doubt that she ever expected to win

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

It is a huge thing, it's pretty freaking monumental. Like I said, it was honestly tough when you have extraordinarily talented women like Viola and Tatiana in the same category, but the fact that Tatiana was even nominated this year was an honor in and of itself. Plus, while I certainly want her to win an Emmy at some point, Tatiana has won other awards for her work on Orphan Black. And as you said, it would have been better if the show had been nominated in other categories too, not just for best actress. Besides, she seems pretty content either way, considering she has said time and again that it's the dedication and support of the fans that is the true reward of all the hard work placed into the show.

But for Viola, this is entirely different. This win is huge for plenty of other reasons that is incredibly important, a historic and progressive one that I'm hoping will continue to thrive in the future.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I mentioned before that regardless of the outcome that just getting that nomination nod was enough. There are a lot of shows and actors, especially among genre television, who haven't even been nominated for an Emmy despite how talented and remarkable they are. I certainly would love for her to win in the future, but just being nominated was more than an honor.

[teagues-veil.livejournal.com]

Lilly is one of my all-time fav YouTubers, and I watch a LOT of them.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Same. I watch a bunch of YouTube channels, but there are only a handful of people who I watch regularly, and several of those people are my top favorites. Lilly certainly makes that list, for sure. She is just so upbeat and positive, and incredibly hardworking and dedicated to her job. Watching her vlogs it's kind of remarkable how busy she is, and yet still manages to be this amazing happy silly person that she is. She gives me a lot of motivation, that's for sure. ♥