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Day Seven: A female character that needs more screen time
Melinda May from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
This is going to be a brief post today, as I need to go to work quite soon. I had to think for quite a while before I came up with an answer here, as I tend not to stick with shows in which female characters are given insufficient screen time. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a bit of a left-field choice for me, in that every show I've posted about so far has been one that I adored, whereas S.H.I.E.L.D. I merely find enjoyable and frustrating by turns.
A big part of it is simply that the show wears its characters lightly — it's plot-driven, rather than character-driven, and it's hampered by having to tie its plot in to the overarching plot of the various films in the Marvel cinematic universe. So it's not as if any characters are getting personality-developing screen time at the expense of Melinda May. My issues with S.H.I.E.L.D. thus stem mainly from personal preference rather than an inherent flaw of the show itself. My preference is always to spend time with well-developed, intriguing characters, rather than a page-turning or binge-watching-inducing plot.
Now that I've got all that out of the way, I would still like to see more of Melinda May. She was my favourite character from the first episode; I loved her stoicism, her apparent unflappability, her ability to challenge Coulson when necessary. I loved all the little hints of what was going on beneath her calm exterior, the moments when it became apparent she actually felt a wealth of emotions, but kept a very tight lid on them.
I would really like to see more moments like that. I want to know what motivates May, I want her complete backstory, and I want more opportunities to see what she's hiding just beneath the surface. That's what I want for her when I say I think she needs more screen time.
( The other days )
Melinda May from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
This is going to be a brief post today, as I need to go to work quite soon. I had to think for quite a while before I came up with an answer here, as I tend not to stick with shows in which female characters are given insufficient screen time. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a bit of a left-field choice for me, in that every show I've posted about so far has been one that I adored, whereas S.H.I.E.L.D. I merely find enjoyable and frustrating by turns.
A big part of it is simply that the show wears its characters lightly — it's plot-driven, rather than character-driven, and it's hampered by having to tie its plot in to the overarching plot of the various films in the Marvel cinematic universe. So it's not as if any characters are getting personality-developing screen time at the expense of Melinda May. My issues with S.H.I.E.L.D. thus stem mainly from personal preference rather than an inherent flaw of the show itself. My preference is always to spend time with well-developed, intriguing characters, rather than a page-turning or binge-watching-inducing plot.
Now that I've got all that out of the way, I would still like to see more of Melinda May. She was my favourite character from the first episode; I loved her stoicism, her apparent unflappability, her ability to challenge Coulson when necessary. I loved all the little hints of what was going on beneath her calm exterior, the moments when it became apparent she actually felt a wealth of emotions, but kept a very tight lid on them.
I would really like to see more moments like that. I want to know what motivates May, I want her complete backstory, and I want more opportunities to see what she's hiding just beneath the surface. That's what I want for her when I say I think she needs more screen time.
( The other days )
