It’s a long-lasting problem that superhero movies and TV shows tend to ignore the possibility of prominent female characters, especially ones that aren’t there solely to be eye candy. Progress in the past few years has been slow, leaving feminist fans of the genre to celebrate small victories such as Black Widow’s role in Iron Man and The Avengers as well as the wonderful women of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Most recently, however, progress has sped up with the release of Agent Carter.
Agent Carter is a TV show currently airing its eight-episode first season on ABC. If you’ve seen Captain America and you’re hoping that Agent Carter is Peggy Carter, then you’re in luck. Yes, this show not only has a female lead character, but she is also the title character. The series tells the story of Peggy in 1949 (after the presumed death of Steve Rogers) as she struggles to balance the office job which her gender confines her to and the secret work she does with Howard Stark. When Stark is framed for selling dangerous weapons, she fights to clear his name. The show is intended to lead up to her involvement with S.H.I.E.L.D.
Thankfully, Marvel didn’t half-ass this show despite the fact that it has a female lead. It’s well cast, with Hayley Atwell reprising her role as Peggy and Dominic Cooper once again portraying Howard Stark. The script is well written: there is every bit of action and excitement we have come to expect from a Marvel Studios production. Plus, the writers deliberately avoided sexist slang that would have been used in the 40s and 50s. It is clear that Marvel intends to show the world that women can capture an audience just as men do.
Peggy truly is the character who drives this show. She is the center around which the male characters revolve. Even better, the issue of gender is not merely swept under the rug. Peggy’s drive to show the world that women are leaders confronts the issue of gender inequality head-on. We see the juxtaposition of her office job and her scientific work with Stark, and realize where she belongs. The show develops her character as a full person, with emotional depth and a spark that can’t be extinguished. On top of this, she’s a fantastic action heroine.
Since this is Marvel’s first attempt at a female-lead story, it’s important that there is a large and enthusiastic audience response. That way, we can hope that there will be more shows and movies like this in the future. Executives at Marvel Studios have announced the possibility of a second season, but that will only happen if a lot of people watch the first one! Agent Carter could spark a movement towards raising the demand for female-centered stories being told well and without somehow managing to degrade women.
If you’re able, catch episodes of Agent Carter on ABC Tuesdays at 9PM, or watch it online here!