On the heels of Amanda Hess’ defense of ogling World Cup athletes, Esther Breger contends that the BBC America sci-fi show Orphan Black “embodies that female gaze better than anything else on television right now”:
In sex scenes, the camera glances past [Tatiana] Maslany’s body to linger on beefcake abs. Sarah’s two love interests, Paul and Cal, take on the role of Bond girls – objectified eye candy who spend their time helping our heroine or betraying her. Paul is a Ken Doll, and Cal is Your L.L. Bean Boyfriend come to life. Even when she uses sex as a distraction – jumping Paul when he begins to suspect her identity last season– Sarah isn’t a femme fatale or vixen. The focus is her desire, not his. When Paul has sex with Rachel this season, he’s like a stallion at a livestock auction. She commands him to undress, inspects his body, appraises his teeth, pours him a glass of wine and won’t let him drink it.
Published on June 28, 2014 05:48