I was scrolling through my Instagram feed a few days ago and came across a list posted by Hulu’s official account mentioning some of the latest TV shows that received the ReFrameStamp for being gender-balanced productions. Since March is Women’s History Month (even though women and their fierce narratives should be celebrated 365 days a year), let’s take a look at some of the 2019- 2020 productions that received the award!
- ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy
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No surprise here! Shonda Rhimes has always been synonym with progress, equality and inclusiveness (If you haven’t already, go binge her new Netflix production Bridgerton!).
- HBO’s Big Little Lies
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I love love love this show starring amazing actors such as Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon. The show confronts the challenges of domestic and sexual abuse and is a real emblem of women power.
- Hulu’s The Great
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I haven’t watched the show (you can also stream in on Amazon Prime), but I’ve heard amazing reviews on Elle Fanning’s astonishing performance as young Catherine The Great.
- Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale
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I’ve been a huge fan of the show since season 1 and cannot wait for season 4 (premiering on Hulu on April 28). This show is raw, passionate and, despite being set in a dystopic future where women have lost basically all their rights, incredibly realistic. I’m looking forward to seeing how Margaret Atwell’s new novel The Testaments (a sequel to the 1985 novel on which the show is based) has been weaved into season 4.
- Hulu’s Normal People
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Despite not having secured an award at the 2021 Golden Globes, Normal People is one of the most praised romantic productions of 2020; the way showrunners have portrayed both female and male nudity make the show a beautiful, delicate ode to the frailty and passion of young relationships.
- Netflix’s Never Have I Ever
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Several awesome Netflix productions received the award; among them is Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever. The show offers a witty, funny and quirky perspective on the teenage tribulations of an Indian-American high school sophomore dealing with friends and crushes, all while trying to define her own identity.
- Netflix’s Unbelievable
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This production starring Toni Collette deals with sexual violence and despite being unsettling and harsh, I really believe it is a must-watch.
It’s not surprising to see that all the TV shows mentioned above have had an incredible success worldwide and have been streamed by millions of people in the past year. It is safe to say that gender-balanced productions imply high quality, diverse, modern and fresh perspectives, along with more inclusive and unbiased narratives. Let’s hope for even more in the future!