HBO has long been known for its boy oriented shows. The Sopranos, Entourage and even Big Love. But now us girls are making headway first with the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency and now with Women’s Studies from my buddy Theresa Rebeck.
How awesome is it that a show will be called Women’s Studies?
The new feminist show will star Julie White as a former feminist “it” girl author who now teaches at a small northeastern liberal arts school. If Julie White is in it I can guarantee it will be funny.
Rebeck and Ben Karlin (The Daily Show and The Colbert Report) are executive producers and Rebeck will write the script.
Theresa Rebeck’s first novel Three Sisters and Their Brother will be out in paperback this month.
Do you hear me shouting from the rooftop?
HBO signing up for ‘Women’s Studies‘ (HR)
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
First!
Man, I really wish there was a way to watch their shows online. Generally, my attitude towards HBO content has been, can’t afford HBO; can’t watch HBO shows. Which hurts when I can’t watch Entourage, but now it *really* hurts!
If I could pay to watch one particular show or another online, I totally would.
How exciting! Even in some of HBO’s boy-oriented shows, there are very interesting and complex women, so this is great news. Any dates released, or is it too soon to say?
Thanks for sharing this.
Cool! Maybe I’ll finally get HBO.
I don’t have HBO but I’m glad more shows starring women are being made.
I am frustrated that people are promoting this show as the first feminist show on HBO when the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency is a fantastic show with an african american female lead getting absolutely zero discussion amongst majority feminist bloggers.
Are african women not a part of the feminist diaspora? There is a disconnect between white feminists and minority feminists that has to be addressed. The fact that one of the best feminist shows on TV is largely ignored by much of the feminist movement shows that something is amiss.
Hi Mel –
Looking forward to the show! As a longtime HBO/Showtime viewer (and a female), my relationship with the networks is — ahem — complicated. Currently there are some shows in the lineups which feature strong women: Weeds, In Treatment, Big Love, Dexter. Haven’t yet seen the #1 Detective Agency, looks promising though.
HBO/Showtime is realizing they need to keep the quality level high and aim higher, as basic cable is now running shows which are at pay-cable quality (Rescue Me, Damages, etc.).
TV is getting better and better…and sadly I’m going to the movies less and less often…
Liz
I guarantee that anyone who watches the two hour season premiere (which is being replayed this weekend I think) will be pleasantly surprised.
I watched the first episodes of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency and liked it ok. I’m going to keep watching it. I like that it’s about women and like Jill Scott and Anika Noni Rose.
I think I might have pulled the switch on this too quickly cause it seems that they haven’t green lit the show yet, just the pilot. One show that I forgot that’s on HBO that I hear good things about but haven’t watched is True Blood. What do people have to say about that one?
{ 2 trackbacks }