Flashback: Charlie's Angels
1/23/2017
Flashback: Charlie's Angels | The McGill Tribune
CURIOSITY DELIVERS.
(acidemic.blogspot.com)
Flashback: Charlie’s Angels
November 25, 2016 ‖ Arts & Entertainment ‖ by Julia Metraux
When it came to solving crime on television, male-led shows like The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and I Spy dominated espionage and crime entertainment throughout the 1960s. Although women did have some important roles, they were mainly featured alongside men. Just over 40 years ago, on Sept. 22, 1976, Charlie’s Angels premiered. Its leads were three female heroines, portrayed by actresses Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith, who left an impact on feminist pop culture. Sabrina (Jackson), Jill (Fawcett), and Kelly (Smith) are three undercover investigators who work to solve crimes. In the rst episode, we learn that the three http://www.mcgilltribune.com/a-e/flashback-charlies-angels-657456/
1/5
1/23/2017
Flashback: Charlie's Angels | The McGill Tribune
heroines all graduated successfully from the police academy but work as a meter maid, o ce worker, and crossing guard. Sabrina, Jill, and Kelly are then recruited to work for Townsend Detective Agency. At the beginning of each episode, the three women are assigned a crime to solve by their boss, Charlie, a mysterious character depicted only as a disembodied voice communicating to the Angels through radio. This television series lasted for ve seasons, but it started to decline in popularity during its last two years on air due to various casting changes. Although the show demonstrates a team of three competent and capable women, the central driving force is male; however, in the context of the time period, the relationship between Charlie and his Angels demonstrates a signi cant amount of progress, as the three women were depicted as skilled and resourceful, and were put in charge of important missions. This depiction re ected women moving beyond secretarial jobs in the workforce during this time, although there was still a power dynamic between male bosses and their female workers. The out ts of Sabrina, Jill, and Kelly received plenty of backlash for being what some people consider as too revealing at the time. The costume design re ected the sexual liberation movement of the late 60s and early 70s. But, many believe that the Angels were dressed primarily to be sex objects, undermining their agency as characters. News
Opinion
Student Living
Features
Science & Technology
Arts & Entertainment
Sports
Photo
About
In an statement, Fawcett agreed with the latter idea. "When the show was number three, I gured it was our acting,” Fawcett said. “When it got to be number one, I decided it could only be because none of us wears a bra.”
Charlie’s Angels was conceived during North America’s second-wave feminist movement; there are aspects of the show that both support and contradict this movement. The show contributed to the movement, in which women fought to have equality in the workplace, as the Angels occupied action-driven, positions outside of secretarial work. However, the emphasis on the looks of the actresses in order to appeal to the male gaze detracted from the positive feminist messages promoted in the show. To this day, Charlie’s Angels is a cult favourite and has inspired spin-o s, such as 2001’s lm adaptation starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu, and 2011’s short-lived series revival. The success of Charlie’s Angels created the model for successful female-driven crime and espionage shows, such as cop-drama Rizzoli and Isles and cartoon show Totally Spies!, as it was one of the rst T.V. representations of http://www.mcgilltribune.com/a-e/flashback-charlies-angels-657456/
2/5
1/23/2017
Flashback: Charlie's Angels | The McGill Tribune
women who were capable of excelling in traditionally male roles. Due to the boundaries that the television show Charlie’s Angels pushed, female T.V. characters at the time were nally able to have their skills and desires at the forefront, instead of simply serving as eye candy.
FACE BO OK
TAGS:
TWI TT ER
CHARLIE'S ANGELS
G OOG LE
FEMINISM
P IN TE R ES T
FLASHBACK
SPY
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN
Instagram, politics, and the fashion of feminism News
Opinion
Flashback: Ikiru (1952)
Student Living
Comments
Features
Community
Recommend
Gendered policies must avoid crossing line into paternalism
Science & Technology
⤤ Share
Arts & Entertainment
Avatar
Sports
Photo
About
Sort by Best
Start the discussion…
Be the first to comment.
✉ Subscribe d Add Disqus to your site Add Disqus Add Privacy
Search...
N E W S L E T T E R
Subscribe to receive a weekly newsletter with content and updates! email address Subscribe http://www.mcgilltribune.com/a-e/flashback-charlies-angels-657456/
3/5
Flashback: Charlie's Angels | The McGill Tribune
CURIOSITY DELIVERS.
(acidemic.blogspot.com)
Flashback: Charlie’s Angels
November 25, 2016 ‖ Arts & Entertainment ‖ by Julia Metraux
When it came to solving crime on television, male-led shows like The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and I Spy dominated espionage and crime entertainment throughout the 1960s. Although women did have some important roles, they were mainly featured alongside men. Just over 40 years ago, on Sept. 22, 1976, Charlie’s Angels premiered. Its leads were three female heroines, portrayed by actresses Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith, who left an impact on feminist pop culture. Sabrina (Jackson), Jill (Fawcett), and Kelly (Smith) are three undercover investigators who work to solve crimes. In the rst episode, we learn that the three http://www.mcgilltribune.com/a-e/flashback-charlies-angels-657456/
1/5
1/23/2017
Flashback: Charlie's Angels | The McGill Tribune
heroines all graduated successfully from the police academy but work as a meter maid, o ce worker, and crossing guard. Sabrina, Jill, and Kelly are then recruited to work for Townsend Detective Agency. At the beginning of each episode, the three women are assigned a crime to solve by their boss, Charlie, a mysterious character depicted only as a disembodied voice communicating to the Angels through radio. This television series lasted for ve seasons, but it started to decline in popularity during its last two years on air due to various casting changes. Although the show demonstrates a team of three competent and capable women, the central driving force is male; however, in the context of the time period, the relationship between Charlie and his Angels demonstrates a signi cant amount of progress, as the three women were depicted as skilled and resourceful, and were put in charge of important missions. This depiction re ected women moving beyond secretarial jobs in the workforce during this time, although there was still a power dynamic between male bosses and their female workers. The out ts of Sabrina, Jill, and Kelly received plenty of backlash for being what some people consider as too revealing at the time. The costume design re ected the sexual liberation movement of the late 60s and early 70s. But, many believe that the Angels were dressed primarily to be sex objects, undermining their agency as characters. News
Opinion
Student Living
Features
Science & Technology
Arts & Entertainment
Sports
Photo
About
In an statement, Fawcett agreed with the latter idea. "When the show was number three, I gured it was our acting,” Fawcett said. “When it got to be number one, I decided it could only be because none of us wears a bra.”
Charlie’s Angels was conceived during North America’s second-wave feminist movement; there are aspects of the show that both support and contradict this movement. The show contributed to the movement, in which women fought to have equality in the workplace, as the Angels occupied action-driven, positions outside of secretarial work. However, the emphasis on the looks of the actresses in order to appeal to the male gaze detracted from the positive feminist messages promoted in the show. To this day, Charlie’s Angels is a cult favourite and has inspired spin-o s, such as 2001’s lm adaptation starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu, and 2011’s short-lived series revival. The success of Charlie’s Angels created the model for successful female-driven crime and espionage shows, such as cop-drama Rizzoli and Isles and cartoon show Totally Spies!, as it was one of the rst T.V. representations of http://www.mcgilltribune.com/a-e/flashback-charlies-angels-657456/
2/5
1/23/2017
Flashback: Charlie's Angels | The McGill Tribune
women who were capable of excelling in traditionally male roles. Due to the boundaries that the television show Charlie’s Angels pushed, female T.V. characters at the time were nally able to have their skills and desires at the forefront, instead of simply serving as eye candy.
FACE BO OK
TAGS:
TWI TT ER
CHARLIE'S ANGELS
G OOG LE
FEMINISM
P IN TE R ES T
FLASHBACK
SPY
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN
Instagram, politics, and the fashion of feminism News
Opinion
Flashback: Ikiru (1952)
Student Living
Comments
Features
Community
Recommend
Gendered policies must avoid crossing line into paternalism
Science & Technology
⤤ Share
Arts & Entertainment
Avatar
Sports
Photo
About
Sort by Best
Start the discussion…
Be the first to comment.
✉ Subscribe d Add Disqus to your site Add Disqus Add Privacy
Search...
N E W S L E T T E R
Subscribe to receive a weekly newsletter with content and updates! email address Subscribe http://www.mcgilltribune.com/a-e/flashback-charlies-angels-657456/
3/5
