It’s impossible to stay positive all the time.
There is a lot of talk these days about how female characters should and should not be portrayed in the media. While everyone is happy that women are finally being seen as more than just hot romantic interests with little to no plot of their own, there is still a lot of stigma around how a good female character should and shouldn’t act.
While many people argue about America Ferrera’s simplistic feminist monologue in Barbie, it sums up the role of women not only in real life, but also on screen. The demands have changed, but the restrictive way of controlling the narrative around female characters has remained.
Women are supposed to be portrayed as strong and powerful, with enough willpower to get through any struggle, and with perfect emotional control. Women are supposed to be loving and caring, but also independent; women are supposed to show vulnerability, but not too much, so as not to bore the viewer with their intense emotions.
As much as we like to talk about change, female characters are still the most hated in fandom for no apparent reason. 911’s Maddie Buckley is a perfect example of this injustice.
Why Do People Hate 911’s Maddie?
Most of the hatred for Maddie Buckley comes along with judgment for her mental struggles. As soon as she loses her strength, allows herself to be vulnerable, and shows an emotional reaction instead of a well-calculated one, viewers tend to turn their backs on her instead of offering support.
While there are, and always have been, many good qualities about Maddie to recognize, they all seem to disappear as soon as her condition is no longer comfortable for the male characters around her.
Both Buck, her younger brother, and Chimney, her partner, end up having far more support than a woman who is clearly struggling with postpartum depression as a result of her own parents’ negligence. Brilliantly written, Maddie’s character demonstrates how women’s mental health issues affect the entire realm of their relationships.
Fortunately, with Maddie’s storyline, 911 is trying to touch the hearts and minds of its viewers and make them more empathetic. However, judging by the reactions and the general lack of popularity of the character, things don’t seem to be going as smoothly as they may have planned. There is still a long way to go.
If you are interested in seeing where the show will take Maddie and Chimney under ABC, be sure to tune in to the 911 season 7 premiere on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
