http://glennagirl.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] glennagirl.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] section7mfu2014-02-05 09:31 am
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The GAL from U.N.C.L.E. ?

It's interesting that we have men from UNCLE, but not women... only girls.  I guess it just sounded better.

castwhere are all the women?
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[identity profile] mrua7.livejournal.com 2014-02-05 03:37 pm (UTC)(link)
It was the sexism of the time... and in a way a lack of respect for women. They were objectified to a point as we know. So putting a female Section II agent out there was a big step for the producers and writers, even though she tended to come across as a damsel in distress a lot. Snicker.
Edited 2014-02-05 15:38 (UTC)

[identity profile] st-crispins.livejournal.com 2014-02-05 11:35 pm (UTC)(link)
It was actually a HUGE step, as groundbreaking as starring a Russian as a hero.

April was the first woman character to star in an hour-long action adventure made for US television. Honey West was ahead of her, but Honey was given only a half hour because execs believed a woman character could not hold interest for an entire hour. The Avengers of course were in the UK, but remember that Emma was 'married' so that made her acceptable too.

April, for all her faults, was a groundbreaker. We, as fan writers, need to reclaim her and write her as she should be.

[identity profile] mrua7.livejournal.com 2014-02-05 11:42 pm (UTC)(link)
I agree completely. I've written her in a few stories and had her as a rookie but a capable one. Not sort of the clothes horse was she was portrayed, even though it was a statement of the fashion trends of the time for young women..

Funny thing, even though Emma Peel was called Mrs. Peel I never thought of her as 'married' ...I just saw her as a fiercely strong, intelligent, and independent woman who could kick the crap out of the bad guys when she needed to.

that's when I fell in love with jump suits too. :D

[identity profile] lindafishes8.livejournal.com 2014-02-05 07:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Doesn't Leo G. look pissed? I bet he's thinking: "I've got to do ANOTHER UNCLE show?"

[identity profile] st-crispins.livejournal.com 2014-02-05 11:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Actually, originally, it was supposed to be The Lady From UNCLE but they wanted to appeal to their core audience ....mostly teens like us.

[identity profile] st-crispins.livejournal.com 2014-02-05 11:32 pm (UTC)(link)
And if they'd said 'Woman' from UNCLe in those days, it had connotations that she wasn't nice.

Weird, I know, but it was the 60s. A different time.
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