Anti-rec: The IT Crowd episode S3e4: The Speech

[ilthit]

The IT Crowd is a really funny show with geeks and some absolutely golden moments, but like so many comedy shows, also pretty upsetting fail that I think should be chronicled on the Internet. There was both in "The Speech".

One of the show's best jokes was in this episode - the one where Moss and Roy give Jen "the Internet" for her presentation - but the other storyline is predicated on how funny it is that April is transsexual.

Seriously, that's the joke. April is trans. Hilarious! Disgusting! Look how manly she is despite how good she looks!

The rest of the show has other moments of fail as well, but a lot of its sexism for example can be blamed on characterization, as the characters aren't meant to be role models anyway. There's no excuse for how April was handled.

Also, in episodes s2e6 "Men Without Women" and s3e3 "Tramps Like Us" rape and sexual assault are treated as jokes.

I won't judge if you love the show, I love so many bits of it, just putting that here so new watchers know what they're getting into.

Comments

[acari]

I completely agree. I love the show and usually laugh tears, but the April storyline was just repulsive.

[ilthit]

Thank you! I'm always a bit nervous criticizing something I know a lot of people love.

[dingsi]

Yeah, I hear you... I love the show, unless in those moments where it sucks. :(

I felt there was another disturbing undercurrent in the April storyline -- Douglas was saying something along the lines of how April was so much like the guys and understood him, not like other women, which is why he falls so hard for her. I got bad vibes from that, like they were winking at the audience -- "of course" April knows what makes men tick, she used to be one / is not a real woman / still somewhat a guy inside, hurr hurr.
Another issue was the ensuing fight between them -- yes, April gives as good as she takes, but for many trans folks the violence hits way too close to home and/or can end up triggering them* (for example April got thrown through a glass door, iirc). It was just... painful on many levels.

* uh, not that those scenes couldn't trigger other people as well...

Eta: I read in the rules that posters can add tags, how about transfail to go with the genderfail?

[ilthit]

Yes, that "she's like a man" thing was a big part of what was off-putting the April storyline. It informs the fight, too - they have an equal fight precisely because April has, I dunno, hidden man power or something. Ugh. I guess that also links to the idea that it's okay to hit a trans woman but not a cissexual woman. :/

[dingsi]

It informs the fight, too

Oh, yes, good point. Like, there's an overwhelming number of portrayals of trans women as those big, muscly, scary people who can totally beat you up (Nip/Tuck, I'm looking at you). Because everybody knows trans women cannot be small and dainty, just like cis women can't be muscular and aggressive. -_-

[ilthit]

This is derailing a little but that kind of makes me want to make a muscular fictional women love post or something. Rena Titañon! She-Hulk! Tambi Baker! Taura! I love big scary fictional women, but not when that's used to somehow deny their femininity womanhood.

[ilthit]

Oh, I forgot to tag this, by the way. I'll do that now.

[pitseleh]

Thaaaanks for this. If I ever watch the show, I'll know exactly which bits to avoid.