Why are most of the female characters love interests?

[Papenbrook]

I am seeing a trend among the female characters of the show. Most of them are love interests to one of the male characters. I really hope this stops soon.

[Leo656]

Because it's easy. Especially when your target audience isn't primarily made up of deep thinkers.

Not gonna lie, when I was about 7 or so, basically the target age group for this show, when I'd see a girl character in a show/movie my first instinct was that she was going to be someone's "girlfriend". At that age the people you're most familiar with are your parents, so subconsciously, you tend to pair people up because that's how it's "supposed" to be in your head.

It also gives the writers the excuse not to put much thought into making them a fully-formed character. Most of the pen-holders on any show or movie are men, remember, and it's kind of impossible for men to even pretend they know how women think or act. So, since to them, women in real life only exist as potential partners, that's what goes down on paper.

[snake]

Don't you make the same thread every other week?

[Luckyday]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Because it's easy. Especially when your target audience isn't primarily made up of deep thinkers.

Not gonna lie, when I was about 7 or so, basically the target age group for this show, when I'd see a girl character in a show/movie my first instinct was that she was going to be someone's "girlfriend". At that age the people you're most familiar with are your parents, so subconsciously, you tend to pair people up because that's how it's "supposed" to be in your head.

It also gives the writers the excuse not to put much thought into making them a fully-formed character. Most of the pen-holders on any show or movie are men, remember, and it's kind of impossible for men to even pretend they know how women think or act. So, since to them, women in real life only exist as potential partners, that's what goes down on paper.

That may be true but I am started to see shows (mostly Cartoon Network) that throw that outdate cliche out the ****ing window.

I am not sure if I can give all the credit to Pendleton Ward but his female characters, even when they're love interests, are multi facade individuals with so much thought put into them and he still thinks that he's not trying hard enough. So it's not impossible for men to write female characters. You just have to be good and not lazy.

A poor writer is a writer that is so complacent with status que that he/she never tries anything new and that is real problem with nickelodeon.

[Leo656]

Nick getting their hands on this franchise really was a worst-case scenario all the way around. I remember people being all, "Yay, we get more TMNT product!" But it's all been the drizzling sh*ts so who cares?

[IndigoErth]

Agree that part of it comes down to the fact that while there are many women working in animation they're still outnumbered quite a bit by the guys. It would serve writing teams well, as well as those who create and develop characters, to balance out the gender ratio in studios a bit more. As well as recognizing that they might need to beef up their quality in terms of female characters and be willing to have more woman involved in the writing. Or at least get more of their input.

[Bossa Nova]

Because that's all they're good for apparently.

[Warhorse]

It's typical in writings. Even J.K Rowlings couldn't seem to create female characters without them not having a romantic interest. Unless you were a teacher that is.

[IndigoErth]

Hm.. Suppose some of it could be social nonsense that sees part of a woman's value being in relation to her relationship status, and making a relationship or the hunt/want for one an inherent part of a female character's identity.

[CyberCubed]

Almost all women in fiction are love interests. Even the female villains are usually paired with someone, or try to seduce one of the male leads away from the "good" female character.

Even in Legend of Korra the female lead was rushed into a relationship with a guy in the first season even before she became a lesbian at the end of the show with the other woman who was just a love interest.

[Gunpowder]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Even in Legend of Korra the female lead was rushed into a relationship with a guy in the first season even before she became a lesbian at the end of the show with the other woman who was just a love interest.

Should probably put spoiler brackets around this. Just sayin'.

[ssjup81]

Might be ingrained...thinking that a female character will definitely do her own thing and have her own life but may also get paired up with someone...although, for me, I never really thought about romance in general as a kid much. Although, when watching Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears back in like the late 80s, I viewed Cavin and Callah as a pair or possibly becoming one if they were adults. I thought it was cute.

[Warhorse]

Originally Posted by ssjup81

Might be ingrained...thinking that a female character will definitely do her own thing and have her own life but may also get paired up with someone...although, for me, I never really thought about romance in general as a kid much. Although, when watching Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears back in like the late 80s, I viewed Cavin and Callah as a pair or possibly becoming one if they were adults. I thought it was cute.

I don't know how ingrained it really is. When watching Gummi Bears, stuff like that did not cross my mind. Now, when watching Alvin and the Chimpmunks, it was very easy to do a child's version of shipping Alvin with Britany. And, for some reason, I also rooted for Charles and Sarah in Charles in Charge.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Gunpowder

Should probably put spoiler brackets around this. Just sayin'.

Its all around tumblr, deviantart and every forum, everyone knows it by now.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Its all around tumblr, deviantart and every forum, everyone knows it by now.

I didn't because I dont use those sites.

[Gunpowder]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Its all around tumblr, deviantart and every forum, everyone knows it by now.

I didn't.

[Huzzah]

The problem with introducing characters as solely love interests, is the writers use that as an excuse to write poorly formed characters. Then again some of these writers also live by the severely outdated notions that female characters aren't interesting to boys, their primary target audience, toy companies use this as an excuse not to make female figures.

[Konchadunga]

Originally Posted by Leo656

It also gives the writers the excuse not to put much thought into making them a fully-formed character. Most of the pen-holders on any show or movie are men, remember, and it's kind of impossible for men to even pretend they know how women think or act. So, since to them, women in real life only exist as potential partners, that's what goes down on paper.

I don't buy this. I mean, maybe it's not possible for men to think exactly like women, but it can't excuse women being written that dull. I don't see why a man can't just pick one of his interests out and give them to a female character. Girl who likes training iguanas? Maybe it's not relatable to many female viewers (or male ones, for that matter), but at least it's something apart from the norm.

[Metalwolf]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Even in Legend of Korra the female lead was rushed into a relationship with a guy in the first season even before she became a lesbian at the end of the show with the other woman who was just a love interest.

That's lame. She escaped being some dude's love interest only to be shoved into a lesbian one. It's like the writers are saying 'Too bad honey. You ain't gonna escape having a relationship this time."

You know what the most radical thing would be? Not making her a lesbian, its having a woman who is single, and not treating it like it's a bad thing. The sudden lesbian thing also only reinforces the stereotype that a woman never really is content without a relationship, if she can't get with the men for some reason, well, then she's gonna go with the girls. It's either she's always in a relationship, or she's aspiring to be in one. A woman is always defined by her relationship role.

And if she somehow happens to be lesbian or bi from the get go? then heaven help the writer that happens to let her be content or desires to be single! It's somehow 'bigoted' or 'homophobic' if she's written to not be in or aspire to a relationship! Gay or bi characters are just as defined by their relationship status as straight female ones. They don't get away from the relationship trap either.

[MaximeLoonatic]

Not all the females from the show is a love interest, like: Ice Cream Kitty, Ms Campel, The female reporter, Kraang Prime...

But, honestly, I belive this show could use some other females, specially villians.