Day Five: Female Character Meme

[ishtar79]

Day Five: Favorite female character on a male-driven show: Debra Morgan




While I adore Dexter, I get equal enjoyment out of watching the journey of his sister Debra, her evolution from her S1 bravado covering up her insecurity to her becoming the best cop of the department in later seasons, her relationship with her brother (including that one massive blind spot), and how her general storyline led her to realistically make the choice to let the two “mystery killers” go at the end of S5.

Deb's determination, utter lack of office politics savvy and tendency to curse like a sailor are just a few of traits that make her infinitely likeable and compelling. I also really appreciate her awkward tomboyishness, and how everything about the way she holds herself and walks seems to scream “cop”. She's been through enough to break a less resilient several times over (and Jennifer Carpenter's amazing acting chops make Deb's big emotional scenes heartbreaking, rather than OTT melodramatic), yet she keeps picking herself up and moving on. The endgame for the show is bound to be Deb figuring out Dex's secret, and I cannot wait for the sheer awesome television that will be.



Day One: Favorite lead female character
Day Two: Favorite supporting female character
Day Three: A female character you hated but grew to love
Day Four: A female character you relate to
Day Five: Favorite female character on a male-driven show
Day Six: Favorite female-driven show
Day Seven: A female character that needs more screen time
Day Eight: Favorite female character in a comedy show
Day Nine: Favorite female character in a drama show
Day Ten: Favorite female character in a scifi/supernatural show
Day Eleven: Favorite female character in a children’s show
Day Twelve: Favorite female character in a movie
Day Thirteen: Favorite female character in a book
Day Fourteen: Favorite older female character
Day Fifteen: Favorite female character growth arc
Day Sixteen: Favorite mother character
Day Seventeen: Favorite warrior female character
Day Eighteen: Favorite non-warrior female character
Day Nineteen: Favorite non-human female character
Day Twenty: Favorite female antagonist
Day Twenty-One: Favorite female character screwed over by canon
Day Twenty-Two: Favorite female character you love but everyone else hates
Day Twenty-Thre: Favorite female platonic relationship
Day Twenty-Four: Favorite female romantic relationship
Day Twenty-Five: Favorite mother/daughter and/or sister relationship
Day Twenty-Six: Favorite classical female character (from pre-20th century literature or mythology or the like)
Day Twenty-Seven: A female character you have extensive personal canon for
Day Twenty-Eight: Favorite female writer (television, books, movies, etc.)
Day Twenty-Nine: A female-centric fic rec
Day Thirty: Whatever you'd like!

Comments

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

I'm totally on board w/Debra on Dexter! She is so well written, trying so hard to play on an equal footing in a man's world (talking more raunchy than any of the guys), and so well acted (with that controlled vulnerability always near the surface).

BTW your meme has inspired

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I'm totally on board w/Debra on Dexter! She is so well written, trying so hard to play on an equal footing in a man's world (talking more raunchy than any of the guys), and so well acted (with that controlled vulnerability always near the surface).

BTW your meme has inspired <lj=user"liluv"> but only over at Vampire Friends (I think she forgot her password for lj)

[ishtar79.livejournal.com]

Debra is amazing, and Jennifer Carpenter is nothing short of perfect in the role. And it's such a (good) change from book!Deb imo.

I'll have to catch up with FOV eventually, to see Leena's replies.

[nemesister.livejournal.com]

Hells yes, she's my pick too, and I found it the easiest one. Definitely my favorite sibling relationship ever, if someone were to ask this question.

[ishtar79.livejournal.com]

Ha, mine too, though I bet a majority of fandom would disagree (and probably pick some dudes).

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I like Deb more and more as the show goes on. I think part of it is that I love the situation she's coming from--she's almost like the second son in her family, the one who seems less favored, trying to follow in her dad's footsteps without the seemingly supernatural talents her brother has. I love her mixture of goofiness and dumb personal mistakes and good professional instincts. And that she's so very much a dyed in the wool cop with how much injustice gets under her skin. Love how she's such a force to be reckoned with and that Dexter not only has very good reason to love and trust her but to fear her if she found out the truth.

[ishtar79.livejournal.com]

My absolutely favourite part of this meme is hearing others' takes on the characters. And yes, Deb very much plays the role of the "lesser son". Deb's dynamic with Harry is equally interesting to Dexter (if, arguably, slightly less fucked up).

Now I seriously can't wait for next season.