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A love letter to Bomb Girls
Apr. 27th, 2013 05:33 pmThe overly simplistic Bomb Girls summary:
It's WWII, pre-Pearl Harbor, and Canada has joined the war effort. Left behind are the women (and some men) and our show focuses on those who work at Victory Munitions (Vic Mu), which happens to be a bomb factory. Specifically, we spotlight blue shift, lead by Mrs. Lorna Corbet. Our series begins with two newbies to the factory and we follow their clashes with the old guard and the rich/poor divide as well as the what life was like on the homefront.
If you like period pieces or slices of history you might not have thought about, this show is for you. If you like strong women, this show is for you. If you liked the American Girl line in any way aside from "hey, dolls!" this show is for you. If you like a drama with laughs, this show is for you.
Basically, if you are a human being who enjoys non-animated television shows, this show is for you. And possibly even some of you who haven't said "hey, that's me!" yet.
Let's meet our characters, shall we?
First up is Kate McAndrews, one of our newbies. You find out right away that she's not who she says she is and is, in fact, running away from her overbearing father in order to have a life. Possibly literally.
Kate in the spotlight.
She meets up with Betty who takes her under her wing and a fast friendship develops. You learn early on that Kate sings like an angel and when given enough time she starts to come out of her shell. As the series progresses she moves past her church mouse persona, sometimes to your applause and sometimes, well... sometimes she breaks hearts as she tries to live her life. I'm trying to avoid spoiling things here, so let's just say that Kate has moments of sheer awesome and moments where she will break your heart. In doing so, she defies the threat of being a two-dimension character.
She is also a divisive lighting rod for certain sections of the fandom.
( Spoilers may follow. )
Lorna is love.
Now we have Mrs. Lorna Corbett who is our shift matron. She's the boss and also our defacto mother hen on the show. Lorna seems gruff at first but you can tell she loves her blue shift girls and would do just about anything for them. She's willing to house them, fight for them, love them, and hold them together when they fall apart. In return, her girls feel the same damn way.
Lorna isn't perfect. She's got opinions that would be considered unpopular at best, but she also comes around on certain issues. In her effort to feel alive again, she hurts someone she loves (and one could argue more than just someone) but she isn't callous about it. You understand her reasons and while you might not necessarily cheer her on, you want her to be happy.
( No real spoilers, just pics. )
Gladys and that smile.
Gladys Witham. My favorite fanon for her is that she is Spencer Hastings' grandmother. And it totally works. o_O Anyway, moving along. Gladys is the rich girl with a bit of a fickle heart. She apparently cycles through causes like five year old me cycled through clothes. (Oh no, a speck of dirt, I must change everything immediately!) Her latest is the war effort, specifically working as an office girl at Vic Mu. She quickly realizes all the danger is on the assembly line so she sweet talks her way into a change of jobs behind her parents' backs.
None of this, Spencer aside, sounds all that appealing. That's the thing about Gladys. She shouldn't work. She should be the one walking, talking, breathing stereotype of the show. And yet... and yet Gladys has a heart as big as anyone else on the show. Bigger, in fact. When she believes, she believes heart and soul in that moment. Which makes her a horrible girlfriend, but a fantastic friend at times.
( Gladys is our princess. )
All hail Vera!
Vera Burrs. It's impossible to talk about Vera without spoilers, so you are warned. Vera is injured horrifically in the first episode. I closed my eyes and could not look back until I was sure, sure, SURE the scene was over because no. That aside, I haven't taken my eyes off the show since. Vera spends season one contemplating suicide and season two she's decided this is her life and she's going to make a real go of it. And she does.
I figure you walk away from Bomb Girls having fallen in love with at least one character, and that character is likely Vera. Vera doesn't take crap from anyone about anything. Maybe it was cheating death, maybe it's simply who sassy Vera is. I don't know, but she's been sorely lacking on TV. She's unashamed of her patriatute status (I don't think she cares for the name but she enjoys the company she keeps) and all attempts to slut-shame her fail spectacularly. Because Vera is who she is, and likes what she likes, and dammit if you can't be happy for her, then you can jump in a goddamned lake and die for all she cares.
( And Vera is our queen. )
Marco understands.
It's not all about the ladies (just mostly) so we can't forget Marco. Marco is unable to enlist because he's Italian and not wanted on the front lines. Hell, he's barely wanted back at the bomb factory but his boss knows what a good worker he is so.. the hell with anyone who says otherwise.
Marco seems very flirty at first, and then you dig a little deeper and you realize that yeah, he's flirty, but there's something more to it. From his love for someone he shouldn't have, to his growing frustration with a country that wants to view him as the enemy no matter how good he tries to be, Marco is fascinating to watch. As he turns darker out of despair and anger over the mistreatment of his father and other Italians at the hands of the Canadian government, I find myself hoping against hope that the real Marco steps forward and reclaims his life.
Marco is frequently the comedic relief as well as the male eyecandy.
And I have left my favorite for last. Betty McRae is love. I believe my original reasons behind loving everyone other than Vera were "and because they mean this to Betty." And those reasons still stand, but I thought you might like to know that they can stand on their own two feet and do not need to borrow from the awesome that is Betty.
Betty, much like Lorna, appears gruff on first glance. But she quickly takes Kate under her wing, realizing the girl needs protection and also because Betty could use a friend. Betty makes snap judgments about people but can change her mind. I'm not entirely sure she'll admit she was wrong, but she'll start calling you princess and offering to throw down for you, which is even better.
She's one of the best factory workers and takes great pride in her job, realizing how important it is, though maybe not entirely for the patriotic pride of her work. Betty has dreams of owning her own house at a time when women were simply accessories for a man. She takes very little crap from anyone and is willing (and able) to stand up for her friends, even against anyone else's better judgment. She's scrappy and lovable.
( If one can love fictional characters, I love Betty. )
I should also point out, in case it wasn't obvious, that it's not just how wonderful the characters are on their own, but the way they work together that makes this show so worth saving.
Betty, Gladys, and Vera know what I'm talking about.
And that is why you should love Bomb Girls. Part 1.
It's WWII, pre-Pearl Harbor, and Canada has joined the war effort. Left behind are the women (and some men) and our show focuses on those who work at Victory Munitions (Vic Mu), which happens to be a bomb factory. Specifically, we spotlight blue shift, lead by Mrs. Lorna Corbet. Our series begins with two newbies to the factory and we follow their clashes with the old guard and the rich/poor divide as well as the what life was like on the homefront.
If you like period pieces or slices of history you might not have thought about, this show is for you. If you like strong women, this show is for you. If you liked the American Girl line in any way aside from "hey, dolls!" this show is for you. If you like a drama with laughs, this show is for you.
Basically, if you are a human being who enjoys non-animated television shows, this show is for you. And possibly even some of you who haven't said "hey, that's me!" yet.
Let's meet our characters, shall we?
First up is Kate McAndrews, one of our newbies. You find out right away that she's not who she says she is and is, in fact, running away from her overbearing father in order to have a life. Possibly literally.
Kate in the spotlight.
She meets up with Betty who takes her under her wing and a fast friendship develops. You learn early on that Kate sings like an angel and when given enough time she starts to come out of her shell. As the series progresses she moves past her church mouse persona, sometimes to your applause and sometimes, well... sometimes she breaks hearts as she tries to live her life. I'm trying to avoid spoiling things here, so let's just say that Kate has moments of sheer awesome and moments where she will break your heart. In doing so, she defies the threat of being a two-dimension character.
She is also a divisive lighting rod for certain sections of the fandom.
( Spoilers may follow. )
Lorna is love.
Now we have Mrs. Lorna Corbett who is our shift matron. She's the boss and also our defacto mother hen on the show. Lorna seems gruff at first but you can tell she loves her blue shift girls and would do just about anything for them. She's willing to house them, fight for them, love them, and hold them together when they fall apart. In return, her girls feel the same damn way.
Lorna isn't perfect. She's got opinions that would be considered unpopular at best, but she also comes around on certain issues. In her effort to feel alive again, she hurts someone she loves (and one could argue more than just someone) but she isn't callous about it. You understand her reasons and while you might not necessarily cheer her on, you want her to be happy.
( No real spoilers, just pics. )
Gladys and that smile.
Gladys Witham. My favorite fanon for her is that she is Spencer Hastings' grandmother. And it totally works. o_O Anyway, moving along. Gladys is the rich girl with a bit of a fickle heart. She apparently cycles through causes like five year old me cycled through clothes. (Oh no, a speck of dirt, I must change everything immediately!) Her latest is the war effort, specifically working as an office girl at Vic Mu. She quickly realizes all the danger is on the assembly line so she sweet talks her way into a change of jobs behind her parents' backs.
None of this, Spencer aside, sounds all that appealing. That's the thing about Gladys. She shouldn't work. She should be the one walking, talking, breathing stereotype of the show. And yet... and yet Gladys has a heart as big as anyone else on the show. Bigger, in fact. When she believes, she believes heart and soul in that moment. Which makes her a horrible girlfriend, but a fantastic friend at times.
( Gladys is our princess. )
All hail Vera!
Vera Burrs. It's impossible to talk about Vera without spoilers, so you are warned. Vera is injured horrifically in the first episode. I closed my eyes and could not look back until I was sure, sure, SURE the scene was over because no. That aside, I haven't taken my eyes off the show since. Vera spends season one contemplating suicide and season two she's decided this is her life and she's going to make a real go of it. And she does.
I figure you walk away from Bomb Girls having fallen in love with at least one character, and that character is likely Vera. Vera doesn't take crap from anyone about anything. Maybe it was cheating death, maybe it's simply who sassy Vera is. I don't know, but she's been sorely lacking on TV. She's unashamed of her patriatute status (I don't think she cares for the name but she enjoys the company she keeps) and all attempts to slut-shame her fail spectacularly. Because Vera is who she is, and likes what she likes, and dammit if you can't be happy for her, then you can jump in a goddamned lake and die for all she cares.
( And Vera is our queen. )
Marco understands.
It's not all about the ladies (just mostly) so we can't forget Marco. Marco is unable to enlist because he's Italian and not wanted on the front lines. Hell, he's barely wanted back at the bomb factory but his boss knows what a good worker he is so.. the hell with anyone who says otherwise.
Marco seems very flirty at first, and then you dig a little deeper and you realize that yeah, he's flirty, but there's something more to it. From his love for someone he shouldn't have, to his growing frustration with a country that wants to view him as the enemy no matter how good he tries to be, Marco is fascinating to watch. As he turns darker out of despair and anger over the mistreatment of his father and other Italians at the hands of the Canadian government, I find myself hoping against hope that the real Marco steps forward and reclaims his life.
Marco is frequently the comedic relief as well as the male eyecandy.
And I have left my favorite for last. Betty McRae is love. I believe my original reasons behind loving everyone other than Vera were "and because they mean this to Betty." And those reasons still stand, but I thought you might like to know that they can stand on their own two feet and do not need to borrow from the awesome that is Betty.
Betty, much like Lorna, appears gruff on first glance. But she quickly takes Kate under her wing, realizing the girl needs protection and also because Betty could use a friend. Betty makes snap judgments about people but can change her mind. I'm not entirely sure she'll admit she was wrong, but she'll start calling you princess and offering to throw down for you, which is even better.
She's one of the best factory workers and takes great pride in her job, realizing how important it is, though maybe not entirely for the patriotic pride of her work. Betty has dreams of owning her own house at a time when women were simply accessories for a man. She takes very little crap from anyone and is willing (and able) to stand up for her friends, even against anyone else's better judgment. She's scrappy and lovable.
( If one can love fictional characters, I love Betty. )
I should also point out, in case it wasn't obvious, that it's not just how wonderful the characters are on their own, but the way they work together that makes this show so worth saving.
Betty, Gladys, and Vera know what I'm talking about.
And that is why you should love Bomb Girls. Part 1.
