One TikTok comedian has zeroed in on a cliché that every woman in Sci-Fi movies, both contemporary and classic, faces.
Caitlin Reilly, who is also responsible for her impressions of the worst people you've ever met, including the girl who bullied you in high school, nailed an impression of how women are written in Sci-Fi movies.
Backgrounded by the music from Interstellar, Reilly delivers a devastatingly accurate performance that doubles as a statement.
Oscar. Frontrunner.pic.twitter.com/STPXB3VMtD— Clayton Davis (@Clayton Davis) 1625417824
How women are written in sci-fi movies: \n\n"You're never gonna see me in heels. Why!? Because I need to find the equation!" https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdQkUXAS/— Kelsey (@Kelsey) 1625527699
"I told you a million times, Michael: I can't get married right now...I'm a scientist but I am also a woman. I can't be both at the same time." \n\nAnd more parody of "how women are written in sci-fi movies"https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMd9U1kpX/— Emily Daniel (@Emily Daniel) 1625376579
This is insanely accurate for every Sci-Fi show or movie I have ever watched. \n\nWomen's representation in Scifi is so archaic. There is always some unresolved childhood trauma and daddy issues that make them scientists and not because they love science.pic.twitter.com/fEkDdbrvnS— \u26d3\u1d04\u029c\u1d00\u026a\u0274\ua731\u1d00\u1d21 \ud835\udc0b\u03c3\ud835\udcf4\u03af \ud83e\ude9a (@\u26d3\u1d04\u029c\u1d00\u026a\u0274\ua731\u1d00\u1d21 \ud835\udc0b\u03c3\ud835\udcf4\u03af \ud83e\ude9a) 1625384557
You feel bad for laughing because it is SO. TRUE. \n\nHow women are written in Sci-Fi Movies https://twitter.com/ByClaytonDavis/status/1411730795388047360\u00a0\u2026— Dr Melina Georgousakis (@Dr Melina Georgousakis) 1625524879
Invoking a similar tone to Amy Adams in Arrival, Reilly savagely satirizes how the sci-fi genre always seems to focus on women either as scientists or as fully realized women with lives outside of their work, but not both at the same time.
She also makes fun of the writing throughout the genre, as her woman has a connection to science through her father (ie Contact and Interstellar), is a poor communicator (a la Gravity or Contagion) and "can't be good at [her] job AND be nice."
The music thoughhttps://twitter.com/byclaytondavis/status/1411730795388047360\u00a0\u2026— Erin Meek (@Erin Meek) 1625687997
Sadly in #Interstellar , too. But the main story is the father-daughter bond, so.https://twitter.com/ByClaytonDavis/status/1411730795388047360\u00a0\u2026— Shweta Parande (@Shweta Parande) 1625667226
Not that background score https://twitter.com/byclaytondavis/status/1411730795388047360\u00a0\u2026— M. (@M.) 1625667057
I\u2019m a woman but I\u2019m a scientist. Brilliant.https://twitter.com/byclaytondavis/status/1411730795388047360\u00a0\u2026— TheWhiteDevilT.H. (@TheWhiteDevilT.H.) 1625661249
i can't be good at my job and be nice is my favourite quote of the yearhttps://twitter.com/ByClaytonDavis/status/1411730795388047360\u00a0\u2026— \u064b (@\u064b) 1625657843
Reilly is a master satirist, often drawing attention to poor and cliché character depictions of women in drama, such as "The love interest in every teen drama who is giving up on her dreams," as well as a second genre satire of how women are written in action movies.
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Since the sci-fi genre was literally invented by Mary Shelley, with her most famous work Frankenstein, it certainly seems like sdci-fi writers owe their women better.
Otherwise, they are fodder for Reilly's satire forevermore.
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