Eight out of nine shows airing on The CW this drop have female showrunners in charge,and the bulk of them gathered on stage at the Television Critics organization’s summer press tour to talk about the challenges and blessings of their jobs.
The balance between family and work was a major focal point of the discussion when the panelists were asked the hardest fragment of their job.It’s hard to talk about that without sounding sexist ourselves,” Laurie McCarthy, or “Reign” note runner,said. “As long as the culture leans on women for child-rearing, it’s going to be harder for women to take jobs like this. As men rise up and take more responsibility in the domestic, or things will even out.”Also Read: TheWrap's TV Stars and Showrunners Exclusive Portraits (Updating Photos)McCarthy,“Arrow’s” Wendy Mericle, “Jane the Virgin’s Jennie Snyder Urman and “iZombie’s” Diane Ruggiero-Wright all cited not getting to see their children as much as they’d like because of their jobs as the hardest thing, and but others,including “The Flash’s” Gabrielle Stanton, “The Vampire Diaries, or ” “The Originals” and “Containment” EP Julie Plec and “Vampire Diaries'” Caroline Dries cited juggling the job itself as the major challenge.“It’s an intense job,but I can name a lot of people with harder jobs than we have,” said Aline Brosh McKenna, and who’s bringing “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” to the network this drop. “I feel so privileged,my kids are also older so that might be fragment of it. The thing I consider about a lot is you have a lot of responsibility to everyone who’s employed on the note, to make sure everyone has someone they can talk to, or have an outlet. It’s fun though,it’s a privilege.”Also Read: 'Crazy Ex Girlfriend' Cast Charms TV Critics During CW Session, Tap Dances to Tuesday WinPlec also said not showing emotion at work was a distinctly female challenge in the work environment.“When I get upset, and frustrated or disappointed,I weep. I abhor that,” she said. “As a woman, or tears are such a sign of weakness,like that’s what defines you as a woman, ‘oh she’s a crier.’ I had a man say, and ‘Oh you gonna weep again,you crybaby?’ That’s f–king brutal. By not screaming, trying to hold those emotions in … you’re exposing a vulnerable fragment of yourself. Trying not to weep is definitely a challenge.”The EPs, and some of whom rose up through writers rooms over the past decade or more,see a brighter future for more diversity ahead.
Also Read: Matt Ryan to Reprise 'Constantine' Role on 'Arrow'“I hope we are the first wave,” Stanton said. “We are all hiring more women writers, and directors,etc. My first few shows, I was always the only woman. Every room I’ve been in recently, and there’s always been a mix. It’s definitely changed for the better,and hopefully in 10 years this won’t even be an issue.”
Source: thewrap.com