If two is a trend then brilliant but crazy female leads is definitely a trend...Marcella" (doesn't get much screwier) and "Homeland (almost as screwy) are trend leaders.

Such interesting characters dealing with brilliant plot twists...but do they really have to be so nuts? I suppose that brilliant successful stable female characters aren't threatening enough to make for good entertainment.

What next? Women reclaim "hysteria" as a viable way to get into show biz?

Hannah Gadsby......Douglas....standup with a message??? I don't know...just f-ing good

I join you in frustration at the prevalence of female leads who struggle with mental illness with some caveats.

Homeland is one my favorite streaming series, and Carrie's mental illness only deepens her character in my view. This is a tribute to her stunning acting ability.

On the other hand, I just started Marcella and have an opposite reaction. I find the lead character's apparent mental illness off-putting. Her sudden bouts of violence, happening in blackout episodes (not alcohol related) seem gratuitous, plot-wise.

Maybe that's because she doesn't seem to have much remorse regarding the impact of her violence on other people. So far, I just think she's an asshole (I'm only on the third episode).

But back to your point — my question would be, has anyone collected data on this? How many male versus female leads are mentally ill? I'd like to know if it's just perception or something that can be quantified.

To get some context, I just looked up the stats on mental illness in the U.S. and to give one example, 5.7 million adults, or about 2.6% of the population age 18 and older, are diagnosed as bipolar, and about one in five of them commit suicide.

This is from the National Alliance on Mental Illness:

--19.1% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2018 (47.6 million people). This represents 1 in 5 adults.

--4.6% of U.S. adults experienced serious mental illness in 2018 (11.4 million people). This represents 1 in 25 adults.

--16.5% of U.S. youth aged 6-17 experienced a mental health disorder in 2016 (7.7 million people)

--3.7% of U.S. adults experienced a co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness in 2018 (9.2 million people)

I was not surprised to learn that. I'm also guessing that with 30 to 40 million people out of jobs because of the pandemic and only 20 million on unemployment, there must be a lot of people without health insurance who are living with untreated mental illness. This makes me angry at our government and sad for them.

TV and film reflects real life so ... it makes sense that a certain proportion of characters would be mentally ill in one way or another. Is that proportion skewed to female leads? That's a good question.

Remember The United States of Tara? I guess her craziness was the point of the whole show, but it was a good one.

* * *

I'm still working my way through Fear The Walking Dead, which I like. I'm on season 4 and still have season 5 to go; I understand it has been renewed for a 6th season (although production is on hiatus due to COVID19). I don't see how they can get from here (mid- 4th season) to six seasons though; a lot of the main characters have been killed off, and a bunch of others seem to be on a road trip to meet up with the original The Walking Dead. What we're getting now (mid- 4th season) is a bunch of one-shot episodes whose story arcs begin and end in the same episode.

I'm also making a second attempt at Sense 8. I just couldn't get into it after the first episode, but I noticed it's on season 3 now, and decided to give it another try. I'm on episode 6 now, so I guess I'll stick it out for at least awhile and see how it goes. It's making a little more sense now than it did after just the first episode.

I just saw an announcement that Lucifer Season 5 is coming to Netflix on August 21. Yay!

In the Dark
Netflix

2019 TV-14 2 Seasons Crime TV Dramas
A blind woman with vices finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation when her best friend turns up dead.

Definitely holding my attention. Very quirky. And her roommate is a lesbian. Love the sarcasm all over it!!

"One Day At A Time" (2019) is trending now on Netflix. The trailer says it has a new season. However, only the first three seasons are showing up on the drop-down menu. PopTV picked up the series after Netflix dropped it, and 7 episodes of season 4 are on the PopTV website. (www.poptv.com) Don't know exactly what is going on, but I'm really glad this Emmy-nominated series is back. Rita Moreno is awesome, and watching the daughter navigate her way through her teenage years as a lesbian/queer dating a TG is pretty interesting and funny.

I've been rewatching Lip Service on the Roku channel. It stills holds up so well after all this time. It was such a good series.

I know; I can't wait! There's one more season planned after that too and then it's really over. For sure. This time. Maybe.

I saw the first season on cable and really liked it. I see it's got a second season on Netflix that I want to check out.

Currently, I'm watching The Legends of Tomorrow and just started season 4, which is where I picked it up on cable so some episodes are familiar. Also, I just started watching Love on the Spectrum, which is about dating whilst on the Autism and Asperger's spectrum. My favorite person on the whole show is Michael. He's the best part of the show, I think.

Just added it to my list. Thanks for the tip.

One Day At A Time is also on the PlutoTV channel. You can get Pluto online or on Roku.

Will check it out (thanks) and speaking of Roku, there’s a channel on Roku named TUBI (TubiTv.com) that has some good content. Just watched a documentary on Soul music that was good. Tubi even has a section titled “Not on Netflix.” :)

I love there’s so much content available these days.

Finally finished OITNB! *crying*

Crip Camp, really good, Netflix.
Executive produced by the Obamas

I've been binge watching Lost on Hulu for the last three days. I remember watching a few episodes when it first aired all those years ago but for whatever reason, didn't stick with it. Now, I'm hooked. And, considering there are six seasons, it should keep me entertained for a little while at least. hehe

Now, I just need to say, I don't watch it because of the skimpy outfit. I am actually not so attracted to that look. However, I can relate to theses confident, intelligent, and passionate women who are working hard to achieve their dreams. I got hooked on the tv show:


those women work their tails off!! It is only fitting that they demanded better pay! and looooordt! I could never move like that.. let alone in cowgirl boots! Kudos to them

I finally finished all the seasons of _Fear the Walking Dead_, and I am
R-E-L-I-E-V-E-D
because that bitch is on Hulu and I am sick of all the repetitive commercials.

I just started season 5 of _Lucifer_ on Netflix, another comic book adaptation for the small screen. So far, so good!

Next, I'm thinking about getting HBO Max so I can see _The Watchmen_.

I watched the two seasons of The Umbrella Academy. It took me a minute to get into it but I did like it. It's a bit confusing how it jumps around.

Rewatching Gentleman Jack and Outlander. Can you really watch Outlander too much? I don't think so. I can't wait for season two of Gentleman Jack and of course season six of Outlander. A Discovery of Witches was really good as well and waiting on season two of that also but with Covid, all of this waiting is just going to keep on and on and on. Ugh.