Story Nerd

Crazy Rich Asians: when the antagonist is more compelling than the protagonist

Episode Summary

Crazy Rich Asians pitches two female leads against each other - sounds excellent right? Not so fast… This should set up an epic battle of wills as one fights against traditions she doesn’t understand while the other fights to retain order and tradition. This week, I find out what happens when the protagonist doesn’t plausibly match, then surpass, the antagonist.  Valerie discusses how superficial innovation doesn’t hide questionable male characters or Asian stereotypes.

Episode Notes

Crazy Rich Asians pitches two female leads against each other - sounds excellent right? Not so fast… This should set up an epic battle of wills as one fights against traditions she doesn’t understand while the other fights to retain order and tradition. This week, I find out what happens when the protagonist doesn’t plausibly match, then surpass, the antagonist.  Valerie discusses how superficial innovation doesn’t hide questionable male characters or Asian stereotypes. 

"When I watched Rachel and Eleanor this week, I found Eleanor more fascinating and as a result, Rachel’s victory using game theory was hard to believe." - Melanie Hill

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