the humanity

by rantywoman

Mike White has to be the only man in Hollywood who writes about single, childless, middle-aged women. The character of Amy in Enlightened is, in many ways, a satirical portrait, but I think only the married and/or the male would find her character completely narcissistic and ridiculous. I find her struggle quite poignant and appreciate that she shows growth as the episodes progress.

A reader comment:

http://www.vulture.com/2013/02/mike-white-on-enlightened-tough-road-to-season-three.html

The particular beauty of Mike’s main character is that she’s a woman cast in the very anti-stereotypical role as a person struggling to figure out where and how she fits into the world. She may be briefly sidetracked by romantic attraction but she always goes back to the main question: what is the meaning of my life? Women are rarely seen as human beings first–they are either objects to conquer or help mates to men. How refreshing to see a character like Laura Dern’s Amy–alternately annoying, embarrassingly naive, and humbly seeking. And although she would probably not categorize herself as a feminist, she’s very much an independent crusader who sees her mission in life to right the terrible wrongs she sees in the world.