Clip It: Each day, Jon Davis looks at the world of trailers, featurettes, and clips and puts it all in perspective.
In 1969, the publishing industry was not kind to women. But that was all about to change (or begin to change) when women leveraged their talent for better working conditions. Good Girls Revolt is a period piece, and much like it's predecessor, Mad Men, it's about the changes that happened in the workplace during a tumultuous time in American history.
I think it would be cool, later on in the series, if there were a crossover with Donald Draper – who we last left in 1970 with a triumphant Coke commercial. There's also crossover potential with the movie Heartburn, in which Meryl Streep places a woman based on Nora Ephron (Nora Ephron wrote the book and the screenplay). Since it's Meryl Streep's daughter who plays Nora Ephron in Good Girls Revolt, this could be promoted (to little effect) as a Heartburn prequel. Let's tap Seth Rogen to play Carl Bernstein.
All that is to suggest the material is appealing, set during a time that we've documented around but haven't often documented directly. The trailer does have some hackneyed moments. I've seen the “Get me my coffee,” workplace gender dominance ritual too many times. Or maybe I have PTSD because I quit caffeine two weeks ago and it's making me antsy. On the other hand, I totally believe Jim Belushi as a misogynist who says, “Girls do not do rewrites!” You know what, Jim Belushi? Maybe they do! How about that, Jim Belushi?! Gotta give it to Jim Belushi, he really wants us to move on from According to Jim… by playing a sexist on purpose.
I like the part when Nora Ephron quits, but I think my favorite moment in the trailer is it's most subtle; when Anna Camp's character pretends the ring in her binder is a wedding ring. There's a lot of power in that image. It's just great storytelling.
Are you going to watch Good Girls Revolt? Let me know.