Curfew

I'm really open minded, but this show didn't make much sense to me. I only gave it a try because I like Sarah Parish, but I couldn't get past two episodes. It felt like it was made for people who don't like men at all, and there was so much misandry in it. Femcels would probably enjoy it. I don't know why they decided to create a show like this. Sarah talents could have been used elsewhere. Pure nonsense. If you think millions of men would allow this is laughable. I don't know why any man signed up to be in this show. Also, I didn't understand why they made Sarah's character so masculine when she was clearly attracted to men.

Watching the 2024 TV show Curfew, what I experienced instead was a slow-moving storyline that took its time to build momentum, which was disappointing. More significantly, though, the show seemed to embody a troubling trend that has become all too common in contemporary media: the demonization of men. This portrayal, one that I found deeply offensive, points to a broader problem in modern storytelling, where gender politics increasingly shape the portrayal of characters in an unbalanced and often harmful way.

Curfew starts with a slow, methodical approach, setting up a world where the government has imposed a curfew, ostensibly to protect women from "evil" men, which is all men (of course). While the world-building is intriguing, the show quickly becomes bogged down in its own political and social commentary. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the male characters in the series are painted with broad, negative strokes, a symptom of the growing trend in media that seeks to marginalize or villainize men in a misguided attempt to uplift women.

In Curfew, many of the male characters are portrayed as either villains, buffoons, or otherwise morally compromised individuals. They are often impulsive, aggressive, or driven by selfish desires, while the women are presented as morally superior, more competent, and more compassionate. The contrast is stark and, frankly, unrealistic.

In particular, the male characters seem to be used as narrative tools to highlight the strength and virtue of the women around them. It reinforces divisive stereotypes, perpetuating a zero-sum game where one gender must be diminished for the other to shine.

What's more concerning is that this misandrous undercurrent is symptomatic of a broader cultural shift in media. Many modern shows and films seem preoccupied with deconstructing traditional notions of masculinity, often presenting men as toxic, oppressive, or inherently flawed. This not only harms male representation but also limits the depth of female characters, who are often written as flawless, infallible, or unrealistically perfect.

This trend has real-world implications. Media, especially in the form of television and film, plays a crucial role in shaping cultural attitudes. When shows like Curfew repeatedly present men in negative, one-dimensional roles, they contribute to a skewed understanding of gender dynamics. The idea that men must be either the oppressor or the fool seeps into our collective consciousness, reinforcing harmful gender binaries and sowing division. It also alienates male viewers who feel that they are not represented fairly or sympathetically on screen.

In addition to its slow pace, Curfew ultimately suffers from a lack of balance in its gender portrayals. The overemphasis on portraying men as antagonists detracts from what could have been a more compelling exploration of its dystopian world.

If you're a self respecting man, avoid this (in my opinion)

I enjoyed curfew, near future dystopia is one of my favourite genres. I often wish they spent more time showing us the world and it's wider implications than dumping it all out in exposition and dialogue, and I felt Curfew did a decent job of world building. It also had some really gorgeous messages about masculinity that I felt were delivered sincerely.

Positives - Acting was great nice to see Mandip Gill as I liked her in Doctor Who.

Interesting way of telling the story with twists but not to hard to follow.

At first I though the show was presenting a curfew as the solution to violence against women, and by the end the message is a bit more nuanced.

Negatives - It's really hard to build to a satisfying pay off in detective shows and this one doesn't quite reach it.

The very last moments of the series seem a bit rushes.

Apart from one sentence the implication of a curfew for trans and non-binary people was not explored.

I really hope there is a second season. Women who date women would enjoy a new privilege under curfew, which I would love to see explored, as well as how women who are violent and abusive could gain more power from curfew. I would also like to explore the idea, that the show touches on, that if we only see violence as happening after dark and in the streets, do we ignore it in other areas?

The reviews that make me laugh are the ones that say it's unbelievable. This is a TV show guys. It is supposed to be unbeliveable, it's escapism at its best. If you want truth please don't watch telly, read newspapers or Google anything. I enjoyed this TV show. Dystopian from a different perspective. There are lots of loopholes and unanswered questions like most series. It's nice to see male preclusion being addressed on screen. It definitely offers a different perspective to what's been seen before. I binge watched this. Even though the acting wasn't the best, it was very enjoyable non the less.

The concept definitely had potential to be very interesting and for the most part it lived up to expectations.

Narratively, it could've been stronger. There were too many sub-plots established as attempts at red herrings. Credit where it's due, the ending was unexpected, but the constant red herrings made it hard for viewers to follow along and as usual, opened up a lot of plot holes.

I have no gripes with the performances from the main cast. And the main characters were all fleshed out well and consistent. It seems as though audiences are encouraged to dislike the main two women (played by Mandip Gill and Alexendra Burke) or at the very least dissaprove of their divisive actions, but simultaneously we also found ourselves rooting for them.

Overall, a good watch and would be interested in a second season.