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Claire Underwood is one of the best female characters ever

posted 8 years ago by Voice-OF-Reality
5 replies | jump to latest

I don't know if its the writing or the actress, but Claire manages to pull off being a strong and ruthless woman, while also being feminine and likable at the same time. I have never seen this done successfully in any other TV show or movie.

In the Sopranos Carmela came off delusional and entitled. In Breaking Bad, Skyler came off b!tchy despite having good reasons. In the Blacklist, Liz comes off like a weak woman trying to act strong.

Only Claire manages to be strong without being a b!tch and feminine without being weak or delusional. I love her character.

[–] jcmiddel 8 years ago

Kinda have to agree, But you said any other Tv Show or Movie.
There are many movies with great female characters, Like ellen Ripley from the alien franchise. And I agree, there are not many shows and movies where there are strong female character who aren't annoying or a pain about anything.

[–] Cursedchild13 8 years ago

While overall she is a great character, there are times when she's straight up annoying and poorly written.

This is mainly true in season 3 and part of season 4. She was completely in the wrong in season 3 and at fault for a lot of thrones bad that happened to her and Frank. She wants to be an ambassador. She isn't confirmed. She demands Frank do it anyways which makes him look bad.

She openly criticizes the Russian president which causes bad blood. While she was right, saying it the way she did was careless.

She constantly whines about Frank having more power than her. Well, tough luck, that's what happens when he's the president. If she wanted to be his equal, she should have tried to enter politics much sooner instead of running a charity. She had no right to demand to be his VP besides her own selfish ego.

[–] Voice-OF-Reality 8 years ago

Those are good points, but I was talking mostly about her general personality. Not really her morals, decisions and motivations.

Compared to other female characters that are supposed to be "strong women" she is definitely the best and most likable one I've seen.

[–] poem 8 years ago

Claire Underwood is a friggin sociopath, just like her husband. I'm shocked you think she's "likeable".

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A gentleman will not insult me, and no man not a gentleman can insult me.

[–] StrontiumAE 8 years ago

She isn't a sociopath like her husband though. At least up until season 3 she seemed conflicted with her manipulations.

- She wasn't comfortable with firing her staff at her NGO, nor threatening that pregnant woman who worked with her.
- She didn't like the way she used that female officer who was raped and in the same breath her manipulation of the First Lady. I seem to remember her breaking down into tears during the whole crisis.
- And in season 3, didn't she undo a lot of the work her and Frank were doing when breaking protocol in Russia by supporting that gay guy after he had committed suicide?

She is neither sociopathic or a psycho, she is just being a business woman. It seems like she is becoming slowly worse the closer she gets to becoming president herself. Maybe she will eventually becoming like Frank the more she represses the good in her.

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