'Filthy Rich' Episode 3: How show's themes of feminism and religion mirror a modern woman's daily battle
Spoilers for 'Filthy Rich' Episode 3 'Pslam 25:3'
This episode was centered around two characters this week Margaret Monreaux (Kim Cattrall) who is the face of the Sunshine Network and the CEO of Monreaux Unlimited after the death of her husband, Eugene Monreaux (Gerald McRaney) and Ginger Sweet (Melia Kreiling) who is the bastard child of Eugene. While Margaret is the face of the religious motto "let's serve the Lord," Ginger runs an adult online website that many men sign in to, "looking for a connection." While this makes a great plotline for the already controversial narrative of the Monreaux family, we couldn't help but notice how Ginger's character speaks for the freedom that women fight for every day - from the freedom of their bodies to the freedom of being degraded with names such as "slut" and "whore."
Feminism has become a huge center of debate for many, as women continue to fight for the right of being able to do what they want with their bodies. If you recall in the episode, Ginger re-iterates the importance of this point by saying that feminism is her freedom to do what she wants with her body. Her opponent, Margaret on the hand, we would say represents the people in the world that are against women doing what they please with their bodies. Margaret even said, "So every prostitute is a feminist?" which we can safely say would enrage a lot of people. Sex workers (a more appropriate and respectful term) have always been chewed and spat out when it comes to public opinion and to have a character in the religious world representing this view speaks on the current world views as well. It's also further interesting and gives us quite a chuckle considering Cattrall's character in 'Sex and the City' was extremely sex-positive, but on 'Filthy Rich' she plays a character starkly opposite from Samantha Jones.
Ginger as a character has always been bold and also seems to have knowledge not only on scriptures but also, as she called it, "sacred prostitutes" such as Ishtar and Aphrodite. This "celebration" of bodies that she speaks of is a voice remanant of many women calling out the importance of feminism. Not to mention, the scripture verse she brings up is impeccably on point when it comes to religion and irony, Psalm 25:3, "No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause." It's interesting to see a character that has "Cyber bimbos" so well versed in scriptures - it makes you wonder about the irony of her character.
We have to say that while this Southern Gothic dramedy has enough entertainment to be deemed a modern soap opera, it touches on many topics that have been controversial, to begin with. The need to speak on women and their bodies, such as abortion laws, has been a huge deal in our current society. The shame that women are put through for wanting to express themselves the way they feel is subject to so much public opinion that it makes us wonder if a TV series may spark up a much-needed conversation? Ginger faces scrutiny from many religious people who support the Sunshine network, and although it breaks her down, she is armed with information that people from this religious community are actually customers on her site. So why shame women as "sacrilegious" for dressing up or down on an adult website, when so-called "religious" men log in to view them?
This episode's themes of feminism, prostitution, and religion speak volumes when it comes to non-fictional characters - real women with real suffering. We wonder how much Ginger's character will go on to speak for women in the real world where shame seems to be thrown upon them so involuntarily. The way Ginger is subjected to scrutiny by a religious community mirrors so much of the real world - she might be the best character on the show currently as she herself explores many themes that need to be conversed about instead of being swept under a rug.
Episode 4 airs Monday, October 12, 2020, from 9-10 pm ET on FOX.