Younger, GLOW and Dietland – the TV shows that are addressing the #MeToo movement

In light of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, these TV series are discussing sexual harassment

Last week TV Land’s Younger finally returned to the screen for a fifth season. The comedy series centres around Liza (Sutton Foster), a recently divorced stay-at-home mother who pretends to be a twenty-something in order to score a job at one of New York’s top publishing companies, Emperical Press.

The 20 minute episodes are fun and quirky, and setting aside some cliché developments – Liza deals with a jealous ex-husband, a new artistic boyfriend that gives her daughter a tattoo and a temperamental boss – Younger is actually good at implementing relevant storylines.

In last week’s season premiere episode entitled ‘#LizaToo,’ the writers addressed the #MeToo movement. Liza accuses renowned author Edward L.L. Moore, a character that was introduced in the previous season, of sexual misconduct and the company decides to defer the launch of his latest book.

And Younger is not the only TV series addressing sexual harassment. The trailer for the second season of Netflix’ GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling), airing June 29^th, shows that the women aren't only wrestling with each other, but also with power-drunk men.

After Ruth Wilder (Alison Brie) runs away from a non-consensual encounter, the women’s time slot is given to a men’s wrestling show. Apparently ‘that is how this business works,’ and Ruth exclaims her disbelief: ‘so you just let them do whatever they want? It shouldn’t be that way.’ Word, Ruth.

But what can they do about it? Perhaps take a page from Dietland's book? The feminist comedy-drama based on the 2015 novel by Sarai Walker aired its first of ten episodes on June 4^th, and while the storyline was developed long before the New York Times exposé was published, it is more relevant than ever.

Following Plum Kettle, a ghostwriter for the editor of a fashion magazine who struggles with her self-image, Dietland focusses on topics such as body shaming, unrealistic beauty standards, misogyny and rape culture.

The fact that these issues are proving so popular to watch only proves that time really is up.