Noelle Connell American, Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test, TV

The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test: Supergirl, “Myriad” – Season 1, Episode 19

"Myriad" -- Kara (Melissa Benoist, right) must find a way to free her friends when Non and Indigo use mind control to turn National City's citizens into their own army, on SUPERGIRL, Monday, April 11 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured left to right: Peter Facinelli, Calista Flockhart and Melissa Benoist Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS ©2016 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Supergirl learned of Myriad, a mind-controlling device on Supergirl, “Myriad,” and with the help of Cat and Maxwell, Supergirl set about dismantling this mind altering device and saving National City.

The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test

“Myriad” passed did not pass the Bechdel, Russo or race test.

107910_d1237bc1
Non forces James to jump to his death.

A few named women were in “Myriad” and while some of these women occasionally talked to each other, “Myriad” did not pass the Bechdel test and the episode did not pass this test because whenever named women talked to each other, they mentioned men.

“Myriad” also failed to pass the Russo and race test, and the episode did not pass these diversity tests because there were no LGBTI characters in “Myriad” and because while there were a few non-White individuals in “Myriad,” two or more non-White individuals never actually talked to each other.

*The Bechdel test entails three requirements:
1. It has to have at least two (named) women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man

**The Vito Russo test entails three requirements:
1. The show contains a character that is identifiably lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex and/or transgender
2. The character must not be solely or predominately defined by her sexual orientation, gender identity and/or as being intersex
3.The character must be tied into the plot in such a way that her removal would have a significant effect

***The race or people of color (POC) test has three requirements:
1. It has two people of color in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something other than a White person

****Just because a show passes the Bechdel, Russo and race test does not mean that it is not sexist, heterosexist, racist and/or cissexist, etc. The Bechdel, Russo and race test is only a bare minimum qualifier for the representation of LGBTI individuals, women and people of color in television. The failure to pass these tests also does not identify whether the central character was a woman, a person of color or a LGBTQI individual and it does not dictate the quality of the show.