The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test: Cinderella and Four Knights – Season 1, Episode 14

Grandpa Kang was in a coma on Cinderella and Four Knights, episode 14, and he desperately needed a liver transplant. It didn’t appear, however, that he would receive a liver transplant in time as everyone who had been tested for the transplant donation were not viable donors.

The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test

Episode 14 passed the race test but it did not pass the Bechdel or Russo test.

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Ji-Woon discovers that his grandfather separated his mother and father.

Episode 14 passed the race test, and the episode passed this diversity tests because there were many instances where non-White individuals talked to each other without mentioning anyone White as the entire cast was Asian and none of the characters ever mentioned White individuals. However, while episode 14 managed to pass the race test, it did not pass other diversity tests like the Bechdel and Russo.

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Hwa-Ja wants Yoon-Sung to take over the Kangs’ company.

There were a few named women in episode 14 and there were a couple of occasions where some of these women talked to each other. So the reason why episode 14 did not pass the Bechdel test? Because ever time named women talked to each other, they mentioned men.

As to why episode 14 did not pass the Russo test, there were no LGBTI characters in the episode.

*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.