Emily Gagne (TMS): Loving the show so much, Tara. It’s just so great to see this badass female character who kicks butt and still wears heels cause she wants to.
Tara Butters: I have to agree. It’s a show I’m very happy to show my nine-year-old daughter because it shows her that you can be a strong presence and stand up for yourself. Peggy Carter never lets the obstacles that stand her way set her back.
TMS: But she also has emotional side dealing with the loss of Cap.
Butters: Yeah! And we explore that through the eight episodes. I would say that’s her overall emotional arc.
TMS: You have eight episodes right now, but there’s always room for more. Have you thought about what’s next moving forward? Would you like to jump ahead?
Butters: We’ve talked about different avenues like that, about whether you jump time. I think there’s still stories to be told with the people we’ve been introduced to in these eight episodes. But what I love about her job as a spy is she can go to Los Angeles at the same time period. She has the ability go and do and be anything! It’s an amazing opportunity.
We have such a great collaboration with Marvel and Marvel Studios and ABC. I really believe that they always have been supportive of our vision. That’s what’s made it a really positive experience.
TMS: How important is that Angie relationship as well? Because she’s a real touchstone to the real world for Peggy.
Butters: It gives her a window into what it would be like to be the normal woman [of the time period]. I think it’s foreign to her, but at the same time, she can be envious of having something that’s maybe a little simpler. I also think that Jarvis in some ways has that [too] because she looks at him and sees he loves his wife. He represents another area that she doesn’t really have. I don’t think she could live that life, of a normal housewife, but she can see it and understand it.
TMS: Now we’ve got a Supergirl show coming. Do you feel proud to be part of a show that’s maybe starting a whole new trend?
Butters: I hope so. I really think there is an audience for it. I like to see strong female characters. Michelle and I wrote on Law & Order: SVU for several years and Mariska [Hargitay] was wonderful to write for. She embodies that very strong female presence and I think there’s room for more of that.
TMS: Speaking of which, let’s talk about Hayley…
Butters: She can do anything. And I’m not just saying that because she’s on this show. She’s funny. She’s charming. She’s smart. How many actresses can speak with such eloquence?
This is the best chemistry, on and off screen, I’ve ever worked with. They’re just charming and funny and they love each other. It makes it really sad that Monday’s our last shoot day.
TMS: So are you hoping for more?
Butters: I could write this show for the next five years and be perfectly happy.
TMS: There’s so much material to work with too!
Butters: That’s the thing. I don’t see this as a show that only has a couple seasons in it. This is a show that has as many seasons in it as we want, and as many seasons as we can find a good story for. I hope more people give it a shot because I really do think it’s something you can binge watch.
TMS: I really loved that you guys called her a “true feminist” on the panel because for some reason these days it’s becoming a bit of a dirty word. What do you think of that?
Butters: I’ve noticed that there’s been some feedback on, obviously, social media that we’ve taken it too far, the sexism. Actually we’ve done a lot of research to try and make this as accurate as possible, but also I feel like I don’t know that it’s that far from today. Obviously it’s gotten better, but…
TMS: Sometimes it’s worse because it’s so easy to objectify women these days.
Butters: I do think seeing how she deals with it [is important]. She’s not crying in the bathroom and saying just the right line to show somebody up. It’s done in such a deft way, the way she deals with the situations. She always ends up coming out on top.
As the season goes, you’ll see more layers… it doesn’t stay the same. She makes in roads with them in eight episodes. I don’t want people to feel like we’re making cartoon characters out of the men either.
Emily Gagne (@emilygagne) is one of the founding members of Cinefilles, a site for wannabe female film and TV critics, as well as an admitted heroine addict. She may not have super strength, or be able to make a stake on command, but she can slay you with her rhetorical devices, endless knowledge of Final Girls and passion for geek girl scoop.
(image via ABC)
Are you following The Mary Sue on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, & Google +?
