TVLine Pet Peeves: Why Do Female Characters Always Wake Up Looking Flawless?
In our latest TVLine Pet Peeves column, we take aim at a nagging annoyance for us: female TV characters waking up in perfect makeup.
Welcome to TVLine Pet Peeves, where our editors point out the flaws in TV show habits. We've all been shocked watching our beloved female characters wake up looking flawless after a night of sleep. Not a single smudge of mascara, no redness on the nose, and no dried drool in the corner of the mouth. If this type of over-the-top wake-up routine bothers you, you're in the right place. We're complaining about the special treatment only TV characters seem to receive, never real-life women.
This phenomenon has been seen in recent seasons of Bridgerton, where the character Sophie wakes up perfectly primped next to Benedict after a night of passionate physical activity. Her hair is shiny and slick, eyebrows are perfectly drawn, and her lips and cheeks share the same flush. While Bridgerton has not always shown Sophie with full makeup, her morning-after glow is clearly a result of oils, creams, and products. This is particularly insulting when done covertly.
Other shows guilty of this include New Girl, 2 Broke Girls, Scream Queens, Gossip Girl, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Of course, our female protagonists deserve a good night's sleep. However, we should be honest about the outcome of sleeping with makeup on. Lipstick smudges, eyebrows go from daytime twins to morning-after cousins, and mascara crumbles off lashes, collecting in every crevice.
We simply ask that TV shows pay closer attention and deliver relatable morning scenes that reflect the realities our beloved characters would actually face.
Written by urgent.news from TVLine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
