So, it appears that I really do want to write about Private Practice, as I've already spewed out several pages. In the interests of "research"--can I just say I love working on popular culture?!--are there other recent TV shows/films that deal with IVF and infertility (donor egg stuff would be particularly helpful, if it exists)? I'm more interested in drama than comedy, but I'll happily accept any suggestions that come my way. Thanks!
p.s. Come to think of it, if there are novels/works of fiction that you know of that deal with these issues, that would be great as well.
Hi, Gwinne. Good for you for loving what you work on!
ReplyDeleteI know you would prefer references to drama, but there was a recent episode of a sitcom called "Happy Endings" that included a plot about one the characters having been an egg donor in college. It was kind of awkward and painful to watch for an infertile who is in the DE process, but in a strange way it was nice to have the subject matter on television.
Good luck!
Melissa
Gray's Anatomy briefly dealt with infertility with Meredith and Derek using fertiity medication and Meredith experiencing an early miscarriage. They have now chosen to adopt, which of course happens way faster on TV than in real life. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe Help (movie and book) dealt with recurrent pregnancy loss. It was one of several side stories, but it was powerful, especially given its setting in the 50s South.
ReplyDeleteSing You Home by Jodi Picoult was a great book with a significant infertility theme. While it wasn't technically egg donation, it dealt with embryo disposition after a broken marriage. Hope I get to read what you are writing!
ReplyDeleteI've been fascinated by the infertility theme in All American muslim, although of course that is "reality tv" so not sure if you are venturing into that genre as well
ReplyDeleteI thought I just posted this but it doesn't seem to be appearing: Jennifer Weiner's latest book, Then Came You, hinges on an infertility/DE/surrogacy situation. It is loosely based on the NY Times Mag article from a few years back that prompted many comments and blog posts about the inherent economic inequities in the arrangement. (I don't think the book is very good at all, and in ways that would probably give you a lot to write about.)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great range of responses--thanks! I do think I'm interested in fictional, rather than nonfiction, representations and in particular "bad" or inaccurate representations, as they open up a conversation about what popular film/TV, in particular, can do to/about actual infertile people.
ReplyDeleteI started thinking of this in relation to Private Practice, which features one of its major characters now looking into surrogacy as a means of becoming a mother, when the show has only indicated that she's got DOR, and I found myself wanting to yell at the TV...she doesn't need a surrogate, she needs an egg donor! And that got me thinking that I really haven't seen anything about DE in the popular media and why that is... (and now I've hijacked my own comment thread, so carry on)
Parenthood had a short arc that is now ending with adoption. The movie Julie & Julia has a nod to infertility that I think is so spot on.
ReplyDeleteare you interested in "reality" shows? there have been a few shows lately on donors sperm and the number of children, featuring half-sibling meetings. Wendy Kramer, from DSR, is working with one of the cable networks on some kind of series...
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you're not watching Once Upon a Time (ABC) you really should be. It involves Fairy Tales, so yanks on all kinds of mother and step-mother themes.
I don't think I've seen anything on egg donor. There is a documentary running around called "eggsploitation," which, obviously does not have nice things to say about egg donation
Agree w/the nod on Julie & Julia!
So you got me googling. found 2 books (both mysteries) on amazon w/ egg donor in several places in the text: Genesis Code and Saints and Sinners.
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