In Widows (2018), directed by Steve McQueen, the women inherit a criminal debt from their dead husbands. There is no Charlie. There is just a plan, a ledger, and terror. In Hustlers (2019), the women build their own economic empire from the ground up, explicitly weaponizing the male gaze against men, but taking orders from no one. In Killing Eve , the two central female characters (a detective and an assassin) are each other’s foil; the "boss" figure (Carolyn) is also a woman who is just as morally ambiguous as the leads.
The best popular media right now ( Reservation Dogs , Somebody Somewhere , The Bear ) understands that quiet moments are louder than explosions. You don’t need three women in matching outfits hacking a satellite while cracking jokes. You need one honest scene. In Widows (2018), directed by Steve McQueen, the
pose as a real estate mogul and his secretary. In Hustlers (2019), the women build their own
The legacy of Charlie’s Angels is not evil. For a generation, seeing three women kick down doors (in perfect heeled boots) was a milestone. But popular media has evolved. Audiences are no longer satisfied with leased power, with invisible patriarchs, with violence that leaves no emotional mark. You don’t need three women in matching outfits
The 2000s films, directed by McG, leaned into "post-feminism." These versions emphasized sisterhood and campy, superhuman athleticism. The focus shifted from the Angels as employees to the Angels as a chosen family. This era of popular media celebrated "Girl Power" as a consumerist, high-gloss aesthetic. While it empowered a generation of young viewers by showing women dominating the action genre, it arguably stripped away the political weight of feminism in favor of "Y2K" glamour and pop-culture references. The Modern Shift and Audience Reception