Rapey rape rape. Almost every major female character, and the trans or genderqueer character (since it's an historical setting without the terminology, it's unclear as to how they identify) is threatened with rape at some point. In the case of the trans/genderqueer character, it is a particularly traumatic scene. Overall, I think it's important that they show what a bad place the frontier was for women and it's well-handled (in I think all cases, the victim is rescued from being raped by another woman and the rapist is brutally killed) but it gets somewhat gratuitous in the last few episodes.
Genocide, graphically depicted. I think this is a positive development for Canadian TV, as we tend to shy away from showing how indigenous people are/were treated, but it was still a horrible plotline to watch and there are no discretion cuts.
Domestic violence, again, incredibly extreme. A woman is beaten almost to death by her husband and it's graphic.
Transphobia: On the part of the characters, not the narrative; the trans character is one of the most solidly heroic and sympathetic people on the show, but still heartbreaking to watch.
Racism, more nuanced than the above. In the case of the transphobia and misogyny and genocide stuff, it's on the part of clearly evil characters and we are meant to sympathize with the victims. In one plotline, though, the Chinese characters are scab labour and the white striking miners are racist. It's a brilliantly written plot because our sympathies are on both sides, but yeah.
TL;DR: All of the triggery stuff is justifiable IMO but the problem with the brevity of the show is that it's a trauma conga line.
no subject
In terms of triggers:
Rapey rape rape. Almost every major female character, and the trans or genderqueer character (since it's an historical setting without the terminology, it's unclear as to how they identify) is threatened with rape at some point. In the case of the trans/genderqueer character, it is a particularly traumatic scene. Overall, I think it's important that they show what a bad place the frontier was for women and it's well-handled (in I think all cases, the victim is rescued from being raped by another woman and the rapist is brutally killed) but it gets somewhat gratuitous in the last few episodes.
Genocide, graphically depicted. I think this is a positive development for Canadian TV, as we tend to shy away from showing how indigenous people are/were treated, but it was still a horrible plotline to watch and there are no discretion cuts.
Domestic violence, again, incredibly extreme. A woman is beaten almost to death by her husband and it's graphic.
Transphobia: On the part of the characters, not the narrative; the trans character is one of the most solidly heroic and sympathetic people on the show, but still heartbreaking to watch.
Racism, more nuanced than the above. In the case of the transphobia and misogyny and genocide stuff, it's on the part of clearly evil characters and we are meant to sympathize with the victims. In one plotline, though, the Chinese characters are scab labour and the white striking miners are racist. It's a brilliantly written plot because our sympathies are on both sides, but yeah.
TL;DR: All of the triggery stuff is justifiable IMO but the problem with the brevity of the show is that it's a trauma conga line.