The Bechdel Cast

The Bechdel Cast is a weekly podcast about the representation of women in film. It is named after the Bechdel test. The Bechdel Cast is hosted by Los Angeles–based comedians Caitlin Durante and Jamie Loftus.

In November 2016 The Bechdel Cast released their introductory episode titled "Welcome to The Bechdel Cast!" Their first episode was on the film Kill Bill with guest Zach Sherwin.

The show is broadcast on the iHeartRadio Network (after HowStuffWorks Network, under Stuff Media, was bought by iHeartMedia). Episodes are available on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, and Spotify. Select episodes are released to supporters on the crowdfunding platform Patreon twice a month.

Premise
The name of the podcast derives from cartoonist Alison Bechdel, who developed the concept of the Bechdel test, sometimes called the Bechdel–Wallace test. The test investigates whether or not a work includes at least two women conversing about a topic other than a man. Sometimes a requirement that the two women must have names is added, which is a rule the podcast adheres to. For the purposes of the show, the exchange only needs to be two lines of dialogue. A commonality of many movies that pass is that often only this minimum is reached typically by an inconsequential conversation or one in which the two lines are nested within a larger conversation that is about men.

The hosts often discuss the limitations of the Bechdel Test and, despite using it as their namesake, primarily employ it to initiate a larger discussion about the depiction and uses of female-identifying characters in film. The hosts have recently moved to a use of the test that looks at whether a film has two named characters of any marginalized gender, who have a conversation about anything other than a man, for two lines of dialogue, and increasingly lines must be relevant or central to the plot.

They occasionally reference and utilize similar tests of representation, such as the Vito Russo test, the DuVernay Test, and the Mako Mori Test.

Format and structure
The podcast is informally comedic, and formatted in an improvisational style. They frequently mention supplemental running jokes, such as Loftus' obsession with actor Alfred Molina, and Durante's reminder of their Master's Degree in Screenwriting from Boston University.

The hosts begin by introducing their guest, often a comedian, actor, or other media personality. Durante then briefly recaps the film at the top of the episode with interjections from Loftus and the guest. This is followed by analyzing and discussing the representation of women through an intersectional lens, alternating in tone between serious and jocular.

At the end of each episode, they determine whether or not the film passes the Bechdel test, as well as rate it on a "nipple scale" from 0 to 5 nipples based on how marginalized genders are portrayed overall.

Episodes typically range from 45 minutes to 80 minutes, and are released once a week on Thursdays and additional episodes a month on Patreon. Most episodes are recorded in the HowStuffWorks studio in Los Angeles. Within the past year they have begun touring and performing for studio audiences as The Bechdel Cast, which include live episodes such as "The Notebook with Caitlin Gill" and "Edward Scissorhands with Maggie Mae Fish".

Hosts
Caitlin Durante is a comedian and producer. They were the program producer for the Nerdmelt Showroom comedy venue at Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles from early 2015 until it closed in April 2018. They are also a scriptwriter and story analyst, and frequently offer writing workshops in Los Angeles and Boston.

Jamie Loftus is a sketch writer, animator, and actor. Her comedic style can best be described as alternative comedy, with absurd pieces such as her one-woman show "I Lost My Virginity August 15, 2010" and her attempt to raise money for Planned Parenthood by selling Shrek nudes. She has also written and starred in video content for media sites Adult Swim, Comedy Central, Paste, and Super Deluxe.

Criticism and Reception
Early reviews of the show characterized it as a "roast of your favourite movie".

The tone of the podcast has evolved over the years as the hosts have become more educated on Intersectional feminist issues and episodes have taken on more serious films about or by marginalized people, with earlier episodes having been more flippant in their comedic style. Due to the evolution of the show, some reviewers have suggested new listeners try out the podcast by starting with later episodes such as the one covering Black Panther.

The podcast has appeared on multiple lists for top podcasts in the realm of feminist film review.