From Big Little Lies to Veronica Mars to Fleabag: What does it mean when women run on screen?

Vox

Big Little Lies loved to depict its female stars in motion because it's "a signifier of their refusal to yield to the forces conspiring to control them," says Kate Mooney. She adds that running can also be portrayed as a way to process trauma. "As powerful as these women appear while in motion, their exercising, and running in particular, is often used as a coping mechanism," she says. Fleabag, Billions and Veronica Mars have all shown women running in their recent episodes. Phoebe Waller-Bridge's character running in a graveyard is "the perfect analogy for how Fleabag deals with her grief: Yes, she’s mourning, but she keeps moving forward," says Mooney. "Fleabag is something of a spirited goth, too, and her choice of running spot speaks to her sense of humor and her disregard for social norms." Hulu's revival of Veronica Mars also plays with the running trope, says Mooney, with Kristen Bell's character running "early in the morning, before it’s even light out, an attempt to get some space and blow off steam over her strained relationship with her boyfriend Logan." Mooney adds: "Running in real life can feel cinematic, especially when you have a soundtrack in your ears and an awe-inspiring view ahead of you. When we see it modeled for us by complex heroines on screen, it starts to seem possible that we, too, can use running to regain control of our own narrative — even if it’s only for the half-hour or so that we’re out tromping around; even if we’ll have to lace up again and again to face the emotional challenges of each new day. I call that a big little win."