Episode 007 - The Return of Women Villains in the 1990s and 2000s

In this episode, I discuss the return of women villains in Bond films of the 1990s and 2000s. The Pierce Brosnan era features the highest concentration with antagonists who challenge the phallic masculinity of Bond. Their return coincides with the rise of postfeminism which had a strong influence on the depiction of women in American and British films of the time. By comparison, there has only been one woman villain in the Daniel Craig era - Valenka featured in Casino Royale (2006). While she is one of Bond's most threatening adversaries, her depiction and narrative treatment are both limited and limiting. She lacks the autonomy, competency, and agency that defined women villains like Fiona Volpe and Rosa Klebb in the 1960s.