The Dirty Picture-Mag

A really good dirty joke is hard to forget. Few shows have dared to blend the risqué with the revolutionary as seamlessly as Minx.

- RAJA SEN

A really good dirty joke is hard to forget. Few shows have dared to blend the risqué with the revolutionary as seamlessly as Minx. Set against the backdrop of 1970s Los Angeles, the comedy series chronicles the inception of the first erotic magazine for women, ingeniously using pornography as a vessel for feminist discourse. Streaming in India on Lionsgate Play, Minx offers a titillating yet profound exploration of gender politics, societal norms, and the perpetual struggle for equality.

The premise is as provocative as it is profound: Joyce Prigger, portrayed with earnest zeal by Ophelia Lovibond, is a fervent feminist determined to dismantle the patriarchy through the written word. Her lofty ideals find an unlikely ally in Doug Renetti, a charismatic low-rent publisher brought to life by Jake Johnson, who sees the commercial potential in Joyce's vision.

Together, they embark on a quixotic quest to launch "Minx," a magazine that juxtaposes nude male centrefolds with articles advocating for women's liberation.

Liberation, you see, comes in many forms—including centrefolds.

This audacious blend of erotica and empowerment mirrors real-world endeavours where pornography has been harnessed to propagate feminist ideals. Notably, publications like Playgirl in the 1970s sought to challenge traditional gender roles by objectifying men for a predominantly female audience, thereby subverting the male gaze. Similarly, feminist pornographers such as Candida Royalle have endeavoured to create adult content that prioritises female pleasure and agency, reframing the narrative to include women's perspectives and desires.

The series conjures a milieu reminiscent of Paul Thomas Anderson's