We live in a world that is often too lazy to unpack the nuance of individuals, as well as the complex motives behind their actions.
More often than not, it’s easier to categorize people as either heroes or villains. In the case of Netflix’s “Sirens,” it would be so much easier for the showrunners to morph Simone, who is by conventional standards a “gold-digger,” into a shallow and conniving antagonist who only cares about money and status. A woman who lures in men with her beauty and charm in order to get what she wants. Essentially, a “siren.” But what if that “siren” has an understandable motive behind her willingness to stomp on toes in order to make it to the top?
Unpacking Simone’s “Selfish” Choices in Sirens
Simone decided to take any means necessary in order to escape her upbringing, rife with neglect and poverty. Growing up, she’d experienced severe trauma at the hands of her parents, whose job was to protect her. She was malnourished, abandoned, and dragged from one foster home to another where she fell victim to abusive behavior. In several occasions, Simone almost lost her life due to the mistreatment she experienced at the hands of her guardians. Because of all this it’s understandable why she’d want to escape to a pastel-colored wonderland full of Stepford-like orderliness and lavish escapism.
It would be far simpler to label Simone as the “selfish” sister, while categorizing Devon as the savior. Sure, Devon’s heroic choice to put her life on hold in order to take care of her ill father is genuinely admirable and showcases her kind heart. Yes, it’s true that she’s the more “selfless” sister out of the two. But are we really going to villainize Simone for refusing to go back to the home that destroyed her? Perhaps, in this case, the “selfish” choice was the right one.
Showrunner Molly Smith Metzler Encourages Audiences To Look From The Sirens’ Perspective
In Greek Mythology, Sirens are villainous mermaids who use their beauty and enchanting singing voices to deceive sailors lost at sea. These mythical creatures have always been depicted through the perspective of the sailor, who gets “tricked” by the monstrous siren. But what is the siren’s perspective? What is her story? This is exactly what showrunner Molly Smith Metzler wanted her Netflix series to explore.
“I do think the show asks you to look at these five episodes, look at these characters, and reevaluate the assumptions you might have made about them,” Metzler told The Hollywood Reporter. “I can’t ask you to feel a certain way about what Simone does. All I can ask you is to try to understand it, because if you were in her shoes, and that ferry is leaving to take you back to certain trauma and destitute, what would you do? That’s what I hope people are talking about. I hope this is a debate people are having. It’s a question that interests me so much, I wrote a damn five-episode series.”
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