Bomb Girls

Bomb Girls is a Canadian drama set in a munitions factory (Victory Munitions) during World War II. The series aired in 2012 and 2013. It's a primarily character-driven show, exploring a wide variety of themes such as love, grief, feminism, infidelity, honesty, and following your dreams.

The show focuses primarily on four women:

• Lorna Corbett (Meg Tilly) is the floor matron at Victory Munitions. Her husband is a war veteran who was left crippled after fighting in World War I, and their relationship is strained due to this. She is very patriotic and firmly believes that sacrifices are necessary to ensure happiness for everyone. Despite her firm attitude while at work, however, she cares very much for the girls on her shift.
• Betty McRae (Ali Liebert) is the tomboyish one of the group and one of the girls who has worked the longest at the factory. She is a skilled worker and is often held up to an example to the other girls, being chosen as the "face" of Victory Munitions. At times very blunt and abrasive, behind her tough exterior Betty is plagued by a lack of self worth and confusion over her love for Kate.
• Kate Andrews (Charlotte Hegele) is a runaway who came to the factory to escape her abusive, religious father. Shy and sweet, she struggles to leave behind her past and to start a new life for herself. She admires Gladys' glamorous lifestyle and is best friends with Betty, who introduces her to many new things. Kate is also a talented singer and dreams of doing it as a career.
• Gladys Witham (Jodi Balfour) is an upper-class socialite who initially starts work at the factory as an office girl, but then ends up working on the floor with the other girls. Intelligent and headstrong, if at times naive, Gladys strongly believes in equality and doing what's right. At first an outsider due to her wealth and social standing, she eventually becomes good friends with Betty and Kate.

Tropes used in Bomb Girls include:

• A Man Is Not a Virgin: Invoked by James to Gladys, who doesn't hesitate to point out the double standard.
• Dance of Romance: Betty and Kate in the pilot episode.
• "Dear John" Letter: Somewhat subverted. Gladys writes one of these but is convinced by James not to send it.
• Gayngst: Betty.
  • "Nobody wants to be me, Mrs. Corbett. Nobody."
• Four-Girl Ensemble: Betty (boyish and the Deadpan Snarker), Kate (sweet and naive), Gladys (glamorous), and Lorna (Team Mom).
• Hide Your Lesbians: Until the first season finale. Justified in that being an out lesbian in the 1940's was nigh-unheard-of and the creators wanted to take the relationship slowly.
• Humble Hero / Ignorant of the Call: Betty. Though Lorna sees her as a role model and Kate outright says she's a hero, Betty doesn't believe she's anything special. She's even chosen to be the "face" of Victory Munitions, much to her chagrin.
• Jumped At the Call: Pretty much everyone.
• Keep the Home Fires Burning: The entire plot of the show revolves around this.
• Meet Cute: Betty and Kate first meet when Kate is struggling to work the lock on her door. Betty helps her, but she's cold towards Kate, who awkwardly attempts to introduce herself.
• Naive Newcomer: Gladys and Kate.
• Nicknaming the Enemy: Happens as frequently as you'd expect in a show set during World War II.
• One of the Boys: Betty.
  • "I think Betty is somebody who had worked before, was really only comfortable in a male milieu."
• Shell-Shocked Veteran: Bob, Lorna's husband.
• Ship Tease: Betty and Kate; Kate and Leon.
• Spirited Young Lady: Gladys.
• Spoiled Sweet: Gladys, who is also Non-Idle Rich after declining an office job at Victory Munitions to work on the floor with the other girls.
• Stay in the Kitchen: The majority of the men in the show believe women should not be out working in bomb factories.
• Surprise Pregnancy: Completely subverted. When Lorna starts experiencing symptoms of morning sickness, she knows exactly what's going on. So do most of the other girls too.
• The Fundamentalist: Kate's father.
• Town Girls / Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: Betty, Gladys, and Kate are the perfect example of these tropes.
• Your Cheating Heart: Gladys and James, though engaged, both cheat on each other. Lorna also cheats on her husband with Marco.
• World War II
• Wham! Episode: The first season finale.