Just wondering ...
Oct. 20th, 2005 02:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ariannaIn the spirit of actual using a journal to record thoughts and seek the input of others, I've been musing about a few things and would like to hear your thoughts. Why? Well, mostly just 'cause I'm interested in your views, but also because some of your reflections may help me come up with plot ideas, lol. And because your perspectives can help enrich my view and appreciation of these characters, which hopefully will translate into better stories. Finally, I'm hoping your responses may lead me to some great fic I've not yet read. Feel free to respond to any or all of the questions below:
What first 'hooked' you to The Sentinel?
What do you most like about the series scenario?
What bugs you most about the characters?
What do you like best about them? Individually? Together?
Are there plots/situations/missing scenes that you'd really like to see explored in fan fic?
Are there storylines you hope to never see again? (Note: this is not to suggest that I'd never write such storylines again, lol -- but I might put on a warning so you wouldn't waste your time reading it)
Who are your favorite authors? Why?
Do you have any 'most favorite stories'?
Thanks!
What first 'hooked' you to The Sentinel?
What do you most like about the series scenario?
What bugs you most about the characters?
What do you like best about them? Individually? Together?
Are there plots/situations/missing scenes that you'd really like to see explored in fan fic?
Are there storylines you hope to never see again? (Note: this is not to suggest that I'd never write such storylines again, lol -- but I might put on a warning so you wouldn't waste your time reading it)
Who are your favorite authors? Why?
Do you have any 'most favorite stories'?
Thanks!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
You don't want much, do ya? LOL
Date: 2005-10-20 11:00 pm (UTC)What first 'hooked' you to The Sentinel? The fanfic, which I came to via a couple of crossover stories in fandoms I was already reading (X-Files, Highlander). I only saw bits and pieces of the show during its first run and didn't really remember who the characters/actors were, so it was the fanfic that drew me in. I have since seen all the eps and have most of them on tape (but, truthfully, I still like the fanfic better than the actual show itself, which happens to be true of all my favorite fandoms).
What do you most like about the series scenario? I like the idea of a man with enhanced senses. I don't find that implausible at all. I also really like the more mystical side of the sentinel experience (visions, spirit guides, spiritual bonding), and wish it had been explored farther in canon. Then, of course, there's the racial diversity in Major Crime, which I particularly appreciate. And the fact that Jim and Blair are two very pretty pretty men. *wink*
What bugs you most about the characters? I dislike seeing Jim portrayed as a stereotypical tight-jawed hard-boiled cop as much as I dislike seeing Blair portrayed as a flake and trouble magnet. And I greatly dislike it when one or both of them acts stupid over some BOTW or some case and doesn't put each other and their friendship first..
What do you like best about them? Individually? Together? I like the fact that Jim Ellison, while every inch the heroic archetype, is just a guy with flaws who occasionally messes up and uses bad judgment (as does Blair). I like the growth that Blair's character undergoes during the course of the season.
I've seen it said (over and over ad nauseum, lol) that the show was titled 'The Sentinel' and not 'The Guide', but for me, the entire show taken as a whole is just as much focused on Blair and his maturation into what he needs to do/be to fill his role as Jim's companion as it is on Jim and his senses. The series finale said to me that Jim and Blair were meant to stay together, that their friendship (or love, as a slasher) was more important than anything else.
I might add here that I'm a Classic Trek fan. In Trek, Spock and Kirk have a legendary friendship. Grand gestures like throwing a career away or sacrificing your life for your friend is ... how it's supposed to be done. TS comes near the same ideals, and I like that about it.
the second half
Date: 2005-10-20 11:02 pm (UTC)Are there storylines you hope to never see again? (Note: this is not to suggest that I'd never write such storylines again, lol -- but I might put on a warning so you wouldn't waste your time reading it) I gotta say, I am burned out on Cypher missing scenes/expansions. Although I'd REALLY like to read a story in which Blair decides after Lash that he wants out of the whole thing and Jim has to work to convince him to stay.
Who are your favorite authors? Why? I could go on and on and include most of the people on my f-list, lol, but it's not the author, it's the individual fic. Most of my favorites authors write fic that elicits an emotional reaction from me and touches me somehow, either by making me laugh or making my chest ache with angst. I will say, it was Aly's work that hooked me into TS and made me a fan.
Do you have any 'most favorite stories'? I JUST (as in, less than an hour ago) got finished re-reading 'Visiting Alex' by Lady Ra and I frequently reread her other stories, too. Others I often re-read include most all of Dolimir's stories (slash and gen). 'Confiscated' by Shedoc. 'The Pain of Love', 'Future Tense' 'Polar Ice Caps' 'Breathing' and 'Crossroads' by Aly. 'Brokenhearted' by Veronica. Saul's 'Planet of the Sentinels' because it's just so smutty *g*. I have a lot of 'most favorites', really.
And, I go over to your slash page and reread your stuff, too, just FYI. *g*
This was fun, Arianna!
Re: You don't want much, do ya? LOL
Date: 2005-10-20 11:55 pm (UTC)I still like the fanfic better than the actual show itself, which happens to be true of all my favorite fandoms)
I think this is so often the case, actually. The original canon sets up context and possibility, but leaves all these 'holes' like missing scenes that we wish we could have had, or an epilogue to go deeper into the issues or resolution. Fanfic also gives us a chance to get more into the characters' emotions or thoughts, let's examine one of their 'fatal flaws' maybe to take that further, allows us to explore the friendship/relationship theme (the one that draws most of us most) in a lot more satisfying depth.
there's the racial diversity in Major Crime, which I particularly appreciate
I didn't read much fic before I received tapes of the show from a friend (who wanted me to consider writing some fic for it) -- had never heard of the show before then, long after it was cancelled. But I took a quick look and found interesting characters and scenarios. One of the things I liked best when I got to see the actual episodes was how very multicultural it is both in characters and in plotlines. I liked that the multiculturalism was a 'given', so much so that it was perhaps unconsciously reflected in the fic I'd read (I didn't know the racial heritages of Simon or Joel versus Jim or Rhonda, for example till I saw the show and I thought how really neat it was that people were seeing personalities, not colour, for example, or that someone saying she was a channel for a goddess and the goddess witnessed a murder wasn't a cause for any rolling of eyes on the show, but a practical issue to be addressed. It's very respectful and, I thought, 'post modern', in terms of representing a rich, multi-faceted society with members who accept diversity as a given.
portrayed as a flake and trouble magnet
Ah, one of the things that makes me roll my eyes, lol. I wince whenever I see the 'trouble magnet' cliche in stories. Blair didn't often attract trouble on his own in the show, but usually fell into it as part of working with Jim.
a guy with flaws who occasionally messes up and uses bad judgment (as does Blair). I like the growth
I liked this growth of Sandburg as well. Though, in the last seven or so eps, I thought we were seeing a man who was increasingly depressed than one who was simply growing up and so was less exuberant. What bothered me in the show was that Jim didn't seem to go as much and they pretty much used his 'reactiveness' and Naomi's worst characteristics at the end (Naomi deteriorated as the show went on - she was much less clueless and more likeable in her first appearance than her last).
the show was titled 'The Sentinel' and not 'The Guide', but for me, the entire show taken as a whole is just as much focused on Blair and his maturation into what he needs to do/be to fill his role as Jim's companion as it is on Jim and his senses. The series finale said to me that Jim and Blair were meant to stay together, that their friendship (or love, as a slasher) was more important than anything else.
I agree wholeheartedly. The show was originally about adventure and ended up being about friendship ... about Blair's 'ritual sacrifice' to protect Jim and for the sake of friendship. The bouncy student in the first show had grown up a lot by the end.
Re: The second half
Date: 2005-10-21 12:11 am (UTC)I can't ever read enough of those and admire the fact that people take the same canon and go off in so many different directions with it. As for plots/situations, I adore Shaman!Blair stories and love to see the mystical aspects explored.
Yeah, I love how there are so many different takes on what might have happened next in any given ep related scenario or post series story. And your comment of what you'd like to see explored is encouraging. I want to do more of the shaman/Blair theme in my next Bitterwood Creek installment, and I've been thinking of doing one called The Way of the Shaman as another story in one of my gen series, to follow Roses Are Red, in Starfox's Mansion.
I'd REALLY like to read a story in which Blair decides after Lash that he wants out of the whole thing and Jim has to work to convince him to stay.
Oh, what a neat idea! So often, we get caught in the cliche that Jim is so afraid for Blair that he wants to almost drive Blair away before he gets hurt -- or at least, I get caught in that cliche. But this would be an interesting alternative storyline to explore.
Most of my favorites authors write fic that elicits an emotional reaction from me and touches me somehow, either by making me laugh or making my chest ache with angst. I will say, it was Aly's work that hooked me into TS and made me a fan.
I like the stuff that touches me somehow, too. And it was Aly's work that lured me into the slash side of the fandom. Such a thrill for me to work with her on the Thin Blue Line project and particularly on Desperate Journey, coming up next in November. She's my all-time favourite writer in the slash side of the fandom. One of my all-time favs, period. Hey, did you know that she won a basketful of awards as Sideburns in the SG fandom this year, like Outstanding Author, best drama and so on? So well deserved!
I go over to your slash page and reread your stuff, too, just FYI. *g*
Ah, thanks, sweetie! I really wasn't fishing with this question but appreciate the affirmation. I'm more of a gen writer, with a lot more stories on that side of the fandom but, once in awhile, I like to try my hand at slash interpretations of the relationship. By the way, where would I find Veronica's stuff? Don't think I've read any of her stories yet.
Again, thanks so much for responding, and in such depth!!!
Re: The second half
Date: 2005-10-21 01:18 am (UTC)(hope that link works, otherwise, just do an advanced search under her name).
And you're welcome! *g*
no subject
Date: 2005-10-21 01:25 am (UTC)Actually, reading a Candy Apple story, though I'd seen a few eps (and was unimpressed). I suspected that Blair really didn't cry that much, and that Jim really wasn't that coddling and understanding, but the blatant love oozed from the pages and prompted me to watch the series with different eyes (though it still took a while for it to grow on me).
Beyond that, the age difference (I'm a fan of "older Jim") was highly attractive to me. Having come off some 8 years in S&H fandom, where the guys were so equal, the age difference between Jim and Blair was very fresh to write about. For me in particular, I could really relate to how Blair worships Jim and wants his approval (and that of Simon), because my one serious relationship was with a man 13 years older than me, and the way Jim and Blair related to each other reminded me of that.
What do you most like about the series scenario?
The age difference.
That Jim was never comfortable with his senses. That made for a very interesting and unusual inner conflict (and sometimes outer conflict when, eg, Blair would become exasperated at how Jim would try to reject or whine about his senses).
That Blair was a civilian, which meant he was readily agreeable to Jim's protecting him. (The series would have been all the less if Blair had insisted "I can take care of myself" or some such. Despite the "stiff upper lip" portrayed in much of the fanfic, he readily admitted to fear and pain in canon.)
I really, really wished the guys wouldn't have been cops. That occupation on series television is so trite.
What bugs you most about the characters?
Nothing. I loved their individual strengths and flaws.
What do you like best about them? Individually? Together?
The age difference. *g*
The dynamic created that Jim is "the boss" -- because he's a cop and Blair is a civilian; because he's older; because it's his loft.
I love Jim's basic goodness. There's nothing flashy about him, but he usually admits to his fallabilities and wants to do the right thing. He doesn't want to get involved in others' business on a personal level, but he does very much want to help.
I love that fact that Blair loves Jim so blatantly, and is so easily forgiving (of everyone). I like his boyish enthusiasm. My original attraction to him puzzled me, as I've always been old for my age and was never drawn to "youthful" characters, because I find it so hard to relate to them. I love that Blair is so open-minded (except when it comes to his possessiveness about Jim's senses.)
I'm passing on the fanfic questions because I read almost no fanfic anymore. But I will say that, at the end of my involvement, I was really, really turned off by all the Angel Blair/Jerk Jim stories. I guess I have a soft spot for Jim because my personality is a lot like his, and if he's so quickly shat upon for his fallabilites... well, I know where I'd stand in those authors' eyes.
no subject
Date: 2005-10-21 01:59 am (UTC)What first 'hooked' you to The Sentinel? Blair hooked me into the show. I thought Jim's senses were cool, but it was that lovely long-haired college student that did it for me.
What do you most like about the series scenario? Agree with everything polly said.
What bugs you most about the characters? I hated seeing them fall all over themselves when a woman was introduced.
What do you like best about them? Individually? Together? I like that Jim seemed to accept, most times, that Blair *did* help him. And Blair went above and beyond sometimes to help Jim. Together they kicked bad guy butt!
Are there plots/situations/missing scenes that you'd really like to see explored in fan fic? I can't write, as you can see. But case stories are my favorite, with the spirit guides a close second. I love the guys solving a case. I love slash, but read gen too. I don't need them getting it on in every chapter.
Are there storylines you hope to never see again? (Note: this is not to suggest that I'd never write such storylines again, lol -- but I might put on a warning so you wouldn't waste your time reading it Death stories and parter betrayal are my two 'will not read' kind of stories. I love warnings!
Who are your favorite authors? Why? goodness! I've been reading TS stories for almost 9 years! There are so many. Aly, Legion, arianna, Ysone, Jet, Lois Balzer, Tate, Kris Williams, Francesca, Kim Gasper, Brenda, Atrim, Annabelle Leigh, Charlotte Frost, Lemon Drop, saraid, mrs hamill, Grey, Candy, DawnC - there's more, but I'll stop. I'm a h/c junkie.
Do you have any 'most favorite stories'? you're kidding right? I reread aly's Polar Ice Caps once a year, and candy's Primal Instincts. There's just too many.
I'm new to LJ too - only had mine since the beginning of the month. Swore I'd never get one. But I broke down. And it's not so bad. Kind've addictive as a matter of fact.
(too wordy . . . had to subdivide!)
Date: 2005-10-21 02:12 am (UTC)The sensuality/physicality, the domesticity, the comradeship/friendwhip. (Not the blowing things up, which the TV series feels the need to include, since, hey, “action/adventure.”) I had seen a couple of episodes when it first came on and then again in reruns, but wasn’t obsessed enough (then) to stay with it. But the fanfic sucked me in, and now I have several UDISKS full of stories and a complete set of the transcripts. If they came out on DVD, I’d buy them—but mainly as background visuals for the fiction. Writers explore the relationship in more depth, and that’s what I love the most.
What do you most like about the series scenario?
It’s a sci-fi concept which (at least at first) is actually sorta plausible: a superhero who doesn’t need a cape or turn into a different, not-quite-human being. (Not that I don’t like the mystical elements, too.) I also like Jim’s flaws; he has the defects of his virtues, and vice versa. And I always like buddy shows and shows where the main characters create a “family” of unrelated folks around themselves. (No doubt due to exposure to too many Westerns on TV in my 1950s/1960s American youth!)
bugs you most about the characters?
On the show: sometimes they went for the (emotionally) cheap TV laugh or quickie ending. In fact, some of the best fanfic addresses those moments quite effectively, I think. For example, the idea that Simon and Jim would allow Blair to be booked after he’d been a hostage is the kind of “funny” that could be pretty hard to forgive in real life. (I just read the fine piece of fanfic that addressed and corrected this.)
In fanfic: I don’t like Blair too weak and whiny, though I’m perfectly fine with angst and vulnerability. I don’t like Jim too simplistically tough and macho, though of course some of that is key to his appeal! I like complexity that is true to possibilities shown in the program, even if the author has added some developments . . . so long as I can mentally and emotionally find a plausible route from “there” (show) to “here” (fanfic). I also get bored with mechanistic sex for sex’s sake, but sexuality that expresses the characters’ relationship is one of the things that makes fanfic so very, very rich. And TS is, of course, particularly accessible to sensuality, slash or gen.
Re: (too wordy . . . had to subdivide!)
Date: 2005-10-21 02:14 am (UTC)Jim: The strength—mental as well as physical. You gotta admire him for persisting when he’s gone through so much pain, emotional and otherwise. He can be wonderfully warm and kind. The light humor and teasing. I love all the little warm touches he gives Blair (slash or gen). He’s gorgeous physically. (Hey, gotta be a little shallow here, even though he’s not my type in real life.)
Blair: An academic as a hero! A short guy with long hair and a tendency to be goofy and occasionally (sometimes spectacularly) wrong as a hero! A smart guy who doesn’t like guns but can innovate on the spot to help to save the day! A man who is clearly vulnerable and open and bends the gender expectations while still being nicely masculine. Using the voice and touch to ground Jim: I love the sensuality and physicality of that relationship. He’s gorgeous (again, shallow; again, not my RL “type” but definitely a keeper).
Together: That they need each other, kid each other, take care of each other, touch each other, complement each other in their many differences.
Simon: I’m a sucker for the irasciblity (in fiction, anyway). His support of and similarities to Jim. In fiction, his fatherly relationship to Blair. I’ve read some fine fics with more Simon in them, but I still think he’s underused. (Yeh, he’s gorgeous, too. Obviously, that’s part of the appeal for some of us females: great-looking, funny, handsy guys. And it’s also what makes slash in general so appealing to some of us, although this show, of all shows, really makes slash plausible.)
Megan: I never saw any of the episodes with her, so I have no idea if I’d care for her as played on TV. But in fic, I like to see her having a friendship with Blair of the kind he doesn’t have with other women or with the guys, either. I like it when she sees parts of him they don’t; I like it when she mediates/arranges things between Blair and Jim, so long as it isn’t blatant.
Naomi: Intellectually, I’m intrigued that she can be written/interpreted in so very many ways. Partly that’s because she wasn’t on the show that much, so she’s more of a sketch than the others. But I’m always fascinated at how authors use her; I’ve found her equally plausible as flighty-but-well-meaning and shallow-and-vicious.
Re: (too wordy . . . had to subdivide!)
Date: 2005-10-21 02:16 am (UTC)If I were clever enough to think of these, I might actually be a Writer, too! You folks continually amaze me with all the different twists and turns you can make from the basic story line. I love that fanfic is like this huge, complex tree, with canon as the main trunk, and all the AUs taking off at different points, and all the little holes in canon being filled in.
Are there storylines you hope to never see again? (Note: this is not to suggest that I'd never write such storylines again, lol -- but I might put on a warning so you wouldn't waste your time reading it)
Not so far. I’ve read multiple versions of post-TSbBS, but (so long as they are well-written) I never get tired of them. But I must admit that I’m always particularly intrigued when someone comes up with a whole new take on a little-noticed episode.
Who are your favorite authors? Why?
Oooh. Tough question, unless you are ready for a long list . . . which will undoubtedly leave out many, many fine writers I just haven’t discovered yet, because each week I encounter new ones. (For example, I found you through starwatcher’s rec of your most recent piece, which hooked me enough to read twice through right off, and I’ve been spending the last couple of weeks immersed in your wonderful writing . . . with lots more to go, thank goodness!) See my friend’s list, for starters. All of the folks below, plus these: Lemon Drop (for fine “Blair as cop,” among others), starwatcher (like great comfort food—the guys living their day-to-day lives, sans explosions), Dasha (fascinating view of an aging couple), Resonant and Julad (few but very, very fine stories), polly b (especially the “R” series), Lex Gunn, Flutterbev (especially “Conforming to Requirements”), LKY (the “Dry Falls Chronicles” and more—gen with a strong bond and interesting glimpses of a younger Blair) . . . and too many more to list!
Re: (too wordy . . . had to subdivide!)
Date: 2005-10-21 02:17 am (UTC)Okay, I’m going for the multiple re-reads here. There are many, many others which I really loved; the fact that I keep coming back to these in particular is probably some sort of embarassing Rorshack test that I’ll someday be sorry I displayed in public, since it lays out all my buttons and quirks. In no particular order, then:
eliade’s “The Woods” trilogy: exquisitely written, sensual, tragic, painful. (Her great, detailed TS rec list also got me started in the fandom!)
Bone’s “Out of Whack”: Yes, it’s hot—but I reread it because it’s a story with, yes, lots of really well-written sex that cleverly spins Blair’s rep as a “table leg humper” and is actually a wonderfully sweet story about loving and caring and falling in love.
gardendoor’s “Missing You” and “Kaleidoscope”: Beautifully balanced depictions of characters’ weaknesses and strengths, and “Kaleidoscope” is a brilliantly plotted story whose plot you don’t focus on because of the rich emotional development about Blair (multiple versions, actually) coping with brain damage and Jim rising to the occasion, too.
lit_gal’s “Survival” and her “Guidelines” series: She’s a fine storyteller, and her Blair is nicely fiesty as well as thoughtful and sensitive. And her Jim is big and warm and strong and sometimes troubled but always Authentic Hero in a very appealing way.
alyjude’s “30” and “Future Tense” and oodles more—and the entire Jakeverse: She can write funny and angsty and all over the emotional map, and she doesn’t repeat herself, which is amazing with that much productivity. I don’t lean to kid-fic or baby-talking characters, and yet I adore the Jakeverse. Go figure.
Martha’s “Kneeling” and “The Portable Jack Kerouac” and others: she’s a beautiful stylist, so her work is just a rich, sensual pleasure to read. And the guy’s relationship is strong and good and loving.
Betty Plotnik’s “Lexicon”: A brilliantly written piece in all ways: the perfection of the characterization, the emotional logic and depth of the plot, the clarity of the writing.
Francesca’s “Nature” series (because of the heart-wrenching opening chapter and the great emotional bonding and equality of gifts of Blair and Jim in the rest) and any of her short pieces, which offer a multitude of different “first times” with slightly different but always believable Jims and Blairs.
mab browne’s “Cloudbusting” trilogy: very real, very warm, honestly painful depiction of a strong relationship between two fully human beings.
. . . and, again, many more . . . I’m finding this an amazingly rich fandom, and the wonderfully talented folks out there are so generous with their gifts. I can’t thank them all enough!
Thanks!
Thank you! I just hope you don’t end up sorry you asked!
Re: (too wordy . . . had to subdivide!)
Date: 2005-10-21 02:19 am (UTC)Re: (too wordy . . . had to subdivide!)
Date: 2005-10-21 03:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-21 04:10 am (UTC)What first 'hooked' you to The Sentinel?
Definitely the fanfiction. I was reading it for more than a year before I ever saw the show, and considered myself a fan long before I even knew what RB and GM looked like *g*.
What do you most like about the series scenario?
I love the dynamic between Jim and Blair. I also love the fact that they both exhibit such very human flaws. The fact that they are both extraordinarily beautiful men doesn't hurt, either ;-)
What bugs you most about the characters?
I can't really say anything bugs me about them. Their flaws make them really intriguing to me. If they were perfect, what would we have to write about? *g*
What do you like best about them? Individually? Together?
I like the fact that despite their enormous differences, they also have so many similarities. They are both men who desperately want to fit in, despite being 'different'. They both exhibit an extraordinary mixture of vulnerability and strength. And they'd sacrifice anything for each other- as envisaged by the many times Jim risks his own life to save Blair, and by what Blair does in TSbyBS. Now *that* is love *g*.
Are there plots/situations/missing scenes that you'd really like to see explored in fan fic?
Haven't they all been done already? ;-) Okay, I'll bite, but it may give away one of my ongoing plot bunnies. I think Blair has a bit of a shady past we don't know about, connected to his cousin Robert the bookie. He was far too cool when he waltzed in to see Glimmerman in Three Point Shot. I'd love to see someone explore that... hint hint ;-)
Are there storylines you hope to never see again?
Nope. I'm a believer that everyone should write what moves them, even if it doesn't move me. My back button works exceedingly well :-)
Who are your favorite authors? Why?
Ooh, that's a tough one. Because I could name lots, but I'll end up leaving somebody out. Suffice it to say, a lot of the authors writing currently that I adore (inlcuding your good self) are on my flist. I think the standard of current writers - especially those that hang around LJ - is extraordinarily high. And as for the classics? There are too many to count.
Do you have any 'most favorite stories'?
Likewise, that's a toughie - there are so many good ones I could be here all night. Off the top of my head? Visiting Alex by Lady Ra pushes all my buttons and then some. Other than that? I love angst and h/c, so if a well written story - either gen or slash - has those elements, I'm happy :-)
no subject
Date: 2005-10-21 04:43 am (UTC)"What first hooked you to The Sentinel?"
For me it was a reading a SG1/TS crossover. The guys intrigued me immediately and I ran off to find more -- and boy did I find more. As I started to delve into fiction, I remember being initially put off by the word 'man' used so often by Blair. Remember at this stage I hadn't seen an episode, so getting into 'who' the characters were was a little difficult. But I persisted and tracked down someone who sent me a few episodes on videos and 'man' suddenly became the most natural thing in the world!
"Who are your favourite authors and why"
This question could go on until the cows come home because there are so many people who I love to read. But one author who has me going back time and time again is Jet. I don't even really know why other than she leaves me feeling with such a great sense of satisfaction. Even when she does run me over with a steam roller and makes me scream "noooo" I always walk away with the warm and fuzzies. I love the way she captures the unique relationship between the guys and this is what does it for me.
But remember this is only one author out of a huge pile I could choose from. What a great predicament to be in!
Gotta run. More to come
no subject
Date: 2005-10-21 06:05 am (UTC)the age difference between Jim and Blair was very fresh
I take your point on this. It was neat that there was some inherent inequality, and yet not so much (even with Simon) that it ever become 'paternal' which would have been too heavy in this scenario). Starsky and Hutch, The Professionals, Hercules and Iolaus are other buddy relationships with the 'equality' of age and similarity of experience or capacity elements. In TS, their growing friendship/partnership had more natural hurdles to overcome, making it perhaps more hard won and that much more unique.
Jim was never comfortable with his senses. That made for a very interesting and unusual inner conflict (and sometimes outer conflict when, eg, Blair would become exasperated
Good point. It's so easy to forget that Jim has to live with these senses ALL the time. They are invasive, impacting upon his whole experience of the world around him and, even with help in managing them, they are a burden as much as a gift. I'm not sure many of us grasp how much sheer energy it must take to live with too much input all the time.
That Blair was a civilian, ... he readily admitted to fear and pain in canon. I really, really wished the guys wouldn't have been cops.
Cop and medical shows -- what would television be without them, lol. But, yeah, a search and rescue, parks management, coast guard, private security firm (ie body guard for hire -- imagine hiring one and finding he comes with a shadow?), environment scientist or conservationist, a captain of the English Fleet during the 100 years war or a revolutionary during the 1760s, well, so many different scenarios modern or otherwise, but that's the fun of AUs, I suppose.
And your point about Blair exhibiting fear or pain is well made. When this does come out in fanfic, it's often accompanied by a weepy or incompetent Blair, rather than a guy who can be afraid but not immobilized by his fear, or be in pain and acknowledge it, but not be reduced to helplessness by it.
I love Jim's basic goodness. (snip) I was really, really turned off by all the Angel Blair/Jerk Jim stories. I guess I have a soft spot for Jim because my personality is a lot like his, and if he's so quickly shat upon for his fallabilites...
It's so easy to exaggerate Jim's stoicism or apparent 'remoteness' as a plot device. Having started with the last season before seeing the rest of the show, I initially found him cold. For a while, I had to remind myself that this was a truly decent guy who doesn't, as he says in canon, 'where his heart on his sleeve'. I had to work at 'getting to know him', if you will, to understand how decent he really is through the earlier seasons. I'm often amazed by fen who truly, truly seem to dislike one or the other character because I wonder then what they see in the show, which was about their friendship, their growing partnership and affiliation. Or, at least, it is for me.
Blair loves Jim so blatantly, and is so easily forgiving (of everyone). I like his boyish enthusiasm. My original attraction to him puzzled me, as I've always been old for my age and was never drawn to "youthful" characters, because I find it so hard to relate to them. I love that Blair is so open-minded ...
Interesting observation. Maybe the qualities you like about Blair really have nothing to do with his age, but with his inherent principles and character traits. Enthusiasm, forgiveness and openmindedness, along with the capacity to love unconditionally are not tied to age, so perhaps his character transcended his youthfulness?
Really enjoyed hearing from you. And, sigh, do you mind if I say I miss your contributions as a writer in the fandom? So glad you're still 'around', to benefit from your perspectives and insights.
no subject
Date: 2005-10-21 06:30 am (UTC)I've found some great 'partner' betrayals when that's a genre I usually wouldn't read. Jess Riley's Runaway Train (I think is the title) and Fluterbev's Kith and Kin come to mind. Of course, lots of angst, good reason for the 'betrayal' and Jess's has a great ending (and I'm sure Bev's that's still in process will have as well -- right Bev???!!! :)
As for Death stories. I think the only way I could write one was in an AU where it's clear the guys return again and again to live new lives -- sort of building on the ideas I've got in My Sentinel. Actually, Jess and I (and a bit with Bev) have been talking about a Brothers in Time series that would have all standalone stories along a timeline of lives from back in mists of time through to the future.
Yeah, lots of authors and many I haven't read. If I have trouble finding them, I'll come back to you to ask for directions!
Thanks so much for your comments!
Re: (too wordy . . . had to subdivide!)
Date: 2005-10-21 06:44 am (UTC)I'm amazed by how many people started with the fic. Of course, I only discovered fanfic in 2000. Didn't know it existed (talk about missing a whole world!) and didn't know the show even existed (gave up watching TV after they killed off Iolaus in Hercules the Legendary Journeys -- another great buddy show, with extraordinary parallels with TS, but that's another topic, lol).
I loved the flaws, too. Much more interesting characters, not two dimensional perfect little cutout heros but guys that seemed like they could be real. I take your point about creating a family -- I live about 3000 miles from family, and have for a lot of years, so this creating a family with friends really resonates for me.
And, yeah -- fanfic is SO essential for going beyond those convenient throwaway endings! I haven't read many fixes to TGND ending -- and one really left me feeling rotten as it led to a permanent breakup between the guys. Shudder. Maybe you could point me toward the one you just read.
I write some slash, but I'm more of gen writer at heart, I think. I love the friendship theme, the 'I'll sacrifice for you' as my best friend. Sacrificing for a lover is more ... usual? Even expected. But much more rare to do this out of friendship perhaps. I can write and enjoy slash where the physicality grows naturally from their relationship but I, too, get bored with wips or PWP sorts of things that are only about the physicality.
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Date: 2005-10-21 06:52 am (UTC)I like Megan as a character but ... and this is the problem with learning stuff about the actors in that it can tarnish how one feels about the character, I'm not a fan of Anna's and so have difficulty writing the character now. Weird how that works. I wonder if other writers have similar experiences. When I got to know more about Michael Hurst who played Iolaus, I found it harder to write fic in that fandom. In this case, I admire the actor so much that he began to overshadow the beloved character.
And Naomi, well, she's easy to really dislike after TSbyBS, but I think the writers betrayed her character, or the possibilities of what her character could have been. They made her into a cliche and sort of the bad guy to get their story told, but I don't think Naomi was as dumb as they made her out to be in TSbyBS or even the ep about the psychic. Again, though, a very complex, flawed character, and a complex relationship between her and her son that could be explored forever in terms of the possibilities of their past.
Re: (too wordy . . . had to subdivide!)
Date: 2005-10-21 06:55 am (UTC)And thanks so much for your kind words about my stories. I'm so glad to know you're enjoying them!!
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Date: 2005-10-21 06:58 am (UTC)I'm sure not sorry I asked. I'm finding the responses really interesting and the referrals to the work of others are wonderful! Thanks for taking so much time to respond. Very much appreciated.
no subject
Date: 2005-10-21 07:06 am (UTC)Hey ... neat plot bunny. I've been thinking since the Cascade Con and one of the guests mentioned something about Las Vegas that I really wish they'd had an ep with the guys there. Hmmm. Mix with a plotline I've never tried -- betrayal -- hmmmm. Nope, down plot bunny, DOWN! I've got too many other stories I've committed to write first. (But, um, nice plot bunny, don't wander off too far; might want to spend more time with you after Christmas).
And thanks for the Visiting Alex by Lady Ra rec. Haven't read that and will definitely have to go check it out soon! Much appreciated!
Re: (too wordy . . . had to subdivide!)
Date: 2005-10-21 07:12 am (UTC)And I now have an icon! But not because I figured out how to do it! I had opened an account at www.photobucket.com, then I copied some photos I had on a CD onto that account, then I linked to my LJ . . . and one of my lovely friends made me an icon. But then all I had to do was right click it, save it to my computer, and from there it was easy to do. (See the comments in my LJ attached to my plea for help in making icons.) There are tons and tons of wonderful TS icons out there, so you can get one and start using it (or, in fact, up to three for a free account) ASAP . . . and I suspect you have talented folks among your friends and fans who would be happy to make some for you, as well! So be shameless like me and ask for help--LJ folks are really great about responding.
no subject
Date: 2005-10-21 07:21 am (UTC)But I persisted and tracked down someone who sent me a few episodes on videos and 'man' suddenly became the most natural thing in the world!
And, man, am I glad you were so persistent and got hooked on these guys!!!
JET is amazing, isn't she? Such terrific angsty stories with great plots, whether in the 'modern' era or in her historical AU, or when she has the guys on their holiday to Great Britain. Not sure if I ever told you this, but she and I think we may be related. We discovered that we have a family name in common and can at least trace back to the same ancestral roots. She had an OC in her historical AU who was a 'Hay', and she wrote that in for me, which was so neat. We've also found we were writing stories on similar concepts at the same time (Anam Cara, an ancient celtic concept about transcental friendships or soulmates), though we were writing in different fandoms at the time. But, I gotta say, she plays guitar a whole lot better than I do. I wish she was writing more, but she's gotten SO busy in RL in the past year. I hope she'll find more writing time again, soon.
Oh, and hey, thanks again for checking on my 'voices' for the SG1 crew in Distant Thunder!
Re: (too wordy . . . had to subdivide!)
Date: 2005-10-21 07:29 am (UTC)StarWatcher has a great list of rec's, huh? Hey, buddy, (waving madly at my so excellent beta who never gets enough credit or recognition for what she contributes to my stories), if it's a saved doc, you want to send it along to me?
And thanks for your kind words about Without You. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much!