Various things (as the emails between me and my boss are always titled)

[bluflamingo]

1. I'm back (in case anyone noticed I was gone!) from 12 days volunteering at the Cheltenham Lit Fest, which was an amazing, if exhausting, experience (12 fourteen-hour days straight). Got to meet very many very cool people, and very many very famous authors (and had tea with Ruth Rendell, eee!).

2. Numb3rs 502 and 503:

502: Colby to David: You gave her our distress word?

Could they possibly be any more of an old married couple?!

503: Oh my God, Colby, did you recently sustain a terrible head injury?! What - what - just, what? With the girl (and what's up with stargate people showing up in all my other shows? First the Orici in this, then Michael in Criminal Minds...). Also, thanks so much for dropping a fully-formed angst-filled story in my head, in which David berates him for cheating on Lorne (who is, hello, offf risking his life, way to be a supportive partner) and refuses to lie to Lorne about it. At which point Colby is forced to confess and... yeah, much angst ensues.

3. Criminal Minds 403: So Emily was raped, right? That's where they were going with that? So how come the end was all about Reid? Grr. That said, Emily was so, so cool in that episode. I really wasn't sure about her at the beginning, but I totally love her now.

4. I have 2 fics to write before the end of this month (one for angopollyanna and one for _la_la_la) of which one will definitely be done and one... will be done shortly after. Sorry, _la_la_la - I was planning to write one while I was away, and, well, see 14-hour days, so I'm a bit behind. But it's in my head, swear.

5. Atlantis, last two episodes (forgotten what number they're on, sorry): Where are all the fics about (a) Rodney griping about John blowing up the gate room in his absence and (b) John being all angst-ridden about how Rodney keeps literally disappearing before his very eyes, a la all the fic with the reverse from season 1?

Also - could we *please* be done with (a) Carson randomly reappearing (why can't he go off and be dead, already?) and (b) the Jennifer-Ronon-Rodney love-triangle or whatever it is? I so so want it to turn out that Keller's "actually, I'm interested in someone else" means Teyla or Dusty or, hey, how about John? Who, sorry Rodney-fans, is far more attractive and pleasant that Rodney. I mean, since she can't be interested in Ronon, who really seems like an actual good match for her, if she must be paired off with *someone*.

OK, I'm done now

Comments

[dirty-diana.livejournal.com]

Colby to David: You gave her our distress word?

Could they possibly be any more of an old married couple?!

No. They could not. David was so jealous over Colby's hookup with Morena, it was adorable.

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

He really was - and I love that Colby's response to having done a stupid thing is to hide from David, while simultaneously hoping David will find him. It's cute... in a really really weird way.

[carta.livejournal.com]

could we *please* be done with (a) Carson randomly reappearing (why can't he go off and be dead, already?)

Seriously. I was so pissed when they caved to the vocal fans and brought him back. Pointless, pointless, pointless, and too close to the "jump the shark" edge for me.

I think John would be a horrible boyfriend, honestly. He'd never tell you anything, and while the mysterious detached persona is cute to watch, it would be hell to actually be in a relationship with. imo.

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

I think John would be a horrible boyfriend, honestly. He'd never tell you anything, and while the mysterious detached persona is cute to watch, it would be hell to actually be in a relationship with. imo.

Oh, absolutely. I'd kill him in about a day and a half (assuming I somehow sustained a head injury that turned me straight again for some reason!). But as the object of a crush, particularly when you don't know him that well anyway, he just seems so much more logical than Rodney.

Or maybe it's just that the tendency for attractive young women to throw themselves at Rodney and Carson annoys me. It just seems so much like it's written to appeal to young boys who think of themselves as geeks and don't date much, to prove that attractive women will like them. Which is not necessarily a bad message to put across, but, given that the women never get to fall for anyone *else*, when, let's face it, Ronon and John are much more conventionally attractive (and much nicer than Rodney, and far less creepy than Carson)... um, what was the start of that sentence again?! Right - assuming women on the show are going to be falling for people as something other than fan-service for young boys, they should be falling across the board, thus making them more like actualy people and less like stand-in for the hot girl in high school who won't talk to you.

I think that got a bit away from me, but hopefully it made some kind of sense. Though yes, John Sheppard = nightmare boyfriend, I'm sure.

[carta.livejournal.com]

he just seems so much more logical than Rodney.
I don't know - I've always gone for the nerdier types. Bookish and faintly annoyed is kind of my favorite flavor. And if you look at fandom even as represented merely on LJ, Rodney definitely has a lot of women panting for him.

There definitely have been women falling for John over the past 5 seasons. There was that woman in the episode Flanigan wrote, the woman in that bizarre tower episode in I think Season 2, Larrin definitely had a little zing for Sheppard, the Ascended woman from Season 1, hot scientist woman in the hallway in The Tao of Rodney, etc. Even the thirteen-year old Harmony liked John before switching her affections at the last minute to Rodney. (vague yes, but I am crap at remembering character names)

You're right as far as Ronon goes, though. No one ever crushes on him. Except for maybe John, haha.

Anything to do with Carson annoys me. Bleh.

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

And if you look at fandom even as represented merely on LJ, Rodney definitely has a lot of women panting for him.

But *why*??? I just don't get why everyone thinks he's so wonderful, I really don't. I mean, fair enough, obviously a large number of people disagree with me, which, you know, go them :), and I'm sure they'd look at me and go, but why Sheppard? I just find it bizarre that Rodney has such a large following compared to the others, when I'd expect it to be more evenly split, I guess.

You're right as far as Ronon goes, though. No one ever crushes on him. Except for maybe John, haha.

So true :)

[skieswideopen]

I agree with you--I don't get the massive Rodney-crushes either. I mean, if he were bumbling-geek charming, or shy-but-kind-and-brilliant (i.e., Zelenka), I could see it, but mostly he's not--he's an arrogant ass. He has redeeming qualities, of course--loyalty and courage and so forth--but they aren't apparent at first glance and I don't see them inspiring crushes except in someone he personally saved.

It seems like some people in the fandom assume that Rodney's personality is the result of being mistreated and misunderstood when he was younger, and anyone who doesn't immediately understand that and look past the rough exterior is being irredeemably shallow because really, underneath it all, he has a heart of gold and it only takes the right person to bring it out.

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

or shy-but-kind-and-brilliant (i.e., Zelenka)

See, that, I would get, I love Zelenka. Not so much in a crushy way, but I like him much more than I do Rodney.

It seems like some people in the fandom assume that Rodney's personality is the result of being mistreated and misunderstood when he was younger, and anyone who doesn't immediately understand that and look past the rough exterior is being irredeemably shallow because really, underneath it all, he has a heart of gold and it only takes the right person to bring it out.

It's a nice theory, but there's no evidence for it, at all. Which, actually, fandom's not usually so much for the theorising with no evidence, and it's not like we haven't had plenty of sad childhood stories for other characters (Keller, Zelenka), or opportunities for Rodney to mention it, which he so would. As you say, he definitely has redeeming qualities, but I'm really not with them on the heart of gold thing. He's the way he is because that's the way he is, not because he's covering up his inner pain or whatever.

All of which is a very long way of saying, I agree with your comment pretty much completely, and will just never understand why Rodney inspires such adoration. As I'm sure people say about the characters I love (Cam Mitchell anyone? Apparently even eviler than the wraith).

[10pmpacifictime.livejournal.com]

Actually, McKay's mentioned several times, most prominently in his second SG-1 appearance that his parents hated each other and blamed him for their marital problems, while (and this is much more implied) doting on Jeannie. How much of that is true, how much is Rodney's skewed perspective, and how much is exaggeration I'm not sure. But there is some evidence for woobiedom.

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

But there is some evidence for woobiedom

I guess. I'm still not convinced it means he had quite as terrible a childhood as some writers like to think, but yeah, I suppose it does support the idea that it wasn't that great. I dunno, maybe I'm just making excuses because I don't like the character all that much :)

[bruinsfan.livejournal.com]

It seems like some people in the fandom assume that Rodney's personality is the result of being mistreated and misunderstood when he was younger, and anyone who doesn't immediately understand that and look past the rough exterior is being irredeemably shallow because really, underneath it all, he has a heart of gold and it only takes the right person to bring it out.

Oh, I think you've hit the nail on the head for at least a big part of the reason behind Rodney's popularity. The fans can imagine that they're the special person who can see past the surface to find (and bring out) the good, noble person underneath all the asshole-ish behavior and redeem their woobie. You usually see the effect applied to a character who's a dashing and cool bad boy (think Danny Zuko, or the character James Marsters plays in every. single. role) rather than a geeky type, but the same personality earmarks are there. I sometimes wonder if these fans spend go to sleep at night listening to The Crystals sing "He's a Rebel."

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

The fans can imagine that they're the special person who can see past the surface to find (and bring out) the good, noble person underneath all the asshole-ish behavior and redeem their woobie.

See, but here's what I don't get about those people (beyond the obvious): Rodney *is* a good guy, already. He saves people's lives, he doesn't complain about not getting thanked (I mean, no-one gets thanked, or complains about it, but fans seem to have a total thing for how no-one ever thanks *Rodney* for saving them, while not caring that none of the others get thanked either); when he's dying, he figures out *by himself* what he should do for his friends, and gets it right. He goes looking for John when John's dad dies, he's trying to be a better friend to Carson because he thinks he needs to be... I don't even like him all that much, and I can pick out plenty of ways in which he's already a nice person, alongside the snapping and the insults. There's no *need* to write him as having a secret heart of gold, we already see that he's a nice, good person.

I think maybe I just don't get Rodney-adoration, the same way I don't get people who hate Mitchell or Keller, or the one's who think Ford and/or Lorne are boring.

[bruinsfan.livejournal.com]

I think maybe I just don't get Rodney-adoration, the same way I don't get people who hate Mitchell or Keller, or the one's who think Ford and/or Lorne are boring.

I'll raise my hand and admit that I at least occasionally can't stand Mitchell, despite liking Ben Browder more than all the other Stargate actors combined. I blame inconsistent characterization, some of which involves him acting like a smug, overly entitled fratboy jackass. But he does have his moments, most of them involving Sam.

[skieswideopen]

Welcome back!

I fell in love with Emily at the beginning of season 3, when she resigned rather than spy on the team. Yes, she has the connections to make it a less costly decision for her than it would be for others, but nonetheless, she undoubtedly worked hard to get there, and giving it up (or offering to give it up) could not have been easy.

I don't remember 3.03 well enough to remember if they implied Emily had been raped, but I seem to recall that a lot of season three was about Spencer, so it wouldn't surprise me if that episode was too.

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

You know, on reflection, I think I mean season 4, not season 3. I've lost track of how many seasons they have, but anyway, the current one.

I think I fell for Emily when she tried to tell Gideon that Reid needed help, in the one where they were in New Orleans. Because she still doesn't quite get how they work, and she's not a natural at that kind of thing, and she's the newest member, which makes it awkward, but she's so willing to try anyway, despite him being kind of a dick to her that episode.

Also, she has the same first name as me, and I'm just that shallow :)

[skieswideopen]

Season four is the current one, which I only know I looked it up after you posted.

Up until that final scene on the plane, I thought she was just beaten, not raped. After that scene, I wasn't sure. I still think she might have just been beaten--probably too old for the cult leader's tastes--but I'm not positive.

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

I prefer to think she was just beaten, and as you say, probably too old for the cult leader (who also seemed pretty busy). But then, taken away and tied up on a bed, and the wrapping herself up in thick warm clothes on the plane and... I dunno. It was a pretty blaze ending if she had been raped, though, and cm is usually better than that.

[skieswideopen]

Well, if she was raped, she clearly didn't tell anyone, and they can play out the consequences over the next few episodes, like Reid's addiction. But I think if they were going to do that, they'd have telegraphed the rape more blatantly. So I think she was just beaten.

[bergann.livejournal.com]

in which David berates him for cheating on Lorne (who is, hello, off risking his life, way to be a supportive partner) and refuses to lie to Lorne about it.

I can't help but be amused through my annoyance at Colby on this (because seriously Colby, did you go skinny dipping in the stupid pool or something?), that I started off the Colby/Lorne shippers with my weird thought of 'Lorne and Colby, now wouldn't THAT be something'. Just way amused.

Also, please write it. *beams convincingly at you*

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I totally blame you for this plot bunny, by the way - I read your Lorne/Colby fic and now I'm seeing them everywhere!

Also, please write it. *beams convincingly at you*

Beaming not required - at this rate, I'll be writing it just to get it out of my head!

[bergann.livejournal.com]

Hee, well, I take that blame pretty gladly, I have to admit. I've been hoping other better writers will take the pairing up *g*

Well, every little bit helps in my opinion so I'll be beaming all the same.

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

I've been hoping other better writers will take the pairing up *g*

None of that - I love the way you write them, none of this 'better writers'! Though *more* writers would be nice, unless we can clone you so there are twice as many Lorne/Colby fics :)

[bergann.livejournal.com]

I just think that there are certain places people could do a lot better, but I am pretty happy with how my own fics worked out.

And well, I did get a mail about cloning news in my spam filter the other day, but I thought it was all a joke..

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

And well, I did get a mail about cloning news in my spam filter the other day, but I thought it was all a joke..

Curses! My cunning plan, foiled again by a spam filter...

[bergann.livejournal.com]

I did get another one that could help me enlarge my (nonexistant)penis, maybe that one was the real deal too!

[ariadne83]

John being all angst-ridden about how Rodney keeps literally disappearing before his very eyes, a la all the fic with the reverse from season 1?
gnine made a comic that I really like.

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

Aw, so cute, and so exactly what I was thinking of :)

w.b.

[dossier.livejournal.com]

I sympathize with the Lit festival, I kill myself annually, too.

If you haven't read this, you probably should. :)

I was out of town for a week, have added and redacted at least three 'plots' and Story hit a snaggish spot, but I am forging ahead.

Re: w.b.

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

If you haven't read this, you probably should. :)

Hee! Do you have secret powers for putting lederhosen into people's heads?!

I was out of town for a week, have added and redacted at least three 'plots' and Story hit a snaggish spot, but I am forging ahead.

Yay!

[ionaonie.livejournal.com]

For some reason, rape had never entered my head. I really don't think I want them to go there.

I spent most of Numb3rs 503 yelling at Colby not to be so stupid and then at David for not being there to stop Colby being so stupid.

I did love Colby both hiding from David but also kind of wanting him to find him. And the way Colby just has to look at David and David knows what went down.

Rodney-Ronon-Keller bugs me so much and I haven't even watched the last, oh, 10 episodes *g*

Keller/Ronon makes so much more sense to me. And not just because I can't accept the idea of Rodney with anyone but John, but because Rodney just doesn't seem to be able to be himself around her (probably more than he managed around Keller but nothing like he achieves with the rest of his team or even Zelenka or Lorne).

And, as much as I do love Rodney, I totally get your point about women being more likely to be attracted to John or Ronon than Rodney, in a totally superfical manner when you first come upon the three of them together.

I'd love for Keller to decide on someone completely different. That would be hilarious (if only to see the look of bewilderment on Rodney's face and the smirk on John's)

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

I really don't think I want them to go there.

No, me either. I have more faith in them to do a reasonable job of dealing with it than most shows, but I still don't want them to.

I'd love for Keller to decide on someone completely different.

Me too. I don't think for a second that it's going to happen, but it would be very amusing.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_la_la_la/]

(quiet squeaky eee!) <-- it just gives me a thrill to think of the fic that will be coming. Take your time! (I certainly understand about long work days.) The anticipation is fun :)

I don't understand Carson's popularity - he got a heroic send-off, trying to save someone in the line of duty, and then he comes back having become a collaborator with one of Atlantis' greatest enemy?!? And then he creepily hits on the female doctor (including the OMG sexual harassment comment about having her transferred to work with him on his pet project - wtf?!) - blech.

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

I don't understand Carson's popularity - he got a heroic send-off, trying to save someone in the line of duty, and then he comes back having become a collaborator with one of Atlantis' greatest enemy?!?

Exactly! I was never hugely enamoured of the character, but since he came back I've switched over into active hatred of him. He's just *so creepy*. Accept the heroic death and move on already. And then we could have more of Lorne :)

[anglopollyanna.livejournal.com]

No problem with my story being delayed since I still think of it as a wonderful bonus because I came second in the bidding :-)

[bluflamingo.livejournal.com]

Yours won't be delayed, don't worry :) Even if I scrape it in at a minute to midnight on the 31st, it'll be done on time. It's just the other one that probably won't be.