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Sunday, July 18th, 2004 11:30 pm
qafreview: s4e14, s4e14
Cowlip has *so* much to answer for.
That was unfair. But cool. I like delayed hurt, see. If my pattern of fannish interest keeps up, I *should* lose interest by next season and therefore, not give a shit *how* much the hurtiness will happen.
On the other hand, this is my first fandom where I own the DVDs, a constant reminder of all the prettiness. And the sex-ness. And the very deadly combination of the two. And. Well. This is my first fandom with *Brian*.
Brian
Hmm.
Anyway, in no particular order, 3.13 and 3.14, the seaonal arc, etc, very abbreviated, I'm still processing.
Season Four has been all over the place. Unlike one, two, and three, there isn't even the pretense of a unified theme going on, something to be built toward. They seemed to halfway be doing it with Brian, and then kind of did but not in any real sense. They didn't even try with Justin, or God alone knows what horror would have ensued if that Li'l Gangsta phase had lasted--probably more crimes against fashion. That pink. I'm just offended on behalf of the color spectrum thinking about it.
Ted actually *did* arc out, which would be cool if he was on teh A list of Things Jenn Watches. Which he is, now, actually, so I give serious love to Cowlip for getting that right, because Ted has yet to cause me to ff this season, except with that scary Blake thing that just said Disaster and Bad Things. But he came out stronger, and they worked him so well, and it just blows my mind that I truly love him, when really, there was a far better chance I'd grow a penis myself than like him when I started watching.
...I just wrote more about Ted than about Brian. This is scary.
Emmett was doing strange things too. They flashed him on and off and I have no idea what was going on with him.
And.
Wait.
Okay, the problem is, fourteen episodes. Somehow, and this is genius, they managed in season three to tell a lot of stories, write a lot of differnet relationships, and still make it all--link together? Just looking back, there was so much *more* going on in season three, and less, if that makes any sense. Yes, we had our subplots and our dominant plots, and that entire Ted is an Addict, Get it???? thing that really, okay, see why I'm kind of glad they didn't get their clutches into Justin too deeply? But there *was* a unified idea of something each character was moving toward, even if it wasn't obvious from the beginning, you could see it near the end. And season four just didn't have that.
Anyway. Moving on.
1.) Mel and Lindz - I hate to say this, but I hope it's over, at least for a little while. I love Lindz in really frightening ways that probably make no sense, and Mel's annoyed me since season one, with most of my spite coming from that Very Special Life Insurance Episode. Yeah. I've never really forgotten that.
I know I'm supposed to be sympathetic to her, and the truth is, I am. The suckiness of her life with the bedriddenness and the pregnancy and the cheating wife is all there. Yes, you are such a bundle of horrible misery, chica. But again, the same problem I've had with her since the beginning is there, too. She has that damn malicious streak that she pulls out occassionally. It's not just her autodefenses either, which I'd forgive, since we all find really unhealthy ways to cope, and part of a partnership is dealing with other people's dealing. It's that it's there all the damn time. And she spent pretty much these last two eps letting it have way too much free reign. Ever since she found out, actually. When Lindz said it was time to call it quits, all I could think is, thank you God, she does have some self-respect left.
*mulls* Through the season, they were--scattered. That's the only way I can think about putting this. They were growing apart, but not in that natural way that leads back to each other. And if that was what Cowlip was going for--a gradual movement away from each other--then wow, they did it with a lot more subtlety than I've ever given them credit for, considering they believe in Anvils to the point where I was beginning to suspect they took the same classes in ScriptWriting and Foreshadowing as Miller and Gough for Smallville.
That would explain a lot, though, wouldn't it? *mulls* I'm seriously going to look at Lex/Justin, just for the amusement factor.
There were some deliberate parallels with the relationship straining under Lindz post-partum, but some very interesting differences, and a lot of that has to do with the difference between Lindz and Mel. Mel's--it's not that she doesn't forgive easily. It's that I don't really think she wants to. She holds grudges closer than she does her lover. It's like she collects them for later use. Over and over and over again. It's not endearing. Lindz--well, she's. Hmm. I see why she's one of the what, four people in the universe who can stand Brian Kinney, and who Brian can stand to have around him. Given the least chance, she'll forgive pretty much everything and anything. I'm not entirely sure that's entirely a good thing either.
So, yeah. I'm all over the map with them. I have this urge to rewatch just all the Mel/Lindz stuff from 4.1 on, just to see what the hell happened to them.
2.) Emmett and Ted are cute. I mean, I wish I had something deeper to go with, but seriously. Ted was cute, has made such strides. I realy have nothign else to say about them. They're spectacular as friends. They are *gifted* as friends. They make me love them deeply and passively. Ted just rocks. I mean, in so many ways, he rocks.
3.) Justin and Brian. Oh let me count the ways they are cute. Exercise bicycle sex. Best. Motivator. Ever. I mean, for me. Justin going to LA was completely not a surprise, being asked to stay, again, not a suprrise, and if I was the kind to speculate, I would have to say that Li'l Justin will be going off to LA next season.
Brian's the biggest idiot ever. Raise of hands, who saw his dramatic showing off coming a mile away? Right. And the fall? Yep. Injury? Uh huh. And Soldiering On? Because Brian has never met a really stupid idea he couldn't take as his own and pound into the ground. He Will Do This! The brave little toaster!
Extra points for naming the fic that mentions a brave little toaster. I just pop quiz for fun these days.
But yes, I love him and I want him to father many children, just not mine because I am really into the idea of never giving birth again, but they need to breed out that stubborn gene and replace it with Common Sense.
Brian's shippiness quotient rose in ways that actually scare me a little. Starting late season three, and through all of season four, he started putting actual stock in his relationship with Justin. His little speech to Michael about being queer and marriage bad was the last of the fight left in him on the subject of not ever committing. And it felt like it, too. Which makes his ride make sense, if I wanted to read obscure meanings into random things. So many of Brian's landmarks are gone, both in who he is and what he is and what that means. I suppose right now, that bicycle was possibly the most stable thing in his life. He gave away his best friend in marriage to someone else and then, of all Godforsaken things to scare the shit out of me with, asked Justin to move back in.
That wedding cake thing actually made me fairly queasy. I mean, in a good way, but also in a wow, you can get *good* drugs in Canada, too, way.
*mulling*
I love that word, mulling.
I--don't know. I don't trust Justin. I mean, I love him and again, father babies so those genes keep on, but I don't *trust* him. Either way he chooses, to me, sucks. No one should have to choose between their dream job and their lover. It happens all the time, I'm sure, but that's--and yes, long distance relationships happen, too. He's got to choose LA--Brian won't let him do anything less. He can't expect anything less of himself. And I'm overthinking, aren't I? Yes, I am.
But dammit. I can't possibly already angsty-speculate my way through season five imagining worst case scenario, can I? 'Cause that is silly. And I am going ot get some cookies. I keep an emergency stock now. It's *way* too late for any processing. Cookies are better.
*grrr*
I need to think more, or go cry to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bigboobedcanuck to write up what I should think, since she All Knowing and Always Right and it requires less out of me.
That was unfair. But cool. I like delayed hurt, see. If my pattern of fannish interest keeps up, I *should* lose interest by next season and therefore, not give a shit *how* much the hurtiness will happen.
On the other hand, this is my first fandom where I own the DVDs, a constant reminder of all the prettiness. And the sex-ness. And the very deadly combination of the two. And. Well. This is my first fandom with *Brian*.
Brian
Hmm.
Anyway, in no particular order, 3.13 and 3.14, the seaonal arc, etc, very abbreviated, I'm still processing.
Season Four has been all over the place. Unlike one, two, and three, there isn't even the pretense of a unified theme going on, something to be built toward. They seemed to halfway be doing it with Brian, and then kind of did but not in any real sense. They didn't even try with Justin, or God alone knows what horror would have ensued if that Li'l Gangsta phase had lasted--probably more crimes against fashion. That pink. I'm just offended on behalf of the color spectrum thinking about it.
Ted actually *did* arc out, which would be cool if he was on teh A list of Things Jenn Watches. Which he is, now, actually, so I give serious love to Cowlip for getting that right, because Ted has yet to cause me to ff this season, except with that scary Blake thing that just said Disaster and Bad Things. But he came out stronger, and they worked him so well, and it just blows my mind that I truly love him, when really, there was a far better chance I'd grow a penis myself than like him when I started watching.
...I just wrote more about Ted than about Brian. This is scary.
Emmett was doing strange things too. They flashed him on and off and I have no idea what was going on with him.
And.
Wait.
Okay, the problem is, fourteen episodes. Somehow, and this is genius, they managed in season three to tell a lot of stories, write a lot of differnet relationships, and still make it all--link together? Just looking back, there was so much *more* going on in season three, and less, if that makes any sense. Yes, we had our subplots and our dominant plots, and that entire Ted is an Addict, Get it???? thing that really, okay, see why I'm kind of glad they didn't get their clutches into Justin too deeply? But there *was* a unified idea of something each character was moving toward, even if it wasn't obvious from the beginning, you could see it near the end. And season four just didn't have that.
Anyway. Moving on.
1.) Mel and Lindz - I hate to say this, but I hope it's over, at least for a little while. I love Lindz in really frightening ways that probably make no sense, and Mel's annoyed me since season one, with most of my spite coming from that Very Special Life Insurance Episode. Yeah. I've never really forgotten that.
I know I'm supposed to be sympathetic to her, and the truth is, I am. The suckiness of her life with the bedriddenness and the pregnancy and the cheating wife is all there. Yes, you are such a bundle of horrible misery, chica. But again, the same problem I've had with her since the beginning is there, too. She has that damn malicious streak that she pulls out occassionally. It's not just her autodefenses either, which I'd forgive, since we all find really unhealthy ways to cope, and part of a partnership is dealing with other people's dealing. It's that it's there all the damn time. And she spent pretty much these last two eps letting it have way too much free reign. Ever since she found out, actually. When Lindz said it was time to call it quits, all I could think is, thank you God, she does have some self-respect left.
*mulls* Through the season, they were--scattered. That's the only way I can think about putting this. They were growing apart, but not in that natural way that leads back to each other. And if that was what Cowlip was going for--a gradual movement away from each other--then wow, they did it with a lot more subtlety than I've ever given them credit for, considering they believe in Anvils to the point where I was beginning to suspect they took the same classes in ScriptWriting and Foreshadowing as Miller and Gough for Smallville.
That would explain a lot, though, wouldn't it? *mulls* I'm seriously going to look at Lex/Justin, just for the amusement factor.
There were some deliberate parallels with the relationship straining under Lindz post-partum, but some very interesting differences, and a lot of that has to do with the difference between Lindz and Mel. Mel's--it's not that she doesn't forgive easily. It's that I don't really think she wants to. She holds grudges closer than she does her lover. It's like she collects them for later use. Over and over and over again. It's not endearing. Lindz--well, she's. Hmm. I see why she's one of the what, four people in the universe who can stand Brian Kinney, and who Brian can stand to have around him. Given the least chance, she'll forgive pretty much everything and anything. I'm not entirely sure that's entirely a good thing either.
So, yeah. I'm all over the map with them. I have this urge to rewatch just all the Mel/Lindz stuff from 4.1 on, just to see what the hell happened to them.
2.) Emmett and Ted are cute. I mean, I wish I had something deeper to go with, but seriously. Ted was cute, has made such strides. I realy have nothign else to say about them. They're spectacular as friends. They are *gifted* as friends. They make me love them deeply and passively. Ted just rocks. I mean, in so many ways, he rocks.
3.) Justin and Brian. Oh let me count the ways they are cute. Exercise bicycle sex. Best. Motivator. Ever. I mean, for me. Justin going to LA was completely not a surprise, being asked to stay, again, not a suprrise, and if I was the kind to speculate, I would have to say that Li'l Justin will be going off to LA next season.
Brian's the biggest idiot ever. Raise of hands, who saw his dramatic showing off coming a mile away? Right. And the fall? Yep. Injury? Uh huh. And Soldiering On? Because Brian has never met a really stupid idea he couldn't take as his own and pound into the ground. He Will Do This! The brave little toaster!
Extra points for naming the fic that mentions a brave little toaster. I just pop quiz for fun these days.
But yes, I love him and I want him to father many children, just not mine because I am really into the idea of never giving birth again, but they need to breed out that stubborn gene and replace it with Common Sense.
Brian's shippiness quotient rose in ways that actually scare me a little. Starting late season three, and through all of season four, he started putting actual stock in his relationship with Justin. His little speech to Michael about being queer and marriage bad was the last of the fight left in him on the subject of not ever committing. And it felt like it, too. Which makes his ride make sense, if I wanted to read obscure meanings into random things. So many of Brian's landmarks are gone, both in who he is and what he is and what that means. I suppose right now, that bicycle was possibly the most stable thing in his life. He gave away his best friend in marriage to someone else and then, of all Godforsaken things to scare the shit out of me with, asked Justin to move back in.
That wedding cake thing actually made me fairly queasy. I mean, in a good way, but also in a wow, you can get *good* drugs in Canada, too, way.
*mulling*
I love that word, mulling.
I--don't know. I don't trust Justin. I mean, I love him and again, father babies so those genes keep on, but I don't *trust* him. Either way he chooses, to me, sucks. No one should have to choose between their dream job and their lover. It happens all the time, I'm sure, but that's--and yes, long distance relationships happen, too. He's got to choose LA--Brian won't let him do anything less. He can't expect anything less of himself. And I'm overthinking, aren't I? Yes, I am.
But dammit. I can't possibly already angsty-speculate my way through season five imagining worst case scenario, can I? 'Cause that is silly. And I am going ot get some cookies. I keep an emergency stock now. It's *way* too late for any processing. Cookies are better.
*grrr*
I need to think more, or go cry to
bigboobedcanuck to write up what I should think, since she All Knowing and Always Right and it requires less out of me.![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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From:but it seems like their tendency is to push each other toward what they think they want and then realize that they don't really want it at all. season one, lindsay pushes to be able to stay home with gus and then mel realizes that it's pushed her away. season two, lindsay pushes for them to get married, and then the preparation makes lindsay crazy. their season three/four arc was kind of the same, mel pushes for another child but then doesn't want to accept the sacrifices that come along with parenthood, she pushes for lindsay to get back out in the career world but then doesn't like what linsday finds. that's simplifying things a lot, but neither of them seem to really know what they want and they're both very passive agressive.
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