A Meme

[deelaundry]

So... there was a meme about... fictional characters? Or something? I've forgotten, but nightdog_barks gave me a B, so here you go:

Olivia Benson - I am watching all the L&O:SVU episodes in order (why? no man can tell) and Benson is on my mind. I like her as a character, think she's interesting, and unique. She dressed like a guy in the first season, but I think all female detectives were dressing that way in that era (see also Melissa Leo from Homicide: Life on the Streets), so it's probably not a queer identity marker. Though I wouldn't say no to fanfic that explored that idea. She screamed in a perp's face in one episode in a way that made me feel she owned her anger. That was awesome. She also pushed a ton of my kink buttons by knocking Elliot around while he was duct-taped to a chair. Mmmmmmmm.

Tobias Beecher - While we're on the subject of partners to Chris Meloni characters, let's say hi to Beecher, fucked-up everyman dude. Weak in very interesting ways. Most awkward coming-out to a parent ever. While I'd wanted him to have a happy ending on Oz, I am not dissatisfied with the way things actually went down.

Bonnie Wilson - This is who I still think of as Wilson's type (the type he's drawn to, not necessarily the type that would be best for him): nice, loving, with hints of emotional fragility. If she hadn't met Wilson in Boston, I think House would have stomped her flat before she ever got to a first date.

Brian Kinney - Sexy as hell, good God. His final arc on Queer as Folk: US was fascinating, in that he was dragged kicking and screaming into growth, but he did it; he became a full, functioning adult who cared about more than just himself. AND THEN THE FUCKFACE TPTB TOOK IT AWAY AND SHOVED HIM BACK TO WHERE HE'D BEEN IN THE FIRST EP just so Michael could feel satisfied that everything in his world was where he wanted it to be. Fuckers.

Sam Beckett - Speaking of angry-making ends, Sam got so royally screwed by the end of Quantum Leap that I am still in apoplexy about it over nine years later. What happened to him offends my sense of what is decent and right about the universe.

Comments

[pwcorgigirl]

Oh, Sam Beckett! I loved that show, and what they did to Sam broke my heart.

[deelaundry]

It was utterly heartbreaking! :(

[nightdog_barks]

Yay Bonnie! :-D

I wish we'd met Julie too, but perhaps it's not fated to be ...

[deelaundry]

There's still a few episodes left until the end of the series, so I won't give up hope. :)

[damigella-314.livejournal.com]

not necessarily the type that would be best for him

Do you have any idea who "the type who's best for Wilson" could be?
Because I think Wilson must be a very difficult man to live with in the longterm. I actually liked Bonnie a lot - although I do agree that she probably wasn't the best for him.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

I don't think Wilson would be any harder to live with than anyone else. He has weird quirks -- so does everyone. The toughest thing in living with him, honestly, would be accommodating his relationship with House. I've made the analogy before that House is like Wilson's 19-year-old son -- independent the majority of time, but still intensely in need of Wilson's time, attention, and love at certain points. A person who wanted to have a long-term relationship with Wilson would have to be able to see the value of his relationship with House and negotiate a reasonable "settlement" of Wilson's attention. PWCorgigirl wrote about that in her story "Bombproof."

Amber is the archetype of the best person for Wilson. "I can take care of myself. I need you to take care of you." She appreciated him, loved him for who he was, and also pushed him to explore who he was, warts and all.

House is also very high up there on the "good for Wilson" scale, although he doesn't care about Wilson exploring his own needs. Hugh Laurie has said that House is nervous about Wilson changing because it might mean House would get less of what he wants from Wilson.

[damigella-314.livejournal.com]

He has weird quirks -- so does everyone.
I sort of imagine him as very anal-retentive. You know, the kind of man who's not happy with the way you fold the towels, or gets antsy if you disturb the alphabetical order of the spice rack. Plus many people can't cope with infidelity (may or may not be physical); if he didn't have House, he would have more time for demanding women.
And finally, I seriously think he doesn't want children.

But I get your point, and it's a reasonable one. What we really need is to see much more of Wilson in canon to clarify the issue, unfortunately the time is running out.

Yes for Amber being right for him. Except of course she wouldn't imho have hesitated leaving him behind if she got a great job offer across the continent.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

I sort of imagine him as very anal-retentive. You know, the kind of man who's not hI think folkappy with the way you fold the towels, or gets antsy if you disturb the alphabetical order of the spice rack.

Maybe. But he's smart, funny, caring, a good conversationalist, generous with money, has a stable job, cooks, and is apparently great in bed. So I'd deal with him wanting the towels a certain way.

Infidelity is a worrisome thing to have in his history (as does House, according to House), but depending on what he had to say about it, past infidelity wouldn't necessarily be a deal-breaker.

Except of course she wouldn't imho have hesitated leaving him behind if she got a great job offer across the continent.

Completely and utterly disagree with you there. Wilson was the one person with whom Amber could have both love and respect (her words) and there's no way she'd give that up. If she got a great job offer across the continent, she'd wage a fierce campaign to get Wilson to come with her.

[damigella-314.livejournal.com]

there's no way she'd give that up.

You may well be right: Amber was an incredibly interesting character we got way too little of. Otoh, at least they gave her humanity, consistency and a glorious send-off, which is certainly much better than what Cuddy got.

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

I agree about Wilson not wanting kids, although he clearly likes them, my personal head canon reason for this is he's been around so many seriously sick kids and heartbroken parents that he doesn't want to deal with that in his own personal life. in fact I had a fic (which I never posted) about one of his exes wanting kids and that was one reason they broke up that had nothing to do with anything House did. IMHO, if one person in a couple wants kids and the other doesn't that's kind of a deal breaker.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

if one person in a couple wants kids and the other doesn't that's kind of a deal breaker.

It's a really tough issue, for sure. I wrote an original fic (never posted) where a couple broke up over the issue, the one guy had the kid he wanted with someone else, and then after that romantic relationship naturally ended, he got back together with his first love (who still didn't want kids). They solved the problem by deciding they'd rather have some time together than none. They were together when the kid wasn't around, and then apart when the kid was around (the parent had shared custody). It wasn't ideal for either of them, but it was the best solution possible and they were happy.

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

Awww, I haven't thought about Beecher in simply ages! Of course, I never made it through the last season of Oz. It probably should have ended after S4.

Yes, judging from the show Wilson likes those teeny-tiny fragile women, well at least three instances that I can think of. Which is sweet, if not necessarily a good thing for him. But Sam seems to bely that a bit, as does of course Amber. RSL did seem to have more spark with the latter two.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Amber was awesome for Wilson. RSL didn't have many scenes with Grace -- and all his scenes with Bonnie were post-breakup -- but he did get much more of a spark with women toward the end of the show. Greater comfort? IDK. My husband says that being in a relationship with me makes him much more comfortable flirting with other women (yeah, I know it's weird), so maybe getting married to Gaby helped?

I think I've told you before that I suspect a large part of the reason "Wilson as lady-killer" was toned down on the show was due to an honest analysis of RSL's strengths and weaknesses as an actor. :D

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

I think I've told you before that I suspect a large part of the reason "Wilson as lady-killer" was toned down on the show was due to an honest analysis of RSL's strengths and weaknesses as an actor. :D

LOL, oh Dee, only you could get away with saying that (but I completely agree!). I've always thought Wilson was more of an 'oops, I seem to have gotten married again, how did that happen?' sort of guy than a calculated 'lady-killer'. Sure, House says that to tease him, but he's really not. Although the show did kind of try and push the other angle, which was generally excruciating to watch XD

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

I've always thought Wilson was more of an 'oops, I seem to have gotten married again, how did that happen?' sort of guy than a calculated 'lady-killer'.

Yep, I agree. Certainly what Bonnie said he was like. Fans make a big deal of the "panty peeler" forgetting, or not realizing, that the one time Wilson said that he was referring to a line (asking about dreams, hopes, aspirations) and not himself. And he was talking to House who needed a crude incentive to follow through on social niceties.

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of the times - well, once that I can remember - where he tried to chat up people in bars and apparently succeeded (even though iirc nothing happened - or I may be fuzzy and that was all fanfic *g*). Which kind of baffles me given he looked like he was having dental surgery, but The Show Said It Happened, so.

[taiga13.livejournal.com]

I loved Olivia!
...Do I want to know what happened to Sam at the end of Quantum Leap?

[jahmat.livejournal.com]

Answering taiga13's question re: QL and Sam Beckett: No, you don't! It was the meanest ending for a show I can ever remember! Sam went back in time to save Al's marriage by telling Al's wife that Al was still alive, then Sam leaped. We were then told in writing that Al and his wife Beth were celebrating their anniversary and had 4 daughters. Then came the words that made me want to throw something through my TV:

"Dr. Sam Becket never returned home."

My 15-year-old son watched this episode with me last week and he couldn't believe creator/exec producer Donald Belisario did that to the character, either. He's either still leaping or simply disappeared.

This was one of the most innovative TV series ever and they did that to it! JUST WRONG!!! (And they even spelled Beckett wrong!)

[taiga13.livejournal.com]

Thanks for answering my question. Wow, that is terrible!

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

It was horrible! Scarring! Gah, I'm sorry I brought it up.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Grrr I am getting mad about the ending again just writing this reply! OH SO AWFUL; BELISARIO, I HATE YOU. I screamed at the TV when those words appeared. They made the creative decision NOT to reward the character for five years of selfless service... AWFUL!!!!

[talulahk.livejournal.com]

How I pined for a happy ending for Beecher & Keller. And really Chris Meloni's ass during OZ? Holy round globes of glorious perfection, Batman!

Sam Beckett - I am so happy to hear that I'm not the only one still furious over the end. I remember actually yelling at the television so loudly that my neighbors came to see if there was something wrong. And I scared my cat so bad she hid under the kitchen table for an hour. LOL. It still rankles me after all these years, it was such a big old FU to the fans. grrrrrrrr

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Chris Meloni's every part of his body during Oz was amazingly hot. The fantasy sequence with him in a bra and panties? O_O I was waving myself for days, trying to cool down after that hotness.

Sam Beckett's end was a huge FU to the fans, you are absolutely right. And after I sat through the stupid Elvis and Marilyn Monroe episodes to get to the finale, to see Sam get what he deserved after helping so many people; he wanted such a simple thing - not a million dollars, not a Nobel prize, he just wanted to go home. And the producers said HA, HA, NO.

DEVASTATING