Yuletide Recs List (#2 of 2, I'm guessing): The Major Fandoms Edition
Well, "major fandoms" for Yuletide, that is. Scandal and Revenge are two of my most-fun watching experiences on a weekly basis, so I was very happy to see an abundance of fic for them both on Yuletide. What the shows have in common is that they're soapy and women-centric. However, while Revenge is a lousy piece of television that is solid id-TV, Scandal is actually richly nuanced and complex, if melodramatic and unsubtle. Scandal is also nice for having a cast that's racially diverse, full of interesting female characters with both strengths and failings, as well as a really interesting and complex portrayal of a gay couple (I will save my Cyrus And James Feels monologue for later, but it will be glorious). I enjoy watching both of them, but Scandal is actually a good show.
(And I made an icon! See? Incidentally, this show has not enough bright scenes. Hmph.)
Anyway, here are the recs.
Funnily enough, I would call all of these gen, although one is Olivia/Fitz and one is Mellie/Olivia. I'd call them gen because the relationships happen in them but aren't at the center of the story: i.e., none are about lauding the ship they're exploring, they just happen to have some characters who fuck/are in stupid love. (Um, it may become apparent that I anti-ship Olivia/Fitz, because Fitz is a fucking wanker who doesn't deserve her, and needs to get his shit together, honestly.)
last year in your garden (1099 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Scandal (TV)
Rating: Not Rated
Warning: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Fitzgerald Grant/Olivia Pope
Characters: Olivia Pope
Summary:
No body, no crime.
A brilliant character study of Olivia becoming a fixer. Canon-compliant backstory.
Benefit of the Bargain (2476 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Scandal (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Mellie Grant, Fitzgerald Grant, Olivia Pope, Cyrus Beene
Summary:
Mellie takes an assignment and runs with it.
Scheming, Machiavellian Mellie! Turning to Olivia for advice because Olivia's the best, even if she's fucking her husband! YES BEST.
confirm thy soul in self-control (9929 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Scandal (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Mellie Grant, Olivia Pope, Abby Whelan
Summary:
There are very few things that could make Mellie willingly seek out Olivia's help. Getting an old friend out of trouble is one of them.
Casefile! Badass ladies investigating! I really love the potential for friendship between Mellie and Olivia here, and how it's been broken. I want to knock their heads together and say, "First, that asshole isn't worth it. Second, if you both want to stay with him, let me direct you to some books about ethical polyamory. Third, wouldn't you like it better if you just fucked?"
Heavy Is The Head (4435 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Scandal (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Mellie Grant/Olivia Pope
Characters: Mellie Grant, Olivia Pope, Cyrus Beene, Fitzgerald Grant, Stephen Finch
Summary:
Mellie doesn’t believe in God, but she does believe in destiny.
Aaaaaand this is the fic where they take my advice from the above. This is an AU where Mellie is the Republican nominee, not Fitz, and it absolutely digs into all of the messy conspiracy issues from S2, in a distinctly Fitz-free environment. It is glorious.
While I like all of these fics, I was a little...something about the fact that almost all the stories written for Revenge this year were about Nolan. Now, I like Nolan. I really like Nolan; he's probably my favorite character. But this is a show where the majority of the characters are women, and where the narrative centers around women's actions. (And some of those actions have to do with their relationships with men, but the women are actors, primarily.) And here all the fic focuses on the dude? I don't know. That said, I do adore Nolan, and I love these fics.
(Can I take this moment to point out that my gift was all about the female characters. And that you should totes read it, because it has been insufficiently kudoed/commented upon? Mmmm-hmm.)
maybe she's the quiet type who's into heavy metal (2642 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Revenge (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Relationships: Nolan Ross & Emily Thorne
Characters: Nolan Ross, Emily Thorne
Summary:
In the Hamptons, no one can hear your BFF brutally gun down the ninja assassins hired to kill you by your bitter ex-boyfriend.
Oh, god, ninja!Emily. Backstory for Nolan's relationship with Marco! Emily protecting Nolan and doing stuff for him! Their epic bromance! YES.
The Cake Is a Lie (1212 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Revenge (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Padma Lahari/Nolan Ross
Characters: Padma Lahari, Nolan Ross
Summary:
Nolan doesn't need to wear pants to play this game.
Padma is my favorite new character this season. I love her relationship with Nolan. (I wish that both of his ex-boyfriends weren't in some way 'bad guys,' though Marco is kind of only mistaken, not evil. But that doesn't make me like Padma less.) I love her in this, and I love the way Nolan feels about her. And that they're sitting around playing video games with no pants. NERD LURVE.
I doubt I'll do another one of these, because I've gone through "my fandoms," though I haven't really dug all the way into Madness yet. But at least I got them up before reveal!
This entry was originally posted at http://amalnahurriyeh.dreamwidth.org/76656.html. You can comment in either location. There are currently
comments at Dreamwidth.
(And I made an icon! See? Incidentally, this show has not enough bright scenes. Hmph.)
Anyway, here are the recs.
Funnily enough, I would call all of these gen, although one is Olivia/Fitz and one is Mellie/Olivia. I'd call them gen because the relationships happen in them but aren't at the center of the story: i.e., none are about lauding the ship they're exploring, they just happen to have some characters who fuck/are in stupid love. (Um, it may become apparent that I anti-ship Olivia/Fitz, because Fitz is a fucking wanker who doesn't deserve her, and needs to get his shit together, honestly.)
last year in your garden (1099 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Scandal (TV)
Rating: Not Rated
Warning: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Fitzgerald Grant/Olivia Pope
Characters: Olivia Pope
Summary:
No body, no crime.
A brilliant character study of Olivia becoming a fixer. Canon-compliant backstory.
Benefit of the Bargain (2476 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Scandal (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Mellie Grant, Fitzgerald Grant, Olivia Pope, Cyrus Beene
Summary:
Mellie takes an assignment and runs with it.
Scheming, Machiavellian Mellie! Turning to Olivia for advice because Olivia's the best, even if she's fucking her husband! YES BEST.
confirm thy soul in self-control (9929 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Scandal (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Mellie Grant, Olivia Pope, Abby Whelan
Summary:
There are very few things that could make Mellie willingly seek out Olivia's help. Getting an old friend out of trouble is one of them.
Casefile! Badass ladies investigating! I really love the potential for friendship between Mellie and Olivia here, and how it's been broken. I want to knock their heads together and say, "First, that asshole isn't worth it. Second, if you both want to stay with him, let me direct you to some books about ethical polyamory. Third, wouldn't you like it better if you just fucked?"
Heavy Is The Head (4435 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Scandal (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Mellie Grant/Olivia Pope
Characters: Mellie Grant, Olivia Pope, Cyrus Beene, Fitzgerald Grant, Stephen Finch
Summary:
Mellie doesn’t believe in God, but she does believe in destiny.
Aaaaaand this is the fic where they take my advice from the above. This is an AU where Mellie is the Republican nominee, not Fitz, and it absolutely digs into all of the messy conspiracy issues from S2, in a distinctly Fitz-free environment. It is glorious.
While I like all of these fics, I was a little...something about the fact that almost all the stories written for Revenge this year were about Nolan. Now, I like Nolan. I really like Nolan; he's probably my favorite character. But this is a show where the majority of the characters are women, and where the narrative centers around women's actions. (And some of those actions have to do with their relationships with men, but the women are actors, primarily.) And here all the fic focuses on the dude? I don't know. That said, I do adore Nolan, and I love these fics.
(Can I take this moment to point out that my gift was all about the female characters. And that you should totes read it, because it has been insufficiently kudoed/commented upon? Mmmm-hmm.)
maybe she's the quiet type who's into heavy metal (2642 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Revenge (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Relationships: Nolan Ross & Emily Thorne
Characters: Nolan Ross, Emily Thorne
Summary:
In the Hamptons, no one can hear your BFF brutally gun down the ninja assassins hired to kill you by your bitter ex-boyfriend.
Oh, god, ninja!Emily. Backstory for Nolan's relationship with Marco! Emily protecting Nolan and doing stuff for him! Their epic bromance! YES.
The Cake Is a Lie (1212 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Revenge (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Padma Lahari/Nolan Ross
Characters: Padma Lahari, Nolan Ross
Summary:
Nolan doesn't need to wear pants to play this game.
Padma is my favorite new character this season. I love her relationship with Nolan. (I wish that both of his ex-boyfriends weren't in some way 'bad guys,' though Marco is kind of only mistaken, not evil. But that doesn't make me like Padma less.) I love her in this, and I love the way Nolan feels about her. And that they're sitting around playing video games with no pants. NERD LURVE.
I doubt I'll do another one of these, because I've gone through "my fandoms," though I haven't really dug all the way into Madness yet. But at least I got them up before reveal!
This entry was originally posted at http://amalnahurriyeh.dreamwidth.org/76656.html. You can comment in either location. There are currently
comments at Dreamwidth.