yet more fannish five
redfiona99 asked for Top Five Reasons to Watch Legend of the Seeker. I've long wanted to do a pimp post for LotS, with screencaps and everything, but I'm LAZY. So I think this will suffice in its place.
1. Kahlan Amnell, played by Bridget Regan. She is bad-fucking-ass. She will PWN YOUR FACE. She is beautiful and regal, with amazing hair and OMFG boobs. She has no time for bullshit. She fights for justice. Her resolve is made of steel, but her heart isn't made of stone.
I've seen a lot of criticism about chicks on this show, Kahlan in particular. It seems to revolve around the fact that she's a sidekick, she's eye candy, she doesn't have an arc of her own. I sincerely beg to differ. Kahlan is fucking AWESOME, and if the show keeps up, she's gonna make the list of my favoritest female characters ever. She is fantastic, even more so considering the source material. Raimi & Tapert are to be commended for keeping core elements from the books while subverting the FUCK out of the really sexist shit. So yeah. Kahlan! Fuck yeah! Watch this show for her!
2. Richard Cypher, played by Craig Horner. HIS FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE. Richard is adorable like Pikachu. He's also ONE HOT MOFO. This show provides equal opportunity perving. There may be ample cleavage from Kahlan, but there's also plenty of shirtless from Richard. On a less shallow note, Richard is one of the most sincere but not boring characters I've seen on TV. Generally good is considered boring, but Craig Horner is wonderful in portraying just the right amount of righteousness without going overboard.
3. Astounding, breath-taking, AMAZING New Zealand scenery. Absolutely one of the most beautiful places on this earth, and the show takes full advantage of that. Some of the shots are beyond picturesque.
4. FIGHT SCENES. Oh my god, joygasm over the fight scenes. They're well-crafted, well-executed, mostly useful to the plot, and even when they're not, they're very very pretty. :D You get swords and knives and magic. EPIC SLOW-MO. This show is EXCITING!
5. Sincerity. Which is a weird thing to recommend about a show, but considering how easy it is to be ironic and tongue in cheek these days, there's something to said for playing it straight. LotS plays the epic fantasy straight, but it is not without a sense of humor, so don't think it's all dour and srs biznes. Instead, it's a great mix of both. When it's serious, it's never overboard. The humor is light and fun when it happens.
bluerosefairy asked for:
Top Five Michael-and-Sam BFF Moments
Top Five Wrestlefic Cliches
Top Five Underrated Shows/Fandoms
Top Five Michael-and-Sam BFF Moments
1. Sam borrowing Michael's underwear. LOL.
2. Sam drawing prison tats on Michael
3. Pretty much anytime Sam has better things to do, but will drop them to do what Michael asks. Oh Sam.
4. Sam promising Michael that he'd do whatever it takes to save Fi
5. S1 finale. From Sam's picture pose that told Michael to stay away to Michael rescuing Sam anyway. GUH.
Top Five Wrestlefic Cliches
Gargh, I don't think there's such a thing. Wrestlefic cliches that I like. I'm sorry, I gotta skip this one.
Top Five Underrated Shows/Fandoms
1. Criminal Minds
Not the fandom, but the show. I mean, it does pretty well in ratings, so it's not like it's struggling for an audience, but I do think it's underappreciated and misunderstood, especially by online fandom folks. A lot of people don't get it. They think it's depressing, and/or misogynistic, or whatever. No, it's not a particularly happy show. It can be brutal and heartwrenching. But it has a very strong moral center. And it says INCREDIBLE things between the lines. About victimhood, about the cost of justice, on how understanding a crime does not meaning condoning it. That one always has a choice. Women are fighters on this show. CM contains no bullshit, no sugar coating.
2. Legend of the Seeker
I've already talked about it, but yeah. I really don't find this show cheesy in the slightest. It's very earnest, and I wish that wasn't viewed as a flaw by people. There are 239478289423943 shows with flawed, terrible, horrible people. This is a show about a clear-cut, good-hearted, honest hero. In some ways, I find it kinda sad that we've become so disillusioned that a hero without irony is no longer believable.
3. Farscape
As much as I love Trek, Farscape is basically the anti-Trek. And in a lot of ways, I feel like every sci-fi fan need to watch Farscape for that very contrast. Because this is a show where the aliens are alien. They look alien, they hold completely different values, a wholly different culture. Farscape takes all them standard sci-fi cliches and plays with them, take them to the limits, push them as far as they will go, and then break on through to the other side. Actions have consequences. Repercussions are felt. Farscape is messy. It gets its hands dirty.
4. Pushing Daisies
Anybody who ever said that they're glad PD got canceled needs a punch to the face. I understand how it may not be everybody's cup of tea, but PD emerged in an ocean of clones and remakes. It had an original concept, a wonderful cast, and one of the most amazing color palettes on TV. Everybody should've supported that. Even if you didn't like PD, its success would've been a sign that the audience wanted something more. But you know, instead PD is canned, TSCC is canned, and we're going to get endless Leno and even more cheap, mind-rotting reality TV. Noooooo, I'm not bitter AT ALL.
5. Medium
Best portrayal of marriage and family EVER. I feel like every TV writer needs to watch this show to know how established relationships are done. TV marriage/long-term relationships are always either tediously boring or fraught with excessive drama. This is a show about a working marriage and family. Shit happens, but they deal. They have fights, but they make up. They are committed to each other. *_________*
one_more_cherry asked for Top five reasons to watch Burn Notice.
1. SPY SHENANIGANS
Competence is hot, and you can't get more competent than Michael Westen. Like John Rogers says, one of the main appeal of this show is that Michael tells you exactly what he's going to do, and then he does it. With style. Then you've got Fi, who loves her BOOM, and Sam, who is damn bad ass in his own right. It's a trio of badassery.
2. HOTNESS
THERE IS SO MUCH HOT ON THIS SHOW I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN.
3. IT'S FUN
This show entertains. I'm always giddy and teehee after an episode. Not to mention all the clappy hands I do while watching.
4. BRUCE CAMPBELL
I don't need to explain this, do I?
5. SMART WRITING
It is a deceptively well-structured and well-written show. For all its glitz and shiny, there is a lot of subtle structural stuff that a lot of show runners could learn from (I'm looking at YOU, John Rogers). There is very little corner-cutting. The pacing is magnificent. The stakes climb steadily through each season and across the seasons. It is willing to take risks with the premise of the show. I wish I can write like that.
lalaith86 wanted five reasons to (stop) watching wrestling. I'm gonna go with the stop. Never mind that I just did a post down the wonderful memory lane of wrestling. THIS ONE IS DEPRESSING, DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU
1. It's a shitty business
The "independent contractor" bullshit that absolves the company of ANY responsibility with regards to its performers. No union, no healthcare, no pension. Injured wrestlers can be fired. There is very little recourse for a wronged employee. Worst of all: this is all considered acceptable. That's the business, you guys! That's just the way it is.
2. Inbred culture of male privilege
Rampant sexism and misogyny! Delicious!
3. The endless ENDLESS racism
4. Wrestling never fucking learns
It will never ever EVER learn from its mistakes. Ever. From its business model to the way storylines are written. COMPLETE LACK OF LEARN.
5. It's 90% crap.
For some of the most brilliant and awesome things I've ever witnessed, I had to suffer through a dreadful amount of shit. ... It's kinda like fandom in a way, hahaha. Um.
Last but not least, yesdrizella wants the top five most ridiculous AUs I've ever conceived, any fandom. *facepalm* Most of these are gonna be wrestling, I think, since the majority of my stupid occurred in that fandom.
1. UsedCarSalesman!Daniels & BibleCollegeStudent!AJ
Nothing is gonna top this, ever. It's not even slash. I was visiting evilgmbethy and I noted that there were a lot of used car lots. I'm sure this was 95% me, because only I would come up with something like how Daniels would be such an awesome used car salesman. We kept passing, too, this sign for a local bible college, and of course, lololol, AJ would go to a bible college, and thus formed this idea that AJ needs a car, so he goes to Daniels' lot, and Daniels sweet-talks AJ in buying a lemon. AJ drives away. Daniels cackles at the fact that he offloaded a lemon to this sweet college kid. THE END.
THAT'S THE WHOLE FUCKING IDEA.
2. Casus Belli
It was supposed to be EPIC, motherfuckers! Except in hindsight, it was stupid as all hell. It doesn't even have anything remotely related to wrestling. It's AU like whoa. I'm pretty sure I detailed the whole thing to yesdrizella and she was like @__________@ IDK how you ever put up with my bullshit, bb, 'cause I had a LOT of bullshit. I still do, but I'd like to think I'm a little less overblown about it.
But anyway, I've forgotten most of it. It was basically an angels&demons AU, slotted with various wrestling folks. The major thing that I do remember is that Jericho was supposed to be the Anti-Christ. Or rather, either the savior of mankind or the bringer of destruction. His mother was an angel who died while giving birth to him. His mom? STEPHANIE.
YEAH THAT'S RIGHT. STEPHANIE IS JERICHO'S MOM. IDK, my friends. I was obviously brain damaged.
3. My many and varied Egyptian AUs
I often have an idea that I really like, and I try to slot the characters of whatever fandom I like into those ideas. It never EVER works. EVER. But I do it anyway, because I just have ideas I'm totally in love with. This started out as a Buffy AU actually. I can't believe I'm even talking about this, because it's basically glorified sexual slavery fic, but with some redeeming mindfuck elements. Well, I'd like to think it's redeeming, but probably not. The Buffy version was titled, "The Last Champion." Angelus was the emperor (it's Egyptian-inspired, I should say, not actually set in ancient Egypt, because that would've required actual research), Wesley was his grand vizier, and.... Riley was the slave. Angelus' pet. Yeah, yeah, I know. Buffy was the titular last champion. She's gonna infiltrate Angelus' court as some sort of foreign princess/courtesan. And wow, this is REALLY embarrassing to talk about. T__________T
The wrestling one was... Jericho, again. Poor Jericho. I made him suffer so. Hunter was the emperor/pharaoh/whatever, and Jericho was his pet. *facepalm*
4. "Swift As Shadows" - Tucker/Reed in Cypress
This is ridiculous, but I'm not actually ashamed of this one. Like, it made no sense, because Cypress is a wrestling AU, and, you know, Tucker and Reed are from Enterprise. But I really liked the concept, and I feel like I could've made it work. But it's definitely a ridic concept on paper.
5. CHRIS PINE, DOG WHISPERER
I said it as a joke, but god help me, it's really cute in my head. No, I'm not writing it, but this is ridic AUs conceived. But srsly omg cries. Zach is in dire straits! He needs the help of renowned animal psychologist, Chris Pine, who helps him with Noah and/or Harold. And through the process, they fall in sweet sweet love.
DON'T JUDGE ME
1. Kahlan Amnell, played by Bridget Regan. She is bad-fucking-ass. She will PWN YOUR FACE. She is beautiful and regal, with amazing hair and OMFG boobs. She has no time for bullshit. She fights for justice. Her resolve is made of steel, but her heart isn't made of stone.
I've seen a lot of criticism about chicks on this show, Kahlan in particular. It seems to revolve around the fact that she's a sidekick, she's eye candy, she doesn't have an arc of her own. I sincerely beg to differ. Kahlan is fucking AWESOME, and if the show keeps up, she's gonna make the list of my favoritest female characters ever. She is fantastic, even more so considering the source material. Raimi & Tapert are to be commended for keeping core elements from the books while subverting the FUCK out of the really sexist shit. So yeah. Kahlan! Fuck yeah! Watch this show for her!
2. Richard Cypher, played by Craig Horner. HIS FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE. Richard is adorable like Pikachu. He's also ONE HOT MOFO. This show provides equal opportunity perving. There may be ample cleavage from Kahlan, but there's also plenty of shirtless from Richard. On a less shallow note, Richard is one of the most sincere but not boring characters I've seen on TV. Generally good is considered boring, but Craig Horner is wonderful in portraying just the right amount of righteousness without going overboard.
3. Astounding, breath-taking, AMAZING New Zealand scenery. Absolutely one of the most beautiful places on this earth, and the show takes full advantage of that. Some of the shots are beyond picturesque.
4. FIGHT SCENES. Oh my god, joygasm over the fight scenes. They're well-crafted, well-executed, mostly useful to the plot, and even when they're not, they're very very pretty. :D You get swords and knives and magic. EPIC SLOW-MO. This show is EXCITING!
5. Sincerity. Which is a weird thing to recommend about a show, but considering how easy it is to be ironic and tongue in cheek these days, there's something to said for playing it straight. LotS plays the epic fantasy straight, but it is not without a sense of humor, so don't think it's all dour and srs biznes. Instead, it's a great mix of both. When it's serious, it's never overboard. The humor is light and fun when it happens.
bluerosefairy asked for:
Top Five Michael-and-Sam BFF Moments
Top Five Wrestlefic Cliches
Top Five Underrated Shows/Fandoms
Top Five Michael-and-Sam BFF Moments
1. Sam borrowing Michael's underwear. LOL.
2. Sam drawing prison tats on Michael
3. Pretty much anytime Sam has better things to do, but will drop them to do what Michael asks. Oh Sam.
4. Sam promising Michael that he'd do whatever it takes to save Fi
5. S1 finale. From Sam's picture pose that told Michael to stay away to Michael rescuing Sam anyway. GUH.
Top Five Wrestlefic Cliches
Gargh, I don't think there's such a thing. Wrestlefic cliches that I like. I'm sorry, I gotta skip this one.
Top Five Underrated Shows/Fandoms
1. Criminal Minds
Not the fandom, but the show. I mean, it does pretty well in ratings, so it's not like it's struggling for an audience, but I do think it's underappreciated and misunderstood, especially by online fandom folks. A lot of people don't get it. They think it's depressing, and/or misogynistic, or whatever. No, it's not a particularly happy show. It can be brutal and heartwrenching. But it has a very strong moral center. And it says INCREDIBLE things between the lines. About victimhood, about the cost of justice, on how understanding a crime does not meaning condoning it. That one always has a choice. Women are fighters on this show. CM contains no bullshit, no sugar coating.
2. Legend of the Seeker
I've already talked about it, but yeah. I really don't find this show cheesy in the slightest. It's very earnest, and I wish that wasn't viewed as a flaw by people. There are 239478289423943 shows with flawed, terrible, horrible people. This is a show about a clear-cut, good-hearted, honest hero. In some ways, I find it kinda sad that we've become so disillusioned that a hero without irony is no longer believable.
3. Farscape
As much as I love Trek, Farscape is basically the anti-Trek. And in a lot of ways, I feel like every sci-fi fan need to watch Farscape for that very contrast. Because this is a show where the aliens are alien. They look alien, they hold completely different values, a wholly different culture. Farscape takes all them standard sci-fi cliches and plays with them, take them to the limits, push them as far as they will go, and then break on through to the other side. Actions have consequences. Repercussions are felt. Farscape is messy. It gets its hands dirty.
4. Pushing Daisies
Anybody who ever said that they're glad PD got canceled needs a punch to the face. I understand how it may not be everybody's cup of tea, but PD emerged in an ocean of clones and remakes. It had an original concept, a wonderful cast, and one of the most amazing color palettes on TV. Everybody should've supported that. Even if you didn't like PD, its success would've been a sign that the audience wanted something more. But you know, instead PD is canned, TSCC is canned, and we're going to get endless Leno and even more cheap, mind-rotting reality TV. Noooooo, I'm not bitter AT ALL.
5. Medium
Best portrayal of marriage and family EVER. I feel like every TV writer needs to watch this show to know how established relationships are done. TV marriage/long-term relationships are always either tediously boring or fraught with excessive drama. This is a show about a working marriage and family. Shit happens, but they deal. They have fights, but they make up. They are committed to each other. *_________*
one_more_cherry asked for Top five reasons to watch Burn Notice.
1. SPY SHENANIGANS
Competence is hot, and you can't get more competent than Michael Westen. Like John Rogers says, one of the main appeal of this show is that Michael tells you exactly what he's going to do, and then he does it. With style. Then you've got Fi, who loves her BOOM, and Sam, who is damn bad ass in his own right. It's a trio of badassery.
2. HOTNESS
THERE IS SO MUCH HOT ON THIS SHOW I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN.
3. IT'S FUN
This show entertains. I'm always giddy and teehee after an episode. Not to mention all the clappy hands I do while watching.
4. BRUCE CAMPBELL
I don't need to explain this, do I?
5. SMART WRITING
It is a deceptively well-structured and well-written show. For all its glitz and shiny, there is a lot of subtle structural stuff that a lot of show runners could learn from (I'm looking at YOU, John Rogers). There is very little corner-cutting. The pacing is magnificent. The stakes climb steadily through each season and across the seasons. It is willing to take risks with the premise of the show. I wish I can write like that.
lalaith86 wanted five reasons to (stop) watching wrestling. I'm gonna go with the stop. Never mind that I just did a post down the wonderful memory lane of wrestling. THIS ONE IS DEPRESSING, DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU
1. It's a shitty business
The "independent contractor" bullshit that absolves the company of ANY responsibility with regards to its performers. No union, no healthcare, no pension. Injured wrestlers can be fired. There is very little recourse for a wronged employee. Worst of all: this is all considered acceptable. That's the business, you guys! That's just the way it is.
2. Inbred culture of male privilege
Rampant sexism and misogyny! Delicious!
3. The endless ENDLESS racism
4. Wrestling never fucking learns
It will never ever EVER learn from its mistakes. Ever. From its business model to the way storylines are written. COMPLETE LACK OF LEARN.
5. It's 90% crap.
For some of the most brilliant and awesome things I've ever witnessed, I had to suffer through a dreadful amount of shit. ... It's kinda like fandom in a way, hahaha. Um.
Last but not least, yesdrizella wants the top five most ridiculous AUs I've ever conceived, any fandom. *facepalm* Most of these are gonna be wrestling, I think, since the majority of my stupid occurred in that fandom.
1. UsedCarSalesman!Daniels & BibleCollegeStudent!AJ
Nothing is gonna top this, ever. It's not even slash. I was visiting evilgmbethy and I noted that there were a lot of used car lots. I'm sure this was 95% me, because only I would come up with something like how Daniels would be such an awesome used car salesman. We kept passing, too, this sign for a local bible college, and of course, lololol, AJ would go to a bible college, and thus formed this idea that AJ needs a car, so he goes to Daniels' lot, and Daniels sweet-talks AJ in buying a lemon. AJ drives away. Daniels cackles at the fact that he offloaded a lemon to this sweet college kid. THE END.
THAT'S THE WHOLE FUCKING IDEA.
2. Casus Belli
It was supposed to be EPIC, motherfuckers! Except in hindsight, it was stupid as all hell. It doesn't even have anything remotely related to wrestling. It's AU like whoa. I'm pretty sure I detailed the whole thing to yesdrizella and she was like @__________@ IDK how you ever put up with my bullshit, bb, 'cause I had a LOT of bullshit. I still do, but I'd like to think I'm a little less overblown about it.
But anyway, I've forgotten most of it. It was basically an angels&demons AU, slotted with various wrestling folks. The major thing that I do remember is that Jericho was supposed to be the Anti-Christ. Or rather, either the savior of mankind or the bringer of destruction. His mother was an angel who died while giving birth to him. His mom? STEPHANIE.
YEAH THAT'S RIGHT. STEPHANIE IS JERICHO'S MOM. IDK, my friends. I was obviously brain damaged.
3. My many and varied Egyptian AUs
I often have an idea that I really like, and I try to slot the characters of whatever fandom I like into those ideas. It never EVER works. EVER. But I do it anyway, because I just have ideas I'm totally in love with. This started out as a Buffy AU actually. I can't believe I'm even talking about this, because it's basically glorified sexual slavery fic, but with some redeeming mindfuck elements. Well, I'd like to think it's redeeming, but probably not. The Buffy version was titled, "The Last Champion." Angelus was the emperor (it's Egyptian-inspired, I should say, not actually set in ancient Egypt, because that would've required actual research), Wesley was his grand vizier, and.... Riley was the slave. Angelus' pet. Yeah, yeah, I know. Buffy was the titular last champion. She's gonna infiltrate Angelus' court as some sort of foreign princess/courtesan. And wow, this is REALLY embarrassing to talk about. T__________T
The wrestling one was... Jericho, again. Poor Jericho. I made him suffer so. Hunter was the emperor/pharaoh/whatever, and Jericho was his pet. *facepalm*
4. "Swift As Shadows" - Tucker/Reed in Cypress
This is ridiculous, but I'm not actually ashamed of this one. Like, it made no sense, because Cypress is a wrestling AU, and, you know, Tucker and Reed are from Enterprise. But I really liked the concept, and I feel like I could've made it work. But it's definitely a ridic concept on paper.
5. CHRIS PINE, DOG WHISPERER
I said it as a joke, but god help me, it's really cute in my head. No, I'm not writing it, but this is ridic AUs conceived. But srsly omg cries. Zach is in dire straits! He needs the help of renowned animal psychologist, Chris Pine, who helps him with Noah and/or Harold. And through the process, they fall in sweet sweet love.
DON'T JUDGE ME