Haven
Has anyone watched Haven? I basically marathoned the whole thing over the last week. I've been having a bad "why do I suck so much at life/why don't I just stay in bed forever" week and it's been my mental valium, IDEK.
It's not really compelling television, which is why I think I liked it so much? That sounds like a really backhanded compliment, but I don't really mean it that way. (and even if I did, I have excused FAR worse for the sake of half as many good looking men as are on this show). And there was a definite pleasure in watching characters navigate their relationships like grown ups, even though it undercut the drama. Like lots of love triangles, but can you really call them love triangles if there's no jealousy or bitter feelings? I nearly fell over when two characters who were in a relationship that wasn't quite working actually talked it out. No, seriously:
There'd been a serious breach of trust when the boyfriend (who'd been away for a while) nearly got everybody killed by disregarding and undermining the main character as she tried to do her job. And he was generally an ass. He then realizes what he's been doing, apologizes profusely, talks about how maybe he shouldn't have gone away because she's the one who keeps him grounded, keeps him from giving into his ego and becoming an asshole. And then she tells him that that isn't really grounds for a relationship. (She actually says something like, "when we met, you told me you wanted me. Needing me isn't the same thing".) And then she tells him that you can't rely on someone else to keep you balanced, and that even if she could, he'd end up resenting her for it. AND THEN HE AGREES. And is like, "Wow, you're right. That IS seriously messed up. I can't ask you to fix me. I need to work on my issues, but one day, I'll have my shit together, and maybe then I'll be actually ready for a relationship with someone as awesome as you." And then they part on friendly terms. (!!!). Not to mention that while this relationship has been going on, her two guy friends, who both have feelings for her (but who are actually her friends, and don't let those two things interfere with each other) aren't jealous. (one of them catches the main character's boyfriend doing the Walk of Shame and just teases her about it in friendly, congratulatory brotp kind of way. Part of that is due to the boyfriend's unwanted super power, which is to make everyone but her fanboy him, but his attitude towards *her* having the relationship doesn't change much when that isn't in effect).
And beyond the adult thing- god, so many shows I know, so many books and movies and whatever- would have made what he said ROMANTIC, and would have considered her not wanting to take responsibility for his feelings and issues the sort of thing only a heartless bitch would do? It'd be the "bad woman" doing that, not the protagonist. Man.
It's not even just the romantic relationships, it applies to the friendships almost as much. (There's a great relationship between the male leads, who start out as bitter-since-childhood former-friend/enemies and by the end have basically given up all pretense of not liking each other, although there are some weird permutations, like one getting a prophecy that he'll be killed by someone with a specific tattoo, and the other getting the tattoo for the sole purpose of making sure he gets to be the person who kills him. If the fandom isn't slashing the hell out of those two, they probably aren't worth of the name 'fandom').
It's like a TV show from an alternate universe, where everyone is well-adjusted and have very healthy ideas of what constitutes a relationship. (basically, it's the bizarro version of Supernatural, relationship wise).
It's not really compelling television, which is why I think I liked it so much? That sounds like a really backhanded compliment, but I don't really mean it that way. (and even if I did, I have excused FAR worse for the sake of half as many good looking men as are on this show). And there was a definite pleasure in watching characters navigate their relationships like grown ups, even though it undercut the drama. Like lots of love triangles, but can you really call them love triangles if there's no jealousy or bitter feelings? I nearly fell over when two characters who were in a relationship that wasn't quite working actually talked it out. No, seriously:
There'd been a serious breach of trust when the boyfriend (who'd been away for a while) nearly got everybody killed by disregarding and undermining the main character as she tried to do her job. And he was generally an ass. He then realizes what he's been doing, apologizes profusely, talks about how maybe he shouldn't have gone away because she's the one who keeps him grounded, keeps him from giving into his ego and becoming an asshole. And then she tells him that that isn't really grounds for a relationship. (She actually says something like, "when we met, you told me you wanted me. Needing me isn't the same thing".) And then she tells him that you can't rely on someone else to keep you balanced, and that even if she could, he'd end up resenting her for it. AND THEN HE AGREES. And is like, "Wow, you're right. That IS seriously messed up. I can't ask you to fix me. I need to work on my issues, but one day, I'll have my shit together, and maybe then I'll be actually ready for a relationship with someone as awesome as you." And then they part on friendly terms. (!!!). Not to mention that while this relationship has been going on, her two guy friends, who both have feelings for her (but who are actually her friends, and don't let those two things interfere with each other) aren't jealous. (one of them catches the main character's boyfriend doing the Walk of Shame and just teases her about it in friendly, congratulatory brotp kind of way. Part of that is due to the boyfriend's unwanted super power, which is to make everyone but her fanboy him, but his attitude towards *her* having the relationship doesn't change much when that isn't in effect).
And beyond the adult thing- god, so many shows I know, so many books and movies and whatever- would have made what he said ROMANTIC, and would have considered her not wanting to take responsibility for his feelings and issues the sort of thing only a heartless bitch would do? It'd be the "bad woman" doing that, not the protagonist. Man.
It's not even just the romantic relationships, it applies to the friendships almost as much. (There's a great relationship between the male leads, who start out as bitter-since-childhood former-friend/enemies and by the end have basically given up all pretense of not liking each other, although there are some weird permutations, like one getting a prophecy that he'll be killed by someone with a specific tattoo, and the other getting the tattoo for the sole purpose of making sure he gets to be the person who kills him. If the fandom isn't slashing the hell out of those two, they probably aren't worth of the name 'fandom').
It's like a TV show from an alternate universe, where everyone is well-adjusted and have very healthy ideas of what constitutes a relationship. (basically, it's the bizarro version of Supernatural, relationship wise).