Comments | idol_reflection: Alec aka X5-494 (Dark Angel)

profshallowness in idol_reflection

Alec aka X5-494 (Dark Angel)

Dec 04, 2004 14:31

Title: (Better than) all right

Author: profshallowness

Spoilers: Some spoilers for the novelisations set after the series ended.

Email: profoundly_shallow@yahoo.co.uk

With thanks to FridayAngel for betaing, the people on the Dark Angel thread on Television without Pity and everyone who’s discussed the show and this character with me.

( (Better than) all right )

Comments 27

First Scene bavite December 4 2004, 16:08:16 UTC

Ah, technically that was his second scene, but first speaking scene, when he's in Max's cell, telling her they have to copulate. The very first scene he appears in in season 2 is the scene at Manticore, as the cameria is panning over Max in their line-up. Alec is behind Max, to her left, the viewer's right. I know, it's no big deal, but ever since I noticed, I've always watched for Alec in that scene, since it comes before the copulation scene!

Re: First Scene profshallowness December 4 2004, 16:54:27 UTC

Ech, you're right and I've put in speaking. Duh. I knew that too, because by the time I got to see Designate This I'd read about it and knew to look out for him.

Re: First Scene bavite December 5 2004, 00:05:33 UTC

And you know, I wanted to kick myself as soon as I posted that. It was like, "I'm sure she knew that! Why on earth am I being so nit-picky". But aside from that, I enjoyed the essay. Full of smiles from me as I recalled specific Alec moments. I enjoy hearing from other authors what they believe the motivation is behind a character.

Re: First Scene profshallowness December 5 2004, 07:55:54 UTC

Well I knew it, but I didn't write it, so no, nit-pick away :)

I enjoyed the essay. Thank you.

Full of smiles from me as I recalled specific Alec moments. Yes, it wasn't taxing to think a lot about Alec's part in Dark Angel, exactly, you know!?

frelling_tralk December 4 2004, 18:18:30 UTC

Thank you, that was a great essay. Alec was the only reason I sat through season 2 of Dark Angel.

profshallowness December 5 2004, 07:53:29 UTC

that was a great essay. Thanks!

Alec was the only reason I sat through season 2 of Dark Angel. Well, he was the main reason I watched, and definitely why reason I got invested in the show.

treetopbabe December 13 2004, 02:19:08 UTC

This is really a great essay. I think that when you said, "one’s worldly-wise and able to walk outside and the other, more sheltered and ‘innocent’ character is the wiser." you perfectly summed up Joshua's relationship with Alec. I got the link from the end of part two of Valjean's "Both", and to be honest I didn't know Livejournal *had* much Dark Angel fandom hanging around. Thanks for the links, you may have opened me to a wider world.

profshallowness December 13 2004, 08:03:28 UTC

This is really a great essay. Thank you! What I like about Alec and Joshua's relationship is that they both get it quite quickly about each other and there's a certain amound of respect, plus they do complement each other well (the pattern is pretty much set in Medium is the Message.)

to be honest I didn't know Livejournal *had* much Dark Angel fandom hanging around.

Well, it doesn't really, there's also darkangelfans but the fact that the show got cancelled and people moved on made a difference. (Possibly also because the show ended before livejournal really got big in fandom???) Nuns with pens is definitely still a ging concern if you're interested in M/A fanfiction, and there are a couple of yahoogroups still kicking out there, I think.

(The comment has been removed)

profshallowness December 21 2004, 15:48:19 UTC

Wonderfully written, and truly insightful.

Thank you!

(The comment has been removed)

profshallowness February 14 2005, 19:55:27 UTC

It's never too late for such kind words! Thank you. I'm glad that the essay worked for you as his complete smart-Alecness is your favourite character.

So cool that you've just got into the show. There isn't that much DA meta out there, which is a pain, but sort of inevitable given how long it is since the cancellation.

(Also love the way you've created the light effect on that icon, and the word choice is delicious.)

(The comment has been removed)

profshallowness February 16 2005, 08:08:52 UTC

I don't normally leave feedback unless I really love what I read. In which case I'm proud and flattered.

And there's so much meta to be written about the gap between the premise and the execution! I wasn't around when the fandom was in full swing - I started watching after it had been cancelled because of the joys of international scheduling, so there must be a lot of meta that's just got lost, as the show seems to have missed out on livejournal. I hope it doesn't move from almost-gone to gone status, although a lot of writers have said everything they have to say and moved on there have been one or two people who've found the show late, for various reasons and started writing fic and being interested in it. Not many, but enough to stave off extinction, though I really doubt that there's going to be any new source material with which to deal.

(Ah, the some songs that remind me of my 'ship obsession. Strikes the most rational fan. Well, okay, I never pretended to be entirely rational:))

Thread 10

xanderave April 2 2005, 19:37:17 UTC

Where was I when this was written?

I have to commemorate you for writing an excellent piece on explaining Who is Alec?. It seems anyone who's anyone who have watched DA:S2 will be enthralled by the said-character be it from the first episode or any other ones that involved him. And even after the final one, you'd still come back searching for more (in forms of fanfiction mostly).

I caught this over two years ago (I think...) and even bought the DVD and I still keep spreading the Alec-love. He really is an intriguing character to watch and I have to say a HOT one too (Bless thee Jensen Ackles). His parts in the show brightens up every episode and adds something to keep it from being monotonous. And we get to see a great development in the character from being an egoistic prat to an egoistic prat with a conscience. But overall, he really is too much for words to describe.

Once again, a wonderful written piece and great read.

profshallowness April 3 2005, 18:43:14 UTC

Thank you for the kind words! And yes on the Alec-love! I totally agree with you about his journey to becoming an egoistic prat with a conscience (heh.) We could have done with more! I love seeing fanfic writers develop him further.

I'm totally blaming the character for my buying the season 2 DVDs and even keeping me relatively calm and even amused when watching 'Borrowed Time' recently. Bless Ackles' comic timing and absolutely his hotness.

xanderave May 13 2005, 17:24:38 UTC

It's quite a pity there's no "Dark Alec" show for us to watch. I would expect that to be a raging success.

Oh! "Borrowed Time" is one of his best episodes. One, it came after "The Berrisford Agenda" so we have a clear in-depth look of Alec's history and hidden emotions. Two, he was mocking both Logan and Max which had us cracking with laughter. Three, the quote regarding "living on borrowed time" would have sounded cheesy by anyone else but Jensen pulled it off and made it sound jaded/realistic. Four, Alec is really a scoundrel but we love him nevertheless. And of course five, the best scene of the whole season - the "BLUE TOWEL".

Guh! I'm highly tempted to watch the DVDs again.

profshallowness May 14 2005, 09:17:30 UTC

Yes, on the Dark aLec, unless if it had wriers who'd written the main character into a culdesac, as was done with Max.

Heh on the reasons for 'Borrowed Time' which are all true, obviously.