I am just not fandom-polyamorous enough
I don't know if any of you watched Big Love, but I FINALLY got to see the last four episodes of the series (that's how I got that fucking virus -- the livestream I was watching stopped and so I, like an impatient idiot, tried a download).
Mixed feelings about the ending, but mostly annoyed. I feel like the writers wrote themselves into a corner, then figured they could tidy it all up at the last second by yanking the rug out (wow, count the mixed metaphors in that sentence). Up until the last ten minutes of the show, they kept throwing in more and more conflict, and ultimately they couldn't resolve it even by killing off the center of the conflict. Bill's church (including all the extreme fundamentalists from Juniper Creek who just joined) just happily accepted Barb as their priesthood holder? The procuring charges against Barb went away? Nikki and Cara Lynn just magically started getting along? Even though the stores went under, both the Henricksons and the business partner's family had money to live on? Where did Joe and Wanda end up? Urrrrrrgh.
The only reason I'm conflicted at all is that I watched a brief thing on HBO's website about the ending, and one of the writers said something about creating Bill as a visionary, and visionaries nearly always die before their time. I actually thought that was a valid angle to take... though I'm not sure I'd describe Bill's character as a visionary. I think you could argue that his mission was a selfish one. He risked his family's safety at every turn, whether they liked it or not. He kept saying he wanted equality for all polygamists -- but what he wanted was to live his lifestyle without consequences. That's why, if they had to end it the way they did, I'm glad it was the neighbor that shot him. Those neighbors suffered repeatedly throughout the series because of Bill's actions, and though the guy certainly wasn't morally right to do it, I thought that choice actually made sense on the part of the writers.
Anyway, if you've not seen the show, I can't recommend the first three seasons highly enough. Seasons four and five start going off the rails a bit because the writers just keep jamming in new conflicts without really resolving them, but you'll probably want to know how it ends once you start it. And Chloe Sevigny as Nikki is, no exaggeration, some of the best acting I have ever seen. Here's this incredibly unlikeable-on-paper character who regularly spews venom at the people who love her and, nine times out of ten, will choose to protect herself at other people's expense, and yet she's portrayed in such a way that you rarely lose sympathy for her. You understand why she is the way she is, and when she does do the right thing, it feels like a victory. The thing I love most about the character is that she's the one who gives the most lip service to the doctrine of wives submitting to their husbands, yet she defies her husband whenever it suits her. Fascinating character, brilliant acting.
Fair warning: in the first season, when they were trying to draw viewers in with sex (Three wives! Can you imagine?), somebody in charge sat down and said, "You know what would really get people watching? Bill Paxton's naked ass. A whole lot of Bill Paxton's naked ass. Just keep that full moon out there." It decreases greatly after the first season, but you have to sit through a lot of forced titillation in the first few episodes especially. (Not that I'm fundamentally opposed to forced titillation, but... nobody needs that much of Bill Paxton's naked ass. Not even Bill Paxton.)
Oh, and here's that If Your Fandom Was Your Lover meme that's going around, just because.
The one who seduced you and screwed you over and broke your heart in a million pieces and laughed about it.
Bones, both the show and the fandom. Not that the fandom was mean-spirited or anything, but I felt like it had such squandered potential. And the show just… well, I stopped watching around the middle of last season, but the “chemistry” had become deliberately manipulative.
The old flame you don't see very often any more but whom you still really enjoy getting together with for a few drinks and maybe a pleasant nostalgic romp in the sheets.
Ahhh, The X Files, definitely. We had a pretty hot weekend after I Want To Believe came out, but it’s never going to be a full-time thing again.
The mysterious dark gothy one whom you used to sit up with talking until 3a.m. at weird coffeehouses and with whom you were quite smitten until you realized she really was fucking crazy.
Harry Potter. Most of the Remus/Sirius shippers seemed relatively well-balanced, but it was impossible to ignore the fact that the whole fandom was tainted by immeasurable levels of batshit.
The one you spent a whole weekend in bed with and who drank up all your liquor, and whom you'd still really like to get with again although you're relieved she doesn't actually live in town.
LotR RPF (primarily Monaboyd), maybe? I was brand new to slash fandom, so it was all naughty and exciting at the time, but I don’t think we could ever settle down.
The steady.
Pinto. I don’t know why, baby - I wasn’t expecting you to come along, and I sure as hell wasn’t expecting you to stick around, but you’ve been my rock. I owe you so much.
The alluring stranger whom you've flirted with at parties but have never gotten really serious with.
White Collar. I want to do more with you, you saucy minx. Why do you fear commitment? Firefly, you’re the same way - you’re in my head, but I can’t get you down on paper. And actually, I’d probably have to file Star Trek under here, too, but those are my commitment issues, writing-wise.
The one you hang out with and have vague fantasies about maybe having a thing with but ultimately you're just good buddies 'cause the friendship is there but the chemistry ain't.
House. Love the show, adore the dynamic between House and Wilson, have no desire to read fic. As well as The Social Network and its accompanying RPF.
The one your friends keep introducing you to and who seems like a hell of a cool chick except it's never really gone anywhere.
Heroes. Well, maybe not so much now that it’s over, but at the time, I kept thinking there were some awesome characters there that I could have some fun with, but it never happened. Right now, it seems like everyone’s trying to get me into X-Men, but I haven’t seen the movie. Somehow, I doubt it will take, though. I have no real basis for that prediction, but for some reason that’s what I’m thinking.
The one who's slept with all your friends, and you keep looking at her and thinking, "Her? How the hell did she land all these cool guys?"
Supernatural. And Glee. I just… I don’t get it. Like, at all. There are so many other fish in the sea.
The one who gave you the best damned summer of your life and who you measure all other potential partners against.
Pinto! Before that, I would have said Remus/Sirius, because they were good to me, but like a summer fling, it had to end.
The one you recently met at a party and would like to get to know better and who you think you might have a crush on.
This one’s tough - I haven’t been introduced to many new fandoms lately. I’d like to start watching the BBC Sherlock series; I feel like there might be some chemistry there.
The old flame that you wouldn't totally object to hooking up with again for a one night romp if only he cleaned himself up a bit.
Can’t believe I’m saying this, but… Bones. Give me some smokin’ hot, in-character smut and I’d give you another go. Though I probably wouldn’t feel good about myself in the morning.
Your hot new flame
I’m thinking Pinto and I need to renew our vows. OMG SO MONOGAMOUS.
WHICH IS FUNNY BECAUSE I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT POLYGAMY EARLIER.