Entourage FF: Women's whole existence [Barbara, Shauna, Dana, Sloan, Mrs Ari; R]

[black_eyedgirl]

Title: Women's whole existence
Fandom: Entourage
Characters: Barbara, Shauna, Dana, Sloan, Mrs Ari (Mrs Ari/Ari, and another historical canon het)
Rating: R for language and sexual implication
Length: 4,600 words
Disclaimer: All belongs to Doug Ellin and HBO.
Spoilers: Through S5
Summary: These women aren't just sitting around waiting for the men

Comments

[proteinscollide]

I've really really wanted to Entourage fic that delved into the stories of the women who are on the show (on the periphery always) and this was so so good. I love how evenly you handle all these different lives, sliding up and down the work and family spectrum, how you give each woman voice for the decisions they make and those they are responsible for. Each of their voices are so distinct, and well drawn from the little we see of them on the show. I wish there was more interaction between the women in the show as well, but I like the touch of having Barbara and Dana sort out the problem between them, calmly and efficiently and politely.

It's also really in character, and a little painful, how at the end of the night Ari still gives credit to himself and E, rather than the women who have really saved the day. Little details like that really made me appreciate how well you presented this view from the women's side within the canon universe. I really enjoyed this, thank you!

[black_eyedgirl]

:) I'm so glad their voices felt distinct - I wasn't sure how well that was working, when I wrote it. They're a lot harder to get marshalled than the men's voices, probably because they don't speak so often!

I liked Barbara and Dana talking to each other though - which they must do, surely? And it was nice to have the contrast of their method of problem solving vs Ari's.

really in character, and a little painful, how at the end of the night Ari still gives credit to himself and E, rather than the women who have really saved the day
*g* I am so pleased that was obvious. The line was initially more hammered in, but it didn't fit in that section like that, so I was worried it ended up a bit throwaway. So yay for readers who notice :)

Thank you for commenting!

[shoshannagold]

Wow. This is gorgeous, and powerful. Such an interesting idea, because the women on Entourage rock, and are often badly served by these men. I thought that you did a great job making their voices distinct from one another; I could totally *hear* Babs' rasp and Shauna's nasal voice and the stress in Dana's. I've been thinking, lately, that I should make more of an effort to write about women, and this went a long way to convincing me. If only HBO would stop making shows like Entourage and Generation Kill, with all those hot, fun men.

[black_eyedgirl]

*g* I love the Entourage women, but I definitely don't write them enough either. (And everyone's been talking up Generation Kill so much I may have to buy it). It helps to have someone dare you into it ;)

I'm so glad their voices came out okay though. I don't find Shauna too hard, but Babs and Dana, that was my first time trying at it, so they were tricky.

Thanks for the feedback!

[shoshannagold]

I don't know if it'll work, but I totally dare you to take up Generation Kill! Look at how pretty the boys in the icon are. See how they look at each other, like they just might rip off their uniforms and fuck? They look like that ALL THE TIME. And Brad (left) calls Nate (right) 'sir' and it sound like porn, every single time. /pimping

[black_eyedgirl]

*g* If I can find the DVDs for a slightly more reasonable price, I definitely will. Everyone was raving about it before, and with this: And Brad (left) calls Nate (right) 'sir' and it sound like porn, every single time... Well, I know where my kinks lie, anyway :)

(This is why I never have any money - I'm a really easy sell...)

warning for insane capslock abuse...

[deepad]

OMG I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

THIS IS SO GOOD!!! AND SO NUANCED!!!! AND JUST FULL OF SO MUCH COMPLEX, PROBLEMATIC WIN!!!!

YOU DID IT, AND YOU DID IT SO FUCKING WELL, AND IT JUST PWNS THE SHOW AND MOCKS IT WHILE IT CELEBRATES IT, AND MAKES THE WOMEN FIERCE AND STRONG AT THE SAME TIME AS SHOWING HOW AWFUL THE MEN CAN BE AND OMG YOU ROCK LIKE A FUCKING CRADLE!!!!

I am half asleep, so I will be back tomorrow to quote back lines and everything at you and give better feedback than this squee but....

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: warning for insane capslock abuse...

[black_eyedgirl]

*g* Well, obviously it was most important to me that you liked it. So that's good :)

You push me out of my comfort zone, you know that? My level of fic-as-crit-meta has soared since we met!

[littlerhymes]

This is fantastic. I have been longing for this sort of Entourage story for so long - something that really gave these powerful and interesting women their own voice and agency. I love how you've managed to construct these stories out of the slivers of canon that the show lets drop and really make all the characterisations work believably. Love it.

[black_eyedgirl]

I'm really glad you liked it. It's definitely the sort of fic I would like to write more often, and it was more fun that I predicted to write. They're such kickass women, and it was fun to try and work out what they might be doing while the show it following the men.

Thank you for commenting!

[black_eyedgirl]

I'm glad it didn't feel too preachy - it was a concern when I was writing! I was trying to balance it up with the fact that the women are all different from each other, and none of them exactly saints. So it's good that it worked okay :)

And thank you for dropping by to comment!