sundries

[rm]

So I started watching White Collar. You guys, Torchwood has ruined me for other TV. I'm supposed to be excited by the subtext in this? When on Torchwood I have text? Really?

That said, my impressions of the first two episodes:

- I had seen the posters for this program before it started airing, and was mildly intrigued (cute guy, good suit) but didn't really care. Immediately though, Neal is a much more interesting character that I would have thought, mainly because the first couple of things we manage to see in his eyes are fear and a desire for approval.
- Hey, PoC in interesting roles!
- Lesbians!
- Pug!
- Yeah, the clothes are the fuck awesome.
- Good, interesting use of NYC as the setting.
- I'm not that interested in the world of the show. It's essentially a procedural/caper show. Got it.
- This show is actually about two guys who really love their wives (is Neal married to Kate?) That's pretty cool and actually oddly deviant for TV. On the other hand, wow, it's just really heterosexual and I have a hard time caring.
- But yeah, El is awesome.

So, we'll see where it goes. I totally wound up having a kinky sex dream about it though (okay, it was Jack and Peter watching Ianto/Neal/El. What the fuck?).

Oh man, it is _so_ Monday today.

Oh, hey, important pitch meeting just got pushed a week. This is good.

dot.com turns 25.

Local bees go legal.

Article on Duchess Clothier, which are the folks that do my suits. And I've met the guy with the W.W.W.W.D.? suit.

Comments

[pocketmouse]

Hey it is a US show. How much have you watched? Because it just gets slashier. Or OT3-er, really. But hell, even without that, I just love that Peter and El have an actual, sensible, healthy relationship, unlike most of the established relationships you see on cop shows.

I'm pretty sure Neal and Kate aren't married, she's usually referred to as his girlfriend, and even if that was just an assumption on the FBI's part, Neal & Mozzie have never had any conversations that seem to indicate otherwise.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

That dream is both hilarious and hot.

Though I'm trying to figure out the logistics. I imagine El topped, and I know Neal bottomed. What was Ianto doing?

Man, now I'm thinking about the kinky switch relationship I just assume El and Peter have. Gah!

[newsbean.livejournal.com]

If you continue feeling like it's really heterosexual, I will be absolutely gobsmacked. And his clothes only get better.

Although, I have to say, as much as I adore the show, I don't really care about the world.

[rm.livejournal.com]

What was Ianto doing?

Whatever Jack told him to.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Only the first two episodes.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

I LOL'd IRL.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

Also, fwiw, the first two eps establish the "I love my wife" stuff, but the rest of it is about Neal and Peter.

[hllangel]

I have to agree with the above commenters that White Collar really does develop a significant OT3 bend to it.

That said, Jeff Eastin, the creator, says that the major issue in s1, and what will be continually dissected in s2, is the trust between Peter and Neal. Their trust seems rock solid at times, and then someone (generally Neal) pulls a bone-headed move and it all goes to hell for a bit.

The show goes from light-hearted caper show to mix of caper and conspiracy, and gets nicely tangled.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Jack and Peter watching Ianto/Neal/El.

Maybe your subconscious is telling you to write crossover fic...

I get what you're saying about subtext vs text after Torchwood. I'm not a "slash goggles" person and though I have read Angel/Spike or Mulder/Krycek slash, I never wrote m/m before Torchwood, because hey, canon gay relationships are awesome and rare and inspirational and fun to write about.

(I think I might have threesome goggles, however, because I see them EVERYWHERE.)

[rm.livejournal.com]

I'm not joking. It may be the filthiest dream I've ever had. I didn't mention the electricity play, did I?

[rm.livejournal.com]

That's the thing, I don't want to watch with slash goggles, I want to watch a show that feels like it's about my world. The everyone is queer vibe of Torchwood means a lot to me, and not (just) for the pretty.

I love OT3's, so I'm hoping that's going to get more awesome.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I can totally see Spike hatefucking Angel. Maybe Dru would want to watch...

(Wtf is up with my dirty comments today? Yikes!)

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

This may call for fic.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Like that didn't totally happen all the time.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

Point.

[smirnoffmule.livejournal.com]

I think Angel/Spike is one of those things where you really don't need slash goggles unless it's to protect your eyes from the sheer dazzling GLARE of their slashiness.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

That's pretty much what I thought when I started White Collar. I almost quit around episode four or five because I figured RTD has ruined me for all other TV.

But then I got really into it. The show comes together well mid-season, when the actors and writers get more comfortable with what they're doing. The plots are stupid and make no sense, but that's okay because they're irrelevant--the show is about Peter and Neal. The plots are just an excuse to explore the characters, who are fantastic.

Immediately though, Neal is a much more interesting character that I would have thought, mainly because the first couple of things we manage to see in his eyes are fear and a desire for approval.

Yes, this! And it's fascinating to see Neal explored as a character, particularly in terms of his relationship with Peter. The dynamic between the two of them is complex and interesting and very fun to watch.

It gets waaaaay slashier, don't worry.

(But yes, RTD did totally spoil us. It sucks having to go back to subtext after you get used to having actual text.)

[xtricks.livejournal.com]

This has been the most difficult thing for me, post T'wood.

I really don't want to bother scrabbling for crumbs anymore.

[scarlettgirl.livejournal.com]

I enjoy the hell out of White Collar but I'm not fannish about it. It's too...straightforward I guess.

What I do appreciate is that it turns the trope of "charming criminal schools the establishment" on its head because Peter always has Neal's nunmber, always figures out what he's up to and calls him on it. All the while being absolutely delighted to match wits with someone just as clever and smart as himself. They really *like* each other which I find charming and refreshing. Whether it's bromance or romance, there is a real depth of feeling as the series progresses.

Still not fannish, though. ;)

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

That's very understandable. And I really hope that IF there's more Torchwood (in the US or Cardiff) that this vibe isn't gone. There are tons of sci-fi programs already, but nothing like Torchwood.

When I say I'm "not a slasher," I mean... I can't see subtext which doesn't exist for me just for the sake of the pretty either; the relationship has to be dynamically interesting and plausible in my head. So OT3'ing Peter/Neal/El would be impossible if I didn't see El and Neal's interaction and think, Okay. Yeah... even though I've got threesome goggles on. I can't ship het pairings that don't make sense to me either.

Doctor/Jack or Doctor/Jack/Rose I love and can visualise easily, but Master/Doctor... I just can't, and it's not because John Simm's Master isn't awesome, but I just don't see it.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

This. God.

...and in the S8 comics, you don't even need subtext.

http://www.darkhorse.com/Features/eComics/1087/Dark-Horse-Presents-No-24?part_num=0&page=1

SPOILERS, rm.

[laura47.livejournal.com]

i saw the pilot, squeed with everyone, got distracted, and only came back midseason, and was quite happy going forward. i assume i'll go back and watch episodes 3-5 or whatever it was when i am jonesing for more during hiatus.

[smirnoffmule.livejournal.com]

Hehe, I think I know what you're trying to show me, but my computer thinks it's so slashy it won't even open it.

I don't think I'm a slash goggles person, either, at least in the way other people seem to define it; I never really look for it. All my prefered same-sex pairings are either canon, or so obvious that even the creators are seeing it, or the queer vibe is canon even if the slash isn't. But then I guess obviousness and vibe can be in the eye of the beholder, so maybe that's just what people mean when they say slash goggles. If anything I have worse femslash goggles than slash goggles, two women only have to be in a scene together and my mind is places.

[laughingacademy.livejournal.com]

I found this amusing: there's a poll up at the show's official web site on Which villain got under your skin the most?, and the last option is "Kate?" Yes, with the question mark.

Jack and Peter watching Ianto/Neal/El. -- Oh, wow, helloooooo new happy place.

You know, I really want someone to give Neal a copy of Going Postal.

Huh, I had no idea beehives were illegal in NYC. Also, now I'm imagining a swarm of bees puppeting a business suit.

[cruentum.livejournal.com]

A lot of my friends are head over heels. I see a lot of people promising you that you'll fall for it as the show goes on because supposedly it gets uh deeper. It never happened for me. It's an entertaining show but not one I particularly care about on more than an entertainment level. I can see the potential for fic, but only insofar as that the blueprint of the dynamic is not uninteresting and it'd be fun to give it some grit and substance in writing, but there's admittedly not much at all of it in there. The subtext becomes a lot more text-y but with it, imo, a lot more blatant and uh ... boring/predictable to watch. It's too smooth for me, all over, but then, I like Torchwood's darkness and grittiness and whatnot too much, the edges to the people and their behavior. It's hmm ... it lacks teeth, White Collar does, to hold my interest.