The Formative Years

[tenaya]

I've been watching Life On Mars and it's growing on me. I had to watch the first episode three times before I actually didn't get distracted by other stuff and *saw* it (I think that was only because I'd decided to tape it.) I would have quit watching it there if it hadn't been endorsed by my flist, but because you did, I kept at it and am enjoying it quite a bit. Very interesting ethical situations. And the whole thing where he hears things from his comatose bedside is very intriguing.

So, I'm watching more of BBCA and I've seen a couple episodes of the original Avengers with Emma Peel. As I watched them, I realized now as in the past, I was a total shipper for these two. Yep, they were meant to be together and I remember being very shocked when she went back to her husband.

Another thought that occured to me was that this show was on the same time as other germinal shows that deeply effected my 7-10 year old brain. My strongest recollections/fantasies from each show are as follows: Star Trek was McCoy/Spock in a non-con sort of thing, Wild Wild West was Jim/Artie in a loving relationship but with them both getting tied up a lot by Dr. Loveless. This theme was reinforced by Man From Uncle with Illya getting tied up and tortured and being saved by Napoleon. Illya and Spock shared that whole stoic thing, but where did my love of sarcasm come from? Oh, maybe that was the Prisoner. I was so totally smitten by all that repressed anger, that force of nature that was Number Six. There was no one to pair him up with, but he spent the entire show in a non-con state so it still hit my developing kinks.

I also think the writing on the Avengers and the Prisoner holds up very well. I remember thinking Star Trek hasn't held up, and I haven't seen WWW or MUNCLE in years so I don't know how well they've aged. It's curious that Emma is the only female of significance in these shows. Maybe having her as a role model spoiled me for strong women characters because it's certain if a woman starts to get all moon eyed and helpless, I have to change the channel fast.

Anyway, I was very surprised to recall I was a shipper long ago.

Comments

[graculus.livejournal.com]

I understand that BBCA has hacked at Life on Mars to the tune of cutting 10 minutes or so per episode, so if there's anything that doesn't make sense...

As for your love of sarcasm, you clearly have forgotten how snarky IK was! ;)

[tenaya.livejournal.com]

Yes, I have forgotten! I haven't seen any MUNCLE in years. I intended to buy the DVDs when they come out but.... I want to see them again in order and all pretty, damn it. He had a mouth on him, did he? That makes me smile.

They're hacking up Life on Mars? Argh! So frustrating. I think the problem with the first ep is that he's so in the modern pov and ranting at the locals. First eps are nearly always a bit rough since they're setting things up. Too bad about the editing though.

[obelix]

I'm going to have to get you the full length episodes for Life on Mars, I heard that BBCA chopped the heck out of it so you are missing some good moments. Give me a week or two, ok...

Yep those show with I Spy made up my television viewing schedule. I think it explains my love of hurt/comfort and angst as genres ;-) I mean they got tied up continuously and they worried about each other and sometimes *gasp* two males actually touched!

As for sarcasm well Illya was very sarcastic and really most of the shows at that time wrote sarcasm as a matter of fact. I do remember Emma Peel being very sarcastic (I remember that raised eyebrow of hers, tried for years to do the same, never quite got the hang of it).

And like you, Emma Peel was pretty much "the" role model and yes she did spoil me for what they consider strong women now. Not one of these women character could hold a candle to MRS. Peel, it did kind of made it hard for us to look at the wimpy, noodle like, helpless, moon eyed, continuously looking for "luv" women characters out there as anything other then caricatures of a role model. You know, I was trying to talk myself OUT of buying the Avengers with Emma Peel...

[tenaya.livejournal.com]

Thanks for Life on Mars. I appreciate it. Did it get televised up in Canada?

I Spy...was that out at the same time as MUNCLE? I think I saw some of them but I've not seen it since it aired.

Interesting that sarcasm was alive and well back in the sixties. The way some people go on it's like they invented it in the 90s.

You should buy The Emma Years. You know you should. What with all those other DVDs you have, it's just not right not to have 'em. Let me enable you. *g*

[obelix]

Nope at least not that I know of.

I Spy was about the same time 65-68 while MFU was from 64-68. I liked it when it first aired but seeing it as an adult, I appreciate it much more. There was a level of language in the show that I wouldn't have understood as a kid so it's kind of nice to watch it as an adult.

I'm not going to go through a whole rambling here but I think that one of the reasons sarcasm kind of disappeared for awhile was because of the dumming down of language in TV shows in order to bring in the coveted male teenager audience and shows aimed to "adults" tended to be more serious so no sarcasm. You can't really be sarcastic when all the dialogue is using a language aimed at teenage boys. Sarcasm doesn't mesh well with swearing as punctuation ;-)

I've noticed that the shows with tons of sarcams also have a tendency to have a higher level of language (if that makes any sense) and swearing is at a minimal and only when appropriate. Maybe we are finally getting away from sitcoms and banana peel comedies :-)

Yeah, yeah I know, I should get them and will eventually but they keep coming out with more and more DVDs for me to buy! My budget can't afford anymore series!

[redbyrd-sgfic.livejournal.com]

If you want to look for shows with writing that has stood up- check out a rather obscure British spy series called Sandbaggers. It ended on a cliffhanger (due to the untimely and mysterious death of the creator), but the few shows they made are largely brilliant.

[moonchildetoo.livejournal.com]

The one show that made Blake's 7 sound cheerful ;-)

[tenaya.livejournal.com]

Untimely and mysterious? Huh. I didn't know that. I did have a friend that was totally smitten and pimped it to me. I watched one ep, but I also catch the worst possible ep (it was probably a good ep, but without knowing what was going on.) It's been on my list of things to see when I can see it from the start. Yet another reason to get Netflix I think. Thanks!

[moonchildetoo.livejournal.com]

I was such an Emma fan. AFAIK, the Avengers is only Emma and Steed, none of those other broads, esp the insipid Linda Thorson - ugh! And y'know, Diana still looks great. She is one classy dame (literally, heh). I caught a piece of one the other night where she was asking him over to her place for a drink - I didn't remember that! Yes, I was devastated when she went back to her husband. As catalenamara knows, I'm a Spock/McCoy girl too.

[tenaya.livejournal.com]

I remember her smiling a lot at him, but now I can see they were so doing it. *g* I adored them both.

[sheepsclothing.livejournal.com]

I haven't really been enjoying 'Life on Mars' but I'll give it another try, as you did. the guy is just not appealing, I like girly boys...Orlando, Draco,...mmm, maybe it's just names that end in 'O' I like. I know..'stupido'! (I love that word).
Writing from work, where I am taking care of an ancient baby who completely decompensates with just a diaper change. God, only one more day!
I loved 'The Sandbaggers' too by the way!

[tenaya.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, those kids are great fun (not.) "Why do you want to die just because I need to change your diaper?" Ornry little critters.

Do you have the Sandbaggers in your collection?

The main guy got more appealing when he had to be rescued a few times, and when he looked devasted when some innocent had gotten hurt because he went by the book. And if was pretty funny when he was handcuffed to his bed nekkid.
He was annoying in the first ep. Maybe you should try it again.