TV rewatch: Farscape and SPN

[rivkat]

Farscape rewatch: completed. I’m not even “fannish” in the way I consider core fannishness for me; this show doesn’t itch at me to do more. I just love it. (Not that I’d say no to Chiana’s Nebari politics arc.)  This time around I noticed that no one in the universe, PK or Scarran, cares about whether Aeryn’s child is male or female. Its paternity is very much an issue and it’s been scanned at the genetic level, but it’s just a fetus until it comes out. 

SPN rewatch: begun. This one will take a very long time, especially as winter hiatus ends. Pilot thought: Dean’s narrative of longing for that which he superficially rejects begins right here, where he describes Sam’s idealized “normal” life as the “apple pie” life. And we all know that Dean loves him some pie. (Also, as many others have noted, it’s really funny to hear Jensen Ackles before he decides that Dean is a lot more butch.)

Comments

[jadelennox]

It's true; I read very little Farscape fic, partly because there is so little, but also because I don't need it as much. The show does ensemble SO WELL, and multi-person chemistry and individual relationships so well, and so rarely drops the wider set of relationships in favor of the main 'ship. Like, even when Crichton is all AERYN AERYN AERYN AERYN, you can see how he communicates his one trackness with D'Argo, and Chianna, and Nooranti, etc, and it's different every time. And the way they all love each other but are dicks to each other is so real and awesome and so often what I want fanfic to fix for me.

[rivkat]

Yes! Relationships take time and hurt is acknowledged even when forgiven, and love of all kinds stands up or doesn't stand up to tests. And also of course I love John's arc because it is about how he responds to damage. (Aeryn's arc is also wonderful because it's an arc of discovering competencies she didn't know she could have, from science to love and both of those are important, but I like John's arc particularly for showing how the trauma he went through was not ok and that he was not ok with it even though he could also go on and love and decide not to destroy the universe. He's whittled down to AERYN AERYN AERYN not because that's what true love should be but because he's forced to that choice, and he regrets the parts of himself (and the other people) he gives away. He's a victim compelled to suck the blood of his victimizer, all dressed as choice, in order to save Aeryn; he's a survivor who didn't make it all the way out, but then that's not what survival requires. When Grayza yells at him about destroying her plans and he asks her if she feels "raped"--ugh. Obviously, I have many strong feelings here.)

[on_verra]

Also, as many others have noted, it’s really funny to hear Jensen Ackles before he decides that Dean is a lot more butch.

Hah, this. I'm all for actors "finding their character", but I actually think the more natural voice is one, albeit very small, factor in why S1 Dean was a more interesting, complex, and subversive character than he later became.
I remember hearing something a few years ago about JA's voice deepening due to illness, however. Don't know if there's any truth to that.

[rivkat]

Interesting--I try never to learn anything about actors if I can avoid it, so I hadn't heard that. I find Dean's performance of masculinity intriguing regardless (obviously!), and I hear the voice as part of that very obvious performance. I like it because it's an act, like so much about Dean.

[on_verra]

I wonder if anyone's written fic about Dean making a conscious decision to change his voice, or even just dealing with his changing voice. It would be so meta :)