Wednesday 3 March 2010

Things I Learned From Television

heather

1) There are other people like me in the world.

I actually learned this form the Internet, probably, but what I mean is that I feel a lot of feelings about TV, and I feel less alone knowing that other people feel those feelings too. It goes without saying at this point that fictional characters don't feel fictional to me, so I like to talk about their choices and compare them to other choices they made in previous episodes and talk about their emotions and their relationships. Yesterday, Schilbo and I debriefed Monday's Chuck for like two hours. I hope one day me and Ashley can do that about Caprica and BSG.

2) DVDs are magic.

You guys, what did we do before TV on DVD? It is my favorite thing in this or any other life. You can watch every show you ever missed, commercial-free, back-to-back-to-back. I gorged myself on Veronica Mars over Christmas and it was some of the best days of my life.

3) Shipping is a sport.

The first TV show I ever loved was Lois and Clark, and I mean, I loved it. I've said this before, too, but when I was a teenager, I wouldn't take calls between 8:00 and 9:00 on Sunday nights, and to this very day, Amy still gives me shit about it. (But that's only because she didn't know Booth and Brennan back then, so she didn't understand.) I wanted Lois and Clark to get together so badly, almost more than I ever wanted anything in my whole life! I shouted at the TV, I paced, I worried, I made up elaborate scenes in my head. If fan fiction and forums were the same in 1993 as they are today, I would never have graduated from high school. Sarah & Chuck. Booth & Brennan. Emily & Naomi. Luke & Lorelai. Lois & Clark. Josh & Donna. Jim & Pam. Bette & Tina. Veronica & Logan. Helen & Nikki. Ross & Rachel. So much angst! So much love!

A couple of years ago, I was at this really crazy place in my life where I couldn't get anything done because of all the shit and deadlines everywhere, and me and Kat and Jennie and Abs were texting about TV one night, and Jennie and Kat said I should watch Lost. And I said, "Is there epic love in it?" And immediately, Abs texted and said, "NO ONE ANSWER THAT!" Because if it was yes, I was a goner.

4) Never underestimate the power of seeing yourself reflected onscreen.

I won't say much about this because I spend half my life writing about it, but the thing is, if you're a little queer kid growing up in Appalachia, The L Word just might change your life.

5) Nothing is better than being a friend.






6) Except maybe living in Stars Hollow



Joe, we need to talk about this Dean/Rory/Jess thing.

18 comments:

Lindsay said...

What is it about the Gilmore Girls credits that gives me the warm fuzzies EVERY TIME WITHOUT FAIL?!

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Jennie said...

I don't like Dean or Jess, is that OK? I do want Luke and Lorelai to make out, though. I want them to make out so hard.

Heather Anne Hogan said...

Lindsay: I don't know, but it's magic.

Jennie: yes, absolutely! Rory was too good for everyone she ever dated.

Joe G. said...

Jennie, I think if you had seen the first season of the show you would like Dean. I got really attached to him because I saw a lot of me in him. Then he got clingy and whiny in season 2 (but with good reason, with Rory making googly eyes at Jess all year long), and you saw how he turned out in season 3.

Heather, what is there to say about Dean/Rory/Jess (= Dress?) that I haven't shouted in exasperation on Facebook already?

On a non-Gilmore note, Josh and Donna are my favorite couple on TV ever.

Ashley said...

Why don't we talk about Lois & Clark more? It's funny, because I was in the 4th grade when that show premiered, and it ended when I was in 7th, but to this day, I don't think I have ever acted more bizarrely over a TV show. I was like the worst kind of Trekkie. I still have strong feelings over the weirdest things: Lois's haircut, frog eating clones, the Church of Metropolis. The weirdest TV wedding in history. And oh! That stupid medieval time travel episode!

I might start emailing you after ever Caprica. Just because. It'll be like old times with Gossip Girl before I was lame-o and quit that show.

me said...

You were so right on your analysis of the ending of GG (GIlmore), cause I so loved it! I like Dean-but because I know him now as Sam on Supernatural.

Did you watch Parenthood ? I couldnt, tho I wanted to last night. Will it be ONDEMAND?!

-Sarah G... I can't use any of the identities below other than 'me'...

kat said...

sorry about that. we're getting spammed out the wazoo.

Joe G. said...

Ashley, when clone Lois ate that frog on their wedding night, I simultaneously gasped and thought, 'Are you fucking kidding me?' And remember Wanda Detroit, the amnesiac Lois's lounge singer identity? Brilliantly awful. I pretty much stopped watching after the Clone Saga was cleared up and Lois and Clark got married for real.

Heather Anne Hogan said...

Joe: you know, I think I am going to rewatch season one of GG to compare the two Deans. It has been so long since I watched that, and I only recently rewatched season two, so maybe the part where he gets petulant and possessive and clingy is too fresh in my mind. Jess is a punk. There's no way around that. But I get why Rory was into him on account of his love of literature. What season are you on, by the way? I don't want to spoil stuff for you.

Ashley (and Joe): You two are the only people I know who also watched Lois and Clark! I think the reason I don't talk about it more is that for like ten years it was like the plumb line reference point I always used when talking about other TV, and no one understood! I'm not a very visual person, so I always remember movie and TV show words, but not so much the images, but I can so clearly see Lois standing in front of that mirror eating that fucking frog! See? See how agitated I am getting. (Also, please let's start debriefing Caprica!)

Sarah G.: I watched Parenthood, but it felt too much like Lorelai was cheating on Rory. Like, "Why are you expending so much energy on that kid from Hope Floats/Ann from Arrested Development when Rory needs you?!"

Jennie said...

I looooooooooved Lois & Clark. It's what I shipped before Mulder and Scully came along. And Sydney Bristow and Vaughan. And Pam and Jim. Obviously.

Heather Anne Hogan said...

Oh man, you guys, we need L&C t-shirts.

Ashley said...

Heather, two things:

1. I am the exact opposite. I always remember the images, but unless I watch it over and over again, I have a hard time with the words. If our brains were one we would be the perfect television watcher.
2. If you design the shirt, I will wear it proudly.

Ashley said...

Joe: Wanda Detroit was SO ANNOYING. Or maybe I was just pissed because her existence meant L&C couldn't be together.

Joe G. said...

Heather, Jennie and I just finished season 3 of GG. I enjoyed the non-cliffhanger ending, and I wasn't enraged at any of the characters like I was at the end of season 2, so that was nice. And yeah, I suppose I can attempt to get into teenage girl Rory's head and understand why she kissed Jess at the end of season 2, but that doesn't change the fact that I cannot abide cheaters. Even when they're silly, confused teenage girls.

Also, yes, we definitely need L&C t-shirts. If you'd like, I can get on that. I'm not really that busy at work today.

Heather Anne Hogan said...

Yeah, cheating is bullshit no matter what.

Please make those shirts!

linster said...

I choose The Collective to confess: I loved L&C. There, I've said it. And I'm not ashamed.

mysterygirl! said...

I'm shipping hard for Booth and Brennan. I heard that Rena Sofer is guest-starring (i.e. RUINING EVERYTHING) as a love interest for Booth so I'm a little nervous. I know it would only be temporary but I'm still nervous. For a fictional love story.