While in a state of extreme nostalgia last night, when I realised Friday's episode of Moonlight was apparently never going to show up OnDemand, I watched the pilot of the 1991 Dark Shadows series. OMG Ben Cross, you must have been picking scenery from your teeth for months. I'd forgot how much my best friend Sandra and I used to quote this at each other in high school. And I keep wanting to shake Michael T Weiss and yell "for the love of God, man, shave."

Speaking of vampires, claudiagray wants to know who's your fave vampire and why, for a chance at winning an advanced reader's copy of Evernight.

So be it Being Human's Mitchell, andpuff's Victory Nelson or Henry FitzRoy, Nick Knight (Rick Springfield or Gereint Wyn Davies), Angel, Spike, Mick St John, Kyuuketsuki Miyu, Lestat, Barnabas Collins (old or new or Even More New), Peta Wilson as Mina Harker, Anne Parrillaud from Innocent Blood, that wacky Cullen kid, or blue_succubus's Lissa from Vampire Academy, go over and let her know who and why. It's a chance to talk up your faves, and who of us ever passes up a chance to pimp our faves to our buds?

Welcome to my new default icon.

Anybody on my flist know how the following are pronounced (it's for a VO script):

Tol
Doljabee
Samshin Siru

I've tried youtube and googling, but to no avail. If you're Korean (or speak Korean) and can make a phone post locked just to me so I can dload and give samples to the PM (we've the actor in the booth today) I will shower you with chocolate.

ETA: and while not useful in the pronunciation dept., this (particularly the "24" spoof) and this ALIAS one killed me dead.

The Open Source Women Back Each Other Up Program.

AWESOME.

Open Source Boobs.

Okay, now that I have calmed down, and read clarifications and rebuttals I am still shaking my head over it (dear God the STUPID, it burns), but less inclined to actually commit murder (which I was an hour or so ago). However, my gut instinct is STILL that it's skeevy as hell, because rather than demystifying breasts, it perpetuates the objectification of women. Sorry, that's just how I feel.

I recognise that the women at the con who participated were giving express permission to be touched, and retained the right to refuse. It's the basic lack of understanding of what it means to be objectified in a really really skeevy way--particularly in many of the replies to comments--that really genuinely upset me. And passing it off as "it would be a better world if... hot girls were okay with being objectified" is just blatently offensive.

SCC Renewed!

*dances*

( Bye-bye BSG. Nice knowing you. )

So I called carta to go "OMG I HAZ AN OOOOD MADE OF STRIIIIIING" at her, and then we fell to talking about Scarecrow & Mrs King, like you do, and then I started remembering all those other shows that I watched and loved and I am always convinced no-one remembers but me. But now that they've put out Voyagers! on DVD, honestly there's nothing outside the realm of possibility anymore.

And aside from Max Headroom which is awfully obvious and really ought to come out one of these days, here are shows I watched and loved as a kid that aren't yet out on DVD:

1. Shell Game (James Reid! Margot Kidder! Together they Used to Commit Fight Crime!)
   
   
2. Man From Atlantis (OMG my love knows no bounds. See icon.)
   
   
3. Partners in Crime (Lynda Carter! Loni Anderson! Together, they fight crime!)
   
   
4. Throb (shut up! It had Corrine from Soap and a wee baby Paul Walker, and Jane Leaves before Frasier and it was AWESOME)
   
   
5. The Ghost & Mrs Muir (I have bootlegs from syndication, but they are crappy and cut to ribbons)
   
   
6. Nanny and the Professor (which I used to watch back-to-back with GAMM on a UHF channel every day of summer holidays)
   
   
7. Probe (the Asimov one, not the other one)
   
   
8. Wildfire (the animated fantasy one with the themesong I can still remember 20 years later)
   
   
9. FOX's Peter Pan and the Pirates (bar none my fave cartoon of the early 1990s until BTAS. The writing was outstanding. And as a tiny 16 year old geeky fangirl, I tried writing to the producers to pitch a spec script, just cos those girls had done it with Tiny Toons. I think someone actually sent me a very kind letter back, but it's all hazy now.)
   
   
10. Starman (Chris Barnes = My First Age Appropriate Crush)
    
    

So... granted, I think we've solidly established I was a freak and in fact still am. But seriously! Any one of these, and I'd be thrilled. Even Throb.

Stolen from liviapenn who stole it from _minxy_ who stole it from ivorygates who stole it from synecdochic who stole it from cofax7 who stole it from yahtzee63 who stole it from medie:

Quote a bit of my writing at me? Find that one story of mine that you really like, and find a sentence or a paragraph that presses your prose-buttons in the right way, and comment here with it? Don't care how long or short.

I finally gots ( Fires of Pompeii )

Okay, in keeping with Naked Day, check out The Zen Garden.

Apparently today is CSS Naked Day. The "Don't think. Just strip." made me laugh. But lo, I am OLDS and do not control my layouts with CSS so much (yes, I still use nested tables. Lemme alone, it works, k?), so there's no point for me... But I thought it would be interesting to my flist, cos, you know... it's my flist. We be geekz.

Graphic design geeks among you: Do you know if there are any subscription deals with Jupiter Images that include the Stockxpert library?

( Thinky Doctor Who Thoughts - 4.01 spoilers, and vague spoilers for all of TW and SJA )

( Doctor Who 4.01 - Partners in Crime )

Emru Townsend is really really awesome. No, really. He was one of the few folks from my early fangirl days on Usenet's animation and comics newsgroups with whom I'd kept in touch off and on for the last 15 or so years, (sadly mostly off for the last 5), and he's looking for a bone marrow transplanet because he has been diagnosed with a rare type of leukemia. It's really hard to find a match, due to his ethnic background. So please spread the word.

I take back everything nice I ever said about Chris Chibnall. You wanna know why? ( Torchwood spoilers )

I GO WATCH BSG NOW.

Drive by fic rec: Living History is an absolutely stunning SJA story, written by minerva_fan for the Sarah Jane Adventures ficathon. Read it. it won't take you long, but it's worth it.

OMG NSA CRYPTOLOGIC MUSEUM EXHIBIT PIKSHURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am now flailing with pure geek joy.

OMG SO AWESOME. This article is like ESPIONAGE GEEK PORN. I'm serious. Cracking the Enigma cipher during WWII? SEXY. I'm only up through the Brits capturing the Enigma codebooks from the U-110 and fooling the Germans using deception techniques (like flying recon over areas they already knew from the broken codes were important, just so the Germans would believe it was the planes what spotted it, and that the Enigma codes were still safe and keep using themn. GENIUS). But I am seriously seriously loving this.

Also, whoever at the NSA who wrote it actually makes me understand how the damned things worked, which is more than I can say for everything I've read thus far on the Enigma machines.

For them what did not see it yet, this is the Galaxy Rangers pin-up artwork accompanying my trivia piece in the second issue of cereal:geek.

So. Awesome.

For them what are interested: I have pimped my fave small fandom, Gosford Park, at smallfandomfest.

Also, I am taking another interest poll on a potential Gosford Park ficathon at gosfordpark.

C'mon, we need something to write between remix and yuletide, right? You know you wanna.

Fanfic writers pride themselves on their respect for and fidelity to their original source material, and in their writing they rarely, if ever, do anything that questions or contradicts the ideologies underwriting the original texts. As, in most cases, these original texts are steeped in patriarchal ideologies, this means that fanfiction, likewise, is strongly patriarchal and almost always woman-hating, despite the fact that women are now the main authors of fanfiction.

O RLY?

Golly. Apparently I've been doing it wrong these last 20 years. Silly me, with my patriarchy-upholding women-hating fan fiction.

ETA: Because clearly I hate Adora of Etheria, Jennifer "Pilot" Chase, Niko, Marion of Leaford, Nathalie Lambert, Janette DuCharme, Tessa Noel, Morgaine, Sydney Bloom, Devon Adair, Julia Heller, Bess Morgan, Elisa Maza, B'Elanna Torres, Katherine Janeway, Nikita, Diana Prince, Chloe Sullivan, Zoe, River Tam, Kaylee Frye, Inara Serra, Dr Diane Hughes, NSA Deputy Director Louise Beckett, Sarah Forbes, Stormer Phillips, Kimber Benton, Rose Tyler, Jackie Tyler, Martha Jones, Mary MacEachran, Jane Wilson, Mathilde, Sarah Connor, and Cameron Phillips. And every mother, daughter, sister, girl, and woman I have written about since I was 11 years old.

Okay, to be fair, Cameron is a killer robot from the future and not a Real Girl.

I am speachless with rage at this kind of simplistic bullshit presuming to speak for all women who read and write fan fiction (excuse me, the fuck?) passing itself off as genuine scholarship. And the blanket statements alone would have my tenth grade English teacher getting her bitch on. And lemme tell you, Sr Valerio could bring it.

Does anyone have the zipped assets from the SCC poster contest that ended in December?

Hollywood Reporter says SCC is very likely to be renewed. OMG GLEE.

Title: Temporal Mechanics
Author: Tara O'Shea
Character/Pairing: John, Cameron
Rating: PG
Summary: Set during "Vick's Chip". John Connor's knowledge of temporal mechanics hinges on linear time and the concept of causality.
Disclaimer: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and all related elements, characters and indicia © 2007 Warner Bros. Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. All characters and situations—save those created by the authors for use solely on this website—are copyright Warner Bros. Entertainment.
Author Notes: Please do not archive or distribute without author's permission.

( Temporal Mechanics )

Sneak Peek at Galaxy Rangers boxset goodies

Oh Bob Mandell, I love you LIKE PIE.

Also? For the first time in 20 years, the lyrics are clear enough for me to make out. AWESOMESAUCE.

I think there should be SCC comment fic.

*waits patiently*


ETA: spoilers up through 1.09

( Torchwood - Something Borrowed )

Guess what I'm listening to?

That would be "Silver", the new Boiled in Lead album.

ZOMG YAYS.

It's more "Orb" than it is "Antler Dance" thus far, but I'm still digging it muchly, for I have missed Todd Menton (tho now I shall miss Adam Stemple... which is funny, when you think about it).

It's just amazing to live in a world once more where there are new BiL albums. For true.

ETA: OMG THEY COVER A FLASH GIRLS SONG!!!!!!!! MADE OF AWESOME.

And I am digging the new version of "House Carpenter" which I only have it on the "Boiled Alive" tape from God knows when...

Marsters' manager asked a friend of mine if she could get the word out. Please spread the word!

Calling all TORCHWOOD fans – don’t miss the opportunity to meet some of the Torchwood stars and behind the scenes talent. The Rift is a one day convention in Porchester Hall in Central London on Saturday, April 26, 2008. Confirmed guests include: Eve Myles, Gareth David Lloyd, James Marsters, Alan Dale, Richard Stokes (producer) Chris Chibnall (writer) and James Moran (writer). Guests will be signing autographs, taking photographs, doing Q&A sessions and panel discussions. James Marsters will end the evening with a bang by rocking the house in a live concert! Don't miss out on all the fun – for complete details and tickets go to www.jamesmarsterslive.com.

I can personally attest to the fabulousness that is James Moran. If you go, hug him for me.

Today I have decided to concentrate my glee on Sarah Jane Adventures. And I invite everyone on my flist to tell me three things they love about it, what makes them happy. I shall start.

( potentially slightly spoilery, if you've never seen SJA )

Now it's your turn. What makes you glee?

I don't really remember the order of events of the week-end, but I can tell you that I adored the panels this year. Seriously. I did I think 8 panels all told:

( Forever Martha Jones )

( The Care and Feeding of the Doctor Who Fan )

( Save Our Show: How Fans Can Impact Television )

( The Enduring Appeal of Vampires )

( The Liars Panel )

( Squee )

( The State of SF TV & Film, and the Impact of the Writers' Strike )

( Gender and Sexuality and the Changing Face of Doctor Who )

Wow. This is almost a proper con report. Go me!

Show of hands--who all is going to be at Gallifrey One in LA this week-end?

Official press release about SJA getting a 2nd series woot! We already knew cos of Lis, but yay for official.

ETA: SJA s1 on SFC starting in April!

(thanks michaeldthomas!)

Not the usual puff piece, as a South African article discusses the potential of fan fiction to improve youth literacy.

I think that is actually AWESOME. Speaking as someone who has long pushed the idea of comics as improving literacy at skeptical parents as a way of getting their kid to read (and read for pleasure), I like the non-judgemental approach at seeing how fan culture can positively affect a broader cultural base. Wish the 4th estate took this route a little more often, instead of going for the sensationalism...

fishdoctorpost, goss, ladyniko, leethomps!

Galaxy Rangers DVD boxsets coming!

FYI, doing more flist trimming--mostly of old comms (still), and journals that haven't been updated in a year or more. Don't worry--general fannish geekiness, fan fiction, icons, and fan art will remain unlocked.

Nifty short film in support of the WGA strike by Abbie Bernstein, who is MADE OF WIN!



Special appearence by Gojira (sorta)!

(and yes, that is in fact Dr Phlox)

Jerry O'Connell, how are you so awesome?

I totally forgive you for that last year of Sliders, now. No, really. That is how much I love you right now.

Everyone else has already said the stuff that's important, and I could go 'what she said" all evening, but here goes...

I support the Organization for Transformative Works because I think a large automated multi-fandom archive that is fully supported financially by fans rather than advertising revenues (and is able to archive all range of content without fear) is a very good thing and the universe can always use more of them.

I support the OTW because when someone recently tried to market non-commercial fan works, fandom went "oh hell no" and sat down immediately to come up with an alternative that not only does everything that the commercial one proposed to do, but plans to do it by fans for fans, while respecting the rights of the source material from which fan works derive and not "just to make a buck".

I support the OTW because I think it's important that we have someone at our back in case things get hairy and a single person is threatened with crippling legal messes that they can't handle or afford.

I support the OTW even though I may not agree with them on all things or some things or at times even most things, I may not like all of them or know all of them or care to know all of them, but I will not deny that it cannot hurt us to have it, and might help us to have it down the line.

I support the OTW because some of them are my friends, some of them are strangers, but all of them understand that storytelling is in our blood and in our souls as human beings, and that will never change. Nor will the desire to share the stories we tell with others simply for the joy of the making and the sharing.

omg i got BEARS.

O_O

OMG AWESOME.

*showers anonymous bear hug person with glitter*

I had no idea I've apparently had bears for, erm... a while? ish?

*facepalms*

Yays! Bears!

Just think... if only 9 more people sign the Harry Sullivan and the Giant Clam Petition, there would be 200 signatures.

Happy more joy day!

( TW series 2 goodies - casting spoiler )

Want? Take. Have.

( Doctor Who )

( Gosford Park )

( Jekyll, Jem, and Léon )

More yuletide recs!

Impossible (BTAS)
Lovely little wee drabble exploring Bat/Cat.

The Day Off (Early Edition)
Just a lovely lovely pitch-perfect Gary, and I adore his dad.

I Take Thee, Carter: A Tale of Several Weddings and an Apocalypse (Eureka)
I adored this madly, because I can so see every bit of it clearly, hearing the characters voices, picturing Jack's hysterical frustration. And the ending gutted me.

Five Have An Indoor Adventure (The Famous Five)
Outrageously funny and utterly smart and dead-on satire which anyone who read the books as children or adults should read, just to warp them for life.

Public Interest (The Fifth Element)
Hysterically batty glimpses into the post-movie life of the Dallases, but way of a very fun OC. The bit with Rhod killed me dead. As did the eventual unlikely friendship that sprang up.

Rough Justice (Gosford Park)
An alternate take on Parks and Henry, where the "and don't call me mate" scene is replaced with something much darker and more dangerous.

A Dish Best Served Cold (Gosford Park)
Brilliant expansion of the canon, particularly Mary and Denton. Parks in the film is such a cipher, but his voice in this feels just right, and it works with everything we know and builds on it to add even more layers.

Gauntlet (Jekyll)
Lovely look at the state of Jackman just prior to the first episode.

Toiling Upward in the Night (Jekyll)
The series from Miranda's POV, and has some gorgeous Mir-voice, and some lovely kookiness from Min as well.

Love Unites Us(Jem)
Fluffy and frothy and fun exploration of star-crossed lovers Kimber and Stormer that's charming without being too tongue-in-cheek, and is stuffed full of character moments from the whole cast that feel just right. Particularly Clash and Eric Raymond.

Port In The Storm (Journeyman)
I love this exploration of Katie, who has the hardest job of all of not knowing if and when her husband and the father of her child will make it home safe, and how she deals with that.

Beacon (Journeyman)
This just captures what I love best about this series. Namely, the relationship between Dan and Katie, and how what really matters is that she's the one he comes home to.

Mad Lord Time (Neverwhere)
I love Richard as the fish-out-of-water, and the battle between the Summer King and Winter King recast with New York Below loonies.

When Gus Met Shawn (and She-Ra) (Psych)
Sweet and totally believable story of Shaun and Gus' Christmas traditions.

It's Midnight and Daisy Steiner's Ex-Boyfriend is a Massive Wanker (Spaced)
This is SO THEM. Seriously.

Harry Potter and the Reluctant Fanboy (Spaced)
Likewise, I love how frustrated Daisy is, repeatedly beating her head against Tim's impervious Wall of Male Fanboy Denial. We've all been there, and it's adorable to see the tables turned as Daisy is the one who is fannish about something, and her earnest desire to share it with Tim because of course you want to share something that brings you joy with the people you love. ALso, I adore Mike in this, and I really hope Daisy holds onto that awareness of how shit Twist is as friends go, but everyone was just spot on and it felt just like an episode.

Right on Your Table (Starman (tv))
This may be one of my fave Yuletide stories of all time, because it's a slightly darer continuation of the story with brilliant Scott voice. It's like seeing half an episode, only Scott's POV, which actually makes it terrifying as without the cutaways to Paul working his magic, has you on the edge of your seat as you're not sure how Scott's going to possibly survive Fox this time. Just stunning update of my first fandom.

Brought to Light (Sunshine)
Captures the feel of the novel, and further explores the relationship between Sunshine and Con. There's some gorgeous Sunshine voice in this one.

Why I love mtgat, Reason #4071:

Fandom comes ready-made with expectations. We expect the Winchester brothers to be obsessively protective of each other. We expect Wonder Woman to be a pro-woman warrior. We expect Luke Skywalker to continue the Hero's Journey. We expect Captain Kirk to be a womanizer. We expect Buffy to kick vampire butt and look pretty while she's doing it. We expect Harry Potter to have adventures alongside Hermione and Ron, while Malfoy and Snape scorn him and Voldemort tries to kill him. We expect. We write characters who are both broad and subtle, Hals and Falstaffs, Beatrices and Benedicks, even Pucks for a new generation. And because the story's the thing, we don't spend time on stage directions or makeup suggestions, unless it's vitally important for Han Solo to exit, pursued by a bear. We know these people, and we know their backstories (or don't and want to explore them), and we know what we’ve seen them do.

This is a brilliant essay on why assumed level of knowledge isn't a bug, it's a feature (and one I'd like to point out is not unique to derivative fiction. Shakespeare assumed his audience knew history well enough to not particularly NEED to delve into the Origin Story of, you know, EVERY MONARCH HE EVER WROTE ABOUT. And Ovid never laid out the Olympians Family Tree before talking about anybody pursuing anybody until She Turned Herself Into A Hedge To Get Away From The Bastard. I love how the outside world goes "ah Fan Fiction, you're so quaint with your little storytelling quirks" ignoring the part where most of them exist in all manner of fiction...)

But I just want a tee-shirt now that says "Han Solo Exists, Pursued By Bears".

samples:



( 25 icons )

crossposted to gosfordpark

More to come when I've more time to read...

The Kid from the Narrows (Batman Begins)
Brilliant blending of the 1980s comics and the film, with heartbreaking results. The realisation hits you like a fist to the gut, and you can't help but hope the movie-verse takes a different path.

The Highest Reaches of Hell (Batman Begins)
Really stunning exploration of Bruce, and the facade he's created to wear like a hair shirt.

Lodestone (Batman Begins)
Has a gorgeous take on "Year One" through the film canon, showing the evolution of both Jom Gordon and his relationship with The Bat.

If Wishing Made It So (BTAS)
Lovely bit of Bat/Cat, perfectly in keeping with the series. Also, hilarious Tim Xmas bits as well.

Cultivating Marigolds (Blood Ties)
Wicked hot Vicki/Coreen that is structured just like a mini-epsidoe, with a nice little side of Vicki/Henry/Mike.

Ionic, Doric, Corinthian, Agony (Greek Mythology)
Brilliant fantasticly structured and executed story about Ares and Aphrodite, those two wacky kids.

Love Theme (love actually)
This is the one storyline that breaks my heart the most, and I love how it isn't all neat and tidy, but feels achingly real.

Flexible Parameters (Max Headroom)
This is just a pitch perfect story, with just the right number of canon references, and the dialogue is fantasic. And I particularly love how it handles Edison/bryce without diminishing Theora's role in both their lives. Also, I love Murray. Always and forever.

Realizations (Mairelon the Magician/The Magician's Ward)
Lovely look at Kim from Richard's POV during The Magician's Ward.

Juggling (Mirrormask)
Beautiful look at how the juggler-who-is-not-Valentine fits into the Campbell circus and family.

And Still More Tomorrow (Remington Steele)
Murphy has always been one of my favourite characters and the main reaoon why I love first season so much. This is just a perfect exploration of his and Laura's relationship.

A Man of Middling Morals (Robin Hood BBC)
I'm a season behind on this series, so I'm not sure where Alan, Djaq and Will stand in canon--but I am adopting this as my personal canon. Becasue Alan's voice is dead on, Guy is just that perfect blend of asshole with a very tarnished heart of gold, and Djaq is clever and brilliant and perfect in every way.

The Book of Ruth (Spooks)
This just broke my heart, and then made me giddy with glee. Gorgeous look at Ruth and Harry.

The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?)
Someone's taking out CGI Characters, and Roger's off to clear Jessica's name. Haven't seen the movie in a while? DOESN'T MATTER. GO READ IT. SERIOUSLY. And OMG YAY Jem and The Iron Giant shoutouts!

Erotophonophilia (Wire In The Blood)
Absolutely stunning look at Tony and Carol that manages to capture the rhytam of Tony's speach as well as all the delicate balance of their relationship. ALso, it's sexy as hell.

Resolution (Wire In The Blood)
Just a lovely look at Carol and Tony, after South Africa. Just the right ntoes of hope and resignation.

And So It Goes (Wire In The Blood)
Excellent look at Tony's awkward position on the team, and his thorny and complicated relationship with Carol.

And my yuletide pressie:

Down in Threes (Gosford Park)
Gorgeous gorgeous look at who Mary becomes--how Mrs Wilson and Robert both influence her life in different ways, leading up to a meeting that was fated to be, between two people who aren't the people they were when they first met.

Two yuletide recs, before I leave for the airport:

The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down, a Who Framed Roger Rabbit PIECE OF UNMITIGATED GENIUS. Someone's taking out CGI Characters, and Roger's off to clear Jessica's name. Haven't seen the movie in a while? DOESN'T MATTER. GO READ IT. SERIOUSLY. And OMG YAY Jem and The Iron Giant shoutouts!

Ionic, Doric, Corinthian, Agony, a brilliant bit of Greek Mythology about Ares and Aphrodite, those two wacky kids.