Atlantis ramblings...
Aug. 15th, 2004 03:47 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
castaliaSpent Thursday with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cimmerianwillow hanging out and showing her the two latest Atlantis eps (heh, I'll get her loving Beckett/McKay sooner or later *g*). As is our wont, we also discussed slash in general and the representation, or lack thereof, of gay relationships in television.
You know, I'd give almost anything to see a pairing like Beckett/McKay be canon. Anything. It doesn't have to be a big thing, doesn't have to be in the spotlight or billed as a "Very Special Episode" (really, I'd rather they didn't do that, please). I'd be happy with a background type of thing, just something presented matter-of-factly as completely normal, unsurprising, and nothing extraordinary.
Except, it would be. We've never had that yet. Never. You can site the homoerotic subtext of Joss Wedon series, canon 'ships like Willow/Tara and Willow/Kennedy, and shows like Queer as Folk and Will and Grace all you like. We've never had a grown-up, male/male relationship shown as a normal, happy, relatively adjusted part of everyday life. Female pairings are safe, b/c we all know how men view those (though they don't really get realistic portrayal either, from what I hear). But men? Nope, can't have that. Not unless it's shown as subversive, maladjusted, or extremely frelled-up (Oz, anyone?). Gays only get to be villians, comic relief, or victims of tragedy.
If I were to see Rodney and Carson get together on the show, even in subtle ways - a few lines of dialogue now and again to let us know, seeing one of them come into the lab and give the other a quick peck on the cheek, anything - I think my brain would short-circuit. And I don't see why we can't have that. Carson is a secondary character, civilian, no problem there. Rodney isn't military and is very much the geek type - the narrow-minded out there could still have their macho military characters be nothing but het. No command structure obstacles, no regs to get around. Just a couple of geeks in love. The show is produced by the Sci-Fi Channel, not exactly known for squeamishness when it comes to putting the homosexual undertones in their shows (for evidence of that, one only need watch a few eps of Farscape). They also tend to hire actors who would have absolutely no problems with such a move. And yet, I don't hold out much hope for it happening any time soon.
Dammit, I wish just one series would be brave enough to do this. There's such a huge audience for it, a demographic being completely overlooked. Not surprising, as most networks seem not to give a fig for the female demographic, let alone any minority. Would they *really* lose any of their audience b/c of a canon gay relationship? Somehow, I don't think so. If you can't get around network censors or public tv funding, well, independent stations like this are the way to go. Bravo doesn't seem to have any trouble finding sponsors.
Sorry for the ramble-turned-rant, but man, I want this. I love looking for subtext and reading fic and playing with pairings in fandom, but just once I'd like my OTP to be canon. You can't turn the tv to any station out there and not find a canon het storyline. As for slash? We want our turn.
On a happier note, GIP for Rodney cuteness, b/c I think this may be my favorite pic of him ever. He's absolutely adorable, and I blame him for a good portion of the loss of my cognitive function lately.
cimmerianwillow hanging out and showing her the two latest Atlantis eps (heh, I'll get her loving Beckett/McKay sooner or later *g*). As is our wont, we also discussed slash in general and the representation, or lack thereof, of gay relationships in television.You know, I'd give almost anything to see a pairing like Beckett/McKay be canon. Anything. It doesn't have to be a big thing, doesn't have to be in the spotlight or billed as a "Very Special Episode" (really, I'd rather they didn't do that, please). I'd be happy with a background type of thing, just something presented matter-of-factly as completely normal, unsurprising, and nothing extraordinary.
Except, it would be. We've never had that yet. Never. You can site the homoerotic subtext of Joss Wedon series, canon 'ships like Willow/Tara and Willow/Kennedy, and shows like Queer as Folk and Will and Grace all you like. We've never had a grown-up, male/male relationship shown as a normal, happy, relatively adjusted part of everyday life. Female pairings are safe, b/c we all know how men view those (though they don't really get realistic portrayal either, from what I hear). But men? Nope, can't have that. Not unless it's shown as subversive, maladjusted, or extremely frelled-up (Oz, anyone?). Gays only get to be villians, comic relief, or victims of tragedy.
If I were to see Rodney and Carson get together on the show, even in subtle ways - a few lines of dialogue now and again to let us know, seeing one of them come into the lab and give the other a quick peck on the cheek, anything - I think my brain would short-circuit. And I don't see why we can't have that. Carson is a secondary character, civilian, no problem there. Rodney isn't military and is very much the geek type - the narrow-minded out there could still have their macho military characters be nothing but het. No command structure obstacles, no regs to get around. Just a couple of geeks in love. The show is produced by the Sci-Fi Channel, not exactly known for squeamishness when it comes to putting the homosexual undertones in their shows (for evidence of that, one only need watch a few eps of Farscape). They also tend to hire actors who would have absolutely no problems with such a move. And yet, I don't hold out much hope for it happening any time soon.
Dammit, I wish just one series would be brave enough to do this. There's such a huge audience for it, a demographic being completely overlooked. Not surprising, as most networks seem not to give a fig for the female demographic, let alone any minority. Would they *really* lose any of their audience b/c of a canon gay relationship? Somehow, I don't think so. If you can't get around network censors or public tv funding, well, independent stations like this are the way to go. Bravo doesn't seem to have any trouble finding sponsors.
Sorry for the ramble-turned-rant, but man, I want this. I love looking for subtext and reading fic and playing with pairings in fandom, but just once I'd like my OTP to be canon. You can't turn the tv to any station out there and not find a canon het storyline. As for slash? We want our turn.
On a happier note, GIP for Rodney cuteness, b/c I think this may be my favorite pic of him ever. He's absolutely adorable, and I blame him for a good portion of the loss of my cognitive function lately.
