watching X-files with the lights on; and organic chemistry

[xparrot]

Saw the new X-files movie last night. gnine told me it was random about two dozen times. This was not enough to convince me of how random it really was. If you're wondering how random was it? Just so you know, it was RANDOM.

The plot - plots - plot and a half - what the heck did Scully's storyline have to do with the price of fish, or two-headed dogs, as it were? - they weren't even X-files, hardly. Stem cell research, modern Frankenstein - ummm, not really, no. Sorry.

But who cares?

Battle!Scully and her mad surgical skillz! CKR as a crazy gay Russian! Caldwell Skinner snuggling drugged!Mulder to keep him warm! Sunflower seeds and pencils in the ceiling! And most importantly, Mulder and Scully curled up together in a big bed calling each other by their last names and discussing icky pseudoscience! Oh you crazy kids and your spooky pillow-talk! ♥♥♥

Sometimes, it's really, really nice to have a het OTP.


And speaking of het...


In SGA - this came up in the comments on my post on "Tracker", but it's a thought I've had before, concerning Rodney, and Rodney/Keller, and romance in SGA in general. Putting aside my other feelings on the McKeller pairing - does anyone see sexual chemistry there? Because I don't. And I've kind of got a problem with that.

I had the same problem with Rodney/Katie Brown - more so, really, because they were both adults, pushing middle age, who supposedly had been dating on and off for a couple years. Yet they seemed awkward even holding hands; they were oddly adverse to touching even in private, and the only kiss we saw between them was when Cadman was in control, and was totally camp besides. Likewise, in "The Last Man," the McKeller kiss is sweet, but terribly chaste, and when Jennifer is on her deathbed they only hold hands.

It's not like Rodney doesn't have a sex drive - there's him and Sam, obviously; also he's openly attracted to the Wraith in "Aurora" and the scientist in "Inferno." And it's not that DH can't do sexual chemistry - he and Amanda Tapping are pretty crackling in "Grace Under Pressure" (not to mention various other performances; he heats it up underwater in Boa vs Python, about the only convincing thing in that entire movie; and he's pretty damn hot with the gay making out in Century Hotel) And Jewel Staite had no problems being both cute and sexual in Firefly. But together I don't get a sense of physical attraction. (It's almost to the point that I wonder if David and Jewel are uncomfortable playing it for some reason, perhaps the age difference? Or else it's the directors' choices.)

Especially with Rodney, it annoys me because (and I admit I might be oversensitive here, but) I get the impression the writers have a difficult time conceiving of Rodney as being sexually desirable. Both him being attracted to women, and women being attracted to him physically, are played more for laughs than anything else; while he's allowed awkward flirting and occasional obnoxiously sexist drooling, his actual sex life is purely theoretical and a matter of cheap jokes. The writers seem able to understand Keller liking Rodney's vulnerable woobie side, but struggle to imagine her or any woman actually wanting him physically. (In spite of much evidence to the contrary out here in the real world!) (Rodney's one of the few adult characters on TV who I could see as being a virgin; I don't think he's intended to be seen that way, but it's not that difficult to so interpret his inexperience and juvenile confusion with relationships.)

I'd be more offended on Rodney/DH's behalf if it weren't that the writers/directors have trouble portraying sexual chemistry, period. While Rodney gets it the worst (he's never actually kissed anyone in this timeline while in his right mind), no one's got much of an active or believable sex life. The weirdly uncomfortable hesitancy with most of Sheppard's hook-ups is partly how JFlan plays them, but partly the writing. With Ronon they've neatly skirted the issue (though his flashbacks of Melena are about the most explicitly sexual scene in the show), and for all Teyla's belly and cleavage shots, she managed to get pregnant entirely off-screen. Carson's had the most active love-life, but that's been mostly off-screen as well.

This wasn't an issue for me before (as I've said many times, I am quite happy with sex staying totally behind the scenes in SGA; it's not what I'm watching for) but now, when they're trying to write "romance," it's all confessions of love and statements of intentions, bizarrely separate from sexual desire, like they're all living in a Rogers & Hammerstein musical.

It also causes confusion when there is more of a physical (if platonic) connection between, say, John and Rodney (in "The Shrine") or the sparring between John, Teyla, and Ronon (any combination has quite sexually charged matches.) The romance comes across as less believable and meaningful
than the other relationships when it's missing the physical component that is essential to any adult romantic relationship.

Comments

[ladyoflisquill.livejournal.com]

So Caldwell Skinner is actually in the movie then... is it bad that I now want to watch it more?

Seriously, if I can handle the SGA writing skillz I can handle XFiles randomness, right?

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hey, it's Skinner, I totally understand! Though I must warn he's got little more than a glorified cameo, maybe 3 scenes total right at the end...(really, if you were a hard-core X-phile, it's worth seeing for the 10 minutes or so that are actually any good. The rest is...impressively forgettable, though.)

[wneleh.livejournal.com]

I'm moderating a panel on Rodney and his relationships (of all sorts) at EMC next month, so it was interesting to read your thoughts.

My take has been that the writers seem to want him, above all others on SGA, to have relationships, and have them grow. I like your reasons for why, esp. w/ Keller as played by someone very young, there may not be any chemistry to be had. But I've seen actors in community theatre manifest sexual chemistry where there isn't any IRL, so I don't know.

Gotta go, but I'll be tracking comments.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I don't think the lack of chemistry can be blamed entirely on the actors - both DH and JS are quite talented at their craft. A lot of it is at least as much the fault of the direction - they could be directed to have more contact. In "The Last Man" he could've touched her face or kissed her goodbye or something. I'm not asking for soft-core porn, just a sign that these are two people who can enjoy, or at least take some comfort in a physical connection. (Or else an explanation for why they are so deeply uncomfortable with the physical, because it's pretty unnatural to have adults this awkward...)

[(Anonymous)]

does anyone see sexual chemistry there?

[starts wank]Putting aside my other feelings as well: nope. I like UST, don't get me wrong, House and , because it doesn't add anything to the story.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Ack! No wank here! *hastily cleans up with tissues*

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of UST myself (never seen House, actually) but there's not even UST here, really...

[mezzo-cammin.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...aren't writers supposed to write what they know? Maybe the SGA writers are all virgins, or um...inexperienced...or maybe even repressed?

Okay, just kidding. But I do agree - I think the most sexual chemistry I've seen is with John and Larrin (sp?), and even that didn't ring quite true. Oh, wait - there were a couple of Ronon/Elizabeth moments. And Ronon/Keller. But the writers, I think, are very careful not to tie the lead characters into permanent relationships because then they couldn't have any fun with the guest star of the week, could they?

As far as how Rodney's romances have been portrayed, I agree - the producers might have a hard time coming to terms with him being attractive to women...they certainly don't seem comfortable showing a woman being attracted to him (except in the Brotherhood, maybe?) and yet, Rodney seems to be the one to want to 'settle down'. right until it comes up to the actual commitment part.

I think, really, that the writers have a sense of Rodney (and John as well) of being old-fashioned. Maybe it's their age. But the characters do seem to have a certain innate sense of chivalry and honor about them, don't they?

Hmmmm...I like posts that make me think! :)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Most of the SGA writers are married, as far as I know, so they must know something of sex, but...yeah. They're not very good at writing it.

Even the guest-star relationships are pretty distant and stilted, as these things go. John/Larrin does have some chemistry, especially in the writing, but I don't know if I buy it (I admit to bias; I like Larrin on paper but the actor doesn't work for me, not sure why. And JFlan is always weird; with Larrin he seems downright frightened of her sexuality.) I think there were some Ronon/Teyla moments early on, but they decided to go totally platonic there.

I think, really, that the writers have a sense of Rodney (and John as well) of being old-fashioned. Maybe it's their age.

Rodney especially does come across as "old-fashioned" but he's only 40 - it's weird that he'd be that repressed. And chivalry's one thing, but when you're already in a long-term relationship with someone (as with him and Katie Brown, or Keller in "The Last Man") you'd think there'd be more contact than holding hands (we see Katie and Rodney alone a couple times and they're still at arms' length. After two years? That's weird to the point of dysfunctional...!)

[valoryhope.livejournal.com]

Rodney seems to be the one to want to 'settle down'. right until it comes up to the actual commitment part.

I think that because Rodney is so awkward at flirting/dating--and at social interactions in general, when they ARE social, and not professional--he wants to be in a committed relationship simply so that he'll no longer have to deal with dating et al. Once he's past the courtship stage with someone, he can get laid, get emotional comfort, have an audience for his stories and ranting, etc., but still concentrate primarily on his work. This is one reason why he seems to plunge so impulsively into relationships, making premature declarations of love. Although when the possibility of real commitment looms, he often backs away (as with Katie), perhaps because, deep down, he knows that it isn't the real thing.

And maybe his feelings for John are still close enough to the surface to hold him back from the conventional pairing in which he's grown up believing.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with you here. The writers just don't know how to write romance.

I mean, for example, Ronon has a bigger crush on John than on Jennifer, IMHO. Maybe it's the way Jason plays the part, but Ronon is always following Sheppard around and not just physically but with his eyes too, always watching him, leaning over etc. With Jennifer, we got one almost kiss but Ronon's sparring session were much more charged with sexuality than this.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Agreed that Ronon comes across as crushing on John; all the sparring sessions are charged with physicality, and yes, he watches John, too. And then John comes across as crushing on Rodney by the way he watches Rodney so intently (especially when Mikita directs.)

...in conclusion, OT4, all the way (Teyla can come too, just 'cuz she's hot XP)

[attaccabottoni.livejournal.com]

Oh you crazy kids and your spooky pillow-talk! ♥♥♥

\o/ That comment was made of win.

My shipper heart really drowned out my brain's complaints with all the "AAAAAAAWWWWW..."-ing it did. I just rejoiced in their adorably weird old-married-couple-ness. :D

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I know, most of the movie I was WTF HUH??? but afterwards I just felt warm & fuzzy - long live the weird old-married-couple-ness! I actually don't think I could've asked for a better place for Mulder & Scully to end up ^___^

[sp23.livejournal.com]

Since I'm not Scully/Mulder shipper, (I'm fine with them being together, but it's not my primary reason for watching the X-Files)I was pretty disappointed in the last X-Files movie. The DVD certainly won't be joining my X-Files collection.

I really don't understand what the writers think of Rodney and sex. Frankly, they seem to want to infantilize him, make his het relationships more a fantasy than a reality. However, I thought he and Jewel were fine in The Last Man. In fact, I thought they looked very comfortable together in the scene where they were walking in the park right before her nose started bleeding. Otherwise? It's as if the writers are terrified to allow anyone to touch each other on that show.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Ahahah yes...I admit, X-files and I had a messy breakup, we weren't on speaking terms for a while. Now it's been long enough that a little of the love's come back, but really only for Mulder & Scully; the rest of the arcs got so frustrating and incoherent that I try to forget they ever happened. So I enjoyed the bits of the movie with the MSR (and Skinner), but the rest was utterly forgettable.

they seem to want to infantilize him, make his het relationships more a fantasy than a reality.

Yes...that's pretty much just it. He's not even like a teenager; he's like a 10 year old who thinks that first base is holding hands and kissing is the home run. Except that doesn't jive with the times he has drooled over women, or watched their asses, or the way he talks to Carter...but then the show either plays it for laughs, or as a dirty habit; he never once checked out Katie Brown that I recall, nor Keller (except for a little foot-in-mouth in "Trio", but then "Trio" is the closest the show has come to implying any kind of sexual tension between Rodney and Jennifer.)

However, I thought he and Jewel were fine in The Last Man. In fact, I thought they looked very comfortable together in the scene where they were walking in the park right before her nose started bleeding.

The the park arm-in-arm is beautifully shot, but it feels like an old married couple out for a stroll - she looks like his niece, more than his lover of less than a year. Which I really liked, because it gave their relationship a melancholy feel, like neither of them had the emotional strength for passion anymore. (I'll disclaim - I love the McKeller of "The Last Man," but I see it entirely as a tragic romance, shipwreck survivors clinging to each other for warmth, not a real or lasting relationship.) What disturbed me more was when Jennifer's dying at the SGC, and she pleads with him with big sad eyes but doesn't so much as reach for him - any gesture would've done, she could have cupped his cheek and he could've kissed her hand. Anything to show these are two people who enjoy each other's touch.

But, yeah, they're terrified of touch on SGA (platonically, too, for the most part, which is why "The Shrine" felt so incredibly intimate...)

[deadlychameleon.livejournal.com]

SGA always had a weird asexual vibe to me, it wasn't bad, but I guess it was a little strange now that you mention it. I get the general impression that the writers (and maybe the actors) don't know how to do scientist + sexual. It's not something you see in the movies too often, it's either unrealistic hot scientist in a tank top, or socially awkward unkempt scientist.

But I echo the opinion. Some heartfelt hugging and eyegazing between couples would have been nice.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Yeah - I never minded SGA's asexuality before (I'm not that interested in sex, it's not what I watch TV for) but now that they're going more for romance, their inability/discomfort depicting it is showing, and it's really not helping sell a romance I'm not interested in to begin with. (It's getting underscored for me because I've been watching Traders, which is semi-soap opera, and has much more realistic and believable sexual relationships between a variety of people, and not just the pretty young ones.)

[ariadne83]

I get the general impression that the writers (and maybe the actors) don't know how to do scientist + sexual. Sorry to comment-jump, but I definitely lean more towards blaming the writers, simply because I had a lot of the same issues with SG-1. We were *told* that Sam was continuing to date a guy we'd seen on-screen once or twice, but she didn't really mention him, and when they escalated the relationship to engagement (noticing any parallels with Rodney yet? LOL) it quickly fell apart.

[argosy.livejournal.com]

I see sexual chemistry, I do! Although I will definitely grant you that the writers aren't doing them too many favors. I don't think we've really seen them in a situation yet that would bring the sexual chemistry to the forefront. I saw it in "The Last Man," and in "Trio" (which had clueless!Rodney, but that was the right way to go for that situation, imo). We're not going to see them ready to jump each other in the infirmary. I'm happy the show has kept it dialed-down so far--I love the idea of them as a couple, but I don't want to see it taking over.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I admit that some of this is my own bias - I'm not really looking for the chemistry, so... And I don't want to see them all over each other or anything - they're not teenagers, I'm not expecting raging hormones. But it did get me in "The Last Man" that she was dying and they don't even kiss. They come across as more platonic than romantic (which I liked, but it doesn't make me believe in the pairing.)

ETA: I also admit bias that if Rodney & Keller actually got it on, then hell, at least I'd have DH being sexy! That'd make up for a lot for me XP

[greyias.livejournal.com]

Aw, see you do intelligent meta so much better than me!

I'm snipping a lot to keep from getting rambly, but I did have one thought that might explain the physical separation in "The Last Man" during Keller's final infirmary scene. As she was dying from repeated exposure to the Hoffan drug, might they have been worried about it spreading? I mean, technically the version in Pegasus was gene based, but it did mutate into a communicable strain as evidenced by Keller catching it from "repeated exposure".

Of course, if it was very catching Rodney probably would have caught it from kissing and other physical contact that was presumably happening up to that point. But perhaps the SGC doctors, and Keller herself, were erring on the safe side, and didn't want to risk Rodney catching it. My grasping straws, let me show you them.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

(awww, but I like rambly! It gives me an excuse to be rambly back, and you know how I love that!)

technically the version in Pegasus was gene based, but it did mutate into a communicable strain as evidenced by Keller catching it from "repeated exposure".

...We wondered about that ourselves.
But yeah, that's actually a reasonable reason for the lack of contact. Though then he should have been wearing a mask or gloves or something? --Or otherwise, if they were hoping there was any chance of saving Keller, the doctors might've discouraged contact to keep Rodney from infecting her with anything that might further depress her immune system?

But even if that's a reason to explain canon - still doesn't explain why the writers/directors didn't want to show more to begin with, infections be damned. It's weird how touch-shy they are even when showing a perfectly ordinary heterosexual relationship!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I might be coming across as a little too sensitive here, but eh, it's a tough world, defending why Rodney's a great catch not only intellectually, but also physically.

Yeah - maybe he's "no John Sheppard" (though a lot of that depends on personal types; I know plenty of women who'd take DH over JF) but even in Hollywood DH scores above average on the attractiveness scale. It amused me that in Boa vs Python (shot right before SGA started, as far as I know) DH is playing this scientist who's meant to be the good-looking hero (he hooks up with the sexy blonde female scientist, who's all flustered and staring when she first meets him.) It's like Rodney's meant to be less attractive than DH somehow? Or else his personality is such a turn-off that no woman can bear to be around him (the writers failed to get the memo that Rodney, when he's being all egotistical and arrogant and bad with people and brilliant, is sexy as all hell!)

I was neutral about Keller until her main relationships became romantic ones; since then I've been struggling not to hate her. Female characters who are in a story for the romance drive me nuts.

[valoryhope.livejournal.com]

I get the impression the writers have a difficult time conceiving of Rodney as being sexually desirable. Both him being attracted to women, and women being attracted to him physically, are played more for laughs than anything else.

The writers don't seem to realize that sexual attraction isn't based only on physical appearance. Not that DH isn't good-looking; he may not be as pretty as JF, but those broad shoulders...those muscular arms...that crooked mouth and the blue, blue eyes...uh, where was I? As I was saying, the source of Rodney's sex appeal (for me) lies in his intelligence and his wit. But I get the impression that the writers don't see how sexy that is, so they can't imagine why anyone would find Rodney sexy. In fact, they seem to find the idea laughable.

Makes you wonder how they chose their wives, doesn't it?

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

But I get the impression that the writers don't see how sexy that is, so they can't imagine why anyone would find Rodney sexy. In fact, they seem to find the idea laughable.

Yeah, I get that same impression, and it bugs me. It especially bugs me because it seems like the only way they can conceive of him being at all interesting to a woman is when he's being awkward and fumbling and woobie. While as I know I'm not alone in finding Rodney's arrogant, assured genius an incredible turn-on - smart is sexy, and so is confidence and ability. In SG-1, Sam admitted that she found him more attractive when he was being a jerk - which I can totally see, and agree! But the SGA writers never got the memo.

[horridporrid.livejournal.com]

Ooh, this is fascinating because, I think you've hit on something! I mean, obviously (as well you know *g*) I can see the attraction between Jennifer and Rodney (and Jennifer and Ronon), but it's very much on an "SGA" scale. (Which, I think Rogers & Hammerstein is a good comparison.)

When I first caught an episode or two back when SGA began, I remember thinking, "That Sheppard guy is cute, but not very sexy." And even as I started watching the show for serious a year or so ago, the actors, attractive all, still didn't strike me as all that sexy. It was something I had to bring to the table as I got to know their characters and was able to flesh them out a little further. (Oh, and reading fanfic in which the characters were very sexy indeed helped a bit *g*).

For a while I thought it was the actors themselves, but then I watched some of Flanigan's older stuff (like Cupid) on YouTube, and yeah, the guy can do sexy. (Ditto Hewlett, as you've pointed out.) And then I noticed the actor playing Cam on SG-1 wasn't even close to the sexy he brought to Farscape. And, if you look at Flanigan's performance in The Rising: 1&2, I think there's a bit more heat to it. (I don't think I've seen John ever flirt with as much intent as he did in that first scene with Teyla.)

So it's not the actors. I know the writers get a lot of grief for a lot of things (often with good reason), but... things can be written one way and played another (Flanigan talked about giving various performances with that final scene in Conversion, some giving serious hints of sexual attraction to Teyla, that obviously weren't chosen in the final edit). So I think the directors have something to do with it as well.

Which... if it's how the scenes are written, how the scenes are shot, and how the scenes are played... I'm guessing there's an overarching show protocol to not have the SG series have that much sex to them. I'm not going to call good or bad (though I will say, I've seen series use sex to try and better sell their product and, imo, end up looking down right silly *cough*Enterprise*cough*), but it strikes me that this is a thought-out decision, not a randomly arrived at phenomenon.

So now I'm wondering, why? And, if the rumors regarding SGU are true, why have they decided to change tactics, now?

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, this is very interesting - in my original analysis I was thinking more about the sexual attraction between the characters, but you're absolutely right that it goes beyond that; the characters aren't generally presented as that sexually attractive to the audience, either. And it was true of SG-1, too - I always liked that Sam didn't usually wear revealing clothes, or no more than the men; but that really came less from a deliberate effort to be less sexist, and more from a series trend. (and then in an amazing display of reverse sexism, I was annoyed that Ben Browder never showed off his ass in SG-1 the way he did in Farscape XP)

Which... if it's how the scenes are written, how the scenes are shot, and how the scenes are played... I'm guessing there's an overarching show protocol to not have the SG series have that much sex to them.

Yes, that's my reading, too. And for me, it's a plus - one of the reason I *like* the SG verse is because I get stories about relationships that don't involve sex, which is not easy to find on non-children TV.

(I think it might also be why the series are so slash-friendly - because there's so little sexual tension between any characters, there's not less tension between the same-sex characters - and in many cases there's more; there's been more physical contact between Rodney & John than Rodney & Jennifer or Katie Brown. As you say, you have to read sexual attraction on the "SGA scale", but by that scale, pretty much everyone has chemistry!)

I think, however, that it causes problems whenever they try to write actual relationships; they come across as so unsexed that the relationships are unconvincing, pretty much all "telling" and no "showing." (To be honest I don't think there's a single canon pairing in either SG show that I genuinely liked enough to become invested in, and several that turned me off...)
And yes, I'm very curious what that means for SGU, whether they're going to change tactics, or what.

[(Anonymous)]

I think at least part of the problem with Rodney is that he was always meant to be this arrogant obnoxious jerk that no one could POSSIBLY want to be around. Sure he's gotten better over the years and he's got friends who do want him to stick around - but he still has his obnoxious arrogant moments that drive people crazy. And I think the writers have trouble letting go of the original vision of Rodney - the one that no one could possibly like. Even David Hewlett continues to comment on how Rodney is a jerk that no one could possibly want around.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I think you're right here. The problem is that some of us *coughcough* actually found him quite attractive from his first appearance - his obnoxious arrogance might not have made him good boyfriend material, but liking a guy and finding him hot are two different things. It's also a problem that almost no one on Atlantis knew Rodney when he was at his worst, so it seems weird that no one likes him now. (Such as with Keller, they've implied sometimes that she's slowly seeing the woobie under his mean exterior, except that Rodney has never really been that mean to Keller - the first time they worked together he called her a genius, and he was frantic to save Elizabeth's life; I don't see how she could have anything but a positive first impression of him.)