It's been a strangely fannish evening for me

[delga]

Bear patience - more fandom related stuffs this way.

I never really liked Abbie Carmichael. I dreaded her arrival. I wasn't a Clare Kincaid fan; I only started watching Mothership when Carey Lowell turned up to play Jamie Ross, a character who I immediately fell for in a huge way.

Tonight's L&O repeat is one of my favourites because it's the episode that I forgave Abbie Carmichael her existence. I actually just forgave her. All my pent up fannish frustrations against the 'replacement' dissipated. That's because this is the episode wherein she revealed her rape.

And it was only the last scene. It was less than a minute. But it was so powerful and so forthright for her character. She basically admitted to persecuting a woman in hipocrisy and she admitted to the audience her flesh, her vulnerability. Her humanity. With Jamie Ross it was there straight away; Abbie was in your face about her hardcore image. And this just softened the blow.

I guess that's why I'm not a fan of the ice cool blonde - characters like Sam Spade and Calleigh Dusquesne don't have enough depth to them. The only time I was truly fannish about those two characters in particular were when we learnt something about them that made them deeper; not two dimensional. I loved Megan Donner - she's not a popular choice - but I liked her common sense. I bow at the altar of Vivian; Viv's clear headed, down-to-earth, real. And to show that I have nothing against blondes - look at Alex Eames, look at ADA Alex Cabbott. CJ Cregg from the West Wing is an idol for fandom. Mariska Hargitay's Olivia is rich; Claudia Black's Aeryn Sun is majestic; Jorja Fox's portrayal of women like Gina Toscano and Sara Sidle is a tribute to these women.

I just don't think Spade and Dusquesne can reasonably make the cut. I mean, give me Bristow any day. Pass me Zoe from spooks, Grace from Martial law, Prue from Charmed. But I don't know. You need heart, I guess and neither Spade nor Dusquesne can sustain it.