Life On Mars, gayness of/marriedness in

[cimorene]

I liked the beginning of this season of Life on Mars even more than I liked the beginning of the last. OMG, seriously. Aside from moments in which I test wax's patience to the utmost, no doubt, by yelling things like "Hello! Stop acting crazy!" at the screen, I probably enjoy myself as much as during other top favourite shows that fill me with squee, like Garcia/Morgan scenes in Criminal Minds or Miniature Killer scenes in CSI. And I also probably have little spasms of cuteness-induced giggling more often - it's John Simm's little babyface, and giant ears, and sad moping expressions: irresistable! But I'm wondering whether my memory of last season is somehow skewed, because this season seems darker to me, as wax and the lovely folks at SFX magazine noted, but it also seems in a way more playful and fluffy. Last season the antagonism was coming from inside the building; this season the squad, while hardly lacking tension, seems to have settled in together in large part and we're treated to a lot of tidbits of rapport and togetherness, and not just with Gene and Annie, necessarily, although Gene's have always been the largest part and the most tone-setting.

I had a poll here, which I don't think can really be construed as spoilery unless the mere fact that other people are writing slash about a show is a spoiler to you, in which case I greatly fear you will have been spoiled already. Of course it could be spoilery if you looked at the results, but that only happens once you have already filled a poll out, so the danger is small. But wax gave me censuring and austere looks and kind of insisted so I have to cut it but

[Poll #935025]

Comments

[anglepoiselamp.livejournal.com]

Errrh. I couldn't vote on the last question, because it was way too complicated for my fried brain. I've been staring at it for five minutes and my thoughts still consist of "Bzuh?"

[cimness.livejournal.com]

Yeah, to be honest, I gave up with making the alternatives logical. I'm about 80% certain that they actually aren't. XD

[sinden.livejournal.com]

God, they are SO married this season. I have been boggling at some of the stuff. I think it's because they are settling more into old-married couplehood.

I think also, that Sam is less patient and much more willing to step forward this season -- because he thinks he knows what's happening to him instead of just guessing -- which is making the conflicts that he and Gene have more personal than they were. Gene's accepted him, Sam's his conscience, so when Sam goes against him, he takes it harder nowadays.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

I love the old-married-couplehood schtick in whatever show it pops up in usually, but it's really fantastic here, and maybe in a way more satisfying because I feel they've really earned it. This show is really characterisation-intense, and they've both gone a long way and altered towards each other greatly. Although myself I'd say there is less tension now total, you still see plenty of sparks between them - now often in situations that don't turn into yelling, even in situations where they show rapport and seem to move, you know, unconsciously as a team. Their relationship is strongly marked by mutuality! In fact it seems to me that they sort of seem to switch roles - who's bossing, who's nagging and cajoling, who is (metaphorically) sleeping on the couch tonight. They don't just have one dynamic. Which is what I find so great about it. ♥

which is making the conflicts that he and Gene have more personal than they were. Gene's accepted him, Sam's his conscience, so when Sam goes against him, he takes it harder nowadays.

And wow, I think you really really hit the nail on the head with this! The greater closeness, the fact that they function as partners - and with an obviously richly emotional but mostly unstated and manly relationship - makes their fights increasingly personal to both of them. Even when the subject of the arguments is almost 100% genuine disagreements over the job, they take it harder and there's a constant back and forth between them where they don't move entirely out of each other's orbits, or work against each other, but go back and forth.

[sinden.livejournal.com]

They definitely understand each other better now. Last season they would have got angry over things, now it's just sarcasm and humour. Look at how Gene breaks down Sam's door and Sam is all, whatever, you idiot. There's a genuine liking there.

I think there's more tension, it's just a different type of tension. Before it was two bulls butting heads, now it's like they are trying to each find their place in the other's life -- which breeds a different kind of strain when they are on the outs.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

Look at how Gene breaks down Sam's door and Sam is all, whatever, you idiot.

I noticed that bit at the time and really loved it. The effect of the switch has been to make it a bit lighter and funnier. And that shift in tension you describe is a very good one since before they tended to see each other to an extent as enemies, I think, and now the attitude is more like going behind the wife's back when they're at odds. (Which one is the wife seems to rotate.)

[sinden.livejournal.com]

I loved that so much. Sam practically eyerolled and sighed. You just know it was there waiting to break free.

The wifeness is awesome.I can totally see Gene saying to Sam one time that Sam is being contentious, Not now, Tyler. I've got a headache. And you will too if you keep at it.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

OMFG YOUR ICON. *_* ÖAJLKSDÖFKLAJSDÖLFJKKF

Um, I was saying, YES. Like when Sam pissed Gene off in the last one and I was like, "'I don't care if I have to sleep on the couch for a week! I'm going to get to the bottom of this!'"... and then the scene switched and Gene opend the trunk of the car and SAM WAS INSIDE. And then he SLAMMED THE TRUNK AGAIN ölakjsdöfkla. So perfect!

But Sam gets his wife moments too, like at the end: "Gene has something to say to you." "I do?" ♥♥!

[sinden.livejournal.com]

I have an unholy love for this icon. I can't remember who said it originally -- it was a gathering where we were just throwing things around -- but it stuck and I HAD to use it.

I know. That was hysterical. Oh the love. I'm thinking I may have to icon more. Plus I need to burn it for my mother because she will love it.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

XD! I ran into an icon yesterday at the LOM comm that said "Bored? Try locking your DI in the trunk." Granted, not even 1/10th as hilarious as yours. *bows before it*

[sinden.livejournal.com]

Ahahaha. That's great.

[special-trille.livejournal.com]

Yay poll! This has been something I have been noticing, but too lazy to express, so the poll format is my friend.

I did not find season 1 particularly slashy at all. I mean, I saw where people were coming from, and the Sam/Gene moments were there, but for me the (remarkably slashy) moments were eclipsed by the overall Annie/Sam (oh, beautiful, beautiful Annie) and so I was shipping them because, awww, CUTE. But this season? ZOMG THE SLASH. I suppose for me the context around the slashy moments has...slashed itself up? To create one big slashapalooza. Or something.

In conclusion: slash.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree. I think the slash in s1 was more because the fans in question were wearing slash goggles. Not that there was no canonical basis, just that there was no particular canon imperative. It wasn't suggestive.