I'm enjoying Torchwood: Children of Earth. I never did catch up on every episode of the series but I think it's safe to say that I've seen 75% of it.

However if I keep seeing promos for how it (CoE) is "how the X-Files movies should have been", I think I'm going to hurt somebody. Daily Variety can suck it as far as I'm concerned. Both FtF and IWTB were plenty enjoyable thank you very much.


( quick spoilery thoughts )

I came across the First Annual Femslash Kink meme over at dw via a post by havocthecat . I meant to scan only a few pages mainly because I didn't expect to find anything of interest. However, when I saw Natalie/Janette listed as a sample request I simply had to scan all the comments. Nothing popped up but I did leave two rather tame prompts. One was Janette/Natalie for Forever Knight and the second was Lois/Tess for Smallville.

Less than two hours later there was a wonderful, sexy AU ficlet featuring Janette and Natalie. Heaps of praise should be laid at the author's feet.post.

Posts should be made anonymously and it will run through midnight on July 18th.


*****

Pride, Prejudice & Jimmy Choos by sunrei -- a hilarious Smallville AU WIP that envisions Lois as a Hannah Montana pop princess named Lola Dakota. After a missed Good Morning, America concert, she is banished to the town of Smallville. Hilarity ensues. This has got some of the cleverist and snappiest dialogue I've read in a while. Sunrei hits another home run with this one.

*****

I was visiting the site of Prufrock's Love X-FIles fic and while there I got suckered into re-reading an old favorite, the historical AU Paracelsus. This might be old news but there are some new additions sprinkled throughout the story. I haven't checked the other stories because I know that once I start I'll have to finish them. Besides, with three ficathons coming up for me, I should be writing not reading.

Porn Battle VII (The Seven Deadly Sins) has come and gone so here are a few recs I found particularly enjoyable.


( Life with Derek )( The Little Mermaid )

( Nancy Drew Mysteries )

( Smallville )

( The X-Files )

Twisting The Twilight Zone 2009 Challenge

I saw this via the sv_ledger and it looks interesting. It's a multifandom challenge in which the titles and/or synopsis from Twilight Zone episodes are used as prompts. They're accepting a wide range of entires from fic to vids to art. Deadline to sign up is February 28th and posting closes on March 21st.

There's no limit on fic length or on the number of entries. There are over 100 titles to choose from and titles can be used by more than one person.

There's a part of me that wants to participate. Nothing in the rules states that the fic has to be Twilight Zone-esque but if I play I would prefer to go that route and do something a bit off kilter. Mustangsally and rivkat's X-Files fic Tikkun Olam, which is a real trip, comes to mind, as does the Smallville episode "Labyrinth" and Forever Knight's "Curiouser and Curiouser".  Actually, all of Nick's dream sequences on FK come to mind. LaCroix as the short order cook from hell anyone? And one of the titles lends itself to a story set in the "Curiouser and Curiouser" alternate reality. Hmm, something to ponder.

I've got a Forever Knight fic for the galpalficathon in the works called "Rogue Vampire". The deadline is this Sunday so I'm really going to have to hop into overdrive so that it's somewhat presentable by then. I do like the progress I've made so it should be ready.

My Forever Knight oldschoolfic Cohen story "Twenty Five Minutes" still needs to be tweaked before it makes an appearance at fkfic-l. I have looked at since it was first posted at the ficathon but not as seriously as I should. It works as it is but I do feel like its missing something that's identifiable as FK.  The problem lies in that Cohen could easily be replaced by some random named individual and it really wouldn't make much difference.

I've also committed myself to absolutely finishing my Tracy POV Forever Knight fic. It needs to be up by the end of the year. It's a self-imposed deadline.

I've been laying down some early exchanges for a Forever Knight/The Border crossover that I first thought about earlier in the year. It's really more of a Border story but the presence of Forever Knight's elements should be felt. I'm working mostly through Maggie's thought processes since it is through her POV but I do need to think about the character of Moose and his history as former Toronto PD.

I've got an AU X-Files fic called "An Affair Together" based on a prompt from the xf_pornbattle  in the works. I don't know when it'll see the light of day but right now it's one of the fics that gets worked on regularly.

I just heard a lovely song by A Fine Frenzy called "Almost Lover" that's giving me some Tracy/Vachon vibes. I need to listen to it about twenty thousand more times but I think the first verse, which is just over 1:30, could really lend itself to a post-"Ashes to Ashes" vidlet in which Tracy believes that Vachon skipped town.

I haven't been posting on Smallville but it's been all kinds of awesome. All the characters are really working wonderfully. Yeah Clark's entrance into the Daily Planet is kinda wonky but I love what the new showrunners are doing. You can see the show and the characters transitioning nicely into Superman.  And Lois...what's there to say about Lois that hasn't been said. Amazing barely captures her and what Erica Durance is doing.

Friday Night Lights is so utterly perfect that it's crazy. For me it's almost surpassing the brilliance of the first season which is pretty damn amazing in and of itself. I watch an episode and I feel like no time has gone by. The credits roll and I'm thinking, "What already?" and sure enough 45 minutes have gone by and I didn't even feel them. I'm that enthralled in the storytelling of this show. It's absolute brilliance.

( And on the real life side... )

I've been watching Quantum Leap reruns lately on ION or rather I should say I was watching Quantum Leap on ION. The channel is rebranding itself and QL is either on hiatus or has been kicked to the curb. It's a shame. ( It's so gosh darn enjoyable. )
brightknightie has kindly posted on her journal a list of FK prompts for galpalficathon . There are so many to choose from. They're that good. The goal of the ficathon is "to celebrate non-sexual/non-romantic relationships between women." FK isnt the only fandom represented. Battlestar Galactica, Dark Angel, the DC universe, Doctor Who, Friday Night Lights, Gossip Girl, Smallville, Stargate: Atlantis, Stargate SG1, Sarah Connor Chronicles, and X-Files are just a few of the other fandoms with prompts.

I read a few days ago about the impending demolition of Yankee Stadium and I instantly thought of Prufrock's Love historical AU X-Files fanfic A Moment in the Sun. ( I remember reading it... )I posted this over at the_border this weekend but I neglected to do so here. According to TV Shows on DVD The Border is coming to DVD in Canada on November 12th. Since Canada and the US are both Region 1 those of us in the states who purchase from a Canadian retailer should be able to use the DVDs. Season 2 starts next Monday on the 29th.
The xf_pornbattle is going strong. I took a look at some of the prompts last night and one of the them jumped out of me. Hmmm, maybe. The deadline is Wednesday and I really should be finishing up my oldschoolfic story but it's tempting.

I caught DirectTV's breathtaking promo for season 3 of Friday Night Lights. Sadly there was no Jason or Smash but Coach, Mrs. Coach, Julie, Matt, Lyla, Landry, Tyra, and Riggins were present and accounted for. It's eerily beautiful. Everyone is frolicking wandering through a dark, magical field and are dressed in their finery. "Devil Town" and the rumbling of thunder sets the mood. Did I mention it was gorgeous? Note to self: rewatch seasons 1 & 2 before October.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, today is the 15th anniversary of The X-Files' first episode. So much, good and bad, can be said about the show but the true foundation for the show--Mulder and Scully--have always been the perfectly flawed heart. Together they stood at the center of  a maelstrom filled with weekly run-ins with mutants, monsters, aliens, government conspiracies, ardent campaigns of misinformation, family tragedies, and personal losses to name just a few. That's why this vid by giandujakiss  is so powerful and all consuming.  She categorizes it as a shipper video and while I am a shipper I don't think of this vid in that way. At least not in the strictest sense of the world. It's about the MSR but not necessarily in an "I love you" sense, which Mulder and Scully never did. It's Mulder and Scully as partners in arms, comrades in the field and watching each others backs. Forever united and forging ahead, together at all costs despite the emotional toil their journey has taken on them. The MSR is epic in every way imaginable. It's romantic without being saccharine. It's tragic without completely falling into despair but most importantly...it's life affirming. These are two people you want to follow and revisit again and again and she captures this beautifully in this vid.

( Ramblings on all my favorite parts )

Over the weekend I came across The Fandom Free For All that is being organized by oxoniensis  and pheebs1 . The concept behind it is brilliant. You post a wish list of any type of fanwork for yourself and in return you offer to create something off of someone else's list.

I don't know if I'm going to post anything but while perusing the list I came across a request by juniperphoenix  that caught my eye. She's asking for an X-Files fanvid that is focused on the UFO/abduction/Samantha theme and set to the tune of Sarah McLachlan's cover of "The Rainbow Connection". It's an interesting song choice and after hearing that particular rendition of it I'm struck by how perfect it is for the subject matter. It's very much a lullaby and the idea of using it juxtaposed with the imagery of the Samantha abduction arc is extremely tempting.

Over 9 seasons X-Files has had some unforgettable imagery but the thought of vidding it is daunting. The furthest I've ever gotten is setting aside a song that I feel is perfect for the Mulder and Scully dynamic. However that being said, juniperphoenix 's request seems like a great opportunity to give it a shot. Footage wise the Samantha arc is quite manageable. So manageable that I was able to rip and clip the series' Samantha scenes and some additional UFO/aliens stuff in one evening. Through it all I keep coming back to the flashback scene from "The Blessing Way" that showed the aliens in the box car being gassed to death and the flashback scene from "One Son" in which the Syndicate present a folded U.S. flag to an envoy of grays. Those scenes are visually stunning.

I haven't officially spoken up regarding my intentions to vid the request but it's something that I'll have on reserve. The deadline isn't till October 29th and I've got another fannish deadline looming that takes priority. Besides, I've only got a very loose concept for the vid. Until then I continue to play the song in a continuous loop to get the creative juices flowing.

OK this is just downright cool. The Fox store is offering limited edition XF ipods in either 8GB nano or 80GB classic styles.

I've never been an ipod person. I adore music and I have an extensive collection crossing multiple genres but I don't like that everyone and their grandmother has an ipod. In addition, the handful of times (3 times) I've handled one I didn't find the ipod all that user friendly and I hate having to be dependent on itunes. I don't care that some people think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. However for the privilege of owning one of these ultra cool ipods I just might break down. The problem is I have a perfectly serviceable 4GB Samsung YP-T9JAB. Granted I struggle with getting my music on it because it insists on uploading all the music on my media player, even the music I don't want. Hey I like a challenge. Besides, it's pretty and sleek and cool looking. Plus it's got a radio and voice recording. And did I mention that it's pretty.

But these ipods are X-Files and I adore X-Files and while I'm by no means independently wealthy I don't have a lot of expenses right now. It's either now or never. I really, really like the Mulder and Scully silhouettes design on the black 8 GB ipod nano (upper left). I instantly fell in love with it. However, the black 80GB ipod classic (lower left) is sooo tempting. Think of all the music it would hold. I like the shadowed X but not as much as the silhouettes. The white ipods are ok but I'm not a fan of the white in general or the image of Mulder and Scully they chose for the white 80GB ipod. There's also the issue of price. There's a substantial price difference between the XF ipods and their business as usual brethren, especially in the 80GB version. For just $30 more I could have a regular 160GB ipod when compared to the 80GB XF ipod. If only I could get the black 8GB design on the black 80GB ipod I'd be very happy.

Oh decisions, decisions.

IWTB Domestic Box Office Watch: $17.4 million as of Monday, August 4

 

1. I plan on seeing XF: IWTB again on Sunday. This will be my third viewing and more than likely my last. I've resorted to bribery so that this time I won't be sitting alone and because I'm dreading an empty theater. My brother is going with me and he is being showered with copious amounts of food (his metabolism is so high it's practically an X-File) and I've agreed to watch several episodes of Bleach. It's probably pushing it to think that I can get a second weekend from him.

2. As of Thursday, July 31 XF: IWTB has made $13,635,495 domestically.  It had a budget of $29 mil. My hope is that it'll clear $20 mil domestically before it finishes its run.

3. Salon has a squee worthy Scully love article.

"Today's television is not without its Scullys -- "Law & Order" ladies who crack skulls and chase bad guys in Jimmy Choos. But they all feel like tall, skinny, limp knockoffs of the original. Dana Scully was not standard television beautiful, but a diminutive pre-Raphaelite, pale of skin and red of hair, who could give equal amounts of soul to lines like "Nothing happens in contradiction to nature, just in contradiction to what we know of it" and "Well, seeing as how it's Friday, I was thinking I could get some work done on that monograph I'm writing for the penology review: 'Diminished Acetylcholine Production in Recidivist Offenders.'" A woman who, when asked by her pestering partner to examine a cadaver's head just one more time for a set of horns, can snap on her gloves and mutter "Whatever" like she really means it."

The "diminished acetylcholine" quote has long been one of my favorites. "So Scully any big plans?" Oh Scully! ::hugs::

"In an entertainment world where women are disappearing from multiplexes, where men bulk up as superheroes while women don't eat but sip pink drinks, we need to remember that there was once a very short heroine who hunted monsters and talked about Einstein, who kicked ass and questioned her faith, who went to work with a man she loved but didn't rip his shirt off over lunch, who didn't want to believe, but opened herself nonetheless to possibility. We need Scully back, even for a moment."

4. Post IWTB fic has been making several appearances and may I say that they are nothing short of beautiful. It's almost enough to make me want to save the fic to my hard drive like I used to in years gone by. To make a folder for it alongside my post col, AU, and post fill-in-the-blank fic.  I love them all! They're mostly short but they pack quite a visceral punch. The numbers aren't quite post-"The Truth" numbers but right now it's quality not quantity. I can't wait for the first longish IWTB fic to hit the net. I'm also preparing a post with some recs.

5. I received in the mail today my XF:IWTB official novelization and the soundtrack. XF has been consuming my every fannish thought right now so this is just fuel to the fire.

6. Maybe I missed this in the IWTB interview onslaught but according to this interview Gillian Anderson was apparently offered a role in last year's season of 24.

"Last year I was asked to do a season on '24,' and I considered it. I didn't know the series, but I thought it might be fun to do something that's highly respected. Logistically it didn't work out, but it was the first time I considered something, and I might again, but not something that's going to take a few years out of my life."

How incredibly awesome would that have been. I doubt the offer was for the incredibly awesome season 5 but rather for the ho hum season 6 but that would have rocked. If there's anything IWTB has done is remind me of how much I miss having Gillian on my screen on a regular basis.

7. I watched the season four finale of Doctor Who yesterday. I've got mostly mixed feelings. I'm a pretty casual viewer and the only season I've seen in its entirety is season three with Martha. I remember Donna from the first Doctor Who I saw "The Runaway Bride" and I've read positive things about her on the web but I've got no real connection to her. However I have so say that I am not at all happy with her conclusion. Is Doctor Who supposed to be tragic? Also, I've only seen about three episodes with Rose and I understand there are quite a number of Rose/Ten supporters out there. I don't really ship anyone but I was rather intrigued with Rose and the human!Doctor. On one hand it's like "Here you go shippers! This one's for you" but on the other hand he's not really the Doctor. Regardless, I wouldn't mind reading some fic on Rose and human!Doctor.

8. There's interesting discussion on forkni-l about "Curiouser and Curiouser" right now, mostly about vampires and guilt. The conversation is more about the ability of vampires to synthesize guilt but I'm more interested in the fantasy world Nick's concocted. Nick has nothing if not an active imagination i.e. the diner sequence in "Dying for Fame" and even the rock star sequences, visions of Erica in "Last Act", LaCroix offering Monica up to Nick in "Feeding the Beast", or the bringing Natalie over in "Night in Question". According to LaCroix, the fantasy world Nick was in was all his guilt. If he doesn't take care of it soon it'll manifest itself once more but with "more ferocity." What would up the ante from "Curiouser and Curiouser"? Something with the same intensity as susanmgarrett's "Knight in Hell' perhaps? I also wonder if anyone's ever written fic set in that fantasy world. It has a lot of extremely interesting avenues for exploration. Schanke as the by the book cop, Cohen as Nick's counselor, Captain Lambert risking her job and/or reprimand for a liason with a subordinate (Nick), and Janette's knowledge or not of Nick infidelity. I always thought that Janette was aware of Nick's affair but after reading forkni-l, when Janette spoke of Nick's "performance" and the Captain it could have been his work "performance" and not the extracurricular kind. I guess my mind's in the gutter.