through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered . . .

Because apparently the best way to recover from writing three papers in a week is to write approximately 9300 words of meta. Thanks and hearts to lienne for doing a typo beta for me!

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I'd gotten back into Gossip Girl; I rewatched everything I'd seen before I drifted away, then proceeded to catch up from there. Now I'm stuck back on the show again and it's all Dan and Blair's fault, but anyway. This post is not about that. This post is inspired by the fact that, since I dropped the show in 2009, I've learned a hell of a lot about feminism and how it works, and about rape culture and how that works. So when I started watching again last month, my perception of quite a few events on the show had shifted considerably. I could make an entire post listing storylines that unsettle me now when they didn't before (like, say, the immeasurably creepy Serena storyline in the last two eps of season one), or talk about stuff I hadn't seen that upset me when I would have read it differently had I watched it when it aired (the S3 hotel storyline, goddamn; actually, I will be talking about that).

But I'm going to narrow my focus even further to talk about Jenny Humphrey's story arc and how the show handled it (spoiler alert: badly).

( Cut because I am an English major and don't write short little pieces of analysis. ALSO, trigger warnings for discussion of rape, sexual assault, and rape culture. )

Gossip Girl note:

I love Dorota. The show is clearly playing her part up, and that is kind of awesome. She takes such good care of Blair and often gets nothing in return except her paycheck, but she keeps right on going. God knows she's a better presence in Blair's life than Blair's own mother. Dorota is awesome.

That is all.

So. I require a bit of a distraction from the fact that Doctor Who airs on Saturday and it's only WEDNESDAY. And I figure, while I'm all ridiculous-crossover-y lately, it might be a good time for a sort of informal challenge request.

Below the cut, you will find a list of fandoms. Ask for crossovers. I will do my best to provide at least a scenario, if not a snippet into the bargain. These are fandoms I'm comfortable with dabbling in at the moment, so I'd appreciate it if you stuck to the list, though of course if I've forgotten something you know I can do, ask for it. And if there's something you really want to see but you're not sure, ask me about it. I might be able to do it anyway. (But no baseball RPS, ALEX. I'd prefer fictional crossovers.) Feel free to ask for more than one; I will do my best to accommodate. Though if you nail me with a huge list I reserve the right to pick and choose. ALEX.

( crossover tiems! )

I felt like iconning, so I sorted through the exceedingly random collection of images I have and made a few icons. Have them! Nothing special here, just cropping and bordering and the occasional smidgen of text, so no need to credit. And thanks to foozled_up for keeping me from just chucking my computer right out the window when PhotoShop wasn't playing nice.

( a bit of the Tigers, Torchwood, Gossip Girl, Sarah Jane Adventures, Doctor Who, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and technically Supernatural. Eleven total. )

( Brief Gossip Girl spoilers. )

And speaking of Torchwood - Blair/Jack OTP, Y/Y? They would totally be able to handle each other. Blair needs someone with a personality (ie, not Nate) who could help her hone her devious cleverness into a terrifying weapon, and Jack always needs someone who will stand up to him. It would be awesome. And hot. And I swear only Gossip Girl could make me ship a crossover HET couple.

Oh, Gossip Girl. That finale was perfection. No big long post because I am still overwhelmed by the awesome brilliance of it all.

( Brief, vague spoilers. )

You know I love you, Gossip Girl. XOXO.

Gossip Girl rant/discussion. Because I got hold of the episode early.

( Spoilers for tonight's ep. )

Oh, show. You are supposed to be fluffy nonsense. Why are you made of win? (Heh. That totally makes no sense to people who didn't read under the cut. Watch the show! It rules! I promise!)

Hey, look, I fail at posting. What a surprise. I just never seem to have anything to say these days.

But right now, I have this to say: I see much TV love on my flist. Supernatural, Friday Night Lights, Doctor Who . . . this is all well and good. Television squee is fun!

But why, children, why is there no love for Gossip Girl? Ratings, from what I hear, will attest that no one is watching it, but hey! The CW picked up a full season anyway. So have no fear of falling for a show that disappears.

Why don't you watch it? It's the premise, isn't it? "Rich kids in New York attending private school together." Yeah, yeah, dime a dozen, next! Or maybe you picked up one of the books and couldn't believe the ridiculous plots that twisted three times in two chapters, and the paper-thin, unlikeable characters. I've read several of them this week, and yeah, there's not much to recommend them beyond the sheer "What the hell am I reading?" that permeates each page. Or maybe you just want Kristen Bell to fall off a cliff, and okay, I can't argue against that other than to observe that you can't cast a bitchy, gloating, know-it-all character better than that. Plus, she only does voiceovers, so you don't have to look at her.

But the other points. The premise bores on paper. When I decided to check out the pilot ep, I figured at best I was in for a brainless forty-five minutes of fluff. But halfway in, I was hooked, and that ties in to point two: this show has some depth. The plots are thoughtfully written and progress at a sane pace. The characters keep surprising me. Each episode is the best yet. Shall I sing the song of Blair, who one moment is viciously tearing at anyone who doesn't fit her ideals, and the next is showing her heart and breaking mine? Or Serena, the thoughtlessly hurtful belle of the ball working to overcome her nature and steeping in guilt over every setback? And there's Dan, your basic self-absorbed teenage boy trying to come to grips with the cruelty of Serena's world because he likes her so much. And we mustn't forget Chuck, who is oily and creepy and rapey and yet has proven his ability to bust out the badassery and be a friend to Nate, who is . . . uh . . . um . . . well, every show has its flaws. But I have a different favorite character every week, and I am loving the dynamics developing between the characters as the cast become more comfortable together. And did I mention they can act?

Gossip Girl airs Wednesday at nine on the CW. I have the first four episodes on my computer, and I am happy to share. Please watch this show. You'll be startled at how interesting and moving the dramas of a bunch of rich Manhattan kids can be.