Chemistry and canon

All right guys, I don't mean to go back to television (again!) but I need to for an example: Have you ever watched a TV show where the OTP doesn't have as much chemistry as another pairing?  I feel like there are two types of people: those who follow canon no matter what (because it's canon) and those who side with chemistry, whether it's canon or not.

I'm one of the latter people.

It's frustrating to hear that canon wins because canon is true.  It's even more frustrating when the canon couple has absolutely no chemistry - even if the acting and writing is good.

Chemistry sells a couple to me, whether in television, movies, and especially books.  I've read books where I've been like, 'Why do you like this guy?' and I've read books where I had to fan myself off because the chemistry was just so smoking.  (Great examples of chemistry?  Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick and Bloodlines by Richelle Mead.)

In a way, it's easier for us writers to infuse chemistry into our couples, with little glances, touches. The difficult part is trying not to force it, trying not to smack your reader over the head with a sign that says, "YOU MUST SHIP THIS PAIRING BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT IS TRUE."  I guarantee that in nearly all cases, if you write good chemistry, they will ship that couple.

Television has it harder because they may not originally start out with a character's true OTP.  Then, when they're writing one, they may pick an actor/actress without testing chemistry.  A lot of the times, it's like: "Oh, well they're both good looking, it'll work."  For that, I throw the BluRay of The Tourist at them.  The two most beautiful people in the world didn't have chemistry together (although, I maintain if Johnny Depp looked the way he did in Public Enemies, my screen would melt off because of the hotness).  You can't expect to random actors to magically have chemistry just because they're supposed to be a couple.

Then we get to the other side of the coin.  Television producers also don't expect when two characters (actors) who aren't OTP have chemistry.  I absolutely hate when they're in denial about it (cough Penny and Sheldon cough).  I love when the chemistry is so obvious that the writers have no choice but to write something in regards to it (cough Jeff and Annie cough).

Sometimes, as a writer, you intend for one couple to happen when the chemistry between your hero/heroine is stronger with someone else, and before you know it, they've already gotten together so when you try to change it and fix it, you can't because it feels wrong.

Go with it.  These are the best stories to tell because you, the writer, don't even expect it.  It's why nearly all my shipping isn't canon. 

And if people ship your hero/heroine with someone else, let them.  You can't fight chemistry. 

Once Upon A Time there was Alcatraz and more

All right, I'm not a huge television person, but there are some shows that I've become absolutely obsessed with.  As always, if there is a hockey game on, that trumps everything else.  However, these shows come in close seconds (and thirds, and fourths, and you get it!).

1.  Hockey

2.  Once Upon A Time As I've mentioned in the previous post, I love Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold and the chemistry he has with Emma.  You have no idea how long two weeks felt without an episode last Sunday.  If you like Disney, adult retellings of classic fairytales, romance, adventure, action, and Robert Carlyle, I highly recommend this.

3.  Alcatraz  Okay, as you guys know, I love Alcatraz.  The place.  It's rich with history and such a fascinating place to explore, whether you're there for the prison, the inmates, or your parents and/or school forced you on the tour.  I like the show, but initially, I thought it would track real inmates disappearing from 1963 and reappearing now.  How interesting would that be?  Infusing sci-fi with history with crime.  Oh my gosh, I'm salivating just thinking about it.  But it's not.  Every inmate is a character.  As I writer, I get it.  It's easier to make up your own plotline, get everything to fit, when actual inmates will force them to omit things, change things, or make up things.  But I really, really wish they would have done it.  I love this history and it would have been so great to see it.  I definitely still like it, I watch it, but whenever I see Ernest Cobb on the show, I still scream, "He looks so much like Alvin Karpis, it's ridiculous!"

4. New Girl  I love every character on this show.  No joke.  I love Jess (and her theme song).  I love Nick (I have the tiniest of crushes on him), Winston, Cece, and Schmidt (I have a much bigger crush on him).  It's kooky and cute, and I love that Jess is beautiful, the biggest dork ever, but she knows who she is and rocks it.

5.  Up All Night  I have every single season of Married with Children on DVD and still have marathons.  I love Christina Applegate, so once I saw the show and how funny it was, once I saw Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph, and it was on right after The Office, I was like, "I'm in."

6.  Smash  I've only seen one episode, but I love Katharine McPhee.  I love Anjelica Houston.  And when I saw Commodore Norrington (aka Jack Davenport) was a sleazy choreographer, I came aboard.  (Hahahahaha!)

Oldies but Goodies - Shows that I love watching and have been watching since the show began (most of the time).

1.  Bones  Probably my favorite show.  I'm literally counting down the days until it comes back on in April.  (This is how my mind works: Bones will be back on around the end of the Ducks' season.)

2.  House  I had to sit down after I read that it was canceled (this season will be its last).  At least I know without a doubt there will never be another House.

3.  Modern Family  More Married with Children goodness.  Each character - even the kids - is cast perfectly.  I laugh out loud through every episode.  I just - it's so, so great.  And smart.  It's hard to find television like this.

4.  The Daily Show/The Colbert Report  I remember when Jon Stewart took over The Daily Show from Craig Kilborn.  I remember when The Colbert Report premiered.  These shows helped shape my life and I feel so lucky that they're both still on and will hopefully remain on for a long time.

5.  South Park/Family Guy/American Dad  Animation where kids curse, nothing makes sense, and, in South Park's case, is smarter than it looks. 

6.  The Office  Okay, not going to lie.  I miss Michael Scott.  The Office is not the same without him.  But Dwight and his kiss with the power of a thousand waterfalls saves the show.  I'm not sure I'd still watch if he wasn't on it.

7.  Glee/The Big Bang Theory  I don't have to watch these shows on the original air date but I'll probably buy them on DVD.

Shows that should still be on

1.  Community  I know it's technically not canceled, but how is it that Whitney and Are You There Vodka?  It's Me, Chelsea are both on, but this isn't?  I need some kind of resolution between Jeff and Annie.  It'd be cruel to make me wait!

So there you have it.  By the way, it seems like I watch a lot of television.  I really don't.  If anything, I buy shows on DVD and watch them during the summer.  Speaking of summer, notice that this list leaves out one of my favorite shows ever, True Blood.  That's because it's not on.

What are some of your favorite shows?

Unconventional ships

We all have 'em: our favorite ships.  It's one of the reasons we watch a particular show, they inspire us to write numerous fanfiction, and, if the ship is unconventional, the mere chemistry between the two characters is the soul reason we shippers keep our hope even though it's most likely never going to happen.  Below are my favorite ships, some unconventional, some not, in no particular order:

1)  Penny and Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory.  I'm all about opposites attracting and balance, and these two have that in spades.  Plus, the undeniable chemistry between the two actors is just sizzling.  I know Sheldon's supposed to be above romantic entanglements, but he's still a man, and if anyone can convert him - however tentatively - it would be Penny.  Plus, please tell me that you too saw how he looked at her in the pilot?

2)  Jeff and Annie from Community.  When I first started shipping this couple, I'll admit it was a pipe dream.  Older guy, younger girl is rarely portrayed realistically on television despite the fact that age gaps do happen in life.  The chemistry between Joel McHale and Alison Brie, like the actors above, is undeniable.  Instead of denying it like the producers and writers of The Big Bang Theory, Dan Harmon, creator of Community, decided to use it.  And now, as crazy and as unconventional as it seems, Jeff and Annie is canon.  See?  Dreams do come true.

3)  Booth and Brennan from Bones.  I know, I know.  Totally canon.  But I love those two together.  They just make me so incredibly happy.  It'll be interesting to see how the (SPOILER ALERT) baby will affect them.  I can't wait!

4)  House and Thirteen from House, MD.  Never going to happen, I know.  The chemistry is great, and out of all the potential people House could be with, I seriously think Thirteen would never ask him to change and accept him for who he is.  (It should be noted that in the first couple of seasons, I shipped House and Cameron, but then she got all crazy and I just went, "No.")

5)  Sookie and Eric from True Blood.  Please don't tell me I have to explain this one.  Seriously, I get burned just watching the two of them interact.

Bonus 6)  Gibbs and Abby from NCIS.  I don't really watch this show, but if any couple defines unconventional, it's these two, but I can't help it.  I love them.  They, too, have chemistry. 

Obviously chemistry is big for me.  So are the looks that pass between the actors (characters?) that might or might not be on purpose but are nonetheless there.  Logic has nothing to do with it, though I think I could give a good argument for all of these couples about why they should be together.  For me, though, it's more of a gut reaction, that these two should be together.  And I just go with my gut, more so than with my head.  Which explains a lot.

What are your favorite television ship and why?

Sunshine Sunday

Sundays are usually reserved for relaxation, for groaning because Monday brings school or work or waking up early to take your brother to school...  But I digress.  So I wanted to talk about things this week that have made me happy and what I'm looking forward to this week.  Ready?  Okay!

1)  Hockey is BACK!  Well, almost.  I attended the Ducks' training camp the past two days and it gets me super-excited for the season.  Getzy and Perry were pushing each other (playfully, of course!), Bobby Ryan was goofing around with his teammates, Hiller was nearly back to his best (but vertigo is scary to have for a starting goalie), and my personal favorite Dan Ellis, is on top of his game!  I also found a couple of players to watch out for (crossing my fingers that they make the team): Andrew Gordon and Mark Bell.

2)  I start school on Thursday.  I'm a bit nervous (I know an actual university is different from a community college but I'm not quite sure what those differences are yet and as such, can't prepare) but the closer it gets, the more excited I am.  I am planning to go to sporting events (Why can't UCI have a football team?  Why?) and socialize.  I'm hoping that UCI is where I'll belong, not just for academics but because I care about the school as a whole.  Plus, there's a bunch of cool activities during Welcome Week including screening X-Men: First Class on the Green.

3)  Demi Lovato's new album comes out on Tuesday.  I love her, her voice, and her songs, and I am looking forward to hearing what she has to offer.

4)  TV.  I'm a confessed couch potato who works out, okay?  All my favorite shows premiere this week (Community, The Office, Glee, How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family) and new shows that I'm looking forward to checking out (Whitney, Two Broke Girls, The New Girl, The X-Factor, Last Man Standing) and new shows that I checked out last week that I like (Free Agents, Up All Night).  Granted, I will/have watched a lot of these on my computer because I can't watch everyone at once.  I'm sad that I have to wait until October for Bones and all year until True Blood.  But I'm sure some shows (and hockey) will tide me over.

5)  Skyjack: The Hunt for D.B. Cooper by Geoffrey Gray.  You know my love for Depression-Era gangsters.  D.B. Cooper is kind of like that, but for the 1970's.  He's polite and charming and jumped out of a flying airplane with two hundred thousand dollars strapped to his chest on a rainy night after threatening to blow up said plane with a bomb.  No one was harmed and to this day, nobody knows who Mr. Cooper really is.  I love this stuff.  Especially when the author wrote about an old woman who compared D.B. Cooper to John Dillinger.  The gangster-geek in me squealed like a school girl! If you're into this kind of stuff, I definitely recommend it!

What about you?  Any things you're looking forward to this week?