I Didn't Even Know You Had Legs.
Apr. 2nd, 2011 03:20 pmHaving watched the Mentalist episodes 'Red Gold' and 'Red Queen', I find myself 'shipping Jane/Hightower really quite a lot. This is excellent news, because it means that Hightower is definitely the right person for her job. If Jane doesn't fall in love with you, you shouldn't be in the CBI.
I wish Jane had shown more remorse for getting Lisbon injured in 'Red Gold', though. He gave a weird little smile just post-injury that made me think 'wait, is getting Lisbon's ankle sprained part of a Patrick Jane Plan? Really? Really?', but it seems not. And thank goodness for that, because, whilst Patrick Jane can be hell to work with, I think that physically injuring the people he loves and works with would be going a bit far. (Well, all right, I suppose it's actually going a bit less far than he did in 'Code Red', but physical injury would be going too far in a way that I'm not sure I can entirely believe of Patrick Jane.)
The part of 'Red Gold' that made me crack up laughing:
Jane: Maybe he died of happiness. Too much natural beauty; it's the Stendhal syndrome.
Sheriff: No. He was shot in the head.
RAMBLING FANDOM REC TIME: I know some people on my flist are keeping an eye out for television programmes with a significant female presence, and I have to suggest giving The Mentalist a try. Jane himself is male, yes, but his life is essentially defined by women; there's a very strong sense of the feminine about the show (and not only because the main character is called Jane). Also, Lisbon and Van Pelt and Hightower are all fabulous characters and I love them.
In fact, here is an incomplete list of Reasons To Watch The Mentalist:
- The main character, Patrick Jane. I occasionally wonder who my ten favourite fictional characters would be; I can never come up with a definitive list, but I can name a few who would definitely be in there, and one of them is Jane. He's tactile and adorable and silly and not at all an action guy (he's freaked out by guns and gets worn out after running for about three seconds, which I find quite endearing) and charmingly infuriating and he has the darkest of dark sides. And sometimes he gets hugged, which I love, and sometimes he gets punched in the face, which I also love, because he needs so many hugs and so much punching.
- The entire central cast are great, in fact. I know that the fact that I love them all won't necessarily mean you will, but there it is. It was very weird to realise that Cho was only my fourth favourite character, and I love Cho.
- It has ladies who are badass and gun-toting and ass-kicking, but their characterisation doesn't centre on their asskickingness; it's just another aspect. And they save the male main character's life approximately ten times more often than he saves theirs, which makes a pleasant change from much fiction.
- Patrick Jane can be 'shipped with pretty much anyone. I personally am massively invested in my belief that he is in love with Lisbon, Van Pelt, Cho, Rigsby and Hightower simultaneously, but, on account of his bucketloads of issues, refuses to admit it to himself or to take it beyond flirting. Whilst this asexual polyamorous arrangement is probably not canonically intended, alas, canon has been obliging enough not to contradict it thus far. It is a totally, totally possible interpretation and I love it. Even if you don't take it quite as far as my personal canon, Jane's relationship with the team is delightful.
Okay, yes, all of my Reasons To Watch The Mentalist are character- rather than plot-related. At its heart, The Mentalist is a fairly standard episodic crime drama and suffers from a reluctance to take risks; I watch it primarily because I adore the characters, rather than to find out what happens next. If you're looking for something with a strong storyline, then, The Mentalist might not satisfy your needs; if your enjoyment of television tends to be more based in character, however, I put Lisbon and her team forward for your consideration.
Just because, one of my favourite scenes between Jane and Lisbon:
Lisbon: You wanna drive?
Jane: Ah, that's a very sweet offer. Do I really seem so sad?
Lisbon: What? I was just asking if you wanted to drive.
Jane: You don't like it when I drive. You despise it.
Lisbon: You drive way too fast!
Jane: I drive just fast enough. You hate not being the one in control, and yet you're willing to overcome your irrational fears to cheer me up. (grinning) That's a beautiful thing, Lisbon. Thank you; I'd love to drive.
Lisbon: Never mind. (starts the car)
I love them so much. ♥
I wish Jane had shown more remorse for getting Lisbon injured in 'Red Gold', though. He gave a weird little smile just post-injury that made me think 'wait, is getting Lisbon's ankle sprained part of a Patrick Jane Plan? Really? Really?', but it seems not. And thank goodness for that, because, whilst Patrick Jane can be hell to work with, I think that physically injuring the people he loves and works with would be going a bit far. (Well, all right, I suppose it's actually going a bit less far than he did in 'Code Red', but physical injury would be going too far in a way that I'm not sure I can entirely believe of Patrick Jane.)
The part of 'Red Gold' that made me crack up laughing:
Jane: Maybe he died of happiness. Too much natural beauty; it's the Stendhal syndrome.
Sheriff: No. He was shot in the head.
RAMBLING FANDOM REC TIME: I know some people on my flist are keeping an eye out for television programmes with a significant female presence, and I have to suggest giving The Mentalist a try. Jane himself is male, yes, but his life is essentially defined by women; there's a very strong sense of the feminine about the show (and not only because the main character is called Jane). Also, Lisbon and Van Pelt and Hightower are all fabulous characters and I love them.
In fact, here is an incomplete list of Reasons To Watch The Mentalist:
- The main character, Patrick Jane. I occasionally wonder who my ten favourite fictional characters would be; I can never come up with a definitive list, but I can name a few who would definitely be in there, and one of them is Jane. He's tactile and adorable and silly and not at all an action guy (he's freaked out by guns and gets worn out after running for about three seconds, which I find quite endearing) and charmingly infuriating and he has the darkest of dark sides. And sometimes he gets hugged, which I love, and sometimes he gets punched in the face, which I also love, because he needs so many hugs and so much punching.
- The entire central cast are great, in fact. I know that the fact that I love them all won't necessarily mean you will, but there it is. It was very weird to realise that Cho was only my fourth favourite character, and I love Cho.
- It has ladies who are badass and gun-toting and ass-kicking, but their characterisation doesn't centre on their asskickingness; it's just another aspect. And they save the male main character's life approximately ten times more often than he saves theirs, which makes a pleasant change from much fiction.
- Patrick Jane can be 'shipped with pretty much anyone. I personally am massively invested in my belief that he is in love with Lisbon, Van Pelt, Cho, Rigsby and Hightower simultaneously, but, on account of his bucketloads of issues, refuses to admit it to himself or to take it beyond flirting. Whilst this asexual polyamorous arrangement is probably not canonically intended, alas, canon has been obliging enough not to contradict it thus far. It is a totally, totally possible interpretation and I love it. Even if you don't take it quite as far as my personal canon, Jane's relationship with the team is delightful.
Okay, yes, all of my Reasons To Watch The Mentalist are character- rather than plot-related. At its heart, The Mentalist is a fairly standard episodic crime drama and suffers from a reluctance to take risks; I watch it primarily because I adore the characters, rather than to find out what happens next. If you're looking for something with a strong storyline, then, The Mentalist might not satisfy your needs; if your enjoyment of television tends to be more based in character, however, I put Lisbon and her team forward for your consideration.
Just because, one of my favourite scenes between Jane and Lisbon:
Lisbon: You wanna drive?
Jane: Ah, that's a very sweet offer. Do I really seem so sad?
Lisbon: What? I was just asking if you wanted to drive.
Jane: You don't like it when I drive. You despise it.
Lisbon: You drive way too fast!
Jane: I drive just fast enough. You hate not being the one in control, and yet you're willing to overcome your irrational fears to cheer me up. (grinning) That's a beautiful thing, Lisbon. Thank you; I'd love to drive.
Lisbon: Never mind. (starts the car)
I love them so much. ♥
