Media Boyfriends

So monkeyfromhell linked to some exceedingly swoony pictures of Captain Jack (as in Dr. Whoverse/Torchwoodverse, not sailing the seven seas verse), which convinced me that I'd been wrong in my earlier assumption of not finding Captain Jack sexy.

As I said to crankygrrl, being so enamoured of Nine, I couldn't see the forest for trees. I liked the dynamic Captain Jack brought, found him charming, but not heavy-breathing worthy.

These pictures pretty much helped to sway me to the swoon.

And I've discovered as I've gotten older, that my TV boyfriends have totally changed. I used to like tall and rangy and dark and pretty and broody. Hell, I used to adore musicians (and seriously, give me a boy with a great smile and a stand up bass, and I still need some alone time, but I no longer date them unless they have another job to supplement their lifestyles. I don't want to date their lifestyles).

It's that moment, in media boyfriend discovery, when you realize just why you love Han Solo and not Luke Skywalker. Why you'd sleep with Batman, but not Spiderman. Why I have a totally inappropriate crush on Gene Hunt, and not Sam Tyler. And why I would STILL take Nine home with me and not Ten, even though Ten is fabulous in his own right.

And why John Crichton is still my #1 TV boyfriend.

It's that element of just shear... guyness, with a slight side of asshole and a big dose of good intention, poor execution and buckets of inappropriate charm. Lee Adama does not have it. Sorry. And while Dean Winchester may, he has yet to prove to me that it's worth pursuing (my SPN viewing is sketchy. It's just not my thing right now.) Yes. Both are pretty men. I recognize the pretty, but neither of them makes think bad bad things.

I think, to put far too much psychology and not enough gut reaction behind it, I like guys who make me feel girly, even in a fictional sense. And if they're prettier than me, not so much. I like the textured differences, I like the inappropriate charm, I like a little arrogance, a little bit of too smart or too rough or too intense. I don't like flat out assholes - neither House nor Rodney McKay would ever make it onto the media boyfriend list.

I don't object to cranky, however. Toby Ziegler is so on the list. Josh Lyman is not. (I adore Josh, don't get me wrong, but he is not TV boyfriend material). Much like Daniel Jackson could, potentially be on the list, if it's later seasons jaded and pissy but still smarter than everyone Daniel. But only sometimes because he's sometimes too much of an asshole.

Teal'c definitely goes on the list, along with Ronon and D'Argo (tentacles and everything) because big and stoic and goofy is hot.

And Cameron Mitchell would go on the list, while John Shepphard would not because Cam is boundless enthusiasm and convinced of his own charms and it would take Shepphard too long to say anything (and I'm also over the whole lanky boneless thing, although the hair is an intriguing selling point).

ETA I forgot to add Fox Mulder when he's at his assholish best! Because when Mulder was in full on crazy, desperate, totally self-absorbed/obsessed mode, with just that hint of self-deprecation, I was so there man. So, so there.

So, media boyfriends? What's your favorite flavor? Feel free to respond visually, and to go thank monkeyfromhell for her helpful distractions!