Media Boyfriends

[itsallovernow]

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!

Comments

[pathstotread.livejournal.com]

I think my taste in TV boyfriends has changed a lot over the years. I used to be so much more of a Michael Vaughn/Lee Adama/Logan Cale/Sam Seaborn girl, meaning I liked the genuinely good guys who are intellectual and slightly nerdy and very principled and yadda yadda. And a part of me still falls for that every time. But this:

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.

Gah. Yes, please. And I think it was John that first really attracted me to this type, although Han Solo and Pacey Witter certainly paved the way in a sense. Also, there's something to be said for tall, rangy, dark and broody - Angel, anyone?

So I think I've increasingly discovered that I don't really have a "type" when it comes to my fictional boyfriends. I just really like pretty boys, and yes, there has to be something BEHIND the pretty, but whatever that something is varies. (Oh, and complete and total WORD on Nine vs. Ten. I would do so many unspeakable things to Nine.)

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Yeah, something a little skewed behind the pretty, I think:) But I still like the ones who look a little rougher 'round the edges.

[life-on-queen.livejournal.com]

And, y'know, Shepphard is totally gay. And not in a Captain Jack "i'll screw anything with legs" way. Dude's gay. And O'Neill's a vicodin addict. It so totally makes more sense that way.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee!! Exactly. As I've said before, when even M. looks at Shephard and says, "Dude, he is so gay." you know it's inevitable:)

[ixchup.livejournal.com]

You did it again, defined for me my own experience! Yes, my TV boyfriends have to be intelligent, overly charming (so much so that it gets in their way), pretty but very manly. As I get older, so do they. Thus, a lot of the younger guys (O.C., Dawson's Creek, etc. actors) do nothing for me whereas Scott Bakula, Patrick Stewart, Ben Browder, Christopher Eccelston really make my heart bleed. I am definitely A Nine gal too. My 16 year old daughter loves David Tennant's Ten, but there is something so puppy-like about Tennant that I just haven't warmed to him in the same way that I want to slap and hug Christopher Eccelston. I have to say I had the same reaction to Captain Jack as you did until I listened to the Commentaries and realized that the actor is really really smart and talented and hot. The arrogance of him is fun.

When I was in my 20s I adored David McCallum (Illya Kuriakin) from Man from Uncle as well as Luke and Han. Now it is Ben Browder and definitely the brainy David Krumholtz that make me sigh. I really have no feelings for Robert Vaughn or any other square-jawed soul. Give me Ronon and D'Argo too because I love ethnic looks (hee).

And yes, Cameron Mitchell goes on the list before Daniel Jackson because you are right, Daniel is an asshole and I really am tired of his pissy self whereas Cameron is much more intriguing in his incompleteness.

Fun thoughts. Yet, like you, John Crichton remains my number #1.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee. I have seen David Krumholtz in person and he's just too short and cute geeky science nerd for me to find hot. Adorable, but not hot:)

[elliejane.livejournal.com]

I utterly ADORED Illya Kuryakin. He won hands down over Napolean, although I always felt like the ptb were trying to make me fall for Napolean. But there was no contest.

ooh FUN!!

[raithen.livejournal.com]

and I am totally with you on the rugged over the pretty. Which is why my first TV boyfriend, when I was 10, was MacGuyver. I was spoiled forever by that title sequence. Because of it, hands matter to me, and if a guys hands are too soft? don't have callousses? are softer than mine (which is not saying much, because my hands, they WORK! )? well, it's a pretty quick turn off....

and yet I never was as swoony about RDA as O'Neill. I guess we all grow up and leave childhood things behind to the land of happy nostalgia and grown up kinks ;)

It's why David Boreanez as Angel was interesting, but not TV boyfriendy -- but why him as Booth could possibly move in that direction.... I think I like the brain, the character, in the body!

It's why I liked later season AtS even as the writing got CRAPPY. Because Wesley, well he got all rough and guh. Though the asshole factor was a turn off.

It's why none of the guys on Firefly worked for me. Too. Pretty.

And it's why I fear ever watching Farscape... ;)

Re: ooh FUN!!

[ixchup.livejournal.com]

I agree with you that McGuyver was better than O'Neill because the pithy sayings were done more in tune with situations and McGuyver had that Mullet going for him.

Angel never did anything for me--too dark, talk, handsome, and couldn't act his way out of a paper bag. The acting is the thing for me. Wesley was much more fun because he was so emotional. I love that.

You have to watch Farscape for the torture and the humor. Nobody mentioned Crais and from your descriptions of guys, you definitely should meet Bilar.

[spoonishly.livejournal.com]

Oh yay tv boyfriends!

John Crichton will never NOT be high on my list. He's a like a mainstay. He's there and he always will be.

Recently, I'd stick Jim Halpert on my list as well. It's a combination of his humor, thoughtfulness and that good guy aura that makes me really, really like him. Plus, the floppy hair.

I'd add Shawn Spencer from Pysch as well for almost the same reasons as Jim.

I seem to go for humor and ability to laugh at themselves first and foremost. Don't know why exactly but I've always felt more strongly about characters with just that touch of humor to their personalities.

[ixchup.livejournal.com]

Yes, humor is really important. I so loved James Rockford (James Garner) in The Rockford Files for his humor and that life just dumped on him all the time. Yet he outsmarted it. I loved Maverick before that (although I only saw it on re-runs).

Thea, you are right, it is Mal when he is beat up that makes me swoon and not so much when he is up and around because he is just so moody and unpleasant.

[50mm.livejournal.com]

I just love this post. :D

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

I'm in a swoony mood today, I think.

[teand.livejournal.com]

The one thing I ask of my tv boyfriends is that they be more butch than I am.

Definitely Nine not Ten. With a nice side of Captain Jack. Jack not Daniel. Ronon because John and Rodney are totally into each other. Gibbs not DiNozzo (DiNozzo falls into the sex yes but breakfast with no categorey.) And Dean more than Sam although so far this season the Winchester boys are so woobie I mostly want to mother them and I'd have done Papa Winchester in a minute although he was so NOT boyfriend material.

On Grey's Anatomy, as it was on the West Wing, it's all about the women.

And just to mix things up, Cam over Crichton because BB must be on the list.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

I think the Winchester boys are too much literal boys for me and not figurative boys. (Too young, to needing to be taken care of).

Yeah, there's no one on Grey's Anatomy (except occasionally Burke) that really pings for me.

And shakes head. I will allow Cam over Crichton, but I will not pretend to understand it:) (Hee, although I also said to Kath that the reason I finally bought into SG-1 was BB in the dress blues (which normally are not my thing) fondling the Stargate in a totally inappropriate manner). Of course, with Cam, you're getting someone who hasn't been broken down completely and who doesn't come with a partner who will totally kick your ass.

[lizlet.livejournal.com]

Why I have a totally inappropriate crush on Gene Hunt, and not Sam Tyler.

You and me both, sister.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee. When KAth posted yesterday, I so totally thought of you!!!!

[(Anonymous)]

Hi thassalia and everyone! I just loved this post.
Although I don't get half of the names you're talking about (not sure if it's the location - Hungary - , or the fact that I don't watch much TV except for the shows I'm latched on to), I know enough. :)

I think Mulder was my first, yeah. I was taken by that puppy-dog face. Then RDA in MacGyver, not sure why. That carried me over to SG-1, where I was a total O'Neill nut until he went 100% "dumb Jack". But is wasn't as much physical as just those eyes, have you seen the man's EYES? Just otherwordly, deep and shining.

Then last year I found out what this TV-crush thing was really about: John Crichton. My number one. You said it all, ladies!!

I will just add that I have grown to like John Sheppard. Initially I didn't, he was too "pretty-boy" for me, but time made me develop a kind of Mulder-lite love for him.

And Cam, I hated for season 9 :-( I was just discovering Farscape, and BB and the show was just discovering Cam. But now, he's ready to love, if only he'd stay.

Andi

[kazbaby]

I seem to fall for the crazy ones. My first tv boyfriend though was Johnny B from Misfits of Science. Who wouldn't fall for a rocker who could shoot bolts of lightning? *bg*

But John Crichton will always be my #1 tv boyfriend.

But with no really rating the rest of the list is:
Cameron Mitchell
Fox Mulder
MacGyver
Daniel Jackson
Sam Beckett
Connor MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod
Dar (orig. beastmaster movie)

Okay, so I have a thing for guys with swords.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee:) That's just... you know what, I'm just gonna leave that last comment alone:)

[kerlin.livejournal.com]

Heh, maybe it's because I fall on the younger end of the spectrum, but I am all over the straight&narrow guys, preferably with a side of broken. Michael Vaughn, Lee Adama, Sam Seaborn, that stock "hot and way too smart and tries so very hard to follow the rules but never quite manages" character.

(And yes, for me, Sam over Gene, Clark Kent over Bruce Wayne, and Luke Skywalker over Han Solo.)

Crichton is of course on the list but more in the early seasons than the later seasons.

I can see the appeal of the rogue or goof character (David Addison is high on that list) but as a fun tumble or someone to hang out with instead of a "type."

But y'know we all have our exceptions. *points to icon and sighs happily*

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee:)

I can absolutely see the appeal in all of those:) And how they would ping for you in a way they don't for me:)

And really, I'm not sure how anyone could resist David Addison.

[pellucid.livejournal.com]

I think a certain blind idealism is the x-factor for me: it's why I adored Daniel Jackson in season 1-5 and don't like him so much now (even though I understand why he's changed; he's just not my boyfriend anymore); it's why Cameron Mitchell gets top honors at the moment. There's just something about that belief that they're trying to make the world a better place--even if we all know it's probably not going to work out that way--that I find quite sexy, for some reason. It's why Toby Ziegler and Leo McGarry work for me and Josh Lyman and Sam Seaborn don't as much.

Mulder comes under that heading, too, because he believes so much, but I'm less enamored of him the more concerned he becomes with his *own* agenda. And the problem with Crichton as well (insofar as there is one) is that his obsessions are so personal; I still find him sexy as hell, and in terms of character development I really like that his obsessions are personal, but that's what makes him a little less boyfriend-ish than Mitchell.

And on the flip side, the people who don't do a thing for me are really egotistical characters or characters who don't seem to care about anything at all. Hence no love at all for McKay or House (egotism) and very little love for Sheppard (what does he care about? his team? is that all?).

On the whole, though, I always love my TV girlfriends better than my TV boyfriends! Which doesn't really match up with my fairly resounding heterosexuality, but whatever! ;)

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

I find the blind idealism intriguing, on screen:) And I kind of loved that Crichton used to have the bigger obsessions, and that they got chipped away until all he had were personal obsessions.

But yeah, for the most part, I love my TV girlfriends even more:) Because I'd take Aeryn over all of them on a good day. Well, at least long enough to sit and analyze all the pretty pretty boys.

[woodface]

Honestly, I've never had the whole 'tv boyfriend' experience before. I mean, I had my fair share of crushes, but never in that sort of level.

I loved Han Solo, I used to love Mulder (but got over him), Tom Paris from Voyager, Julian Bashir from DS9. Recently, I've discovered Michael Scofield. I think I like them boyish, slightly messed up and a little bit cocky. Or someone like Tom Quinn from Spooks, fiercly protective but dangerous.

I can get the appeal of Batman or Angel, the tall and dark and broody, but I don't think I'd want them as boyfriend.

However, after a lot of searching, I have finally come to understand what is meant with the whole 'tv boyfriend' thing. And honestly, it's Cameron Mitchell all the way. He's *my* boy.

I'm sure you're very surprised.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Cam is so the guy you'd want to date in real life:) Pretty and buoyant and loyal and funny and honorable. The rest of them are fabulous on the TV. And should stay on the TV:)

[lomer.livejournal.com]

I like them either bad boy with a dash of pretty, or pretty with a dash of depth.

Simon is my number 1 Firefly boyfriend, but Mal and Wash tie for 2nd

John Crichton was very crushable on Farscape

Lee Adama is too pretty to NOT want to see naked, but I'm discovering a slight Helo lust too. Lets be honest though, I have a hardcore girlcrush on Starbuck.

Sawyer is amazingly hot on Lost.

And this is oldschool but whatshisname on Dark Angel, Max's trouble-maker brother who is now on Supernatural (yes I JUST realized this) was completely and totally crush-worthy.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee - see, I notice the divergent patterns:)

Simon is not even remotely pretty to me:) I know. It's a character flaw.

Lee Adama - pretty, not at all sexy.

Sawyer, though. Very sexy. Useless, but sexy.

Jensen Ackles? Too much pretty pouty boy, not enough sexy:)

Because the world needs more pretty

[haphazardmethod.livejournal.com]

Although I can't say this character from the movie Hard Core Logo should qualify as a decent boyfrind in any universe:

Re: Because the world needs more pretty

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Dude, I'm also ultra impressed that you made it move! And that is very sexy, although mostly, CKR is weirdly not my type:) It is, I believe, another character flaw:) But it may also be his predeliction for playing psychopaths:)

[khakigrrl.livejournal.com]

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.

You must, must, must watch Eureka. It is quickly becoming my next big show, and the POV character (Jack Carter) has a lot of the qualities I love in Crichton.

Of course, it's on SciFi, so if you get hooked, it's sure to be cancelled for WWF wrestling or something. Still, it's worth a look.

[apathocles.livejournal.com]

First and foremost: the adorkable type. Fast-thinking geeks with great senses of humour; penchant for pulling pranks an advantage. Which is why I'm aghast at your choosing Batman over Spidey.** ;) Adult!616!Spidey is adorable. Also, hot. (Not overly fond of movieverse.) These guys are the kind I'd love to spend my life with, even if just as a good friend. Even though most of them can be kind of infuriating at times.

Examples: Peter Parker (obviously), Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Nightcrawler (616), D'Argo, early Crichton, Flash (toonverse), early Xander, Yorick Brown, Mulder, Hawkeye Pierce, et cetera. (I'm aware that not all these characters fit all the criteria, but they're all adorkable, which is the important thing. *g*)

Another favourite type is the Crazy Motherfucker, with whom you'd have to be absolutely insane to even sleep with for one night. Deadpool, Magneto, Spider Jerusalem, Chris Keller, Simon Adebisi, and so on.

There's another kind-of-category, which includes Max Lord, Mitchell Hundred, and Ray Vecchio. I'm not entirely sure what the category is, since each title I can think of includes most of them, but not all of them. Sarcasm is usually present in heavy doses, and they're generally politicians or businessmen, but there's no one completely common characteristic. I like sarcastic men in business suits, mm-hmm.

And then you have characters who manage to be in all categories, which is why I'm currently obsessed with Jamie Madrox. He uses a goofy exterior to cover up the fact that his powers have seriously messed him up. Fun and angsty! (And pretty and smart and bi!) He wears a trenchcoat, he's a mutant with really entertaining (and downright fasincating) powers, he's a detective, he stood up to the X-Men on a matter of principle, he's a little naïve, he's willing to risk his own safety in order to help those wanting to avoid an unjust law. Any one of those things is enough to make me happy. *g* (Seriously, you could add that as another category: characters who're willing to do the right thing, even at risk of enormous personal cost. That's hot.)

Since you said we could respond visually: Jamie! (I'm restricting visuals to the one character, otherwise we'd be here all day. *g*)





(Did you ever see X3? He was the guy who robbed seven banks simultaneously and helped out Magneto after the Brotherhood broke him out of custody, although he's a good guy in the comics. Except for when his dupes are channelling the darker aspects of his personality, which is always fun.)

[/ramble]

**I would have a one-night stand with toonverse Bats, because he's still human beneath it all, and Kevin Conroy has a deeply sexy voice. Comics or movieverse Bats? No way, not in a million years. *g* He'd take a one-night stand and turn it into some huge, emotionally-destroying wankfest. And then he'd mope and brood a whole lot.

[apathocles.livejournal.com]

Chucking in a few more adorkables, because I can:

Nine (mmm, yes)
Tim McGee
Tony DiNozzo (sure, he's a pig, but I would exploit his movie geekishness shamelessly *g*)

... And I better cut it short there, because I could go on ALL DAY.

[suslikesturtles.livejournal.com]

Oh, what a question to be blessed with on a Friday morning. *shoot* goes the work. *swoon* goes the brain. Happy place!

I hear ya on the changing TV boyfriends over the years. I used to go wobbly over Ryan Reynolds. Yeah, I said it, I liked Ryan Reynolds in Two guys, a girl and a pizza place. I was young! I didn't know any better. And I did think he was quite hot in Blade: Trinity but he is boyfriend material no longer.

It used to be all about the cute, now it's the manly. I'm a sucker for CSI and actually have a crush on Gary Dourdan AND George Eads. Warrick cos he smoulders so very attractively and makes the old knees go a bit wobbly. Nick cos he's kind and attentive and I think I'd like him to save me from the world. Ahhhhhh, happy place.

Nathan Fillion's Mal has got a mixture of macho, sarcasm and sixpack that makes the girl in me shout, Yeah! Be mean to me! I won't mind your scathing remarks because a)I know you love me and b)I've seen you with your shirt off.

Oh dear. *breathes* Pink fluffy wobbliness is me. Can't think no more. Thank you soooo much for this post! :)

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

I'm very, very fond of Warrick. Nick, not so much. Too clean cut for me:)

And hee, I promise to tell no one about the Ryan Reynolds thing:)

[elliejane.livejournal.com]

Heh, I grew up with a host of tv boyfriends - I used to discuss them with my best friend and we used to refine the lists as we grew older.

My FIRST TV boyfriend was Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum). I remember sitting and watching the credits on Man From Uncle and thinking, I must make a note of and remember thias actor,s name so I can remember who it when I'm older. And I did remember and crushed on him consistently through teenage and college years.

It's odd to me that I never crushed on Napolean Solo: tall, dark and ladies man. Huh. I think I liked Illya because he was smarter than N, and got him out of scrapes, and did I mention the smart? Illya was smart and wry, and very good at his job. I had bad bad dreams of being helpless and at his mercy and he was too honourable to do anything but rescue me.

After seeing half an ep of Firefly I thought I would go for Simon, but no, it's Mal I lust after.

And also, for all people's talk of John Sheppard being "gay, dude", I don't see it myself, and so find him totally teh sex-on-legs. Oh, yes. Utterly. And the hair, it just does me in and makes me whimper.

All of that being said, John Crichton is my totally number one tv boyfriend. So much so that I have 2 lists. One with Crichton on it, and the other with everyone else. And whenever I see Ben Browder on screen either as John or Cam I still have this fangirl knee jerk reflex that says, "MINE!"

[elliejane.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I've just read one of your replies about humour, and realised that, humour and snark is something I also find attractive. I seem to recall that Illya was snarky in a dry sort of way, and of course, Crichton was full of wise cracks.

Mal, too, with the snark. While Simon? Not so much.

[midnightsjane.livejournal.com]

My very first tv crush was Richard Chamberlain as Doctor Kildare..(I'm really dating myself here, but I was just a kid then!) I loved Ilya Kuryakin, didn't care about the other guy; Ilya had the wit, and the brains, and I loved his kind of snarkiness.
I prefer Han to Luke. I think I go for guys who are more the rugged smart alec types than the pretty ones, although eye candy is nice.
I love Angel, but I think he'd be hell to date. I am attracted to the dark and brooding types, but I don't think I'd want to live with one. I love DB as Booth, because while he's still dark and broody, he's still got a sense of humour.
I am with you on John Crichton: he remains my #1; it's not just how gorgeous he is, it's that he's smart, and a little crazy, and funny.
As I get older, I'm finding men like Jean-Luc Picard, and Bill Adama more attractive than some of the pretty youngsters.