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.)

[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.

[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.

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.

Re: ooh FUN!!

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee. I have never, EVER, understood the MacGuyver swoon. Ever. But physically, once Jack O'Neill got all silver haired, I found him attractive:)

And yes to Booth over Angel, although I was a sucker for dorky later seasons Angel.

Wesley never pinged as sexy to me. Too little, too scrawny. I liked the character, I just never found him at all hot.

And absolutely to Firefly (except, oddly, for Jayne, and occaisionally Mal when he was beat up).

[50mm.livejournal.com]

I just love this post. :D

[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:)

[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:)

[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]

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

[ixchup.livejournal.com]

Well, being a smidge under 5 foot myself, everyone is tall to me. I guess I like TV Boyfriends who have some sort of intelligent vulnerability even under the snark. You met David Krumholtz! interesting.

[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.

[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.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

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

[raithen.livejournal.com]

but NOT Gibbs with the UGGGGGGLY mustache. Let me at him with the clippers, please!

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Humor makes a huge difference!! It's the idea, I think, that you can't quite take yourself so seriously that you can't laugh at yourself and the world around you. It's disarming and sexy.

[teand.livejournal.com]

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.

You're making my argument for me. *g*

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

No, no, not met. He must live somewhere in Hollywood because I've seen him around once or twice:) He's unmistakeable.

[teand.livejournal.com]

This week I actually found myself thinking, "You know, it's not that bad." And then I had to go bleach my brain!

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee. We'll call Cam the safe bet. And he would be so entirely enthusiastic and focused on any sort of task one my conceivably set out for him:)

[lizlet.livejournal.com]

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

You and me both, sister.

[raithen.livejournal.com]

Mal for me was also a prob, because there is just this turn off factor for me with Nathan Fillion. I understand that as a patriotic western canadian, I'm supposed to be all rah rah, but I found him COMPLETELY annoying/disconcerting/icky on 2 Guys and Girl (not that I watched MUCH, but enough to stand by my ick) -- and but for the beat up/non-assholey Mal, well, ya. And Caleb was SUPPOSED to be icky. So.

[raithen.livejournal.com]

*hee* also: *thwupt*