Jim/Blair of The Sentinel

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Jim/Blair of The Sentinel
by lamardeuse and misanthrope7842






Background Info

misanthrope's story:

'The Sentinel'. It's a gateway drug. While it's not the first fandom I became involved in, it is the one that grabbed me, chained me to my computer, and has ever since refused to let me go. The premise of a cop with hyperactive senses hit my science fiction interest, and is probably what drew me into the fandom when I'd never seen an episode of the show. But what caught me and keeps me in the fandom is that Jim and Blair are just so easy. Unlike many fandoms where it takes a slash-colored view to even begin to see a couple as possible, Jim and Blair come across as well on their way to a relationship, if not already involved in one, in canon. My mother, five minutes into her first ever viewing of the show, asked me if they were lovers. All the ease of canon, without the pesky canon getting in the way!



lamardeuse's story:

In the slash circles I inhabit, 'The Sentinel' seems to have been everyone else's wading pool. It's the fandom where you get your toes wet, because the actual show is like Intro to Slash 101. Jim and Blair are one of the most married m/m couples I've ever seen, and compared to some of the other subtexts I work with, providing evidence for their relationship is a walk in the park. Unfortunately, since I never got to see the show in its original run, TS actually has turned out to be my fourth slash fandom, one I've only been in for about eight months. However, it's one of the most fun to write, and it helps that they're just so damned cute together.

The show itself is for the most part standard action fare, and many people have issues with the dialogue and the plots, which are admittedly sometimes riddled with tractor-trailer sized holes. However, after all the dire warnings about the crappiness of the canon, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the bits of business that made the show more interesting than the average actioner. First of all, the performances of the leads stand out, but 'The Sentinel' is also that rare action show with a clear left-wing agenda. There are stories about environmental issues, human rights, political activists, Russian dissidents, and kick-ass Native peoples. African Americans and other minorities also feature prominently both in guest and recurring roles, and rarely as criminals. The show certainly has redeeming qualities that go beyond the slash. But that's what we're here for, so let's proceed to:





The Characters

Jim Ellison (Richard Burgi) is a police detective in the fictional Washington city of Cascade. Once a Special Forces officer in Peru, he spent extended periods in the jungle training the Chopec Indians to fight insurgency in the region. During that time, his isolation led to a resurgence of his genetic gift/curse--heightened senses. He is in fact a Sentinel, a special breed of human who in ancient times served as guardians of the tribe. These guardians are made more vulnerable at times by these heightened senses, however, and so they work best with a guide, another person who understands their condition and can work with them to control and channel their senses.

Enter Blair Sandburg (Garett Maggart), an anthropology student working on his doctorate in the Sentinel phenomenon. When he gets a line on a real live Sentinel, he convinces Jim to agree to a limited partnership of sorts: in exchange for Blair's help in controlling his senses, Jim will allow Blair to write his dissertation about him. As time progresses, this limited partnership will grow and change.

Blair, too, goes through some fascinating changes, but there are certain constants: he is the product of a hippie mother and an unknown father; when the going gets tough he's feisty, courageous and level-headed; he drinks algae shakes, meditates frequently, wears entirely too much plaid, and is a firm believer in free love--with just about every woman he can get his hands on. Blair undergoes a maturing process through his work with Jim, eventually taking on nearly all the responsibilities of being Jim's partner. He's an intellectual thrown into the world of heroes and bad guys, and over time that world becomes his home.

Jim is on the surface his complete opposite, but he's more complex than he might appear at first glance as well. The child of a wealthy, distant father who considered him a "freak" and a mother who left Dad with the custody of the kids, it's clear that Jim has serious abandonment issues. He's always on the lookout for betrayal, especially where Blair is concerned, and whenever there's a test to their relationship, his tendency is to bail prematurely. On the other hand, his own issues lead him to an understanding of the personal problems of others, as is seen in his relationship with Simon and other guest characters on the show. He's much more than simply a macho cop stereotype, and his curious vulnerability makes the show--and the Jim/Blair relationship--much more interesting.







Why They Work Together

There's a ton of canon evidence for a Jim/Blair pairing. First of all, they're the ultimate odd couple--hippie intellectual and hard-assed cop--who end up living together (yes, Blair moves in for a week and...never leaves), working together, and relying on one another. Opposites attract? Oh, hell yeah. The characters--fueled by the chemistry between the two actors--have a funny, sparky, physical relationship; even their fights are sexy as hell. There's angst there, particularly in the last dozen or so episodes of the show, that will turn the crank of anyone who likes to see fireworks between the shipped characters. Add in all of Jim's personal demons, and you can cook yourself up a Molotov cocktail without too much trouble.

Yet despite their conflicts, they're also so completely a couple. They touch each other all the damn time, and we're not just talking mano-a-mano pats. For example, there's the famous "parking garage" scene, in which Jim rescues Blair from a life-threatening situation, then proceeds to hold him--well, let's just say it's not a "buddy" type hug, it's an oh God I was so afraid I'd lose you kind of hug. Over the course of the show, Jim and Blair have (of course) various romantic liaisons, but they seem to spend about as much time on dates together (not double dates, but dates involving just Jim and Blair). They go camping, kayaking, fishing, etc. together. Best of all, they're hopelessly domestic. The few glimpses we get of them doing their at-home schtick--in the kitchen, watching a game, playing poker--are absolutely precious. You just want to squeeze them, because their chemistry, mannerisms and banter scream we're so married from the rooftops.

Jim and Blair give 'The Sentinel' an interesting sense of humor, as well, a bit different from the black humor of many cop dramas, though that's there as well. While the typical cop jokes come from the typical cop characters, Jim and Blair have a relationship that defies just about all labels, and their jokes have an insider feel to them. Often the humor has a political undercurrent to it, leaning away from what one might expect from a military-cop point of view. For instance, during a gun fight in one episode, Blair points out to Jim that this incident "still doesn't change my views on gun control". At other times, little glimpses of day to day roommate life come through: witness Blair's list of Jim's ultra-anal house rules, or the actual canon conversation where Jim tells Blair to 'use the spray' in the bathroom. Yes, really. There's an ad-libbed feel to some of the lines that gives them an authentic feel. The easy banter and gentle teasing between the characters, even in stressful or painful moments make Jim and Blair all the more fun to play with.

Despite the abundant evidence of the canon relationship, those who have trouble writing a slash couple as lovers during the run of a show are also provided with a ride-off-into-the-sunset moment where the two characters take a left turn--together. While the fans did have legitimate issues with that final episode, the "press conference" scene where Blair chooses to throw away everything he's worked toward to protect his friend is one of the most emotional of the series, and like the Franklin adventure in 'due South' fandom it's a fabulous jumping-off point for numerous fanfiction first-time stories.

And then there's the spiritual connection, the "Sentinel thing" that brings them together on yet another level. Blair, as it's explained in the episodes that deal with this aspect of the show, is the "guide" or Shaman to Jim's Sentinel, and as such helps him control and use his senses to their greatest effect. In a crucial episode, Blair is killed--heart stopped, resuscitation attempts failed, paramedics shaking their heads. With the aid of the spiritual connection they share, Jim brings Blair back from the dead, and the imagery used is some of the slashiest ever seen on TV (see elven_wolf's icon below). Many authors have used the history of ancient South American cultures (as well as present-day ones like the Chopec) to write fanfiction that explores this aspect of the show.

Last but not least, there are also a great deal of hurt/comfort opportunities for the fic writer. Not only are there the general cop-show genre hurts that can be explored, but the potential for emotional hurt/comfort is amazingly present, both stemming from canon events and from the potential presented by the characters' own psyches. Jim especially is a vulnerable person, physically from his senses and emotionally from his own inner demons, most notably his fear of abandonment. Jim's sense of honor and responsibility make him the ideal comforter, but also lends itself to his own angst at allowing Blair to leave his "safe" world of academia to join him in more dangerous work. Blair has the potential for physical hurt, as in canon he's often the one to take the brunt of the harm, but also from his own emotional issues, similar to and even complementary to Jim's. Blair has a definite need to be needed, and is shown throughout the course of the show to be the only one Jim has allowed to get close enough to even begin to comfort him. In other words, there's plenty of fodder here for fans of every description.





Why I Ship Them

lamardeuse's interpretation

I first started reading large quantities of Sentinel fanfic before I got my hands on the actual show, and I was immediately intrigued by the premise of the geeky intellectual paired with the tough cop. How would that work? Why did it work? After watching the show, I was completely and irrevocably hooked, because--well, because of a dozen reasons, but most of all because these characters were so much more than geeky intellectual and tough cop, and suddenly it was crystal clear why they worked. Blair was tough and courageous, like Jim, and Jim was goofy at times and strangely vulnerable, like Blair, and they were not always doing what you might expect them to do. As characters, that makes them a lot of fun to read and write about.

From a romantic standpoint, they work because they each give things to the other, ingredients the other is lacking. Blair gives Jim a handle on his senses, a safety net, a sympathetic ear, and a partner who (despite his fears to the contrary) will not desert him, even when the temptation seems irresistible. Jim gives Blair stability, a chance to "ride the roller coaster" of police work, and an opportunity to become someone upon whom others depend. Jim and Blair clearly understand and care deeply about another, and there's lots of opportunity there for a writer to explore their relationship.



misanthrope's interpretation

Admittedly, I saw a picture of RB as Jim and said wow. And followed that with a picture of GM as Blair and said WOW. Most important to me of all, though, is the characterization. Plots are automatically second fiddle to the people on any given show I watch, which helps a great deal in Sentinel fandom. What TS lacks in well-planned plot, research, and logic, it more than makes up for in terms of inner demons, depth of character, and armchair psychoanalysis of the main (and even supporting) characters. Jim's got a list of issues a mile long, which opens with the retelling of his tragic loss of his entire Army Ranger unit, leaving him the sole survivor, in the first moments of the first episode. But Blair, too, has issues, and though his aren't explored as much (the show's called 'The Sentinel' after all, not 'The Guide'), eventually they come out, and prove to be just as far reaching as Jim's own. That, for me, is the draw of 'The Sentinel', what will keep me coming back for more fic, no matter how illogical the canon plots or frustrating the dropped plot-lines.





Summary: Why Follow This Pairing?

First of all, they're easy. They're so clearly a couple that it doesn't take a lot of effort to put them together, so if this is your first time considering reading or writing slash, you can definitely see it here. Secondly, the chemistry between the actors leads to a great dynamic, one that's physical and affectionate and funny and sexy. Third, they are eye candy of the first order, and together they're like Reese's peanut butter cups--something for everyone. Finally, there's also plenty of material for fans of angst, buddy shows, fantasy/spirituality, h/c, or all of the above. Cheap, pretty, bendable and poseable, we give you--Jim and Blair!







Resources

General Sites

852 Prospect
http://www.squidge.org/archive/
The ultimate library of TS slash fiction. You do have to kiss a few frogs to get a prince, but itss worth it.

Fabella's TS Vids
SITE NO LONGER AVAILABLE
If you haven't seen the series, Fabella's vids are a great place to start.

ETA: It looks like Fabella's webhost has disappeared off the face of the planet. If you have a home to offer her, comment here:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/wistful_fever/74965.html


Becky's episode transcripts
http://www.kelesa.net/transcripts/index.htm
are the next place to go, although to be frank the dialogue on paper doesn't do justice to what Maggart and Burgi are able to do with it.

Senad
http://www.senad.org/
The Sentinel Adult mailing list is the place to find Sentinel stuff (senstuff) for sale every month, including videos and DVDs, as well as discussions of the show and fic announcements.



LJ communities

Check out the userinfo pages of each for details on the mandates and scopes of these various communities.

Sentinel Thursday
http://www.livejournal.com/community/sentinel_thurs/

TS Talk
http://www.livejournal.com/community/ts_talk/

The Sentinel Icon Art
http://www.livejournal.com/community/ts_iconart/

TS Flashback
http://www.livejournal.com/community/tsflashback/



Authors of note

Bone
http://www.geocities.com/coffeeslash/bone/
lamardeuse's note: my favourite TS story, bar none, is still "Out of Whack". Apart from being hotter than the centre of the sun, it's a story in which I can hear them speaking. Love it to pieces.

Anna S.
http://www.drizzle.com/~eliade/
lamardeuse's note: writes quirky stories with extremely original concepts and turns of phrase.

Francesca (Speranza in dS fandom)
http://www.trickster.org/francesca/
lamardeuse's note: one of my favourite due South writers, she was one of the ones who sucked me into TS.

Kass
http://www.trickster.org/kass/
lamardeuse's note: One of the few writers who explores Blair's spirituality as a person of Jewish descent, and one who paints absolutely gorgeous portraits of the boys, whether they're contemplating the Torah or having hot, sweaty sex.

Resonant
http://www.trickster.org/res/
lamardeuse's note: Another author whose talent with other fandoms led me into TS. "Tender" is one of my favourites of hers, though I pretty much love them all.


If anyone has any questions or comments about this review or any aspect of TS fandom, feel free to comment below. You can also e-mail lamardeuse at poutinette@canada.com and misanthrope7842 at misanthrope7842@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading!

Comments

[mistressrenet.livejournal.com]

Very nice, ladies, and some of my favorite authors too!

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

*g* Thank you kindly!

[sweetvalleyslut.livejournal.com]

Great essay, guys. I liked the points about the good points of the show other than the slash ('cause hey, it's not *that* bad), and this:

What TS lacks in well-planned plot, research, and logic

Hee!

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it!

What TS lacks in well-planned plot, research, and logic

Yes, Misanthrope has a way with words! *g*

[elven-wolf.livejournal.com]

Cheap, pretty, bendable and poseable, we give you--Jim and Blair!

*dies*

Great essay, guys!

[elven-wolf.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, and for anyone wondering what the 'slashiest ever seen on TV' visual was, this is it. *points to icon* The black jaguar is Jim's spirit animal, the wolf is Blair's. *snickers*

[castalie.livejournal.com]

I was waiting for this essay like crazy, girls, and you did a great job *g*

I absolutely don't need a refresh course to remind me why I love this show or those two together, but should I need one, your essay would do the trick *g*

I love how you put the emphasis on how much they compliment each other and how what one lacks, the other gives. I love this give-take angle and that's what this pairing is all about to me, so it was nice seeing it in your essay. Something else I love was how you showed that Jim is indeed so much more than just your stereotyped macho cop, because Jim has so many layers! So that was great too *g*

And how much I loved the reference to the merging of their spirit guides! [though not mentioning it would have been like an awful crime and such a huge mistake lol] Aka When Lovers Have Mystical Intercourse. Theirloveissomystical *g*

Lovely job *g*

[gardendoor.livejournal.com]

Let me second Catalie, I've been waiting with baited breath for this one. I think this is the overall most-shipped pairing on the net, barring Kirk/Spock (and considering those two have a thirty-year lead, that's impressive). Good job!

[shetiger.livejournal.com]

Oh!

*pets Jim and Blair*

Thank you for reminding me of why I devoted a good solid year of my life to his fandom (like, twelve hours a day, pathetic though that is). It's been so long since I really had anything to do with the Sentinel, that I didn't even know where to start with it. Thanks for the links, now I do.

This was a lovely read. Now I have all kinds of nostalgia for the Sentinel. Does anyone know if the show is on/is going to be on DVD?

[castalie.livejournal.com]

Sorry, my finger didn't click where it was supposed to! lol

Does anyone know if the show is on/is going to be on DVD?

We wish *sigh* I'm afraid the show isn't going to be on DVD anytime soon and this truly is a tragedy. Now, that being said, you can find some DVDs (https://ssl3.pwebtech.com/s028072/tvondvd_order_secure.html) over here. I heard people say the quality was okay, but it's apparently an edited version as in censored somehow, but if you're curious...

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

They're so clearly a couple that it doesn't take a lot of effort to put them together

And yet I still don't see it. I've repeatedly been the only female in households consisting of straight blokes (and/or bi/gay blokes who weren't involved with each other), and I've spent over a decade imposing on a gay couple and their various friends-and-relations every other time I need crashspace in London. Jim and Blair come across, to me, exactly like the former and nothing like the latter.

I've read some good Sentinel slash, but I don't see it at all in the show.

Gina

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Well, there is the whole bringing-back-from-the-dead thing, which is a little unusual with straight roomies, but hey. *g* It's all a matter of opinion - just like I'll never, ever see Kirk/Spock slash or Sam/Al (Quantum Leap) slash. And of course some people will never see slash at all - I was in that category until just a couple of years ago.

[ladysorka]

The Sentinel was indeed My First Slash Fandom, and yes, it was very much my gateway drug. 6 years later and I'm a little slash fandom junkie. (You mean there's more to life than gay porn?)

Because anyone who can watch that show and not go "So married!" boggles my mind.

[ladysorka]

Oh, and, especially if one has ever seen the blooper reels.

Because the fact that there are, like, 4 kisses in there between the two main leads, often seeming to be "Well, we're just continuing the damn scene!"... well, yes.

Well done!

[vamysteryfan.livejournal.com]

I was eagerly awaiting this essay and it lived up to and beyond my hopes. You explained everything so well.

There are stories about environmental issues, human rights, political activists, Russian dissidents, and kick-ass Native peoples. African Americans and other minorities also feature prominently both in guest and recurring roles, and rarely as criminals.

Yes, exactly. There are plot holes you can drive trucks through, but the show made a real effort to deal with issues beyond the generic cop show stuff. And they did it intelligently.

I'm with misanthrope7842. The Sentinel was my gateway drug as well. I'd never read slash, never even saw it in other shows, until Jim and Blair.

they are eye candy of the first order, and together they're like Reese's peanut butter cups--something for everyone.

Ooooh yeah!

Very well done

Re: Well done!

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your kind praise! I'm glad you thought it hit some of the important points.

[viciouswishes.livejournal.com]

Wonderful essay. I watched the show when it first aired, and couldn't believe that Blair never moved out.

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

I watched the show when it first aired, and couldn't believe that Blair never moved out.

And what's even funnier is that it was never mentioned. I mean, Simon didn't ever say, "So when is Sandburg moving out of your place?" It was like everybody knew why they were still living together.

[rhiannon-jehane.livejournal.com]

*happy sigh*

I've been looking forward to this essay -- you guys did a wonderful job of describing their appeal!

*saves to memories*

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so glad you liked it! *g*

Get Your Toes Wet

[kimberlyfdr.livejournal.com]

In the slash circles I inhabit, 'The Sentinel' seems to have been everyone else's wading pool. It's the fandom where you get your toes wet, because the actual show is like Intro to Slash 101.

It really is. TS was my first fandom and will remain a special show to me. It's where I learned everything. I didn't know what slash WAS before TS. I didn't know what fandom was. I didn't know any of the fannish culture existed before Jim and Blair came along. Richard Burgi dragged me in, but I stayed for the education of "so, fandom, huh?" I have been convinced to make repeat appearances from time to time;) Jim and Blair, they really are so very married.

Re: Get Your Toes Wet

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

TS was my first fandom and will remain a special show to me.

Another fan I know once referred to it as the "jilted lover" of fandom, in that it kind of gets left behind. I feel funny being into it as - god, my sixth "official" fandom (i.e. ones I actually write in).

[porntestpilot.livejournal.com]

TS was my third fandom. Been in for a year and you guys hit every reason why I LOVE the show. RB and GM were so well cast..five years later and they still stare at each other like lurve. They are adorable.

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Aren't they the cutest? *g* Glad you thought the essay hit the high points!

[crimsonobsessor.livejournal.com]

Wow. I am quite impressed ^_^. This is exactly why I thought joining this community might be fun - where else can you see such well-written essays touting the many beauties of your favorite slash pairings, not to mention directing you to new pairings? Amazing job! Everything you said was thought out really well, and reminded me of just why this was the first slash pairing I ever considered. Kudos to you guys!

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the lovely comment! Glad it gave you a nostalgia trip. :)

[zebra363.livejournal.com]

after all the dire warnings about the crappiness of the canon, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the bits of business that made the show more interesting than the average actioner. First of all, the performances of the leads stand out, but 'The Sentinel' is also that rare action show with a clear left-wing agenda.

Fun essay. Loved your description of the parking-garage hug. I also liked the above - I too was pleasantly surprised by how watchable the show is. I held off this fandom for a long time because I'd been told the show was no good and because I had some inane prejudices about large height differences. Was I ever missing out.

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

It was the same thing I found with X-Files - as frustrating as the show was sometimes (even more so than TS), I absolutely *loved* that Robert Patrick was able to do so much with so little. The guys are great that way. Thanks for the comment!

[ximeria.livejournal.com]

Oh, this definitely brought the memories back *laughs*

It's been years since I've watched the Sentinel as a series and back then I didn't know what fanfic was -- so slash was a foreign concept to me. Still, today, the things you listed made me laugh and nod at every two sentences, going 'oh yeah, I remember that.' Oddly enough I didn't start reading/writing TS until a short time ago.

::thumbs up::

Bril introduction to people new to the fandom and a great recap for the rest of us.

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for your kind praise!

[timian.livejournal.com]

Very, very well said and constructed. Y'all are just so cogent. You also hit upon one of my favorite aspects of their dynamic--their roles are so fluid. It's not always Mr. Hard-ass Cop and Mr. Free Love. They switch around and pass the ball. Plus, they're both alphas who sometimes play at being a beta, resulting in a really equal dynamic. It's so much more interesting that way, you know?

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Plus, they're both alphas who sometimes play at being a beta, resulting in a really equal dynamic. It's so much more interesting that way, you know?

That's a really neat observation, one that hadn't occurred to me before. I think that's why I don't get these fainting!Blair portrayals, because that is not him at all.

[spren-cious.livejournal.com]

Great essay, ladies. Thorough and fun.

I have loved and read this pairing for what seems like forever.

OMGTheirloveissospiritual *g*

Thanks, ladies.

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! They're easy to love, aren't they? *g*

[lucifrix.livejournal.com]

Beautiful. *stands up and applauds* This makes me want to go home and watch a bunch of eps all over again (though maybe with the sound turned down).

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the kind words!

This makes me want to go home and watch a bunch of eps all over again (though maybe with the sound turned down).

Oh, no! Then you'd miss out on Blair's voice. Yummmmmm... :)

[patk.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! What a great essay. :-) You two managed to capture the "spirit" of the show and explain it very eloquently and understandable, even for a person who hasn't any knowledge about it at all. Just let me say "thank you" for writing it. :-)

>>>They go camping, kayaking, fishing, etc. together. Best of all, they're hopelessly domestic. The few glimpses we get of them doing their at-home schtick--in the kitchen, watching a game, playing poker--are absolutely precious.<<<

Not to mention the little fact that we see the respective other sit *where*, when his partner is unconsioucly lying in a hospital bed? Exactly - not in the waiting room, not in the hallway - but right there, in the seat next to the hospital-bed. I know, it's done to death in fanfiction, but hey, it's *canon*. *g* Evidence: Blind Man's Bluff and Love Kills. Although the scenes aren't very long or overly emotional, the simple fact that the one "still standing" is right by his partner's side, waiting for him to wake up, is pretty telling (for my taste).

Which kind of person sits on your bed in such an situation and waits for you to wake up? Your parents, probably your siblings, most likely your lover/wife/husband. Your friends? Well, it would have to be a very, very close friend, I think. *g*

Just one more piece that fits into the picture. *g*

Pat

:-)

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Pat, I don't know how I missed this comment when you originally posted it - sorry. Thanks so much for your kind words!

Not to mention the little fact that we see the respective other sit *where*, when his partner is unconsioucly lying in a hospital bed? Exactly - not in the waiting room, not in the hallway - but right there, in the seat next to the hospital-bed.

Very true. And in one ep, Blair's on the hospital bed talking to Jim - I just love that to death. :) Thanks for that additional insight!

[neutralparty.livejournal.com]

Totally a comment, like, three months late, but still. I love The Sentinel. I love this. I am incredibly and completly jealous for all those people who get to claim TS as their first slash introduction because, mine? Fight Club. Whee mindfuck.

And thank you for lots of links! *plays with*

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Heh! Love your Lone Gunmen icon! And thanks for the kind fb - it's never too late for that. I guess I can't complain that Star Trek was my first fandom, but sometimes I'm sad that I've become so fickle... *g*

[sunshine-gypsie.livejournal.com]

I haven't even read the whole thing through yet, but reading the Background Info reminded me of... something interesting.
I adored The Sentinel in it's original run and was lucky enough to see nearly every episode when it was new, then again in summer reruns. I remember a blooper reel for the show, though I dont remember the why's of it. What I recall best about TS, and thank the blooper reel for, is that this is the show to get me interested in slash, something that had never crossed my mind to look for, though I was already into fanfiction. In the blooper reel (which may be floating around the 'net somewhere) there are several shots of RB and GM screwing around and SLASHING THE SCENE ON THEIR OWN! Which was a weird thing for me... I remember kinda giggling over it the first time and then watching them lean in for a kiss. I remember my mom yelling at me for screaming profanities at the screen because they never completed the kiss.
I never really sat down and thought about where my love of slash came from, I just remember one day reading it and not being able to put it down since. Now, its all so clear. The Sentinel made me this way. *dreamy sigh* Thank God!
Thank you, also, for bothering to read this if you did, and allowing me to find my slasher roots. Much appreciated! *MWAHZ!*

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

LOL! It's always good to get back to your roots - glad we could help! Yes, the actors were definitely aware of the slash, and they played into it in the blooper reels (and I tend to think on the show as well). The frayed and much-copied Starsky and Hutch blooper reel has even more explicit stuff (such as Starsky giving Hutch a fake blowjob in the Torino). Here's a link to some of the best Sentinel blooper moments (http://www.hitthenail.com/personal/chaomath/blooper/blooper.html), btw. I know the whole reels are floating around somewhere but I couldn't find them. If you have high-speed, I'd be happy to hunt around for you to see if there's a download out there.

[luce-flores.livejournal.com]

And the 2007 comment is mine :0)

Great job at exposing the main shipping reasons. The fact is that, wether in fanfic, or series, or blooper reels or art, or manips, they are always SO married.

Leading them to become a couple is got to be the easiest thing.

Hurrah to 'The Sentinel' and to all the authors that provide us with such delicious 'nourishment' for the slashy grey cells.

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad you thought it did justice to the boys.

[des-pudels-kern.livejournal.com]

Is The Sentinel a fandom I can easily read fic in without having seen the show? I see stories everywhere, on rec sites, on author's sites, but have only the vaguest memories of having seen one or two episodes when they aired here ten years ago (I was young and didn't know slash then). And since there are no region 2 dvds, or many dvds at all, well. But still, the slash calls to me!

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Well, it certainly wasn't a problem for me, and if you start with the recs you'll swiftly get a good feel for the characters. And these two are about as slashy as you can get. :)

[gokuma.livejournal.com]

I really like this essay. I've read it dozens of times, and every time I read it, it makes me realize (again and again) why Jim and Blair make such a good pairing.
(One of the local crime/sci-fi TV channels has just started showing "Sentinel" again. Wheeee! ^^)

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Yay, thank you! Glad to hear this essay stands up to multiple readings. :)