Partners: Carlton Lassiter/Juliet O'Hara (Psych)

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

SPOILERS: Seasons One through Four.
Thanks to: txvoodoo for the promo pic; rawr_caps and inadream_caps for the screencaps.
May be image-heavy for dial-up users.



Carlton Lassiter (played by Timothy Omundson) is the by-the-book, competent head detective for the Santa Barbara Police Department. He's an emotionally repressed, often exasperated control freak, with a dry sense of humor. Juliet O'Hara (played by Maggie Lawson) is a junior detective for the SBPD. She's adorable, affable, and bright. In the second episode of Psych, she's assigned as Carlton's new partner, so we've seen the entire evolution of their relationship, since its beginning.




Carlton and Jules are both dedicated to the police force.

They've studied, trained, and worked hard for these positions—even harder than most. They both possess an encyclopedic knowledge of the police code and are able to quote sections, subsections, paragraphs, verses, and exceptions to exceptions. They're good at what they do and have come to respect that about each other. They also have high expectations for themselves on the job--e.g., Carlton still considered a pre-series case a failure, because, even though he arrested and helped convict two bank robbers, he was never able to locate the stolen money. They also put the law above personal feelings; for example, when all evidence suggested that her brother had committed murder (he hadn't), Jules was able to put her anger and doubt aside, in order to arrest him. They're loyal to each other as partners and to other police officers, in general, but not to the point where they'd cover up for a dirty cop. They are both brave and risk their own safety in defense of others. Most importantly, for both of them, police work is about protecting and serving others, and it's this protection of the innocent that makes their (often-tedious, paperwork-laden, underpaid) jobs worthwhile.



Carlton and Jules care about each other.

Even if you don't romantically ship them—maybe see them as having a big brother-little sister dynamic, you have to admit that, canonically, they adore each other. They are constantly hugging--like, Doctor/Rose levels of hugging. Well, actually, she was basically forcing the hugs on him at first, but now they're comfortably equal, with him even initiating. They also high-five and fist bump, for goodness sake!

When Carlton was wrongly accused of murder and temporarily suspended from the force, Jules protested like mad when assigned a new partner and was clearly upset when the Chief gave her no other choice:



As soon as Carlton sees Jules with this new partner, he's visibly jealous:



[Also, Tim Omundson has gorgeous eyes. I feel the need to mention this.] Another time, a Federal Agent who was working with the SBPD kept flirting with Jules, and Carlton was, again, clearly envious and had to be physically restrained from going after the Fed at one point. Granted, some of Carlton's annoyance may have come from a jurisdictional pissing contest, but I also think it had to do with Jules, who was clearly responding the agent. (Of course, the Fed was played by Lou Diamond Phillips, so I don't blame her. I would have tried tapping that, too. Ahem.)

Carlton and Jules also talk about their feelings with each other and seek each other's advice on personal, not just professional matters. In a recent episode, we find out that Jules had made a Before Sunrise pact with a college boyfriend; while she waits for hours (he doesn't show), she spends the entire time talking to Carlton on her cell phone--wondering how long she should wait and what the no-show means. The next day, she confides in Carlton about her feelings; his response is characteristically tactless—basically telling her that it's better that her heart was broken now rather than inevitably later. His concern for her, however, is sincere, and they hug.

Later in that episode, Jules is waxing on about missed opportunities and how seemingly minor decisions can change the course of your life, and Carlton asks her, "Are we still talking about Grease?" She responds that they always were. The conversation shows how synched they are by this time. She's obviously talking about herself, but he gives her an out so it doesn't seem overly personal. She knows that he's giving her this out but accepts it. They can communicate in subtext.



Their affection is mutual. In the Season Four finale, Jules is kidnapped, tied up, and dangled from a high clock tower à la Vertigo, about to be dropped when the clock strikes the half-hour, Carlton broke protocol *and* went against the Chief's direct order to rescue her. If he were a renegade that wouldn't be a big deal—but he isn't. He's a rule-abiding, red-tape type. Carlton sacrificed his *gun* to save her, and he *loves* his gun. He jammed it into the clock's mechanism and stopped time for her. He also opens up enough to offer her solace after her ordeal. Again, this is a man who used to have to have hugs forced upon him but is now the one offering comfort. Carlton's love for Jules isn't just shown in the grand gestures but also in mundane details, like noticing her hair smells like peaches.

As for Jules's fondness for Carlton—well, she'll help him with banal tasks that aren't part of her direct duties, like making a PowerPoint presentation for a continuing education seminar. She'll buck up his feelings like a spouse, such as when his perfect case-solving streak was broken and she reminded him that every perfect streak is eventually broken, even Joe DiMaggio's. (Yes, Jules knows baseball trivia, because she is just. that. awesome.)

Also, Carlton once threw up on her hair, and she was all, "That's OK, partner. Don't worry about it." IF THAT'S NOT LOVE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.



Carlton and Jules are different in ways that balance out each other.

Where Carlton is skeptical, Jules is accepting. Where he's uptight, she's amiable. Where he's insensitive, she's considerate. Where he professionally calls her "O'Hara," she personably calls him "Carlton." Each provides equilibrium for the other.

More importantly, they've become better people for knowing each other. He's taken on some of her traits and become more outgoing. In Season One, Jules complains that Carlton never talks about anything; he just nods or asks if they can ride in quiet. Even the Chief warns Jules that Carlton has set boundaries that shouldn't be crossed—and that she doesn't even want to discuss the infamous Secret Santa Debacle of 2005. By the most recent season (Four), they're as comfortable sharing with each other as I mentioned above.

As trolllogicfics explained Carlton's character development better than I could:

Lassiter went from a rather socially inept, friendless cop who was too proud to ever ask for help to someone with healthy relationships (in Jules, [Chief] Vick and more recently Shawn) who would seek out Shawn’s help when needed. Though still the biggest skeptic of Shawn’s charade he accepts Shawn’s genuine skill and usefulness. Now, instead of being a constant stick-in-the-mud and product of Shawn and Gus’s pranks, he’s a more active participant in banter and a genuine give and take. . . .

[D]espite the massive amounts of character growth, the characters are still the same people. . . . No matter how much Lassiter may secretly respect Shawn, he’s still going to be uptight and disapprove of his methods.
[I'll discuss Shawn (and Gus)—the actual protagonist(s) of the series—more in a bit, but this quote was just too spot-on not to use here.]

Jules has become more assertive during her tenure as Carlton's partner. A large part of the reason she had left her previous detective job in Miami was a lack of self-assurance and an inability to gain the esteem of her colleagues. She was shaking the first time we saw her pull her gun against a perp; now, she's completely calm when wielding her weapon. She was nauseous the first time she saw a dead body; now, she's unflinchable. In the beginning, she was not as likely to pursue a challenge against Carlton or any other superior officer; she was also less prone to vocalize her doubts and had difficulty commanding respect. Later on, she has no qualms about smacking Carlton on the back of the head when he's being rude. (If NCIS has taught me anything, it's that headslaps = love.)

Some of her evolution of self-confidence has come as a survival technique in response to Carlton's alpha male posturing. However, this change has largely derived from emulating Carlton--i.e., she's reciprocally taken on some of his characteristics.

In turn, this increased assertiveness has made her a better detective. She's insisted that Carlton let her be the lead detective on a case—and he agreed. He was so happy with and proud of the job she did on the case, that he offered her his handcuffs to arrest the criminal. (Plus, he's giving her *handcuffs,* people. The kink potential is high.)

It's the Pride & Prejudice scenario: they're better people for having known each other. Just as importantly, they were *not* making a conscious effort to change the other. They were accepting of who the other person was, not trying to "fix" what was wrong. They improved and influenced each other JUST BY BEING THEMSELVES.

Well, Carlton did make an attempt to be a mentor to Jules briefly, but it didn't last more than an episode. He was rubbish at it. His critique of her interrogation skills was that she came across as "lower-case mad" when she needed to be "Upper-Case Mad." Still, he was trying to advance her detective skills, not her personality. Unless, of course, I've misunderstood their entire relationship, and Jules is a Slayer, with Carlton as her Watcher. Which would explain a lot. In which case, I demand more scenes of Jules wielding an ax while wearing a short skirt:



::nods:: I'm just saying.



Carlton and Jules are both a little crazy.

No, seriously. My show is on crack, and Carlton and Jules both bypass Eccentric and drive straight into CrazyTown.

Carlton spends the little free time he has mounting Civil War re-enactments in California. He felt that a perfectly reasonable method of dealing with the emotional fall-out from his separation was to use his then-estranged, now-ex-wife's cutesy figure collection as target practice. "It relaxes me," was his sole explanation. He's so obsessed with his job, that he records every episode of Cops and even has "Bad Boys" as his ringtone. He maintains a Most Wanted chart in his home. He's also been known to make bizarre declarations like, "What in the name of sweet justice is this?" Completely sane people do not talk like that!

Tying into his fervor for his work is his love of guns, which I touched on before. Let me make it clear: he loooooooooooves guns. He's passionate about them and keeps eight of them about his home, including hidden locations, like his toaster, hi-fi, shower, and bowls of snack food. He's at the shooting range so often, that it's impossible to find a time when he doesn't have gunshot residue on his hands. He also thinks stories about clowns being shot to death are funny. (Well, maybe that one's not *so* strange).



On the surface, Jules seems less quirky by comparison (I know, damning with faint praise). Ninety percent of the time, you would think that she's a Perfect Princess; during the other ten percent, however, you come to realize that there's some deep-seated nuttiness inside. She'll have these random bizarre moments, like when she was deliciously happy about breaking the nose of girl while she was undercover in a roller derby team. (Technically, she dislocated it, since the nose snapped right back into place; but Jules's joy over causing an injury was still scary.) Her idea of a relaxation method is to time herself disassembling and reassembling her gun. She claims she doesn't believe in marriage--but has every detail of her hypothetical wedding ceremony planned, just in case. When it's revealed that a suspect is actually a thirty-year-old pretending to be fifteen, she'll stop to ask him what kind of moisturizer he uses.

Jules sees nothing out of the ordinary about casually mentioning that she had dated a Christmas elf or the time she was thrown out of cheerleading camp after two weeks for hitting a girl who had stolen her nail polish. She also gets reaaally into undercover, like when she posed as a sorority sister and took on their shallow traits, almost becoming brainwashed by their superficial groupthink. She has moments of extreme intensity, such as when she had to teach Shawn and Gus to dance and went all Bob Fosse-Jerome Robbins crazy-intense-diva-choreographer on them; she took the exercise way too seriously. Plus, she refuses to go out with men who can't bowl and has kept a comic book collection since middle school. (Again, maybe those aren't *so* strange, but they don't fit the "girly girl" stereotype. One of the things I adore about Psych is that the female characters get to be as quirky as the boys and not the buzzkill, responsible ones, like on so many television shows.)

Furthermore, Carlton and Jules share a slightly creepy underlying love of violence. Don't misunderstand me: we've never seen them use violence except in self-defense or defense of others; but they both seem to enjoy the aggression. Carlton likes shooting people and things. Jules got so into fighting a girl with an ax that the blade had to be removed from her hands so she didn't keep attacking the murderer even after the perpetrator was on the ground and disarmed. It's a little disturbing and makes me hope that neither (or both) ever completely snap. I think the AU versions of them would be some unholy mash-up of Dexter and Parker. Seriously.

A normal person could not put up with Carlton's and Jules's crazy. However, they're totally accepting of it in each other.



Carlton and Jules are insanely competitive.

There's a constant friendly competition between them. He was seriously jealous when he found out that she had scored higher than him on the detective's exam—by 1.2 points, about which she'll remind him. They have a reoccurring game of challenging each other over details of the police code, trying to trip up each other about minutia. They'll time each other on who can coax a confession out of a suspect the fastest. They spend so much time squabbling over who is going to take in an informant, that the guy sits himself in the back of the police car, before any of the criminals in the neighborhood see him talking to two cops.

Whenever the police department has a new gadget or device—like new forensic technology, a sonic cannon, or improved bulletproof vests, they fight over who get to try it out first, like five-year-olds with a new toy. The Chief has to intervene sometimes, like a mother with her bickering children, such as when she told them they can both be shot in the new vests, as long as they signed the waiver.

Nevertheless, no matter what, their rivalry is without hostility or rancor. It leads to the kind of impassioned banter that makes other characters mistake them for a couple.



So why do I ship them?

Carlton and Jules share enough similarities to be compatible, have differences that complement each other, and are competitive in ways that would keep the relationship passionate. They've become so in-synch over the years, that they would pass the Broccoli Test--even if they would probably spend so much time arguing over where to purchase the broccoli, what variety of broccoli is best, and who has to fill out the requisition forms, that they may never actually get around to buying it. Throw in their established trust and acceptance of the other's quirks, how could you possibly not ship them?



How could you possibly not ship them?

Carlton/Jules is actually a rare pairing, even for a small fandom. I know that some fans have problems with this 'ship, but I think that none of the objections withstand close scrutiny.

Age

To the best of my knowledge, the age of the characters has never been established in canon. However, it's a reasonable assumption that the characters are the same age as the actors portraying them, and, according to the all-knowing Wikipedia, Omundson is 40 years old and Lawson is 29--that means an 11 year age difference. Now, my parents' ages are 10 years apart, so I don't see an 11 year difference as a big deal, because it's what I've always known as normal. Also, I'm 28 and could completely see myself with a man in his late 30s or early 40s. (Not that I'm projecting or anything. . . . )

Apparently, though, this disparity bothers some people in fandom. I think they see this as a power issue—that, if one person is notably older, it can't be an equal relationship. While that may be true in some instances, it's clearly not the case here. Jules is plainly the boss in this relationship—however much Carlton may bluster to the contrary. Even he (half-) jokingly asserts that she's "drunk with power" over him (which he finds attractive). Lassie is Jules's bitch. (Sorry. I couldn't resist.) Speaking of power issues . . .

Isn't he *literally* her boss? He's her superior officer. Isn't that sexual harassment?

Technically, you're right. While I adore seeing this OTP explored in fanworks, it's the kind of pairing I wouldn't want to see actually happen in canon until the end of the series, like in the last half of the final season, for about six or seven episodes. (Yes, my sense of fannish entitlement is high. Why do you ask?) I know everyone uses Moonlighting as the ultimate example of when a romantic/sexual hook-up ruins the show—which isn't 100% analogous to Carlton and Jules, since they're not the lead characters, but the basic concept still applies: as much as you want your OTP together, you don't want it to happen too early and ruin the UST.

I could actually see Jules receiving a promotion being the impetus for Carlton and Jules finally getting together; like Jules becoming a senior detective, in charge of her own unit and junior partner. Say, maybe, the Chief informing Carlton that Jules is going to be promoted, but she need his recommendation as her direct superior. Then, Carlton's all conflicted, because he knows what a good detective Jules is and that she indubitably deserves this promotion; but that would mean that he wouldn't be working with her everyday and someone asks why this bothers him, it's not like you're in love with her and Carlton protests like "OF COURSE I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH HER"--all the while clearly realizing, "OH, HELL, YES I AM." Jules, being a great detective, would have worked this out two-and-a-half years ago and be like, "I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO FIGURE IT OUT, CARLTON."

[Only, hopefully, professional writers would make it much less clunky and run-on than I just did. Not that I'm entirely expecting this to happen. My little shipper heart will most likely be broken like it always is. If anything, given my shipping track record, I should just be happy if both parties are still alive by the end of the series. (Also, I seem to have a lot of parenthetical asides in this essay.)]

Basically, a relationship might only be palpable if they're closer to equals, where she doesn't report directly to him. Even if you disagree with this train of thought, have you *seen* how many police and detective partners have been shipped by this community? Clearly, I'm not alone.

In a nutshell, I think Carlton and Jules could work as long-term best friends whose relationship evolves into something more. In the meantime, I really would not want to see either of them in a romantic relationship with anyone else in canon, which brings me back to . . .

Shawn Spencer

Yeah, that dude. Who's had an on-again, off-again canon romance with Jules.

First of all, I'm highly incredulous that anyone could be Shawn's life partner but Gus. (By the way, how is there no Shawn/Gus ship_manifesto? Is their love so obvious that no one even needs to argue for it?)

Even if I accept, for argument's sake, that Shawn is not already married to Gus, I still find the Shawn/Jules relationship contrived. It's not clear why Shawn is attracted to Jules, beyond his normal interest in pretty girls, and he doesn't seem to appreciate her wackiness. As for Jules, she suddenly went from blowing off Shawn's flattery—like when he answered a phone call from her, suggesting she rang because she was in the shower and lonely--to being charmed by it.

Additionally, Shawn and Jules don't present any sort of challenge to each other. Jules is tolerant of the more self-indulgent qualities of Shawn and doesn't call him out when he's dumping the other people in his life—including Gus and his supposed girlfriend Abigail—to be with her. Shawn has become increasingly condescending to Jules as they seem closer to a romance. There's also the fact that their entire interaction is based around a lie: i.e., that Shawn is a genuine psychic. It throws off the center of power in their relationship if the key reason he's in her life is a falsehood, which she appears to believe. (Actually, I wish the series would state explicitly just how much Jules believes in Shawn's psychic abilities; however, all signs point to Jules truly thinking he's legitimate.) Also, not only is their association centered around just any lie, but one where she believes that he could know anything about her. That just makes me uncomfortable.

One thing Abigail did do for Shawn was call him on his claptrap. She went to meet his father when Shawn refused to introduce them. She's asked him to compromise and to adjust his plans when she temporarily went to teach in Uganda. I'm not saying Abigail/Shawn = OTP, but it's just an example of how a partner could make Shawn a better man.

Not only does Shawn/Jules bring down Shawn and go against the maturity character arc he otherwise seems to be on, but it's also made Jules clingy and jealous in ways that we've not seen elsewhere in the series. For example, when Jules goes to Shawn's apartment, she acts all petty about seeing signs of Abigail there, like a pink toothbrush.

Shawn/Jules brings out the worst in both characters. It's off-putting, dull storytelling. It's the anti-Pride & Prejudice.

I also think Shawn and Jules have no chemistry, but I realize that's a personal opinion, that can't be backed up with evidence. However, subjectively, I find pretty much *everyone* in the cast has more chemistry with everyone else than Shawn and Jules have with each other (except Shawn and his father, Henry, because that would just be weird; nevertheless, I do think they capture an accurate father-son family dynamic). Yes, I know that Maggie Lawson and the actor who plays Shawn, James Roday, are dating in real life, but I don't find their chemistry to transfer on the screen, whereas (obviously) I think Omundson and Lawson have crazy chemistry.

Perhaps most frustrating about the demi-canon 'ship of Shawn/Jules is that it could have worked, if the writers had played it for comedy. Unfortunately, they went the route of angst and melodrama, emphasizing unflattering aspects of both characters.

I'm going to stop discussing Shawn/Jules here, because I don't want to seem like I'm bashing the 'ship. That would go against the spirit of ship_manifesto. I just wanted to analyze it as a counterpoint to Carlton/Jules. If anyone wants me to go into this further, I can continue in the comments. Although, SERIOUSLY, the HARDEST part of writing this ship_manifesto for me was NOT BASHING Shawn/Jules.

I'm also not even getting into the non-canon issue of Shawn/Carlton, which is, arguably, the most popular ship in fandom. I'm already teetering on the precipice of the maximum word limit.




Resources for Fans:

The Livejournal Community dedicated to this ship is lassiter_juliet -- the L/J LJ!

Lassiter's Blog [use the drop-down menu on the left-hand side of the screen for more entries] on the official USA Network web site. It's written by Tim Omundson (who I would love to see write an episode) and is adorkable.

Fantastic Jules & Lassie Picspam by liviapenn.

Carlton Lassiter/Juliet O'Hara tag at an Archive of Our Own.

Fan Fiction Recommendations:

Even though this is an uncommon pairing, it has attracted some wonderful fanfic authors.

The best regular writer for Carlton/Jules is jesshelga. Her fanworks journal is finefoxyladies, and all the stories under her lassiter/o'hara tag are worth reading. My favorites of hers are:

Eyelashes (PG) – Shows the shift in Carlton's personality, as the same incident plays out in different ways at different times in Carlton and Jules's relationship. He's transformed from not even being able to comprehend Jules's sense of whimsy to embracing it.

Hugging Theory and Shell Rot (G) – Carlton's Mommy Issues in this story WOULD EXPLAIN EVERYTHING!

A Lovestruck Romeo Sings an Awkward Serenade (G) - First of all, her name is Juliet, so, of course, fans are going to use and abuse "Romeo" labels. The author flips that comparison on its head, though, since, unlike the Shakespearean protagonist, Carlton *can't* find the right flowery, poetic, romantic phrases to express himself.

The Reid Technique - Part I, Part II, Part III (R) – What begins with an argument over the proper way to handcuff a suspect, continues with a debate over interrogation techniques, and ends with Carlton handcuffed to Jules's kitchen chair--and sex. This is exactly how their First Time would go.

Smell of Sangria Zin and Cheap Perfume (PG) – I think this was the first Carlton/Jules fic I ever read, which I found through the multifandom challenge nothing_hip. This community uses "uncool" pop songs as the inspiration for stories, which leads to this fic also having a great Shawn and Gus moment, as they unironically sing "Endless Love" at a karaoke bar.


piecesofalice is another prominent Carlton/Jules author. All her relevant stories are under the tag juliet and lassiter variety hour. In particular, I'd suggest reading:

Comforts of the Miserable (Mature) – This story has an achingly sensual quality, as Carlton and Jules let down their defenses. Also, there's sex in a desk chair.

It's Rilly Hot (Unrated, maybe PG-13) – Chronicles the author's attempt (and failure) to write this coupling for the Porn Battle. Equal parts fic, meta about Psych, *and* meta about the writing process, the result is hilarious.

Where We're At Now (Unrated, maybe R) – A sexy ficlet about moving on.


lo_duclavier (who is lo-sequence @ DW) was writing a series "One Hundred Ways to Smell of Peach" (Unrated, maybe PG-13), which I think was never finished. Each part was stand alone, however, and my favorites are:

Breakfast - Carlton and Jules are held hostage for three days. This is a hurt/comfort story, with a shifting time-frame between the two components and where *both* parties are hurt and *both* provide the comfort. This story has *everything* I could want for this pairing.

Children - In which Carlton is about as smooth as a tack but Jules understands his intentions, anyway. It's a cute yet credible bit of fluff.


As for works by other authors:

Sunshowers by ladyanneboleyn (PG-13) - In this yuletide fic, Jules saves Carlton from a lonely Christmas. This one's worth reading, because it's just so FUNNY and JOYFUL.

20 Times Carlton was glad to have O'Hara as his partner (not that he told her that) by s_c [LJ?] (T) – What it says on the label. Technically, this is a gen fic, not a shippy one, but it captures Carlton and Jules's partnership so well. Part of a larger, if otherwise OT, 20 x 20 series.

A Whisper to the Living by xparrot (Teen and Up Audiences) – Again, technically, a gen fic—and a future!fic; the Carlton-Jules dynamic is exactly what you'd expect them to be like ten years down the road. They're so simpatico that what's not said between them is more important than what's actually said. I appreciate that the author respects the audience's ability to read between the lines.

Til Death Do Us ... Oh Look, You're Dead by dollsome (Unrated, maybe PG-13) – I debated whether to include this fic, because it's a WIP that looks like it will never be finished. However, it left me with such a big, silly grin on my face when I read it, I had to mention it! After discovering that a number of wives who've murdered their husbands had attended the same marriage counselor and rehab clinic, Carlton and Jules go undercover as spouses . . . as do Shawn and Gus. It's funny, because it's true that both couples are *so married.*




The fifth season of Psych begins in July on USA.

Comments

[rpowell.livejournal.com]

I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one who saw the chemistry between them.

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

Ha! It's not just you. I wasn't even sure if I should mention that I saw crazy chemistry between them, since that *is* such a subjective measure.

I mainlined Seasons One and Two before writing this, and I realized that it wasn't just my imagination that it seemed like the writers were setting up a Carlton/Jules ship. I hadn't misremembered the evolution of their relationship. The on-again-off-again-hell-if-I-know Shawn/Jules was an unexpected detour.

[bwhahahabeck.livejournal.com]

I LOVE Lassiet. Can't say I agree with you on Shawn/Gus and Shawn/Lassie, but you hit Shawn/Juliet dead on for me. Good show, sir.

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

I was literally at the 5,000 word maximum, which is why I dropped any discussion of Shawn/Lassiter. I mean, I know the mods aren't psycho about enforcing the word limit, but I didn't want to seem obnoxious and go on too long.

Even though I don't actively ship them (obviously), I do see where the Shawn/Lassie shippers are coming from. Originally, I would have said that I could have only imagined Shawn/Carlton as having angry!sex, but, by this time in the series, they have evolved into having a genuine friendship. Throw in the fact that Shawn is the least convincing supposedly heterosexual character I have ever seen, I *do* understand the appeal of Shawn/Carlton.

[firthgal.livejournal.com]

Oh, this was so utterly delightful and such a wonderful analysis of their relationship! After season 2 had ended, I had signed up to do a manifesto for these two, but then... season 3 happened before I got it written, and season 3 depressed me BEYOND WORDS, so I gave up. And now I am glad that I gave up, because as I said, this was a delightful read. I remember the days when the "peaches" comment was like the biggest thing that had ever happened to this ship, and I was on a high from it for ages, and now we have them openly discussing Juliet's love life and making simultaneous references to Grease! And Lassiter sacrificed his gun for her! I love how it's the little things that really mean so much for this ship. Also, no matter what anyone says, I will always believe that season 2 made it canon that Lassiter has a big honking crush on Juliet, and she's delighted by it more than anything (or, well, she used to be, until the whole angsty Shawn/Juliet mess started).

It's the Pride & Prejudice scenario: they're better people for having known each other. Just as importantly, they were *not* making a conscious effort to change the other. They were accepting of who the other person was, not trying to "fix" what was wrong. They improved and influenced each other JUST BY BEING THEMSELVES.

Yes. YES. So much yes. I've been saying this for years, just, you know, not as articulately.

Shawn/Jules brings out the worst in both characters. It's off-putting, dull storytelling. It's the anti-Pride & Prejudice.

Again, YES. And this is the #1 reason why I can't stand Shawn/Juliet in canon. It was supposed to be the fun, flirty, played for laughs relationship (in which case I would not be opposed to them despite the fact that Shawn and Gus will always be life partners), but instead the show has turned them into this barftastic mess of EPIC ANGST that brings out all of their most unattractive qualities, and quite often their moments come at the expense of Lassiter/Juliet and Shawn/Gus, which further angers me. BAH!

Man, now I am all nostalgic for the days when Lassiter/Juliet actually had a fandom. *sigh*

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for your lengthy comment! It's very flattering!

It was supposed to be the fun, flirty, played for laughs relationship

If someone had asked me in the middle of Season Two about a Shawn/Jules ship, I would have said, "Yeah, that could be so cute." It's unfortunate how far it went off the rails. (Your use of sparkling font makes me laugh, though. I'm going to be thinking about it whenever I see any fandom ship get too wangsty.)

Carlton/Jules still makes me so happy. I get a warm, fuzzy feeling thinking about them.

[irlandesak.livejournal.com]

I have such love for Lassie/Jules and this was great to read.

I have developed such a dislike for Shawn/Juliet that it led to me not watching the 2nd half of S4. I just could not. I didn't always hate them. I never wanted them but I didn't always hate them . After becoming disenchanted with the show overall, though, the angst filled hints to S/J just pushed me over the edge, especially when Abby was a great fit for him. So I now hate them and it led me to not wanting to catch the latest batch of eppies which firthgal has told me contain some good Lassiet stuff so now I have to go back and watch. I only happened to catch the hug at the end of the finale because Ugly Betty *sniff* was irking me too much. I will love James Roday forever for that.

I just need them to have an episode where they go undercover as hubby/wife and then I'll be happy (I'm lying but I can pretend.)

Another resource you may want to add is @Psych_Lassie on Twitter also run by Tim.

Thanks for this! Especially the fic recs. I don't normally like fic but this fandom has some awesomely dirty ones.

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

I have such love for Lassie/Jules and this was great to read.

Thank you!

I have developed such a dislike for Shawn/Juliet that it led to me not watching the 2nd half of S4.

I do highly recommend the Season Four Finale, "Mr. Yin Presents." It's one of the best episodes of television I've seen this year. It reminded me of a Joss Whedon finale, where every member of the ensemble has such wonderful moments, that you're satisfied no matter who your favorite characters are.

After becoming disenchanted with the show overall, though, the angst filled hints to S/J just pushed me over the edge, especially when Abby was a great fit for him.

As I've mentioned in other comments, I like Shawn. I like how we've seen him slowly but surely grow up, without losing his joie de vivre. That's why I find his indecisive, immature behavior when it comes to his relationship with Jules so annoying.

[noteasilywon.livejournal.com]

This was such a fun read and a nice surprise. I'm really glad you posted it.

And, not to be nitpicky, but I'm pretty sure it was Juliet who said, "Are we still on Grease?" and Lassiter who said, "We never weren't." I admit, I watched that scene a whole lot of times because it was so adorable. It was interesting, too, because earlier in the same episode there was a moment where Juliet's College Boyfriend didn't understand one of her references, and then to follow that up with a scene where Lassiter instantly got the point she was making - well, on a different show that would have been a "See Who Really Belongs Together?" moment. Ah, well, we know the answer to that question anyway. :)

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

And, not to be nitpicky, but I'm pretty sure it was Juliet who said, "Are we still on Grease?" and Lassiter who said, "We never weren't."

This is what I get for trying to quote a scene from memory! It was no longer On Demand, my computer is too ancient to stream episodes well, and the DVDs aren't available yet. Bad Gwyn! No cookie! In my defense, I did mainline Seasons One and Two before writing this, since I hadn't watched them through in a while. ;)

well, on a different show that would have been a "See Who Really Belongs Together?" moment.

Yes. Another recent moment like that for me was in "Death Is In the Air," after Shawn fails to have the balls to tell Jules how he "really feels," Carlton comes in to hug her -- but can't figure out where to put his hands, because she's in a *hospital gown.* It lasts maybe 30 seconds, but just says so much about Carlton and his relationship with Jules: he doesn't use her near-death experience as an excuse to cop a feel. I was sitting there going, "Oh, Jules, why are you wasting your time pining over Shawn? You deserve so much better!"

[egocentonic.livejournal.com]

This is such an eloquent summation of what is so perfect about Lassie/Juliet, that I don't even know where to begin!

I think you really managed to capture what's special about this pairing, and that's just how damned logical it is. They really do complement each other so well. There's such a comfort between them now, and watching them grow from the bickering squabbles they had in Season 1 to the real trust and mutual admiration they have now is one of the highlights of the series.

They just have so much potential. It seems to me as if they could just as easily slip into a comfortable domesticity as a really passionate relationship, and that's just not something you see in many potential pairings. Lassie/Jules just always seemed more substantial and familiar than the Shawn/Juliet stuff.

Also, thanks so much for the fic recs. I thought I'd managed to dig up all of the Lassie/Jules stuff (sadly, not too many) but there were a couple I hadn't run across yet.

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

It seems to me as if they could just as easily slip into a comfortable domesticity as a really passionate relationship, and that's just not something you see in many potential pairings.

Lovely.

Lassie/Jules just always seemed more substantial and familiar than the Shawn/Juliet stuff.

As I was saying in some of the other comments, I like Shawn a lot. A big reason I dislike Shawn/Jules (not just because it gets in the way of my preferred ship) is that his insensitive, juvenile, dickish behavior when in that ship runs so counter to the maturation we've seen him develop in his other relationships (with Henry, with Gus, even with Carlton).

Also, thanks so much for the fic recs.

I do try to include *why* people should read certain fanfics, not just a list of titles, because that's why I like to see when I'm searching for stories.

[tricki-nicki.livejournal.com]

AMEN!!!!!

Seriously, I don't think I could sum up the awesomeness of Lassiet any better than you just did. From now on, when someone mocks me for shipping them, I'll just give them this link.

(Also, if they don't address the whole scene at the end of the Season 4 finale in the next season, I will be ridiculously ticked.)

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

Also, if they don't address the whole scene at the end of the Season 4 finale in the next season, I will be ridiculously ticked.

As much as I swooned during the final act and epilogue of "Mr. Yin Presents" (and I totally did swoon - I won't lie), there is a tiny part of me that's slightly uncomfortable with the concept of menfolk having to ride in and rescue the womenfolk from danger. I know that Steve Franks has said that Yin/Yang was always intended to be a trilogy (http://www.showbizmonkeys.com/tv.php?id=1579) [Minor SPOILERS for Season Five in that link], so I'm going to give him and the other writers the benefit of the doubt and hope they balance out the equation somewhat. What I would love to see is Jules rescuing any of the boys -- especially, of course, Lassie. If I were in charge instead of just having a strong sense of fannish entitlement, there would be CPR involved, because I think it would be an appropriate metaphor if she breathed life into him. Also, if Carlton were temporarily dead, I'd totally want to see crossover fanfic where he meets Gene Hunt. I may have overthought this.

[chinchilla3065.livejournal.com]

I love love love the detail of this. Also, when did he throw up in her hair? I totally don't remember that line.

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

I love love love the detail of this.

Thank you for your kind words!

Also, when did he throw up in her hair?

"Disco Didn't Die. It Was Murdered!"

[kenzimone.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow, this is totally awesome! LOVE this pairing and a big YES to everything you said about Shawn/Juliet - the next time someone tells me they're meant to be together I'll just link them here.

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your kind comment! I love Lassiter/O'Hara so much. Their scenes just make me happy!

and a big YES to everything you said about Shawn/Juliet

The thing is (and I'm not sure if this came across in my essay): I *like* Shawn. Heck, I've defended Shawn elsewhere -- which is why I find his asshaberdashery when it comes to his relationship with Jules so aggravating. It runs counter to the "growing up" arc he otherwise seems to be following.

[garrideb.livejournal.com]

Awesome manifesto! I don't know if I ship Jules & Lassiter as a couple or just as fantastic friends, but either way their moments on the show are undeniably adorable. I love how you addressed the fact that they're both a bit unhinged. I do feel that their relationship has grown to echo the Shawn & Gus relationship in that they understand and appreciate each other while still managing to drive each other up the wall. I don't see how the show can end with either pair separated, really.

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[bombshell-dolly.livejournal.com]

Although I am an avid Shules shipper (like, avid--they're my OTP to end all OTPs), I do appreciate Lassiet as a counterpoint to Shules. I love their relationship, and in a way, I think Juliet humanized Lassie in a way no other person could. Then again, she has that effect on people.

Just want to put it out there. Well-written and convincing manifesto, even the parts against Shawn and Juliet :P

(I really ought to continue my own manifesto)

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

(I really ought to continue my own manifesto)

I'd actually like to read this. I'm curious to see if someone can explain to me the narrative I'm missing with Shawn/Jules. I mean, there are times when I, at least, see what writers (on any series) are *trying* to do with a character or storyline, even if I think the execution doesn't work. Maybe I'll have an epiphany, where I realize just what story the writers are trying to tell.

What bothers me a lot with the way Shawn/Jules has been handled is how deliberate Shawn's asshaberdashery has been in regards to that relationship. I know Shawn has sometimes hurt people in his life by not always thinking through the consequences of his words or actions, but it's not premeditated. When he says things like he's thought about his relationship with Jules and he EXPECTS HER TO WAIT FOR HIM TO BE READY, I cringe.

[bohemu.livejournal.com]

This is a very convincing manifesto. I never really understood Lassie/Jules shippers, but I understand and agree with all of your points!

I also love your points about Shawn/Jules. That's pretty much exactly why I'm against it on the show now even though I was hoping for it before. I never really understood why until you defined it here.

And AU Lassie/Jules as Dexter/Parker is a very interesting thought. I don't even watch Dexter (yet! It's on my list.... when school is over).

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

This is a very convincing manifesto. I never really understood Lassie/Jules shippers, but I understand and agree with all of your points!

Thank you for your kind comment! The thought that I might have changed someone's opinion of a ship is very flattering!

I also love your points about Shawn/Jules. That's pretty much exactly why I'm against it on the show now even though I was hoping for it before.

Shawn/Jules suffers from a bad case of Tell, Not Show.

[marisa-lyn.livejournal.com]

Another Juliet/Lassiter shipper here. This is a very good assessement of why these two characters work so well together. They are good for each other. They learn from each other. You can see the growth the characters go through in the four seasons of the show. A big part of why season 2 is my favorite season is because Juliet and Lassiter's relationship gets a lot of attention and development. I also think Maggie does her best work in scenes with Timothy.

I was pleasantly surprised during season 2 when it seemed that the writers were setting up, and going to explore, a Juliet/Lassiter pairing instead of the predictable Shawn/Juliet. There were a lot of "shipper moments" and storylines showing how Juliet and Lassiter had a lot in common even though they were different in many ways. One of my favorite moments was in Shawn (and Gus ) of the Dead where Lassiter is talking in detail to Shawn about how attractive another woman is and Juliet, clearly annoyed, says "I had three different hairstyles last week, you didn't comment on one." Aw.

I stopped watching on a regular basis during season 3 because I couldn't take the forced,chemistry-free Shawn/Juliet pairing anymore. Even the Shawn/Gus relationship was being shoved aside sometimes for Shawn/Juliet and that is unacceptable! Above in the comments you said Shawn/Juliet is Tell, Not Show and that is one of my problems with it. During Season 1, in the speed-dating episode, Shawn and Juliet are told "Oh, my God, you two are a perfect match." and in four seasons I still haven't seen any evidence they would be a good match. Also, over the seasons people who barely know Shawn and Juliet tell them how good they would be together. Huh? It's bad, lazy writing.

But enough about S/J. I didn't realize there was so much fan fiction for Juliet/Lassiter. Yay! Thank you for writing this manifesto.

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

I stopped watching on a regular basis during season 3 because I couldn't take the forced,chemistry-free Shawn/Juliet pairing anymore.

I don't know when you stopped watching but, for what it's worth, I thought the back end of Season Four was better than the second half of Season Three and a major improvement over the first half of Season Four--not just in terms of the Lassiter/O'Hara relationship but in overall quality. I mean, in Season 3.5 for every episode I liked (e.g., "Lassie Did a Bad, Bad Thing"), there was one that I found unpleasant ("Tuesday the 17th"). Season 4.0 for the most part wasn't bad per se, except for "Shawn Gets the Yips," which I just found an incoherent mess. Season 4.5 didn't have a single episode I disliked, and I thought the finale, "Mr. Yin Presents . . ." was magnificent. It's one of the best episodes of television I've seen this year, and it might end up one of my favorite TV episodes ever, depending on the resolution to the Yin/Yang trilogy.

Even the Shawn/Gus relationship was being shoved aside sometimes for Shawn/Juliet and that is unacceptable!

Gus is love. Nothing should ever take screen-time away from Gus.

Huh? It's bad, lazy writing.

Honestly, I think I'd be against Shawn/Jules, even if I didn't ship Carlton/Jules. It's so odd, because it's not like the writers can't create organic relationships. Every other dynamic on the show feels genuine and has evolved naturally: Shawn/Gus, Shawn/Lassie, Shawn&Henry, Gus/Juliet, Lassie/Juliet. It's like they felt that a "romance" had to develop differently than a friendship, which is unfortunate, because the other relationships on the series prove that they can write better than the badfic they've created.

[eva-rosen.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I've shipped them from day one, and I'm glad someone else sees the general fuckery that Jules/Shawn is. That ship shouldn't exist. Is like the writes fully know what 'corrupt a wish' is and have decided to play it straight for some reason.

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

I'm glad someone else sees the general fuckery that Jules/Shawn is.

This made me laugh quite a bit. Although, I honestly didn't mean for the comments to this essay to be all about bashing Shawn/Jules, but they kind of turned out that way. I didn't want to harsh anyone's squee. I mean, I've spent way too much time in way too many fandoms to want to get into a shipping war with anyone. I just don't "get" Shawn/Jules or even what the writers are trying to do with it. I thought the show was built around the theme of complimentary opposites (Shawn&Gus; Lassiter&Jules; the Shawn&Gus pairing compared to Lassie&Jules), but Shawn/Jules seems to cross that line. Maybe I was giving the writers too much credit.

I did see a wonderful character study of Jules (http://ciderpress.dreamwidth.org/217006.html) by ciderpress after I wrote this ship_manifesto. I think the whole thing is worth a read, but, as far as it relates to this topic, in the comments she wrote:

I'm not against Shawn/Juliet per se, but I'd be much more interested and much more sold on the relationship if we saw an episode finally delving into Juliet's pov like Lassie's pov the episode we saw with Lassie and Lassie's ex-wife. I've been hit over the head with how Shawn feels about her, I really want to know what Juliet sees when she looks at Shawn and how she really feels about him as a person as well as those messy emotional feeeeeelings.

While I'll probably never actively ship Shawn/Jules, I do agree that finding out her POV on Shawn would help.

Is like the writes fully know what 'corrupt a wish' is and have decided to play it straight for some reason.

I would also think it would be interesting if Shawn and Jules were to get together, only to discover that what they wished for isn't want they actually wanted.

[blckhrtsrdspds.livejournal.com]

This is such a wonderful essay. My OTP for the fandom is Shawn/Lassiter, but as you pointed out, all of the characters have such wonderful chemistry that I quite enjoy Gus/Juliet and Lassiter/Juliet. I have to commend you for your eloquence- you have put into words everything I despise about the show's pushing for a Shawn/Juliet endgame. Admittedly, some of the shippy moments for the couple are quite cute, but they almost always feel forced, and at this point in the series he just seems to be patronizing her, and her jealousy is so out of character for her, as you pointed out. Thank you for this essay, I enjoyed it so, so thoroughly. :D

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

This is such a wonderful essay.

Thank you!

My OTP for the fandom is Shawn/Lassiter, but as you pointed out, all of the characters have such wonderful chemistry that I quite enjoy Gus/Juliet and Lassiter/Juliet.

It's entirely possible that I'm not watching Psych as it's intended to be viewed. I think I'm watching the Gus Is Awesome, and Carlton and Jules Should Have Adorkable Babies Show, instead. ;)

Admittedly, some of the shippy moments for the couple are quite cute, but they almost always feel forced, and at this point in the series he just seems to be patronizing her, and her jealousy is so out of character for her.

I agree.


By the way, I'm curious about how you found this essay. I looked at your profile, and ship_manifesto isn't listed on your flist. I hope I don't sound rude for asking, but I'm always interested in how things are linked and discovered on the Internet!

[waitingforjimmy.livejournal.com]

WOW. This is the greatest Manifesto I have ever, ever read on this community. I got into Psych about 2-3 months ago and I have been searching high and low for a place, for some people who understood my feelings on the show and you seem to have nailed my thoughts on why I ship Jules/Lassie completely. I was going to do a long and rambling post about why everyone should ship these two characters on my personal LJ (this is my writing LJ) but I think I will link them here instead if that's cool with you!

I agree with every. single. thing. you said. I wish I had something more elaborate to say but I do not. I have this page saved in my Bookmarks and I have re-visited it several times, re-reading it hoping to find a way to expand upon what you have said but there is no way. It says all I want to say.

And I think you answered your own question about why no one has written a Shawn/Gus manifesto. Where is the need?! It's canon! LOL

James Roday said it best at Comic Con when asked about what Shawn would say at Gus' wedding as his Best Man: "I'm sorry, you can't really marry Gus...because he is already married to me." Roday ships it too! Come on writers, get on board!

Anyway, I digress but thank you for this! I think I will go re-watch Mr. Yin Presents now and watch Juliet have a more emotional moment with Lassie than she has EVER had with Shawn. And lest we not forget it was Shawn who accused her brother of murder when Lassie widened his eyes and shrugged away, not wanting to hurt her even if Shawn was of course, right. You go Lassie.

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

I think I will link them here instead if that's cool with you!

Thank you! I'd be flattered!

And I think you answered your own question about why no one has written a Shawn/Gus manifesto. Where is the need?! It's canon! LOL

I wouldn't even know how to begin writing a Shawn/Gus manifesto. I'd be like: "It's SO obvious. It's just SO VERY OBVIOUS. LOOK AT THEM! THEY'VE OBVIOUSLY IN LOVE AND TOGETHER AND MARRIED AND, WELL, LOOK!" I'd then start flapping my hands at the screen and bouncing in my seat, as if that would help make words appear in coherent syntax!

And lest we not forget it was Shawn who accused her brother of murder when Lassie widened his eyes and shrugged away, not wanting to hurt her even if Shawn was of course, right. You go Lassie.

A true friend will offer to shoot your big brother so you don't have to.

Not to open up that bag again, but interesting reading just the same

[pingback-bot.livejournal.com]

User rispacooper referenced to your post from Not to open up that bag again, but interesting reading just the same (http://rispacooper.livejournal.com/307306.html) saying: [...]

Vaguely related to that, if you're interested, is the Juliet/Lassiter Ship Manifesto [...]

[http://users.livejournal.com/_harmlessthings/]

i am super late to the party, but omg, O. T. P. (along with gus/shawn). this is so wonderful! i began shipping them in that speed-dating episode (seriously, they crack me up so much) and really, you summed up why i love them and did so perfectly. they bounce off each other so well. i love how driven they both are and how that leads to interesting friction, but when it comes down to it they'll always stick up for each other.

♥ thank you for this!

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I was just commenting (http://gwynevere1.livejournal.com/133351.html?thread=194023#t194023) to ticketsonmyself that I had been thinking about writing a manifesto for Shawn/Gus, also, but saw that you has beaten me to the punch on the sign-up list. That's probably a good thing, considering that I'd have a hard time being coherent about Shawn/Gus. I'd just start babbling: "Look at them! Just look at them! They are so obviously married and in love and life partners and they ride tandem bicycles and belong together and just look!" Then, I'd start posting screencaps of canon bunny-snuggling and words would completely fail me.
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SPOILERS FOR "DEAD BEAR WALKING"
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What I really wanted coming out of "Dead Bear Walking," though, was Jules/Lulu fanfic. I've randomly concluded that, if I can't have Carlton/Jules, I only want to see Jules in femmeslash pairings, instead. If you (or anyone else) come(s) across such fic (or writes it), please let me know!

[sandalaris.livejournal.com]

I never knew people actually had a problem with their age gap. Ten years isn't really that big of a deal, not when they've been partners for as long as they have. They don't have that parental/child vibe that most older-younger partnerships get in shows like this.
Stillt think they are beyond cute and off to read the fics. :)

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

I never knew people actually had a problem with their age gap.

Well, *I* don't have a problem the the age difference, but I've seen "Ew, he's too old for her," as a common argument against them. This actually makes me laugh quite a bit, since I come out of fandoms where the major ships have anywhere from a 200 to 900 year age differences (e.g., Buffy/Angel or Doctor/Rose). Even for a show without fantasy or supernatural elements, Community, the biggest ship for is arguably Jeff/Annie, with a twenty year age difference--and Annie is *very* young (19 years old). Heck, over on NCIS, there's a big following for Tony/Ziva and the ages of the actors who play those characters, Michael Weatherly (42) and Cote de Pablo (31), is the same as for Omundson (41) and Lawson (30), and I've *never* seen anyone raise an age issue there.

I've actually given the characters' ages a great deal of thought since I posted this entry. It's rather sad how much time I spend thinking about these fictional characters. I've come to the conclusion that Steve Franks sucks at arithmetic. Not quite as badly as Joss Whedon does, but, still, there's clearly no Character Bible for this show.

Anyway, Lassiter's age confuses me the most. In "Cloudy . . . Chance of Murder," Lassiter says that he'll have been on the force for 11 years that May (2007). Assuming he joined the police immediately following college, he would have been about 22 in 1996, making him born in 1974 and 36 years old. Honestly, that seems a little too young. In "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, He Loves Me, Oops He's Dead!", Lassie snarks at Shawn to let him know when Shawn gets his Masters in Criminology, which makes me wonder if Lass has his Masters. Adding in two more years for that degree, it would make him 38 now. Also, in "Meat Is Murder, But Murder Is Also Murder," Lassie is said to be an Aries, so his birthday is between 20 March and 20 April. So, he wouldn't have had his birthday yet in by now in February 2011, so he'd be 38 years old now and turn 39 later in the year. Also, that would mean the disastrous birthday party that Jules tried to through for Carlton in "Poker? I Barely Know Her" would have been his 35th, which is considered a big one for a lot people and, hence, would explain why Jules was doubly worried about him not celebrating that year.

In "A Very Juliet Episode," Juliet says she has two years of college left in the flashback from 2003. So, that would make her about 20 then, which would make her about 28 now. In "Meat Is Murder, But Murder Is Also Murder," she's a Libra, so her birthday is between September 23rd and October 23rd. Hence, her birthday is in September or October 1982.

TL;DR: Carlton is in his late 30s, and Jules is in her late 20s. Thus, they have about a ten year age difference.

More importantly: Thanks for reading!

[playwhatgoeson.livejournal.com]

I feel so late to this whole thing, but I just cant help but think "Where has this ship been my entire life (well at least the entire time I've been watching Psych)!"

I started out as a Shawn/Jules shipper, and still am, they would have the prettiest babies ever. I've never read any fic or pursued the ship actively but they seem quite lovely togeter. But man today I randomly stumbled on some Lassie/Jules fic, and became completely obsessed with this pairing. The writing feels so natural and the characters have such a great chemistry together. And the more sexually explicit fics are filled with such tension and agressiveness, which I know can be attributed more to the author than the pairing, but Lassie/Jules still lend themselves very well to those types of situations.

They remind me very much of one of my other ships, Penny/Sheldon, from the Big Bang Theory. They are so very similar but different enough to keep life exciting. They learn and grow from being around each other, and accept the others quirks and ticks as a part of life. That kind of leaves Penny/Leonard as Shawn/Jules but that doesn't seem right at all. I just know that with ships I have never been one to take the easy route. I like tension and uneasiness and uncertainty sometimes more than twu wuv.

I cannot wait to read the recs you presented and feed my new found ship. This was an incredible write up. Also, I had no idea there was such a thing as a shipmanifesto site.

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

I feel so late to this whole thing

I appreciate receiving comments! I'm flattered that people are still reading this!

they would have the prettiest babies ever

Well, Gus and Jules would also have pretty babies, since Dule is *very* pretty. ;)

today I randomly stumbled on some Lassie/Jules fic

May I ask what the story was? I may have read it already, but I'm always on the lookout for more of this pairing.

They remind me very much of one of my other ships, Penny/Sheldon, from the Big Bang Theory. They are so very similar but different enough to keep life exciting. They learn and grow from being around each other, and accept the others quirks and ticks as a part of life.

I don't watch The Big Bang Theory, but I did a post on my personal LJ (http://gwynevere1.livejournal.com/118703.html) about how I always ship the emotionally repressed, socially awkward, but still competent and loyal male paired with a a cheerful, bright, energetic, sunny-but-not-bubbly female. One of my flisters artic_fox also suggested Penny/Sheldon as fitting that het pairing archetype.

[heron-advocate.livejournal.com]

I've been re-watching Psych lately, so I've been browsing over fandom-y things...I'm pretty sure I've read this before, and I could have SWORN that I commented, but...I guess not. So, I'm here to correct it!

One of the things I really like about this ship is that we have seen it from the beginning (the entire evolution of it, as you said). I don't mind established relationships, but it's nice to see something develop. The episode in which Jules gets temporarily reassigned to a new partner and Carlton sees them kind of broke my heart.

Carlton's love for Jules isn't just shown in the grand gestures but also in mundane details, like noticing her hair smells like peaches.

This line is just perfect and sums them up so well. I had to point it out.

This manifesto is well worded and well thought out, as well as funny and endearing. But, of course, I'm biased because it's about Lassiet. And I think you might actually be right about why there's no Shawn/Gus manifesto. They're the most "clearly married" thing I've seen since Turk and J.D.

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! It's very nice to still be receiving comments on this entry months later!

I've been re-watching Psych lately, so I've been browsing over fandom-y things

My lovely mother gave me Seasons Three and Four on DVD for Christmas, so I've been marathoning the series again recently, as well! I'm in love with it all over again after being so disappointed around the middle of Season Five that I considered dropping it.

This manifesto is well worded and well thought out, as well as funny and endearing.

I'm glad the humor came across! I was worried that this essay was a bit melodramatic in parts, considering it was about, well, Psych. Although Psych's greatest ability is to create "deep moments disguised in adorableness," as firthgal once put it (http://firthgal.livejournal.com/205590.html).

[lawofar18.livejournal.com]

My friends and I finally finished watching all four seasons of Psych on Netflix yesterday. After the S4 finale ended, I announced, "It's official; I ship Jules/Lassie!" and everyone looked at me like I was crazy. :(

So of course I went onto the internet to seek solace, and I came across this. Very well-written, and I completely agree with all of your points! I'm going to be linking this to everyone who said I was crazy last night. Ha!

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

After the S4 finale ended, I announced, "It's official; I ship Jules/Lassie!"

Ha! Thank you for your lovely comment.

[daria234.livejournal.com]

That was such a witty and hilarious manifesto :)

and i missed that he used his gun to save her. HIS GUN! As you say, he loves it so.

And the point about how they're Dexter+Parker in another verse? HA.

And I think the most wonderful Jules moments are when she is just acting nuts. (And great point about Psych having female characters who are weird instead of mature and boring counterpoints to interesting man-boys.)

These lines I LOVED:

It's the Pride & Prejudice scenario: they're better people for having known each other. Just as importantly, they were *not* making a conscious effort to change the other. They were accepting of who the other person was, not trying to "fix" what was wrong. They improved and influenced each other JUST BY BEING THEMSELVES.

Unless, of course, I've misunderstood their entire relationship, and Jules is a Slayer, with Carlton as her Watcher. Which would explain a lot. In which case, I demand more scenes of Jules wielding an ax while wearing a short skirt:

[gwynevere1.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your kind comment! I didn't mention this ship_manifesto on your LJ to pimp it! ;) I was just trying to say "you're not the only one" when it comes to not feeling Shawn/Jules, given the other comments I received on this entry.

and i missed that he used his gun to save her.

My mom totally missed that, too, until we were listening to the DVD commentary, and Omundson refers to it as Sophie's Choice. That scene is one of the most romantic moments I've seen on a TV show--up there with Oz's "Willow Kissage" speech on Buffy and Rory's 2,000 year vigil on Doctor Who (which, IIRC, you don't watch)--and the amazing thing is that I don't think the writers intended it as romantic!