[identity profile] clannadlvr.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] ship_manifesto

Title:  “Tomorrow’s Sexual Tension…Today”

Author:  [livejournal.com profile] clannadlvr

Fandom:  Early Edition

Pairing:  Gary/Brigatti

Spoilers:  The Entire Series (1995-2000)

Notes:   A massive thanks to [livejournal.com profile] serrico for all of her input.  She was the one who welcomed me into the online fandom all the way back in 2002 (<sings>”Memories…all alone…”</sings>) and has been a constant source of input and support on my many fannish endeavors.  (Oh, yeah, and she also got me into Smallville fandom.  I don’t know whether to thank her, or….*heh*)  Consider this a co-writing credit on this essay as she really helped to clarify my points and added in elements I’d forgotten.

Email:  clannadlvr at yahoo dot com

 

Ah, welcome to one of the most deliciously unrequited textual relationships in modern television!  During the show’s four year run, the PTB at Early Edition paired the main protagonist, Gary Hobson, with various females, resulting in varying degrees of fan reaction.  *cough*Erica*cough*.  However, most fans will agree that the antagonistic relationship between the beleaguered guy who gets tomorrow’s paper today and the tough cop who is suspicious of his actions is one of the most delightful on the show.


A quick background on Early Edition:
 

The show centers on Gary Hobson, a stockbroker in his early thirties who, after getting thrown out of the house by his wife on their wedding anniversary, starts receiving an odd newspaper every day.  Why is it odd? He finds it on his hotel room’s welcome mat every morning, replete with a seemingly magical orange cat.  Gary soon realizes that the newspaper is actually the following day’s edition and that if he intervenes in the stories listed, he can actually change the future.  Plane crashes can be averted…burglaries thwarted…countless lives saved.  While Gary’s decision to become a hero is not always an easy or settled one, his inner boy scout wins out: Chicago becomes protected by an unlikely hero.

Gary’s escapades often cause him to be noticed by the cops- more than once he’s actually suspected of causing a crime/emergency situation rather than being the one to intercede and save the day.  One cop in particular finds herself suspicious of Gary’s ability to always be in the “right place at the right time”:  Detective Toni Brigatti.


Character Studies:


Gary Hobson:
 

Gary is quite possibly the definition of television land’s Midwestern, apple pie, sports loving, all American kid.  (Go Cubs!)  With an inherent naiveté that could make you think he stepped right out of Nick at Night and looks that invite hugs as well as sidelong glances, the character could come off as helplessly cornpone and trite- simply just another pretty face.  However, Gary’s portrayer, Kyle Chandler, does an amazing job of showing the complexity of a normal man who is forced to lead an abnormal life. 

Throughout the series, Gary constantly struggles with the demands the paper puts on his life and the inability he has to break with his duties- as he’s often reminded, using the paper to help others is his choice.  Yet his moral makeup, including the demands of his conscience, overrule his desire to quit.  Gary turns out to be a man who, while wanting to “do good,” is often resentful of the paper as it doesn’t allow him to have control over his own life.  Fortunately, he has a small, yet close nit group of friends who help in his quest to achieve some sort of balance, most notably Chuck and Marissa (played wonderfully by Fisher Stevens and Shané Williams, respectively.)
 

Detective Toni Brigatti: 

Smart, attractive, and occasionally acerbic, Detective Brigatti at first seems to be the stereotypical female TV cop;  she’s tough as nails because she has to be, a woman in a man’s world doing a man’s job.  Yet her interactions with Gary, or, as she calls him, “Hobson,” illuminate additional aspects of her character.  Brigatti, played by Constance Marie, enters Early Edition during season 3 in the episode “In Gary We Trust” and immediately becomes suspicious of Gary’s actions, trying to, as any good detective should, figure out the reasons behind his mysterious actions.  In each of the six episodes in which she appears during the show’s run, we watch Brigatti struggle between her need for the truth, including the way her “cop brain” processes the facts,  and her instinctual trust of Gary.  (Not to mention her growing attraction!)

In one of the most poignant episodes of the show, the two-parter “Fatal Edition,” Gary is arrested for murder, but soon escapes police custody in order to find the real culprit.  In one scene, Brigatti finds Gary hiding from the manhunt in her apartment and has him at gunpoint, ready to arrest him and bring him to the station on murder charges.  They lock gazes…and even as she tells him to stop, threatening to shoot, she allows him to slip away into the shadows, unfettered.  Brigatti the cop and Toni the person find themselves at odds, and the intuitive side of her nature wins out.  

(Another quick note on Brigatti’s character:  [livejournal.com profile] serrico pointed out that the EE fandom almost never refers to her by her first name, Toni.  So much of this is based on the fact that Gary and Toni refer to each other as Hobson and Brigatti during most of their interaction.  This nomenclature was absorbed by the fandom as a way of describing their unique relationship.  I’ll try to use both during this essay in an effort to highlight their outward/interactive characters, Hobson/Brigatti, and their inner selves, Gary/Toni.)


Gary/Brigatti:  Canon Evidence


Well, as this is an established canon un-relationship since Gary and Brigatti never really get together during the run of the show, though they do agree to go on a date in 'Occasionally Amber,' the evidence for this pairing is still relatively strong.  First off, here are some key events during their relationship on screen, by episode:

“In Gary We Trust”:  In their first episode together, Gary Hobson and Federal Marshall Brigatti quickly establish a biting, tension filled repartee that has been absent from almost every other relationship Gary has had with other female characters.  While most of Gary’s past relationships- Marcia, Emma, Renee, and of course, the mostly-despised-by-fans-Erica- have always had a certain amount of tension due to his secret keeping, the immediate electricity between Gary and Brigatti makes this relationship relatively unique from the get-go.  (As [livejournal.com profile] serrico reminds me, his relationship with Meredith Carson, a reporter in season one, is relatively snarky as well, and, Pre-Brigatti, is Gary’s most viable love interest.  Still, I’d argue that the UST lasts much longer for Gary/Toni, so that heightens the snark/tension even more.)

“Crumb Again”:  The snark continues in this episode as Federal Agent Brigatti becomes a detective with the Chicago PD.  Of course, this is wonderful in that we get to see Gary and Toni interact a great deal more, especially since she’ll now run into Gary and his hijinks with greater frequency.  Let’s just say that Brigatti’s curiosity is definitely piqued. 

“The Iceman Taketh”- bwhahah!!!  Oh, yes.  It’s THAT episode.  The one with the kiss.  And (huge kudos here to [livejournal.com profile] serrico for reminding me of incidents during the episode that I’d since forgotten) so much more.  Gary and Brigatti’s relationship reaches a new level of exasperation and flirtation as the two are forced to pose as husband and wife to stop a jewel thief.  Brilliant exchanges like the following cement the irascible nature of their “courtship”:

Brigatti: Oh, and another thing. If I was married to you and you acted like that, I'd shoot ya.
Gary: Well, you wouldn't need to because if I was married to you, I'd shoot myself.  

If you want a primer on how Gary and Toni interact, one that shows you how/why they are a general fandom OTP, this is the episode to watch.  During their fake-marriage, the two pepper their conversations with nastily tossed endearments and saccharine looks.  Brigatti calls Gary “Honey” constantly with daggers in her eyes.  The play acting reaches epic proportions, in such a way that you know that old axiom about those who protest too much is true. 

Another great element of this episode are the moments in which Gary and Toni aren’t play acting, per se.  For example, as they have to share a room together for their cover story, the sexual tension is palpable in close quarters.  Gary stares as she removes her stockings, their situation of pseudo domestic bliss becoming all the more tension laden by the moment.  Then, Gary saves Toni’s life at the expense of the paper, proving how deeply he cares about her even for all of his gruff treatment.  In one of the most lovely scenes, as Toni bandages an injury on his arm, they almost kiss…and are interrupted!  (A nation of fans screams in frustration!)  The back and forth continues as they continue their charade, with Toni growing increasingly jealous when she sees Gary interact and dance with other women and Gary goading her every chance he gets. Then, Gary saves her job. As is the constant in their relationship, for as much as they bicker/antagonize each other, protection and affection is also present.

But the highpoint in this episode for the characters is when, in a scene where they must act like a married couple in order to cement their cover stories, the two are “forced” to kiss.  The tentative/awkward embrace quickly turns passionate, with Toni and Gary turning heads by their aggressive tonsil hockey.  Of course, they both deny that there is anything else to that kiss other than acting, yet the audience knows better.  In the ending scene of the episode, when Brigatti comes to Gary’s bar to take back the wedding ring they used undercover, the fact that both of them wish that the marriage was at least a little real is evident. 
 

“Fatal Edition, Parts 1&2”:  Again, I have to point to the aforementioned scene where Brigatti has Gary at gunpoint, but allows her intuition about his innocence to sway her actions.  As [livejournal.com profile] serrico points out, what’s really impressive in this situation is that when Toni refuses to take the facts as they are and believes in Gary’s guilt, she puts her relationship with her coworkers, her reputation as a cop, and even her very job on the line because she has faith in Gary.  After everything is said and done, the real culprit caught and Gary’s innocence proved, the interaction between Gary and Toni shows that something has definitely changed between them.  This is the most tumultuous episode for the characters as a ship as it throws their insecurities/suspicions, and growing trust, into the spotlight. 
 

“Occasionally Amber”:  This is the last episode in which Brigatti appears and, though sadly the relationship is not completely resolved, it still gives us ample examples of their sexual tension.   We see Brigatti’s rampant jealousy once more, which causes even more bickering between Toni and Gary.  Though no huge declarations are made…we get a prize all the same at the end of the episode.  Gary finally asks Toni out on a date.  *enter the fans to fill in what that date could have been like* 

 

Why Gary/Brigatti?- Interpretations:

It would be easy to say that the popularity of G/B within the fandom, to the exclusion of all other Gary relationships, is simply due to the banter and sexual tension often written and played (in the fourth season, at least) in the style of romantic comedies from the Golden Age of Hollywood.  While that’s true, I would also suggest that one of the strongest reasons the audience loves Gary/Brigatti is because of the similarities of the two characters. 

Let me back up by first saying that in order to understand Gary/Brigatti, you have to look at the relationships Gary has had with other women on the show.  First, there’s Marcia, Gary’s ex-wife who callously tosses his things out the window, for apparently no reason, on their wedding anniversary.  This quickly establishes the “woobie factor” for Gary, endearing him to the audience beyond his movie star good looks and curmudgeonly/sweet character.  So, the fans are already predisposed to want him to have a positive relationship with a woman.

Next, there’s Meredith, a newspaper reporter who at first seems to want a relationship with Gary, yet ruins it as she allows her desire for a story, and her knowledge of The Paper,  to undermine her feelings for Gary.  Then there’s Emma, a woman Gary falls hard for, yet lets go of when the paper shows him that her own lost love, whom she believed to be dead, is back in the picture.  Renee, a childhood friend with whom Gary reunites, doesn’t work out either.  And then, of course, there is Erica Paget (Kristy Swanson, of BtVS- the movie fame), the blonde, relatively icy woman who begins to work at Gary’s bar.  Out of all of Gary’s onscreen relationships, this one proves to be the longest, yet is also an exercise in futility.  Most importantly, it underlines Gary’s desire to be coupled, even if it’s with the wrong person: for Erica’s tenure on the show, Gary turns into a lovesick teen, desperately trying to win her attention.  Yet, when he does, the relationship doesn’t have the spark or compatibility that he’s looking for.  (In fact, in the episode “Blowing Up Is Hard to Do,” he straight-out admits to the lack of chemistry between them.  *fangirls go wild*).  Also, Erica proves herself unable to handle The Paper when the secret is revealed to her;  she immediately underestimates its power and makes things even more difficult for Gary. Erica finally leaves town, much to the fans’ delight, rendering Gary single once more.  While there are other women who pop up in other episodes, these main relationships outline a trend for poor Gary:  each seems not meant to be.   

So how does this affect Gary/Brigatti?  To put it simply, all of these “not meant to be” situations put into relief the undeniable attraction between our paperboy and cop.  In each of the above situations, Gary often has to put in exponential amounts of effort to make his relationships work, doing his best to woo and win even with the demands of the paper on his daily life.  However, none of these relationships have the natural attraction and driving force of his interactions with Brigatti.  (Again, Meredith may possibly have had some potential, but conflicting agendas and Gary’s relative naiveté- this is in the first season, after all- sour this relationship.) While his other relationships may be relatively “safe,” none are as appealing as the difficult and potentially problem filled connection between Toni and Gary.  Sexual tension and attraction never have to be forced between Gary and Brigatti, and the clash of their tempers is enticing. 

Yet what’s most interesting about G/B is that it’s their similarities that make them so compatible.  Both are trying to do good, to make the world a better place.  Their different perspectives cause conflict, but can’t eliminate the underlying mission that they share.  Even more interesting is the fact that both characters have to deal with duality on a daily basis.  Brigatti seems to fight a battle between being a cop and a person throughout her time on the show, her duties often getting in the way of her desire to form personal connections.  Gary, too, finds himself at a loss when trying to get close to others beyond his tiny circle of friends- his duties with the paper have hindered his interpersonal relationships more than they’ve helped.  To put it more simply, the battle that Brigatti faces, between her cop side and her personal side, can be closely mirrored by the dualities in Gary’s own personality, i.e. hero v. human.  When you come right down to it, the two characters who bicker the most are actually the ones who have the capacity to understand each other better than anyone else.  While the tough as nails, street smart cop and the occasionally bumbling, homespun bar owner may at first seem to be opposites, their similarities make them all the more appealing and compatible. 

Now, of course, latent understanding, even if they don’t realize it, can’t completely explain why this pairing has become an OTP.  So much of it is based on the way that Kyle Chandler and Constance Marie play the roles, infusing each of their scenes together with enough electricity to power all of Chicago.  As always, this is a hard to describe quality, but I think that the review of their six episodes (above) goes a long way to showing the interplay between their outward selves and inner attractions.  In addition, I’d point to the nonverbal cues they give, i.e. their physicality.  Throughout the show, we’ve been shown a Gary Hobson who, while occasionally making social gaffes, is a product of a Midwestern upbringing, those “downhome” mores working themselves into his adult life.  Since we’ve met Bernie and Lois Hobson on the show and can see what a sweetheart his mother is, it doesn’t seem to far of a leap that Gary was taught to treat women a certain way.  Gary tends to be polite with everyone, his cantankerous nature getting the best of him only when he’s pushed too far.  But from the very beginning of his relationship with Toni, his manners fly out the window.  And she gives him ample fodder.  They both get into each other’s personal space, a sort of physical-one-up-man-ship that belies inner desires.  Any time they touch onscreen is infused with so much more than necessity.  Again, it’s not an element easily described, but just fire up these episodes and you won’t be able to miss it.


Other Ship Elements:   

Throughout the six episodes, there exist many other textual clues to their increasing connection.  Though Brigatti’s allergies to The Cat can be interpreted at first as an anti-ship element by the writers- Brigatti first appears during the Erica/Gary era- it quickly develops into yet another element of their UST.  Also, Gary’s continually put-upon air that he adopts whenever he interacts with Brigatti serves as a huge clue to the attraction they are continually resisting.  Brigatti’s answering sharpness plays perfectly into this element of their relationship.


Turning points: 

As [livejournal.com profile] serrico so rightly points out, Gary/Toni works on a sort of continuum, with both characters moving toward the same eventual goal, yet changing their perceptions of the other at different moments.  To put it simply, each has a “turning point” when they begin to realize that their feelings for each other run much deeper than initially perceived.  For Gary, that change happens during “The Iceman Cometh,” when he eschews The Paper in order to save Toni’s life.  For Brigatti, the moment of change is a bit further down the line;  during “Fatal Edition,” she has to make the decision to trust her heart and intuition over her head and ingrained cop instincts.  Letting Gary walk out the door of her apartment signals the deepening of her affections.  While we never really get a sense of total resolution in their relationship, the plan to go on a date at the end of “Occasionally Amber” signals the fact that finally Gary and Toni are parallel to each other in their desires. 


Bottom line, the constant banter between Gary and Brigatti makes them entertaining, the sexual tension makes them hot, and their capacity to connect on a deeper level makes them irresistible.  If only EE had lasted beyond its 4th season, maybe we may have been given a complete resolution to this fantastic pairing!

 

How I got into the pairing and why you should too!: 

I have to say that this is one of the few shows that made me a fan of a particular ship without fannish help.  From the moment I started watching EE and saw their characters interact, I was hooked. Constance Marie does a brilliant job with the character of Brigatti, infusing her with just the right amounts of sass and uncertainty.

And, seriously, you’d have to be dead not to have your heart race a bit at the sight of Kyle Chandler/the antics of Gary Hobson.  (w00t!  Check KC out in the new “King Kong” movie- he’s playing a 1930’s B movie actor.  *swoons*)  Ok, hormones aside, Gary Hobson is one of the most interesting characters who’s appeared on the small screen in the past decade.  Many of you may be shaking your heads right now, saying, “[livejournal.com profile] clannadlvr!  Please!  This is a situation drama on CBS, what are you thinking?”  But see, that’s the brilliance of the way that Chandler plays the role.  Gary is a mess of conflicting desires.  A small town boy who wants to lead a normal life, but is thrust into the role of a hero.  A divorcee who just wants to have a marriage and family.  A guy who is easily exasperated by others, but does a job that necessitates absolute patience. 

If you need more proof, I suggest you check out the episode “Fate,” widely hailed as the best in the series, in which Gary is unable to stop the death of a homeless man and almost loses his will to go on with his life/The Paper.  In a heartbreaking sequence of events, Gary sees his own obituary in The Paper and is forced to confront his inner issues.  If you haven’t yet, you MUST see this episode.  It’s a perfect illustration of Gary’s inner self and motivations.  Your love for his character will only increase by watching this episode…and will cement the reason for him deserving a strong, worthy woman in his life.  *cough*Brigatti*cough*

 

In sum, I’d suggest this ship to anyone who loves strong characters, especially strong female characters, snark, and undeniable sexual tension!

 

Fandom Guide:

While the fandom wasn’t the thing that got me into G/B, it definitely perpetuated my fascination with their characters.  Sadly, the EE fandom has not been as active in the past few years- the show ended in 2000 and, though it was rerun on PAX for a while, is no longer on the air here in the States.  However, a devoted community exists, as does a great deal of fic surrounding the series.

First off, the Yahoo group devoted to the show can be found here.  This group revolves around episode discussion and fan activity.  Livejournal also has a community for the show and it's fans, [livejournal.com profile] early_edition.

As far as fic, the main site is Tales From the Tavern.  You can find information on the related fanfic list serve on this location as well.  The GTA archive has additional stories by some of the fandom’s most talented authors. 

Stories that I just have to rec for the pairing are as follows:

Absolutely anything by Jayne Leitch- You can find all of her work at Tales From the Tavern and the link to her site, which I've given you, but I have to especially rec “Crimes Against Criminals” and “The Reason.”  The first is an awesome story that pits Gary and Brigatti against the mob, with UST and interaction to beat the band.  “The Reason” happens in the future, with a pre-established Gary-Brigatti relationship and will make you shiver.  Be sure to check out her work in multiple fandoms!

Scheherzade’s fabulous series, which begins with “False Starts,” is excellent as well, though I’ll warn you that the series has been left incomplete.  Still, it’s worth a read as many of the stories can be read individually.  Great G/B. 

For “teh smut,” check out "Thrust and Parry" by Cat and Mouse. It’s a “what if” set during the episode “The Iceman Cometh,” where Gary and Toni take sexual tension and turn it into action.


In addition to Gary/Toni stories, there are other general series stories that are must reads and which really serve to give you deeper interpretations of the series’ main characters.  Here’s a short list of some of the best and brightest: 

"Dragon’s Met" by Peregrin Anna- This amazing novel length EE story takes Gary into the past, with Marissa and Chuck working in the future to secure his safe return.  An absolutely amazing journey that will suck you in and refuse to let you go.

"Scrambled Eggs and Burnt Potatoes" by Peregrin Anna- Yup, another PA story.  It's pitch perfect Marissa/Gary friendship and takes place right after the events of the episode "Run, Gary, Run."

"The Providence of Sparrows" by Peregrin Anna-  Hmmm...noticing a trend here?  This is yet another of her excellent stories, specially rec'd by [livejournal.com profile] serrico!

"Racing the Sky" by Peregrin Anna-  Why is this in bold, you ask?  Because, this is the story.  The one that I come back to every time to find that it just gets better and better.  Tears, laughter, you'll do it all.  PA takes us inside Marissa's experience of what happens when someone is given the gift of experiencing their dreams in waking life. Hands down, this is my favorite story of ANY fandom.

Bottom line, check out everything by Peregrin Anna at both the GTA and "Tales from the Tavern" sites.

"The Suitcase" by Rakefet- Another [livejournal.com profile] serrico rec that I have to second.  A fascinating look behind Marcia's motivations for kicking Gary out of her life. 

"Wergild" by inkling- Angst alert!!!  Loss, depression, drinking...and hope. 

That's just a sampling of some of the G/B and EE general stories out there.  Scope out the archives to read some of the other stories offered.  (A quick note about Early Edition fanfiction...many stories feature Original Characters, usually in the form of a Gary love interest.  While many are Mary Sues, don't let that discourage you from reading some of the stories- a number avoid the Mary Sue trap and feature well crafted original characters.)

I hope you've enjoyed this little trip down fandom memory lane!  To those of you who are devotees of the pairing, I hope that this gets you back into the Gary/Brigatti spirit.  And for those of you who are new, welcome!

To sum up, let's have some of the immortal words of Chuck Fishman...

"We enter this world alone. We leave it pretty much the same way. And in
between, a dance we call life. Problem is it takes two to Tango. So we look
for signs; something to help us to find our perfect partners. A smile, a
wave. But we have to be careful; because while some signs can be
misinterpreted, others can be missed completely. And if you think it's any
easier for a guy who gets tomorrow's newspaper today, think again.

Some dances you sit out. Others you change partners. The important thing is
you never stop dancing."

(from the episode "Phantom of the Opera"- thanks to the monologue archive)


Date: 2005-04-24 12:59 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] elven-wolf.livejournal.com
Man, I love this show. *sings the Memory song with you* Good essay. :)

Date: 2005-04-24 01:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mushroom18.livejournal.com
I LOVE Early Edition. It's too bad it's not very popular here in our country.

Very well-written essay! I love Gary. XD

Date: 2005-04-24 11:43 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mushroom18.livejournal.com
In the Philippines. The show used to run way back, but now there are only reruns. I don't remember some of the episodes anymore. ;_;

Date: 2005-04-24 01:49 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] irittdsqrl.livejournal.com
Fantabulous essay. *lurves G/B* Excellent analysis of why Erica didn't and couldn't ever work, too. (Ugh, all that time wasted on trying to force *that* on us, when there was G/B staring them right in the face!)

For Gary, that change happens during “The Iceman Cometh,” when he eschews The Paper in order to save Toni’s life.

One of my most favorite moments in all of the series. The way he just threw it aside without even a moment's hesitation? Wow. That action spoke volumes.

Great fic recs, and I second them all! I have yet to check out any of Scheherzade’s fic, however, and I don't know why. I've heard nothing but good about them. I think I just need more time in the day.

Date: 2005-04-24 05:37 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] irittdsqrl.livejournal.com
I'd whole-heartedly recommend anything at the GTA archive, and my admittedly biased opinion would also recommend anything from Darby Ross, Amy Russell, or Shana in the Tavern archive. And not just because they write good fic, but they're really cool people, too.

PS: Some of the links have an extra space or something after them, which makes them come up 404.

Awww...

Date: 2005-04-24 03:38 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] iris-summers.livejournal.com
I was a rather casual fan of Early Edition, but I absolutely *adored* Gary Hobson and his fat ginger cat! Heh. So cute, the pair of them. And while I'm more of a slasher (Chuck/Gary), my favourite het pairing in the show has to be Gary/Brigatti as well - the two of them have chemistry, snark and they were pretty funny together. Thanks for the links, will definitely check them out.

PS. Love that you ended with a quote from Chuck - I always loved his opening/ending monologues and the show kinda went downhill for a bit after he left, although it started picking up again in the last season. Great job on the essay. ^_^

Date: 2005-04-24 04:07 am (UTC)
celli: a woman and a man holding hands, captioned "i treasure" (fandoms)
From: [personal profile] celli
Now you're making me want to go watch the show. Argh!

Date: 2005-04-24 05:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lisaofdoom.livejournal.com
Oh man, I had COMPLETELY forgotten how much I love this show. As I watched it when I was smaller, I can't say I 'shipped at all very much, but now I want to go write fic! Thank you thank you thank you! ♥

Date: 2005-04-24 07:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] akamarykate.livejournal.com
Heehee...do it! You know you want to!

OMGSQUEEEEEEE!!!!

Date: 2005-04-24 07:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] akamarykate.livejournal.com
AHAHAHAHAHA!!!

I am giddy, giddy like a schoolgirl I tell you, reading this. OMGtheirloveissosnarkyandtrue!

Related factoid: Did you know that the show's creators originally planned to have this relationship develop from the pilot, between Gary and Tagliati? Yeah, the cop played by Felicity Huffman. Sometimes I get all wistful thinking about what might have been. But they couldn't get her for the series (she got Sports Night shortly after, I believe), and Ron Dean was available, and so Crumb became a recurring character and I am not at ALL sad about that, and I love Constance Marie, too, so it's all good.

I *heart* you for including the Problems With Erica. In "Crumb, Again", there's this moment when Toni comes looking for Gary and she and Erica have a minisnarkfest and Toni wins. That's the moment when fans knew Erica wasn't sticking around, because even the writers liked Toni better. That fangirl squee over the chemistry? Yeah, I was the soprano section *g*. Also, I may have been the one jumping off the couch, pointing at the tv, and yelling, "What have we been TELLING YOU PEOPLE FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS!!! Down goes the duck!"

In addition, I’d point to the nonverbal cues they give, i.e. their physicality. ...[snip] They both get into each other’s personal space, a sort of physical-one-up-man-ship that belies inner desires.

And in "Crumb, Again", there's this moment--much-rewound on my tape--it's when they're pacing back and forth in the loft with the files, trying to figure out what's going on, and they get closer and closer, and at one point Toni's hand goes down in a gesture as she's passing Gary, and it looks as if she's going to grab his, uh, package! Neither of them are making eye contact, but I am 99.9% sure that KC and CM staged it that way on purpose.

If only EE had lasted beyond its 4th season, maybe we may have been given a complete resolution to this fantastic pairing!

At the risk of breaking your heart if you haven't heard about this yet, did you know that toward the end of S4, there was supposed to be an episode where Toni and Gary were taking care of an infant together? Playing house and everything? They never filmed it because CM had commitments with other shows, but I would do some very drastict things just to get a look at that script. (Also, I would pay cash money to anyone who could deliver a well-written fic version. ;)

"Crimes Against Criminals" is my definitive Gary/Toni fic. It just has everything, and Jayne explores the issues that have brought them to the uncomfortable point in their relationship the series never got to resolve. "The Reason" is, of course, how the relationship could play out once they got past that point, and it makes me sigh with happiness every single time. (Plus, OMG Armstronglove! I am giddy for the cops, all the cops, on this show, I tell you.)

This is so well written, sweetie, and you've awakened my fannish love and made me feel all nostalgic and crusadery about my fandom and the OTP of all time. *high fives* I'm so glad you wrote it.

And then you had to go and make me all weepy with your recs. *hugs* Thank you, for a boost when my writerly confidence really needed it.


Date: 2005-04-24 10:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stacy-l.livejournal.com
*applauds loudly*

Great essay! I so love the interaction between Gary and Toni myself and still write some fan fic for the series. The article perfectly explains the reason this pairing is so...intense and HOT. My mind did quite some soaring where this pairing is concerned. I loved it!

Thank you so much for taking the time to write a great essay! : D

Date: 2005-04-26 12:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stacy-l.livejournal.com
I so loved the UST between Gary and Brigatti! In fact I started working it into a WIP of mine that's still incomplete. I had no intention of including it but when the muse led me to put Gary in the Chicago PD with a woman he was trying to help and Brigatti just transferred there well...I just HAD to do it! : D

In regards to new EE fic...

I haven't been posting any of the new new stuff because I have so many other stories in progress for a different fandom that I've been keeping most of them under wraps. Now I'm working on uploading the WIP fic I never finished posting to the EE fanfic list. There's about one more chapter yet to be written in it too. I kind of drifted from EE when I decided to try my hand at the Stargate fandom and got consumed in it for several years (still am actually) but recently have been returning to Early Edition because I created my own website and have been uploading parts to my EE WIP fic. In doing that I'm finding that I'm quickly returning to the fandom and to some older stories I had started writing but never finished in the EE fandom.

In regards to the name I write under...

I've been a member of the EE fan fic list since pretty much the beginning and wrote under my first and last name there. I recently changed it (well actually about the year 2001 or so I changed it because I started writing adult fic for Stargate and didn't want to risk people I know off line stumbling onto stories that contained intense sexual relations between Daniel and Sam so I shortened it and have kept that as my handle ever since). I now write under Stacy L.

You may have heard of my EE stories or not. There aren't many because I was consumed by Stargate but the WIP is titled "When Terror Strikes" and is the one where I spent many a day creating lovely UST situations between Gary and Brigatti. There's one more chapter left to write and I fear our hero is in dire...distress at the moment but if you'd like to read it I'm uploading parts to my website as time permits. Presently I've managed to get 6 parts up on my site. There is a total of 16 but since the only place this story was ever sent to was the EE fan fic list and the Tales from the Tavern archive doesn't accept a story until it's complete I have to actually go back and retype the entire story again. I printed it off as I posted it to the list but when my hotmail hit its limit several years ago I lost the saved files in my account so I'm left with retyping the story from my printed copies...that's where the hold up is in getting the entire story up on the site but I'm working on it! Um Brigatti actually doesn't make an appearance until about chapter 8 so if you'd like to read the UST scenes it will take me some time to get those up. Still if you'd like to read what's there here's the link to my site:

http://www.midnightstorms.net/home.htm

This will take you to the main page from there you'll have to travel through several pages so I'll give you a direct link to the Parts page for "When Terror Strikes" to make it easier:

http://www.midnightstorms.net/wtsparts.htm

You have a story written for this fandom as well? Hmm I'd love to read it! I'll be looking for it! : D

Again thanks for the wonderful essay and feel free to e-mail me at anytime. Take care!

Date: 2005-04-26 02:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] irittdsqrl.livejournal.com
I have to actually go back and retype the entire story again

Bummer. I wonder if anyone on the list would still have the emailed copies sitting around while waiting for the final chapters. Might be worth a shot asking, if you haven't already.

(And oops... originally added this reply to the main post.)

Date: 2005-04-26 11:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stacy-l.livejournal.com
I wonder if anyone on the list would still have the e-mailed copies sitting around while waiting for the final chapters

I didn't think of that. I know there are still people waiting patiently for me to post the rest of the story because I sent off part 15 about a year ago and had people saying they were anxiously waiting for the conclusion. Most of the parts are only about ten pages so to retype them isn't as much of a challenge as people may think. The challenge is finding the time with my hectic RL to sit down and do it. I may have to inquire about the story though.

: )

Date: 2005-04-26 11:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stacy-l.livejournal.com
Wow do you ever have a lot of fic! I think I might have to go read some : D

Thanks for telling me about where to find your site. I see you're a Smallville fan. I met a writer in the X-Files fandom who loved the Chloe/Lex pairing and triggered my interest in reading it myself. I may have to spend some time reading. : )

You're welcome for the link to my site. There isn't a lot of EE there at the moment since most of it I've written off line but I finally finished putting up the first EE fic I wrote in its entirety and hope to have the rest of the completed parts of the second one up soon.

The story I posted to the list I have here but it's a printed copy so I have to type from the pages I printed out. I've managed to track down all the parts up to and including 15 so I'm working on typing it at present. In fact part 7 is laying beside me now seems I posted that one to the list in January of 2001 *g* (gives you an idea of just how long ago I posted it to the list) that's the one I provided the second link to. The first story I wrote for EE is a future fic where Lindsey starts getting the paper and Gary helps her along. I loved writing that one and plan to write more in the future. It's just a matter of finding the time to do it. : )

I'm glad to see that some people out there are still writing EE. I just wish we had more of it! I guess we'll have to be content with what we can find : D

Date: 2005-04-26 11:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] stacy-l.livejournal.com
Oh shoot I guess I should tell you if you'd like to read my first EE story just go to the main page, click on stories, then general fiction and scroll down past several Stargate fic to find the EE section...

Or to make it simpler *g*

My first EE fic can be found here:

http://www.midnightstorms.net/lrparts.htm

I think it's still housed at the Tavern as well.

Date: 2005-04-26 03:40 am (UTC)
From: [personal profile] athousandsmiles
OMG! This is just *everything* I feel about G/B and so much more. I have to admit, I was not a fan of that pairing, initially. I think I was still bitter over the Erica debacle, and did not want another snarky woman in Gary's life. (Heh!) But several viewings of The Iceman Taketh and I was won over.

Great essay, and great fic recs.

Date: 2005-04-26 04:39 am (UTC)
From: [personal profile] athousandsmiles
Ooohh...and yay recs! Definitely check out any that you haven't come across before, and be sure to feedback the authors. Maybe we can convince them to write some more. *evil grin*

I'm pretty sure I've read all those you've recc'd, and Stacy L's WIP, which I've been dying for the conclusion of for years. Years, I tell ya! *g*

Heck, I may even be guilty of co-authoring one of your recs. Ahem! *coughsmutficcoughcough*

Date: 2005-04-26 11:44 pm (UTC)
From: [personal profile] athousandsmiles
*glances around surreptitiously*

Not something I want my mother to know, but yeah. Guilty. I'm not sure if I'm Cat or Mouse though. ;)

S'nice to meet you too. And thanks for the rec. :D

Date: 2005-04-27 01:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] maryilee.livejournal.com
I love the G/B essay. I miss watching the two of them on the screen together and wonder what might have happened if they had had more time on the show. Ah, well, that's what fanfic is for, right? :-)

I'm so excited to find this whold LJ thing. I had thought EE fanfic was dead, but it sounds like it's having a mini-revival. Other than reading fanfic in one fandom, I haven't done anything with fanfic in years. I can't wait to read some new EE fanfic! Woo-hoo!

Date: 2005-04-27 04:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dustybinx.livejournal.com
The Gary/Brigatti essay was brillant. I do hope this stirs up interest again. Do you have any other EE analysis stuff in mind?

Date: 2005-05-02 11:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] siskaren.livejournal.com
Sorry I'm just now commenting; I've been offline for awhile. All I wanted to say was nice job - I couldn't have said it better myself (particularly liked the part about the aggressive tonsil hockey *snort*). And I have a couple of recs, although not G/B fics. There's [livejournal.com profile] serrico's Buffy crossover "Papers, Predictions, and Prophecies", [livejournal.com profile] akamarykate's Buffy crossover "Cold Light" and her X-Files crossover "Crossroads".

Date: 2010-10-25 03:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rpowell.livejournal.com
I must be honest. The only relationships on "EARLY EDITION" that really impressed me were the ones Gary Hobson had with Marissa Clark and Chuck Fishman.

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