In which I begin an ongoing list

[kylezy]

[Bad username or site: kylezy story @ livejournal.com]

Keep in mind these are my opinions and I offer them only as my opinions.

*DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE IS NOT A WEIRD, OBSCURE INDIE BAND, yet in fic,Bradley is constantly perplexed by them and Colin's musical taste. Some indie bands are weird, yes, but DCFC is not one of them. Furthermore, if you want to reference an obscure indie band, there are other ones beside Animal Collective.

*Eyesex is not what happens when two people just look at each other. Fandom sometimes forgets this.


Exhibit A - Not Eyesex. Notice how there is nothing remotely sexual about their gazes.


Exhibit B - Notice how they look like they want to tear each other apart with just their teeth. This is eyesex.

*Aesthetically, neither actor is spectacularly good-looking. WHAT? Yeah, I said it, I WENT THERE. They're pretty average when you first look at them. Familiarity breeds acceptance of the flaws though and their personalities have made them exponentially more attractive. Right now, there's no way you could tell me Colin isn't a sex god but that doesn't mean he's...male model material.

*All the popular authors hated Bradley's beard, thus we only ever read about Colin hating Bradley's beard. This made me sad.

*On the topic of Bradley's beard, I was pretty embarrassed by the carry on during BeardGate2009. There's having an opinion and then there's being an asshole about it.

*I'm not quite convinced Colin is as shy as fandom makes him out to be. I think he talks less in interviews because he has a hard time getting a word in over BJ (and I say that with the greatest affection for Bradley). He's an actor, how shy can an actor really be? He's appeared nude on stage. Nude. In the video diaries, he often commands attention. I'm not saying he's a camera whore, but he does draw attention to himself. Shy people tend to, you know shy away. Reserved and private does not equal incapable of human interaction.

*Words/sentences/tropes writers overuse in Merlin fiction:

• Licking into his mouth. Yes, the image is sexy but I'm not exaggerating when I say I've read this motion in 90% of fanfiction. Is there not another way to say it, at the very least? EDIT: The tally begins here. Let us count how many people use the phrase in a year.


• Filthy. This is a very popular word to describe the way the boys kiss.


• Angel as a nice, sweet and innocent girl. Judging by the video diaries and BTS, she says what she feels and has no problems bantering, especially with Bradley ("I see what you mean about me being a bit better at this than you", "You just can't help but be involved, can you" and I can't be sure if it's actually her or not but something along the lines of "they're not just talking to you, Bradley)".


• Bradley being the one with the gay issue. It really should be Colin, if anybody, he's the one from the Catholic background.

TO BE CONTINUED

Comments

[gallifreycalls.livejournal.com]

Word. And I agree with you on the aesthetic point. I remember when I first started watching Merlin, I thought they were both meh. It's really over time that they grew on me. :)

[kylezy.livejournal.com]

YES, right? I remember thinking '...really? They're the best looking the producers could find?' And then months pass and Bradley has this wonderful sense of humour and is a big dork, and Colin, well, I'm torn between wanting to feed him soup and wanting to corrupt him.

[plumora.livejournal.com]

Wait, Ex. A is NOT eyesex? THAT'S HOW I DO IT. D:

I don't think Bradley's terribly attractive, and Colin's... weird, but somehow adorable and sexy all at once. And, Bradley's goofy so it doesn't matter too much. face_of_bradley exists for a reason, y'know. :P

[kylezy.livejournal.com]

I was making this face 8-) at potential partners until I realised that is not how eyesex is done. Who knew, right?

Bradley's face is a work of art. From the expressionism period, LOL ZING!

[carnivors.livejournal.com]

lol YES the indie band thing. it gets me every time.

[kylezy.livejournal.com]

I know everyone uses DCFC because Colin wore a band t-shirt one time, but they are so far from obscure now and have never been even remotely weird.

And AC. Well. There are other better bands to reference, aren't there?

[vinca15.livejournal.com]

OMG LICKING INTO HIS MOUTH.
YES YES YES. I guess I shouldn't even be complaining cause I can't write to save my life, but that's started to annoy me as well. :/

[kylezy.livejournal.com]

Gah, thank god someone else has noticed, I half thought I was going crazy. Isn't in just about every NC-17 fic ever? And I don't read stories from other fandoms, so I don't know if it's a Merlin thing, or a slash thing, but it is overused so much.

I feel, as consumers, we have the right to complain ^_^

[a_shadow_there.livejournal.com]

Aesthetically, neither actor is spectacularly good-looking.

Agreed. Oddly though, it was Colin Morgan's ears that got me watching Merlin in the first place ...

I ... don't think I've ever read "licking into his mouth" before - or maybe I have, and just don't recall. I can't decide if I think it's hot or icky though. I'm a bit torn on it, actually.

Bradley being the one with the gay issue. It really should be Colin, if anybody, he's the one from the Catholic background.

... aaaaand now I kinda want to write Catholic guilt!fic. Oh dear ...

Also, Bradley's beard was the motherfudgin' business. OH YES IT WAS. Mmm, the beard!times ...

And right on re: DCFC/supposedly "weird" indie bands. Oh, Death Cab, you're so ... er, wacky.

[kylezy.livejournal.com]

You have a thing for ears then or was it curiosity?

Ragh, the phrase is everywhere, how have you missed it? It's normally worded a lot prettier than I made it out to be, so don't judge until you read it. I shall start a tally for you!

Don't get my hopes up! I crave Catholic guilt!Colin so hard, wriiiite it. WRIIIIIITE IT.

I loved his beard, which means I'm probably biased in my opinion, but some people were being really dickish about it. For god's sake, let the man control his own body hair, you know?

Lol, yeah, their melodramatic pop songs are cra-hay-zey.

[openmoments.livejournal.com]

AHAHAHAHA.

I secretly agree, but outwardly am raging. =P

I have to say I definitely do not agree about Bradley though. I thought he was good looking right when I saw him, though I definitely would say that through everything else (the videos, etc), that I think they're so much more attractive.
-shrugs- But that's just me.


I really haven't read a lot of Merlin fanfic recently, so phrases and whatnot doesn't stick out in my mind anymore.

Honestly? As much as I havea ridiculously large love for fandoms and whatnot, I really, really, really try not to stress over what does/doesn't go on and whatnot. -shrugs-

But yay for opinions!

[kylezy.livejournal.com]

YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE YOUR OWN OPINION, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT DIFFERS FROM MINE, HOW DARE YOU. GTFO.

*licks* Kidding, of course, ILU and support any and all sexual obsessions you have for one Mr Bradley James xD

[readvacancy.livejournal.com]

guh that phrase (i can't even write it, euuurgh) makes me so uncomfortable i have no idea why but i am NOT a fan. co-signed!

[kylezy.livejournal.com]

Lol <3

[wholly-crepe.livejournal.com]

Hello hello my darling.

I agree with all the above, in particular about DCFC and Angel. We all know that she is, in fact, a hussy.

HOWEVER, why you goin and given other-cleverer-people-than-me ideas about Colin being Cathlick and the rest of it? What am I to do now? Infidelity, that's what it is. Hmph.

[kylezy.livejournal.com]

*Wibble* I'm sorry, miss, I- I- I saw it as an opportunity for more Catholic!Colin, I was selfish miss, SELFISH. Yours will be the best, miss, yours will be the best. *Clings* Please don't stop writing, I- I need it.

Besides, yours will be the first out, you can say people copied your idea. Or I can kill them for you?

[afortunatefew.livejournal.com]

I agree completely with all of these. Some of them i didn't really notice until you said it but now i'm like YES!

Especially the eye sex one. That's a particular peeve of mine. If just looking at someone is eye sex then everyone has eye sex with everyone all the time! That being said, Merlin and Arthur *do* have a lot of eyesex just not every single time they look at each other.

Also, i've never believed for one second that Colin is shy. Awkward in interviews maybe but like you said, i think anyone would struggle to get words in next to Bradley! LOL People always think i'm shy but the truth is i just speak only when i have something interesting to say or to contribute. Doesn't mean if people talk to me or if i meet new people that i cower away! LOL

[kylezy.livejournal.com]

That eyesex one really bugs me. I think this whole post came about because someone somewhere mentioned what they thought was an eyesex scene, which to me, absolutely wasn't. I'm a slasher, I'm used to looking for subtext but sometimes two men really are just looking at each other with no ulterior motive, you know?

[kylezy.livejournal.com]

Alright, alright, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that one. I think my original issue with BJ is that I'm not usually into blonde, fit guys, so maybe that's why I never saw the Sun God in him from the beginning? Now though? I bow down to his greatness.

And UGH, I totally agree with you about the mentally challenged thing, that's going on my next list. That's equal with my hate for Colin being socially challenged, it really is.

Mardi Gras in my ovaries, LOL, I like it. Is that a nicer way of saying:

[cordeliasmarz.livejournal.com]

Ooh girl! You so controversial! ;D

OK, I'm going to give my opinions because this is fun!

*I haven't actually heard/read anything about Bradley's opinions on Colin's musical tastes but a lot of people talk about it - could you direct me to something please? I'm usually pretty clued-up on this stuff but ah.. not this apparently.

*The eyesex thing really irritates me too!
Silly

*I actually really kind of liked Bradley's beard? Did you?
I thought it was harsh when people were hating on it
Colin's didn't really suit him I thought but it was all right. And I could understand that after having to shave so strictly for filming, it'd be nice to have a break.

*HAHA I totally know what you mean about Colin not being shy!

I only just thought about it but I can sort of relate to it actually and I think I understand it
I don't think he's really trying to hide anything or act like he's something else (not that you were implying that)

Sorry if the following is me stating the obvious and you already realise this but I'll say it anyway :)

There are times where you're sure you're good at what you're doing so you're not scared of being judged harshly so you can be confident and enjoy the attention:

Colin: Acting in front of people, watching his work (like in the commentaries he never seems to have trouble watching his performance and seems proud of himself etc), that sort of thing
Me: Showing my films/photography, reading out my essays/stories

Then there's instances where you have to show ~the real you~ and you're in situations doing things you haven't been complimented on, things you have to be more open and honest about and have nothing to hide behind

Colin: In interviews
Me: In interviews (with teachers and stuff haha), meeting new people.. I can't think of anything else but you get the idea :)

*Licking into his mouth HAHA SO TRUE
And I really dislike kisses to be described as "filthy" - never have liked that. But I do like them actually saying the word like dirty talk or whatever haha

*I KNOW!!! The Angel thing is ridiculous! She deserves more credit! Her little insults are hilar

*I don't actually read much RPF but most of the ones I've read had Colin with the gay issue because of his background so I haven't faced this problem. It's all been pretty realistic according to their "characters" - if you can even call it that!

The only thing that I really don't agree with is when you said that Colin isn't immediately attractive! It was love at first sight for me!

But then I am one of those people who reads Vogue and goes for the tall, skinny, dark hair, cheekbones thing a lot of those models have going on.

Although I do have to agree with your theory for Bradley because at first I was all "NO. Why would you like him when there's Merlin to look at? ♥_♥" but then as I watched the video diaries and stuff, he's got such a great personality that I really warmed to him :)

Anyway...
That's it!
Sorry this got so long!

[kylezy.livejournal.com]

Oh no, there's been nothing in interviews about music, it's all in fic. There was a time I felt like very fic I read had Bradley perplexed as to Colin's weird musical tastes and it bugged me because the bands the author listed weren't "weird" (Death Cab) or they got mentioned in EVERY FIC (Animal Collective).

I adored Bradley's beard, which may be why I got so pissy about people hating on it. But I just felt some people went beyond joking and got really dickish about it. It's facial hair, for fuck's sake, you know? Let the man grow it how he wants.

I'm surprised about you finding rpf with Colin as the one with the issue. I think I've only read a total of two or three!

[sariza.livejournal.com]

preach.

i agree so f-ing much with this post.

[kylezy.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who's noticed these things!

[persephassax.livejournal.com]

I totally agree. Disagree somewhat because I do love tropes. But I knew I was going to like what you said when you started with DCFC. I live in a tiny friggin' town in the US and I've seen them like, 3 times, all without having to drive more than 10 minutes. Obscure? Not so much. :\
Also, super-extra-yes to the Catholic background point. I am always thinking this when I read fic. (Maybe especially because I have a Catholic friend who is bisexual who is so very much NOT telling his parents. But I digress.)

You seem really super awesome. Can we be friends? *itches to add* /awkward questions.

[casiophone.livejournal.com]

*DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE IS NOT A WEIRD, OBSCURE INDIE BAND, yet in fic,Bradley is constantly perplexed by them and Colin's musical taste. Some indie bands are weird, yes, but DCFC is not one of them. Furthermore, if you want to reference an obscure indie band, there are other ones beside Animal Collective.

I laughed so hard, mostly because most of the music I listen to is pretentiously "indie" and Death Cab doesn't even come close. Do people really reference Death Cab?

I also hate, how in fandom, the fics are predictable and unrealistic. My friend and I were talking about how even the RPF fics border on "fantasy". We've got grown men acting like 10 year old girls with a crush. That's my only nitpick, I think.