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perpetual_motionIf you don't watch "Criminal Minds" this isn't going to make a great deal of sense. And if you don't watch "Criminal Minds", you'd best be getting laid on Wednesday nights at 9:00 EST.
Usually, when I flip on a show and there's a female character flirting with a male character, my first response is to grit my teeth and suffer through it. I've seen countless female characters laid to waste because of their infatuation with a man. It's a very precise few who have ended up in a relationship and not be regulated to a pretty face and a lot of scenes with their breats behind a sheet. [Top honors go to Andrea Parker on "The Pretender", who not only got to have an on-screen relationship with an incredibly goregeous guy, but it did not bring down her fierce factor one iota.] So, when I flipped on "Criminal Minds", and my first introduction to Garcia was an endearment from Morgan, I had low expectations. Here she is, I said, another woman who could be an amazing character but will, in fact, be nothing more than the girl who won't get the guy. He'll go for Elle or JJ, and Garcia will be left by the wayside to pout and feel bad for herself, ala Roxanne to Arnie on "LA Law". Don't get attached to this moment of highly intelligent, incredibly capable, absolutely independant woman you're seeing. She'll be gone soon.
Except that the show is now in its last few episodes of the season, and Garcia is still that same woman. She's still smart and capable and damned good at her job. She has a weakness here or there, but what person doesn't have a little trouble standing up to the big boss even if he is taking over your space and getting coffee rings everywhere? When it comes to the day-to-day, to the scene-to-scene, Garcia is consistenly strong and confident and all those things that women on television tend to lose when they start in with unrequited loves and other writerly bullshit. But none of that is happening with Garcia because of Morgan, and I think I know why.
Here it is:
Rather than the writers going, "Oh, wouldn't it be funny if we had this whole side thing where Garcia has a thing for Morgan, so that Garcia could be the comedy relief?", I think they went, "Oh, hey, these people are both adults who could have a great working relationship that can include some fun banter and flirting without either of them pulling this bullshit emo line and one of them getting all weepy and depressed."
And I love the writers for that. Morgan and Garcia are friends. They get along. They have a connection. How serious is the flirting? Who cares. What's on the screen are two people who have a realtionship that works for them. There's no awkwardness, no shuffling feet or mumbled questions. There's no one-sided attraction. There are two people, acting like adults, and having a full, well-rounded relationship that includes respect and affection. And, as long as the writers aren't suddenly replaced with emo kids with no sense of themselves or people in general, I think we can look forward to the relationship for years to come.
Also, on a related side-note, I must also give love to the writers and the rest of the crew for not making Elle the sex kitten. Could her necklines be a little higher? Yes. Could she stand to eat a few hundred more calories? Yes. But at least she hasn't bedded anyone.
And, back on the first note [because I nearly forgot to mention it], I also love that Morgan's flirting occurs with a woman of actual size. A woman with a rockin' bod that includes things like hips and curves and no chance of slipping through a crack on the floor.
Usually, when I flip on a show and there's a female character flirting with a male character, my first response is to grit my teeth and suffer through it. I've seen countless female characters laid to waste because of their infatuation with a man. It's a very precise few who have ended up in a relationship and not be regulated to a pretty face and a lot of scenes with their breats behind a sheet. [Top honors go to Andrea Parker on "The Pretender", who not only got to have an on-screen relationship with an incredibly goregeous guy, but it did not bring down her fierce factor one iota.] So, when I flipped on "Criminal Minds", and my first introduction to Garcia was an endearment from Morgan, I had low expectations. Here she is, I said, another woman who could be an amazing character but will, in fact, be nothing more than the girl who won't get the guy. He'll go for Elle or JJ, and Garcia will be left by the wayside to pout and feel bad for herself, ala Roxanne to Arnie on "LA Law". Don't get attached to this moment of highly intelligent, incredibly capable, absolutely independant woman you're seeing. She'll be gone soon.
Except that the show is now in its last few episodes of the season, and Garcia is still that same woman. She's still smart and capable and damned good at her job. She has a weakness here or there, but what person doesn't have a little trouble standing up to the big boss even if he is taking over your space and getting coffee rings everywhere? When it comes to the day-to-day, to the scene-to-scene, Garcia is consistenly strong and confident and all those things that women on television tend to lose when they start in with unrequited loves and other writerly bullshit. But none of that is happening with Garcia because of Morgan, and I think I know why.
Here it is:
Rather than the writers going, "Oh, wouldn't it be funny if we had this whole side thing where Garcia has a thing for Morgan, so that Garcia could be the comedy relief?", I think they went, "Oh, hey, these people are both adults who could have a great working relationship that can include some fun banter and flirting without either of them pulling this bullshit emo line and one of them getting all weepy and depressed."
And I love the writers for that. Morgan and Garcia are friends. They get along. They have a connection. How serious is the flirting? Who cares. What's on the screen are two people who have a realtionship that works for them. There's no awkwardness, no shuffling feet or mumbled questions. There's no one-sided attraction. There are two people, acting like adults, and having a full, well-rounded relationship that includes respect and affection. And, as long as the writers aren't suddenly replaced with emo kids with no sense of themselves or people in general, I think we can look forward to the relationship for years to come.
Also, on a related side-note, I must also give love to the writers and the rest of the crew for not making Elle the sex kitten. Could her necklines be a little higher? Yes. Could she stand to eat a few hundred more calories? Yes. But at least she hasn't bedded anyone.
And, back on the first note [because I nearly forgot to mention it], I also love that Morgan's flirting occurs with a woman of actual size. A woman with a rockin' bod that includes things like hips and curves and no chance of slipping through a crack on the floor.
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no subject
on 2006-04-06 10:12 pm (UTC)Because I like this couple, too. I really, really do.
no subject
on 2006-04-06 10:33 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-04-08 01:49 am (UTC)So as much as I like where it's going, part of me feels sort of miffed, and also somewhat doubtful that they'll actually follow through on it. I mean, it was wonderful that Morgan, in specifically referencing Garcia's ass, demonstrated an awareness and appreciation for her bodily presence (so that it wasn't just a flirtation of voices, with Garcia valued for her ability to get info, which would end up with Garcia really being in an almost secretarial mode, and the flirtation seeming more like "smart men grease the wheels of the women who run the mailroom"). And the example you cite--with Garcia being unable to get Gideon to respect her space--also seems to point to the fact that Garcia isn't as powerful as the thin women--or even as powerful as Reid (the youngest and therefore presumably the one who's most "junior").
So in a sense, in the hierarchy of television, the only person below the black man is the fat Latina chick (who I like, clearly, as I like Morgan). Just... y'know. I find it problematic that the show, even as it seems to challenge some TV rules, also sticks tightly to them.