The Five Faces of Robin Hood: Tara Cole

I have the same affinity for outsiders that I do for underdogs. I'm trying to decide whether one is an extension of the other or if I just identify with outsiders and therefore gravitate to them. Either way, I'm going to issue the warning that this post may not be the most balanced look at Tara. I like her too much.

Bringing a new or "replacement" character into an ensemble cast is rarely successful. Why should it be? Fans become invested in the interpersonal dynamics on a show as much as they do the lives of the individuals or the development of story arcs. It's impossible to introduce someone else without changing those dynamics to some degree.

The Big Valley

Another show that I was first exposed to as a kid. Having seen the first season on DVD a couple of years ago, I was most impressed by the beauty of the landscapes and the visual elements of the show. Given that it ran in the 1960s, it's understandable that The Big Valley comes off as a bit contrived and predictable to modern viewers.

Still, I am a sucker for family dynamics, and the close-knit nature of the Barkleys still appeals to me as an adult. It's an enjoyable show, and even if the episodes do tend to follow a formulaic pattern, I continue to find myself drawn into the lives of this wonderful family.

My favorite characters were Victoria and Heath. Victoria appealed to me for her strength and charisma, and--predictably enough--because she was a woman who maintained her own authority and ran a large business empire in a time period when most women didn't do such things. Heath was compelling as the outsider who had to earn the respect of the Barkleys' employees and other people in the community. This aspect seemed to be played down in later seasons, but it was a prominent part of the s1 plot.

Beauty and the Beast (Fandom Listing)

I will never forget when I first discovered this show, some time late in the original run of Season 1. It's because of Beauty and The Beast that I first became interested in fandom activities as a cultural phenomenon.

Like Babylon 5, this was a show that I couldn't watch regularly when it was on television. That said, Vincent and Catherine's story was a compelling one that I took every opportunity to catch up on.

My favorite characters were Catherine and Father, so like most fans, I was unhappy with the show's final season. However, I did think that the character of Diana Bennett had a lot of potential. It was unfortunate that she had to be introduced the way she was.

I picked up the DVDs a few years ago, but I'm still waiting for an opportune time to watch the series from start to finish.

Ships

Vincent/Catherine

Bewitched (Fandom Listing)

What can I say? Who doesn't love Bewitched?

I have to admit that I don't generally enjoy sitcoms, but this was a show my family watched when I was growing up. Sam appealed to me because she wanted to do things her own way, regardless of what her mother or even--at times--Darren thought about it. Yet, she was consistently loyal to and protective of her husband. I probably also enjoyed the way that Darren was typically in need of rescue by his wife instead of being the show's hero and saving the damsel in distress.

Roddenberry's Andromeda (Fandom Listing)

I am a Roddenberry fangirl, and I won't apologize for it. So, I suppose it was inevitable that I would come to enjoy Andromeda. That said, I was a bit reticent about the show when I started watching it.

As with Star Trek, I enjoyed the ideas that the series often explored. However, I had a hard time seeing Kevin Sorbo as a starship captain. For the majority of season 1, I kept seeing and hearing Hercules when Dylan spoke. The rest of the characters were what drew me in to the show, which I ended up watching in its entirety while it was running on what is now Syfy along with my favorite show, Stargate SG-1.

My favorite characters were Beka and Rhade, but one way or another I found myself drawn into everyone's lives and the evolution of interpersonal dynamics on the show.

Ships

Dylan/Rommie
Andromeda/Balance of Judgement
Beka/Rhade

All Creatures Great and Small (Fandom Listing)

One of the few British shows I enjoy, this show is based on the novels of Alf White, who wrote under the pen name of James Herriot. The episodes can be a bit slow paced, but the characters are enjoyable and warm. At this point, I've only watched the original three seasons, which ran from 1978-1980.

The show and the novels that they were based on were based on Herriot's experience as a veterinary surgeon in a small country practice prior to the Second World War. Herriot begins as an assistant in the family practice operated by Sigfried Farnon. As the show progresses, he works his way up to being a full partner.

The show may be a bit dated since it was produced in the late 70s-early 80s. Animal lovers and anyone who appreciates character driven storylines will appreciate it.

The Five Faces of Robin Hood: Sophie Devereaux

I kept wondering what title I should use for this entry. After all, Leverage fans learned a while back that the name Sophie Devereaux is really just one of an undetermined number of aliases used by the crew's main grifter. Her real name remains a mystery to viewers, although most of the team learned it at the beginning of season 3. I toyed with calling the post The Five Faces of Robin Hood: The Grifter Formerly Known as Sophie, but that sounded awkward. Then I thought about calling it The Five Faces of Robin Hood: Grifter #1, but that didn't feel right since the whole point of the Five Faces series is why viewers are able to identify with the characters on a personal level. Finally, I decided that I was spending too much time trying to come up with a clever title and just followed the formula I'd established in previous posts.

The Five Faces of Robin Hood: Parker

Remember the "crazy kid" in school? The one who sat in the back of the room and either didn't talk or didn't make sense? The one everybody said was an alien or maybe the one who told everybody that he or she was from Neptune? Remember the sexy cat burglar in the movies? The one who wore a catsuit so tight it was a miracle she could move let alone scale buildings or do backflips over laser beams in the bank vault? The one who steal anything, any time, and was rarely in any danger of being caught? That's Parker. Seem incongruous? That's the point.

The Five Faces of Robin Hood: Alec Hardison

Alec Hardison is without a doubt the Leverage character with whom I feel the strongest sense of identification. So much so, in fact, that I had a difficult time figuring out what to write about in this post. After all, I reasoned, who wouldn't feel that way about him. Then I remembered that not everyone would understand why hiring a bunch of girls to dress up in gold bikinis and fight with lightsabers is not only hilarious but awesome. Not everyone pumped a fist in the air and yelled, "Yes!" when Hardison gave what is becoming the battle cry of geeks worldwide:

"Age of the geek, baby! We run the world!"

The Five Faces of Robin Hood: Nate Ford

There is something about an underdog that draws me in even if I know that rooting for him is going to be painful. Sometimes it's all right, because there's a formula in place that dictates who's going to come out on top. That isn't the case with Nate Ford, but I'm in his corner anyway.