you're an adorable couple, but this house isn't for sale

[maudgonne]

AfterElton.com explores The O.C.'s gay legacy.

From early promo shots that show Ryan and Seth lounging opposite each other, shirtless, on matching pool recliners, there were hints of a homoerotic current between Seth and Ryan. As the show developed, this manifested itself in the admiration that geeky, talkative Seth had for strong, silent Ryan,

Comments

[thepouncer]

You should post a link at ocmeta - y'all convinced me to keep it open, although I don't think I ever got back to respond to comments (yikes).

[maudgonne]

Hee! I didn't even mean to write meta. I was just going to link. But maybe I will.

I'm glad you're keeping it open.

[crimsonclad]

One of the things I always liked about the show was that, while Seth was basically straight, he really did have an undeniable boy-crush on Ryan. He didn't want to sleep with Ryan, exactly, and he didn't want to be Ryan, either. He had the kind of friend crush, a mix of affection and admiration and a tiny bit of sex/romance, that's not often portrayed in fictional relationships, particularly relationships of the teen-soap variety. And Ryan, while both amused and bemused by Seth, genuinely returned that affection and even the admiration, I think.

You are so full of rightness and the speaking of my very thoughts! That was always why Ryan/Seth sexytime fic seemed a little odd to me. You can be a little bit in love with someone without wanting to touch naked bits with them.

[maudgonne]

And I really, really liked that about the show. Sometimes they really got those complex relationships right, and Ryan/Seth was mostly right. They should have done more with it, but it was still pretty good.

There was enough there that you could twist it just a little and make the slash work for me, unless it was very sappy or PWP. I liked the semi-realistic ones that dealt with all the layers of issues that would have been present. Of course, there were not many of those.

[dorabelle]

Hey maud! I didn't realize you were part of the FNL fan club! Yay!

I read that AfterElton article on the O.C. and, like you, I thought it was very well thought out and made some excellent points. I think the only thing the author missed was that the blond at the SF house was the cater/waiter at at least two Newport events, right? Crab and Brie phylo guy? Of course, the writer is probably not quite as obsessed a viewer as us.

[maudgonne]

I got into it late, after the awesome avoidingnemo sent me all the episodes on tape. But I ADORE it. It might be the best show I have ever loved. Maybe.

Yeah! Two Newport events. I knew him immediately, because I'm just that kind of girl. He also kind of missed the stereotypical jobs (wedding planner and midwife) that the gay couple had. But I liked how he pointed out that they were all sane and appropriate, in contrast to the Cohen craziness.

[chazper]

Your comments about Seth and Ryan are so well-reasoned and well-expressed. It's all those layers to their relationship that made the characters so endearing, made them unique, and kept saved The OC from ever being a stereotypical "teen" show.

I haven't seen the finale of FNL yet (it's taped and waiting for me), but I love the show too. The only character I can't seem to warm up to consistently is Lyla. Sometimes I care about her, but sometimes, well, not so much. Maybe I just have insufficient sympathy for the impossibly beautiful heroine/victim (although Lyla, to her credit, doesn't play the victim even if she does cry in every episode.) Anyway, the show better get a second season and Emmy consideration. Because it is that good.

[maudgonne]

That's how I think about them, too. Ryan and the Cohens were really something else.

I haven't really warmed up to Jason, but I'm liking him more now. And Lyla was boring for a long time, but I like her better now.

So good.

[famous99]

I love FNL too. Can't believe a second season is still so precarious.

[maudgonne]

I think it'll get renewed. But you never know.