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"A love triangle will develop among LaPaglia's Jack Malone, who's estranged from his wife; Poppy Montgomery's sexy Samantha Spade; and Eric Close's Martin Fitzgerald. Enrique Murciano, who plays Danny Taylor, will also find romance."

Ahh! Boo! No! That's just what I was afraid of! Martin and Sam have no romantic chemistry. None. They are a vast sucking black hole of romantic chemistry. They don't even like each other! Argh.

Of course the slasher in me doesn't like this, because it's so blatantly obvious that if Danny "finds romance" with anyone, it should be with Martin. But I've overcome bigger obstacles than stupid, misguided love triangles for my preferred couples before- heck, Boromir's dead and that's never stopped me from slashing him. But I'm also just a fan of the show, and I want it to live up to all of its potential. And this triangle thing sounds like a baaad idea. The best way it could play out, in my book, would be with Martin asking Sam out in the season premiere, Sam saying no because she loves Jack, and Martin going off to find solace in Danny's embrace because they're so much better suited for each other (hence Danny finding romance too). The end. WaT becomes a big success and makes its actors rich and happy, and Joan and her pairing live happily ever after.

Also from TV Guide, the first line of a mini-review of History Detectives (looks like a CSI-goes-Smithsonian deal on PBS)- "History is part fact, part speculation and part tedious nitpicking." Hey! That's my field you're... summarizing fairly accurately, unfortunately. Hm. Never mind.

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Yeah, he is hanging around after her, but I still don't see any chemistry there. His flirting seems very perfunctory to me (it being expected of one to flirt with the pretty coworker), and I've never seen her return it. Honestly, I think Sam and Martin have the least chemistry of any type- romantic, friendly, whatever- of any two characters on the show. He never relaxes around her, and the chip on her shoulder blocks him out. I can count on one hand the number of non-antagonistic conversations that they've had. They just seem like a recipe for an unhappy relationship, and neither one of them, damaged as they are, needs that. Aside from which, it strikes me as odd that Sam would go from an unhappy, dangerous affair with her boss to a potentially unhappy, dangerous relationship with a coworker. She seems more careful than that.

Naturally, all of this is my opinion, and disagreement makes life interesting. But I just really don't see any spark there.

What you said. *vbg*

The one time (at the end of The Friendly Skies) Martin asks her out it's because he desperately needs to decompress from the case, and not because he has any romantic interest (IMO) in Sam.

Ditto with the stuff in the (absolutely horrid†) two part season finale—he's just worried about a hurt coworker, like he would be if it were anybody else on that gurney.

(Speaking of ill-advised and forced on-screen relationships, Martin and Sam have about as much chemistry as Chris Larabee and Mary Travis had on The Magnificent Seven—which is to say, absolutely none. Blech.)

† I really think the season should have ended with the absolutely wonderful Are You Now or Have You Ever?

The one time (at the end of The Friendly Skies) Martin asks her out it's because he desperately needs to decompress from the case, and not because he has any romantic interest (IMO) in Sam.

That's how I saw it too. He was wound-up, she was there, they were having a (relatively) friendly moment, and he asked her out. He could very well be a little attracted to her- after all, she's pretty and smart. But he's never seemed drawn to her strongly enough to really pursue it, particularly since they can barely talk without bickering. (Now Danny, on the other hand...)

Martin and Sam have about as much chemistry as Chris Larabee and Mary Travis had on The Magnificent Seven— which is to say, absolutely none.

Heeeee! And word!

I was surprised by how much I liked AYNOHYEB. Here I was, all disappointed that we got a clip show with only three new eps left, and it turned out to be this wonderful piece of work. And then the big, hyped-up finale got all soapy, unlike the rest of the season. It was pretty disappointing. I really hope that's not what they're aiming for next season.

He could very well be a little attracted to her- after all, she's pretty and smart. But he's never seemed drawn to her strongly enough to really pursue it, particularly since they can barely talk without bickering.

It's possible that he feels like he *should* be finding her attractive to fit into the mold Daddy Dearest is trying to shove him into, whether he actually does honestly find her attractive or not. But no matter how many steps it looks like he's taking to get away from dad's plans, they are (mostly) baby steps, and sometimes he would fall back into established patterns. "Pretty, intelligent, single woman, must flirt or at least pretend to be interested in her."

(Don't mind me, I'm just babbling as I think things out out loud. *g*)

I was surprised by how much I liked AYNOHYEB.

Me, too! What wonderful moments that ep had: from Danny flipping out on Martin to bringing back creepy Spaulding for his trial to Jack having a crisis of conscience to Martin maybe finally getting his point across to his dad to that wonderful little partnership bonding moment of a shoe conversation. *g*

Here I was, all disappointed that we got a clip show with only three new eps left, and it turned out to be this wonderful piece of work.

Oh yeah. ::happy sigh:: Think I should rewatch it again tonight. *bg*

Pshaw, in Joan-world, it's only babble if it's boring and/or I don't agree with you. Since neither of those things are true, you're okay. *g* And ITA with your theory of Martin's baby-steps away from Victor. It's one thing to strike out and follow his own career path- that's acceptable, if not smiled upon. But to say, "Dad, I have a huge crush on my sexy Latino coworker. My sexy male coworker," well, that's a new level of play. And I don't think he's at that point yet, poor repressed fella.

LOL *Whew*, that's a relief. ;)

I love getting to talk things like this out - it always forces me to take a really intense look at the characters to make sure I'm not making things up or going the fanon route. (Not that there's much fanon in this tiny fandom. *g*) And it may take a while, but the stuff brought up usually works its way into my stories (like the whole baby-steps idea will soon). *g*

I don't think he's at that point yet, poor repressed fella.

Definitely not. And it's going to take a lot of work (IMO) to get him there, even if he's already started heading that way. *g*

I don't disagree with you. I think it's one aspect of Eric Close's characters that he's so perfectly WASPy that he simply doesn't exude much sensuality. It's not there in any role I've seen him in which makes it strange to

declineandfall that some of us are so attracted to him. I can't completely explain it myself.

It's the main reason I had doubts about anyone's ability to successfully slash him with Danny (or anyone), without warping Martin's personality, as I see it. I've seen those that warped, and one that came close to remaining true to the way I see his character as played by Close. But that story was mere attraction, not any real sensuality.

Why do I find Close so attractive? I suspect there's something in my white middle class background that says this is the kind of guy I should take home to the parents, then marry. Good genes. Handsome. Calm. No emotional storms, even if he does intensely focused really well.

He's so very internalized in each of his characters, even when going through the hell of Now and Again that he's "safe" in a way the teenager in me finds ... well, safe. :-)

Panting passion, sweating between the sheets, fast sex in a skyscraper stairwell? Just don't really see it with the way he plays the roles he chooses.

I'd like to be wrong, of course, hence my pleasure in the really good slash with his characters, rare though it is.

I think it's one aspect of Eric Close's characters that he's so perfectly WASPy that he simply doesn't exude much sensuality.

Well, you know I agree with you there. He's almost too... clean, too smooth and unruffled, to approach from a real sensual/sexual angle. Martin's reactions to Danny are just about the sparkiest I've ever seen EC, and that's a wee, wee sizzle (on his part, at least).

Good genes. Handsome. Calm. No emotional storms, even if he does intensely focused really well.

(Heh. You too? Hurray for middle class indoctrination.) I do see that clearly in Martin, but with him (as opposed to, say, Vin) I also see darker things lurking below the surface. To me he seems to be repressing a lot of rage and pain. That's one aspect of the character I'm really hoping they develop next season, even if it means seeing more of his irritating father. I want to see him let loose. Of course, I'm not holding my breath, but still.

To me he seems to be repressing a lot of rage and pain.

Oh, yes. Love the layers there, especially with the decision by the exec producers to include his father as one of the characters, and making him second generation fibbie.

In talking about him with

declineandfall, we figured out why he doesn't work for her. She grew up with guys like he portrays, and destested them. So for her he's to be avoided at all costs. :-) She also pointed out something I confess I'd totally missed -- they gave Martin the surname Fitzgerald, and hired an actor who has the whole East Coast Kennedy preppie thing going for him.

Yeah, it's going to be interesting what they do with it. Haven't heard of any great changes in the writing/producing staff, so maybe they'll keep the same direction for the new season as they were heading last season.

Yes, my perspective on the whole Hollywood thing is different from the norm. :-) I see it from the writer side, not the viewer side, for all I understand the viewer side too.

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Yes!

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Eric Close

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