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Original fic prompt #1: Sunk Cost

I want to get some more practice in with original fiction, so I’m using a writing prompt book to come up with some ficlets. I’ll post them here whenever I’ve got time.

Prompt: A story that takes place in one room

Words: unbound, annoy, cocktail, weekend

Sunk Cost

“Don’t you think we should talk about this weekend?”

David raised an eyebrow, but kept his gaze on the page in front of his face. This was how Emily started most conversations. With a question that already had an answer. Maybe she thought it was a casual way to start a conversation, but David knew he would always dislike it.

“What about this weekend?” he replied, still not looking up. “I thought everything was set up. You, me, Mom, Dad, and Dad’s cottage near the beach. So what’s left to talk about?”

A trace, just a trace, of a frown appeared on Emily’s face, lurking in the corners of peach pink lips. David knew that he had annoyed her, but he felt far too entitled to care. He was the older brother and it was sibling privilege to annoy her.

Emily did her best to hide her pique by not responding right away, but it showed with the way she flicked her fingers through her hair. Honey blonde these days. David hoped she’d stick with it for a while because it actually suited her.

“You know what I’m talking about,” she finally said. “You even brought it up: Dad and that cottage of his. You know he’s thinking of selling it. Then he'll sell the house and put all that money toward a bigger place down there. A place he could live in year round.”

David nodded and turned the page. He was close to finishing this chapter and wasn’t going to let Emily get in the way of that.

“So…don’t you think we should say something? Do something? David, there’s no way he can keep the business going if he moves to the coast. And he spent thirty years building that business up. How can he just walk away from it?”

David managed to half-listen to what his sister said while also allowing himself to thoroughly enjoy the last few sentences. Reg had been right. This was a page-turner of a book. He’d have to find a way to thank Reg when he got off work tonight.

Satisfied, David shut the book, plopped it onto the edge of the coffee table, and leaned back into the overstuffed cushions of the couch. Time to finally get to the matter at hand.

“Look, Em, Dad worked hard for every one of those thirty years. He’s made a good living for himself and us. And he has more than enough for retirement. So maybe now he wants a change. Maybe he wants to relax for a few years. And why not? There are a lot worse ways he and Mom could be spending their time than lounging on the beach and sipping cocktails from those tacky tiki glasses they love so much.”

Emily’s eyes widened. “But to throw everything away like that?”

David raised an eyebrow again. “Who says they’re throwing anything away? They could sell the business for good money.”

Emily rolled her bottle blue eyes. David hated that. She only did that whenever she thought she would have to reason with a small child. Or something who was acting like one.

“But that’s what they’re doing. Dad could wait a couple more years. Then Steve and I could take over and keep the business in the family.”

David smirked. “A few months ago, you said you’d never want to take over the business. Dad heard you say it.”

“Well…that was before Steve and I got to talking. See, we figure it would be a lot easier to work with a business that already is up and running than to start from scratch.”

David nodded, but he was already back to only half-listening. He knew what was behind this sudden interest in continuing a family business. This was how Em was. She always was the person who kept their eyes fixed on the windshield so they didn’t have to look at the scenery racing by their windows. She was also the person who wouldn’t dream of walking out on a terrible movie.

Emily only saw destinations, not journeys, and a journey without a destination could turn out to be a waste. To her, waste meant loss, and there were few things in life that Emily detested more than loss. David doubted she could ever understand that it didn’t matter if Dad chose to give up his business or not.

Still, she wasn’t going to relent until she had an answer. So he would have to give it his best shot.

“Em, Dad has spent a huge chunk of his life making sure we all had everything we needed and a lot of what we wanted. So let’s give him this, huh? Let’s give him the rest of his life to live out whatever dream he wants.”

Emily’s face fell. David knew he got her right in the heart by mentioning dreams. This was dirty pool, but this felt important enough to pull out any stops necessary.

His sister signaled her defeat with a huge sigh. David decided to play nice and not rub his victory in.

“So… Steve said he had the weekend free and can come with us. Is Reg coming too?”

David sat up and grinned. “Of course. Reg said he’d bought a new pair of trunks last week that he was sure I’d like. There’s no way I’m missing out on that.”

Emily smirked. “How about you tell Mom and Dad that you’re finally going to marry him? That’ll spice up the weekend.”

David snatched up the pink shag pillow next to him and swatted at her with it. Emily laughed and got a pillow of her own to fight with.

These were the kinds of moments he preferred with his sister. The ones that were unbound by any serious topics.

The ones where the two of them said all they needed to without a single word.

[rochellespen]

Oh, we all have something to hide. Several things in my case.

Father Brown (The Bride of Christ)

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Episode Review: Don't Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

Episode: Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

Original Air Date: October 31, 1966

-He already knows about us. It’s the horse we’ve got to hide—Davy

Here’s the Story

While playing around on the beach, Davy meets a little boy (who we learn much later is named Jonathan) who asks him to look after his horse. Davy agrees to it and the kid runs off before Davy can ask him when he’ll come back for it. Meanwhile at the pad, Peter makes some cream of root beer soup which causes Mike to declare a new low in Peter’s culinary pursuits and causes Micky to launch into his werewolf imitation. His howls prompt Babbitt to show up and accuse them of secretly keeping a dog in the house. Fortunately, Micky is able to convince him that he’s wrong and get him to leave before Davy shows up with a horse.

Davy explains to the guys how he happened to acquire a horse and somewhere along the way, Micky decides to start up his werewolf imitation again. Unfortunately that also causes Babbitt to come back. This time Mike is the one who handles the landlord by convincing him that the horse is actually a very authentic costume being worn by Peter and Davy. Reassured again, Babbit exits and the guys try to figure out a way to get the horse out of the pad.  They try giving it some of Peter’s soup and the horse quickly faints to the floor. Mike calls for a vet, who both misunderstands the situation entirely and encourages Mike to visit him at his office.

What I have to assume is some time later, Mike shows up at the office of one Doctor Mann, veterinarian. After a confused conversation about the horse at the pad, Mann rushes off to see if he can help. As it turns out, the guys have managed to move the horse into the bedroom, leaving Dr. Mann to wander around and create even more confusion. There is another knock at the door and the guys hide Mann in the closet just in case Babbitt has returned to ask some more questions. As it turns out, it’s one of their neighbors who has brought over some cake for them to enjoy. This ends up luring the horse out of the bedroom and causing the neighbor to faint. Somehow all of this leads to Micky throwing a smoke bomb in the room, Dr. Mann trying to help the woman out while wearing a horse head, and Babbitt fainting dead away when he thinks he hears a horse talking to him.

Later, Davy runs into Jonathan again, intent on giving him back the horse. We then learn that the horse’s name is Jeremy and that the boy’s father intends to sell him. Jonathan convinces Davy to visit his farm in order to convince his father to reconsider. The guys find out that the only way the father will consent to keeping the horse is to come up with one hundred dollars which was how much it cost to buy him in the first place. Unsurprisingly, the guys don’t have that kind of cash on them and Mike offers to have the four of them work on the farm for a week to pay off the debt. The farmer agrees to give them a one-day trial run before making a firm commitment.

Unfortunately, the guys aren’t exactly well suited for farm work and soon the boy’s father demands that they leave. With no other way to pay back the money spent on Jeremy, the guys get ready to go and apologize to Jonathan for not being able to help him out. However, just when all looks lost, another farmer shows up and brags that his own horse could beat Jeremy in a race. The guys take him up on that bet and offer one of their guitars against the one hundred dollars needed to pay Jonathan’s father off. Davy races Jeremy along the beach and ends up winning. Problem solved, they take Jeremy and Jonathan back to the farm and give the father the money.

Afterward, the guys hang out at the beach, but soon have to run away when another little boy tries to fob off an even more problematic pet….which leads to a small piece of a romp to finish the episode.

Songs Played: Papa Gene’s Blues, All the King’s Horses

Critical Musings

One of the first episodes to be filmed, Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth shows many signs of the show’s embryonic state.

For starters, the plot is thinner than usual and actually feels like two stories that are somewhat clumsily tied together: the first being Davy bringing a horse to the pad and the second being helping Jonathan find a way to keep said horse. While the two plot threads are not totally unrelated and transition well into one another, there is still a slightly disjointed feel as the story shifts from the pad to the farm.

Another area that shows some work-in-progress is in the guys’ characters. Once again, Peter is not given much to work with, but it is at least more than what he had in Royal Flush. Micky is solidly portrayed as the comic, Mike as the dependable leader, and Davy as the impetus of the plot. As a result, it’s hard to get a real handle on who they are as characters beyond their assigned positions within the group. Still, there does seem to be a greater effort to give the guys more equal time which gives them a chance to build and expand on their respective roles.

Much like in Monkee Versus Machine, Rafelson adds some interesting touches to his turn in the director’s chair, in particular with the camera work, such as the fade from Mike staring into the magnifying glass to Dr. Mann looking into it and the long tracking shot of Davy driving onto the farm and over to Jonathan’s father. However, as stylistic as those shots are, it’s hard to miss moments where the action does not line up in the cutaways between actors in the same scene, such as when Peter is messing about on his unicycle (see below) and in the barn when the guys are woken up to start their farm work.

The structure of the romps also reveals how the writers/directors had not fully worked out a consistent formula. The Papa Gene’s Blues romp starts off very well with the guys goofing around the farm in what would become Standard Monkees AnticsTM . But then there is that strange (and truly unnecessary) part with Mike having some kind of bull-fighting fantasy while milking the cow. I suppose it could be a way to let us know that the guys have very active imaginations. Still, this sort of thing would be pulled off much better in the fantasy sequences that would become common later and it doesn’t really work here. Thankfully, it did not become the standard that future romps would follow. The second romp is mainly based around the race between Davy and the neighboring farmer. It works somewhat better as romps that advance the plot would eventually become more common as well, but there was still the needless insertion of stock footage at one point. Finally, there was the split bit of the Papa Gene’s Blues romp at the end which seemed out of place even on a show with as loose of a structure as this one.

What truly gives this episode an edge over ones like Royal Flush and even the original pilot (Here Come the Monkees) is the interplay between the guys. In some ways, it’s surprising that this is one of the first episodes they filmed because the banter between them feels far more polished and natural than what it did in either of the aforementioned episodes. As a result, the humor is much more consistent as with this bit in the barn when the guys wake up:

Mike: Come on, we gotta go plow the cow.

Micky: Something about I’m supposed to milk the chickens.

Peter: I think we have to feed the south forty.

Davy: Feed the chickens to the cow.

Fortunately, the jokes come at rapid fire which goes a long way to compensating for the episode’s weaker points. Overall, it does follow a template that is more like later episodes of the first season than other episodes that were filmed around this time…which is to its benefit.

Building the Head Canon

While this could have also been touched on in the Critical Analysis section, I think it’s more fitting to touch on the fact that this episode actually had the beginnings of several character dynamics that would be further explored in depth as the show progressed:

-The relationship between Micky and Mike as best friends.

While Mike is firmly established as the leader and Micky as the comic from early on, in this episode there is the sense that the two of them “get” each other more than the rest of them do and see themselves as the caretakers of the group.

An example of their understanding of each other is the way that Mike calmly plays along with Micky’s werewolf bit (unlike Peter who seems slightly annoyed by it). As Mike’s role as the straight man to Micky’s comic continued to blossom, the two of them seemed to build a camaraderie that keeps them tightly knit to each other in many (if not most) of the future episodes.  

Plus, whereas Peter and Davy seem to either come up with their own plans or act on Mike’s suggestions, Micky tends to collaborate directly with Mike to handle the problems they run into with the horse and Babbitt. In a sense, it’s as if Mike is the leader with Micky acting as his close ‘second’ which does explain why Micky usually ends up as Mike’s assistant/lieutenant in many of their schemes (with the reverse often being true in the romps/fantasy sequences) and how Micky tends to take over as leader when Mike is not around or otherwise unable to fill that role himself.

-The relationship between Micky and Peter as old friends.

Going into what I had referenced in my review of Monkees in a Ghost Town, Micky appears to have a familiarity with Peter in this episode that Mike or Davy do not which feeds into my notion that they knew each other first. In a way, it almost makes them seem alternate like two ‘kid brothers’ of the group with their shared love of goofy antics while also having an elder brother (Micky) /younger brother (Peter) vibe to it with the way Micky seems to look after Peter.

Thus, there are times when Micky is playfully affectionate with and protective of Peter with the two of them taking advantage of any opportunity to have fun together. And, much in the same way siblings tend to be, there are those moments when Micky seems gently exasperated with Peter and his naivety. Ultimately though, as much as Micky seems to pick on Peter and Peter winds him up, there is an undercurrent of affection between them that speaks of a friendship that predates the group.

-The relationship between Davy as the plucky younger brother and Mike as the level-headed older brother.

In a slightly divergent vein from Mike’s role as leader of the group, he also seems to act as someone Davy can look to for advice and understanding when he grapples with a problem. Mike fusses over him at times as if he is minding a younger kid, even if that can sometimes be to Davy’s chagrin. In this episode, it’s Mike that keeps reminding him of the trouble they could catch if Babbitt finds out about the horse, and it’s Mike who is mindful of how Davy is nervous about winning the race so Jonathan can keep Jeremy (and Mike can keep his guitar…more on that in a bit…).

This relationship of Mike trying to temper Davy’s more hot-headed moments and guide his thinking while Davy expresses admiration for Mike’s mentoring along with support and concern for those moments when Mike is not so sure of himself or the situation would continue to be expanded upon in future episodes.

The main other bit of head-canon comes from a seemingly odd quirk from the guys when they go work on the farm. Knowing that they would be mostly busy working on various chores and would be miles from any clubs or businesses, it could be seen as a bit odd that they would decide to bring one guitar along with them, as seen when they first wake up in the barn. Considering its position in the hay and where it ends up in the jeep later on, my theory is that it’s Mike’s guitar…more specifically, it’s the blonde Gretch that he is most often seen with.

This goes along with my head-canon theory that Mike is often more at ease when he has a guitar in his hands and/or music to get lost in.  Thus, he’ll frequently turn to music if he’s in unfamiliar, uncomfortable or stressful situations. This was also somewhat alluded to in the pilot, Here Comes the Monkees, with the way that Mike picked up a guitar and played softly as he tried to talk to Davy about what was bothering him. As if he needed to have something to ease any disquiet he might have felt over broaching what he figured would be a difficult subject for Davy. In my mind, Mike took the guitar along to give him something to focus on if/when things got tedious or stressful on the farm.

This makes the bit toward the end where Davy puts up the guitar as collateral in the race pack a little more punch. As soon as the farmer suggests it, Mike starts to run his hands along the guitar, seemingly nervous about losing what is undoubtedly one of his most precious possessions. The fact that he is willing to go along with Davy’s plan speaks a lot about Mike’s generosity (and maybe his confidence in Davy). Even so, it’s hard to miss how he is shaking his head after he’s agreed to the terms of this bet. In other words, he’s still anxious, even though he made the decision to go through with it.

It’s a subtle detail, but it’s also one that I almost wish had been given a little more attention as it could have added some more tension to the outcome of the race.

Random Thoughts and Unanswered Questions

·         Considering the drive that the guys undertake later in the episode to go the farm to talk to Jonathan’s father, just how far did that kid walk with his horse to get to the beach where Davy was?

·         Cream of root beer soup? Should any of us even dare asking what other concoctions Peter had tried out on them…?

·         Mike seems to have a well-prepared response to Micky suddenly lapsing into his werewolf imitation (salting his hand for Micky to nom on, reminding Micky to “get the bird”) which makes you wonder just how many times they have done this in the past….

·         And for that matter why Mike constructed this elaborate routine to use when Micky starts his werewolf imitations in the first place…?

·         This may just be me, but that Snidely Whiplash piano lick every time Babbitt entered the pad got to be more than a little tedious after the first time or two that it happened.

·         Does anyone else besides me love the way that Micky says “werewolf”?

·         Going back to the fact that Micky’s werewolf imitations are apparently not a new thing, why does Babbitt act as if he’s never noticed them before now?

·         Does Babbitt actually think that the guys could end up harboring a real werewolf at the pad?

·         Wait, what is with Peter and his unicycle? First he looks like he’s moving forward, but then he’s suddenly back in the corner. Looks like another one of those time-space distortions has made its way into the pad again….

·         Am I the only one who thought that it was a little cruel of the guys to feed that horse some of Peter’s soup?

·         And what exactly was in the soup to make the horse suddenly collapse like that?

·         Did Mike randomly choose Dr. Mann from the phonebook or had they known him before this point? On one hand, Mike introduced himself more than once (which led to some inevitable miscommunication), but then again, he seemed to know Dr. Mann’s phone number and address already.

·         Random selection or not, could Mike have possibly chosen a stranger veterinarian than Dr. Mann? No, I don’t think he could have.

·         Mike seems awfully interested in that magnifying glass….

·         Was Mike totally flaking out when he actually agreed to have Micky on standby with a smoke bomb? I can’t think of any other sensible explanation for that decision.

·         Mrs. Purdy should seriously see a doctor about her high number of fainting spells.

·         Why was Dr. Mann in the horse head exactly?

·         Was Jonathan’s estimation that Davy “talks good” a comment on his speaking skills or his accent? I could buy either one, really….

·         How did that neighboring farmer find out about the guys working on the farm? Town gossip must not only be in short supply, it also travels pretty fast.

·         Wow, Micky’s voice really carries for a long way, doesn’t it?

·         Did I mention that the guys goofing around on the farm both before and during the Papa Gene’s Blues romp is one of the best things about this episode?

·         Yes, the matador scenes in the romp were pointless and unnecessary, but then again we are treated to the sight of guys in those matador costumes, so….

·         Is Micky pretending to flick his cigar ashes into Davy’s helmet…?

·         What is it about that horn that keeps causing everyone who tries to blow into it to collapse?

·         That wink Mike does at the end of Papa Gene’s Blues. Enough said.

…Baby, in the Final Analysis…

A solid mid-level episode that is a better indication of how the show would eventually evolve than Royal Flush.

[rochellespen]

I think that moment when Tristan finally stands up to Mount was beautifully played because it seemed like such a Tristan thing to do. It makes perfect sense to me that, when he does decide to let his courage guide him, he would do it not with strong words or dramatic gestures. 

No, he’d do it with his usual cheerful smile and a small, but meaningful act of rebellion…

And what’s even more lovely is how Siegfried is trying to cover his laughter not because he’s laughing at Tristan. Rather, it’s a case of trying to be polite to the Mounts even though he approves of what Tristan is doing.

Because if there is one thing that Siegfried is consistent about, it’s that, far more than wanting his little brother to behave, he wants Tristan to be himself and to be happy while doing so….

[rochellespen]

Sid: I'll assume she didn't mean the actual Holy Grail.

Father Brown: Well it would certainly be a surprise to the global theological community if it was found in a brewery in Kembleford.

[rochellespen]

Here is the AO3 listing for those who prefer to read it there:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/12664797/chapters/29456808

Duet: Rush to Fall

Just a little fic for Gravelgirty who had requested that someone write a story with Two and Jamie ice skating. Oh and sorry ahead of time for the little dose of angst that came with it. :)

Edit: This takes place early in Season 6B.

Duet: Rush to Fall

Keep reading

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James: Do you know what I can't stand most about your brother?

Tristan: What?

James: Everything else I like about him. Except for this one thing.

Tristan: What?

James: It's when he gets patient with you. When that saintly look comes on his face and you know for certain that any minute now, he's going to forgive you...for something he's just done.

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Monkees Awards, 2015

Day Three: Monkee You’d Most Like To Take Home To Meet Your Parents 

Now, I need to say upfront that I’ve always felt a little squicky about the whole “celebrity crush” thing or those “marry, sleep with or kill” lists because I have a hard time seeing the actors/musicians/writers I really love in that way. Primarily because I’m the type that needs to get to know someone before I can have those kinds of feelings about them. I mean, sure, I can tell you who I think looks hot, but would I want to date them? How should I know?  But also it has something to with how I view the artist/audience dynamic. I think that the connection between the creator of an artistic work and the people who appreciate it is a lovely and unique one that need not be muddied with romantic/sexual feelings.

So, when it came to tackling this question, I decided to stay firmly in my comfort zone and tried to imagine which fictional Monkee I would take home to meet my parents because fiction and fantasy are fine and fun for me to muse over.

Taking that approach, it still should come as no surprise to anyone who follows my blog that I would end up choosing Mike to take home to my parents. As for the reasons:

1. He’s funny.

Sure, his jokes are not always as broad or straightforward. Still, Mike frequently pulls out a witty comment or retort or a goofy face that makes me chuckle. Plus, his over-the-top laughter when something really strikes him as amusing is adorable.

2. He’s honest and upright.

Putting aside those schemes that Mike will use to get the upper hand on the guys’ enemies, Mike is quite honest and actually seems somewhat uncomfortable with lying. The best proof of this can be found in Monkee Mayor where he takes part in a campaign to become mayor just so he can help out his neighbors…and then he throws all of his chances to win away just because his conscience drives him to admit that he inadvertently accepted campaign funds from a crooked source. Let’s face it, a lot of people would not feel so obligated to make such a confession let alone voluntarily choose to drop out of a race for such a reason. But the fact that he did (and that he was probably acting under the dual purpose of trying to protect his friends) and was willing to do so with no thought as to his own personal consequences says pretty much all you need to know about his character.  

3. He’s eager to help people out.

Of course he’s always there for Micky, Davy and Peter. But he’s also one of the first to offer help when neighbors and/or acquaintances need a hand (as shown in the previously mentioned example in this list) and will even attempt to stand up for total strangers who are suffering at the hands of someone else. Granted, this is a trait that all four of the guys have to some extent which adds credence to the old cliché about birds of a feather…or would that be barrel full of Monkees in this case…?

4. He’s empathetic.

Whenever one of the guys is glum, you can find Mike right there listening to their problems and then sometimes offering advice, but even more frequently offering encouragement. Mike is normally the first one to pick up on one of the guys’ downbeat moods. He is also usually the first to point out the guys’ finer qualities, determined to remind them that they are wonderful people even if things don’t always work for them in life. Who wouldn’t want someone who is that caring around?

5. He’s fascinating.

With his slightly skewed perspective on the world and life, his folksy, yet subtly thoughtful way of talking about things, and a mind that seems to be always thinking ahead, Mike could hardly be called boring. Chances are, a conversation with him would start out a bit awkward until common ground could be found. Once it was found, Mike would be the type to let the conversation ramble organically to wherever it happens to go…and it would probably be a fascinating trip to take too.

[rochellespen]

I love the moment in The Devil’s Dust when Father Brown manages to pick the lock to the doctor’s house. He’s just so pleased with himself and yet also takes the time to thank Sid for teaching him how to do it….

[rochellespen]

I renamed this when I posted it to AO3 as Chimera (it seemed to fit better) and here it is for those who prefer to read it there.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/12738558/chapters/29147838

Phantasm

A couple of months ago, I read through the collections Panini Books put out of the Sixth Doctor’s run of comics in DWM. And of course, I was greeted with the infamous The World-Shapers story at the end. The thing is, it could have worked if it had been handled differently, maybe….

But that ending…. No, just…no…..

So consider this my attempt at a “fix-it” for that bit of the EU. It takes place during my personal head-canon of Season 23B again when Six and Jamie are traveling together after Season 23 and Season 6B respectively…

Phantasm

Keep reading

[rochellespen]

Can I just mention that I love this screen-cap that I stumbled onto while preparing my latest Monkees Awards post? The expression on their faces are priceless. :)

Don’t be surprised if this ends up being my Tumblr icon at some point….

[rochellespen]

The Geography of the World in Twenty Four Volumes

As I continue to re-read the James Herriot books here recently, I’ve noticed plenty of stories from the books that did end up on the TV show, but did not quite turn out the same. 

Of those stories that were somewhat altered, I think this one is my favorite these days…and one, I really wish had been allowed to play out the same way it did in print.

This excerpt is from All Things Bright and Beautiful. By this point, James had bought his set of books for what he thought was a bargain price, a purchase he was truly proud of. Unfortunately, Helen and Siegfried make it clear that they do not want those books anywhere near their living/working spaces. So it’s off to the basement for good….and while James is taking them down there, he runs into Tristan and ends up telling Tristan the story behind those books.

As he listened he opened one tome after another, sniffed at it and replaced it hurriedly. And he didn’t have to tell me. I knew already. My cherished books were down here to stay.

But the compassion which has always been and still is uppermost among the many facets of Tristan’s character came to the fore now.

“Tell you what, Jim,” he said. “We can put them in there.” He pointed to a dusty wine bin just visible in the dim light which filtered through the iron grating at the top of the coal chute which led from the street.

“It’s just like a proper book shelf.”

He began to lift the volumes into the bin and when he had arranged them in a long row he ran his finger along the faded opulence of the bindings.

“There now, they look a treat in there, Jim.” He paused and rubbed his chin. “Now all you want is somewhere to sit. Let’s see now…ah, yes.” He retreated into the gloom and reappeared with an armful of the biggest logs. He made a few more journeys and in no time had rigged up a set for me within arm’s reach of the books.

“That’ll do fine,” he said with deep satisfaction. “You can come down here and have a read whenever you feel like it.”

And that is how it turned out. The books never came up those steps again but quite frequently when I had a few minutes to spare and wanted to improve my mind i went down and sat on Tristan’s seat in the twilight under the grating and renewed my acquaintance with The Geography of the World in Twenty Four Volumes.

It’s such a sweet moment that highlights not only the generosity of Tristan’s character, but also the depth of the friendship that existed between Tristan and James which was expressed in little acts of thoughtfulness like this.

[rochellespen]

Truth and rumor, in my experience, are not one in the same thing

Father Brown (The Devil’s Dust)

[rochellespen]

Monkees Awards, 2015

Day Two: Favorite Song Sung By Mike

Tie: Papa Gene’s Blues and While I Cry

I know, I know, but honestly, did anyone really think that I could choose just one song sung by Nez for my favorite? I mean, come on….

Seriously though, I know that this is cheating a little, but I honestly feel that I can make a compelling case for both of these choices. And I swear, this will not be the norm throughout the challenge.

So now let me explain why I felt I had to include both songs…

1. Papa Gene’s Blues

One of the earliest songs Nez recorded with the Monkees, I think it stands as the perfect introduction into Mike’s signature style…if he can be truly said to have just one….

But if we were to try to come up with a template for Nez’s approach to music, it can be summed up with this song: an offbeat and unexpected fusion of styles with a thoughtful use of words for the lyrics. Its playful, energetic mix of country and Latin music with a pop sensibility sets it apart from most of the songs on the Monkees’ debut album. And yes, like so many of Mike’s most beloved songs, the title has nothing to do with the lyrics and is never mentioned at all.

As I also mentioned in my review for this album, it’s also the first time that we get to hear the stunningly perfect harmonizing that Mike and Micky are able to pull off when they sing together. At times almost sounding like one voice, the two of them blend flawlessly, but then you get a glimpse of the separate voices drawing out the strengths each of them possess as vocalists. The fact that they sound this good together despite the very different styles that they have on their own is one of the best “happy accidents” that occurred within the musical side of the Monkees.

It’s really no wonder that the song ended up on more than one episode. Not only is it distinct and a great tune, but its genuine joy touches on something that goes to the very core of the Monkees phenomenon. It’s also no great surprise that the guys continue to perform this song in concerts to this day. Even sweeter is the fact that Mike and Micky still harmonize wonderfully when they sing it.

It’s also clear that Nez himself has a strong affection for this song as it is one of the very, very few Monkees songs that he will include in his solo concerts. Hearing it in the midst of his solo work makes it even easier to see how this song showed the beginnings of his full blossoming into a gifted songwriter.

For that and all the other reasons I’ve listed, Papa Gene’s Blues is one of Mike’s finest moments as a Monkee…and as a singer/musician/songwriter overall.    

2. While I Cry

When asked about the creation of this song, Nez replied with the following:

“It has kind of a rolling guitar intro. It’s slow. It’s a ballad. It’s me playing guitar, a guitar lick that I was just foolin’ around with and wrote a song around the lick. Not an uncommon move.”—Sandoval, The Monkees: The Day-By-Day Story

It was originally included as an instrumental on Nez’s solo The Wichita Train Whistle Sings album and was eventually given a vocal track and included on Instant Replay. The tune itself is a lovely country-tinged ballad with Mike’s usual introspective musings on love.  

As good as the song is, you might wonder why I felt I had to include it as part of a tie with Papa Gene’s Blues. My reason for that was simply this: Mike’s vocals on the song.

If you read enough interviews with Nez from his Monkees days, one might get the sense that he wasn’t always confident of his abilities as a singer. Granted, he did get stronger as time went on and made even greater gains once he had his tonsils removed, but there still seems to be this lingering bit of doubt which probably had its roots in Kirshner’s (and others people behind-the-scenes) assessment of his vocal talents. There are so many times when Mike’s voice is nearly buried underneath the background music in the final mixes of songs or was modulated by multiple layers, filters or harmonies that one can’t help but wish that he would strip some of that away more often and let his singing take a more natural, prominent role. It wouldn’t be until Nez embarked on a solo career that we would see a greater willingness to put his vocals to the forefront of his songs. Probably because he no longer had to worry about sounding “too country”.

However, with this song, Nez’s vocals take center stage with only the guitar accompaniment having any notable presence. The result is a straightforward, heartfelt performance.

Befitting the reflective, melancholic subject matter, Mike sings this with a warm, yet slightly mournful tone. Even more impressive is how he lets the way he sings each part of the song complement the story. He starts out with a voice that is tinged with disbelief and disappointment over the betrayal he has experienced. His vocals build toward a stronger, more forceful and yet hopeful tone as he looks back at things he had been blind to and tries to make sense out of the experience. Then he ends it with a heartbreaking finish as his voice becomes gentler with a hint of fragility on the edges. Each word is sung with a growing, palpable sadness as if the reality of his loss is now truly sinking in.    

Simply put, While I Cry demonstrates why I believe that Nez is a talented singer as well as an exceptional songwriter. Sure, he might not have the range that say Micky has, but what he lacks in technical ability, he makes up for with the depth of feeling he adds to his performance.    

[rochellespen]

A short fic I wrote within my own AU head-canon where Jamie travels with Six for a while between Seasons 23 and 24. Or Season 23B as I like to call it. 

Here is a link for it on AO3:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/12738558/chapters/29345415#workskin

Games

So, I was playing around with that RP Generators thing again and it gave me this fun prompt:

-The Doctor frustrated by losing a board game or card game to Jamie.

So I thought it would be fun to write a little drabble for that…and then I decided that it would be even more fun to have it be with Sixie and Jamie. And this is the result. 

This takes place during my head-canon Season 23B where Six is traveling with an older Jamie after the events of Trial of a Time Lord and after Jamie had traveled with Two during Season 6B.

Games

“As barbaric as war is, there is a certain art to it. The folly of useless struggle. The complex dance of diplomacy. The cerebral intricacies of strategy. Yes, there is, perhaps, no other venture where humans strive so hard for ingenuity and display so much passion while also indulging all of their worst qualities. I believe it was Churchill who said to me once that….”

“Um, Doctor, this is the fourth time ye’ve fortified yer armies. Are ye ever goin’ to stop jabbering and finish yer turn?”

The Doctor looked up from the game board and glared at the piper. The two of them were currently drifting along the edge of the Mutter’s spiral in the TARDIS. At one point, Jamie mentioned being bored and the Doctor suggested playing a game. He pulled out a copy of Risk that Peri had brought onto the TARDIS after one of her visits to Earth. Then he gave Jamie a quick tutorial of the rules before starting up the game they were currently playing. At first, the Doctor relished the opportunity for a few leisurely hours of spirited game-play.

However, after losing almost two entire continents to Jamie, the Doctor was starting to re-think that idea.

“I am not jabbering, Jamie,” the Doctor huffed. “I’m thinking. You can’t craft a comprehensive battle plan with all contingencies considered in a few seconds.”

“Mebbe,” Jamie said. “But it’s been more like a few minutes since ye were supposed to make up yer mind. Come on, Doctor. Are ye goin’ to attack or not?”

“Oh all right,” the Doctor said. “And to answer your question, Jamie, yes I am going to attack. My impressive wall of armies against your paltry band at the border of Ural.”

“Right,” Jamie nodded.

The two of them picked up their respective dice and shook them in their cupped hands for a moment before tossing them on the board.

“Oh no!”

“Aha, nae this time, Doctor. Looks like I took out all yer armies in one fell swoop. Care to try again?”

“Yes! I will take Ural if I have to fight to the very last man to do it.”

“And ye jes might at this rate.”

“Be quiet and roll your dice.”

The dice clattered about for a few seconds and once again landed in the middle of the board.

“Now, look what you did. Half of my armies along the coast of Africa are in the ocean.”

“I dinna mean to hit them. The dice jes took a bad hop is all.”

“A bad hop? A bad hop?! More like a calculated attempt to disrupt a carefully laid arrangement for optimal defense. I’ll have to try to put those armies back into the exact configuration I had them in before. What if I can’t remember it all?”

“I doubt it. Ye act like ye forget things, but ye ne’er really do. Nae aboot anything ye want to remember. Ye’re tae clever for that.”

“Yes, well,” the Doctor said, trying to hide a smile. “Let’s see, I seem to recall it was something like this.”

The Doctor shuffled the plastic pieces around the board for a minute before finally appraising it with a satisfied look on his face.

“There, that should do it,” he said. “Now that that’s over, about that last roll….”

“Ah that,” the piper replied. “Nae good news for ye, I’m afraid. My two sixes beat yer three ones. Ye sure ye want to keep this up?”

“I don’t believe this,” the Doctor said. “That’s the third failed campaign in a row. I should have at least taken North America by now.”

“I guess yer strategy is nae as good as ye think it is,” Jamie said.

“At least it makes some kind of sense, Jamie,” the Doctor responded. “As opposed to your almost totally random approach. That time when you put only half your armies against mine in the Ukraine, which was heavily fortified and had numerous armies in the surrounding countries…that should not have worked.”

“But it did, dinna it?” Jamie replied. “That’s all that matters.”

“No, it’s not. Jamie, I have shared afternoon tea with Churchill. I’ve conversed with Hannibal while he was gathering his armies for their epic trek through the mountains. I’ve dined with Napoleon. All of these men were well versed in the stratagems of war.”

“Oh aye. Tae bad they dinna give you some tips that could help ye win this game, then.”

“Nonsense, my tactics are sound. It’s just…well, for a start it’s all these distractions you keep piling on. For instance, why exactly did you deface Great Britain?”

“I did nae deface it. I improved it.”

“By crossing out its title with black marker and writing ‘Scotland’ over it? That’s not geographically accurate.”

“’Tis now that I’ve taken over Europe,” Jamie smirked. “And if ye’re done, I need to turn in another set of these cards for some more armies.”

“Again?” the Doctor gaped. “You only had three cards. How were you able to get another trio of matches so quickly? And that’s another thing. You turn in sets without any thought of taking advantage of the increases that occur with each set turned in.”

“Hey, I’m nae exactly pleased to be holding a bunch of cards wit’ these wee Redcoats on them,” the piper said with a scowl. “I’d rather get rid of them as soon as possible.”

“Jamie, sometimes I think you don’t even care about winning,” the Doctor sighed.

“I don’,” Jamie shrugged.

“You don’t? Then why are you…?”

“The game’s fun and all, but I don’ really care so much aboot the winning,” Jamie cut in. “For me, it’s who I get to play the game wit’.”

A warm smile appeared on the Doctor’s face which Jamie immediately reciprocated.

“Thank you, Jamie,” he said quietly. “And I can assure you that it is the same for me as well. Now then, let’s get you those armies and you can start your turn. Although, I should warn you that I’m on to your gambit for my South American territories, and I can promise you that you won’t find them so easy to conquer.”

“We’ll see aboot that,” Jamie chuckled.

The Doctor let out a good-natured laugh of his own before the two of them went back to playing the game.

And to the far more important endeavor of enjoying their time together.

[rochellespen]

The “ghost” of Raynes Abbey. (Nothing Like Experience, 1.06)

[rochellespen]

A post that will be part of a series from when I used to take part in the Monkees Awards here on Tumblr.

Monkees Awards, 2015

Day One: Favorite Monkees Episode (select three)

Before I get started on this first post for the MonkeesAwards, I would like to point out something about my methodology.

When I was reading over the categories, I soon realized that there was a great potential for overlap. For example, I might mention a particular Monkee performance during an episode while also listing the episode in my list of favorites. Or I could have a song make multiple categories such as Favorite Song Sung by Mike and Favorite Song Written by a Monkee due to the large number of songs I like that Nez has written.

Therefore, I decided that, rather than have a couple of songs/episodes totally dominate certain categories, I would strive to have a broader representation of my favorites. That meant actually sitting down and going through all of my favorite songs/episodes, seeing how many categories I could fit them into and then juggling their placements accordingly. Thus, I tried to make sure to have no direct repeats of any song or episode and have only occasional cases of overlap.

Hopefully, the end result of this process means that I will have an interesting and somewhat more diverse selection of my favorites listed. So if anyone is surprised that I appear to have skipped over seminal song/episode choices or have made offbeat ones for some categories, chances are, it’s because I’m saving them for other sections.

That all said, let’s begin with my painfully short list of Favorite Monkees Episodes (presented in broadcast order):

1.  Captain Crocodile

Sure, the plot to this one isn’t particularly deep and has some holes. Also, the main villain is more fussy and annoying than menacing or witty. But when it comes to pure Monkees zaniness, Captain Crocodile is a lot of fun.

For starters, there is the obvious slapstick goofiness as the guys try to gain recognition and popularity on a children’s show while being sabotaged by said show’s host. They are forced to endure every horrible cliché of children’s show indignities as they have pies thrown in their faces, are squirted with seltzer water, are confused by camera directions, have their instruments blown up and have a net thrown onto them. If that wasn’t enough, there is also their first meeting with Junior, the child executive who is actually in charge of the show or the Your Auntie Grizelda romp which has the guys being relentlessly (and humorously) pursued by a mob of brain-washed kiddie fans.

But there are also some moments of more subtle in-jokes amongst the gadding about. You have the board meeting which pulls out several gags about the process of focus groups, opinion polling and Nielson ratings that are part and parcel of the television business. There is Junior’s continuing struggles to be taken seriously (which is mostly likely a jab at the fact that Bert Schneider’s father was the president of Columbia Pictures whose Screen Gems TV production arm handled the Monkees show). And of course, who can forget the amusing and eerily prophetic moment where Mike threatens to quit if he’s not allowed to play? Or Micky’s throwaway line of “the land of Kirshner” while reciting an impromptu fairy tale?

However, the true comedic showcase of the episode lies in perhaps one of the best fantasy sequences of the Monkees as the guys dream about being on other television shows and pull off some wonderfully dead-on parodies of programs that were popular around the time this episode aired. Not only is the news in general and Huntley and Brinkley specifically skewered (note: Huntley and Brinkley aired right in front of The Monkees at one point), but they also take aim at such well-known games shows such as What’s My Line and To Tell the Truth (which also has one of the best uses of Davy’s “I am standing up” joke). It finishes off on a high note with a hilarious spoof of the 60s Batman TV show. I go into this segment in far more detail in one of my Favorite Monkees Moments posts (which can be found here). I’ll sum up by saying that both Mike and Micky as the hapless villains and Peter and Davy as Frogman and Reuben the Tadpole are all in excellent comic form as they carry out one of most ridiculous fight scenes ever shown on The Monkees…or any other program for that matter.

The result of all this is a wild cocktail of fast-paced silliness that makes it easier to overlook its flaws. The first time I watched this episode, I was laughing out loud. The fact that it still manages to make me chuckle after many subsequent viewings says everything you need to know about its enduring charm.

2. Monkees A La Mode

While Captain Crocodile relied mostly on full-tilt wackiness and in-jokes for its humor, the sarcastic, satirical edge to the jokes was rarely as sharp as it was in this episode.

It really shouldn’t surprise anyone that in the midst of all the social movements and attempts to overthrow the establishment, there was a trendiness that still managed to make its mark on the people and create a society of smarmy hipsters and hanger-ons. Considering how the Monkees is a group who constantly had to put up with the reputation of being “uncool” both on the show and in real-life, the guys were probably well-acquainted with these types and thus, are able to bring a wonderfully sardonic feel to their delivery of their lines.

As the winners of the Typical Young People of the Year, the guys are thrust into the world of high fashion as a magazine fabricates an article of them living up to the staff’s ideals of style and trendiness. Of course, once they realize what is going on, the guys revolt (again, in a fascinating parallel of what happened in real life) by completely deconstructing the image that has been created for them.

Along the way we get plenty of gloriously funny moments such as the interviews with each of the guys at the editor’s office, the attempts by Rob Roy Fingerhead to take pictures of Peter, Davy and then Micky, the guys reacting to both the award and the effect the article had on their friends, and of course, the final bit where the guys show up to accept their trophy…and carry out their revenge.    

Part of what makes this episode work so well is the ingratiating villains of the editor and her right-hand man, photographer/writer Rob Roy Fingerhead. I talk about Rob Roy more in my Monkees Rogue’s Gallery post (which can be found here). Repeating what I’ve said previously, he is the type of villain that is easy to root against due to his smug, pseudo-intellectual vibe and callous treatment of others which makes the scenes where he is sparring with the guys even more fun to watch. The comeuppance he receives at the end of the episode is both satisfying and fitting.

Interestingly enough though, as much as the sarcastic repartee shines throughout this story, I find that instead of feeling glum over all the hypocrisy and fakery displayed by so many in this episode, I smile at how the guys handled themselves in this situation. Sure, they had plenty of snark to go around for the magazine, what it stood for, and most of its staff. But even in the midst of all that, I think you can still feel the warm camaraderie the guys have with each other in the way that they stick together and face all the absurdity and critical disdain as a team. They might be betrayed by the people who claim to be awarding them and have some of their friends turn on them, but they will still hold fast to their friendship within the group and get each other through this latest crisis.

In the end, that sincerity and that belief in something real are probably the best defense against cynicism.

3. Fairy Tale

Finally we move from over-the-top silliness or pointed barbs to an episode whose humor defies easy categorization.

Still, the humor is far from the only thing that is bizarre about Fairy Tale. Even on a show like The Monkees which often has only the barest of cohesive structures, this episode manages to fall completely outside of the norm. The sparse cardboard sets and clumsy, cheap-looking props only strengthen the feeling that this may have very well been something that was thrown together in a haze of drug-fueled creativity. In fact, I’m not entirely sure if that wasn’t the case after all….

Either way, the guys clearly decide to have fun with the weirdness and let loose with some of the broadest comic turns ever. As both villagers and various characters from classic fairy tales, Davy and Micky have more than one great comedic moment and lend great support to the main plotline which revolves around Peter and Mike’s characters.

And what characters they are. Peter is both lovable and amusing as the earnest hero who sets out to win the heart of the object of his affection. In this episode, he achieves a perfect balance between his sweet “dummy” persona and a much more aware and eccentrically wise aspect to his personality that always seemed to be lurking below the surface.

However, I think most people would agree that the person who truly and completely steals the show in this episode is Michael Nesmith with his portrayal of one of the most memorable Monkees characters ever: Princess Gwen. Grating, terrifying and hilarious in equal measure, Princess Gwen dominates every scene she (!?) is in with both instantly quotable lines and Nez’s undeniable flair for such warped humor.

Still, what makes this such a classic performance is not just the outrageous elements to Gwen’s characters. It’s also about the details. It’s about the fact that Mike actually went the whole nine yards with his turn of dressing as a woman with the false eyelashes and full makeup. It’s the fact that he incorporated somewhat feminine gestures while trying to act demure and “princess-like”. And it was the fact that he would just as quickly discard that demeanor while threatening people in a voice that manages to be a strange combination of his “princess” voice and his actual one. Yes, even when he was telling people off, Mike was not going to slip out of character for one second.  

Not to mention the fact that someone who has as definite masculine features as Nez does should not be able to dress in drag very effectively…and yet he does pull it off (in a twisted sort of way) making the fact that he left his signature sideburns visible even more humorous. His performance is capped off with one of the best fourth-wall-breaking moments ever at the end of the episode.

All in all, Fairy Tale stands out as one of the most unconventional and yet vastly entertaining episodes of The Monkees. Not only does it stand out as a long-time fan favorite, but it’s pretty well-documented as one of Nez’s all time favorites as well.

I honestly can’t think of a better testament to the excellence of this episode than that.