The Office (Now with added Sharpe)

[lesbiassparrow]

In order to comfort myself after horrible day I am watching the season finale of The Office. Again. It is even better than I remembered.  Oh, yes.

And meyerlemon is holding a Bulwer-Lytton terrible first line in fanfic fiesta.  It is the best idea ever.

ETA: I am watching the craggy manliness that is Sharpe.  Normally this is not the sort of thing I go for...but eep!  This is craggy manliness and class (almost) warfare (of a minor sort) and Spanish heroines in men's clothing on horseback and I am totally and very embarassingly on board for it all. Plus there are Irish people making fun of the English as well. Okay, they are in the service of the British army, but still they mock the English.

"I'll do what I always do...I'll stand and fight."  And kerplunk, I fall over. 

ETA 2: Hogan.  I think I may love you too, you're so wily and manipulative and quite scary at times.

Comments

[chelseagirl47.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's got class issues all over it! Battles and warfare are not generally my thing, but Sharpe is tremendous fun. I don't particularly recommend the books, though many disagree with me -- I just don't think they're particularly well-written, and the performances are a big part of the appeal.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I know - I normally am not a big on for the battles, because normally that means no females, and I have a hard time connecting to shows without women, but this is just excellent.

I don't have this problem about books of the period, but if you're going to write something now, I do prefer if you address the issues of class (and the frequent uselessness of those who bought their commissions) and this does it really well.

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Heee! Sharpe is AWESOME! I love his huge chip on the shoulder and the way they're always using him for all their dirty work. SO GREAT!

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I now understand the Sharpe love and share it totally. I understand that there are a ton of them made, which is the best thing because there is lots for me to watch.

And I love the manipulation - which he knows is going on, but he has to go along with other there goes his commission.

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Some of the middle ones get a little formulaic (and one or two have really ridiculous storylines) but I love the first five ("Rifles", "Eagle", "Company", "Regiment" and "Honour"), and then in the middle, I really like "Sharpe's Regiment" and then I love the last three ("Revenge", "Justice" and "Waterloo.") And there's the very latest one, set in India, which I JUST got on DVD from the UK, and haven't watched yet.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

BBC America is showing them all, I think (though I'll miss a bunch as I don't quite want to load up the Tivo while I am away). I wonder if they do the India one too.

At the rate he's climing the ranks he's got to be a general by Waterloo, right? An unshaven general who rarely wears a clean uniform, but still a general.

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Hee! Well, yes, BBCAmerica funded "Sharpe's Challenge" (the new one) and they're leading up to it by showing all the other ones. I believe it's slated for sometime in September, although I read that they'd cut out a lot of it, which is why I got the DVD from England.

At the rate he's climing the ranks he's got to be a general by Waterloo, right?

Hee! Well, remember that a) his commission is a field commission which means he gets promoted to things AFTER the guys who've bought their commissions; b) a little thing called the Peace of Amiens, that comes before Waterloo. So, no, not a general. But you're not too far off, though!! The chip doesn't get noticeably smaller, however!

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

Even with the sticking Napoleon on the island thing, I felt sure he would have made general. In the two I've seen he's gone from sergeant to Captain in the space of two hours, though I guess the commission hasn't been authorized back in England.

But I guess they have to save something for Waterloo promotion-wise!

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Oh, and P.S. I think you're an "Angel" fan, right? Anyway, Alexis Denisof is in the last three Sharpe episodes. Heh heh heh!!

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

Oh! That will be excellent. As long as they don't depress him as much as they did Wesley by the end of that show...

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Heh heh heh! He's VERY different from Wesley. That is all I will say.

[nolivingman.livejournal.com]

Sharpe is so awesome. Plus, he always wears tight tight pants, and the directors know their audience and give us many loving shots of Sharpe in his tight pants. Mrowr.

Plus, Teresa rocks my world.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

Teresa is wonderful!

And it's not just the tight pants, there's all the 'let me wander around with my uniform open showing my chest' stuff they do with Sharpe also. They have a fixation with his body - not that I'm complaining, mind you.

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Sharpe is the only officer in the Peninsular War who a) never shaves; b) seems to have no buttons on his tunic or his shirt; c) wanders about with his shirt OFF quite a lot. Hee!

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

Maybe these things are all key to his incredible healing ability (shot? stabbed? it's nothing to him!)? Also clearly unshaven, tight-trousered, open uniformed soldiers are cleary superior to the ones in the red uniforms who keep all their clothes clean and on at all times.

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

And buttoned up :) The fact that Sharpe has scars from his flogging (which no proper officer would ever have!) is actually an important plot point at various different times...

Sigh! Now you are making me want to rewatch all fo Sharpe, and I have no time. NO TIME! Well, at least I can show off all my numerous Sharpe icons :P

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I am enjoying the Sharp icons very much. As I have not got one, Tyrol will have to do (hey, that's probably a Sharpe sentiment).

I love discovering something there is loads of because even if it does get forumlaic I still have lots of goodies to go.

[meret.livejournal.com]

I love the Sharpe movies, especially the parts with he and Teresa! :)

The military tactics of the time are so stupid it makes cringe sometimes though - let's wear bright red clothes and stand shoulder to shoulder to present as big a target as possible! *rolling my eyes* It's like homer Simpson goes to war.

[sunshine95.livejournal.com]

Hmm...I joined your icon community back when you first created it, but somehow I didn't friend your regular journal. Weird. Mind if I add you now? (This is sunshine95 from SF, by the way.)

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

Please friend away! I am currently on travels for a bit, but would love to add you back when I return to proper new access. Hope that will be fine too.

[sunshine95.livejournal.com]

Of course! Hope you're enjoying your travels. :)