So... Incredibly... Sick

[thedeadlyhook]

This has got to be the worst case of flu I've had since childhood. Toys has it too. We are the house of the supremely ILL.

As a mild plus, I've gotten to watch a lot of random odd-hours television while laid up and woozy, and the discovery that TV Land plays classic Star Trek at 6:00 am has to be worth something. And nostalgic, too - the other morning, they were playing "The Man Trap," one of the first ST episodes I ever saw at age... 10, 11? (In reruns - I'm not quite old enough to have seen it first run.) I was immediately hooked, and in those days before videotape, you had to take what you got whenever it was offered - I used to comb through TV Guide looking for showings - late, early, whatever - which I would set my alarm to get up for, if need be. Yes, folks, Star Trek was LOVE.

Anyway, "The Man Trap." So bleary-eyed, Toys and I are watching this while coughing and snuffling, and we can't help but note the absolutely simmering sexual tension in this ep. The Monster of the Week, a salt-sucking vampire creature, can read your mind and take on a form that gets under your defenses, typically a member of the opposite sex.

For Sulu though, the creature didn't change to a woman. It went after him as a man.

Was Sulu's slashability always so freaking obvious, and I was just dim? Or is it just my fever talking?

Comments

[timeofchange.livejournal.com]

Heeheehee. Not that you and Toys are sick. That's terrible, and I wish you both a speedy recovery. But the Sulu revelation. I didn't notice it myself, as I watched the first time it all was broadcast (why, yes, I am that old), but in retrospect? And having seen a few eps recently with my son? Total slashability, baby.

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

I really should set myself a goal of rewatching the whole series in order and see what pops out to me that my youngster eyes didn't catch at the time. I mean, I'd been totally in lust with Sulu without even knowing what lust was yet. And Mr. Spock. Oh, yes...

[timeofchange.livejournal.com]

I totally blame Mr. Spock for my tendency to find brilliant, distant, withholding men hot. He was my first TV love object, and he ruined me for the generous, fun-loving guys.

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Heh! I do remember being in some college class where the discussion turned inexplicably to why we (it was a predominantly female class) loved Spock, and while I don't remember any insights we arrived at, that image of us all sitting around reminiscing about sexy, sexy Spock... that stuck with me.

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

I have to re-watch this series. Sulu was always t eh seXXors, but I don't remember that bit.

Get well soon!

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Thanks - god knows we need the good wishes. It's been three days now and only marginal improvement. I can't remember the last time I've felt so low.

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

Have a friend go out and get you and Toys a whole lot of Propel fitness water, or Gatorade if you're having trouble keeping stuff down and need the sugar. That will help because dehydration is a massive danger and makes people feel even worse.

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

That's a good tip, thank you. I think we're past the worst of it now, but I'll keep that one in mind for future - Toys really couldn't eat or drink much of anything with this one. It's been bad.

[fredsmith518.livejournal.com]

I did watch the first time round - was very young! Didn't notice.

Am watching the odd DS9 at the mo, very good, I had forgotten how good

symapthies on the ill, we are just reaching the end of 3 weeks of serial ill

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Three weeks! You have my intense sympathies.

DS9 is one of those series that I really must rent and watch in full - I'd watched some of it on air, but for some bizarre reason, never quite kept up with it, even though every time I saw it I thought it was very good. And Avery Brooks... man, I could listen to that guy read the want ads. That voice. Gives me good chills.

[fredsmith518.livejournal.com]

I think it was the strongest of the lot, the final season especially. ST books did some very good DS9 tie ins also when the series finished.

[jwaneeta.livejournal.com]

Aw, I'm sorry you're both so sick. I called but missed you. Feel better!

[toysdream.livejournal.com]

And we totally need to call you back! Then you can hear us wheezing and groaning in, like, real time.

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Sorry to have missed your call. I think that was during the stage when neither one of us could really lift our heads - seriously! It's been the hell flu.

[cordykitten]

I don't remember which episode I saw first but I know I was very young because it was scary. Not so much in the re-watch years later.
*sends get well wishes to you*

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

I know this was one of the first eps I saw because the scariness was so memorable - the salt monster really was a nightmare creature.
Thanks for the well wishes! We are finally starting to feel better today.

[fishsanwitt]

Everyone seems to be sick!

I *was* old enough to watch 'Star Trek' the first time around :) but I was clueless - LOL!

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

I'm sure there's all sorts of subtlties I missed the first time around. I really must investigate further. God knows I enjoyed seeing that ep again - the visual style of original Trek just hits this primal nerve for me, I think.

[rahirah]

Ah, Trek Classic, my first fannish obsession. ::remembers fondly::

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

I'm hazy on my own personal timeline - Escape from Witch Mountain might've been the first movie I obsessed over - but I think Star Trek was definitely my first real fan experience too. I certainly spent enough time thinking about it, even if I never really talked to anyone about it, or thought about writing fanfic. It lived, in my mind, which is I guess is my definition of being fannish about a show, not so much the activities.

[herself_nyc]

I've noticed that all the best people are old-time ST fans.

[pfeifferpack.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, Crewman Green as I remember! Perhaps there was a message to any who wanted to hear it, the times were not conducive to an actor coming out. Yes, I was a Star Trek geek from the start. I even went to hear Gene Roddenberry speak at Indiana University after the original was cancelled...this is in the days before con's. I went to a few of the early cons too when they came to Indianapolis (where I grew up). Met Jimmy Doohan (darling man), Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koneig, and Mr. Roddenberry at them. Still love my Star Trek even if I think Generations was the best of the lot.

{{{hugs}}} from a safe distance on the flu plague. Nasty thing the flu.

Kathleen

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Yes, it was Crewman Green - great memory you've got there! I so envy you getting to hear Roddenberry talk. I've seen George Takei in person, but he's the only one of the original cast I've heard speak - this is one of the places where my actor phobia doesn't serve me well, as it keeps me from attending shows where I might, eek, come face to face with an idol of the screen, sigh. (Although I swear, if I'd seen Nichelle Nichols in person as a teenager, I probably would've fainted - I thought she was the epitome of beauty as a girl, and it killed me to realize I'd never grow up to look anything like her.)

[herself_nyc]

Many are dim about Sulu.

I wish I was in SF so I could come over and mop your brows!

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Believe me, you wouldn't want to be anywhere near our brows right now. We're the horribly contagious twins!

Thanks for the offer, though. It cheers me up to think that you would. I feel well loved. : )

The only thing I fear about going back and rewatching the series now with an eye toward Sulu as a gay icon is that I'm afraid it will impact my teen memories, where he was always the hottest one. Except for Spock. But Sulu was the one that would never make you cry, you know?

[herself_nyc]

I'm sure your brow isn' so bad even now.

I'm glad you feel well loved, you're meant to.

Y'know, I never thought much about Sulu's private life back in my ST fangrrrl days, because I was all about the Kirk/Spock then the way I'm all about the Spike/Buffy now.

[tabaqui]

Oh, the salt vampire scared the crap out of me! I love old Star Trek. We'd beg and plead to stay up Saturday nights to watch it and *promise* we'd get up for church without any crankiness the next day if we could.

That and 'The Avengers' and 'The Return of the Saint'. Wheeee!

Hope you guys feel better. This creeping crud is just knocking *everybody* flat.
*pet pet pet pet pet pet*

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Thank you, dear - and oh, god, that is a hilarious icon! I feel very petted. By mink! Oohh... *g*

I've seen so few episodes of The Avengers - it played so rarely in our area - and I've never seen Return of the Saint at all. I should really add those to the ol' Netflix queue. Plus Toys keeps telling me I need to see The Prisoner in its entirety. (Another one I never got to see with any regularity.)

[tabaqui]

My sister and i were gaga over Ian Olgivy, who played The Saint - there was another, older version called 'The Saint', with Roger Moore, which we never saw, and then there was also 'The New Avengers', which was pretty good, too.

But nobody tops Mrs. Peel in a leather cat suit.
:)

[tabaqui]

And! Mittens of mink are the best.
*pet pet pet*

[asta77.livejournal.com]

Hope you and Toys are feeling better soon. And I'm hoping, hoping, hoping I get to see you next month. =)

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

I saw from one of your recent posts that you were coming to town! When will you be here? There will be much rejoicing and making of merry.

[asta77.livejournal.com]

I will be there from March 23rd until the 26th (DWW and I leave for Seattle early-ish on the 27th). There has been some talk of a fannish gathering, but I hope to see you as much as your schedule permits. :)

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Sweet! We'll look forward to seeing you then!

[toysdream.livejournal.com]

I think the crowning glory of that episode was the bit where the callow young crewman drops by Sulu's room to seduce and desalinate him, only to be chased away by Sulu's totally awesome houseplant, which is pretty clearly the fuzzy pink gloved hand of a production assistant lying under a table.

And if everyone sees the Salt Vampire in the form of what they most desire, then what does it tell us that Kirk sees it as a matronly old woman? Is the heartbreaker of the galaxy secretly longing for a mommy figure? The psychological implications are fascinating...

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

I am so glad you remembered to mention the glove puppet. It really was a highlight that I would've completely blipped over if you hadn't been there to focus my attention on it. *g*

The psychology of Kirk really would make for some fascinating reading. Let us also not forget his continuing trauma from being bullied at Starfleet academy.

[green-maia.livejournal.com]

The psychology of Kirk really would make for some fascinating reading.

I wrote an essay on the psychology of Kirk. When I was 15.

I also wrote an essay on the psychology of Spock. Also when I was 15.

I kid you not!

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

OMG, do you still have them?!?

Seriously, I would love to read these.

[green-maia.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry you're sick!! I hope you feel better soon!!

{{{*Hugs*}}}


Ah, classic Star Trek...LOVE IT!!!

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Thank you - our house of sickness is finally on the mend. It's been a tough, tough week. This may have finally convinced me to get the flu shot every year from now on.

[greboguru.livejournal.com]

Yes, sick. Ugh. I started feeling ill at your guys' place, a week ago, late that night. Ergh. 7 whole days later, I feel better. Not 100%, but better. This thing -- this DEATH PLAGUE -- is a nightmare. It's like some kind of deep lung rot or something. Ick! I'm sorry you guys have been going through it. I think it's been hitting just about everyone. Man, it sucketh.

Kinda like the Super Bowl. It sucked too. Boring! The Puppy Bowl was much better.

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

I think we're finally starting to get better, but like you said, this is a bad one. I can't remember the last time I've been laid so low. The fever and coughing have been epic.

I saw the Puppy Bowl for a little bit, but ended up switching away because they were playing the faux-Superbowl thing a little too seriously for me. Were there always the crowd noises and stuff and the annoucing of plsys? I seem to remember it having been just funny music and puppies rolling around in the water dish.

[framefolly.livejournal.com]

Hope you're feeling better...((hugs))

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

I'm on the road to healing, although I think it's going to be a long haul. I can already tell this cough will be with me for awhile. : (

[danceswithwords.livejournal.com]

I'm commenting incredibly late--so late that I hope you're both over you flu and on the mend by now. Feel better!

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Thanks - we're starting to feel more normal, although we're both still have coughs that sound like a driveway being shoveled; I think those aren't going away anytime soon. This has been one tenacious bout of the flu.