Brian Kinney's Muffin O'Love

thank you muchly. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Film Lover

I've re-watched through 203, and there have been no more instances of Brian calling Justin "Sonny Boy". It's so weird how your memory plays tricks on you; I could have sworn I remembered there being more. There were a couple of times that Emmett made comments to the effect of Justin being like a son to Brian -- in the beginning of 119, Justin says that he's saving up money to go to the White Party, and Emmett tells Brian that he's certainly raised him well. At the end of 120, after Justin won the King of Babylon contest and stole Brian's intended trick right out from under his nose, Emmett told Brian that he should be proud of Justin, "Like father, like son." So, there were more examples of comparing Brian's relationship with Justin to his relationship with Gus, but the only times Brian called Justin "Sonny Boy" were in 101 and 203.

As exciting as seeing an episode for the first time can be, in some ways, re-watching the episodes can be even better. Knowing what's going to happen in later episodes, you notice things that seemed insignificant the first time through. Like how early they let us know that Brian dreaded turning 30, and that he had kind of a death wish ("playing" like he was going to jump off the roof at the hospital) and wanted to escape from life, whether by drugs or by sex or by moving away and starting over.

Another thing I noticed this time around that I didn't realize the first time was how early in season 2 there are signs that Justin has lost a lot of confidence in himself and in Brian's feelings for him. All through season 1, Justin was so confident that he knew what Brian was feeling, and he wouldn't let Brian push him away. "I'm on to you"; "Being mean to me has never really worked"; "Not until I say so".

Somehow, the first time through, I totally missed the stark contrast to Justin's behavior when Brian drove him home in 201. "Will I see you again?" That is so not the same Justin that spent close to a year chasing after Brian and refusing to take "no" for an answer. There were a lot of things I loved about season 2 (and I'm looking forward to re-watching the rest of them [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] ), but I am so glad that Justin finally found himself again in season 3 -- even if it did take the "Ethan period" for him to get there.

[ 04-02-2004: Message edited Film Lover ]

galela

welcome [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

*the-kez*

I agree. And sometimes it can lead to over-analyzing...like what happened to me several days ago [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

@Dine: Those pictures are wonderful!! Thanks [img]smilies/hug.gif[/img] That person *is* amazingly talented [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Lexie

Oh my god, that person is so incredibly talented. He/she definitely captures the essence of B/J. I would totally buy one of those. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

SassySarah

Wow! I am so in love with this one. It's angelic.

As for their outfits to the NY premiere, since I haven't commented here yet, good gawd!! Gale, you make a crappy pimp and Randy, burn that jacket! I didn't like it the first time you wore it and I don't like it now. Other than that and Gale looking stoned off his ass, I love their look. Randy's hair still gives me that special tingle. I love him when he's funky. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

*the-kez*

I love that one as well...the artist really capture *the* essence. Look at the lips...it's uncanny (sp?)

Brian Kinney's Muffin O'Love

Gale makes a kickass pimp, yo. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Randy wore that jacket before?! how the hell did i miss this? or did i block it from memory. hmm.

SassySarah

I don't know what crack smokin' pimps you're used to. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Yeah, back in November. Some Elton John party.

[ 04-05-2004: Message edited SassySarah ]

K Girl

Elton John? It fits in that context. And I would have excused the Shiny Suit Of Death for Elton but for the NY premiere? Not so forgiving.

Oh well. We get regular clothes in just like, twelve days or something! Eee!

*the-kez*

I think this shiny suit discussion is just the same as the Ethan one. Some people like it and some people can't stand it...but we have to live with the fact that it happened so...yeah... [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Btw, new promo is up the Countdown to S4 thread [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Film Lover

I've re-watched through 208, and I noticed something that seems incredibly obvious to me now that, somehow, I completely missed the first time I watched it. I've commented before about how Justin never told Brian that he wasn't happy with the way things were going -- that he was trying so hard to hold on to Brian that he just kept pretending that everything was alright. But somehow, before, I had missed the fact that Brian was doing the same thing.

It's just a small thing -- the morning after Justin went to Daphne's party and picked up that college boy, and Brian knew immediately that Justin had kissed him. When Brian was at the gym, Ted and Emmett commented on the fact that Brian seemed to be pushing himself extra hard. I guess the first time around, I just didn't realize the significance of it. I've commented before on Brian's parents giving him a really fcuked up sense of his own self worth, but watching that scene again made me think that Brian believes all he has to offer anyone is either his money or his body.

If you think about it, anytime one of the people he cares about has a problem, that's how he tries to fix it. And his constantly being on the prowl, trying to pick up every hot guy he sees, is his way of validating to himself that he's still the hottest guy around. It's like he thinks that if the guys don't want him anymore, he's worthless. Most of the times Brian is with a trick (not always, but more often than not when he's with anyone but Justin), Brian doesn't even seem to be that into it. It's like he just kind of leans back and lets the guys do stuff to him, but a part of him almost always seems detached from it.

Anyway, that's what made me start thinking that, in season 2, I think Brian believes Justin will only stay with him as long as he is offering him either his body or his money. Maybe not consciously, but I think his fear is that, unless he has those things to offer Justin, that Justin will leave him. And, as a result of that, he always kept Justin at arms length emotionally, because that way it would hurt less when the boy finally left him (and I really do think Brian believed it would be "when" and not "if"). When Justin kissed that boy, breaking one of their rules, Brian didn't get angry at Justin; he took it out on himself, as if he thought the way to keep it from happening again was if he had a better body to offer Justin. The problem is, it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. He "knew" Justin would leave him eventually, so he held him at arms length, never letting him get too close emotionally, but in the end it was that very emotional distance that drove Justin to try to find affection somewhere else.

The more I think about it in that light, the more I like what the did in the second half of season 3. I think it was a major step in Brian's emotional healing that he asked Justin to try to get info out of that murderer/ex-cop; it was as if he was acknowledgeing that his body might not be the be-all and end-all that all other guys were looking for, and, more importantly, that he could live with that. I also think it was extremely important that Brian ended the season with no job and no money, and Justin still wanted to be with him. Now he has proof that Justin doesn't want to be with him for his money. An emotionally healthy person wouldn't have needed that kind of proof, because IMO it was obvious in everything Justin ever did, but Brian is anything but emotionally healthy. I think it may help him a lot, having that proof.

Not that I think Brian is "cured" of his emotional problems by any stretch. When you have feelings of worthlessness pounded into our mind and your spirit throughout your entire childhood, it can take years, to get past those feelings and let down the barriers you've erected around your heart. Some people never get entirely there, even after the become consciously aware of exactly what their problems are and what caused them. I expect Brian will be no different, and that he will still have a lot of problems and that there will be further setbacks along the way. But it's a start.

*the-kez*

Film Lover, I totally agree with what you said and I say it's pretty spot on [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

sketchy@best

[img]smilies/group_hug.gif[/img]

Hiiiiiiiiii dahhhhlings! Trying to get back into the habit of posting before the new season starts up. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[img]smilies/wiggle.gif[/img]

Me'thinks we need more BJ-loverness in here!

[ 04-06-2004: Message edited sketchy@best ]

~ Liz ~

[img]smilies/kiss.gif[/img] to Circe and everyone else.