The Switchman
Once upon a time there was The Switchman. First scene we see the alien
guy from First Wave going to rescue our Jim. Our first look at Jim is
great. I have a "thing" for Jim in the jungle. He's just so right
there. He looks good even though he's "tired". Then we are transported
to Vancouver--er, Cascade. The Dark Angel is running around somewhere.
Let's see, we meet our Jimmy out on stake out when his senses are
starting to go wacko. I especially like that quick shot of JE watching
the water boil. He looks especially fine in that camera angle. (There
will be many useless comments regarding JE and BS's physical
appearance, so deal with it.) He uses binoculars to watch the bad
person because he hasn't realized yet that his senses are coming back
on line.
So we progress to the stake out and the red jeep, which always bothered
me, because Jim and Blair show up in a red jeep later on. I wondered
how they got it out of the exploding building anyway. There isn't a
close enough view to really notice is it's the same vehicle. Must have
been a budget thing. (I told you this would be MINDLESS rambling.)
Then a fav moment comes up. Jim walking into Simon's office and Carolyn
smarting off to him. The Ellison glare he gives her gives ME
goosebumps. He looks really great in that shot. So is the shot when he
admits he's scared. He looks really vulnerable and scared. Anyone who
thinks Jim doesn't have feelings or never shows them isn't watching too
closely. He does try to hide them, but doesn't always succeed.
Okay, fast forward to the hospital, were we see our Blair for the
first time. He is so cute in that hospital coat with his hair pulled
back and those glasses on. Yummy. I like the way that Jim sees his name
tag is gone without ever taking his eyes from Blair's face. I also like
that Blair tells Jim that "the man" is someone, meaning himself. He has
enough confidence to know he can help Jim. (and he wants to get his
hands on Jim's body. No, wait, not canon.)
On to the oft sited neo witch doctor hippy punk scene, it is
wonderful. I like that Blair just chucks the files on the floor. I like
the look that Jim gives Blair when he says he doesn't follow and he
uses "Chief" for the first time. (We know where Chief comes from, but
that's a much later episode.)
I like that Jim actually kind of/sort of listens until Blair tells
Jim he wants to use him as a subject for his dissertation. Then in
usual Ellison style he huffs off and Blair saves our Jim's life for the
first of many times. We see our first zone out, a very important thing
for guides to observe and sentinels to avoid.
Oh, well, I have to say that Blair looks incredibly good when he gets
up from the road all freaked out, hair flying. Cute, Cute, Cute.
(At this rate, it will take me ten pages to get through the episode.)
Where was I? Humm, Blair looking good. Right. Okay. Then we have the
wonderful pier scene with Jim getting his first lesson in love, er, in
using his senses. I know him telling Blair the girl thinks he's a dork
is kind of mean, but Blair's face is so cute when he's disappointed.
Onward. The red jeep (AH HA!) pulls up in front the burnt out building,
and I like the fact that Jim is kind of irritated now that he can't
make "it" work. The test is really smart and Blair is impressed. Jim
looks surprised that he can do it! Then the lazy SOB sends Blair up the
tree. Just climb yourself! You're the macho man. But it does give us a
cute scene with Blair saying a really fine line about the pissed off
magpie. His vocal inflection is great.
BTW, have I mentioned that Blair looks incredibly great in those torn
jeans, that blue coat and that wonderful tie dyed shirt? So Blair-like
and so sexy.
Anyway, on to the mall to the scent shop. This is where we are first
set up with the notion that Blair will hit on anything walking and
breathing. Bad writers--lilyk slaps writers' hands. I like that Blair
makes poor Jim smell all three hundred fragrances. (Or at least as many
as he has to to get to the right combination.) It is very impressive
that Jim was able to use his senses this well and filter out just those
three fragranges from the many available. Good Jim.
I am skipping the scenes without Jim and Blair. They were just useless
fillers. Blowing up buildings, bombs being made. Have I mentioned I
don't like cop shows? Fast forward through those parts.
Okay, let's go onto the part where they are looking for Veronica. Jim
parks in a no parking zone and Blair notices. Hence we have the first
of many times when Jim ignores Blair's good
advice and gets in trouble, i.e., the jeep is towed. Actually, in RL
that is much too fast for any vehicle to be towed away, so there was a
bit of director's license thrown in here.
Blair also does the first of many actions that he probably shouldn't,
he follows the bad person onto the bus and thereby gets his butt in
trouble. I like the scene when he's all hunched down on the seat trying
to make the phone call.
Skip the macho stunt man scenes. Jim comes crashing through the bus
window and trouble ensues. Our Jim uses his powers to direct the bullet
into the barrel of her gun, disarming her but not killing her. Then he
gives the gun to Blair to cover her and looks for the bomb. Very good
scene when Blair tells Jim to listen, not look. Blair is already in
full Guide mode after just a few sessions with Jim. Jim is zoned on
hearing and doesn't see our Blair look away stupidly (more bad writing)
and get the gun knocked from his hand. Here is where he calls Jim
"Ellison" one of the few times.
I like the look on his face when he considers his options on what to do
with the bad person that he has finally knocked down and then Blair
whacks the woman. Good Blair. You can see he's thinking, do I want to
hit a women? Well, she would have killed him without hesitation, so hit
her! He does.
Then we have Jim looking incredibly sexy standing talking to that
ex-thing Carolyn. Jim is very yummy here with a dirty face and he lets
slip that he can hear Carolyn's watch from forty yards away. (BTW,
Carolyn burnt the dinner and Jim left to take Blair out for Chinese.)
While Blair is sitting in the back of the ambulance looking mighty
fine, Jim comes up and tells Joel that Blair is his partner. This is
Jim! He uses the word "partner" first. Why does he tell Blair not to
refer to them as partners in Siege? Continuity, people! Sorry, skipping
ahead.
Well, we are at the final, wonderful, cute scene. One of Blair's
finest, most sexiest moments, standing there telling us he's not
cutting his hair and running after Jim.
The End
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