The Rig




Our latest episode is The Rig. This episode is a slash lover's dream. There is just too much good stuff in this one. The usual story spoilers and endless ramblings about Jim and Blair's personal appearance.

There is actually a story line mingled amongst the great Jim and Blair scenes in this episode. It takes place on an oil rig forty miles out to sea where a dead body is discovered. It seems one of the crew has been bumped off and Simon kindly volunteered to send our dynamic duo out to investigate.

Well, first we must discuss the loft scene. Jim is in a total snit because someone has made a mess in the loft. He is in Merry Maids' meltdown ranting about Blair's junk being tossed hither and yon. Jim is wearing a burgundy shirt over a gray t-shirt. He looks really nice whining about the condition of his lair. Blair comes home and is treated to a Jim in a hissy fit mode. Blair is wearing MY shirt once again. It is a light blue with little white and yellow squares. I love Blair in this shirt. In anything, actually.

It seems that Jim wants Blair to confine his belongings to his room and not tread into the Sentinel's private space, which includes every other square inch of the loft outside of those French doors. This guy needs to get a life. Better yet, Jim can come and clean my place any day. He'd be busy for months.

Our guys get to go out to the rig by helicopter. Once again, Blair shows no fear of heights and is enjoying the flight. Jim seems a bit apprehensive for some reason. Blair is waxing poetic about the man and the sea when the pilot whips off the helmet and reveals that women are involved in this business also. This is when the pilot calls our Blair "Lamp Chop". This gives Jim a pretty good laugh until she calls him "Beef Stick". The funny thing is that when they land the helicopter, the pilot warns about a storm coming in and she calls Jim by his new nickname and he actually answers to it. I find that pretty darned funny.

Needless to say, Jim and Blair receive a very cold reception from the tightly knit crew regarding the death of the crewman, who happened to be one of the rig's divers. It seems no one knows who called the police about the body, no one knows who discovered the body and no one admits to anything.

Blair is pretty cute whispering to Jim about the close-knit Amazon tribes and rituals when he sees how unwelcome they are. Blair has on his red and green plaid coat that he wears quite often. He's wearing jeans and a brown shirt over a white one. Jim has on a dark jacket and jeans. He's wearing a navy shirt that looks really good on him, over a gray t shirt.

There is a bit of investigation of the chamber where the man was killed that leads Jim and Blair to the fact that the man was murdered. They continue on their investigation. Meanwhile a killer storm is blowing in and Jim and Blair are helping batten down the hatches before everything blows away. While they are outside putting tie downs on the helicopter, Jim freaks. He sees the water and takes off. Blair follows and we are treated to a very sweet (hint: slashy) scene when Blair quietly talks Jim into revealing that Jim actually has a fear of deep water. Jim admits that he's never told anybody that he has this fear. Jim looks out of sorts and a bit queasy, and Blair is very understanding. Good Blair.

Maggie, who is the helicopter pilot, invites the guys to her ops room and gives them coffee. Blair actually tries to make a date with her. Good heavens, what was he thinking? Anyway, Jim smells smoke and he takes off with the woman and Blair following. She makes mention that none of the smoke alarms have gone off and how could his nose be more sensitive than the alarms? I love Blair's answer. He just says, "Go figure." No big surprise to find out that the dive suits have been burnt to a crisp by an arsonist. This leads Jim to surmise that something was on the dive suits that would have been a clue as to the reason for the murder.

Jim starts to suspect this guy, Truck Brower, whom he recognizes as a fellow that he busted a couple of years ago in Cascade for being involved with a loan shark. He confronts this guy a couple of times during the course of the episode, being none to kind about it.

Then we have a really good scene when Jim and Blair have to go outside. It is storming like crazy and they are dressed in these really ugly orange jump suits. Someone has sabotaged the guide wires to the big radio antenna that they are trying to use to raise the mainland when Blair makes the mistake of walking in front of it. It falls over and squashes him a good one. Jim finds him unconscious and is quite upset. He throws off the antenna and picks up his wet, bloody partner. I like that Jim is considerate enough to try and put Blair's hood back up because of the raging storm. The scene in the sick bay is good, but the scenes on the blooper tapes are hysterically funny. If you've never seen them, they are worth the price to buy them. Keep in mind that the guys have on these ugly orange jumpsuits. RB blows the takes by calling GM a crazy carrot and a creamsicle. GM has a smart mouth right back at him and called him a dick. It's just too funny. Back to the story.

Jim skulks around and finds another body. It is the other rig diver. These guys are dropping like flies. I especially like the scene when Jim goes to investigate and he's down in the bowels of the rig alone. He's made Blair stay behind because of the head injury but Blair makes him take a radio. When Blair can't raise Jim on the darned thing, he starts to worry and goes to look for him. The bad guy has turned on some machinery and when the sound zaps Jim's ears, he chucks Jim into a huge vat of oil. Jim can't get out of the oil and is busy drowning when Blair sees what's going on. Blair has a hell of a time getting Jim out of the vat because every time they grab hands, Jim slips back in. I like that Blair is quite adamant when he yells and bangs on the side of the vat. He orders, "Don't you give up." Jim is finally rescued when Blair uses a big winch to pull him out.

Well, the plot thickens. We are treated to an extremely wonderful scene of Jim taking a shower. Good heavens, where are those ice cubes? Jim Ellison is one gorgeous man, let me tell you. You have to see this scene to appreciate Jim's body. Blair sure does. I have to describe this scene a bit just so you all can enjoy it vicariously.

Imagine Jim wet and naked. Imagine him toweling off that wonderful body. Imagine Blair leaning against the wall just outside the door while they hash out the details and figure out the whole darned thing. Imagine Jim comes out of the bathroom and stands right in front of Blair all naked and beautiful. Imagine that Blair… Sorry, didn't happen here, but it does happen. Eventually…

Okay, then they arrive at the conclusion that the divers have found a dangerous chemical weapon on the ocean floor and are probably going to sell it to some terrorist for a lot of money. In walks Maggie, the pilot, with a gun and confirms that this is true and that they are going to be put on ice until the sale goes through and they can make a clean getaway. You have to got see Maggie's face. She makes Jim get dressed and just so she can stare at his gorgeous body, she makes him drop the towel. Oh My Heavens! She claims she has brothers but even her face is incredulous when she gazes upon the beautiful countenance of Jim Ellison bif naked. If that camera had just panned a couple of inches lower. They had no right teasing us like this and teasing us, they definitely were.

We are finally treated to Jim and Blair in handcuffs. Two great things in one episode. And you wonder why this is a slashy one? Anyway… Darn, too bad they weren't handcuffed together, but no such luck. They are handcuffed to an overhead pipe. Our extremely intelligent Guide uses dripping oil to rub on his wrists and manages to pull his hands free amidst much ouching. Jim follows suit and they are soon free.

The plan is for Jim to swim to the ship that is docked near the rig to stop the bad guys and Blair goes to the radio to call for help. Jim is a bit panicky because he has to swim in deep water. Blair uses his smarts to have Jim zone out his other senses and just use his sight, focusing on the ship and thereby blocking out the water. It works! Blair is so good.

Jim is skulking around wiping out the bad guys one by one when he hears Maggie talking to her cohorts about how the rig will be blown sky high in just a few minutes. Jim panics and finds the radio room, calling Blair and telling him to get his ass off the rig, it's going to blow. Rather than leave the rest of the crew that has been locked up to be killed, Blair races around until he finds with the bomb and with just one second left (funny how all bomb defusings always go until the last second) he saves everybody. Blair is our hero. He is so relieved that he flops to his back. That is a great scene.

Meanwhile Jim uses the machine gun mounted on the ship to take everybody into custody and Simon comes with the Coast Guard to wrap up everything. Did I mention Jim running around in a wet suit? He looks mighty fine in that get-up, believe me. Of course, Jim looks mighty fine in just about anything or in nothing at all. In case you hadn't noticed.

The tag is very cute. Blair is pleased that his Sentinel has conquered his fear of deep water. Jim is also happy enough to start whining about the house rules again. Go figure. I like that he tells Blair that it is his mission in life to housebreak him! Now if that isn't an invitation, I don't know what is. They walk off with Jim telling Blair the new rules, no shoes in the house, no strange foods in the fridge, and oh, yes, he's thinking of putting plastic covers on the sofa. Good God, Jim, you are worse than an old fussy spinster! Good thing he has Blair. If anybody can set this Sentinel straight, it will be his Guide.

Oh, goodie, Spare Parts is next. The Evil!Naomi. I can't wait.

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