INCOMING!!

I've mentioned previously that I'm an absolute sucker for the storyline of soul mates who cannot be together.

My current viewing, of course, is NCIS: Los Angeles. This show puts their characters through the proverbial ringer -- the show's writers are evil bastards and I'm hooked. Kensi is an NCIS agent and Deeks is an LAPD detective who is her partner. For three seasons, they had wonderful banter and off-the-chart chemistry. Deeks finally upped the ante in the season 4 finale and spontaneously kissed her.

Then he and Sam were captured by a sadistic Russian agent, tortured, and in season 5, Deeks suffered from PTSD for a few weeks. Kensi's and Deeks' "thing" was on the back burner.  In episode 9, they called each other's bluff and spent the night together.

Kensi: Because once again you're trying to say something without actually saying it. And it's driving me nuts.
Deeks: I think you lost me.
Kensi: No. I don't think I did. I think you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Deeks: Do I?
Kensi: Damn it, Deeks, you asked me out on a date without actually asking me out on a date. Now, if this keeps going this way and we can't communicate, and we've been over this -- you never say what you mean, and if this is the way it's gonna be, then I don't know how we're ever gonna --
Deeks: I don't want to be here with you right now.
Kensi: What?
Deeks: I want to be at my place, right now ... with you.

Squee! At last! The day after (no peeks at all, dammit), they were dealing with the immediate emotions of their actions and each put their mission in jeopardy at some point but were getting a handle on it by the end of the day .... but ... just when they came to a shared understanding, any hope of a happy ending in the short term was taken away by Hetty and Granger and the pair are ripped apart within 24 hours without being able to say goodbye. (in real life the actress was pregnant and needed to be off the show to have her baby).  ARGH! And I'm enjoying the hell out of the journey.

So it got me to thinking about what I love about story telling ... continuing the ideas from yesterday. And it comes down to three things for me: intelligence, emotions, and imagination. First, intelligence. That is my first smell test. I can spot stupid in three seconds and I'm outta there. Be intelligent in your characters, plot, and dialogue and you've got my attention. Second, emotions. Mine. I'm gripped by emotion -- see above as an example, eh? -- then you've GOT me. Imagination/Inspiration. That something special. Something in the storytelling went from flat on a page or screen and took on the fire of something else. This. is. magic.

Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster