From: cad0410@ritvax.isc.rit.edu (Cecelia A. Dorn)
Newsgroups: alt.tv.northern-exp
Subject: Re: Joel/Maggie question
Date: 11 Sep 92 21:22:28 GMT
Reply-To: cad0410@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology

In article <1992Sep9.200549.19200@javelin.sim.es.com>, SJOSEPHS@130.187.170.178 (STEVEN JOSEPHSON) writes:
>Am I the only one who thinks that Maggie and Joel make perfect sence? That
>Maggie's reaction to finding out that she and Joel had not done the nasty is
>understandable?  Remember Adam's scorchingly accurate read of Maggie in the
>episode where Elaine comes to town?  Remember pretty much every interaction
>Maggie and Joel have?  I think the key here is that they both go to great
>lengths to protect themselves.  Maggie wasn't pissed at Joel for not having sex
>with her booze-sodden bod, she was protecting herself from her own feelings
>that he had somehow rejected her.  Likewise her telling him to keep their trist
>(when she thought there had been one) a secret.  If you have the show taped,
>listen to the words Maggie uses.  She is echoing Joel's words as they were 
>leaving Cicley for Anchorage. She is just trying to beat Joel to the punch by 
>suggesting they not tell anybody, as she is obviously expecting Joel to say 
>something to the same effect and would have been devastated when he did.  
>Maggie goes in for romanticising her life, Joel intellectualizes things to 
>death.  They are both doing the same thing - avoiding taking the reality of 
>their emotions head-on.  The few times they have (ie. Joel in the morning-after 
>scene with Elaine) are some of the most poignant I've ever seen on tv, and they
>do it without being maudlin.  This is not the plot device of Remington Steele 
>or the posturing and negotiation of Moonlighting, although the situations are 
>similar.  This is a delicate and intricate romance of two intelligent and 
>vulnerable characters who are attracted to each other, scared of each other, 
>but who refuse to fake what they both hope will come to pass.  
>	I think that when and if they do ever fall together (they will, the 
>viewers won't settle for less) it will be when one of them comes to the 
>realization that their relationship will never come about as a negotiated peace
>but by the surrender of one side.  I'm betting it will be Joel who gives in, as
>he seems to be the one doing the most growing up (and needs to). 
>
>Josephson


Didn't anybody else *read* this post.  IMHO it perfectly sums up the
Joel/Maggie relationship question, particularly this statement:

>Maggie wasn't pissed at Joel for not having sex
>with her booze-sodden bod, she was protecting herself from her own feelings
>that he had somehow rejected her.

Haven't you had experiences where someone's feelings were hurt and they
reacted somewhat irrationally?  This was the case for Maggie.  She doesn't
always have to do the rational or feministic pc thing, she's human (yes she's
a character on a tv show but you know what I mean) for godssake.  Also,
I have noticed that Maggie is usually the one who approaches Joel, to have 
a drink, to have dinner, to get it on.  She obviously is just not trusting
enough of him to let the relationship progress, and rightly perhaps in the
context that he has made it clear that he wants out of Cicely ASAP (hopefully
his impression of the town is changing).
The part about this show that did bother me however was the premise that
a woman has absolutely no idea afterward of whether she has had sex or not.
I didn't catch the writers for the show but I bet it wasn't written by a
woman for she would certainly know better.

Re fave shows: I just don't get the "fling" thing at all.  What's the 
attraction?  "It's not what you fling, the flings the thing"?  HUH?   
I just didn't get any feeling while watching the piano soar; no awe, 
no wonder, no excitement.  It just went up and came down.  Hmmm,
disappointment would sum up what I felt the best I guess.

Rather, tell me about the poignancy of watching Ed and Ruth Ann dance on
her future grave, OR double-up recalling the hilarious wit found in any of
Adam's appearances ("you're the poster child for the AMA for chrissakes"), 
OR expound on the perfect example of the timeless mystery, fulfillment 
and frustration of physical attraction as demonstrated by Joel and Maggie,

OR... wonder at the general ability of a community of people to interrelate
peacefully and in willingness to accept all the quirks, differences,
sadnesses, and joys of its inhabitants.  Now you're talking!!!

--Cea