It's Wednesday

[farad.livejournal.com]

So - I'm missing Ms Sara and her discussions (hope she's having a *great* time on the trail and comes back with lots to report!), so I decided to just throw out a few questions here in hopes of garnering a little more insight into a few things in season one.

Question one - anyone know what color Lydia's eyes are (from "Working Girls")?  I did a search on Katy Boyer but I haven't found any kind of bio!

Question two - At what point does Vin stop calling Mary "Mrs. Travis" and start calling her "Mary" - is it in Season one?  And on a similar note - when does Mary start calling Chris "Chris" and not "Mr. Larabee"?  She does, I think, call him "Mr. Larabee" in "Safecracker" - but I think they're also a little pissed at each other (It's in the scene where he's chastising her for not telling them that the prisoner was a woman).  Or do they interchange the names and titles based on their attitude when they're talking to each other?

Question three - Josiah and Maude - yes or no?  We all know he's 'penniless' (thank you, Ezra), but do you think there's something there anyway?

Question four - "Working Girls" closes with Nathan and Buck riding out of town; "Safecracker" opens with Nathan and Buck picking up "the prisoner" - how closely were the two eps set?  Do we (okay, do *you* guys) know if the first season is supposed to be completely contiguous?  Are the eps supposed to be tight in terms of time line?

Thanks!!!

Comments

[magicom.livejournal.com]

Wow, what a great conversation starter - I hope lots paticipate. I've been a Mag7 fan for a while, but I'm new to LJ, so I just found some of these communities.

I think Maude and Josiah have MAD chemistry, but I don't think she'd give up her gold-digging lifestyle to settle down with a penniless philosopher, no matter how much she liked him. She's essentially selfish. I know she helps out sometimes, and as much as I absolutely adore Maude, she's not the nicest person. I mean, her only child achieved his life's dream of owning a bar and she stomped it into the ground and crushed it and then spit on it for good measure. And her airy explanation was that she felt he needed to be challenged to be kept sharp. Smack of BS to anyone else? I think she doesn't want him getting too comfortable in that town. She doesn't approve of his lifestyle there and for him to settle in there with a saloon of his own - he'd never leave! (LOVE that episode, btw - especially when she comes in to yell at him for losing their contest so badly and he tells her off). At any rate, settling down isn't her thing and settling down with someone like Josiah even less so. I think she does like him though. Especially by the time The Trial comes around - telling him that if he tells a story like that he'll have no problems didn't gain her anything. I think she was sincerely being nice to him just out of liking him.

As for the other questions.... not sure! :) I guess I'll have to watch the whole series again... it's a dirty job, but... well, you know the rest ;)

I got my season 2 DVDs this past weekend and I'm LOVING THEM!

[farad.livejournal.com]

Thank *You* for answering! I love Josiah and Maude - and I think that they do have something, even if it's not constant. I can see her coming back to town to see Ez - but also to see Josiah. In fact, I'd love to see some stories where someone other than Ez - Oh, say JD or Buck, catches the two of them inflagrante, then has anguish about telling Ez to he - whichever - ends up telling all the others and drawing them into knowledge they don't want. Vin, of course (*of course*!) would say it's nobody's business not even Ez's, Chris would say that but hemhaw about not telling Ez, and poor sweet Nathan would be worried about Josiah's sanity. Maybe. Or maybe not. he would definitely be worried about Ez shooting Josiah for taking Maude "off the game" (even if he really wasn't) because Nathan already thinks Ez is all about the money. . . . Ohh - what *fun*!!!!

Hmm - hmmmmmmm . . . . .

[cougarcat.livejournal.com]

(New here so giving a quick hello.)
Q1 & Q2 I don't know but it gives me something to watch for.

Q3 Josiah and Maude. (I'm only through Wagon Train 2 but this is what I see so far.) I think that Josiah is to Maude what Buck is to the 'working girls'.

Maude is 'Complicated'. It's one of the things that I love about her character. She's many things but Mary Sue she's not. Life has not always treated her nice but she not only survived she succeeded in what she set out to do. She is highly intelligent and independent in a period of history where women were considered to be ornaments and possessions. Finding herself alone with a young son she figured out how to use this to her advantage. Men pay her for the privilege of her company whether it's at the gaming tables, the boardroom or an expensive party. Every time she sees one she's sizing up a potential source of income, figuring out the best facade to use to get what she wants. Ezra seems to be well aware that he really isn't that different from Buck as far as where he comes from. The only real difference is that Maude makes more and takes off before ending up on her back.

Josiah knows all this about her but where most people would look down on her he respects and admires her. While he can be a bit blind to a woman's darker nature he knows. He also looks at the man Ezra is and knows that there's more to her than the con.

Maude sees a man that is hansom, has manners and is educated, capable of intelligent conversations. He's widely traveled and entertaining. She doesn't have to pretend with him to conform to what he wants because he values her for what she already is. She can be smart and honestly laugh at his jokes and stories. She can genuinely enjoy his company.

I can see Maude rationalizing her relationship with Josiah despite his lack of assets by telling herself that she's cultivating a source of information about Ezra and possibly a form of protection for him.

Q4 Not entirely sure but I thought there was some time between the two episodes. I was thinking that the reason Mary Travis was helping to sponsor Terry Greer was because of Wickes opening her eyes to some of the harsh realities of the average woman while he had her tied up in that tent. Terry would have been considered just as bad if not worse than a working girl back then. As much as everyone seems to write Mary as being a prude and looking down on the working girls I've only seen it in the one episode and she had no trouble letting Lydia help her after that scene.

[seremela2.livejournal.com]

Alright, NOW it has to work to answer here, since I can answer elsewhere again. My I don't know how maniest attempt.

Cougarcat, like farad I love your ideas about Buck and Ezra coming, in a way, from the same background! I never, ever thought about that, but it is sort of true, isn't it? Ezra with, and Buck without the pretentions *g*. Oh, yes, it certainly could explain why they have such an easy way with each other, like you suggest, farad. On the other hand, Buck has an easy way with almost everyone, he's one loveable fella, that's for sure.

And I love what you say about Mary and the working girls too, cougarcat, another one I would never have thought about, but that makes a lot of sense. Like you say Mary isn't a prude in any of the other episodes at all. She stands up for Indians, she defies the marshal in The New Law by drinking straight from a bottle (to make a point, sure, but it is a point against the narrow minded ideas of the man about women, after all). I like the idea that first her talk with Nora and then her experience as Wickes prisoner might have something to do with that.

[farad.livejournal.com]

LOL - I *love* your statement that Maude is 'complicated' - that she is, that she is.

And a really interesting perspective on Buck and Ezra - it rather explains why, as I have noticed in rewatching the eps about a gazillion times - they get along so well. I found that in my writing, I kept having the two of them understand each other inthe same way that they do in "Manhunt" and "Safecracker" among others - they have a sort of rapport that isn't as intense as Chris and Vin's (of course) but it certainly moreso than one would expect from two strangers who had just met. and yes, the idea that they share a certain heritage is good. Excellent observation!

And also about her reasons for cultivating a relationship with Josiah - interesting! I agree - he would be someone who would appeal to her on a personal level and also on the level of helping her keep up with Ez. And Josiah would also know and appreciate that he was being used that way and play it as he had to.

And I especially like your idea that Mary is helping out Terry because of her own newly-gleaned awareness from "Working Girls" - that's an awesome idea. I find that in my own writing, I have to be careful because I find Mary to be . . .inconsistent in characterization in the eps. She grates on me at times (not the least of which are the times she's going after Chris who has been pre-ordained to be with Vin, of course, my slash glasses never lie to *me*)and I really like your idea that she's learned something from her "Working Girls" adventure and is trying to give something back. 'Course, it also like the idea that she's helping out a woman - but not letting her stay in Four Corners! ("Sorry, Terry, this town ain't big enough for too many single women with kids who might draw Chris Larabee's attention - you gotta go. bad enough I can't get rid of the mangy tracker . . . ")

Great thoughts!!! Think some more - I need inspiration!!!

[farad.livejournal.com]

OOHHH - and welcome aboard to you both!! I'm reasonably new myself and this is a GREAT place to find swell people with lots of great thoughts on the show and the characters - you guys are a fantastic and insightful addition!!! Yea!!!

Now if I can just get my *most wonderful beta* here (Yeah, you know who you are . . . )