Our Girl

[R4roger]

Anyone watching this drivel?
although slightly enjoyed the family dynamics going on last night, unfortunately DD's favourite programme and in fact Guardian seems to recommend it

Mandy, fanfic is fiction written by fans (started back inthe 60s with Star Trek fans writting their own stories and posting them to each other or printing them in fanzines. 50 Shades of Grey started out as a Twlight fanfic before the names were changed).

Anyway, there are now a few big archives for fanfiction on the web, Archive of Our Own (AO3) and fanfiction.net. Both are organised by genre/book/tv series etc, as well as having ratings so you can read PG or x-rated and everything in between. Not everyone puts their stuff on the archives and there are also various fanfic comms dotted about the next on various social media.

Quality can vary enormously but the very good stuff is very good

www.fanfiction.net/tv/Our-Girl/

Yes agree the quality definitely varies! Some is really very good - people writing with real skill. Some is totally diabolical.

Ps Issy that's interesting - I had no idea it was that old a concept.

Oooh, thank you

Ben Aldridge is not really my thing, much prefer Smurf personally

itssooofluffy

YAAAS!
shall we start a Smurf appreciation thread

Thanks Issy , loving the links. This one was my favourite fanfic, dark, but IMO perfectly written. Very new, so hope the linky stuff works...

Jesus, just realised that the last time I got this hot under the collar moist in other regions was Christian Slater in Pump up the volume..

Neverletgojack... Definitely think a Smurf appreciation thread is well overdue!

Naaaaaa, there is no game between the two! For a start, Smurf talks and talks, promises to be there for Molly, to support/protect etc...and then regularly gets her in danger ;-)
It would be like choosing her dad! Good, but also good for nothing most of the time

This series is driving me mad, the screenplay is lacking under so many points of view, there are plenty of inconsistencies on the plot and characters...BUT it's also intriguing and well acted. I am puzzled by the message, anyway- if it was meant (indirectly) to attract more women in the army by depicting their positive contribution etc...well, Molly is doing the opposite! Female messes up with team hormones, pushes men in conflict within the team, disobeys orders and its only by accident that she contributes to the cause (it's not like she pointed Badrai out like a Taliban from day one- she just stumbled upon him!)
Mah

Anyway
Tomorrow night ill make sure to have big pile of ironing and perfect excuse to watch tv without hubby or kids in the way. And hope both Molly and James stay in the army. And that Quaseem adopts Bashira, gives her good education, keeps in contact with M+J and lives happily ever after :-)

(Ie, shooting scene in episode 4- Molly realises that Badrai is in the truck dressed as woman. What does she do? She turns her back and run in the opposite direction like a scared chicken! Why would a soldier do that?? She warns the others via radio- she should have kept her rifle pointed at him! :-)

Cherin I agree with you. The first one off episode was like an army recruitment film it was so positive about women in the army and how you can change your life etc. I love this one just because I'm a soppy romantic but it's not a good endorsement of women serving on the front line at all. At a time where it's being debated whether to lift the ban on women serving in the infantry and cavalry it's a really bad message to be sending I think. DH is infantry and is dubious about letting women in for many of these reasons (and he is absolutely not a sexist in any way). This doesn't do much to change people's minds on that front.

BUT - I put aside all of because I love it. I suppose it depends on how much viewers can see past the soppiness to realise that it's not actually like this in real life...

I think its quite positive actually. The realisation that the female is great at her job, brave, has kept up with the boys physically etc. I think she didnt take the initiative on any of the relationship stuff.

Now, that's the feminist in me replying (can't help myself ;-)...but of course the female can keep up! That should be taken for granted :-)

(Sorry-40something mother of 2 here, working for 15 years in entirely male dominated industry. I just can't believe people are still surprised that I can do it. Wankers, as Molly would say :-)

Dunno. Not really convinced the message is entirely positive. But also soppy romantic so I keep on watching!!

No I meant that the characters didnt expect her to do it. Of course she can do it as someone who was known as Token Bird (no other girls) in her TA detachment.

To think I only watched the first episode of the series because I can't stand adverts and was recording Downton for later with a fast forward button at the ready!

Okay so the plotline seems to have been generated by a Mills and Boon robot, but who cares when it's decorated with Capt James?

@mandy214
how much does it relate to reality?

I never did an overseas tour and actually I wouldnt like to think a few years in the TA is remotely like anything like the scenario / issues / day to day life they're trying to depict as regulars serving in a war zone. But the banter / male - female expectation is quite realistic in my (limited) experience (albeit not infantry). And I kinda like it for that.

But I mainly like it for the (completely unrealistic) love story - and am typing this in the Nespresso shop at the Trafford Centre

Talking of the Nespresso shop - has anyone else noticed the crazy product placement in the series?? I thought the BBC wasn't allowed to show/use brand names?

Obviously the Nespresso mentions, and also one of the section asks Molly to get "Sensodyne toothpaste, the one that dentists recommend" when she does on R&R. Seriously??! Thought this was a massive BBC no-no?

Plus Primark boxer shorts and massive jar of Marmite requests!

OK Ladies, we are agreed that realism and continuity are in the realms of dodgy. However, as we have also all agreed regular eyeballing of Captain James is becoming one of life's necessities. So having moved on from fanfic to fanvids, I have posted this for those of you who haven't seen it.

Ooh he is my age! It's a sign. He is MINE

He is bloody gorgeous

Sorry suchsweet, I'm pretty sure it's me an older woman he needs.