Nathan Young: My New Anti-Superhero

[falafel_musings]

I've been noticing a pattern in my fandoms. I often have a favourite guilty pleasure character. You know, the sort of character that you shouldn't like, but absolutely do. For me it's usually a character who is established as the most annoying, amoral or despicable character on the show, yet I find them irresistable and brilliant. This is the part of me that loves Gaius Baltar (BSG), Pete Campbell (Mad Men) and Sue Sylvester (Glee). Maybe it's because these characters are so self-possessed in their awfulness that they impress me? Maybe it's because you can only enjoy these characters in fiction because they wouldn't be tollerable in real life? As most of you know I've a new pleasure, Nathan Young (Misfits). Since this show & character has eaten my brain, I may as well celebrate it with a big picture & meta Nathan-spam in tribute to his appalling wonderfulness.     

For non-Misfits fans on my flist...do you have a favourite guilty pleasure character?

 

My Top 10 Favourite Nathan Moments (with Meta)
 

10) "Who are WE to condemn them?!" (1x1)

The scene where Nathan tells his elaborate lie about Tony and Gary doing it doggy style in the toilets, complete with humping gestures and orgasm recreation, was the first time his character almost killed me with laughter. It's one of those funny moments that's so wrong it's right. The ASBO five have just buried Tony and Gary under the bridge and Sally has just made an emotive speech about how their families are worried over their disappearence. It couldn't be a more inappropriate and disrespectful time for Nathan to launch into this crass performance. It's in bad taste moments like this that I'm in awe of Robert Sheehan's willingness to throw himself into the shameless vulgarity of Nathan's character. And I love the way Nathan sagely advises Curtis and Simon not to say anything if they are asked any questions. I have to wonder if Nathan has some form of undignosed ADHD because he immediately seems to forget his own assertions and gets distracted by his impulsive need to fill up any silences available to him. Admittedly I get a kick out of most moments when Nathan says or does something randomly obscene; Nathan's absurd striptease & sun-lotion lathering scene, Nathan demonstating his failed attempt at self-fellatio, Nathan describing what "tripling" is, etc, were all considered for this list (no, seriously). But it's the original Nathan grossgasm that I love the most. 





9) "And that boys and girls is how to shoot yourself in the head..." (2x6)

One of my regrets about discovering Nathan's power so late is that I don't think S2 fully explores the emotional complexities of Nathan's immortality and how it works as an extention of his personality as they did with the other four characters in S1. However I was rather captivated by the sick twisted concept of Nathan becoming a snuff movie star and shooting himself in the head on Live TV for the pleasure of the viewing public. Nathan has always been an attention whore but there's something especially depraved about him blithely agreeing to blow his brains out for the sake of fame and fangirls. It's scary how quickly Nathan becomes corrupted by celebrity and happy to go along with Laura's perverse exploitation. In an earlier S2 episode Nathan had ideas about joining the circus and letting people throw knives at him. I have to wonder if Nathan did go down this road wheher he would eventually start to feel a little disturbed and traumatised by all these violent showcases of his death? Just as Alisha's power is only exhibited in acts of rape, Nathan's power can only be exhibited in situations where he is violently killed. I feel like the show hasn't quite done justice to the dark side of Nathan's regeneration powers yet. Like most fans I'm hoping that Nathan buys back his original power in S3.     





8) "Oh, just kiss me, you dick!" (2x3) 

This might not be the most popular choice, but I adore Nathan and Kelly's little sexfail scene. Firstly I love the way it was deliberately placed after Alisha/Superhoodie's epic idealised super sex. As always Nathan and Kelly's characters bring the show back to its grubby reality with a sexual fumble that is so messy and awkward, but so endearingly juvenile. Even though this scene goes against shipper expectations, I admire it for staying true to the characters and their issues. Context is important here. At the start of 2x3 Kelly hears Curtis thinking that she and Nathan would never work as a couple. Vince tells Kelly she doesn't want to be with a prick like Nathan too. Kelly herself is insecure about why she and Nathan haven't got it together yet, so much so that she briefly thinks Nathan might be gay. If there's one thing we know about Kelly it's that she gets upset and paranoid over other people's judgements and people were judging Kelly and Nathan's potential relationship before they'd even given it a chance. So when Kelly reciprocates Nathan's advances, I think she is trying to prove something; to herself and to others. However, Nathan doesn't share in any of Kelly's concerns. Nathan has never cared what people think of him. He fancies Kelly, he respects her, he chooses her in 'eenie meanie' even after she loses to a prettier girl. Nathan knows what he wants and so when Kelly finally gives him the greenlight he gets a little...giddy. We've seen from his other sex scenes that Nathan is frantic and blundering in bed. Which is fine if the girl is up for it (Ruth and Marnie certainly were), but with Kelly being more cautious and mindful of people's criticisms, Nathan's clumsy careless foreplay was an understandable buzzkill.        





7) "These chicken nuggets are cooked to perfection." (1x5)

Whether you love Nathan or hate him, I think it's universal that every Misfits fan would like to feed him. We are reminded in almost every episode that Nathan is skinny starving homeless kid, living off whatever empty calorie junk food he can scavenge from vending machines. A plate of chicken nuggets with alphabet spaghetti isn't the most gourmet (or nutrious) meal, but Kelly offering to cook Nathan tea was a really heart-warming gesture. It's only a brief scene but I like how it shows another side to the Nathan/Kelly dynamic. Maybe it's moments like this which lead Kelly to say that sex with Nathan feels like she's doing it with her cousin? Kelly's relationship with Nathan is often very familial. She's like a tough big sister who slaps Nathan when he's mouthing off, but is also protective of him, making sure that he has enough to eat and sitting with him to check he's okay after he dies again. Often Nathan is too proud to allow other people to see his vulnerabilities, but he can't do that with Kelly. All his thoughts and emotions are naked to her, due to her telepathy. Nathan is even more exposed after being psychologically manipulated by Baby Finn and consequently revealing his issues over his father not being around. Kelly seems to be the only one who notices Nathan's loneliness and lack of family, so it's sweet to see Kelly adopting Nathan like a stray puppy and Nathan accepting her kindless with minimal piss-taking.       





6) "It breaks my heart...you're wearing cardigans!" (1x6)

I know some fans would probably rank this moment higher. Personally I found Nathan's rooftop speech a little rambling and overwritten, but the sentiment of the speech was the perfect thematic climax to S1. The whole purpose of community service is to reform young offenders into useful moral members of society. The Virtue Cult were just a more extremist group trying to enforce the same thing. Nathan's very first line in 'Misfits' is to argue that maybe some people are just born criminals. In Nathan's speech he goes further to say that it's in the nature of young people to be stupid, reckless and rebellious. I like that 1x6 is the episode that reveals that Nathan's surname is 'Young' on his coffin lid; a name that reflects his immortality and how Nathan will pressumably be 'forever young', but also how Nathan embodies an invincible spirit of youth. He is the anti-hero preaching about amoral anti-social behaviour, but he's also fighting for free will by trying to put an end to a virtuous society ruled by conformity, repression and groupthink. This is one of the many scenes on the show where Nathan does something redeeming, but his efforts turn out to be futile. The only person listening to Nathan's speech who'll remember it is Simon, who is watching on the roof, cloaked by his invisibility. Earlier in the episode, Simon had refused to save Nathan, but after this speech Simon rushes to catch Nathan's hand and later makes a video tribute to Nathan's obnoxious antics which he shares with Kelly. If Nathan achieves nothing else by the end of S1 he at least convinces two people (Kelly and Simon) to look past his annoying behaviour and think fondly of him.      





5) "We could just cuddle." (2x3)

One of my favourite aspects of S2 (which I found entertaining but conceptually inferior to S1) was the emerging bromance between Nathan and Simon. There's lots of charming little moments between these two in the most recent episodes, but Nathan falling in love with Simon under the spell of the heart tattoo was so hilarious and endearing. When the Misfits characters are under the influence of someone else's power, it's almost like they are drunk. They are prone to revealling things about themselves that they would prefer to keep secret. Just as Nathan being manipulated by the baby's power revealled his real desire for a family, Nathan being manipulated by his heart tattoo reveals that he does have a soft spot for Simon. Nathan has always teased and harassed Simon, but I think it's true that Nathan finds it easier to ridicule people than admit that he likes them. With the love spell these feelings manifest in Nathan wanting to spend an intimate evening with Simon, then kissing him and attempting to deflower him. I love that Simon is mortified, but later amused by Nathan being in love with him. In early episodes, Simon was hurt by Nathan's taunts because of his own experiences with school bullying. I don't think it's until S2 Simon starts to realise that Nathan's bark is worse than his bite. Nathan isn't some cool popular kid who can look down on Simon, because Nathan is just as lonely and anti-social in an extroverted way as Simon is lonely and anti-social in an introverted way. It's funny that Nathan references the Jerry MaGuire quote "He completes me!" because Simon/Nathan really do complete each other.       
 




4) "Don't fuck a wounded bear!" (2x2)

I find any scene with Dexter Fletcher as Nathan's dad really compelling viewing, because whoa...this bit of father/son casting could not be more spot on. As one critic said if 'Misfits' had been written 25 years ago, Dexter Fletcher would be playing Nathan. I know that not every fan enjoys Nathan's daddy issues, but the two actors are always so great together. And I always like my 'Misfits' best when the social commentary comes first and the superpower stuff comes second. Nathan meeting his half-brother Jamie who was also abandoned by their father gave Nathan a reason to call his dad out on his shitty parenting. He could go mad at him on Jamie's behalf as a veiled way of expressing his own disappointments. Jamie's death is really just a metaphor for the loss of Nathan's own relationship with his father and by extension the loss of his childhood innocence. The IKEA paedophile story was a great bit of character history. A lesser writer would probably have just gone with a "Nathan was sexually abused as a child and that's why he's such a screwed up person now" explanation. I like that Nathan wasn't actually molested, he was just hurt that some sleazy stranger cared about him more than his dad did. And I love that Nathan is still holding a grudge over this and is only prepared to let his dad buy him breakfast. I really hope this storyline isn't forgotten in S3. As hilarious as Robert Sheehan can be,his dramatic acting was woefully underused in S2.





3) "It should have been a complete car crash. But it wasn't." (1x6)

This is the most romantic scene of 'Misfits' for me. I don't find the Simon/Alisha story even nearly as appealing since their love is based around Simon having to change into a better version of himself for Alisha. This moment is all about Nathan telling Kelly that admires her for exactly who she is and that he doesn't want her to change. It's tragic because Kelly is too brainwashed to appreciate what Nathan is saying to her. As always Nathan finds his decency only when it is too late. But even though Nathan's compliments fall on deaf ears, it's such a great moment to see in a UK show. The "chav" stereotype is viewed with such distain by British society that it's become a form of social racism. It's so sad to see Kelly internalising that snobbery and saying how horrible she was. But it's so refreshing to hear Nathan sticking up for Kelly and saying how much he liked her attitude, how much he repects her for slapping him, how he is attracted to her in spite of how Kelly's appearence is judged and degraded. I loved the final sad remark of "It was you and now you're not...you" and Nathan tenderly kissing Kelly on the cheek only to be told his kiss is really inappropriate. It's this scene that gives me hope for Nathan/Kelly in the future because Kelly has feelings for Nathan too and yet she hasn't even seen the best side of him.    





2) "Girl...you'll be a woman soon." (1x2)

The Nathan/Ruth story in 1x2 is fucking amazing. It's my favourite single episode arc tied with the Simon/Sally story in 1x5 and I'd say it features the best 'Misfits' use of music so far. The song 'Girl, you'll be a woman soon' couldn't have been a more perfect choice for this story in the way that it's about sexual awakening, but also about aging. I realised Misfits was a ballsy little show when its second episode featured a teenage boy having sex with an 82 year old woman, but the thing that I respected the most was that this story wasn't just used for shock value. Okay, so it's the most startling sex scene twist since 'The Crying Game', but just like that film there is a lovely tender relationship story woven around the shocking reveal. The first up-tempo version of the song is just lots of fun with Nathan/Ruth romping on the stair lift and Ruth giggling at Nathan's cum face. But the second slower version just gave me chills. I didn't really blame Nathan for running out on Ruth in horror after he saw her true appearence. Ruth was wrong to lie and seduce a boy young enough to be her grandson. But this story isn't really about who was the wronged party. It's about how Nathan and Ruth came together because they were lonely. Nathan needed to spend time with a wise caring adult who could offer him some guidance and Ruth needed to spend time with a rebellious kid so that she could drink, shag, misbehave and be young again. When Nathan comes to say sorry he finds Ruth dead in her armchair, once again showing his decent side only when it's too late. It's such an eerie moment when Nathan reaches the end of Ruth's photo album and keeps flicking through the blank black pages. I think he's searching for the photo that him and Ruth took together, at which point the song chims in with "The boy's no good..." suggesting that Ruth chose not to place Nathan with her other fond memories. And even though it's too late for Nathan to make amends with Ruth, I love how her death moves him to stop driving away his mother's boyfriends because he doesn't want her to be alone too.

 



1) "I got done for eating some pic-n-mix." (1x4)

I've chosen Nathan's pic-n-mix conviction as my favourite moment, because it's comic, tragic and iconic all at the same time. I really liked getting glimses at the character's original crimes and seeing them as young offenders before they gained their superpowers. As a British person, I can tell you...I have seen teenagers getting in trouble with the police for the same shit as Nathan pulls at the bowling alley. Young people like Nathan are the reason ASBO's were introduced in my country. He doesn't get arrested for stealing a handful of sweets. He gets arrested for being Nathan. His very personality is criminalized. And yes, Nathan was being a intollerable mouthy twat as usual, but the way the security guards respond by pinning Nathan to the floor was equally ridiculous. So I really get a kick out of Nathan faking an epileptic fit and Bev stupidly falling for it, followed by Nathan running down the bowling lanes and trying to escape behind the skittles. But the later scenes in Bev's office give such a sad realistic context to Nathan's behaviour. I think the majority of ASBO kids act the way they do due to neglectful parenting and bad role models. Nathan's dad calling him a wanker and Bev giggling over it was the perfect dark irony, because these older men are both wankers themselves. I think all Nathan's exploits at the bowling alley were mostly cries for attention, because he went there alone with no friends and his mother was off in Spain with her boyfriend. Nathan teased Bev about his name because mockery is his way of communicating but I dont think Nathan really means it mean-spiritedly. And even though he tries to hide it, Nathan can be hurt by the meanness of others which is why Bev scoffing about Nathan's poor relationship with his dad causes him to seal his own fate by staple gunning Bev's hand. Nathan actually chooses to be a bad kid and a criminal because he's got nothing else to aspire to.   

Comments

[janie-tangerine.livejournal.com]

Are flat-out villains included? XD Because in the case, my forever number one is Randall Flagg. (That, until Dark Tower VII, but let's not just remember that one.) Mostly in The Stand, but damn if I didn't have a serious thing for him also in the DT stuff that doesn't count that lousy bit I mentioned earlier. If we're talking about less OMG BAD people, then probably my favorite would be Rorschach in Watchmen. Or well, he's an utter psycho with not many opinions that I could share (especially considering what kind of newspapers he reads), but I think that I like that while you might think he's amoral he actually is the most moral one in that entire comic. Psycho or not. Also he's most definitely the most interesting, which I guess is why I have a serious thing for him character-wise. (Tbh I think that pretty much every character in Watchmen qualifies to be a guilty pleasure since they're supposed to be superheroes and they're all flawed in some way, from slightly to utterly fucked. Heck, the Comedian was my second-favorite and he's as bad as Rorschach if not worse.) And just for the sake of saying someone from a TV show, Al from Deadwood. If I ever loved a despicable character on a show that was him, but the acting was so good and the character was so compelling that I just couldn't not. In RL I'd probably hate all three of my options, that's so true.

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

Gah! I loved Rorschach too. Excellent choice, he's a great anti-hero. Flat-out villians are included too especially if we are talking about Stephen King characters. Annie Wilkes has always been one of my favourites. Personally I had a guilty liking for Harold in 'The Stand' not to mention Percy in 'The Green Mile'. What is it about nasty weaselly characters that I love? As you say it often comes down to which character is the most interesting.

Oh and if you like flawed fucked up superheroes I really have to recommend 'Misfits' to you. That's what the whole show is about. I think you'd like it.

[geekbynight.livejournal.com]

Aww, I loved reading this. I have a soft spot for Nathan that developed with the Nathan/Ruth story and now I do love him. These moments each capture a different side of Nathan. It's great to see you in this fandom!

As a side note I didn't know you weren't a Simon/Alisha shipper. It's interesting to read your thoughts on them. I've thought about that same aspect of their relationship as well and I think part of the reason that it doesn't bother me as much as it might is my Bipolar Disorder. It's weird but, I'm not the same person on medication as I am off(I suppose me being on medication is the "better version" of myself.) and honestly I feel my family loves me more when I'm on medication than off whereas my friends are the opposite. I know that's not the same exactly with Simon and Alisha but the only real difference I noticed between Future Simon and current Simon was more self confidence. I don't think they really gave Future Simon much of a personality. I'm not sure it woule be bad for current Simon to have that but I definitley see what you're talking about. Actually I think Alisha's going about her relationship with Simon the wrong way. I was under the impression that Simon would grow as a person while he was with Alisha, not before he was with Alisha. I think that's going to be a problem for them the third season. She's trying to make him into Future!Simon now(who I think is the adult version of Simon whereas current Simon is still a teenager)but that's a growth Simon has to take on his own, and one that won't happen overnight.

Eh, sorry for the rambling and all the edits. Your posts tend to bring out real thinky thoughts for me.

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

The Nathan/Ruth story was so good! I can't stop rewatching that episode.

I'm not really meaning to bash Simon/Alisha, just show how the Nathan/Kelly relationship is often used to contrast it on the show. I mostly disliked SuperHoodie/Alisha, because UGH...I hated SuperHoodie and everything he brought to the story. However now that the story has shifted to real!Simon/Alisha, it's much more interesting and flawed too. I liked in the Christmas episode how Simon gets an inferiority complex over SuperHoodie and called Alisha out saying "You'll always love him more than me." It does seem like Simon's being used as a substitute. My main issue has always been that I don't want Simon to change because I love his character as a flawed little weirdo. It'd be the same if a heroic future Nathan character came along. I just like the Misfits characters being anti-social delinquents. It really appeals to me!

[elliotsmelliot.livejournal.com]

Really? I thought your guilty pleasure were the underestimated atypical, sometimes earnest, doomed heroes! Gaeta...Charlie...

Or are those just an example one of your "types" and guilty pleasures are characters you should be ashamed for cheering on? If so I don't think you should feel guilty about your choices at all! They are pretty awesome.

For me, Pete is far from the most despicable character on the show. I would rank Roger, Don, Kinsey and sometimes even Betty as much more despicable than Pete. Same with Gaius - he was a cowardly and selfish, but on BSG everyone got there chance to be ugly...except Helo! From the little Glee I saw, Sue was delightfully entertaining and so much more fun than anyone in the Glee Club.

I know in sitcoms, my guilty pleasures are the lovable losers like Andy on the Office, Jeffster on Chuck, the Dean on Community or Jerry on Parks and Rec. In dramas I know I tend to like the peripheral anti-hero like Krycek on X-Files who (as a guilty pleasure pastime) I try to make the hero in my head. All there are the shallow guilty pleasures like men with accents!

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

I do have a thing for doomed characters though it's not much of a 'pleasure' because those characters put me through a lot of grief. Nathan actually fits my doomed type too. He's died four times on Misfits. Luckily he's immortal so his doom is easier to take!

I think thing with Pete and Gaius is that I liked them from the start. In S1 of Mad Men at least Pete was portrayed as the weasily villian of the show. I agree that since S1 other characters have been shown as more despicable where as Pete has actually grown up and become oddly admirable. Pete will always be Pete but now he's a more successful capable Pete (Also, I have to ask...what's your beef with Kinsey? I know he's a pretentious douche but I always found him one of the more harmless MM characters).

It's kind of the same with Gaius. He redeemed himself a little in S4 while other characters got worse, but they didn't really change the essence of his character, which was great. I guess I don't feel guilty for cheering these characters on. I'm just aware that I excuse a lot of henious behaviour from them, because I find them so awesome and entertaining.

Aww, now I wish I watched these shows you are talking about! Would you count Richard Alpert as one of your peripheral anti-hero types? He seems to fit the bill.

[daybreak777.livejournal.com]

I think my favorite guilty pleasure characters were two: Faith on Buffy and Ares on Xena: Warrior Princess. They were both supposed to be bad and evil. But I loved them. :-) Faith, I liked because her story was supposed to be a redemption storyline, like Angel. Except for one thing: she didn't want to be redeemed. She thought the power she had as a slayer and killing people was fun. She didn't care. "Want, take, have" was her motto. But she did it with style and attitude. I admit a tiny bit of me wanted her to be redeemed and sensed a struggle in there, but I kind of loved that while on Buffy she didn't get redeemed. Why does everyone have to have a heart of gold? Or a heart at all?

I liked some of your moments about Nathan here. I love to hear him say the word, "cardigan". :-) Hee. I liked the Nathan/Kelly sex attempt too. Because, well, they tried and they were still them. And I love when he says, "So you're saying after all these weeks build-up we're not even going to shag?" Hee! Great question about TV relationships across the ages.

Thanks for linking to the clip of Vicky Pollard of a few weeks ago. I'll never look at the pick-n-mix scene the same after that. Ah, Nathan. He needs his own criminal code: Being Nathan. Under that code there is Driving While Nathan, Kidnapping with a Water Pistol, Disturbing the Peace with the Nathan Mouth, etc. That mouth. But gosh, he and the show simply wouldn't be the same without it.

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

I've not watched Buffy (I'm considering it) but I have seen bits of the Faith character and she does look pretty awesome.

I love how Nathan says "cardigan" too. And the way he says "bar" and "heart" anything with a strong "ar" sound is great in an Irish accent.

He needs his own criminal code: Being Nathan. Under that code there is Driving While Nathan, Kidnapping with a Water Pistol, Disturbing the Peace with the Nathan Mouth, etc.

Lol. I was posting at Misfits fic last week and there are loads of stories labelled with 'Warnings: Nathan being Nathan' along with the usual warnings for sex, violence, death, etc. It's just funny that this character can be seen a possible offensive trigger just by being himself.

Oh and sorry for locking that post. I forgot to reopen it. I think I locked it at the time because I was getting too many responses to answer on another topic so I was just trying to slow things down.

[ever-neutral.livejournal.com]

Okay. Clearly I need to watch Misfits right now. I already love Robert Sheehan, and Nathan pretty much looks like he will be my new favourite person. Also since all the other characters you listed above are MY FAVOURITE CHARACTERS TOO, I am expecting to have the same opinion here as well.

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

Misfits is a great show and not a huge commitment (only 13 episodes so far) so I do think you should check it out. Aside from Nathan being a great character (I love Kelly and Simon too!) Robert Sheenan is the most exciting young actor I've seen since watching Joseph Gordon Levitt in 'Mysterious Skin'. Give it 2 or 3 more years and I think he's going to be a huge star.

[lenina20.livejournal.com]

this post is absolutely breathtaking. wow - amazing meta on an amazing character and a show that seems ten times more amazing when it's you analyzing it. this show has inspired such huge quantities of third-rate meta that reading this is much more then refreshing. It's inspiring. It makes me hopeful. And proud to be a frequent reader of your journal, really. I love every moment you picked, and every word you wrote about them.

S2 (which I found entertaining but conceptually inferior to S1)

Of course. I completely agree - and your arguments here explained clearly why. The way you analyzed the season 1 finale is very eloquent, really. That episode was about ASBO, and it was about society imposing a moral code, and it was about how this show exposes everything that is wrong in that ethical frame and those moral values which support it. And it did it in a way that was terrifying and so tragic - the way he does die for it. Really - amazing.

Nathan and Kelly are true perfection. In Spain, we have the equivalent of 'chav' very clearly defined too. It is rejected by snobbery and prejudice (and I am not inocent with regards to this) so, for me, watching Kelly, falling for her, and watching Nathan fall for her and stick up for her... it was as inspiring and revealing and this wonderful post by you.

and yes - 'bad' characters. lol. Baltar is my favourite BSG character. Sue is the only thing that works in Glee when everything else fails. I told you this show was Nathan, didn't I? Also ´- you don't need to hear any more about my feelings on Pete Fucking Campbell.

So I get the feeling, really ;);) You know I do.

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

I love metaing about Misfits because it's a show that really makes sense to me, so I like to deconstruct and analysis it. I've been looking for other meta discussions, but apart from your own great post about Misfits morality and daybreaks entries, it's hard to find big fan discussions that aren't about Simon/Alisha. But awww, thanks for your kind words. I'm proud to be a reader of your journal too!

S2 Misfits is still very entertaining, pacey and fun, but it felt a little more like a typical zany teen fantasy show than S1. It was a bit more Buffy-ish. In S2 the powers and the freak-of-the-week characters are used more often for action/adventure plots where as S1 was based more on emotional stories and social commentary. Stories like Simon/Sally & Nathan/Ruth, Curtis regreting his one mistake, Kelly feeling judged and lashing out with agression, Alisha using her sexuality as a weapon and having it used against her, etc...I found all these arcs really well-conceived. And the slow Nathan/Kelly development was a nice undercurrent that held S1 together. The sudden pre-destined epicness of Alisha/Superhoodie was far less subtle and it didn't really feel true to the S1 values. I'm a bit worried that towards the end of S2 Nathan was just being used for comic relief (and Kelly was just being sidelined) when in S1 he is the voice of the show and the ASBO generation it represents.

I love how you always celebrate 'bad' characters and totally embrace their dark sides and find humanity in them, when a lot of other fans would just try to make excuses for their negative qualities. I don't think many fans like the badness as much as you do. I like your style.

[nicole-anell.livejournal.com]

You've convinced me I will love this character.

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

You would!! And I know a lot of BSG fans are loving Misfits. There's actually a BSG reference in the show.

[themirrorofsin.livejournal.com]

love lovce Nathan and you chose come brilliant moment.
I love 3 so much (plus I'm a shipper) and with that in mind I am also loving 2x01 when Nathan goes "I thought I'd never see her again" or something like that.
Nathan is great because he's crass - funny with it - but he also has some really heart-felt moments.

xD

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

I loved all Nathan & Kelly's conversations up in Nathan's community centre bedroom too. Thanks for reading!

[irelands.livejournal.com]

Number 3 was my number one favorite moment. :)
But these were all just amaaaazing!

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reading!

[scila.livejournal.com]

Loved your list, mine favorite moments also! I mean, every Nathan's scene is a good scene, but the ones you chose are my favorite too. And I agree with everything you said about Nathan's issues, Nathan/Kelly, and even Simon/Alisha :)
So thank you for this post! haha

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reading! There were a lot of favourite scenes I had to leave out too, like "Pure Mindless Vandalism!" and "Fuck me Santa."

[sourfacekitty.livejournal.com]

Number 2 and 1 could not be more perfect. You wrote down my exact sentiments for those two moments, as well as numbers 7, 6, 5, and 4. I'm saving this to my memories. :)

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

Yay! Glad you found it memorable.

[trovia.livejournal.com]

Have you ever watched Boston Legal? There's this character Alan Shore (see icon) who'd be right up your alley.

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

I haven't. But I do like most weirdo James Spader characters (have you seen 'The Secretary'?

[thisistay.livejournal.com]

This was amazing and you are amazing for writing it. Absolutely perfect post and great insight into a very complex character. I loved this!

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for reading!

[inferiarecoming.livejournal.com]

I pretty much agree with everything you said. The sex!fail scene with Kelly cracked me up beyond belief when I was watching it, especially when his hand got stuck in her pants. It was so awkward and real ♥

I just love Nathan to bits. He's such a flawed character, it's fascinating to watch him.

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

I thought the sex!fail scene might be unpopular because I thought most fans would want to see Nathan/Kelly have successful sex! But it was such a funny endearing moment. It was so very them.

Thanks for reading!

[salvadore-hart.livejournal.com]

This is brilliant. I especially liked what you had to say for your #4 (and I love that scene as well, it would be wonderful if Robert was able to do more serious bits like that - especially because the exchanges between the two Young men are so well done, both actors have excellent timing) loved when you said this: And I always like my 'Misfits' best when the social commentary comes first and the superpower stuff comes second. Nathan meeting his half-brother Jamie who was also abandoned by their father gave Nathan a reason to call his dad out on his shitty parenting. He could go mad at him on Jamie's behalf as a veiled way of expressing his own disappointments. Jamie's death is really just a metaphor for the loss of Nathan's own relationship with his father and by extension the loss of his childhood innocence.
And your take on Kelly and Nathan's inability to get together in S2 makes perfect sense. And I agree with your take on their relationship as being typically familial in tone, even though I adored that Nathan's compliments to her in the S1 finale, it's not shocking that they never seem to click (at the same time)

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

I really liked how the family issues in ep 2x2 were handled. There was no magical solution to Nathan's baggage with his father and his potential relationship with his brother was just cruelly ripped away. But the drugs and the exploding car was true of how many young people can lose their lives on a wild night out. Misfits often comes to tragic conclusions, especially in Nathan centred episodes, which always seem to end in death - either his own death or deaths of people he cares about (Ruth 1x2, Jamie 2x2, Kelly 2x6, etc). For such a funny character Nathan never gets happy endings.

[riddledfate.livejournal.com]

This is freaking perfect! I just got into Misfits (ok, I started watching it a couple of weeks ago and was done with it like 3 days later, lol) and I can't believe how ridiculously in love with the characters I am, but especially with Nathan. There's just something about him... Maybe it's just like you said, that you can only enjoy these characters in fiction because they aren't tollerable in real life, but whatever it is, I LOVE Nathan to bits and he cracks me up in every single episode. Also, I'm still rooting for Nathan/Kelly too ♥ Thanks for sharing this! :)

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

I got into Misfits just as recently and just as fast! I think with Nathan he's just wildly entertaining and compelling despite his intollerable personality. I'm definitely not giving up on Nathan/Kelly just yet.

[clayray3290.livejournal.com]

Brilliant. Great selection of moments and really well thought-out meta!

Thank you for sharing!!!

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reading!

[dkwrkm.livejournal.com]

Hello. I found this via misfitse4 and I really enjoyed the meta. Thank you. :D As an American, Misfits was the first time I ever even heard the term ASBO.

I really like the character of Nathan (I like them all) but it's interesting because I really didn't want to. I find that it's part of American culture to like even idealize crude, amoral white men. (The fact that he isn't idealized is precisely why I like Nathan.) I also think Nathan is developed at the expense of some of the other characters, which is a shame.

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

I'm always interested to hear how American fans react to the chav culture depicted on the show. I don't think Nathan is idealized at all. He's homeless and he's got an ASBO. That's enough to be considered vermin in British society (there are also plenty of negative stereotypes about the Irish in my country though these haven't been used on the show). I find it interesting that on Misfits the non-white characters often seem to have higher social status.

[sunnydlita.livejournal.com]

I love your analysis and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter!

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

Awww, thanks! Feel free to friend me if you want that subscription.

[othercrazything.livejournal.com]

wow, very interesting. Thanks for posting this! =)

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reading!

[shuffleduck.livejournal.com]

Not that long ago I came across your Pete Campbell posts and, even though I loved the character from episode one, your posts and intelligent exploration of his character are a very large part of what made me not only love him even more, but also not feel guilty about it, because finally I'd found someone who didn't think he was just a completely irredeemable weasel!

I always tend to like antagonistic/doomed/guilty-pleasure characters too, and so of course, when I got into Misfits a few weeks ago, Nathan automatically became my very favourite. I found this post via the Misfits comm and I nearly jumped when I saw it was you, and then I grinned, because finding a Nathan character-post by you has made my day!

I agree utterly with everything you've said; that's quite boring, but I really do. I particularly agree re: the lack of exploration of the darker elements/potential implications of Nathan's powers (because they would be so interesting! Possibly the most interesting negatives of any of their powers! And to see Robert Sheehan be allowed to do dark drama like that would be amazing). Your summation of why Simon and Nathan 'complete' and mirror each other is excellent, too, and yes!!! I'm so happy you adored the Nathan/Ruth episode, because it really has remained (along with the Sally/Simon one, also!) my favourite - I loved Ruth, I thought the actress was terrific, and her 'the only thing worse than being lonely...' quote echoed about my head for days afterwards.

I think S2 lacked in Nathan the fascinating complexity of his character's potential in many episodes because, as you say, he was so often just used for comic relief. Obviously, the writer loves writing for Nathan, but since his snappy one-liners are so tempting to get carried away with... in S2, where everything had to be bigger and better, that took precedence over the more nuanced personality he had in S1.

Anyway, I'll shut up now - but thank you for this post, it was brilliant.

(P.S: You like Mysterious Skin, too! Argh, I love you!)

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

Ooh, you like Nathan and Pete Campbell and Joseph Gordon Levitt? Can I friend you? I think we must be brain-twins seperated at birth. I only got into Misfits a few weeks ago too, right after the DVD boxset came out.

I think one of the main differences I found between S1 and S2 is that in the first series they expore the emotional side of the powers where as in the second series the powers are most often used for action & adventure storytelling (maybe this is due to an increased SFX budget?). So we get a lot of Nathan dying as part of the action but very little reflection on how dying and regenerating impacts on Nathan emotionally. You're right that the darker aspects of Nathan's power could be the darkest of all. I might have to write fanfic about this because it feels like a major gap in the show. And yes, I'd like to see more of Robert's dramatic acting. After 2x2 it seems like Nathan is used for comic relief 90% of the time. I understand why. Nathan is the show's best source of humour. But like you said, Nathan has more complexity with a balance of grit and jokes. Plus, I think Overman should attempt to give the other four characters more funny moments too.

I could talk endlessly about my love for the Nathan/Ruth and Simon/Sally stories. They were so dark, compelling and touching. I also have a lot of love for Nathan's relationships with Kelly, Simon and both his parents over the two seasons. I really hope these stories are continued in S3. I'm not sure how I feel about Nathan/Marnie yet. It was too rushed in the Xmas ep, but Marnie is a cute character and I like how she and her baby fit in with Nathan's search for a family.

Thanks so much for this comment! It's lovely to know my rambling thoughts are appreciated.

[kohler.livejournal.com]

This was AMAZING! I loved your insightful commentary and totally agree with the moments that you chose.

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it!

[doppelgangerqaf.livejournal.com]

Amazing post... I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Very good insights about Nathan's character :D

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Glad you liked it!

[copper-kestrel.livejournal.com]

Well, this is an amazing picspam/meta-commenting post, and I think explains a great deal about why I both like 'Misfits' as a show, and Nathan as a character, and I really enjoyed reading it!

I also really like the social commentary aspect of 'Misfits', which I find especially interesting because though I'm ethnically British, I've never lived there, and much to the bemusement of my family it's a completely foreign country to me. 'Misfits' explores part of just why it's an utterly foreign country, and inspired me to go off and research Thamesmead as a place (and be very glad that I don't live there!) and ASBOs as a form of social control - which rather creepily reminded me of 1984. I find your perspective on the social commentary of the show really interesting, because it comes from someone who actually understands these characters, this place and these issues far better than I ever will.

It's both interesting and weird - and perhaps admirable, too - that the whole first season was basically a deconstruction of social conditioning and society's attempts to 'make people better people'. 'Misfits' somehow manages to get you rooting for people you normally wouldn't, and I'm just so impressed by the fact that the show creators have gone with it. It's a fairly brave line to take, because they humanise characters that a lot of people - I guess? Not being British I may be making unfounded sweeping generalisations about British society! - do their best to avoid.

And, gosh, I hear you on the 'guilty pleasures' characters. I adored Gaius on BSG, partly because he was just so incredibly entertaining, and because I could kind of see where he was coming from. He had just enough likable characteristics that though I didn't exactly 'like' him, I was very prepared to watch his antics. And James Callis' acting made him eminently watchable too. Now that you've pointed out the connection for me, I do actually Like Nathan for many of the same reasons, despite the fact that if I met him in reality I'd probably despise him (though this is helped by the fact that Robert Sheehan is ridiculously charismatic on screen). Partly he's very entertaining to watch, and partly he has some very sympathetic characteristics/redeeming moments to make him likable.

And, wow, this is kind of turning into a really long comment from someone you don't even know, so I'm sorry! Blame random LJ searching for me stumbling across this XD

[falafel-musings.livejournal.com]

'Misfits' explores part of just why it's an utterly foreign country, and inspired me to go off and research Thamesmead as a place (and be very glad that I don't live there!) and ASBOs as a form of social control - which rather creepily reminded me of 1984. I find your perspective on the social commentary of the show really interesting, because it comes from someone who actually understands these characters, this place and these issues far better than I ever will.

Wow, it's so cool to hear that 'Misfits' is getting people interested in this stuff. It's a brilliantly entertaining little show, but I love how it raises awareness about the very real social dysfunctions in the UK. These characters and their behaviour is very recognisible to me, but I usually see it from the perspective of someone like Bev. I used to work in a video rentals (with a pic-n-mix stand!) and we would get gangs of young people in, causing trouble much like Nathan. So I'm aware of what a headache that kind of obnoxious behaviour can be. But I still find the ASBO a creepy solution. There are newsagents in my town with signs on the door saying 'No caps or hoodies' because they are trying to keep chavs out. It's become a form of social racism where young people can be treated like vermin, which only encourages them to act up even worse. I agree with you that I like how 'Misfits' gets you rooting for the wrong people. But it also humanizes a generation of young people who are very negatively stereotyped and degraded by our society. 'Misfits' doesn't lie about how bad their behaviour is, but it gives them some heart and dignity back.

Maybe it's just because amoral shameless characters can be so very entertaining. Robert Sheenan amazes me because he doesn't hold back one little bit when it comes to playing Nathan as an uninhibited raving wanker. He's just hilarious and exasperating and appalling, but then he can be a soppy endearing mummy's boy too sometimes. Like Gaius, I guess it's the antics that make these characters watchable. Nathan is always doing something; usually something annoying or destructive or obscene, but he lives for the moment. That's kinda likeable.

I friended you (hope that's okay!) so maybe we can know each other better in future?

[webetall.livejournal.com]

Very happy I found your site. Will note it and return for more info.