I've read your essay 'man with Long Coat'and have decided that what you've written takes both courage and acceptance. I'm not quite sure I'm there yet and that's why I won't join the BABE camp.
I've never told anybody about my secret obsession. In fact I was very nervous the first time I posted a note to the board. It has always been MY secret and I suppose the reason for this is that I am ashamed of this silly (?) addiction - please don't hit me.
I'm afraid I'm not as good at expressing myself as you are, and my grasp on the finer points of the English language (eg grammer, spelling and long words) leaves a lot to be desired. In fact to read this you would probably think I am a complete idiot ... I'm not by the way ...then again read this and you might disagree.
Having read the story of your obsession, I would like to share mine with you. Maybe you can help me analyse why I can become so soppy over a fictional character in a TV show. Once again I emphasise that I have never admitted this to anyone.
If you can't be bothered to listen to the ramblings of a mad woman then I suggest you turn away now and read the other lighter message I've left on the board. If you really want to enter my disturbed mind ... read on.
Please note some Highlander bashing will most likely occur. But Methos will leave this message completely untouched.
WOW YOU ARE BRAVE.
Where do I start? I think it is important to establish that I never used to like Highlander. I've always liked the concept of the show but the main character did nothing for me...that's not true, to be honest he irratated me. I think Methos got it right when he called DM a 'Boyscout'. The whole 'I'm a sensitive hero and I'm going to save the world' thing did not impress me. It made what could have been a great show ... well average really! I say average because they are showing some absolute rubbish on British TV at the moment.
But for some reason (which I could not understand at the time)my father used to watch the show and I would sit there picking holes in it. My general thoughts were. If I was an immie I would:
a) Buy a large steel collar and wear it around my neck
b) Carry a very BIG gun and use it without hesitation
c) Say I am EMMA of the clan MacEMMA and then run in the opposite direction as fast as is physically possible.
I think you can understand why I never related to the show's hero.
Anyway, they changed the TV schedule and my father asked me to tape the show when he went out. Being the technical whizz kid (NOT)that I am I agreed.
It was while I was checking that the video was recording correctly that I first noticed HIM or as I fondly called him 'The Nose' (this was long before I became familar with the terms BFLG or ROG). And what a nose, what a man. I sat down and watched the whole episode and that was it I was hooked.
Over the next few weeks (because unlike you I was not treated to HL:TS every night, I had to wait a whole week between episodes)I kept my eye on the video's looking for the nose. The more I saw of him the more interesting he became. Not only was he attractive (drool) but he was the type of character I could relate to. He did not want to save the day, he was sarcastic, cynical and sometimes he wasn't a very nice person.
Eventually it started to become more serious. I would check the cable guide as soon as it arrived to see if The Nose would be appearing in any of the episodes that month. After my father had watched the videos (the ones including The Nose) they would quietly disappear into my room. Even to this day my father cannot understand his diminishing video collection.
The worst thing was the waiting. I would wait all week for HL:TS hoping that he would appear. The show aired at 9.00pm on Thursday and by lunch time on Thursday a stupid smile would appear on my face because I might see him that night. If anything happened that I would miss the show (like my mother insisting we watch a film on the other channel) I would be stroppy all week until the following Thursday afternoon.
The thing is, I never told anyone and therefore nobody knew. My parents would have laughed and my friends, well how could I tell them? Most of them had nover even heard of the series and the ones who had considered it to rubbish - put the knife down, please!
So this rather unhealthy obsession continued and I secretly watched the videos and go all faint at the sight of Methos.
Then I went to University and I had to learn to live without my addiction. In fact, I went cold turkey for 10 weeks. No cable TV and I left my precious video collection at home. The hardest part was that HL:TS was still airing the last season on cable and I couldn't/wouldn't ask my parents to tape it for me.
After a year of occassional video watching my obsession began to fade. At the high point of my obsession I used to think about HIM a lot eg when I got bored at college, while I was waiting for a bus etc. After a year of separation I gradually phased him out of my life. I know what you're thinking - People get over divorce more quickly!
Now you could easily think I am some kind of lunatic. But I'm not. I'm a normal person, honest! I have loads of friends, I go out dancing at least once a week and I'm easy to talk to. I am not some social recluse and I DO NOT WEAR AN ANORAK!
But I am a ROG fan. I think the character is fantastic. In fact I think they should have killed of DM and let Methos take over years ago. I'm sure that there are lots of other people who would agree with me. I am certain I do not need to explain to you why Methos is such an appealing character. Stop drooling and keep reading.
I've written shorter essay's than this...
Anyway, a year away from the Nose and I was beginning to recover quite nicely and then last term I found the internet.
What can I say? If there is anything in this world that can lead to a relapse into methos obsession it's the internet. It never interested me before and then my friend and I were mucking around and she said I could find information on anything I really felt passionate about. The next day I found a computer (alone)and typed in the word Highlander. I couldn't believe how many people shared my Methos obsession.
I've really got to go now, let me finish my story in a couple of hours.
Posted on Feb 9, 2000, 5:01 AM from IP address 148.88.17.9