Posted by Jeanne Rose (I knew you'd deal with this one, BG :) on Wednesday, 29 July 1998, at 10:21 a.m., in response to Men in HL: Who's most attractive (response to Elise), posted by Bright Girl on Wednesday, 29 July 1998, at 9:49 a.m.

Who is more handsome, Duncan or Methos? Are you kidding? You want me to *choose*? Duncan is my first HL love, and always will be. The show is about him. His losses, his struggles, his moral dilemmas, the way he laughs, the way he loves, the way he cares about people, his honor, his integrity, his desire to protect those he loves, his intense desire to figure out what's right and do it. Truly Our Noble Hero.

But just because I love Bach doesn't mean I can't like Beethoven as well. Methos, is, well, everything BG said. He stole my heart, not away from Duncan, but he's in there good. He's not the obvious hero. But I love him for the complex and wonderfully developed character that he is. You have to watch carefully, but underneath the cynicism, the looking out for himself, is a truly good heart. Methos tries to pretend he is what you see on the outside, but he betrays himself all the time. He's not perfect. He doesn't have the hero complex that Duncan does. But I love him. I hurt for him and hope for him the way I do for Duncan. He is a wonderful foil for
Duncan and a fascinating character in his own right. BG pointed out some of the instances, and there are more.

And then there's Richie, and Fitzy, both characters I care about but haven't fallen in love with in the same way. Other people have. No problem here. Just because I don't care for some composers (I can't think of any off hand, but I'm sure there are some) doesn't mean I think they aren't as good as the ones that speak to my soul, or that I can't understand why other people do like them.

I love lots of characters. I think lots of actors are gorgeous. I like lots of kinds of music. Why should it have to be exclusive?

Peace,

JR