Fringe: Shipping

On a forum a little while ago someone generally asked what makes a shipper. What makes people watch shows with an eye on who should pair up with whom romantically.

I consider myself a mild shipper. I may feel chemistry between characters or a pull between characters but I won't HAVE to ship them. For example, I enjoyed the chemistry between Mulder and Scully for YEARS but was content to see them as friends/colleagues until the SHOW began to develop more between them. It's story before shipping for me. Usually. OK maybe the X-files is a bad example because the chemistry between Mulder and Sully was the back bone of the show. Otherwise it was a conspiracy theory flavored monster of the week show.

Anyway all this is to say that I'm NOT a crazy shipper. Yes I enjoy - thoroughly enjoy - a good romance. And when one catches hold it DOES NOT let go! But I don't HAVE to ship to enjoy a story and the STORY ALWAYS comes first. Not judging people who are different just... I don't want to be misunderstood. Actually I hope no one reads my blog(s) so this is mainly just to relieve my own feelings.

SO all that rambling is to say that I stopped by a Fringe Forum. I didn't join but I wanted to relieve my anti-Peter/Olivia feelings.

I don't ship Peter/Olivia - not in any universe. I didn't want Peter to disappear but... I hate them together as a romantic couple. They give me the squiggies.

From the beginning, it took me a while to warm up to Peter's character. It took me a while to buy his character. Joshua Jackson - I adored him for the three seconds that I watched Dawson's Creek. I wanted Joey to be with Dawson, but I loved Pacey... and the way JJ played him was very hot. However with Fringe... there was something very boyish to me about Peter. He was so much more interesting in relation to WALTER than to ANYONE else, including Olivia. I would rather they have continued a kind of weird clashing attraction between Olivia and Peter rather than actually developing it into romance.

Anyway I think I finally started caring about Peter at the end of season 1. That was when he started to finally seem badass and not just like the dude in distress. Don't get me wrong, I love that Olivia was always saving the day but... I wanted to see more about Peter. His criminal past? I just didn't buy it. I needed to see him more in action. I loved when Peter ran away determined to find out more about Alternate Walter or whatever.

I adored Olivia from the jump. In fact, Olivia is so fascinating, she doesn't need to be in a romance. I think she could drive the show as a single woman or a woman with a revolving door of potential love interests. She is entirely badass all by herself with her soft heart, and her kind eyes, and her keen mind and her magical hair. I don't need to see her diminished by having to be in a romance with Peter and needing Peter to access her magical powers etc. OK. I love love. I love the power of love but to me the love that Olivia and Charlie had as partners FAR outshines whatever she could ever have with Peter. IT JUST DOES. And it does it EASILY. Peter/Liv is just SO FORCED.

Peter/altLivia was smoother. It was more natural. It was a bit more fun... but even there... I just... it doesn't work for me!!! GRR!!

So I was reading on the forum and lots of the posts had me bouncing in my chair and giggling. But then they started talking about how Romance doesn't belong in Sci-Fi. Say what?! That's bollocks. It's not romance in general that doesn't belong in Fringe - though seriously the platonic relationships on the show are so rich and wonderful that it really DOESN'T need romance. It's the fact that Peter and Olivia have NO romantic chemistry. I hate to say it but Peter isn't man enough for Olivia. This must be how Chlarkers feel about Chimmy. LOL! But seriously, Peter/Olivia is well written and well developed but I DON'T FEEL IT!

They just seem uncomfortable playing it. GRR! I despise it.

Then what else is maddening... all my alternative ships are squashed on the site. I will never join.

1. Olivia Dunham - badass. She's badass all by herself.
2. Walter Bishop - badass. He's badass all by his fractured self.
3. Walter/Peter - the backbone of this mother.
4. Walter/Olivia - So damn interesting.
3. Olivia/Broyles and Olivia/Charlie it's a tie and it's so very wonderful.
4. The Trio and The Quartet: The Trio is of course Walter, Olivia and Peter. I never tire of them working together. Oh my goodness it IS the show. The Quartet is when Astrid is around and she's always around yo.
5. Nina Sharp - She is so badass all by herself - oh wait - Nina Sharp and her GLOVE(s). XD
6. Walter and Belly - Oh my goodness they giggle. They giggle together. I will NEVER get over how awesome this is.
7. AltLivia, Lincoln and AltCharlie - They are magical together yo! I adore them. The AltQuartet is when AltBroyles is added in. RIP Badass AltBroyles.
8. Walter/Astrid. She mothers him. <3

None of the above are romances. I ship them yo. Partnership them.

I don't ship anyone on this show. Why, when the partnerships are so amazing? But if ships start happening my brain starts buzzing. Here are a few of the buzzes.

So if one ship and only one ship HAD TO HAPPEN on this show it should have been...

9. Nina/Broyles. The people on that forum ship Nina/Walter. Are they on DRUGS?! Maybe Nina/Walternate except wait, Nina totally had William Bell's lovechild offscreen.
10. Nina/William Bell - this is effing canon. It just is.
11. Olivia/Charlie. They go so deep. RIP Charlie. You're gonna be fine. Let's see Peter send Olive a message from beyond the grave.
12. Peter/Astrid. There were vibes randomly in season 1 one time. The very cutest Fringe Icon I have is Peter hugging Astrids afro. I want to see them making passionate love before I'll ever be down with Peter/Olivia love saving the universe. *sigh*
13. There is one actual ship I kind of like: AltLivia/Lincoln. But AltLivia is so into Peter. She had his lovechild onscreen. *sigh*

Other:

14: Olivia Dunham & Her Strut - OMG. OMG Yes.
15: Observers/Meddling
16: Walter/Food - let this ship never, ever end.
17: Walter/Drugs
18: Olivia - crazy powers
19: Broyles is Vulcan - he just is.
20: Walternate/Power

Ah that feels good. I've probably left off some important points but... I'm thoroughly relieved. Those people were shipping Astrid/Rachel. I don't even know who the frak Rachel is. Ug.