Here's to you, n**/Tuck, thanks for the memories.
As you may know, n**/Tuck aired it's 100th and final episode ever last night. As you may not know, I've followed this show religiously since it's very first episode back in 2004, right up to the very end last night. (I say 2004 as I first saw it on an English timetable, not an American and we didn't get it til '04).
Looking back on it now, this is probably my all-time favourite show. It's had six years of my life, I've stuck with it through the great seasons (two) and the terrible, terrible ones (four). It's the only show I've ever stayed with from episode one right through to episode one hundred without wavering once.
These characters have become almost like an extended family. I've laughed with them, I've cried with them, I've loved them and hated them.
Overall Christian is definitely my favourite character and has been throughout the entire series. Julian McMahon was one of the original reasons I watched the show, having seen him in Charmed. (I quit Charmed about half a season after he did, Cole had been the best thing about it by that point and even he'd started pissing me off towards the end, "I'm evil! I'm good! I'm a demon! I want to be human! I'm human! I want to be a demon! I'm good! I'm evil! I'm good! Oh s**t, I'm the Source of all evil! Strip my powers! Keep my powers! I'm good! I'm evil! I'm insane! I want to die! I want to live! Look it's a guillotine! I'm dead." *sniff sniff* Oh look, the sisters new Whitelighter is actually one of their sons sent from the future... *switches off*). While his acting in movies has left a lot to be desired, he has been pitch perfect in this throughout. Christian Troy is one of the best characters on TV, I've hated him so goddamn much at points yet I would always defend him to the death. He's made me laugh, he's made me cry, he's made me scream at him and he's made me want to bundle him up and cuddle him til he explodes. He's so much deeper than he appears at first, he's a really intense, really wonderful character and damnit, I really want him to have his happy ending now.
My feelings for Sean have been complex at best, I think Dylan Walsh has got better over the seasons. The first few seasons, I liked him sometimes, more tolerated him the rest of the time. As the seasons have progressed, he's really grown on me and in this final season, I've actually found myself enjoying his storylines a lot more. I've sided with him over Christian a few times, damnit! The character's one of those you seem to find in every show out there (older guy disillusioned with life) but he's really taken on a life of his own and become something so much more than that cookie cutter character recently. I like to think he and Raphael have a good life now and that he's finally at peace and happy.
Those two together have always been a joy, even when I wasn't an especially big Sean fan. I hate the way people slash them, I don't see that in them at all. Ignoring Faith Wolper trying to convince Christian that he was in love with Sean and those dreams he was given, I've never seen any evidence on the show to point to anything more than a very tight brotherly, slightly codependent bond. They've played off each other so well that it's going to be strange watching any future projects with them (as I will definitely give them both a shot in other things) without each other.
The guest stars have also been fantastic, characters like Ava Moore, Erica Noughton, Aiden Stone and Gina Russo becoming as close to my heart as the primary cast members. Even those who've only appeared in one or two episodes, such as Logan Taper (the only time I wished I was a chair), Agatha Ripp, Ben White and others have been as interesting as some of the ongoing characters.
The storylines have been consistently interesting, from the Carver saga in seasons two and three - despite it's disappointing ending, right upto Christian's cancer storyline in season five. Even those which have been completely insane, such as season four's organ theft ring, have had their bright moments.
The surgeries featured have oftentimes been the best part of an episode, absolutely fascinating and always so closely mirroring the trials of the doctors at the time. The main one that comes to mind is Raven and Rose in season two, the fact they both died after being separated, the way the doctors were at the time due to Sean finding out Matt's true paternity. Along with my love for Julian McMahon, it was my fascination with plastic surgery which made me watch the show. The lengths people will go to change who they are, why they do it, what motivates them, it's all really interesting to me.
As strange as it probably sounds, the show has helped with my self-esteem at times as well. The fact the characters who've passed through have been so focussed on their looks, the fact that it hasn't always made everything better for them has helped me realize that being beautiful wouldn't automatically make things better.
The series has definitely had some massive ups and downs. When it's been good, it's been absolutely impeccable. When it's been bad, it's almost been enough to stop me watching. But when it's come down to it, I'm glad I stuck with it as it definitely paid off.
So here's to you n**/Tuck. Thanks for six years of sex, surgery and scandal.
