Levels of canon (heavy on the Homicide/L&O/Bab5 references)

[kellinator]

Last night TNT was again airing the first Law and Order/Homicide crossover, Charm City/For God and Country, and it hit me at some point near the end: I am convinced that at some point during that crossover Tim Bayliss and Claire Kincaid got it on. Or at least made out passionately in the alley behind the Waterfront.

It got me thinking about the different levels of canon and subtext which relate to interpersonal relationships between characters. They don't have to mean sex but they usually do because what's the big deal about showing two characters are buddies? Shows will usually come out and show that. There are a few types:

• Official Canon: It happened onscreen and there's no denying it. Example: Sheridan and Delynn, Falsone and Ballard *retch*. Personally, I think people are least interested in these because it happened, we know it happened, reading between the lines is much more interesting. (Note: I am still only halfway done with Babylon 5. If you spoil me, I will gut you.)
• Semi-Official Canon: You thought you could read it between the lines, and then one of the head honchos confirmed it in an interview. Examples: Jack and Claire, Susan and Talia, Tim's love for Frank
• Official-in-My-Head Canon: You think you can read it between the lines, nobody's made it official but you're still convinced. Examples: the above-mentioned Tim and Claire, Munch and Kay (at least on his side), Alex and Olivia
• Because-I-Said-So Canon: There's absolutely no evidence, but that's not stopping you. Examples: Most slash, almost anything edie22 writes, anything I write in which Munch and Kay are actually having sex.

So, what are your favorites in the last three categories?

Comments

[reannon.livejournal.com]

I go as far as Official In-My-Head Canon. I kind of prefer having a touch of evidence to back it up. Maybe it's because slash never did a damn thing for me.

Oh, and a cute tidbit about Jack/Claire on L&O. Everyone was always going back and forth on did they/didn't they. Then someone (maybe Wolf) confirmed in an interview - after her "death" - that "they did." Which came as a hell of a shock to Jill Hennessy, who said she'd been playing it all along as "they didn't." But not to Sam Waterston, who'd been playing it all along as "they did."

(Personally, I loved that episode. The missed connections in the bar, the "hell with her" that he so clearly didn't mean, "At least she's Irish," and of course the crash... SOOOO tragic. Arguably my favorite episode.)

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

I love that story. I was trying to convince renaissancekat of it above.

And regarding that episode, you must read this, titled "Aftershock of a Different Kind":

http://www.livejournal.com/community/thursday100/121257.html

and its sequel:

http://www.livejournal.com/community/thursday100/123246.htm