#mfmm analysis

[phrynefishersfrocks]

The fourth costume change of "Unnatural Habits" (Season 2, Episode 12) is a striking sheer blouse with grey silk camisole underneath, complete with a large green feather boa slung over one shoulder.

While only seen briefly in this episode, Phryne has worn this pairing of the illusory v-neck blouse and the square neck silk camisole twice before in season two, showing up in 2x04 and 2x05. From earlier episodes, we can see that the overshirt has wide lantern sleeves that are fitted at the wrist in gauntlet cuffs decorated with self-covered buttons. Her silk camisole has wide straps and a straight neckline, and looks to fasten at the side.

She accessorizes with a large green feather boa draped over one shoulder, and a pair of beautiful green earrings with rectangles inset with gems that then connect to faceted teardrop green jewels (seen at the bottom right of the exhibition photo).

Season 2, Episode 12 - "Unnatural Habits"

Screencaps from here, exhibition photo from the Collector Auctions Facebook.

[whoviandoodler]

Issues I've had with MFMM S3 in the most recent rewatch, or: an incomplete and incoherent rambling about some of the things that really annoyed me about it

I've recently finished rewatching miss fisher's murder mysteries for some 5th-10th time since I originally saw it years and years ago on FOX Crime or wherever and it's been a completely different experiences to previous rewatches. I have to assume because I grew up quite a lot so things that used to rub me the wrong way until I was raw no longer hold the same sway over me, but I found scenes previously unbearable perfectly fine to watch (annoying, but nothing especially enraging), and characters that I despised merely unlikable. In short, it was as immensely entertaining as before without certain hindrances, and the main attractions (jack and phryne's relationship, the found family, amazing acting and fun mysteries) were no less attractive.

However, I also developed an issue with the third season. Prior to rewatching the show (while I was still trying to convince myself i totally wouldn't go back in the 30+ hrs runtime trenches), I rewatched an analysis I'd seen years ago (possibly around my previous rewatch, knowing covid time) made by a creator whose work I like, and she dedicated a section of the video to some of the things that bothered her about the last season. I was a bit confused, to be perfectly honest, because I didn't remember being at all bothered with it the last time I watched it, and certainly not with the things she mentioned (and more importantly, I had no issues with the writing).

And then, uh, I got to the third season on the rewatch. And at first I was like, ok, this is perfectly fine. A little bit odd in certain moments, but not all that bad. And then the problems kept piling and piling through the seasons, and I kept pacing and pacing and noticing more and more things about it that bothered me.

The main problem, and I imagine the reason my then-self didn't really notice anything (apart from my all-encompassing rage at hugh collins that blinded me to anything else), is that the character writing isn't outright Bad. Like, it's not the kind of bad where you throw your TV out the window because how dare they do that to your blorbos, but it is the kind of bad that festers in your show loving heart until it forms 'It's plausible that they might do that kind of... I guess?' It's the kind of bad that takes a bit of thinking to figure out why your brow furrowed in this or that scene until it smoothed out.

So let's talk about that scene in s3e1 where jack does his 'i'm not part of the parade' monologue, the thing that bothered the analyst but that I distinctly remembered being silly and entertaining. I mean, he gets drunk and goes on a tirade over a misunderstanding while phryne stands there baffled, unsure whether she should laugh or not. This is where the 'i guess?' starts, because like, absolutely, it's not the first time in the show he's been jealous, nor the first time he's been incredulous or eye-rolly when he finds out phryne's had a dalliance with this or that man. It's plausible that all those sentiments would come out the way they did with alcohol involved and after being stood up twice, first for what was possibly supposed to be their first foray into more serious territory, and then again that night. It's not a scene that paints him in a favourable light, but that's not in and of itself an issue, he's got his faults and that's one of the things that make him interesting to watch. But arriving on the heels of the caustic remarks and biting sarcasm and refusing to listen to phryne at all to the point that she got borderline upset hours before, it felt less silly and in character and more like a nail hammered one time too many.

It set a trend too for the rest of the season, and not a nice one. All those jealousy scenes created two situations- the first, where phryne would respond indignantly and in character to how she'd been in previous seasons, on the rare occasion he'd actively made a remark (was it even more than once? i can't remember); and the second, where phryne would run after him, explaining that 'it wasn't like that', like she was cheating on him. The second option was especially hard to watch because their reactions genuinely read like she'd done something wrong when that wasn't the case at all, and like the analyst said the narrative went so far as to shame her with that moment at the air base fence (for the first time in the show! previously jack's reactions had been light-hearted and phryne had responded in kind, usually saying something witty or teasing him; the second they became that of the betrayed partner, it got a sour note).

For the sake of adding drama and an unnecessary explanation as to why they haven't railed each other yet, the show killed the wonderful dynamic they'd rocked thus far, that of very close friends who are attracted to each other and probably in love but who haven't quite decided what to do about it yet.

It was like the show lost all faith in it's audience to imagine the reasons behind their reluctance, to understand their characters, to believe this truly outrageous (/s) situation of two friends in love who don't get together (yet). Like it's not a tale as old as time for people to be afraid romantic involvement with their friends might ruin that friendship, and choosing not to take the risk. Like we don't know that phryne has never had a serious relationship, and that jack has never had anything but; that her dalliances with other men are all about sating her curiosity about different people's lives and minds and pleasure, that she firmly embodies the rich aristocrat and keeps the little collingwood girl firmly on the other side of the door; that he stayed in a failed marriage for ten years because he's always serious about the people he loves, that he nearly married concetta because he cared about her and didn't want her to be married off again to somebody cruel.

And speaking of lack of faith, did they think we needed to be reminded every five minutes in various clear-cut and glaringly obvious ways that they love each other? Like we know! We're watching the show! We don't need guido and concetta and the greek chorus to slap the note in our face. This isn't a children cartoon and they didn't suddenly fall in love in s3e1 for the entire cast to lay on the horns, we've been watching them fall in love through every touch and look. Honestly, there was more subtlety in sanderson's 'you do indeed keep close company these days' than the entire italian episode.

The entire thing felt like they were insinuating that the second phryne and jack try for something serious the entire thing falls apart, and they go from dear friends to a reddit post. Despite all their surface differences, the reason they're in love is their deep-seated belief in truth and justice, and the reason they're as close as they are is that they don't keep things from each other and they communicate. I don't think it's in character, or even worse, I feel like it's a very sad choice of character path for them to lose their whimsy and trust the second they delve into the romantic, like it's a whole different thing and not just a different lens through which to experience the intimacy they already share. I would've much preferred that they'd either continued their whimsical friendship until the last episode, or even that they'd gone down the vulnerable road of talking more about their respective issues; frankly, i would've settled for a long term friendship over the mess that they ended up creating (I'm queer, I can sustain myself on subtext).

That area of jack writing aside, what the hell did they do to my boy's murder solving skills? I swear, there were at least a couple episodes where he didn't contribute anything to the investigation, or he did so little it was imperceptible.

In s2e9 (the cinema one, i think that was the number) I distinctly remember phryne laying out what she thought happened (at the very beginning when they found the body) and jack staying silent and giving her a besotted look, and afterwards hugh saying it matched what jack had surmised earlier. This was amazingly done, because it very economically established 1. that jack had already done the clever bit 2. that they agreed fully so there was no need for their usual back and forth, and most importantly after their huge, sad rift had just been surmounted, 3. that he was incredibly happy to be working with her again because he loves listening to the cogs turning in her head and watching her be clever.

There was none of that attention to detail in those s3 episodes, he was just... not involved. Phryne would lay everything out and then they'd leave, and that was it. It felt wild to witness because in different scenes he acted as he always did, like their dynamic was the same as always. I didn't get the impression that he was having a bad day, or not in the mood, because in writing those things need to have some significance or note, and here it was just there. Not noticed, not significant, not anything; fully like they'd forgotten that they put him in the shot and thus gave him no lines.

I really can't explain how much it irked me because the main appeal of the show isn't the murder investigations, as fun and clever as they are, it's the relationships between characters. The point of the narrative shouldn't be solving the crime, it should be all the things that happen while it's being solved.

In short- how dare they rob me of the sparks of phryne and jack exchanging theories and opinions?! That's what I'm here for! The sexual tension isn't just the looks and touches, it's what preceded them and keeps them so fresh and electric- it's them standing over a body or in the morgue or in her parlour and being clever at each other and with each other, the push of sharing an opinion and the pull of daring the other person to catch up with you by giving them only the raw information, the resonance of interacting with someone who's on even footing with you.

It's like 3 am and I've tired myself out so I'll stop here. Obvious disclaimer for anyone who might see this is that this is based on my impression of the show and i won't go back to watch just the bad parts solely to write a coherent, sourced analysis (aka I'm going off the things that left an impact on me, they might not be given the most screentime or note), and that this is still a favourite show and not meant to be an indictment of the whole thing (I only get so annoyed bcs i like it otherwise).

[congolife]

I posted 10,626 times in 2022

That's 3,819 more posts than 2021!

5 posts created (0%)

10,621 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@perrfectly

@amandapandemonium

@letsboldlygomotherfuckers

@slightlyrebelliouswriter23

@edgedancer-enby

I tagged 2,781 of my posts in 2022

#jurdan - 277 posts

#tfota - 250 posts

#jude duarte - 228 posts

#cardan greenbriar - 203 posts

#jace herondale - 198 posts

#holly black - 190 posts

#miss fisher's murder mysteries - 185 posts

#mfmm - 181 posts

#the cruel prince - 180 posts

#clary fairchild - 169 posts

Longest Tag: 137 characters

#i’ve seen so many people like ‘omg christopher confirmed adhd’ bc of the blog but cc said asd not adhd it was a conversation abojt autism

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Do you ever miss a friend who probably wasn’t always the best for you but you had some wonderful times together & sometimes nostalgic thoughts are an ass & get the better of you?? And you can’t really tell your friends cause they saw the signs of erratic behavior & what it did to you before you did... and no one wants to go back down that path.... cool maybe that’s just me.

0 notes - Posted August 5, 2022

#4

Crash

0 notes - Posted April 1, 2022

#3

I did not emotional damage from another marvel show & yet here we fucking are....

I’m not okay after watching moon knight episode 5 & yes I know I’m behind but I was busy....

2 notes - Posted May 1, 2022

#2

When @someabsolutenonsense & I have found new fandoms & give each other warnings cause we don’t to spoil things for each other. This specific example is in regards to The Locked Tomb & Enola Holmes. I’m the blue bubbles.

4 notes - Posted November 22, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

So I’m visiting @someabsolutenonsense for the weekend. Last night we were talking about books & naturally gravitated towards TFOTA. Which led to re-reading analysis posts by @slightlyrebelliouswriter23 and gushing over their eloquence and this led us to going down a TFOTA tumblr rabbit hole. Included in this rabbit hole were @clockworkbee @duarteegreenbriar @jurdanhell @clockworkgraystairs

Today, we went to B&N and I bought a TFOTA paperback set & Ironside. And @someabsolutenonsense bought two box sets of other series.

17 notes - Posted March 19, 2022

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[acrazyobsession]

“Framed for Murder” Episode Analysis

We had “Blood at Wheel” where Jack realizes how much he cares for Phryne. Not being able to face the idea of one of her reckless stunts taking her away from him, he steps away to save himself. Phryne realizes just how much a part of her life Jack has become, and the idea of them not working togetherーnot having after-case drinks together crushes her. Then we had “The Blood of Juana the Mad” where they have to work their first case together (thanks to Mac), yet not really together. At one point, Jack says, “I need you to go. Please, go home.” It was all very heart-wrenching. However, Jack can’t deny how well they work together and does come to realize that being away from her is more painful than the possibility of losing her. So he willingly decides to follow her lead: “I’ll try to stay in step.” And Phryne of course is happy to have him back in her parlourーand in her life.

So, now we are at “Framed for Murder” - their first case officially back together. How easily are they going to be able to get back in step with each other? Did their estrangement have a negative effect on their case-solving abilities?

I think they have fewer interactions than usual; however, the times we see them together are GOLD. They seem to have not missed a beatーwith their banter or their partnership. If anything, I noticed more support for each other. They seem VERY happy to be working together again and are having fun. Though there are a few things that I would like to just ignore happen altogether in this episode.

It is also available on AO3

The faith and trust that Phryne has in Jack just warms my heart. Her friend Raymond calls, freaking out about a dead body in the studio, and she immediately calls Jack. Though I am confused...did she call Jack directly? Because he didn’t seem to know she was part of this. Maybe she just called the station, which would be weird because she usually calls and talks with him (most recently “Dead Man’s Chest”). I am not surprised that she called him, this isn’t just a case of a missing person, there is a dead body. 

Then there is the fact the Phryne seems to be looking for Jack as she walks through the studio with Raymond. I didn’t notice it the first time I watched the episode, or probably even the second or third time, but as I was rewatching it for this analysis, I noticed it. Of course, she could just be looking around at the studio, but my shipper heart says that she knows he is there somewhere and wants to see him. 

J: Miss Fisher. P: Hello, Jack. J: For once, it seems entirely appropriate that you should turn up. P: Well, of course. I'm the one who telephoned for you after Raymond alerted me to the situation.

I don’t know if I will ever get over how she says, “Hello, Jack.” The way his name comes from deep in her throat--Essie’s voice is always amazing. I need a compilation video of all the times she says his name! 

Anyway, Raymond is unsure of Jack. He apparently just wanted Phryne’s detective skills, not wanting to bring a lot of attention to the studio. But she reassures him, “Don't worry about the Inspector. He's very discreet, Raymond.” This both gives Jack a compliment and shows her trust in him. She is very glad to be on good terms with him again. And when Raymond refers to Phryne as a “detective,” Jack doesn’t roll his eyes or even look vexed! Without missing a beat, he allows her access, “Well, I'd be interested to hear your opinion, Miss Fisher, as a fellow detective, since I have no doubt you'll make your opinions known as some point.” And why wouldn’t he? He had just experienced what it was like to not have her work a case with him, and he found he didn’t like it. Before this point he reluctantly let her join, but now it is more deliberate. They have crossed a bridge and have decided to do this dance together. She called him immediately instead of waiting until she gets into trouble, and he immediately welcomes her into the case. A little compromise on both their parts perhaps?

They do seem to be on the same page during this case - in agreement. 

After Phryne has given her opinion on the evidence she sees, Hugh states, “That's exactly what the inspector thinks.” Then, when Jack is questioning Raymond on where he was the previous evening, Raymond tries to get Phryne on his side, “You think I murdered him? I had to get my assistant to kill a spider the other day! Phryne, tell him.” I love how she glances at Jack for a second and you think she is going to back Raymond up, but then she turns to her friend, “It's a fair question.” Granted, she does stand up for Raymond later, but at that point, Jack is thinking of Raymond much more seriously as a suspect, and she just doesn’t believe he could have done it. But here, Jack is just trying to do his job and get everyone’s whereabouts. And Jack’s face!

And then a little bit later, Phryne is talking with Lily Luscome and Jack shows up.

J: We seem to have come to the same conclusion. P: I knew you'd catch up.

They do know each other pretty well. The way they talked with Raymond and the cast/crew together, and then go their separate ways to do what they do best (Jack with Clara, and Phryne with Raymond to explore the dressing room), and then both arrive back at Lily…her party she takes Clara into the kitchen...And then at the end, while talking with Clara, they come to conclusion and Jack says, “I'll go to Raymond's, pick up Jefferson. You go to the studio.” He doesn’t even take a second to try and figure out how to get both Lily and Jefferson, he is actively involving her and it just made me so happy. He could have gotten a constable to do it, but he knows she can do the job. 

Let’s back up a little. It is really nice to meet one of Phryne’s childhood friends, and to see that he too was able to pull himself out of poverty and Collingwood and make something of himself. Plus we get this gem:

P: You always were a scaredy-cat!  R: What, because I wouldn't throw firecrackers at the police? That was just a bit of fun! Your sort of fun always led to trouble. P: Still does.

Also, before we move on, can we talk about the LOOK between Jack and Phryne when Lily says “The man was an octopus, but I wasn't about to kill him for trying to cop a feel.” These two just kill me!

Let’s carry on...I don’t particularly care for the way that Jack almost flirts with Clara. There is definitely a twinkle in his eye. I think I am going to go with the idea that he isn’t so much flirting as he is just so freaking happy that he can’t help but have a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face. Because Clara isn’t flirting allーI think she keeps the same expression through the whole scene. Besides she has a thing for Raymond. But I like that he doesn’t make fun of her or disregard her when she says she has a photographic memory.  

On the other hand though, we have Phryne. Who is raking her eyes over the bare chested guy who pulls out chairs for her and Dot. Her obvious thirst seems hard to miss, but maybe I just didn’t pay attention the first 4 times I saw this episode, or maybe I just blocked it out, because I don’t remember seeing that look on her face. It looks like she just wants to eat him up right there. 

I probably would have been fine with that piece, because it’s Phryne, except, I am guessing he is the one she sleeps with at the end. Let’s jump ahead to that bit, because I have some things to say to TPTB. [This is where it gets a bit ranty] I just feel like this season was building to something. Season 1 ends, Jack has gotten a divorce, leaving him available. Phryne really steps up her flirting game with that Roman soldier costume, and he looks almost ready to dive right in. “Murder Most Scandalous” hits a little close to home for Jack, with his former father-in-law as the prime suspect in a murder investigation, so we will give them that episode, and “Death Comes Knocking” there is Warwick. 

But, starting with “Dead Man’s Chest” we start to see a change. She calls him in need of a numismatist and then again because she needs someone more competent. He comes to her aid, and they have their date under the pier. Then comes “Deadweight” (granted she brought the Greek home with her, but that didn’t pan out) where they go on a roller coaster date, followed by “Murder a la Mode” and her “lethal dress” (Jack’s words), leading up to that moment in “Marked for Murder” at the footy match when he puts his scarf around her neck and they just stare at each other as the confetti falls around them. I die everytime I see it. I swear that is the moment when she realizes that her feelings are a little more than friendship. She isn’t comfortable with them or ready to act on them yet, but she feels it. Then, we go through a bit of a rough patch with “Blood at the Wheel” and “Juana the Mad,” but they figure it out! 

With the way they act together in “Framed for Murder,” it does seem like Phryne’s experience of losing Jack might have pushed her to think about her feelings for him. Now, I didn’t expect her to jump into a relationship with him, or even for us to see a lot of development in that area in this episode; however, I feel we kind of took a step backward. Phryne, you could have just ogled him. You didn’t have to sleep with him. My shipper heart hurts.

Rant Over...shall we continue?

I love Phryne’s response when someone asks Jack why she is there, and she butts in, “I am bankrolling a substantial portion of your salary, so I could advise you to answer the inspector's questions!” I just love how she doesn’t dive in with her own questions (I do love though when Jack sits back sometimes and just gives her the reigns), she again lets Jack do his jobーwhat she called him there to do.

When they meet Raymond’s house guest, we see normal Phryne levels of flirtation with Jefferson as she shakes his hand. I do love the little look Jack gives her, though. He seems amused, like he has missed this.

Phryne decides that she should take the place of the now deceased director. Raymond must have determined that Jack was a good chap, because he gets his opinion on Phryne’s idea: 

R: “You always did have a knack for bossing people around, don't you agree, Inspector?” J: “Yes, I believe director would be the perfect role for you, Miss Fisher.” Jack is very playful, and easily goes along with Raymond’s teasing. However, back in “Blood at the Wheel,” there was an exchange that went very differently: P: I seem to be able to handle my Hispano-Suiza without any trouble. Don't I, Inspector?  J: I doubt a police officer is the right person to ask.

Quite a different tone in Jack’s response there. Overall, in this episode, it just seems like they are having a good time. Enjoying the fact that they have gotten back to this point. However, Jack does get a bit frustrated with both Phryne and Raymond as he doesn’t let her in on the interview. And another bit that I seemed to have missed the first couple go-rounds, was this line:

J: Clearly he was more afraid of you.

Phryne didn’t think it was funny, and walked out of the station, but I did! And Nathan Page’s dead pan delivery was perfect.

I was disappointed that Jack wasn’t invited to the party, but he probably had his hands full with the case. So, again, she was getting information her way and he was doing his part. And at least he shows up (even if it is to question Raymond), and we see that wonderful “how to remove one’s coat without letting go of one’s hat” piece. If you haven’t seen the pic play-by-play by @izzyandlouie​ seriously check it out.

Can I just interject this gem as well:

R: You can operate a camera, can't you?  [You could hear a pin drop it’s so quiet, and it takes her a beat to respond] P: Of course! Blindfolded, in the dark.

Phryne Fisher may not like it to be known that she doesn’t know how to do something, but if she doesn’t know something, she is going to go figure it out! And doesn’t she look absolutely gorgeous in that scene where she catches Jefferson in Raymond’s office!

Then we have the end scene...our favorite couple having a drink in the parlour...things are back to the way we like them.

J: And what were your girlhood dreams Miss Fisher? P: I’m living them Inspector.

I haven’t spent too much time thinking about what exactly Phryne means by her response to Jack’s question. But I guess I would like to think that as a child she had a lot of dreams, and now as an adult with resources, she is able to do them all. Maybe she has a checklist, and she is slowly getting to check them all off. 

Credit: screencaps | gifs by me | transcript

[ragingstillness]

SPOILERS for Endeavor Season 8

So Endeavor season 8 is finally airing in the US. I just watched the second episode and I can’t help thinking about something else. Don’t get me wrong, I like the show, it’s something I’ll watch of my own volition that I find genuinely interesting. But today’s episode reminded me of my favorite show of all time and I couldn’t help but compare them and find Endeavor falling way short. 

TW: mention of death, mention of murder, mention of abortion, mention of sexual assault, mention of domestic violence, mention of sex work, mention of crime, mention of PTSD, mention of homophobia, slight mention of racism, mention of suicide, mention of workplace accident

/start rant

To preface, my favorite show of all time is Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. It’s a tv show based on a series of books. It’s set in Australia, more specifically Melbourne, in 1929, and features a female detective and a wide cast of other characters. 

To begin let’s look at the women in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries which from now on I’ll be referring to as MFMM. 

Main recurring characters: 

-Phryne Fisher

-Dottie Collins

-Jane Fisher

-Aunt Prudence

-Doctor Mac

Now let’s look at the women in Endeavor, all 8 seasons btw, in comparison to MFMM’s three.

Main recurring characters:

-Dorothea Frazil

-Win Thursday

-Shirley Trewlove 

-Joan Thursday

And honestly this is me being generous classing them as main recurring characters. Joan and Dorothea appear most often, with Win in the background as one of the main character’s wives, and Shirley Trewlove was only in the show for a season. 

In contrast Phryne, Dottie, Aunt Prudence, and Doctor Mac appear in all three seasons many times and Jane appears at least once if not more often in each. 

I’ll come back to this with characterization later now let’s move on to another thing I find Endeavor falling short in, especially in this season 8 episode. 

In this episode we encounter a man who it eventually turns out has had a gay relationship in his past that his current wife doesn’t know about. He’s trying to connect with his past lover, while both of them are married to women, but his past lover doesn’t want to be together again. This leads the man to kill himself and be one of the few red-herring deaths in the show. I’m sorry but bury your gays much? Is it because it’s airing during pride month? Is that it? Are you trying to bait and switch queer people PBS? (Sorry I’m just kind of mad)

And now let’s compare to an episode where something sort of similar happens in MFMM. A woman working in a factory dies a gruesome death after falling into one of the machines. Soon after, her boss dies and foul play is suspected. It turns out that the woman was indeed killed in an accident and that aside from working illegal overtime, there was no foul play involved in her death. Nevertheless, it is also revealed that she was in a relationship with Dr. Mac and that yet another woman at the factory had a crush on her. Once again, it’s a red-herring death, as she was not killed by anyone, simply an accident. The queer love is connected to the episode as the other woman with a crush killed the boss to frame Dr. Mac, but ultimately the death of the woman was not part of the whole scheme. 

The relationships are treated very respectfully and Phryne helps Dr. Mac mourn her lover’s death in a very touching scene. In contrast to the Endeavor episode, in which we do see a set of pictures of the two men kissing, we never see anything at all between the two women in Miss Fisher, yet the relationship is so much deeper and explored with much more respect. And while it is a red-herring death it’s still important to the overall case. 

Now I have mentioned that MFMM is set in 1929. Endeavor is set in 1950. 21 years later. And yet Endeavor is less respectful about their queer characters. And on that note I return to the discussion of female characters. 

Dorothea Frazil in Endeavor is a journalist. She is well known in the area and well-liked and often is a source of information for the main characters in exchange for favors or exclusives and often in exchange for nothing at all. She’s an independent woman with a great sense of humor and a lot of self-respect. Unfortunately, she is one of the few female characters in Endeavor I can say that about. 

Win Thursday is married to one of Endeavor’s two main characters and acts as a pseudo mother figure to the main main character. She is often seen cooking, or cleaning, or caring for her husband, son, daughter, and pseudo adopted son, the main main character Endeavor Morse, who just goes by Morse. There is nothing wrong with any of that, and she’s shown to be an intelligent, caring person, who stands up for herself when she needs to. However, she never really gets out of that role. She is a mother and a homemaker and a wife and that’s kind of it. She has no other storylines and in fact other than being window dressing or character development for the main characters, she’s really not involved in any of the show’s storylines. 

Shirley Trewlove is the first female constable in the police station from Endeavor. She faces a lot of flack for that and is condescended to by most of the men, including the head of the station, who views her as similar to his late daughter. She is shown to be very competent, able to stand up for herself, composed, kind, and intelligent. However, she is only in the show for one season then transfers out to a different station, ultimately not leaving a larger impact on the show or the main characters. 

Don’t get me started on Joan Thursday. She’s a character that I expect the show wants us to like but I simply don’t. I find her irresponsible, selfish, wishy-washy, and grating. She is the main love interest for Morse and their will-they won’t-they is one of the most infuriating things about the show. Admittedly at the beginning of the series she is very young, so a lot of her issues can be attributed to that, but she just continues to make poor decisions when she should know better and becomes more of an irritant to any progress than any help. She’s put on this pedestal by Morse and her parents and when she runs away from home due to feeling pressured by her parents, her father goes through a period of completely disowning and shaming her. 

Shall I add that we learn next to nothing about the pasts of any of these characters. 

In contrast:

Phryne Fisher is one of the most vibrant, intelligent, excellently written female characters I have ever seen. She’s witty, she’s comfortable in her body, she’s free-spirited, she’s very astute, she’s clever, she’s multi-talented, she’s self-possessed, she’s loyal, she’s passionate, she’s a feminist, she’s an ally, she’s supportive, she’s the whole package. We learn a ton about her past and the traumas that have shaped her into the person she is. She was an ambulance driver in WW1, leaving her with PTSD. She was in an abusive relationship with a man who beat her in her youth. She has lived all over the world and traveled to many places. She carries the weight of the death of her sister and her inability to truly get a confession out of the man she believes to be her sister’s killer. There’s so much depth to her. Yes she’s the main character but I’d argue we get nowhere near that much depth on Morse himself, despite having more seasons, longer episodes, and also being a main character. 

Dottie Collins is also a very complex character. She begins the show as a maid for a friend of Aunt Prudence, but quickly leaves that job to become Phryne’s housemate and housekeeper. She’s deeply Catholic, superstitious, unendingly sweet, but she’s also courageous, intelligent, and adaptable. Her religion is a point of contention for her and Phryne, who appears to be an atheist, but the two of them talk about it often and respect each others’ beliefs. Dottie has a sister who is a sex worker and it’s a point of major conflict between them but Dottie’s feelings about her sister are complex and if she treats her sister poorly she learns from her mistakes and apologizes and eventually they settle into a truce of sorts. Dottie gets into a relationship with a constable from a police station nearby and when he begins to veer towards patriarchal values she pushes back on it and successfully manages to make it clear to him that she is not his property and will not stand to be treated as such. She’s more than just Phryne’s sidekick, the two women make each other better people over the course of the show. 

Jane Fisher, and in this case I’m referring to Phryne’s sort-of adopted daughter not her late sister of the same name, is a young orphan living under the care of a verbally abusive woman. She ends up giving Phryne crucial information on a murder case and Phryne, even after professing to not enjoy dealing with children, takes Jane in. Jane is shown to be intelligent, getting a good education under Phryne and putting it to good use. She is also shown to be headstrong and resourceful. When Phryne begins teaching a self-defense class alongside comportment for down on their luck girls, it becomes clear that Jane is also vicious and ready to defend herself and very good at it. 

Aunt Prudence is a fascinating character. She’s an elderly Aunt of Phryne’s, very rich, very proper, and very snooty. However, over time she is also shown to care a great deal about her niece, no matter how judgemental she is about Phryne’s open sexuality. She is deeply committed to her charity work and truly cares about her friends. She also has a disabled son who tragically passes away in the show and whom she has cared for by herself for his whole life and deeply loves. She doesn’t approve of Phryne’s lifestyle but she doesn’t directly interfere to stop it. She treats Phryne as the independent adult she is. 

Doctor Mac is Phryne’s best friend and a very useful friend to have with regards to Phryne’s detective work. Mac has her medical license as a woman, which is unusual for the time, and she does take some flack for it. She’s a lesbian who has essentially a very close qpp relationship with a presumably straight woman (I have my doubts about Phryne’s sexuality but that’s likely wishful thinking). Mac and Phryne are each others’ confidants, having been made friends by both serving in WW1. Mac cares a ton about women’s rights, especially their rights to proper medical care, including safe abortions. She is disgusted by men who disrespect women, stands up for domestic violence survivors, and sympathizes with sexual assault victims. She also stands up for the rights of black women, but that isn’t quite as central to her character, more just a fun cool fact from one episode. Mac is caring and witty and sarcastic and kind and fun and very very smart. 

The difference between the two shows is stark to say the least. Not to mention that all other women who appear in Endeavor are usually victims, used as motivation for men committing crimes, cheaters, criminals themselves, unhelpful witnesses, or other underdeveloped roles. In contrast, the other women who appear in MFMM are nuanced, have complicated relationships with their own pasts, with the people around them. They range from sex workers to professional tennis players, to orphans on the street to the height of society, wives, girlfriends, single women, more defined by their professions and their passions than their relationships to the men around them. While some are the victims of violence they are not brushed aside as a single plot point, they’re treated respectfully and if not, the viewer is shown that the disrespectful treatment was wrong. They feel more like real people with more than three lines of character traits than any of the women in Endeavor. 

So, in conclusion, what really gets me is that Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries is not only set further in the past, the show itself was made earlier than Endeavor. The concept is roughly the same, a detective with unusual skills, somewhat different from everyone around them, working alongside a police detective to solve crimes, usually murders. And yet, not only does MFMM have a better gender balance in casting, its female characters are more complex, its queer characters more prevalent and treated with more respect, the cases more interesting (imo), the main characters deeper, and the show itself more colorful and intriguing. It grinds my gears to watch one show and know that the other is so much better at the same concept. Ultimately, everyone everywhere should watch Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries it is an absolute gem of a show and Endeavor, do better. 

/end rant

[justmissfisher]

some thoughts

I don't presume to think I'd be the first one to think about that, but the revelation came to me regardless and I had to type it. I’m not saying I’m right, it’s just one way of interpretation.

So as I watched the show I had genuinely hope they'd have a kiss between these two once per season. (They'd certainly had opportunities where they could kiss and it'd still be within the element of: "We Have To Kiss Because Of Circumstances" + Quality Mutual Pining + Angst. Alas, they didn't, therefore it's fanfiction's domain now)

I've been thinking today though about their first kiss. It cannot possibly be a coincidence that said kiss happens in the episode where Rene, Phryne’s ex and abuser, appears.

My mind immediately jumped on the symbolism of it. 

Phryne is an emotionally distant woman when it comes to romantic relationships. I think we can safely conclude that Rene was a big reason for it. I’m not saying that it’s wrong for Phryne that she doesn’t want to marry; it’s just that I personally read the statement that she gives Lin that she doesn’t belong to any man as ‘being in a relationship will mean i belong to that person’; it would make sense given her history of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her ex, in any case.

While I didn’t like that much that the situation was in such a manner that Phryne’s consent couldn’t really be asked for, I like the symbolism of Jack prying Phryne’s eyes away from Rene, and we later learn that the kiss was very much reciprocated. (If you’d even doubt it after what heart-eyes they give each other). It’s like the narrative saying “It doesn’t have to be this way! You don’t have to be influenced by that man anymore!”

Like, both kisses were like a passage into change. Well, it took a long time from the first kiss until the second, but it was a journey.

[pixie-hood]

Yes! I love your analysis ! I think I'm going to make a separate post to rant about the pace in season 3 because I have a lots of thoughts ! But what you say makes a lot of sense ;)

I just want to be shipper trash for a moment and talk about nothing but Phrack.

Because I love the way their relationship developed over the season.

In 3x01 they were obviously in the stage where they were comfortable spending time with one another and they were probably flirting with the idea of taking things further (following on from 2x12 where they ALMOST put everything out in the open but Aunt P interrupted) but it also hadn’t quite been defined. And with two people with very different relationship histories, defining their courtship (for lack of a better term) would have been necessary to prevent either of them getting hurt or having expectations that couldn’t have been met.

And that became clear with Jack’s rant when accidentally intoxicated on Baron Fisher’s nerve tonic. Because he knows that Phryne is an openly sexual woman and that she hasn’t shown an interest in monogamous relationships. And going from his words ‘I wish I were more liberal’ he has thought extensively as to whether he could be with her on those sort of terms (and I love the fact that he TRIED). But that isn’t who Jack is, and he doesn’t force the issue but it does make it clear that if things are to progress between them it would have to be between THEM. But he doesn’t force an answer from her (door to the head or not, he obviously doesn’t confront her about the conversation afterwards). I’m pretty sure that he believed she wouldn’t want to be with him exclusively, and he would continue to be happy with their friendship and working partnership (albeit with regret that they weren’t more, hence the unsubtle jealousy in 3x02).  (of course, Phryne WASN’T seeing another man in 3x01 but I’m not sure if she’d really thought too much about what her and Jack really wanted from each other in the long term)

(the rest is going under a read more because this got long after four episodes, not to say the rest of the season!)

Afficher davantage

[phrynefishersfrocks]

The fifth ensemble of "Dead Air" (Season 2, Episode 11) features one of Miss Fisher's statement coats, a grey tweed with white panels, a black blouse, her black wide-legged pants, and her classic cat burglar hat.

Phryne's entire look is a wonderful example of reusing previous pieces in a new way. Her heathered tweed coat, created by loosely weaving black and white elements together, was previously seen in "Raisins and Almonds" (1x05). It has white panels set into the fabric along the back seam, the outer edge of the sleeves, and lines that start at her underarm and zig-zag down to the hem. The side closure is a black embroidered hook and eye set to help it cross over her chest.

While worn over a white outfit in 1x05, we see it here over her all black casual home outfit (minus the cardigan) seen earlier in this episode. Her black blouse has matching loose ties that follow her v-neckline, and is a staple in her season two wardrobe, showing up six times so far (2x04, 2x05, 2x06, twice in 2x08, and earlier in 2x11). Its paired with her classic black silk faille pants and accented with black leather gloves.

She accessorizes with her silver capped onyx teardrop earrings, and a brooch featuring a white carved flower set into a black oval frame, worn earlier in 2x08, and black heels. As per usual, Phryne adds a fabulous hat to her silhouette. Appropriately known as her 'cat-burglar beret', this black circular beret has been worn twelve times so far - (twice in 1x05, 1x06, 1x09, twice in 1x10, 2x01, 2x03, 2x04, 2x05, 2x06, 2x07, and here in 2x11).

Season 2, Episode 11 - "Dead Air"

Screencaps from here, hat photo from the official Pinterest, production photos from various sources (x, x, x), Costume Exhibition photo of brooch from Dayna’s Blog.

[acrazyobsession]

2x12 “Unnatural Habits” Episode Analysis

It’s a long one! 4400 words long! I had a lot to say I guess.

(May 2, 2020)

[justmissfisher]

Sorting MFMM characters into Hogwarts Houses

Alright, folks!

I've been a Potterhead for over half of my life and I've bingewatched MFMM and I'm well on my way for a very slow rewatching, so I think I'm half-qualified to bring my two cents into this debate - if there even is one. Alas, this is a great opportunity for more analysis of characters, which I absolutely love. Feel free to contradict me if you disagree, I wanna hear other opinions.

 Our Honorable Private Detective Miss Phryne Fisher

Slytherin/Gryffindor (with a strong side of Ravenclaw)

Arguments:

Slytherin: She’s cunning, clever, resourceful and has manipulated the situation to her favour when needed, over and over again. She has no issue changing the argument in some way so she’s winning. (just one ex: when Hugh brings Miss Gay over in episode 2, he says the inspector will want to hear her explanation as to why she took Jane. She says that she’s sure she’ll have an explanation by then). She’s quite ambitious in solving her cases; she doesn’t stop until she finds the answer ( a bit of Ravenclaw ). She’s particularly more protective of the people she cares about (I would suspect she got Jane as a ward, both because she likes her and reminds her of her sister. And we know she’d do anything for her close people.)

Her Gryffindor-ness expresses in the way she recklessly follows the danger at times, her love of adventure (the infamous ‘Adventuress Club’ she creates). She has brushes with death far more often than advisable. She’s very much interested in justice; she decides she won’t bring her laundry anymore at the church that abuses those poor girls. (but only after she cannot use them anymore to find information about the girls who disappeared). She’s come to Melbourne to bring justice for her sister and have some more adventures (away from her family)

Slytherin and Gryffindor have quite a lot in common, both being very passionate. Just that Slytherins are much more deliberate, which I really think it’s something Phryne is. She can be very reckless, but she’s rarely impulsive or thoughtless and almost everything she does is well-calculated. Also, Gryffindors have a tendency to see the world in black-or-white morality, which is not really Phryne’s style.

The side of Ravenclaw expresses itself in her insurmountable curiousity, as well as being a cultured, well-read, extremely open-minded and quick to learn woman (and possessing the desire to learn).

Final House: Ultimately, I think I would choose Slytherin (but if someone else prefers Gryffindor, I wouldn’t rage. I just think she could also be an excellent Slytherin role model, which I think she would also love. And Gryffindors would agree she’s one of the agreeable Slytherins).

Edit: Sorry folks, I think I will have to go back to Gryffindor. I have received many excellent arguments as to why, ultimately, she represents Gryffindor better than Slytherin - despite her cunningness. I want to present all facts as well as I can; And I think I owe a couple of more arguments.

1. Slytherins are more focused on image. Sure, Phryne is focused on looking well, but she will put aside thoughts of her appearance when a case is in the way. She also loves to toy with society’s expectations and has little care for propriety - compare her to Aunt P, if you want to.

2. This morning when I woke up I suddenly remembered that she has gone on more adventures than one can count (to the point where there can be plotholes, but I haven’t done the math yet.) And if that’s not Gryffindor in a nutshell, I don’t know...

Detective Inspector Jack Robinson

Ravenclaw/Gryffindor with strong Hufflepuff

Arguments:

This one was a little harder to pinpoint. At first, he could seem very well a Gryffindor, with his strong set of morals (marriage is still a marriage, even if they’re not talking anymore); he wants to bring justice and make the world a safer place. Everyone who knows him knows that he’ll try to find the truth and be fair, responsible. (Hufflepuffness)

His former wife trusts him in this regard so much, she knows he’s telling the truth when he accuses her fiance and father of...quite enough illegal things)

However, I could bring many good arguments for Ravenclaw: He’s just as curious as Miss Fisher, even if less obvious about it. He’s very rarely reckless and very deliberate about it. (ex: In the episode where he eventually arrests Sydney and his former father-in-law, he doesn’t rush thoughtlessly in the situation. Analyzes pros and cons and decides to take the risk.) He likes doing things in A Certain Way, but he’s also quite open-minded (and tries daily to be more so, both for those he cares about and himself); he’s willing to hear others opinions and debate them and doesn’t take anything as set in stone. (even in situations where he doesn’t have concrete evidence, he accepts arguments that make sense and seem to be as true as possible). He’s quite thoughtful and rarely impulsive.

Final House: My final take will be Ravenclaw. He’s also a huge nerd (I mean, I know not all Ravenclaws are nerds, and not all nerds are Ravenclaws, but I think he’s a Ravenclaw who’s a huge nerd.)

Cinnamon Roll Dorothy “Dot” Williams

Hufflepuff with a strong side of Gryffindor (and a learned bit of Slytherin, especially later in the show)

Arguments:

Oh, nobody could possibly deny she’s a Hufflepuff! She practically radiates it, from the way she behaves, believes and dresses. She’s kind, hardworking, caring, down-to-earth, sensible, practical, deeply loyal (all of which are very Hufflepuff sentiments). She’s very attached to the idea of belonging to a community and helping it ( that’s why she’s so involved in Church; and she cares deeply about the little family she found with Miss Fisher & Co.) She follows Miss Fisher everywhere and is willing from the beginning to help, even in the craziest of the plans. She’s a very sensible person, down to the way she dresses.

Now that it’s quite so settled, I want to bring a bit of shine on her Gryffindorness, because that’s not so obvious. But she is a very brave person and she’s willing to move past her fears, especially for the sake of those she loves (again, quite Hufflepuffish). Even from the very first episode, she’s willing to go in danger in order to find the truth (she also puts a great deal of trust in Miss Fisher). With a bit of encouragement from Phryne, her Gryffindor side shines more and more: she’s the one to ask Hugh to the ball and in many situations, she’ll go investigate on her own and then bring back whatever she’s found either to Miss Fisher or Hugh. She’s quite a traditional woman compared to Miss Fisher, but she’s also willing to change the Father she goes to when she learns he’s a violent person.

Bits of Slytherin are learned from being with Miss Fisher. She’s always been quite a clever girl, she likes solving puzzles and she has quite a keen eye for detail, but being with Phryne and Co. has taught her that it’s alright to be all of these things. She’s willing to try to bend the situation a little to be in her favor, through....knowing her value in quite a few situations (when she tells the Father that prohibited her from being with Hugh that she won’t bake and make clothes for the Church charity anymore if she cannot be with Hugh, as well as telling Father O’Leary - was it the same Father in both situations? - that she could convert to Protestantism if he keeps on with that ‘wife must obey to husband’ philosophy). 

Final House: Hufflepuff, naturally. I just wanted to shine more on what an amazing and complex character she is.

Constable Hugh Collins

Hufflepuff with a side of Hufflepuff

Arguments: At most, if I squint, I could see a bit of Gryffindorness in there, but I would suspect it’s more learned through being in the workforce, rather than something he possesses more naturally. He’s dependable, kind, hardworking. He’s a bit set in his stone, believing that things are the way he’s learned them and having a bit of a hard time to adapt (for instance, his difficulty in accepting that Dottie wants to keep working for Miss Fisher, and that she’s more modern than most of the other women her age). He’s sweet and very quick to try to help, friendly and a little gullible, but he’s willing to listen and try to get better (especially for the sake of those he cares about). He’s relatively down to earth, rarely does reckless things, unless explicitly told (particularly by Jack Robinson, on occasion by Phryne Fisher). He’s a man attached to the idea of family - particularly making his own - and very loyal, both to the DI as well as Dottie. He’s one of the main characters most pressured by societal expectations and rules and abiding by them. (which in turn brings the despair and hopelessness that he’s a failure if he cannot provide for his future family and makes him run away).

Final House: Hufflepuff. There’s really no question about it. There would be more to talk about in a character analysis, but I’m not sure which percentage could go into a definition of Hufflepuffness and which is mainly just him (especially since both Hugh and Dottie are Hufflepuffs, but very different ones).

Albert "Bert" Johnson

Gryffindor/Slytherin

Arguments: 

As I’ve mentioned before, Slytherin and Gryffindor have more in common than you’d think, and in particular for Bert it’s hard for me to choose.

Bert is deeply passionate (either for his footbal team or his causes); and that’s when he becomes impulsive, in defensiveness or desire to protect. While he’s a reckless man, he doesn’t strike me as the man who does many things without thinking; he often accepts in going in errands for Miss Fisher, but he’s more aware of what he gets on than would seem at a first glance. He’s a deeply loyal man, but his loyalty and trust is also hard bought and easily lost (he becomes very angry when Cec decides to marry, because it jeopardizes their partnership, and because Cec hadn’t told him).

Final House:  I think he’s a fairly good match between the two. Ultimately, I think he’d be in Gryffindor; I don’t think he could stand being in Slytherin.

 Cecil "Cec" Yates

Hufflepuff with a side of Gryffindor

Arguments: Between the two, Cec is definitely the friendlier one, more concerned with helping strangers (Bert admonishes him in the first episode that he takes in strays), as well as more polite. He’s also less impulsive than Bert and not so quick to get into a fight unless it’s a must. He’s caring, loyal and willing to put aside differences for other people (think of the episode with the football teams when he comes to check on Bert when he hears of the victim’s death). I think his Gryffindorness comes more from his association with Bert and Miss Fisher (as well as the nature of his job), but I understand that Bert and Cec are a pair and most people would put them both in the same house.

Final House: Hufflepuff, in my humble opinion.

Mister Tobias Bulter

Hufflepuff with a side of Ravenclaw

Arguments: While I think Mr. Butler could make a fine addition to either house, he’s more of a Hufflepuff. He is helpful, hardworking, loyal, anticipative of other people’s needs and willing to try and meet them. He cares deeply about his job. Non-judgmental, he rolls quickly with the whole hurricane that is Miss Fisher’s life, without making much fuss (and quite enjoys it, if you ask me). He also cares about other people, listening to their problems and offering sound advice when needed. He’s diplomatic, knows what to say and which secrets to keep. His calm and respectful manner hides quite unexpected knowledge (fighting, guns, birds and many others). He’s also patient, willing to teach Kip how to do a good job, and generally sounds like a good teacher.

Final House: Hufflepuff

[missingmissfisher]

Must definitely reblog your marvellous analysis @fridakolosseum! Here’s to all the trustworthy and stalwart men and father figures worthy of our respect and love in our lives!

Significant Male Relationships

(I want to openly acknowledge that some of what I wrote here is built upon the episode recaps of S3 by @jeneep. What wonderful insight you have! You are also a fantastic writer!)

There were a lot of fandom FEELINGS when Henry Fisher showed up at the beginning of series 3 and “slowed progress” in Jack and Phryne’s budding relationship.  

Trust me, I was aggravated as well. But as I was reading some of the recaps a few things started to come to the surface about what could be seen as an advantage of Henry Fisher’s presence at this particular relationship juncture for Jack and Phryne. 

There is no doubt that Phryne knows that she is falling for Jack and she wants to give this a go. However I don’t believe for a second she has any idea how to proceed. I think she is open but also knowing Phryne and her level of confidence in herself, it is possible to believe she will default to what she knows. (And she actually does a little later.) Jack as well.  

I think had Henry Fisher not shown up, Jack and Phryne would have, at the very least, moved the physical relationship further without really addressing the underlining issues until things came to a head.  And then it might have been too late… and too damaging.

(What exactly is nerve tonic, btw?) Henry’s presence however and the way Miss Fisher handles it so sketchy from the start seems to cause Jack to proceed with a different kind of caution. At the end of the episode he seems warily fascinated by the father/daughter dynamic and his acquaintance with Phryne’s father seems to be a bit of a puzzle piece that further explains Phryne’s beliefs and lifestyle.

Jack has seen Phryne with a lot of “old friends"… But here he is seeing her interact with her first significant male relationship. He’s learning things about Phryne that he didn’t quite know. She is further exposed to Jack and she can’t stop it from happening! 

Naturally, Phryne is not afraid of exposure. She is naked all the time! However, she likes to be the one to expose the particular details of her life. Understandably. Her father is a particular detail. Bleh.  

Cut to the very next episode and despite the fact that Phryne had seem to give Jack the “go sign” to pursue her–and the fact that she hasn’t taken a lover in some time–in walks Compton and before long she is “reminiscing”.

This isn’t a coincidence. She does it practically out of spite and possibly fear of losing herself when Jack shows signs of challenging her loyalty and marking his territory.  (it’s all her territory after all!) What a mess.

Let me stop here and say–I don’t believe that Phryne’s liberal sexual pursuits are an indication or a result of “damage”. I believe the way she lives her life is based on her independence, her strength, confidence in herself and getting what she wants. (And let’s be honest–her current position of privilege)  It’s also based on a very strong feminist world view.  

I do believe however, that one of the reasons she is strong, independent, fierce and an avid feminist is built upon some of the negative interactions she has had with that first significant male relationship (among others-namely René ). She put as much distance as she could between herself and her father until very recently when he appeared on her doorstep.

Has the pursuit of a possible monogamous relationship conjured a ghost?

Her father was a drunk. A gambler. A con artist. Secretive. Unreliable. He took from the family anything of value to fund his own vices. He disrespected his wife and his daughters. Did she know other men who were different? Probably. But they were not men whom she was meant to rely upon. In fact, throughout what we know of her story in the TV series, there aren’t any men she truly relied upon. There are….

Men who are lovers, men who are employees and men who are friends in need.

Cec and Burt are trustworthy and like family but they are employed by her. She cares about them for sure but she’s in the power position. Mr. Butler adores her - he gets paid too. Hugh is…a puppy. 

She doesn’t rely on her lovers, in fact she is typically the one who is rescuing them.

Again, she is in the position of strength. (it’s pretty awesome).  Bart, Samson, Charles, Raymond–all platonic friends in need. 

Her relationship with Jack however has no historical parallel for her that we know of.

There is haggling with Jack but never payment.  There is need and protection and information from both sides. There is always an even exchange. 

Even when she feeds him it’s food for two.  They drink TOGETHER.

They play a lot. And they are competitive with each other while still being on the same side.

It’s egalitarian at its best even when she’s batting her eyelashes and flirting. They are honest with the good and the bad. They both have issues and the other one knows about them. They argue–sometimes for the purpose of understanding, sometimes just to win.

(The fact that he is a man she is attracted to but has not yet slept with is a whole other fascinating analyzation and I’ll let someone else do it.  [Someone do it].)

She tries to have a similar sparring with Compton when he comes back into her life for a hot second but then realizes he’s not been forth coming. He isn’t a partner. Her relationship with Jack is…

Unusual for her and the time period.

It is something other.  It’s a relationship of the future, really.  What does one do when one actually discovers something they were sure did not exist? They may flounder a bit. 

It’s a time period when women married and went from their father’s house to their husbands house. This hasn’t happened with Phryne and it’s never going to. She has her own damn house.  

I doubt she would’ve even been opened to marriage even if Henry Fisher had been a really great father and husband. Yet there is that possibility that having such a crappy dad could have factored into her never really having a man as her partner up until now.  (let’s not even mention René. Bad all around.)

Back to Henry… Jack is taking notes on Phryne and her Pops. Watch his face anytime Phryne tells him a story relating to her dad. As @jeneep points out, Phryne loves her father. Even though he is an ass. Jack sees this too. And he’s there for her with regard to Henry. But Jack uses this to his advantage and becomes calculating and I love it! Every Henry-ism is countered with a Jack-ism. (Does that sound dirty… Wasn’t supposed to.)

Henry stole Phryne’s  swallow brooch to buy beer. Jack “finds” a swallow brooch to give to Phryne - a return of “lost property” he calls it. 

Henry manipulates the system at The Grand to waltz with Phryne’s mother years ago. Jack asks Phryne–straight up–for the privilege of a waltz at the Grand THEN expresses a gratefulness that she even exists. Somehow redeeming her father’s past actions and mother’s foolishness in falling for it all.    

Phryne is concerned with old memories that her father murdered someone because he has done a lot of really rotten things… Jack finds the defining answer to Phryne’s questions. Jack exonerates her father for HER. 

Henry’s “resourcefulness” (as Jack so kindly puts it) wreaks havoc! and brings Phryne a lot of angst and embarrassment. Jack builds her back up and points out that THAT resourcefulness–like her own–with the proper motive is a thing he appreciates and relies upon from her.  She knows she shares some of her father’s qualities… but Jack reminds her she is not her father….but Neither is Jack.  

He once told Phryne regarding her sister’s abduction that he “dismissed the charges”. Jack is an officer of the law as Phryne told her father when she introduced him. He is also a good person–someone you would want to think well of you. And Jack thinks well of Phryne. 

Phryne’s father has a dubious past and present - Jack seems to very easily dismiss any charges with relation to Phryne’s connection to him. Jack is OFTEN dismissing the charges if you think about it.

  It’s why she trusts him.

Phryne has never truly been on the receiving end of Jack’s Judgement and feels safe to complain; express fear, exasperation and genuine concern to him. She lets him see more of the embarrassing dysfunction of her family and more of her wounds which is what we all have to do before we invite someone to truly be a member by way of a serious relationship. And it is serious. The fact that Henry is even in the final scene with Jack and Phryne kissing passionately is very telling as to where these two have navigated just in the last 8 episodes (only eight!) As @jeneep astutely points out, he’s shouting and they are completely ignoring him!

Possibly illustrating that Jack has somehow exorcised any ghosts, dispelled any judgement and any possible correlation between that first significant male relationship with what he hopes is Phryne’s last significant male relationship.

[ragingstillness]

Can we talk more about the amazing level of visual irony in MFMM?

I know there are tons of examples but the one that stands out the most is from Murder and the Maiden, when we have a little funny rivalry developing between Compton and Jack and they square off for the one of many funny times in Compton’s office. They’re discussing possible motives for the murder that has taken place and Phryne suggests a love triangle. Jack scoffs, then Phryne says, “two men, one woman, it has been known to cause trouble.” And the genius cinematographer decided to frame that exact moment with a shot of Phryne standing in the middle of the room with Jack and Compton on either side of her. I straight up lost it laughing the first time I saw the scene. 

The other most obvious example is the trousers scene from the first season when Jack tells Hugh they’re going to show Miss Fisher who wears the trousers in their relationship and then the very next shot is her coming down the stairs in trousers. 

Really, huge credit to whoever planned those scenes. They display perfect examples of a subtle yet amazing humor, well suited to such a sophisticated show.

@hysydney @phrynefisherdaily @whopooh

[gabolange]

10 through 15.

For the behind the scenes fic meme!

10. Do you enjoy writing dialogue, exposition, or plot the most?

Asked and answered!

11. If you could only write angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your life, which would it be?

Erm. Probably smut, granting that when I say that I mean character-driven stories with explicit sex rather than PWP.

12. Is there a trope you haven’t written yet but really want to?

Hmm. My favorite trope is outside POV, but I actually don’t write it much at all.

13. Is there a trope you wouldn’t write if it was the last trope on earth?

There will never be any magical healing penises, there will never be revelation or character growth driven by rape, there will never be soulmate AU or high school AU, and there will never be letting men off the hook because they’re sexy. I could go on, but I suspect you get my drift.

14. If you were stuck on a desert island with only two characters, which would you pick?

I mean, probably Helen Magnus and Samantha Carter.

15. A Hollywood producer tells you that they want to film just one of your fics. Which fic would you want it to be?

When the Long Trick’s Over. Mostly because Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears was....character assassinating garbage that made no sense (hi, please don’t ask me how I feel unless you actually want me to tell you everything I hated about that movie, which was all of it). Long Trick is the definitive story about what happened after the MFMM finale. It is wonderful to the ensemble, respectful of everyone’s history, has a bit of a plot, and you could get in some great visuals of the ship journey. Heck, go for war flashbacks! Literary analysis! Some excellent outfits! So many options!

[missingmissfisher]

Wow and yesssss was to your epic tags and analysis @lucys-preston!

[……..fuck]

full disclaimer this started as tags and then i ran out of space so…..excuse the formatting

#mhmmm  mhmmmm MHMMMMM MMMMKAY guys and gals#guess whoo whoo whoooo has some THOUGHTS#(let’s just get this out of the way before i really break down but the ACTING?!#!jfc nathan you could be teaching a master class#and essie ooooooh my god the softness and the realization and i am HURT please you two)#but the scene? the conversation? the way they LOOK at each other!?! i just….wowie-fucking-wow#what a fanTASTIC reflection of them as people and them as a pair and a couple#phryne lives her life on the edge - literally a lot of the time and she takes stupid risks but she’s also incredibly caring and giving#and i think she takes risks to honor janey’s memory and she cares for so many people because she can’t do the same for her sister#(or any of the soldiers she lost in the war) but at the same time i think she still blames herself almost entirely for janey#so she takes crazy chances and gives too much of herself away to others because she doesn’t want to fail them like she did janey#and jack has become the person to back her up when she’s being wacky and care for her in the moments when she gives TOO much to others#so she’s started to depend on him but she doesn’t consider how her actions can affect him as much#because if she doesn’t see herself as someone to keep safe - like she should have kept her sister safe - why would anyone else?#so she treats it all like fun and games. and it took a while for jack to come around to that view but he had been going along with it#but the thing is….phryne’s safety has almost always been the most important thing to jack#and i think he’s ‘loosened up’ more and allowed her more willing involvement in the cases because it started to feel more like fun and games#like she would always be safe; like they could keep each other safe no matter what; like he would always be there if she needed it#(because that’s what he does - why he solves murders - to bring closure and comfort and safety to those who need it#and justice to those who deserve it - the way so many soldiers and enemies and families during the war didn’t get those things)#but this crash…this shakes him. because it makes him really face the fact that he WON’T always be there#anything could happen; something like THIS could happen. to this woman that he – well he’s not quite sure what he feels for her#(or he’s lying to himself cough cough) but he knows he HAS the feelings. and that something like this could happen to her#ESPECIALLY with the crazy risks she takes#so when she sees him broken and falling apart at the thought of losing her. her first thought is to comfort and to brush away the seriousness#‘i’m still here’ because she is. nothing happened to her; see?#and he does. but he also sees that she DOESN’T see that something COULD happen to her; could so easily with such a cavalier sort of view#and so she thinks comfort and reassurance will solve things but what he really needs and to know that she’ll stop being so reckless#(but the thing is….he also knows that she won’t. and he wouldn’t ask her to. because that would be changing who she IS; her very self#and so many of the things that he loves the most about her. so i don’t think he’s so much angry at her as he is at himself. (and continued in the ACTUAL tags)

[acrazyobsession]

“Death on the Vine”

Episode Analysis 

Finally! I have another episode analysis up on AO3. These are some of my gifs that are in the review (and a few extras that didn’t make it in).

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22681297

[ao3feed-mfmm]

A Series of Snapshots

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2Hvv9aZ

by martinisandart

It’s become a running joke now, that all of my written assignments hold at least one mfmm reference, and if they don’t, it’s because the work is set in the 1920’s. I thought it best to share ;)

Words: 712, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Characters: Phryne Fisher, Jack Robinson, Jane Ross, Original Characters

Additional Tags: Really it’s just a lot of references, maybe some analysis?, i felt the need to share all these somewhere okay, an insight into my written works

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2Hvv9aZ