Why do guys love MSCL?

General discussion about the nineteen episodes of "My So-Called Life". Note: Our episode guide can be found here.
kimincali
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Why do guys love MSCL?

Post by kimincali » Jul 9th 2002, 7:06 pm

I am new here, so forgive me if I am asking a question that has already been asked, or is in someway "wrong." Anyways, I know that MSCL had such a profound impact on my life because when I watched it, I felt that I *was* Angela. I am just wondering what the draw was for guys. Did you feel like Brian or Jordan? Were you just lusting after Claire Danes?
I am generally curious, but I am also an RA and ran a MSCL marathon last year, but I didn't know how to get guys to come. I will run the marathon again next year (hopefully with the DVDs) and I was wondering how to draw guys in....

Thanks.

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Natasha (candygirl)
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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Jul 9th 2002, 8:14 pm

Maybe they like seeing Rayanne run her fingers up her fishnetted legs.

:mrgreen:

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Post by ClarenceWorley » Jul 10th 2002, 5:06 am

When I first became aware of the series, and in turn became a so-called fan, I don't think I related to any specific character. I was Jordan being oblivious to Angela's feelings. I was Brian when it came to academic prowess. I was Angela with those perfectly expressed "sighs". I was Rayanne trying to be larger than life. I was Rickie when it came to applying the right amount of eyeliner, ohh… I've said too much. :wink:

Essentially, the series portrayed the teenage experience extremely accurately, which is what really did it for me.

In regard to drawing in the guys, will there be free food?

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Natasha (candygirl)
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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Jul 10th 2002, 12:55 pm

I agree with Clarence - free pizza always brought the boys running. It even worked when our RA did a Disney movie festival on a Saturday night. Swear.

:shock:

Then again, maybe it was the thought that a bunch of chicks would be in the vicinity of free food. Kind of like the guys who were smart enough to take home ec or dance classes or French.

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Men and MSCL

Post by sicofant » Jul 10th 2002, 1:43 pm

Unforntunately I'm one of the reasons the show was cancelled. I never watched it when it was in it's first run. I discovered it when it came around on MTV. I think, like a lot of guys, I had the preconceived notion that this was a chick show, not something that I would ever get into. Boy was I wrong.

While watching it on MTV I kept trying to walk away, trying to find something better. (I not sure there's been anything better, before or since) Thinking, 'I'm a guy. I'm not supposed to like this'. But it drew me in, I believe because it was honest, it told the truth. I could identify with the struggles that all the characters went through, male and female and I found myself cheering for them. It's a shame that there's no place for a quality show that pulls no punches, about the trials and tribulations of teenagers on network television.

As to why you haven't been able to get men to watch it, my guess would be that, like myself, they've predecided ( or society has decided for them) that they're not supposed to like this. Many of them have probably never seen the show. Too bad for them. If they have seen it they probably do like it but can't possibly admit to it.

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Natasha (candygirl)
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is it any coincidence that her intials are T & A?

Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Jul 10th 2002, 6:09 pm

That doesn't explain why so many guys watched 90210 or Saved by the Bell.

Oh wait - the chicks. See my previous explanation.

:lol:

sicofant

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Post by sicofant » Jul 10th 2002, 8:12 pm

That, and you didn't have to think.

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Post by Nostradamus » Jul 10th 2002, 11:45 pm

candygirl wrote:Maybe they like seeing Rayanne run her fingers up her fishnetted legs.

:mrgreen:
(Long, lusty, wolflike howling) Second that!!! As I said in a prior post, A.J. Langer's gams were the only way I could get my best friend to try MSCL. Cheesecake pics may not be the reason we stick with the show, but, for guys, it makes a good icebreaker :wink:

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Re: Why do guys love MSCL?

Post by Nostradamus » Jul 11th 2002, 12:08 am

It seems to me that among people who haven't seen it, MSCL has all the geek stigma of Star Trek without the hardcore sci-fi fanbase-not that Lifers can't post with the best of them! Some may also see MSCL as some kind of cliched, preachy Disney flick and dismiss it out of hand (That censored version on Fox Family didn't help :x ) Indeed, if I may paraphrase Gandalf, I have never been more delighted in my life than when I found this site. I feared I was the last fan of a brave but dead drama. Praise be that I was wrong! :D

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Post by Guest » Jul 14th 2002, 5:50 pm

The appeal of the show is that it is intoxicating. There are so many characters one can idetify with, if only for a fleeting moment. The show's appeal is that it is true to life. It's as thought they just took a video camera and followed someone around, without them knowing it.
It is the antithesis of what one usually sees on tv. It is not contrived or fake. The characters and situatins everyone can relate to at some time in their life. If anyone knows how I can get a complete set on VHS of all 19 episodes, please e-mail me at ksmile_71@hotmail.com. It would make my day.

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Why this guy likes MSCL

Post by jellybean » Jul 15th 2002, 2:26 pm

I watched the very first episode when it was first aired in the U.K. just out of curioustity to see if it was any good.
I think why I kept on watching it was because there was just something "special" about the show - it was so real and better than anything else on TV at the time.
I also have to admit, that IMHO Claire Danes is one of the worlds most beautiful actresses, which is always a plus to watching any episode of MSCL :wink: but more than this, the stories totally pull me in every time I watch one of them and you can feel everything that is happening as if it is happening to you.

Can't wait for the DVD to arrive :)

My favourite quote would have to be:

"People always say you should be yourself, like yourself is this definite thing, like a toaster, or something. Like you can know what it is, even. But every so often, I'll have like -- a moment, where being myself, in my life right where I am is, like, enough."

This kind of sums up everything that happened in MSCL and life too, just be yourself and not who or what everyone thinks you should be.

Did any of this make sense to anyone???
JB

bloke,william

Post by bloke,william » Jul 27th 2002, 12:18 am

When I was first introduced to the show MSCL, it was my first year in the service stationed in Germany. My MOS in the service was in combat arms, so the testasterone level of my collegues was rather on the high side. When I first started watching the show, I guess I could have been classified as a Closet "Lifer". Being just out of college, I did not want my peers to think that I was too "sensitive" so, I watched the episodes in a "covert" kind of way. I fondly remember making stupid excuses(eg. "uh...man, I'm just too tired stay up with you guys tonight!") and do my little "disappearing" act, just to catch the show.
Fond memories.....indeed.
The depiction of a man's battle against sheer futility in an artificial world and the pain and anguish(seldomly lessened by joy) of growing-up was in my opinion, what tugged at my interest. There is no denying the wonderful asthetics of Ms. Danes, however I think I was more in love with Angela than the actress that portrayed her. It just seems that Angela was, and is, more "real" than Danes upon comparing both of their lives(IMHO).
I'm glad that the show did not surpass Episode 19. If it had, I'm sure that I wouldn't be posting this at the moment.

P.S. Could someone be kind as to inform me if the Standard DVD set will be available for purchase after it is released? Is it mandatory to order the set prior to the release to obtain it?

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Post by saake » Jul 27th 2002, 7:49 pm

Well it was a loong time since i posted some thingh here but now its the time ..

Waht is the reason for greatnes ?
I dont know but i have an idea on what made me an fan on Mscl. The biggest thing whit Mscl i thing is the realy good characters played in a realy good way by the cast and a life like story that one can relate to (well im from sweden and have never been to Usa so what do i know but i feal like the ppl in Mcsl cold have ben ppl i might have known in real life.) and the setting is a qite normal family in a normal town and things that happens arnt that special. It makes me feal right at home.

I can see manny things that happens in the show and make conections to things that have happend to me or to ppl i know. Why make this it soo great? i dont nkow but i still watch Mscl and find things that i can say "yea that is real and I fealt just like that last week.. " or somthing like that ..

saake
\"There\'s something about Sunday night that makes you want to kill yourself\"

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What no gay guys here?

Post by kenickie » Aug 2nd 2002, 5:48 pm

I too related to all of the characters in various ways, but I have to say (and I am surprised no-one else has said this) that I was enthralled as a teenager, growing up feeling like a freak becouse I thought I was gay, having someone in a prime time, teenage drama who was going through the same things as me really... well... made me feel normal.

The show hid nothing about growing up gay. It tackled the subject up front and didn't shy away from the fact that Ricky was gay. It was like "Here's a show about some kids growing up, and one of them just happens to be gay".

I think that people don't often realise or truly appreciate what an impact this show had becouse of it's gay character. When it was aired in the u.k. on channel four at 6pm (the teen schedule) there had been nothing like it, even on "grown up" t.v. (and boy did I check). It really broke down barriers. And the fact that many "straight" guys watched the show too, guys who (and I'm not putting anyone down here) until seeing someone like Ricky may have thought that all gay lads were pathetic, girly and deserved nothing more than a good kicking. I really BELIEVE that it changed peoples perceptions, and attitudes of what was "normal" and "acceptable". I suffered years of bullying at school, so much so that every day I went to school for SIX YEARS, I felt physically sick with worry. I once walked down to the bus stop, and then had to walk home becouse seven lads had SPAT all over me. You have no idea what that felt like. It was degrading. If this show has stopped someone from going through what I went through then that, in itself, is a fantastic thing.


That's why I like MSCL.

Well, you did ask. :wink:
Let's make the memories that dreamers only claim,
But it's hard, when the world knows your name.

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Old Guy

Interesting question

Post by Old Guy » Aug 6th 2002, 9:55 am

Although a guy, I actually identified with Angela. She was in many respects just like me when I was in HS. I was always very introspective, obsessive about the opposite sex, and often having strange philosophical thoughts like Angela (i.e. "when you think about chewing...").

I'm not gay or a transvestite or anything like that --- I just found the character of Angela to be someone very similar to me. I instantly clicked with the show because of that.

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