Meta meme: 30 Days of Shipping

[luxken27]

Day 23 - A crazy love triangle/quadrilateral that worked out great?

Lexie/Archie/Katrina, Monarch of the Glen ~ Monarch of the Glen was another one of those awesome late 90s BBC shows that was imported across the pond. It's mainly the tale of Archie MacDonald, the (very relunctant) laird of Glenbogle, a Scottish Highlands estate - that is also a complete money pit. In the first series, he's happily living in London and trying to make a life for himself with a new restaurant, but he is recalled to his childhood home to take over the duties of the laird from his wayward father. He fights it with all his might, but as he becomes reacquainted with his family and finds friends amongst his tenants, slowly but surely he decides to stick around.

He has a fairly tragic backstory not uncommon to those of noble birth, but the biggest sticking point is the fact that he was the younger son, and was never supposed to take over the duties of laird - but his older brother was killed in a tragic accident, one for which he still blames himself. (Later, in Series 5, he learns of the existence of another, illegitimate older brother, one that ultimately drives him to leave Glenbogle for good.)

He has several romantic entanglements on the show, but the longest and most enduring triangle he found himself in was with Katrina, a local school teacher/political activist (who wishes to do away with the laird and his properties), and with Lexie, the charming housekeeper. In the first series, they are both kinda competing for him (Katrina moreso, or at least, more openly) with his girlfriend Justine back in London. Archie and Justine break up in series two, and he starts pursuing Katrina...just as Lexie realizes she's in love with him herself! Series 3 sees this particular triangle widened with more romantic interests for all the players, but finally, Archie seems to make his choice ~ Lexie. They marry in Series 4...only for Katrina to show up again and make a play for him. That's what the video above is about.

For me, this triangle worked out in the best possible way, because it's pretty impossible not to root for the feisty, unorthodox Lexie. She has her feet firmly planted on the ground, even when she doesn't want to, and Archie really has to work to win her - and keep her. It was a little disappointing when he left, but I can't say I wasn't intrigued by the tension between Lexie and his wayward brother, Paul, for the ten milliseconds that lasted :P

IIRC, Katrina got her happy ending as well, but its been awhile since I watched Series 4, so I won't swear to that.

Here's the series guide, for those interested. All seven series were released in the US and it looks like its also up on YouTube.

Previous....
Day 01 - What is your current favorite ship? Sam Thomas/Stacey McGill, Baby-sitters Club
Day 02 - What was your very first ship? Ryan/Stacy, Kids Inc
Day 03 - A pairing that needs to happen now? Seeley Booth/Temperance Brennan, Bones
Day 04 - The pairing with the most chemistry? Matt Hunter/Maxie Jones, General Hospital
Day 05 - The pairing with the least chemistry? Sesshoumaru/Kagome, Inuyasha
Day 06 - The best kiss? Tommy Quincy/Jude Harrison, Instant Star
Day 07 - The most heartbreaking scene? Shawn Brady/Belle Black, Days of Our Lives
Day 08 - The pairing with the most baggage? Miroku/Sango, Inuyasha
Day 09 - The most believable relationship? Jonathan Creek/Maddie Magellan, Jonathan Creek
Day 10 - Why aren't these two married in real life? Jason Cook/Kirsten Storms
Day 11 - What is your dream pairing? Charlie Thomas/Janine Kishi, Baby-sitters Club
Day 12 - Who had the best wedding? Byron Sully/Michaela Quinn, Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman
Day 13 - What is your favorite television pairing? Ryan/Stacy, Kids Inc
Day 14 - What is your favorite book pairing? William Dunford/Henrietta Barret, Minx
Day 15 - What is your favorite real life pairing? Queen Victoria & Albert, the Prince Consort
Day 16 - What is the absolute worst pairing? Sesshoumaru/Inuyasha, Inuyasha
Day 17 - A pairing you thought would never work out, but did? Archie "Snake" Simpson/Christine "Spike" Nelson, Degrassi Junior High/High/TNG
Day 18 - What is the cutest pairing? Early Classic Shelle, Days of Our Lives
Day 19 - A pairing you've rooted for since the beginning? Trent Lane/Daria Morgendorffer, Daria
Day 20 - The "can't stand the sexual tension anymore" pairing? Kyouya/Haruhi, Ouran High School Host Club
Day 21 - A pairing you like and no one else understands why? Sesshoumaru/Kagome, Inuyasha
Day 22 - A pairing you hate and no one else understands why? BSC slash

Upcoming...
Day 24 - A crazy love triangle/quadrilateral that worked out badly?
Day 25 - A pairing that was/would-be adorable, but could never work out?
Day 26 - A pairing that you hated and ended up loving?
Day 27 - A pairing that you loved and ended up hating?
Day 28 - A pairing that you will never understand?
Day 29 - What ship had the best proposal?
Day 30 - Your favorite ship forever and ever and ever?

Comments

[landofthekwt.livejournal.com]

Don't know these people. RT's first editor told her to put triangles in her manga Urusei Yatsura. She followed that advice in every one of her major manga series. I still do not understand why people at Dokuga get so angry at Izayoi and Kikyou. It's a literary device in a manga already.

Don't see how it worked out well for the women involved in triangle. They basically all feel awful.

[luxken27]

In *this* triangle? It worked out quite well for them, actually ~ Lexie married Archie, and Katrina found her happiness with someone else. I always had the sense that Katrina didn't want Archie, so much as she didn't want anyone else to have him...if that makes sense.

It was a complicated triangle, but it worked out in a favorable way IMO :P

[luxken27]

I watched a *lot* of BBC America when the channel first started here...and they were played pretty awesome stuff they imported from the mothership, unlike today.

Lexie is awesomecakes :D especially in series one:

[replicantangel.livejournal.com]

You have the most far-flung fandoms, chica! LoL. Never heard of this one either, but OMG, Scottish accents. *dies*

I'm always a fan of spunky housekeepers! I'm surprised the series lasted after she and the main character left though - that's a tricky sort of business. Sounds like good writing!

[luxken27]

You have the most far-flung fandoms, chica! LoL. Never heard of this one either, but OMG, Scottish accents. *dies*

I'm kinda surprised ~ it was a big BBC series, and all seven series made it over here, which generally means its pretty popular. LOL either way, glad you enjoyed! It's a great show, filmed on location in the Scottish Highlands.

I'm surprised the series lasted after she and the main character left though - that's a tricky sort of business.

Well, Archie left first, and then Lexie a series later, but Paul, who eventually became the laird after Archie, was there for one and a half series prior to leading the show on his own. Mmm, talk about a dreamboat <3 But it didn't last long after the series leads all left. It just becomes a different show, you know?

[replicantangel.livejournal.com]

filmed on location in the Scottish Highlands

*dies again* Someday, I'm spending more than a single day there.

But it didn't last long after the series leads all left. It just becomes a different show, you know?

Totally do! I'm a fan of X-Files, after all. :P