I know there's a difference between a "bad boy" and a "bad guy". One has a cheeky grin, the other has a maniacal laugh.
But even still, I've always been more of a fan of the good guys. I have a friend for whom it's the complete opposite -- she loves the baddies. The villains the bad guys, the evil schemer -- that's who floats her boat. I've never shared her interest.
That is until...
I know movies and TV are full of "charismatic serial killers", but to be honest I've never found any of them particularly "charismatic". But this time, yeah, I can almost understand it. (Almost, because no matter how good looking and charming, I really don't think anyone could convince me to do some of the things he convinces his followers to do.)
James was also Mark Antony in the exotic series Rome. Apparently he was a contender for Bond but was beaten out by Pierce Brosnan. (Pity, that.)
So, if you, like me, are a good-guy girl who needs her horizons expanding, I highly recommend checking out The Following and James' cute-yet-diabolical charm.
There aren't any real baddies in my June release SuperRomance, Just For Today..., although I did have a lot of fun with my heroine's ex-husband and a little revenge scene.
Tell me your favourite on-screen villain and I'll chose a comment at random to win a copy of Just For Today...
Hey Emmie. I know what you mean about good guys. I see the attraction of a bad boy but i do love me a good guy more.
ReplyDeleteI've been watching a bit of The Following and agree he is very charismatic but the show falls down in plausibility for me. I find if hard too believe he could have sooooo many people planted in sooo many places to help him and screw the police along the way.
I do know I want him to go down bad though, so I guess he does play a good villian! :-)
I'm putting my hand up for the good guys too, Emmie, even while (like my twin Amy) I can see the appeal of a bad boy hero.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been watching The Following, but one truly ambiguous bad boy TV hero that I love is Cleaver Green from Rake. I'm so certain I can "save" him. ;-)
Hi Emmie - I'm one for the 'good guys'. I watched the first episode of The Following but found bad guy just too creepy. But he is great in the role and can even 'out creep' Kevin Bacon :).
ReplyDeleteMy favourite on screen villain....I have a few - Spike from Buffy is one...but he redeems himself in the end so all was not lost.
Great post!
I'm another one who cheers for the good guys. :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen The Following, but I love James Purefoy. First came across him in Mansfield Park (he played Tom) and the Reece Witherspoon version of Vanity Fair (Rawdon) and fell a little bit in love.
In fact, he was the person I used in my collages for Matthew Kincaid in What Happens In Charleston. He was perfect!
Amy -- I did feel the same after a while -- I just couldn't believe everything could be executed with such perfect timing! But I still kept watching anyway. :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle -- excellent choice! Cleaver is such a hard character to actually like, and yet he's so appealing!
ReplyDeleteHelen -- I'm glad to see so many good-guy girls! Spike is a brilliant baddie. But yes, he was redeemed at the end, proving he was the good guy we could see all along...
ReplyDeleteRachel -- I think he might well be popping up on some of my story boards too!! I've seen him around various things before but I think The Following really shows him off. ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Emmie. I'm another good-guy girl, but there have been a few bad-guys that have made my heart race, too.
ReplyDeleteI love The Following (even when it gets a little far-fetched). I was all set to love Kevin Bacon's character, Ryan, but it's James Purefoy's 'Joe' that has me watching each week. What a fantastic bad-guy!
Actually, I'm rooting for Kevin. Mainly because I want him to get laid as he so desperately needs to preferrably with bad guys ex wife!!
ReplyDeleteTake that bad guy!
I don't watch a lot of shows/movies with "bad guys" in them. I prefer the crime-solving shows where there are different bad guys every week.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I tried and tried to think of someone, and the only one I thought of was WAY back years ago on Young & The Restless (I know, I know; I shouldn't be admitting to watching a soap opera), the character of Michael was terrible (and went to prison because of his actions). Today (or at least I presume he still is today, as I rarely watch it now), he is a reformed lawyer. He still has his moments, but he's no longer "the bad guy" on the show.
I'm a good-guy girl too, although I probably love a badISH guy turned good guy a little bit too. I haven't watched The Following yet but now you've got me keen, Emmie!
ReplyDeleteHi Lauren -- you're the same as me! I was ready to love Kevin Bacon's character, but intsead it was Joe all the way!
ReplyDeleteAmy -- I'm rooting for Kevin too, even if I'm lusting after Joe. I might have discovered a penchant for bad guys, but I still want the good guy to win!
ReplyDeleteLaney -- I haven't watched Young & the Restless, although I used to watch Days of our Lives many years ago and hated the evil Victor Kiriakis. :) I'm guessing Michael was similar...
ReplyDeleteOoh, Barbara I hope I've got you hooked! You definitely should give it a try and see if you get sucked in like I have been!
ReplyDeleteHmm, Emmie that's a tough one. I haven't seen The Following but I love, love Justified. Boyd Crowder is a bad, bad, bad boy but he has his own code of honour and sometimes he does the right thing and you love him for a moment, just a moment.
ReplyDeletethe Joker
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