[spoilers] Harry and Ruth. The Wonder Years.

[Nitrus]

HR is the lesser of two evils on the forum at the moment, if you catch my drift.

[A Cousin]

(18-11-2010 09:15 PM)Nitrus Wrote:  HR is the lesser of two evils on the forum at the moment, if you catch my drift.

On the boat with ya and waiting out the storm....

I am going to be contrary here and say I'd go for S9. While I agree that I wasn't holding my breath for them to actually get together in S9, that was not tops on my list. I do think it moved somewhere and equally for both characters in a very adult, mature and sometimes brutal way. I dug that. Not that S5 wasn't really, really, REALLY nice and sweet for them, I just prefer the darker spin.

That said, I don't think I really want to go through that again.

[Silktie]

In terms of amounts of shared screentime, season 9 wins hands down. Also, I learnt so much more about the way both these characters think in season 9, so for that I'm going to pick this last one as my personal favourite.

But when I'm depressed and need cheering up, I'll stick to seasons 4 and 5 HR moments, methinks.

[Forever Secret]

Screentime wise, yep I'd also say S9 was best, and I like the darker spin on things in S9 ...but at times it was a little to dark, I love the S4/5 lighter moments, and there's a few moments in S8 I like, like in 8.8, the "All men are brothers, that why we shed tears for people we don't know" moment was nice, ... I love that quote too
S9 and 5 are probably the best 2 series for H/R but for different reasons

[Kirayuki]

Can't i just say all of them?

[Silktie]

Sure you can!

Speaking of season 5 and season 9, the parallel between the two is quite prominent. In both instances Harry sacrifices his career and possibly his freedom to save Ruth. And in both instances despite this very unselfish and loving act, he ends up alone.

[Tea Lady]

(19-11-2010 04:57 PM)Silktie Wrote:  Sure you can!

Speaking of season 5 and season 9, the parallel between the two is quite prominent. In both instances Harry sacrifices his career and possibly his freedom to save Ruth. And in both instances despite this very unselfish and loving act, he ends up alone.

That is so sad Silktie. I really hope we get to see what happens in those lost 48hrs. Ruth must go to Harry. She must. I go for season 9. Hands down. Every moment was lovely and angst filled at the same time. I was always disappointed with the tears in the wind scene. It could have been so much more, but I thought it was in the whole, tacky!

[Beatriz]

Sad as it is, I don't think we will fill those 48 hours...
No!! Harry won't end up alone again!! I'm sure he won't; Ruth will reconsider and will run to his arms...

Maybe that tears in the wind scene was what made Ruth say no...

[A Cousin]

(19-11-2010 04:57 PM)Silktie Wrote:  Speaking of season 5 and season 9, the parallel between the two is quite prominent. In both instances Harry sacrifices his career and possibly his freedom to save Ruth. And in both instances despite this very unselfish and loving act, he ends up alone.

Let's not forget that Ruth does something very similar. She sacrifices her self (literally) for her country. In S5 Ruth Evershed "dies" and in S9 Ruth Evershed...erm..."dies." Symbolically speaking. Less romantic certainly, but no less commendable. IMO, of course.

The tragedy is that the best of who they are as individuals is what keeps them from becoming a couple. If those traits didn't exist in either of them, would it have developed at all?

Oh, gawd! Now I need cheesecake....

[DogSoSmall]

Anybody mind if I post my little H/R theory? It might be a bit of an essay, so feel free to skip past it!! Harping back to my name again, and my belief that there is a Spooks writer out there with a great fondness for the book A Dog So Small:-

I can see so many parallels with that story and the story of Harry and Ruth. For those who don't know the story, or have only heard the bit that Malcolm told Nico, I see Ruth in the role of the little boy and Harry in the role of both the imaginary dog and the real dog. The book is about a little boy who longs for a dog more than anything else in life, but he can't have one because his family live in London and they don't think it's a good idea. On his birthday he is given a picture of a chihuahua and is bitterly disappointed (bear with me, this is exactly like H/R, honestly!). Anyway, in the absence of a real dog he starts fantasising that his picture dog is real - very very small but very very brave. The dog helps him to overcome his shyness at school and have more confidence to stand up to the bullies. In the same way Ruth totally hero-worshipped Harry when she first met him, no doubt fantasised about him, and grew in confidence the more she felt his protection and interest. In the book, the boy becomes so obsessed with his imaginary dog that he imagines it everywhere with him. He closes his eyes to see it and one day, standing at the roadside he follows it straight into the road and ends up under a bus. After the accident, he can't see the imaginary dog anymore. (This is where I somehow fit in Ruth's demolition of Harry as a hero when she is hit with the death of George). When his parents realise what has led to the accident they decide they have to get him a real dog to stop him living in a fantasy world and he is allowed a puppy that has been born to his grandparents' dog. He is so excited as he goes to collect his puppy, just like Ruth is so happy to finally be going on a date with Harry in series 5 (yes, I know it's a bit out of sync!). Then reality hits home. The puppy is not the brave fierce friend that his imaginary dog was. He has faults and fears. On the way back to London on the bus (yes, there's even a bus scene!) he imagines everyone laughing at his shaking nervous puppy and totally rejects him, just like Ruth couldn't bear the thought of people in the office laughing about her and Harry. The boy hates the puppy for not being as perfect as his tiny imaginary dog. He takes him to Hampstead Heath and tries to drive him away. He yells at the dog to go away and starts to walk away from him. The puppy keeps trying to follow, but gradually falls further and further behind until at last he loses hope and stops following. As night starts to fall and the boy realises he can't see the puppy any more he suddenly remembers how lovely it was to feel his warm body pressed against him on his lap in the bus, and how the puppy desperately looked to him for reassurance and comfort. He realises how good it feels to be needed, and how much he wants the puppy after all. He runs back, calling the dog but can't see him anywhere. Suddenly he hears a bark and the puppy comes running back to him and throws himself into his arms, licking his face and squirming with joy. And the last line of the book - "it's late, Brown, let's go home". Well, you get the picture, don't you?