Saturday, March 18, 2006

To Johnny or not to Johnny...

The last two days I have been diligently watching the first series of '21 Jump Street', and while watching it, the following question became a crucial part of my conscious: who is hotter, Penhall or Hanson?
Johnny fans, please don't despair: the question is NOT whether Peter DeLuise is hotter than Johnny Depp (can that ever really be a question?), but whether the fictional character Tom Hanson is hotter than the, again fictional character, Doug Penhall.
Now, both men have some of the same things going for them: they are policemen and look damn fine in their uniforms, they are young and have nice bodies, and because they live in the eighties, they obviously have no shame in the clothing department. I know, the last one can be seen as a minus point for the McQuaid brothers, but after watching a whole series, the eighties outfits become kinda attractive (watch those bulges....).
Both of them also have some of the same cons: they are fictional, young in the eighties therefore now (almost) the same age as my dad, and, ehm, I think that is all I can come up with. So, if we ignore these minus points as being irrelevant to the real question at hand, how can we establish who is the main hottie? (and I'd just like to stress again that the fact that Tom Hanson is in real life the Johnny does NOT count!! That would be an extremely unfair advantage) This question has to be answered by a detailed character analysis of both men. And when I say character analysis, I mean, ehm, well, leching session.
So, let's start with Doug. He, from the start of me watching the show, when I was a 12-year-old and already heavily addicted to the Johnny, has been my favourite. Why, you ask? Well, here's why: he is, without a doubt the hottest guy I have never met. He is big and strong and can obviously protect you very well, and although he is a bit of a lad, he has proven in the 'Next Generation' episode (I think; watching all of the episodes in two days really does not help to differentiate the separate storylines), that he has obvious settling-down-and-starting-a-family potential. Also, he is definitely the best dresser of the lot. I mean, between Captain Fuller's weird eighties sweaters, Judy's ridiculously big and ugly earrings and Tom's frankly sickeningly conservative outfits, there really isn't much competition. Ioki dresses very well, but is quite obviously stylish, and I like the more playful and informal look, and therefore, Doug is definitely the winner in the clothing department. Most importantly, Doug is the cool guy, the bad boy, the one who with his strange charm alone could win you over. And we all know girls like a bad boy... (hence Johnny's appeal, but enough of that, we are talking about fictional characters here!) Also, Doug is good at sports and kinda looks like a teddybear, someone whose hugs would take all your cares away. So, to summarise: Doug is winning at the moment because he is bigger, badder and better dressed. Right now I can't really think of any bad points about him, except maybe that he's not the brightest, but then again, I don't think he's stupid either, so yeh, no bad points!
Tom, on the other hand, has a lot of bad points, sex appeal wise. He might be very goodlooking, but why does he hide it under a stupid haircut, boring clothes and an annoyingly straight-laced attitude? He gets a bit better as the series goes along, but on average, he is the one guy in the show who looks like he wants to be a pipesmoking conservative 40-year-old rather than a sexy, crimefighting 20-something.
So, after watching almost all of the episodes, I thought I had my mind made up: yes, Tom looked good in the McQuaid brothers episode, but that was because he was dressed as a bad boy, and not as himself... As himself, Officer Tom Hanson was, quite frankly, a disappointingly boring and unsexy man. And then.... the last episode turned everything around. It thoroughly confused me, and now I just don't know anymore...
In the last episode of the first series, Officer Hanson and Penhall have to infiltrate a 'gang' (none of the 'gangs' in the show are really allowed to call themselves real gangs, as they are mostly highschool kids trying to get over whatever their parents have done wrong) of punks. So, everyone including Penhall is thinking that, obviously, he is going to be the one actively infiltrating and Hanson is gonna be the geeky brother. But no! The writers mess with our heads and make Hanson the punk!! And Penhall the geeky stepbrother with greasy hair!! Immediately my conceptions of Hanson and Penhall were drastically altered. Hanson looked effing gorgeous as a punker, and although he was assuming a role (as he was in the McQuaid brothers episode) he actually started to like being a punk... And Penhall started to be this uptight-ish boring dude... And because Hanson stayed in his punk gear all episode, and Penhall in his grey raincoat which made him look like a stalker at best, I am now incapable of making an informed decision about the Penhall/Hanson debate. The only way I can solve this is by watching all 4 series that include both the Johnny and Peter DL, and reporting back to you after that. So, Lizzy, if you're reading this: I hope you know what to do!! Make you mark in this most important debate! If you want me to resolve this issue, you have to lend me the other seasons... Otherwise, this mystery will forever be unsolved...
(Does anyone think I might be a little obsessed? No? Okay, me neither..)

18 comments:

Queen Mushroom said...

oh, and I forgot to mention Tom Hanson does bowling as a hobby... that is just not on.

Anonymous said...

Ok, first off, this post made me laugh out loud. i love how much thought you've put into this.
Secondly, i dont think im really qualified to comment on whether you're obsessed or not ;)
Ok, this is going to be a long comment.
I know what you mean about the un-sexiness of tom hanson. Its hard for me obviously because i still see johnny underneath. i know that johnny hated his character cause Tom is such a polar opposite to what johnny was (and is) like in real life... he was a chain smoking school dropout wannabe rockstar... much more of a mcquaid brother (who i love by the way and return in the later series) than Hanson. In later series Johnny started to rebel against his character, and while on paper hanson was still the straight laced one, with his wonderful acting skills johnny made him a much more complex character. Plus he started to wear better stuff and grew his hair in a sublimely hot way (unfortunately as time went on johnny's hair gets better while peter deluise just assumes an increasingly worse mullet). I know what you mean about the punk episode. Brilliant isnt it. I think thats what i like about this show (even though i really shouldnt like it). Its that each week theyre playing a different persona and i just love it when they tell the crooks that theyre realy cops - such fun!
On the penhall thing... i can see why you like him. obviously i only have eyes for johnny, but in the first series in particular, penhall definitely has his charms. i think hed definitly be fun to be around, partly just cause it would be fun seeing what random crap he has dangling off his ears! Also hes a very funny guy. if you listen to his commentary on whichever episode it is in series one, hes really humerous. And the episode where he looks after the baby is very cute. i mainly like him though cause he makes such a great double act with Hanson. This grows in the later episodes as well. They become much more of a comedy duo.
Ok, some other points... totally know what you mean about getting used to the eighties fashion... those bulges are rather special arent they?!
Secondly, on the whole bowling as a hobby thing... yes its not very cool, but youve gotto admit bowling can be fun. Plus, look at it this way, imagine Johnny teaching you to bowl, you know doing that whole 'helping you hold the ball right by standing behind you and putting his arms around you' thing... another away of looking at it i think
Also, i hate to say this, but from series three onwards penhall does start to pile on the pounds
Oh and just a little fact for you, did you know that the guy who plays the janitor blowfish is one of johnny's best friends in real life and that johnny got him the part? hes had bit parts in some of johnny's movies as well. Just a little fact i like
OK, im going to stop now because my scary obsession is starting to show itself in all its horror!

Lizzy
-x-

PS, when term starts again you can start on season two.... as long as it doesnt interfere with revision! lol I feel like watching some 21JS now instead of doing the reading for my Devolutionary British Fiction essay.... oh the distractions of being a fangirl!

Queen Mushroom said...

very useful comments indeed, mrs Wench! Okay, so I definitely need the next seasons to make a better judgment, that is clear. I loooooove the McQuaid brothers, it's like a double whammy of bad boy sexiness!! And well done for following the fictional path rather than the 'johnny is hot and that's it' one. And I'm happy for making you laugh, hope it took some of the devolutionary depression off of you!!
Oh, and I hate bowling, but would not mind being taught by johnny!!

Anonymous said...

Oh i can be objective sometimes when it comes to johnny... well sort of!

spirito said...

No offence, but I'm pretty sure this is how Trekkies talk about Star Trek (which brings us to that inspiring question; who is hotter: Jean Luc Picard or Captain Kirk?)


(But to throw in my 2 cts: I haven't seen anything from 21 jump street since I was 12 but the Johnny Depp character was always my favourite. Don't rememember anything about the character so it's purely looks)

Anonymous said...

I think we need to start calling ourselves 'Deppies'.

lizzy
-x-

PS. If i had to it would definitely be Jean Luc

spirito said...

lol, yes you could have conventions and dress up in the outfits Johnny Depp has worn in his different tv shows and movies.

On a completely unrelated side note: am I the only one who would buy this product?
http://www.cleaninghunk.com/video.html
:))

Anonymous said...

I reserve the pirate costume!!!

L
-x-

Queen Mushroom said...

It would be Jean-Luc for me too, altho I would rather go for Commander Riker in his young days....

Queen Mushroom said...

liking the cleaning hunk! but there was too much of the stupid woman in that ad
By the way, Lizzy, I think you're gonna have to fight with me over the pirate outfit!!

spirito said...

I'd go for the headless horse riding person movie outfit, but I'm weird.

Anonymous said...

The pirate is MINE! you can dress up as edward scissorhands :op

L
-x-

Queen Mushroom said...

i was just thinking that that might be a cool outfit, but I think I am gonna go for the punk outfit from '21 Jump Street' instead!

spirito said...

you probably should also only speak in Johnny Depp movie quotes

Anonymous said...

"I think we've all arrived at a very special place. Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically."

L
-x-

Queen Mushroom said...

ehm, shit, i dunno any...
i feel like such a Deppie failure

Anonymous said...

you need to bone up tardo!!!!

L
-x-

Queen Mushroom said...

Want me to kick your tail? No? Well, watch, it missy! :D