kindkit | uh oh

Well, I've finished watching Colditz, which is a hell of a good show and you should all watch it immediately. (Be sure you get the 1970s series, not the 2005 miniseries of the same name, which sounds absolutely dire.) Probably the best thing about Colditz is that almost every single character, even the one who most closely fits the description of "the villain," is given development and three-dimensionality and makes sense as a person, even a fucked-up or nasty person. I say "almost," because there are some American characters introduced in the last few episodes who are walking stereotypes. But, given the nature of the show, I'd rather the BBC did a good job with the Germans and a lousy one with the Americans than the other way around.

There are 28 episodes of Colditz and only one that I'd describe as a dud. That's a better average than pretty much anything else I've ever watched. The acting is good, the writing is skillful and subtle, which one never sees anymore, and the story deals with moral issues in a way that's genuinely complex.

Seriously. If it's at all your type of thing, watch this show, okay? Have I mentioned that Edward Hardwicke (later to be the best Dr. John Watson ever in Granada's Sherlock Holmes) has a major role? Then there are David McCallum, formerly of Man From UNCLE, which vies with Star Trek for the title of first television slash fandom, and Anthony Valentine, who would later play the gentleman thief and slash-object Raffles. Also, Patrick Troughton (the Second Doctor) is in one episode!!!!!!!

Anyway. The "uh oh" title of the post comes from the fact that now I've finished the show, and I've read what appears to be the only Colditz fanfic in existence. (I didn't love it, I'm afraid, but it was certainly better than no fanfic at all.) So now I've abruptly run out of fandom and have no idea what to do next.

Perhaps I shall watch Raffles, since the books are slashy as anything and I have a new love for Anthony Valentine, who is absolutely freaking brilliant in Colditz.