It's possible I've put too much thought into this

[effex]

I've been watching Torchwood (if you hadn't noticed) and reading 'Right Ho, Jeeves' by the esteemable PG Wodehouse (so. much. love.) and have started musing on crossovers, as you do. I *love* crossovers.

After much thought (aka this morning's bus ride), I've concluded that sending Bertie and/or Jeeves through the rift would result in either A)Bertie's death or B) Jeeves running everything. And B's got potential! Lord knows they need the help (although they're not doing badly this week), and Bertie could be an author or a kept man or a babysitter or whatever, but it's not quite the story I want to tell myself. Torchwood's got too much angst, not enough space for adventure and wacky hijinks.

So, they get picked up by the Doctor, maybe? Except, I'm pretty sure Jeeves would drive him *crazy* - he'd adore the man, sure, but extended time together... all those "Yes, Sir"s and "Well, Sir"s and "Sir?"s would drive the Doctor completely 'round the bend. Let's not mention Bertie - he'd probably get locked in a closet somewhere, 'for the good of the Universe'. Agent of chaos, what?

Clearly, who we need here is Donna. Donna and Jeeves would get along fabulously *and* she could assist in the Bertie-wrangling, plus she'd be aces at getting both of them to loosen up a bit (well, okay, *Jeeves* to loosen up a bit. Bertie would get the clue!bat). I just need to work out the logistics...

Besides, the Torchwood-in-my-head is busy with a very surprised Arthur and Merlin and the Doctor's hanging out with Booster Gold.

Comments

[nepenthe]

Yes. Oh, my God, YES.

[effex]

I know, right? In what I'm plotting, they end up as her first companions - she falls though time, somehow, which jars her mind free, somehow, and then HIJINKS ENSUE. And the Doctor is taught a lesson on making people's choices for them (somehow) because, damn, it needs to be done. Over and over again.

Relatedly, I've got lots of thoughts on how damn queer Bertie (and Jeeves) read, but I imagine it's already been written out somewhere. Must investigate.

[nepenthe]

Donna. With her own companions. *love*. Oh, Donna! You and Jeeve would be magnificent together, even with Bertie along for the ride. And you're right--Donna and Jeeves wouldn't be able to pretend Bertie was the one in charge anymore. Bertie would be reduced to comic relief and mucking up the plans, thus creating scrapes for Donna and Jeeves to get him out of and so much fun!

Bertie!Damzel-in-distress would be awesome.

[nepenthe]

OOO. So, maybe it's Bertie who's gotten into trouble--kidnapped by aliens or whatnot--and Donna (who's fallen through the rift and is looking for work at The Agency) and Jeeves team up to save him, while simulaniously, the Doctor is on the case and it'll be parallel to events in "Partners in Crime" and Magnificent! (also I hate you, because you give me ideas and I have enough I need to get done as it is!)

[nepenthe]

And it could still involve the Doctor chilling with Booster Gold.

[effex]

The Doctor can chill with Booster at a later/previous/concurrent date because in my head I am seeing his face the first time he sees Donna... and now his face as Donna and Jeeves team up to berate him (over what? who cares!) and it is *beautiful*.

[effex]

At The Agency, ha, yes! Did they have female PA's in the 20's? I can't picture her as a housekeeper or maid. Or she could crossdress, which is a pleasant thought. Donna as a valet. To one of blokes at the Drones Club, maybe.

Does The Agency place secretaries, I wonder? I know there were social secretaries in the late 30's/early 40's...

[nepenthe]

Most secretaries before WWI were male--then there was the war, men went away and women replaced them and sort of went away--then WWII happened, and it was over for the previously male-dominated profession.

All this I learned from Utz, who wrote an article on the subject researching the history of the word "Secretary", which had the original meaning of "secret-keeper". Back in the day, who would have entrusted a woman with business secrets? Yeah, no.

But maid, governess, nanny (possibly, considering how we know she felt about 'her' children), but I'm sure as an older woman she could act as an escort for a young lady about town, although that was usually performed by a relative (I think). Then again, Doctor/Donna wouldn't be held back by social contrivences. She's the bloody Doctor/Donna, and she'll do as she likes!

[effex]

I have a book on the topic, I'll thumb through it when I get home.

[nepenthe]

I need to *go home*. Have they had day four over in England yet?

[effex]

Yes, looks like it just went up.

[nepenthe]

GAH!!!

[nepenthe]

also, that icon rocks

[effex]

[pets Parker!icon]

[nepenthe]

THREE HOURS

[effex]

That's... it'll probably take longer for me, I'm going to try and get to a queer film festival showing thing after work. So.

THAT'S RIGHT YOU'RE TWO HOURS BEHIND I keep forgetting [waves from the future]

[nepenthe]

Damn you and the TARDIS you rode in on!

[effex]

Hee!

[effex]

And I've got a story to beta, damn. Maybe I can print it out and read on the bus?

[nepenthe]

This is why there are printers at the office.

[nepenthe]

Oh, and Utz's article is called "Madame, Secretary" after Madaline Albright. Explores why the office is called: "Secretary of State" (Keeper of state secrets) and how a word which had previously been almost exclusively male switched genders to imply almost exclusively female. I didn't read it, just heard him lecture on it but it sounded very cool--it was what set off our etemology projects, with studying the evolution of a word and how it changes in relation to social . . . whatever's going on in people's heads and lives.

[effex]

Donna freaking well deserves the best companion I can think up, and if he comes in a two-pack with Bertie Wooster, well.

Oh man, can you picture the trouble Bertie would get into? Especially with the stakes being much higher then your average domestic or romantic entanglement?

[nepenthe]

I think Bertie deserves to have his ass owned for once, just for a little bit. Let Bertie and the Doctor acquire some new appreciation for their better halves.

[nepenthe]

And yes, no thanks to you I am picturing the sort of trouble, something to do with a romantic entanglement wherein the lady in question is an alien who has mistaken Bertie for someone ambitious and important. The hijinks!

[nepenthe]

Who, possibly, has requested a PA from The Agency.

[effex]

Yeeeeees. 'Right Ho, Jeeves' is all about Bertie trying to prove he's the dominant partner in the relationship and failing, miserably. Things are spiraling spectacularly out of control and I keep waiting for him to suck it up and apologize to Jeeves, but... I'm almost to the end and he's only halfheartedly admitted he might need Jeeve's 'input.' And I know Jeeves is going to pull his dumb ass out of the fire *anyway.*

(I love Bertie, dearly, I do! He's just being an ass. And it's interesting that the story's based around the conflict of *four* couples - Angela and Gussie, Fink-Nottle and the Basset, Aunt Dehlia and Uncle Tom, *and* Bertie and Jeeves. Only the last one is kind of sneaky, because Bertie's telling the story and he hasn't caught on that he's fighting with Jeeves, much less that said fight is the source of everyone else's continued problems. I *love* Wodehouse.)

Which is to say, yes, throw the boy in the deep end, see if he swims.

[nepenthe]

Toss 'im! Toss 'im!

[nepenthe]

Asside: Do you have recs up on Jeeves and Wooster? Nevermind, I'll go look it up myself.