Unfit for Society Recs

Big Bang Theory

The Suspension Bridge Experiment by boonies
Look, Penny sort of gets science. She gets experiments. As a kid, she tried to build a jet pack out of two fire extinguishers and a box of firecrackers. (It didn't work. Boy, did it not work.) So when she starts dating Leonard, she tells herself it's an experiment. (It doesn't work. Boy, does it ever not work.) Leonard kind of gets short shrift here, but I really like Penny in this, and also Raj's cameo.

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Castle

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...Something by fialka
Really nice look at Kate Beckett and how she spends her Christmas.

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Homicide: Life on the Street

Another Word by Philipa_Moss
After Tim gets out of prison, he visits Frank. Quiet and heartbreaking and so perfectly them. I especially love Olivia in this.

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Psych

Are There Sheep? by longsufferingly
So Gus and Shawn have this agreement. "I believe the deal was that in the event of almost certain death, you would have sex with me." Jules is present when they think they're going to die, so they expand it into a hot threesome. Hilarious. *heart*

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Homicide: Life on the Street

Left Behind by likeadeuce
Russert and Bayliss have a conversation. Perfect post-ep for Sniper part 2

Learning Is Fundamental by Kweevil
Ahahahahahaha! Perfect slice of life circa season 1. Captures everybody's voice and also the dynamics of their partnerships.

Everything else is Homicide by Mweevil
SO AWESOME! A new lead opens up the Felton case, and when Kay smells something hinky, she gets Meldrick and Mikey to help her out. The voices are spot on, the conclusions exceptionally gratifying, and the relationship dynamics perfectly in character. *heart*

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The Wire

Five Ways Omar Remembers Brandon by rustler
Gorgeous look at Omar, evocative and true to him and Brandon both. Well, well, well. Making eyes at Omar like that, right there on the corner with a whole crew around, and them all just carrying on like they had no idea what was happening. That was bold, and kind of sneaky at the same time. That was good.

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Friday Night Lights

Summertime by queenzulu
Heartbreaking Julie/Tyra story that nails Julie's voice, and what it's probably like to be a teenager who's different, in Dillon. lovely.

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Homicide: Life on the Street

White Hats by Laura Smith
Frankentim, circa season 3, with Bayliss drunk and full of self-pity, and Frank being Frank. *heart* "All I ever wanted to do was be a cop." / "That was your first mistake." / "A good cop." / "Yeah. That was your second."

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Homicide: Life on the Street

Three-Part Disharmony by stubblegiltter
Spot-on Frankentim interaction, and everyone else in the squad room, as well. Frank and Tim negotiate their partnership, as always, though familiarity has made it somewhat easier.

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The Wire

The Hustle by Jae W.
Sharp, honest, in character look at how Kima's turned into McNulty. Really true to the show. Bunk's voice, especially, is spot-on.

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Friday Night Lights

You'll Never Meet No Decent Girls at Dallas Honky-Tonks by minervacat
Tyra looks up, looks in the mirror, and it's not her hair she notices -- it's Garrity behind her, one hand curled around Tyra's shoulder, the dark and light of them, the princess and the whore of Dillon, Texas. Excellent look at Tyra and Lyla - how they're different, and how they're the same.

You Were You by shelbecat
Maybe you weren't the kind of parent that went to parent/teacher conferences, and maybe you didn't make cookies for bake sales, but you went to his games, and you tried to show him that he was wanted, that he was loved. Billy Riggins on parenting. *sniffle*

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Homicide: Life on the Street

In the Land of Pleasant Living by 2ndary_author
A perfectly realized slice of squadroom banter, circa season 2.

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Absalom, Absalom
I'm sure Faulkner is spinning in his grave, but dude, Quentin/Shreve is so slashy.

Kyrie Eleison by Nifra Idril
Beautiful, lush, evocative, heartbreaking Shreve/Quentin (yeah, you read that right, Shreve McCannon and Quentin Compson from Absalom, Absalom) that reads as if it could have almost come from the pen of Faulkner himself. Amazing.

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Homicide: Life on the Street

three thousand five hundred by minervacat
Lovely look at Kay Howard and how she becomes the woman she is.

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Edited to add yuletide author names

I’m separating out the yuletide recs because they don't have authors' names attached at the moment, but once I add them to the Unfit Recs pages, they’ll just be listed with the rest of the fandom recs, and I'll add the authors' names when they're revealed.

also, how are Jack/Will or Xander/Willow rare pairings? But what the hell do I know?

Yuletide recs, by fandom:

Bend It Like Beckham
Friendship and Love by Claire
Bend It Like Beckham should inspire fic, because who *didn't* think Jules was in love with Jess? Well, Jules isn't sure, herself, and there's that whole Joe thing in the way, but she's working through it, and this fic follows her thoughts

Homicide: Life on the Street
All Is Calm and All Is Bright by Seana Renay
Frank visits Tim in prison at Christmas time. Oh, the guilt, the conversation, the perfect Frankentim-ness of it all will break your heart.

Northern Exposure
Oy Magic by Smara
Northern Exposure fic! Whee! Joel and Chris and blowjobs around a fire at the full moon. Guh. And a really good Joel-voice, I thought, which was necessary to make me believe this, because me? I adored Fleischman/O'Connell in all its irritating push-me/pull-you glory. But Chris... mmm...

Pirates of the Caribbean
Out of His Depth by Gloria Mundi
Oddly, I haven't recced any PotC fic, mainly because I haven't read much of it, though I have a list of links. But I really enjoyed this, with Will getting the tour of Tortuga, and discovering that Jack's beautifully tanned skin lingers in his mind's eye. They go for an unexpected moonlight swim, and Will realizes what he wants. Lovely.

Sandman
Alike in Ignorance by Eleanor K.
Desire intrudes on Dream's meeting with Hob Gadling. Amazingly lovely, in character (and Dream/Desire is a hard sell), and hot, with lush prose and an aching sense of need and confusion. *g* Brilliant.


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Also, lemme know if any links don't work, if you liked, you didn't like, you find the recs helpful or not...

Happy Holidays!