Fake Tv Show Meme: The Diogenes Boys
Feb. 26th, 2010 10:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
flyakateSo there's a meme where you get a prompt and get to make up an amazing tv show. So, I got a prompt and made this and it is AMAZING (I promise). They've made a community--![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
isurrendered--where you can post if you have a completed prompt, get a prompt if you want one, and even make up fanfic, fanmixes, episode guides and whatever else you'd want about all these amazing (if fictional) shows. So much fun.
PROMPT: A show about the beginning of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Can be historically AU if wanted. (from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
be_themoon)
SHOW: The Diogenes Boys
GRENRE: Crime drama as a lead-in to CBS's new "Crime-stopping Wednesdays" before Criminal Minds and CSI: New York
FORMAT: Each season has 22 episodes of 50 minutes. The show has a two season run on CBS.
In 1871, an all consuming inferno engulfed Chicago, burning for two whole days, leaving hundreds dead and over four square miles of the city leveled. The resulting chaos completely severs all lines of communication between the home office of the Pinkerton Detective Agency and the small number of agents that work out of Philadelphia, a city referred to in the agency's cypher code as "Diogenes". Together these Pinkerton detectives solve crimes the police are unable to touch. Will their biggest case yet--infiltrating the notorious Molly Maguies--unify them, or will hidden loyalties and unseen motives drive them dangerously apart?
OPENING CREDITS: Irish Drinking Song - Celtic Legends
**Historical note: I have played merry hell with some timing to make this make sense. It was just too good a framing idea to pass up.**
CAST
Pinkerton Detective Agency - Philadelphia Office
David Walker (Tom Skerritt)
Head agent and leader of the Philadelphia office, Walker knows that he's in charge of a varied crowd of men who sometimes play the truth a little close to the chest, but he respects the work they do and tries not to ask too many questions. Probably because of this, most of the "boys" look on Walker as a mentor and ask his advice frequently.
James McParland (Glen Hansard)
Born in Ireland, James and his siblings moved to Philadelphia as teenagers. James now lives with his younger brother in a boarding house by the docks. He has been a Pinkerton agent for the past three years. He takes every case personally, often over-empathizing or having extreme feelings of guilt when a case doesn't end well. Because of his background, he is the best choice to go undercover as 'James McKenna' to expose the leaders of the Molly Maguires. He constantly worries that his information will place innocents in danger. When his work leads to the death of two group members, his loyalties to the Pinkertons seem at odds with his relationship with Mary Brennan, a member of the Molly Maguires.
Samuel Hamden / Samuel James (John Reardon)
On the surface, two-year agent Sam Hamden seems like an uncomplicated man: is good at his work and quick to find answers to some of the case's tough questions. But an uncanny resemblance to one of the agency's most wanted outlaws isn't merely a coincidence--Sam was born Samuel James and is indeed a close cousin to the notorious Jesse James. The main plot arc in the second season deals with Sam's continued struggle between sides, the Pinkertons or family.
Edward "Ned" Cooper (Eddie Cahill)
Ned grew up in Philadelphia, so he's usually the first to know of the best man to go to for information, be it legal or otherwise. His father is assistant to the mayor and his brother is part of the local fire brigade; these contacts come in handy when the agency has a tough case; even more so when Jonathan finds himself on the wrong side of the rest of the unit as well as the law. Ned was originally based in the Chicago unit, and only recently moved back to Philadelphia a few months before the pilot.
Jonathan Donnelly (Simon Baker)
Jon has a sharp sense of humor that always seems a bit cruel and doesn't make friends easily, though he and Sam get along pretty well. Even when he's in a good mood, it clear he's hiding something about himself. Mid-season, the truth comes out: Jon's "estranged family" is actually a thief-father back in England and Jon himself spent his childhood in a boys' home in Australia after transportation for a few buglaries of his own. He has been with the Philadelphia office for a year; he moved from the New York City office for unknown reasons (the thirteenth episode makes it clear: Jon spent a night in jail after a brawl with coworkers got out of hand).
Eliza Bellwood (Melissa Leo)
Eliza has been working for the Philadelphia office for six years now and before that she was a secretary at one of the biggest banks in the city. She knows plenty of secrets and is friendly with many of the women who work "invisibly" in the offices, banks, and shops. You never know what you'll need to know, but the detectives know that Eliza will probably have answers.
Abigail Foley (Rachel Weisz)
Abigail is Eliza's cousin and frequently drops in to visit on breaks from her job working as a secretary for the Philadelphia police. Sassy and blunt, she frequently gets frustrated with how she's treated in the office, but manages to see the positive in most things. She has a flirtatious relationship with Ned Cooper and the pair begin seeing each other late in the first season.
Peter "Pete" Lawrence (Oliver Davis)
A local newsboy who turns out to be helpful during a case in the pilot. Wants to grow up to be Jesse James... or as smart as Sam Hamden. Ironically, those two turn out to be not quite as dissimilar goals as he'd thought.
Molly Maguires (recurring guest stars)
Alexander Campbell(Liam Neeson)
For many episodes, the most we "see" of Mr. Campbell is his voice, usually in overheard conversation with Jack Kehoe. He's an ambiguous figure; it is left vague how much he is involved in the darker activities of the Molly Maguires. Fandom note: In episode 9, a wide shot of his study shots a portrait of him with two young boys, who he tells James are his sons. The boys in the photo are actually Neeson's real-life sons.
Jack Kehoe (Stephen Rea)
Head of the Molly Maguires, Jack "Black Jack" Kehoe is a man both dangerous and charming, generous to those he loves and deadly to his enemies. He sees James's upbringing as a parallel for his own, yet begins to grow suspicious when some of James' behavior doesn't match his stories.
Mary Brennan (Orla Brady)
Her husband Robert was killed in a raid by the police last year. Though unsure of James at the start, his unnecessary kindness towards her in the fifth episode creates a bond which eventually blossoms into a romantic relationship.
Guest Star(s):
Detective Christopher Sullivan (Robert Downey Jr.)
Detective Sullivan visits the Pinkerton agency a few times, especially towards the season finale as he helps them build a case against the Molly Maguires. He is by nature a suspicious man and is quick to accuse Jonathan Donnelly when a series of house robberies are conducted similarly to Jon's former method. He argues with James about the wisdom of his relationship with Mary, yet his later letter of warning to her sheds a new light on his behavior.
Arthur Conan Doyle (Jude Law)
After meeting the head of the Pinkerton agency on a cruise to the United States, Doyle arrives during the sixth episode with the express purpose of "researching" which is a fancy way of saving "bothering all the agents, blowing Cooper's cover and almost getting Sam shot". On the show's website, fans can read excerpts from the Sherlock Holmes mysteries based on actual Pinkerton cases.
FANDOM:
Despite early low ratings that prompted the network to briefly move the show to the "dead night" of Friday, a twitter deluge and handful of carefully crafted google bombs showed fan support and two episodes later, the show was back on Wednesday's. There was discussion after the success of season one to create a spin-off dealing with the Chicago office's rebuilding efforts, but instead CBS picked up The Diogenes Boys for a second season and dealt with Chicago in a three-episode arc culminating in a case with historical elements that were referenced in those nights' episodes of Criminal Minds (6.4, "Hell House", where the BAU finds a killer copying HH Holmes' torture mansion) and CSI: NY (7.2, "Together We Stand", where a cop's death connects to a law enforcement New York vs. Philly feud spanning centuries).
Fanfic writers are pretty quick to slash Jonathan with everybody whether he's friendly with them or not (even more so after a quote from Simon Baker that "Jon will always take whatever or whoever he wants, screw what people think"), but Jonathan/Sam is the most popular, along with the slightly darker Jonathan/Ned. James/Mary and Ned/Abigail are the most common het pairings, but there is a growing group of David Walker/Eliza fans that delight in meta-critiquing every moment the pair spends onscreen together.
One of the most ironic pairings is Christopher Sullivan/Doyle, which has a strong following despite the fact that the pair never actually meet.
isurrendered--where you can post if you have a completed prompt, get a prompt if you want one, and even make up fanfic, fanmixes, episode guides and whatever else you'd want about all these amazing (if fictional) shows. So much fun.PROMPT: A show about the beginning of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Can be historically AU if wanted. (from
be_themoon)SHOW: The Diogenes Boys
GRENRE: Crime drama as a lead-in to CBS's new "Crime-stopping Wednesdays" before Criminal Minds and CSI: New York
FORMAT: Each season has 22 episodes of 50 minutes. The show has a two season run on CBS.
In 1871, an all consuming inferno engulfed Chicago, burning for two whole days, leaving hundreds dead and over four square miles of the city leveled. The resulting chaos completely severs all lines of communication between the home office of the Pinkerton Detective Agency and the small number of agents that work out of Philadelphia, a city referred to in the agency's cypher code as "Diogenes". Together these Pinkerton detectives solve crimes the police are unable to touch. Will their biggest case yet--infiltrating the notorious Molly Maguies--unify them, or will hidden loyalties and unseen motives drive them dangerously apart?
OPENING CREDITS: Irish Drinking Song - Celtic Legends
**Historical note: I have played merry hell with some timing to make this make sense. It was just too good a framing idea to pass up.**
CAST
Pinkerton Detective Agency - Philadelphia Office
David Walker (Tom Skerritt)
Head agent and leader of the Philadelphia office, Walker knows that he's in charge of a varied crowd of men who sometimes play the truth a little close to the chest, but he respects the work they do and tries not to ask too many questions. Probably because of this, most of the "boys" look on Walker as a mentor and ask his advice frequently.
James McParland (Glen Hansard)
Born in Ireland, James and his siblings moved to Philadelphia as teenagers. James now lives with his younger brother in a boarding house by the docks. He has been a Pinkerton agent for the past three years. He takes every case personally, often over-empathizing or having extreme feelings of guilt when a case doesn't end well. Because of his background, he is the best choice to go undercover as 'James McKenna' to expose the leaders of the Molly Maguires. He constantly worries that his information will place innocents in danger. When his work leads to the death of two group members, his loyalties to the Pinkertons seem at odds with his relationship with Mary Brennan, a member of the Molly Maguires.
Samuel Hamden / Samuel James (John Reardon)
On the surface, two-year agent Sam Hamden seems like an uncomplicated man: is good at his work and quick to find answers to some of the case's tough questions. But an uncanny resemblance to one of the agency's most wanted outlaws isn't merely a coincidence--Sam was born Samuel James and is indeed a close cousin to the notorious Jesse James. The main plot arc in the second season deals with Sam's continued struggle between sides, the Pinkertons or family.
Edward "Ned" Cooper (Eddie Cahill)
Ned grew up in Philadelphia, so he's usually the first to know of the best man to go to for information, be it legal or otherwise. His father is assistant to the mayor and his brother is part of the local fire brigade; these contacts come in handy when the agency has a tough case; even more so when Jonathan finds himself on the wrong side of the rest of the unit as well as the law. Ned was originally based in the Chicago unit, and only recently moved back to Philadelphia a few months before the pilot.
Jonathan Donnelly (Simon Baker)
Jon has a sharp sense of humor that always seems a bit cruel and doesn't make friends easily, though he and Sam get along pretty well. Even when he's in a good mood, it clear he's hiding something about himself. Mid-season, the truth comes out: Jon's "estranged family" is actually a thief-father back in England and Jon himself spent his childhood in a boys' home in Australia after transportation for a few buglaries of his own. He has been with the Philadelphia office for a year; he moved from the New York City office for unknown reasons (the thirteenth episode makes it clear: Jon spent a night in jail after a brawl with coworkers got out of hand).
Eliza Bellwood (Melissa Leo)
Eliza has been working for the Philadelphia office for six years now and before that she was a secretary at one of the biggest banks in the city. She knows plenty of secrets and is friendly with many of the women who work "invisibly" in the offices, banks, and shops. You never know what you'll need to know, but the detectives know that Eliza will probably have answers.
Abigail Foley (Rachel Weisz)
Abigail is Eliza's cousin and frequently drops in to visit on breaks from her job working as a secretary for the Philadelphia police. Sassy and blunt, she frequently gets frustrated with how she's treated in the office, but manages to see the positive in most things. She has a flirtatious relationship with Ned Cooper and the pair begin seeing each other late in the first season.
Peter "Pete" Lawrence (Oliver Davis)
A local newsboy who turns out to be helpful during a case in the pilot. Wants to grow up to be Jesse James... or as smart as Sam Hamden. Ironically, those two turn out to be not quite as dissimilar goals as he'd thought.
Molly Maguires (recurring guest stars)
Alexander Campbell(Liam Neeson)
For many episodes, the most we "see" of Mr. Campbell is his voice, usually in overheard conversation with Jack Kehoe. He's an ambiguous figure; it is left vague how much he is involved in the darker activities of the Molly Maguires. Fandom note: In episode 9, a wide shot of his study shots a portrait of him with two young boys, who he tells James are his sons. The boys in the photo are actually Neeson's real-life sons.
Jack Kehoe (Stephen Rea)
Head of the Molly Maguires, Jack "Black Jack" Kehoe is a man both dangerous and charming, generous to those he loves and deadly to his enemies. He sees James's upbringing as a parallel for his own, yet begins to grow suspicious when some of James' behavior doesn't match his stories.
Mary Brennan (Orla Brady)
Her husband Robert was killed in a raid by the police last year. Though unsure of James at the start, his unnecessary kindness towards her in the fifth episode creates a bond which eventually blossoms into a romantic relationship.
Guest Star(s):
Detective Christopher Sullivan (Robert Downey Jr.)
Detective Sullivan visits the Pinkerton agency a few times, especially towards the season finale as he helps them build a case against the Molly Maguires. He is by nature a suspicious man and is quick to accuse Jonathan Donnelly when a series of house robberies are conducted similarly to Jon's former method. He argues with James about the wisdom of his relationship with Mary, yet his later letter of warning to her sheds a new light on his behavior.
Arthur Conan Doyle (Jude Law)
After meeting the head of the Pinkerton agency on a cruise to the United States, Doyle arrives during the sixth episode with the express purpose of "researching" which is a fancy way of saving "bothering all the agents, blowing Cooper's cover and almost getting Sam shot". On the show's website, fans can read excerpts from the Sherlock Holmes mysteries based on actual Pinkerton cases.
FANDOM:
Despite early low ratings that prompted the network to briefly move the show to the "dead night" of Friday, a twitter deluge and handful of carefully crafted google bombs showed fan support and two episodes later, the show was back on Wednesday's. There was discussion after the success of season one to create a spin-off dealing with the Chicago office's rebuilding efforts, but instead CBS picked up The Diogenes Boys for a second season and dealt with Chicago in a three-episode arc culminating in a case with historical elements that were referenced in those nights' episodes of Criminal Minds (6.4, "Hell House", where the BAU finds a killer copying HH Holmes' torture mansion) and CSI: NY (7.2, "Together We Stand", where a cop's death connects to a law enforcement New York vs. Philly feud spanning centuries).
Fanfic writers are pretty quick to slash Jonathan with everybody whether he's friendly with them or not (even more so after a quote from Simon Baker that "Jon will always take whatever or whoever he wants, screw what people think"), but Jonathan/Sam is the most popular, along with the slightly darker Jonathan/Ned. James/Mary and Ned/Abigail are the most common het pairings, but there is a growing group of David Walker/Eliza fans that delight in meta-critiquing every moment the pair spends onscreen together.
One of the most ironic pairings is Christopher Sullivan/Doyle, which has a strong following despite the fact that the pair never actually meet.
