What do you think about Higgins & Agatha?

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MrMoustache · #1 Post by **MrMoustache** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:37 pm

partly because I want to know for the story i am writing, but also because i just can't put my finger on the nature of their relationship. Higgins will mostly show her no interest and it seems like she's the one following him around half the time. I think if anything he may view her as a dear kid sister or something.

whats your thoughts?

Steve · #2 Post by **Steve** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:24 pm

There was a bond as they were both British in The Sandwich Islands and had common interests in proper British upbringing and behavior and keeping the British Empire alive on the other side of the world, or at least the writers take on it. You are correct, Agatha had a strong yearning love for Higgins, for Higgins it was nothing more than a strong plutonic friendship. It made for a good side story...........

IKnowWhatYoureThinking · Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:40 pm

I agree Steve. Also, you would think it would be more apparent to Higgins that Agatha was infatuated with him. I know there was the "mistaken" marriage proposal, but there are too few instances of Higgins catching on.

MrMoustache · #4 Post by **MrMoustache** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:52 pm

in the story i'm writing, it mainly centers around TM and Higgins relationship. At the end, I'd like to work in something, an insinuation at least, that maybe Higgins has a love interest. It would be nicely tied into the chracter development i was working on, but i dont want to make up someone either, i'd rather have it tied back into the show.I was thinking at worst since TM moved out, they'd just be hanging out more.

not to give anything away, but higgins develops towards a balance of happiness as well as "proper" behavior and i thought it'd be cool to maybe have a light go off for him and for him to reconsider agatha, but i'm worried there wasn't enough to go on in the show to warrant that sort of change.

#5 Post by **Doc Ibold** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:10 pm

MrMoustache wrote:in the story i'm writing, it mainly centers around TM and Higgins relationship. At the end, I'd like to work in something, an insinuation at least, that maybe Higgins has a love interest. It would be nicely tied into the chracter development i was working on, but i dont want to make up someone either, i'd rather have it tied back into the show.I was thinking at worst since TM moved out, they'd just be hanging out more.

not to give anything away, but higgins develops towards a balance of happiness as well as "proper" behavior and i thought it'd be cool to maybe have a light go off for him and for him to reconsider agatha, but i'm worried there wasn't enough to go on in the show to warrant that sort of change.

You could do it with Agatha in that there's enough in the show to warrant it, but maybe you go with someone like the Duchess of Whitt (from Letter to A Duchess)... or Jenny (from Tropical Madness). Those are the only two women I've known Higgins to go nuts for.

Just my take.

MrMoustache · #6 Post by **MrMoustache** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:26 pm

that's the thing, he's certainly nice to Agatha, but certainly not the go nuts as he did for those two. but then again, it could be that they met with his "proper" ideal which he has come to relax but there would have to be a situation or two where the lightbulb goes off without taking the focus too much off the story. I had a lightbulb event with thomas and maggie, but he's so observational and quick to realize things that it was easy to do. but with higgins, he'll need more of a boot to the seat of his pants. hmmm.

Actually im' having allot of fun writing this and playing with the personalities. this is my favorite exchange between higgins and TM:

"You're sure you've checked everything?!" "Yes!" I said with a mouthful of chili dog as I sat in one of the leather arm chairs in the study. "Well, shouldn't you check it again?" Higgins questioned. "It's fine Higgins! Am I allowed to get something to eat?" "I suppose, as long as you don't interrupt my memoirs" Higgins said as he turned back to his typewriter. "Come on, you can at least turn on the radio or something" I said as I went over to the Hi Fi and tuned in our local radio station. When the radio came to life, Holly Hudson was in the middle of introducing America's A Horse With No Name. "Ha!" I laughed as the first few bars started playing "You know Higgins, when I first heard this song, I thought it said "a horse with no legs" "Am I to presume shell shock has what's been wrong with you all these years?" Higgins asked rhetorically, not looking up from the typewriter. "No, Holly did the same song back in Saigon back in '72 and I happened to be driving a Jeep at the time and I swore it said no legs! Now I figured that couldn't be right and I was listening to the song really hard trying to hear what it said and I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing and I rear ended this huge sargent major.." "A horse with no legs?!" Higgins said looking up from the typewriter "that's preposterous." "No, no it's not, my Uncle Joe once knew a guy who had a horse that had been born with no legs. He used to rent it out to birthday parties; he would tie the horse to the trailer hitch of his station wagon and drag it around in a circle so the kids could get a good ride and .." "Oh, my, god! That's horrible!" "Higgins, Higgins! It's just a joke! Lighten up, will ya! You have really become the crypt keeper around here! Have you been using the wrong denture cream or something?" "Could you please, please not interrupt me while I"m working on my memoirs!?" Higgins pleaded. "Fine, fine!" I said as I picked up my plate and left the room.

madsircool · #7 Post by **madsircool** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:17 am

IMO its pretty obvious to me that Higgins is a deeply repressed homosexual. Magnum is like a kept man on the Estate. If this show was produced today and was on HBO or Showtime, this theme would likely be explored.

MrMoustache · #8 Post by **MrMoustache** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:51 am

probably, but i think in the context of MPI, Higgins rarely found someone that met his standards which is why he alienated most of his friends and found it so easy to manipulate magnum.

MACattack · #9 Post by **MACattack** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 2:27 am

Higgins a homosexual? Thats as preprosterous as considering him to be the real Robin Masters!
He is an a-hole, though!

#10 Post by **Styles Bitchley** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:42 am

madsircool wrote:IMO its pretty obvious to me that Higgins is a deeply repressed homosexual. Magnum is like a kept man on the Estate. If this show was produced today and was on HBO or Showtime, this theme would likely be explored.

This might be the case if produced today - nothing like a little titillating controversy to boost the ratings - but there's nothing throughout the series to support Higgins being gay (As Jerry and George would say: not that there's anything wrong with that!

).

While I'm sure many a gay man (not to mention the women) have dreamt of assuming JQH's role at Robin's nest with TS exercising on the front lawn, anyone familiar with the show knows that the bond between the two is fraternal...even paternal.

I think Higgins was just scorned too many times by well-bred English roses and he just gave up. He's a dreamy romantic and would certainly act if the right woman presented herself. If anything, by spurning Agatha's advances Higgins only proves his heterosexuality. I mean, I love the character, but (don't hate me Agatha lovers) more often than not she looks like a man in drag.

N1095A · #11 Post by **N1095A** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 3:21 am

Styles Bitchley wrote:
...there's nothing throughout the series to support Higgins being gay...
... anyone familiar with the show knows that the bond between the two is fraternal...even paternal.

I concour emphatically.

#12 Post by **Doc Ibold** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 3:51 am

Styles Bitchley wrote:
madsircool wrote:IMO its pretty obvious to me that Higgins is a deeply repressed homosexual. Magnum is like a kept man on the Estate. If this show was produced today and was on HBO or Showtime, this theme would likely be explored.
This might be the case if produced today - nothing like a little titillating controversy to boost the ratings - but there's nothing throughout the series to support Higgins being gay (As Jerry and George would say: not that there's anything wrong with that! ).

While I'm sure many a gay man (not to mention the women) have dreamt of assuming JQH's role at Robin's nest with TS exercising on the front lawn, anyone familiar with the show knows that the bond between the two is fraternal...even paternal.

I think Higgins was just scorned too many times by well-bred English roses and he just gave up. He's a dreamy romantic and would certainly act if the right woman presented herself. If anything, by spurning Agatha's advances Higgins only proves his heterosexuality. I mean, I love the character, but (don't hate me Agatha lovers) more often than not she looks like a man in drag.

Which, if the right woman presents herself (which they have on a select few occaisions), Higgins will make a move. I agree that there is a definite paternal relationship between Higgins and Magnum. And, LONG ago in a post, I could see Higgins acting as a grandfatherly figure to Lily.

While I see where you're coming from Styles, I don't think Higgins gave up... I think he's just comfortable in his own niche and doing his own thing, and women are a distraction to what he wants to do. Plus.. after 8 years of having watched the guy, he's not exactly the most popular person. It took us to the second season to see he wasn't entirely an a-hole.

#13 Post by **J.J. Walters** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 5:57 am

"This is outrageous! OUT-RAGEOUS!!"

MrMoustache · #14 Post by **MrMoustache** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 1:43 pm

And, LONG ago in a post, I could see Higgins acting as a grandfatherly figure to Lily.

i think it's completely within his character to do so.. I've always thought having kids on the show so frequently was a nice allegory, but it wasn't until Lily arrived (at least I think so) that we saw Higgins' playful side.

I mean, I love the character, but (don't hate me Agatha lovers) more often than not she looks like a man in drag.

that's what me and my wife think..

she looked scary in the makeup for the scene from the Mikado.

MrMoustache · #15 Post by **MrMoustache** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 1:44 pm

James J. Walters wrote:"This is outrageous! OUT-RAGEOUS!!"

I just saw Paper War and "You've suffered another attack of chronic adolescence!!" is now my favorite quote