#dynamos

of Mamma Mia and

how all the dads

connect to Donna My mom

Geoff loved Gavin. Loved him like a father, loved him like a leader, loved him like a person who needed to love. Since he had taken Gavin in, Geoff felt like he was a part of something, felt connected. Like teaching this kid would be an accomplishment that he would one day be remembered for. Taking in Gavin made Geoff’s small, rowdy, unorganized gang feel like it could one day finally be something, something that it did eventually become, something like the FAHC. Every time Geoff taught Gavin, he learned something himself. He loved how Gavin gave Geoff credibility, both to his gang and to him. Gavin was never the only piece of the puzzle, never represented the whole of Geoff’s achievements, but he was associated with them, acted as the face for them, was the one that came to mind if ever Geoff were asked, “what do you love about the crew?”

Jack loved Gavin. She felt responsible for him, was responsible for him. Jack was responsible for her crew, for all the Fakes, but Gavin represented something quintessential, was a person who needed help sometimes and who asked for it. He was someone who could stir up trouble, be at the very centre, he could be the one who was trying to avoid trouble, keep his nose out of it. Gavin both nurtured Jack’s nurturing side and encouraged her wild side. He gave her an outlet, allowed her to be her. It was the way she could mess with him and never be afraid of going too far, how he came to her in the middle of the night with ideas, ideas that would help the crew, keep them safe, or ideas for their next adventure. Jack loved that she could be included, loved that her voice could be heard, encouraging or berating, she loved that she was respected, that Gavin respected her. 

Ryan loved Gavin. Loved working with him, loved his theatrics, loved the impulsivity and that thirst for blood, for excitement, loved every part of himself that Ryan saw in Gavin. Ryan could feel comfortable with Gavin, felt okay to let loose, felt safe. And it wasn’t that he didn’t feel that with the rest of the crew, didn’t feel that way with Jeremy, it was just something about the way Gavin so often matched his energy, seemed to let loose himself. It was the way Gavin’s bright bubbly energy could die down in the wake of a calm casualness, a dark undertone that had always existed now becoming the surface layer instead of the buried fuel for everything else. He loved the chattery excitement, the way Gavin would come to him when he needed help, loved when they argued, loved when he taught Gavin things, loved when Gavin taught him things, loved the peppy side, the tired side, the cold efficient side, the bloody side. He loved all the different layers to Gavin and loved more that he was allowed to see them.

Michael loved Gavin. He was the only one who ever said it out loud. No one ever questioned Michael’s love for Gavin, it was clear, obvious, on display for the entire world. What the pair of them had was a connection that most people never experienced with another person in their entire lives, intimacy beyond what could be observed by anyone from the outside. It was a love without expectation, a love that didn’t demand anything, mutual and codependent and shared by both sides. It was stronger than anything but not selfish, it didn’t demand exclusivity. Michael loved Gavin but he also loved Lindsay. Gavin was loved by Michael but also by others. A friendship that allowed for everyone to exist, offered a place for anyone who wanted a part of it. A friendship that didn’t diminish the strength of other relationships, that didn’t get in the way of the crew but added to it. 

Jeremy loved Gavin. Jeremy loved his painted smile, his gilded facade. It annoyed him, frustrated him, that excess wealth and constant waste. Jeremy had spent so long trying to impress the crew, had wanted so badly to be where he now was, to be a part of this incredible crew, and he wanted to stay just as burningly bad. Jeremy felt he couldn’t criticize, couldn’t be the one to say something negative. But Gavin, with his wasteful accessories, broken toys, Gavin who had almost gotten Jeremy killed a hundred times before he felt comfortable saying no, Gavin was the one who told him he could. Not with words, not explicitly, but by giving him chances, by giving opportunities to be annoyed. Jeremy hated that look, hated that smug smile that so often made Michael laugh, hated the expectant narcissism. And Jeremy loved that he was allowed to hate those things, loved that he was given a chance, loved that so long as Gavin was being himself then Jeremy could as well. And if anyone ever tried to take that hated gold away from Gavin, Jeremy would eat them alive.

Happy Birthday, Lily James!

I can’t believe we waited TEN YEARS for a Mamma Mia sequel, they give us one, AND ITS BASICALLY A PREQUEL. I know I shouldn’t prejudge, but it’s been confirmed Meryl only filmed for a week in London, then the other main cast from the first film filmed a bit more in Croatia, BUT THE YOUNGER CAST HAVE BEEN FILMING SINCE AUGUST! How is this even fair? Mamma Mia is such a classic film because (yes the music of Abba) THE CAST ARE ALL ICONS. You can’t just bring in new people and expect everyone to jump on board when they’ve basically used Meryl Streep’s name as bait when she’s barely even in it. I was excited to see Lily James as young Donna (and the rest), but I’m so not excited for the film to mostly be about them. I did not wait 10 years for this, I feel cheated.

Sorry. I’ll take it all back if it’s not a failure.

(P.S. the wrap party for the sequel/ prequel didn’t look anyway as good as the first one- did any of the originL cast even attend? I feel cheated even more. ALSO I will riot if they ruin any of the characters (really not pleased by these Donna Sheridan dead rumours in the slightest.))