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Not that you necessarily need to feel oh-no about it. I am vexed at my own predictability+the fact that he's not even meant to be one of the pretty ones. I feel like I'm not supposed to be quite this level of into him, oops. But I'm sure it's not just me, the nature of fandom being what it is.

ANYWAY what is it about him? Is it the bookishness? Eddie Marsan's lovely squishable cheeks? (Can't be that exclusively for me, because book!Norrell is where it began, but could definitely be a contributing factor.)

Talk to me about your crush on Norrell! Or talk to me about the jsmn character you're half annoyed at the degree of attraction you feel for. Whatever really.

(I apologize if this topic is too silly!)

I devoured three episodes of the show and only then I start to read a book (because I just cant wait another week!), so it started with TV!Norrell and increased with book!Norrell so terribly indecisive and so sweetly Strange-dependent.
I think I just manage to fall in love within three episodes where he still a sinnamon roll, because later... well, later TV!Norrell is actually a dick (I mean more than a book!Norrell), but oops, it's too late, i'm in love with this selfish sociophobic bookworm :)

I always think it's interesting how they change his character in the show, because I feel like he's both more sympathetic in some ways and more, well, of a dick, like you say. I guess it's in the interest of putting a stronger redemption arc in, maybe? idk! But yep, agreed.

They put a little more drama in the show (because of screen time limitation and because of tv genre), so characters changed quite differently. Stephen, the most, and Jonathan/Bell dynamics are not so bookish. And Norrell - he is more sensitive, all that laugh and smiles and tears and emotions, but he is much more creepy (remember Drawlight in gaol) and cruelly senseless (stolen letters, ignoring pleas for help from Jonathan).
And so you start to criticize him more, because in the book you don't expect from Norrell neither emotional involvement, not strong will. And because TV!Norrell own both and don't use them for good... I just had an urge to shake him and shout "what are doing, you could be so much better!"
Sorry. I just waited for this conversation too long -____-

No need to apologize! This is a great summary. I really like how you put it. It's definitely true - in the series, Norrell has skills that he doesn't in the book, but then doesn't use them, which is totally different from not having them and not using them as in the book. Great point.

Certainly not just you anon! I didn't really have a crush on Book!Norrell, then after the series was over I went back and reread the book and I totally did. So for me, it was definitely Eddie Marsan's portrayal that made me see something in the character that I hadn't before. I blame the adorably squishy cheeks, who could resist?

I'm slightly annoyed by my crush on Show!Lascelles. I hated him so much reading the book, whenever he showed up I was like "Ugh! Lascelles" but John Heffernan played him so well and brought such delightful smarminess that it quickly became "Ooh, Lascelles" watching the show.

I'm also disgusted with myself over my stupid crush on show!Lascelles. He's so ridiculously pretty. Urgh. I hate him.

To get back to OP's topic though, I also find myself a little hot under the collar when I see Norrell in his shirtsleeves. The scene where he's reading by the fire and talking to Childermass has me sitting in a puddle.

I have the utmost sympathy for people crushing on show!Lascelles. I have fortunately managed to avoid it myself but every time I see John Heffernan in profile I'm like 'dangit, stop that', because he really is incredibly pretty.

Also YES on the shirtsleeves. That is such a good scene. Coatless, with spectacles on, and then the wiggling in his chair a bit when he sits down which is so cute, aaaah.

(also okay so. You know that scene in the first episode after his stone magic where he kind of collapses backwards into a chair? That scene does things to me that I do not fully understand and I'm annoyed about it. WHY, HONESTLY.)

(Oh my God me too anon!! He's like, exhausted from UNLEASHING HIS POWERS but then he smiles and just looks so sated and it's SO HOT!!!!(?)!! and he throws himself back into that chair too, or is thrown back by the sheer energy of it (himself, his magic). It's so erotic. The puddle returns.)

Anon from above again hello I FORGOT TO ADD:

Am I the only one who finds Norrell hot when he SPITS on the floor after Vinculus has touched him?? Please say I'm not.

not just you, TOTALLY SAME. Frankly I'm inexplicably squiggly about anyone getting up into Norrell's personal space (the bit where he's all splayed back against a table while the Gentleman leans over him?) and then he does the spitting thing and it's weirdly hot, yeah. Again, I can't explain it but it's definitely there.

Also thank you for that excellent, excellent summation in the post above. *_*

I very much understand, he's a wee cutie.

My crush really developed from the last episode tbh, when his wig gets increasingly untidy and he's all flustered. And when he's cradling sickly Jonathan's head in his lap, oh god. He's just so CUTE.

You're not alone with your crush on Lascelles. I didn't pay too much attention to him at first (too distracted by the story and Jonathan Strange/Bertie Carvel tbh). But I have an incurable villain fetish, so when Lascelles began to truly let his inner asshole shine through...yeah, I don't know why I was so surprised to find myself attracted to him.

Not OP here, but I think this is where I went wrong too anon. He started being rude to Childermass and I was suddenly like... interesting. And then obviously the scene with the knife which is basically pornography (especially Lascelles shouting "apologise" and his voice going all deep and echoing around the library.) I didn't WANT to fancy him, but... I really REALLY do. We need an anonymous helpline or something, this is bad.

Definitely my main draw--I love flawed characters and characters who are possibly on the autism spectrum, much more than I love "noble" or "worthy" characters. I have a great soft spot for characters who don't deserve to be loved but are anyway (don't we all sometimes want more than we deserve). And I have a major kink for getting prim-and-proper characters...despoiled. I also often don't like being pushed by the author in who to like or dislike, so I write against that.

That's the way I felt from the book--but Eddie M. being frankly damn cute and bringing out all the character's fussiness and vulnerability probably kicked this into being a major fandom for me.

So there I am, glad there are a few other outliers here.

I quite like Childermass, but he's not my favourite character--there's my 'outlier' status, if you like.

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so is this an appropriate place for an 'oh no I'm attracted to Norrell' club

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Re: so is this an appropriate place for an 'oh no I'm attracted to Norrell' club

Re: so is this an appropriate place for an 'oh no I'm attracted to Norrell' club

Re: so is this an appropriate place for an 'oh no I'm attracted to Norrell' club

Re: so is this an appropriate place for an 'oh no I'm attracted to Norrell' club

Re: so is this an appropriate place for an 'oh no I'm attracted to Norrell' club

Re: so is this an appropriate place for an 'oh no I'm attracted to Norrell' club

Re: so is this an appropriate place for an 'oh no I'm attracted to Norrell' club

Re: so is this an appropriate place for an 'oh no I'm attracted to Norrell' club

Re: so is this an appropriate place for an 'oh no I'm attracted to Norrell' club