My Top 3 Teams (At the Moment) in Scifi and Fanatasy

People say that a good team works like a fine oiled machine, with grease in the gears and an MIT student at the helm instead of a carnie with his front two teeth missing. Good teams have few problems is the idea I’m getting at, they get shit done and don’t have it hit the fan. Well I’m here to say that simply isn’t true. Some of the best teams happen to be more dysfunctional than your family Christmas parties where your children don’t which uncle is their real father and your creepy cousin can’t be left alone with your cat. The following teams are full of groups of people that don’t like one another, that bicker, that argue, that grate on another’s nerves, but in the end get that shit done and have someone they can depend on outside of a working environment.

1)      The Reapers of the ‘External Influence” Division (Dead Like Me)

A black comedy about a group of ordinary, average deceased grim reapers making the most of their undead life by doing the public service of taking souls, Dead Like Me is filled with a group of people only there because they filled the quota for someone else. People from different walks of life, from different times, the show focuses on that of the protagonist George Lass, a girl unfortunately only becoming known because she died from a toilet seat falling from space. These people experience traumatic events daily, after already having died and lived a good portion of their lives having a lifetime not filled with kittens and puppy dogs and fluffy, hopping bunnies. Their lives were in some form filled with difficulty and rabid rabbits that would bite your finger if you tried to pet them. However, they work and are there for one another when it actually counts for something. They are dysfunctional, make mistakes, and on one occasion one character has to store illegals in their bottom. But their afterlives are made a little bit better by one another.

2)      The X-Men…Evolution

As far as classic X-Men, I never really got into it. It was too confusing, too many different original stories and backstories and well they were old people with super powers. Who wants that when they are ten? X- Men Evolution won my heart because it was a group of teenagers,( which  can you get more dysfunctional then that) trying to save the world while adjusting to high school and the fact that they are a blue fur ball or could kill someone with their touch. What made it for me was the fact that it was relatable for most kids- after all what superhero comic is not a metaphor for being left out, alone, going through puberty. In the end, as super heroes of any age do, they save the world, but not without a few arguments and petty name calling along the way.

3)      The Crew of Serenity (Firefly, Serenity)

As a fan of Joss Whedon, it is my obligation to mention him in this. In all of his shows, not just Firefly, there is a level of dysfunction- of people who do not normally get along, that fight, that have different values but come together to kick some ass. The crew of Firefly, most of who are already pretty kick ass in their chosen fields, but don’t exactly get along for the most part. Simon, the on ship doctor butts heads with Jayne, the on ship gorilla on more than one occasion. Jayne even sells out Simon and his sister to the feds for reward money (note Jayne is not an actual gorilla, just all of the loveable dopey qualities in addition to the anger and power). There are very few binding relationships on for the crew of Serenity, a married couple, and some war buddies and a brother and sister. The rest all came onto the ship for different reasons, but in the end form strong bonds, despite their hatred with one another. They pull of petty thievery and save a few people and the entire verse along the way.

And those are just some of my favorite teams (note my use of the qualifier some, both because it is true and also so people judge me a little less).For the most part, you can maybe tell I am partial to shows that a have a strong “found family” basis, a group of people who despise one another, but would still be there for them. After all, that’s what your dysfunctional family is- a group of people who might hate to even see you once a year, but will probably donate a kidney for you. Except your cousin who stalks the cat, you’re gonna want to check that out.

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