1. bsg (Battlestar Galatica).  Well, this was my third fandom I've fallen really hard for.  First was Star Trek: Voyager with Janeway/Chakotay, second was 24 with Martha/Charles, and this one was with Lee/Laura.  I have REALLY tried to like Laura/Bill but it just won't happen. It doesn't have the right spice or chemistry that I enjoy watching on screen.  Something subtle and natural that you just won't see anywhere else and, out of all my ships, Lee/Laura fascinates me the most because it's not quite a romantic love but definitely something more than friendship while not being a mother/son thing either.  This enigmatic quality has me hooked on them as a couple.  I also love how open ended the show is.  There are so many ways things can go so it has the most opportunities for fan fiction that I've ever seen, second to Star Trek.  Also most of the characters are memorable and play off each other really well.  With Martha and Charles gone from 24, BSG has moved up to my favorite TV show till the series finally comes to a close.

2. ellen tigh.  When I first saw Ellen, I didn't like her.  I heard great things about the episode she was in and how funny she was but still didn't like her.  However, that all changed with Season Three.  The things she was willing to go through to save her husband were heart wrenching and the actress played it so well.   It was like the Logan marriage all over again.  There were layers I could see that would be great to write stories about.  You can't tell your heart who you'll fall in love with and Saul unfortunately had fallen for a bad woman...but despite it all, he loved her. Despite what people told him...despite what his friend said...he truly loved Ellen.  And that is what I loved watching when the character was onscreen.  Saul's softer side.

3. hamri al-assad.  I loved Assad the moment he came onscreen because a) I love the actor that plays him from his work on Deep Space Nine and b) because the man was like an Arab Jack Bauer.  Some good in him but willing to do bad things to get the job done.  However, I didn't really start liking him till a little story idea popped into my head of how we could have changed Day Six to be better than what it was.  Namely, more Martha and Charles but this time (keeping in mind that Martha was actually sane and not clinically depressed) she was helping Assad with his peace iniative.  You see, Martha's family had been very active in the Middle East and she spoke fluet Arabic.  In fact, Charles asked her to come alone to a summit when he was in Congress.  During that time, Assad was part of a terrorist cell that took the spouses of the visiting Congressmen hostage and Martha showed great bravery during the crisis, always impressing Assad and he left an imprint on her as she had on him.  Through that connection they develop a deep friendship with maybe a hint at a romantic interest that will lead to peace.  When Jack and Assad have their first showdown, Martha's emergance from a backroom stops him from firing and then she gets shot in the confusion.  Assad then has to choose between making sure she's alright and moving ahead with his peace initiative.  Charles of course is brought in to find out what the heck his ex-wife is up to.  Alas, it was not to be so but I still love the character and ship him with Nadia :)

4. laura roslin.  Laura is the REASON I'm hooked on BSG. To see a woman played by Mary McDonnell with so much depth and so many layers is a joy to behold.  I love that you can ship Laura with anyone.  She's THAT good.  I also like how she can be sweet and idealistic one minute and tough as nails in the next.  The woman is smart and sassy!!  The only criticism I have is when she tries to play cutesy with Adama.  That is SO unattractive! The woman should be past that now.  She's NOT a sixteen year old girl with a crush.   I've always wondered what Jean would have done with the role...

5. lee adama.  What drew me to Lee from the start was his refusal to be the good son.  I liked how he challenged Adama and I LOVED how he worked with Roslin.  There was a natural rhythm he fell into with her and the side of himself that he showed when with her was VERY attractive.  It was like he knew who he was supposed to be in her presence and you could see a hint of the man he would become...someone much better than his father because he could work both with the military and the politicians.  Adama is too clear cut, Lee has layers and some of them are irritating like his affair with Kara and his behavior during the beginning of Season Three.  However, I really love that he's at odds with Laura because now they can undergo the other part of a full relationship with blown out arguments and confrontations.  For me, a great relationship is not measured by how sweet it is...but by how balanced it is, arguments and all.

6. nina meyers.  I always liked Nina but never got really into it until  averitaand  _ila_showed me all the wonderful complexities involved with her deception and her love/hate relationship with Jack.  Rewatching the first few season of 24 brought that depth into focus and I suddenly found myself liking her with Jack...as well as with Tony.  Now since then, I think my heart has settled on Kate (a stronger, less afraid but very understanding (more so than Teri) Kate) but my attraction to Nina Myers as a character hasn't gone away.  There is much to explore there since so much was left open ended and I find any story that includes Nina is better for it.  If she came back instead of Tony, I  don't think I would have minded as much :)

7. william adama.  Though Laura/Lee has my heart, Bill Adama is the natural choice given age and experience.  I also found myself VERY moved by the one scene where he is saying goodbye to Laura in a way and there is an unshed tear in his eyes because he cares for her that much. It moved me more than any scene with Martha/Charles and that's saying alot since I place them at the top of my list.  However, I find myself once again resistant to shipping him hard core with Laura because a) they are the favorites and b) BIll is still too reticent for me.  It's hard to write good fan fiction with strong and silent types (just think of my Martha/Aaron stories) so as I explore the relationship further I find myself becoming more and more dissatisfied and end up disliking the one won't open up. I do hope she ends up with Bill because they both deserve it and are a natural fit BUT stories that bring out the wonderful relationship she had with Lee are infinitely more satisfying and seem to be somehow more rewarding for me on a personal level.  If Bill ends up being the 5th Cylon, I won't be upset either ;)