I think if they get the essence of the character right, that sort of drastic change can work - but it's hard, because those major traits are often necessary to make them what they are. Though I could buy a comedy of a Clark dropped into an AU where Lex is a woman having to deal with the surprise that he's quite disappointed with the switch.

My problem is with historical AUs, where Mulder and Scully become 13th-century Welsh people with different names and histories.

Um, WTF?

Yes, Katherine of Ireland, I'm looking at you.

ETA: Or, what Madrigal said: those major traits are often necessary to make them what they are.

I suppose one could make Scully the equivalent of a 13th century navy brat, and into science a lá Augusta Ada Lovelace or Maria Mitchell - though she'd probably end up in a nunnery where all the learning was for women. They'd have some problems with Mulder being Jewish - though that could lead to some interesting new issues between them. Okay, and I'm starting to like the idea of a epistle beginning, "Mulder, 'tis me,".....damn, this is turning into a plotbunny.

My problem is with historical AUs, where Mulder and Scully become 13th-century Welsh people with different names and histories.

Huh. See, I've seen historical AUs done well -- like, for example, Hope's Thebes -- but Lex and Clark in that story are the same archetypes as on the show.

However, tossing two characters you think are pretty into a completely different world and not retaining the character traits that make them who they are is... pointless to me. It's just original fiction with familiar faces grafted on.

or making a nonhuman character human, rarely actually lead to interesting stories.

That's kind of what I thought about Teal'c's dream episode.

I myself am very much in favor of good AU's, and lament the fact that they're very hard to do.

or making a nonhuman character human, rarely actually lead to interesting stories.

That's kind of what I thought about Teal'c's dream episode.

I myself am very much in favor of good AU's, and lament the fact that they're very hard to do.

I adore AU fic in its narrowest definition, i.e. the protagonists jumping into an alternative version of their universe, via magic or you know, through some twist in quantum mechanics. ::handwaves:: Some of my all favorite fanfic are in this genre--a few Wishverse stories, A.C. Chapin's "Alternative Lifestyle", Most of Julie Fortune's Buffy stories, Yahtzee and Rheanna's "Splinter", Jane Mortimer's "The Sin-Eater" (this one is in XF), Lise William's "Ripcord", etc. But weird-ass out of character historical AUs that are called AU because the characters bear no resemblance whatsoever to their counterparts in the show? They annoy the snot out of me, mostly because they seem inexplicably popular. (Consuela, WORD on "Katherine of Ireland". I recall liking some of Prufrock's Love's stories in the past, but I had to stop reading her stuff when she went off on her historical AU kick. Bleech.)

A month ago, I would have said I had no interest whatsoever in reading dubious gender-switch stories, but I can't say the same now, since I read Shalott's "The World Turned Upside Down". My, that fic was freakin' *brilliant*.

the protagonists jumping into an alternative version of their universe, via magic or you know, through some twist in quantum mechanics

I like these too, except that perhaps the very worst one I ever read was one of these. It's always like that, isn't it? Not the "what" but the "how".

(Edit to add a space and say, EEK! The giant cats! Run!)

Wow, it's been a long time since Emily terrorized me with the giant cats.

Good times.

A month ago, I would have said I had no interest whatsoever in reading dubious gender-switch stories, but I can't say the same now, since I read Shalott's "The World Turned Upside Down". My, that fic was freakin' *brilliant*.

She's on a crazy posting kick right now, bless her heart. I'm just sitting back and wallowing.