AG Fashions & their Meanings
(courtesy of wrussell@polarnet.com)

"Apparel does oft proclaim the man" said the Immortal Bard and he was exactly right. Although the costuming is given more attention in sf/f
shows, costumers in mainstream TV often use clothing to help send the audience messages about the characters. For an obvious example, look at the character of Fran Fine on "The Nanny". Actress Fran Drescher usually appears in some outrageous ensemble that reinforces her brash, outspoken,lower class, working girl character.
Now let's look at our AG cast and see how clothing has been used to enhance their characters.

Lucas Buck: Lucas has perhaps the most distinctive wardrobe of anyone on the show. His trademark item of apparel (apart from his vests) is the caped, ankle length duster. This coat is something that no one else in the cast wears. The caped shoulder gives him a slightly old-fashioned look and the coat itself often appears cloak-like--an appropriate garment for an ageless Prince of Darkness, no? Lucas also has two colors--red and black--which are associated with him and which hint at his Devil-like nature. When he wants to appear as the good guy, Lucas wears his brown leather bomber jacket, white shirt, and blue jeans. This ensemble functions as deceptive coloration for him since white, blue, and brown are colors generally associated with trustworthiness. His vests give him an official look, but since they are suede, the message is much more casual. Lucas always strives for an approachable, good old boy image. On occasion, we see Lucas wear grey implying his sociopathic nature--no black and white, only shades of grey ("it's all a matter of perception"). We rarely, if ever, see Lucas looking mussed or rumpled. Even when he was dug up from the grave, his outfit was impeccable. This is a man who likes to be in control--at all times.

Caleb: Caleb's striped shirt and crewcut give off a '50s aura. The 1950s are often viewed as a kinder, simpler time embodying wholesome, All-Americanness. Of course, the '50s weren't kinder, gentler, and simpler--and neither is Trinity (or Caleb for that matter).

Selena: Since this "sweet little schoolteacher" is Lucas's ally for much of the series, it's only appropriate that she share his colors--black and red. Red seems to be the color associated most with Selena, signifying her passionate nature as well as her pact with the Devil. Selena's teacher
wardrobe is very muted and reserved. Her evening attire is more daring yet the pieces themselves (her black mini-skirt, for example) are classic, not extreme. It's simply the way they are put together (and the attitude she projects) that makes them seem like seduction garb. Selina's wardrobe
takes on the coloration of the men she's with, reflecting her need for male approval. When she flirts with Dr. Matt in the pilot, her ensemble is very low key and tasteful. When she and Lucas tango on the kitchen table, she wears blue satin, very cool and sensual. When Billy asks her to go away
with him, she is wearing a blue denim workshirt, much like the shirts he usually sports. Another color associated with Selena is leopard print which appears in a sleeveless blouse and the swing coat--two items she often wears. The leopard print hints at Selena's "big cat" nature--aggressive, sensual, dangerous.

Matt: Dr. Crower always appears in tailored clothes and yet "rumpled" is the adjective I most associate with him. Perhaps it's his attitude--he always seems to be on his last legs. Matt's colors are white, brown, and black. I don't recall ever seeing him wear prints of any kind. Although
white is the uniform of the medical profession, the color hints at Matt's association with the good guys. In Eastern thought, white is the color of mourning so Matt's grief over his dead wife and daughter is also implied.

Ben: The outfit we most often see Ben is his uniform and that in itself says something about Ben--he's a company man. Off duty, he wears casual, unremarkable, regular Joe clothes.

Gail: Gail's wardrobe never presents a coherent message about her, reflecting the unfocused nature of the character. In the "Plague Sower" press conference scene, for example, all of the extras are dressed like reporters. Gail, our investigative reporter, is the only one who doesn't look like a journalist. In "Damned If You Don't", Gail wears a pink striped shirt implying her link to Caleb and in "To Hell and Back", we see her wearing a floral gardening apron which makes her look very maternal yet her role as Caleb's substitute mom is never played up. Accessory-wise, Gail wears a number of finger rings--usually the sign of a sensual, outgoing, people-loving person--yet this aspect of her character is not explored. Gail packs around a duffel-like purse, but it isn't clear what trait of hers the purse symbolizes. Her obsession with the past? Her packrat tendencies? Bad housekeeping habits? I would really have liked to have seen her to pull things out of it a la Dr. Who--"lessee, package of jelly babies, yo-yo, sheriff's phone number, computer disks, tombstone rubbing, rune stones . . ." The only time Gail appears coordinated is at the beginning of "Triangle" when she arrives at the sheriff's office in a red T-shirt, black jeans, and black jacket. Not coincidentally, she is wearing Lucas's colors, indicating her alliance with him. With her hair straightened, she also looks remarkably like Selena indicating that she has fallen into the same trap Selena has--her relationship with Lucas.

Merlyn: When you're an angel, your wardrobe is pretty limited. Most of the time, we see Merlyn wearing her long white dress--perhaps because this is how Caleb expects her to look. White is indicative of ethereality and holiness. We've also seen her wearing a blue cape (blue incidentally is the color of the Virgin Mary) and a brown dress (implying humility, an affliation with the life-giving earth). Interestingly enough, when Merlyn attempts to come back to life in "Rebirth", she wears what I call "typical teen grunge" (plaid shirt, white T-shirt, and blue jeans) reflecting her desire to have a normal life.

Billy Peale: Unlike the other doctors at Fulton County Hospital, Billy never looks neatly pressed suggesting that he cares more about results than appearances. Billy's colors are gray and blue--blue again symbolizing trustworthiness and gray symbolizing his flirtation with the dark side, his
willingness to get his hands dirty in order to accomplish his ends. In addition to his regular guy-ness, Billy's boyish sweatshirt and jeans attire also implies that he is not a "grownup" yet--that he still retains certain child-like traits such as his impulsiveness, his belief in magic, his willingness to act on his instincts, etc.

Due to the fact that during the airing of American Gothic, the main commercial being shown was for feminine products. Because of this, listmembers began imagining what commercials would be like if our favourite AG characters were in them......

AG Commercials
(courtesy of wrussell@polarnet.com)

Back a while ago, someone mentioned how annoying it was to see the same commercial repeating during the breaks while they were watching AG. It occurred to me then that what we really need for those all important commercial breaks (well, important to the sponsors) are Gothic-style commercials much like the following:

Selena Coombs for Vagisil:
(tight camera angle on Selena at her dressing table, holding up a tube)
"Got an itch you can't scratch in public? Try Vagisil. Vagisil, because it's not too late for salve-vation."

Caleb and Merlyn Temple for Frosted Flakes cereal:
(camera focuses on Caleb who is out in his back yard with the barbecque)
"When folks ask me what I eat for breakfast, I tell 'em 'Frosted Flakes'. Not only are they a part of a balanced breakfast, but when you add them to your grill (he demonstrates), you can bring your sister back from the dead."
(Merlyn materializes from a whirlwind of smoke clutching a box of Frosted Flakes)
Merlyn (holding up the box for the camera): "Frosted Flakes. They're not just for breakfast anymore."

Sheriff Lucas Buck for Michelin tires:
(camera focuses on Buck who is leaning up against his squad car)
"Howdy, folks, Sheriff Buck here. Ya know,
highway safety is half my job so when folks ask me, 'Lucas, what kind of tires should I buy?' I
tell 'em what my friends from Flint tell me: get Michelins 'cause they are just the best tire around. (speaking into the open trunk of his car) Ain't
that right, boys?" (camera angle on the open trunk. We see the Flint boys bound and gagged
inside. They make inarticulate grunting noises)
"There you have it." (Lucas slams the trunk lid down and heads around to the driver's side. He continues talking as he gets into the car and
prepares to drive off). "So remember, folks, always buckle up, never drink and drive, and be sure to have Michelin tires on your car. Oh, and when it
comes time for you to leave Trinity (a beat), take the north road out of town.
(Lucas gives the camera a cheery wave and drives away)


Dr. Billy Peale for Ban Antiperspirant:
(Camera focuses on Billy who is kicked back in a chair wearing his surgerical greens)
"My advice for a new physician in Trinity? Never be afraid to trust your instincts, never do the wild thing with the ex-girlfriend of the sociopathic town sheriff in his own bed, and, no matter what bizarre
medical situation you find yourself in, never let them see you sweat."

RED RIGHT HAND
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Take a little walk to the edge of town,
and go across the track,
where the viaduct looms like a bird of doom,
as it shifts and cracks.
Where secrets lie in the border fires,
and the humming wires,
hey man, you know you're never coming back.
Across the square, across the bridge,
past the mills, past the stack.
On a gathering storm,
comes a tall handsome man,
in a dusty black coat
with a red right hand.
He'll wrap you in his arms,
tell you that you've been a good boy.
He'll rekindle all the dreams,
it took you a lifetime to destroy.
He'll reach deep into the hole,
heal your shrinking soul.
but there won't be a
single thing that you can do.
He's a god, he's a man, he's a ghost,
he's a gu...ru.
The're whispering his name,
through this dissapearing land,
but hidden in his coat
is a red right hand.
You don't own no money,
he'll get you some.
You don't have no car,
he'll get you one.
You don't have no self-respect,
you feel like an insect,
Well don't you worry buddy,
'cause here he comes.
Through the ghettos,
and the bari, and the slums.
His shadow is cast
where ever he stands,
stacks of green paper
in his red right hand.
You'll see him in your nightmares,
you'll see him in your dreams.
He'll appear out of nowhere,
but he ain't what he seems.
You'll see him in your head,
on your TV screen,
Hey buddy, I'm warning
you to turn it off.
He's a ghost, he's a god, he's a man,
he's a gu...ru.
You're one microscopic cog,
in his catastrophic plan.
Designed and directed by
his red right hand.

EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE,
I LEARNED FROM AMERICAN GOTHIC
(courtesy of SDELLIOT@neodata.com)

Beware of little boys in striped shirts.
If you hear "Someone's at the door." -- Run
Being dead does not mean being gone.
Don't mess with the law. Even if you win, you lose.
Everybody has a secret, and someone who knows what it is.
Don't trust your school teacher.
Don't trust your clergy.
Shovels are for more than digging holes.
A lucky pen is not lucky at all.
Conscience is just a fear of getting caught.
No conscience is better than some conscience.
Angels in white are not as benevolent as they seem.
A good loser is still a loser.
Never accept a favor, the price will be too high.
If you witness a crime, find a way to profit from it.
Stay away from museums at night.
Stay away from boarding houses.
Strange things happen at bridges.
Bad things happen to bad people.
Terrible things happen to good people.
If you are really terrible, you must be the Sheriff

A bit about Gail..... Just what was her "secret power"?
PSYCHOMETRY: The faculty of gaining impressions from a physical object, either regarding its owner or the history of the object itself.
-- The Encyclopedia of Ancient and Forbidden Knowledge

American Gothic Song
(courtesy of Motomo22@aol.com)

My name's Earl, I like to make 'em scream
Don't you think that Gail was a little extreme?
If the town had their way we'd all be strung from nooses
Damn those shovels for their thousand uses!

The name is Barrett, I blew into town
Thought I could take 'ol Lucas Buck down
But things got messy and fate took a twist
My baby brother Lowell didn't need that wrist!

My name's Lowell, Buck plays God
His deputy called me "Mr. Dipwad"
We thought we were sly and tried to get away
Now we're approaching Judgement Day

I'm Just Eddie, Marlene's latest trick
Buck boozed me up until I got sick
Then the lights went out and I thought it was a dream
I flicked my bic but couldn't scream.

I'm Mrs. Temple, Gage's wife
Buck screwed me and then took my life
Made my Merly nuts like never before
Chanting over and over "Someone's at the door"

Hi I'm Boone, Caleb's friend
What's with his stripe fashion trend?
We compete now and then but Buck's on his side
He can't run away, I know he's tried

It's Lt. Drey, that's with an "e"
I don't like Buck, and he can't stand me
But I fancy his girlfriend, I think she's really neat
Now I'm nothing but beetle meat!

ADDED March 18/99:
Lucas Buck's Library

ADDED Feb. 28/99:
AG Episode Pics: Page 1

AG Episode Pics: Page 2

Even More AG Pics!


Go to next page:
Elaine's AG Montage -- Page 2

Elaine's AMERICAN GOTHIC Montage -- Pg. 3

More AMERICAN GOTHIC!!! Page 4

AG: Where are they now? Pics

AG Magazine Excerpts

American Gothic Links





Go to one of my other pages:

AMERICAN GOTHIC Pic Gallery!

RAVEN2DOVE's Home Page

The Craig Shrine
Home of Craig Edwards, AG's PA (Production Assistant) Extraordinaire!
Includes: Quotes from Craig & Cast, AG jokes, Episode Anecdotes (behind-the-scenes stuff!), and much more! Super-cool!

RAVEN2DOVE's Entertainment Page: TV & Movies

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Utilities, Browsers, Games, Screensavers, Search Engine links & tips, and more!

The Write Path: A Writer's Resource Page

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"Master of Image Capture", Stephen Jesson!!
Email him at: Stephen Jesson


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