I think there are many reasons Tony reverts back to the frat boy and womanizer. It's easier and lowers people's expectations of him.*
This does two things. People get to be awed and amazed when he does end up doing something smart, and if people don't expect much from him then he can't disappoint them.
Maybe he was used to disappointing his father while growing up.
Even though we don't know exactly how he came to Gibbs' attention, we know Gibbs would not put up with Tony unless he saw something that could be I guess, 'honed' into a good NCIS agent. And they do a great 'bad cop, good cop' with suspects.
Maybe with Tony's other jobs he wasn't living up to his full potential and no one cared because they all thought he was Frat boy.
But Gibbs saw under that and challenged Tony to be more. Gibbs doesn't do praise a lot but even the tiniest bit gets Tony going (in a non slashy way) and he always wants more. He's kind of like Tony's drug.
The Frat boy stuff also works well for Tony when interviewing and interrogating suspects. They blow him off and underestimate him. He uses that.
I too wish they'd addressed the stuff when Gibbs came back more. I do love the scene, I think it's after he's offered his own team, where Tony is talking to someone on the phone and he's telling them to call Gibbs because he's back in charge. People are scared of Gibbs, but don't see Tony as a threat.
Also, Tony's played this role so long I don't know if others he works with would be able to see him as anything else.
Remember when Tony said something about getting his own Team and McGee blew him off? They all do it and most times he's okay with that. They're not pinning hopes on him and he can't disappoint them.
I think this ability hide behind the frat boy and womanizer mask serves him while undercover.
Even before Jeanne he did undercover that was convincing in 'Split Decision' as Gus Bricker and in 'Chained,' as an escaped prisoner.
As for standing up to Gibbs, I'm trying to think if he ever has. He kind of did it in first season finale when they were arguing about Ari. But even that wasn't a direct out and out protest.
Maybe his inability to really argue with Gibbs is part of his hero-worship because that is a whole other story with Tony. He fangirls Gibbs like whoa.
Or deep down maybe he thinks if he seriously goes against Gibbs in something important then he'll disappoint Gibbs or that Gibbs won't 'like' him anymore. Tony's got issues.
I also want to know more about Ducky's statment in an ep that Gibbs used to be more like Tony.
I wonder if that is a hint that as time goes on Tony will be more and more like Gibbs until eventually he's like Gibbs even around Gibbs.
*My own opinions of course and those may change later*
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ninetydegrees
no subject
on 2009-01-28 06:50 pm (UTC)I think there are many reasons Tony reverts back to the frat boy and womanizer. It's easier and lowers people's expectations of him.*
This does two things. People get to be awed and amazed when he does end up doing something smart, and if people don't expect much from him then he can't disappoint them.
Maybe he was used to disappointing his father while growing up.
Even though we don't know exactly how he came to Gibbs' attention, we know Gibbs would not put up with Tony unless he saw something that could be I guess, 'honed' into a good NCIS agent. And they do a great 'bad cop, good cop' with suspects.
Maybe with Tony's other jobs he wasn't living up to his full potential and no one cared because they all thought he was Frat boy.
But Gibbs saw under that and challenged Tony to be more. Gibbs doesn't do praise a lot but even the tiniest bit gets Tony going (in a non slashy way) and he always wants more. He's kind of like Tony's drug.
The Frat boy stuff also works well for Tony when interviewing and interrogating suspects. They blow him off and underestimate him. He uses that.
I too wish they'd addressed the stuff when Gibbs came back more. I do love the scene, I think it's after he's offered his own team, where Tony is talking to someone on the phone and he's telling them to call Gibbs because he's back in charge. People are scared of Gibbs, but don't see Tony as a threat.
Also, Tony's played this role so long I don't know if others he works with would be able to see him as anything else.
Remember when Tony said something about getting his own Team and McGee blew him off? They all do it and most times he's okay with that. They're not pinning hopes on him and he can't disappoint them.
I think this ability hide behind the frat boy and womanizer mask serves him while undercover.
Even before Jeanne he did undercover that was convincing in 'Split Decision' as Gus Bricker and in 'Chained,' as an escaped prisoner.
As for standing up to Gibbs, I'm trying to think if he ever has. He kind of did it in first season finale when they were arguing about Ari. But even that wasn't a direct out and out protest.
Maybe his inability to really argue with Gibbs is part of his hero-worship because that is a whole other story with Tony. He fangirls Gibbs like whoa.
Or deep down maybe he thinks if he seriously goes against Gibbs in something important then he'll disappoint Gibbs or that Gibbs won't 'like' him anymore. Tony's got issues.
I also want to know more about Ducky's statment in an ep that Gibbs used to be more like Tony.
I wonder if that is a hint that as time goes on Tony will be more and more like Gibbs until eventually he's like Gibbs even around Gibbs.
*My own opinions of course and those may change later*