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Unpacked Is Ending -- But Not Forever

Hi our brave, wonderful AMBITION warriors!

As you probably surmised given the inactivity over the last 1.5 years (what on Earth is time), the podcast has gone on a bit of hiatus. This is partially just due to #life, but also, Creator Maggie is thoroughly inundated with the creative work of bringing the final season and its ancillary content of AMBITION to fruition (which, by the way, ICYMI -- Part 1 of five years is a long time is now available at @ambitious-2022 and on AO3). After discussing it, Maddi and Maggie have decided to retire this rendition of the podcast.

However, you didn't think that was the end of the story, did you? Of course not! Instead, the gals are simply putting the pod into hibernation... and we're planning to come back full throttle, from the top, after the AMBITION Series Finale. We'll essentially be doing a post-series reread with all the same fun chatter, behind the scenes insights, and more, but with no creator-spoiler holds barred. With the full narrative shared at our fingertips, Maggie and Maddi will really be able to unpack the saga (and yes, Maggie is very excited to be pointing out every time the show hinted at The Narrator from as early as Season 1).

So this is not a goodbye, it's simply a "for now." Obviously, we can't say when we'll be back, but know that we will be when the time comes. And there will be much, much more to say about our beloved, silly fictional TV show.

Until then, we'll be releasing 5 more episodes of Unpacked tonight at 6PM EST, recapping "The Miserables" [ 109 ] as a swan song (and finally posting what Maggie has had in her edit drafts, lol). Thanks for reading, thanks for listening, and here's to all that is to come.

Come so far, got so far to go...

-- Maddi & Maggie

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thanks to a recent hyperfixation into sims 4 and diving into the rabbit hole of custom content -- i now think i can finally make my dream of an ambition costuming lookbook a reality...

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How did you get to be here? What was the moment?

⏲ 2022 ( Blog | AO3 ) ⟸ You Are Here ⏲ 2023 ⏲ 2024 ⏲ 2025 ⏲ 2026 ⏲ 2027

Never look back... never look back...

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Hello fellow nerds, we try to keep this space professional (and ominous, currently, as S5 warrants), so I've now created a silly little sideblog so I reblog silly little things that remind me of the amblorbos. If that tickles ur fancy, feel free to follow

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So what if I got struck by lightning and was inspired to sketch out a 6-episode limited series about Jack Hunter's backstory from his childhood up through becoming principal at AAA. So what. So what if I'm now obsessed so what.

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love when something is about something else

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i didn’t stop writing. i was marinating. now the flavor is INSANE.

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Happy 6 Years, AMBITION Warriors 💛

If you had asked me or Esther back in 2019 if we thought we'd still be writing this silly fake show six years later, the answer would've undoubtedly been no. Partially because we didn't fathom how long the episodes would become or how much story there was to tell; partially because we wouldn't have had faith in ourselves to actually cross the finish line.

And yet, here we are. Progress has slowed, but progress remains nonetheless. And it's been a meaningful, magical experience every word on the way.

It's not over yet, dear readers. More to come soon, on my honor.

With musical love,

-- Creator Maggie

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me trying desperately in the chaos of *gestures to... everything* to make progress on this series

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Happy Valentine's day dearest AMBITION warriors. I know you're all being so very patient with me, and it is so thoroughly appreciated. I hope you all know how grateful I am for your time, readership, and engagement all throughout the journey we have taken together these past almost 6 (!!) years.

If you can spare the thought, mayhaps you could drop a lil Valentine in our inbox and share what you love most about this silly fake series? What are you most excited for? What dynamics would you be binge-reading content for on this most romantic day of the year?

And speaking of years... sneak a little peek below for some glimpses at what we've got cooking behind the scenes (to which I swear yet again, PROGRESS IS BEING MADE! Don't give up on us 🙏)

Eternally,

Maggie 💌

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I'm currently rereading season 4 and the fear I feel for how the time jump years have been for Rosie and Daisy under Eleanor's roof is real. Any possible hints regarding the Gardner Girls in season 5?

Let me quickly start by saying the little notion that you are rereading the season... so so special to me. Warms my (greatly strained atm) heart. These are weary times and messages and reminders like this make it all a bit easier and more connected. Thank you for taking the time to share. 💖

As to your actual question -- rest assured we will be seeing plenty of the Gardners in Season 5. Yes, we saw Charlie's (perhaps always fated) nudge into exile at the end of Season 4, but what's interesting about that is how different the circumstances of the family are now versus when we entered the show in Season 1, and Bridgette had already been casted out. Her punishment was much more effective when it was a total shutdown, no leaks or potential defections to put cracks in that ivory tower; this is partially due to the fact that the numbers were always stacked against Bridgette, since her siblings were so much younger and not really aware of what was going on at the time, and Agatha wasn't around (off at college) to offer a counter-perspective (if she would've given one to begin with -- that much we still don't totally know for sure). So it was easier to cleave Bridge off from the rest, when her siblings were younger, more reliant on their family, and less brave / prepared to break from the pack and question what was what.

With Charlie, on the other hand, we've got a lot of different factors working in the Gardner machinery. Rosie and Daisy are both already teenagers / growing into young adults, and have already presented their own variations of independent thinking and going against the Gardner grain. There isn't a solid or effective wall up between the exiles anymore, as Charlie already (incidentally) destroyed the infrastructure of it by his reaching out to Bridgette and bringing her back into the family orbit. There was also a big, scary "mystery" around what happened with Bridgette; there's no such mystery with Charlie, since everyone else already knew he's gay (except Agatha, and maybe Daisy outright, but you can assume the latter's response to hearing so would be lack of surprise and more importantly, lack of interest. You can just hear her focused-on-something-else-droll "okay, and why do I care about that?" And to be fair, she is right). And again, all of them are already adults or on their way to it, so Eleanor just doesn't have as strong an influence or control over them as she did when they were kids.

There's also the unfortunate, but ultimately true, facet that things are different for Charlie than they were for Bridgette. 1) He's the only son, and sexism is a real thing (especially in a conservatively Catholic structure), so he's probably going to be cut some more breaks. 2) He was, inarguably, more beloved across the family dynamic and the church community than Bridgette was, and so his loss is going to create more friction and cognitive dissonance than hers did. So his "exile" isn't going to be as cut and dry as hers felt at the time.

All the above aside, that's not to say that kicking around the Gardner home is a cake walk these days (or for the next five years). It never is, least of all if you're trying to date a Minkus (and there's been no indication that that little desire of Rosie's is going anywhere). But basically, I think Charlie left his sisters, without necessarily meaning to, much better equipped and with far better resources and recourse against the traditions of their family than he or Bridgette had.

And to be sure, we'll be exploring much of this in the time jump era and beyond.

-- Maggie

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this ask really has no purpose other than to say that i just finished binge-rereading every single jack and eric scene in ambition (even though i only read the series for the first time like a month ago) 😭 i already missed them so much, absolutely worth spending several days completely glued to my phone

lowkey they’re like one of the best things that ever happened to me their story’s just sooo well-rounded and satisfying and perfect……. i just know i’m gonna be coming back and rereading for comfort over and over again even ten years from now

and i was listening to the pilot episode of ambition unpacked the other day and the character development really is so crazy when you go back to the beginning,,, both for jack and eric and also their little family with lucas and isa 😭😭 plus riley of course (though i think they’d be in for some awkward family gatherings after the finale 💀 like how are they all gonna navigate those dynamics?? fascinates me to no end)

anyways i know they’re all happy and married now and have ridden off into the sunset together but i hope we’ll get to check in on them amidst all the chaos in s5!!! assuming they haven’t broken up like everyone else haha 🥲

(just when i was thinking about sending this, ‘adore you’ came on at the mall and i took it as a Sign)

i’m just eternally grateful for all of it 🙏🙏 💞💞

this is the absolute sweetest message in the world. thank you so much for listening to the sign from the multiverse to send it!! even though it is taking us several centuries over here to respond and keep the narrative train moving, i want you to know i reread this message several times over the last few months and it was such an affirming moment every time. even if we're radio silent now and then, please know dear readers that all of your engagement is always, always appreciated.

okay, let's break down some of the elements of this beautiful ask!!

"lowkey they’re like one of the best things that ever happened to me their story’s just sooo well-rounded and satisfying and perfect……. i just know i’m gonna be coming back and rereading for comfort over and over again even ten years from now"

this literally is the greatest compliment. the notion that any of y'all were so touched by any element of the story that you would revisit it again and again, let alone many years into the future... that is legitimately everything. as a creator, i know that this universe is going to be etched into my bones for the rest of my life, so it is always so meaningful to think and know somewhere out there, some of y'all feel the same way on the reader end. that's so special and i'll never get over it. let alone for one of the supporting (though no less important) parts of our ensemble!! i'm so glad jack and eric left such an impact on you and were worth binge-rereading aha (good news on this score -- i've actually been working on creating dynamic specific compilations during the hiatus where you can quite literally read just the scenes of your favorite pairings front to back. i'm planning to release those wide in an ambition library of sorts when the series ends, so stay tuned). also shout-out to the small contingent of jeric warriors who have found their way to the series specifically because of them -- we see y'all and we love you! thanks for taking a chance on our universe in their honor.

"and i was listening to the pilot episode of ambition unpacked the other day and the character development really is so crazy when you go back to the beginning,,,"

yay to ambition unpacked listenership!!! i want to take this moment to assure any of our five listeners WE SWEAR THE PODCAST IS NOT DEAD. LIFE HAS BEEN BONKERS BUT IT'S NOT CANCELLED. it will come back. in due time. just bear with us. particularly once the actual series is over, you know we're gonna need unpacked to like. cope lol so have faith, we'll be back soon enough. but all that to say, yes, it is absolutely insane and it's so wild (and satisfying) to now be at the final season and look back and be like holy cow it's been a JOURNEY. on every single front.

"(though i think they’d be in for some awkward family gatherings after the finale 💀 like how are they all gonna navigate those dynamics?? fascinates me to no end)"

and as it SHOULD. as it should... rest assured, this tangled up conundrum of a family tree will be put under a microscope. we will study them like a bug (and they will be a rather central focus of the final season...)

"anyways i know they’re all happy and married now and have ridden off into the sunset together but i hope we’ll get to check in on them amidst all the chaos in s5!!! assuming they haven’t broken up like everyone else haha 🥲"

another reassurance, don't you worry -- jack and eric will still be present and active in season 5. they take a bit of a backseat compared to prior seasons, obviously, just because they were once the grown-ups but now our babies are the grown-ups (which is insane), but their role in the lives of the ensemble hasn't dwindled. they remain relevant. and i will allow you this peace of mind: jack and eric's relationship is steady, healthy, and happy. they are not a casualty of the time jump by any means. (can't speak to anything else. lol.)

"i’m just eternally grateful for all of it 🙏🙏 💞💞"

you and me both, my friend. you and me both -- and messages like this only serve to remind me of how fortunate and grateful we are. thank you again for taking the time to read our silly show, to love it, and to share these sentiments with me. it means everything. 🌟

-- Maggie

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also i remembed that around mid season you posted those teasers stating that the 6 romantic couples half of them will end. i know one is RL is the other zay and charlie even now that after the time jump. and whats other that I'm blanking on? also the 3 mains that ending up in different locations are yindra, lucas, and Nigel right? and other things I missed that you mention in that or in general?

yes, we sure did!! i love that at least a few of y'all are enjoying those little promo teasers and posts we do, because we do enjoy putting them out there for folks to theorize 😊 now that we're fresh into a new era, we can pull that bad boy up and unpack it!

Slide 1: Six Active Relationships, Half of Them Will End

At the time this teaser was written, we were going from 407 ("Resolution") and the end of Season 4A into 4B, starting with "Oh, I'm Living In A Movie Scene." As such, the following were the six canon romantic relationships we were referencing:

Riley & Lucas

Dylan & Asher

Jade & Nigel

Jack & Eric

Zay & Vanessa

Jordan & Farkle

Knowing what we know now, if you look at the list again, you can see where the schisms happened -- for better (bye Jordan) or for worse (we're not talking about RL).

Riley & Lucas

Dylan & Asher

Jade & Nigel

Jack & Eric

Zay & Vanessa

Jordan & Farkle

All that being said, this doesn't mean anything about what status any of these relationships might be in when we go into Season 5. You know what they say about five years... (it's a long time).

Slide 2: Other Prophetic Statements

As you noted, we also listed six other premonitions for how things would shift around before the season's end (including some clever wordplay). Let's break 'em down!

1. 3 Mains Will End Up in a Different Location Than They Are Now (as of 408)

This hint referred to Lucas (moving from NY to CA to attend UC Davis), Nigel (intending to leave NYU and go to the UK), and Zay (not being in NY to tour). Charlie had already returned to New York, and Jade had already left for Los Angeles as of 408. Riley, Farkle, Maya, and Yindra were considered the wild cards / red herrings.

2. Someone Will Quit School

This, of course, refers to Zay dropping his Turner bid. However, Riley and NYU were the red herring.

3. Someone Will Find Themselves in a Bittersweet Situation

If you take this reading at face value, this could apply to many people... but following the reveal in 413 of the girl group name, it becomes obvious what we were cheekily alluding to. This refers to Yindra formally signing with Jupiter to be a part of the new girl group, BitterSweet.

4. A Shelved Item From Season 3 Will Finally Come To Light

This referred to Farkle's love letter to Isa, which was literally shelved on his bookshelf in Isa's copy of Pride & Prejudice at the end of 310.

5. A Long-Held Secret Will Come Out

Emphasis on come out here... this referred to Charlie telling his mother that he is gay. Presumably, by the end of the season, any remaining secrecy around Charlie's sexuality is all but destroyed (whether by his own choice or word spreading around post-Eleanor).

6. There Will Be A Wedding... And A Funeral

Many happy congratulations to our newlyweds, Jack and Eric! Rest in motherfucking pieces, Kenneth Friar.

And thus the only question that remains... were you ready for it?!

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when are you guys planning on releasing season 5?

hi there! you sent this ask five million years ago, so thank you for your patience with us. 🩶 now that we're cautiously treading into a brand new year, i think (hope) i have a bit more of a concrete forecast for you all.

the current plan to have season 5 proper premiere this summer -- official dates to come though they are sketched out. meanwhile, we do have our cruel summer-esque hiatus project, "five years... (is a long time)," which we'll be releasing in the build up towards that season 5 premiere date. i'm hoping to have that first installment out in the world any day now... so stay tuned.

last year ended up being unexpectedly crazy on several fronts, and sadly ambition suffered as a byproduct of that. but your co-creator and writer here is feeling refreshed and in repair these days, so i'm looking forward to this beautiful universe and community blossoming back to life in the days to come. as always, we are grateful that you all are here taking this narrative adventure with us.

cheers!

-- Maggie

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happy holidays @charliezay !