#*quick google* aaaaand I was wrong

[seventeenlovesthree]

So my friend was asking for a recommendation on what series to watch and I actually ended up showing her Sense8 after some mindless browsing on Netflix. I wasn't even sure if it would be up her alley, but here we go, she definitely liked the first three episodes - aaaaand now I am back on my bullshit in terms of how much sense a stupid Digimon Adventure Sense8 AU would make.

Granted, we would have to make sure the siblings are not related anymore AND we would have to make everybody be the same age, born on the exact same day, but heck... Why not?

Another "nice to have" factor would be to put everyone in different countries and some of those obviously make more sense than others, but oh well!

Taichi Yagami - if he is being on diplomat/ambassador duty and could basically roam around literally everywhere on the planet, probably Europe, a quick google search may put him to the Netherlands (with the UN having various courts stationed there, including the International Court of Justice in Den Haag, that may fit if you ignore Digimon in general being a thing).

Yamato Ishida - he still works for NASA in my head, so we're going to put him to Washington DC for good measure.

Sora Takenouchi - she may be located at the London College of Fashion in UK at the moment, changing subjects rather late (since she still favoured flower arrangement for a long time, so she may have been still located in Japan otherwise).

Koushirou Izumi - I mean, if we go all out on hacking being his main occupation in this world instead of being a tech CEO, he may as well be located somewhere in East Europe, ahem... But if we go with the latter, he may have a stronger connection with tech companies in either China or Korea.

Mimi Tachikawa - she was always fascinated with US fashion, so it would feel wrong not to put her there too.

Jyou Kidou - I really want to put him to work at Doctors Without Borders (like Kakudou once suggested), so I may locate him in Africa or South Asia.

Takeru Takaishi - he is a struggling author in Paris, France, I mean, come on.

Hikari Kamiya (ha, gotcha with the name, thank you, English dub) - honestly, I feel like she is the last one who remained in Japan in this universe (as a kindergarten teacher, duh).

[drusillathekiller]

Dashboard osmosis: The Magicians?

“send me an ask about a fandom i know nothing about and i will summarize it as best i can”

Oh wow. I want to say Janis from Mean Girls is in it but I’m only about 60% sure. Presumably has magic?

[newsies-and-the-nutcracker]

Newsies but it’s French (Canadian) pt.2

(aka me just getting increasingly frustrated the longer it goes on until I’ve completely lost whatever bits of sanity I had left lol)

~ king of new york scene ~

“We’re in the papes??” “You’re in the papes.” why do I find this so funny help-

“For the good of Jack, we can stop complaining...” not the whole thing but that sounds so out of character for Race I can’t-

After a quick google search, I can confirm that Race says “The world is at our boots.”

The newsies are very confused

Apparently he was meant to say feet.

“I’m talking about our feet!”

…

hOW IN THE WORLD IS THAT EVEN CLOSE TO ‘THE WOILD IS YA ERSTER’-

Okay I’m done

“My own face on a piece of wood!” good for you ig

“I’m respectful. I’m looking at you.” please-

“I am pretty, am I not?” yes race you’re very pretty

“My own bed and an indoor toilet!” wait… does that mean you literally have a toilet outside?? In the open???

“Nothing more normal for a famous journalist!” Irdk how I’m supposed to process this-

“Leave, idiot! It’s her, the king of New York!” guys is this actually what he says in English?? Race why are you so m e a n

“Some…” *checks notes* “depressive defeatists” ?? I just want to know how you got that from “Buncha wet noodles”-

“We were on the verge of drowning ourselves in alcohol.” WHY AM I ONLY NOW FIGURING OUT WHAT SOME OF THESE LINES MEAN AS I’M WATCHING IT IN F R E N C H ???

They cut out a lot of the background comments during the dance break and now I’m sad

After Katherine’s little dance: “It’s a joke, I hope.” wow

“You’ll see what the Delancey’s do in their pants!” that sounds so wrong I-

“Friends can leave, let them be!” I don’t think that’s what they were trying to say but okay

~ letter from the refuge scene ~

“There’s guards here, they’re mean.” WOW JUST TEAR MY HEART OUT WHY DONTCHA-

“If they tell us to jump, we obey, if not we’re screwed.” ow

“The rooftop misses me.” I give up.

“It’ll go. I’m in shape.”

“End.” the only time they decide not the put ‘the’ unnecessarily in front of something-

“Good, that’s enough.” how rude

yeah that’s all for that song. I hope you guys weren’t actually expecting me to find much humour in that one

~ watch what happens reprise scene ~

“You are a love.” ??

Guys where I live if you say “tant mieux pour vous.” it means “Too bad for you” and that’s literally what Jack just told Davey-

“Stop. I understand. It’s useless.” eh close enough

“Good blood, where do you have to go to avoid you guys?”

“It’s impossible. We are inevitable.” since when did Davey actually become Thanos?

“And this here girl, Sally, she’s great.” :(

“We say that you wrote a good article.” “You seem horrible.” they’re much more salty in this version-

“Yes, it’s true. And, he is dead.” uhh guess who’s not going to Santa Fe-

“We can forget that and go back to work?” the person who wrote this had a real passion for butchering Les’ lines lol

“Be positive. No one is dead.” mmmmmmmmmmm-

“Is that what you’re hoping for??” MMMMMMMMMMMMMM-

“There’s no question of cents, Jack!” yk what? sure. i don’t even care at this point-

“We’ll do what?” he sounds like he doesn’t even want to win.

“We’re already winning.” “Agreed.” ABORT ABORT THIS ISN’T WHAT YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO S A Y JACK-

“And ‘voila’ why I think that Joe is an idiot. It’s a rattlesnake.” “... Yes.” you heard it right here, guys. if it’s a rattlesnek, it’s an idiot

“And you know why a snake whistles?” WHAT

“He is scared.”

“Go see, the poor of the head that’s spinning.” This is shredding whatever bits of sanity I had left-

“Why send the brutes?” idk why Davey

“You have maybe reason!” “Thank you!”

“And I have an appointment!”

no but when you say you have a ‘rendez-vous’ here where I live, it means you have like a doctors appointment or something lol

~ the bottom line reprise scene ~

“After his release, I surprised him myself!”

“If that’s the case, we’re going to bring him in... in softness.” nice of them

“... or the little thief?” I’m really starting to think that they lack like 99% of words in the French language-

“I was fighting in a war.” “And that turned out well for you?” get wrecked joe

“Rally as much as you want, no journal in town will talk about it.” guys I don’t have enough serotonin for this-

“Everyone here knows you’re horrible!” they made Jack sound like a little kid in the translation, and honestly I’m not even disappointed lol

“We’re missing time, little.” I don’t even know what to say-

“Your abject surrender was always the bottom of the problem.” sure why not

“Gentlemen, escort our guest to the cave-” well isn’t he nice?

“Be happy you’re alive, little. That’s the essential.”

“Yeah, so go!” ?? how is that even remotely close to “Yeah, so behave!” ??????

“I exercised my favourite American punch!” uhhhh good for you?

“You can sleep here, on this old press! It’s very firm.” help I’ve fallen and I can’t get up-

~ brooklyn’s here scene ~

“The sellers need our help! The sellers need our help! Tell them that Brooklyn’s arriving! Tell them that Brooklyn’s arriving!”

“We’re from Brooklyn, we’re the sellers from Brooklyn!” UHHHHH EXCUSE ME???

“We just learned that our friends are going wrong!” please you heard they were ‘going wrong’ like five days ago-

“You know we’re there for you, since always.” oH rEaLlY???

“Brooklyn is there!”

“Strikes aren’t nice, but they’re passionate!” well I’m glad you think so

“Let’s shout it, Brooklyn is there!”

“Aaaaand sooooooo!!” “Sooooooooo!!” “Soooooooooo!!!” “We will send you half road, just to Queens!”

“The pigeons are going to get soaked!” aaaaaand we’re back to the pigeons-

“What sad way to finish your career!” they sound so sarcastic I can’t-

“They’re not serious, but if they think we’re laughing…” i feel low-key threatened-

“Let’s shout it!” well if you try hard enough, you can make it sound like “loud and clear!”?

“Manhattan is theeere, Flushing is theeere, “Richmond is theeere, Woodside is theeere, and the Bronx too!!”

“Sorry, little. No news of him.” I just… why does it translate to “little”?

“You are alone, we could say.” “No.” “Yes.”

Medda really isn’t taking no for an answer-

“The sellers of journals of New York!” I’m crying why is it such a mouthful-

“You want to be treated like an adult? Act like an adult!”

~ something to believe in scene ~

“It’s Specs!” wow kath throw specs under the bus like that-

“And if I was a boy you’d be looking at me with a butter black eye!” I’ve officially given up on the French language I’m sorry-

“You win a fight when the other guy bites the dust.” and another one gone and another one gone-

“If there’s a way I could grab hold of something,” has literally been shortened to ‘if I could.’ IF I COULD-

“If I could stop time.” I’m so mad

“Really?” “Really.” ahhHHHHHHHHHHH

“But it’s going. It’s going.”

“... who didn’t even know she gave me a hope.” WHAT EVEN IS THE POINT IF THE TITLE ANYMORE??

“But it’s going. It’s going.” The thrilling sequel

“No. I’m scared of you.” “No!” yeesh-

“I believe in something.” good for you

~ once and for all scene -

“He is with us.” but like… how much?? only 99 percent????

“We could hold a hoedown here.” I feel like the person translating this just gave up by the end of the show-

“Happy to have found you again.” what did you like lose him or something

“The close.” ok yes that’s funny, but it gets even funnier when you realize it could also be translated to “the farm.”

“A little grease, and she’ll be like new.”

“This is for the guys who kill themselves at the factories.” w h a t

‘THE BANNER OF SELLERS OF JOURNALS’ I’m still not over this

~ everything that comes after that ~

“Anyone who doesn’t act in their own self interest is an idiot!” ey watch it-

also what the heck is ‘quiconque’ I swear I’ve never seen that word in my life

“We will find a way, but let’s seize the moment.” first it was “the chance” and now it’s “the moment” google translate are u okay-

They really went and changed ‘bully’ to ‘monster’ didn’t they

“You can make it.” he really makes it sound like Jack is about to die or something-

“It’s disgusting!” you’re disgusting sir

“And the world will know, we’ve been taking notes.”

“It’s a joke!” nope lol

“Goodbye, fool!” I’M LAUGHING WAY TOO HARD ABOUT THIS-

“Well you already work for my father.” “Yes.”

“Super, Jack Kelly!” I CAN’T-

“So, Jack, you’re staying?” yeah sure close enough-

“Sellers of journals on a mission!”

Das it ‘my friends’ lol. Hope you enjoyed.

[kittymaverick]

That Time of the Year Again (tm): Get ready for MCF 21: the Harbinger commentary!

It’s that time of the year yet again! Mystery Case Files 21: The Harbinger commentary. If anyone has been waiting for the hilarity that is my commentaries, I’m sorry I’m late this year. I actually started working as a freelance writer, and projects are coming in hot. Plus a recent family matter (not COVID-related. I’m thankfully in one of the safest places from it.) meant I had to put this on a back-burner. And then I guess I left it there for too long and triggered the smoke alarm, and people entered my inbox going “Are you okay???” So without further ado, let’s get this started. *cracks fingers* I have DUAL MONITORS NOW which means I can see my commentary AND watch the playthrough at the same time. (Yet, I still DON’T have a credit card. This is the new running joke.) I’m going to be watching YouGib’s playthough. Pazu also has his playthrough up. Spoilers below the cut as usual!

First, Grandma? A new studio? (A quick google shows they have done quite a bit of HOP titles and series.) Welcome to the MCF family! I hope you’re ready for the roasting that’s ahead. 8D MD: You mean the roasting they’ll let me do, right? I don’t know if they would be so nice as to grant you such catharsis right away. MD: Damn… It’s Grandma though. There’ll at least be cookies, right?

I like how “The” is in a place where you can almost read it as “The Mystery Case Files”, which MCF honestly deserves at this point. 21 years! That’s old enough to drink in the US!

(MD: Hm, old fashion building and clothes? Are we having some anachronistic adventure again--) CAT. Black cat. This is Isis. (MD: Not all black cats are Isis…) Yes they are. They are to me--

*Crystal ball* SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT.

Captions: (Otherworldly scream) Why yes, yes game, thank you for describing my exact reaction to seeing that darn crystal ball. I love this self-awareness and I hope it stays.

Oh nooooo, green beam of light… (Green was the color of souls used in old Ravenhearst games, and also the type of light that the Archivist from Moths to a Flame evaporated into, iirc.)

MD: Hm, a harbinger usually means something worse is coming up. So who’s harbinger to whom I wonder? Well you could say Emma, Madame Fate, or Victor was the harbinger to Charles, and then Charles himself was a harbinger to Alistair, who apparently was harbinger to the twins, who were also harbinger to Alistair again-- MD: Yes, I know, thank you, please stop. --and then he was harbinger to a Lord Ravenhearst who we never saw again, and then we picked it up again somehow to Phineas Crown though that was much earlier and the pirate was a harbinger of himself in a sense. In fact, I guess in a metasense, you could say each MCF game is a harbinger of the next-- MD: You haven’t even gotten past the opening so PLEASE STOP.

Hm, game difficulty settings-- no Master Detective level. Ten marks off. :( MD: Okay that’s unfair. Also Hardcore is one word. MD: Hey, I’m the pyromaniac, okay? Chill! (Me at recording: pick helpful messages, pick it! PICK IT!)

OH, a CHOICE?! Oh, wait, it’s just the main game and extra content.

THEY GAVE YOU YOUR BUGGY BACK. THEY GAVE IT BAAAAACK. AAAAAHHH. MD: Interior’s a little different, but yes, I HAVE MY CAR BACK AND NOTHING CAN STOP ME NOW. MWAHAHAHA-- Queen: Something strange is happening in Darkmoor. MD: *Does a 180 and goes back home* [The end.] Just kidding. :P I love how all the names of the places we’re going to immediately screams DANGER. MD: If I turned back every time I heard a name like that, I would be a very different person today. Probably saner, less salty, and generally happier.

It took me a while to see clearly, but the bobblehead looks like default MD (the costume seems to be inspired by the Fate Carnival collectibles)! We can now safely assume that MD is either really afraid of the cold, or very, very desperately trying to hide their identity. MD: Don’t tell anyone… but the getup is like a security blanket. ...One that you wear?! MD: Shhhhhh not so loud…….

Queen: Several keywords related to your previous cases-- What keywords? What are they? MD: Ravenhearst? Souls? Pirates? Skulls? Crystal Ball? Madame Fate? Dire Grove? Death herself? Queen: I’m not revealing this mystery… it’ll give the whole plot away! ...Okay, I’m putting ten on Victor, twenty on Charlotte, thirty on Alistar, and a hundred on Charles-- MD: You CHEATER you were spoiled while GOOGLING. --actually, I should do a bingo board instead. Yeah, I’m gonna do that. (And then she spends ten minutes wasting time on that, before giving up. We are at… 2 minutes in of the playthrough. This is normal.)

Queen: We’ve detected a possible energy anomaly-- MD: I’m sorry, we have DONE WHAT?! You guys have technology for that??? MD: Where was this technology for like…. The past ten cases? I really could have used some of that before heading in! (Somewhere in the world, the Mystery Tracker detective hides his gadgets…) (Post video edit: Speaking off, he seems to have gone UFO now.)

*Radio fizzes out* MD: That’s not good. Um… UP AHEAD. MD: THAT’S REALLY NOT GOOD. DETECTIVE TAKE THE WHEEL!!!! MD: THIS BUGGY IS STILL ON MORTGAGE NO. (And the MD, the bobblehead, literally lost their head, lol.)

Gibs is definitely feeling the stylistic difference. I personally don’t think it detracts from the game right now, and if anything, it can open new avenues for MCF to explore. Also, awwww it’s not our old buggy, but hey, I like the red!

MD: Okay… agency device. Better use this to scan for creepy crawly energies. I’m so sad it’s not something you can get attached to… MD: I’m pretty damn attached to my new car, thank you very much. Well, the windshield is already broken, so I think it’s been marked as “readily expendable” emotionally. :P (Machine sort of reminds me of the old machine from Huntsville, actually… which did appear again in… Rewind?)

Wow, that royal decree is like… a permission slip from mom. XD MD: Enough to get people’s attention, but not enough for them to treat me seriously. You would think with lives at stake, they would send something more official? MD: If they did, I might just be out of a job, because half of my job seems to involve waiting for people to get in trouble. Also, marking this officer Davis down as “guy who might get into trouble later and need rescuing”.

...Okay, you know what the device could have been? A portable TV head. MD: I will PUNT that metal box so hard if they handed me one! Missed moment of creepy, honestly.

“The agency never ceases to amaze me”??? MD: I meant that in both the “wow, I can’t believe this is what you used our money on!” and the “wow, I can’t believe this is where you used our money instead of that other really important thing we could have had” sense. Never cease to amaze you in how disappointed you are at them, then. MD: After our last security breach, yes.

Solved Case Files, omg. And you carry it on your car.XD MD: The therapist said I needed to “express my outrage” more healthily than arson. And you made the WORLD NEWS???? Whatever happened to being the most secretive person in the world?! MD: Shhhhh let them keep guessing… (Also, Bobblehead isn’t our MD, it seems. A case of mistaken identity. Awww….)

Guy in purple: I didn’t do anything wrong! Hm, this guy is sus… also, we’re in the UK, confirmed? MD: ...As if the name didn't’ give it already. Also, SIR, SIR, YOU DROPPED YOUR purse……. Well I guess it’s my purse now.

Tarot cards as collectibles! More Madame Fate coming up?

Wow, that police station entrance was a time machine. We’re back in modern-day old town England! MD: ….pattern on floor, sus… Aaaaand power outage. Cue bars. Policeman trapped. Oops. MD: Number of people that needed rescuing is now one, and is exactly as I predicted.

Police: Um, can you come closer? I dunno man, you behind bars, pretty sus. Maybe you’re not a real police. Police: Oh please. We talking real? How about your prove you’re the real Master Detective-- MD: *Hands Queen’s note* Police: Right that’ll work. (We didn’t get to flash our badge?!)

Wait, you’re in a ROYAL AGENCY??? Did you.... change agencies or something??? MD: After the last game, can you really blame me if a headhunter came asking? Me: No but… you work for the CROWN???? MD: Hey, if me collecting stories for Grandma Queen wasn’t obvious enough, I don’t know what else to say.

Wow, an ACTUAL FLASH DRIVE. We’re actually in modern day society. XD Albeit one with really industrial looking computers. (Now I need to go and check if the old games used floppy disks…)

Witness 1: It’s not like she has a crystal ball! Suspect purple: Yeah, I’m a fair owner. Girl Aisling is a fortune reader. ...Madame Fate, Madame FATE, MADAME FATE. MD: Okay, maybe that cat WAS Isis after all. Guy: She likes watching ravens. MD and I, simultaneously: FUCK.

I have to say, the puzzles are quite refreshingly different from ones that have appeared in the past. Me likey.

Gibs sees victim photo on autopsy table: What a handsome devil he is! Me: *Dies laughing and fails to make comments for a while*

Oh wow, you can write coherently again! Actual journals! Clear sketches! (Actual cutscene replay???? TWENTY POINTS.) MD: Therapy can be a wonderful thing sometimes. ...Please tell me you’re talking actual therapy and not “I got to explode a ship and the pirates on it” therapy. MD: Well, that counts as therapy still, right?

Okay Madame Fate, if you have a daughter, or this is your granddaughter, please just descend from heaven and let us know right now. (...wait, didn’t Madame Fate have a son? The really big eater guy? Franco!) That said, it says the veil of time, which might be an allusion to the Dark Veil too.

Omg a FAX MACHINE.

Davis: Right, good luck heading into town to the victim’s home! MD: Yep! Thanks for being a rare competent soul in this universe! Really appreciate the help-- [Rose street.] MD: ...Is it too late to turn back? Yes, yes it is entirely too late. 8D Let’s gooooooooo! MD: *sighs*.

SHADOW IN JAMES’ HOUSE! SHADOW! MD: Probably Nigel. He was sneaking around already.

MENTION Of CAT. CAT. MD: ...are you broken? ...Yes. (It’s nearing 1 am. So Kitty commentary might be retroactive below.)

Huh, HOP has sections that unlock objects like in Dark Parables. Neat!

Well, well, well, what do we have here? Small town drama as usual. MD: The predictable disappointment of human nature. Why can’t I just have cases that deal with that? No supernatural stuff, just little town murder mysteries. Little Town Mystery Case Files, coming to a store near you soon! (I’ll be honest, Grandma, I would play that once, just to have MD be completely paranoid over nothing actually supernatural.)

Santa Claus Beard Guy: I hope I didn’t scare you. MD: I’ve had undead grip me through the window. A little shadow doesn’t spook me. A family whose last name begins with a D though rattles them. MD: Please don’t give away my weaknesses so quickly...

Santa Guy: So the cat kicked my ass. Can you get me some medicine? MD: Sure thing. BTW, where is this cat, and how can I recruit it to kick the asses of my enemies?

Eeeeehhhh complex door puzzles are back! Except they are now complex cupboard puzzles.

WOOOOOOOOOW that’s a LYNX if I ever saw one! MD: Hey, remember how I say I’m not good with animals? Too bad, grab the pet carrier, you’ll need it. MD: ...please don’t scratch me. Cat: *Roars* MD: *flips shit, runs and hides*

James has visited the Museum of Mysteries… And what’s with the MCF crest in his diary??? MD: Wait… Allison? ALLISON THE REPORTER??? Omg, James is her BROTHER. THEY HAVE THE SAME LAST TIME EVEN OMG. MD: ……….. I’m NOT going to be the deliverer of this bad news. Hey MD, does that curse that surrounds people associated with you extend to their families? MD: Thank you for going where my brain didn’t want to, now kindly proceed no further. Just morbidly wondering…...

MD: They… they visited all the places that my cases took place. EVEN A HOUSE I REPORTED BURNED DOWN AND EXPLODED. AND THEN CAMPED OUT IN DIRE GROVE. MY GODS ALMIGHTY YOU TWO!!!! ...These siblings don’t have a lot of self-preservation sense, huh? MD: There are some things that should NOT run in the family. This is one of them. (I’ll be honest. Just… HOW can the MD process this kind of guilt??? Kudos to you, Grandma Studios. This is possibly the most evil story choice ever, and you went there. Slow, claps. Seriously. That said there is a small plothole here with James saying he was there when MD rescued Allison. I think that might be a translation/grammar error though.)

Journal: Oh btw John worked on the Ravenhearst manor restoration. MD: *grabs John* WHY. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME AND TO THE WORLD?! John: Um….. it was work? MD: SOME PLACES ARE BETTER OFF GONE. Hey, look on the bright side. You can burn it down again as therapy! John: Oh btw, I made the elaborate locks-- MD: *Begins to strangle John* NO HOMICIDES MASTER DETECTIVE! You investigate them, not commit them! MD: TELL ME THAT AFTER I’M DONE.

MD: Okay, John. Let me be clear on one thing. You are now number one sus on my list of “The person that’s gonna betray me in the end” right now, and probably staying there. If you turn out to be one of the Dalimars or their crony in disguise, I will END YOU. Are we clear? John: ………… MD: What? John: You’re more terrifying than James’ cat--

*Another prevention of homicide later…* MD: Alright, fine. Containers, opened. Toy, fixed. “Cat”, got. Now take it and get out. John: Thanks, here is the final piece to that closet door that I totally have been keeping from you this whole time. ….Seriously???? MD: ….Like I said, top of my shitlist. *Reads the closet puzzle poem* On second thought GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE I HAVE QUESTIONS!

James is the greatest dork. He locked his special diary entries with a lock. I’m so sad we didn’t get to meet him in person. Though that said... MD: My gods, some common sense is really missing from this family’s mind. Seeds from the carnival?! A cube from probably dire grove??? How does it feel knowing you contributed indirectly to his demise? 8D MD: ...It’s like seeing someone win the Darwin award and feeling bad that you are the one handing the trophy to them.

Davis: Oh hey, a cassette? Let me go and get the camera for it. We’ll meet later! MD: Wait a second, you’re gonna end up dead if you do that! Davis: No, I’m gonna be fine! Here’s a ticket to the night market! Have fun! MD: …… ...More Darwin award nominations? MD: No. Awww….

Marge: Oh hi detective! Thank you for saving me and my daughter so many years ago! MD: …. Who are you again? *Goes to google* Oh, she’s that woman from Reverant’s Hunt…. MD: Ah, the gossip hen. My gods what’s with this town and its inhabitants… It’s like all the people connected to you which fate has yet to kill are all showing up again for a chance of going to the afterlife! 8Db MD: That would be the worst lottery ever. All in the life of being Master Detective’s friend! Forecast for percent of death: high! MD: *curls up in a corner to be depressed*

Nigel: What do you want? MD: Here are your seeds. Nigel: Okay I’m gone! MD: Right, now Aisling-- WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING. Crow: Caw-caw! MD: You, you’re not Crowlister, but if you are responsible, I will make you one very bald bird.

Okay, soooooo what do we do? MD: Removed what the device can. Guess we’re down to brewing this… tea... ...I think you need this tea more than her, honestly.

“I expect these MCF references now.” XD I think the 4th wall has just been shattered into oblivion.

Aisling: I see death all around you Master Detective! MD: Thank you for stating the obvious that has been made abundantly clear by the past hour and a half of plot. Davis: Hey waddap? MD: ….*breaks down sobbing* YOU’RE STILL ALIVE THANK GOODNESS! *hugs Davis* Davis: Um… what’s going… anyway, you should look at the video.

MD: Nigel! This video here suggests something. Want to talk before I make you? Nigel: This proves nothing! Now go away, I have preparations to-- Noooooooooo! *Nigel is swallowed by the earth* ……...MD? MD: NOT IT. WASN’T ME. DEFINITELY NOT ME! You saw that right, Davis? Davis: Oh no, he’s dead! Guess we’ll need to exhume him. MD: Now hold on, that reaction is just WAAAAAY TO BLAND.

(Watched a little bit ahead. I have some theories on who Aisling might be, since Gib’s thumbnail does appear to hint at it. We’ll see where it goes!)

(Aaaaand I was right!)

[Here ends entry one. Part two is going to be even more retroactive...]

[many-books-little-time]

BBC One’s Cormoran Strike - The Cuckoo’s Calling

This is a compilation of my personal thoughts on the Cormoran Strike show on BBC One. I’m gonna divide my thoughts in different sections because there’s a lot to talk about!

The Case

For those of you who haven’t read the books, I recommend you go read them right now and then you watch the show and come back here.

Done? Great. Then I’m sure you have already fallen in love with it. This is no CSI, no Bones, no Criminal Minds. Nothing against those, they are just different. Cormoran Strike relies on the testimonies of people who might not want to talk to him, on witnesses lying, on the little details, on the blink-and-you-miss-it kind of evidence. Cormoran is a private investigator so he has no access to sophisticated technology or complex science. That is part of the charm of this detective drama.

The show has a noir vibe to it that is supported by the cinematography, the music, and the city of London itself. [Note: the opening scene with Lula Landry was absolutely beautiful. The delicate music, the lack of words, and the snow conveyed a sense of vulnerability that I found stunning. Also, considered the violent nature of the scene, I think it was very tastefully done, without showing the gore. Great job right there].

Supporting Characters

I love how J K Rowling creates these worlds were all characters are so well defined that the universe feels real and colourful. Even when a character only shows up for five minutes, you can get a feeling of what they are like, how they live their life, and what are their principles.

The Cuckoo’s Calling deals with the theme of fame. How it creates a breach between people and the toll it takes on them. Lula was a famous model, known by everyone, and yet, no one had the full version of her. No one really knew her completely. Who was the real Lula? The one her family knew or the one her friends got to know? Or maybe the driver? Maybe all at once, or none at all. This adds to the vulnerability of the character. She was alone after all.

Because she is dead, we get to know of her by the people who knew her, but these people are their own character and they have their own issues to think about. The writers don’t forget that and give us little moments that show this.

Relationships

In the end, the case is closed but we remain with our main characters. How they interact with each other is what will take us from one case to the other and maintain our interest

Cormoran x Charlotte

I love how they did this! Charlotte has become a ghost in the story. We cannot see her but she is forever present, in Cormoran’s mind and in ours. What happened? Why did she run away at the beginning? (book readers still know just one side of the story) Cormoran looks like a very straight forward, no bulls**t kind of guy. He doesn’t look like the kind of guy who has patience for the level of drama we saw with Charlotte, and yet this woman gets under his skin. I have no doubt that this is a puzzle that will take more books (and series) to solve.

Robin x Matthew

Oh God. Here we go. We saw Matthew very briefly in The Cuckoo’s Calling, but it was almost intense. If you don’t give it a second thought, he looks like a nice bloke. But alas! I don’t like the man so I watched that scene with my I-hate-you googles.

When Matt gets home from work, Robin is watching old videos on the death of Lula Landry. She is looking at a picture of her and thinking about the sad ending she had.

Matt: Isn’t that the model who jumped out the window?

Robin: Gosh. She was so young and beautiful.

Matt: Girls always get other girls wrong. You are miles fitter. She’s way too skinny.

That sounds like a compliment. Except... that’s not what Robin was talking about. She was talking about the tragic loss of a young, beautiful girl with a promising future and he responded by comparing her body to Robin’s and bringing down one of them to uplift the other. Something is not quite right here but is no big deal so Robin lets it pass.

Then they have a pretty tender moment that makes up for the previous one and that I will not gif (please, don’t ask me to gif it)

Their relationship starts to show real problems the moment she does something he doesn’t like, like refusing a job she doesn’t like in favor of a job that doesn’t pay so well but she’s passionate about. Jobs are a very personal thing, it where you’re going to spend most of your day, and while it’s true it’s a big decision, it is one you have to take on your own in the end.

Cormoran x Robin

We’re getting to the meat! Ok ok, shipper googles off! The truth is that their relationship in this part was purely professional with the first traces of a friendship / partnership.

At first he is not very comfortable with her there.

Robin has just arrived to the office and they are getting to know each other. She’s supposed to stay for just one week, but she likes it there. From the beginning she impresses him with her efficiency and dedication. She finds coffee in an empty office, cleans everything, makes him look more professional...

But the moment he realises that this one is a keeper is this

I could almost that light bulb in his head going on and telling him “hey, she really did that!”. And so, he takes her to Lula’s place.

And starts teaching her how to do the job. The partnership has begun!

Cormoran: She’s lying.

Robin: Why?

Cormoran: When you start an investigation, Robin, is like looking at an aquarium for the first time...

And she keeps impressing him with her awesomeness.

The lessons keep coming even when he is drunk. Because he sees how good she could be.

Cormoran: You have skills, Robin. A skill set.

Robin: Thanks.

Cormoran: I think you’ve got to know when to ask a question and when to not ask a question. Give people time

Robin: Yeah.

This conversation also takes place when he is very much drunk ‘cause he just found out about Charlotte getting married to another man. This is not just Cormoran teaching Robin about the job, it’s salso him thanking her for not pressuring with questions he doesn’t want to answer just yet. A friendship based on respect is blooming.

Aaaaand... Robin is a quick study and soon starts doing things on her own, gathering information at Vashti and running errands alone!

Of course she stays at the end! She is gorgeous and Cormoran needs her!

Leda Strike

Leda gets her own section in this review / meta / whatever you wanna call it because they are practically yelling at us that it’s going to be a huge plot point in the future.

The first clue is how personal it is for Cormoran

Then, in Ciara’s place, he just can’t resist looking at the picture of her in the fashion book. We get our first look at this mysterious woman who means so much to him, to the point that the relationship scarred him for life.

Leda is always present in his life.

And then this huge red light if there ever was one. Like, come on!!

Random Stuff

   > Even though I like the images of the opening scene, I don’t fell the music fits the rest of the show.    > I love love love the coat!

   > I also like these little moments when we see how the characters (and the writers) think about issues that have nothing to do with the case.

   > The dress!!!!!!!!!

Need I say more?

So, these were my thoughts on the first Cormoran Strike case on BBC One. Overall, I have to say that I loved it very much.

I hope you enjoyed my ramblings and messy thoughts. Now we wait till next week for The Silkworm.

[duskyvision]

matthieu biasotto - le supplément d’âme

i’m calling this a “i had this sitting in my library and didn’t get to consume it until now lol” kind of review.

truth is, i just got the audiobook for this book for free one day on audible? and i was like “huh. okay then!” and then forgot about it until i saw it again just sitting here in my library lol

i know absolutely nothing about the author, but judging from a quick google search it doesn’t seem like he has a massive audience or anything like that and it’s mostly kept in french circles so i guess it’s gonna be fun to get to know the work of somebody who’s kind of niche!

... but of course i’m a picky motherfucker, and overall, i think this book didn’t hit for me. onto the trigger list

trigger warnings:

car crashes & aftermath (detailed)

adultery

substance abuse (alcohol, drugs)

--

le supplément d’âme (or ‘the soul supplement’ in english, i guess) starts with a car crash. some dude on a bike gets smash bros-ed into oblivion by an oncoming car. we follow the dude who got shredded, who’s currently between life and death, with little memory of his life nor the impact he’s had on his surroundings. his name is thomas.

now, thomas isn’t alone on his self “rediscovery” journey, he’s joined by the “recruiter”, an entity taking on the form of thomas’ ten year old self. as such, he also refers to himself as “tomato ketchup”, a childhood nickname thomas had. TK (unfortunately not TK from ling tosite sigure) has a tendency not only to be a snarky little shit towards thomas, but also scribbles a lot on a black notebook he keeps on him at all times. his scribbles, which are retellings of thomas’ life events, are how we come to discover thomas’ past as he navigates his “present”, following people in his life as he’s in a comatose state in the hospital.

aaaaand it’s also how we discover thomas was actually a piece of shit. work-driven motherfucker neglecting his wife & child and cheating on his wife with a client only for the sake of grabbing more money out of his client. his child is terribly lonely, but he never gave a shit! and it’s only in spirit form as some sort of blank slate that he seems to realize “i’m bad, actually?” and seems to want to blame everyone and their fucking mom for doing him wrong when he just never owned up to his own goddamn mistakes.

i think that from this brief description, you can tell that i have little sympathy for the characters involved in this novel. i’ve had the pleasure of suffering through the massive pains in the ass that are both thomas and TK, and some other characters are, well. if they don’t feel like placeholders for tropes they’re just grating. 

the only characters i found myself genuinely liking in this novel are maël and roxanne. maël’s a poor lonely kid who makes mistakes out of desperation because he’s lost and lonely and, to be honest, i can get behind him. i just want to adopt him and be his dad. he actually feels a bit more fleshed out compared to other characters who feel like trope cardboard cutouts at times. for roxanne (who happens to be the woman who caused the accident), i guess what made me sympathize with her a lot more is her crushing guilt and how she’s struggling with alcohol. while she was sober during the accident, the trauma she felt was enough to make her struggle between remaining sober, the source of her pride (as she was a recovering alcoholic and hadn’t drunk a drop of alcohol in a year and a half in the novel), or relapsing into alcohol to cope with the trauma of seeing that she’d critically injured a man. while she does feel kinda tropey, i did feel for her, and i feel she’s one of the strongest characters in the book alongside maël. too bad both her and maël are supposedly minor characters compared to the massive cock of thomas dick supreme garnier over there. :/

besides my gripes with the character writing, i also had problems with the writing style in itself. let’s say that it drags on a whole lot, and it tends to jump a lot into thomas being salty internally for moments that feel like an eternity instead of showing stuff that’s actually interesting. the writer is fond of repetitions and also just. using out of place vocab for, i guess impact??? sometimes it can work, but with this book it didn’t. maybe that’s because it’s apparently one of the writer’s first books, so there could be room for improvement with that.

it’s sad, but while the premise and the concept of seeing one’s past through notes sounded interesting, the writing and the insufferable characters made the novel feel more like some adultery-flavored sunday soap opera than a truly fulfilling, throught-provoking experience. sad!

anyway, that’s it for what i had to say i suppose! and remember, guys: don’t let your kids grab wire cutters, that’s irresponsible.