#4x08 the year of hell

[isagrimorie]

Star Trek Voyager, 4x08 - Year of Hell, Part 1

Captain Kathryn Janeway as a Brilliant Tactician, part 1, 2, 3 (version 1) (version 2)

[serpercival]

Putting this here both for my convenience of remembering things and also because if YOU THE READER have any particular episodes or just general concepts you'd like to see get the foxtrap treatment I would genuinely love to hear it. Drop me an inbox. Disclaimer ahead of time that there's a particular late season Trapper John, M.D. episode that I will not be touching with a ten foot pole because I would feel so rude introducing people to the series with it and I'm not going into any more detail than that.

SO. Fics currently on the docket for whenever the hell it is I finish Mating Habits because I'd really like to do a bunch of episode fics:

Misc. pre-canon traphawk relationship development

MASH 1x03 Requiem for a Lightweight

MASH 1x06 Yankee Doodle Doctor

MASH 1x09 Henry, Please Come Home (weird choice I know but there's some major traphawk relationship stuff slotted to happen in this one)

MASH 1x13 Edwina (Trapper/Edwina fic :3 no really trust me. R came up with 90% of this one and hey future Percy fully deserves a co-author credit)

MASH 1x23 Ceasefire

MASH 2x03 Radar's Report (you know why)

MASH 2x06 Kim (you also know why)

MASH 2x12 The Incubator

MASH 2x16 Henry in Love

MASH 2x22 George (I just need to. Been wanting to write something for that episode for ages and this is a great opportunity)

MASH 3x07 Check-Up (again you know why)

MASH 3x19 Aid Station

MASH 3x21 Big Mac - Five-Star Expectations

General beejtraphawk and the kids stuff

Trapper gets his job as chief of surgery in 1969-70 depending on if we want to stick exactly to the TJMD timeline or not - in 1x12 Boom! he has his ten year anniversary

TJMD 1x01 Pilot

TJMD 1x17 If You Can't Stand The Heat (the children's zoo pcp explosion episode guest starring Ed Winter as a guy who gets pcp exploded. no seriously. I have no idea what I'm going to do with this I just know I need to do something)

TJMD 2x07 Earthquake (Gonzo and Trapper rent a cabin together. again no idea what I'm going to do with it but I need to do something)

TJMD 2x09 Have I Got a Girl For You (Trapper proxy-dates Gonzo by taking a girl who's interested in him on a truly weird number of dates. Coincidentally aired Feb. 1st, 1981 which is prime timing for that in the foxtrapverse. Also I made reference to it in Professional Courtesy so come on I've gotta do something with it)

TJMD 2x16 King of the Road (Gonzo daddy issues episode)

TJMD 4x02/03 Truth and Consequences

TJMD 4x08 Thanks for Giving

TJMD 6x02 My Son the Doctor (JT's introduction to the series)

TJMD 6x07 A Fall to Grace (I have not seen this one yet but it's a Big One and I'm sure I'll be able to do something fun with it)

TJMD 6x18 The Unholy Ghost (JT sees an actual real ghost. again seriously. this show is bonkers)

oh my god that's so many things. that's like twenty things not counting the fact that "general beejtraphawk and the kids stuff" is at minimum five separate things. I will not be doing them in order lmfao they'll just be as I feel like it and god knows if I'll ever get to all of them but WE TRY because with the exception of things I've noted there are very specific ideas behind all of these.

[not-so-mundane-after-all]

Now I'm gonna be predictable and ask you for Dick and Rachel for the character thing 💙🖤

My two favorite birds!!!!! Okay *cracks knuckles* here we go

DICK GRAYSON

First impression:

Hot, mysterious, "hmmm I know that face", had this edge about him that had me lean closer to my tv and go "okay, interesting, go on"

Impression now:

The love of my life, a mark on my soul, the blueprint for a Comfort Character™, my #1 TV Dad, must be protected at all cost mostly from himself

Favorite moment:

How can I pick just one? My favorite kinds of his moments are when he gets feral protective over his baby girl (like in 1x07 or 4x08) or any alteration of "I won't let anything happen to you" because all I hear is "I love you"

Extra kudos for all the shirtless scenes 😏

Idea for a story:

One that has been recently lurking at the edge of my mind is giving him an AU where basically everything is the same except his parents are alive — mostly because I want to write them interacting with Kory and the kids

Unpopular opinion:

He gets waaaay too much crap from the fandom, for even the littlest things. He's a flawed character who makes stupid mistakes sometimes. If he was perfect all the time, he'd be boring. He doesn't have to be the best leader, an A+ father figure 100% of the time or constantly kissing the earth the woman he loves walks on to be a good character. Don't like his storyline? Shit on the writers, it's their fault.

Favorite relationship:

There's only one answer to that, always will be.

His light in the darkness. His turning point. His true north. He wouldn't be the man he is now if it wasn't for this one little girl throwing a brick at a cop car and getting herself brought to his station. You can't deny that. The show doesn't. It reminds you, time and time again, who is his anchor. Who keeps him from slipping back into the dark.

Favorite headcanon:

He knows how to play guitar and a little bit of piano because the Haly Circus crew used to jam out all the time. His dad taught him the guitar, Clay was a master of keys and his mother had the voice of an angel and wrote her own songs.

RACHEL ROTH

First impression:

OHHH SHE'S A BABY!!!! I was instantly protective of her and related to her in her loneliness.

Impression now:

FOREVER MY BABY GIRL. Always proud of her, always protective of her. My best girl, my favorite witch. Daddy's Girl and The Best Big Sister-to-be™

Favorite moment:

That walk?! The confidence?! Making dad look all proud in the background?! COME ONNNNNN

Idea for a story:

A while back I wrote down some notes for a concept about adult Rachel and her relationship with teenage Mar'i, inspired by my own relationship with my older sister. There's 19 years between us and the difference between Rachel and Mar'i could end up being similar. I was thinking of writing her as a bestie but also the second mother, ride or die and voice of reason, "dad's gonna kill you" but also "dad's gonna kill both of us if he finds out so we're not gonna tell him". A lot of shenanigans, a lot of heart-to-heart.

Unpopular opinion:

She should have had the final fight with Brother Blood, since this whole thing was about and came from her brother, her heritage, her prophecy.

Favorite relationship:

The simplest reason is because I was just happy to see this child finally being loved. Finally having someone to believe in her and protect her. Finally knowing what it's like to have someone who cares. Finally being held and comforted and understood.

Favorite headcanon:

Girl can SING. But is shy as hell about it. Only Gar knows about it and only because he found out by total accident when he heard her belt out those Ariana Grande whistle notes like it's nothing. They keep it secret until Dickkory's wedding, where she gives a performance of a lifetime.

CODY I LOVE YOU! THANK YOUUUUUU

[alaffy]

Only Murders in the Building, Ep. 4x08 – Lifeboat (Spoilers)

Welp, back to square one…

Just going to quickly gloss over the beginning in order to get to the good parts.  Oliver and Loretta are planning to get married over the weekend.  The Movie Trio are now officially helping with the investigation (at least, right now).  Apparently, Charles’ obsessive compulsiveness has something to do with controlling his anger.  Apparently, there was some incident…

Okay, so the family aren’t actors, but run a restaurant that Dudenoff used to go to.  Christmas guy was an actor who took Dudenoff’s class as he wanted to improve his craft.  Eyeptach Guy loves film and, after his wife died, took the class in order to meet people.  They all formed a connection with Dudenoff, who apparently was a widower himself, and each other during their weekly card games.  It turned out Dudenoff and his wife would by the apartments, back when they were cheap, in order to use as extra rooms (like a place for the wife to teach music) or to let people crash occasionally.  But, after the wife died, Dudenoff was left with an empty floor.  He decided that, as he knew everyone was struggling with affordable housing, that he could help his newfound friends.  The group (or so they say) cashed Dudenoff’s checks to keep up the ruse of Dudenoff living in the city, while believing he had left the country. 

Except…

Mebel has contacted Helga on the radio.  Helga was a locksmith, a business inherited from her father, and she’s the one who put the lock on his door (because Dudenoff always forgot his keys).  They bonded over “Perfect Strangers” and “Oh Hell” and she joined the card game.  And then she got one of the apartments.  So, they all lived togther on that floor for a few years.  Then, one day (the day Dudenoff was killed as we see the power surge from the incinerator) she found a note on her door supposedly from Dudenoff and a check inside.  At this point, the others stopped talking to her and really started paying attention to the podcast.  She believed they killed Dudenoff, or made him disappear, and so she left. 

The Trio show the bone of Dudenoff (they were allowed to keep that?!) to the Westies.  We then find out that everyone from the West Tower got a letter that night…to attend Dudenoff’s funeral in the basement, but they can’t tell Helga.  Turns out Dudenoff was dying and once he’s dead, well, those apartments go away.  So, he’s just taken a bunch of pills and, once he dies, he wants the group to put his body in the incinerator and cash the checks. He didn’t want Helga to know because he reminded her of her father.  It sounds farfetched, except Dudenoff recorded a final film confessing all of this (mostly to show to Helga in case she figured it out). 

So, they didn’t kill Dudenoff; but they did burn the body. So, as of right now, it looks like the Dudenoff story is just a giant red herring.

Except…

At the end of the episode, Helga lets The Trio know she had been talking to Sazz over the Hamm radio about the plot holes in the podcast.  Helga says that Sazz said she had a protégé who had screwed up badly and “would be the death of her.”  Long story sort, it’s Glen. 

Okay, so…

It seems like Sazz and Glen were the targets; just the timing made it look like the person was after The Trio.  The killer is likely someone who also works in movies (who knows how to shoot).  Beyond that…

Yeah, I’m at a loss.  Because how does this tie back into the notes and the dog from season one?  Unless the person knew Sazz was investigating the loose ends and was using that information to make it seem as though the killer lived in the building. 

But then who wrote the notes and poisoned the dog?  Well, the show has been renewed for a fifth season, so it could be it will be another red herring for this season; but something that will be dealt with in season 5.

[bansheedaily]

Writing fanfic is not easy

Especially as a perfectionist who KNOWS they aren't doing it well (I particularly SUCK at dialogue)

The concept is there and I keep on finding ways to add more "fix-it"s to it.

But well, that's the point of fanfiction, we don't need to make it dramatic for the sake of drama (Emmett's death was particularly enraging because who would have thought that racists wouldn't want to retaliate against him!) 🤦‍♀️ like make cops act like cops 🙄

Don't even get me started on Siobhan, my poor girl 🥺😭💔💔 Perfect case of Fridging.

I mean what was the point of her death except send "hood" spiraling for 2.5 years straight ? and of course to prolong the secret remaining secret.

Hell they had more significant connotations after her death than before.

by that I mean, most of their significant scenes were intercut with other characters especially carrie (worst example is Jason x Rebecca of all people 🙄) Like, if other relationships get to have their own scenes without being cut why is Hood x Siobhan the exception?

Even worse when less significant characters - pairings got their scenes as continuous.

(but carrie and gordon get their own scenes in peace, no interruptions)

They didn't get to really say they loved each other, that one is obviously intentional to make it even sadder so I'm not exactly mad at that but still... kind of...

it's the whole tragedy, they were getting there, so close to it and yet, mercilessly ripped away.

and even though they didn't need to say it, their actions, the acting, and everything past 3x05 sets it as THE love story (along with Carrie x Gordon)

(something I did appreciate, I was pleasantly surprised he still remembered her even in 4x06 and 4x08 when most shows would barely acknowledge such a loss especially with a 2 year time jump. BUT it's also sad for him and it's a trauma response... So on one hand you appreciate that Siobhan is not forgotten but also wish for "Hood" to heal and move forward with his life and the loved ones he still has)

point is (before I got carried away) it's really TOUGH to sort the scenes, mix canon with the divergence, and do it in a way that would make sense without too much plot armor or "making it too easy"

[miladylocksley]

1x08 I want to destroy the thing you love and I wanna make you watch.

1x09 And what do you wanna say Alex?

That I loved you. And I think that you loved me. For a long time.

Yeah.

1x10 It’s the guy from the museum. The one that kissed you into crazy stupid love when we were kids.

1x12 I don’t love you! I don’t! We’ve been holding on to this thing. And it’s gotten us nowhere. Just let it go.

You’re a miserable liar.

1x13 Alex is in love with him.

1x13 I love him. I probably always will. But lately that love just hurts.

2x06 If you had told me I was gonna have a threesome with my best friend and my first love, I would say “which circle of hell am I in?”

That’s hell?

I don’t know. I felt—

Loved.

Yeah.

2x09 I know that you loved me.

2x10 When we were kids, you believed people were good. Despite humanity doing everything to prove you otherwise. And God, I loved you for it.

2x11 Then I fell in love with your son. And I didn’t feel superior anymore.

3x07 I picked you because I know you fell in love with an alien.

3x09 Love makes you do crazy things. And worst, your greatest fear has been actualized. Your father’s hatred is stronger than your capacity to love.

3x12 So you do love someone as much as you love Nora.

3x13 We can’t walk away from the tough conversations with the people who love us.

3x13 I need you to know, if this goes bad tomorrow, I love yo—

No, don’t say those words. We are going to win this, okay?

Winning is what worries me.

What? Can you explain that?

What if I have to kill my own father? You gonna love me then?

4x02 It’s not his dream.

Yeah, but it’s yours and he loves you.

4x04 I have a boyfriend. And I’m kind of completely in love with him.

4x08 And you wanna make me feel melodramatic when you knew, you knew that the man that I love—

4x08 I know you love Alex too. So that means we are always on the same side.

4x08 But I do know I’m the kind of man who helps save the love of his brother’s life.

4x09 Max jumped into a mindscape after the woman he loves. The least I can do is jump into a sinkhole to save my soulmate.

4x10 After all these years, after everything Alex and I have been through, our love is losing out to a hole in the ground.

4x10 I wanna help my friend find the man that he loves.

4x11 I am so in love with you it’s embarrassing.

I love you, too.

4x12 Does love confuse you, empower you or cloud your path forward? Because what I know of love is that it can do all those things.

4x12 Great love stories can withstand time, distance or hardships. Yours, Malex, has seen it all.

4x12 Long hot shower with the man you love.

4x12 I mean this with all the love in the world. Stop whining.

4x13 Louise managed to find great love. There is no doubt in my mind that Nora would want you to do just the same.

4x13 I’ve done a lot of things over the years that have inadvertently embarrassed the man that I love. But now we’re married, so I’m going to intentionally embarrass you.

[pink-bird-30]

Titans 4x09

SPOILERS AHEAD

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!

The fact we got an entire episode dedicated to Garfield Logan has me screeching into the void.  Beast Boy has deserved his flowers for a long time and I am super proud of Ryan for standing his ground and making it a priority that Gar’s story was told.

Alright, let’s get into the thick of it!

First off, we start the episode off with a 10 year old version of Gar.  When I tell you the motherly instincts within me(which are cat mom instincts) wanted to reach into my tv and give that baby a hug…I- fuck whoever made him cry (which we alllll know who did…)

 I also liked the small touch of the Central City mention- “Central City Zoo” 

When Gar wakes up, his reaction is what I needed from the other Titans when they woke up after Sebastian’s attack.  Right away he was wondering where they were, where he was, and what happened. Gar is always asking the right questions.  

I was really excited to see Freedom Beast and how they would tell his story.  I think they did a great job talking about his background and how his powers work and where they originate from.  Seeing the bat lion hybrid was insane.

“One with all beasts”

“I am your freedom”

I just really enjoyed how Freedom Beast was teaching Gar about himself and how to be free and accept the Red. There has been a lot of time spent with Rachel’s development, Dick’s redemption, and Kori’s acceptance of her destiny.  But along the way, we forgot about Gar and that wasn’t fair to him.  Hell, we even got an entire season of Jason before we got a single episode focused on Gar.

“Our shared grief fuels us”

There are a lot of great quotes from Titans, but this is top of the list for me.  Freedom Beast was able to connect with Gar on a different level that I don’t think other people have even tried to on the show.  Yes, he and Raven have a close bond, and Kori has always done the best by him, but there was something about Gar’s entire interaction with Freedom Beast that gave Gar purpose outside of the Titans.  For so long Gar has been part of two different teams, but has he ever taken the time to get to know himself and his abilities? 

In the midst of this, Gar keeps saying, “I need to get back to my friends” my heart was breaking for him.  All I can think of in 4x07 and 4x08 is how little Gar was mentioned.  Their concern did not reach the levels that Gar’s did when he woke up alone.  Every other word from his mouth was asking where his friends were, when he can get back to them, that his family needs him.  This hurt and I hope the Titans appreciate him a little more when they do meet up again.

 I thought it was pretty cool how Freedom Beast explained how all those connected to the red share a bond and then name drop of Vixen!  That was a big moment for me.  I haven’t thought of Vixen since my Legends of Tomorrow days…god I miss that show…

I love even in serious situations, Gar can find the humor in them.  Especially when Freedom Beast hands him the vile to drink, he says a quote that is a great nod to Alice in Wonderland.

Gar tripping was not what I was expecting from that scene, and I can only imagine the absolute fun Ryan must’ve had while filming this scene.  The multiple different versions of Gar tripping was hysterical.

While on his trip, we see Gar interact with Rachel and Jinx.  I was expecting Raven to be someone he saw, but this is not how I expected to see Jinx again this season.

Now for that fight scene:

Gar turned not into 1

not 2

but THREE FRIGGIN ANIMALS?!?!?!?!??!?!? 

IT TOOK 4 SEASONS BUT WE FINALLY GOT A GREAT FIGHT SCENE WITH GAR TRANSFORMING MID FIGHT.

We dreamed to see Gar change while fighting, and it finally happened and I’m so excited that it was  amazing.  Whoever choreographed that fight deserves an Oscar, bravo!

I knew Freedom Beast had great power, but seeing him merge the doctor into the monkey…I- that was terrifying.

Freedom Beast casually dropping both of Gar alias’ “Beast Boy, Changeling” we ate so good this episode, my god.

“Protecting the red is your destiny” 

There is a wholeeeeee lot of destiny being thrown around this season, but hey, I’m all for it if it means my Titans are content in life and no one dies an unnecessary death.

The entire scene when Gar finally gives into the red was really cool.  We saw so many cool easter eggs that I got whiplash.

Shazam

The Flash

Grant Morrison

Stargirl

Listen, I am a grown woman, but seeing Courtney Whitmore grace my screen after saying goodbye a few months ago, I’m tearing up while writing this.  Her interaction with Gar was brief, and I’m not sure how a real crossover between these shows would have panned out, but maybe I’ll write a fic about it?(winks) But regardless, the short interaction alone really solidified how much family means to Gar and Courtney, especially when it comes to your found family.

The second time we are in the red, the easter eggs get even crazier

Swamp Thing

Joker

Teen Titans Go! Beast Boy?

That last one really threw me for a loop

And then finally, the best thing to ever happen and I can’t wait for 4x10:

Cyborg and Beast Boy finally meeting

My childhood dreams coming to my screen.

I hope it is everything we have waited for and more.

I can’t wait to see how the Doom Patrol will fit into the storyline, I kinda figure it has to do with Gar needing to face his demons and the truth that has evaded him this entire time.

Until next time guys, let me know what you think about this episode!

[thealieninhiding]

Happy 7th Birthday Legends

Although this is about the Legends, I can’t start this post without The Flash. I didn’t watch Arrow to begin with (too dark and brooding for my taste) so my journey in the Arrowverse started in 2014 with the Flash. I fell in love with the show instantly, the humour, the mystery, the characters. But my focus today is on the legends, so let’s start with the first ones I met.

The Legends

Snart and Rory, the duo, were always a delight to see in an episode of the flash. Beginning with Flash 1x04 and following their character arc you can see there is more to them than meets the eye and that they aren’t bad people just criminals. Snart was one of my favourite characters on the Flash.

In Flash 1x08 I am introduced to some Arrow characters for the first time (but not Sara because she’s dead 🥺), and we first meet Firestorm (1.0). I love Robbie, instant fangirl, but he isn’t a legend so let’s keep going. Martin Stein’s disappearance is one of the many mysteries that S1 Flash is unraveling. The strange merging to become firestorm was such a cool story. I'm a Victor Garber fan and a big lover of scientist characters so obviously loved him in this role.

I started watching Arrow when the crossover of The Flash happened 1x08 / 3x08 so Sara was dead at the time and the main arc in Arrow was about her murder but I didn’t really care too much at the time. So we will circle back to her in a minute.

I first saw Ray in Arrow 3x9. His storyline is blurry, I remember him and Felicity were a couple and that I loved when he was a dorky little goofball but Arrow is too dark and brooding for that most of the time.

Anyway… back to Sara. I love S4 of Arrow. It's my favourite season of arrow hands down no contest, Damien Darhk is the best. This is finally where I meet Sara for the first time. The Buffy fan in me was LIVING for the resurrection storyline culminating in John Constantine restoring her soul. It’s just chefs kiss.

Kendra starts out as a small character in Flash 1x23, but it was clear to be building to something. She doesn’t stand out but the entire point of her character is that she thinks she’s just a regular person until it’s revealed she isn’t.

The final Legend to be introduced before the series is Jax in The Flash 2x04 and I’m honestly sad because I love Robbie and it feels too convenient that Stein can just merge with someone else. I go on to adore him but that’s how I felt in the beginning.

The Crossover

The Flash 2x08 Legends of Today and Arrow 4x08 Legends of Yesterday make up the 2 part crossover Heroes Join Forces and serve as a set up for Legends of Tomorrow. We get our first taste of the story arc for Legends, the introduction of Vandal Savage and the Hawks. Carter exposition dump is everything, I absolutely love the Hawks story: ancient Egypt, soulmates, deathless villain, resurrections, I eat that shit up. So I enjoyed the hell out of these episodes. The wing reveal was iconic, sure it’s very tropey but so good. The flashbacks give me Mummy vibes, I loved it so much. Time travel🙌. Seriously though, I love these episodes.

Legends of Tomorrow

The Legends of Tomorrow pilot lived up to my hype, I knew and loved these characters and time travel is my favourite sci-fi concept. I was most excited for more Snart and I just love a good ragtag team up. Reading the synopsis while I type, oh yeah, I was super pissed at Stein - seriously wtf he drugged Jax. Rip’s agenda - like I get it mate but you still kinda suck. It was clear the show had potential and the characters (and actors) had good chemistry, despite them only just getting to know each other and becoming teammates, plus time travel is just soo fun.

A wobbly first season that I still enjoyed the entire time, While by no means as good as the show ended up being, a start. It wasn’t my favourite Arrowverse show that year but it wasn’t my least favourite and some weeks it was the best episode of the week. An incredible journey from that beginning to becoming not just my favourite Arrowverse show but one of my all time favourite shows. The show went from mediocre with potential to great in the second season and then outstanding in its 3rd and then somehow each season after was it still better than the last.

Bring them back.

[roguetiger-ao3]

Morning angsty thoughts

Sometimes, mostly when I am trying to work out something story related, I wonder about that strange, nebulous thing that is time in Wynonna Earp. It helps the show in a way that there are so little specific time markers to age up but goddamn, it makes it pretty frustrating when trying to write something.

I, and I feel a lot of people, mark time in the show by what years the season came out… “season 3, okay, Wynonna is 29 now” that kind of thing. In reality, we just don’t know as episodes that set the time of year are few.

There could be more but…

1x01 – It’s Sept 12th, we know this because Wynonna turns 27.

2x12 – Alice is born but there is (as far as I can remember) no mention of a date.

3x06 – It’s Christmas… what year, we don’t know.

3x12 – Waverly and Doc get snatched and taken to the garden and they don’t return until 4x02 over 18 months later.

4x08 – Halloween.

Then there is Vengeance where we learn that there has been somewhere over 5 years since 2x12 as Alice is 5. Proving that time isn’t passing to our time as 2x12 aired in 2017.

What does this all mean? Bugger all. I just woke up and got depressed thinking about poor Nicole having to spend Christmas alone. It made me think about those 18, nearly 19 months without her baby and how many holidays and special events she was alone.

18 months without her friends and family. Waverly, Wynonna and Doc were lost and she was left clinging to hope that Wynonna would be able to bring them all home. Nedley was, as far as she knew, dead. Jeremy had abandoned her. The people she had sworn to protect turned their backs on her. Her parents were long out of the picture and the town had been closed off so who knows if she could have called them even if she had wanted to.

That is all bad enough but then there are the markers of time that we didn’t get to see… how many of her own and Waverly’s birthdays did she mark off on the calendar. And you know damn well that someone like Nicole would probably breeze past their own but celebrate Waverly’s in some way because everyone else seemed to forget it.

Did she decorate the homestead for Christmas because Rachel was there and find the tampon angel tucked away in a box?

Vengeance ended with Waverly going off, assumingly before Christmas? Who can tell what time of year it was with the wonderful weather of Canada… from what I, a Brit can make out, snow can happen almost year round there o.O

Randy and Mercedes were ice fishing though and he ended by saying that fishing season was over which, after a quick google, that can end any time around March so is Waverly going to be gone over a year!?

Can their marriage survive that amount of time, hell yeah, that I don’t doubt. Like Wynonna said to Waverly, Nicole isn’t selfish. What I do worry about, even with Wynonna and Nedley there to help (and possibly Rachel wherever she is) is Nicole’s mental health. Anyone watching the show for the first time with Vengeance doesn’t know any of what happened before. They don’t know about that time apart or that Nicole can’t leave Purgatory because she swore to be its shield. If Waverly gets in trouble while she’s helping Jeremy, Nicole can’t do anything other than sit and wait again.

Okay, after that little dip into my angst filled waking thoughts, I am going to leave my rambling here and go think about how much action those stairs are going to see when Waverly gets home… maybe then they can possibly talk about the K word.

And as a fandom are we thinking Waverly’s reluctance is just that she’s not feeling as maternal (I can relate to that)… childhood trauma… or that she worries about Dark Angel coming out if the kid is being naughty… or what angel genetics could mean for a child if it was part hers?

[juliets-roller-derby-awesomeness]

psych episode masterpost (18 july)

season one

🍍 pilot 1x01

🍍 spellingg bee 1x02

🍍 speak now or forever hold your piece 1x03

🍍 woman seeking dead husband: smokers okay no pets 1x04

🍍 9 lives 1x05

🍍 weekend warriors 1x06

🍍 who ya gonna call? 1x07

🍍 shawn vs. the red phantom 1x08

🍍 forget me not 1x09

🍍 from the earth to the starbucks 1x10

🍍 he loves me he loves me not he loves me oops he's dead 1x11

🍍 cloudy with a chance of murder 1x12

🍍 game set ... muuurder? 1x13

🍍 poker? i barely know her 1x14

🍍 scary sherry: bianca's toast 1x15

season two

🎤 american duos 2x01

🦖 sixty-five million years off 2x02

🍍 psy vs. psy 2x03

🍍 zero to murder in 60 seconds 2x04

🐎 and down the stretch comes murder 2x05

📰 meat is murder but also murder is murder 2x06

📚 if you're so smart then why are you dead? 2x07

🍼 rob-a-bye baby 2x08

🚤 bounty hunters! 2x09

🎄 gus' dad may have killed an old guy 2x10

🍷 there's something about mira 2x11

💊 the old and the restless 2x12

🎬 lights camera ... homicido 2x13

🍍 dis-lodged 2x14

🍍black and tan: a crime of fashion 2x15

🍍 shawn (and gus) of the dead 2x16

season 3

🚙 ghosts 3x01

🏫 murder? anyone? anyone? bueller? 3x02

🏍️ daredevils! 3x04

🍍 the greatest adventure in the history of basic cable 3x04

🍍 disco didn't die it was murdered! 3x05

🛢️ there might be blood 3x06

🛼 talk derby to me 3x07

🏦 gus walks into a bank 3x08

🎅🏻christmas joy 3x09

🐬 six feet under the sea 3x10

🍍 lassie did a bad bad thing 3x11

🧯 earth wind and ... wait for it 3x12

🏈 any given friday night at 10PM 3x13

🍍 truer lies 3x14

🏕️ tuesday the 17th 3x15

🍿an evening with mr. yang 3x16

season four

👑 extradition: british columbia 4x01

✈️ he dead 4x02

🤠 high noon-ish 4x03

⛪️ the devil's in the details ... and the upstairs bedroom 4x04

🥎 shawn gets the yips 4x05

🥻 bollywood homicide 4x06

💻 high top fade out 4x07

🐺 let's get hairy 4x08

🍍 shawn takes a shot in the dark 4x09

🪖 you can't handle this episode 4x10

🍍 thrill seekers and hell raisers 4x11

❤️ a very juliet episode 4x12

🦠 death is in the air 4x13

🍍 think tank 4x14

🦈 the head the tail the whole damn episode 4x15

🎞️ mr. yin presents 4x16

season five

🥋 romeo and juliet and juliet 5x01

💉 feet don't fail me now 5x02

👽 not even close ... encounters 5x03

🍷 chivalry is not dead ... but someone is 5x04

🏎️ shawn & gus in drag (racing) 5x05

🍍 viagra falls 5x06

⛓️‍💥 ferry tale 5x07

🍍 shawn 2.0 5x08

🚁 one maybe two ways out 5x09

🍍 extradition ii: the actual extradition part 5x10

👻 in plain fright 5x11

📧 dual spires 5x12

🚓 we'd like to thank the academy 5x13

🍍 the polarizing express 5x14

🍍dead bear walking 5x15

💉yang 3 in 2d 5x16

season six

🇬🇧 shawn rescues darth vader 6x01

🍍 last night gus 6x02

🩸 this episode sucks 6x03

📰 the amazing psych-man & tap man issue 2 6x04

⚾️ dead man's curveball 6x05

🍍 shawn interupted 6x06

🍍 in for a penny 6x07

🧘 the tao of gus 6x08

💍 neil simon's lover's retreat 6x09

🖼️ indiana shawn and the temple of the kinda crappy rusty old dagger 6x10

🗡️ heeeeere's lassie 6x11

🍍 shawn and the real girl 6x12

🍍 let's doo-wop it again 6x13

📚 autopsy turvy 6x14

🍍 true grit 6x15

🍍 santabarbaratown 6x16

season seven

🍍 santabarbaratown 2 7x01

🏠 juliet takes a luvvah 7x02

📹 lassie jerky 7x03

🇲🇽 no country for two old men 7x04

🎸 100 clues 7x05

🎪 cirque de soul 7x06

💍 deez nups 7x07

🦋 turn right or left for dead 7x08

🪟 juliet wears the pantsuit 7x09

💛 santa barbarian candidate 7x10

🗑️ office space 7x11

🎙️ dead air 7x12

💉 nip and suck it 7x13

🍍 no trout about it 7x14

🎵 psych: the musical 7x15

season 8

🪄 lock stock some smoking barrels and burton guster's goblet of fire 8x01

s.i.e.z.e. the day 8x02

[ljones41]

"STAR TREK VOYAGER" RETROSPECT: (4.08-4.09) "The Year of Hell"

"STAR TREK VOYAGER" RETROSPECT: (4.08-4.09) "The Year of Hell" While reading some of the TREK forums and message boards over the years, I have noticed that many fans seemed to harbor mixed views of the "STAR TREK VOYAGER" Season Four two-part episode called (4.08-4.09) "The Year of Hell". "The Year of Hell" began with the U.S.S. Voyager entering Krenim space, the same region of space that the former Ocampan crewman, Kes, had warned about in the Season Three episode called (3.21) "Before and After". Only Kes' description of Krenim space was set in an alternate timeline in which a very powerful race came dangerously close to destroying Voyager within a year. The Krenim space encountered by the Federation starship at the beginning of this episode seemed a lot more benign . . . until something or someone alters the timeline. Unbeknownst to Voyager's crew, a Krenim military scientist named Annorax had developed a weapon ship designed to create temporal incursions. He used the to supervise the complete genocide of the Zahl, an enemy race that had ended the Krenim's status as a dominant power in their region of the Delta Quadrant. But the erasure of the Zahl nearly caused the destruction of the Krenim. Annorax's attempt to undo his actions led to the erasure of other worlds . . . and his wife from existence. And for two centuries, he has been creating one causality paradox after another in an attempt to get his wife back. However, one of Annorax's actions allowed a formerly harmless Krenim ship that Voyager had encountered at the beginning of the episode to develop into a powerful starship and inflict heavy damage upon the Federation ship. In this new timeline, Janeway and the rest of Voyager's crew are forced to endure a "year of hell", as they struggle to survive. Screenwriters Brannon Braga and Joe Menosky created a fascinating and complex tale of what could have befallen Voyager if some of Kes' experiences in "Before and After" had occurred in their regular timeline. There have been occasions in which Voyager's crew had encountered more powerful alien vessels and societies. The starship was also captured by alien forces on two or more occasions. "The Year of Hell" featured the second time that Kathryn Janeway and her crew were forced to survive for a period of time in a damaged starship. But "The Year of Hell" took place during a period of nearly an entire year. Watching Voyager' become an increasingly uninhabitable vessel struck me as both fascinating and depressing. By the time Voyager was left with its senior staff (sans the kidnapped First Officer and Chief Pilot) after Janeway sent the rest of crew away in life pods, it had become a desolate place to be. Braga and Menosky provided the episode with plenty of complex drama and characterizations. Kate Mulgrew gave an outstanding performance as a besieged Kathryn Janeway, determined to keep her crew alive and ship together by any means possible. Even if it meant sacrificing her health and sanity. The other outstanding performance came from guest star Kurtwood Smith, who portrayed the Krenim scientist, Annorax. Like Mulgrew, Smith portrayed his character as a leader determined to save or protect those he held dear - his species, his homeworld and especially his family. Unlike Janeway, Annorax's determination led to a more tragic conclusion. Both Janeway and Annorax - on a larger scale - reminded me a great deal of the Captain Nemo character from Jules Verne's 1870 novel, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". The supporting cast were given plenty of opportunities to shine. The best performances came from Tim Russ (Lieutenant-Commander Tuvok), Robert Beltran (Commander Chakotay), Robert Duncan McNeill (Lieutenant Paris) and Robert Picardo (the Doctor). Both Chakotay and Paris found themselves as prisoners aboard Annorax's time ship in Part II of the episode. This situation gave Beltran an opportunity to convey Chakotay's dismay at Annorax's abuse of temporal mechanics and his desire to help the Krenim scientist restore the damaged timeline. McNeill was excellent in portraying Paris' dismay at Chakotay's cooperation and impatient desire to stop Annorax and find Voyager. Russ gave a poignant performance as the uber-efficient Tuovk, who is forced to depend upon Seven-of-Nine as his guide after he lost his sight in an explosion. Picardo had two juicy scenes in which he gave it his all, involving the Doctor's moral dilemma in sacrificing several crewman in order to save a few and himself from the destruction of one of the ship's decks; and the Doctor's confrontation with Janeway over her careless attitude toward her health. Roxann Dawson, Garrett Wang and Jeri Ryan provided a bit of fun in a comedic scene in which Ensign Harry Kim, an injured Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres and Seven-of-Nine recalled a bit of Federation history from the 1996 movie, "STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT". And second guest star John Loprieno was excellent in his portrayal of Obrist, Annorax's first officer who becomes increasingly dismayed by the scientist's abuse of the time ship. Unfortunately for "The Year of Hell", it has accumulated a good deal of negative comments about its ending. The mixed opinions of the entire episode stemmed from an ending that many fans viewed as a cop out. When Seven-of-Nine discovered a chroniton torpedo in one of the ship's Jeffries tubes, the crew realized they had been the victims of temporal manipulations. Seven used a devise on the torpedo to successfully shield Voyager against Annorax's time ship and any future temporal changes. However in Part II, Captain Janeway made an alliance with two species to attack the Krenim timeship. The remaining crew members move to the allied ships, while Janeway remained behind alone on Voyager to pilot the heavily damaged ship herself. After learning that the Krenim ship's temporal core had been placed offline and theorizing that the true timeline will be restored if the Krenim ship is destroyed, Janeway ordered the fleet to drop their temporal shields before ramming Voyager into the time ship. Her actions destroyed Voyager, caused the time ship to destabilize and erase from history . . . and reset the timeline to the day Voyager first encountered the temporal waves. Many TREK fans accused the episode's writers of using the "reset button" to restore Voyager to its original timeline and erase the one featuring the year of hell. They also criticized Braga and Menosky for this act. Braga also did not want to use the "reset button" device. He wanted Voyager to remain wrecked for the rest of Season Four. But he failed to get his way, thanks to Paramount and producer Rick Berman. I do recall a fan fiction - a coda to the Season Seven episode (7.11) "Shattered" - that left Chakotay lost in time and both Janeway and Tuvok dead. As the new captain, Tom Paris was forced to land Voyager on an "M" class and order repairs on the ship that lasted for a year or more. Recalling the state of Voyager in the alternate timeline, I saw no other fate for the ship if Janeway had not reset time."Before and After" saw Voyager still traveling through Krenim space, despite its condition after nearly a year. But it did not look as damaged as it did right before the time reset in "The Year of Hell". The idea of a wrecked Voyager still traveling through space after nearly a year . . . strikes me as illogical. And how did Braga plan to deal with Annorax and the time ship? Did he have plans for the Krenim scientist to remain the series' main adversary for the rest of Season Four? Did he have plans for a series of plotlines featuring the adventures of the Voyager crew on an "M" class planet, while they repair the ship? I am not saying that I am against the idea of time NOT being reset. But I still have bad memories of the early Season Three episodes of "BATTLESTAR GALACTICA", in which some of the colonists ended up as prisoners of the Cylons on some planet. And combining that with the knowledge of the "reset button" being used on many occasions, I find it difficult to get upset over the ending for "The Year of Hell". More importantly, I find it difficult to understand the fans and critics' reactions to the use of the "reset button". I guess I still find it so ridiculously strident, especially since such use of the plot device had been used so many times. As far as I am concerned, "The Year of Hell" was a pretty damn good episode that featured an interesting twist on the Captain Nemo character and the alternate timeline subplot. It also featured superb performances from Kate Mulgrew and Kurtwood Smith, and some excellent acting from the rest of the cast. I am not surprised that it has remained one of my favorite episodes from the series' Season Four.

[ravens-words]

oh, darling all of the city lights, never shine as bright as you

It's my fault.

It's my fault.

I let this happen.

4x08 Spec Fic.

"What do you mean Alex went missing?"

Rosa and Maria both startle, matching wide eyes staring at him in shock.

"Michael?! What are you doing here?"

He stalks over, anger rolling off him in waves, and stops just a pace away from both of them. "You don't get to ask questions, Maria- I do. Now, tell me what the hell you mean by Alex is missing."

She hesitates, but then after sharing a look with Rosa, who just raises an eyebrow, she sighs. "We don’t know where he is, but he's been sending me messages. I thought it was mom at first, but then-"

"What messages?" He cuts her off abruptly.

"The secret ingredient to mom's soup, his favorite wild pony order, his favorite milkshake. They weren't messages exactly, but he was moving stuff around, trying to get me to notice but-"

"The gazebo," Michael breathes out, eyes widening, breath hitching. He stumbles back a step, "the necklace, the damn movie poster."

"What are you talking about?" He doesn't answer, just turns around and walks unsteadily back to where he's parked his car.

He can’t breathe.

"Michael?! Where are you going?"

Alex had tried to reach out to him.

And he hadn't seen it.

.

 

He hears the soft footsteps before whoever it is approaches him, and when he looks up, he sees Maria, wringing her hands and looking nervous. "I was hoping it wouldn't be you."

She flinches, but doesn’t leave. Instead, she moves to sit beside him.

They're quiet for a few seconds.

"I'm sorry."

He scoffs. "Are you sorry you didn't tell me? Or are you sorry you got caught?"

"Both," she says, and he doesn't think she sounds apologetic enough.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me, Maria?"

He's trying to reign in his anger, but some of it lingers in his words. He's sure Maria hears it.

"Because I knew you would lose it. I knew you would move without thinking and- Michael, I knew you would get yourself killed looking for him."

"So?!"

"So?" She asks incredulously, "so, what were we supposed to tell him when we got him back if something happened to you, huh?"

"It's not up to you, Maria," he says through gritted teeth, clenching his hands into fists.

"Look, Michael-"

"No," he snaps, "you- he's somewhere out there, has been for god knows how long, waiting for me to find him and I've been ignoring everything he's done to tell me."

She jerks back in surprise.  "What?"

"He sent me messages too."

"Michael," she moves to take his hand but he withdraws it before she can. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you- I was just trying to protect you. And I think it was the right thing to do."

He laughs humorlessly. "It wasn't. Because it wasn't your fucking decision to make, Maria. It's Alex. He's my-"

"Boyfriend," she rolls her eyes, "and he's my best friend."

For a second, he's too stunned to say or do much other than stare at her. Then, his anger doubles in intensity, and he finds the words. "Don't think, for one second, that what you and I feel for him is remotely the same," he hissed, standing up and putting distance between them.

"I've loved this man for over fourteen years, and despite what happened between us, he was the only person on this planet that I gave a damn about- who gave a damn about me, for the majority of those years," his voice cracks, and he pushes back the tears, "he loved me when everyone else thought I was a waste of space, when I was nothing, - so you can't even begin to understand how much he means to me."

"That's not fair," she replies sharply, but he can hear the hurt lurking below the surface. He can't muster up the energy to care.  "I love Alex, too."

"I know. I know you do," he told her gently, "but you can live without him- hell, you have. I can't. The thought of never getting him back is-"

"Michael-"

"You had no right to keep it from me."

She's reaching for his hand when he says the words, but pulls back before their hands touch. "I'm sorry."

He says nothing.

She stands up to leave.

Michael doesn't stop her.

.

"Did Maria send you?"

His brother scoffs, and walks over to sit beside him, "who do you think told her you'd be here?"

Michael turns his head to glare at him. "You shouldn't have done that."

Max just shrugs. "I was coming after you anyway, thought you two could use the talk."

"I hate you," Michael tells him quietly, meaning it. He's not talking about Maria anymore.

Max's eyes reflect how hurt he is by the words, but he just nods. "I deserve that."

"How could you keep it from me?"

Max sighs and lets his head fall back against the rocks, mirroring Michael. "I wanted us to have something to give you before we told you because I knew it would kill you. I knew you'd drive yourself crazy looking for him, and I didn't want that for you, Michael. I just wanted you to have something to hold onto."

"There's nothing, though."

His brother sighs. "No, there isn't. Yet. But we're gonna find him, and we're gonna bring him home."

His eyes fill with tears, and he looks back at him. "What if we're too late?"

Max shakes his head. "I refuse to believe that. You and Alex? This isn't how your story ends."

"God, I hope so," he whispers, breath hitching.

An arm wraps around him, and he finds himself pulled into his brother's arms. Michael lets out a shuddering breath, squeezes his eyes shut. Max's chin comes to rest on the crown of his head, and suddenly, he's seven years old, ten, fourteen- and crying in his big brother's arms like he hasn't done in years and years.

It's my fault.

It's my fault.

I let this happen.

"You didn't," Max says fiercely, "you didn't. This isn't your fault, bud, I promise."

"He was trying to reach out to me, Max," he chocked out, "and I didn't get it."

The arms around him tighten. "It's not your fault. And you know he wouldn't blame you."

Michael says nothing.

"We're gonna find him."

Again, he says nothing. He Hope’s, with every fiber of his being, that Max is right.

.

It takes two days, and nearly all of his sanity, but they find Alex, and they bring him home.

He's here, sleeping in their bed, and Michael can feel his breaths on his face.

He still can't believe it, though.

He brings his hand to touch Alex's hair, feather- light and gentle, but it still wakes him.

Sleepy green eyes find his, and Michael smiles. Even in the dark, when he looks like he can barely stay awake, Alex must be able tell something's wrong, because he frowns and sits up. "What's wrong?"

Michael hesitates.

He's real.

He's here.

"You almost died."

Alex's eyes soften further, "but I didn't."

"You reached out to me, and you almost died because I didn't see it," he told him, angry at himself all over again.

Soft hands rest on either side of his face, turning it so that he was facing him. "But I didn't. Michael, I'm here. We're together. You," he emphasizes, leaning in to kiss him softly, "saved me. You saved me."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"I'm so sorry."

Alex pulls him into his arms, and Michael hides his face in the crook of Alex's neck, breathing him in, and letting the scent of him sooth his wildly beating heart. A couple of tears fall, and he feels the arms around him tighten. "I'm here," Alex says quietly, "I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere."

Michael nods, presses a series of short, fleeting kisses to his neck. Alex hums and lets his head fall back, giving him more access, and Michael takes full advantage of that. One hand sneaks up to his hair, the other lands on his chest, and Michael pushes him back, relishing the little noises Alex makes when he tightens his fingers in his hair, or when he bites at his neck and soothes the hurt by pressing another kiss there. Michael's careful not to put any weight on Alex's thighs, at first, but then he loses himself in their kisses and settles a little too heavily on Alex's lap, making him wince.

He immediately pulls back, though Alex protests and attempts to reel him back in. "Your leg hurts?"

Alex shakes his head. "No more than usual."

Michael purses his lips, eyes darting all over his face. Alex wasn't lying, but Michael knows he's downplaying the pain he's feeling for Michael's sake. Michael sits back, lets his back hit the headboard, and grabs Alex's hand, pulling at it until he gets the message and maneuvers himself so that he's sitting in Michael's lap now.

When he tugs him closer bh the waist, Alex falls into him easily, and they go back to kissing. Soft kisses turn into deep, sloppy ones that are hot and open mouthed and urgent, and Michael reaches blindly for the top drawer in the nightstand beside his side of the bed.

He finds what he's looking for after some rummaging, and takes it out. He pulls Alex closer still, and uses one hand to open the cap, then pour a small amount of the cream into the other.

Alex hisses at the cold sensation, but immediately lets his head fall onto Michael's shoulder as he tries to breathe through the pain. His exhales are slow and measured, which tells Michael he's in more pain than he let on, so he keeps massaging gently, keeps pressing small kisses to every inch of skin that's accessible.

By the end of it, Alex is fully relaxed and dozing in his arms. Michael has never felt more content in his life.

"I love you," he whispers into his ear, stroking his back slowly.

When there's no response, he looks down and finds Alex fast asleep, face relaxed.

It doesn't bother him that Alex doesn't hear it- they have all the time in the world.

He smiles.

Tomorrow.

He'll tell him again tomorrow.

"I love you," he whispers again, just because he can, and brings the blanket up to cover the sleeping man in his arms.

"I love you."

[tomparisalbum]

Star Trek: Discovery (2017)

[mikewheeler]

hi ally! first of all, thanks for being such a ray of sunshine for the mileven community! ❤️ i wanna ask what your expectations are for s5 mileven and how do you think the duffers will write them for their last final season? :)

Hi cutie!! Thank you so much 🥺 I’m so happy to be here and celebrate the ship I’ve loved for six years!!

As for predictions, I’ve seen a lot of intriguing theories! One that I believe really has some merit is that mike specifically will be put in danger in the final battle and el will need to rescue him. For the love interest of a superhero, mike has made it through the show relatively unscathed (physically, anyways), and we haven’t seen this situation before - aside from briefly in the sauna test and generally in the season finales, when el is saving everyone. I could totally see the duffers utilizing this superhero must save love interest trope, especially since they’ve already acknowledged the Superman/Lois Lane dynamic in season 4. It would be a kind of nod to that aspect of their relationship.

From a pessimistic lens, I don’t see mileven having a huge spotlight in the final season. This is mostly because the general audience seems to have lost interest in them, and the narrative of stranger things has expanded quite a bit over the last four seasons to encapsulate a lot of different arcs and stories that all have to fit and have screen time in the final season. There are lots of loose story threads to tie up. So realistically I don’t see them having a major arc next season. I hope so much that I am wrong tho!

That being said, there is still plenty of story left to explore for those 2, and if it were up to me (a woman with taste), they would return as a central focus of the narrative. I would love to see the final season really dive into the idea that mike and eleven were fated to meet; Mike saying “ it wasn’t fate, it wasn’t destiny , it was just simple dumb luck” in 4x08 is the first time the series has verbally acknowledged the soulmate aspect of their relationship, and then further confirmed it with Mike loving El from the moment he saw her. I mean this show is about supernatural forces so I don’t know why it would be all that far fetched to include love and destiny as one of those supernatural forces. Also, ST is hammy as hell, and that’s why we love it, so I feel the show should really just lean into it, go all the way and really explore that soulmatism in the final season. Especially since the core 4 dynamic is supposed to return in the final season, so to end where we began is the perfect opportunity to emphasize the soulmate story, which has been rooted in this narrarive since the start, and which we see play out across all four seasons (in large part thanks to Finn and Millie’s incredible acting skills). Come on duffers, finish out strong!

Whatever happens, I believe mike and el will end the series together. I don’t see a mileven wedding as some have predicted (including apparently Millie lol), but I can’t see them going separate ways. Not after everything that has happened, not after “I knew right then and there in that moment I loved you and I have loved you every day since”, not after “mike is a part of eleven, eleven is a part of mike, they are one.” As the story has been told thus far, it would be a narrative mistake not to do so. I know I am biased but also I am right 😊

[sillycheysblog]

Alaric is the absolute worst human being ever. He deadass forced Ted to be the necromancer again knowing damn well that Ted wanted a happy life and didn’t like being the necromancer. He was only thinking about how he could get back to the real world not about how Ted would feel. On top of that wants to come at Landon for keeping the secret about Lizzie, Hope, and Josie when all Alaric does is LIE. He has absolutely no right to come at Landon. I’m so happy that Landon called him out. Landon has been suffering for a whole YEAR AND SOME MONTHS and Alaric is the first person to get out of limbo when he’s only been there for a month or so? Unbelievable.

Why is it that Landon Kirby is the ONLY character except for Hope Michaelson, that’s suffers the most? Landon has done nothing but try to help others and be the best person that he could be and he gets treated absolutely terrible. He’s always suffering and for what? WHAT IS THE REASON?

Brett Matthew’s I feel betrayed by you because 4x12 is technically 4x08 which means handon. Handon ALWAYS reunites during the 8th episode of every season and Brett broke the pattern.

I clowned myself all week about handon reuniting but it’s okay. I’m not even mad or upset about it because I already knew I was clowning but I’m pissed off that Alaric is well and alive while Landon continues to suffer in limbo with the god awful necromancer. Also why the hell is he back? 

How am I suppose to feel right now? Well let me tell you. I feel numb and emotionless. At this moment, I’ve shut off my humanity until further notice….

[phantomoftheorpheum]

expelling my irritation with ST 4 because I need to get it out of my brain (so basically, if you loved the season, probably don’t read this because it will make you mad) - also spoilers for s4, obviously

- first of all, there is absolutely no excuse for this season being nearly 13 hours long in 9 episodes. it could easily have been 8 or 9 hour long episodes and possibly even shorter than that.

- nothing happens in 4x08. nothing. yes, obviously characters do things and have conversations, but really think about where all the characters are when the episode starts and where they all are when it ends, because nothing can justify that taking an hour and 25 minutes (which is longer than some actual feature films); it’s genuinely an hour+ of filler and like maybe 15 minutes of actual content.

- i’ve said it before, but i’ll say it again- the writers have no clue what they are supposed to do with Will as a character because he was not conceived of to play a role as a character, he was conceived of as a plot device and to incite other characters to act. it’s not inherently a bad thing for a character to be a plot device initially, and I don’t even think this is bad at all with how it’s handled in season 1, but if they continue to be a part of your show long term and are presented to the audience as a main character, then it’s important to figure out how to make them something more than a plot device and they have never figured that out for Will.

- listen, it’s not like i specifically want any of the characters i love to die, but this is season 4 and they have had zero guts about killing their main cast. will they do it in season 5? maybe because it’s the last season and they don’t have to worry about people quitting the show. once you figure that out (which if you didn’t figure it out when they revealed Hopper to be alive, then i don’t know what you were watching), it means that the stakes feel unbelievably low, considering  what’s supposedly happening. sure, people will die in s4, but it sure as hell isn’t going to be core cast we’ve been following for years.

- which leads me to- HOPPER SHOULD HAVE STAYED DEAD. The Russia plot line is so unbelievably unnecessary. i’m not going to get into the real world ethical issues i’ve seen people discussing about the filming locations and such because i’ve only seen little bits of it and haven’t looked into what is happening enough to feel like I should platform my opinion, but putting all that aside, this has to be one of the most unnecessarily drawn out plotlines I have ever seen on tv. plus, it makes rewatching season 3 fall emotionally flat at the end because you know Hopper isn’t dead! Hopper’s death & his letter to El were two of the best and emotionally resonant things they had going for them in season 3 and having him alive cuts the legs out from under some of their best work!

- this is a perfect place to add: WE SPEND WAY TOO MUCH TIME ON TOO MANY PLOTLINES THAT DON’T WARRANT IT. Russia, as previously stated, Mike & Will & Jonathan & Argyle (and Suzie), The Basketball jock douche, even some parts of El’s storyline. they. did. not. need. that. much. screen. time. this season would have worked so much better if it had stayed focused on the Vecna plotline as the center (likely needing to incorporate the far flung characters into the actual plot somehow) and anything else that is not in the central Hawkins plot takes minimal screen time.

- alright, i’m not gonna talk about specific ships. as previously stated, there are no ships I’m emotionally attached to in this show, and there are a couple that I genuinely don’t like... but i have to ask- is anyone happy/fully satisfied with how the ship content has played out this season??? because... I feel like no matter what you ship (or dislike), it wasn’t good for you. (I guess with the possible exception of people who ship mike & el or joyce & hopper and 100% don’t care about anything else?) 

- all the retconning of earlier events is annoying because it’s so clear they didn’t plan it out that way and are just trying to make things fit, even if that makes their earlier seasons seem weaker or make less sense. it’s so incredibly forced and i hate how easy it is to tell exactly what they’re doing. 

- why do they have so many (mostly unnecessary) monologues in this season??? please, please stop this. they are exhausting when they aren’t needed. 

- speaking of, did it irritate the hell out of anyone else how often we get scenes where everything stops so the characters can all stand around and lay out all the info we need to know, spoon feeding the story to the audience because they can’t seem to figure out how to have it make sense any other way. you shouldn’t have to do this practically every episode. there are plenty shows with way more complicated plots that don’t spend even a quarter of this much time doing this (e.g. Dark) 

- why does no one have a sense of urgency this season??? like there have been so many instances of characters in supposedly “high stakes” situations where they should absolutely be entirely focused on surviving, just like stopping to have a heartfelt conversation or moment with another character at the worst possible time, but instead of that having any consequences, it’s just ignored by the show.

- what it comes down to, imo, is that this show lost sight of what is was and what made it good in the first place. it was lost in season 3, but it’s even more lost now. they’re so caught up in having “cool” scenes and drowning us in nostalgia in their visuals and music and references, that they’ve forgotten that the simplest of things often hit the hardest.

- there’s a bunch of crap that just doesn’t make sense. it just doesn’t. and they might try to address some of those things in season 5 (or they might never), but a lot of them are just things that they clearly didn’t have an answer to when they were writing and now are trying to think up things to “explain” it.

- i’m sure there’s more i could say, but I’m tired and i am baffled by people thinking this is a well made season of television. there’s no accounting for taste, that’s subjective, but i can’t believe people think the writing and editing, as  technical crafts, are anything short of dreadful this time around. 

- i’m not a monster so i’ll leave this on my positive notes- i like the idea of Vecna (not so much his backstory, but the supernatural being itself) and the powers he has, Sadie Sink has been wonderful this season and has imo the best scene in the season, i do really enjoy most of the cast, there are glimmers of good it’s just that they don’t last very long.