#About the viewer being biased and also the Dad loving them so much but also actively putting their lives at risk

[b-rainlet]

The part in Captain Fantastic where they talk about Lolita...wished they had done more with that....

[seventeenlovesthree]

@digimonadventureweek Day 6, March 6th - Favourite episode: #31 - "Raremon! Surprise Attack on Tokyo Bay"

I have once made a list of my "Top 16 favourite Digimon Adventure episodes" and no matter what I do, I always come back to this one. Not only is this one of the episodes my dad had recorded for me when I was a kid because I couldn't watch it when it first aired on TV, but it also basically contains everything that I love about Digimon Adventure as a whole. It also justifies a lot of my biases and headcanons in the process, but that's just a side note.

This is the closest we've ever gotten to a "slice of life" anime that includes the original cast, as it contains several of its typical elements while focusing on and mirroring primarily Taichi's and Koushirou's experiences on their first evening back home in the real world. I could have taken approximately 100 screenshots of it, because the storytelling and pacing are just so marvelous to me:

Even though it definitely IS a slice-of-life-ish episode, it doesn't lose the main plot at all, but intertwines it perfectly into the story: The kids are looking for the eighth child and Taichi, rightfully, suspects Hikari, since she had been with him during the Hikarigaoka incident. Thus he and Koromon ask her if she owns a Digivice already, which she denies. The viewer can tell that she does own one, it was just stolen and played with by their housecat Meeko/Miko - and she is the reason we're gonna get an action-packed chase scene later down the line of the episode...

Then there's the secondary plot - I refuse to call it B plot, because it is so in the forefront of everything that happens. As mentioned, it's all about Taichi and Koushirou reuniting with their families and trying their best to hide their Digimon from them. They're both having rather warm, heartfelt and happy moments that feel light-hearted (and even a bit comedic) on surface level. The difference here is that Koushirou's personal backstory is also given more space to bloom; while both Taichi's mother, Yuuko, and Koushirou's mother, Kae, sense that something about their sons is off, the latter seems to be ridden by melancholy and guilt about it. Koushirou has been acting nothing but polite and grateful towards her, but she feels like this is not how he should be like, that he is hiding something - which, as her husband, Masami, puts it, "is nothing we can blame him for, since we're hiding something from him as well".

It's the first time the viewer actually hears that Koushirou was adopted - we have seen him having flashbacks and getting somewhat distraught and sad about something, but we didn't know what it was. One can tell that he means it when he tells his mother that he's grateful - we see it when he keeps smiling happily to Tentomon about everything -, but there is that barrier. He IS hiding something from them - and we know it's not just Tentomon, even if that is perfectly mirrored with Taichi hiding Koromon as well -, but she cannot grasp what it is. And he is burdening himself with it, everything: Caring for and hiding his partner, sneaking out of his room to deal with a rampaging Digimon in the middle of the night while (potentially) chasing the eighth child around town - on his own, because the others are already fast asleep -, having a one-on-one fight with an evil Digimon and almost gets impaled, while also trying to reassure his parents that everything is alright. A lot to bear for a 10-year-old, huh...

And why was he prompted to act in the first place? Not only because he was notified of Raremon being a threat, but also because the Yagami cat went on a stroll with the eighth child's Digivice and lost it several times over.

This episode simply has it all: It has a sense of happiness and peacefulness, it has comedic elements, it has a suspenseful fight and chase scene; the main plot and character development are perfectly intertwined and even though there is so much going on, it doesn't feel rushed, bloated or like anything shouldn't be there. The characters are pretty unreliable narrators while the viewer can see everything that happens - nothing gets resolved in this episode, it consists of a repeated "Almost!", but that is fine, because it contextualizes everything that will happen from now on.

It also tells us so much about the Yagami and Izumi family dynamics, including the fact that the mothers are very familiar with the fact that their sons are close friends who call each other at very odd times...

The adoption topic is rather heavy, not downplayed and presented in a light that makes you hope that all of this will eventually resolve.

It's just very dear to my heart and I would absolutely love a whole anime that deals with all of the kids and their backstories similarly, giving them all temporary main-character status.

[getsuuna]

Can we politely talk about *some* SaneKana shippers...

I would normally address how toxic they tend to be and the ridiculous amount of misinformation they spread, which not only misleads the (mostly new) fans, but also heavily mischaracterizes both Sanemi and Kanae, ESPECIALLY Sanemi though because he's really complex and the misinformation just misses the entire fxcking point of the way he's written and it's enraging to say the least

..however, it's starting to be common knowledge that they're insufferable, but something that is bugging me right now is that they're getting sexualized lately. and almost no one seems to complain.

There's recent VIRAL videos, either animations or cosplays who want to allude that they'd "get freaky" or that Kanae wants to get undressed when he sees him or something...am I overreacting or gagging a little is a fair reaction to this?

They were MINORS.

No matter how much I might not like Kanae as a character, I find it baffling when she's sexualized or mischaracterized by anyone. Kanae was created for Shinobu. Kanae is Shinobu's fuel, her motive, the reason behind her grief and her anger and her overall initial character development and the way she planned her own demise all revolved around her older sister. Kanae exists for Shinobu, not to be any man's love interest.

Let's also be fr, Kanae was more of a mother to Sanemi rather than a love interest, they had heavy platonic subtext in the 1 and half interactions that they had. Romanticizing the Light Novel's interaction specifically, would mean projecting Œdipus complex onto Sanemi, which is absolutely messed up considering the amount of people I've seen justify that with "but it was her hands!" who do you think that touch belongs to? would you think about your dad or any family member if a person you like touched you?

But that's besides the point, I respect the ship per se and I acknowledge it's 100% up to the viewer's interpretation; but if you're one of the shippers who overlooks Sanemi's character, sexualizes and mischaracterizes their bond and water down Kanae's character to "she's the girl that Sanemi likes" AND/OR even spread misinformation and consider them as canon while harassing other shippers then please take several seats.

I'm usually very chill about ships, rarepairs, anything as long as it's legal, but this behavior from shippers is where I draw the line + those ShinoGiyuu shippers who also do the exact same thing to Giyuu and Shinobu, and I kinda like them as a pair so I'm not being biased here.

If you're one of the normal SaneKana shippers don't take it as an attack, it's not about you🫶🏻 as much as my opinion on this ship is complex as I only like them if we consider them as a platonic duo, I totally respect those few sane shippers and multishippers I've encountered

This being said, I hope we can all agree that sexualizing minors is disgusting ⛹🏻‍♀️

[arabian-bloodstream]

I’m worried about daemon’s portrayal of being a father. I was very optimistic because the leaks were saying he was a good dad and could do no wrong but unfortunately that’s not entirely true. It broke my heart when one of them said he ignores her. Do you think the show runners are making daemon extremely unlikeable intentionally or is this accurate to his character? It would be extremely shitty if he’s a good father to rhaenrya’s kids but not his own. Because so far if they make him a deadbeat father and plus him “killing laenor” next episode I fear EVERYONE is going to hate him 😭

Oh, I don't think we have to worry at all about this. I read some takes that I thought really laid it out quite clearly what is going on. This was the best one, in my opinion. The money quotes:

He has a closer connection with Baela, but in my opinion it is not because of the dragon but because she remembers both him and Rhaenyra - similarities from when she was younger. The fact is Daemon is not Daemon. He is lost, displaced and without his essence, which makes him. He pretends. He dwells on books and books, can barely look at Laena and shows himself to be an absent father. Which proves that he lies when he says he doesn’t miss Westeros. For the only ones he truly loved are Viserys and Rhaenyra. [...] That’s why they cut his scene with his daughters, in my opinion. It wouldn’t make sense for him to have a sudden change in behavior with them if he still doesn’t feel himself. He tried, he still tries. But you can’t go back to what it was if what makes you feel complete is so far away

I agree with this. I think it makes perfect sense. Especially the bolded part. Once Daemon returns to King's Landing, returns to Rhaenrya (and even Viserys). Once he returns to Dragonstone, and, thus to HIMSELF, to Daemon Targaryen, we will see a Daemon who embraces the Targaryens that are all of his family, including not only Baela Targaryen, but also Raena Targaryen.

In episode 06, Daemon just couldn't connect to Raena because the only part of her that connected to him was her Targaryen self, and Daemon could not connect to that part of himself because to do so caused him too much pain. It was wrong of him; it was selfish and wrong, wrong, wrong. But Daemon is not the best of men, we already know this.

He *could* connect to Baela because Baela was a dragonrider, and that was something--the only thing--that Daemon had still retained of his Targaryen self. And so he could connect with Baela on that level. Once he returns to Westeros, to Dragonstone, to Viserys, to Rhaenrya, to his Targaryen self, he will connect with the Targaryen in Raena.

At least that is what I think. And that is why I think we didn't get that connection in episode 06. I could be wrong. I don't know because I haven't seen episode 07 yet. I tend to try and *not* pre-judge (and certainly not be negative or even overtly positive about) an episode I haven't seen yet. Leaks, spoilers, etc. do NOT tell the full story. The episode itself does.

And certainly, Fire & Blood is NOT telling the story. It is subjective. It is based on biased accounts from misogynistic after the fact peeps who had their own agenda, and collated a century later from another biased account who edited it from ALL OF THOSE many accounts. It is not an objective telling of facts. Period. End of.

Finally, we don't know that Daemon "kills" Laenor. He may; he may not. And if he does… :shrugs: We'll come to that bridge when we cross it. Again, I'm not going to pre-judge Daemon based on something I haven't seen. I don't know what is going to happen, if it's going to happen, and if it does what, how, why, the circumstances of it.

Daemon is not being written as "the evil bad guy." Daemon is being written as a grey, sometimes dark grey, character. He is complex, conflicted, and he loves deeply. He is our amoral anti-hero. But he is certainly not someone that viewers are supposed to hate. He gets the big, bad-ass battle scenes (see, end of episode 03). He gets the quips. He gets the bad-ass entrances. He is half of the OTP of the show (Daemon/Rhaenrya). He gets sweet soft moments (with Viserys, with Rhaenrya, with -- yes, he did -- Laena).

Daemon is NOT the character that viewers are supposed to hate.

Now, I can only hazard my guess on what will come, and I generally don't like to go too far into the guessing because I have not seen the episode and speculation often leads to disappointment. I like to let the episodes speak for themselves. I can say that based on what we've seen so far, I have faith that it will be good. That it will work with the story we've been given thus far. That Daemon will be awesome. And that I am freaking stoked!

[trenchgardens-ooc-ooc-ooc-ooc]

11 for Somati, Ferics, Calixtus and Borell?

I just realized that something tweaked in my brain and you only asked for eleven- What is your OC's weapon of choice? Have they ever actually used it?

Somati's is a crutch, they use crutchkind, specifically those forearm ergonomic crutches, eventually they start using this two headed snake crutch-staff that they do cool shit with, it becomes their signature weapon I think, at least for a while. They really really rarely actually use it, most of the time he uses visions distractions deals and other peaceful options to get around enemies. Ferics likes crossbows, thats their actual strife specibus, but they rely a lot lot more on their gadgets, theyre kind of like Jeff Earthbound actually, and yes, they kind of dominate their Land ngl. Once they Godtier they use crossbows a lot more. Its about the freedom of movement granted by flight, rather than the kind of constricted mobility of their arms in their kind of bulky chair. That and the fact that their chair means they can use a lot of gadgets more easily, like having a bunch of different stuff mounted. They still use it pretty often, but flying is pretty useful. Plus the time magic and or flight means they dont have to worry about stuff like not being able to dodge attacks, which almost all of their combat in their chair before they gained godhood is affected by. They don't necessarily *have* to be as tactical or planning as they did when they were fully chairbound, but they usually still are. Calixtus uses rods, or staves, you could also consider them either quarterstaves or maybe maces. Their first one was the centerpiece of their scale after it was broken by Calfuray. They don't use it much, they rely probably almost exclusively on negotiation or mind powers in their planet, and they don't really have Underlings in the same way as other worlds do. Borrel!!! Uses! A ball! Ballkind! She's never used it outside of performances probably, but she can serve some nasty dodgeball tactics and clown on you simultaneously. I also answered these becase im silly

What memory would your OC rather just forget? Somati! Seeing his dads decayed whalefal corpse temporally and spatially displaced onto his back lawn. Other than that... God so much.... So much Ferics! Several of their past cullers... their lusus' death. Calixtus! There was a really bad fight between their siblings once. Calixtus thought they were going to die. Calixtus really thought they were going to die. Borrel! I feel like there are a few things she already has just forgotten. Being a bronze in a carnival even on the significantly less murdery Beforus is not free of harassment. She used to work at a slaughter house, though. Those ones. Those ones show up in her daymares.

What's something about your OC that people wouldn't expect just from looking at them? Somati! is kind of a... how do i put this nicely. Lets just say that he serves cunt in every timeline for a reason. His life is shit right now on Beforus, but he's. Gifted in the romantic field. That and the prophecy. You wouldn't expect him to be so on the ball just from how he looks and acts, but he does absolutely plan. Ferics! This depends on the viewers biases towards chairbound people, or even just chair users in general. I have known some people to seemingly think of those in motorized chairs as lazy or physically weak in an. irrationally morally charged way. Like that they have a weak will because they choose not to use an active wheelchair? If the viewer is biased like that, their pure level of stubbornness is probably very surprising. Calixtus! hmmm Well if they know cherubs, probably their love for their siblings. It is still cheruby, but its also desperate, and scared, and very much not the hate one comes to expect from them. If they don't know cherubs, probably how much they absolutely adore soft things and textures. This miserable skellington would cry if they were handed a bunny. Borrel! Probably the slaughterhouse thing. Either that or their genuinely very well meaning and respectful views on cullees.

What is your OC's fatal flaw? Are they aware of this flaw? Somati! I don't think fatal flaws appear in my characters very often. It's just not really how I write stories I think. If I had to pick one for a setting where Somati *isn't* actually like gifted with prophecy, it would be their resignation to fate probably.

[tsukidrama]

Hello! I have not had WiFi for the last little while so excuse me!

I really loved chapter eight, actually it's one of my favorites since the first and I'm so glad Annie and the reader are reunited. I did get your response to my comment on AO3 and... boy am I worried! I understand that there's a lot they need to address (including but not limited to: the Nose Breaking), but I just wish they could cuddle and kiss and be happy. I'm in it for the long haul, though.

My spring break starts next week, so hopefully then I'll have more free time to work on the sequel to my Annie fic AND to reply to you faster. Also, I feel like most of Papa's character is being a grumpy old man and that's kind of... endearing? I like the redemption arc you're giving him, and if he doesn't deserve to be redeemed that doesn't matter, Annie deserves a good dad.

oh damn, it's been a minute, i'm so happy to see you again!! you came back to... a lot lol. it's good that chapter 8 is the most recent one because it really is one of the best. I TOLD Y'ALL I WAS GOING TO ATONE FOR MY SINS OF CHAPTERS 4, 6, AND 7. i owe all of you some genuinely happy interactions.

you're the only person who i feel bad for putting through this angst lmaoooo. i know i keep saying that it's going to get worse before it gets better, but Annie hasn't even hit her rock bottom yet. next chapter people are going to be wailing in my inbox cussing me out, probably. my poor sweet pink anon, i will protect you from the angst that i put out into the world!

yay! it's nice that you'll have a little bit of a break for a bit. i'd love to talk more!! i was really starting to miss you

SLKFBLKB YES! THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M GOING FOR WITH PAPA!!! he cares about Annie so much, he's just... kind of an asshole. he's putting forth effort which is better than he ever did in canon. you phrased it exactly right: i don't care if he deserves a redemption arc. Annie deserves a father who loves her and i will take the Papa that she has with his warts and all.

> I don't really "agree" with Attack on Titan's canon for many reasons (see: antisemitism), which is why I'm so attached to your writing I guess. Your interpretation of characters like Annie and Papa and even background characters in the fic like Mikasa, Pieck, Jean, and Connie just feel more right than canon. You really have to do things yourself if you want them done right, I completely agree. <

yeah...... it's... not great......... it makes me really sad actually that the anime is so popular, not because i don't like it but because i think a lot of people just don't know what to do with it. it's so much more complicated than the casual viewer can take in. a lot of the narrative is presented in such a biased way that you HAVE to do critical thinking if you want to like, actually understand. i might be explaining it badly but this isn't any kind of legit analysis or opinion that i wanna open a dialogue on. just something that i believe.

tbh i have a lot of issues with the show but in some ways that adds to the experience. i guess that i like the challenge as a writer... and since I'll never write a big long academic essay on snk, I'll just explore the fuck out of the aspects of the show that are interesting. trnt specifically is incredibly therapeutic on a personal level.

> I'm currently acting like I didn't burst into a dumb smile at your compliment! Thank you! I would also like to thank you for your comment on my fic! It really made my week that much brighter, so thank you. <

of course! i meant it, you're a good writer. I'll have to check out more of your writing in the future!

i've never tried bullet journalling myself but hey, whatever works, works! that sounds much more organized than what i usually do, which is either word vomit into the notes on my phone or taking screenshots of something that i unloaded on some poor soul that was on the other end of a creative rant...

i'm very excited to hear about your theories for please be 👀👀👀 part 2 doesn't go into her backstory very much. it's another appeasement chapter for my fans like TRNT 8 was. it was like, okay, here's some hot smut in the eye of the storm before i release part 3, the mother of all angst. LMAO. i'm so excited to hear what you think!

> I hope you're doing good, <

i'm hanging in there! talk to you soon

also this actually really embarrassing but.. you do not need to apologize because i myself have no read the good ending yet........ IN MY DEFENSE mars just writes so fucking much and really fast, it's really hard to keep up with sometimes. plus I've posted a lot recently too. it's okay. it's fine, it's okay... don't worry.

[beastars-takes]

Zootopia Takes: Darker’s Not Better

The Shock Collar Draft

So, it sounds like people are largely positive on me doing some Zootopia posts on this blog, and I wanted to talk about this tweet I saw the other day:

I’ll punt on explaining why Beastars isn’t “Dark Zootopia”--that’s a great topic for another post. But I would like to talk about why this popular yet stridently uninformed tweet is so, so wrong. Why the shock collar draft was not better, actually.

And obviously, I’m not writing several pages in reply to a single tweet--this is a take that’s been around since the movie came out, that the “original version was better.” It’s been wrong the whole time.

Let’s talk about why!

Part 1: “Because Disney”

Let’s start with this--the assumption that the film’s creators wanted to make this shock collar story and “Disney” told them to change it.

That’s not how it works.

I try to keep stuff about me out of these posts as much as possible, but just for a bit of background, I’ve worked in the animation industry for about half a decade. I know people at Disney. I have a reasonable idea of how things are there.

There is this misconception about creative industries that they’re constantly this pitched battle of wills between creative auteurs trying to make incredible art and ignorant corporate suits trying to repress them.

That can happen, especially in dysfunctional studios (and boy could I tell some stories) but Walt Disney Animation Studios is not dysfunctional. It’s one of the most autonomous and well-treated parts of the Disney Company.

The director of Zootopia, Byron Howard, isn’t an edgelord. He made Bolt and Tangled. He knows what his audience is, and he’s responsible enough not to spend a year (and millions of dollars in budget) developing a grimdark Don Bluth story that leadership would never approve. It wouldn’t just be a waste of time--he would be endangering the livelihoods of the hundreds of people working under him. Meanwhile, Disney Animation’s corporate leadership trusts their talent. They don’t generally interfere with story development because they don’t need to. Because they employ people like Byron Howard.

Howard and the other creative leads of Zootopia have said a dozen times, in interviews and documentaries, that they gave up on the shock collar idea because it wasn’t working. They’ve explained their reasoning in detail. Maybe they’re leaving out some of the story, but in general? I believe them.

But Beastars Takes, you say, maybe even if Disney didn’t force them to back away from this darker version, it still would have been better?

Part 2: Why Shock Collars Seem Good

I will say this--I completely sympathize with people who see these storyboards and scenes from earlier versions of the movie and think “this seems amazing.” It does! A lot of these drawings and shots are heartbreakingly good, in isolation.

I love these boards. They make me want to cry. I literally have this drawing framed on my wall. Believe me, I get it.

But the only reason we care this much about this alternative draft of Zootopia is that the Zootopia we got made us love this world and these characters. You know what actually made me cry?

Oh, yeah.

So let’s set aside the astonishing hubris of insisting Zootopia’s story team abandoned the “good” version of the story, when the “bad version” is the most critically-acclaimed Disney animated feature in the past SIXTY YEARS.

“But Beastars Takes!” I hear you say. “Critics are idiots and just because something’s popular doesn’t make it good!”

Fair enough. Let’s talk about why the real movie is better.

Part 3: The Message (it is, in fact, like a jungle sometimes)

This type of thing is always hard to discuss, in the main--a lot of people don’t want to feel criticized or “called out” by the entertainment they consume, and they don’t want to be asked to think about their moral responsibilities. But it’s hard to deny that Zootopia is a movie with a strong point of view. Everything else--the characters, the worldbuilding, the plot, grows out from the movie’s central statement about bias.

And the movie we got, with no shock collars, makes that statement far more effectively.

To dive into the full scope of Zootopia’s worldview and politics (warts and all) would be a whole post on its own, so I’ll just summarize the key point of relevance here:

Zootopia's moral message is that you, the viewer, need to confront your own biases. Not yell at someone else. No matter how much of a good or progressive person you consider yourself to be--if you want to stand against prejudice you have to start with yourself.

That’s a tough sell! For that message to land, we need to see ourselves in the protagonist.

Judy’s a good person! She argues with her dad about foxes. She knows predators aren’t all dangerous. She’s not speciesist. Right?

Ah fuck.

Let’s fast-forward to the pivotal scene of this movie. In an unfortunate but inevitable confluence of circumstances, Judy’s own biases and prejudiced assumptions come out, and she shits the bad.

Nick, who’s already bared his soul to her (against his better instincts), is heartbroken. But not as heartbroken as he is a minute later when he tries to confront her about what she’s said, and she makes this face:

Whaaaat? Come on, Nick. I’m a good person. Why are you giving me a hard time?

People like to complain about this scene. That it’s a hackneyed “misunderstanding” trope that could be easily resolved with a discussion. They’re wrong. Nick tries to have a discussion. She blows him off.

This isn’t Judy acting out of character, this is her character. Someone who identifies as Not A Racist, and hasn’t given the issue any more thought. This is not only completely believable characterization (who hasn’t seen someone react this way when you told them they hurt you?) it’s the film’s central thesis!

Yes, Nick somewhat provokes her into reaching for her “fox spray,” and her own trauma factors in there, but she’s already made her fatal mistake before that happens.

(As an aside, people also make the criticism that the movie unrealistically deflects responsibility for racism onto Bellwether and her plot. It doesn’t. All the key expressions of prejudice in the film--Judy’s encounter with Gideon, her parents’ warnings, the elephant in the ice cream shop, Judy’s early encounters with Bogo, Judy's views on race science--exist largely outside of Bellwether’s influence. She is a demagogue who inflames existing tensions, she didn’t invent them. Bogo literally says “the world has always been broken.”)

So, anyway. But we love Judy. She’s an angel. She also kinda sucks! She’s proudly unprejudiced, and when her own prejudice is pointed out to her she argues and doesn’t take it seriously. This is bad, but it’s also a very human reaction. It’s one most of us have probably been guilty of at one point or another.

Look at Zootopia’s society, too--it’s shiny and cosmopolitan, seemingly idyllic. Anyone can be anything, on paper. But scratch too deep beneath the surface and there’s a lot of pain and resentment here, things nobody respectable would say in public but come out behind closed doors, or among family, when nobody’s watching. It’s entirely recognizable--at least to me, someone who lives in a large liberal city in the United States. Like Byron Howard.

Wow, this place is a paradise!

Wait, what’s a “NIMBY”?

Part 4: Why Shock Collars Are Bad

So, with the film’s conceit established, let’s circle back to the shock collar idea. Like I said, it’s heartbreaking. It’s dramatic. It’s affective.

It also teaches us nothing.

If I see a movie where predator animals are subjected to 24/7 electroshock therapy, I don’t think “wow, this makes me want to think about how I could do better by the people around me.” I think “damn that shit’s crazy lmao. that’d be fucked up if that happened.” At a stretch, it reminds me of something like the Jim Crow era, or the Shoah. You know, stuff in the Past. Stuff we’ve all decided couldn’t ever happen again, so why worry about it?

The directors have said this exact thing, just politely. “It didn’t feel contemporary,” they say in pressers. That’s what it means.

If anything, the shock collar draft reifies the mindset that Zootopia is trying to reject--it shows us that discrimination is blatant, and dramatic, and flagrantly cruel, and impossible to miss.

And...that’s not true. If you only look for bias at its most malicious and evil, you’re going to miss the other 95 percent.

The messaging of this “darker version” is--ironically--less mature, less insightful, less intelligent. Less useful. Darker’s not better.

Part 5: Why Shock Collars Are Still Bad

So what if you don’t care about the message? What if you have no interest in self-reflection, or critical analysis (why are you reading this blog then lmao)? What if you just really want to hear a fun story about talking animals?

Well, this is trickier, because the remaining reasons are pretty subjective and emotional.

The creators have said that the shock collar version didn’t work because the viewers hated the cruel world they’d created. They agreed with Nick--the city was beyond saving. They didn’t want to save it.

The creators have said that Judy was hard to sympathize with, not being able to recognize the shock collars for the obvious cruelty they were.

Fuck you, Judy!

But we haven’t seen the draft copies. We haven’t watched the animatics. We have to take their word for it. Anyone who’s sufficiently invested in this story is going to say “well, I disagree with them.” It doesn’t matter to them that they haven’t seen the draft and the filmmakers have. The movie they’ve imagined is great and nobody is going to convince them otherwise.

But the fact remains that the shock collar movie, as written, did not work. And, if behind the scenes material is to be believed, it continued to not work after months and months of story doctoring.

There’s even been a webcomic made out of the dystopian version of Zootopia. It’s clever and creative and well-written and entertaining and...it kind of falls apart. The creator, after more than a little shit-talk directed at Disney, abandoned the story before reaching the conclusion, but even before then the seams were beginning to show. How do you take a society that’s okay with electrocuting cute animals and bring it to a point of cathartic redemption? You can’t, really. The story doesn’t work.

Does that mean people shouldn’t make fanworks out of the cut material? That they shouldn’t be inspired and excited by it? Hell no. This drawing is cute as hell. The ideas are compelling.

But I suppose what I’d ask of you all is--if you’re weighing the hot takes of art students on Twitter against the explanations of veteran filmmakers, consider that the latter group might actually know what they’re talking about.

See you next time!

[fillingthescrapbook]

Rewriting The CW's Kung Fu, Part 9: Reflections and Moving Forward

And we have reached the end of our Kung Fu journey. If you haven't seen where we began, here's a handy guide to the previous posts:

Part 1: The Characters

Part 2: The Pilot

Part 3: The Mythology

Part 4: The Story Map

Part 5: Act I

Part 6: Act II

Part 7: Act III

Part 8: The Finale

Before I start with the lessons I learned and my other reflections, I want to thank @flailingbloo for all of her help and support in this endeavor. Without her to talk to and commiserate with, I would probably have gotten stuck in Act II forever and everything I've written would've been riddled with spelling errors and grammatical mistakes. So my eternal gratitude to flailingbloo. And now, we begin:

Lessons.

Going into this writing exercise, I already knew it was going to be hard. Writing stories is time-consuming, it's nerve-wracking, and it takes a lot of research...and patience. Writing, especially for television, is also not a solitary task. I mean, sure, the writing itself needs to be done alone--but everything that comes before, during, and after the writing needs input from so many people.

Although I have a lot (and I mean A LOT) of complaints about how The CW's Kung Fu was handled and written, I do have a lot of respect for the work that the writers put into their scripts. And I do appreciate all that they have done to have a show like this produced.

Doing this rewrite, I learned that it's really important to make the main character likeable. Like, every episode I broke down, I had to ask myself: is Nicky likeable here? Is she someone who viewers would want to root for? Like, for me she is, but only people who read what I wrote can say for sure. My perspective is now a bit skewered because I have bias.

Second, story maps are very helpful. There were times, especially during Part 6 (where I wrote breakdowns for Episodes 6 to 9) where I kept getting road-blocked by where I want the story to go. So I went back to the story map over and over again, to remind myself--where does the story itself need to go? How do I help the characters get to the point where they're ready for what needs to happen? (This is also where flailingbloo helped the most for me. Like, she really reminded me why I was doing this rewrite in the first place. Because I care about Nicky and the show. I wouldn't have funneled so much of my time and effort into this if I didn't.)

Another thing I learned, or rather re-learned, is the art of letting go. I created the character of Stanley to recur throughout the series as a reminder of who Nicky was and who she is becoming. And then I finished writing the first act without even mentioning him. By the second act, I was ready to use him finally--but, after multiple false starts, I realized Stanley was one of the reasons why I was having a hard time pushing Nicky's story forward. Because I kept trying to go back to the past. So I decided in the writing of the second act to shelve Stanley completely, only to find him popping up in the second to last episode in a, at least I hope, more organic way.

The last thing I learned in this exercise was that, whenever a new character needs to come in, I have to look at my existing characters first to see if any one of them can fulfill the role I needed for the story. Like, creating new villains for Nicky was fun, sure--but, at the same time, I realized that there were already existing villains that could recur. Like the Triad, who played villains in two more episodes after the pilot; and Henry's martial arts class at the community center became the source of two existing storylines from the actual show.

Reflections.

Do I think what my rewrite is better than the show? To me, yes. But, again, I am very biased. That said, I am proud of how I utilized the characters that the show created and didn't really give much importance to. Dennis, when he was introduced, felt like a rich character that could provide a very different point-of-view from the Shen siblings--but he was mostly relegated to being eye-candy. And I thought I gave him more meat by making him more involved in Althea's sexual harassment storyline, while also involving him in Nicky's stories.

That said, I also realize that I wasn't able to play up Nicky and Evan's past relationship as I was writing the episodic breakdowns. I was able to give them a lot of opportunities to explore their chemistry together, as I did with Nicky and Henry, but I kind of dropped the ball as a writer on guiding those planted moments into something more significant. Granted, I only wrote breakdowns and not actual scripts. Maybe I could've explored the romance angle more with a little sprinkle of direction and dialogue.

As I went deeper into the rewrite, I do see how easy it is to fall in love with characters as you write them. It's very easy to trap yourself into wanting villains to be more well-rounded. I keep having to remind myself that I don't have to redeem everyone. Just Nicky. Which became harder and harder as I went further and further into the story.

Another thing that became difficult as I went on? Keeping the mythology from just bursting open. That's how Henry, as I wrote him, evolved into becoming the son of a guardian--just so there's a reason for him to be so invested in Nicky's quest, while also having someone who can explain things to our main character. I'm actually really proud of that evolution.

All that said, I also have to recognize that I rewrote the show with the benefit of hindsight and the lack of budget constraints. In the real show, there's a group of writers who each have their own ideas of what the show should be. (This is where a head writer--not a show runner--would come in handy, so they could reel in the story to what needs to be told.) With more writers comes more chances for inconsistencies to happen. (And this is where a script supervisor, or a writing assistant, could come in handy.) And then there's production notes and budget. Not to mention, you know, the whole pandemic that's still happening. I didn't have to think about those things while doing this rewrite.

So, again, I want to give the writers kudos to actually producing scripts. I hope they haven't lost their minds--or their will to write--just because there are people like me who nitpick at everything. That's what people who love things do. We nitpick because we care.

Moving forward.

I do plan to stick with the real show for Season 2. I hope it's planned better. I hope they get researchers (plural!) and a writing assistant to help in the writing room. I hope the writers would sit down with the cast to discuss and develop the characters more. And I really hope they hire a better fight choreographer and fight director for the second season. (Like, rehire the people who choreographed and filmed the flashback scene in... Episode 11? The one with Nicky's maternal grandmother and Pei-Ling's own mother?)

I hope that the Nicky-Henry relationship gets explored realistically, and if a potential new love interest is ordered, they get introduced in a way that isn't antagonistic. Make them more well-rounded characters too, please. Make us want to root for their success. And while I think Nicky doesn't have an iota of chemistry with Evan, I do like Evan himself as a character. So I hope they get him more involved in future storylines--as an outsider looking in, sure, but also as an honorary member of the Shen family.

With regards to the Shen family, I do hope that we get to explore their relationships and dreams more before the show drops the reveal about Mei-Xue's daughter. I want Althea to have a cohesive storyline that doesn't pause for no reason. I want Ryan to explore being Asian AND gay as a first-generation Asian-American. And give the Shen siblings some recurring friends. They don't have to be semi-regulars (unless there's a story that can be explored) but let's not keep the Shens in a bubble. It was weird in the first season. Especially for Althea whose friends only showed up for her bachelorette party and never again. Not even when she was panicking about wedding preparations, which, considering how rich Dennis's parents were? They wouldn't let Althea be in charge of anything. They would hire a Chinese wedding coordinator. And an expensive and hard-to-book one at that. They donated an entire hospital wing, for crying out loud.

I want Jin to have an actual character, and not just be the supportive dad who loves his kids very much (admittedly my own rewrite also made this same mistake). And I want Mei-Li to be consistent as a character. Like, no more surprise twists about being the descendant of a legendary warrior without proper foreshadowing and plot-planting please.

Dennis shouldn't just be eye-candy. The same applies to Kerwin. Sure, I get that shirtless men are a must in a CW series, but please give their characters some meat too. Dennis's nerd-side was never showcased in the show, and Kerwin had that poor little rich boy background that didn't get explored either. Because the show was too busy keeping him and Zhi-Lan tearing each others' clothes off--when they're not tearing other people down.

Also, don't drop the ball on the tease that Bian-Ge is now everywhere. If I understood correctly, Bian-Ge is Kung Fu's version of Qi. If yes, then I hope they treat it respectfully as a force of nature--and not just the source of magic. The flowers from Bian-Ge itself can be magical, sure, I have no problem with a fictional flower being a McGuffin.

Finally, I hope the show also explores other Asian communities and cultures. Like, Kung Fu is great--but imagine if Nicky had to face someone who is versed in Silat Melayu? Or someone who uses Arnis? Someone who practices Kalaripayattu or Lathi Khela? Or Kuntao? Imagine Nicky having to use Wing Chun against someone who uses Karate or Krav-Maga? Asia is a big continent and there are so many different types of martial arts found from the Middle East to Southeast Asia. Kung-Fu is an umbrella term, so it'll be great to see the different styles found under it.

... This went long again. Sorry about that. Funny thing is, when I started this whole rewriting plan? I thought it would take three posts, tops. And look at us now. Nine posts deep, and it seems I still haven't run out of things to say. So I'm cutting myself off before I completely wear out my welcome.

But if you've read all my Kung Fu posts, please do reach out. Let's discuss the show and what it can do to produce a better second season.

[kateis-cakeis]

A Perspective Makes The Hero and The Villain

Disclaimer: I’m not calling any fans out here, I believe we’re all right :) Just read the full post to understand!

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So, I think it’s well established that we all watch different perspectives when it comes to the plot of the Dream SMP. Some people may watch many, some people may only watch one. This is what determines everything for us as individuals watching this plot unfold.

It’s like we’re all watching one TV show, with the same plotlines, story, themes... but each and every one of us choses a different character to follow.

I’ve said this very briefly before, it’s what makes us biased, but I want to expand here. It’s also changes our entire perception of the Dream SMP’s story.

I’ve seen the posts on here, I’ve watched them go by, I’ve read them. There’s a lot of people who watch Fundy and they are hardcore on his side, I mean if you hang out in the tag, you’ve probably see them here and there.

They, especially right now with the family drama, see Fundy as the hero, this mistreated guy who tried everything, risked everything to get dirt on Schlatt, and in his moment, when he presented the evidence, his father told him he despised him for what he’d done, and said that he thought he was the only one on Schlatt’s side - to which Fundy said no, that was never it.

Except still, Wilbur didn’t trust Fundy, or anybody for that matter. And Fundy had to stand by and watch as his dad blew up the nation he’d built to keep Fundy safe. And then left him in the dust as he went off and died, leaving Fundy with a dead dad that can barely remember what’s happened.

If anything, to people who watch Fundy, Wilbur was (and is) the villain. (Schlatt too but I’ll get onto him later)

I get it, I do, I understand their perspective, but because I haven’t watched Fundy first, I don’t agree. AND THAT’S what’s so fascinating, even though I understand because I’ve seen the story play out, because I’ve seen it first from a different POV, I have an entirely different view to them!

More shall be under the cut!

Oh, and don’t think I’m not biased. You’re biased, I’m biased, everyone in this fandom is biased. 

I don’t understand why Wilbur calling Fundy his “little champion”, calling him cute, giving him affection, is bad? But I’m sure Fundy watchers could come in and tell me exactly why, and still, because I’ve seen things from Wilbur’s POV first, it would be a lot harder for me to see anything but a loving father.

Do you see? When there’s posts talking about... let’s say Ghostbur, and how we shouldn’t see him as this good guy and whatnot because he’s just hurting Fundy, that’s bias. 

We got Wilbur actually streaming as Ghostbur rather than hopping onto someone else’s call on Tuesday, and that allowed us to see into Ghostbur’s soul more.

People who don’t realise Ghostbur’s inner workings because they’ve just seen one POV, or haven’t listened to his words, are of course gonna think Ghostbur is this guy who blew his chance by running away rather than listening to his son, but if you know how Ghostbur works, then you don’t think that. You see an innocent instead, who just doesn’t remember and doesn’t understand.

But let’s leave Fundy and Wilbur behind for a second and turn our attention to Tommy. Now, a lot of people watch Tommy. He’s like the protag, right?! Everyone talks about how he’s the protag! He’s the hero! He’s the one! You know? All that?

But that’s just one view. Because a lot, a lot of people watch Tommy, of course they’re gonna think that. Especially people who only watch his POV. Because to them he is the hero, he is the protag, just like for the ones who mainly watch Fundy. We’ve all got our protagonist, we’ve all got our hero.

Tommy in the definition of the story is a lot like the hero, but he’s done his fair share of bad things. Like, oh, I don’t know... burning down the new flag and proceeding to burn down the forest, where Wilbur told him to stop because they as a nation once cared about nature, and Schlatt wanted to burn it all down.

People who watch Tommy, I’ve noticed, are very for L’Manberg, they never wanted it blown up, and they believed Schlatt to be the big enemy, even with Wilbur in the background saying he was going to destroy L’Manberg every 5 seconds.

Yet, I don’t see them talk as much about Wilbur being this bad guy. I mean they do, no doubt, but not as much as other people who watch another POV. They’re a lot more sympathetic, and that reflects on how Tommy feels in the story. He stood by Wilbur no matter what, and he paid for it. (The same goes for Techno.)

The villains for the Tommy viewers change considerably because the boy can’t help but get himself into trouble, but, there’s Dream, Schlatt, Techno, Wilbur as well. It’s a lot of people. Oh, and Quackity for a time too. There’s so many people to point villainy at when it comes to watching Tommy mainly, seeing him as the hero.

And this is honestly where the opinions come from. People making posts about how Techno being the traitor makes so much sense, or posts about how Techno was never the traitor because he was betrayed instead, because Tommy and Tubbo formed a government.

Who we see as good, who we see as evil, who is our hero, and who is our villain, all depends on this.

I mean some of us love the chaos, yeah? Some of us cheered when L’Manberg was blown up, some of us were joyful, some of us were ecstatic when Techno spawned in those withers!

Because that’s me. That’s how I see it. I bundled up all that chaos and revelled in it, with a grin on my face. 

See, I mainly watch from Wilbur’s POV, and his POV would come first over anyone else, but I would also watch Techno’s streams. That’s where my bias comes from, you’ve probably seen a lot of it if you’ve read my analyses.

Wilbur is my hero in this story. The villain was Dream, then Schlatt. I think people who watch Wilbur tend to only see those people as villains. I mean for a long time as well, I thought Fundy was firmly on Schlatt’s side. I had heard of him being a spy (I think through an animatic?) but when I heard no more about it (I didn’t look in the tag at the time), I thought he had just switched sides and was with Schlatt.

I mean what else was I to think? He denounced Wilbur as his dad, someone, from what I saw, had only been good to Fundy. Watching Wilbur mainly has never made me think that he was a bad father, at every stage Fundy rejected him, and that’s all I saw. So, yeah, I saw Fundy as someone who had betrayed Wilbur and, like Wilbur, I had a hard time imagining that he was being truthful with his intentions.

And because I watched Wilbur, every mention of L’Manberg exploding made me more excited. The festival was stressful because I was so ready to see that place explode, I wanted it to, so Wilbur could win. And when it finally did, after the war (the coup) was won, I was so happy, so excited, I think I banged my table I was so damn happy.

While I’m sure the people watching from POVs that had no idea where Wilbur was, were shocked to their core, possibly devastated that it blew up, just like the streamer they were watching. (I’m basing this off their chats when it exploded.)

And because I watched Techno’s streams too, I was cheering for him when he got those withers down and spawned. When I watched from his POV after Wilbur’s stream ended, I was so happy for him. Because it was a coup, because a government shouldn’t form due to corruption, because he was less a traitor and more someone who had always made his intentions clear!!

You see?

We’re all biased.

I wanted chaos, while others want peace. I’m sure those who watch Tubbo want peace because he talks about it so often.

And now, onto Schlatt. There’s a good reason why we all see Schlatt as a villain, THE villain. No matter who we watch, no matter who else we see as a villain, Schlatt was always gonna be the big baddie for all of us.

Why?

Because we never got to see into his soul. He never streamed, so we could never understand what he was thinking, who he really was... We only saw what others saw. Perhaps there are variations in opinion due to different POVs, but it’ll only be minor variation. So, no matter what, Schlatt is the only one who can’t be seen as a hero, because we’ve never seen him.

In conclusion, we’re all biased, and we all have different heroes and villains in this story. Even when it comes down to traitors, who we watch greatly affects how we see that too.

I hope you enjoyed reading, and do add on!! I haven’t talked about all the other POVs because I didn’t want to be here all day, and I didn’t want this to be too long! So if you have opinions about what fans of, let’s say, Quackity, would think, pleaseeee add on!!

[aion-rsa]

How Ted Lasso Sneakily Crafted its Empire Strikes Back Season

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This article contains Ted Lasso spoilers through season 2 episode 8.

Perhaps you’ve heard, but Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso was the subject of some dreaded Discourse recently. 

Since the Internet is infinite and we privileged few in the media have nothing but time, a handful of features came out weeks ago essentially questioning what Ted Lasso season 2 was even all about. Many of these features were well-written, well-argued, and fair, but when filtered through Twitter’s anti-nuance machine (i.e. Twitter itself), every feature boiled down to the same reductive take: Ted Lasso season 2 doesn’t have a conflict. 

In some respects, this take was the inevitable reaction to the metanarrative surrounding Ted Lasso in the first place. Despite drawing its inspiration from a series of somewhat cynical NBC Sports Premier League commercials, the first season of Ted Lasso was all about the transformative power of kindness. 

Or at least that’s what we critics declared it to be. And I don’t blame us. Awash in a flood of screeners about antiheroes, dystopias, and the end of the world, the simple kindness of Ted Lasso seemed revolutionary. They made a TV show about a guy who is…nice? They can do that? But the inherent goodness of its lead character was always Ted Lasso’s elevator pitch, not its thesis. 

There’s been a darkness at the center of Ted Lasso since its very first moment, when an American man got on a flight to London in a doomed attempt to save his marriage. And, as season 2’s brilliant eighth episode rolls around, it’s become clear that that darkness is what the show has really been “about” this whole time. 

Season 2 episode 8 “Man City” (the title is referring to AFC Richmond’s FA Cup match against opponent Manchester City but also stealthily reveals that this installment will be all about men and their respective traumas) is quite simply the best episode of Ted Lasso yet. It also might be the best episode of television this year. Near the episode’s end, right before AFC Richmond plays a crucial FA Cup match against the mighty Manchester City, coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) finally comes clean with his coaching staff. He’s been suffering from panic attacks of late. His assistant coaches hear him, accept him, and then head off to the pitch where Man City absolutely obliterates their team.

Man City destroys AFC Richmond. They annihilate them. Embarrass them. Stuff them into a locker and steal their lunch money. The final score is 4-0 but it might as well be 400-0. The coaching staff is rattled but the players are hit even harder. Richmond’s star striker and former Man City player Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) is forced to endure watching his scumbag father cheer for his hometown team from the Wembley Stadium stands at the expense of his son. 

After the game, Jamie’s father, James (Kieran O’Brien), enters the locker room where he drunkenly accosts him for being a loser and demands that Jamie grant access to the Wembley Stadium pitch for him and his scumbag friends to run around on. When Jamie refuses, his father pushes him, so Jamie reflexively punches him right in the face. James is dragged out of the locker room by Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt), leading a stunned and traumatized Jamie Tartt standing in the middle of the room, as if in a spotlight of pure pain, surrounded by teammates too afraid to even approach him. And then something amazing happens…

Here’s the dirty secret about television: there’s a lot of it. Due to the sheer number of TV shows released each year, even the best of them are destined to become little more than memories long-term. Sometimes all you can ask from multiple episodes and seasons of television is to provide you with one moment, one line, or one warm feeling to carry with you into the future. I don’t know how much I’ll remember from Ted Lasso 30-40 years from now when I’m immobile and reclined in my floating entertainment unit, Wall-E style. But I know I’ll at least remember the moment that Roy hugs Jamie.

The great Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) – a character so disconnected from his own emotions that some fans are convinced he’s CGI – embraces the one person in the world he is least likely to embrace. As Roy and Jamie wordlessly hug, it’s hard to tell which man is more shocked by the moment. Ultimately, however, it might be Ted Lasso himself who is hit hardest. Shortly after seeing Roy play father to the younger Jamie, Ted quickly exits the locker room and calls sports psychologist Dr. Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles) on his Apple TV+-apporved iPhone. 

“My father killed himself when I was 16. That happened. To me and to my mom,” Ted says, weeping. 

And that, my friends, is what Ted Lasso is all about. Pain. And dads. But mostly pain. 

None of us can say that Ted Lasso didn’t warn us it was coming. To go back to the discourse of it all real quick – I don’t blame anyone for not picking up on the direction that this show was so clearly heading in. Ted Lasso is, first and foremost, a sitcom. The beauty of sitcoms is that you welcome them into your home to watch at your own pace and your own terms. If having Ted Lasso on in the background so you can occasionally see the handsome mustache man who smiles while you fold your laundry is the way you’ve chosen to engage with the show, then great! Just know that season 2 has been operating on a deeper level this whole time as well.

Let’s take things all the way back to the beginning – back to before season 2 even began. You’ve likely heard the old philosophical thought experiment “if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” Well Jason Sudeikis’s interviews leading up the season 2 premiere beg an equally as interesting hypothetical “how many times can one man mention The Empire Strikes Back before someone notices??”

Sudeikis referred to Ted Lasso season 2 as the show’s “Empire Strikes Back” multiple times before the premiere including in his local Kansas City Star and his technically local USA Today. The show even explicitly mentions the second Star Wars film in this season’s first episode when Richmond general manager Higgins (Jeremy Swyft) tells Ted that his kids are watching the trilogy for the first time. Sudeikis (who co-created and produces the show) and showrunner Bill Lawrence clearly want us to take the idea that Ted Lasso season 2 is The Empire Strikes Back seriously. And why would that be? 

Think of how ESB differs from its two Star Wars siblings in the original trilogy. This is the story that features arguably the series most iconic moment when Luke Skywalker discovers his dad is a dick on a literal universal level. It also has the only unambiguously downer ending of any original trilogy Star Wars film. Luke is thoroughly defeated in this installment. Having one’s hand chopped off by their father and barely escaping with their life is definitely the Star Wars version of a 4-0 defeat. 

The Empire Strikes Back can safely be boiled down into two concepts: 

Dads are complicated.

Everything sucks.

When viewed through those two conceptual prisms, so much of Ted Lasso season 2 begins to make more sense.

Episode 1 opens with the death of a dog and then leads into a classic Ted Lasso speech that could serve as this season’s mission statemetn. After recounting the story of how he cared for his sick neighbor’s dog, Ted concludes with: “It’s funny to think about the things in your life that can make you cry knowing that they existed then become the same thing that can make you cry knowing that they’re now gone. Those things come into our lives to help us get from one place to a better one.”

Things like…a father who you didn’t have nearly enough time with? Following episode 1 (and following just about every episode this season), Bill Lawrence took to Twitter to assuage viewers’ fears about a lack of central conflict this season. He had this to say about Ted’s big speech.

Look, Merrill. It was thought out, but the speech he gives after (Written by Jason himself – I loved it) is the core of the season, but we knew some people might bum out.

— Bill Lawrence (@VDOOZER) July 27, 2021

Sorry, truly. Ted’s speech after (which I love, but am obviously biased) is a big part of the season. But it sounds like you had a crappy thing happen recently.

— Bill Lawrence (@VDOOZER) July 28, 2021

It’s not. But Ted’s speech has big relevance. Stick around!

— Bill Lawrence (@VDOOZER) July 26, 2021

He also had this to say about dads.

Effin Dads, man. Love mine so, but he’s struggling a bit.

— Bill Lawrence (@VDOOZER) July 27, 2021

“Effin dads” and our complicated relationships with them are all over Ted Lasso season 2. In the very next episode, Sam Obisanya (Toheeb Jimoh) tells Ted “You know, my father says that every time you’re on TV, he’s very happy that I’m here. That I’m in safe hands with you.”

Ted smiles at this bit of info but not as warmly as you might expect. Because to Ted, a dad isn’t a reassuring presence but rather someone you love who will just leave when you need him the most. That’s why he’s been trying to be the perfect father figure this whole time. That’s why he did something as extreme as leaving his family behind in Kansas while he heads off to London. If giving his wife space was the only way to preserve the family and remain a good dad, then he was going to give her a whole ocean of space.

Moreover, Ted hasn’t just been trying to serve as a father figure to his son this whole time but to everyone else as well. Sam’s comment to Ted reminds him that not everyone has a good dad, which encourages him to bring Jamie into the fold in the first place.

As time goes on, however, the stress of being the consummate father to everyone in his orbit begins to wear on Ted. Throughout the entirety of this season, Ted Lasso appears to be trying to be Ted Lasso just a bit too hard. His energy levels are too high. His jokes go on too long. The same life lessons that worked last year aren’t working this year. AFC Richmond opens with an embarrassing streak of draws before Jamie’s immense talents set things straight.

It all culminates in this season’s sixth episode when Ted has his second panic attack in as many years. This time it’s in public during an important game. The experience sends Ted running through the concourse of the stadium until he somehow ends up in the dark on Dr. Fieldstone’s couch, instinctively, like a wounded animal. 

It’s certainly no coincidence that this panic attack occurs on the same day that Ted received a call from his son’s school asking him to pick him up, not realizing that he’s an ocean away. In that moment, Ted can’t help but remember what it’s like to be left behind by his own father and subconsciously wonder if he’s doing the same. 

Though the shallow waters of Ted Lasso season 2 may have appeared consequence free for half its run, beneath the surface was a tidal wave of conflict. Just because the conflict wasn’t taking place between a happy-go-lucky football coach and a villainous owner doesn’t mean it wasn’t there.

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Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin is terrible at meeting deadlines but great at writing. According to him (and William Faulkner, from whom he borrows the quote), the only conflict worth writing about is that of the human heart with itself. That’s something that The Empire Strikes Back understood. And it’s something that Ted Lasso season 2 does as well.

The post How Ted Lasso Sneakily Crafted its Empire Strikes Back Season appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[sgt-celestial]

helloooo it is i the supernatural anon from a day or two ago :)

may or may not be binge watching it slightly so I've already finished season one and one episode of season 2. what can i say, not only am i enjoying the show but I'm very excited and impatient for castiel to show up so i will probably keep this binge watching up until season 4.

as for season 1 tho,, man,, ok imma roast it a bit before i get into the stuff i loved because most of the time the first few episodes, or even first season, of a show can be pretty bad while they are still figuring out what works and what doesn't.

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ngl episodes 2-9 were a little boring. i think it's because they set up that whole 'their mother and jess died to a demon' thing and didn't mention it much for quite a few episodes after? apart from the 'we gotta find dad' stuff of course. i think those episodes were important though because it allows us to get a feel of the main characters and the types of creatures that live in the same world as them, but after so many episodes it gets a bit boring.

the structure of those episodes was a bit common as well. like you can see the same type of 'audience watches thing happen, then watches the main characters deal with it' in many other shows, and it becomes a bit predictable after a while (Johnathan Creek is a show that uses this structure, it's basically the same thing except it's mysteries without supernatural elements, each mystery and solution per episode is really clever)

after episode 9 the stories became far more interesting, which makes the predictable structure far more forgivable.

allowing the main characters to create relationships with other characters also played a huge part in it's improvement. like the woman with the brain tumor, the ending to that episode became far more difficult to predict because on one hand dean and the viewer has now bonded with this woman and feels pity for her, but on the other hand someone innocent will die. i mean they did it before in eps 2-9, but with this plus the more interesting stories it became easier to feel for these characters.

speaking of that faith episode, as well as the demon truck one, i see what you mean about the homophobia and racism. i think it's meant to be there because of historical stuff as well as outdated religious stereotypes. of course this doesn't excuse it, but that's the reason i think it's there.

--

i absolutely loved the episodes with their father and the demon they're trying to kill. i think the show is far more suited to an ongoing story rather than a different issue popping up each episode. that's not to say it should be all ongoing story, spicing it up with one offs is important too.

i think it was a great choice to introduce characters like bob or meg (i think? I'm bad at remembering names oops) because it gives a sense of the characters world being far larger than what we see on screen, which is important to make it convincing.

it also gives us an opportunity to see how the characters interact with characters that exist for longer than a single episode, which adds more depth to their character and makes them far more interesting and real.

and the whole car crash thing?? and the episode after with the reaper and making a deal with the demon?? and the dad's death?? clearly what I've watched so far is only just scratching the surface of what this show has planned and it's potential. very very excited to watch season 2 :)

and again, no pressure to write a whole 5 paragraphs back in response, or even respond fast, i don't wanna burn you out lol

Anon, I can wholeheartedly tell you that your asks could not possibly burn me out! They're a highlight to my day :) and, me too, anon. I managed to binge all 15 seasons within 29 days (which I guess says alot about my priorities).

I'm going to confess, I actually enjoy the Monster Of The Week™ episodes inbetween the storyline; then again, really plot-heavy shows tend to tire me out, so I'm definitely a biased opinion when it comes to MoTW eps.

And yes! Faith has always stood out to me as one of my favourites in Season 1. One quote that stuck with me was "if you're going to have faith, you can't just have it when the miracles happen; You have to have it when they don't." Like. Holy shit.

As for Meg and Bobby? THEE side characters. I love them so so much (especially because they aren't afraid to criticise the Winchesters <3). Sometimes the show tries to force in a brothers-only sort of plot, which is fine, but cuts off so many fantastic allies that could make it a great deal more interesting! So (without mentioning names as to keep this spoiler-free) that's why I absolutely adore some of the late-season side-characters.

I think I've covered everything in your ask - again, thank you so so much for sending it in, they're really fun to answer!!! :) I hope I didn't ramble too much!!!

[weaselbeaselpants]

I don’t like Johnny Depp

No, not Rango. Not Vinctor Van Dort. Not Edward. Not Jack Sparrow. Those are mah boys. They always will be.

I’m talking about JOHNNY DEPP

To be specific, I really hate his fanbase who I honestly believe wouldn’t give a rat’s ass about him if it weren’t for his characters and talent. You guys don’t know Johnny. I don’t know Johnny. Tim Burton IS a person who does know Johnny, but WE ALSO DON’T KNOW TIM BURTON.

So when you say “but lookit THIS person who said Johnny could have never done anything wrong” you’re working against your own argument; people have biases and know only so much as they can, even about friends and business partners. Tim Burton probably doesn’t want to believe what’s been said about Johnny. 

If I had to guess AS A VIEWER, what’s going on with Amber and Johnny, my bet is on it being a complicated situation. That’s happening with some relatives of mine;

Without naming names; the man had serious drinking problem and beat his wife in front of their daughters - man’s gotten better now but they’re divorced; wife becomes paranoid and convinces police that he was going to hurt one daughter (he wasn’t), denying him custody; wife refuses to take medication and denies daughter schizophrenia meds; other daughter is miserable and refuses to go against her dad because her mother is saying blatantly untrue things about them to our fam.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ this is something currently happening to some family of mine. It’s awful and it’s sadly not as straight forward as one party did nothing wrong and one party is totes innocent. This. Happens. A LOT.

Johnny has a drinking problem. It’s been getting worse by the year and is NOT something that’s oh-so-deniable by his friends and fam, but I guess pointing this out is uncomfortable for you Johnny-stans somehow?

My dad fucking died from alcoholism. For years beforehand, he was a verbally abusive explosive ball of toxicity that made me hate coming home from school. Knowing my father in his better moments, I can tell you he didn’t want to become this - but he did.

My dad was a beloved school teacher and people didn’t want to believe he was going insane so they pestered my sister about him. We reunited with one of his old students at a theme park once who didn’t even know we weren’t a family anymore or that he’d died. It was heartbreaking.

Yes. I’m dipping into my own life to show you all why this “Amber Heard is a scum-sucking-awful-monsterbitchwhore lier who should NEVER be trusted EVER”-attitude bothers me so much.

And if you say I’m projecting too much of my feelings onto this case while simultainiously calling for Amber’s death and Johnny’s innocence -

FUCK YOU

I don’t know shit about Amber outside this case. I love Johnny Depp’s characters. I really hope the worst parts of this story AREN’T TRUE. Like I said, it looks complicated, with no definitive right or wrong side from what I’m reading up on. But in that spirit may I ask that you PLEASE stop calling Amber all these terrible things because of what she’s said. If you truly believe in everyone having a story, than stop making this story the “definite hero” and “definite villain”-type story.

[t100ficrecsblog]

three thoughts about john murphy (& 1 thought about folklore)

ONE

John Murphy… where to start?! I didn’t like him exactly, but I was intrigued by him from early on. His motivations fluctuated and he was hard to pin down initially, but I found him much more interesting than the other male characters so I guess that’s how it started for me. Canon tries to sell Murphy as selfish or uncaring or primarily out for himself, but only in very early s1 do I ever buy this about him. He was making efforts to be helpful & doing good deeds ages ago, so I actually find it pretty frustrating that both canon & some of fandom are now suddenly on the “we’re so proud” of Murphy train. He has matured into a better person, yes, but the seed of that was clearly visible in s1 and it’s one of the reasons I love Murphy because for me at least, the glimpses of who he really was when he let his guard down have always pulled me right in. -JENN

One of the best arcs on the show. Murphy’s grown and changed so much over the course of the show, while also staying true to himself. I think it’s been interesting to him progress, but just as fascinating to see where he stays the same or even regresses at times. I think Murphy really encompasses how good people can be bad sometimes, but learn and overcome and, ultimately, live. -RYN

he is far more fair and pragmatic than people give him credit for. i think a lot of it is him feeling the effects of being expendable. i also don’t believe this is a new development - he wanted to help finn in season two, he helped bellamy in season three, he stole medicine in season four, he stayed behind for raven in season five, he didn’t want to start a war in season six. he’s not a hero or a villain, he’s just a typical complex human. -ELLE

TWO

I’m a big fan of Murphy’s sense of humor, his ability to read people & situations, and how he’s really not much of a grudge holder, all things considered. He doesn’t get enough credit for that. I don’t view him as comic relief for the show though - to me Murphy’s arcs over the seasons have often been deeper and more complex than they first appear to be, and I don’t know that other characters would have come out of them as intact as Murphy has. He doesn’t get enough credit for that either. Yes, he’s a survivor but he’s also had to develop an incredibly thick skin to deal with the things he has been through. So basically what I’m saying is that Murphy deserves the world! -JENN

Morality. I think Murphy perfectly demonstrates the morality of t100. How it changes, ebbs and flows. How it can adapt and become better, but also lose hope and go to extremes when under pressures to survive. Then, even amongst the darkest times, there’s always the lingering feeling of hope and light.  -RYN

john murphy (thanks to richard harmon) elevates every storyline and character he’s involved with. i know i’m biased, but i feel he is criminally underused. he’s often used in the b or even c plots, but he shines so much when he’s with the rest of the mains. part of the reason i love murven so much is that i find murphy and raven so natural and electric together. they have such an easygoing banter, and their development is second to none. i feel like the characters (and actors) can bounce off one another like no other pair. -ELLE

THREE

he is more than just comedic relief or the resident “cockroach” (while i’m here: i viciously hate the cockroach joke as well as the “shut up murphy” shtick). i think a lot of people tend to overlook him, but he is actually such an interesting and compelling character in terms of mental health. i definitely feel like in the modern world, he would be diagnosed with something. that’s why so many of his fans relate to him and see something that maybe a lot of viewers wouldn’t. he’s smart and loyal and kind - but like anyone, has inner struggles. -ELLE

Dad!Murphy rights. This has been living in my mind for a while now, and I am even part of the dad!murphy enthusiasts founded by the amazing @queenemori. We all are passionate about Murphy being a dad, and regardless of our ship of choice, love to talk about it and come up with headcanons and fic that includes the dynamic. -RYN

Now that we’re so close to the end, I do regret that canon likely won’t delve more into Murphy’s ties to Abby (before and after her death) and how he connects her to his own parents. Also his isolation/PTSD in s5 & his reliance on drinking in s6/s7 are pieces I think we’re missing out on too. I think these aspects of who Murphy has grown to be are important to his character, his past and his future. I’m glad that fic writers who love Murphy will tackle topics like these though, because they are stories that deserve to be told. -JENN

what’s your favorite song from folklore?

Probably betty, though I really love august and cardigan as well! There’s just something about betty that really gets me in my feels and it’s such a poignant song. It’s been on repeat for me for a while and I don’t see that changing soon. -ryn

other than all of them? right this minute it’s maybe ‘invisible string’. though again, it’s really all of them. -elle

How dare you ask me something so difficult! Every listen this answer might change but Exile & Mirrorball are consistently in the top 3. -jenn

[snowstorm808]

More Than Friends episode 1 - 8 review

Initially, I was not planning to watch this drama for my usual petty reasoning that I don’t like the actors. However, Kim Dongjun was just too darned irresistible so here I am writing a review, admitting my defeat. My less biased self has acknowledged that a decent dram is worth watching. Since the quarantine began, I’ve been on a constant search for romance themed dramas that would actually make my heart beat the way k-dramas did when I was a kid. It is the main reason why my reviews are mostly along those lines. As much as I want to watch When I was the Prettiest, I’m simply not in for melodramas nowadays.

Since I’m writing this review as I watch each episode, I’ll be doing a per episode review so this is going to be lengthy. I’ll be adding the other episode reviews on this post until the drama ends.

Episode 1 - Everything started from their high school days. Honestly, Kyeon Woo Yeon is reminiscent of the senior high school life my and my sister had. We became the villains for trying to be kind. I like the friendship the characters developed. The first episode has laid a good foundation of backstories and what is more to come. Soo and Woo Yeon’s friendship may have started as platonic but it is also something that can obviously become more than that. I assume Soo is too young to actually realize his won feelings for Woo Yeon. It seems like she’s really the only one he considers a friend given that he hasn’t really opened up to anyone else other than her. Knowing the premise of the story beforehand makes me think that he’ a jerk but I also want to be a bit more objective for his character. Oh and I love how Jinju listened to her mom with a Jo in Sung reward in her mind. Heh, while her mom may have just lied to her but it was enough to motivate this poor girl. Heck, even I would have been motivated by that but most guys my age are just effed up. I can’t wait for On Joon Soo!

Episode 2 -  So we start off from where I’m beginning to realize Soo is a bigger jerk than I assumed. While I do understand that he had issues because of his parent’s selfish divorce, I just feel that he should be more considerate of Woo Yeon’s feelings if he even saw her as a friend at all. I am used to his narcissism especially with his words, but I just want him to at least try to think from her perspective. Woo Yeon may seem whiny and a bit irritating but she’s simply someone hopelessly in love with her best friend who only rejected her coldly without trying to sound nice about it. What’s worse is that he wants to keep her as a friend despite it all! So yes, I am still waiting for On Joon Soo! Woo Yeon’s little encounters with him are quite cliché but cute. His eyes seem so cold which makes me think that he’s a nice guy but scary when he gets angry. Damn, I could not take my eyes off whenever he’s onscreen!

Episode 3 - I’ve been really excited for this episode because this is where everything kicks off! There’s also a bit more storyline for the other friends which are also enjoyable to watch. There’s also more to Lee Soo’s story and his own scars (which I still think does not excuse his treatment of Woo Yeon) so it provides viewers with more of his perspective. It is evident that he is also beginning to realize the type of feelings he has for Woo Yeon. I still think of him as selfish for all that, I also feel that the only reason he might be acting that way is because he fears her not being around him whenever he wants her to be there. As they say, having your cake and eat it too. But he needs to be clear about it fast because she’s becoming more serious about moving on from him and her world is becoming bigger. I want Soo to feel more threatened and jealous since I know they will end up together anyway so he should at least suffer more than she did. On Joon Soo has some stories up his sleeve too which I hope to see more. It would be too unfair if he’s just there to make feel nervous about loosing Woo Yeon, right? 

Episode 4 - I love how honest and straight forward my On Joon Soo is! Yup, I’m claiming him once Woo Yeon rejects him. It is refreshing that he knows about Woo Yeon and Lee Soo early on which saves me from some dramatic cliché of not knowing about it till the end. Joon Soo is making an impact pretty quickly even though Woo Yeon isn’t too keen about it as of the moment but he seems to be making her smile unbeknownst to her. This drama’s storyline isn’t something very new, in fact it is quite simple but it’s also giving clichés a refreshing take which I really like. I’m reminded of Discovery of Love and this might just beat that one. Soo has come to really feel the threat Joon Soo brings, his talk with his dad was a wake up call which I hope he can take. I’m starting to think that he can actually learn from his parents’ mistake if he cares to look. For now, he is just a whiny kid whose toy is about to be taken away. I might as well mention a bit of Young-Hee and Hyun-Jae’s relationship; his mom is a total hypocrite! These two should find more balance in their relationship and not seem like a dom and sub most of the time.

Episode 5 - Soo clearly denied having feelings for Woo Yeon! I honestly thought by now, he would be done hesitating but instead he keeps confusing her and being jealous. Meanwhile being straightforward is Joon Soo’s card. He does not hesitate to say he likes Woo Yeon so I hope he stays that way even if he gets jealous over Soo. This is a precious moment for Woo Yeon to see someone else other than Soo in a romantic light. I do get she’s hesitant because of lingering feelings and all but I also want to give herself a real chance to like someone else which makes me happy with this episode’s development. Finally, they also get to talk more about her pain in liking him one-sidedly, she’s being clear about how difficult it was for her but then Soo only prefers to look at the good memories. He’s being unfair especially when he decided to intrude in her date with Joon Soo only to embarrass her out of his jealousy. I must say Jinju is such a sweetheart for helping out Woo Yeon just in time.

Episode 6 - Just as Soo is beginning to realize his love for Woo Yeon, it seems like fate is keeping them apart for a little longer. I must agree that timing is essential in our actions, whether in love or other decisions we make. I think I’ve missed a lot of chances my self but I don’t want to dwell o it but instead, work harder on things that I can work on. I’m still swooning over Joon Soo’s confession which I did not expect at all because he has been vocal enough about wanting to date Woo Yeon. I’m loving a lot of things in this episode like the first fight among our female trio who finally gets a few things out of their chest about each other. There’s also Young Hee finally thinking if she’s being too much with her tough girl act. I mean even she used to buy shoes for Hyun Jae so she really should try to understand him more. He wants her to rely on him too not just in monetary things but to actually talk about her problems too. She can learn to share her burdens bit by bit too. I also like the fact that Woo Yeon decided to give Soo one last chance. I think this time around, it would be harder form him to win her feelings back. Regardless of his accident, it is true that he had realized his feelings quite late. It is also a fact that Woo Yeon has been hurt several times by him. As he said so himself, understanding does not make it hurt less. My ship is beginning to sail so I’m really happy and full of spazzing here. I want to see more sweet moments between Joon Soo and Woo Yeon because they deserve to be happy with each other after being hurt by their first loves. Dong Joon’s eyes are so expressive, I need to be saved, the way his expression changes from that sunshine to that cold hard and serious face gives me such tension. The narrative towards the end of this episode was really nice. I thought Soo’s accident would not be shown due to filming constraints but it seems the director and writer had something in mind, and made a narrative out of it to corelate it to essence of timing.

Episode 7 - Joon Soo and Woo Yeon are finally together! I’ve been swooning over their dates, I hope they can stay that way longer. I want them to get to know each other more so they won’t have regrets later on. I must admit it’s gratifying to see Soo suffer this time around. This is his consequence for thinking that Woo Yeon would be always beside him. While I do know he is sincere with his feelings for her, he had hurt her too many times for so she deserves to be happy this time around. Even if her feelings for Joon Soo does not equal what she felt for Soo, it is the former who makes her happy in the present and showers her with the love she deserved from the start. It was unfair enough to be dragged around by Soo during all those years while he rejected her and insisted they remain friends so I don’t really get why he acts all pitiful now. Oh and I prefer his hair styled up than down. I like that Woo Yeon has come to understand where she stands in terms of her feelings for Soo. She acknowledged the fact that she was partly at fault for continuing to harbor feelings for him despite the constant rejection. I’m loving the details in this drama such as the person Woo Yeon bumped in to at the airport when she was on her way to confess for the first time turned out to be Joon Soo. Also the fact that he hesitated in his own confession was because he saw her get rejected straightaway. I sort of guessed this much because there was an emphasis during that scene in the first episode which I almost forgot until this episode. Then there’s Jinju’s possible love prospect and the extra emphasis when she bought milk tea for the sunbae who “cares too much about health.” But then he seems so young! I personally ship her with Sang Hyeok; he seems like the type of guy who will take good care of her and be her comfort after a hard day’s work. I love it that Young Hee and Hyun Jae are actually making a progress in their ten year relationship. I’m loving these two a lot especially now that Young Hee is making an effort to open up to him about herself and what is happening to her. They’re actually my favorite couple in this drama since I keep wanting to have Joon Soo for my self.

Episode 8 - The previous episode’s ending got me really nervous because I don’t want Joon Soo and Woo Yeong to break up so soon. I did not want him to get hurt that way too because he does not deserve it. Obviously, their relationship is not stable enough with Soo in the picture, and Joon Soo is very anxious of it. I want his to be more vocal about his feelings of jealousy and anxiety but he probably just want to show Woo Yeon his good qualities lest it drives her away. However, I keep having the impression that Joon Soo fears the idea of loosing the girl he likes more than anything else. I suppose it is because of his experience with his first love but it seems that this fear is overpowering his feelings for Woo Yeon. His secretary/ friend’s advice also struck a chord with me because I know they will not end up together. In this episode, I think I have confirmed my suspicion about him being the type who is scary when angered. It was evident that his patience has been running thin in trying to keep his jealousy under wraps especially when he got pissed with Soo’s informal way of speech. It wasn’t something most people would appreciate which reminded me of the reactions actor Joo Won received from his seniors due to his informal speech. Soo was really a jerk for letting his jealousy overtake him to the point of causing Woo Yeon to be embarrassed in front of their friends and her boyfriend. I hope he can take a step back for awhile instead of constantly shaking up Woo Yeon with his own feelings. He owes it to her to let her be happy even if it meant with someone else. Young Hee’s advice about letting Woo Yeon go was right especially when she pointed out that Woo Yeon liked him for a third of his lifetime. How can I not love her more? It’s so nice to see that she and Hyun Jae has come to terms where their relationship stand instead of getting overwhelmed by the pressure to get married immediately. Please don’t let them break up ever! Next week’s episodes will be more intense so I am excited and dreading it at the same time. Just why is this drama flying by so quickly?

[nellie-elizabeth]

Grey's Anatomy: You'll Never Walk Alone (17x04)

Awww George! That was the best possible answer as to who was waiting for Meredith in the pseudo-afterlife. It was so amazing seeing him!

Cons:

I thought Maggie's boyfriend's thing with his dad was a little unrealistic in how blunt it was? Like, he saw his dad on a Zoom call and was immediately like "here is the major family drama that we have, let me explain it to the viewer and then sign off the call." It might have just been an issue of clunky writing.

Okay, Jo and Jackson... tread very, very lightly. I don't mind a good old fashioned friends with benefits situation, but that never seems to go the way we want it to, and I'm not about Jo/Jackson as an actual romantic pairing. This show has convinced me of weirder, but at the moment I just don't want them to pair up because they both happen to be single. Also, any storyline that touches on Jo healing from Alex just gives me visceral flashbacks to how stupid Alex's exit from the show truly was. It's hard to see past that.

Pros:

Okay, starting with a small thing, but I actually thought Nico and Levi's conversation was hilarious. I'm not aboard the ship for them anymore, after everything Nico put Levi through, but it's just occurred to me what the funniest and best way forward would be for them, if they keep this story going. What if Levi actually does a good job with boundaries, is totally emotionally over Nico, and really is just using him as a sex buddy, and then Nico catches overwhelming feelings and realizes how badly he screwed up? And Levi is just like... "nah, man. Thanks, but no thanks." I would watch the hell out of that. I just liked when Levi was like "I want to invite you over, but you and I were not good to each other and nothing's changed." And Nico's like "there's a global pandemic." And Levi's like "good point, let's go." It made me laugh.

While I have serious reservations about Jo and Jackson, I do think their friendship is really sweet, and I hope they continue to be able to lean on each other through the tough times. I'm all aboard the pandemic sex buddy agenda.

George and Meredith talking was so great! I loved how he described being dead, and not getting a choice, and regrets, and do regrets matter? It was so cute, when Meredith got all giggly, asking George if he haunted his mother sometimes. And George bringing up the way Meredith used to dance it out when she got stressed or sad. It was such a lovely callback to the earlier days of the show, the twisted sisters... I miss Cristina so much, I really do.

Giving the main character of the show Covid-19 makes a certain amount of sense from a dramatic perspective, but I was a little nervous going in that they were going to be disrespectful about it. It's still possible they could make some bad choices here, but so far I think the balance is working well. See, Meredith is hovering in this in-between place, and she gets to see Derek, she gets to see George, that's all well and good... but they aren't really implying that it's entirely Meredith's choice. This isn't some metaphysical decision about whether or not to live. She needs to have the will, but also, on the outside, she's sleeping all day and really sick, and her doctors and friends need to make medical decisions to save her life. If it's even possible.

Speaking of, I like the conflict we're setting up here with DeLuca, Teddy, and Richard all taking different roles in Meredith's healthcare. Obviously Andrew is pushing for a risky new trial, and Teddy backs him up, which seems to set Richard at ease... but it's still a big decision for him to make. If he puts her in the trial and she dies, will it be his fault? I loved the moment when we saw Richard come into the dream space with Meredith and George, that subtle blending of these two states of mind.

Amelia and Link for the win! I loved that Amelia lost her shit a little bit, but instead of devolving back into the Amelia of old, who would have totally spiraled and caused big drama, we got Link trying to be a good partner for her, and then telling her in no uncertain terms that he too needs support as he deals with the situation his own way, by not talking and processing, but by focusing on the good things and playing his damn guitar. Open communication for the win!

Poor Tom really cannot catch a break. If they kill him off in a "surprise, you thought Meredith was in danger but it's actually Tom" kind of way, I will be PISSED. The guy is acerbic, and kind of a jerk, but I honestly think he's a good person who tries his best, and he doesn't deserve the crap he's gone through. I'd love for some sort of hilarious reconciliation between Owen and Tom where they put aside their differences and become friends, and both leave Teddy behind in the dust. It's what she deserves, to be quite honest. In any case, I loved Helm and Tom talking about a zombie apocalypse game and doing simulations for COVID... I think this is based on a true story of something that happened in an MMORPG game, although I can't remember which one... probably WOW... it was used to test pandemic conditions.

Even though there was a bit of awkwardness in the writing, I still really love Maggie and her boyfriend. I like how chill and reasonable she's being about this, in a clear example of growth from... oh... all of Maggie's other plot threads! I hope that these two can stay together, and that their long distance relationship will continue to grow throughout the season. I think they're really cute!

I wasn't entirely sure what to think of Owen's racism plot at first, but ultimately I liked how it was portrayed, how you can't exactly hate Owen for making this mistake but at the same time, he needs to own his biases and do better. He says "there's no excuse" and then makes an excuse immediately... and Bailey calls him on it. Owen sucks and I don't like him, but I hope he learns from this mistake. I also liked the intern lady whose name I don't know, who wanted to talk to Owen about his mistake but couldn't figure out how to do it, and the fact that Nico did it for her, basically, telling Owen off in no uncertain terms. That was a good character beat for him.

As always, I feel fairly certain I'm missing someone. This show is just too huge, too many characters to juggle! For now, I'll end things there. This was a perfectly fine installment, it felt like filler for things to come, but I don't mind that! And we got to see George!

8/10

[themagnificentartofshipping]

This is a Glee post about the Kurt and Quinn fight about Karofsky’s suicide attempt. It’s probably gonna get ranty, I watched the clip on youtube and I didn’t want to right my opinion in the comments because it will probably be long and it could possible end up turning into being about Quinn’s issue and how the show angers me with how they treat her and her clear problems. I haven’t written it yet, so we’ll see. And you know me on my bullshit especially about  Quinn should be in the place where in the year 2020 I still have a Quinn icon.

I love Quinn Fabray , if you couldn’t tell so I'm definitely biased towards her, but I do understand what she said about suicide was insensitive and I don't agree with it. I still think Kurt is in the wrong, one because he shouldn't downplay what Quinn's been through, and also I don’t think it fair for him to act like he understands what Karofsky’s going through just because he’s also gay because Kurt’s coming out experience was positive and he didn’t lose people in that process and just Kurt relationship with his sexuality is very different from the way were shown Karofsky’s. 

And to be honest(and this is where people may be pissed at me) I feel like Karofsky’s experience with being outed and his peers and friends reactions is closer to Quinn’s experience with her pregnancy then Kurt's coming out experience and I want to say I’m not equating Quinn’s pregnancy with being gay, I’m bringing this up because I think Kurt and Quinn have experienced different parts of what Karofsky’s was going through. Kurt obviously understands the mental and emotional struggle that figuring out and coming to terms with your sexuality is. Quinn understand the isolation and just awfulness when people you thought cared about you and were your friends turned on you and just dropped you and/or made fun of you( the glee girls in mash up said some not great things in reference to her and her pregnancy and Santana bringing up her having a baby in their fight and we never see a cheerio who’s not San or Britt speak to her in season 1 after her pregnancy news drops) This is going to sound shallow but, both Quinn and Karofsky care about where they are on the social hierarchy of high school and they both had their spot at the top ripped out from under them. They also both did not get to control when important life changing information about themselves was released to the world or their families. Quinn only got to tell Finn about her pregnancy her self every other time it was announced she didn’t get to do it or know it was going to happen, and that caused her to be blindsided by changes in her life and personally I think she should have been allowed to tell people when she was ready. I know that it is different from being outed but, I do think it has in common the feeling of being blindsided, and not being able to prepare for the worst/ peoples reactions and having people know a very personal thing about you without your permission. Writing this section made me realize i’d probably be significantly less pissed off if Santana would have called out Quinn instead, I still would have been upset about dismissing what Quinn has gone through, but since Santana has experienced being outed and having to tell family before she was ready and even family rejection over her sexuality as well as her fearing losing high school status, I think she does understand Karofsky’s experience so has higher ground to stand on. 

So now this section will be about what Quinn has gone through, why I feel dismissing it is shitty and the way Kurt said specifically upset me, it might get into how season 3 treats her as a whole but we’ll see. So like i have an issue with the fact that he said the world never stopped loving her cause that’s just not true. Her father called her a disappointment and kicked her out of her house and as far as we are aware they still are not in contact(like he doesn’t show up at her HS graduation and she got into Yale) and that is parent who is suppose to love you unconditionally. And Sue a person she looked up to and respected publicly told her she was a disgrace. She lost her social standing and it seems like most of her friends and losing popularity might seem shallow but, it was important to Quinn. Also just the fact that she made the effort to rejoined the cheerios even though the culture of it is awful with the weigh ins and Sue’s shakes proves to me that she definitely didn’t feel like she was still loved by the world or the school. Back to the parent thing, I feel like its big part of why Kurt saying this is so frustrating to me because one of the stand things about Quinn’s pregnancy is the fact that her parents completely abandoned her and didn’t even try to support her because that is something Kurt could never get because he has the most supportive dad in the world. Like being a pregnant teen is hard, you have to make a lot of adult decisions and experience all the physical and hormonal changes while being this extreme outsider in your age group is difficult enough(which Kurt kind of dismissed)but, you add on not having familial support and having to worry about where your going to live and holy shit that’s hard and awful and emotional tasking. Also learning that your parents love for you is conditional can not be an easy thing to go through emotionally. And the world clearly didn’t love her at the beginning of season 3, when no major adult in her life made any attempts to help her, Sue used her breakdown for her own gain and Will just screams at her and tells her to grow up and says a bunch of mean things to her that are easily disapproved.

Moving on to dismissing her struggles at the beginning of season three as a bad dye job, its just very frustrating to me cause it very clear that that wasn’t it. And like I’m aware that Kurt as a character is likely unaware of all the shit going on with Quinn in season 3, but the person who wrote that line should be aware of what’s been going on with Quinn so I’m very confused about there intention. Because I think its clear even to people who don’t sympathize with Quinn that she was not in her a good mental state when Shelby was there, (i think that’s like until the 8th or 9th episode) and that clearly shows something else is going on and I believe that Quinn not being okay didn’t come out of nowhere, the last 3 episodes of season 2 had Quinn not being in the best place ending with her big meltdown in New York. Some people read/interpret Quinn as being depressed at least at the beginning of season 3, I kind of agree with that interpretation and definitely believe she had/has some sort of mental illness/disorder, I just don’t want to personally be like she definitely has this blank and diagnosis her in anyway. But I don’t think her issues just appeared they all go back to her pregnancy and giving up Beth and just don’t think she dealt with her feeling and was repressing them and living in a state of denial throughout most of season 2. This is going to become even longer if I allow myself to go on that tangent, (so maybe another post to explain that stuff and Quinn headcanons and stuff) but basically I have an issue with dismissing early season 3 Quinn as just rebellion and things like that because it clear that it alot more then that.

Kurt also basically said that Quinn doesn’t understand self- loathing and despair and I don’t think i need to give examples of Quinn not loving herself I feel like that’s pretty obvious, just like watch the show. But despair like her dad pretty much disowned her and giving up her baby clearly fucked her up, so I feel like she‘s felt despair. Kurt also acting like the fact that she’s going to Yale somehow eliminates her pain and I just don’t understand that. 

Also just want to make it understood that the intentions of this post is not to hate on Kurt. I just don’t get why this scene exists, like it has always felt to me like its one of those scenes where the intention is just to make people hate Quinn and not empathize with her since it takes huge struggles that she had that caused empathy in viewers and dismissing them. And with the idea that existed at the time the show was on that, Ryan Murphy didn’t like that people liked Quinn, it’s one of the explanations that makes sense to me. Also that this is in the same episode as Quinn’s car accident is so fucking crazy and i don’t like it.