#And that's the end of the Christmas songs storyline

[headless609]

Christmas List on What I Wish for in SP S:27 next year

1.) I want the focus to be with the boys. I know I am not the only fan that is sick of the Tegridy Farms seasons. Randy is cool but not as the main character. I want to see some school drama such as crushes, the cheese touch game, role playing and more. idk I want the kids to act like kids and have fun (while of course having their games be blown out of proportion) 

2.) While I am not personally a Style shipper I have noticed that Kyle and Stan have been quite distant in the past seasons. In the End Of Obesity special Kyle rarely interacts w/ Stan, instead focusing purely on Cartman’s health and feelings. In the next season I hope Trey and Matt possibly focus on their friendship . I don’t have a clear opinion on what I want as a solution but I think some ideas would either them becoming friends again or distancing even more ( and the two trying to find new super best friends : Stan with either Tolkien, Kenny or Butters and Kyle with Cartman, Tolkien or Kenny(?) While it would be sad it would be an interesting arc for the season.

3.) I want more of the girls. I love Wendy and the other girls. While I do believe they are a little satirized (due to Matt and Trey both being guys) I do hope we could see more of them as regular 4th grade girls rather then being used as plot point for the boys to be crushing on. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the ep Bebes Boobs Destroy Society, but by just looking at the title you can tell where I am coming from. So, more girls being girls that have stories that don’t always have to link back to a crush on a boy. 

4.) OK, this one is is kinda self indulgent but I want to see Cartman be in drag again. I want Bad Irene. Bonus if Bad Irene sings a Lady Gaga song like Bad Romance or Oops I Did It Again by Britney Spears. I love that Cartman canon likes pop music and I want to see more of that in the next season.

5.) Now for this one I have actually read and seen fans have this sick headcannon and I wouldn’t mind it being cannon either. Basically, Liane and Clyde’s dad get together. Then Cartman and Clyde become like brothers. I really like this and I think it would be kewl if they argued on who was the older brother. An alternative is that instead of Clyde, Scott Tenorman starts living with Cartman. The sibling rivalry would be crazy and so funny. I think Trey and Matt could push these two on how far they could go to enact revenge. 

6.) This one may seem very random but I want a Liane Cartman backstory. I want to know what made her into the towns biggest wh*r3. She obviously must have had some traumatic event and I kinda want it to be a tragic love story. Maybe her lover was killed and she soon fell into drug abuse and selling her body. How South Park treated her and just how she started getting her redemption arc in the more recent seasons. If we’re to format this as an episode I would want it to be Liane telling Cartman a bedtime story (this is kinda an excuse to see them getting along but whateva it’s cute so idc) 

7.) I need more Kenny. PLEASE 🙏 Kenny has been sidelined for SOO LONG! Any story will do: him and butters? Awesome! Him and Cartman? Hell yeah! Him and Karen? AAAAASAAAASAAAHSHSJBEBFJDDJJDEJ PLEASE THEY’RE SO CUTEEE 💗

 8.) Sorry for the last one, ok but talking about more focus on character’s, I kinda want a focus on the pets. Y’ know like Sparky, Mr Kitty and Kyle’s Elephant that did it with Cartman’s pig (that ep was … something to say the least) Anyways, I love the pets they are cute and I want more, thank you (and Craig’s Guinea pig  Stripes) 

9.) Lore drops from characters will be awesome. Like, it dosent just have to be Liane (as I mentioned before) I wouldn’t mind an ep on how Gerald and Sheila fell in love, it would be a really cute nerd x girl boss storyline

10.) …jersey kyle. IDK, Kyle being a brash, loud asshole is straight gold. I need him to snap and start calling everyone muff  cabbage (+ jersey kyle meets bad Irene and he falls head over heels… WHO SAID THAT??) 

Anyways that’s my list. I actually really hope other people do this trend to cause I wanna see what good ideas or wants y’all want from season 27 >:)

[chaifootsteps]

anyone get the vibe the finale is going to be way overstuffed?

going by the trailer this is what they've got to set up and resolve:

Stella and Andre spring a trap, there's some kind of trial involving Stolas losing his powers/title/wealth/etc, new character who is probably Satan, DHORK return with CHERUB and an army of popes, IMP go on the run, IMP probably defeat DHORK, CHERUB and the army of popes, somewhere in the middle of all that Blitzo has some kind of love epiphany that's totally a natural development and not forced at all, IMP discover what's happened to Stolas, Stolas tries to call Via and can't get through (this one is probably just going to be offscreen), Via's song, Fizz and Ozzie maybe get married? maybe?, a Hell-themed Christmas party which makes total sense, Stolas gets the bright idea to try and see Via in person, fight ensues, IMP saves his sorry hide yet again, Via cuts him off, and like...roll credits there?

like that's kind of a lot to deal with and the one thing resembling a plotline this entire season has had - the stol1tz fallout - feels like it's going to have its resolution rushed over in all that. if Viv is really going to have them hook up then she needs to have Stolas actually realize he was wrong and eat some serious crow and Blitzo simultaneously try to get over his intimacy issues and make it convincing that he actually likes Stolas and doesn't just feel guilted into loving him. s2 has simultaneously spent too little and too much screentime on this storyline because keeping them broken up for so long having repetitive arguments or constant resetting to the status quo/non developments is just making the whole thing drag

it feels like being trapped in an elevator with the world's worst couple where you just want to beg them to break up by the end of it

It wouldn't surprise me. Viv (and Adam) are exactly the types of writers to drag their feet and waste time for an entire season, then attempt to make up for it all at the very last second.

[gojo-mochi]

Softy my dear! Please, I give you this star 🌠 in exchange for kissing Toji under the missile toad. Thank you for the surprise request opening & I hope you're having a wonderful holiday!

[She / Her are my pronouns 🩶]

Happy new year!!!! sorry it kinda late waHHH!

Idk why it got so….like that at the end … blame toji

You were snuggled neatly on Toji’s lap, head tucked under his chin, as he flicked through various TV channels. To your surprise, he lands on one of those cheesy Hallmark movies. He settles on the couch, pulling you back with him. An arm snugly wrapped around your waist, fingers softly tracing patterns on your hip, sometimes sneaking a thumb in your waistband and feeling the plush skin there. You thought this was like a ‘Netflix and Chill’ kind of excuse where you put on a shitty movie and pretend to pay attention. But somehow, Toji’s attention was fixated on the movie.

It was the normal storyline: a big city woman goes back home to her small country town and meets a local there. They butt heads but soon are forced to fight together against the big bad evil corpo that is threatening to ruin Christmas for the small town. Then, in the end, they fall in love, and the woman leaves the city to be with the small town guy. You were only a quarter through the movie, but every plot point was playing out like you expected. “Are you secretly a romantic or something, Toji?” You teased lightly, stealing some of the popcorn from the bowl and munching on it. Toji snorts, “I just like making fun of them; look at how stupid everyone is. Especially the female lead; I mean, she’s leaving a rich lifestyle for some country town snob.” Now, you really didn’t expect Toji to be that invested in this plot. He rolls his eyes as the male lead accidentally bumps into the female lead, causing them to topple on top of each other, looking longingly into each other's eyes.

Toji makes snide comments here and there, his hand fully making its way under your shirt at the halfway point of the movie, just keeping it there for warmth. You eventually settled in, enjoying your boyfriend’s warmth, the cheesy movie, and stealing most of the popcorn from under his nose. Toji’s hand goes to the popcorn bowl only to find it empty, and he turns to you with a small frown. “What happened to all the popcorn?” You shrugged with a mischievous grin. “Maybe the ghost of Christmas’s past got to it?” Toji narrows his eyes at you, grabbing your salt-covered hand and sticking your fingers in his mouth. "Hmm, you taste like a liar and a thief to me.” 

He purposely drools on your hand, his grip iron tight on your wrist, not letting you escape. “Ew! Toji! Stop that.” He only chuckles cruelly in response, pulling you in towards his chest and tickling your sides. You squirm and wiggle in his grasp, trying to escape, only to be pushed down on the couch with Toji on top. His hands are still glued to your sides, and fits of giggles bubble from your lips. Then both your attentions get torn back to the TV as the climax of the movie is reached and a loud and cheerful Christmas song is played as the two main leads are seen going for a kiss under a mistletoe.

Toji snorts, but an idea pops into his head as he watches the scene. He squishes your cheeks in his massive palm, making you pucker your lips together. “This is a fitting punishment for a thief like you." He leans in, his whole tongue sticking out as he licks your lips messily, chuckling at your whining and squirming. Shushing you with a proper kiss this time, his lips searing themselves to yours, his tongue coming out again to poke and prod its way into your awaiting mouth. Tasting the salt from the popcorn and some sweetness from the hot cocoa you were sipping on. He pulls away, leaving your face and lips a mess. Slick and shiny with his drool and spit all over your chin. He coos at you as he wipes away at your face, coating his hand in his own drool. 

“I think we can still use this somewhere else..”

[iknowimdespicableme]

My top 5 Doctor Who Episodes; And why!

DOCTOR WHO SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT!! I say the season and episode before I start analyzing, so feel free to skip some.

5. Vincent and the Doctor [5x10]

This episode was so touching to me on many different levels. Firstly, as a creative person who deals with mental health and ostracization, seeing a version of Vincent Van Gogh on screen felt almost healing. Acknowledging the hurt he experienced while not ignoring his joys was very special. On a technical level, the way that the episode visualized a way Vincent Van Gogh may have seen the world was incredibly eye opening and better allowed me to appreciate his art. Furthermore, the confusion Amy experienced during the episode regarding her memory was such an experience for two reasons; Firstly, it proved to us, the audience, how much she has grown to love Rory. Before, she was dating him because he was the only half-decent guy around. But, after learning more about him and spending more time with him, she is truly in love with him and this episode gives proof of that. Secondly, I experience dissociative fugue, wherein I may forget large aspects of my life, and this episode was so comforting regarding that experience. Yes, sometimes there are things you can't remember that make you happy or sad. You should embrace the feelings rather than ignore them or feel scared. And, finally, the moment where Vincent Van Gogh is able to see what the future of his art holds is a touching moment; and I like that it didn't save him in the end. Like the Doctor said, “The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don't always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don't always spoil the good things or make them unimportant.”

4. The Husbands of River Song [2015 Christmas Special]

I looked forward to finally watching this episode for so long leading up to it because I had heard such flattering things about it; and it didn't disappoint. After many episodes that felt lacking or one dimensional, this special brought back an element of camp, humor, and fun that had been missing, all the while including beloved characters and dramatic sequences. Allowing the Doctor an opportunity to see how one of his companions, especially River, acts when he is not around gives the audience so much more insight into her character and the Doctor a chance to learn and grow. Asking her about himself and learning that, although she may be worried or grieving, she finds these feelings worth it just to keep loving him. Considering how much River puts a mask on around 11 to not show her age and sadden him, it was refreshing to see a new side of her. Not to mention, the storyline for the special was interesting and compelling without being overwhelming in a way that took away from the characters. Although it's unlikely that the Doctor doubted River's feelings for him, this episode gave ultimate proof regarding how much she cares about him. Unfortunately, it also showcases how little River thinks of herself in relation to the Doctor. And, yet, there 12 is to prove her wrong when it mattered. Best of both worlds! Finally, the tenderness mixed with grief and understanding that we end the special with is such a perfect conclusion to River's story with the Doctor as it reflects their whole saga together perfectly. River's argument to the Doctor that, "Happily ever after doesn't mean forever, it just means time." was so special and the Doctor finally allowing himself to settle down (if only for a little bit) was exactly the kind of growth the character needed.

3. Wild Blue Yonder [2nd 2023 David Tennent Special]

I watched this episode yesterday and by gods it quickly skyrocketed to one of my favorites, where do I even start. Within the first few minutes of the episode, we are given many similarities and differences when comparing this Doctor and Donna adventure to their previous excursions. While they still compliment each other well, offering understanding and push-back, it is also clear the ways they have matured. Donna seems more in touch with her emotions and how she is truly feeling. When we first met her, she had a lot of anger and frustration within her from constantly being scrutinized and ignored. Now, we can see she is more peaceful and secure, even if below the surface some hesitation still lingers. Whereas, in the Doctor's case, he is so much more open to affection and vulnerability. The lessons he learned as 11 and 13 showed him that he could trust others, even if it is slowly. Although he is still trying to ignore or repress many things that have happened to him, he is at peace with them more than he was as 10. They both are less rageful. So, from a literary standpoint, just the beginning of this episode was wonderful. The classic "TARDIS fucks off somewhere leaving the company stranded" and "Doctor loses his sonic screwdriver and doesn't know what to do with himself for a bit" tropes came back swinging, and the way it affected the duo was wonderful to watch. The reality of the situation wasn't quickly swept under the rug or ignored because of a bigger problem, they got to sit in their fear for a while which was beautiful. The slow realization throughout the episode as if the audience is figuring out the answer at the same time as the Doctor just felt satisfying. Small, seemingly disconnected things coming together to form a compelling mystery. And, because it takes so long to give us the answer, we feel the carnal fear of the unknown just like the Doctor and Donna. I was tense when I realized they weren't talking to each other, but copies. I was scared when they were separated. And, the best part of the whole fucking episode, I didn't know who was who. That was terrifying! Up until the last second, I thought the Doctor had made the right choice, too! It kept me on the edge of my seat, informed me so much about the characters, explored a terrifying "what if" in a way only sci-fi can replicate, and was silly as hell. Loved every second. Also, the little robot guy was cute as hell.

2. Heaven Sent [9x11]

Explodes everywhere I love 12. This Doctor is characterized as a less nice, but still very kind regeneration. He holds so many conflicting feelings regarding the loss of the Ponds, his changing relationship with Clara, his perception of himself. I loved how he acted in his episodes. as socially confused, because it felt very familiar to me. The way his brain always seemed too loud and his loner energy was such a switch-up compared to 11. and yet so in character all the same. This episode carried this perfect essence of Doctor Who that felt lost in the majority of the last couple seasons. An entire episode where the Doctor is alone, and grieving, and loving, and problem-solving all at the same time was so compelling. Although it is clear I am more of a fan of episodes that focus on the characters and not the current storyline, this story was enthralling even if it took away from character moments sometimes. Do I wish we had more chances at the beginning/middle of the episode to properly address or reminisce about Clara? Yes. But, after watching the whole episode, it is clear why it was done. The setting for Heaven Sent was so intriguing, and the whole episode we are just wondering as much as the Doctor is; Why? Why is he being chased, why was he brought here, why are there shovels? It reeled us in. And then, once we realize the torture he is putting himself through, the dramatics, character information, and emotion we are given is so heart-wrenching. Evidently, Clara gave the Doctor a comfort greater and worth more than 5 billion years of torture. Could you imagine that? The depth of his love for Clara is given so much of a spotlight in this episode, and I am frothing at the mouth for it. Especially considering how they may frustrate or hurt each other, they still know each other. They help each other. And goddammit, he is not going to let her go. But, this stubbornness isn't necessarily a good thing. One important thing about loving someone is knowing when to let them go. This love for Clara was selfish the same way her love was for him in these intense moments where they sacrifice themselves for each other. They were doing it to prove something to themselves, to get the other back because they couldn't accept they were gone, not because it would be a better existence for the one in danger. Clara didn't want to be saved, she was being brave. And this imperfect grief the Doctor experiences was so achingly realistic. When I lost my cousin, it was so hard to accept. I wanted to ignore it, I wanted to be angry, I wanted him back. But, in the end, it was his time. This journey the Doctor goes on regarding yet another loss felt so powerful. He was forced to feel this and it hurt, he couldn't just try and quickly forget about it or sulk on his own terms. At the same time, the revelations he comes to throughout the episode were so reassuring to hear someone outside of my own head say. "It’s funny. The day you lose someone isn’t the worst. At least you’ve got something to do. It’s all the days they stay dead."

Turn Left [4x11]

This comes as a surprise to no one as someone who has been PREACHING character > story. This episode, while being a perfect set up for the finale, tells us so fucking much about the Doctor and, more importantly, ABOUT DONNA! Without Donna, there's no Doctor. Without the Doctor, everything goes to shit! Seeing as we, the audience, are usually seeing the universe by following the Doctor, a companion-focused episode was so refreshing. We got to learn so much about who Donna is, what her life back home was like before we met her, and gave realistic consequences to her actions. FUCK YEAH! It felt grounded, it felt interesting. I also adore the theory that every action we take splits us off into a new universe or timeline, so this episode was so perfect for me. DONNA'S INTERACTIONS WITH ROSE!!! Their comradery and understanding, the way Rose takes Donna under her wing, a moment where we see them as real people without the Doctor intervening or affecting the discussion. The importance of Donna to the universe being made so clear. WILF'S FLASHBACKS!! It's been forever since I saw this episode, but it is so rewatchable and makes me so interested every. single. time. The end of the episode is bone-chilling, with her literally killing herself to save the universe. And then!! The Doctor being out of the loop for once and understanding the severity of the situation with the return of the Bad Wolf. Explodes everywhere, words do not do justice the pure love, respect, and admiration I have for this episode and every actor, producer, tech person, writer, involved. Thank you GODS for this episode, I love you turn left. This lesson that every single person is indispensable and important sets up that conversation in later seasons and eventually becomes the main reoccurring theme of the show. Every Donna Noble, Rose Tyler, and Martha Jones of the universe is important and loved and unique and dbiubibjbjbgiufgbfgu you get me?

Honorable mentions:

The Parting of Ways [1x13]

The first finale of new who, and it was so gooooood!! Tied up the Bad Wolf hints, gave interesting endings to the TARDIS crew, told us so much about the ninth doctor, gave us confirmed ninerose, had a compelling storyline behind it, and just a classic good episode to go back to.

Tooth and Claw [2x2]

I know I've been mostly talking about the character implications of my favorite episodes, but this one was just interesting and fun. I loved the dynamic between the Doctor and Rose, the adventure, the silliness, the royal family being involved. Just a good, well-paced, wonderful episode.

The God Complex [6x11]

This episode was so yummy. While I was watching 11's seasons, I did get the vibe that Amy looked up and admired the Doctor in an unhealthy way and I loved how this episode addressed this. The idea that this thing was taking the forms of people's worst fears, the mystery of what the Doctor saw, the interesting characters, the understanding on what a God Complex actually was, its wonderful!!

The Timeless Children [12x10]

This may be controversial and I don't care!! I loved the way this episode was structured. I was confused and interested the whole time and when it fell into place I actually had to pause and pace around because OH MY GODS!!! it was a well-done reveal that had such interesting implications and I believe every reaction was in character and made sense. At first, I was upset about the loss of the former perception of the Doctor; Just a regular ol' guy who decided to act out and, above all, be kind. Suddenly, she was from another universe and was the original timelord and i was a little sad. But, the way it has been handled after feels so fitting, and it puts the rest of the show into perspective. All of the confusing things that set the Doctor apart from the others, it made sense now! I loved this episode, I thought it was a great.

The Village of the Angels [13x4]

I LOVED THE FLUX!! getting to have a old-school style season wherein the who season was just one problem was so cool and allowed for so much information! This episode specifically was so compelling. I loved the Professor Jericho; was SUCH a great addition to the TARDIS crew, and the way the handled the angels was arguably better than Time of Angels + Flesh and Stone. They were terrifying, the mystery was intriguing, and the characters were interesting!!! The only difficult part of this episode was keeping track of who was who as someone who has difficulty recognizing faces. Besides that, I fucking loved The Village of the Angels.

[thewritersaddictions]

Day Thirteen: Klaus Mikealson + Die Hard

“It’s not a Christmas movie love.” Your boyfriend counters as he rounds the island in the middle of the kitchen. Rolling your eyes you scoff at him, you two had been arguing about whether or not a certain movie was either a Christmas or action movie.

Why the verbal fight had started you don’t remember. You just know that you’re standing by what you told Klaus. Die Hard is one hundred percent a Christmas movie.

“What doesn’t make it a Christmas movie, huh?” You ask him crossing your arms over your chest getting more and more fessed up with the argument at hand. “Well for starters….” Then the silence takes over your kitchen.

The breeze from outdoors filters in. The French quarter compound is open with lots of space for the Mikealson family to live with all of their significant others and family.

“See your silence is a tell tale sign you don’t know shit. The movie starts off with the office having a literal Christmas party, sure it’s not in any way connected to the main storyline but it snows at the end doesn’t it?” You ask into the air.

Klaus eyes furrow down ward giving his face an odd shape. “Are you asking me if the movie I have seen many times a year has a snow scene at the end?” Klaus asks you totally ignoring your rambling talking from elalier.

You nod, humming as you grab a packet of popcorn from the cabinet. “I for sure know it doesn’t have a snow scene, it’s cause of the decorations anyways.” You can still hear him as you unwrap the popcorn bag and lay it flat on the tray inside the microwave.

With ease you glide back into the conversation after pressing the handy popcorn button on your microwave. “Are you sure? Mister I’ve seen that movie so many times.” You’re the only one to ever ever be able to talk to Klaus in such a way like this. This was your friendly banter, the teasing that had drawn you two each other nearly four years ago.

He loves this side of you, and sometimes he hates it. Hates how you manage to get under his skin without even trying. “Are you suggesting I don’t know the movie?” He counters arching a brow. Your conversation is paused when the microwave beeps and you have to gather a bowl from underneath the drawers.

As you shuffle popcorn into the bowl, you look at Klaus. “I am, but I bet there’s a way to redeem yourself.” You tease. It’s his turn to roll his eyes at you. “How about we just watch the movie, and then we will actually be able to see.” You say’s crumbling up the useless bag.

It’s a quick nod from Klaus and off to the couch you are. “We are only watching the first one.” He says like he actually means that. Once he’s seems the first he’s got to watch the second. You know the drill because it’s always the same with Klaus Mikealson.

The both of you get comfy on the old couch with your dozens of blankets and pillows. Snuggled up together you forget about the argument in the kitchen as you recall lines that are your absolute favorite. It’s not until Hans is falling to his death and the main chapters are sitting the back of the limo does it remind you of your little bet.

The song starts to play and when there’s no snow. Klaus jumps up in excitement having won a bet where he had nothing to lose you shush him. Letting the tv roll the credits. “Whatever!” “I was oh so right, hmm I wonder what you should owe me for that lost bet.” Klaus smirks. “Nothing I owe you nothing cause it wasn’t a bet, just simple banter, now came down here and watch the next one with me.” You beg Klaus. Fluttering your beautiful eyes up at him. He scoffs and rolls his eyes before climbing back onto the couch with you.

An hour into the second one you hear the tiniest, quietest “I was right!” Come from beside you this time you don’t think twice about grabbing the pillow and chucking in to Klaus face.

Completed on: 11/24/23

Posted on: 12/13/23

The Originals-

The Originals Master List // Christmas Stories Master List

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 09/02/2024

Magolor's Shoppe Fusion Collab

Season 8 Featured on: The Joke​-​Explainer 7000​™​'s Highest Quality Rips: Sunrise

Ripped by Bruh de la Boi, ChickenSuitGuy, circunflexo, Cosmic199X, Edgi, Ellie53, Jiko Music, Memmy, Pan Visuals by BobTheTacocat

Tentative rip name: Joke-Explainer 7000 Fusion Collab

Look alive, everyone - Season 8 of SiIvaGunner has now officially premiered!

It may be a bit rich to say as someone running this blog, and with such deep investment into the channel, but...Season 7 really did bring me back into SiIvaGunner in a way I never quite thought would be possible. I'd sort of just accepted with Season 4, Season 5 and Season 6 that the channel had found a new direction: one that I was still VERY much a fan of, yet not quite the one that had "sold" me on the channel the same way Season 1, Season 2 and Season 3 did. I felt as if I was missing that energy of just...sheer visceral excitement for the future of the channel as a whole from the later-year seasons. There was instead a lot of per-event excitement, tons of little events to enjoy and still fun to be had in speculation of what could happen next, yet that aforementioned optimism still felt like it...missing, for a long time. And funny enough - last I discussed that feeling in particular was with Patched Plains Fusion Collab, a rip that Magolor's Shoppe Fusion Collab very much seems to be intentionally aiming to evoke.

Part of the reason that Patched Plains Fusion Collab works so well for me, and indeed why Season 2 has long sat as my favorite in the channel's life, is that feeling of raw forward momentum it conveys - the excitement of the entire fanbase thankful that SiIvaGunner hadn't actually ended, distilled into an anthem of so many different styles cheerfully pushing us forward. It was that sort of progress that, back when they were airing, I felt was sort of absent from Seasons 4/5/6 - the SiIvaGunner AI was still running things, Wood Man was still off effectively doing sidequests, and though the rips had obviously gotten better the cynical side of me couldn't help but feel a bit sad at how - for a lack of a better word - "predictable" it all felt. And to be crystal clear: A lot of those feelings have obviously changed for the better over the years. I love all of SiIvaGunner's Seasons nowadays, and I realized eventually that the prior-mentioned cynicism toward the new direction wasn't as fun as just, appreciating and LOVING the stuff to come out from the new seasons for the excellence that they were. And funny enough, I feel like that exact mindset is exactly what made Season 7 work so well for me.

Wheras Season 2 is one I remember for its feeling of constantly moving things forward at a rocket-speed pace, Season 7 excels by doing the complete opposite - the Year of Grand Dad is, at almost every possible turn, defined by its sense of self-celebration, a sort of "Sonic Generations"-type of tribute to the entire channel's life. Be it with RIP² as covered in SING A SONG ABOUT HOPES AND DREAMS, the entire incredible April Fools event I've alluded to within Violet Snow Memories, a newfound sense of chaos clearly inspired by Season 1 as shown in Hidden Headtoilets (skibidi toree 2) - yet with Seasons 4/5/6s newfound touch for genuine quality arrangements as found in rips like Forest of Tears. And, atop it all, the long-awaited continuation of the storyline last progressed back in Season 2 with the Christmas Comeback Crisis' eleventh episode. With such an incredible smörgåsbord of content on offer, it feels damn near impossible for me not to consider Season 7 my all-time new favorite.

And that optimism for the Season, that optimism for the future, is why Magolor's Shoppe Fusion Collab struck such a chord with me, with its release just a few days ago. With Season 7's ending, the status quo of the channel has been fundamentally altered in a way it hasn't truly been in a long while. For the first time ever, the long-present side character "Joke-Explainer™ 7000" is in full charge of the channel - her most prominent role ever despite having been around since all the way back in Season 1. I'll likely be dedicating another Season 8 post in the future to talking about her in particular with the same level of detail I did back in Vote Responsibly!!, but the context I'll provide for now is that her theme song, Magolor's Shoppe, has been a familiar, comforting tune to many a SiIvaGunner viewer since way back in Season 2. To see Patched Plains Fusion Collab not only get a spiritual successor, but one building upon a character and theme we've long grown attached to, means something so much to me and so many others. The added visuals, of her doing her duty with adorable Kirby-themed artwork as textboxes, are truly the cherry on top of an amazing collab.

From referencing the very beginnings of the channel with an initial arrangement using Pokémon Ruby, to using familiar-yet-infrequent sources such as Thwomp Volcano and Snail's House (jokes "worth explaining", so to speak!), to perhaps even hinting at what jokes are to become even more frequent in Season 8, such as the GOAT of all new jokes I Show Meat - I was long anticipating what the official premiere of Season 8 would be, and Magolor's Shoppe Fusion Collab was everything I never knew I wanted. My excitement for Season 8 is perhaps higher than for any other Season in the channel's long history, and I can't wait to get to share that excitement with all of you.

[levok]

hi i just learn about martin and juanjo and now i want to know everything but i only speak english. is there somewhere to watch the show with english subs? also, do you have any posts that explain how the met and their relationship? i want to know but idk where to start!

Okay before I get into this (the best I can), let me warn you, it is quite the rabbit hole (but it’s the best rabbit hole)…

So there’s not anywhere official where you can watch the show with subtitles, but there are a few TikToks who has subbed videos (search for juantin translations), and then there’s also people on twitter who translate or transcribe - rec: @ majosguide (translates) @ tauruus9 (transcribes a lot of clips in Spanish but easy to translate on twitter. And has also posted full days from the show).

So you obviously know about the show Operación Triunfo that started it all. Started late November last year and ran until mid February (they both made it to the finale). They met each other during the casting process (which was quite long), so everyone knew each other before the show officially started. It was live streamed on YouTube every day from morning to evening and I recommend you check out their YT channel as well - there’s a lot of clips and you can get quite far with auto subs. And watch their English lessons haha.

They kinda had a thing somewhat from the very beginning of the show, where they were obviously close and knowing the development also pretty evident that Martin was very into juanjo, and juanjo more hesitant (not rejecting per say, but hesitant). Point is juanjo was still closeted at the time and it’s quite a big deal to explore that site of yourself on full livestream.

They clearly got close during the castings and everyone is very much dying to know what happened during that time, we know from a talk on the show that Juanjo rejected Martin right before gala 0 (not knowing in what sense - Just Martin mentioning it) it's all very... Pls spill the tea!! this clip 👇

Lucas: About Juanjo last night (before the gala 0) , I turn around and see him with his cell phone crying his eyes out 🤣 Juanjo: I 👉🏼😭👈🏼 , I had to leave, I left the room and all because I was… Martin: That's when I told you… Juanjo: Yes Martin: And you rejected me 🙂

So as you know, it’s a singing contest, and they performed/got voted off every week. The teachers decided their songs/constellation every week, and on week 4 in mid dec Juanjo and Martin finally got a duo together (god only knows). They were already very close at that point but still not together. And that week where they rehearsed together were kinda all they needed. Their acting teacher Abril (we love her!!) helped them quite a lot here, and the clips from her classes are priceless. You need to watch them all! Juanjo was lowkey panicking about having to do such an emotional song with Martin to begin with… but after that week they performed that song together for funsies all the time.

Watch this TikTok playlist!!

They officially became a couple late December right before they went home for Christmas, and yes the rest is history. But so so much happened after the show ended as well, and continues to do so. Right now they are on the OT tour with their second last show tomorrow. It all wraps up on the 13th 🥲

Honestly they are the cheesiest rom com couple you will ever see. Beyond whatever you can imagine.

Their whole storyline/moments on the show. Juanjo being nervous about coming out, but his friends/family being the most supportive ever. Juanjo saving Martin from elimination. Them reaching the final together. Martin helping juanjo with his dance routine. Juanjo helping Martin with his singing techniques. Moving in together. Juanjo returning to his hometown like a prodigal son and being honored together with Martin. Them being featured in each others first music video. Juanjo surprising martin on his birthday and take him star watching. Martin landing a tv show with his biggest idols he has talked so much about dreaming to work with. Juanjo performing with his big idol that he has talked about being a dream of his. Them having their first stage kiss on pride day. Them proudly talking about each other at any given chance. Them doing the pride proclamation and fully embracing this role despite being so young. They are just so supportive of each other and the kindest humans. They never stop giving. .. The list goes on!

This was the briefest I could do. Always welcome in my DMs if there’s anything I can help with/clear up and its easier for you 🫶 this got so long I cannot be bothered to read what I wrote so I hope it makes sense.

Here's a million pics to compensate for the thesis length answer...

[cbusch]

The season finale is amazing! From the animation to the storyline and how everything comes together, it’s simply perfect! There’s no other way to describe it, it was perfect!

Octavia’s first song in I will Be Okay shows a range of hurt and betrayal coming from Octavia. She’s conflicted about how she really feels about her father. There’s an element to grief that Octavia is feeling and it doesn’t help that her mother, Stella is very toxic and manipulative, going as far as to mock and disallow Octavia to have contact from Stolas. As desperate as she wants that connection, she can’t help but feel hurt and can’t handle those emotions. It’s hard to see the other person’s point of view from that grief, but sometimes stepping away and not have contact for a while is the best thing for people.

I love the element of Christmas being referred to as Sinsmas as it adds a layer to what the people in Hell experience and to add that twisted sense to it made it all the more satisfying. The one scene that stood out was when the I.M.P crew was going to take out a sinner’s ex-lover who was in a same-sex relationship. As they are shivering, they see the warmth of the target’s family and realize the stakes that are set. They see a loving couple and think back to the family unit that is set up within I.M.P., realizing they can’t do it and no amount of money is worth spilling up a family. It’s hard to see, but beautiful as we see growth in everyone, especially Blitzo. It was also satisfying when the rude client gets thrown out the window or told to shut up by Stolas. (Sorry, spoilers but watch the episode to see what I mean)

Love the ending as it is a shocker and that one I won’t give away as it contains a major spoilers and it’s not fair to do.

Moxxie and Millie were perfect. They are the perfect couple in this episode to them supporting each other and not taking offense when they participate in the Sinsmas festivities.

Overall, this is a great way to end the season and a fantastic early gift to the fans of Helluva Boss!

[dk-wren]

A thought or idea I've had swirling in my head for some time now is if Buddy Daddies were to get a second season or OVA, "Don't Say Good Bye" is reintroduced/reorchestrated more as a lullaby. (While I don't think this will happen in the final CD drama, my understanding of the synopsis makes me feel like this is something that Rei and Kazuki might plausibly do in the future/after they talk with Miri about Misaki's passing.)

Perhaps the last verse is taken out or Kazuki and Rei come up with some new words, but by singing this song to Miri, it would kinda be like their promise to never leave her and serve as a way to keep Misaki present in Miri's life.

When Kazuki first heard Misaki sing "Don't Say Good Bye" in ep. 3, he instantly recognized it from Miri singing it at home. So, in hearing Miri sing it many times (or teaching the song to her papas), they could then start singing it to her.

Or, if Miri only knows the main melody, perhaps Kazuki could scour the Internet for some recording of the song. Because I have the feeling in this scenario, once Miri starts to hear the lyrics, she may not fully understand the meaning, but she will instantly recognize it as Misaki's song.

Maybe this is just my interpretation, but I felt that Rei and Kazuki were both deeply effected by Misaki's death, especially since by that point of the story, they were both willing to do anything to protect Miri and her happiness. And at the end of the series, Miri still shows a love for her mother, both during the main storyline when she asks if Misaki is coming to the Christmas Party (and looking sad when neither papa could give her a firm "yes") and during the epilogue when she tells the photo of the two of them she is heading out. So again, by bringing back "Don't Say Good Bye" in this context, Misaki stays present in their lives and another layer is added to its meaning.

[ciaossu-imagines]

For the Disney day of the event, to kind of take a beloved topic and use it for the various fandoms, I decided to do a little post about the Mystic Messengers and their favourite Disney characters! I hope you lovelies will enjoy!

Jihyun’s mother liked to show him Disney movies in various languages on the rare occasions she got to spend overnights with him. She would always end their evenings with one before bedtime, so V became knowledgeable about at least the classic Disney movies. He always particularly loved Belle from Beauty and the Beast. She loved the Beast for everything he was, even the worst of him, was truly kind while being intelligent and he loved everything about that movie, from the love story to the songs to the art and the villains.

Jumin has watched almost all the Disney films as they came out and has been to the majority of the Disney parks. His father definitely thought that Disney was something of a cultural touchstone, especially among children, and that it would give Jumin something to talk about with other children, such as those born to the Chairman’s business contacts. Because Jumin grew up with them, he finds he has a nostalgic connection with Disney and does keep up with the newer movies. His favourite is a more recent one, but he really enjoys Coco. The music, the colours and art, the storyline, he felt it was all really beautiful. However, as much as he loves the movie and feels for the main character, his favourite character is still from the classic movies, Quasimodo. It was actually the animated Hunchback of Notre Dame that made Jumin want to go and read the classic novel.

Zen loves Disney movies because they’re the perfect mix of music and story. He prefers the movies that have more music in them and can do perfect renditions of all of his favourite Disney songs, especially ‘Go The Distance’ from Hercules. Speaking of Hercules, it’s his second favourite Disney movie. Aladdin just barely tops it out for his most favourite and it’s Aladdin himself who is Zen’s favourite Disney character.

Jaehee has actually gone her whole life without seeing any of the animated Disney films. Any Disney film she has seen is only because it was a film made by someone else that Disney acquired the rights to. Because of this, she does technically have a favourite Disney character, with it being Maria from The Sound of Music.

Yoosung actually is another one who really does enjoy Disney films, even as an adult. He’s watched the majority of the classics, with The Lion King being his favourite. He loves Simba and kind of wished he could be like Simba when he was a kid, but as an adult, his favourite character would have to be Marlin from Finding Nemo. That movie always makes Yoosung tear up every time he watches it.

Saeyoung gets into moods where he’ll want to binge Disney films, just because they’re usually light watches, with happy endings and catchy music, and they don’t take a lot of mental power to watch. He really, really connected to Stitch from Lilo & Stitch for reasons he can’t even rightly explain and it’s his favourite Disney character by far.

Saeran, for the aesthetics and for the story, really does enjoy The Nightmare Before Christmas and Hocus Pocus both. They’re the only Disney movies he really watches with any regularity, as Disney movies aren’t normally really his thing. His favourite character is actually Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas, with Binx from Hocus Pocus being a really close second.

Vanderwood has actually never watched a Disney movie in his life up until he met Saeyoung. It’s Seven who makes Vanderwood sit through them whenever Saeyoung gets in a Disney mood, so his choice of characters is based off the maybe four Disney movies he’s ever seen. I do think Vanderwood really enjoys the more live action Disney movies, and his favourite is Tron Legacy, with Sam Flynn being his favourite Disney hero.

Rika always connected more with the villains in Disney films than the heroes. It’s really hard for her to pick an absolute favourite among them but she’s really fond of both Maleficent and Ursula. She especially loves Ursula’s voice, which she finds really soothing for some reason and she knows all the words to ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’.

[greighish]

People you’d like to get to know better:

I was tagged by @shesthespinstersimmer and @igotsnothing (who totally beat me to the punch 😤) 💚!

last song: O Holy Night by Lou Christie, best version there is, well, other than the one that features my rewritten lyrics in honor of the death of grody cheeto... anyway, I love this version because it's beautiful (I mean that in a very secular way), because the song itself has an interesting history, and because another song I love, Unchained Melody, by the Righteous Brothers, starts off in a very similar way. OHN is 52 bpm and UM is 66 bpm.

favorite color(s): greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!

currently watching: Cherry Magic (Thai) w/ my friends last movie: Cherry Magic (Jpn) w/ my friend, but may watch it again soon since we watched it before I created the discord server and our other friend hasn't seen it yet.

currently reading: Semantic Error just finished(!) and The Dangerous Convenience Store will be ending soon. It's been a while, but I'm also rereading homegirls & handgrenades, a book of poems by Sonia Sanchez. This book is in tatters; I've loved it thoroughly over the years. It was a Christmas gift from my mother back in '91. And the inscription reads: May your love for our heritage be enriched through the reading. May your knowledge of our history continue to grow.💚

Sweet/Spicy/Savory: Spicy > Savory > Sweet (if I'm in the mood)

last thing I googled searched: "can you use hashtags on bluesky" … so, I completely forgot that I joined the wait-list and my invite just came, so I signed up. am I going to use it? who knows?! I broke up with twitter and IG earlier this year partially to scale back on the looming cloud of participation, so taking on another wasn't really in my plan, but unlike spoutible, it does let me upload pics, so, possibly. but I did four inaugural posts just to make it clear it's a sims account.

current obsession: making tattoos for my OCs! other than "yay for making stuff" I'm really happy that I didn't have to leave this aspect of my story out because initially I was going to since it seemed like more work than I wanted to do and would definitely delay the debut, but I told myself it would be worth it, if for no other reason than not having to rewrite storylines that are so integral to who my OCs are.

currently working on: see above.

I'm tagging @nightlifeseries, @beebiesims, @kayime, @plasticfoundation, @satureja13, @ex0ticgen, @kairasims

take your time, take a rain check, or take a pass!

[blank template under the cut]

last song:

favorite color(s):

currently watching:

last movie:

currently reading:

Sweet/Spicy/Savory:

last thing I googled:

current obsession:

currently working on:

[hyukascampfire]

🌰 here! hi ashlynn, how was your weekend? i hope you got to rest a lot ♡ i’m glad you like the pseudonym; grilled chestnuts are my favourite winter snack so it was an easy choice to make.

and wow, the plot thickens! it seems we’re hurtling right towards the foreshadowed duel between prince and rebel! (i’m putting my money on ▇▇▇▇.) i must say, though, i really love the contrast between the ways in which you developed mc’s chemistry with both contenders. while her interactions with yeonjun all take place in romantic, grand and/or dreamlike decors, her little moments with taehyun are often set in bleak, humble and/or dangerous places. there’s also, obviously, the fact that yeonjun is so expressive about his feelings and taehyun, so reserved about his. it should feel like one has an edge over the other… and yet! and yet, the romance never feels like it’s unequally distributed. (although i suppose taehyun and mc’s “pay-off” has yet to occur? it appears to me that it did sort of happen in the last chapter, since making himself understood is his biggest struggle and he did, in fact, manage to make his intentions clear for once... but then he fucked up? what was the “pay-off” of yeonjun and mc’s romantic storyline, btw? to me it would seem like the part where he kneels in public but idk how everyone else perceives it!) either way, i find that mc has as much tension with taehyun as she does with yeonjun and only a fantastic writer could achieve such mastery. i don’t think i should be reading this for free. oh, i also love how the notion of “promise” was brought up several times in part five. the subtle references to the star seekers lore in your own lore are *chef’s kiss*

thanks for the kind words last time! now that i’m done rambling, i have another test to go study for (◞‸◟) know that i’m also rooting for you in return!

oh my gosh i was so excited to see this ask when i woke up 😣 my weekend has been nice but a lil busy because i’m preparing for a trip! i’ve never tried grilled chestnuts (i actually have no idea what a chestnut tastes like) but now i want some. they sound so cozy and all i can think of is that one christmas song line about chestnuts roasting over the fire 🙂‍↕️

things are definitely getting more tense between taehyun and yeonjun. yeonjun is NOT afraid to overstep and taehyun… i can’t say what i want to say here 🤭

i’m so glad that you guys are able to feel the difference. i tried to be very intentional in the portrayal of the two different lifestyles that MC leads when interacting with the both of them! i hoped to make the reader feel the difference in the scenes to subconsciously sort of feel the same way that MC feels, loving the wist with yeonjun and then brought right back down to earth when interacting with taehyun. i think there’s also something to be said about how MC doesn’t really tackle or think about her problems with yeonjun, but when she’s around taehyun she usually is forced to contend with them.

i think that the payoff for taehyun has definitely not come yet, and yeonjun’s (in my opinion) comes a little later as well. you’ll just have to wait and see…. >:) yeonjun’s confession scene was definitely a massive payoff, though. maybe the ‘big’ moment between them, but i’m not 100% sure, we’ll see how things happen 😭

also PLS😭 TSFAWC is going to end up being around the average fantasy novel length when it’s done, i feel it :,)

wishing you so much luck on your test! oh my god, they’ve got you guys working hard out here ⁉️⁉️🫤 you’re all smart cookies, i can tell just by how in depth you guys are with your theories and stuff. you’ll do amazing i know it! love u 🌰 anon!!!

[glade-constellation]

Have you seen the Christmas Musical video yet?

Yes, I did! I’m actually surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

I would say that if you have two hours to spend or just need to background noise, turn it on! The story and moral are easy to follow and the music is actually really well put together. If you’re a TSBS fan, it’s definitely a good watch.

Spoilers warning for those who plan on watching it, I’m leaving my review under the cut!

While Sun and Moon were in the thumbnail, they only really show up for background parts during the opening and closing. Sun and Earth get to sing a few lines which is nice, but that’s about as much as we get from TSAMS and their side of TSBS. A little disappointing, but expected since this was posted on Roxy and Gregory’s channel. (I have hope that TSAMS might do something similar, but I doubt it. If they do a musical episode, it will probably be a short one as a filler episode. Like some sort of magic forces everyone to sing.)

While I don’t watch any of the other shows outside of TSAMS, LAES, and MGAFS, I do vaguely know of stuff happening on the other channels and found the story easy to follow. While the musical mainly focuses on Gregory and Roxanne, there were a good amount of other characters and cameos. Roxy’s dead brother (I think that’s who he is) even gets his own song where he basically tells Roxanne that he’s okay and she doesn’t need to worry about him. There were a couple of different storylines going on, but they all kind of vaguely tied together and were all wrapped up in the end. I liked that they all had the theme of “family is important”, no matter if they were actually family, friends, or other loved ones.

I actually wasn’t expecting the near ending to get as sad as it did. I know absolutely nothing about TSBS Afton family, but I was genuinely sad for Gregory when he broke down crying when he thought Even and Elizabeth “died”. A big part of this episode was about family and being with family for Christmas, and while they weren’t his family they were still really close friends from what I can tell. It would have been a low blow to Gregory if his friends died right before the Pizzaplex’s big Christmas party.

It wasn’t just the story that was good either. The music was actually super great to listen to. Like, I would listen to them again if they were on Spotify kind of good. The lyrics were well put together, the background instruments were nice and fit the tone of the song, nothing was ever really too loud or too quiet. And most of the singing was really well done! The one Roxy’s dad sings is funny and it was nice seeing the Afton siblings all singing together, but I think my favorite song was Cassie’s when she was lamenting her father’s death. They were all pretty Christmas-themed, to be expected, but they were also pretty easy to remove from TSBS setting and go “hey I can kind of relate to these lyrics”. Good music requires some sort of connecting to the listener, and I think these songs had that.

For a VRChat FNAF YouTube roleplay, this was put together really well.

[annepi-blog]

Thank you @fallevs for tagging me in the Glee game!

1. Favourite season 1 episode: Laryngitis (1x18) I was torn between this episode and Theatricality. But I decided to go with the episode that gave us Rose's Turn.

2. Favourite season 2 episode: Born This Way (2x18) The hardest decision for me, as there were so many great songs and very coherent storylines this season. Especially the narrative around Kurt is very good. I was thinking of either Prom Queen because of the beautiful story around Kurt and Blaine. But I decided to go with Born This Way because I love the music here, 4 out of 5 songs are in my Glee playlist. Somewhere Only We Know is definitely in my top 5 Glee songs, Born This Way is iconic, and As If We Never Said Goodbye just shows how good Chris/Kurt can sing.

3. Favourite season 3 episode: The First Time (3x05) It's rather difficult for me to decide here, because I found the season weaker, especially after season two. There is again a lot of good music, but the story has only scattered highlights for me, the characters don't do much and some story strands are not consistent. I like the music in Michael and Dance with Somebody but the story is only ok. I like the (sad) story of Karofsky in On My Way, but the episode is too packed for me. I chose The First Time because of the Klaine story and the good West Side Story music.

4. Favourite season 4 episode: The Break-Up (4x04) Please don't hate me, but I love a good cry. And maybe the authors could have come up with something other than cheating (I feel like that's the only thing the authors know to end any relationship?!) But I thought the whole situation was so realistic and well written. They are just 17 or 18 year old boys in their first relationship. Misunderstandings and mistakes are just part of it. I like that they have time to develop independently, and it's even nicer when they get back together. I also love the music in this episode.

5. Favourite season 5 episode: New New York (5x15). I love the New York story; I love domestic Klaine; I love the friendship between Blam and Kelliot; I love the glitter rock vampire scene; I love that Klaine is arguing, communicating, and making adult decisions. I love many of the songs.

6. Favourite season 6 episode: Dreams Come True (6x13) I thought it was a great ending for Glee, especially in combination with the 2009 episode. Is it realistic that all Glee Club members are super successful and famous? Who cares! I loved that the main characters all had a great future written for them. And I love that Klaine become parents in canon.

7. Episode that makes me cry: The Quarterback (5x03) and The Break-Up (4x04).

8. Episode that makes me laugh: Puppet Master (5x07) I love puppet master Blaine!

9. Favourite tribute episode: Michael (3x11) This is difficult, the tributes are always very good. I'll take Michael, but more for the music.

10. Favourite Christmas episode: In A Very Glee Christmas (2x10), I LOVE Baby It's Cold Outside. But for the story, I like Glee, Actually (4x10) better.

11. Episode with the best songs: I can hardly decide, there are so many good ones. The first episode that comes to my mind where I like every song is Duets (2x04).

12. Favourite sectionals episode: Hold on to Sixteen (3x08) The Unitards' number is great; the Troubletones' singing is great (don't hate me, but the costumes and choreography aren't for me); I love the New Directions' setlist, everyone gets a chance to shine and the songs form a good unit.

13. Favourite regionals episode: I just realized that I find the regionals setlist all just ok. I'll take Journey to Regionals (1x22) because of Bohemian Rhapsody.

14. Favourite nationals episode: City of Angels (5x11) I have to say that I liked the New Directions setlist here better than in season 3. Even though Paradise by the Dashboard Light is of course great, I never liked the focus on one soloist or couple in competitions. I just like it when everyone sings together. And they were so much better than Throat Explosion.

15. Episode most people like but I don’t: I can just agree with @fallevs. Blame It on the Alcohol (2x14) Although I think the party is generally fun, I hate Rachel's selfishness. There is ONE other gay teenager who her gay best friend likes and she is trying to start a relationship with him. Because he can sing. Even though there are 99% other straight boys at her school and she knows that Kurt likes Blaine. The same goes for the Kurt is biphobic thing. He's a boy in love who is hurt by his crush, and the writers didn't write that argument well.

16. Episode most people dislike but I like: Again Puppet Master (5x07) I just love puppet master Blaine. He is so funny.

I tag @kirakiwiwrites @mynonah @1908jmd @rockitmans @daisyishedwig @cryscendo @esilher but no pressure!

[weerd1]

It’s Been a Long Road: Two decades after “Star Trek: Enterprise” I still have Faith of the Heart.

After the click, there are 2300 words of me doing a deep dive on my love for "Star Trek: Enterprise." You have been warned.

When I was in elementary school, I was a year younger than my peers. My mom had decided I didn’t need to go to Kindergarten as I was already reading ahead of my level, so she insisted I be placed at age 5 directly into 1st Grade. In ways she was right; I completed the reading and phonics program in my little Arizona school for the entire first grade before Christmas. To this day though, I am clumsy with scissors, paste, and all the “kindergarten skills” and I spent the rest of my school career smaller, weaker, and less coordinated than everyone in my class. 

This probably all worked out in the end; sure, I couldn’t play sports, but to avoid bullies and getting picked on, I got funny, and that’s worked out pretty well for me. But in those days when I would play a sport such as baseball, the opposing team would step a little closer, the coaches would advise me to take the walk; I was not as good as my peers, so allowances were made for my performance.

That is exactly how I looked at “Star Trek: Enterprise” for years. It was only four seasons, while its powerhouse predecessors all had seven. It wasn’t set in a utopian far future, but rather not too far from now meaning more modern and vernacular language. The science seemed a little spurious, with writers seeming to think the term “Rigel” was just some made-up word from older Trek series rather than older Trek series using actual star names for locations. The knowledge of Trek seemed a little lacking as well, with the first episode citing “Klingon Warbirds” and basing the hero ship on a design introduced in a then recent movie…that was set 200 years later. 

I watched though, as we were coming off of there being CONSTANT Trek on television for the previous 15 years, and this was what we had.

I groused then, a lot. The lack of continuity, the trivia gaffes, the over-sexualization of women characters (ok, that WAS more than a bit overdone, and I still grouse that point).

The theme song. Oh my lord, the theme song.

But eventually, this show won me over, almost in spite of itself. Then there was a major shift in tone for the third season, and it got to be pretty solid, and the FOURTH season was…STAR TREK! Like its predecessors, the show had taken some time to find its footing (c’mon, admit how uneven the first couple of seasons of TNG were), but had pulled itself together, and the show’s future looked bright in 2005!

And then there was a truly terrible last episode and ENT was cancelled and gone. 

Twenty years later, here I am, and though the absence of new Trek only lasted about four years—until JJ Abrams 2009 movie—I felt that absence keenly then. I am glad to report there has been Trek I really enjoy since then…and some marginal entries, but that’s not new either honestly. But with all this new material, I still find myself going back to revisit Archer and his crew. I’ve rewatched maybe two TNG episodes in the last 15 years. Maybe two or three Voyager episodes. But TOS, DS9, and ENT I hit regularly. Why does ENT keep forcing itself to the front of my Trek consciousness?

From the beginning, ENT suffered from some external pressures that weren’t helpful to its development. There was a tension between doing more of the same, successful formula Trek had been delivering since “Encounter at Farpoint” (the TNG pilot episode from 1987) and doing something experimental and new. Viewer fatigue was setting in a bit, but fans were vociferous in what THEY thought Trek meant. Anything that strayed too far would take a beating on the internet message boards. 

DS9 had just finished off their wartime storyline, and though there were adamant Niners, it was only just beginning to truly find its audience with the advent of home video allowing one to actually watch the whole thing. Meanwhile, the less arc-oriented VOY had added the character Seven. There had been a ratings increase, which the producers took to mean any new show needed an attractive woman in a catsuit. Remember also, we were in the midst of the Star Wars Prequel trilogy, so going BACK to a time when the story could be a little looser was floating in the zeitgeist. 

But it was also 2001, and though the visual continuity of the then modern Treks had maintained a history inclusive and accepting of TOS, putting a starship on screen that would look like a century’s LESS development than Matt Jefferies’ design from the mid-1960s was going to be problematic. 

I don’t know this is true, but I also suspect that since the previous shows had a British man, a Black man, and a Woman as captains, someone in Production wanted to make sure there was a white, American man back in the center seat. Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s my gut.

So all of this goes into the show, and honestly it kicks off as a bit of a hot mess. So much seems to be playing it safe. Some fairly cliched storylines that occasionally try something a little new. A few things it does try new are not quite there: That aforementioned over-sexualization of the women in the crew*. Cringy comments about relations with aliens. Archer watching water polo.

There are a lot of forgettable episodes, contradictions. And yet, I kept watching. Yeah, I was on message boards complaining about the tech looking too advanced. I’d gripe about how un-Vulcan the Vulcans seemed. I’d gripe about every violation of what I accepted as canon, that was often really just things the fandom had settled on in the 70s and had no basis on the show. And I was just a complete tool online when the first cloaking device showed up. 

And the theme song, oh my lord, the theme song.

But I kept watching. And before I knew it, I started to appreciate something about this show. I had to make a choice between griping that this modern show that I was actually enjoying didn’t adhere to a single line of dialog written (then) 40 years before for a show that wasn’t expected to last a year. I, a staunch Trek gatekeeper, was having an awakening about continuity and canon, and I had to figure out why. Finally it hit me. 

These characters, these performers, they were more than they should be. These characters were making me love them, even when the stories were mediocre or cliche or counter to what I believed was canon. 

Take Jonathan Archer, played with almost megaton-levels of earnestness by Scott Bakula. Archer’s earnest, do-gooder nature is so extreme…you know how a show like “Family Guy,” does a joke, and it’s ok, and then it keeps going way too long, and you get sick of it. And then it keeps going still, and somehow, this only kinda-funny joke goes so long or so far that it actually manages to somehow loop back around to being not just funny, but hilarious. That’s Archer’s earnestness, his naiveté.  His “oh gosh” nature is interesting and fun compared to Kirk’s bravado. Then, after he oh goshes his way into losing ANOTHER fight, he’s simply grating. THEN you start to think he’s just devastatingly boring. But if you keep watching, then it comes around to this unironic serving of safe-guy that doesn’t blink in how GOLLY he is as a hero and you smile when he all but winks at the camera. And then, in later seasons when he’s faced with some pretty devastating moral dilemmas, you FEEL it!

T’Pol, played by Jolene Blalock: she’s so attractive it almost hurts to look at her, but you realize soon after that while she somehow seems to keep ending up getting rubbed down in decon Jolene is BRINGING the performance. That her delivery, her tone; the micro-expressions which betray her stoic facade for the Vulcan emotions at a full boil underneath…you buy it. You realize her performance is wonderful, and she’s one of the best Vulcans in the entire franchise.

Connor Trinneer as the character I recently described as “Florida Man in Space,” Trip Tucker. He’s a walking cliche, his accent making “warp-field plasma conduits” sound like something you’d serve up with sweet tea and grits. He’s got Himbo energy that rivals the output of his anti-matter reactor, and still it works. His “I don’t really know much about anything, but I’m willing to learn…oh God I’m pregnant” (actual episode) speaks so beautifully to humans DISCOVERING things for the first time, screwing it up, but learning from their mistakes and going back for more! 

I could easily go on about Travis Mayweather, the kid who grew up in space and is both completely knowledgeable and blissfully ignorant of anything that goes on out there. Malcolm Reed, the British tactical officer who if his upper lip was any stiffer, he could use it as a weapon. Hoshi Sato who starts out completely out of her depth, and ends up loving it all. Dr. Phlox, your over-friendly, polyamorous uncle who brandishes optimism like a flame thrower and plays with eels. 

They are all just…TOO. Too this, too that, and in doing so, somehow all circle back to being absolutely perfect. Because as flawed as ENT is in its storytelling at times, and how mired it is in attitudes before #metoo, the IDEA of the show is a great one: How does humanity get from the mess we are now to the icons of TOS or TNG? Enterprise shows us it wasn’t a switch, but a road.  A long road, getting from there to here.

Yes, even the damn theme song, hokey and way too on the nose is EXACTLY RIGHT for what this show means.  

Somewhere along the line, we all knew we had to move in a little closer when ENT comes up to bat, but we all started wishing, hoping, that maybe it would get a home run.

And sometimes, just sometimes, these characters that are great in spite of themselves, and this design, that’s too good for what it should be**, and this show that’s just not on the level of its predecessors does exactly that and knocks one into the stands. Suddenly it’s season four, and Enterprise manages to sum up the humanity Star Trek has been serving up since 1966 better than any show before or since:

Vulcan Ambassador Soval: We don't know what to do about Humans. Of all the species we've made contact with, yours is the only one we can't define. You have the arrogance of Andorians, the stubborn pride of Tellarites. One moment, you're as driven by your emotions as Klingons, and the next, you confound us by suddenly embracing logic.

Admiral Maxwell Forrest: I'm sure those qualities are found in every species.

Vulcan Ambassador Soval: Not in such confusing abundance.

We’re not perfect, we’re not utopian, but we are AMAZING when we give ourselves the chance, and for me, Enterprise takes that idea and runs with it. It often swings and misses, but when it connects, we can smile and clap and let it take its run around the bases, because it makes us feel good. And if it weren’t for Enterprise teaching me how these lessons, these characters are more important that visual continuity or strict adherence to arcane canon, I wouldn’t have accepted the Kelvin timeline. The DISCO Klingons. The Strange New Worlds uniforms, sets, and character interpretations. Because as much as I love what Star Trek means, all of that deeper meaning is nothing if it isn’t entertaining. And Enterprise taught me how important that was. 

I could go on about how much better the show got when Berman and Braga took a back seat to Manny Coto, though there are certainly strong arguments that he got a little too fan-servicey. But in the end, the point is CBS took over and closed down Enterprise just as it found its footing. I hope the wave of nostalgia we’re seeing applied (perhaps TOO applied in shows like “Picard”) to modern Trek means we get more than a passing Lower Decks reference to the show. And if not, well, I’ve got my copies, and my fan fic, and my Tumblr memes. 

Most importantly though, I’ve got (I’ve got, I’ve got) Faith of the Heart.

*I will give the show credit at least that it was pretty willing to flaunt shirtless men as well, and biceps-a-plenty. 

**In regard to things looking more advanced, I will give credit to Brannon Braga for dropping a hint in an interview at the end of season 1 that the Enterprise-E coming back in “First Contact” had subtly altered the timeline, making things a little more advanced. Fans—and I regret to include myself—railed against that online, and it wasn’t really mentioned again. Recently, Strange New Worlds has revisited and canonized the idea that the timeline, even though it is the Prime timeline, DOES go through shifts and changes due to temporal incursions, evidenced wonderfully in the episode “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” when a Romulan time traveler admits to altering time so the rise of Khan happens not at the 1992 date that Spock gave us in the original series “Space Seed” to now to him still being a child 30 years later. It’s in-story shorthand for the fact that when a show goes for six decades some continuity has to change and THAT IS OK. I wasn’t ready to accept it then, but am glad it’s now part of Trek. 

[telomeke]

5 Songs Tag - QL Shows Edition

I was tagged by @recentadultburnout and am excited to play along; thanks for tagging me! 🥰

Before going further, I should clarify that @colourme-feral also tagged me on a different musical tag game, and I was just about to respond to that when this one came in. So am combining my responses for that one with this one as well; hope y'all don't mind! 😚💖

Credit to @troubled-mind for starting this off with their post linked here. 😍

Here are the rules:

When you get this, list 5 songs from the Asian QL shows that you actually listen to. 🎶They do not have to be custom-made for the series. 🎶Non-western tracks only. Let's support Asian music and languages! 🎶Feel free to tag anyone who may be interested in participating. 🎶Add #5qls tag to your post for others to find the new favourites!

But I'm going to bend the rules a bit because I can't stick with just five. Here are my choices (extra details for the top five, and the more unusual ones listed after):

1. 遠い国/Tooi kuni sung by Ueno Daiki (上野大樹) – the closing theme to Bokura no Shokutaku (Our Dining Table)

This gently lilting song perfectly captures the essence of the hesitant, winsome waltz between Yutaka and Minoru as they orbit ever-closer to each other around radiant little Tane-kun in this heartwarming gem of a series. I can't listen to it without the tears welling up, sentimental fool that I am. The laidback time-signature (a somewhat unusual choice) and hauntingly plaintive key changes really set this one apart. If you'd like a glimpse into the meaning of the lyrics, @isaksbestpillow has a post linked here that translates them into English – the lines are poetically indirect and yet still find some way to pluck at your heartstrings in new and unexpected ways, just like the show itself.

Although the tempo is different, I find this song reminds me so much of the theme to the 70s family series The Waltons, with its old-timey 3-4 (or is it 6-8?) vibes of nostalgia and home truths being shared over steaming bowls of homecooked goodness (also calling to mind Yutaka and Minoru's meaningful exchanges during their many simple but oh-so-delicious meals together).

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2. เพลงที่เพิ่งเขียนจบ (Our Song) sung by Nanon Korapat – PatPran's theme in Bad Buddy Series

Nanon isn't one I would call a gifted singer, but his schoolboy tenor and unembellished vocal delivery suit the simple message of this piece really well. It's an unassuming little love song that sweetly encapsulates Bad Buddy's Episode 11 storyline and the theme of living the truth of your love (and by extension that of your identity too) without any need for great flourishes or grandiosity to glamorize the picture; you and your truth are enough, no matter what you may think or what others may tell you. (More write-up linked here.) 💖

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3. พรุ่งนี้ (Tomorrow) sung by Ford Arun – the closing theme for Moonlight Chicken

A quiet, hope-filled ballad that softly reminds us (as Moonlight Chicken did) how life will always be fraught with struggle, disappointment, sadness, bereavement and mistakes – and despite it all, the dawning of each new day is also an opportunity to cast off the burdens placed on us yesterday and reshape the present and the future in any way that we wish. We are more than just the sum of our past missteps, and we can find our way to a life of fulfilment when we move forward beyond the shadows of our immediate despair. Ford's rendition, set against an end-of-year Christmas backdrop, tenderly nudges us with the message that whatever it is (within reason) that we seek – happiness, purpose, love – the promise of it is wrapped up in the days to come, and is always ours to take and make real.

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4. รักติดไซเรน (Love Siren) sung by Ice Paris and Pearwah Nichaphat – from My Ambulance

My Ambulance isn't strictly a QL but it has a BL side couple played by Billkin and PP Krit, so I'm counting this one in (also because it's a relentlessly feel-good and catchy confection, everything you want in a breezy pop song). Everyone's really pretty, and you can spot some familiar faces dancing back-up. I've watched this so many times I immediately recognized the filming location when it popped up in Our Skyy 2 x A Tale of Thousand Stars and Be My Favorite. (Don't understand the unnecessary toilet break at timestamp 3.27 though. 🤷‍♂️)

Almost forgot to add the multilingual version – if you've not seen this before, get ready to have your mind boggled at the different languages they sing in, and maybe watch out for your own to make an appearance: 👀😍

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5. ไหล่เธอ (You’ve Got Ma Back) sung by Fourth Nattawat, Ford Arun, Satang Kittiphop and Winny Thanawin – from My School President

A cheery teen anthem to togetherness and the support of friendships, very much like My School President itself. You can't help smiling and singing along because you know it's all about positivity and living worry-free when those around you care and protect you too.

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And for the also-rans – these are not in any way inferior (some are even arguably superior musically), but they're not up above simply because they don't have as heavy a rotation on my playlist (and I'm listing them here to spread awareness): 🤩

ไม่ยอม (Be Mine) from TharnType, the Kaownah version (very strong melodically, and this performance converted me into a fan of Kaownah who's excellent here; the song, singer and actor deserve to be associated with a better series).

รักคุณยิ่งกว่าใคร (I Love You More Than Anyone), from Cutie Pie 2 You, sung by NuNew Chawarin (hopelessly, somewhat ironically and unapologetically cheesy, this paean to the pageantry of Thai country music or luk thung is so joyful I can't help loving every jangly, bedazzled melisma; I love it as much as the Build Jakapan cover and the Got Jakrapun original – all so addictive, like too‑sweet candy).

คนที่เสียใจคงไม่ใช่เธอ (The One Who Will Be Sorry Is Probably Not You) – theme from Bad Romance The Series (amazingly this works either as the hard-driving original replete with wailing guitars and screamy rock-god vocals by Pete Pitipong, or the soft ballad cover by Tul Pakorn – both have a grip on my heart).

The theme to KinnPorsche by Slot Machine – this is like the theme to Bad Romance but with no brakes at all, racing to the cliff edge and you don't care; with soaring, almost operatic vocals and a relentlessly pounding rhythm that shifts unsettlingly offbeat midway, the Thai original (เพียงไว้ใจ/Just Trust) is already so many kinds of amazing, but the English version (appropriately titled Freefall) is surprisingly not only more than credible, it also screams primally with lyrics that embody the full-blooded, breathless, all-stakes-committed rush of KinnPorsche's action sequences and darker dramatic moments (when the series wasn't unfortunately tripping over its own shoelaces or galumphing about in a clown car).

นิทานพันดาว (Theme to A Tale of Thousand Stars) – but it's the Torfun version sung by Aye Sarunchana that's won me over. 💖

ฟัง (Listen) from My School President, sung by Lookwa Pijika, Fourth Nattawat, Ford Arun, Satang Kittiphop and Winny Thanawin – you can give this treatise on love so many readings, but my favorite is when it incarnates the love that Mrs. Ratchanee has for her little Gun of a son; the original by Sin Tosaporn Achawanuntakul (featuring โอม Cocktail) isn't half bad either, with the music video also dallying with LGBTQ+ themes, but Winny absolutely does a better job of the bridge in the MSP cover.

คิด(แต่ไม่)ถึง [Same Page?] by Tilly Birds – not too sure this counts as a song from the world of QL because it was only in the original, not-quite-canon Bad Buddy trailer but not in the series itself (except for the one line Pat sings on the terrace of his apartment during his Ep.12 drinking game with Pran); still I'm including it because it's an aural experience like no other, starting out hollow, off-kilter and dissonant before its various polyphonies interweave into a delightfully solid pop song.

Inwza by Panpan Yeeyee – once again, not sure this counts as a song from QL but the made-up word Inwza (not so much the song itself) was mentioned as part of Pat's chat ID in Bad Buddy Ep.1 (significance explained here); nonetheless looking up the word got me connected to this wistful little synth-heavy indie pop number that makes for a refreshingly quirky listen.

เพื่อนเล่น ไม่เล่นเพื่อน (Just Being Friendly) – the My School President version by Fourth Nattawat, Ford Arun and Satang Kittiphop is just as good as (and maybe even slightly better than?) the original by Tilly Birds featuring Milli, but this flawless mashup of the MSP version with NuNew's is also amazing and I rotate between all three. No favorites here; all so boppy and guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. 😍

เลี้ยงส่ง (Farewell Party) by So Cool – this is what Pran references during Bad Buddy's Ep.12 drinking game as the first song he learnt the chords to; totally old-school (dates from 2005) and makes me think of a pre-teen Pran struggling to learn guitar, practising the chords on a song that was already a Thai rock classic at the time.

Stand by หล่อ by New Country – this wasn't in any QL as far as I can tell but the MSP boys performed it in their Prom Night concert and Bas Asavapatr also confirmed having danced to it during one of the Be On Cloud games, so I'm including it because it's so infernally catchy, has roots in Thai luk thung, and the dance video is really SHINee-slick.

Tagging @pandasmagorica, @isaksbestpillow, @colourme-feral, @dudeyuri, @ranchthoughts...

...@chickenstrangers, @lurkingteapot, @airenyah, @dribs-and-drabbles and anyone else who wants to play along. Apologies if you've already been tagged!

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