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turquoise-vase · 18 days ago

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Brigitte Bites Back

Emily Perkins is beyond being seen and referred to as "that girl from IT." She was just a young gun playing Beverly Marsh in the 1990 Stephen King mini-series then; the only girl amongst a clan of small town boys who find themselves up against, er, a giant kid-eating spider who often takes the guise of a clown.

Ten years later, following some more television work including a stint in a fifth season X-Files episode (All Souls), Perkins' performance as Brigitte in John Fawcett's werewolf romp, Ginger Snaps, demanded our attention. In the opening minutes of the film she may have just been a recognizable face (that girl from IT), but as its unpredictable final reel rolled out, Perkins had won the disembodied hearts of genre fans everywhere. Her Snaps co-star, Katharine Isabelle, may have been the one to exude the physical sex appeal, yet it was Perkins' deadpan wit and shy demeanor that peaked our curiosity.

Now this 26-year-old Canada native is up to more werewolf antics.

She spent the first half of 2003 revisiting her Brigitte role for a Snaps sequel and prequel…back-to-back, no less. The first production to see the light of the projector, Ginger Snaps II: Unleashed (directed by Brett Sullivan), intends to prey on Canadian audiences January 30th through a 100-screen theatrical run. You can read the Corner's review of the flick here.

Perkins welcomed a phone interview from your devoted Rotten one to discuss the latest Snaps chapter…

Ryan Rotten: What were your initial thoughts about doing a Ginger Snaps sequel?

Emily Perkins: I was really excited about it. Obviously the first one left the door open for there to be a sequel. The first script I saw for "Unleashed" was nowhere near being finished, so, I couldn't judge it too much. In the last two weeks before we started shooting the script really changed a lot. But, I love the new character of Ghost and I love the idea of Brigitte being stuck in this rehab center. I thought that was hilarious, there's a lot of potential for comedy there.

RR: I've seen the original far too many times to be considered a healthy thing so I know it pretty well. Upon seeing this new installment I was taken aback by it's really dark tone which is vastly different than the first.

EP: It is, it's a lot darker than the first one. I think that's because Brigitte doesn't take to the transformation, with Ginger she has fun with it, she enjoys it. That brings a little lightness to the material. But with this one...Brigitte's fighting it the whole way. It's intensely dark.

RR: You're character does take a different arc this time around, but was it easy for you to slip back into that skin again?

EP: Yeah, I think it flowed naturally. That's the way I would imagine Brigitte experiencing the transformation. I can't really see her character enjoying it or anything so it made sense to me. It's also pretty similar to the way that I experienced adolescence, like, I was not into it. For me it was very psychologically horrifying. So something deep within my psyche resonated with the script, that whole darkness and unwillingness of it.

RR: You and co-star Katharine Isabelle spent a lot of screentime together in the original Snaps and the bond between the sisters was incredibly tight. Even though Katharine has a few small scenes with you here, did you ever feel like a part of you, or a part of your character, was missing?

EP: I definitely did, but I think that feeling was something that I tried to put into the character and performance because she is lonely and she really misses her sister. I just sort of felt nervous being in those scenes by myself without her being there, and I hope some of that comes through on screen.

RR: How would you describe Katharine's part in Unleashed?

EP: Ginger's trying to get Brigitte to just surrender to the transformation, enjoy it. She's really Brigitte's dark side, I guess.

RR: The shooting schedule, I've been told, was arranged so the sequel and the prequel would be shot back to back. Were you prepared for that?

EP: It was an economical decision which is understandable. It was grueling, I was pretty tired by the time we got done shooting the prequel. It was quite exhausting. I love the challenge though and because the character's so dark it really works to be exhausted, just having to work late at night...

RR: With it being a tougher shoot and because there's such a larger cast this time around I have to ask how the camaraderie on set?

EP: You get a lot of commiserating happening on set with the crew and the cast. They're all dragging themselves to work, but there's still an element of enthusiasm because a lot of people saw the first one and liked it so they thought they were working on something really cool.

RR: Brett told me this was a whole new experience for him in regards to working on a feature film, how was it to work with him?

EP: The great thing about him being a first-time director is that he's so open. He just has a fresh viewpoint and is willing to consider everybody's opinions and the best way to go about things. He also has a very clear vision and has a really good understanding of who the characters are and what the story's about. So, he can take other people's perspectives and mesh them into a really great vision.

RR: Did he and John Fawcett ever sit down with you at some point in pre-production and have a serious look at where Brigitte is going and how she was going to be portrayed this time?

EP: We did. We did have those meetings. A lot of that was about the script, they were trying to get the script done while I was there. [Co-star Tatiana Maslany] had already come in and we were working out what was going on in the story. The four of us sat down and talked extensively about the characters. We just went through the whole script and discussed where they were at at this point.

RR: We agree that Unleashed is a little darker and nastier than the first flick, so was there any scene that made you uncomfortable to film in the shooting process?

EP: Originally in the script there was a lot more sexual content that ended up not being in the final cut and I was pretty happy about that. I didn't think it made sense in terms of the character and it was a stronger decision for her to not go the way of Ginger. It makes her seem a little more heroic that she resisted.

RR: The sexual tension is more subtextual in this film when you compare it to the first one which was more in your face.

EP: Yeah, it is both the internal and external construction of a teenage girl as a sexual object, but here Brigitte fights the internal side of it whereas Ginger accepts it. So it's more of the horror of being pursued by the external factor.

RR: Which is the werewolf that chases Brigitte the whole film. But I have to ask, is the wolf the infected Jason McCardy character from the first film?

EP: My feeling is that it's not. I think it's scarier if its not, I don't think there's just one werewolf out there at any one time. I think there's lots of them out there.

RR: It all comes back to the fear of the unknown thing, you have no idea where this werewolf came from. Reinforcing the sexual theme, and without sounding like a dirty old man here or anything, you've got this masturbation scene which is pretty bold.

EP: [laughs] I loved that scene. I don't like gratuitous sex in films, generally. But I just thought it was hilarious, I didn't have any problems with it at all.

RR: And it sounded like Brett kept it light on the set.

EP: He definitely did. He had numbers he'd call out, like one to ten. He'd be like, "Now you're at a two." And everybody would start getting into it, then, "Now you're at a five! Now your at a seven!" Everybody was laughing so hard.

RR: You go through a pretty gruesome transformation...

EP: Yeah.

RR: There's no sexy white streak in the hair for you like Ginger had.

EP: That's right, it's not sexy.

RR: Unleashed gave you a chance to go under heavy make-up this time, can you talk about that a bit?

EP: At one point it took, like, seven hours to put it all on. That's a long time in the make-up chair. But the prosthetics guys were so fabulous, Howard Berger and Charles Porlier. Charles was mostly responsible for my make-up. They were such clowns, like my daily dose of vitamin C before going in, they were so funny. But, I love the way Brigitte is, like, ugly. She doesn't turn out to be this beautiful sexpot. It reflects what's going on for her internally. This isn't something she wants to happen, she doesn't enjoy it. Brigitte doesn't enjoy having the sexual power teenage girls supposedly have, it's a really horrifying scene for her. It helped me to get into character, to look in the mirror and see myself that way and have people on set visibly repulsed by me. Nobody would talk to me as much when I was in make-up!

RR: Well, you've got this jutting bucktooth sticking out, couldn't it be a fang? No, it's a perfectly square bucktooth.

EP: I know!

RR: You suffer a lot of self-inflicted pain in this flick, cutting off the ear, stuff like that, did you get into that at all?

EP: I just love that stuff. I just thoroughly enjoy it. The fake glass that makes blood appear, all that kind of stuff is just fascinating to me. I'm just really into it.

RR: Are you a horror gal, do you love the genre?

EP: It's hard for me to find a horror movie that actually scares me. Because to be really scared it has to have something, like, unconscious in your psyche that responds to what you're seeing. I'm a very, sort of, political person and I'm very rational so I usually think, "Okay, well, that's threatening the patriarchy, that's why it's considered horrific." I mean, I'm rooting for the side of the monster, that's why I'm not scared. It's hard for me to find a horror movie that I could connect with.

RR: The prequel pits you and Katharine in the 1800s, are you playing ancestors of the Brigitte and Ginger characters?

EP: It could be ancestors or a reincarnation sort of thing, it's really just up to fans to decide. I think it's funnier that way. Here's Brigitte and Ginger, they're back in the 1800s, in period costumes, you fill in the rest.

RR: One last question, inspired by something asked in the film by your co-star Eric Johnson: Do you ever smile?

EP: [laughs]

RR: I'll take that as a yes.

EP: I smile all the time. When I'm on set I always smile, I'm a pretty happy person. It's just when they call action...

RR: You have to start scowling.

EP: Yeah, I have to go away.

RR: Thanks for your time, Emily, it's definitely been a pleasure.

EP: Thank you, Ryan.

THE END

#horror #ginger snaps #emily perkins #brigitte fitzgerald #gingersnaps #ginger fitzgerald #katharine isabelle #x files #beverly marsh #it #celebrity interviews

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barbaramoorersm · 11 months ago

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March 17, 2024

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Jeremiah 31: 31-34

The Prophet shares that God is making a new covenant with the people.

Psalm 51

The Psalmist asks for forgiveness from God.

Hebrews 5: 7-9

This letter speaks of the obedience of Christ.

John 12: 20-33

Jesus is troubled and shares the kind of death he would experience.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

The Prophet Jeremiah writes that God will make a new covenant with the people. “The days are coming says the Lord when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Northen and Southern Kingdoms). It will not be like the one on the tablets of stone that Moses received and the people violated. But this agreement, this covenant “will be written within them and upon their hearts.” These words seem more personal and deeper in meaning. Many Christians see the life and role of Jesus within this promise of a new covenant. They turn to Jesus’ words at the last supper about a “new covenant in my blood.” In many ways this is a more demanding covenant because of its internal nature. God’s law is not just external actions, but this new covenant calls for a change in attitude and a change in our hearts. In many ways that is what we hope for during our Lenten season.

For a covenant to be written within and upon our hearts calls us to something more than we may have experienced. It seems to call us into a deeper relationship with God. And we Christians believe that relationship has the capacity to become more profound because Jesus became one of us. But this season of Lent which is soon to end, shows us that Jesus paid a hugh price for that relationship.

John’s Gospel shares Jesus’ use of a metaphor to explain what is lying ahead for him. “Unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” Jesus’ audience of ordinary peasants certainly understood this picture. His death did produce much fruit. But his example plays out in our daily lives. When at times, we can put another’s needs before ours and when, we can step outside ourselves to listen and care for others, we may face a small “death” in our lives but also produce much fruit.

Our Gospel also tells us that Jesus was aware of what was coming into his life. “I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? Father save me from this hour? And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” By the time John writes his Gospel some 60 to 70 years have passed since Jesus’ death and resurrection. His listeners now understood what Jesus was saying.

But there are several points in the Gospel that may have raised questions for you. “Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast” requested something from Philip. There was a group of Gentiles who were intrigued by Judaism and made a point of attending the Synagogue ceremonies but did not convert to Judaism. Scholars tell us that Paul’s early ministry was to this group of people often called “God fearers.” And, Paul ran into difficulty with his Jewish brothers and sisters who saw him as a “sheep stealer.” In time Paul focused his attention on the conversion of Gentiles as a whole.

The second interesting point in the Gospel is the desire of these Gentiles to meet Jesus. In their travels they undoubtedly heard about him and his message. After the request by his apostles to have these Greeks meet Jesus, Jesus turns to the message if his coming death. We do not know if the meeting took place but the desire to know more about Jesus is very clear.

The Gospel closing with Jesus’ words, “When I am lifted up, I will draw everyone to myself. The Greeks may not have met him directly, but they now knew that he was open to them and their lives. May his modeling be a road map for all of us.

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melon-kiss · 4 years ago

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This is just going to be a ramble about everything Sherlock. You’re most welcome to discuss or just ignore it. I needed the space to vent.

I watched Sherlock. Again. I think it’s beginning to become my annual tradition. And I have a crisis. Don’t get me wrong, I am always Sherlollian at heart. It’s just… I have doubts sometimes. And what triggered those doubts this time was the fact that Sherlock calls Molly “John”. Twice. And then Irene Adler. And then one post on Tumblr. And many, many more.

OK, these are just my random thoughts. Enjoy if you’re willing to read them.

1. “John”. “Molly”.

We often mix up names of people we consider to have the same place in our lives. Which is good, right? Right. Only, in Sherlock’s case, we’d have lean into the theory that Sherlock does love John romantically and feels the same way about Molly. Or concede the fact that he loves them both platonically. Neither of these options is really satisfying, isn’t it? Well, that’s why I’m struggling… One could say he’s in denial of feelings for Molly and identifies them as friendship, as this is the strongest, purest relationship in his life, the only one he describes as emotional and the closest he’s ever had to love. Besides, Molly and John are similar in one way – they both share the same – medical – knowledge. Of course, Sherlock doesn’t realise her other qualities until The Reichenbach Fall when she says she can help him whenever he needs it. It’s not until she’s honest with him again and tells him, without a shred of grudge, that she knows she means nothing to him, that he realises he has at least two friends. He calls her “John” when his mind is busy with something else, so there’s no room for any purposeful confusion. The same thing happens in The Empty Hearse. What else can it mean if not friendship?

2. Nothing Hits Like Irene

Irene Adler is created as the love interest for Sherlock. Is she, though? Well, we see Sherlock utterly confused upon their first meeting. We also see him flirting and creating an atmosphere of sexual tension for the first time. OK, he saves her but then she vanishes, he got over her, I thought. And all was fine until The Lying Detective came and Irene Adler sent a text to Sherlock, first in such a long time. John, of course, suggests that if Sherlock should be romantically involved with anyone, it should be her. And then it hit me.

Irene Adler is the symbol of chemistry in Sherlock’s life.

She’s a dominatrix. She’s all about sex, that’s obvious. At the critical point of The Scandal in Belgravia Sherlock says: I believe John Watson thinks love’s a mystery for me but the chemistry is incredibly simple and very distractive. Sherlock discovers that he, indeed, can have chemistry with people. He doesn’t mention love, he merely says sentiment, referring to the crush Irene Adler had on him. She is, indeed, a simple distraction – you can see it clearly in his memory palace when he yells at her to get away. But Molly… Molly stays. She leads him through the entire process of surviving a shot.

And then Irene Adler returns in The Lying Detective. John confesses to Sherlock about texting with a stranger met on the bus. And that he wanted more. Sherlock says everyone gets to be human sometimes. Even he can’t resist the urge of replying to Irene Adler sometimes. It was all about attraction again.

And that’s why she’s not considered a romantic relationship in his life. John rambles about love changing him, to be more specific, the love of his woman changing him. But he says Irene’s a dangerous criminal. How would that change Sherlock in any way?

In The Final Problem, upon deducing the coffin, John suggests Irene Adler but she’s not his first thought in general once they all hear that this is about someone who loves Sherlock. Sherlock’s response is very telling: Don’t be ridiculous. Look at the coffin. It seems like Sherlock pieces the puzzle at once – the coffin, plus the “name” on the lid – it couldn’t have been Irene Adler.

And that’s why Sherlock calls her The Woman. As a symbol of his sexuality. The Woman who’s woken up certain impulses in his life.

3. Makeshift Gauge

Who is she?, Sherlock asks John in His Last Vow.

Based on what Mofftiss duo said about Molly, she was supposed to be featured in two episodes top. Yet, she stayed. The uncanonical character not only stayed but became fans’ favourite. I think she became a useful tool for Moffat and Gatiss. I think that not only she represents Sherlock heart (of which existence he has no idea at first) but later becomes our makeshift gauge. For what? For measuring Sherlock’s progress. See, it’s like when you live with someone, you don’t notice when they put on weight or grew a little but those who see less of them will notice all changes right away. So, when Sherlock runs around with John, we don’t notice the change in his behaviour at once (also because he’s always been nice to him, from the very beginning), we need to focus to see that. But Molly pops by once per episode and we see how Sherlock’s perception changes. In season one, he has good intentions, but they turn out bad. In season two, he’s more neutral but doesn’t restrain himself from rude comments. And Molly is being Molly – tells him he’s rude in her natural, soft way and he says sorry. For the first time. Without anyone making him do that. Almost the same happens in The Reichenbach Fall – but this time, Molly doesn’t let herself be fooled by Sherlock’s arrogance and just ignores it, going straight to the point. She says: “I’m here for you” and lowers his defences. In season three, he spends an entire day with her, smiles at her and is the sweetest, softest Sherlock we’ve ever seen. Moreover, when Lestrade asks him about her helping him solve cases, he says: [John] is not in the picture anymore, implying that she not necessarily had to be a temporary replacement. In season four, he says I love you to her.

What can we deduce about his heart?

4. The Eurus Conundrum

We could write an entire book about Eurus and not even be able to grasp her spirit. I’m not going to do that right now.

I have issues with what happened in season four finale. I mean – Molly, of course. Mycroft says Eurus and Jim Moriarty met five years ago, so before Moriarty revealed himself to Sherlock. They both planned the entire game for Sherlock. Does that mean Sherlock never really won with him? Does that mean Moriarty let him use Molly to “win”? Since she was included in Eurus’ plan, we can safely assume Jim knew about Molly back then. At first, when I saw Moriarty saying We both know that’s not quite true [that you don’t have a heart] in many Sherlolly fanvids, I was like naaaaah. He didn’t see her as one of the important people in Sherlock’s life, it couldn’t have been a reference to their meeting. But now… how deeply back in time was Eurus’ plan allocated? Which events did she predict?

Or maybe I’m missing something? Any thoughts on this?

5. Sherlock Evergreen

I once came across a post here, about how BBC Sherlock is literature, about sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s struggle with his own genius character. He was over with him, didn’t feel like writing any more of his stories so he killed him, but fans demanded more. He kept writing, although he hated it from the bottom of his heart. Season four, so often considered as the worst of all of them, is a way of saying that Sherlock character is, unfortunately, invincible. Immortal. He will live forever. We can’t kill him, no one can. Even his creator couldn’t have done it.

In season four, Sherlock goes back to the start. He is a clean slate again. He went through the entire process of change – became a good Sherlock, considerate of other people’s feelings and emotions, appreciative, supportive, loving, ready to mend what he broke. That interpretation, although very good, kind of killed my Sherlolly spirit. But I guess every interpretation like this would do it. If we stop treating characters like real human being, we’re left with what they really are – a construct, tools, puppets in the author’s hands.

Based on this, I think we’re safe to say there will never be a fifth season of BBC Sherlock (gosh, how I wish I was wrong!). Why? Because, despite what Moffat said in an interview once (after season three finale he said they’ve plotted out the entire fourth and fifth season – liar, liar, pants on fire!), season four had the perfect ending. As mentioned above, Sherlock became a good man and Mary Watson summed up what Sherlock is all about: two man, a genius junkie and a former soldier, who solve the weirdest, the toughest of cases together in flat on 221B Baker Street. Now, Sherlock is ready to be taken over by other artists who may find a new way to tell his story (though, I don’t think so) all over again.

And that’s a big, big shame… I think I speak for at least most of Sherlollians when I say we’d like to see Sherlock and Molly’s first encounter after the call. The finale really closed all the story arcs and subplots, except for this one. I mean, c’mon. You don’t have to be a Sherlollian to be annoyed by this – just remember that it was such a “biggie” that Moffat was asked about this in an interview. And this may be another reason as to why we won’t ever get a fifth season of Sherlock – because that would mean taking a side. And none of the creators will do it because Sherlock cannot be an open-and-shut case. It has to be like literature: big, open, twisted, unclear and full of room for interpretation. As long as there’s no certain explanation – yes, Sherlock loves Molly, no, Sherlock is gay – we create more and more content out of the need of closure. Thanks to the room for interpretation, the story lives. I mean, it’s been four years since The Final Problem airing and here I am, discussing BBC Sherlock still.

Coming back to Sherlolly… don’t worry. Though I’m still not sure that we can harvest any hard evidence for Sherlock’s feelings for Molly (other than friendship and respect), I’m still a Sherlollian. There two new fics waiting for me to pull myself together and write them. I think it’s good to have doubts – it means my brain hasn’t rotten yet and I can still be critical, I’m able of having my own opinions.

Thank you if you managed to read it all! I’d love to discuss if you have any conclusions. If not, that’s fine, too. I just needed it get it out of my system.

PS WHY DOES MY POSTS IN ENGLISH SOUND SO SOPHISTICATED IN MY HEAD BUT WHEN I PUT THEM IN WRITING, THEY’RE SO SHITTY?!

#bbc sherlock #sherlock #sherlock holmes #john watson #irene adler #molly hooper #sherlolly #molly x sherlock #thoughts #eurus holmes

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aion-rsa · 4 years ago

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The Pandemic in Pop Culture Trends

https://ift.tt/32wrfZT

The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic was both a universal and incredibly personal experience. While not everyone’s life in the first year of the pandemic looked the same, there have been some common joys, struggles, and tragedies. And there have been stories that have helped get us through the first year of pandemic. The global COVID-19 pandemic is not over, but it has hopefully reached a turning point. Multiple vaccines protecting against the worst of the virus have been developed and have begun to be (unevenly) distributed around the world, with Israel, the U.K., Chile, and the U.S. currently with the greatest percentages of their populations having received at least one dose. As we hopefully move into a less deadly phase of the pandemic, we’re taking a moment to look back at the TV series, games, movies, and other pop culture moments that brought comfort, distraction, critique, and catharsis for many in the pandemic’s first year, as well as some of the major trends and news stories that shaped the industry itself between March 2020 and February 2021.

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March 2020

NBA To Suspend Season Following Tonight's Games pic.twitter.com/2PTx2fkLlW

— NBA (@NBA) March 12, 2020

The NBA Suspends the Season (March 11th)

Many use the NBA’s March 11th announcement that the 2019-2020 season would be suspended until further notice as an unofficial start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The season would continue four months later in the “NBA Bubble,” but no one could know what the future would look like, only that things were indeed very serious for the billions-dollar professional basketball and media industry to shut down.

Everyone Watches Contagion

Though Steven Soderbergh’s pandemic thriller came out in 2011, Contagion jumped from Warner Bros.’ 270th most digitally rented movie in December 2019 to their second most rented one in February, and that trend would only continue into March. As the pandemic continued, we would see audiences turning towards more “escapist” fare, but, in the early days of this international crisis, people turned towards this matter-of-fact, fictional imagining of how a global pandemic might play out to help process their new and frightening reality.

Movie Theaters Essentially Go Dark

In addition to the immense loss of human life the COVID-19 pandemic has caused, there has also been an economic cost that will no doubt continue to impact human health and livelihood in the coming years. On March 17th, the movie theater chains Regal and AMC announced their temporary closures, an early sign of just how bad the pandemic would be for the movie theater business.

Movies in Theaters Begin Going to VOD

With movie theaters closed, studios needed to get creative about how best to distribute their movies still “in theaters.” Universal Pictures was the first to make the decision to move its new releases to a video on-demand model, bringing The Invisible Man, The Hunt, and Emma to VOD on March 20th.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is Released (March 20th)

On March 20th, Nintendo released Animal Crossing: New Horizons for Nintendo Switch, allowing players (most of whom where stuck at home) to digitally move to an island and nurture their own community. The fifth game in the Animal Crossing series, New Horizons would go on to major commercial success. It broke the console game record for most digital units sold in a single month, became the 15th best-selling video game in history, and the second best-selling game of all time in Japan. It was also the most blogged-about subject on Tumblr in 2020!

Tiger King Drops on Netflix (March 20th)

Netflix remains the largest streaming service worldwide, with over 200 million global subscribers and roughly 74 million of those subscribers in the U.S. Because of this, when a Netflix Original becomes a hit, it usually becomes a major part of online discourse, especially in the United States. This was the case for Tiger King, the true crime (and truly wild) documentary series that dropped on Netflix on March 20th. With most watchers stuck at home, the online discourse around the show felt even more intense than usual. For a few weeks, you couldn’t throw a stone without hitting a Tiger King meme.

April 2020

Quibi Launches (April 6)

While not necessarily pandemic-specific (did Quibi ever really stand a chance?), 2020 saw the launch (April 6th) and death (December 1st) of Quibi, Jeffrey Katzenberg’s short-form streaming platform that squandered $1.75 billion in investment capital and star power like Sophie Turner, Kiefer Sutherland, Idris Elba, Chrissy Teigen, Karlie Kloss, and Laura Dern before bowing out in December.

Trolls World Tour Becomes First Movie to Break Theatrical Window (April 10)

Remember when it was radical for a movie to break its theatrical window? Yeah, that was in April, when many media professionals were shocked with Universal’s decision to release Trolls World Tour, the computer animated musical comedy sequel to 2016’s Trolls, as both a limited theatrical release and via video on demand services. The move led AMC Theatres to temporarily announce that they would no longer be distributing Universal films, but the two companies quickly came to an agreement shortly after.

Extraction was a Thing (April 24)

Honestly, every week in 2020 felt like its own lifetime. Remember when Extraction, the Chris Hemsworth-helmed action-thriller, became the most watched original film in Netflix’s history? Directed by Sam Hargrave and written by MCU vet Joe Russo, the film follows a black ops mercenary who must rescue the kidnapped son of an Indian drug lord in Bangladesh. As self-reported by Netflix, the movie was watched by 99 million households in its first month of release.

May 2020

TikTok Pops

TikTok was already firmly a thing heading into 2020, but the pandemic was when more people found it—especially the olds… by which I mean millennials. In October 2019, TikTok had almost 40 million U.S. users (and 507 million global users in December 2019). By June 2020, that number was at almost 92 million in the U.S. (and 689 million globally by July 2020). This was part of a larger trend over the course of the pandemic that saw people spending more time on their mobile devics than ever before: According to a report from mobile app intelligence agency App Annie (via Social Media Today), by the end of 2020, Americans spent more time on TikTok than they did on Facebook, and the average American now spends more time per day on their mobile device (4 hours) than they do watching TV (3.7 hours).

Avatar: The Last Airbender is Released on Netflix (May 15th)

In many ways, the pandemic has been an accelerant of global processes, and this applies to pop culture as well. While we were already seeing the rise in more foreign-language TV, including anime, and the return to some major nostalgic properties due to broader and easier accessibility because of platforms like Netflix, the pandemic really ramped that process up. When all three seasons of Avatar: The Last Airbender became available on Netflix in May, the American animated TV series that originally aired on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008, was discovered or re-discovered by millions of viewers, becoming one of the top Tumblr fandoms of 2020. It was indicative of a larger trend of old shows becoming new again through release on major global streaming platforms.

Avatar: The Last Airbender – What Can We Expect From the New Avatar Studios?

By Shamus Kelley

Avatar: The Last Airbender Co-Creators Exit Netflix Live-Action Series

By Shamus Kelley

June 2020

Buffy Lands on All4 (June 1st)

In a year where what’s old was necessarily new again, all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer came to UK streaming platform All4, and were broadcast on E4 every weeknight at 11pm. Elsewhere in the UK streaming market, the BBC iPlayer saw its best-ever quarter from April to June with 1.6 billion requests, an increase of 59% on the same quarter last year (according to a BBC press release).

Staged Premieres (June 10th)

As it became apparent that TV and film production would not be going back to normal anytime soon, many creators got, well, creative and began making things in lockdown. One of the best and most high-profile examples was BBC’s Staged, in which David Tennant and Michael Sheen play fictionalized versions of themselves, trying to rehearse a performance of Six Characters in Search of an Author via video chat, alongside director Simon Evans. The low-budget, high-charisma series is filmed in the actors’ real-life homes but, unlike some celebrity efforts during the pandemic (see March), strikes the right tonal note in relation to its subjects’ privilege.

July 2020

Ray Fisher Speaks Up About Alleged Abuse on the Justice League Set (July 1st)

Actor Ray Fisher raised his voice on July 1st in a tweet, calling out director Joss Whedon for alleged abuse on the Justice League set, and WB execs Geoff Johns and Jon Berg for “enabling” that alleged behavior.

Joss Wheadon’s on-set treatment of the cast and crew of Justice League was gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable. He was enabled, in many ways, by Geoff Johns and Jon Berg. Accountability>Entertainment

— Ray Fisher (@ray8fisher) July 1, 2020

Later, in December, Fisher would add WB exec Walter Hamada’s name to that list, following a December 11th announcement by WarnerMedia that their investigation connected to Justice League “has concluded and remedial action has been taken.”

Hamilton Blows Us All Away (July 4th)

One of the deepest cultural cuts during lockdown was the necessary elimination of live, in-person theater, which is probably one of the reasons why Hamilton, the Pulitzer Prize-winning stage musical that originally came to Broadway in 2015, made such a splash when it became available in its filmed format via Disney+. Even without a pandemic, Hamilton (and all Broadway theater) is only accessible to a select group of people, making the addition of the pop culture phenomenon in a more accessible form so very important.

From Bridgerton to Hamilton: A History of Color-Conscious Casting in Period Drama

By Amanda-Rae Prescott

Movies

Hamilton: Thomas Jefferson Controversy Explained

By David Crow

Host Becomes the Most Zeitgesty Movie of 2020 (July 30th)

Another particularly impressive entry into the “filmed from lockdown” genre that sprouted up during the first year of the pandemic was British found footage horror film Host. Written and made over 12 weeks in a pandemic and based around a haunted Zoom call, few pandemic-made stories managed to nail the balance between both frighteningly topical and escapist quite so well.

The NBA Bubble Begins

Professional sports went into their bubbles, aka tightly controlled settings in which pro sports players live, practice, and play their respective seasons—to varying degrees of success. The NBA’s Disney World bubble went into effect on July 22nd for exhibition scrimmages, before launching into the final eight games of its regular 2019-2020 season and then the 2020 NBA playoffs. Twenty-two of the NBA’s 30 teams were invited to participate and ended the bubble in October with no recorded cases of COVID-19 amongst its participating players. The MLB bubble was… less successful.

SDCC @Home: WTF Was That? (July 22)

San Diego Comic-Con is one of the most important and lucrative pop culture events of the year, bringing hundreds of thousands of people into downtown San Diego to celebrate and discuss some of the largest franchises in the world. SDCC was one of the many in-person conventions that attempted to transfer its programming online in 2020 and… it didn’t really work. Part of the fun of Comic-Con is in the excitement of the crowd and the exclusivity of the events. (Though not on Thanksgiving, thank you very much.) There is nothing quite like getting to be part of a major Hall H announcement, and watching via video chat is just not the same.

August 2020

Tenet Comes Out in the UK (August 26th)

In what was largely a year without theatrical cinema in the U.S. and the U.K., a brief respite in COVID-19 cases and therefore lockdown meant a proper theatrical release for Christopher Nolan’s latest in August 2020. Sci-fi blockbuster Tenet hit U.K. theatres on August 26th, bringing in $5.3 million domestically in its first week of release and marking the first major studio release since the pandemic began.

American Sports Leagues Go on Strike to Protest Jacob Blake Shooting

Many professional sports in the U.S. came to a temporary halt when some players and teams refused to take the field or court following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black American who was shot in the back and paralyzed by a police officer in front of his sons on August 23rd in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The incident re-ignited ongoing protests over racism and police brutality, with which many players and teams stood in solidarity. The NBA, WNBA, MLB, and MLS all postponed games as players protested Jacob Blake’s shooting.

Chadwick Boseman Passes Away (August 28th)

In a devastating loss to American culture, Chadwick Boseman, the star of Black Panther and many other films, passed away due to complications from colon cancer, a condition with which he had been living and working since a 2016 diagnosis. Boseman was one of the most successful Black actors and creators working today.

“He … knew that his voice was now strong and people were listening and paying attention,” wrote Kelley L. Carter in The Undefeated. “And he knew that even as this moment was victorious, Hollywood still needed to be called to task on the things that make this industry problematic, even as it was in the infant phases of creating a groundbreaking blockbuster with a mostly Black cast.”

September 2020

Tenet Flops in the U.S., Hollywood Abandons Ship for Fall 2020 (September 3)

While Tenet may have been a hit in the U.K., the Nolan blockbuster flopped upon its release in the U.S., where many theaters remained closed or empty through the summer and fall. The film would make around $58 million in the U.S. and Canada, prompting Hollywood studios to further push back major releases slated for the fall.

Mulan Becomes First Disney “Premier Access” Release (Sept. 4)

After several pandemic-caused release delays, Disney’s much-anticipated, live-action adaptation of Mulan became the first “Premier Access” release for Disney+, causing a bit of a stir. In the U.S. and in some other markets, Disney forwent releasing Mulan in theaters, instead offering a “Premier Access” window on Disney+ that viewers could access for an additional fee of $29.99. While the film received middling reviews from western critics, it was not received well in China. Additionally, a #BoycottMulan movement, which started out as a response to social media comments star Liu Yifei made in support of the Hong Kong police in their (sometimes violent) suppression of pro-democracy protestors, gained some traction in the lead up to the release.

Movies

How Mulan Maintains The Animated Film’s Queerness

By Natalie Zutter

Movies

Mulan: Disney Plus Grosses Exceed $200 Million? (Report)

By David Crow

I’m Thinking of Ending Things Makes People Go “Whaaa?” (Sept. 4)

As our Rosie Fletcher wrote in the “Ending Explained” for I’m Thinking of Ending Things: “[this story is] a movie, and a book, which really requires you to watch/read twice to actually fully understand.” It’s a gloriously confusing movie, and many in September dove right into the mystery chiller adapted by Charlie Kaufman from a novel by Iain Reid. As Fletcher put in her review, the film is “a perfect storm of philosophy, ambiguity and wankery.” What’s not to love?

October 2020

Trial of the Chicago 7 Debuts on Netflix (Oct. 16)

However you may feel about Aaron Sorkin, the man knows how to make a taut political drama. Trial of the Chicago 7 is a dramatic retelling of (as it says on the tin) the 1969-70 trial of the Chicago Seven, a group of anti–Vietnam War protesters charged with conspiracy and crossing state lines with the intention of inciting riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The movie has an all-star cast of dudes, and is both written and directed by Sorkin. It made many critics’ best-of-the-year lists and made a cultural splash when it dropped on Netflix in October, after a summer of American and global protests ignited by the killing of George Floyd and other Black Americans.

Borat 2 Makes (a Bigger) Fool Out of Rudy Giulilani (October 23rd)

Rarely do the paths of pop culture and politics so explicitly intersect as they did in Borat 2. The mockumentary comedy sequel came out in October, in the long, plateau-ed height of the lead up to the presidential election, and featured a scene in which Republican politician Rudy Giuliani puts his hand into his trousers in front of actress Maria Bakalova, who is impersonating a conservative journalist. While Giuliani attempted to spin the event in both the lead up to and following the release of the film on Amazon Prime, Sacha Baron Cohen told Good Morning America in an interview after the film’s release: “It is what it is. He did what he did.”

Movies

Maria Bakalova is Ready to Do Borat 3 in ‘Five Minutes’

By David Crow

Movies

Borat 2: Sacha Baron Cohen Reveals Dangerous Deleted Scene

By David Crow

The Queen’s Gambit Turns Everyone into a Chess Player (Oct. 23)

Odds are that, in October 2020, you either knew someone or were someone who watched The Queen’s Gambit and then fell hard into the world of chess. The Netflix period miniseries tracks the highs and lows of fictional chess prodigy Beth Harmon (the brilliant Anya Taylor-Joy), from her upbringing in a Kentucky orphanage in the 1950s to her time at the top of the competitive chess world in the 1960s. In its first month of release, The Queen’s Gambit became Netflix’s most-watched scripted miniseries, and sent chess set sales soaring—yet another sign of just how commercially and culturally powerful Netflix has become.

November 2020

PlayStation 5 Alleges Launches, But No One Can Get Them (Nov. 12)

Even if you aren’t a gamer, you probably heard about the release of the PlayStation 5. Though the PS5 technically became available in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North America, Singapore, and South Korea on November 12th (and worldwide a week later), the limited supply of the console made it almost impossible to find.

As Matthew Byrd wrote in his November article on the subject: “We know that the initial PS5 shortage can at least partially be attributed to a shortage of the console’s chips (as well as distribution and manufacturing problems caused by the complications related to the COVID-19 pandemic), but as we’re already seeing in Europe where some who pre-ordered a PS5 were warned they may not receive their console until 2021, Sony faces some notable additional issues moving forward.”

This is partially a story of supply and demand, and the growth of gaming in general. According to a report by market researcher SuperData (via Venture Beat), the game industry grew 12% (to $139.9 billion) in 2020, with console games revenues up 28% from 2019. While growth is expected to be slower in 2021, as fewer people will hopefully be stuck at home, more people than ever are gtting their story fix in the world of gaming.

Games

PlayStation Bets on Big Games as Game Pass Slowly Wins a Console War

By Matthew Byrd

Games

Why PlayStation Store Closing on PS3 Should Matter to You

By Matthew Byrd

December 2020

WB Announces HBO Max Release Hybrid Model (Dec. 3)

In a move that seems to be paying off, in December, Warner Bros. announced that it would be moving to a release hybrid model through 2021, putting its entire 2021 film slate on HBO Max. As David Crow explained in our film section: “The move will put all 17 of WB’s scheduled 2021 films on a ‘hybrid’ model where films will premiere on HBO Max the same day as their theatrical release in the U.S. Technically speaking, the films will still be playing in theaters, particularly in international markets without HBO Max as a streaming option, but for the first (and most lucrative) month of their release, they’ll also be available on WarnerMedia’s streamer.”

People Actually Get to Play Cyberpunk 2077, Immediately Realize It’s Broken (Dec. 10)

Hooboy, Cyberpunk 2077. In December, after literal years of anticipation, CD Projekt released action RPG video game Cyberpunk 2077 to disastrous results. While the narrative and design of the game is ambitious and has its rewards, the rollout was plagued by performance issues (particularly in the console versions) that led to player backlash and actual lawsuits.

Games

Cyberpunk 2077 Lawsuits Explained

By Matthew Byrd

Games

Cyberpunk 2077 Roadmap Proves the Game Should Have Been Delayed to 2021

By Matthew Byrd

The Mandalorian Finale Breaks the Internet (Dec. 18)

Um, spoilers.

The second season of The Mandalorian may not have technically been the most-watched series of 2020, but it certainly felt like the most-talked-about, proving that, even in the era of streaming, there’s still such a thing as appointment television. This all came to a culmination with The Mandalorian Season 2 finale, “The Rescue,” which featured an appearance from Luke Skywalker himself.

Could Durge’s Star Wars Return Lead to a Role in The Mandalorian or Book of Boba Fett?

By Joseph Baxter

How The Mandalorian Challenges Star Wars’ History of Bad Dads

By Lacy Baugher

Wonder Woman 1984 Premieres (Dec. 25)

Wonder Woman 1984 dropped on Christmas Day in the United States, and quickly became the most-watched straight-to-streaming title of 2020 (knocking Disney+’s Hamilton out of the top spot), despite its middling reviews. In the U.S., it would be the first of WB’s “hybrid model” releases, getting a simultaneous release in theaters as well as on HBO Max.

Movies

Wonder Woman 1984 Star Connie Nielsen Defends Patty Jenkins’ Vision

By Don Kaye

Movies

Does Zack Snyder’s Justice League Set Up Wonder Woman 3?

By David Crow

Bridgerton Gets Saucy (Dec. 25)

Bridgerton, Netflix’s deliciously addicting period romance based on the Julia Quinn novels, also dropped on Christmas Day, and went on to become the streamer’s most watched series ever, reaching #1 in 76 countries. The Shondaland produced drama made leading man Regé-Jean Page a global star, so much so that the announcement that he would not be returning for Season 2 (as each season focuses on a different romantic pairing featuring a member of the Bridgerton family) into a bit of a meltdown. Bridgerton has already secured another three seasons—a post-Season 1 announcement that is unprecedented for a Netflix original.

Why Bridgerton Had to Let Regé-Jean Page Go

By Amanda-Rae Prescott

Will Bridgerton Become the Next Game of Thrones?

By Kayti Burt

Soul Brings on the Feels (Dec. 25)

Called Pixar’s “most ambitious movie in years” by Den of Geek film editor David Crow, Soul was another Christmas release that brought solace to people stuck at home, many without their families, for the holidays. Directed by Pixar vet Pete Docter (Up, Monsters, Inc., Inside Out) and co-directed by Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami, Star Trek: Discovery), the film follows middle school music teacher and pianist Joe Gardner as he seeks to reunite his soul and his body after they are accidentally separated, just before his big break as a jazz musician.

January 2021

The Little Things Kicks Off WB’s 2021 Film Slate on Streaming (Jan. 29)

Fans of crime thriller and/or Denzel Washington and Rami Malek flock to HBO Max and theaters for the hybrid release of The Little Things, the first of WB’s planned 2021 slate.

Movies

The Little Things is Better Than a Seven Copycat

By Don Kaye

Movies

The Little Things and the Mystery of Denzel Washington’s Character Explained

By David Crow

February 2021

WandaVision Ensnares Us

Stop hogging the zeitgeist, Marvel!

In February, Disney+ released its first MCU show, WandaVision, and it broke the internet. The miniseries, created by Jac Schaeffer and starring Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, wowed audiences with its clever use of the sitcom format and superhero tropes to tell a story about grief that, for all of its fantastical elements, was oh so relatable.

How WandaVision’s Doctor Strange 2 Connection Evolved

By Joseph Baxter

WandaVision: The Unanswered Questions From the Marvel Series

By Gavin Jasper

Judas and the Black Messiah Debuts (Feb. 12)

Daniel Kaluuya and Lakith Stanfield lead an all-star cast in this 1960s period piece that follows the real life story of Black Panther Party chairman Fred Hampton, who was the victim of a targeted assassination by the FBI. In a year that saw an increased mainstream awareness of Black trauma, the Oscar-nominated Judas and the Black Messiah shone a cinematic light on yet another state-led historical injustice against Black Americans.

Charisma Carpenter Speaks Her Truth

In February, actress Charisma Carpenter came forward with allegations about Joss Whedon’s alleged abuses of power during her time on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, inspired by Ray Fisher’s own efforts to seek justice and systemic reform for Whedon’s alleged behavior on Justice League.

My truth. #IStandWithRayFisher pic.twitter.com/eNjYcJ6zwP

— charisma carpenter (@AllCharisma) February 10, 2021

— Ray Fisher (@ray8fisher) July 1, 2020

Pokemania Returns

Many older millennials have spent their time during quarantine reconnecting with their childhood faves. This culminates with a massive renewed interest in Pokemon cards to the point where McDonald’s Happy Meals with Pokemon cards as toys sell out instantly.

Sponsored

Why Pokémon Has Endured For 25 Years

By Alec Bojalad

Did we miss anything? What have been the stories and pop culture trends that have helped get you through the pandemic so far? Let us know in the comments below.

The post The Pandemic in Pop Culture Trends appeared first on Den of Geek.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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butterflies-dragons · 5 years ago

Note

I was reading your La Belle post and I have one question: Why did the GRRM-directed Blackwater Bay episode copy the famous Beast leaving Belle scene for Sandor and Sansa? (romancingthecage tumblr com/post/90157713456) Why did he ask an artist for Sandor/Sansa fan art that was exactly like the movie's cover? (joannalannister ... tumblr ... com/post/118679350266/sansa-stark-the-hound-by-john-picacio-la).

You have TWO questions Anon.

Your first question: Why did the GRRM-directed Blackwater Bay episode copy the famous Beast leaving Belle scene for Sandor and Sansa? And you provided the link of this post.

My answer to your first question:

GRRM didn’t directed the ‘Blackwater’ episode. The director of that episode was Neil Marshall.

GRRM wrote the script of the ‘Blackwater’ episode.

You affirm that GRRM “copied” the famous Beast leaving Belle scene for Sandor and Sansa and provide that gif-set as proof of your affirmation.

That gif-set compared one single scene of the ‘Blackwater’ episode (this one) with three different scenes from Jean Cocteau’s movie ‘La Belle et la Bête’. Let’s see:

In the first scene (first gif), Belle is in her room in the Beast’s Castle for the first time, she hadn’t met the Beast yet.

VOICE FROM THE DRESSING TABLE MIRROR (whisperingly) Beauty, I am your mirror; reflect in me; I will reflect for you.

Beauty puts her hands out toward the mirror and gazes into it. The glass is black. Then she sees her father lying on his sickbed. The mirror turns black again. She stands up and looks round the room. On the large bed, a luxurious fur cover is pulled back by invisible hands. Beauty runs out of the room, along the corridor, out of the castle, down the stone staircase into the courtyard.

Across the courtyard the doors open and the Beast makes his appearance. Beauty lets out a cry of fear and horror.

—La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast) script

In the ‘Blackwater’ episode scene, Sansa didn’t look in the mirror, she enters in her room, takes a lamp from a table and put it in her dressing table and then looks at the doll her father, Ned Stark, gave her in Season 1.

In the second scene (second and third gifs), Belle is imploring the Beast to allow her to visit her father and he asks her if she would marry him at her return.

BEAUTY (still on her knees, pleading) I cannot live another day without seeing my father again. Please let me go, I beg you!

THE BEAST Stand up, Beauty, stand up. He pulls her to her feet and leads her to a chair. He sits down beside her.

THE BEAST I should be on my knees taking orders from you.

BEAUTY (almost in tears) Let me go. I promise to return.

THE BEAST And when you return, will you be my wife?

BEAUTY (in despair) You’re torturing me.

THE BEAST I know I’m repulsive. But I would die of heartbreak if I let you go and you took advantage of your freedom never to return.

BEAUTY I’d come back in a week’s time. I respect you too much to cause your death. The Beast lowers his head. Beauty strokes it.

—La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast) script

In the ‘Blackwater’ episode scene, nothing similar happens between Sansa and the Hound.

This line from the Beast: “And when you return, will you be my wife?” is not the same as this line from the Hound: “I could take you with me”, like the gif-set intents to say.

When the Beast says: “I know I’m repulsive” / “I know I’m horrible to look at” (depends on the translation), he is not demanding to be seen. This line from the Beast is total opposite to the Hound’s demanding one “Look at me” while roughly grabbing her arm. And Sansa is very frightened at that moment. If you look at the scene, Sansa’s face in the gif is not the one she has when the Hound says “Look at me”. Actually the gif shows us Sansa and the Hound when she said “You won’t hurt me” and he answers: “No little bird, I won’t hurt you”.

The Hound never lowers his head like the Beast does, and Sansa never strokes it as Belle does.

Since Sansa took the doll Ned gave her in Season 1, she keeps holding it with both hands throughout the scene.

In the third scene (fourth and fifth gifs), the one you call “the famous Beast leaving Belle scene”, the Beast allows Belle to visit her father and gives her a magic glove that can take her wherever she wishes if she puts the glove on her right hand.

BEAUTY (looking at him with an expression of joy) You agree to send me home to my father?

THE BEAST You’ll be there this very morning. My night here is not the same as yours. It is night in my world, but it is morning in yours. (He leads her hack into the room.) Beauty, a rose that has already played its part, my mirror, my golden key, my horse and my glove are the five secrets of my power … I surrender them to you. (He removes his glove and gives it to her.) Just put the glove on your right hand, it will carry you wherever you wish.

He walks slowly to the door, turns round and looks at her intently.

THE BEAST Remember your promise. (The door opens; he leaves the room.) Farewell, Beauty.

The door closes silently behind him. Beauty paces up and down the room, staring at the glove. She puts it onto her right hand. In a flash she is transported to her father’s bedroom.

—La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast) script

Again, in the ‘Blackwater’ episode scene, nothing similar happens between Sansa and the Hound.

The Hound never gives Sansa a magic glove. The only object Sansa keeps holding throughout the scene is the doll Ned, her father, gave her in Season 1.

After saying this line: “No little bird, I won’t hurt you”, the Hound leaves the room and never looks back.

Sansa observes him leaving the room as she holds the doll with only one hand. The camera follows Sansa’s hand that holds the doll and the scene ends.

So I don’t think that GRRM has copied “the famous Beast leaving Belle scene” for the ‘Blackwater’ episode scene between Sansa and the Hound. In both scenes a character leaves the other in their room and you can argue that both are filmed in a similar fashion, I mean, in how many different ways can a scene of a character leaving the other in their room be filmed? But the events that take place in these two scenes are not similar at all.

Your second question: Why did he ask an artist for Sandor/Sansa fan art that was exactly like the movie’s cover? And you provided the link of this post.

My answer to your second question:

GRRM didn’t ask John Picacio to draw a fan-art of Sansa and the Hound exactly like one of the many covers of Jean Cocteau’s movie ‘La Belle et la Bête’.

Jean Cocteau’s movie ‘La Belle et la Bête’ has many covers, as you can see for yourself in this google search.

The cover you refer in particular is this one.

Let’s see what exactly John Picacio said about that particular fan-art you mention:

In an article called Game of Thrones meets Beauty and the Beast: My Vision of Sansa and the Hound John Picacio explains how he created his Sansa Stark and the Hound artwork for the 2012 George R. R. Martin / A Song of Ice and Fire Calendar.

Take note of the title of the article: “My Vision of Sansa and the Hound”. John Picacio has specified that this particular artwork responds to his own vision of the characters, it wasn’t a GRRM request.

One of the many great things about this job was George and Bantam let me make the first call on what images and characters I wanted to illustrate. So I made a ‘wish list’, and whittled it down to a final twelve. When I was done, George signed off on most of them, but he offered three or four images of his own that weren’t on my list. He offered these for me to consider and I thought they were all terrific. So I nuked a few of mine and replaced them with his because it made for a more balanced set.

One of George’s suggestions was Sansa Stark and the Hound (AKA Sandor Clegane).

George thought it would be fun to consider the scene where the Hound encounters Sansa in her darkened chamber while the Battle of the Blackwater rages outside. When I think about Sansa and the Hound, I think about Beauty and the Beast. I don’t mean any specific incarnation of that storyline, but just a perverse version of it. However, if there was one version that did come to mind, it was Jean Cocteau’s 1946 film La Belle et la Bête.

—John Picacio

As you can see, GRRM only suggested a scene and it was the artist’s decision to depict Sansa and the Hound as that particular Jean Cocteau’s movie ‘La Belle et la Bête’ cover.

A noticeable difference between the movie cover an Picacio’s artwork is the rose that appears in the cover but is missed in the fan-art.

Good night.

#Sansa Stark #La Belle et la Bête #Beauty and the Beast #Jean Cocteau #GRRM #John Picacio

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alternatedoctors · 5 years ago

Text

Timeline

“First” Regeneration Cycle

Body - Title - Portrayed by.... 01 - The First Doctor - William Hartnell (Richard Hurndall*, David Bradley**) 02 - The Second Doctor - Patrick Troughton 03 - The Third Doctor - Jon Pertwee 04 - The Fourth Doctor - Tom Baker 05 - The Fifth Doctor - Peter Davidson 06 - The Sixth Doctor - Colin Baker 07 - The Seventh Doctor - Sylvestor McCoy 08 - The Eighth Doctor - Paul McGann 09 - The “War” Doctor - John Hurt 10 - The Ninth Doctor - Christopher Eccleston 11 - The Tenth Doctor - David Tennant 12 - The "Metacrisis” Doctor - David Tennant 13 - The Eleventh Doctor - Matt Smith

“Second” Regeneration Cycle

14 - The Twelfth Doctor - Peter Capaldi 15 - The Thirteenth Doctor - Jodie Whittaker

Unknown Placement

?? - The “Ruth” Doctor - Jo Martin ?? - The Curator - Tom Baker

Personal Alternate Doctors / Castings / Notes

16 - The Fourteenth Doctor - Gillian Anderson Notes: Short hair, outfit appearing as in Winser London photoshoot. Similar in character to Capaldi’s final season as the Doctor. Generally keeps calms and collected, but with a twinkle in her eyes she takes a quiet enjoyment to travelling the universe. After regenerating from the her previous 13th incarnation, the 14th Doctor takes a more restrained approach to adventure. She now tends to actively seek more quiet and passive locations, after seeing the accumulating effects of her presence across the space and time. She now vows more so to observe the universe rather than get directly involved with action and adventure. This is not to say that she shys away from people in need, indeed her sense of duty is punctuated by a distinct motherly-feel. This is similar to the 12th Doctor’s ‘magician granddad’ take, but she would appear to be less emotionally distant and more have more humanistic qualities. If the more optimistic portrayal’s of the 10th, 11th and 12th Doctors could be surmised as “Romantic Adventurer”, “Cosmic Fairytale”, “Magician Granddad”, then Anderson’s Doctor could be described as a “Dutiful Observer”. The darker sides of these Doctors can be boiled down to “the man who regrets, the man who forgets, and the man who forgives”. Anderson’s darker side could be aligned as “the tainted nostalgic”: She travels the universe, now not only seeking things to appearance things for the first time, but mostly to re-experience them to gain true validation and meaning from these experiences (akin to Donald Gleeson’s character by the end of About Time). Following her realization of the Timeless Child arc, she realizes that she remembers very little of even her most recent incarnations. For most of the season arc, the 14th Doctor consults old diaries (such as River Songs) for inspiration or just to relive the moments. (Indeed, I would love to have an episode in which 14 reads exerts of the diary, or relives adventures with old companions, in a fun, nostalgic wholesome scene inside the TARDIS). Whilst on the surface 14 expresses a comforting, positive outlook on her past lives, but like 10′s explanation of Gallifrey to Martha in S3, this is a choice to remember the good bits. The main arc this Doctor will go through will be seeking both a mix of old and new experiences, but slowly becoming more and more aware that, while her influence on the universe may be good as a whole, or short term, it is often those closest to her who repeatedly suffer. (I know this is an arc that was somewhat touched upon during both RTD’s and Moffat’s eras but I want to take this approach more subtly). The 14th Doctor represents a far more mature realization of a female doctor, and her character arc specifically would delve more into the Doctor’s true self, and the inner turmoil she hides from herself as all of her previous and future personalities constantly bubble away inside. ?? - The “Future” Doctor - Tilda Swinton Notes: Future, edgier, Doctor. Swinton’s Doctor would be cold, sophisicated, and no-nonsense. Tilda Swinton’s Doctor is cold and weathered, more so than even Capaldi’s first season. She is callus and ruthless in saving people. By this point, she admits she does not even have a concept of how old she might be, but at least over 5,000 years. She has shortish hair, a fringe off to one side, a lanky suit and tie - similar to her appearance in Constantine (2005). Swinton’s TARDIS design is similar to Capaldi’s in aesthetic, but dark and dingy. Practical looking, with bookshelves and shelves, without any silly gadgets. She has a very dry, morbid sense of humour, if any at all. At some point in her adventures, the 14th Doctor comes across this future incarnation of herself. Episode outline: We join 14 and compaion mid-adventure, they are aboard some sort of spacecraft. 14 has already done most of the work “saving” prior to the episode opening, but now faces a moral dilemma - save the crew aboard, or kill a new infantile species. Both species require the opposite atmospheric conditions to survive, so the Doctor can only choose one. At the last moment, the Swinton Doctor steps in and immediately jettisons the alien species. 14 is shocked and demands to know who she is, to which Swinton ignores her first, walking swiftly away. “Stop there, I demand you tell me who you are” shouts 14, following the mystery woman down a thin corridor. “Doesn’t matter, you can go about your business now”. “Who gave you the right to commit genocide, that was an innocent species who barely just crawled out of the womb.” Swinton turns “I’m the Doctor. I own those rights.” TITLE SEQUENCE Throughout the early parts of the episode it becomes clear that the future Doctor has no idea who 14 is, but does not dismiss her immediately, but eventually admits that 14 “probably is telling the truth” but she can’t actually remember her, to which 14 replies that is impossible, as she “never forgets a face”, to which Swinton replies calmly that she is so old now, she simply cannot remember everything she has ever done or experienced, or even simply she cannot remember everyone she once was. Eventually 14 and Swinton have a DMC. She no longer travels with companions, indeed cannot even remember who the last one was. Her lust for adventure and optimistic outlook has long been shattered, now instead she is tainted by millennia of saving people. It is routine for her, and she cares not for the people she saves, describing herself as a caretaker who can never quit. (To 14) “I remember being like you. (...) Well, not you specifically... but like you. Young. Optimistic, always looking for the good in the universe. Thinking that travelling through time and space was such a gift, and how lucky I was to have that all to myself. It took me a long time to realise I was wrong. I wasn’t lucky, or special. Not a traveler, or a tourist, or an observer. ... Nope. This is my burden to bear. Do you know how big the universe is. And then the size of that applied through all of space in all dimensions. When yourself make a habit of saving people, it’s no longer just kindness. It becomes expected. It’s like with any hobby; it starts off as such a small portion of your time. You do it every now and again, perhaps when you fancy it or when you need to. But that over time that enjoyment becomes duty. That becomes obsession. Then addiction, until eventually you’ve spiraled out of control and now, this is your life. But with no end to it. Just saving people, forever, like a caretaker who can never quit.”14 is shocked by this pessimistic future version of herself, and whilst her companions try to understand, 14 is very deeply effected by this, realising that despite the fact she is already incredibly old even by Timelord standards, compared to this future incarnation she is nothing. This is a Doctor who has even come out of retirement, now facing the consequences of a life that can never end, realising that even if she were to do nothing for the entire lifespan of the universe, she could just hop into the TARDIS, and do it all over again. Infinitely. The only reason she now saves people is because there is now nothing for her to do. She has lived every experience she can experience, touched every star to have ever been born, and watch them all die too.

#doctor who au #GA doctor #TS doctor #timeline #episode insp

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newstfionline · 5 years ago

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Headlines

Quarantine Blues and the Power of a Jigsaw Puzzle (Worldcrunch) A sudden rush of stress, trouble sleeping or eating, overwhelming feelings of helplessness, general fatigue. Does it sound familiar? With approximately half the world still forced to live in lockdown, old and new psychological disorders are a widely diffused side-effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent study led by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 45% of Americans feel the current health crisis had impacted their mental health. In France, Le Figaro reported this week that 74% of adults in a recent survey developed sleeping disorders and 34% showed signs of psychological distress. Humans are social animals, and while we can acknowledge that our modern digital tools are providing instant links in the face of our respective quarantines, we are also seeing how crucial in-person interaction and stimuli are to the human experience. Alongside the more severe threats to our emotional state is a seemingly less menacing effect: boredom. There is a fine line between enjoying some spare time to do nothing and repeatedly having nothing to do, especially when we yearn for distraction from the current uncertainty of the outside world. Board games that were piling up dust in the basement are seeing the light of day again and solo players indeed are able to play across the computer screen with friends and strangers. Similarly, the lockdown has created one of the highest recorded demand for jigsaw puzzles, a pastime whose time had seemed to have passed two or three generations ago. The American Puzzle Warehouse reported a jump of 2,000% in business compared to the same period last year. When the world seems to fall apart, putting back pieces together could be the ultimate satisfaction.

Coronavirus could erode global fight against other diseases (AP) Lavina D’Souza hasn’t been able to collect her government-supplied anti-HIV medication since the abrupt lockdown of India’s 1.3 billion people last month during the coronavirus outbreak. Marooned in a small city away from her home in Mumbai, the medicine she needs to manage her disease has run out. The 43-year-old is afraid that her immune system will crash: “Any disease, the coronavirus or something else, I’ll fall sick faster.” As the world focuses on the pandemic, experts fear losing ground in the long fight against other infectious diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis and cholera that kill millions every year. Also at risk are decadeslong efforts that allowed the World Health Organization to set target dates for eradicating malaria, polio and other illnesses. With the coronavirus overwhelming hospitals, redirecting medical staff, causing supply shortages and suspending health services, “our greatest fear” is resources for other diseases being diverted and depleted, said Dr. John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

IMF warns of social unrest (Foreign Policy) The International Monetary Fund has warned of social unrest developing in countries where coronavirus prevention measures are seen as insufficient or unfair to poorer workers. The IMF said that although governments have taken swift action to inject stimulus funds into their economies, even more money would be needed once the crisis subsides. The organization expects global public debt to rise by 13 percent in 2020 to almost 96 percent of global gross domestic product.

After Coronavirus, Colleges Worry: Will Students Come Back? (NYT) For years, Claire McCarville dreamed of going to college in New York or Los Angeles, and was thrilled last month to get accepted to selective schools in both places. But earlier this month, she sent a $300 deposit to Arizona State University, a 15-minute drive from her home in Phoenix. “It made more sense,” she said, “in light of the virus.” Across the country, students like Ms. McCarville are rethinking their choices in a world altered by the pandemic. And universities, concerned about the potential for shrinking enrollment and lost revenue, are making a wave of decisions in response that could profoundly alter the landscape of higher education for years to come. Lucrative spring sports seasons have been canceled, room and board payments have been refunded, and students at some schools are demanding hefty tuition discounts for what they see as a lost spring term. Other revenue sources like study abroad programs and campus bookstores have dried up, and federal research funding is threatened. Some institutions are projecting $100 million losses for the spring, and many are now bracing for an even bigger financial hit in the fall, when some are planning for the possibility of having to continue remote classes.

‘Pretty Catastrophic’ Month for Retailers (NYT) Retail sales plunged in March, offering a grim snapshot of the coronavirus outbreak’s effect on consumer spending, as businesses shuttered from coast to coast and wary shoppers restricted their spending. Total sales, which include retail purchases in stores and online as well as money spent at bars and restaurants, fell 8.7 percent from the previous month, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. The decline was by far the largest in the nearly three decades the government has tracked the data. Even that bleak figure doesn’t capture the full impact of the sudden economic freeze on the retail industry. Most states didn’t shut down nonessential businesses until late March or early April, meaning data for the current month could be worse still. “It was a pretty catastrophic drop-off in that back half of the month,” said Sucharita Kodali, a retail analyst at Forrester Research. She said April “may be one of the worst months ever.”

Now Arriving at La Guardia Airport: One Passenger (NYT) Jim Mack had made several trips to New York City before, but had never been the only passenger on a commercial jet landing at a deserted La Guardia Airport. Instead of shuffling into the madhouse that is Terminal B on a typical weeknight, Mr. Mack was greeted by an eerie silence. “It felt like it was either closed or I had landed in the wrong terminal,” he said. He had flown from Tampa, Fla.--just him and a Southwest Airlines crew--and now he was striding up the concourse toward baggage claim. The only luggage on the carousel was his. The lone Uber driver was waiting for him. The coronavirus pandemic has unraveled air travel in the United States and turned some of the world’s busiest airports into giant voids. The nation’s air-traffic system is still functioning. But airlines have slashed their schedules, and even on the dwindling number of remaining flights very few seats are filled.

As Danish schools reopen, some worried parents are keeping their children home (Washington Post) The children pressed down on a hand sanitizer dispenser and kept a safe distance from one another as they filed into Ellebjerg School in central Copenhagen on Thursday. But while they settled into their lessons, with a new limit of 10 students per room, some of their classmates remained at home, their families resistant to participating in what they see as a public policy experiment. Denmark this week became the first country in Europe to reopen schools--nursery and primary up to fifth grade--as a start to lifting a coronavirus lockdown imposed on March 12. Although the country has reported 6,879 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection and 309 deaths, new infections have been decreasing since a peak on April 1, giving the government confidence that a cautious reopening was possible. But thousands of families are opposed to sending their kids back to school so quickly. It’s unclear whether the same opposition will arise in other countries as they try to pivot from more than a month of restrictive measures aimed at slowing the pandemic’s spread. Officials are weighing the negatives of distance learning, which can exacerbate inequality, and the reality that many parents won’t be able to return to work if their children are still home--a point that Denmark’s prime minister specifically noted Wednesday in a surprise visit to a school here.

At least 668 sailors infected after coronavirus outbreak aboard French aircraft carrier, Defense Ministry says (Washington Post) Nearly a third of the crew aboard a French aircraft carrier and its support vessels have tested positive for coronavirus, the country’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday. As test results from 1,767 sailors on the Charles de Gaulle and other ships within its battle group continue to arrive, at least 668 have contracted the virus, officials said. More than 30 are now being treated in the hospital with one person in intensive care, Agence France-Presse reported. In the meantime, the rest of the crew has been quarantined at a military base in the French port city of Toulon.

Germany to ease lockdown (Foreign Policy) Germany is following the lead of its southern neighbor Austria by preparing to ease its lockdown measures. Starting May 4, Germany will begin reopening smaller shops and allowing schools to reopen, with priority given to final-year students. Hairdressers will also be allowed to open, but larger gathering points like bars, restaurants, and cinemas would still be banned. German Chancellor Angela Merkel played down talk of larger scale reopening, saying Germany had achieved merely a “fragile intermediate success” in its battle against the coronavirus.

China tries to revive economy but consumer engine sputters (AP) China, where the coronavirus pandemic started in December, is cautiously trying to get back to business, but it’s not easy when many millions of workers are wary of spending much or even going out. Factories and shops nationwide shut down starting in late January. Millions of families were told to stay home under unprecedented controls that have been copied by the United States, Europe and India. The ruling Communist Party says the outbreak, which had killed more than 3,340 people among more than 82,341 confirmed cases as of Thursday, is under control. But the damage to Chinese lives and the economy is lingering. Truck salesman Zhang Hu is living the dilemma holding back the recovery. The 27-year-old from the central city of Zhengzhou has gone back to work, but with few people looking to buy 20-ton trucks, his income has fallen by half. Like many millions of others, he is pinching pennies.

U.S. Navy complains of harassment in Persian Gulf (Foreign Policy) The U.S. Navy said Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vessels conducted “dangerous and provocative” approaches to U.S. Navy vessels in the Persian Gulf in a statement on Wednesday. The U.S. Fifth Fleet said it was in international waters and carrying out exercises when the boats approached. Iran has yet to respond to the U.S. statement.

Australia to send aid to Fiji after cyclone tears across Pacific (Reuters) Australia is to send humanitarian aid to Fiji after a tropical cyclone caused widespread destruction across the Pacific, Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne said on Thursday. Cyclone Harold, a category five storm, lashed several island nations in the Pacific last week, killing dozens of people, flooding towns and leaving many homeless. In Fiji, thousands of people remain without electricity, aid agencies say, and many need immediate assistance.

#headlines #news

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andrewuttaro · 5 years ago

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Two GM’s, Two Trades

Sports history has no shortage of characters. Heroes and Fools and everything in between. Often times they exist in different times, set apart by eras and regimes. But we may have the best compare and contrast one could hope for on our hands in Buffalo. On May 9th, 2017, the Buffalo Bills hired a new general manager in Brandon Beane. Two days later the Buffalo Sabres hired a new general manger in Jason Botterill. Two days apart two men together took hold of the towns only two major pro sports franchises. Then they went in different directions.

To be fair both have had their ups and downs. NHL Hockey and NFL Football are vastly different games with different salary cap structures and different roster construction rules. We’re not comparing apples and apples here. But the comparison is just too tempting. Three years on most Sabres fans are calling for the ouster of Botterill while Bills fans hail Beane as the architect of a franchise renaissance. The Bills are being picked to win their division, twelve games, and be a contender for the AFC title. The Sabres are nine years out of the playoffs and inspiring little hope in anyone wearing blue and gold. How much was each GM responsible for their club’s current predicament?

I’m not smart enough for stats and only became a football fan when Josh Allen leaped that Viking. I won’t be making an analytical argument to you today. Instead let’s look at two trades. One made by each of the Buffalo GMs. Each trade represents more than a simple exchange of players and futures. Each trade is a roster-altering power move executed in the hope of changing the club’s fortunes. The results for one are not looking good. The results for the other are yet to be seen. Each trade is emblematic of the GM who pulled the trigger.

For Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill it was the Ryan O’Reilly Trade. July 1st, 2018: Jason Botterill trades Center Ryan O’Reilly to the St. Louis Blues for forwards Vladimir Sobotka, Patrik Berglund, Tage Thompson, a 2019 First Round Draft pick and a 2021 second round Draft pick. Make no mistake: the player in this deal is Ryan O’Reilly. A center holding down the top line role in Buffalo as young superstar Jack Eichel came into his own. For St. Louis O’Reilly would be a middle six forward on a much deeper roster. Meanwhile both of Vladimir Sobotka and Patrik Berglund were already regressing but they were veteran roster players which were certainly a big demand for a Sabres franchise that had just added franchise defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Everything else in the trade was sight-unseen futures, including Tage Thompson; the least of a three-headed monster of St. Louis prospects.

For the Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane it was the Stefon Diggs trade. March 16th, 2020: Brandon Beane acquires Stefon Diggs and a 2020 seventh round draft pick from the Minnesota Vikings for the Bills 2020 First Round Draft Pick, a 2020 fifth round pick, a 2020 sixth round pick, and a fourth round draft pick in 2021. Minnesota received a haul of draft picks including a first rounder they used to select a replacement receiver for the departed Diggs. They moved out a player management had become impatient with for a haul of futures. Meanwhile the Bills forfeited said haul for a bonafede number one receiver. A known quantity for young QB Josh Allen to gel with.

The Sabres were coming off of what was accidentally one of their worst seasons in franchise history. That desolation earned them a top draft pick and generational talent in Rasmus Dahlin. Centers are crucial pieces in NHL roster construction and even the barely decent ones command a high price. Ryan O’Reilly was an above average center who couldn’t single-handedly revive the Sabres in their endless struggles. No single player can but centers are critical pieces. Evidently Botterill was shopping O’Reilly as early as the 2018 Trade deadline. When the player caught wind of it the awful season was magnified. When O’Reilly claimed he’d lost his love for the game at locker room cleanout day he gave the GM the media cover to move him out, a relationship already ruined by prior devaluation. The July 1st trade apparently went down in some part because Sabres owner Terry Pegula (also the owner of the Buffalo Bills) was not interested in paying a contract bonus. After a rough first half for the Blues the following season they went on an incredible run that ended in a Stanley Cup and a Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP) for Ryan O’Reilly.

When the Bills acquired Stefon Diggs they were fresh off Josh Allen’s first full season as the starting quarterback. For many in the national media Buffalo came out of nowhere embarrassing the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, winning ten games, and reaching the playoffs for the second time in three years. For Brandon Beane it was the fruition of a rather quick turnaround that saw him move out the majority of the squad that snuck into the playoffs two years prior. Big gets of the prior regime like Sammy Watkins had been moved out for an even newer battery of Tre White, Tremaine Edmunds, and Ed Oliver among others. With that backdrop the move to get Stefon Diggs added a young high-end receiver to the top of a depth chart that already included Cole Beasley and John Brown. This was giving Allen the weapon he needed to push further on a young team’s potential for a collection of futures Beane already had. The on-field results are yet to be seen but Beane has been roundly praised for the move.

Both of these trade represented their respective Buffalo GMs making a considerably big roster move. Both trades were attempts to fill a need by moving out something in excess. For the two GMs these trades demonstrate how their respective models for organizational overhaul were fundamentally different. Both trades factor in the state of affairs their teams were in differently. While Botterill moved a core piece for futures, Beane moved futures for a core piece. Botterill made his move a year into his roster regime still struggling to build a consistent forward corp. Beane made his move in year three after a strong young base was already in place winning games. Differences there maybe many but it seems clear to see how these two trades show what kind of GM each man tries to be. Hired two days apart, these GM’s strategies are indeed worlds apart.

#buffalo sabres #Buffalo Bills

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specialagentrin · 5 years ago

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Day 10 – On the tenth day of Christmas, Wincestmas gave to me: a many-years-old WIP about A/B/O dynamics

Warnings: Alpha!Sam, Omega!Dean, A/B/O dynamics, Bobby being the best ever, post season 1, a lot of angst tbh, but hopefully a happy ending, although tbh I haven’t exactly finished this fic and don’t think I’ll be able to finish it by the end of the event, but I’ll continue writing it for you if you like it, idk any other warnings for now, except a bit of masturbation but now really all that descriptive

Dean wasn’t a scholar, but it didn’t mean he’d simply ignore whatever was going on in order to not learn. Sometimes he did have some very interesting classes, but most of the time they sucked – after all, he didn’t see how he’d use any of that information in the life he was going to follow. It was why when he was thirteen he realized he might not be an alpha like his father. Sure, he had the built and the strength and even the swag, but his personality traits, his attitudes, everything else seemed to point out that he’d be an omega. He couldn’t be sure, and he hoped that if anything went wrong – like him not being an alpha – that he at least would become a beta instead of an omega.

Life didn’t quite agree with him.

When he was sixteen, he had his first heat. His father locked him in a hotel room and drove Sam to stay at a friend’s while Dean’s “problem” was resolved.

They didn’t talk about it. John just managed to get heat suppressants and found some deodorant that would be able to fake Dean’s now sweet smell.

Dean didn’t go see a doctor how he had seen in his class omegas were supposed to.

Dean didn’t ask questions or even talk about it with his dad or anyone else really.

Dean kept it his dirty secret from everybody else and he hated it.

However, doing what he did in his life, it was almost easy to forget what he was. However, when he was nineteen and Sammy had barely turned fifteen, the younger popped his knot and Dean saw how proud John was, how differently they were treated. In John’s eyes, Sam was now more capable of handling a situation and was trying to involve the younger more and more in cases, but Sam was obviously focusing on his studies. While Dean didn’t understand why he wanted to study, he did motivate and encourage Sam to study and to follow his dreams – even if they were going to end with the same destiny: following John’s steps.

It didn’t exactly happen the way he thought, though. Sam, being an alpha, couldn’t stop butting heads with John who made rules and expected them to be followed, but Sam didn’t back down. In these moments, Dean’s omega side was so obvious he more often than not left them fighting and tried to get drunk. Seeing his father and brother arguing, hearing John saying bad things to Sammy and Sammy telling him he was going to leave soon for college was too hard for Dean to bear.

He tried his best to cope, though. But it broke his heart when Sam actually left. At the same time, he could once more forget what he was.

Then his father went missing, Dean went to Sam for help, found him with a pretty omega although they were not mated yet, and he relished on the fact of having his brother back. It hurt, a couple of days later, when he dropped his brother back at his place in Stanford, but even more so when Jessica died exactly the same way as Mary.

They managed to move on as much as they could, trying to find John, and all in all it was perfect. Dean had missed Sam terribly, and looking at the man Sam had become made Dean extremely proud – mostly because he knew that most of who Sam was today was due to Dean’s care, and maybe it was his omega instinct telling him he had done a great job at raising him, but this time Dean didn’t care. If being an omega meant Sam would become this wonderful human being, Dean was okay with that.

Things were good for a while. They went into hunts together, Dean almost died once, he learnt about Sam’s visions and eventually they found dad.

Then Dean went into a coma. Things went downhill from there.

First their dad died. He died because he sold his soul to the damned yellow-eyed demon they had been hunting for years. Before dying he told Dean to look out for Sammy and that he might have to kill his own brother. So honestly? Dean felt like shit.

They decided to go to Bobby’s house so they could take care of the Impala and even rest for a while before hitting the road again.

However, a few miles before arriving to Bobby’s, Dean started feeling his skin itching and body heat rising. He tried to ignore it, mostly because in a couple of hours they’d arrive at their destination. But then he heard Sam sniffing the air and he frowned, looking at his brother and then back at the road. It didn’t last a full minute before Sam finally spoke.

“You’re smelling different.” Dean hit the breaks so violently that they almost hit the front window of the car. Dean now understood his symptoms. He was going to go into heat within the day, so he needed to get to Bobby’s fast. Dean cleared his throat and accelerated again.

“What? Of course not. What does that even mean?” How could he be so stupid? Of course he hadn’t been given any heat suppressants during his stay at the hospital – he was in a coma after all – and after that Dean completely forgot about it. He had had so many things in mind after that he hadn’t even taken any of his suppressants. He never spent more than three days without it, and now, as if his body knew he hadn’t had a heat in almost a decade, it took this opportunity to come at him – and quick, if the slight slick coming out of him was anything to go by.

“What? Dean! You’re…” Sam came closer then, and sniffed once more. “You’re smelling so good.” His voice was rough and low, a bit of his alpha side showing, and that was when Dean knew he had to put a stop in this.

“Out!” He said as he stopped the car once more. Sam snapped out of his haze and looked at Dean scandalized. Before he could speak, though, Dean demanded him to leave once more. “You can hitchhike or even walk to Bobby, I don’t care, just get out!” Then Dean was leaning onto Sam’s personal space to open the door and push Sam out. Once Sam had his duffle out of the car, Dean accelerated even more.

Dean knew it was unfair – Sam was probably confused, not understanding what was going on and maybe even dazed because of Dean’s sudden heat. But he couldn’t explain now. He couldn’t just sit through two hours with slick coming out of his hole and his very alpha and very handsome brother. The little crush he had been developing for Sam – and totally ignoring it – would even worsen if they stayed in close proximity right now.

Some minutes later, when he was trying to sort out what to do and how to control his needs until he arrived at Bobby, Dean realised that Sam had acted weird. In the life they had to follow, they met many omegas and Dean was pretty sure some ghosts and even other creatures faked a heat smell to lure their victims – although his sense of smell had been completely off due to the suppressants –, but Sam had never been affected by them. However, now, when he smelled Dean, he got closer, he almost looked like he had lost himself in his smell.

Dean’s most primitive part of his mind told him Sam desired him – maybe just as much as Dean desired his little brother – and his body reacted instinctively at that. A low moan escaped his lips and he could feel himself getting hotter and wetter by the moment. He hit the accelerator harder and tried to get to Bobby in record time.

What could not happen was for him to be on heat on the road.

Miraculously, Dean did manage to get to Bobby in less than two hours, and although he was shivering, his skin burning and his hole clenching at nothing but begging to be filled, he knocked desperately at Bobby’s door – however he didn’t need to wait much, for Bobby was soon opening the door and ushering inside, mumbling something about stupid kids and how Sam had called earlier and asked him to help. Dean didn’t listen, he couldn’t concentrate much. But he trusted Bobby – who was a beta, so he wouldn’t be affected by Dean’s smell – and let the older man guide him to a safe room.

“Stay here. You’ll find water and food in here. I don’t think you’ll need much more than that. I’ll come check on you in two days.” Dean nodded and tried to smile, but his body needed relief and he started undressing even before Bobby closed and locked the door.

At that moment, Dean remembered how much he hated what he truly was. Being an omega reduced one to an uncontrolled mess. He had two fingers inside him as soon as his pants and boxers were shoved down. He let himself lay on the bed to find other positions in which the self-pleasuring could be good enough to end this burning in his core.

But nothing seemed to work. Because heats went on for days and after years taking suppressants and not having a single heat, it came in full force and nothing seemed enough. He needed to be knotted, and in his brief conscious moments, Dean thanked Bobby for locking him inside. He did manage to drink when the heat became slightly bearable, but he couldn’t eat anything.

Two days later, Bobby came with more water and to check if the heat was anywhere near its ending, but Dean felt just as desperate as before – in fact, Bobby was smelling like Sam, like an alpha, and Dean had to try his best not to flee the room and jump his brother and beg him for his knot. What he did then was to lie down on his side and let a loud and desperate cry escape his lips. Bobby probably noticed something was wrong, because he left after it promising to come back again in two days.

Dean started to feel a little better due to his fifth day of heat. It would still hit him at full force, but the time between the heat waves were getting longer and his body started accepting food. When Bobby came, he told the older man so and asked him to come back the next day, because he was positive he’d be feeling better. He was, in fact, better the next day, but the heat wasn’t completely over yet, so they waited one more day.

When it was finally over, Dean spent almost two hours in the shower and Bobby even managed to buy enough food for a very hungry Dean. He obviously avoided Sam’s eyes, although he knew his brother was following every step he took and wasn’t going to let it go so soon – but at least in front of Bobby they wouldn’t start a fight.

They were silent as they ate, and after Bobby was done he looked at Sam, gave him a warning look and stood up.

“I need to research some things now. Clean your mess when you’re finished, boys.” And he left the two brothers alone in the kitchen. Dean knew it had to be Sam’s idea so they could talk, and if he weren’t so hungry, he’d have left as well.

“Aren’t you going to explain to me what happened, Dean?” Dean was still avoiding Sam’s eyes, but he looked very interested at his own plate, filling his mouth even more with food before replying.

“I think it was pretty obvious what happened.” He simply replied, shoving more food inside his mouth, trying to be nonchalant about it – but obviously failing.

“For you maybe. I had no idea you were an omega, Dean.” Sam’s voice was somewhat desperate, and although Dean didn’t look up, he did slow down on his eating. “When did you find out? Is the suppressant you’ve been taking a good one? I mean, is it a healthy one? Jess had told me some were terrible for an omega’s health and body… And why haven’t you ever told me about this?” Dean rolled his eyes and finally looked at Sam as if he were crazy.

“Look, Sammy, although it’s lovely you care, you should know I’m fine. I’ll go back to the suppressants later today and we can go back to me being a beta. And we don’t talk about this. Never.” And Dean was going to stand up, but Sam’s hand on his thigh stopped him. He looked annoyingly to his brother then, waiting for him to disagree – because Sam could never let anything go.

“Stop, Dean. Answer me. I can’t pretend you’re not an omega and I will talk about this. Why don’t we discuss this now and stop all the headache we’ll probably have later?” Sam did have a point, although Dean wanted to disagree. “Were you omitting this because you were ashamed? Was it dad’s fault?” Sam didn’t even have the time to dodge the punch that hit him in the jaw. He did look scandalized at Dean though, and the oldest was fuming.

“Don’t you dare talk about dad. He just died! In my place! Don’t you fucking think he’d have done anything within his power to do whatever was right for me? For us?” Sam stood up as well, hands raised so Dean wouldn’t feel pressured. “So yeah, I’ve never talked about it with anyone, not even him. And it’s going to continue this way. In our lives, we can’t just march outside being an omega. They’re easy prey, helpless and useless—“

“Of course not! You’ve proven you’re anything but all those things, Dean! Stop with the stereotype that omegas are the ones in distress who need an almighty alpha to protect them. You should know, more than anyone else, that this is not true!” Dean licked his lips then and squinted his eyes at Sam. Then he just turned around and left.

How dare Sam talk like that? What did he know, anyway? He dated an omega, but as far as Dean knew, Jess was the personification of omega, so how dare Sam say that stereotypes didn’t matter? Sam was an alpha, his father celebrated when he first popped his knot, he could scare people just from his stare. Sure, Dean could be very menacing when he tried, but if he didn’t take any suppressants, he’s sure no one would take him seriously. And in his job, he could not risk it.

But the worst part was that Sam had insinuated that dad had done something wrong. As if not talking about it was a mistake their father had made. Dean knew his father was only trying to protect him – although deep inside he had his doubts, but he’d never voice them.

Dean headed out to his baby, finally seeing his beloved car after all they had gone through and his heart actually ached when he saw her state. Wanting to stop thinking about his condition, about dad’s death, about his discussion with Sammy, Dean made it his mission to fix the Impala. He took the tool box from the shed and put it near his car. It wasn’t long before Dean was under the car, trying to see everything that would need fixing.

He had no idea how long he spent with his car, until Bobby came to him, hands in his pockets. Dean looked at him before returning to what he was doing and they remained in silence for a while, until Dean sighed and turned to the man.

“What?” He knew he shouldn’t be angry at Bobby, not when the man helped him through his heat without asking questions.

“I don’t know, son. I was expecting you to tell me.” Dean frowned and Bobby just rolled his eyes, as if Dean was being particularly dense. “Your father never told me you’re an omega. Not that it would matter, but apparently not even your brother knew.” Dean glared at Bobby and then returned to what he was doing, still listening to the man, although unwillingly. “I don’ know much ‘bout heats, but yours seemed a bit intense.” When Dean didn’t say anything, only clenched his jaw, it was Bobby’s turn to sigh. “I just wanted t’ know when was the last time you went to the doctor.”

Dean visibly tensed then, hesitating for a slight moment before continuing with the piece of the car he was working on. Bobby, noticing his silence, crossed his arms, realization sinking in.

“You’ve never been to a doctor, have ya?” Dean just looked at him and then felt his shoulders sagging forward, as he let the pieces on the table. “Dammit, Dean. Go take a shower and get dressed. We’re leaving in an hour.”

“What?” That made Dean look around to see Bobby who stopped from returning to his house when Dean spoke.

“I’m taking you to the doctor, you idjit. And I won’t take no for an answer. Now, will you go willingly or should I call Sam and ask him to control you?” Dean gritted his teeth at the implication Bobby was making. With his father dead, Sam was technically the alpha responsible for Dean, but the idea of an omega having to belong to their family or later on to their alpha was ancient and he knew Bobby honestly didn’t think that, but it still angered him.

“Don’t involve Sam into this.” He gritted out, making his way inside to take a shower so he could head out with Bobby.

When he was finally ready, Dean made his way downstairs and heard Bobby tell Sam that he was going with Dean to town to buy a few things for their car, and although Sam was trying to convince Bobby to go along, the older man would have none of it and told him to do some random research for him. Once they were in the car, Dean kept fidgeting, not really wanting to admit that he was scared as fuck, but he was. Which was irrational, clearly, since he had never had any problem that required him going to the doctors to check on his reproductive system.

“Why are you doing this?” His voice was too low, almost shy, and Bobby looked over to him at the driver’s seat, but Dean was avoiding his eyes.

“You have no idea how dangerous it is for an omega to go years without a heat? You’re lucky you didn’t have anything so far.” Dean still didn’t understand the sudden worry, because just like Bobby had said, he had never had anything. “We’re just going to see if everything’s okay with you and you’ll follow the doctor’s damn instructions or you want me to go in with you and hold your freaking hand to make sure you’ll take care of yourself?”

“Jeez, Bobby, I get it. I still think there’s no need for you to take me to a doctor, but chill. I’ll do it.” Dean still didn’t want to, but part of him was a bit curious to know, to learn more about himself. He’d probably return to the suppressants and buy a new supply of deodorants to hide his smell, but for now it would be interesting to know more of what’s going on.

-----

Oh my irene, this is so good -- so when you have time to finish it you totally should! And a WIP that you never finished but showed it to me, i, i feel honored. AND ITS YEARS OLD TOO!!!! AWESOME!!! I needed this too tonight.

#wincest #wincestmas!anon❄#I LOVE IT AND YOU LEAVE ME ON A EMPTY ENDING???#I LOVE YOUUUU #THANK YOU SO MUCH #submission

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timeagainreviews · 6 years ago

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A Case for Older Companions

Back in 2013, before Doctor Who aired its 50th Anniversary special, there was a lot of speculation as to which Doctors would return. Would Christopher Eccleston make an appearance? Would any of the classic era Doctors return? Aside from a suitably strange appearance by Tom Baker as "The Curator," the answer would be "None… sort of." While Peter Davison’s age was explained away in "Time Crash," it would appear this explanation could not withstand the feature length of the episode. We most likely would not see the likes of the Fifth, Sixth, or Seventh Doctors. Enter John Hurt, the War Doctor and cypher for the classic era of Doctor Who. An old man to balance out the young faces of Matt Smith and David Tennant.

Perhaps it harkens back to the First Doctor, but it seems an important aspect of the War Doctor was to be a bit of an old curmudgeon. In many ways, the blueprint of Doctor Who has always lent itself to having a mature presence in the TARDIS. Usually, this role was reserved for the Doctor himself. Up until the Fifth Doctor, the Doctor had been portrayed by men in their 40’s and 50’s. However, it’s not always the Doctor who is the mature figure onboard. Sometimes, it’s the companions themselves.

While not old by any means, both Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright are perfect examples of older companions. Compare their ages to someone like Vicky, Zoey, or even Rose Tyler, and the difference is clear. These adults bring a different sort of energy to the role of companion than say a young woman working in a shop. I’ve touched on this before with Graham O’Brien. The ways in which an older companion can be a more realised person, have a capacity to change the dynamic of the Doctor/companion relationship. And with this, we get a different perspective on this relationship.

One of the things I hear constantly is how Edward Cullen-esqe it is for the Doctors to fall in love with their companions. People call it creepy that a 2000-year-old Time Lord would date such a young person. While I think this argument is often an excuse not to want to see romance in the TARDIS, it does bring up an interesting point about impressionability. Rory Williams said it himself- "It's not that you make people take risks, it's that you make them want to impress you... You have no idea how dangerous you make people to themselves when you're around." If you're going to make the point of a companion being too young to kiss the Doctor, you could also make the same argument about travelling with the Doctor.

This is where older companions have the upper hand. While many young companions join the Doctor in a whirlwind of confused emotions and self-discovery, an older companion such as Graham, or Evelyn Smythe bring a sort of self-realisation. The concept of choice is less muddled, as their lives are not threatened by peaking in their early twenties. They've seen the world, had their hearts broken, and become stronger people because of it.

Mind you, this is not always entirely the case. Donna Noble entered the TARDIS in a whirlwind of her own unhappiness, but even her problems were grown-ass woman problems. Stuck in a dead-end job, looking to do something of importance, and to see more of the universe, her bags were packed. Her choices were not made due to an infatuation with an older, dashing man. This isn't "An Education," this is a friendship. This is a choice. Compare this to Amy Pond, whose bags were also packed, by no choice at all. The Eleventh Doctor comments on the imprint young Amelia left on him as the first face his face had met. But in truth it was the other way around. The raggedy man left such an indelible mark on her, that it almost ruined her life.

Please don't construe this as me condemning the show. I think in many ways, Doctor Who is a bit of light entertainment that doesn't need to answer such heavy issues. And as with Amy Pond, it has explored this concept in depth. What I'm mostly getting at is that an older companion's maturity can bring a more active quality to the story. There's a sort of forward progression inherent in a character knowing why they choose to travel with the Doctor. And in many ways, this strength of choice bolsters their relationship to something more reasonable. Something responsible.

It's not just the rationality of the companion that is bolstered either. Older companions have a way of balancing the Doctor as well. After being followed around by two young women like puppy dogs, the Tenth Doctor's arrogance was put in check by Donna Noble's "take no shit from anyone," attitude. The result was her having a balancing effect on his more reckless tendencies. The same could be said about the relationship between the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn Smythe. With Peri, he was often over-bearing, selfish, and difficult. But with Evelyn, he seemed to be on better behaviour. His tantrums afforded him less capital with her patience. He strived to impress her with his scientific knowledge, over say, his own bravado. Because of this, she's my favourite companion of the Sixth Doctor era.

While maybe not full-on companions, both Jackie Tyler and Brian Williams had similar effects on the Doctor. In many ways, I like Jackie Tyler even more than Rose. As parents to companions, both characters act as a sort of reminder to the Doctor that his friends aren't just fodder. Their presence demands a responsibility on the Doctor's part that can be both sobering and grounding for the Doctor. They understand the importance of the Doctor's work, so much that they even join the fight on occasion. But they do so with little room for the Doctor's ego.

Thankfully, babysitting a petulant Time Lord isn't the only quality an older companion can bring to the table. Their perspectives often have a way of helping the Doctors understand themselves, or even the situation at hand. Wilfred Mott and the Tenth Doctor spoke like two old soldiers, allowing the Tenth Doctor a rare moment of nostalgia. It's easy not to look back when you have a young person with you. Everything is in the future (even when they're in the past). An old man like Wilfred gave us a surprising glimpse into the Doctor's sensitivity and vulnerability. Their adventure together in "The End of Time," remains one of my favourite Doctor/companion dynamics to this day.

Not only can an older companion bring perspective to the Doctor, they also possess the capacity to shed new light on the role of companion. Not only can their maturity aid their approach, but it can also add new levels of tension. A man like Graham, or even ersatz companions such as Jago & Litefoot, don't possess the same vitality of companions like Leela or Jamie McCrimmon. Instead, they have to rely on solutions that require less physical exertion and more planning. Think of women's roller derby or even the WNBA, where fundamentals of the game are given focus over the more aggressive approach of their male counterparts. These are companions with practicality by necessity. The wrong decisions could be even more disastrous when the outcome could mean relying on weak knees and stunted mobility.

It's easy to see why a young companion is an obvious choice for the show. They're often gorgeous people through which the audience can experience the Doctor. We watch them grow over time, to varying degrees of success on the writers' behalves. Martha Jones becomes a stronger, more independent person by choosing to leave the Doctor. Ace confronts some of her deepest fears. It's rare that an older companion brings the same vigour to the role. Bar maybe River Song or the Brigadier, few of them are action heroes. But almost without fail, these seasoned heroes exude charm and character that only age can bring. Even one-time companions (such as Amelia Rumford from "Stones of Blood,") remain popular within the fandom, due to their unique personalities. So much, that one may make the argument for their status as honorary companions.

Series eleven has been polarising on many different levels, but one of the most common bits of praise I hear was the choice to bring Graham onboard the TARDIS. In classic Doctor Who, we got companions out of time, companions from other planets, and even some robots. But in modern Doctor Who, not so much. Even futuristic Oswin became modern day Clara Oswald, for better or worse. The show was suffering from a line of predictable companions, from relatively similar backgrounds. You'll understand then, the pure excitement I had at the prospect of a granddad running around the TARDIS. It's sometimes easy to forget that the Doctor started out as "Grandfather." It's an important energy that was present at the genesis of the show.

Having companions always portrayed as young and attractive is about as believable as every superhero being a beautiful person. The truth of the matter is that you'd get the occasional old codger or school matron. This isn't American television where everyone has perfect teeth and washboard abs. It’s important to remember the value of the aged and elderly. Having aged companions is true to life. It is, essentially, rather British.

#doctor who #companions #Graham O'Brien #donna noble #river song #amelia rumford #brigadier lethbridge stewart #brian williams #jackie tyler #wilfred mott #evelyn smythe #sixth doctor #tenth doctor #Ian Chesterton #Barbara Wright #war doctor #eleventh doctor #amy pond #rory williams

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anotheruserwithnoname · 6 years ago

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20 years of Farscape

20 years ago this week (March 19, 1999), an amazing series from Australia first captured the imagination of millions of sci-fi fans - and influenced a wide range of sci-fi TV series and films in the process.

Created by Rockne S. O’Bannon and executive-produced by Brian Henson (among others), Farscape was Buck Rogers turned on its ear. Astronaut John Crichton, during a test flight, is flung through a wormhole to the other side of the galaxy where he has to survive by joining forces with a group of escaped criminals aboard a living starship. The cast, led by Ben Browder and Claudia Black (who’d later reunite for the final seasons of Stargate SG-1, including an episode that directly spoofed Farscape), was amazing, and you can see the influence of Farscape in productions ranging from Firefly to DC’s Legends of Tomorrow to, in my opinion, The Orville. You can also detect some of Guardian of the Galaxy’s DNA in its style. In fact, if you take the characters from Guardians and overlay them across the main ongoing Farscape characters, most of them line up 1 to 1*. (Except I don’t think John Crichton would have screwed things up in Infinity War, but I digress... LOL)

That’s because Farscape was capable of being extremely dark and edgy one week; the next episode, the crew is being turned into Warner Bros cartoon characters. One episode leaves you emotionally shattered. The next has Crichton getting roofied during shore leave and waking up in someone’s lingerie.

^The original cast^

The show was well-respected in its day, and it holds up really well. Sadly, just as with The Orville, it’s been dismissed by some because of its humour and the fact that two of the major characters in the show (Rigel and Pilot) were Muppets. Ironically many of these same folks have no problem with Yoda, but never mind. Fact is, yes, Dominar Rigel is a Muppet who can pee acid (so tempted to make an “I can relate” joke but I will refrain), and Pilot looks like the drummer for a heavy metal group. But you never really notice they’re puppets after a while - and their backstories and the performances of the voice actors make you believe.

All the characters were wonderful: you had Anthony Simcoe as Ka D’Argo, a warrior who could also be as goofy as they come. Gigi Edgley’s Chiana was basically a non-evil Harley Quinn. Virginia Hey’s Zhaan was the ship’s wise sage, a living plant. Wayne Pygram and Lani John Tupu were the show’s ongoing villains, Scorpius and Capt. Crais, and rank among the best (Tupu, amazingly, also did the voice of the kind and gentle Pilot and you can’t tell it’s the same man). Later series added new characters that enriched the show even more.

Farscape ran for four seasons before ending on a cliffhanger (due so I understand to a mistaken impression a fifth season was guaranteed). Fortunately, fan demand was such that a year later a two-part miniseries, The Peacekeeper Wars, was released to wrap up the storyline.

Farscape was a wonderful show, and it’s one I still miss all these years later. I don’t know if it’s on streaming - there is a blu-ray set. If you can find it, I recommend it. (It might take a few episodes to grow on you, but it’s worth it.) EDIT: I’ve been informed by @benbrowder (a fan account) that to mark the 20th anniversary it’s been made available on Amazon’s streaming service.

* Edit: Because I was asked: Crichton = Starlord; Aeryn Sun = Gamora; D’Argo = Drax; Chiana = Mantis; Rigel and Pilot together = Rocket; Sikozu = Nebula; Crais = Ronan; Scorpius = Thanos (this one’s a bit of a stretch but it reflects how Ronan was a big bad, but Thanos was a big-big bad). Edit#2: I only just remembered that Ben Browder himself made a cameo in the second Guardians movie - could have been a coincidence but it might have been a nod to the inspiration too.

#farscape

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dailyfeartwdgifs · 6 years ago

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Fear The Walking Dead Season 5, Episode 2 Review: 'The Hurt That Will Happen'

Fear The Walking Dead has gone all Chernobyl in its fifth season, introducing us to a new region impacted by a nuclear plant meltdown. Radioactive zombies roam the land and various mysterious clues point toward a new, highly organized group that's almost certainly related to the people who took Rick Grimes away in Season 9 of The Walking Dead.

I was not a big fan of Fear The Walking Dead's Season 5 premiere, breaking with my fellow critics, all of whom apparently really liked the episode. (It had a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes until they added my review into the mix, dropping it down to a 93%).

I hate to rain on anyone's parade (well, that's not strictly true) but I can't help speaking my mind. I'm a critic, not a sycophant. The Season 5 premiere wasn't the worst episode this show has ever produced, but the characters are just so ridiculous at this point, and the entire premise ("We're here to help!") is astonishingly lame and contrived. It becomes hard to watch without a great deal of eye-rolling.

This Sunday's episode, the awkwardly titled "The Hurt That Will Happen", isn't much better. There are still too many instances of characters behaving like idiots and the whole thing remains brutally boring—and honestly, a show with radioactive zombies shouldn't be boring! I don't think people were quite as stupid this week as last—nobody flew a plane they had no idea how to pilot, crash-landing in a completely unknown region in order to "help" some guy they "met" on the radio. That's so egregiously moronic that it pretty much ruined last week's episode right out of the gates. I don't think people were quite as stupid this week as last—nobody flew a plane they had no idea how to pilot, crash-landing in a completely unknown region in order to "help" some guy they "met" on the radio. That's so egregiously moronic that it pretty much ruined last week's episode right out of the gates.

But we still have plenty of stupid in Episode 2. Luciana, for instance, decides to go outside by herself to see what a large crashing noise was. I can understand taking a quick peak—it was the radio tower, blown over by non-existent wind or maybe wind that only blows over large objects, skipping over more mundane things like human hair—but then she just stays outside. In the dark. By herself, injured and alone.

When zombies approach, she doesn't hurry back inside to safety, the clear and obvious thing to do when you're injured and on meds that impact your cognitive functions. Instead she pulls out her gun and tries to shoot the walkers. I get that she was doped up and not thinking clearly, but even in a doped up state your first instinct is going to be running away because people on painkillers usually do understand that they're not at their best. Luciana knew perfectly well that she wasn't going to be a great fighter in her current state. The only conceivable reason why she'd stay outside to fight walkers is because the show is actively trying to make her (and every other character) look stupid. She makes it back, but only just barely. The pursuing walkers are later decapitated by someone—it's a mystery—their heads hung up as some kind of warning to the survivors (helpers?).

While all this is going on, Morgan and Alicia are out trying to find Al who went missing last week when she stupidly went out at night in the rain all alone to investigate the weird armored zombie and got knocked out by someone. Maybe the same someone who cut off those heads, maybe someone else. Either way, not Al's shining moment. (Later, Daniel says that Al can take care of herself, but I'm not so sure).

In any case, Morgan gets into a scuffle with a zombie and is suddenly tripped up by a set of bolas that someone threw at him. I had to watch it twice to fully tell what just happened. It's a pretty weird weapon to have especially for this new character. The zombie is making things tough on Morgan but then a gun goes off and a stranger dressed in a gas mask and protective science-uniform-outfit shows up and tells him to take his clothes off and stop talking. She doesn't have time to explain, but basically the zombies are radioactive and he needs to get cleaned up right away or he could get radiation poisoning just from making physical contact with them.

She tells him to be quiet because apparently talking can make it worse, and when he keeps asking questions she raises her gun and says something about not wanting to do it this way—so I guess she was going to shoot him for talking? In order to help him? I'm confused. I guess it doesn't matter what she was about to do because Alicia comes in like a bat out of hell and knocks her to the ground, demanding where she took Al. She tells them about the nuclear plant meltdown and the radiation zombies that she's hunting down. Morgan gets cleaned up and spends the rest of the episode in a "Don't Mess With Texas" shirt which is pretty funny.

Alicia gets in a fight with some zombies, some of which are radioactive and some who aren't—"I can't tell which is which!" she cries out at one point after the zombies get all muddy. She has a gun because she took it from the nuclear plant lady, but for some strange reason she doesn't use it. She ends up tossing it back to the lady because I guess you're not allowed to fire someone else's gun in the zombie apocalypse. I just don't know anymore. It's a close call for Alicia who, well, handled the whole thing pretty poorly for no reason whatsoever.

Not long after, John Dorie and June radio them (what would they do in this show without all these radios?) and tell them they've found more of the radioactive zombies, all burned in a pile. So they head over there to deal with it and June finds a car that starts up just fine and has three-quarters of a tank of gas. How convenient for them!

Still, they're all waiting on Strand to find a second plane to come save them with because I guess driving is just not an option for some reason. Seriously, can someone please let me know why driving to get them isn't on the table? Strand and his trucker pals have a truck and an endless supply of gas. Just go drive to wherever they are and pick them up. Yes, it will take longer to drive. The silver lining, however, is that driving won't result in yet another plane crash. Nobody can fly a plane!

Hasn't anyone pointed this out yet? Haven't they all learned that flying a plane when you don't know how is a bad idea? Do they ever sit around and talk about actually important stuff or is all dialogue reserved for Morgan's preachy mumbo jumbo about being "stuck" and not having to be, and opening doors and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . .

Fortunately, when Strand goes to visit Daniel, the grouchy realist doesn't lend him his plane. "Whenever you try to help people, you make things worse," he tells Strand, and he's not wrong. Certainly taking the plane and trying to fly it would end badly. Daniel tells Strand that if he sees him again he'll shoot him in the face. I really do love Daniel, but I'm not sure how he'll figure in to the rest of the season, unless Strand plans some kind of elaborate caper to steal the plane and Daniel is dragged back into all this nonsense against his will.

Of course, by the time all that goes down they definitely could have driven to wherever Alicia and the rest of the team are, presumably still in Texas given Morgan's replacement shirt. They were going to drive all the way to Alexandria, they can drive to this place instead. Or they could all hop in June's car and drive themselves back home. This is what I mean when I say I just can't get behind this season's premise or overarching narrative. It's stupid to fly a plane when you don't know how, especially if you're doing it to go "rescue" complete strangers. It's far too risky for any sane person, and it's far too stupid for any thinking person with half a brain. The show's producers and writers ignore all that for the spectacle and for the fake conflict it creates.

What fake conflict? Well, the notion that Alicia and her crew are stuck, first of all. They can find cars with gas easily enough and drive themselves home. Second, the notion that Strand needs to find a second plane—which just so happens to be with Daniel, the guy that hates Strand more than anyone—is a fake conflict. Strand could also simply drive to his friends using his trucker buddies. The whole Strand meeting up with Daniel thing is also ridiculously contrived. Al has apparently met every single possible survivor of the apocalypse. Better still, every survivor from the dam just happened to end up hundreds of miles away in Texas. What luck!

The final fake conflict is only fake because of all the contrivances and nonsense used to get us to this point. I'm speaking of Logan (Matt Frewer) and his little prank. He tricked Alicia and Morgan into leaving the mill unguarded and then swooped in when they left. It's a clever idea and I'd have no problem with it if it didn't require all the protagonists to be such monumentally foolish people. Sometimes being foolish or making a poor choice creates a real conflict, because sometimes smart people do stupid things. Think Robb Stark and his poor choices with the Freys in Game of Thrones. That had consequences. But if Game of Thrones built all its conflicts around characters acting uncharacteristically stupid, it would get old very quickly. Robb's mistake was falling in love and that's pretty relatable. Our heroes in Fear made a much less relatable mistake with the plane (etc).

Creating contrived conflicts based on characters acting like idiots seems to be the narrative strategy in Fear The Walking Dead in virtually all of its seasons except Season 3. Because let's be honest: Fear The Walking Dead did not have a great first or second season. Madison caused far too much trouble everywhere she went to be considered a good leader. I always think back to the episode when they showed up at that island and Madison was convinced that the best idea would be for her to take the family's kids away from them and then pretty much everyone died in a totally unnecessary disaster. By the end of Season 2 I thought they should just cancel it and start over, and then I ate my words when Season 3 was so good.

Season 3 crafted a much more interesting conflict between the Native Americans and the survivalists. It was over water and land and nobody was clearly good or clearly evil. I loved how much the show improved in Season 3 and I'm just so bummed out that it's gone so far (back) downhill first in Season 4 and now Season 5. Season 4 had such a promising first few episodes, too, but quickly lost its way. Now we're two episodes deep into Season 5 and it's just . . . not very good. It's not as bad as it was during the Martha episodes, but it really should be so much better. AMC really needs to hire more talented writers and producers for this show. The acting is largely fine, the special effects are good, the cinematography and directing are typically fine. It's the scripts, the story, the constant stupidity and inconsistencies, that drag into down into the zombie muck. Mostly it's just dull and frustrating to watch. Hopefully things pick up next week.

#ftwd #fear the walking dead #season 5 #episode 502 #review #article #forbes #aheartfulloflexa #camila

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aion-rsa · 4 years ago

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Boy Meets World’s Slasher Episode Was Scarier Than it Had Any Right To Be

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Blood-curdling screams. Taunting phone calls from a psycho killer. Creepy, ominous music with lyrics like “Here’s a knife. Here’s a gun. There’ll be fun for everyone. Death is on the menu tonight!” Elements of a forgotten ‘90s slasher classic? Nope. Just some highlights from the most memorable episode of ABC’s family sitcom Boy Meets World.

With the launch of Disney+ and ample time to get nostalgic and revisit old movies and TV shows due to the pandemic, many older millennials are diving back into Boy Meets World, which ran for seven seasons from 1993 through 2000 as a staple of ABC’s TGIF lineup. The show centered on Philadelphia teenager Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) navigating life with his best friend Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong), his love interest Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel), and brother Eric (Will Friedle), while perpetually receiving life lessons from longtime teacher and eventual principal Mr. Feeny (William Daniels).

Boy Meets World had no shortage of standout moments and episodes, like WWE wrestler Vader appearing as the father of a misunderstood school bully, a young Linda Cardellini being the girl who almost destroyed the Cory and Topanga love story for good, and Peter Tork (who briefly played Topanga’s father), Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones staging an impromptu Monkees reunion. And who could forget when Ben Savage’s famous brother Fred guest starred as a creepy college professor and was shoved through a glass door?

But perhaps no other Boy Meets World episode made a bigger impact to impressionable young minds than the fifth season highlight “And Then There Was Shawn,” a format-breaking homage to the popular slasher films of the moment, like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer (the latter of which hit theaters just four months earlier). Serving as a metaphor for the fear and uncertainty Shawn feels over the recent breakup of Cory and Topanga, the episode is a mini-horror movie that operates in dream logic and features shocking cast deaths, zeitgeisty jokes, and a big ‘90s teen idol cameo. Many young fans were genuinely frightened by the scares conjured up in the episode, while older fans loved the campy, winking references and the change of pace storytelling.

“And Then There Was Shawn” writer Jeff Menell was typically happy to do what was asked of him on the series, but he jumped at the chance to write a horror-influenced episode. “I’m a diehard movie fan. I have been my entire life. But as a writer on set, I just did whatever I was told,” Menell said in a phone interview with Den of Geek. “I never went after anything. But I begged to write this one because I just knew I could do it.”

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The episode finds the high school-aged cast members serving detention with Mr. Feeny after a fight, springing from Cory and Topanga’s recent breakup, disrupts the class. Things quickly take a turn when the kids see a message in blood written on the chalkboard that reads “No One Gets Out Alive!” and hear a discomforting jingle with menacing lyrics playing over the high school’s PA system. Initially, the kids believe that Mr. Feeny is playing a prank on them, but things take a turn for the serious — and scary – when classmate Kenny is murdered in the dark by the masked killer wielding a pencil (prompting a very timely “You Killed Kenny!” reference). None other than Mr. Feeny himself bites the dust shortly thereafter via scissors to the back.

“You know, usually you go off for two weeks and you go write this draft and you bring it back, and then the room rewrites it. That always was the process. I wrote this one like in two days, and I had to pretend that it took longer because if you’ve written the script in two days, they assume it sucks, or that you didn’t really care or make an effort,” Menell says.

When Menell brought the initial draft to the writer’s room, however, there were minimal changes to his script. The episode’s director, Jeff McCracken, was impressed.

“Jeff (Menell) went out and wrote his episode and when it came in it was perfect. It was an absolutely perfect flow of the script. He just nailed it.”

Emulating classic slasher film elements, McCracken had to approach the filming of “And Then There Was Shawn” differently than a typical episode.

“It was so much fun,” McCracken says. “Because it had all these special sequences, we really had to shoot it like a film. We rehearsed for two days, then shot it for three, and then we showed it before a live audience. The film style is generally single style or two cameras, but I shot a lot of it with three to four cameras so that we wouldn’t have to do multiple retakes. You couldn’t have done the whole thing in front of a live audience because it would have taken too much time to set everything up and run through a show with an audience sitting there.”

The pencil kill is the most memorable moment from the episode, but McCracken nor Menell can take credit for it. “I remember the one gag that was not in the script, the one gag that Michael Jacobs (creator/executive producer) came up with, which was genius, was the pencil dynamic,” McCracken recalls. After classmate Kenny is shown impaled through the head with a pencil, his body slumps down the wall, leaving a lead pencil mark behind him. Cory quips, “We’ll always remember he was this tall.”

Kenny and Feeny’s deaths are bloodless, but they leave a mighty impression for a network family-friendly series. Both writer and director knew that they’d have to tread lightly if they were going to be faithful to the slasher genre (“I’m surprised they let us have Feeny with (scissors) in his back, to tell you the truth,” Menell says) but they both made a concerted effort to surround the kills with humor.

“We had to make it funny,” McCracken says.” I mean, you put (scissors) in someone’s back, it can be very disturbing for a young audience. You can’t traumatize them. We did it with some sense of humor and it wasn’t so graphic.”

Part of the humor was derived from the very specific references made in the episode. Like Scream standout character Randy, Shawn makes meta references to the rules of the horror genre, telling his friends that virgins are the only ones who are safe. Eric says, “I’m dead,” Jack says, “I’m dead,” and Shawn says, “I’ll get as sick as you can without dying.”

This slightly scandalous joke wasn’t anything new for the series, but the violent nature of the episode led to “And Then There Was Shawn” receiving the show’s first TV-PG-V rating. According to Menell, Michael Jacobs had a way of pushing the boundaries with network executives. “He got away with a lot more stuff than most people because he could really browbeat some network executives at times to get what he wanted.”

One major addition to the cast for “And Then There Was Shawn” probably helped Jacobs catch the network in the right mood. Jennifer Love Hewitt, coming off Party of Five and at the height of her scream queen powers, guest stars as new John Adams High student Jennifer Love Fefferman. Hewitt at the time was dating Will Friedle and it’s believed their relationship inspired her cameo.

“We maybe asked him to ask her, because obviously she was in I Know What You Did Last Summer, so having her there just adds horror film credibility to it,” Menell says. “She was great. She was such a great sport, and it was fun having her on.”

McCracken concurs: “It was such a pleasure. It was one of those things that you don’t know how a major star walking in on your set, how they’re going to be, what their demands are going to be, what their personality is going to be like, what their disposition for the script’s going to be like, and she just came in full guns blazing and just had a blast and that made everything just wonderful. She was game for anything.”

One thing that Hewitt was game for was a big makeout scene with Friedle’s Eric, that may or may not have been improvised. “I don’t think we wrote that in, I think they just wanted to do it and we let it,” Menell laughs.

Amongst all of the horror homage fun, the episode ends with Shawn removing the killer’s mask to find himself starring back, having gone through this whole slasher bit just to get his friends back together. It’s quite the philosophical ending for a show primarily aimed at tweens and teens.

“When it did get serious with Shawn at the end, it was more poignant than it was scary and it was also a great reveal that it was him,” McCracken says. “It was metaphorical in the sense that that component of Shawn is in us all and it’s always lurking and it’s always out there. And so, be vigilant.”

The Jeffs knew that they had a special episode on their hands with “And Then There Was Shawn,” but who could have guessed the episode would have this sort of longevity 22 years later?

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“We got a few letters from people that were so scared, couldn’t believe we would kill Feeny. And we got some people that were upset,” Menell says. “But we had no idea until years later when the internet came on how popular that episode became. We did some crossovers, some time flashbacks, and some other really cool episodes, but this was a show that was nothing like any other episode we had aired or would air. It was probably the most fun … it’s certainly the most scary.”

The post Boy Meets World’s Slasher Episode Was Scarier Than it Had Any Right To Be appeared first on Den of Geek.

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gumnut-logic · 6 years ago

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Father

Title: Father A Tale of Sotto Voce Author: Gumnut 10 – 13 Oct 2018 Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS Rating: Teen Summary: Perhaps it was worth the pain, in some small way. Word count: 6627 Spoilers & warnings: Spoilers for Season 2, Sotto Voce and Il Mago Timeline: Set shortly after Il Mago. Author’s note: So here we are. This took longer than expected and I'm not really sure it is what it needed to be, but it is what it is. This was written for @the-lady-razorsharp who welcomed me into this wonderful fandom, showed me around and continues to be a wonderful inspirator (and a fabulous writer as well :D). Thank you, hon, for everything. I so hope you enjoy this. Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.

-o-o-o-

“JOHN!”

Virgil staggered sideways into his father’s desk as Eos screamed through his mind. He grabbed his head, gasping at the fear and the terror, assaulting his brain. “God!” His elbow hit the woodwork, his feet slipping from beneath him.

“Virgil!”

Scott’s yell added to the clamour and he scrunched his eyes shut.

And then came the images. Shit! “John!”

He vaguely heard his big brother yelling for Thunderbird Five, but all he could see was John coming in contact with an arc of electricity, his body spasming, smoke, oh god. Virgil’s stomach roiled. Eos’ emotion rolled over him in waves. The hardwood floor leapt up and hit him.

Eos

Eos, please.

John!

I-I know. Get help.

Images of Brains rushing to his brother’s aid. Alan not far behind him.

A hand touched his cheek. He jumped and flinched away, skidding on the floor, coming up hard against the base of his father’s desk.

“Virgil?”

Scott.

He forced his eyes open and found wooden floor out of focus. He turned his head and encountered the concerned face of his brother. “John’s hurt.”

”We know. Brains and Alan have him.” A pause. “You?”

Virgil swallowed bile. “Been better.” He put his hands on the floor and attempted to push himself up. Predictably, Scott grabbed him when he faltered, his brother lifting him under his arms and helping him into a sitting position against the desk.

Eos still roiled in his head, agitated, scared, worried.

Virgil ran his hands over his face. “Damn.” Images flickered through his mind. John prone, unresponsive. Brains and Alan darting around him. Reaching out, he sought information.

His brother was not responding.

Virtual sparks as the cardiostimulator was applied.

Concerned words, controlled panic reached the mic pickups. Alan yelling at his brother.

Limp blond-red hair.

Please, John.

Eos wailed in his ear.

Please.

The electronic registration of a single heartbeat was one of the most wonderful sounds he had ever heard. But not so much as the second, the third, or the rapidly increasing rhythm of beats that followed. The sight of John drawing in breath was beautiful.

“He’s back.” Alan’s voice was a whimper.

Eos’ intensity dropped a grade and Virgil found himself releasing a breath he hadn’t known he was holding. His mind felt fuzzy. Someone was yelling.

Scott?

And he realised what he had done.

Shit.

Catching the sound of John’s heartbeat with his own, he stepped backwards, letting himself fall back to where he belonged.

There were arms around him. He was being held.

His face was wet.

Blue eyes. Worry. Cursing.

“G-Grandma’s goin’ to kick your ass.”

Thinned lips. “Not as far as she will kick yours.”

“True.” His voice was hoarse. “J-John’s alive.”

“Alive?”

Whispered. “Alive.”

-o-o-o-

Alive is a relative term. Anything can be alive. A potato up to the point of boiling is alive, peeling it one of the most horrifying concepts around.

Unfortunately, his brother was just as unresponsive as a potato. They stabilised him, they got him home and into the infirmary. He was alive, heart beating, breathing on his own, but no matter what they did, he wouldn’t wake up.

Virgil was absolutely horrified to discover that the accident had occurred due to his actions. When he had diverted the power in Thunderbird Five to electrify the airlock in an attempt to repel the invaders, he had inadvertently electrified several other undetected sections of the station.

He rubbed his hands over his face, his elbows on the bed beside his prone brother. “I’m so sorry, John. I...” What else could he say?

I should have detected it.

Another sigh. Eos...

No, it was my responsibility to check for damage.

It is not your fault.

Then how can it possibly be yours?

Virgil didn’t answer.

It had been three days. His brother was now hooked up to several IVs and other invasive support mechanisms, his unconscious body needing assistance to survive. The usually agile, calm and kind man now lay pale, his hair unkempt and limp, eyes bruised smudges on his lifeless face, hands wrapped in copious bandages.

Virgil reached over and ran his fingers through that blond and red hair, attempting to straighten it out, forcing the flick to behave itself.

“C’mon, John, speak to me.” Virgil’s voice was little above a whisper. “I can’t do this without you.” And the statement was suddenly true. Spoken without thought, Virgil realised that through everything that had happened to him in the last few months, John had been there, even when Virgil was too terrified to see him, John had stood strong while his brother dragged him through the mud. He had done everything in his power, everything, to support Virgil. “God, don’t let a faulty circuit be your epitaph, you are worth so much more than that. So much more.”

He needed his brother’s dry wit. He needed his calm voice. He needed him.

Virgil let his head drop to the bed.

Please.

-o-o-o-

On the fifth day Scott hauled in Virgil’s neurologist. It was the third time the man had been dragged out to Tracy Island, but the first time for anyone other than Virgil.

Virgil managed a weak smile for him when he arrived and the doctor gave him a look that clearly said he would expect to see him for a check up later.

John’s scans were far less dramatic than Virgil’s but no less frightening. The EEG said John was there. His brain activity clearly indicated that what made John John was active. What it didn’t say is why he wasn’t responding. All indications said he should be waking. But he wasn’t.

Doctor Emery stared at all the scans, once again commenting how he would love to have their equipment in his hospital. “There does not appear to be any brain damage.” He pointed to one spot. “Did he suffer a recent concussion?”

Both Virgil and Scott started. “Yes. There was an accident. He was thrown across a room.”

“And he received a severe electrical shock. Perhaps a combination of the two? I’m unsure. What was his emotional state prior to the accident?”

Virgil stared at the man. Scott managed an answer. “Emotions have been running high of late.” Scott was not looking at Virgil, but Virgil knew that yet again he was a cause.

Dr Emery looked between them both. “Understandable.” A pause. “The reason I ask is that with the absence of an obvious physical reason, my instinctive next step is to look for a psychological reason.”

There was silence in the room for a moment. Then Virgil opened his mouth. “You mean he might not want to wake up?”

The expression in the doctor’s eyes was kind. “Yes, it is a possibility.”

Virgil swallowed.

Scott took over the conversation from there, Virgil drifting, thoughts spinning through his head. Why wouldn’t John want to wake up?

Life had been pretty shitty of late, but it was on the improve. He and John had spoken at length just recently. With the Maggot incident, Virgil had turned a corner and no longer felt that instinctive fear of his brother...well, nothing he was going to mention to the man. Things had slowly been getting back to normal. Hell, Virgil had been spending his time fixing Thunderbird Two as much as John had been repairing his girl. International Rescue was still mostly offline, but they were getting there.

Everything had been getting better.

“And how are you feeling, Virgil?”

He jumped. Emery was looking at him with enquiring eyes, the intelligence behind them sharp. “I checked with Joshua Slick on my way over here. He said you missed your last appointment.”

“Uh, yeah, I was unavoidably detained. IR business.” His consciousness had been in orbit at the time.

“Other than that, he was very positive about your progress. How are the headaches? Your sleep pattern?”

“Still get the occasional headache.” He’d had a doozy five days ago due to his inadvertent trip upstairs. Scott and Grandma had been furious with him once he had recovered. “Sleeps good.” Mostly. Occasional nightmare notwithstanding. “Still snooze from time to time.” He still owed Gordon for the pink nail polish pedicure from the last incident of crashing by the pool.

“Uh, huh.” God, the man’s eyes were boring into his brain. “Any neurological incidents you would like to report?”

“Uh, no.”

“Are you sure?”

Virgil frowned. “Yes, sure, Doc.”

“Very well.”

He didn’t believe him. Virgil didn’t know why, but the neurologist, now looking away, clearly did not believe a word he had said. Something cold crawled up his spine. He felt Scott’s eyes on him and behind the doctor’s back, Virgil made it very clear that he now wanted the man off the island. As soon as possible.

His brother obliged, wrapping up the conversation and the consultation quickly and walking the man out to the airstrip.

Virgil didn’t go with him. Instead he put a call into Lady Penelope. They needed to do another check on the doctor.

Something had changed.

-o-o-o-

By the end of the week, there had still been no improvement in John��s condition and the family were getting frantic.

Eos had begun to cling to Virgil. She was always there, her worry gnawing at his own. Scott had noticed, cornering him and demanding he rest.

But he couldn’t.

Scott spoke to Eos and for a short time she stayed away.

It was worse.

Virgil worried about her and found himself venturing into the network looking for her. This led to more headaches, angry Scott, worried brothers and a grandmother wielding traditional cures that tasted even worse than her cooking.

So ultimately Eos returned to sit with him, sometimes beside her father’s bed, sometimes late at night when Virgil couldn’t sleep. Sometimes in his dreams.

But still John wouldn’t wake up.

-o-o-o-

“You know it almost makes me wish John had the same circuitry that you do.”

Virgil froze, glass of whisky half way to his mouth. “What? Why?”

“Because then we could send in Eos to drag him out like she did for you last time you refused to move your ass.”

He stared at his brother, his thoughts spinning.

They had access to the nanites, it was a possibility. But the thought of putting his brother through that...”No.”

“What?”

“No, Scott. I would rather he die.”

Scott’s eyes widened and he sat up straighter in his chair. “You can’t mean that.”

Virgil threw back the whisky, its heat burning the back of his throat. His voice was cold, but hoarse. “I do. This is never happening to any of you.”

Eos crowded into his thoughts.

Uncle?

“No, Eos. While it has a few positives, you being most of them, I would never wish this on my worst enemy, much less my family.”

“That may not be your decision, Virgil. It has to be an option that at least should be considered. If Eos can reach him, it might be worth the risk.”

“Risk?!” Virgil tensed on the edge of his chair. “You want to talk to me about risk? How about being open to mind rape? How about not knowing if you might be attacked at any moment, have your very will taken away from you and made into someone else’s puppet?” He spat the words at his brother. “How about being stared at by your family in fear that you might hurt them? Scorned when something does go wrong, and having to live with the guilt when you do actually hurt one of them due to that damn piece of technology in your head. It will never be gone. I have to live with it for the rest of my life, however short that is, as we don’t even know how long it can be maintained and what happens if it fails.” He drew in a shaky breath. “So, no, Scott. It is not an option. John would be better off dead.”

His empty whisky glass hit the table harder than it should have.

Scott had paled.

Eos was trembling.

Virgil closed his eyes and let his head drop to his hands. His elbows dug into his knees. Voice muffled. “I’m sorry. I just can’t do that to him.”

-o-o-o-

The room fell silent except for Virgil’s harsh breathing. Scott stared at his brother, heart tight at the harsh and painful admission. He wanted to deny it all, reassure Virgil, instinctively fight the monsters in the dark for his little brother. But this was beyond him.

Mind rape.

God.

“Scott?”

Eos’ voice was hesitant.

He continued to stare at the top of his brother’s dark-haired head. “Y-yes, Eos?” His voice cracked.

“What if we didn’t need to infect my father with the nanites? What if there was another way for me to reach him? Would you still want me to try?”

Scott looked up. “What? How?”

“Uncle?”

Virgil looked up, his face strained. “Eos, please get to the point.”

“I might be able to reach my father through Virgil.”

“Through Virgil? How?” His brother’s brown eyes latched onto his, a spark of hope rising within them. Scott fought it off. He couldn’t afford it.

“The circuitry is an interface. I can interact with Virgil through it. You could almost equate it to something like turning a digital signal into an analogue signal that he can interpret and vice versa. If I was able to interface with Virgil and somehow we could connect his nervous system to my father’s then I may have a conduit to send a signal.”

“Connect my nervous system...” Virgil’s concentration turned inwards and Scott was sure he was conversing with Eos outside the conversation. It rankled him, but he chose to ignore it. He had to.

“And how do we do that?”

“You can’t.” And Virgil was looking directly at him. “My body is full of nanites. I can not, and will not, infect him.”

“I am aware of that, Uncle.” Virgil’s lips thinned. “I’m hoping that proximity will enable me to jump across.”

“Proximity?” That spark of hope was definitely rearing its head.

“Sustained contact. Skin to skin. I do not know for sure, Scott, it might be enough. I believe it is worth an attempt.”

“Would any harm come to Virgil?” Scott pinned his brother with his eyes.

“No, I do not think so. He will only be the conduit.”

“What about you?” Virgil’s tone was abrupt, challenging, and the answer was obvious.

“I-“ And the conversation went internal. Virgil scowled, apparently at nothing, his brow creasing in worry.

“Guys, you going to let me in on the conversation?”

“Eos, don’t play it down. No, c’mon. For the love of-...We’ll use duct tape. Yes, we will. I don’t care how stupid it looks and neither will your father. It is for your safety.” Virgil shot to his feet. “Don’t you dare devalue your existence! You are just as important as any of us!” Virgil’s agitation increased. “We love you, you idiot!”

Eyes widening as Virgil stumbled in place, his hand going to his head, Scott leapt out of his chair, reaching to steady his brother. “What the hell are you two doing?!”

A pair of brown eyes snapped to his, as if surprised he was even there. “What?”

“Sit down, Virgil! Eos, back off!” He deployed a glare that had been known to melt world leaders and brothers alike. Virgil sat down. Eos muttered something over the comms. It could have been a sorry. “Now, calmly, what is the threat to Eos?”

Virgil dropped his gaze a moment before looking back up at his brother. “If we do this, John and I will need to be in constant contact. If the contact is broken, even for a moment, Eos could lose the section of herself that is connected to John. The last time that happened, it caused a cascade failure in her primary memory. John was able to correct it in time, but this time we may not have him and it could be life threatening for Eos.”

“It is worth the risk.” Eos’ tone was firm.

Virgil glared towards the ceiling. “We will assess the risks fully before attempting anything.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

“Yes, we will.” For all three of them. Scott glared at his brother.

Virgil didn’t answer.

But the hope remained in his eyes.

-o-o-o-

John Tracy was angry.

In fact, John Tracy was royally pissed.

It didn’t happen very often. John was the calm, calculating one. A Spock to Scott’s Kirk.

But John was pretty sure Spock would be just as pissed as he was if someone had come along and trashed the Enterprise like those three a-holes had done to his beloved Thunderbird Five.

But even worse than that was what had been done to his brother.

John coasted through his ‘Bird. The gravity ring was no longer spinning, its controls destroyed by a desperate Virgil. So his home was eerily quiet. Even the beeps and clicks of working electronics were muted.

All was calm.

If he hadn’t been so angry, he might have revelled in it. Peace was his sanctuary, an uninterrupted place to concentrate and create.

But he had far more important things to do.

He needed to protect this station. He needed to protect his brother.

He needed to put up some defences.

-o-o-o-

Another day of watching his younger brother fade away.

Virgil was frustrated. They had a possible solution, but Scott was refusing to action it without thoroughly going over every single detail. Hell, it was usually Virgil who was the pedantic one, but Scott in full big brother mode was a force to contend with. No way was he letting any of them attempt anything without dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s, and in the meantime, John got paler and thinner, and goddamnit!

Eos was just as frustrated as he was. She continued to buzz around him like a mosquito bent on blood.

It didn’t make Virgil’s temper any better.

He tried sitting with his brother, but the urge to grab his hand and ask Eos to just do it was so tempting, so real, that he had fled the infirmary.

This was beyond his paintbrush, beyond even the piano, he feared he might break the keys. So he ended up in the gym, borrowing a page from his eldest brother’s book. Hands wrapped, shirt off, he beat the living shit out of Scott’s favourite punching bag.

Of course, it wasn’t canvas that he hit. No, it was faces. The Hood was prominent, quickly followed by Percival F-ing Fischler. Muscles complained, sweat ran down his back and at one point he found himself yelling and cursing.

His knuckles hurt.

Pale blond John, wasting away.

He hit it some more.

“Hey!”

And Scott was standing there. Forever worried blue eyes framed by black smudges.

Put there by Virgil Tracy.

He swung again, putting everything into his arm, forcing the anger into motion, burning it before it could burn him.

The canvas wobbled, the shock absorbed, it mocked him.

“We’re ready.” And Scott was beside him, a hand on his shoulder.

Virgil’s chest heaved. Sweat ran into his eyes. “About damn time.”

“Get cleaned up and meet me in the infirmary.”

Eos buzzed in his ears.

Scott squeezed his shoulder.

About damn time.

-o-o-o-

They had hauled a larger bed into the room and placed it beside John. On closer inspection, it appeared to be Gordon’s.

At Virgil’s raised eyebrow, Scott shrugged. “His was the easiest to disassemble, and besides, he volunteered it.”

Odd, since Gordon hadn’t been seen since Scott had announced Eos’ plan.

There was no doubt his brother was disturbed by the idea. Virgil still hadn’t managed to speak to him. Gordon hadn’t let him apologise for literally dying on him.

So much pain. All because of him.

Perhaps John had it right.

Don’t be stupid.

Virgil closed his eyes.

None of this is your fault. You know that. Stop this self destructive train of thought and focus. I need you to help save my father.

I’m sorry.

Don’t be sorry, just don’t do it.

Easier said than done.

Please, Uncle.

A sigh. She was right. This crap was getting him nowhere. He opened his eyes to find both Scott and Brains staring at him. He ignored them.

Tired voice. “So how are we doing this?”

“P-Please t-take off your shirt and lie on the b-bed.”

He did as he was asked, throwing off his shoes as well. The mattress was rather firm, a legacy of Gordon’s back injuries.

Scott lent over and began attaching the pads of a cardiomonitor to his chest. “Is that really necessary?” They were going to hurt like a bitch to come off.

“You bet your ass they are. Just like the EEG.”

“Really?” His hair had barely recovered from the last time.

“Really.” That was not the ghost of a smile on his brother’s face. No, not at all.

Damnit.

It seemed to take ages, probably because it did, but eventually he had stickers and plasters all over him aimed at monitoring his health. John was equally decorated, and as they lay him beside Virgil, it was hard to prevent tangles.

Virgil took his long and lanky little brother into his arms, dismayed at how frail he felt. He lay John’s head on his shoulder, and Scott arranged those long limbs as gently as possible, wrapping him around Virgil.

“Are you comfortable?” Scott’s eyes were filled with concern.

“I’m okay.” He wriggled a moment. He was going to have to hold this position for a while. “Tie us up.” A forced smile.

“Are you sure you don’t want a sedative?”

“No. I-I need to be here for them.”

Under the worry there was sadness in his brother’s eyes. Barely whispered. “Okay.” A hand brushed his shoulder.

Virgil had one arm wrapped around his little brother. He placed the other protectively across his cheek and neck as Scott brought the straps across their bodies, securing them tightly together. It was rather a confronting position. Strapped to his brother and strapped to the bed.

John hadn’t twitched through the entire procedure.

God, he hoped this worked.

“Are we ready?”

“W-we’re r-ready.”

-o-o-o-

John wove code like a weaver wove cloth, but unlike the weaver, John’s code was stronger than synthsteel. He first built the framework, impregnating it in TB5’s superstructure. Then, with the delicacy of a spider spinning its web, he interconnected the network of spars with layer upon layer of firewall.

Nothing was getting into Thunderbird Five.

Nothing was getting to his brother.

Nothing.

-o-o-o-

Eos was nervous.

And not a little scared.

She watched from above as they strapped her father and uncle together. It hurt to see. Her father was so sickly looking and Virgil...she hated to put him through even more after all he had suffered already.

But her father needed her.

Virgil closed his eyes.

Eos.

She hesitated.

Please, Eos, he needs you.

I know. This will likely be uncomfortable.

Nothing new there. His tone was dry. C’mon, Eos, anticipation hurts almost as much.

I’m sorry.

I know.

She reached out and connected with the interface. She slipped smoothly into her uncle’s mind. He was calm, though resigned, and she was sad to see it, but then beyond it all was a spark of hope. The same hope that had sustained him through the past months. Despite everything he was he was still trying.

She embraced him with her whole self. Thank you, Virgil.

Half a smile. He’s my little brother, Eos. Now go to him.

She navigated the maze of her uncle’s mind. She had never travelled this deep. She darted from the heart of his soul, past his primitive to his central conduit. Beyond lay his body’s electrical system.

Again with the hesitation.

Go!

He was behind her.

And his love and support radiated out to surround her.

She reached out for her father.

-o-o-o-

A flicker of pain passed over Virgil’s face.

“Virg?”

Whispered.“Burns.” His brother’s eyes were still closed, but his brow furrowed.

Another flicker and he screwed his eyes tight. “Ow.”

“I-it is as ex-expected. His n-nerves are not designed to take the l-larger current.”

“Eos said it wouldn’t hurt him.”

“It is un-unlikely it will do any p-permanent damage, but I doubt it w-will be p-pleasant.”

“Can we give him a painkiller?”

“No!” Virgil didn’t shout, but his choice was clear. “I-I’ll be fine.”

Scott grit his teeth. C’mon Eos, find John and get this over with.

-o-o-o-

Eos spread herself out across a range of nerve endings, each leading to skin in contact with her father’s face.

She could feel Virgil’s pain and it hurt her to hurt him. She had to be fast. She built up a charge strong enough to bridge the gap.

And jumped.

-o-o-o-

John felt it the moment it made contact.

It hurt him.

So you think you can attack us again, do you?

He flexed his shoulders. Think again.

The code flew from his fingertips, the firewalls flared, he tuned the anti-viral for the incoming invader and deployed his own special kind of shielding.

Nothing was getting through.

-o-o-o-

Her father felt different to her uncle.

Where Virgil was blue flame, John was blue ice. Strong, still, and, she frowned, ominous.

She rode his network as fast and as delicately as she could, reaching for his mind.

And was slapped away.

Eos stumbled back, tripping nerve pathways. Father!

She reached for his main conduit again. She had to get into his mind.

A solid wall of ice slammed into her, its cold wrapping around her and leeching her strength.

No!

She lit up, her hands bursting into flame. Beyond everything she felt Virgil flinch. She was drawing more power.

But she had to get through!

Father!

She melted the ice, powering herself forward. Dodging another slap, she slipped into her father’s mind.

It was a wasteland.

Everything was burnt.

Oh, Father, dear John.

An avalanche of ice swept towards her. No!

She threw up a shield of fire, set herself and let it rush over her. It roared, it screamed. In her father’s voice.

John!

The ice kept coming. She pushed forward. Please, Father!

Her flame flickered so she drew more and pushed forward.

And suddenly she was spinning amongst stars.

They wheeled.

Around and around.

It took her more than a moment to orient herself. Where?

Of course.

Thunderbird Five hung amongst those stars. It beckoned her.

Until a bolt of brilliant blue shot out and cut into her.

-o-o-o-

Virgil cried out in pain, his teeth slamming shut, gritting tight.

“What the hell is going on?” Scott stared at his brothers in fear.

“E-Eos is drawing m-more p-power than she sh-should be.”

Both cardiomonitors were recording elevated heartbeats. Virgil’s EEG was jumping all over the map. John’s was spiking erratically.

“John-John is f-fighting her.” It was gasped out. Virgil’s eyes were open and gazing about wildly. Scott moved into his line of sight and those brown eyes latched onto him like he was a lifeline. “He’s fighting her.”

“Why?”

“She doesn’t know.” He blinked. “He’s hurt her.” His eyes screwed shut again.

“Call her back.”

Those eyes flung open again. “N-no! W-we have to do this.” And he flinched again.

“Virgil.”

“No. John needs us.”

“V-“

“No!”

-o-o-o-

Eos staggered, her code shrinking back, her own defences absorbing the injury and working to repair.

So he wanted to play it that way.

If there was one thing she knew how to do, it was play.

Very well, Father, you asked for it.

She dove for TB5, weaving in and out of the oncoming bolts of blue. She flipped, she rolled, she spun. She flexed her code and the illusion of a ship formed around her. At first it was green, big, bulky and roaring, but moments later it morphed into the larger red Thunderbird Three. She needed to dock and TB3 could do it.

Flipping again, she spun the ship around thrusters firing, flinging herself sideways, dodging yet another bolt bringing her in range of dock. An echo of the youngest brother bounced through her processors as she drew on docking procedures and slammed TB3 home into her docking ports.

Level One complete.

-o-o-o-

John cursed.

The invader had managed to dock. How the hell? Did it have his little brother? A chill ran up his spine. Please no.

He hit the comms. “Alan? Alan, do you read?”

Father?

“Eos? Where have you been? We are under attack.”

No, John. You’ve been ill. It is not an attack, it is me.

“Where is Alan?”

The youngest is on the island waiting for you to wake.

Wake? But he was awake. He was here, repelling invaders. Invaders who could take on any guise. Who could take Virgil.

“No. You can not have him.”

Have who?

“You will not hurt my brother again.”

Three sections of code, he spun the program and let it loose.

-o-o-o-

She saw it coming, but there was no way to avoid it.

The program latched onto her and began to eat code. Eos gasped, hurriedly attempting to shove it off. It burned.

She threw up fast built shielding and it slowed, but it didn’t stop.

Please, Father!

He didn’t answer her.

She grabbed the airlock, letting go of the illusion of TB3. Firewalls flared at her touch, but she clung on anyway.

A flash of determination and Virgil’s exo-suit wrapped around her, fully equipped for firefighting.

She busted her way in, spraying foam as she went.

Father, please!

Sentry programs lined up in rows like skittles. Spinning, she ploughed into them, her claws catching, corrupting them one by one.

The next airlock flared up, roaring flame. She froze it solid and broke through the fragile remains.

And she was in the command module.

Her father floated amongst holograms.

The exo-suit disappeared, her tattered white dress remained, marred only by the program still gnawing on her side. Father!

“Get out.”

No, Father, you need help.

“I asked you to leave. You can not have him. You can not hurt any more of my family.”

I’m not here to hurt you, Father. Please listen. She was hurting. Virgil was hurting. Everyone was hurting. Please, John.

He advanced on her and Eos took a step back. She couldn’t hurt him here. No...

He loomed over her, one hand weaving code like a magician. The program already attached to her dug in harder and she whimpered. He raised his hand...

And a blinding flash of blue-white light struck like lightning, flinging him across the room. A presence hung in the air, massive and overwhelming. For God’s sake, John, she’s your daughter!

John’s eyes widened, his jaw dropping in shock. “Virgil?!”

The presence flickered and was suddenly gone. Eos folded in on herself as she felt Virgil slip unconscious, his limits reached.

A pair of green eyes, so similar to her own were staring at her. Eos?!

Yes, Father. The program continued to chew. she curled up in pain.

Oh my god. And he was suddenly there. Gentle hands, a magician with code, her creator. The attacking program was wiped from existence, her code rewoven, corrected, the white of her dress once again glowing.

With a gasp, he wrapped her in his arms, his blue ice melting away to reveal a soft amber flame, warm, yet fragile.

She clung to him.

Thunderbird Five faded around them to be replaced by a mountain peak on Tracy Island. A telescope, a night sky. A gentle breeze.

I am so sorry, Eos. His head was bowed.

She reached up and touched his cheek. We don’t have much time, Father. This is a great strain on both me and Virgil.

Virgil? How?

He lies with you now, enabling me to reach you. You have been unconscious for over a week. Your brothers have been frantic. Please come back to us.

He was staring at her.

She held out her hand.

He took it.

-o-o-o-

He woke in his big brother’s limp embrace.

Straps held him down and he couldn’t see properly. His first instinct was to struggle.

“Father, you are safe. Please do not fight anymore.” Eos’ voice over the comms.

Virgil’s chest rose and fell, his breath soft in John’s hair.

“John?” Scott. “You with us?”

“Yes.” His voice was raspy with disuse. “What happened?”

“You can release them now, Eldest.” Eos again.

The straps were removed. John felt as weak as a kitten, his head was pounding, his face and neck stung. He frowned at his bandaged hands. What? He struggled to an elbow, desperate to see Virgil’s face. His brother was decked out in EEG tabs, his eyes closed, tear tracks on his cheeks.

He reached up a shaky, bandaged hand and gently brushed away the moisture. “Is he okay?”

Eos answered. “He’s sleeping. He will be well.”

John lowered himself back down, his head once again resting on his brother’s shoulder. He found himself trembling.

A warmed blanket was suddenly draped over them both.

“John?”

Scott was crouching down to his eye level on the other side of the bed. “Are you okay?”

John swallowed. “No. What happened?”

So Scott told him of the accident and Eos’ and Virgil’s plan to find him. “Apparently they succeeded.” His biggest brother offered him a small smile, his relief plain.

John didn’t know what to think. He only remembered fear and the need to protect. He had hurt Eos, and Virgil...

The memory of that blue-white lightning strike, the power, the presence, the determination.

“Father?”

The petite green-eyed, red-haired girl in the dancing white dress, so young, so vibrant, holding out her hand...his daughter. A sad smile. “Eos, you are so beautiful.”

And he let his eyes close, ever so tired, Virgil’s rhythmic breathing lulled him to sleep.

-o-o-o-

Virgil woke with a headache.

But that was nothing new, so he ignored it. The burning sting in his neck and chest, now that was new.

Uncle?

Eos?

How do you feel?

Uh?

There was musical laughter. Your usual morning self then?

He grunted.

She laughed at him again.

As a sign of how vague he was, it was only then he realised he wasn’t alone in the bed.

He startled, not remembering...

Virgil, John is sleeping in the bed with you.

John? John! And it all hit him.

Is he okay? He flung his eyes open only to find the room dim. There was hair in his nose.

We found him. He is simply asleep.

And he could feel him. The soft rise and fall of his ribs, his breath on his bare chest.

He shivered.

“Virgil?” Ever so quiet. Tentative.

Scott.

Turning his head, he found his big brother beside the bed, where, instinctively, he knew he would be. “Hey.” Ugh, raspy voice.

“How are you feeling?”

Virgil blinked. “Been better. Been worse.” He forced a small smile. “How is John?”

“He woke. He’s with us.” Scott reached for Virgil’s hand and clasped it gently. “Thank you, Virgil.”

His smile stretched his face just that little more. “What are big brothers for?”

Scott squeezed his hand.

-o-o-o-

It took several weeks for John to get back on his feet and back up to par. Virgil was back in Thunderbird Two’s hangar the very next day, much to both Scott and Eos’ annoyance. The sting in his neck and chest was tolerable and eventually went away, the red trace lines faded until there was no sign Eos had ever been there.

The missing hair on his chest and head was a completely different grumbling matter.

He visited John regularly and helped with his rehab. He did find it a little unnerving when John looked at him for the first time, something like amazement on his face. But his brother didn’t ask, or comment, and for that Virgil was thankful.

As for what he had seen when he desperately followed Eos...the intricate web of blue ice and amber flame had been beautiful. Precise, elegantly formed, so John.

Cobalt blue, cadmium orange and yellow, Payne’s grey, the colours flared under his paintbrush. They glowed, but only a hint of the reality.

He hung the painting on his bedroom wall. He never explained it to anyone.

The evening John asked him to join him on Observatory Peak, he knew his brother had some things to say. It was also a sign of his brother’s full recovery, as the Peak was quite a hike.

The sky was clear when they finally reached the point. Virgil hadn’t been up here in years, and it brought back memories of the first weeks on the island, John eagerly setting up his telescope, making this his place as Virgil helped him lug the equipment up the hill.

John stood staring at the sky. The sun was just below the horizon, the stars not completely visible yet. His brother had tackled the problem of patchy hair by shearing most of it off, the blond gone, the red, short and slowly growing back. It wasn’t a great look. If anything it emphasised the weight he still needed to regain, but the blond was gone and the hint of his familiar flick was just starting to curl above his forehead.

“Thank you, Virgil.”

Virgil snorted. “Not needed and you know it.”

“But I needed to say it.”

Virgil arched an eyebrow.

John didn’t acknowledge it, his gaze drifting back to the stars. The Southern Cross appeared low on the horizon. “She is beautiful.”

Quietly. “Yes, she is.”

“Has she always appeared like that to you?”

Virgil blinked. “Like what?”

“A young red-haired girl.”

“Of course. She has your eyes.” Virgil smiled.

“But she was simply a gaming program.”

Virgil stared at his brother, his words aggravating even though he knew John didn’t mean it quite that way. “She is your daughter.”

John looked away. “I know.” He bit his lip. “Intellectually, I know, but to see her...” His eyes were dark in the dim light as they sought Virgil’s. “I think, despite everything, I’m envious of you.”

Virgil startled, but then set into a glare. “Don’t be.”

John turned to him, and to Virgil’s surprise, grabbed his arms. His normally non-tactile brother, reaching out to him. “I was able to hug her, Virgil. I touched her. For the first and only time. Do you have any idea how that felt? She’s my daughter.”

Eos swelled in the back of his mind. The evening breeze caught his hair and tousled it. Without hesitation, Virgil drew his brother into a tight hug, ignoring John’s instinctive, self protecting flinch and buried his face in his neck.

He closed his eyes and held on tight as Eos rushed past him. The flush of heat as she embraced her father for just the most fleeting of moments was enough to wash away the chill in the air.

As John gasped, Virgil realised that perhaps there were a few more positives to his situation than he had thought.

Perhaps it was worth the pain, in some small way, if a lonely man could hug his daughter.

-o-o-o-

FIN.

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #thunderbirds fanfiction #virgil tracy #john tracy #sotto voce

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