#I feel like it has a good comedy premise tbh

[coolsvilleprincess]

Everybody give it up for more cleaned up sketches!! This time it's characters that I have simply been thinking about recently that are not the main gang, yes I did get distracted while cleaning up my Shaphne sketches, yes this is the result now I must return to the caves to finish them.

[helluvabossrewrite45]

GhostF*ckers and Why I fell out of interest for Helluva Boss - End of Helluva Boss Rewrites

Lately I have fell out of interest with the show for a long while but watching 'GhostF*ckers' just further confirms that I do not care for this story anymore. The Stolitz plotline was loathsome, the execution of the conflict between Millie and Blitzo felt too hollow and tbh, felt more like something from a kid show than an adult show to me. Millie, while it's nice that they attempted to give her more character, it's still a bit disappointing that she's still serves to support Blitzo throughout the episode and the most damaging of the writing is: Time. This episode was just bad at managing it's time that despite being 30 minutes, the conflict felt rushed and too fast-paced. Instead of letting itself breathe in order for the audience to immerse themselves in it before the final payoff, helluva instead rushes straight to finishing it. Thus, resulting how this show lost me. And I'm getting the feeling that the show will continue to lose me further and further that it will become unwatchable (and this episode was already unwatchable to an extent.) so because of that, this would be the end of Helluva Boss Rewrites. I'm glad people like my rewrites and I'm sorry that it won't be around anymore. I cannot force myself to rewrite scenes that I do not care about, scenes from a show and story that strays me away from it further. It wouldn't just affect me, but also my writing because how can your rewrites not fall on a decline eventually like this show's writing if you can't be interested in it any longer? I figure that I should inform all of you now rather than do it later.

I wouldn't do any rewrites for this show anymore although I would like to post about my own writing and stories exclusive to helluva if anyone is interested (maybe even stories inspired by helluva to an extent) idk from here or another account though.

To send off this end of rewrites, I would like to reccommend shows that are either adult shows, indie shows or resemble helluva boss to an extent. While I haven't kept up with much media with my forgetfulness and education, I still have a list that I hope you'd be interested:

Black Lagoon - A businessman got kidnapped by a gang of pirates and now after being written off dead by his boss, he joins the gang and their escapades. If you like action especially with guns, this show is definitely for you. It has an interesting premise, great action scenes and has interesting conflicts so far. I haven't completed the series yet but so far, it's pretty good.

Arcane - I know it's a popular recommendation for adult animated media but it is REALLY good in how it's written with fantastic animation plus s2 just came out this month. Give it a watch. Plus caitlyn x vi are a well-written version of social class that stolitz failed to acknowledged or try to do.

Michiko and Hatchin - A woman attempts to find her lover with a young girl, Hatchin, she took from her adopted home as she's the daughter of her lover. If you had issues with how helluva writes women, this show would be great for you as it not only aims at adult women but the women characters themselves are developed rawly throughout the show. It's a very underated anime, I recommend giving it a watch.

TADC (The amazing digital circus) - Another popular recommendation but it's a dark comedy that manages to balance it's comedic and emotional moments well alongside having a clear identity that works for itself.

Smiling friends - If you want an office animated adult comedy, this one would be great for you too. While it's not a dark comedy, it's absurdist comedy is still hilarious to watch and both seasons are relatively short for you to complete.

I wanna eat your guts/Shockwave animation - IWEYG is an animated show of 18 year old high schoolers who tried to explore their lives as teens and legal adults at the same time during the 2000s. It's not out yet but the premise and artstyle resembles 90s cartoons which could be appealing if your interested (like me). Even if it's not, Shockwave animation is an upcoming indie animated studio that's already got a couple of projects under their belt. Please go visit their website and support them whenever you can. There might be projects you would be interested in.

I also apologise for not answering anons or asks. It's partially due to forgetfullness and school life. If you like to send me any complaints regarding helluva or rewrite ideas, I would try to answer back when I can but keep in mind that I'm currently busy with my education so it would take a lot more longer.

[doomsayings]

my list of favorite movies I watched for the first time this 2024! honestly lots of solid watches this year. Ken Russel remains up there for me…

my thoughts/reviews under the cut!

Cemetery Man (1994)

Honestly my top watch of the year! Literally in the first 60 seconds I already knew it was going to be my fave movie of the year. There’s a certain style about it, a certain camp that is exactly what I look for in my horror movies (consider my favorite watch last year: lair of the white worm) and I could see immediately it was going in that direction. Though it even exceeded my expectations in that! While being a good slapstick horror comedy, it has a lush gothic atmosphere and romance that it approaches very earnestly…. All romantic leads should be crypt keepers! Tbh!

All About Eve (1950)

Believe it or not first movie I ever watched in theatres by myself despite my big age! I chose this over East of Eden which I will have to get to next year, but I don’t regret it. Made me fall in love w/ Bette Davis, who I already loved, like one million times over. Genuinely kept me on the edge of my seat and moved me with how generous and loving it is of its lead. Watching in an empty theatre with only like a group of three gay guys who kept going “oh my god I LOOOVEE bette” felt very fitting…

Amadeus (1984)

Shockingly perfect movie. Absolutely no notes. I had no idea this centered around toxic gay rpf plot when I watched but I was absolutely enthralled for all 160 minutes of the run time. Salieri underrated guy of all time

The Lion in Winter (1968)

Another shockingly perfect movie that I would struggle to add any notes to. Probably best dialogue in a movie ever? Also phenomenal acting by literally everyone in it. A Christmas movie for the ages…

Conclave (2024)

It’s very rare that an actual new release makes my favorites of the year list, but wow I really adored this one. There is such an optimism and real, true belief at the center of this that I found very moving and even devastating as a recovering catholic… aside from being just a precise well-crafted movie. No line is wasted, every shot is beautiful.

Mikey and Nicky (1976)

Probably my second top fave of the year…I fell head over heels in love with it when I watched and told my sister to watch it…she said within the first 40 minutes that she looked up to see if the director was a woman because no man can be that self aware about masculinity WHICH. Pretty much sums up how I feel about it. Has such an insight about the human experience and relationships and shame and guilt it’s almost uncomfortable to watch but… I love it

Ghostwatch (1992)

Took me a very long time to get to despite the fact that I am a known found footage aficionado… it’s easy to imagine why this would have been such a scandal, and I’m glad I saw it before late night with the devil! They make a good double feature

Dante’s Inferno (1967) + The Devils (1971)

To be honest, it’s probably overkill to have two Ken Russel movies with the same actor on this list but I couldn’t decide which one to keep.. The Devils is clearly the masterwork here, is iconic for a reason but I adored the poetry of Dante. Lush and romantic as befitting a movie about the pre-raphaelites…

the haunting (1963)

Far from a perfect adaptation, but so much better than the mike flanagan one I can’t help but be preferential. Still has the ambiance and tension I expect, and great casting. This is my Eleanor….

Nagina (1986)

Spiritually related to my love of lair of the white worm, and the trope of the snake woman my new beloved… also this year has been my first foray into Indian cinema since my girlfriend is a noted Bollywood enjoyer

May December (2023)

I was conflicted whether or not to include this one, it seemed the reception to it was controversial and I watched it randomly on plane while not knowing anything about the premise but it actually kind of blew me away. I was enthralled and upset the entire movie, and all three lead performances were incredible. I think it’s an interesting approach to the topic, considering we are in an era or true crime/ biopics happening while everyone is still alive and relevant. Definitely under explored topic and it left me thinking about it for a long time

[wangxianficfinder]

In the mood for...

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1. I'm in the mood for a fic where WWX leaving after the main events of the show goes badly. I've read Rotten Work (shanastoryteller) which was a fantastic example of this, but I crave more! There is no way WWX leaving with a donkey, an empty purse, a bolstered abandonment complex, and a barely-recovered reputation went well. Thank you for all that you do!! @kirk-spock-in-the-impala​

the roots by thelastdboy (E, 17k, wangxian, major character death, graphic depictions of violence, post-canon, post-untamed, MDZS/CQL combination, transmigrator LWJ, dimension travel, time travel, parallel universes, desperation, WWX pov, LWJ pov, heavy angst, mental health issues, giref/mourning, abandonment, depression, suicidal thoughts, hurt/comfort, getting together, rogue cultivator WWX, WQ lives, found family, cottagegore, it gets worse before it gets better, WIP)

💙 feel better love by Anonymous (T, 8k, WIP, WangXian, implied WangXianXian, Post-Canon, Crack Treated Somewhat Seriously, in a haha jk…unless? way, Light Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Crack, Crossover)

I Will Find You Again by Hidenka_chan101 (M, 19k, wangxian, LSZ & LWJ, LSZ & WWX, LSZ & LJY, canon divergence, mentions of death, angst, crying, LWJ is a petty bitch, typical LQR, unsuppportive LXC, gusu lan junior dynamics, wangxian get happy ending, fever, tender loving care, some smut, WN flexing his healer knowledge, hurt/comfort) slightly AU but still has WWX going off on his own

like mayflies wandering Series by RoseThorne (M, 12k, NHS & WWX, wangxian, post-canon, assassination attempts, introspection, regret, travel, WWX pov, ghosts, reconciliation, exhaustion, pining, feelings realisation, illness, found family, hurt/comfort, emotional manipulation, manipulative NHS, friendship, qi deviation, resentful energy, WIP)

Twelve Moons and a Fortnight by stiltonbasket (M, 290k, WangXian, Humor, Slow Burn, Post-Canon Fix-It, Long-Distance Relationship, Epistolary, Love Letters, Family Feels, a-qing lives, teenage romance, Adoption, Romantic Comedy, Happy Ending, Weddings, Case Fic, Parenthood, Politics) The series (and all their stuff) is great. It has a similar opening premise - in that jc kinda realizes wwx will never come back on his own and sorta tricks him back to lotus pier. Tho I don't think his traveling being unsafe was a primary motive, it'd work, and nhs is great, similar vibes to mayflies in a respect.

Story-Shaped by lingering_song (T, 13k, WangXian, NHS & WWX, Post-Canon, Chief Cultivator LWJ, Inventor WWX, Found Family, Mentioned Character Death, Alcohol, Protective NHS, WangXian Endgame, Not JC Friendly, Not particularly gentry sects friendly overall tbh)

Judge Softly  by Chrononautical (E, 32k, wangxian, LSZ & WWX, LQR & WWX,   accidental voyeurism, non-consensual mind reading, oblivious WWX, bamf   WWX, genius WWX, post-canon Fix-it, angst w happy ending, LQR tries)

~*~

2. Hi!!!! Itm for fanfics where Jyl kills Wwx after the ambush of Quingqi pass.

regret by wqngji (Not rated, 8k, wangxian, JYL & WWX, canon divergence, canonical character death, temporary character death, fluff & angst, hurt WWX, hurt/comfort, past character death, JYL lives, domestic wangxian, golden core reveal, good sibling JC)

~*~

3. Hi! Bit of a long shot but I just finished the bridgerton spin off on Netflix was wondering if there were any regal or royal wangxian fics❤️ @red-spacekitten

Half Agony, Half Hope by queenklu (T, 105k, WangXian, XiYao ChengQing, XuanLi, NieLan, Jane Austen Fusion, persuasion au, Pining, Broken Engagement, Secrets, Espionage, Child Injury, Terrible Parents (Madam Yu and JFM), Past Child Neglect)

My Sun One Early Morning Did Shine by tangerinechar (T, 4k, WangXian, Regency, Secret Relationship, Marriage Proposal, a very tiny bit of epistolary)

The Extremely Self-Indulgent and not at all Serious Pride and Prejudice AU Series by Suspicious_Popsicle (G, 16k, WangXian, Regency, Pride and Prejudice Fusion, Crossdressing, Pining)

Royalty AU Compilation

~*~

4. Hello! I hope you're doing well.

It's an IITMF req : WangXian being murder husbands. Something like the series " You & Me Baby, We’ll Eclipse The Sun". Thank you for your time:) @utxqia​

💖 The Way You Tremble by themunchking (E, 6k, wangxian, murder husbands, vampires, blood, violence, supernatural elements) perhaps not quite what you’re looking for but might enjoy still

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5. ITMF: Sentient sword spirits, spiritual tools, and all that's similar! Sentient spirits everywhere!!! (Yes, including the good ol' tiger tally if you have it)

there's the sentient sword comp But if you want specifically /just/ sentient objects, @/zeldacw has an absolute brilliant comic staring both Wangxian's swords AND instruments And then @/rmoonberry has some artistic depictions of sentient twins Yin Hu Fu

@/zeldacw seems to be this fandom’s originator of the Anthromorphic Weapons trope; those comics can be found under the tag 忘情隨塵 (WangQingSuiChen) and post on her Tumblr and on her Twitter @/zeldacw; inspired Kindred Spirits by EstelweNadia (Not Rated, 2k, WIP, Bìchén/Suíbiàn, Chénqíng/Wangji, Humor, Angst, Eventual Romance, Drama, Slow Build, Slow Burn) (from our Daemons / Sentient Sword Comp - Mod C)

~*~

6. Hi! Hope everyone is well and thank you for your godly work as always! So for the next itmf I collected some requests:

A) WWX blurting out his feelings for Lan Zhan on accident/for example in a casual talk or something like that/bonus (great but not needed,everything is welcome): angsty because people don’t like him talking that much, exept for Lan Zhan of course

B) WWX showing of his swimming skills/maybe saving Lan Zhan from drowning/preferably not as an modern AU, but if that saving thing does happen there too I would be happy to try that out too

C) WWX being great with kids and Lan Zhan loving it, going to horny jail, whatever. But like, not just A-Yuan or the other Juniors but in general, maybe as a kindergartener or idk but u get what i mean hopefully.

D) WWX being genius in reading ppl, as in Sherlock Holmes Niveau

Thank you so much! @desperation-is-my-middle-name​

6A)

spoke like we meant it by BlackWiresOnHerHead (T, 10k, WangXian, Modern AU, 5+1, Fluff, oh my god they were roommates, Friends to Lovers, Getting TogetherP, ining, Cuddling, Accidental Confession, Humor, Abandonment Issues, Light Angst)

new phone, who's this? by uchiuchi (T, 5k, WangXian, Modern AU, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Getting Together, Accidental Confession, Friends to Lovers)

6B)

Last Feather by Solmae (M, 33k, wangxian, canon au, drama & romance, mythical beings & creatures, fairy tale retellings, LWJ stays at the burial mounds, married wangxian, bottom LWJ) features a nearly drowned Lan Wangji saved by Wei Wuxian, though it's not the focus of the fic

6C)

🧡 paint smears on sunny days by SnowshadowAO3 (E, 53k, WangXian, Comfort, Fluff and Smut, Everyone Is Alive, Modern AU, Dadji, Mutual Pining, Happy Ending, Brief Alcohol Mention, Masturbation, Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, Accidentally co-parenting with your son’s art teacher, Fatherhood)  

~*~

7. ITMF Medical au which is not modern.

~*~

8. I cannot find any wwx centric fic which is lwj bashing or not lwj friendly. I i see are jc centric or tian ah! Poor jc !! Kill wwx and lwj! No no please give me many many wwx fics which are lwj bashing/ lwj critical/ not lwj friendly.

Anon from #8 of recent ITMF post, yes I've searched already for lwj bashing tags and all the fics centre around jc. Honestly i don't mind reading wwx with others too. Suggest some?

我的皇后是農民 | sowing seeds in the cold palace by sweetlolixo (E, 57k, WIP, WangXian, Imperial Palace, Emperor LWJ, Imperial Consort WWX, Farmer WWX, Angst, Romance, Wingman LJY, Wife-chasing-LWJ, Arranged Marriage, Best Boy A-Yuan) Has the asker tried the lwj bashing tag on Ao3 yet?

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9. ITMF wwx being in an abusive relationship like his husband is a wife beater.

~*~

10. Hello hello! I’m finding myself curious if something has ever been explored so if you have an available spot l - I’m in the mood for a fic where JFM gets therapy (or mind healing) (modern or canon is fine).

Like - what is his deal? Why can’t he communicate with his wife and why are his children invisible to him? What would happen if he breaks these cycles and truly TRIES?

Thank you for all you do! @rogue-90-em

~*~

11. hello lovely mods. an itmf request for competence kink wangxian please and thank you

You and me/Won't be unhappy by x_los (E, 22k, WangXian, Female WWX, Case Fic Aftermath of a Case, Gender Changes, Accidental Marriage, mentioned canon-typical domestic abuse, mentioned canon-typical sexual violence (implication of minors),(not depicted just discussed as possibility), First Kiss, First Time, Loss of Virginity, Politics, Horror, Murder Mystery, Road Trips, Bitchy LWJ, Dirty Talk, Mutual Pining, Always a Different Sex, Competence Kink, Misunderstandings, Miscommunication, Self-Sacrifice, Battle Couple, Episode 7)

My chain hits my chest/When I'm bangin' on the radio by x_los (T, 2k, WangXian, Case Fic, Modern with Magic, Competence Kink, Yiling Laozu)

~*~

12. Hey, we've got two non specific fic quests for you! A) the first is focused on the juniors, specifically like sizhui embodying rules lawyering of wei ying and malicious compliance of lan zhan and just being the politest little bitch about things? B) the second; if there's any that are 3zun raising huaisang (preferably fluff/modern, but at this point we just need a starting point). Thanks!! @captainkaithr

~*~

13. It's mermay, so I must ask for merfolk aus! (I'll also accept selkies)

oceans, drowned in starfire by stiltonbasket (T, 30k, WangXian, Modern AU, Novelist LWJ, Merman WWX, Accidental Baby Acquisition, (of the xiao-yu variety), Near Death Experiences, Family Secrets, Domestic Fluff, Happy Ending, The Little Mermaid Fusion, Inspired by Ponyo (2008) )

For #13 mermay request- I forget the title off the top of my head but it's on ao3. Jiaoren (mer) wwx gets trapped in a shallow stream, mistaken as a drowned fierce corpse, and stabbed by a Lan disciple on a group hunt. They feel bad and nurse him to health (carry him in bath tub) and he's immediately smitten with lz, and speaks broken human. There's another where lz is a cop? Modern au that busts a trafficking ring and rescues mer wwx and builds cool tank system in his house & adopt bby mer mxy (Haven't located these two yet ~Mod L) / I found the jiaoren mer-may fic I reccd. It's "Secrets of Yunmeng's Lotus Lakes" By Cy_anne on ao3. Its currently a restricted work? But its Spanish translation "Los Secretos de los Lagos de Loto de Yunmeng By Cy_anne" by VicoMejia733 can still be read on ao3 (I'm not fluent in Spanish but I'm like 90% sure this is it), "Something so precious" series by Elara_Moon on ao3 was the other one I reccd I'm pretty sure, the one where cop lz saves mer wwx from a trafficking ring

Secrets of Yunmeng's Lotus Lakes by Cy_an_Blue (M, 73k, WangXian, One-sided SS/WWX, A/B/O Dynamics, Omega WWX, Mermaid WWX, Cultivator LWJ, Younger WWX, Younger LWJ, teenage WWX, teenage LWJ, No War AU, Non-Traditional A/B/O Dynamics, Falling In Love, Getting Together, Interspecies Romance, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Awkwardness, Injury Recovery, accidental injury, Accidental Stabbing, Cultivation Accidents, Near Death Experiences, waterborne abyss, Kidnapping, Non-Explicit Torture, Mentions of major injury, Fluff, Attempted Sexual Assault, Courtship, Courting Rituals, Los Secretos de los Lagos de Loto de Yunmeng By Cy_anne by VicoMejia733)

Something So Precious Series by Elara_Moon (T, 25k, WangXian, Modern AU, Romance, Mutual Pining, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Some dark themes like um, Slavery, but it's not super dark i promise, Police Officer LWJ, Merperson WWX, Established Relationship, Fluff, Light Angst, Minor Violence, Child Neglect, Minor Character Death, Mind Control, it's not as bad as some of those tags make it sound)

in the deepest depths by lazy_lousy_lizy_jane (T, 3k, Female WangXian, Modern AU, Lighthouses, Selkies, Minor Violence, LWJ Has Feelings, Soft WangXian, bichen is a cat, heist (minor), Cisswap, Gender or Sex Swap)

One for Heaven and Earth by cerbykerby (T, 7k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Supernatural Elements, Angst with a Happy Ending, Madam Lán Lives, inspired by wangxian selkie au, Getting Together)

Lanterns To Guide You Home by cuttlefeeeeeeeeesh (T, 7k, WangXian, Mutual Pining, Mythology, Selkie, Fisherman LWJ, Selkie WWX, Sorta Established Relationship, Fluff, Soft (tm), A touch of horny because this is wangxian)

never love an anchor by tardigradeschool (T, 31k, WangXian, Selkies, No Powers, Historical, Hurt/Comfort, Depression, Pining, Angst, Happy Ending, The Inherent Eroticism of the Sea, PTSD, Presumed Dead, Drowning)

bring you home by Alasse_Irena (T, 27k, WangXian, Selkies, Modern with Magic, Pre-Slash)

brave new world by Quixiote (T, 33k, WIP, WangXian, Selkie AU, Modern with Magic)

Do not waste your pearls for me by moonwaif (G, 9k, WangXian, mermaid!LWJ, Fantasy AU, Trauma, Abuse, Healing, Unresolved Romantic Tension)

Frog, Beast, Fish, Idiot by Attila (T, 3k, WangXian, Fairy Tale, Dumbasses, Starring in:, The Frog Prince, Beauty and the Beast, The little mermaid)

you're a bird in the water / i'm a fish on the ground by plonk (Not Rated, 8k, WangXian, Merpeople, Canon Era)

A Drop of Water by Cat_Noir (T, 45k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Mermaid AU, H2O: Just Add Water AU, Platonic Intimacy, Cuddles, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort)

The Pirate of Lotus Pier by antebunny (G, 55k, WangXian, LSZ & JL, JC & WWX, XuanLi, Pirates, Folklore, Fantasy, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Action/Adventure, Found Family, Angst, Misunderstandings, Secret Identity, Inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean, Miscommunication, Fairy Tale Elements, Soft Magic)

~*~

14. I¨m in a mood for genius WWX fics from this year if possible ^^

there is no limited dimensions by Stratisphyre (M, 27k, WIP, WangXian, NieLan, MianQing, WN/Other(s), Star Trek Fusion, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Assumed Character Death, Minor Character Death, Tags on Each Chapter, references to non-con, references to canonical slavery, (The Orion Syndicate is just really bad okay?), bizarre space mpreg, Implied Future Pairings, Implied NHS/Others, POV Multiple, Accidental Child Acquisition, Found Family)

~*~

15. Hiiiii! Itmf for a fic that's about other people's view on wangxian. Like outsiders pov on the relationship. Thanks

pay no attention to what’s behind the curtain by glitteringmoonlight (T, 7k, Emperor LWJ, Concubine WWX, Mutual Pining, only the bare bones of a plot, a little bit of outsider pov, Love Confessions, Happy Ending)

Everything’s growing in our garden by like_a_bird_that_flew (T, 3k, WangXian, LXC & LWJ, Modern AU, Coming Out, Supportive big brother Xichen, Family Feels, Established Relationship, Xichen finds out on his own, meaning he finds photos of them kissing, Oops, referenced fear of homophobia/rejection, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempt at Humor)

looking through a window by glitteringmoonlight (T, 5k, WangXian, Modern AU, POV Outsider, College/University, Fluff and Humor)

new messages from Lit 1011 by yellowcarnations (G,36k, WangXian, LSZ & WWX & LWJ, Modern AU, POV Outsider) 

pitfalls of greed by glitteringmoonlight (T, 3k, WangXian, POV Outsider, BAMF WWX, Kidnapping, Violence, YLLZ WWX, not exactly but the vibes are there, Post-Canon) 

The Misunderstanding by kisahawklin (T, 9k, wangxian, modern, misunderstanding, outsider POV)

💙 Su She Eats his Heart Out by KizuKatana (T, 16k, WangXian, 3rd person pov, implied offscreen wangxian sex)

~*~

16. Hello, I’m in a mood for your favorite fics of the month!

Jin Ling and Demonic Cultivation by ImNobody122 (Not rated, 8k, JC’s torture of demonic cultivators, aftermath of torture, serious injuries, angst, character study, not JC friendly, JL pov, child JL, JL is a brat, non-graphic violence, JC’s 13 years of serial killing, WWX’s terrible reputation)

A Sip of Chrysanthemum by Placeformysins (T, 127k, JGY/WWX) Itmf #16 - didn't actually read it this month but thought of it when read this ask. There is a jgy/wwx fic on ao3 (rarepair so should be easy to filter for) set immediately after sunshot campaign where right after MY becomes JGY jgs forces an arranged marriage between jgy/wwx, to get rid of jgy and thinking he might get a spy out of it. This makes jgy realize A LOT sooner the truth about jgs. Jiang sus and don't trust (Let me know if it isn’t the right one, I went with the fic summary again ~Mod L)

most barren peak and bleakest winter by WhatTheOwlHears (E, 23k, wangxian, aftermath of sex pollen dubcon, guilt, suicidal thoughts, misunderstanding, angst w/ happy ending, past top WWX/bottom LWJ, undernegotiated kink, healthy communication, angt, fluff, smut)

Meet Your Storm by kianspo (E, 15k, Jadecest, Sibling Incest, Modern AU, Pining, Jealousy, Rough Sex, Twin Jades of Lán Incest, lxc/denial, lwj/others, there's triggery stuff, more warnings in the notes, Anonymous Sex, Get Together) hope this one still counts, it’s a bit over a month old :)

~*~

17. Do you have any non-WangXian fics but focus on the nonexistent WangXian aspects of it (a.k.a. the reason why they're not to begin with)? Like a break-up and then get a new lover type, falling out of love, infidelity, "A resents B because B did [insert reason]", or even for political reasons?

Would prefer WWX to have the good ending but anything works for meHopefully this is understandable, because my English is not fluent😅

Resent & Blossom by manaika (T, 26k, NMJ/WWX, LWJ & WWX, JC & WWX, NHS & NMJ, NHS & WWX, canon divergence, love triangles, pining, arranged marriage, angst & feels, strangers to lovers, implied/referenced murder attempt) #17 itmf - there is a nmj/wwx fic on ao3 (forget title but not many in that ship) where nhs brokers an sorta arranged marriage between nmj and wwx in an effort to save wwx and the wen from the burial mounds. Nmj agrees cause he trusts his brother and doesn't expect to live long anyway. Meanwhile nmj gets worse and a little more erratic/mean. Wwx and nhs look into it and problem solve. Wwx & nmj fall for each other, not wangxian because nmj acted, and wwx wants to honor this man he cares for&home (Let me know if I found the right one, I went mostly with the summary of the fic ~Mod L)

~*~

If you didn’t get an answer to your ask here, don’t forget to make use of @mdzs-kinkmeme and MDZS KINK MEME on Dreamwidth. Authors actually do use them for ideas. You may get what  you order!***Your prompt doesn’t have to be kink! Fluff, crack,  whatever - it’s all good!***

[dayscapism]

K-Dramas recommendations & short reviews

Because I've watched way too many to not make a list. Warning: I like romance and fantasy a bit too much.

These shows made me cry. 10/10. Five stars. Recommend to anyone. They live in my mind rent-free:

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022) - Attorney Woo is such a wonderful person, I love her character. I can't say much about the representation, but I like that it opens up the conversation around autism & neurodivergence, discrimination and prejudice, particularly in work environments. I rarely like shows about law or lawyers but I was surprisingly engaged with the cases and the story. It deserves a second season. (The only thing I don't like about this show is they're pushing for a MinWoo and Choi Su-Yeon ship. Which huh--disrespectful.)

Hotel Del Luna (2019) - A great place to start with k-dramas if you like paranormal fantasy. This show has such a special place in my heart. I wanted a different ending but I am okay with it because it was a tight narrative. The main character is iconic (Man-Wol please step on me). The show has amazing sets, AMAZING costumes, an amazing OST, amazing and heartbreaking performance by Yeo Jin Goo. The main couple is so soft; like they're such good friends and coworkers and gentle with each other (eventually). It's enemies to reluctant friends to lovers. It's perfect for asexual viewers who want more than physicality in their romance shows. Cons: the secondary characters' goodbyes and backstories left a little to be desired. A few other nitpicks like Chang-Seong is the one to suggest the main character a new hobby instead of her just discovering it by herself.

It's Okay to Not Be Okay (2020) - Also a good place to start with k-dramas. This show is a lesson in good narrative; this has perfect writing & storytelling. The cast is so good. The female lead is an icon. The character work I excellent. The mental health issues are so well addressed and it taught me a lot about mental health I wasn't aware of. Each small minor character plays a very important thematic role. (The villain isn't the best thing ever but she serves her role in the themes and plot.) The production and the storytelling with the children's book animations are just *heart eyes*. The OST is so good too. You need to watch this to understand how good a k-dramas can be. A must-watch.

Goblin: The Lonely and Great God (2016) - This is the most iconic fantasy/paranormal k-drama ever. A lot of current tropes were started here I think (including the weird k drama last-episode time jump separation of the main couple). This show broke me. You will cry. The bromance and comedy are amazing here too. Gong Yoo and Dong Wook Lee have great chemistry. Main female lead is so cute and her character is so heartwarming. The ending felt a bit rushed. The death, existential related stuff with the grim reapers and such is so good tho.

Business Proposal (2022) - Best rom-com ever! (Well, it could be gayer tbh.) It's my new comfort show. I already watched it twice. It's campy, hilarious, chaotic, iconic and messy in a way that feels like real life (but obviously played up for drama and comedy). Excellent character work. The love interest is definitely written by a woman. Gorgeous cast (Sejeon omg I have a crush, but also the others). It was too short! I would have loved another episode, and more of Grandpa and Ha-Ri. Warning: this has the weird kdrama last-episode time jump couple separation.

W: Two Worlds (2016) - A young resident medic accidentally finds her way inside the webcomic her father created. Like, that premise is killer. We have Lee Jong Suk at his finest here; the character fits him so well. He was born to play a lead. This show has amazing meta-commentary on writing, authorship, and existential crisis. The confrontation between the webcomic character Kang Cheol and the author is insane! The main couple is an epic pair. Would rewatch. High wump value. Cons: The second part could have been more swoony with the romance, Kang Cheol kind of became a bit cold. (A warning: this show also has the k drama weird last-episode time jump couple separation.)

Would recommend with popcorn, I rate them 8/10:

Crash Landing on You (2019) - Really good. The main couple has the best chemistry I've ever seen. It's not that much of a personal fave show, but still pretty awesome and will tug at your heart. It got a bit overly dramatic in the last episodes and again, has that k-drama last episode weird time jump couple separation, but here it actually makes sense. And sort of mirrors the separation and eventual unification of the Korean Peninsula. It was very interesting to see the contrast between North and South Korea.

Shooting Stars (2022) - Aside from the terrible, horrible, insulting Africa storyline (where the male lead goes to 'help' African kids with water scarcity, not even a country name is called, he just goes to *gestures vaguely* Africa to help goddammit he's such a beautiful soul! /s) There's a weird creepy sugar mommy wannabe side storyline and it's weird and out of nowhere. But the rest of it is good and campy and the main characters are so cute. All the couples are cute. The male lead is a cute disaster. Female lead is also a capable cutey but a disaster when it comes to romance. It's hilarious. I love all characters. It's fun. It's great. It shows a very interesting side of the entertainment industry.

While You Were Sleeping (2017) - A man and a woman who don't know each other have precognition powers and after they meet, they use them to take down a corrupt lawyer. The show isn't very heavy on the romance, tough the pair work pretty well together. I liked the main actress. Lee Jong Suk has chemistry with anyone. The male role was not exactly a good fit for Jong Suk. He's so much more naturally charming than the character. It's a fun show to pass the time. The found family is nice and all the characters work great together. The mom is great.

The King's Affection (2021) - I'm going to be honest, I didn't finish watching this. Ups. I got bored after episode 15. It's a very slow show but what I watched was quite good. It was just not a show for me. Having a bisexual male lead was awesome, I appreciate that he falls for the main character while he thinks she's a man. (Could be gayer tho, just saying.) Pretty good discussions and reversals of gender cliches. It has complicated parent-child relationships that are very well written which gives a lot of heart and heartbreak to this story. The political stuff gets very convoluted. I really wish the queer part was bigger though, and not limited to the main couple. We could even have poly representation! I still have half a mind to finish this but I don't know There are so many other shows I'd rather watch instead. (Boy, I really need to get into the actually queer side of k-dramas because the side I'm currently on is giving me crumbs.)

Lovers of the Red Sky (2021) - The premise was so cool. This has so much lore I like and the setting is beautiful and rich, but it also has so much lost potential. The plot is very weak in the second half and could be restructured. I loved the atmosphere, costumes and the actors and their characters: the blind cursed scholar nobleman, the female genius cheeky painter and her friend trio and the prince are all great characters. Ahn Hyo Seop is pretty good in it and looks very pretty indeed in historical costume (but the design of the villain creature he's possessed/cursed with is so, so bad omg). Great premise failed execution. Good first half but it went over the rails quickly. Still entertaining if you like historical fantasy.

Romance is a Bonus Book (2019) - It's a bit slow and could have done so much more with the female lead and her child. She's a bit underwhelming and her daughter is barely in the story. The second female character played by Jeong Eu-Gene was awesome, I love this actress now. Lee Jung Suk is always looking hot and being an excellent actor with what he's given; he's very charming here. He could have chemistry with a piece of wood and yet I wasn't that fan of the romance. Maybe it's just because friends to lovers isn't my cup of tea. There's a weird out-of-nowhere backstory between the male leads. The commentary of ageism in the workplace is a bit surface level (it's not that big of a deal for the company if you're overqualified for a job, the point should be that is an issue for you and your career, who is too good for the company). You can tell the writers really care about books; it's definitely a love letter to editors and an interesting window into the world of book publishing; you can feel the love editors put into making books. Bonus: the founding members of the publishing company have very funny moments.

Do no recommend:

King: Eternal Monarch - Couldn't even finish this. I was so, so confused. The dialogue, narrative and backstory make no sense! Everything is so unnecessarily confusing. There's no chemistry between the main couple. The king and the bodyguard had more chemistry. Lee Jung-Jin (playing the villain Lee Lim) & Woo Do-Hwan (the bodyguard) carried this show and are pretty much the only thing good about it. The female lead is sidelined. It had an intriguing premise but failed execution.

What's Wrong With Secretary Kim - Skimmed most of the second half. It's a mess. The love interest CEO is such a narcissist and asshole he wouldn't be able to keep a working, healthy relationship with his partner without some serious therapy first. The female lead seems to be repulsed by him most of the time even when together and even looks scared when they get intimate. There's an unnecessarily convoluted plotline about the main lead's brother and a kidnapping in their past. It has tonal issues and it's cringy rather than funny. The secondary characters are just a lot of useless filler. The female lead sacrifices her independence and dreams to be with the main guy. Just go watch Business Proposal instead.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo - The only pro of this show is IU. The romance went the undeveloped route. Cheap-looking production, with too many episodes, melodramatic, characters pivot in place instead of naturally developing; it's definitely a telenovela. The point that the female lead is from the future doesn't even matter for the story (should have made her a Goryeo historian instead of a random cosmetologist). Pass!

Tomorrow - Could not finish watching. Please, please don't watch it if you're dealing with depression, bullying or suicidal thoughts. Please don't. By episode 2 I was just screaming at the screen. Problematic? This show invented the word problematic. The supernatural task force that's supposed to save people with suicide risk is terrible at therapy and suicide prevention. They tell the person trying to commit suicide, literally on the edge of a building about to jump, that they should do it, that they're weak, they should just jump, go ahead! Like ... what????

Mystic Pop Up Bar - Didn't capture me by episode 2. Got bored. Some say this is better than Hotel Del Luna but I don't agree.

Abyss - It's a weird tonal mix. Would have preferred if it leaned further into the absurd (go all in with the humour or don't at all), the sci-fi or the murder mystery. Instead of just revealing by episode 3 who the murderer is, quickly changing the plot into a chase after the villain, even though he's so lame. But also he is keeps killing people and it gets dark. And then we cut to the main couple being silly and cute. It's so jarring. The leads have a great dynamic and Ahn Hyo Seop knows how to differentiate his characters really well, give them their own flavour., but in the end it's just a cool premise, failed execution. Very average.

Currently watching:

The Crowned Clown - Very interesting concept and gorgeous, gorgeous visuals. Plot drags a little. Has some tonal problems and oversimplification of politics. The best part is when Yeo Jin-Goo acts with himself haha. He's such a talented actor.

The Uncanny Counter - Get's a bit melodramatic sometimes but all four main actors are insanely good.

Tale of the Nine-Tailed - The main romantic relationship needs a lot more development, but the entire show is worth watching just for Dong Wook Lee and Kim Bum as brothers.

Alchemy of Souls - 6/10 so far. Currently watching season 2/part 2. Aside from the prince, I don't particularly care for any of the characters. Unpopular opinion but the main romantic pair have no chemistry. Mu-Deok has more chemistry with Yul and the prince, and the prince has more chemistry with Jang-Uk. The lore is confusing and inconsistent: it breaks its own rules. (Two souls in one body what?? when was this established as a thing?) There's not enough foreshadowing and setting up the rules of magic in this world (the Ice Stone comes up as a deux ex mahcina big plot point in the last second). It also drags; the episodes are too long. There's a lot of saying and ultimately the show doesn't deliver. The narrative structure is straight out of a fantasy Wattpad. The set and costumes are fun and cool for a fantasy world, and the first episode was great.  

[fandomshatepeopleofcolor]

thinking about it now, Charles Melton should've been nominated for best supporting actor instead of Ryan Gosling as Ken

This might be a hot take here on tumblr dot com buuuuuuuuut

I think Ryan’s nomination is actually deserved.

If we accept the premise of the Oscars, and accept the existence of the Barbie movie, Ryan as Ken could have come off as ridiculous and try-hard but it didn't. My one quibble is that he is too old to play Ken opposite Margot as Barbie (there is ten years difference between them, and there's only so much that makeup and moisturizer can do) but other than that, Ryan Gosling absolutely has the comedy chops and by my count he delivered an adequately charming performance.

This is an aside but something that's getting lost in the hashtag white feminism conversation is that it is narratively absurd that the film industry has rewarded the less important guy but not the literal lead girl from the feminism 101 movie. It feels intellectually dishonest to not acknowledge how on the nose this is. We can talk more about this on @fandomshatewomen if people wanna get into it.

Back to your message though, if we’re exploring hypotheticals, how about we look at the rest of the list of noms:

Mark Ruffalo for Poor Things

Robert Downey Jr for Oppenheimer

Ryan Gosling for Barbie

Robert De Niro for Killers of the Flower Moon

Sterling K Brown for American Fiction

If we are swapping out someone on this list, my personal choice would be Robert De Niro, backup option Robert Downey Jr.

Both of these men are already household names, and this was not either of their best work or tbh even like among their better work. Also, neither of them “needs” this nomination, it does nothing for their careers.

But for an actor like Charles Melton who is good at his job but very much at the beginning of his career, it could mean a meaningful increase to the money his agents can negotiate for him on subsequent projects. Like yes, numbers vary, but the “awards bump” is a thing, and proportionally speaking it would mean WAY more for his career than one of the Roberts.

• mod dyr

[silenthillmutual]

☕️ How do you feel about horror films in the 2010's? What were some of the best and worst to come out of that decade in your opinion?

oh hmmmmm let's look at what i've seen that came out in the 2010s

great, really loved - tucker & dale vs evil (horror comedy that will always be famous. to me.); get out (i like us and nope as well but get out to me is like the tightest writing of the three. and then nope and then us.); it ch1 (i have a fond memory of seeing this on my birthday so i have a bias for it :]); annihilation (i love sci-fi horror films so fucking much. ik there's big differences between the book and the film but i cannot wait to read the book anyway!); mandy (i have got to get high and watch this. epic film)

good, decent film - black swan (i do not get what the discourse is around this movie. no it's not the most mind-blowing film experience but idk ppl act like there's nothing worth redeeming in it.); the cabin in the woods (this is a p good movie, do not get me wrong, but it would've been better without the joss whedon stink on it); paranorman (will probably get bumped up a notch once i've rewatched it tbh); what we do in the shadows (mockumentaries i love u); crimson peak (can i just take a sec to say media literacy is ass on this site bc of that one post about crimson peak.); green room (wanna rewatch this one bc its premise is right up my alley); the boy (benefits from Better Than I Was Expecting); happy death day (groundhog day plots are really hit or miss for me but i did like this one. i support women's wrongs.); a quiet place (i need to see the sequels bc i hear day one is good but this was def a unique premise and i liked how the end product turned out); color out of space (goes on a touch too long imo but i'd love to watch it again); us (i still enjoy us just not as much as get out or nope. there's some clunkiness in us.)

a little mediocre but i'll put it on - my soul to take (no real notes on this one other than not being big happy w its ending); grave encounters (probs a little higher up on the meter bc i do enjoy saying 'im lance preston and this is grave encounters' at random); american mary (also on the higher up side bc i'd like it to have been. idk. gorier? also the ending felt kinda anticlimactic.); the babadook (film got spoiled for me long before i sat down to watch it. my partner despises it. i just wanna know why no one has pointed out that the kid is obviously autistic and him being presented as a burden is kinda fucked up); hereditary (i think this is a decent melodrama, and ari aster is not untalented, but oh my gooooood people piss me off about this movie lmao and the mom sounds exactly like my mother.); mom and dad (the parts w the parents i think are much stronger than the parts w the kids but interesting concept for a short story.); it ch2 (i think it doesn't quite match up to pt 1 but it's not bad. i might rewatch it and see how i feel.), ready or not (i'd love to rewatch this one and have my mind changed on it)

i don't remember this one love and light - the woman in black (i'll give this a rewatch later); the purge (i only have the vaguest memories of what happens in this one bc i watched it at 2 am w some classmates while studying abroad); it follows (i see both a lot of love and a lot of hate for this movie so i kinda wanna rewatch before i settle on an opinion)

boring - fright night (i watched this in high school bc i really liked david tennant but i tried rewatching it as an adult and i couldn't get hooked); the conjuring (i'm so sorry to everyone who loves these films but i could NOT get into this.); the witch (sorry.)

i dont recommend tbh - saw 3d (not one on my rewatch list in the series but it's also not the worst film in the set on account of it not being jigsaw or spiral); in fear (i watched this while studying abroad in scotland and i got very let down at just how little was going on in this film.); tusk (parts of this movie i was struggling not to laugh at. didn't feel bad for the main character in the least. not nearly as disturbing as everyone kept making it out ot be imo.); the love witch (i thought 'oh this has to be a critique of rad feminism it's too campy to be taken seriously' but alas i was wrong); midsommar (i am keeping my mouth shut on my real opinion of this movie.)

abysmal. sorry. - dark shadows (i will admit there are burton films that i still find joy in but this is definitely not one of them. really weird movie from what i remember); silent hill: revelation 3d (idk how they fucked up worse than christoph gans but they did!); jigsaw (how the fuck do you make a saw movie that's BORING. booo logan we hate ur pussy!)

woah sorry i just looked a t a list sorry this is like a massive wall of text.

[kiefbowl]

Finally another person that hates HIMYM as much as I do. There isn't a show that I hate more tbh, like there are shows I dislike, but that damn show is something else. Just like you I hate what they did to Robin(and she's the only character I kind of liked; I liked Ted when he wasn't trying to be like Barney and when he would actually call Barney out, which sadly wasn't too often)...and I hate how more often than not the show treated Barney's treatment of women as a joke, or rather the show rarely called him out, and i especially hate the way they ended his character arc, I was like "oh now he'll see women as humans" *eye roll*-- I hate that trope so damn much. The show had potential, and the premise was interesting, it's just that the show was filled with the worst tropes and some of the worst characters on today's tv(or ever, really). I just cannot for the life of me understand its popuplarity.

Also, oh my god yes, I totally agree with you on that final season. What the hell were the writers thinking?!

>"I liked Ted when he wasn't trying to be like Barney and when he would actually call Barney out, which sadly wasn't too often"

one of the most unaware things the show does is pretend Barney is a foil to Ted when Ted and Barney are extremely similar in their views of women. The difference is that Barney is always on, and it's always a goofy heightened reality, while Ted will be written fairly straight wrt wanting to sleep with women.

>"I hate that trope so damn much."

a baby daughter fixed me is definitely one of the worst tropes and also is sooooo fucking lazy. they didn't build a story around Barney in which him having a baby girl in the 11th hour would feel cathartic, that's why it feels so cheap. If he had conflicted feelings about his life and about fatherhood at all, it would still be a lazy and misogynistic choice, but it would at least follow some story logic. it's like a big ass trifecta of shit: Robin and Ted endgame, mother dead, Barney has a fucking baby.

Writing that reminds me that they have Robin "fail" both of her love interests by not being able to have children since children are obviously the one true ultimate goal in this story. A child fixes Barney, and Robin wouldn't have ever been able to do that for him. Truly ridiculous. But anyway I haven't gotten that far yet.

>"I just cannot for the life of me understand its popuplarity"

I have thoughts on this, looking back on old subreddits I think a lot of people hand waved unpleasant parts of HIMYM because they wanted to believe the set-up they were seeing was intentional. Most of it was not as intentional as believed and it ended up being poorly done for the actual planned ending. Case in point: the internal life of Robin is clearly not something the writers cared about. But because the story is focused on who she loves and wants to be in a relationship with, fans thought 'well the internal life of Robin is being treated seriously, so I will read into the subtext'. I think this also comes off because Cobie cares about Robin's internal life. I don't think the writers ultimately know why Robin loves Barney, but I think Cobie knows. I wonder if the writers ever really cared what the actors believed was true about their characters. There needs to be some give and take on this even if writers ultimately gets to decide how the story plays out.

Additionally, I think the five leads are very charming and elevate a lot of material, they all have exceptional physical comedy chops. People liked the characters when they were good, tried to close their eyes when they were bad, and hoped the good parts were leading somewhere satisfying.

[voidify333]

20 Questions for fic writers

I was tagged by @almarnatiaam- thanks!

1. How many works do you have on A03?

36

2. What's your total A03 word count?

133,211

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Mostly Ace Attorney these days.

I've also written for Les Mis and Good Omens; Les Mis makes up most of my works at 20 (though 4 of those aren't really fics, they're fanart pieces I posted to ao3 for sewerexchange).

And there's a couple random fics that aren't any of these: The Temptation Of Immediate Relief is a Pride & Prejudice missing scene fic that I wrote for high school english class and posted a polished version after graduation, and All Alone is a short War & Peace fic expanding the character of Anatole's wife who's entirely just a plot device with no character in canon (elephant in the room: the name I chose for her was retroactively made weird by my later fandom journeys by being cognate to the name of a completely different character, but like, whatever). I still think both of these are pretty good

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Wilson & Sons (Good Omens outsider POV fic about Aziraphale's barber, a family business that he's been going to since the 1700s), at 1861 kudos

You're Better Off Without Him (Good Omens outsider POV about the guy in episode 4 who says that line), at 763 kudos

perfectly statue-still (Ace Attorney 3+1 fic about elevators being a trigger for Miles, angst with a happy ending), at 433 kudos

driving back in style (in my saloon will do quite nicely) (Good Omens fic, silly cute little A/C getting together scenario), at 303 kudos

naughty list (Ace Attorney fic; angst with a happy ending; the premise is that Gregory didn't get to tell Miles that Santa wasn't real so when the von karma household didn't do santa Miles thought he was on the naughty list for a solid 4 years. If you haven't read it, ho ho ho 'tis the season to read it now), at 241 kudos

Yeah, my good omens stuff is never being unseated from the top of my leaderboard unless I end up getting into an even bigger fandom at some point in the future

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to, because comments absolutely give me life and I need a constant stream of them, but unfortunately I don't get around to it often enough

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Absolute angstiest out of my published works is probably my very first ao3 fic, not quite nowhere to turn. Valjean sees Javert die and is too late to do anything. The fic is very flawed in that I was 15 and had not learned how to do subtlety, I can't look at it now, but I was a hyperlexic kid with A's in English so I think it's still better than what most people were writing as teens

Second answer is merry christmas., my most recent fic (if you haven't read it yet, HO HO HO TIS THE SEASON), it's Miles' POV for the first bit of Turnabout Goodbyes, it ends on a note of hopelessness that he's doomed to be convicted, but it only debatably counts since anyone who's played the games knows that the turnabout is coming

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Most of my stuff has pretty happy endings, that's just my sensiility as a writer-- even "not quite nowhere to turn" has an afterlife reunion scene-- so I'm not sure what to say here.

There's some fics where the conflict was trivial in the first place (comedy and crack stuff), there's some fics where I feel in hindsight that the ending was a copout and that a rockier path to happiness would have been more interesting if I had mustered the strength to write it (When Tomorrow Comes is the primary example tbh), and there's some where it feels earned (the fics in this category include the ones I like the most)

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I've thankfully never gotten hate on AO3 that I can recall

9. Do you write smut?

Yes I do, but none of it is up on my ao3 account at this time. I have a ton in my google docs though...

10. Do you write crossovers?

I've written a couple. Both of them, funnily enough, of the format "javert meets one of my other blorbos and they recognise what they have in common"

In "and if you fall" (honestly the point of the title would have landed better if I did the full lyric "and if you fall (as lucifer fell)" but at the time that felt too corny), Crowley happens to be in the right place at the right time to talk Javert down from jumping (context: within GO book canon Crowley was asleep for the 19th century except for getting up in 1832 for a loo break)

In "The Choice Of Death" Miles Edgeworth meets Javert's ghost (AA ghost lore notwithstanding) one liminal night during his year away

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

On a tangent though, bc there's no question directly relevant to share this info, I HAVE gotten fanart for a fic before: this amazing fanart by @maym0rin for chapter 2 of "perfectly statue-still" (she gave me permission to crosspost it on tumblr bc she didn't have tumblr at the time but she later got tumblr when the twitter ship started sinking). There is nothing more flattering as an author than getting fanart, I hope this first time isn't the last time

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not yet!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes, I helped with @almarnatiaam's fic A King's Heart and got a co-writer credit.

And outside of cowriting on the level of be listed as cowriter on ao3, my friend who doesn't have tumblr (it's tsl for all the mtnr server friends reading this) and I have been collaborating and bouncing ideas on each other's fics for... wow, it's been over a year now!

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

Honestly it would have to be Valvert because it got to me at a formative time and has shaped the kinds of ships I like for life

15. What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

What do you mean "the" wip????

I have two dead fics and counting (one for les mis, one for good omens), and that's just the ones where I posted the initial content before realising it's too intimidating to finish. There's so many more in my docs; my friends know about some of them

16. What are your writing strengths?

Here are some that I have no problem bragging about, I reread my own fics often and smile at the moments where I did a banger line

Character voice (especially when the characters are my blorbos)

Using fancy vocabulary with precision in the prose to achieve effect (a skill born from trying to copy the vibes of victor hugo)

Witty prose humour (a skill born from trying to copy the vibes of pratchett & gaiman)

Prose from the POV of someone in a fucked up state- someone in a dark place emotionally, or someone whose motivations are fundamentally misguided or outright malicious. This is THE most fun shit to write for me

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Committing to long term character pain and tragic character conflict when it's not pulled/extrapolated directly from canon. I have many times read a fic where the author puts blorbo through the ringer and thought "damn if only I wasn't such a fucking coward and could write stuff like this". I've become less of a coward over the years and now enjoy

Writing anything long without a detailed plan for the entire thing

The need to use words with precision and write perfectly in character is as much a weakness as a strength. I am not a "write a whole first draft then edit" person I am a "dot points for the bits I don't have perfect words for" person and this sometimes causes issues where I assume I'll figure out how to get from A to B later but then it turns out to not make sense to get from A to B

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I have 4 years of Duolingo French and have used this occasionally for my Les Mis works. The way I think of my Les Mis works is that the characters are all speaking French behind the fourth wall but the fourth wall translates for us, so I avoid puns that only work in English except on a couple super cracky occasions.

For Inspector Javert Chooses Death (a fic with the premise "AU where instead of dying Javert fakes his death like Edgeworth and goes to england and unrepresses his homosexuality") I was originally planning to write the whole letter near the end of the fic in french and put the translation in footnote but my beta reader got confused so I scrapped that and had the prose paraphrase most of the letter and only included one French sentence

19. First fandom you wrote for?

First fandom I published fic on ao3 for was Les Mis. First fandom I published fic anywhere online for was Animorphs (when I was 12 I published a weird dark comedy fic to FFN which was a 5+1 or similar format of Visser Three executing people for slighting him by morphing into huge creatures and eating them. Then people on animorphsforum.com told me the fic was bad so I lost all confidence and didn't write fic again for years)

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

Right now it's between my two most recent AA solo fics: merry christmas. (already explained; 1-4 fic) and the perfect weapon (Manfred POV throughout his revenge plot, SUPER fun to write all that villain pov, grew from the premise "he had to have known about the nightmare to plan all that")

My best Les Mis fic is but i have seen the same (i know the shame in your defeat); it explores my favourite parallel with a cool alternating scene format and I actually still like the writing and characterisation even all these years later which is a rare honour for one of my high school Les Mis fics

Tagging: @squadron-of-damned @kaleran @samioli @ashkazora @azalawa-scroggs

[crehador]

so lv1 maou to one room yuusha started out looking like your typical fantasy ecchi with an only mildly interesting premise, but wound up being

NONBINARY OLD MAN YAOI 🎉🎉🎉

while i would hesitate to call it Very Good, i enjoyed this way more than i thought i would

the aforementioned premise is max the legendary hero has become a washed-up neet 10 years after defeating the demon lord. said demon lord has reincarnated with only a fraction of his power, but comes to find max for a rematch... only to discover max has turned into a slovenly old man

so naturally demon lord moves into max's shitty apartment to whip him back into shape by... cooking for him and encouraging him to reconnect with old friends and generally live a happier and healthier life, as you do

and they, i shit you not, fall in love along the way (<- exaggerating, but honestly not by as much as you might think)

the "plot" was in all honesty the weakest element to me, there's some war brewing between two factions led by two of max's old adventuring companions and he ultimately has to get involved to keep them from killing each other. it's not a bad plot, but just wasn't terribly interesting to me

where the series shines imo is its humor. as with nearly all comedies, not every joke lands but a decent number of them do. the developing relationship between max and the demon lord is especially fun and refreshing to see

and while i don't think i'll pick up the manga for this one, i would for sure watch a second season if one were to be made (though tbh i don't personally feel it's necessary, the manga is still ongoing but this season wrapped itself up pretty neatly)

[marley-manson]

The 3rd best line in The Interview was: “I mean, Korea will become a shining exampe of America's policy of benign military intervention, that's all.” Said by Frank presumably in response to the question “Do you see anything good coming out of the war?”

I was about to say the best line, but then I remembered Mulcahy’s hand warming monologue and Radar talking about Korean civilians.

Potter was a bit of a disappointment, I remembered him being a little standoffish and calling it a pain in the ass when people look up to him, I forgot him talking about becoming very very close to a lot of the people and wanting to see them after the war. Harry Morgan’s delivery still gets to me tho, he’s very good in this.

Hawkeye was interesting... I can kind of see how people might interpret some of his jokes here as dodging sincerity, but I don’t see that myself or think it’s an intended takeaway of his attitude. First because he is sincere and personal quite a bit - he’s the one who brings up fear as a constant unprompted and then monologues about having panic attacks at night when prompted further, he also quite darkly offers “Me, alive” as something good that could come out of the war. He makes a joke when asked if he has any heroes, but then answers seriously with a no (also interesting tbh, but fitting imo). He’s got a pretty good mix of sincerity and humour. Second because joking is how he becomes a source of humour, and this episode isn’t entirely devoid of laughs. Frank gets them with his parodic existence, Radar gets them with his naivete, Klinger gets them with his enthusiasm and cynicsm, Hawkeye gets them by insinuating he sent a sexy letter to Truman’s wife. And third because of the opening statement that the interviews were edited for “salty” content lol, making it pretty easy to headcanon that 75% of Hawkeye’s ended up on the cutting room floor anyway. That would be a fun missing scene premise tbh.

What else... Oh Hawkeye’s rant about the military’s obsession with shoes lol, you just know that some officer in basic training yelled at him for not wearing his army issue boots or something. Love random little things like that, that hint at stuff we don’t see.

And Frank hesitating when asked what he misses before saying his family a second too late, with an air of remembering the correct answer. Excellent delivery, excellent joke. AND his line about going into politics. Frank was so good in this episode.

Idk just generally I love the tone of it. It’s still funny, still ic, but it swerves into a more realistic sensibility, moreso than probably any other episode of the show including the later seasons. Idt I can articulate exactly how, but a big part of it is the acting, and how subdued it all is.

I also watched Deluge but there’s not much to say about it other than Klinger’s comedy monologue about the nazi kid back home who would’ve been a much better fit for the army was great. And as much as I love Margaret’s diatribe about wanting a crewcut, I’m a little :/ about her insisting all the nurses stay in danger because she doesn’t want to feel left out of army shit lol.

[helluvabossrewrite45]

Always sunny anon replying: funny you mentioned Bojack being I believe Viv has said in the past on her twitter that she wants HB to be the next BH yet seems to not understand what makes a show like Bojack work to begin with. (I'll admit I haven't watched Bojack Horseman yet. I've been sleeping on it way to long tbh).

Yeah absolutely. Viv doesnt seem to get that bojack worked in not only in its ability to make people like bojack while not excusing his actions, but also how its structured as 'comedy turned drama'.

(major spoilers for bojack horseman btw, you can just skip to the end/the last paragraph of this post)

Now in bojack's first season, it was a comedy pretty early and stayed that way till later down the season and it continued to grow naturally to a drama (though the comedy is still there of course). Helluva boss though, seems to be all over the place as just after episode 1, episode 2 takes a more serious/dramatic approach when the show is meant to appear at first to be a dark humoured comedy, along with most of the season not even sticking to its original premise, instead focusing more of set ups and stolitz drama that both didnt go much of anywhere (striker might be an exception though i feel like the end with him could be another set up). What wouldve worked is that episode 1 - 4 is entirely on the original premise for helluva boss and the rest would be more serious (with strikers introduction, the agents and stolitz drama) with season 2 continuing the more serious approach. Hell, if their gonna include stolas family drama, why not portray it as comedy at first, then use it later on to portray it more seriously. Like in season 1 of bojack where he and sarah lynn slept with each other, its being treated as comedic. But when he revealed that he slept with her in the interview, its being treated completely seriously and use it to highlight bojacks problem from him with young women and his issues with accountability, episode 2 could portray the cheating as comedic (with stella throwing objects while rambling while stolas dodges them like a dodgeball game with octavia initially being presented as the typical 'lonely stuck in the mud teenager' but we still get hints of her being more than that later down the episode) and while it ends on them leaving the festival in an awkward comedic way, that would used in seeing stars where octavia vents about her family drama, including on how neglectful stolas has become as a father from the festival incident. Im kinda surprised viv didnt consider to use it because it would be a perfect tool for helluva boss to use.

Another reason why bojack worked compared to helluva boss is its characters. While bojack was written well, the rest of the characters (especially women) shine through and we get to see more of who they are overtime. We dont really get much on that with helluva (especially the women), sure we get their backstories though we dont really have much depth if that make sense. Like when we compare todd to moxxie, todd's deal is that he's extremely helpful and he actually have stuff going on for him, its only bojack thats holding him back so when he finally distance himself from bojack, not only is it consistent but its also not repetitive, instead we get to know more about todd, seeing his relationships, discovering his asexuality etc...hell, he even has his own episode where he learn to make time for himself too instead of always helping out everyone. Moxxie has an arc of overcoming his weakness but the thing is, it repeats the same arc that it can get tiring to watch. What would work for him is that he slowly develops him overcoming his weakness instead of it just being repeated (like maybe further snapping at blitzo or confess that he considers quitting) Its a real shame too because him being close to morally good than morally grey or bad (which i predict thats what most of hells beings would be) opens a gate to a lot of possibilities for him as a character like why he took the job, how he met his wife, how he views the world around him etc...but they clearly didnt know what to do with him especially when season 1 wasnt even properly planned (as viv literally admits this on twitter too) so its why he as a character feels stagnant. But a bigger comparison however, has to be the women in the shows. People tend to praise the show for how it writes its women characters, often from diane and princess caroline. They're shown to be as messy and complex as men like bojack in the show though other women characters had their time to shine like hollyhock, kelley, gina, penny, bojack's mother etc...Its clear that bojack writes both men and women well in the show. Helluva boss on the other hand, is quite unbalanced in its writing for men and women. Specifically with the men having more variety and generall knowledge about them than the women. Like millie and loona, despite being major characters, have very little depth especially with millie who wouldnt even be a character if we remove her from moxxie. And even with the other women characters, they dont have much depth either (or at last we dont get to see that depth often like with verosika), they all in some way are in the roles for men characters (octavia and loona being there to establish the good in stolas and blitzo or stella and verosika being there to establish to either be the villain or to show a part of the man's past) Its very clear that viv favours men characters than women as alastor and angel dust having more going on than charlie, the main character herself. I mean, both shows are technically character driven and to be character driven, your gonna have to make sure your characters can equally shine on their own instead of one having more depth than the other.

To put it shortly, i dont think viv really gets why bojack was successful to audiences to begin with and in turn, failed to achieve that success with it being how she structures her show for the 'comedy turned drama' style being all over the place when bojacks was of natural progress and her imbalanced/poorly planned writing of men and women characters where it wasn't an issue in BoJack

[k-odyssey]

kinda surprised by how little our blooming youth content there is on tumblr. it's supposed to be fairly popular, if the mydramalist ranking is anything to go by?

anyway, i'm still watching! (now at ep 11) which means it's an ok drama, by my standards. my standards being very skewed in favor of park hyungsik ever since happiness. he's charming. but also those eyes! i feel like most of his acting is done through them. at least i'm always drawn to them.

the best thing about our blooming youth is the relationship between the leads, and how the crown prince views the world. outside of that, the writing is a bit weak.

like, there is a clear villain, and he is boring. tho palace intrigues just aren't my cup of tea.

min jae yin is kinda written as a "feminist icon", but in a way that feels very anachronistic to me, which takes me out of the story. even if she has her moments! you go girl, tell him you'd rather be an eunuch than get married and be expected to serve a man for the rest of your life.

that does make me wonder if i should be shipping this tho. i will say, lately they just feel like good friends to me.

the crown prince crying in front of the king, telling him he's ashamed? that was perhaps the most memorable/powerful scene so far.

in other news, i cannot stand myung jin's exaggerated laugh. it might be for comedy but it's not funny to me. compared to the leads, myung jin and garam are over-acted too.

tbh i'm not sure why this is a 20 ep drama and i'm so uninterested in the going-ons of the palace, outside of the ways in which they directly impact the leads! eg i don't care too much what the king does, i care if the crown prince is under house-arrest and miserable because of his dad.

sooo yeah. the premise had my attention, not sure we're heading towards a satisfying ending. i keep watching for the leads... and cuz i like having a mon-tues drama.

[dramalets]

A rec list for Bee (and whomever else might want to partake) @somethingnastyinthewoodshed

Pesto pasta tier; Consider these for your next picks.

The Eclipse - ‘Mystery’ (It’s not really) First & Khao’s first main role as pair. Great performances from both and a great side cast. Silly bounce off the wall kiss that is A+. 

The Warp Effect - Sex comedy but done correctly. Have literally never ever seen this kind of comedy done this well. Amazing performances all round, name a queer perspective and theres probably rep for it. 

Moonlight Chicken - Vibes in a show. Earth & Mix do soft, gentle pining so bloody well and it’s gripping. Honestly just a gorgeous queer found family story that examines what it is to be both dirt poor and gay. 

Bad Buddy - A silly BL premise but done delightfully. The friends are a little annoying but you get used to them. Good commentary on the burdens parents can leave us with. Ohm & Nanon are fantastic. 

Like in the movies - Another from the Phillipines. Just breathtaking. Ends bittersweet, which some didnt love, but it’s a beautiful journey and the Ben&Ben ost is sublime.

Not Me - The premise of this is so dumb but it really works. Essentially a story about a funky little, anti-establishment found family who want the world to work for everyone. First is fantastic in this and it’s rare I give Off his flowers but he deserves them for this. 

Chicken stew tier; Don’t overlook but maybe next

Gameboys - Two cuties fall in love over the computer during covid. That’s a simple sum up but it’s a lot more than that. The philippines really put out some great BL during covid and this is one of them.

Pearl Next Door - The f/f sidekick to gameboys but not set during covid. Realistic feeling lesbian drama and all the girls are a delight. On YouTube.

A Tale of a 1000 stars - Another bizarre shouldn’t work concept that does. Much like Moonlight Chicken it’s a lot of episodes of Earth & Mix pining but they do it so well that it’s just very very watchable. 

Be my favourite - For me, this is pesto pasta tier. But I think for most it’ll be chicken stew. I like feeling enveloped in a universe and this does that well. The most beautiful, artfully filmed first time I’ve seen in recent years.  Never Let Me Go - Beautiful to look at. Has some really great scenes and the performances pulled from such young actors are sublime. But I also felt this was a bit wishy washy. Didn’t know what tone it wanted so it tried to hit all of them.

Cold Pizza tier; Good, worth it. But also not worth rushing on. 

Hello Stranger - Another Phillipino covid released drama. (Doesn’t have covid as a theme though) Mico & Xavier are in the same class but aren’t friends, have to come together for a class project. It sounds pedestrian but it was done really well and Mico’s little gang of nerd friends are fab. 

My Engineer - Compared to every other thing I put on this list this is low, low quality lol. There is zero budget, a bad dub and tropes out the ass. But it makes me smile every time I’ve rewatched it. 

2gether/Still 2gether - I’m not a fan of 2gether tbh. It’s fine. I find Tine annoying. Still 2gether was much better as it was basically just the original couple solving the issues of their dumb friends. These are mostly here because its one everyone will tell you to watch. 

Why R U? - Again, a significant downturn in production quality here but that was largely thanks to covid. Very tropey. Questionable in a lot of ways but again, induces smiles and Saint & Zee have silly amounts of chemistry. 

Boys Lockdown - Love in the time of covid basically. Enjoyable. Nothing I’d rush for especially given it’s heavy heavy covid theming.

[katapotato55]

My love hate relationship with modern Ratchet and Clank games

TW: my opinion. its ok to disagree with me and I would love to hear your perspective. please don't send me hate. thank you.

I love rift apart and I love ratchet and clank as a series. I have played it since the ps2 era and it has a very special place in my heart, I loved the future trillogy too, and I love the newer games all the same.

but also some things bother me

1- clank making a dimentionator and announcing it to the universe felt out of character.

I don't care how you spice it the entirety of ACIT had clank learning about not abusing power for selfish reasons what the fuck game.

It would have worked if literally anyone but clank did that.

2- i miss Jim Ward.

this is not the games fault I am just sad about it. Captain Qwark was one of my favorites growing up. I wish him and his family good health and fortune. thank you for making my childhood you brilliant hilarious man.

3- This entire story feels like a waste of time.

can we just END the whole thing with the lombax race already. I loved the future trilogy but its been 10 years and I want to finally move on to other stories.

either showcase the lombax race, or don't. this has been dangling so much over my head that i have to occasionally remove cobwebs from it. lets just finish this story arc and move on please!

it feels like having the boys go to a parallel "what if never met" timeline just felt… wasteful.

I love rivet and kit but they are still just genderswapped ratchet and clank. You can't really have them meet new characters because they are just meeting themselves.

Yes i know this is a stupid take but i don't care. I just feel like this story was so…. safe. nothing ground breaking or interesting and it feels a bit wasteful.

4- ratchet's personality (also a problem with the 2016 remake)

what I loved about the original trillogy is that ratchet and clank were an amazing duo.

Ratchet was gruff, a little immature, and a bit standoffish. later on he matured (probably because he was like 13 in the first game lol) but he was STILL ratchet.

this reflected off of clank being naieve but good natured and intelligent. Clank became less naieve but he was STILL clank.

but since the 2016 reboot Ratchet went from a standoffish imperfect person to a generic wonderhero every single damn hollywood protagonist has.

the problem with this is that it basically ruins the dynamic with the boys. if both Ratchet AND clank are Naive then they don't really have a lot of chemistry…

Writers: please let your characters be flawed.

I liked ratchet BECAUSE of his flaws, and it feels like ratchet's personality was sandblasted off during the movie.

5- Comedy and seriousness 2 in one shampoo.

I liked the OG trillogy for its comedy, but it had a few serious bits too, mostly in up your arsenal.

I liked the Future trilogy for its serious bits, but it had comedy bits too sprinkled here and there which was a nice way to blow off tension.

for the most part sometimes it feels like this series doesn't know if it wants to be serious or joke-ey and so its kinda neither. Its just there. it exists.

please let the writers have fun with this man. It feels like a lot of the newer stuff has a corporate stranglehold on this series so its too afraid to alienate anyone.

as they always say: to appeal to EVERYONE you end up standing out to no one at all.

why am i making this post?

because tbh I don't want ratchet and clank to turn into bland safe mush that is designed to appeal to as much people as possible.

i love this game

But also this game only really brought me neat alt characters. I like fancy brit nefarious but thats about it. nothing really stands out to me about this game beyond it's premise.

it all feels too…safe?

That's why the lombax civilization story line didn't end, its because its too dangerous to ACTUALLY explore that anymore. that is why for some bloody reason characters keep randomly pointing out how lombax ratchet is being a lombax and that is what he is.

I am not angry, but that is EXACTLY my problem.

I WANT to be angry and upset

I WANT to have my ideas challenged

its more interesting that way! I remember way back in the day people were complaining about the tonal shift in the future trillogy and how they didn't like that.

more of that please! do interesting things with the characters I love! don't just sit on all these good ideas damnit!

anyways give me your thoughts. thank you for reading my lazy weird nerd rant. I stayed up late last night playing shadows of doubt and I will probably regret posting this once I get a full nights sleep lol. oh also shipping ratchet and rivet is weird. stop it I don't want this to be another sans self incest thing. It isn't as ungodly and terrible as the Allistor and Ratchet ship but its still weird as fuck. sorry not sorry please insomniac let women in this series exist for longer than 2 games at least so that the fans can be less emotionally starved. canonize relationships you cowards.

[irregodless]

discussions of rape (in w movie) read w caution

i while back i went on a binge of movies on tubi including the i spit on your grave trilogy and it was awful

they got procedurally better that thats not saying much

literally half of at least the first movie is a drawn out violently detailed rape sequence

and youre like matthew why did you sit through like 45 minutes of a rape scene which is a GREAT question because i literally kept thinking "it has to be over soon. no point in fast forwarding its gonna end soon." until like 20 minutes in and start skipping forward and realizing im moving through basically the whole movie

see the movies are about women whove been raped becoming horror movie slashers and tormenting and torturing the men who did them wrong which was a premise i found potentially interesting!

the payoff wasnt worth the torture i felt!

rape movies are apparently a whole genre and people say theyre like empowering and the original was very divisive and all and i mean i guess i can get there being a liiittle more than shock value by making people face a very grim truth with no frills or comedy

but like

half the damn movie

theres a point where she gets away runs away AND THEY CATCH HER AGAIN THERES NO RELIEF. which is perhaps a reality. but doesnt make for good cinematic catharsis

"well okay matthew why did you watch two more"

THEY COULDNT HAVE BEEN THAT BAD. SURELY THEYD LEARN. SOMEONE WOULD RAISE A FUSS AND ITD BE LESS EXTREME

and granted i think those scenes were a little shorter it was still like. this payoff isnt worth the buildup even remotely

and then i watched even lambs have teeth

"MATT WHY DID YOU WATCH A FOURTH"

IDK I WAS BORED AND I LIKE TO AT LEAST WITNESS BAD THINGS SO I CAN CRITIQUE THEM WITH ACCURACY AND HONESTY

and tbh even lambs have teeth was alright

theres no or at least EXTREMELY reduced graphic assault its all mostly implied. it doesnt take up an uncomfortably long unbroken amount of time

and when it comes to the slasher sequences it was fun. the girls were conniving and methodical and i got the impression they were actually enjoying this revenge. and it was camp. they show up covered in blood at like a target and buy every weapon adjacent object they find

the movie managed to tackle a serious subject that was uncomfortable to watch but in a way which was also interesting to watch and felt meaningful

the other series really just feels like torture porn in a more literal sense of the word and thats just tragic