#I loved at least the first several seasons of this goofy show

[yakichoufd]

AWWWW, the way you draw Evolution Scott is so cute!! I recently watched Evolution and really enjoyed it!! I’m so glad there’s at least one adaptation of Scott that isn’t constantly suffering. He deserves at least some sort of happiness in his life. :,)

What’s your opinion of Evolution? I think you have good takes on anything Scott-related, so I must hear from the source!!

I already shared my opinion on that show several time so I might repeat myself haha! X-men Evolution is one of my all time favorite. I watched it as a kid and it made me fall in love of Scott (and Kurt). He is very mature for his age (but you could understand it if you know his past) and very kind. He struggles with things that fit with his age and highschool (ofc he has other bigger struggles with his mutation and the x-men too) but the show gave a good balance between daily life and being a mutant/x-men. Or at least for the first 2 seasons, after, I started to enjoy it less. I like how his romance is written. Scott isn't too obsessive and he keeps his distance when he thinks his love interest is not receptive. He is still awkward but it is not over done. I think Jean should have been written a bit differently, I don't think they are a super good match here (like Rogue and Scott actually got many bonding time and they are very good friend). I'm really sad that once Jean and Scott are together, he doesn't hang out with Rogue anymore. I think the writers should have give them some scenes together as friends. We lose a bit of Scott's personnality and character development once he is with Jean. which is a pity. But they are still a cute couple, I guess! I loved how they added angst for Scotty. Too bad they never really do anything with the angsty episodes, cause his brother and him deal with a lot. Same when Mistique kidnaps Scott and abandon him in a desert without his visor. He should have end up a bit traumatized for an episode or two...but nope everyone are acting like it was not a big deal.

SO if you like good boy Scott, then X-men Evolution is your show haha! there is a mini comic serie about the show. I read then and they are fun. Scott is a bit more goofy in his writting there but still a good boy that you want to hug!

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

Of course I cried (a TBB S1 Retrospective and cry fest)

I finished S1 and it honestly is still stands really strong. While I love the other seasons more (for quite obvious reasons), S1 still has really standout moments and episodes such as the finale. Crosshair might be in is bad boy era, but he's still incredibly compelling.

What hurts to me most about S1 is this image above. This is the last time CF99 is all together. Ever. Obviously, we didn't know that and neither did our boys and Omega. Even if the Batch knew in-universe there was a chance that they would never see each other again, I think deep down they hoped they would reunite. I know Omega had hope that Crosshair would somehow find his way home.

What makes S1 (and the whole show in retrospect) even more tragic is that we will never see the BB whole ever again. It makes Tech's death hurt that much more because he and Crosshair never made proper amends. The last thing he hears Crosshair talk about is how everyone else is foolish for not joining the Empire and making his choice to stay. One of the last memories Crosshair really has of his brother is him pointing his blaster at him. After that, it's a one way ticket to suffering for Crosshair.

I know it's just a show, but images like the one above make me wish we had more time with the Batch before they were so cruelly torn apart from each other and it only enhances the tragedy they go through. The series finale, no matter how sunshiney it looks, is still bittersweet. The Batch finally get their freedom but at a great cost. Tech doesn't make it. Crosshair is still deeply hurting. It's a harsh reality that breaks my heart. In Rebels, we had 3 seasons of the Ghost crew together before we lost both Kanan and (temporarily) Ezra. The BB don't even get a single season all together. I would've loved to see them all with each other at least one more time without all the conflict.

But looking at S1 as a whole in general, I still really enjoy it. I love episodes like "Common Ground" or "War-Mantle" because we see how monstrous the Empire really is right out of the gate. Rampart, as goofy as that scream made him look, is a very crafty and entertaining villain who you just want to punch in the face. Crosshair himself is a fantastic villain who's both ruthless and tragic. While he doesn't hold back, the clear attachment he still has to his brothers in the back half of the season make the finale that much more emotional.

And while you can argue there is a lot of "filler," a rewatch proves that each episode happens for a reason. Why did the Batch have to capture a baby Rancor? So they could get info on Fennec. How come they stuck around to help Cid? Because she gave them money and work. I'm not saying that it's the most entertaining content we've seen, but there is a clear purpose for why those episodes happen.

I would've loved to see more Crosshair (for obvious reasons), but I do think the first season does balance out the story arcs well and when we do see him, he is always great. Thanks to the great music and acting from DBB, I do think the first season makes it clear that while Crosshair isn't leaving the Empire, he's not the same man he was pre-Bracca. The chip's influence isn't there (or at the very least severely diminished based on how you interpret Cross' reveal) and he does want them back but only on his terms.

As for the others, I definitely understand Hunter a bit more. He wants to help Crosshair, but he really doesn't know how nor does he want to endanger the others. I wish the group had a least one conversation about it though. For a group that feels like they should be very tight knit, it still feels like they brush Cross' departure off quite quickly. It's kinda like the Tech scenario in S3 where you know they're thinking about it, but nobody says anything. And that's frustrating because you know the Batch have a lot on their mind, especially Crosshair. And ironically, the quietist of the Batch is the most vocal about his feelings. Crosshair is so expressive and it's one of my favorite things about it.

Omega is such a cute munchkin. I adore her with every fiber of my being. She takes everything with stride and I love how S1 establishes many skills (like the hustling) that will later come into play in S2 or S3. And the show isn't afraid to show her learning process. Omega makes many mistakes, but she learns quickly and tries again. She loves her brothers so much.

Overall, S1 is still very strong and much more tragic in retrospect. I guess in someways, it reminds us how unfair life can be sometimes and that's why we gotta cherish each moment. Tech might no longer be with us, but he lives on through each of his brothers and Omega. Cross might never see him again, but as he tries to be better, Tech is no doubt smiling down from Clone Heaven.

Anyways, onto S2 (and more sadness). TBB lowkey is the most tragic of the SW animated shows not counting the Siege of Mandalore arc in CW. Every season, something awful happens to tear our little clone family apart. That's why the ending on Pabu, no matter the quality of writing, meant so much to me.

[ochrearia]

it's getting close to spooky season, so maybe some halloween shenanigans with the trio? i feel like bf would try to get extra candy by singing a song for the people handing out candy and the other two act like it's getting old but really they love hearing him sing so happily <3

In PoPr Universe, so BF -> Keith, GF -> Cherry

"Biff, you need to stop. This is absolutely not helping your chances for more candy and is instead just making us take longer on every door we go to." Pico grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose as they set off on the sidewalk again.

"It'll work. I just have to find the right person. Trust me it will work." Keith insisted, trusty microphone in one hand and a slightly filled pillow sack in the other. "It WILL work."

"You're full of shit."

"Oh, let him have his fun, Peeks." Cherry admonished lightly. "If it comes to it we can just take advantage of the after-Halloween candy sales. This is harmless."

"He's the one who dragged us out here in the first place!" Pico waved his gun around in exasperation. At least there was one upside to Halloween, everyone though his Uzi was a costume prop instead of a real thing. "What happened to all that hype talk of 'we're going to hit every possible door before the night's over'? We can't do that if this fuckin' idiot is making us spend several minutes on one door because he insists that singing to the stranger will make them give him extra candy!"

Keith stuck his tongue out at Pico indignantly. "I'm trying to maximize my profits! Your head's not in the game! If I have to sing to get something extra sweet then I will!"

"Oh I'll give you something extra fucking sweet in a second..." Pico mumbled under his breath, not intending to be heard. He was, in fact, heard.

"Oh yeah?" Keith grinned wickedly, stopping his walking. "Care to show me what that extra sweet thing is? If I stop singing will you give me your candy instead?"

Pico also stopped, and Cherry did too. He looked incredibly frustrated, the gears turning in his head before a determined look shone in his eyes as something clicked. He strode over to his boyfriend, not giving himself or the rapper any time to think, before hooking a finger under his chin and giving him a sudden but firm kiss to the lips. It only lasted a few seconds before the ginger was backing away, red flushing to his cheeks.

"There. There's your extra sweet thing." Pico mumbled, the normal gruffness to his tone quieter. "Now stop, fuckin' singing at every door. Let's just get this over with."

Keith watched with infatuation in his eyes as Pico started walking again, a goofy grin set on his lips. Cherry giggled at the both of them, moving towards him and giving him a kiss as well. She moved her lips to his ear quickly. "If you threaten to keep singing, you might be able to get him to kiss you into silence per door. Get your head in the game, yeah?"

Cherry quickly followed after Pico, leaving Keith to shake the absolute lovesickness out of his head before scampering after them.

[ourladyofmaplemurder]

Emily: Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?--every, every minute?

Stage Manager: No.

Pause

The saints and poets, maybe--they do some.

I'm working on an essay about Riverdale now that the finale is out...but I'd like to say a few things now.

Namely, I'd like to talk about the fact that Riverdale ending with a homage to Our Town is so painfully fitting. So, unbearably fitting.

Our Town is a story, much like Riverdale, about a town. It doesn't have the fun twists and turns, for sure, but it is about the lives of the people living in Grover's Corners. It's a love letter to simple, American living.

(And I do say "American" because Our Town is quintessentially American.)

The first time I saw Our Town, I was 14 maybe. I found it incredibly boring. It was slow with tons of boring details about people and their simple lives. I really didn't get it.

It wasn't until, years later, I was in a production of it. A very lovely production. After 55 performances, I still didn't understand it. I don't think you can that young, but I started to.

Today, I still don't understand it, but I think I'm a step closer. You really can't, I think, understand life while you're in the midst of it. As Emily says in the final act:

"They're sort of shut up in little boxes, aren't they?"

We are. We can't help it. None of us can. We're all moving too damn fast in our little lives to be anything more than troubled from sun up to sun down. We strain so much in our little lives that we have to lie down and rest every night. We can never look at everything hard enough.

In any case, Riverdale culminating in an homage to Our Town just makes so much sense. The show has mentioned the play several times over the years, for starters, but it's more than that.

It's the button on a lengthy, 137-episode conversation about American culture and the nature of life itself. Exposing the dark underbelly. Celebrating the triumphs. Life is the trauma and the healing. The epic highs and lows of high school football, of course…but life is also incredibly boring. Peace is boring. At least, it can seem so when you’re not ready for it. If you’re still fighting and eager to do so, peace feels flat and horrible.

But, for these characters, this story, that has struggled and bled for 7 long seasons, I think a peaceful ending is well-earned. I walk away deeply satisfied.

I’ll leave you with one more thing. (Again, I’m still working on a bigger essay that will be more organized.)

 Riverdale is deeply haunted by its own past as much as the characters are.

It’s haunted by the Archie comics, by its own previous seasons, by Archie’s Weird Fantasy, etc. I think Riverdale ending on a peaceful, sentimental note is really beautiful.

It feels like Emily in the graveyard in act 3, learning to let go, and joining the other ghosts on the hill. We look back and remember. We grieve it and love it in kind. We live and we die. It’s all so small and yet, immeasurably huge like a starry night sky. We wish we could stay forever, but we know we can’t.

The first 6 seasons fought and bled so hard. The seventh season was a gradual slowing than settled into peace.

I could say a lot more about how healing and finding peace are not as exciting as people might like. I’m sure I will in time.

Riverdale was not a perfect show, but nothing is. I would have done things differently, but so would we all in a commentary on life.

I’m happy though.

We all have to go through our lives to appreciate them. That’s the joke. That’s the tragedy. That’s the truth. Happy/sad endings are the best, aren’t they?

Yeah. Because they’re real. They’re life.

And I can’t believe a silly little CW show handed me something so profound like that. Riverdale, I can’t believe you. You lovable scamp. You sneaky bastard. 

I can’t believe a goofy Archie fanfiction had the nerve, the audacity to say something so heartbreakingly and beautifully true.

“To look life in the face. To look life in the face and to know it, and then, to put it away.” - The Hours

I’m sorry this was so disjointed. I love you all, everything.

Unrelated Notes:

-It's a love letter to American cinema and theatre, which I think is covered under "culture", but I wanted to point that out specifically.

-The final season, more than any of them, is about American theatre and poetry. Death of a Salesman. The Crucible. Howl. Langston Hughes. Our Town. (And dozens of others.)

-The only way I can categorize Riverdale, truly, is as Americana Gothic.

-I think it makes sense to return to classic Americana in the final stretch. We've riffed on horror and thrillers. Soap operas and hell, even modern marvel movies. Returning to the Golden Age for one final look, where Archie itself began, truly feels full-circle.

-Cheryl let go of her grief. She left Thornhill. She built a family. She loved and was loved. God, that makes me so immeasurably happy.

She’s doing a puzzle in the Pop’s Choklit shop in the sky right now. I wish I could tell the Cheryl of 1x13 that.

“You are loved. You are safe. You’re going to be ok.”

Ah, but she wouldn’t understand just as my younger self wouldn’t understand my silly, peaceful life now. They would both scoff and roll their eyes at me. That’s ok though. They’ll figure it out.

[juniperhillpatient]

Okay BEARING in mind please that I have a lot of thought out ATLA opinions (most of them can be found in the tag for my first rewatch) & also that i do not analyze smartly on first watches / read throughs of ANYTHING (examples include that on my first watch of Buffy I shipped Buffy/Xander & hated Dawn, on my first watch of ATLA I disliked Azula for a long time & didn’t care about Jet, on my first watch of Scream I wanted Dewey to be the killer because of Scary Movie. I could go on probably)

—- here are my initial reactions to ATLA LA as someone who’s been having fun watching (usually tipsy) & enjoying my faves in live action even if it’s badly written 😃

Pros:

Jet is hot

Uh… um. Uh… umm. That was my big one okay..

….

….

Oh! Oh! Suki is also hot.

….

…

I think Katara’s live action actress did a really nice job even if I don’t always love how she was written I could tell this girl put her heart into it

Same with Azula’s actress tbh. And Aang. Zuko & Iroh also. It took me a second to get used to this Iroh but acting wise ignoring the script Zuko & Iroh did good. (Sokka & Yue were only okay but they didn’t do bad by any means once I got used to them.)

Azula’s intro was super fun. I thought for a second they were even gonna do something fun with her & this whole ratting out the rebellion plot. Also the actress did good & there were a few parts that were well written like her early displays of insecurity & her beating the shit out of that trainer & shooting Zuko’s letter. There was promise until there wasn’t.

They didn’t do a bad job of combining some of the plots. “Masks” was the strongest for me. It did a nice job showcasing several plots & I really enjoyed the significance placed on Zuko valuing the lives of inexperienced soldiers. Everything just came together super well in that episode with the Koh plot & everything. Now that certain criticisms of the Omashu episodes (like Jet’s mischaracterization in hurting his own people) have been brought up to me I dislike those episodes more than on my first watch through but I still think the Freedom Fighters were fun to see. And if you don’t analyze it too hard the plot combinations are fun. Anyway why would you analyze this adaptation too hard?

Cons:

Why isn’t Azula scared of Ozai? I get it he’s forged her into the perfect weapon & she did what he technically wanted but she disrespected him publicly & he was fine? Okay.

Above mentioned explanation of why Jet wasn’t done right ^^ He shouldn’t be willing to hurt Earth Kingdom citizens. Even if it was fun to see his logic & the Jetara moments & I do think the actor did a good job (no I’m not just saying that ‘cause he’s hot. That helps though).

Katara didn’t have to struggle at all she’s just a #girlboss! Isn’t that great? #feminism!

Who’s this super serious kid who always puts the mission first & where’s my silly goofy guy who wants to go on endless side quests? The actor does decent but that’s just not Aang.

Discount Zhao 😭😂

I just -

Discount Zhao lmaoooo 😭

Overall: I had fun. I will repeat myself - this is like the Harry Potter movies or the Series of Unfortunate Events tv show or any other adaptation of something I loved in its original form that’s never going to get it quite right to me. I hated some things. I had fun with other parts. Mostly? It was just fun to see my faves in a new format. It’ll never ever live up to the original but I never in a million years wanted nor expected that. Quite frankly? I didn’t want this to be made at all. But since it is whether I wanted it or not? I’m glad it was at least entertaining & enjoyable to have fun with.

This was ALWAYS going to be an example of what I call the “Marvelification” of television. Nothing is nuanced everything is quippy everyone’s edges are dulled. I never expected anything else so I’m not even listing that as a con it’s just a given to me. Binge culture whole season releases & the endless remakes & reboots of streaming sites are the death of television. This is again just a given to me I don’t have much more to say about it right now (though I’m sure I do just not now).

The original ATLA will always mean everything to me & this was just a fun little adaptation. Like a fanfic. If it gets renewed? Sure I’ll have fun watching more. But if it doesn’t I truly don’t care. Anyway I’m sure I’ll have more thoughts eventually these are INITIAL reactions please don’t treat them like I signed this post in blood I’m just thinking out loud having just finished this show! That’s all for now lol

[boasamishipper]

Hi, I’m intrigued by the Night Court content I’m seeing from you. How did you start up with this show from 40 years ago? Which episodes give you Harry/Dan vibes? (Truly curious! I’m watching the show rn on FreeVee because of you.)

how did i begin watching night court, you ask?

okay so the story ACTUALLY begins several months earlier. i'd been seeing ads for new night court on tv, and i was like hey!! that's the guy from richie rich!! and so i looked up old night court on tvtropes and ao3, found some fics for the show, skimmed them, and moved on with my life.

THEN in november 2023 i got laid off (corporate reorgs my detested) (dw i have since found a new job) and started looking for non-indeed.com ways to fill my hours. cue another commercial for new night court, which was returning to nbc in january. huh, thought i, jokingly. wonder if anybody on here watches this.

one quick tumblr search informed me that there were, in fact, other people who watched this show. specifically the original show. and then i saw this post, thought 'boy that judge and that prosecutor sure have Something going on' and proceeded to devour all nine seasons over the course of two months. (then i caught up with the reboot and watched s2 as it aired.) i posted my first fic, Zeitnot, nine days after i started watching the show, and told my bestie caroline that now that it was up, i had gotten all of my night court thoughts and feelings out of my system and would shortly go back to finishing my other wips.

(narrator voice) she did not, in fact, get all her night court thoughts and feelings out of her system.

anyway so 90k+ words of night court fic later here i Still Am and here i Still Plan To Be for a good long while.

so why night court?

well, to begin, it's the wildest show i have ever seen in my life. it's set in - you guessed it - the night shift of a manhattan arraignment court during the 1980s. the judge (harry stone, played by harry anderson) is a gangly goofy cutie pie dork who loves magic and mel torme and sees the best in people and has the saddest backstory of any of the cast. the prosecutor (dan fielding, played by john larroquette, who won four emmy awards in a row for this role and would have won more if he hadn't taken himself out of consideration to give someone else a chance to win) is a womanizing lecherous pervert with a heart of gold, a sharp tongue, thick hair, and an ass you can bounce a quarter off of. harry shoots plastic snakes in dan's face in their very first meeting and by the end of the show the two are partners in shenanigans and platonic soulmates and perv4perv best friends. (another anon asked me my top harry/dan episodes; i'll answer that in their ask.) other characters include Tall As Fuck Intimidating Ditzy Bailiff Bull Shannon (richard moll), Spunky Naive Morally Upright Prude Public Defender Christine Sullivan (markie post), Hot Court Clerk Who Is Done With Everyone's Shit But Will Nonetheless Participate In The Shenanigans Mac Robinson (charlie robinson), and a collection of short, snarky, tough as nails bailiffs (selma diamond in s1-2, florence halop in s3, and marsha warfield in s4-s9).

the show is incredibly funny. if you don't like one joke wait five seconds and there will be another, even funnier one. physical comedy galore. hijinks and shenanigans everywhere. logic and realism? don't know her. wile e coyote once showed up as a defendant. dan once got so horny he locked himself in a closet and shoved a firehose down his pants. in another episode bull twisted dan into a human pretzel. it has to be seen to be believed.

but what i love most about night court is its heart (something that the sequel series has not found yet, but that's a rant for another day). the characters (at least as long as reinhold weege was involved with the show - again, a rant for another day) feel like real people. they have real flaws. they make hard decisions. they love with all their hearts, and we love them for it. they hurt, and we hurt with them. and the show - especially in the earlier seasons - balances the heart with the humor incredibly well. in 4.01, harry tries to reach out to his mother, who abandoned him when he was five, only to find out that she died, and the show does not shy away from his pain and conflicted emotions. that's the a-plot of the episode. in the b-plot, a ventriloquist's dummy commits suicide. not the ventriloquist. the dummy. and it's one of the best episodes of a start to finish stellar season.

and if you are still not convinced to give the show a try, watch this compilation of the best dan fielding moments. then watch all nine seasons of night court (available for free on freevee!) for more.

[atopvisenyashill]

What other projects have you watched with got and hotd actors and how do you like their performance outside of got/hotd?

I’ve watched probably….most of Matt Smith’s filmography on account of watching Doctor Who in high school and falling in love with him. I think he’s incredibly talented and charismatic and genuinely perfect casting as Daemon. I had also seen Paddy Considine in that movie Pride altho I didn’t recognize him as Viserys lmao but i adore that movie, you should watch if you haven’t seen it, it’s about the Lesbians And Gays Support The Miners movement and I definitely cried watching it aksjdjd. I also watched all of bates motel as it was airing which olivia is in (and also the sound of metal, which she and riz ahmed are amazing in, and also riz steven and chadwick were robbed that year smh). olivia and matt are actually The Reason i started hotd lol i didn’t intend to watch it but then i was like oh…..but……….i love them aksjsjs.

I have technically seen Rhys in several things but he’s Fine. I am still mad about him having zero chemistry with Lucy Liu in Elementary and ruining an entire season by having negative rizz. why am i supposed to believe that man is like some great love of watson’s life when they don’t even look like they like each other. rhys count your fuckijg days. i’ve also seen graham mactavish in a number of things, the first being Outlander and he was like, one of the best antagonist characters in the show, was both excited and devastated when his character died hah he has one of my favorite lines in the show which is “the idea of grinding your corn does tickle me” 💀💀😂😂

For the main show, I had seen Charles Dance in Phantom (he’s really good even tho it’s a more romantic take on the story but that’s fine i still love it!!!), Lena, Peter, & Mark in like Most Of Their Filmographies bc i was already a fan of them, who hasn’t seen at least five Sean Bean deaths, and I’d seen a few Alexander Siddig, Ciaran Hinds, Iain Glenn, & Indira Varma in a bunch of stuff too and loved them - Kingdom of Heaven & Syriana & DS9, Persuasion & The Terror, Resident Evil, Kama Sutra.

I’ve seen Gwendoline, Elyes (he was Rakharo, rip to an icon), Thomas Brodie, Sophie, Maisie, Kit, Richard, Jason (Momoa), Michelle, and Tobias in a bunch of other stuff since I started the show. I think Gwendoline is incredibly talented, as are Sophie and Maisie. Richard imo usually needs a good script to shine - like Rocketman? amazing. Eternals? Meh - and Kit is uh. Sometimes he has good chemistry with other actors. I paid real money to see him in Pompeii and my sibling holds a grudge against me to this day for that one aksjd. Jason Momoa has a tendency to just play different versions of himself but the movie Red Road Redemption is real good, it’s about MMIW & his acting abilities really shine, I’d love to see him in more serious or more romantic roles and less action roles. I cannot praise Tobias Menzies more highly, hes in Outlander, The Terror, and the Crown and he’s just sublime in all of them and you’d never know it by the way they wrote Edmure. OH SHIT also obviously Jacob Artist in IWTV is amazinnnnnnng EGOT INCOMING and Nathalie Emmanuel was REALLY FUN in The Invitation!!!

Probably my favorite of everyone is Peter Dinklage tho, he’s very serious & choosy with his roles bc he doesn’t want to play a stereotype and it’s made his filmography just *muah* like it’s so interesting and varied and he puts his whole heart into every role however goofy or serious it is. i love him, i want him to be the romantic lead in more stuff bc i’m a romantic and also like, a pervert and he’s so handsome aksksk.

Also Ciaran Hinds & Amanda Root Persuasion >>>>>>>>>>> Those Other Two

[smoothshine]

Tag game: eight shows to get to know me

I was tagged by @scienceoftheidiot and @goneadrift (thank you!! 🥺💕), and now the deal is that I get to rant about a couple of shows I like, so let's get straight to it!

1. House M.D.

- Knowing how many seasons are there in this show, I think it says something that I purposefully rewatched the full thing several times, and I probably will do it again at some point. Many characters from this series have a special place in my heart, and oh boy do I love myself a good medical drama sometimes. + the different medical cases are just very interesting for me to observe, even though I am by no means a medical specialist, let's say I know a thing or two from this field x)) (and some of you are probably aware of that, ahah)

2. Lethal Weapon

- This one is another one of these shows that I occasionally come back to for a rewatch, the chemistry between two main characters is amazing, and the main plotline is pretty good imo, + it's a classic detective-involving series, where, granted, not every case is super intriguing or complicated, but I think the characters and their development and relationships with each other - all this usually goes first when determining a series that I'll most probably like, and it delivers that part for sure! (Yes I used this specific gif because now I can't stop picturing this, but with Royais + Hughes, lolol, sorry I have a brainrot)

Also, look at this silly little totally not dysfunctional guy, come on, you can't help but love him:

3. Lucifer

- Ohohoho this one was one of the first quite long-term obsessions for me - I was watching it with my good friend as it was coming out (pretty sure starting from like, season 2 we began to watch it as it was airing, or at least I was and then I dragged this friend along for the ride, ahah), and I remember having so much fun with it - making theories, trying to predict the direction for the next season, simping over the main cast, being (more often unironically than not) frustrated with love triangles, all the good stuff. I also really like the soundtrack used in the series, and, of course, I have to mention the fact that its main leads are a blonde badass detective who is actually a sweetheart and her goofy dark-haired bastard-certified material partner who can actually be very scary and powerful to anyone but her :333

Go figure if I have a type or not, right (omg I just realized she also has a cute pet name and it's "detective")

4. Fleabag

- This one was such a pleasant surprise for me, the further I was watching the more invested into it I was getting, and in the end it turned out to be such an emotional rollercoaster, while also being able to handle a balance between more serious scenes and great humor really well. The romance plotline turned out to be very interesting too - overall, it's a great pretty short series that I can definitely recommend for people to check out at some point (I was indeed very happy when I found out @goneadrift was watching it too, hehe)

5. Sherlock (the BBC one)

- Honestly, this one is associated with many good memories for me - we used to watch it for a couple of years in a row with my parents during New Year, and it was like, one of the highlights of our celebration. Life just seemed so much easier these days, and I always remember them with warmth and joy. But! Apart from the sappy stuff - I genuinely think it's a nice modern AU Sherlock adaptation, hehe, as always, I pay a lot of attention to the chemistry between the characters, especially the main cast, and I think pretty much everyone nailed it - I find the characters from this series to be very enjoyable to watch. The other point that I want to mention here is the directing - I remember myself being very impressed by some of the shots and directing/editing choices they made there, and, of course, the main soundtrack is now pretty much engraved into my memory, hehe

(So yeah, aside from the last season, which I don't think is that bad, but definitely not as good as the earlier ones imo, it's a great show!)

6. Elementary

- Surprise surprise, another Sherlock adaptation involving detective storyline(s), who would've thought, right? Honestly, I don't remember a lot about it, since I haven't rewatched it in a looong time, ahah, but, believe it or not, I still love it and have a couple of good memories associated with it. Used to watch it during weekends back in the day when I still watched TV, lolol, but yeah, I think it's a pretty unique Sherlock adaptation, and you can definitely have fun watching it!

7. Forever

- That one is unexpected, definitely not my usual series of choice, but surprisingly I finished it pretty quickly and was glad I decided to give it a shot x)

(For the record - it's a series about a guy who works in the morgue while trying to find how to get rid of his immortality curse 👀👌).

8. Fullmetal Alchemist

- Gonna follow the lead of @scienceoftheidiot and add this one on the list too, because my god this series has me in a chokehold. Specifically Royai stuff of course, but I think in general this is the kind of anime (both FMA and FMAB btw) people who are generally not that much into anime can enjoy (I am saying as I am, apparently, one of these people, ahah). It's just a great story with a great cast and lovely imagery and soundtrack, I mean, what else can you possibly need? (Meanwhile here I am, going absolutely insane every time I think about my two beloved war criminals kissing)

O, here they are, by the way!

Aand that's all for today, no-pressure tags for @lassusog @chrysopoeias @nightofnyx8 @fullmetalscullyy @jedidragonwarriorqueen and anyone who wants to participate (also because it doesn't allow me to tag more people for some reason??), in case you feel like it! :3

[pixelatedanimereviews]

Fall 2023 Plan to Watch

Happy Fall Ya'll

As today is the first day of fall, and the last season of anime for 2023 is fast approaching, I figured there was no better time to list out what we'll be watching for the Fall 2023 Season.

This is in by no means order of rank, just how they got colleged together. All in all, we'll be starting the season with 25 shows and 4 (at the time of posting) that we'll be keeping an eye on for an official release as they still haven't been picked up.

Spy x Family Season 2 《Action ▪︎ Childcare ▪︎ Comedy》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} If you haven't seen Spy Family (btw I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be Spy vs Family, but whatever) then that's on you I guess. Like you still have time to go watch season one, and you should because it's about to get good! I'm just excited for some good comedy mixed with just the right amount of James Bond style action.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End 《Adventure ▪︎ Drama ▪︎ Fantasy ▪︎ Magic》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Sept 29th} I first heard about Frieren from one of Gigguk's videos when he was talking about the manga. I love me some true fantasy anime, and I have a feeling that if the anime is as good as the manga is, that I'll be writing probably several think pieces about it.

The Kingdoms of Ruin 《Action ▪︎ Adventure ▪︎ Fantasy ▪︎ Gore ▪︎ Sci-fi》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 6th} The premise of Machine vs Magic/revenge plot seems really interesting, and I'm intrigued by the Gore tag.

The Vexations of a Shut-in Vampire Princess 《Fantasy ▪︎ Vampire ▪︎ Comedy》 {HiDive ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} This looks like silly nonsense, and we love the "Vampire that doesn't drink blood" troop.

I'm Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness《Fantasy ▪︎ Romance ▪︎ Comedy》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 4th} This title is a mouthful, but I'll forgive it as long as there is a good amount of sassy comedy.

The Apothecary Diaries 《Drama ▪︎ Historical ▪︎ Medical ▪︎ Mystery》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 21st} I know a lot of people are super excited for this show. We really enjoyed Raven of the Inner Palace and are excited to see more shows just like it. The animation and artwork in the promo video look gorgeous, so we'll see if it lives up to the hype.

The Ancient Magus' Bride Season 2 Part 2 《Fantasy ▪︎ Magic ▪︎ Mythology ▪︎ Slice of Life》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 5th} I'm so ready for this part 2! We fell in love with series back when season one first started airing. The art, the world building, the characters and their growth, and the mix of mythology is just so perfect! So excited to get to be back in this world and experience the journey it takes us on!

Ragna Crimson 《Action ▪︎ Fantasy ▪︎ Isekai 》 {HiDive ~ First Episode Aires Sept 30th} Dragons. That is all.

Undead Unluck 《Action ▪︎ Supernatural ▪︎ Comedy》 {Hulu ~ First Episode Aires Oct 6th} Look, all I know is that the last couple of anime that Disney has acquired have been bangers so I'm not going to miss out on this either.

I'm in Love with the Villainess 《Fantasy ▪︎ Girls' Love ▪︎ School ▪︎ Comedy》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 2nd} This is one of two Yuri that we are getting this season. This one looks to be silly and goofy, and I'm always down for some silly girls love fun!

Butareba - The Story of a Man Turned into a Pig - 《Fantasy ▪︎ Isekai ▪︎ Comedy》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} This.........I mean why not. As long as it doesn't take an Inukai-san's Dog turn then I'm sure it'll be entertaining. I'm hoping for my sanity that it's just wholesome fun.

I Shall Survive Using Potions! 《Fantasy ▪︎ Isekai ▪︎ Reincarnation 》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} You know, every seasons got have at least 3 dumb, turn your brain off, lazy writing but oddly fun Isekais. This will probably be mine for the season.

FLCL: Grunge 《Action ▪︎ Avant-garde ▪︎ Comedy ▪︎ Mecha ▪︎ Sci-fi》 {Max (HBO) or Adult Swim ~ Currently Airing (Sept 8th)} Oops, I guess I'm already behind. Oh well! I'm also adding Shoelace to this as well because it aires in a couple of days (Sept 30th), but other than an article saying that it'll be on Toonami there's no official release posting for it. Anyways, I'm excited to see it, as that grunge punk artsy look is something I don't see often, but I enjoy it when I do. I heard the last two spin-offs didn't do great so I'm hoping these don't fall flat.

Firefighter Daigo: Rescuer in Orange 《Action ▪︎ Adult Cast ▪︎ Drama》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Sept 30th} I'm going to give this 3 episodes. I'm hoping for some intense drama, but have a feeling that this will feel like one of those "cop propaganda" shows that are prolific here in the US.

Shy 《Action ▪︎ Drama ▪︎ Super Power》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 2nd} Who doesn't love a shy Super Hero trying to overcome their shyness to save to help maintain the safety of the world! I'm gonna give it at least 3 episodes because this could either be really good or really bad.

KamiErabi GOD.app 《Action ▪︎ High-Stakes Game》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 4th} I was really worried at first that this was going to be some kind of spin-off of King's Game. None that the synopsis is out, we're worried it'll be some kind of mash-up between King's Game and Platinum End. I want to be wrong. Please, let me be wrong.

16bit Sensation: Another Layer 《Adult Cast ▪︎ Otaku Culture ▪︎ Comedy ▪︎ Workplace》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 4th} Hehe haha, twist of fate, now you work on this hentai game in order to help us save the studio and also your job. I'm just enough of a degenerate that I'll probably enjoy this.

Migi & Dali 《Mystery ▪︎ Comedy》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 2nd} Mystery Comedy? Spooky twin boys that pretend to be one boy. Huh.

Protocol: Rain 《Drama ▪︎ Video Games》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} Take the "High School Idol group that's trying to save their school" troop, but make it e-sports, net boys, and the net cafe that "saved" them. Hoping it'll be interesting.

My New Boss is Goofy 《Adult Cast ▪︎ Slice of Life ▪︎ Comedy ▪︎ Workplace》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} I don't know why, but a part of me was hoping that this man's boss was actually Goofy, but it's not Disney Jailed so there was, not gonna lie, a bit of disappointment when I realized that wasn't the case. I'll still watch it. Just means that I'll have a few less "Hyuck" jokes when I do my review.

A Girl & Her Guard Dog 《Romance ▪︎ School》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Sept 28th} We are...apprehensive about this one, but will give it at least 3 episodes, but if it gives us the creeps due the Age-Gap Romance troop then will probably drop it.

Stardust Telepath 《Girls' Love ▪︎ School ▪︎ Comedy ▪︎ Supernatural 》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 9th} This is the other comedy Yuri this season, but this one has an alien girl instead!

Ron Kamonohashi's Forbidden Deductuons 《Detective ▪︎ Mystery 》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 2nd} Wow are we a sucker for these kinds of shows. However, we've seen these swing from really good to truly awful. Hopin' I don't have to drop this one.

The Family Circumstances of the Irregular Witch 《Fantasy ▪︎ Slice of Life ▪︎ Comedy ▪︎ Supernatural 》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 1st} A funny, lighthearted story about a Witch and her silly little human she raises. This will probably be what I watch to wind down in the evening.

Tearmoon Empire 《Drama ▪︎ Fantasy ▪︎ Comedy ▪︎ Romance ▪︎ Time Travel》 {Crunchyroll ~ First Episode Aires Oct 7th} Ah, the old is Time Travel just Isekai debate. We, for one, do not think that it is as it's still that same world even if time has changed. That aside, there isn't enough of these one world time travel shows these days, so it'll be interesting to see how this one shakes out.

These are the 4 that, at time of posting, do not have an official release (streaming or other media) to the US

The Four Brothers of Yuzuki - Where are there parents? Who is the main brother this story is about? Will there be overwhelming merchandise of these brothers who look the same but are different ages as well? These are the important questions that may never get answered.

Paradox Live - I don't know why, but for some reason, I'm getting DMMD vibes off these guys. I love DMMD. Why is this not available here in the US?

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You - I very vaguely remember playing this clicker idol game. Kinda sad I probably won't get to see how this show turns out.

You Were Experienced, I Was Not: Our Dating Story - Experienced how? I need to know! Don't keep secrets!!

[bidaubadeadieu]

I'm a little late to the game, but I was serious about wanting to do soprano sunday. finally just got around to watching the pilot, and yeah, turns out, it's a good show. In general, I respect that a lot is left to read between the lines. Like, it's not exactly subtle that Tony sees therapy as somewhat emasculating, but that's conveyed more through the telling of his dream than him consciously coming to that conclusion. I like the way that (at least for now) Tony is made to be genuinely sympathetic; sure he kneecaps people sometimes, but he has fears and insecurities and loves his family. "I came in at the end, the best is over" and him trying to express his longing to his daughter to be a real builder, accomplishing something tangible and lasting, felt sincerely relatable to me! Minus the mobster parts! more from the capitalism and alienation in my case, and less about like. italian pride lmao.

I've seen the sopranos compared to breaking bad a lot, which is my only frame of reference for crime TV, since I've watched almost none. Both seem to have a certain whimsical goofiness that contrasts well with the violence their protagonists commit. But at the same time, walter white is such an asshole; his is a hubris story, and you can see him creating his own downfall from a mile away. Tony Soprano has already committed like multiple felonies in episode 1, in addition to cheating on his wife, so he's not not an asshole, but I feel like him being in therapy, searching for meaning in his life, etc. makes me hope that his will be a story dominated less by petty dick measuring contests (he seems to be mostly already on top, his needs well met, though maybe Junior will change this) and more by man vs. self.

for those that want to join in, this upcoming sunday, 6/25 will be Season 1, episode 3. You got several days to watch the first two episodes if you still want to catch up and join in!

[semi-sketchy]

What would you say makes Tara and Rocky compatible with each other? What does Rocky find attractive in Tara? What does Tara like in Rocky?

Oh god you're asking a severely ace person about why a relationship works this will not go well

So just to be fair, the pups in the show don't have much personality. Like out of the first 2 seasons (where they had the most character and was honestly up to the point I could sit through the show) these were all the notes I got:

Chase: He’s allergic to both cats and feathers, also flowers. He can be a bit panicky at times. Thinks spooky cursed things are cool. Cries at weddings but won’t admit it. Scared of the dentist but kinda got over it.

Marshall: Good with animals and is very awkward, often speaking when he should keep quiet. Birds REALLY like him. He sometimes struggles with self-confidence and can be really hard on himself when he makes a mistake. He appears to be frightened by snakes or at least big ones. Thinks ghosts and creepy stuff is cool. Scared of flying.

Skye: Likes dressing up for Halloween and spa days. She loves animals though, thinks they’re all super cute. Loves weddings, thinks they’re very exciting. Was sprayed by a skunk before. Scared of eagles.

Rubble: Loves kittens and skateboarding. Sleeps with blinders. Is kinda cowardly of “monsters”. Also thinks old “cursed” ruins are cool. Enjoys naps and adores food. Scared of spiders. Is a DDR MASTER

Zuma: Really likes snacks. Loves legends (specifically Merpups). Also super good at DDR

Rocky: Bit of a morning grump. Hates getting wet. Is a packrat. Is a little scared of wolves.

Everest: Little bit sassy, gets lonely though. She likes jokes and is hungry all the time, her favorite food being liver. She’s a bit of a showoff at times.

This is why fanon interpretations are inconsistent, the pups are usually just generic "nice" without any discernible traits. (This is why Sweetie was such a breath of fresh air. Go forth, sassy queen).

You might notice Zuma and Rocky have the least notes, which means they have the least to go off of. I generally try to stay as close to canon as I can, but I also somewhat feel unqualified to talk about compatibility with a character who's entire personality is hoarding trash and hating baths.

So, let me define my fanon interpretation of Rocky:

He still loves fixing and saving things, but it actually becomes a bit of a problem how much stuff he refuses to let go. Of course with his environmental job, he also likes gardening, a hobby he gets his kids into and even Rita likes helping with, though Kino usually runs the show. He just loves spending time with kids and educating people on how to take care of our planet. He's also a little goofy (maybe not intentionally, but it's hard not be a goober when your hobbies include hoarding literal garbage) and slightly awkward if he gets nervous. He does hate water, but he's able to overcome it when someone he cares about is in danger. He loves his friends and would go to the ends of the earth for them.

Actually that might be why he and Tara get on. He IS her friend and cares about her. It's important to note that they were best friends before dating. Byte kinda became the team dad and looked after her, but Rocky saw someone who needed a friend and didn't give up on her.

They'd work together, Tara would sarcastically tease him and he grew fond of it, even teasing her back on occasion. He'd love seeing Tara in her environment going nuts over a rock, allowing him to learn even more about nature. They probably had a few dates grabbing a bite at Mr. Porter's Tara didn't even realize were dates because she just enjoyed hanging out and eating with a friend.

I don't know if I can say at what point attraction hit Rocky or even what it was, but he knew he wanted to spend his life with her. Tara adored their bond and decided that was fine with her.

Maybe that's not the answer you were looking for, but it's about the best one I can give.

[hondoohnakasrankings]

4. Episode I: The Phantom Menace - D tier

This is the first instalment in the Prequels Trilogy. Although I gave it a D-tier rating, I do enjoy this movie, do not get me wrong! I think this movie is severely criticized unjustly for some aspects. I gave it this rating because on its own it could be better, but knowing other background knowledge and if there were less borderline racists instances it would deserve a shining B tier rating.

We get introduced to some great characters like Jar Jar Binks, Darth Maul, Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidal and Qui Gon Jin. Unfortuneatly one of the reasons this movie gets flack is Jar Jar's aloofness, which I can agree is a bit much at times

But I would go as far as arguing that this is the entire point! JAr Jar is comedic relief in a movie for children. He falls, he gets in weird situations and talks weird: what else could kid want? In the clone wars, he remains just as silly, but he does gain some layers, showing himself to be a good leader at times, even under pressure of being discovered by Genreal Grivieous in episode 4 of season for called "Shadow Warrior". But the actor that plays this goofy character got an unreasonable amount of hate for his portrayal of the character and for...his skin color? That's right, in an interview with Vanity Fair, Ahmed Best retells his experience with the toxic Star Wars fan calling him "every racial stereotype you can imagine" to a point where his performance made him contemplate suicide. He plays an animatronic as much as Chewbacca and yet that's what the people on the internet decided was wrong with him, and that just goes to show how toxic fandoms can get with sequels. But the actor, even after swearing he would never return to this Universe, came back as a Jedi Knight who saved Grogu from order 66 in the third season of the Mandalorian! I am personally happy for him and hope he gets the love he deserves.

Another character we meet is pre Darth Vader aka Anakin Skywalker as a kid. He is an upbeat young man, even when he is kindof a slave, and he already loves to invent and fly ships..

He meets the Queen of Naboo and quickly falls in love in a, its true, cringy way, but he is also around the age of 9 so it should be understandable! She is nice to him when no one else apart from Shmi ever seemed to care.

Certainly Watto never cared. A despicable character who has the Skywalkers as slaves. The Toydarians' first appearance as since been changed but his shady trader's attitude, greediness and physic are reminiscent of vile antisemitic stereotypes. At least he has a purpose to the story, he's the origin of Anakin's dark side in a way. The design of the species was edited in the Clone Wars in order for them to be more neutral looking but it still fells wrong for many. https://www.chsglobe.com/43852/commentary/star-wars-a-tale-of-racism/

In the same vein, there is the members of the Trade Federation who are money driven also. They are harsh on the depts of the planets and are rather shown as cowards. They also wear cloths reminiscent of ancient Chinese royal clothing and also "Yellow Peril" characters popular in shows like Flash Gordon, an inspiration of George Lucas'. Creating aliens is one thing, but basing them on hurtful stereotypes that are embedded in society is another.

We get introduced to another of my favorite villains of this universe, is Darth Maul, he gets his first live action appearance until Rogue One as the Leader of the Shadow Collective, his crime syndicate. He is rather silent in this instance of himself compared to his crazier Clone Wars self.

Overall I did enjoy this movie, and the additional lore from the Clone Wars I think only makes it more enjoyable!

[theothin]

Looking back at my two weeks of binging various media. Sort of builds on my previous post about genderweird stories due to a lot of overlap.

Wayward Children (book 7) - As always, really fun and disturbing in new ways. I enjoyed having Cora as the protagonist this time, as well as bringing Regan into the larger story.

High Guardian Spice - Still baffled by the hatedom that’s sprung up around this show. I guess there’s that many people allergic to trans characters and/or adorable shows about girls in magic school?

Fabiniku - Ongoing and still fucking hilarious.

Zombieland Saga - First season starts a bit weak but gets really fun after a few episodes. The second is a bit stranger - I liked it, but I preferred the first.

Miss Kuroitsu from the Monster Development Department - Watched one episode and was not impressed. It’s funny, at least? Checked it out for the promise of genderbending monsters but the implementation is not exactly what I’m looking for.

Sailor Moon - Checked it out since @lilietsblog​ compared it to High Guardian Spice, tried a second episode because I’ve heard so much about it but... honestly, I can’t stand it. Don’t like the characters, don’t like the writing style, don’t like the episode structure.

Ranma 1/2 (season 1A) - The Hulu subscription I got for Sailor Moon turned out to include some other fun old shows. I loved the first arc (although there’s definitely some dicey stuff), but then at episode 14 the show’s style changes completely. Seems like it tries to get too fancy and elaborate, and ends up undermining its goofy brand of humor in the process. I couldn’t keep watching from there.

W.I.T.C.H. (season 2) - Sailor Moon also got me interested in revisiting a different magical girl show. Went back to the beginning of the season, since I last watched it years ago with Liliet and didn’t remember much. Its quality is a bit inconsistent, but it’s a fun show.

A Memory Called Empire - Currently working my way through the audiobook. Five chapters in so far, and the mysteries are certainly piling up. Three Seagrass is wonderful, and the empire has one hell of a name structure.

Misfile (books 14-18) - I remembered it being really slow when read serially and I remembered that my interest in it had been based on my lower standards of over a decade ago, but I had not remembered how much... uncomfortable stuff is in it. Picked it up a bit before where I’d left off and read a ways from there, still planning on finishing it eventually but for now I’m setting it aside in favor of better stories.

Sister Claire - Another recommendation from Liliet, this time a webcomic about magic nuns. I’ve caught up on the main story, and am currently working my way through the bonus section. One neat thing it does with that structure is that the main story includes several trans characters without putting much attention on that fact while the bonus section’s backstories explore it a lot further. Another one for the list of stories I’d recommend that feature major trans characters.

Mask of Shadows (book 2) - Only about halfway through the book so far, and quite enjoying it. Compared to the first one, it’s putting a lot more focus on the main character’s genderfluidity and on examining trans and otherwise queer topics in the setting. Turns out a team of elite assassins can be a magnet for queer folks.

The Legend of Vox Machina - Only three episodes out so far, but it’s already great. Definitely recommend it even if you’ve never watched the main Critical Role show. It covers some ground that seems to be lacking in adult animation at present, and I’m hoping it paves the way for others.

Evangelion (Rebuild #4) - As usual for the series, it’s a very strange movie, but I liked it. Seems like the most coherent ending Evangelion has had, however little that may say. The biggest oddity continues to be Mari - in particular, I feel like it undermines the other pilots’ stories for anyone to take so well to the job. Now I want to rewatch Rebuild #3 sometime in hopes of actually following it now, since the one time I saw it was ten years ago while I was half-asleep.

Slayers - Started this one today, Liliet’s fourth contribution to this list. I’ve gotten fond of this sort of goofy and simplistic style of fight scenes, and Lina Inverse is a delightful murderhobo disaster.

Apparently this is what can happen when you set up one-time subscriptions to multiple streaming services over a vacation. No regrets, mind.

[outarizaki]

Lovesick. — Levi Ackerman.

SYNOPSIS: In a world infested with mindless, horrendous human-chomping titans, you’d never expected that Levi taking care of you was how you’d go out.

WC: 2.3k

PAIRING: Levi Ackerman x Reader

GENRE: Fluff

A/N: this is my first time writing for levi/aot in general and just overall my first time in a long time from doing creative writing i hope you guys like it!

In truth, Winter has never been your most favorite time of the year.

After all, those delicious hot meals, thick blankets, and cozy naps by the fireplace always came with a price for you every single year, wherein the same chilly weather that granted you those several pleasures only betrayed you and bit you in the ass annually, reeling you in again and again for recurring nightmarish sicknesses.

For as long as you remember, you’ve never fared well with such drastic change in weather. Ever since you were a little girl, your fevers were sky high enough to make your mother lose at least a year off her life with every time they checked your temperature around the dreaded season.

Thus even now, as a distinguished and mighty cadet in the Scout Regiment, there you lay, thrashing in wrinkled sheets with a spiking fever of 103° Fahrenheit.

It was quite an unraveling series of events. Perhaps you should have let it be known much earlier to your squad and superiors.

Maybe they would have taken your sudden, voracious collapse against a blushing Jean in the mess hall a little less seriously.

You could still recall those same goofy shrieks of surprise from your squad members with a grin. The look on Connie’s face was absolutely priceless.

But as you stared up at the ceiling, sweat beading at your hairline and mouth clammy with dehydration, your mind could only render and wring out the possible reactions that could have emitted from your Captain Levi.

Ever since you joined the squad, you’d been naturally drawn and fond of him. His cold demeanor seemed to be just a thin layer between a complex personality, and as much as you hated to admit, you desperately, secretly wanted to claw underneath that sheen.

It started with one sleepless night in which you brought yourself to the kitchen to rid yourself of your heavy mind with a book, only to find your captain sitting idly with a cup of tea.

You remembered the first encounter, how you babbled apologies like some sort of nitwit and he scowled and waved you off, uttering an, “it’s not like I own the damn room, quit being an idiot and do what you need,” before you dejectedly nodded and took a seat with a book just some feet away from him.

The insomnia seemed to grow only more and more, and a few more awkward nightly greetings later, it became a routine. He slowly began to acknowledge you, humming short replies and holding small talks every now and then.

Then on the field and during training he mindlessly complimented you. In his own way, of course.

A grumble of, “you didn’t get killed,” or, “you didn’t look like complete shit out there,” were some hearty examples of that.

Time went on as you began to loosen up even more around the squad, shamelessly poking fun at your members and joking around with them constantly. Even berating the Captain every now and then with snarky remarks that earned hesitant chuckles and gasps from your team, and even sometimes, if you looked really closely, a smirk from the Captain himself.

So with your poor little heart, ready to yearn, there was a spark of fondness towards him. One you wish would smother before it fanned out even more.

Damn him.

You wondered what he had thought when he saw you faint atop of Jean, that poor boy. How ridiculous you must have looked. How humiliating it must have been.

“God, I could die,” you groan aloud and fling your body on your side, hands coming to grasp at the roots of your scalp.

“That is quite an exaggeration, don’t you think?”

That voice. Speak of the devil.

Instantly, you spring up to meet his gunmetal gaze, hissing at the speed that caused your brain to seemingly rattle in your head with fatigue.

He tsks his tongue, brows furrowing together in an unamused manner as he walks towards the table across your bed. You swallow gently, gaze averting to the tray he holds with a small teapot, one teacup, and liquid medicine. You grimace.

“Oi...” Levi begins without looking back at you. You look to his stature expectantly. “You look like shit,” he says, finally twisting his torso to lock with your gaze.

A breathy, sarcastic laugh escapes your lips.

“Gee, you have such a way with words, Captain Suave,” you croak out with a roll of your eyes before easing your posture, allowing yourself to slouch.

“Don’t call me that.”

With his back faced to you once more, Levi feigns an aggravated grumble, yet the ghost of a grin still resides on his face. You watch in silence as he begins to move around the things on the tray.

You take your time to drink in the sight. His raven undercut, bangs slightly covering his handsome face, his white button-up rolled up at the sleeves showing off his veiny forearms, his black pants and leather shoes, the look of faint concentration on his sculpted face as he pours the contents of the teapot into the cup... and God, his hands. So slender and delicate, his fingers nice and long and—

Shit. What are you doing?

You take a deep breath and compose yourself in time before he turns at you again, bored look on his face as he approaches you with a cup of tea and the tiny bottle of medicine.

“Never thought I’d have to babysit one of my most promising Cadets,” Levi drawls out, handing you the teacup. Your fingers graze against his as you accept it, breath hitching in your throat slightly.

You fight off the gooey feeling by occupying yourself with his crude words.

Scoffing, you take a small sip of your tea, only to frown at the feeling of hotness. Levi’s brow arches in question.

“Who said you had to, Captain?” You say softly. “You’re busy. Why didn’t you ask Sasha to come instead? She would have brought me some good food, too.”

“Stolen you food, you mean. And what? You don’t like my tea?” He husks out, to which you perk up in realization.

Quickly, you shake your head to deny his question. “The tea is lovely. But I’m pretty sure my body is hotter than that teapot, and quite frankly the warmth feels suffocating,” you preach.

“Plus, you’re busy. And I look — indecent. You said it yourself,” you whisper the last part shyly, gulping down another sip of tea.

Levi feels taken aback. Surely you hadn’t taken offense to his comment, right? Brat, he thinks to himself.

“Tea is good for when you’re sick. You’re nauseated. Did you expect us to give you some sweet or cold crap while you have a fever?” He says sharply, squinting slightly.

You chuckle a bit at that.

Waving your hand, you grumble. “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say,” you roll your eyes.

“Quit rolling your eyes at me.”

“Quit giving me a reason to.”

“Oh, you want me to give you a reason to roll your eyes back, Cadet?”

Your gaze widens and you feel yourself choke on your tea.

Your arm bolts to set your cup onto the nightstand and you glare up at him. You swear you see the faintest hint of amusement glint in those stupid grey eyes of his.

Suddenly, you’re feeling a little too hot. And you’re sure it’s not your fever.

Levi raises his brows, unimpressed as he leans forward. Slowly, he brings his hand to your forehead and presses his cold fingers against you. You feel your heart stutter in your chest, holding in your breath.

“You’re burning up.”

Wow, I wonder why.

“Yea? Tell me about it. I’m literally feeling all of it as we speak, old man.”

He clicks his tongue in irritation, straightening his back before jolting his arm at you with the bottle expectantly. “You’re better off holding your tongue, Cadet. Now take your medicine.”

Your face scrunches up. He narrows his eyes as you cross your arms and look elsewhere.

“L/N.”

“No.”

“Now.”

“No! It tastes gross.”

His eye twitches at your defiance.

“God, this is like talking to a little kid. Take it or I swear-“

“No.”

“Take the damn medicine. And that’s an order, Cadet.”

You look up at him with a scowl. Hesitantly, you take the bottle before unscrewing it, taking your sweet time until finally you down it reluctantly.

Meanwhile, your Captain stands with his arms crossed, albeit satisfied that you finally listened.

Once it goes down your throat, you gag slightly.

“God, this shit is vile-“

“Language.”

“It’s worse than what we usually take! What is this?”

“Higher grade medicine. I had to ask Erwin and a few of the nurses for even just that small dosage, you damn brat. I need you back on your feet ASAP.”

You blink. He went through trouble just to get you medicine? A fond grin starts to stretch on your lips.

“Thank y-“

“Don’t thank me. It’s my job to keep my Cadets at their best,” he practically half-lies through his teeth.

Oh. Right.

You nod, that fluttery feeling slightly dampening at his words. Of course. You’re just a young woman in his squad. His subordinate.

Levi notices. He doesn’t say anything.

“Now get some rest. I’ll clean up your room. It’s filth in here,” He scrunches his nose.

“Maybe ‘cause I’m sick, smarta- I mean, Captain,” you slur drowsily as you plop down onto the pillows. Whatever you took, it was strong.

The look on his face affirms he didn’t take lightly to your potential word vomit, though he allows to let it slide, much to your favor.

Levi groans, tidying up the teacups and the pile of clothes by the baskets, as well as the used bedsheets. He stops to think what in the hell he’s doing, going out of his way to care for one soldier.

He chalks it up to it simply being a better option than the inevitable mountains of paperwork he has to face later. That was it. Right?

A moderate amount of time had passed until he was satisfied with what he’d done. Levi’s eyes avert to your tiny figure on the bed. Laying flat on your back, arms sprawled beside your head, a dreamy smile on your lips.

The man walks up beside your bed. When you suddenly shift your head towards him, he startles a bit.

A breathy, twinkly giggle leaves your mouth as you look up at him. Levi swears he can feel his heartbeat in his ears.

You pout playfully, pointing an accusatory finger up at him. “Stalker. Are you here to watch me sleep?” You say almost so incoherently, Levi isn’t sure you’re speaking a language.

He can’t help the smile that tugs at his lips at your change of demeanor. So out of character, even for you.

The pout on your lips soon curves into a sleepy grin of your own, and your eyes gloss over with something that makes your Captain’s breath hitch in his throat.

Such gentle, comforting fondness.

When you urge him to get closer, he obliges, slightly bending over your figure despite the rouge in his cheeks. Levi holds his breath as you reach up, fingers threading through his bangs to pull them back.

“You’re pretty when you smile, you know?” You whisper gently, the smile never fading from your obviously far-gone face. “Such a handsome boy.”

Heat rises even more to Levi’s face and he gulps thickly as he watches your arms begin to drop, eyelids following soon after.

A delighted, snoozing hum releases from your throat, and only then does Levi allow himself to breathe.

His eyes glance over you once more.

Soft cheeks, pretty eyes, long eyelashes. The tank top on your torso still allowing you to look like the most stunning thing he’s ever seen. The unruly bed-head hair that sat messily, yet still appearing soft to the touch, making him want to rake his fingers through. Your soft lips, still stuck in that smile. Your flushed face.

Levi sighs dreamily and defeatedly. He brings his hand up to pat at the top of your head.

“Shitty girl,” he says underneath his breath, voice cracking like that of a young boy with an unwavering crush. “You look — decent.”

His brows knit together even more as he thinks it over, finally sighing gently.

“You’re much prettier, Y/N,” he whispers, mostly to himself.

Levi then exits your room, his face still hot with fluster, hands shoved into his pockets, and the giddy feeling in his heart still reigning supreme.

And at the corner of the hall reside the Levi Squad members, spying from afar.

“You owe me your next lunch, Connie. I told you they liked each other!”

“Shut up before he hears you!” Jean scolds quietly.

“Oi,” a voice sounds from behind them unexpectedly.

They all freeze. Their blood turns cold. Armin is sure he’s as good as dead.

“Give me fifty laps outside. All of you. Now.”

“Not bad after feeling shitty for so long,” Levi nods at you as you return from combat training for the day.

You smile brightly, eyes twinkling as you catch your breath.

“Mhm. All because of you. Thanks for-“

“Don’t thank me.”

“I said,” you say firmly. “Thank you for taking care of me. You didn’t have to.”

Levi can only sigh and nod. “Sure.”

You beam at that, beginning to stride past him, before stopping midway.

“Oh, and Captain?” You begin.

He grunts in response, slightly turning your way with that same stoic expression.

“For the record,” you hum sweetly. “I think you’re the prettiest.”

And with that you walk away with a proud smirk, leaving Humanity’s Strongest with a pounding heart and the reddest cheeks mankind has ever seen.

[miraculosus]

Regardless of what he may believe, Gabriel is not actually entitled to anything. I’m willing to accept that in-universe, magical terrorism is less severe than standard logic would suggest, and I can see how Gabriel’s wish fulfillment isn’t a “real win” if he doesn’t taste it. And if he dies he does in a way lose it all, but a legacy ascribed to him which he did not earn lives on…

The idea that a happy ending for Adrien is impossible if he knows the truth is disheartening to say the least. A peaceful happy ending this season is not possible sure. I would prefer a difficult yet hopeful/optimistic season finale as a stepping stone to further developments. But it’s as you said back in October, the light-hearted tone of the show can’t survive the weight of Adrien’s storyline were it treated realistically, also it’s not his show so everything’s fine marinette saves the day yay omg 18 permanent heroes im drooling think of the toys!

This audacious grinch believes happiness in ignorance - not grounded in reality - is precarious, fragile and worth precious little (just like sentiadriens existence???/omg)… I could go off ranting like many have how clumsy, incoherent, irresponsible or in poor taste certain writing choices are, or we could go back to how if Adrien’s past is rewritten like that then whatever boy his 3D model represents in S6 and beyond can’t be the same character and it’s effectively an AU used as a diversion from a true end. The continuity break between Tortured Adrien and “Free” Adrien seems to me like the hell he endured was simply another doomed timeline with no viable way out (say, isn’t that how Gabriel always saw it?), and what does that say about the real families his resembles whose children and their middle school girlfriends don’t have access to reality-altering magic? There are those who call the show mean-spirited and cynical, even shockingly so (for its genre/demo) and I can see what they mean. Now if you’ll allow me a moment on the soapbox!

I enjoy stories that are affirming, invigorating, revitalizing. Ones that earnestly believe in the value of life and the power of love. Messages that fuel the engines of self-actualization:

Face the ugly truth and survive. Learn to thrive in spite of it, no matter how much time and effort it takes, because there’s love on the other side. Growth is never easy and change hurts but perseverance pays off. Not everything happens for a good reason, but joy and peace can be found beyond circumstance…

That my values and personal tastes are incompatible with the way this story is turning out? Not the kind of issue I expected to confront when I first became a fan of such a silly goofy lovey-dovey superhero cartoon show. But I’m really not a spiteful person nor one to hold grudges, so like, whatever, man…

The question remains whether it is most appropriate/impactful if Emilie’s demise is a moral consequence (negative), a logical consequence (neutral), or statistical inevitability (unlucky chance, also neutral). It could also be a noble sacrifice (positive) but that doesn’t really strike me as consistent so I won’t go into it cuz my brains already spinning too hard.

She’s a plot device dressed as a role shaped like a character so it’s not about her, and Adrien has grieved her remarkably normally— the answer to that question concerns Gabriel.

If her downfall was just then I’d have to recant and say it would affect Adrien further because on top of the base model grief, which is already complicated by the magical coma in lieu of clear-cut death, he’d have to confront and reconcile a loss of faith in not one (and a half? quarter? with Nathalie’s quasi-stepmother/heel face turn situation) parent but both. In this case Gabriel’s whole deal becomes a quest to avoid/erase culpability for every little misstep or major atrocity he or his beloved wife have ever committed (or are currently committing, or will commit, prior to the Wish) actually it kinda warps into this regardless because Gabriel goes out of his way to be evil. This colors the leaked ending super ugly because he gets everything he wants = evil wins(???)

If her death was neutral then it’s primarily about Gabriel’s inability to accept loss and adapt to fundamental changes in his vision of life and the world. This avenue rings less true the harder he leans into the cartoon supervillain role. If ML were a more delicate and mature show maybe that “understandable, though not justifiable” problematic/sympathetic balance would be viable to strike. “Just a man who loves his family” my ass, what the hell do you think the words love or family mean, lol

[maschotch]

The unit cheif job at the BAU must be at least a little cursed,, like we see only 4-5 people in the job (I can't count well so feel free to correct me) and they all get so fucked up from it... I haven't finished the series and I've only seen 3 people take on the job but Jesus they change so much. You have Gideon, who in theory starts super motivated and is one of the best profilers in the show who started the whole unit but eventually is driven to the point of abandoning the team and unit he created. Then you have Hotch, who is clearly stoic and we see the job takes a huge toll on him being replaced by Derek. Derek is the only one we see BEFORE he takes on the job, and he changes sooo much. Starts as a goofy and humorous guy, who's very smart and good at his job but compared to the rest of the team is a lot more outwardly loving and light-hearted at times. When he becomes unit cheif he changes so much. The stress of choices and his team and strauss breathing down his back takes away so many of those characteristics and leaves him overworked and just...not the same? I hope you know what I mean. We don't see hotch before that role (he was pretty much in charge of the whole team by the first episode? I'm a little confused on the exact role he takes on in the first two seasons wether he or Gideon is unit cheif or lead profiler or whatever and who takes on lead profiler after Gideon leaves dndjjd its not important) but we see him in between. Even without his family, with the severe stress of catching foyett and his life being in severe danger while also dealing privately with PTSD and intense scrutiny from the bureau, he's still so much more happy? Smiling more, being more boyish like you said. It makes you wonder how fucking awful that job must be. Also, is hotch is really that stoic and serious or would he would be different if he wasn't so stressed and traumatized? What was he like as a young agent? Ughhhh so many questions and I loveeee happy and slightly mischievous(?) Hotch I want to know more. Sorry if this is kind of rambling and I don't know if this ask is even coherent lol

yeah i think w gideon it was just the mounting pressure of needing to be right all the time? and he was! because he's the best, he doesn't make mistakes, he's this genius when it comes to understanding the human mind. so when he fucks up and he gets agents killed and hotch injured, it breaks him

with morgan... idk if it was the job itself so much as the added responsibility of actually being in charge of the team and failing. like he's already suuuch a protective guy, so now that he's officially charged with the team's wellbeing and making the right calls instead of hotch, it fucks him up when foyet still succeeds in killing one of their own. he blames himself for haley's death, for not making the right decisions when it came down to it. and that guilt gnaws at him, questioning whether he just made things worse by taking hotch's place. would things have turned out better if he hadn't doubted hotch? was he the reason jack's mother got killed?? he's more serious even after returning to his og job bc he has to be, because he has to focus, because he has to do right, to be better, to learn how to not make those kind of mistakes again

with hotch i think it was something in between the two. the difference is that if he leaves, there's no one to take his place. there's no one better suited for the role. he takes on the responsibility so no one else has to. even if it means he blames himself for everything--even if it means they blame him for everything--he'll kill himself trying to be that perfect leader.

i don't think hotch was ever laid back lol i think he's always been quick to blame himself when things go wrong, but there's less pressure when he's not the person to make the final decision. which is why i think he's a little lighter in the eyes have it.. the burden's lifted somewhat. the pressure isn't solely on him anymore