#Otto Farrant the man you are

[snap-fyre]

Alex looks so freaking stressed in season 3. Eye bags up the wazoo. I've never seen someone embody the spirit of a miserable, angry, vengeful wide-eyed wet dog as he does as he's being interrogated by Blunt. I'm positively in love

[too-many-rooks]

"Home."

[buckethatjedi]

There are so many thoughts just bouncing around my brain rn so I'm just going to put on blast the main ones:

-YASSEN LIVES MY GOD IM SO HAPPY

-HE ALSO HAD CURLS??? WHERE DID THEY GOOOO (the actor for baby yassen was PERFECT he was so good he made me cry for the 2 seconds he was on screen)

-OTTO FARRANT THE MAN YOU ARE GOD HIS ACTING WAS SO GOOD???? ESPECIALLY THE SCENE IN MRS JONES HOUSE (it made me sob)

-YASSEN AND ALEX CONTENT?? Honestly yassen being the scary guard dog for Alex is so in character i LOVE it

-Also kyra and tom?? Their duo is SO underrated!! They are so funny together and I love how Jack trusts them to bring Alex home 😭

-on the topic of jack she was such an ICON this season!?!!?! "If Alex can do spy shit so can I" girl PLEASE I LOVE YOU SM

[alexridersdriedblood]

Okay, so — many people from the Alex Rider fandom have seen Slow Horses, myself I have not, but I’m thinking about it. But hear me out

Rider Family Headcanons + Fan cast (in my opinion)

— Ian had been more lenient on Alex than John would’ve been, but he was never really strict with him. But when Alex was young he was strict about Bedtimes, Dinners and so on, giving his nephew want he needed (School supplies, jackets, etc')

— John never really was close with Ian, despite them being brothers they were opposite in childhood, Ian being more of the nerdy, literal version of John. John was more of the “Hey, let’s go skateboard and be reckless” type, never hanging out with girls besides his mates girlfriends.

— The way Alex remembers his father is through pictures, and polaroids Jack gave him or he found in Ian’s office. He had always wondered why he had been described as looking more like his uncle then his father till he saw pictures of the muscular, tall and broad shouldered man that was his father, his slightly long hair reminded him of his own but he looked more like “uncle Ian” than “John Rider”. 

— Alex and Ian, horrible cooks. Jack must show them the ropes of simple soup — and how to make steak, chicken and other British dishes.

— Little Alex used to tug on Jack and Ian, to show them his little drawings he made with the oil pastels at school or of the time when Ian had been working on something in his office, the door cracked open — Alex would kick it in softly to hang up yet another piece of art or work he did in lessons that day.

— Most songs that were muffled behind Ian’s closed door was classic or old rock, Jazz was the most common for Jack though; Alex had memorized the songs being played throughout the years, making a list of his favorites.

— John was one of many people who played Football, Ian being so involved with his books still came to each game; getting driven to the library by his brother was common, John was strict about seatbelts, firmly telling the younger one “Put your seatbelt on, even in short distance, you never know.” And that stuck with him ever since.

——————————————————————————

Fancast

Alex Rider — Otto Farrant

Yassen Gregorovich — Vasiliy Stepanov (Young)

John Rider — Jack Lowden

Ian Rider — Alex Pettyfer

Jack Starbright — Holland Roden

Alan Blunt — Stephen Dillane

Mrs Jones (Tulip Jones) — Mariska Hargitay (Young)

Will make my Yalex headcanons after this !

ヾ(^∀^)ﾉ

— People tagged

@annt-i @too-many-rooks @lastlymatt

[cyberneticatoms]

no way is that COPPER SINCLAIR..they’re a 25 year-old SYNTH notoriously known for being INSECURE & OVERLY PARANOID but there are some people who have seen them being ENTHUSIASTIC & GOOD HUMORED. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of childhood dying with thundering applause, the heat from stage lights, and being cocooned in a sleeping bag, but that could just be because they’re considered the STEPFORD SMILER around town. just keep an eye on them  &  see if their true colors shine through..

↳ 𝚀𝚄𝙸𝙲𝙺 𝙵𝙰𝙲𝚃𝚂

NAME: Copper Amos Sinclair NICKNAMES:  DATE OF BIRTH: November 13th (25) HEIGHT: 5'9 AFFILIATION: Neutral OCCUPATION: Receptionist at Therapy Matrix/University Student FACECLAIM: Otto Farrant

TW: child abuse, child abandonment

↳ 𝙱𝙰𝙲𝙺𝙶𝚁𝙾𝚄𝙽𝙳

❖ Copper was a synth child for a couple that was way too young and hardly understood the responsibility they were taking on. Their first son had been too much of a handful and hadn't enjoyed being used for content, opting for a synth child they could make more agreeable. ❖ For the first 7 years, Copper spent his life in an RV, traveling from place to place. His parents were influencers who toted a healthy and technology free lifestyle, videos full of performative activism against corporations. Ironic considering how their son had come to be, lying and saying he was their human child like their first had been. ❖ Copper was left to his own devices multiple times, mostly with his older brother Flint, at least until his brother cut ties. Their parents not willing to become full time caretakers, opting instead to regrow their following they rebranded themselves as a childfree couple online again. ❖ That left them with needing somewhere for Copper to be, the online story they gave was that he'd enjoy living with his cousins so much they couldn't bear to separate them and would keep fighting the good fight to make a safer world for this son. It was all a lie and made for a good online story to their fan base. ❖ In actuality Copper's father had meant to dump him on his brother, not realizing the man had walked out on his marriage. His cousins, Lacey and Stevie's mom did wind up letting him stay after the two pleaded with her. ❖ This way Copper had a new mom and a stepdad eventually, though he barely called them that. His stepdad quick to use any physical means to shape him into a proper man. When Lacey ran away, she thankfully took Copper with her. ❖ The two living alone in Vegas, with Lacey supporting them as best she could. Unfortunately this meant that Copper again was left alone in various motel rooms. One of the few things he found comfort in was Stevie's music even if he kept it hidden after the way his stepdad had treated him. ❖ He rarely left their motel rooms, scared someone would find the much too young boy and take him away from Lacey, or worse send him back to their stepdad. There was one incident he doesn't talk about with a motel owner, he's kept it hidden and would prefer to forget it ever happened. ❖ When Stevie found them and took them to DFW it was the first time Copper truly relaxed, though he had a different problem when he realized how behind in school he was. ❖ This was when he met Owen Bowen, one of the few kids who didn't make fun of him for being two years behind. He still considers him, his best friend and is a major reason he didn't just agree to be homeschooled. He's currently studying music therapy wanting to do something his sisters would be proud of him for pursuing.

↳ 𝙼𝙸𝚂𝙲

• Is the bass player in a pop rock band with Dewey and Banks called Thunder Beats. • Since he was a minor when Stevie took over as his legal guardian, everything about him was kept under wraps. For the most part media has no idea who he is in connection to his older sister. • Despises sleeping alone so will frequently grab a sleeping bad and camp out on either of his sisters' bedroom floor during the night.

[quickthinkingharkertwins]

Please welcome Quill Harker (HE/HIS/HIM) to Huntsville, WV. They are a 27-year-old VISITOR who lives in TOWN. You may see them around working as a STOCK WORKER AT HUNTSVILLE SUPPLY WAREHOUSE. Poor unfortunate soul. We’ll see if they survive.

quick facts

Name: Quill Romulus Harker Nickname: Hates being mistaken for Quincey but it happens Age: 27 Faceclaim: Otto Farrant Pronouns: He/His/Him Sexuality: Whatever Moral Alignment: Lawful Evil Occupation: Stock Worker at Huntsville Supply Warehouse Role: Hunter

[+] sharp-eyed, thorough, collected, mannerly [-] amoral, cutthroat, arrogant, prideful

background

Quill's father was a dedicated bodyguard, specifically to two wealthy men and their families, contracted after completing a more than questionable military career. Through them he was connected to a woman who was from similar social standing to them, marrying her and retiring to start his own security firm. Not long after the two welcomed a pair of twins into their lives, with Quill being the older twin.

From day one Quill's father raised him and his twin brother Quincey with an iron fist. Everything came back to image and status, anything out of line was seen as something that needed to be corrected. As the first born he was well aware he was the one expected to take things over eventually, with Quincey being raised to be his right hand. Though his father wasn't above making it clear he had no issue with switching the roles if Quill couldn't cut it.

Growing up his father had him befriend the children of his former clients, making it clear that this was less about friendship and about having connections. His primary charge was Cosima Mariott, which meant never saying no to her and making sure that she'd want for nothing when her father wasn't around.

Ending up in Huntsville had never been part of the plan, more than pissed his brother had let their friends goof off enough to get them all stuck here. He's not fully convinced they're stuck here for good, still committed to keeping his friends safe. Though he's not above listening to a new lead for a new perk to have in town.

misc

Quill spent many summers in Texas, where the twins were originally born, with his grandfather on his father's side. Though he's quick to hide his accent, hating the drawl he gained from so many years with the man.

His grandfather did his best to try to give them a more down to earth perspective. While Quill could appreciate his point of view, at the end of the day all he could see was a man with no legacy wasting away on some land in Texas.

Annoyed he's still a glorified babysitter despite trying to prove he's capable enough to take over the company.

[nepofm]

+𝟏  𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃  𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍  𝐇𝐀𝐒  𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍  𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐃  .  zoya  oppara  (  charithra  chandran  )  is  looking  for  a  romantic  connection  .

romantic   —   zoya oppara is looking for a leading man ( the orpheus to her eurydice, literally ! that's right - she's currently staring as eurydice in the broadway production of hadestown ! and your muse is currently staring as orpheus. and much like eva noblezada and reeve carney - they're dating in real life ! needless to say their chemistry on stage is insane, and i'd like to think their irl relationship is quite cute as well ! but i'm also open to discussing that aspect ! i just think this would be such a fun connection !! ) within the age range of 25-28 that preferably looks like otto farrant, archie renaux, aria shahghasemi, charlie rowe, deaken bluman, emilio sakraya, felix mallard, froy gutierrez, keiynan lonsdale, miguel bernardeau, cha eunwoo, utp. you do have to contact the mun before applying under wcrstbehaviior. 

[thronesfm]

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄  𝐓𝐎  𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓  ,   and  may  the  gods  have  mercy  on  you  as  you  play  the  game  ,  andros  martell,  jason  lannister,  aurelio  rogare,  cerenna  lannister,  naerys  targaryen,  matarys  martell,  brandon  tyrell,  lucella  targaryen,  demera  tyrell,  sylvina  baratheon,  calla  allyrion,  joanna  hightower,  derys  dayne,  alysanne  karstark,  &  daenerys  targaryen   !  the  faceclaims  of  sean  teale,  otto  farrant,  bright  vachirawit,  elle  fanning,  isolda  dychauk,  ewan  mcgregor,  henry  cavill,  margot  robbie,  marina  moschen,  frieda  pinto,  india  amarteifio,  jessica  alexander,  hande  ercel,  dominique  devenport,  and milly  alcock  are now  taken  .  please  make  sure  to  follow  each  step  on  our  checklist  and  submit  your  account  within  24  hours     !

╰ ┈ [ sean teale , 27 , cis man , he + him ] in the time of dragons , ANDROS MARTELL is entering the game of thrones . said to be chivalrous + magnetic , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be reckless + selfish . when asked about them , people are always reminded of a prince on a white horse , riding in to save the day ; words that flow in poetic waves from smiling lips ; the clash of metal against metal , the singing of blades . though they are the PRINCE OF DORNE , their true loyalties lie with house martell and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support THE SEPARATION OF THE REALMS above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come .

╰ ┈ [ otto farrant , twenty five , cis male , he/his ] in the time of dragons , JASON LANNISTER is entering the game of thrones . said to be dauntless + shrewd , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be obstinate + quarrelsome . when asked about them , people are always reminded of a flame - quickly growing in size and swallowing everything in its path and the ashes left by it’s path of destruction; a head of golden hair accompanied by a devilish grin; a set of broken chains, a reminder that he can’t be tamed . though they are the LORD OF LANNISPORT , their true loyalties lie with house lannister and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support THE SEPARATION OF THE REALMS above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come .

╰ ┈ [ bright vachirawit , twenty four , demi male , he/his & they/them ] in the time of dragons , AURELIO ROGARE is entering the game of thrones. said to be beguiling + vehement , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be hedonistic + hubristic. when asked about them , people are always reminded of a wardrobe of the finest silks and exotic furs, lounging sideways in a chair with your legs draped over the arm, a monstrous sweet tooth and indulging in every whim without a concern for the consequences . though they are the LORD OF LYS , their true loyalties lie with house rogare and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support THE PEACE TREATY above all else. those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come.

╰ ┈ [ elle fanning , 27 , cis woman , she / her ] in the time of dragons , CERENNA LANNISTER is entering the game of thrones . said to be enchanting + pristine , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be cruel + calculating . when asked about them , people are always reminded of decadence whilst leaving a trail of destruction , secret smiles amid courtly intrigue , silken golden hair and haunting eyes , a lion; waiting to pounce upon her prey . though they are the LADY OF CASTERLY ROCK , their true loyalties lie with *house lannister and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support THE PEACE TREATY above all else. those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come.

╰ ┈ [ isolda dychauk , 23 , cis woman , she/her ] in the time of dragons , NAERYS TARGARYEN is entering the game of thrones . said to be conciliatory + dutiful , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be gullible + indecisive . when asked about them , people are always reminded of pink cheeks and a starry gaze, full of dreams and desires; dancing the night away; righteous heart, disingenuous smiles . though they are the LADY OF STAERDALE , their true loyalties lie with house targaryen and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support THE PEACE TREATY above all else. those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come.

╰ ┈ [ ewan mcgregor , fifty , cis male , he/his ] in the time of dragons , MATARYS MARTELL NEE TARGARYEN is entering the game of thrones. said to be compassionate + vivacious , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be absent-minded + garrulous . when asked about them , people are always reminded of a kind smile & a twinkle in his eyes; a vacant expression, a clear sign that one's mind is elsewhere and long, restless nights of little sleep . though they are the RULING PRINCE OF THE TOWER OF JOY , their true loyalties lie with houses targaryen & martell and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support THE PEACE TREATY above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come.

╰ ┈ [ henry cavill, 39 , cis man , he/him ] in the time of dragons , BRANDON TYRELL is entering the game of thrones . said to be strategic + visionary , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be manipulative + cunning . when asked about them , people are always reminded of gold throned roses, pretty and clever make for deadly combinations, white stone marble with golden accents . though they are the RULING LORD OF HIGHGARDEN , their true loyalties lie with house tyrell and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support THE PEACE TREATY above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come .

╰ ┈ [ margot robbie , 30 , cis woman , she + they ] in the time of dragons , LUCELLA TARGARYEN is entering the game of thrones . said to be charming + resourceful , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be manipulative + vindictive . when asked about them , people are always reminded of a bell like laugh that lightens the darkest of moods ; a glass thrown against the wall in anger , angelic face reflected in it's broken pieces ; a snake wrapped around the stem of a bloomed red rose . though they are the PRINCESS OF WESTEROS , their true loyalties lie with house targaryen and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support PEACE TREATY above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come .

╰ ┈ [ marina moschen , 23 , demi woman , she/they ] in the time of dragons , DESMERA TYRELL is entering the game of thrones. said to besteadfast + adroit, we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be capricious + appetent . when asked about them , people are always reminded of the stinging pain of being pricked by a thorn , quiet laughter in a silent hall , holding one’s breath as an arrow sails through the air until it pierces their target . though they are the LADY OF HIGHGARDEN , their true loyalties lie with house tyrell and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support THE PEACE TREATY above all else. those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come.

╰ ┈ [ freida pinto , 33 , cis woman , she/her ] in the time of dragons , SYLVINA BARATHEON is entering the game of thrones. said to be forbearing + eloquent, we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be pessimistic + selfish. when asked about them , people are always reminded of the brewing of a thunderstorm , long nights spent by candlelight , scattered parchment throughout a room. though they are the LADY OF STORM'S END , their true loyalties lie with house baratheon and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support the SEPARATION OF THE REALMS above all else. those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come.

╰ ┈ [ india amarteifio , 22 , cis woman , she / her ] in the time of dragons , CALLA ALLYRION is entering the game of thrones . said to be loyal + idealistic , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be stubborn + emotional . when asked about them , people are always reminded of reading too much with her heads high above the clouds , loving so fiercely that the recoil might bruise , leaping into fields of flowers with her eyes closed , soft hands and hurried words . though they are the LADY OF GODSGRACE , their true loyalties lie with house allyrion and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support THE SEPARATION OF THE REALMS above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come .

╰ ┈ [ jessica alexander , twenty-five , cis woman , she/her ] in the time of dragons , JOANNA HIGHTOWER is entering the game of thrones . said to be dauntless + good-natured , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be melancholic + ingenuous . when asked about them , people are always reminded of a hand reaching for something but never quite being able to touch it, moon lit ship that sways at low tide so far away from shore, nights spent awake enjoying the calm before the daily storm . though they are the LADY OF OLDTOWN , their true loyalties lie with house hightower & house tyrell and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support THE PEACE TREATY above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come .

╰ ┈ [ hande erçel , 30 , cis woman , she/her ] in the time of dragons, DERYA DAYNE is entering the game of thrones. said to be protective + sharp-witted , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be obstinate + distrusting . when asked about them, people are always reminded of lying down on the grass patch of an oasis amidst a challenging desert; dornish wine spilling as laughter echoes in the background; a dress flowing with the warm breeze filling the water gardens; the feeling of dipping a toe in cold water after a long day in the sun . though they are the LADY OF STARFALL, their true loyalties lie with house dayne & house martell and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support THE SEPARATION OF THE REALMS above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come .

╰ ┈ [ dominique devenport , 27 , cis woman , she + her ] in the time of dragons , ALYSANNE KARSTARK is entering the game of thrones . said to be gentle + kind , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be gullible + possessive . when asked about them , people are always reminded of a smile , warm and sweet and often too much given away ; eyes the color of the sky on a clear day ; sitting in a chair by the roaring fire , nose in a worn book . though they are the LADY OF KARHOLD , their true loyalties lie with house karstark & house stark and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support THE SEPARATION OF THE REALMS above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come .

╰ ┈ [ milly alcock, 23, demi woman, she/her ] in the time of dragons, DAENERYS TARGARYEN is entering the game of thrones . said to be astute + iron-willed , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be cynical + deceitful . when asked about them, people are always reminded of dragon scales painted with gold but splattered with blood; the dizzy sensation of spinning around without a worry in the world; watching from afar even when standing right next to what’s craved; the belief that one is made of nothing but cold fire passed down through a bloodline . though they are the PRINCESS OF WESTEROS , their true loyalties lie with house targaryen and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support THE PEACE TREATY above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come .

[eph-em-era]

alex rider series 2 thoughts (spoilers)

- in all, fantastic! they've done so well, especially when shooting under covid conditions

- otto farrant just gets better and better, that man is thoroughly good at heavy emotional scenes and you really feel alex's pain

- pissed they left out the maze, that was the best bit of eagle strike for me

- kyra is back! what a dream, i love her

- they've given all the women much more agency, which is so so good, and i love that alex has friends

- toby stephens was phenomenal as damien cray - fantastic villain energy and just amazing chemistry with everyone my god

- the series feels a lot more modern, especially how it treats mental illness

- if there's not at least some queer rep in series 3 i will be pissed, the show's done very well with diversity thus far

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

INTERVIEW - Actor Toby Stephens, who plays Damian Cray on Alex Rider: "Fortunately, people need entertainment. I'm very lucky to be able to make a career out of it."

BUCHAREST, Written by News.ro

Actor Toby Stephens, who plays Damian Cray, a tech mogul, in the series "Alex Rider", talks in an exclusive interview with News.co.uk about "extremely interesting espionage, by nature secretive", how series writer Anthony Horowitz created a "more complicated and nuanced version of what it means to be a teenager" and what it was like to film.

Season two of the spy thriller "Alex Rider" airs every Monday night at 10pm on AXN.

The series follows the story of Alex Rider, a London teenager who has been unknowingly trained for the dangerous world of espionage since childhood. After the death of his uncle and the near-death mission to destroy the Point Blanc boarding school in the first season, Alex is eager to put the past behind him, resume his normal teenage life and heal his trauma by enlisting the help of a therapist.

His plans to put his life back together are turned upside down when a close friend is the target of a horrific attack. So Alex finds himself drawn back into the world of covert missions, where he must stop a sinister plan afoot that aims to destroy the US defense system.

"Alex Rider" is produced by Eleventh Hour Films and Sony Pictures Television. Otto Farrant ("The White Queen"), Brennock O'Conner ("Game of Thrones"), Vicky McClure ("Line of Duty"), Ronkẹ Adékọluẹjọ ("Doctor Who"), Marli Siu ("Dixi") and Stephen Dillane ("Game of Thrones") reprise their roles, while Toby Stephens ("Die Another Day"), Rakie Ayola ("Harry Potter and the Cursed Child") and Charithra Chandran ("Bridgerton") join the cast for season two.

Toby Stephens is Damian Cray, a tech business mogul and the main villain in the new adventure in the young spy's life. Damian has created hugely popular online games that have made him rich. With a strong motivation rooted in a trauma he experienced when he was the same age as Alex, Damian is, in fact, a lonely person who sets out on a desperate search for his own catharsis.

Why did you accept to be part of this project?

Toby Stephens: My son is a big fan of the books and I know Anthony quite well through Jill, his wife, who I've worked with several times. It was nice to do something that my son enjoys. I also played a level-headed, solid dad on Lost in Space for three seasons and found it fun to play a sociopath.

When is it not fun?

T.S: Well, yes! He's a misunderstood sociopath. It just seemed like a fun thing to do. And also, I had spent a lot of time working away from home and it was really nice to do something here.

Why do you think books are so popular too?

T.S: They're pure action. The plots are complex, but not over the top. They're very, very gripping. I would have loved it if I was a kid. I mean, I enjoyed reading them as an adult. I like that Anthony Horowitz ups the stakes and builds the villains quite truthfully. There are real stakes and people die. Alex Rider's uncle died and there are moral ambiguities and complexities there. I think a lot of books in the children's fiction area go in that direction. It's not a super clean, sterile, kid-friendly world. It's slightly edgy and paints a picture of a violent and morally complicated world, but without it being too adult. It's like a half-way nice house.

The fact that we see Alex doing therapy seems like a very modern way of looking at teenagers.

T.S: It's definitely contemporary. We live in a very complicated age for young people. It's great to show kids that this is okay, that it's part of life and that you can reach out and get help for things. If Alex Rider can do it, then anyone can. Anthony Horowitz has created an inspirational guy rather than a stoic man. He's a more complicated and nuanced version of what it means to be a teenager.

Tell me a bit more about the character you play in this show. Who is he?

T.S: Damian Cray is a tech mogul. He has created online games that are extremely popular and has made a huge amount of money from them. Hyper-intelligent and incredibly driven, obviously. He draws his strength from a tragedy that happened to him when he was 17, around the age of Alex Rider, and that shaped his world. He was a pretty lonely kid; his parents were pretty absent. This tragedy then leads him on a search for catharsis.

How does Alex get to meet Damian Cray?

T.S: Alex gets to know this journalist who is injured in Cornwall and realizes that he was writing an expose on Damian Cray. Alex tries to find out what Cray is doing and whether he was, in fact, responsible for the journalist's injury. Cray doesn't really know who this kid is and mistakenly thinks he's the world's best player, an anonymous player named K7.

How did you find working with Otto, Brenock and Marli?

T.S: I loved it. It made me feel very old though! I love working with young people, it keeps you in touch with things. Actually, they are much more mature than me, more "together". I love doing this job, period. It's so much fun. I feel very lucky at this point to be working in this climate. Fortunately, people need entertainment. I'm very fortunate to be able to make a career out of it at the best of times, but even more so at this time.

How do you prepare to play a billionaire, do you draw inspiration from real life?

T.S: I didn't want to build it based on anyone specific, but yes, the way he dresses, the way he is, there's a kind of - not arrogance, but the assumption that everyone works for you. It's about control. These people have massive control issues. Part of it is assuming that everyone is there for your benefit, to be used by you, and that everyone is a tool that you can use. There's a very specific mindset you have to have to be that successful, and when they lose control, it's huge for them. It's devastating. So I didn't want to mimic the physical aspects, but rather what drives them, what gives you solid ground to work on.

Have you played any video games to understand this world?

T.S: My son plays a lot and I like to observe him. It's incredible stuff. However, I don't think Cray spends that much time playing games. He designs them all, but they're there for a greater purpose. He wants The Feathered Serpent to be the best in the world, but I don't think he spends a lot of time playing it. Other people do that for him.

In terms of it being an action show, did you personally get involved in any of the scenes?

T.S: Cray is simply telling people what to do, being extremely bossy and obsessed with being in control! Towards the end of the show I have a big action scene, and I've done that in other productions, but my body is less forgiving than it used to be. It certainly pleased me that I didn't have too much action in this production!

Why do you think the spy genre productions still remain so popular?

T.S: It's interesting because all these professions like detective, spy, doctor, have a built-in drama. In real life, there's probably a lot of boredom, so obviously these are romanticized versions of what really happens. But espionage is extremely interesting, because of the secretive nature, because of these shadowy organizations, these powerful villains. All of that creates these very compelling worlds. It's fantasy, but it's also fun. Violence, suggested violence or danger is always great when you're sitting by a fireplace, reading a book. It's the same with crime novels, Agatha Christie or whatever. It's that slightly tame version of something that is, in fact, horrible. It's somehow safe in the pages of these books, so you can curl up and discover it. They're great stories, especially since they tend to be quite labyrinthine.

Would you make a good spy, Toby?

T.S: I'd be terrible. I just couldn't keep any secrets. "Don't tell anyone, but I'm on this secret mission!". I guess I could carry off the disguise part or pretend to be someone else. Otherwise, I'd be terrible.

Translated via DeepL Translator from News.ro

[shippingdragons]

Actor Toby Stephens, who plays Damian Cray on Alex Rider: “Fortunately, people need entertainment. I’m very lucky to be able to make a career out of it.”

Actor Toby Stephens, who plays Damian Cray, a tech mogul, in the series “Alex Rider”, talks in an exclusive interview with News.co.uk about “extremely interesting espionage, by nature secretive”, how series writer Anthony Horowitz created a “more complicated and nuanced version of what it means to be a teenager” and what it was like to film.

Season two of the spy thriller “Alex Rider” airs every Monday night at 10pm on AXN.

The series follows the story of Alex Rider, a London teenager who has been unknowingly trained for the dangerous world of espionage since childhood. After the death of his uncle and the near-death mission to destroy the Point Blanc boarding school in the first season, Alex is eager to put the past behind him, resume his normal teenage life and heal his trauma by enlisting the help of a therapist.

His plans to put his life back together are turned upside down when a close friend is the target of a horrific attack. So Alex finds himself drawn back into the world of covert missions, where he must stop a sinister plan afoot that aims to destroy the US defense system.

“Alex Rider” is produced by Eleventh Hour Films and Sony Pictures Television. Otto Farrant (“The White Queen”), Brennock O'Conner (“Game of Thrones”), Vicky McClure (“Line of Duty”), Ronkẹ Adékọluẹjọ (“Doctor Who”), Marli Siu (“Dixi”) and Stephen Dillane (“Game of Thrones”) reprise their roles, while Toby Stephens (“Die Another Day”), Rakie Ayola (“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”) and Charithra Chandran (“Bridgerton”) join the cast for season two.

Toby Stephens is Damian Cray, a tech business mogul and the main villain in the new adventure in the young spy’s life. Damian has created hugely popular online games that have made him rich. With a strong motivation rooted in a trauma he experienced when he was the same age as Alex, Damian is, in fact, a lonely person who sets out on a desperate search for his own catharsis.

Why did you accept to be part of this project?

Toby Stephens: My son is a big fan of the books and I know Anthony quite well through Jill, his wife, who I’ve worked with several times. It was nice to do something that my son enjoys. I also played a level-headed, solid dad on Lost in Space for three seasons and found it fun to play a sociopath.

When is it not fun?

T.S: Well, yes! He’s a misunderstood sociopath. It just seemed like a fun thing to do. And also, I had spent a lot of time working away from home and it was really nice to do something here.

Why do you think books are so popular too?

T.S: They’re pure action. The plots are complex, but not over the top. They’re very, very gripping. I would have loved it if I was a kid. I mean, I enjoyed reading them as an adult. I like that Anthony Horowitz ups the stakes and builds the villains quite truthfully. There are real stakes and people die. Alex Rider’s uncle died and there are moral ambiguities and complexities there. I think a lot of books in the children’s fiction area go in that direction. It’s not a super clean, sterile, kid-friendly world. It’s slightly edgy and paints a picture of a violent and morally complicated world, but without it being too adult. It’s like a half-way nice house.

The fact that we see Alex doing therapy seems like a very modern way of looking at teenagers.

T.S: It’s definitely contemporary. We live in a very complicated age for young people. It’s great to show kids that this is okay, that it’s part of life and that you can reach out and get help for things. If Alex Rider can do it, then anyone can. Anthony Horowitz has created an inspirational guy rather than a stoic man. He’s a more complicated and nuanced version of what it means to be a teenager.

Tell me a bit more about the character you play in this show. Who is he?

T.S: Damian Cray is a tech mogul. He has created online games that are extremely popular and has made a huge amount of money from them. Hyper-intelligent and incredibly driven, obviously. He draws his strength from a tragedy that happened to him when he was 17, around the age of Alex Rider, and that shaped his world. He was a pretty lonely kid; his parents were pretty absent. This tragedy then leads him on a search for catharsis.

How does Alex get to meet Damian Cray?

T.S: Alex gets to know this journalist who is injured in Cornwall and realizes that he was writing an expose on Damian Cray. Alex tries to find out what Cray is doing and whether he was, in fact, responsible for the journalist’s injury. Cray doesn’t really know who this kid is and mistakenly thinks he’s the world’s best player, an anonymous player named K7.

How did you find working with Otto, Brenock and Marli?

T.S: I loved it. It made me feel very old though! I love working with young people, it keeps you in touch with things. Actually, they are much more mature than me, more “together”. I love doing this job, period. It’s so much fun. I feel very lucky at this point to be working in this climate. Fortunately, people need entertainment. I’m very fortunate to be able to make a career out of it at the best of times, but even more so at this time.

How do you prepare to play a billionaire, do you draw inspiration from real life?

T.S: I didn’t want to build it based on anyone specific, but yes, the way he dresses, the way he is, there’s a kind of - not arrogance, but the assumption that everyone works for you. It’s about control. These people have massive control issues. Part of it is assuming that everyone is there for your benefit, to be used by you, and that everyone is a tool that you can use. There’s a very specific mindset you have to have to be that successful, and when they lose control, it’s huge for them. It’s devastating. So I didn’t want to mimic the physical aspects, but rather what drives them, what gives you solid ground to work on.

Have you played any video games to understand this world?

T.S: My son plays a lot and I like to observe him. It’s incredible stuff. However, I don’t think Cray spends that much time playing games. He designs them all, but they’re there for a greater purpose. He wants The Feathered Serpent to be the best in the world, but I don’t think he spends a lot of time playing it. Other people do that for him.

In terms of it being an action show, did you personally get involved in any of the scenes?

T.S: Cray is simply telling people what to do, being extremely bossy and obsessed with being in control! Towards the end of the show I have a big action scene, and I’ve done that in other productions, but my body is less forgiving than it used to be. It certainly pleased me that I didn’t have too much action in this production!

Why do you think the spy genre productions still remain so popular?

T.S: It’s interesting because all these professions like detective, spy, doctor, have a built-in drama. In real life, there’s probably a lot of boredom, so obviously these are romanticized versions of what really happens. But espionage is extremely interesting, because of the secretive nature, because of these shadowy organizations, these powerful villains. All of that creates these very compelling worlds. It’s fantasy, but it’s also fun. Violence, suggested violence or danger is always great when you’re sitting by a fireplace, reading a book. It’s the same with crime novels, Agatha Christie or whatever. It’s that slightly tame version of something that is, in fact, horrible. It’s somehow safe in the pages of these books, so you can curl up and discover it. They’re great stories, especially since they tend to be quite labyrinthine.

Would you make a good spy, Toby?

T.S: I’d be terrible. I just couldn’t keep any secrets. “Don’t tell anyone, but I’m on this secret mission!”. I guess I could carry off the disguise part or pretend to be someone else. Otherwise, I’d be terrible.

News.ro April 2 2022

[thronesfms]

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄  𝐓𝐎  𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓  ,  and  may  the  gods  have  mercy  on  you  as  you  play  the  game  ,  edric  and  lysa  and  daeron  and  torrhen !  the  faceclaims  of  casey  deidrick  and  lola  petticrew  and  otto  farrant  and  oscar  isaac  are now  taken  .  please  make  sure  to  follow  each  step  on  our  checklist  and  submit  your  account  within  24  hours  .

��     ┈     [  casey deidrick , 33 , cis man , he/him ]  in the time of dragons , EDRIC KARSTARK is entering the game of thrones . said to be assertive + adventurous , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be dogmatic + reckless . when asked about them , people are always reminded of the kind of laughter that's funnier than the story, the sun melting snow and sharp icicles, the kiss of a stranger whose face you will have forgotten tomorrow, heavy steal and sharp swords, bruises and scars that tell stories, bloodied knuckles, a rage that consumes you, slamming your fist on a table, a foul mouth but a charming smile . though they are the BROTHER TO THE RULING LORD OF KARSTARK , their true loyalties lie with house karstark and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support their family / themselves above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come .   ──  zoe , 23 , gmt+2 , she/her .

╰     ┈     [  lola petticrew, twenty-four, nonbinary, any pronouns ]  in the time of dragons, lysa “lu” whent is entering the game of thrones. said to be HUMBLE + METICULOUS, we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be IDEALISTIC + VINDICTIVE. when asked about them, people are always reminded of ancient crumbling walls, statues of people who are no longer remembered, an ill-foretold curse looming over a family, unsent letters burning ablaze, and the comfort of holy prayers. though they are the liege of harrenhal, their true loyalties lie with house tully and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support the independence of the seven kingdoms above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come .   ──  eli, twenty-one, mst, he/him.

╰     ┈     [  otto farrant , twenty four , cis male, he/his ]  in the time of dragons , daeron targaryen is entering the game of thrones . said to be dauntless + shrewd , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be obstinate + quarrelsome . when asked about them , people are always reminded of a flame - quickly growing in size and swallowing everything in its path and the ashes left by it’s path of destruction; a head of golden hair accompanied by a devilish grin;  a set of broken chains, a reminder that he can’t be tamed . though they are the lord of the tower of joy , their true loyalties lie with house targaryen and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support their family/prince of summerhall above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come .   ──  m , 24 , cst , she/her . hi !! i decided to use a different alias than what I sent my reserve under, I hope that’s okay !!

╰     ┈     [  oscar isaac  , 42 , cisgender!male , he/him/his]  in the time of dragons , torrhen dondarrion is entering the game of thrones . said to be articulate + venturesome , we can only hope that is the case as regrettably they are also well known to be loquacious  + hedonistic . when asked about them , people are always reminded of dusted collected over historical books recounting the history of westeros, unplanned battle strategies in case of a war with a strong sense of paranoia filling the room with a thick air, and sharpened daggers with the faint glow of valyrian steel ornamenting the wall as to signal a type of warning to potential guests. though they are the ruling lord of blackhaven, their true loyalties lie with house baratheon and house dondarrion and rumour has it that if given the choice they would support the prince of  independence of the seven kingdoms  or their family above all else . those of us in the shadows wish them luck and can only hope they will survive what is to come .   ──  bee.

[strangethings-everywhere]

Pretty Boy MI6 // Otto Farrant x Reader // Part One

Masterlist Requested: Nope Word Count: 1089 Warnings: cursing, fighting, y/n gets drugged for two seconds  Author Note: if you want something done, you’ve got to do it yourself. if no one else is going to write for otto, goddammit i’m gonna. also requests aren’t open, this is just me writing

You’re a thorn in the side of every major organization and you’ve been on the list of the CIA, the FBI, and MI6. You’re a master thief, stealing from everyone and stealing anything for your bosses at the HQ. The only agent to consistently bother investigating is a certain blond MI6 prodigy with an odd interest in you...

There was only supposed to be one guard. That’s what HQ had said, one guard and the rest was easy.

It had not been easy and you were not pleased. There were at least three hulking figures in full gear after you and you were pretty sure they had guns. 

“One guard, my ass.” You muttered, taking a hard left past some shipping containers. 

You had been on the radar of organizations like the CIA, FBI, and MI6 for some time, but you had always managed to slip by unnoticed when running your little raiding missions. A science lab in Berlin here, a warehouse in London there, FBI safehouses every once in a while. Since you were just one person, you never did anything flashy or newsworthy. You tried to avoid killing if you could.

Get in, get out. Get back to HQ in one piece. The simple life. 

This mission, this shipping center, was turning out to be an outlier in the pattern you’d been so meticulous in creating. 

The armed guards were still on your tail as you sprinted through the maze of containers, your treasure buried deep in your backpack. You weren’t burdened by gear and muscle, so you kept ahead of them by a good distance. 

“Keep up!” You called, dodging the hail of bullets that sailed toward you. 

As if summoned by your taunt, a dark shadow appeared in the corner of your peripheral, standing on top of the shipping containers. The shadow began to follow with incredible speed and your adrenaline spiked.

“Oh fuck.” 

You knew that shadow. You hated that shadow. That shadow was your mortal enemy. 

If James Bond had a younger, blonder, more sarcastic brother, it would be Otto Farrant, your arch-nemesis. You first met Otto in your third skirmish with MI6 when he appeared out of nowhere and knocked you off your motorbike. Ever since you were always paranoid about seeing him in London.

You glanced behind you to see that Otto had replaced the three brutes and was quickly gaining speed. You cursed under your breath and tried to run faster, but your legs were burning already. 

And you had no idea where the exit was, so you made a decision. You stopped, turned, and delivered a kick to the stomach of a slightly surprised Otto, who went down on all fours with a satisfying wheeze. 

“Farrant.” You greeted coldly.

“Ghost.” He replied, his voice raspy from your kick. You felt slightly smug at the fact that he still didn’t know your name. It had taken the people at HQ all of 32 hours to find his. “Fancy seeing you here.” 

“Does MI6 always send you on burglary calls? That seems a bit below your pay grade?” 

“When an internationally recognized criminal is stealing from a government warehouse for the seventh time,” he fixed you with a severely pointed glare, “it becomes a little more than burglary.”

“I’m just picking up the groceries, Otto. I’ve got a list to follow.” You gave him a smile that he did not return. “You know how it is.” 

“You understand how serious this is, right?” 

“Am I not taking this seriously?” You shrugged, cocking your head to the side. “Baby, I’m a professional. I’m the professional, and you should remember it.” 

Otto rolled his eyes, obviously annoyed at your shenanigans. “Just… give me the package and we can forget this ever happened.”

You felt adrenaline surge through your veins once again. You couldn’t give Otto the object in your bag and he wouldn’t let you go with it. You parted your feet and raised your hands in front of your face. “Come and get it, Agent Farrant.” 

He clenched his jaw and surged forward, his fist flying toward your ribs. All of your training flashed through your mind as the two of you moved back and forth in a violent dance. A kick to the shin, a blast to the ribcage, it was an unspoken routine.

Sweat covered your face as you narrowly dodged a fist aimed at your nose. You swept out a leg and knocked him to the ground, letting out a cruel chuckle as his head hit the floor. 

“Oops.” You shrugged. Otto curled into the fetal position, his hands cradling his head. You kicked his foot. “C’mon man get up.” You slowly knelt next to him and reached towards him. “Otto?” 

The blond boy sprang up from the floor and grabbed your wrists in one hand. With the other, he grabbed your backpack. Rolling you onto your stomach with one fluid motion, he pinned you under him, basically sitting on your lower back.

He leaned down, his breath hot on your ear. “What did you say about being a professional?” 

You squirmed against his grip, your face uncomfortably warm. “Fuck off.” 

He laughed, his chest shaking against your back. “I’ll just take this.” He waved the small wrapped package in front of you. “Thanks so much.”

“No, Otto-” You felt a sharp prick in your neck, and panic flooded your body. You could no longer feel the weight of his body on your back, but you still couldn’t move. Oh, that bastard. 

“Sorry. I don’t like being followed.” Otto shrugged. “It’ll wear off eventually.” 

You could only whine in protest, your vision blurring slightly. He kneeled down again, a smirk on his face.

“I think we’re even now… Y/N. See you never.” He tucked something into your pocket and walked away, ignoring your noises of anger as he disappeared and your mind slipped into darkness.

***

It was dawn when you came to and you had never felt worse. By the time you dragged yourself out of the warehouse and back to your flat, the sun had risen and your body was tired. 

You peeled out of your jumpsuit in the bathroom, noting the new bruises that had appeared. As you undressed, your hand ran over an object in your pocket. 

Otto.

Everything came flooding back. The backpack, the needle, his hand in your pocket. The glint in his eyes. 

“That shit eating, pale-faced, British, stuck-up BASTARD!” You growled. “I’m gonna kill him, I’m gonna-” 

Out of your pocket came a small wad of money and a passport. The passport contained a new alias for you and a plane ticket to Maine.

Despite your anger towards the agent, you couldn’t help but smile. Otto had found a way out for you, an alias that HQ hadn’t fabricated. 

Maybe the MI6 pretty boy wasn’t so bad after all.

[jackstarbrightisaqueen]

Thoughts on the Alex Rider TV show...

Some background: I’ve been reading the books since Point Blanc came out, so we are going back a few years (actually quite a few more years than I care to credit). I thought the Stormbreaker movie was a pretty awful adaptation all round. Definitely lacked the grit of the book series. Imagine my fear of what they were going to do to Point Blanc, one of my favourite books of the series...

So, thoughts (in no particular order):

1. Otto Farrant is brilliantly cast. OK, one can nitpick. He’s been aged up, but I think that works - the TV series has tried to go grittier than the movie, and if we’re honest, a 14 year old being treated the way Alex is would just be extremely uncomfortable viewing. The books are written for children - they put up with a lot more than adults. And Farrant manages to strike an excellent balance between being old enough to make the whole thing believable, and young enough to provoke the right amount of outrage. His portrayal of Alex is really very good - the unwillingness to let something drop when he’s curious about it, the coldness, the desire to just be a schoolboy, the fundamental streak of doing what’s right. Sorry, Alex Pettyfer, but no matter how good looking you were, you weren’t Alex Rider for me. Otto Farrant has nailed it.

2. Alex generally. The writing is pretty faithful to his character. There are a few tweaks - he’s a bit more of a rebel than he is in the books. The foam party - one can see Alex doing that in the book because it’s part of the bad-boy act he’s supposed to be putting on, but I’m not sure that was the motivation for the foam party; I think he did it because it was fun and he’s someone who likes to rock the boat a bit. But I liked this Alex. It made his snarkiness and impulsiveness that much more believable. And, let’s be honest, what kid is taught to withstand interrogation techniques without becoming a bit of a loose cannon? One thing that was changed that I’m still not sure about was his determination to go back to Point Blanc. Book Alex didn’t want to go back; TV Alex says he’s going with or without MI6′s help because he’s got friends there. This was admirable, and I think probably the right move (I don’t think “leaving it to the professionals” would have come off well on screen when he’d made such good friends), but I did miss the scene from the book where Jones more or less manipulates him into going back in.

3. Jack. I love Jack as a character. It’s a bit more of recent phenomenon - I think since I became about the age that Jack is and suddenly woke up to what she must have felt - but the book Jack puts up with so much without complaint. The thing is, she’s a very tricky character to portray, because it’s a fine balance between making her powerless and useless. I think they did a good job here. They’ve changed things - Jack gets her degree at the start, and hints to Ian that it might be time for her to think about leaving. It’s not faithful to the book, but it’s a brilliant move, because as soon as Ian dies and she sticks around, you think - wow. She’s just given up her plans for this kid. She really cares. And that’s what the book series hints at throughout but has only addressed explicitly in recent books. I also like that they showed her having a bit more agency, which is realistic. I mean, she’s got a law degree. She’s not helpless. Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo does a good job here. OK, she’s not the red haired Jack we know of the series. But so what? Representation matters (on a side point of which, good job in making Alex’s crush at school black too). And didn’t that thing about Immigration strike just a bit harder because Jack was black? Didn’t it make it that much more realistic and scary? This shit happens, people.

4.Ian. I didn’t have strong views about this. I’ve seen that others didn’t like how his death was changed. I’d argue they wanted to get away from what had already been done in the Stormbreaker movie, and, anyway, it set up the mystery of Scorpia’s involvement and the MI6 leak quite effectively. I don’t care about the speeding/seatbelt change. They probably did it because these days any decent car (like Ian’s was) screams at the driver if they’ve not got their seatbelt on.

5. K Unit generally. We didn’t get too much of Fox, Eagle and Snake, but we got a bit, and what I saw, I really liked. I liked that two of them were women (one of them an excellent sniper!). This show generally handles women much better than the book series - far more balance. I liked the introduction of K Unit - the whole interrogation scene was really well done, from K Unit following orders but being quite uncomfortable with the whole thing, to Alex’s reaction to it, to his escape. I think the lack of SAS training camp was again an attempt to shift away from the Stormbreaker movie and, although it has spawned a lot of fanfiction, it doesn’t actually serve any purpose that couldn’t be addressed elsewhere. For K Unit lovers, I think this move was a good thing. It is pretty difficult to justify K Unit’s attitude towards Alex at Brecon Beacons, and translating that situation to one of trust between Alex and Wolf would be very difficult. This approach worked because, although K Unit was introduced in circumstances where you think they’re acting badly (following orders to interrogate Alex), you’re immediately introduced to the idea they’re not comfortable about it - so they might be good guys after all.

6. Wolf. So this gave us ALL the feels (the apology, the blanket wrap at the end...), but I (possibly controversially) think they could have done more here. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of what we saw in the book - Wolf not liking Alex, and then them turning that around. Don’t get me wrong - obviously, the more Alex/Wolf trust, the better. But I thought they made Wolf into a bit more of a softie than they really needed to. They had 8 episodes - they had time to build more of a character arc for him. 

7. Jones. Mixed feelings. Vicky McClure is really good, and I think the way they’ve set it up, there’s room for a good character arc here; at the moment, the Department is portrayed as basically being under Alan Blunt’s rule, with others disagreeing with his approach but getting overruled. If they make it far enough, Mrs Jones is going to need to have adopted some of his ruthlessness by the time Blunt gets the sack at the end of Scorpia Rising. A bit like Wolf, I thought Mrs Jones could have been a bit more complex than she was. But I’m happy to wait and see what they do in (hopefully) future seasons.

8. Setting. Generally pretty well done. Thank GOD they were wearing proper school uniform (what were the directors of the Stormbreaker movie thinking...this is Britain, y’all). The Point Blanc academy was suitably creepy and isolated. My only criticism re setting was that the “Department” was in a basement. I can see why they did it (dark and mysterious setting, OK), but it didn’t strike me as a particularly realistic place to run a Government department from. Even MI6 has a decent building in Vauxhall.

9. Kyra. I didn’t want to like this deviation in principle - I was really suspicious they were just setting up a love interest (the same way as in the Stormbreaker movie, where they elevated Sabina’s character in a way that just wasn’t appropriate). But Kyra was a brilliant addition. Complex but good-hearted. And nothing cringey happened - even that nearly kiss before Alex leaves Point Blanc was actually pretty believable and went just far enough. Be interesting to see if she comes back - that hanging ending, man. Poor Kyra. On a side point, I think for the purposes of the TV series it was quite important to give Alex a good friend at the academy. Solitary spying works well on the page, but not so much on screen - viewers need dialogue. I thought the way they did it worked well.

10. Plot. Yes, there were tweaks. But I thought the way it was put together was well done. There was no dramatic baddie revealing all at the end. I liked the way it gradually unfolded, and that although MI6 had managed to piece some of it together, it was ultimately Alex who solved it through the spying he’d done. Interesting that they have decided to introduce Scorpia so early on, but it’s given us something to drive the series forward rather than it just being one mission after another, so probably a good move.

11. Tom. The relationship between Tom and Alex was well done (when Alex comes to Tom’s rescue at the end!). O’Connor is good (though, please, PLEASE can we ditch what my husband and I have dubbed the gnome hat?). I thought he got slightly too much air time at this stage, personally - and turning up at the Friends’ house was a bridge too far for me. But I can forgive this. I liked the way they targeted Tom because he and Alex are such best friends. This bromance was something missing from the series and it was a welcome introduction.

I could go on, but I think this is long enough. If anyone has anything they’d like to chat about or to hear my opinion on, do PM me or comment on this post. Meanwhile, I’m off to rewatch the series.

[weclassybouquetfun]

Alex Rider is back!

Alex Rider! You know...

What it says on the tin.

Nearly 20 years after his debut in Anthony Horowitz’s debut spy novel “Stormbreaker” and nearly 14 years after the live-action take on the character in “Alex Rider: Stormbreaker” starring Alex Pettyfer

and nearly 8 years after Alex Pettyfer destroyed his career after “Magic Mike”

the teen spy is back with an 8 episode series on Amazon Prime starring Otto Farrant (Mrs. Wilson). 

The series blends the first and second books “Stormbreaker” and “Point Blanc”. 

The series is definitely not the over-the-top near spoof that the film was, instead it is a sure-footed, proper espionage adventure worthy of the genre but still remembers that the main character, at heart, is still a easy-going teen as evident as the focus on his friendship with best mate, cinephile Tom (Brenock O’Connor, Game of Thrones).

Fookin’ Olly, man.

You can do theatre, and you can smash it in SING STREET, but you’re still the sniveling backstabber Olly.

Another “Game of Thrones” vet stars - Stephen Dillane (the child hating grammarian Stannis Barantheon).

It also stars Vicky McClure (Line of Duty, This is England)

In a minor role is Earl Cave son of singer Nick Cage is great as a kid Alex meets during his first foray into spycraft. 

Earl was also in the very excellent TRUE HISTORY OF THE NED KELLY GANG starring George Mackay. 

Get to work, agents.

[nepofm]

+𝟏  𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃  𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍  𝐇𝐀𝐒  𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍  𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐃  .  zoya  oppara  (  charithra  chandran  )  is  looking  for  a  romantic  connection  .

romantic   —   zoya oppara is looking for a leading man ( the orpheus to her eurydice, literally ! that’s right - she’s currently staring as eurydice in the broadway production of hadestown ! and your muse is currently staring as orpheus. and much like eva noblezada and reeve carney - they’re dating in real life ! needless to say their chemistry on stage is insane, and i’d like to think their irl relationship is quite cute as well ! but i’m also open to discussing that aspect ! i just think this would be such a fun connection !! ) within the age range of 25-28 that preferably looks like otto farrant, archie renaux, aria shahghasemi, charlie rowe, deaken bluman, emilio sakraya, felix mallard, froy gutierrez, keiynan lonsdale, miguel bernardeau, cha eunwoo, utp. you do have to contact the mun before applying under wcrstbehaviior.