#TBS traumatized my ability to trust authors to stick to their themes and i want compensation

[nebulous-tundra]

tbs honestly upsets me so much because lauren IS actually pretty good at representing certain things entirely on a character basis (damien is actually a really good portrayal of a neglect survivor who develops harmful maladaptions to survive, and also how difficult and frustrating it can be to stop said maladaptions when you have absolutely no frame of reference for what relationships of any kind are supposed to look like, which doesn't go away during adulthood even if you're expected to "know better" without actual guidance (which people don't realize having learned those things from experience growing up because they take it for granted) and also being in a position where you feel safe and comfortable enough to be able to drop them in the first place!) but the way she USES those characters makes me want to grit my teeth until they turn to dust ("damien is Bad because he's the Bad Kind of abuse survivor and those survivors are Bad and they Don't Want to do better and that's why they won't (nevermind that nobody will help them no matter how much they reach out ignore that)"), but the BIGGEST sticking point for me was mostly how damien (who has at most interpersonal power over others) gets run through the wringer even though he clearly DOES want to do better, whereas wadsworth (who has enormous systematic power being basically the CEO of a big government organization that MEDICALLY TORTURES PEOPLE) gets away with basically a slap on the wrist because Famiwy. like this could honestly be commentary on how traumatized mentally ill people with maladaptions and no societal supports are often failed by the psychiatric system and even further traumatized by having the rug pulled out from under them at all times and big important people in powerful positions in corporations are allowed to just do whatever they want without real consequences but instead it's a W because damien is an Icky Mentally Ill Man and wadsworth is a Girlboss. i'm so sorry i've unleashed this here something was Awoken in me

lauren IS actually pretty good at representing certain things entirely on a character basis [...] but the way she USES those characters makes me want to grit my teeth until they turn to dust ("damien is Bad because he's the Bad Kind of abuse survivor and those survivors are Bad and they Don't Want to do better and that's why they won't

YES! YEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS ! i think TBS was meant to be a story about queer/neurodivergent people and an empowering story about how they Stick It To The Man......but end up repeating this issue of accountability in society in the most ironic way possible. i'm glad i'm not the only one who goes a little nuts at the topic because it's honestly just SO FRUSTRATING.

manipulate mansplain malewife Damien gets more abandonment trauma as well as has to relearn how to LIVE(which i'm sure all of us who had a full education and resources still struggle with)whereas gaslight gatekeep girlboss Wadsworth is on bad terms w her nephew : [[[[[[ both are found narratively Bad and yet for whatever reason only Damien is the one to face any real consequences.......as someone who in his last episode revealed a very deep want for personal growth and actually displayed some.........and as a neurodivergent guy........and a queer.............and a child neglect victim to the most severe degree.........................and now poor and broke........... but hey. that's a W for the rest of the cast right. why show a story about love and growth in even the most unlikeliest of people in your story about love and growth.........

i believe we're entitled to be at least a little bit unhinged by this.