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Stranger Things (2x01): “MADMAX” Review

If you haven't yet, be sure to check out my previous reviews:

Stranger Things Episode Reviews:

Season 1:

The Vanishing of Will Byers

The Weirdo on Maple Street

Holly Jolly

The Body

The Flea and the Acrobat

The Monster

The Bathtub

The Upside Down

Stranger Things Play:

Stranger Things The First Shadow

Out of all the season premieres so far, this one is my favorite. I even like it better than “The Vanishing of Will Byers” (which was a great episode on its own) for one particular reason: This was a Breather Episode. One where the characters (and by extension, the audience) got some kind of break from the chaos and intensity that the show usually propels everyone into.

Sure, there are ominous signs that something horrific is on the horizon (Will’s vision of the Upside Down for instance), and the episode has clever foreshadowing for what’s to come. For the most part though, there is a sense of calm before the storm that I appreciate. We get to see the characters we love trying to live their lives (even if they can’t return to the way things were), we see the introduction of new characters, friendships and relationships continue to develop (with some nice character interactions, both old and new), and the episode takes its time setting up the story beats and themes regarding this season. It also helps that the Duffer Brothers find the right balance in this episode between being humorous without going over-the-top (like “Suzie, Do You Copy?” did) and dark without being mean-spirited (like “The Hellfire Club”).

In other words, this premiere got me excited for season 2, and the rest of the season did not disappoint.

Part 1: Frozen in Time

With the revelation in season 4 that the Upside Down froze in time on November 6th, 1983, it adds a new layer of thematic importance to the show and what the characters are going through this season. I’ve already talked about theories regarding the Upside Down in my season 1 reviews, but one key detail I’ve hoped to convey is the way the Upside Down froze: It's almost like a photograph capturing everything in that moment: The exact time it was taken. The place. The things and objects that were in the vicinity of the photograph. It’s a moment frozen forever in one picture. The big difference is how distorted everything looks, and the lack of context behind it.

I’ve said this before, but for as much as Stranger Things acts a love letter to the 80s, it also serves as a deconstruction of the decade, especially with the problems people faced back then and how certain social issues from that decade have carried over to today’s culture. There were fun things about the 80s, but it also had its uglier aspects. In a way, you could argue the Upside Down's nightmarish version of Hawkins and the rest of the world is a metaphor for how warped the nostalgic perspective can be. There are people who look back at the 80s with rose-colored glasses while ignoring the elements they find unpleasant or twisted, and the opposite where people only see the darkness while ignoring the positives from that decade. That’s also including those who were alive during that time, and what they may have been going through that shaped their perspective of that time period.

In the case of certain characters in this episode, it’s pretty clear that while some have been able to push through what happened the previous year, others have “frozen” in a way that eerily parallels what’s happened with the Upside Down. They are stuck emotionally due to trauma and PTSD, unable to let go of what happened the previous year, and even reliving certain scenarios in their heads. In Will’s case, it’s more literal due to his connection to the Mind Flayer. He wants to move on, but the Upside Down won’t let him. And contrary to what Dr. Owens tells Joyce and Hopper, we’re about to find out Will’s problems go beyond PTSD.

Will’s situation is sad because he’s desperately trying to move on and wants to return to the normalcy he had prior to the Demogorgon taking him. However, the reality is he can’t go back, and the concerns of others around him (even if they mean well) are adding onto his frustrations over his current situation. Joyce has become hyper-protective of Will, to the point she won’t let him ride his bike anymore at night and wants to know where he is at all times. Jonathan’s become a lot more concerned about how Will’s handling things (given the nasty “Zombie Boy” note Will found in his locker, as well as how Zombie Boys and Flight of Icarus depict Will getting bullied following his disappearance the year before, this is somewhat understandable) to the point Will finds it infantilizing. Even the scene of the principal escorting Will to Joyce’s car while everyone watches is a painful reminder to Will of the circumstances he’s in, how everyone is aware that something abnormal is going on with Will, and how he can’t escape it no matter how much he wants to.

I find it telling that when Will gets annoyed with Jonathan and lists off the people who keep treating him like there’s something wrong with him, Will doesn’t mention Mike’s name. It’s a small detail, but looking at how Mike behaves towards Will in this episode, it makes sense: While everyone else is openly acting like Will’s going to collapse in front of them at any given moment, Mike is careful not to do that. He recognizes Will doesn’t want to talk about his situation (at least not yet), and that Will doesn’t need the constant badgering over his mental state. Instead, Mike treats Will like it’s any other night of friends hanging out. It doesn’t mean Mike is unaware that something’s going on with Will (as we see when Mike finds Will outside following his vision) or that he doesn’t have his concerns, but he’s savvy enough to recognize that bringing this up will just make Will feel worse, and instead works to be there for him without prodding. It reminds me a little of the 50/50 movie where Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character gets diagnosed with cancer and his friend (played by Seth Rogen) tries to help him through it the best way he knows how: Being there for him and treating him normally without becoming overbearing. He does take his cues from self-help books, but he is genuine in caring for his friend without forcing him to confront his mortality, similar to how Mike doesn’t want to force Will to relieve his trauma. Will likely noticed, and appreciated this.

Speaking of Mike, we also see him go through his own issues in this episode. Just like how the Upside Down froze, Mike has refused to take down the home he created for El in the basement, with it being frozen in place as if El was still there somehow:

Given the next episode reveals Mike briefly saw El through the window of his house following the attack at the middle school, it’s understandable why he’d hold on to the hope that El may have survived and is still out there (even in spite of seeing her and the Demogorgon vanish) and is counting down the days since her disappearance. Confronting the alternative, with El dead and him having lost someone he loved and cared about, would be overwhelming. However, it also puts him in the position of not being able to do anything for El, which makes him feel frustrated and causes him to start acting out.

I know Mike’s behavior in season 2 gets flak from fans, and he’s even been referred to as “Emo Mike” by the showrunners, but for all the problems he displays this season, there’s a bitter implication that Mike suffers from depression. It doesn't help that the show conveys the impression that whatever issues he’s dealing with are either belittled or ignored by those around him. It’s mentioned in the aftershow Beyond Stranger Things that a big reason Mike is “frozen” is because he doesn’t have anyone to fall back on, and he’s unable to impress anyone the same way he was with El. While I think that’s true to some extent, I also think El in many ways acted as a safety net for Mike, and visa versa. She was responsible for helping Mike to come out of his shell during the week they had together. He may have been the Dungeon Master in his basement where he could control the world he created, but when it came to the world outside of that, he had very little influence over his circumstances and initially reacted passively to the bullying inflicted on him, as well as how he dealt with school and the direction his life was going. Then he meets this girl who brings out an inner strength inside of him, to the point he’s doing things he’d never expect to do, like standing up to Troy and James at the assembly, or shielding El from the Government at the risk of being caught and killed, or willingly walking off a cliff to save Dustin, or even facing down the Demogorgon with his friends. Then tragedy strikes and El disappears from his life, and it suddenly feels like none of that mattered. Yes, Will did come back from the Upside Down and Mike is glad that he's safe, but that doesn’t erase what he lost with El. Now, everyone around Mike is expecting him to move on without telling him how he needs to, like they expect him to go back to the way things were before.

Is it any wonder he’s not impressed with his parents essentially telling him to get over it (even if they don't use those exact words) during dinner?

Usually when people are acting out, it’s their way of letting others know they’re not okay, and it’s also a way of them letting their emotions out while trying to get some kind of control in their lives. Mike is in a position where he’s unable to help El, and he knows it. He considers everything else at this point (aside from his friendships, which he still values) to be secondary compared to knowing whether El is alive and being able to do something about it. Some people might argue that the things Mike does during this phase are unsympathetic, even if the context behind his actions are understandable, but I get where he’s coming from, even if it doesn’t excuse everything he’s doing.

Speaking as someone who’s suffered depression for years, I can confirm that you don’t just “get over it.” There are things you can do to help mitigate the symptoms (which I would argue Mike tries to do in this episode in hanging out with his friends at the arcade), but there isn’t a specific period of time where it just disappears and you never experience it again. Karen and Ted have a right to discipline Mike for how he’s acting, but they are mistaken in believing this is just typical teenage angst that should have run out the clock by now. Sadly, this is the 80s where depression had an ugly stigma attached to it, so Mike is forced to suck it up for the time being.

I will say this: Compared to someone like Billy, whose behavior has crossed a line to the point of him actively and physically hurting people with his rage, Mike’s behavior comes off as laughably tame. If the worst Mike’s done has been cussing out a teacher, or graffitiing on a bathroom stall that everyone draws on anyways, or taking Nancy’s money in front of her with a promise to repay her later, I’d say that’s progress.

Speaking of Nancy, we also get to see how she’s been frozen. She’s tried going back to the way things were, but Barbara’s death still hangs over her and Steve like a black cloud. Natalia Dyer mentioned in Beyond Stranger Things that Nancy and Steve had been visiting Barbara’s parents for the past year in the hopes of giving them some comfort over Barbara’s disappearance (since they can’t directly reveal the truth to them), and the revelation they’re selling the house to hire Murray to look for Barbara is the catalyst for Nancy realizing she can’t keep going on pretending everything’s okay.

I talked about this in my previous review, but a big reason for why Nancy likely went back to Steve (aside from Jonathan choosing to focus on his family at the time) had to do with Steve being the only other person she could talk to about Barbara’s fate, as well as her wanting to give their relationship another chance. In many ways, Nancy took the opposite approach of Mike when it came to her trauma: Instead of acting out, she tried to suppress her emotions. Unfortunately, it didn’t work because she couldn't ignore the trauma and loss that was there, and regardless of whether or not she meant to, it had a negative impact on her relationship with Steve. The tie-in novel Rebel Robin (which takes place between 1983-1984) alludes to this several times:

I’m sure there’s been a debate in the fandom about whether Nancy still had feelings for Steve during the year they were together, and I believe the answer is yes and no. I think Nancy wanted to recapture what she felt for Steve prior to Barbara’s disappearance, and I also think she hoped that by rekindling their relationship, it would cause that spark to come back. Sadly, the reality is things had changed drastically during that week in season 1, both with Barbara’s disappearance, her relationship with Jonathan, and how Steve acted during that time, all of which colored her perspective going forward: She’s in mourning for Barbara and hasn’t found closure for it, she can’t ignore the fact that the same time she chose to have sex with Steve is when the Demogorgon took Barbara, nor can she ignore how Steve reacted when he thought she had cheated on him with Jonathan (even if Steve was remorseful about how he acted), and she’s realizing her feelings for Jonathan haven’t gone away. The result is she has lost interest in her relationship with Steve, even while she’s still trying to act like she’s invested.

To a certain degree, Steve is aware of how last year impacted Nancy (even as he’s dealing with his own problems getting into college) and I honestly think he did the best he could in trying to comfort Nancy over Barbara's death, but didn’t know how to do that in an effective way for her. His motivation to continue doing “normal” activities, like going to the theater, prom, Tina’s Halloween Party, or even focusing on sports was likely his way of coping, as if repeatedly doing those activities would somehow desensitize him and Nancy to the horrors of what they previously experienced. Unfortunately, that was never an approach that was going to work for Nancy, and I would argue it didn’t truly work for Steve either.

I’ll talk more about the conflict over how Nancy and Steve choose to deal with the truth about Barbara’s death in the next review, but I get where Steve was coming from as much as I get where Nancy was coming from. He may not have the intense grief Nancy does over Barbara’s death, since neither he nor Barbara were that close, but there is guilt on his part for his indirect role in her death. There’s also the fact that Steve's in this nightmare scenario as much as the other main characters are, and (as of right now) the only person he has a close enough relationship with that he can talk to about all this is Nancy.

Finally, there’s the Steve/Nancy/Jonathan love triangle I want to discuss quickly. The episode makes it pretty clear that Nancy still has feelings for Jonathan, and her invitation to Tina’s Halloween Party went beyond just simple friendship. However, just because that was obvious to the audience doesn’t mean it was obvious to Steve. While he knew that Nancy and Jonathan talked with one another (especially since Jonathan is the only other teenager in their age group who knows about the Upside Down), my impression was that Steve assumed that Nancy and Jonathan were just friends at this point, and that it didn’t go past that. He already made the mistake of jumping to the conclusion Nancy cheated on him with Jonathan, and he wasn’t ever going to do that again because of how disgusted he was with himself for the damage and hurt he caused them. I’ve seen a few fans cynically take the scene of Steve playfully hugging Nancy and spinning her around following her conversation with Jonathan out-of-context to paint it as this calculated ploy to reaffirm to Jonathan that Nancy was his, which I not only find to be a bad-faith misconstruction (and I remember when some dipshit on TV Tropes put Will in the “Unintentionally Unsympathetic” category and accused him of allowing Angela to bully El in season 4 because he was jealous of her relationship with Mike 🙄), but also one that doesn’t correlate with Steve’s character. If Steve honestly believed Nancy had feelings for Jonathan at this point, he either would have confronted her about it already (like he does two episodes from now) or he would have ended their relationship. Steve is many things, but he isn’t manipulative, and he isn’t going to play mind games trying to keep someone in a relationship they don’t want to be in. I think Steve assumed Nancy was still working through her grief regarding Barbara’s death, and it wasn’t until their confrontation at the Halloween Party that it finally hit him that she was in love with Jonathan. We’ll discuss the ramifications of that in the next few reviews, but I’m not remotely interested in demonizing one character to absolve another character for how they handled things (like some fans constantly do).

Part 2: New Faces

I remember I was stoked for Kali’s character when I saw this episode for the first time. I’ve said before that, aside from the characters, I find the mythology behind Hawkins Lab and the Upside Down to be the most interesting aspect of the show. Because of this, I was invested in the idea of meeting more special kids from the Lab. Comics like Six and Into The Fire implied there were more of them out there who had escaped and were on the run. As of season 4, we know that isn’t true, and those particular comics are officially non-canon. El, Kali, and Vecna are the last of the special kids from Hawkins Lab.

I talked about this in my review of Into the Fire, but I've made my peace with the direction they went on the show. Vecna’s backstory, as well as the Massacre at Hawkins Lab, remains one of the strongest elements to the show’s mythology, and it helps that there were hints all the way back in season 1 that (aside from El) there were no more kids residing at the Lab.

I will give a more in-depth analysis about Kali and her role on the show when I review “The Lost Sister,” but I want to discuss a reference to Kali and her gang that hasn't been cited as inspiration for how their characters were crafted, yet still sticks out for how it parallels their story: Blade Runner.

Blade Runner is a 1982 science-fiction dystopian movie by Ridley Scott (same director as Alien). Set in an alternate timeline in 2019 where the Tyrell Corporation has created bioengineered humanoid beings called Replicants to serve as slave labor on the colonies established off-world, the movie centers on Rick Deckard (played by Harrison Ford) who is a former Blade Runner (i.e. a special type of police officer that tracks down rogue Replicants and proceeds to terminate them) that is tasked with eliminating four Replicants led by Roy Batty (played by Rutger Hauer) who are illegally on Earth. The movie deals with Deckard’s investigation while he comes to terms with his complicated feelings regarding a new prototype Replicant named Rachael.

Similar to Kali’s arc this season, Blade Runner has a lot of moral ambiguity regarding the characters and their actions. Everyone in the movie (except for maybe Rachael) comes out as an anti-hero at best and a villain at worst. Deckard may be the protagonist, but he certainly isn’t heroic, and some of his actions during the course of the film cause the audience to question if he’s really any better than the Replicants he’s hunting. The rogue Replicants themselves are no saints, and are not above killing people, but at the same time, their motivations are rooted in survival and attempting to escape the oppressive system that's keeping them down. We later find out that Roy’s end goal is to reach Eldon Tyrell (founder and CEO of the Tyrell Corporation) in order to get a life extension due to having a genetic premature aging disorder. The movie deals with hardcore ethical questions regarding the existence of Replicants, from the dehumanizing way they’re treated, to being genetically engineered in a way where their lifespan is cut short to prevent them from developing emotionally, to the lack of rights Replicants have despite their similarities to humans. There’s also how new Replicants like Raechal are implanted with memories from another person (in her case, from Tyrell’s niece) as a means of giving them an “emotional cushion” that would better allow them to be controlled. Tyrell Corporations motto may be “More Human Than Human,” but that doesn’t mean they treat them as such.

While Blade Runner hasn’t been cited as an inspiration for Kali’s character, I am struck by the parallels between her and the Replicants. Like El, Kali was kidnapped and became a slave for Dr. Brenner and the U.S. Government in everything but name. She had no rights or freedom, she was groomed into becoming a weapon, was abused and punished if she attempted to resist this (as we see in the flashback with Kali and the orderly Ray Carroll), and spent most of her life being treated in a dehumanizing manner. By the time she managed to escape, she is angry and hurt and out for revenge against the people who took away her life, similar to how Roy from Blade Runner takes his revenge against Eldon Tyrell. Even Roy hunting down and physically hurting Deckard in the climax of the movie has similarities to what Kali does several episodes from now when she turns the tables against Ray Carroll for all the abuse he inflicted on her: Both Carroll and Deckard get a taste of what it’s like to be hunted and living in fear. One difference between Roy and Kali is that while Roy succumbs to the end of his lifespan and dies, Kali is (as of now) still alive and out there. Where her character goes from here remains to be seen.

Another character we get introduced to is Dr. Owens, played by Paul Reiser:

The Duffer Brothers have cited both Aliens and Diner (1982) as inspirations for casting Paul Reiser as Dr. Owens. I will talk more about Diner (1982) when I review “The Gate” since there’s a scene from that film they pay homage to in that episode, but the Aliens shout-out is pretty obvious for anyone who’s seen it. In Aliens, Paul Reiser plays Carter Burke, an executive employed by the corrupt corporation Weyland-Yutani. Initially appearing as a friend to Ripley and coming with her and the Colonial Marines to investigate the disappearance of a colony on LV-426 (the same world from the first movie where the crew of the Nostromo encountered the Xenomorphs for the first time), it’s later revealed that not only is he a slimy backstabbing traitor who was responsible for the colony’s predicament at the hands of the Xenomorphs, but he had also intended to get Ripley and Newt pregnant with facehuggers, smuggle them off world via cryochambers, kill the remaining marines on board, and get them delivered to Weyland-Yutani to make a profit from the potential bioweapon the company planned to create with the Xenomorphs. To say he was the most hated character in the movie is an understatement: Paul Reiser’s family were thrilled when Burke was killed off.

By comparison, Dr. Owens had that same vibe when he was first introduced: Someone who appears friendly on the surface, but for all we knew may have had ulterior motives. Paul Reiser’s casting was meant to invoke this, but there’s also the circumstances regarding Owens character: He’s now in charge of Hawkins Lab, and while he tries to reassure Joyce and Hopper that the previous people in charge are gone (notice he doesn’t say Brenner is dead, just that he’s gone), there isn’t a lot of trust established between both parties for valid reasons. He’s trying to be open with Joyce and Hopper, but he’s also dealing with containing the threat of the Upside Down, and there are certain secrets he’s keeping. I seriously doubt, for instance, that Joyce or Hopper are aware that Brenner is still alive, or that Owens ever told them he was. I’m not saying Dr. Owens friendly demeanor wasn’t genuine, and it’s clear he does care about Will’s well-being and is NOTHING like Carter Burke from Aliens, but he is also answering to his superiors who are motivated to keep the main characters in the dark about certain information that they consider classified. This is going to become an issue in season 4 when Owens makes the morally questionable decision to partner with Brenner at The Nina Project while blindsiding El in the process.

Next up we have Murray. Where do I begin?

I talked about this in my review of Tales from Hawkins, but out of all the characters in the main cast, he’s probably my least favorite. I don’t hate him, but he never grew on me the same way Steve and Erica did. Part of it is because I’m not a big fan of the type of character he represents (i.e. paranoid, antisocial, no social cues, rudely barging into other people’s business, etc). It doesn’t help that he was likely what Terry Ives was originally conceived to be in the Montauk Pitch:

I’ve been clear for a while now that I don’t like conspiracy theorists, and have little patience for their bullshit. A lot of that has to do with the current political and social climate, as well as seeing the plethora of stupidity, self-absorbed narcissism, and victim-complexes associated with people who behave like that. To the show’s credit, they don’t completely go this direction with Murray. He is established as a former journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times, which gives him some credibility, but that’s also coming with some major asterisks. Murray doesn’t have a life outside of investigating cover-ups, and while comics like Tales from Hawkins (and the show to a certain extent) establish that he is capable of putting in the hard work of following leads, doing interviews, establishing timelines, and so on, that doesn’t mean he’s accurate about everything, or that his theories aren’t wildly off-base.

On rewatch, Murray’s claims to Hopper in this episode about a Russian invasion in Hawkins has me raising an eyebrow considering the direction season 3 went. If he was that paranoid (to the point we find out later he’s capable of speaking Russian because he anticipated that skill would come in handy some day) and that convinced about Russians in Hawkins, how come he never noticed anything off in the town regarding certain people who were likely Russian agents? Or even the whole construction of Starcourt Mall for that matter (which would’ve taken months to develop)? Keep in mind that at this point, the Russians already knew about the Upside Down (the first time they tried to open a gate was on June 28th, 1984) and were planning to come to Hawkins to extract monsters from that dimension, so I’d imagine that they were already in the town, either scouting the area, or working on Starcourt Mall, or buying up property and land to build transformers for their key to unlocking a Gate (since I seriously doubt they could access the Gate at Hawkins Lab due to security), or working on any of their other operations. I guess it’s possible to argue the Russians didn’t come to Hawkins until AFTER El closed the gate at the end of this season, but considering that Murray is always looking for another cover-up to expose, I’m hard pressed to believe he didn’t notice anything suspicious in Hawkins between November 1984 and July 1985.

Brett Gelman (who plays Murray) admitted in Beyond Stranger Things that he had this backstory established where Murray’s drive to uncover the truth and “expose everything that is bullshit” (his words, not mine) was rooted in the idea that Murray’s attempts to uncover a conspiracy in the past backfired on him and cost him his family (it’s never stated what happened to his family, but it’s more likely that his wife and kids left him after they got humiliated in the process, as opposed to being killed). The result is he’s been trying to undo that mistake ever since, and his motivation in finding out what happened to Barbara is about making things right by giving closure to her parents and to himself. There is a selfish motivation relating to Murray’s pride, but I’ve never gotten the impression that he was disingenuous about getting the facts right (even if his initial theories were all over the place) and there is the sense he genuinely cares about the truth and not his version of the truth.

There are three movies that have been cited as inspiration for Murray’s character: All the President's Men (which deals with the real-life investigation into the Watergate Scandal), Marathon Man, and The Parallax View. The former movie serves as a story influence for Murray, Nancy, and Jonathan’s attempts to expose Hawkins Lab this season, and I will talk about more about that movie in later reviews, but the latter two films are best saved for future discussions since their plots and themes have more in common with the story arcs in later seasons.

Next up is the introduction of Max.

The title of the episode gives away that her character was inspired by the titular character from the Mad Max Saga. Most people know the general plot of those movies: In a dystopian post-apocalyptic Australia, a former idealistic cop named Max Rockatansky has become a vigilante “Road Warrior” in the resulting wasteland, looking to survive while occasionally helping groups of people at the mercy of vicious warlords and deranged degenerates. Due to the loss of his wife and son to a vicious biker gang in the first movie, as well as seeing the world fall apart before his eyes, he has become closed off, reliving the trauma of his past. While the first Mad Max movie depicts his backstory, the later movies focus on him slowly regaining his humanity and performing heroic feats to help those in dire circumstances, even with how hopeless the current living situation appears to be.

Max’s character on the show parallels Max from the movies in that both are reserved and guarded around others due to their experiences. In both cases, it’s a defense mechanism to prevent them from being vulnerable and getting hurt again. Both chose to keep to themselves, appearing not to care about what others think of them. Deep down though, they are lonely as they wrestle with their personal demons. Mad Max over the death of his family, and Max over the abuse she suffers in her family. In order to cope with their horrific circumstances, both try to regain a sense of control over their lives. In Mad Max’s case, it’s by continuing to hunt for water, food, and gasoline while traveling the road. In Max’s case, since she no longer can return to California, it’s by mastering the games at the arcade and skateboarding in her free time. Anything that keeps her out of the house, and away from Billy and Neil.

The common theme Max shares with Mad Max is that, even though both characters put on a cold detached persona as a means of protecting themselves, they both long for some kind of human connection. For Max herself, she lost her best friend, Nate, back in San Diego (as depicted in the tie-in novel Runaway Max) and she’s now in a new unfamiliar town where she would like to remain inconspicuous, but inadvertently attracts the attention of the Party because she beat their high scores at the arcade. Even with the note she leaves the boys (“STOP SPYING ON ME CREEPS!”), there’s the implication on the show (which is confirmed in Runaway Max) that she is interested in the group and doesn’t actually want them to stay away from her:

This leads me to another inspiration for Max’s character that the Duffer Brothers sneak a reference to in the supply closet that Joyce and Bob make-out in: Annie, the musical based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie.

I’ll be honest in admitting that the most I know about the musical comes from the 1982 film adaptation, and it’s not one I cared for. In general, I’m not a fan of musicals (Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables are the only two Broadway Musicals I’ve ever been invested in), and Annie isn’t something I grew up with, so I don’t have much emotional attachment to it. I see the parallels between Annie and Max in that both are feisty redheads who come from abusive backgrounds (Annie dealing with abuse from Ms. Hannigan, and Max from Billy and Neil), both put on a tough exterior (and make it clear they’re not afraid to fight boys) but they also have a sensitive and caring side underneath. And both eventually manage to escape their abusive circumstances. The difference is while Annie gets her happily ever after, Max’s fate following season 4 remains to be seen.

Fun additional fact: Sadie Sink starred in the 2012 Second Broadway Revival of Annie:

Next we’ve got Bob! Dear old Samwise Gamgee Bob Newby!

Even back when I first saw season 2, I always liked Bob and Joyce’s relationship, however brief it was. He was everything Lonnie Byers failed to be: Kind, empathetic, intelligent, genuinely in love with Joyce, trying to relate to Jonathan and Will, and being one of the few people to make Joyce genuinely happy.

Seriously, this is the happiest I’ve seen Joyce in a long time. Blushing like a school-girl:

I was interested in Bob’s claim in this episode that Joyce didn’t know who he was in high school, given the events depicted in The First Shadow. To my recollection, the show doesn’t state what Bob’s age was, but considering Joyce was well on her way to graduating by 1959, and Bob’s partnership with Joyce and Hopper on the case over the pet killings in Hawkins was only for a brief period of time, I think there’s leeway regarding how Bob’s comment can be interpreted. Joyce may have indeed overlooked Bob for most of her time in high school up till that point. In any case, there is context for why it was easier for Joyce to start a relationship with Bob later on, as opposed to her dating any other random dude following the shitshow that was her marriage with Lonnie.

I was happy they cast Sean Astin for Bob, not just because of his role in The Goonies (another movie I intend to talk about down the line), but also because The Lord of the Rings is one of my favorite trilogies, and his portrayal as Sam will always be iconic for me. Given how recognizable he is as an actor, I expected Bob at the time to survive to the end of the season, but I guess that was a false hope. Regardless, Bob did leave his mark on the show (specifically on Joyce’s character), and there are ramifications regarding his role that I plan to talk about in later reviews.

Finally…………there’s Billy. I don’t really have a lot to say about him in this episode, other than I found the scene with Carol and the other girls oogling at him to be eye-roll inducing. 🙄 For as much as Carol spent last season slut-shaming Nancy, I would not be shocked if she cheated on Tommy with Billy, and then Billy proceeded to dump her ass in the most humiliating manner possible (something Max alludes that Billy has done multiple times with other girls in Runaway Max). If the phrase “Every accusation is a confession” ever applied to a character on this show, Carol would be a top qualifier.

Part 3: Foreshadowing and References

Palace Arcade ranks as one of my favorite locations from the show. I have huge nostalgia for arcades from my childhood, namely because me and my teammates from soccer, baseball, and basketball games in both Elementary and Middle School would visit them after a final game. While I never got to play Dragon’s Lair or Dig Dug (since they didn’t have those games at our location), I did play Pac-Man, as well as Mortal Kombat, pinball, hunting games, shooter games (one of which was based off Terminator Salvation), and California Speed. Sadly, I only had a limited amount of quarters I was given for these games, so I had to make every moment count if I was aiming for a high score.

Palace Arcade was named in honor of the 20 Grand Palace Arcade from the 1983 movie WarGames (which is also one of the three films Jonathan picks up for movie night in this episode). Because the film’s plot holds parallels to season 4’s road trip arc with Mike, Will, Jonathan, and Argyle, as well as Suzie’s part in that, I will wait to discuss the movie in-depth when I cover those episodes. For this season though, Jonathan and Nancy’s arc in seeking out Murray to help bring down Hawkins Lab slightly mirrors WarGames when the characters of David Lightman (Matthew Broderick) and Jennifer Mack (Ally Sheedy) seek out Dr. Stephen Falken in the hopes he can stop his creation (The War Operation Plan Response) from causing Nuclear Armageddon. The behind-the-scenes companion book Worlds Turned Upside Down offers more insight into the Laundromat they converted into the Arcade:

In any case, I was sad when the location disappeared after season 2. I get the characters were growing up and wouldn’t hang around there forever, but I still miss the brief nostalgic joy it brought me.

Two specific games get referenced in this episode which contain foreshadowing for events later in the season: Dragon’s Lair and Dig Dug.

The former arcade game was animated by Don Bluth (director of The Secrets of NIMH, The Land Before Time, and Anastasia to name a few of his movies) and was an “on rails” quick time event game where players controlled the reflexes of the main character (Dirk the Daring) as he entered a magic castle filled with monsters and other perils in his attempt to rescue Princess Daphne from a dragon name Singe. The game was notoriously difficult, but also extremely popular when it came out in 1983. The first video gives a little more information about Dragon Lair's history for those who are interested, and the latter video is the entire gameplay:

It’s been confirmed in Beyond Stranger Things that the scene with Dustin playing Dragon’s Lair and losing, along with Lucas’s comment about how Princess Daphne was still his (indicating Lucas had beaten Dustin at the game before), was thematically tied to the Dustin/Max/Lucas love triangle this season, as well as foreshadowing for how Lucas would be the one who ultimately ends up with Max.

Likewise, Dig Dug was another popular arcade game dealing with players digging tunnels underground while eliminating enemies in the area (usually Pookas or Fygars) either by hitting them with an air-pump or using rocks in the environment to crush them.

Paul Dichter, writer for the show, admitted that the game was tied thematically to the reveal of the Upside Down tunnels underneath Hawkins, with its vines, poisonous spores, and demodogs. The game itself also acts as foreshadowing for the climax of the finale when Steve, Mike, Lucas, Max, and Dustin all venture into the tunnels to burn them as a distraction to direct the Mind Flayer’s attention away from Hopper and El.

Another shout-out in this episode goes to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (another Matthew Broderick movie) in the scene when Mr. Clarke is teaching about the human brain, and most of the students (with the exception of Mike, Will, Dustin, and Lucas) look bored or disinterested. To be honest, I felt like this homage was a little unfair to Mr. Clarke, especially in comparison to Ben Stein’s character from the movie and his teaching methods. Say what you will about Mr. Clarke, but he is passionate about science and clearly wants these kids to be excited about it, whereas Ben Stein’s character couldn’t give less of a crap about student interest, which is why his lecture is as fun as watching paint dry:

I will say this for the Ben Stein scene: The subject matter regarding tariffs during the Great Depression and how that failed spectacularly in alleviating economic woes feels uncomfortably relevant considering what Trump and his cronies are currently doing by starting a trade war with tariffs that's crashing the U.S. economy and pissing off our allies abroad. 😒

Speaking of politics, since this season takes place in 1984 a week before the Election (which was held on November 6th, 1984, the day after El closes the Gate) we get to see a bunch of Election paraphernalia, from the Reagan/Bush ’84 sign outside the Wheeler house, to the “Vote Here” sign at the Middle School:

We’ll later see a Mondale/Ferraro sign outside Dustin’s house. Runaway Max also confirms Neil Hargrove was a Reagan supporter.

If I had reviewed season 2 last year, or even before that, I would have likely found references to the 1984 election to be a cool shout-out to historical events. Considering we just got done with an election where over half of America voted for a convicted felon and misogynistic rapist, whose administration over the past 2 months has been a fucking clown show of corruption, cruelty, and stupidity on a grandiose scale, I find the references to be a depressing reminder of what recently happened. I will eventually move past my bitterness (those there are certain individuals I will hold a grudge against for a long time), but damn it didn’t have to be this way.

We've already mentioned WarGames, but the other two movies Jonathan brings home for his family to watch are Twilight Zone: The Movie and Mr. Mom. The former consists of four anthology stories directed by John Landis, Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, and George Miller based on the popular show The Twilight Zone. The latter is a 1983 comedy starring Michael Keaton where his character loses his job and becomes a stay-at-home dad while his wife turns into the breadwinner for the family and looks to advance her career. Mr. Mom works as foreshadowing for the direction Steve’s character will go later in the season when he becomes the babysitter for the Party and takes on more responsibilities that allow him to mature. As for Twilight Zone: The Movie, I don’t see a lot of parallels between that movie and this season, aside from maybe suggesting the gremlin destroying the plane in “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” is comparable to the destruction the demodogs will unleash on Hawkins Lab, or even how Anthony’s character from “It’s a Good Life” mirrors a young Henry Creel in that they both have powers and an unstable mindset that makes them dangerous to everyone around them. Difference is that while Anthony found someone who could act as a mentor for him, with his story ending happily, the same cannot be said for Henry. To be honest, I’m somewhat surprised this movie was even referenced at all since anyone who knows about the troubled production surrounding Twilight Zone: The Movie (specifically the on-set deaths of Vic Morrow and the two child actors who were hired illegally) is aware the movie is an Old Shame for most people who worked on it. There were years worth of lawsuits and court cases over what happened, Spielberg ended his friendship with John Landis in the aftermath, and it cause permanent changes in the film industry regarding safety procedures and how much control directors had on set.

Speaking of Spielberg, one movie of his that’s been cited as inspiration for season 1, and is paid homage to in this episode, is Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Specifically, the vision of the Mind Flayer outside Will’s house mirroring Barry’s encounter with the aliens:

Unfortunately for Will, the Mind Flayer doesn’t have the same benevolent intentions of the aliens from that movie.

The Terminator gets a shout-out in this episode when we see it advertised at the Hawkins Theater. Some of the story beats will come into play in season 3 (specifically Hooper, Joyce, and Alexei being hunted by Grigori and the Russians) but the way the film was shot in Los Angeles, with its gritty urban aesthetic and filthy streets, will be seen later in Chicago when El travels there to meet Kali. Even the beginning of the episode when Kali’s gang is being chased by the police reminds me of when Kyle Reese and Sarah Conner are being chased by the Terminator:

Heck, even the opening credits for Stranger Things have a similar style to the opening credits from The Terminator:

Part 4: Miscellaneous Stuff (Will, Hopper, and the Upside Down)

I’ve come to expect that each season of Stranger Things will feature bullying as a theme of some kind or another, but even with the nasty note Will found in his locker, I find the whole insult behind “Zombie Boy” to be incredibly stupid, and Max's narration from Runaway Max best sums up why:

Like I said in my review of “The Body,” I don’t think this is entirely reflective of the entire student population at Hawkins Middle School (unlike the Rink-O-Mania crowd from season 4) since we did see kids like Jennifer Hayes who were upset when they thought Will died, or were otherwise somber about it during the assembly, but it’s always the assholes that make everyone else look bad.

It’s noteworthy the newspaper article from Will’s locker is different from the article at the Police Station in the season 1 finale:

There’s a major discrepancy between the two articles, and I question if that was done on accident or on purpose by the writers. Season 1 established there were a lot of rumors going around regarding what happened to Will. Considering how quickly gossip tinged with misinformation seems to spread around Hawkins, I wouldn’t be surprised if conspiracy theorists in the area started spewing their own garbage takes, one thing led to another, and that’s how the first article alleging that Joyce claimed Will was subjected to “a secret government program” by Hawkins Lab got published. Bearing in mind that Hopper emphasized to Joyce in “The Upside Down” that the conditions for getting her son back involved not holding Hawkins Lab responsible (“You want Will back? This place had nothing to do with it. That’s the deal. You got it?”), I seriously doubt Joyce would have been stupid enough to shoot her mouth off like that to a newspaper. That’s also including how the last shot of Hopper, prior to the December time-jump, was him getting into a car with federal agents, with the implication being these agents laid out the terms for the cover story and what was expected from Hopper and everyone else who’d been involved with what happened.

In any case, I think the “Zombie Boy” news article is the correct article, and has a cover story that makes sense: They threw the State Coroner, who’d been hired by Hawkins Lab in season 1 to claim the fake body they planted at Sattler’s Quarry was Will’s body, under the bus.

Will’s drawing of “Zombie Boy” and using art as an expression for his trauma reminds me of the graphic novel Zombie Boys, which takes place prior to the events of this season, where the boys meet an aspiring filmmaker in their grade named Joey Kim, who writes and directs a zombie movie based on Will’s drawings, with the movie helping the boys to work through some of the pent-up emotions they’ve had since the events of season 1:

If you haven’t read the graphic novel, I highly recommend it. It’s got a great story, and it ties in well with the themes regarding trauma and finding ways to cope with it.

I will discuss the pairing of Hopper and El in later reviews, but in regards to Hopper’s investigation into the rotting pumpkin patch, they mention in this episode that it just started (with the pumpkins being fine the day before), and we later discover that the tunnels underground created by the Upside Down factored into this. My question is why did the rot only start now? Did the tunnels only just reach Merrill’s Pumpkin Patch on that particular day? I could be wrong, but I was under the assumption the creation of the tunnels from the Gate had been a year long process, and that part of the reason the Mind Flayer initially tolerated the burns Dr. Owens team inflicted on the tendrils and biological matter near the Gate was because it was trying to keep the network of tunnels a secret at the time. However, if the tunnels had been spreading throughout Hawkins for the past year, there should have been other areas infected and dying before it ever got to Merrill and Eugene’s pumpkin patches. Assuming Hopper didn’t get any other reports regarding areas where Hawkins plant life was rotting away (which I guess makes sense since you wouldn’t normally call the police regarding something like that), it makes me wonder if other people noticed. Since Merrill and Eugene run a business selling pumpkins and the rot was affecting their income, it makes sense they would take notice. Everyone else may have treated this as an abnormal curiosity, but not something to panic over yet.

There was a brief continuity error I noticed at the beginning of this episode: It’s stated with screen titles that Kali’s raid in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania takes place on October 28th, 1984. However, the evening news report which covers the police chase on Dustin’s TV indicates this happened the same night Dustin and his friends went to Palace Arcade. Considering the next day takes place on October 30th, 1984 (as confirmed when Bob videotapes Joyce making popcorn, as well as Merrill mentioning to Hopper that it’s the day before Halloween), this means that the initial date this episode starts with should have been on the evening on October 29th, 1984. Not the worst continuity error in the world (Birthdaygate in season 4 would surpass that), but it is a notable screw-up.

Part 5: Song Choices:

One of the first 80s songs we hear play is “Whip It” by Devo.

Contrary to how the music video makes the song seem sexually suggestive (like some kind of BDSM fetish), Devo has admitted the song’s nonsensical lyrics were meant as a satire of the “can-do” motivational attitude used in American capitalist culture to make it seem like people can push through anything with the right mindset (“When a problem comes along, You must whip it.”).  A reviewer named Steve Huey put it best when he noted that the song is “a sardonic portrait of a general, problematic aspect of the American psyche: the predilection for using force and violence to solve problems, vent frustration, and prove oneself to others.” Even Jerry Casale, the co-founder and vocalist for the band, admitted the lyrics were supposed to sound like cliché inspirational slogans taken out-of-context (“Go Forward! Move Ahead! Try not to detect it! It’s not too late!”). Considering this song is playing when the boys are arriving at Palace Arcade while psyching themselves to get top scores and show everyone they’re the best at these games, this song was an appropriate choice.

Next song is Oingo Boingo’s “Just Another Day,” which plays the next morning after the Arcade scenes, showing daily life in Hawkins and Hopper driving to work with Murray there to meet him. Despite that brief snippet of the song in the scene suggesting “It’s just another day” like any other, the lyrics are ominous and disturbing, to the point you begin to question the singer’s mental health. (“I do not trust my ears. I don’t believe my eyes!”). There’s a sense of unease that something bad is going to happen, like a premonition (“I had a dream last night. The World was set on fire. And everywhere I ran. There wasn’t any water!”) (“And just when I think, that things are in their place, the heavens are secure, the whole thing explodes in my face!”). Given the Mind Flayer has set its sights on Will, and spent a year preparing for an underground invasion of Hawkins, the lyrics act as foreshadowing for what’s to come, and they even apply to later seasons now that Vecna’s opened a bigger Gate and plans to burn the world.

The next song plays when Nancy and Steve go over Steve’s college application essay: “Talking in your Sleep” by The Romantics. The song depicts a couple where one of the lovers hears the other sleep-talking at night when they’re at their most vulnerable, with the sleep-talker expressing that they love the other person and need them in their lives. In the context of Nancy and Steve, the song comes across as bitterly ironic since Nancy has long fallen out-of-love with Steve at this point and her heart belongs to Jonathan. It makes me wonder if the sleep-talker in the song is meant to represent Steve since he hasn’t fallen out of love with Nancy yet.

The next song comes during Billy and Max’s introductions: “Rock You Like A Hurricane” by Scorpion. Rudolf Schenker, songwriter and guitarist for the band, mentioned in an interview that the song was supposed to be a rock anthem about attitude and sexuality. It’s certainly reflected in the song’s lyrics: (“The Bitch is hungry. She needs to tell. So give her inches, and feed her well.”) (“Lust is in cages, Till storm breaks loose, Just have to make it, With someone I choose”). The way the singer acts in this song conveys this idea that he’s less of a human and more of an animal, or even a force of nature (“He’s licking his lips. He’s ready to win. On the Hunt tonight, for love at first sting. Here I am! Rock you like a Hurricane!”). I guess that’s a pretty accurate description for Billy’s character, but it’s not one that makes him appealing, and comes with so many negative connotations. Hurricanes come and destroy everything in their path while you’re left picking up the pieces afterwards, and the animalistic descriptions convey the idea this person is only looking for instant gratification (to say nothing about the misogynistic attitude Billy has towards women in general).

A similar themed song is “Every Other Girl” by Prehistoric Wolves, which is heard over the headphones of the tech guy who’s bouncing the ball right as the alarms for the Lab go off. I wasn’t able to find a lot of information about this song or the band other than this, but the lyrics convey the idea that the singer goes through multiple affairs, with each conquest being treated as “every other girl, every other night.” Charming. 😒 There are plenty of other songs that have a similar sleazy quality where the singer is either cheating on someone, or else philandering (“Your Love” by The Outfield comes to mind), with the general theme of callousness and instant gratification. I can’t speak for what’s going on with that Lab Technician (or if this was just a distraction song to pass the time), but I definitely can see how it would apply to Billy and his approach to relationships with girls.

Finally, there's “Spooky Movies” by Gary Paxton, which plays when Bob comes to Joyce’s work to make out with her. It’s a fun Halloween song talking about how a guy’s lover prefers spooky movies over a date with him, and makes reference to famous horror monsters (King Kong, Dracula, Frankenstein, etc). The joke is that the monsters measure up for this girl better than her boyfriend (though it’s implied it’s just playful teasing and not meant to be taken seriously). This is coming on the heels of Bob asking Joyce not to have Jonathan bring home any scary movies to watch (though Jonathan brings home Twilight Zone: The Movie anyways) and then picking Mr. Mom, which is the furthest from a Halloween movie as you can get. Either way, the song does a great job establishing Bob as a fun-loving guy to be around.

Overall, this was an enjoyable episode.

[stablersolivia]

Thoughts on Caryl/MMB/TWDCaryl

First things first, I'm super new to the fandom stuff involving anything The Walking Dead... but I've been through this before.

So--- I began The Walking Dead in 2018, which is around when Season 8 was about to premiere I believe (correct me if I'm wrong). Nevermind the fact I watched the premiere episode all the way back in 2010 and for some reason, never watched again, lol. All I remember is binge watching the first 7 seasons and waiting for the new season to air. But something came up, and I somehow lost track of the new episodes. Fast forward 6ish years and I decided to rewatch from the beginning ...on election night .... to distract from the chaos. I ended up watching the entire series (plus two seasons of #TWDCaryl) in 3 weeks.

Similar to many other fans, I loved the whole cast, but something drew me to Carol and Daryl the most. I remember loving them the first time, but I never really "delved" into it. I liked the idea of them, but I wasn't super... shippy if that makes sense. But---and this is important--- I was already fully immersed in a long-term ship already in EO. Yeah, that EO. The 25 year long slow burn ship from Law and Order SVU. I guess you can say I didn't have the brain function to obsess over two different ships... at least not back 6ish years ago, which is still about 2 years before news broke Chris Meloni/Elliot was coming back to the franchise after 10 YEARS away. SO--- if you're familiar at all with that and/or EO and the drama with the ship itself, the other ships within the show, and the fans --then we're on the same page.

Which brings me back to Caryl/TWD spinoff. I can't say I'm super surprised at the drama surrounding the new spinoff ---which I was insanely excited about years ago when it was first announced even though I hadn't watched the show in a couple of years. Plus, I was a Caryl fan from the beginning too. But then the news broke that Melissa wasn't going to be on the spinoff after all and I remember thinking --- I'm kind of glad I didn't get as invested in them as I have EO (which is ridiculously invested ---17 years worth of fanfic, fanart, twitter, tumblr friends, etc). But after rewatching the series in its entirety this past November-- I've lost that battle. While I didn't hardcore ship Caryl the first time around (even though I really liked the idea) ---I'm down bad now. Especially after watching seasons 9/10/11 and now the spinoff. My twitter bookmarks, tumblr queue and tags are a Caryl mess right now and I wouldn't want it any other way.

I absolutely adore Melissa and Norman, and their friendship mirrors Chris and Mariska's on SVU's as well (Elliot and Olivia) in a lot of ways -- but that's for another time. (Also-- if you haven't watched Norman's ep of SVU -- highly recommend -- it's in Season 7). I truly think the friendships behind these characters truly drive the effectiveness of duos and ships. If the actors don't get along and/or truly love each other in real life-- it's just not the same. The love truly bleeds onto the screen when it's organic. It really makes everything "earned' like Mariska and Norman have both said about the relationships.

So--- it's disheartening to see that even though Melissa is back in the TWD world after all, and appeared at the end of S1 of the spinoff and all of Season 2, that she's -- from what I've seen tweeted/posted on tumblr --- not getting the respect she deserves, or so it seems. Being a part of a duo comes with all kinds of peaks and valleys. So, one half not getting what they deserve is something I hope sincerely isn't the case. She is literally my favorite female character on this show. I truly think MMB, is a gifted actress who is light years ahead in talent. And again, I love pretty much every character.

With MMB being a woman of a certain age leading a long running show--- I can't help go back to SVU with Mariska. Being leading women on high profile tv shows in your late 50's, early 60's is something to celebrate and be super careful with to be quite frank. MH has been lead/Co-lead on her show for 26 seasons now and an executive producer. If she's getting the respect over at nbc, then Melissa certainly should be getting the same over at amc. (Don't get me wrong, there is still BS behind the scenes on SVU too, but in different ways). Especially if she's also now an EP on TWD. ESPECIALLY by being a part of this for 15 years which is nothing to sneer at. Carol has got to be amongst the longest running female characters on television right now.

I certainly don't know much about what is going on behind the scenes in this case, and I don't really want to knowing what I've known and heard with SVU over the years. Sometimes it's better to NOT know. That's totally ignoring what the showrunner is saying in interviews and what not. I've definitely heard about him. Ugh. With that being said, hopefully things are not what they seem and that there's a lot to be excited and surprised about when Season 3 comes out I'm assuming later this year. There's a thin line between toxic positivity and just having been around the block a few times with previous shows and trying to wait it out. This means taking into consideration what is being filmed elsewhere and indoors.

I'm rooting for Caryl (big time) and for good writing for them. In regards to MMB not being seen on set much, hopefully it's purely her decision for it being that way, or because they're doing what SVU/OC have been doing and trying to keep storylines under wraps so they aren't spoiled --since the whole S2 got released prematurely for the Caryl Spinoff. Maybe it's wishful thinking. Maybe it's seen through rose-colored lenses because I'm not used to this type of fandom discourse like I am with SVU.

It's 2025, and I'm just rooting for my ships to finally receive the writing/canon they deserve. I must be a glutton for punishment because why in the frick do I ship these two??? LOL.

Anyways, I just wanted to get this off my chest because I hate seeing the downside to something I love so much and I'm sure that's true for everyone who comes across this.

I'll certainly be over on twitter expressing my love for Melissa/Carol and Caryl. (I do love Norman as well -- but wanted to focus this on what's important and that's giving Melissa her flowers.) Give that woman an EMMY. Anyways.

Thanks for reading my thoughts even as discombobulated as they may be. Caryl is endgame! BOOM.

[ncisfranchise-source]

When Mark Harmon first read the guest role of Naval Criminal Investigative Service special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on JAG in 2003, one thing stood out immediately.

"The name caught me," Harmon, who couldn't have known then what a TV mainstay Gibbs would become, tells PEOPLE. 

NCIS, on which Harmon starred for 19 seasons until 2021, remains one of TV's most popular crime franchises. It also hit its 1,000th episode this April and has spawned four spinoffs.

Now, a fifth, NCIS: Origins, set in 1991, follows young Gibbs. 

"It's an NCIS-verse you haven't seen before," says Austin Stowell, 39, who inherits the character. Harmon, executive producing and narrating the new series — and appearing in its debut episode on Oct. 14 on CBS — agrees. “We're not trying to do something over again.”

For Stowell, leading a highly anticipated network prequel is “the opportunity of a lifetime.” Watching the two-part premiere, he tells PEOPLE, proved emotional. “I was a mess at the end of it.”

To breathe new life into an iconic character, Stowell “had to become Gibbs’ biggest fan,” he adds. Luckily, in Harmon, he had a mentor with a lot of experience. Ahead of the Monday, Oct. 14 premiere, PEOPLE caught up with the duo for a sneak peek at NCIS: Origins.

PEOPLE: Mark, what do you remember about casting Austin as a 1991-era Leroy Jethro Gibbs? HARMON: I felt the room jump a little when Austin came in, before he said anything. He walked out and someone said, “I'll just say it, that's a movie star.” And there was heavy competition there. There were a lot of good [actors in contention]. 

Austin, what about your introduction to your character?  STOWELL: If I can start imagining myself as [a character], in their shoes, then I know it's working. I read the first episode, and right away there were lots of parallels to my life. I knew the show, I knew the character — not as intimately as I do now — but just as I started to turn the pages, I had these moments over and over again, saying, “Oh, I know this guy.”

So how did you go about approaching playing a younger version of Gibbs, this icon Mark brought to life? STOWELL: I knew I had something that I could bring to the character that was very real, that was palpable. But I also knew that I was stepping into a character that was creative, created and filled out and beloved by this guy for 20 years. And I wanted to pay homage to his acting talent. So I wasn't doing an impression, but I was trying to encapsulate who I thought Mark was. And I do that every day now. He leads by example. We're all here because of him. I think about him constantly. [To Harmon] I dream about you. Which is — HARMON: A little frightening! STOWELL: I dream about the show, almost every night. He's given me the greatest gift that I could ask for… This is the Gibbs who's making mistakes, who's living with ghosts and trying to put his life back together. And that's a lot of fun for me to play. HARMON: Austin has to birth this guy. He's got the challenge and also the gift to be able to play this guy younger and to be able to let him be the newbie.

Talk about balancing making a different show with inheriting such a beloved TV franchise. How are you thinking about its legacy? STOWELL: What the mothership [NCIS] did so well was create this feeling of family. Like you knew the characters that you were inviting into your home. And I think that's a big difference between films and television, especially episodic television like this. You choose to turn on the TV when you have your intimate moments with your family. It's time when you're cooking dinner, it's time when you're relaxing after a day of work, sitting on the sofa with your loved ones. That is a big responsibility for a show like this.

Does that ever feel daunting?  STOWELL: No, it's not. It only means I have to come to that level. And that's okay with me. I like reaching for a bar that's higher, that fuels me when I get out of bed in the morning. The fact that I know that there's 300 million people out there who are waiting to see what this is only makes me fight harder and make me want to fulfill their expectations. HARMON: He's got his eye on the ball. In some ways, it gets bigger every day, the responsibility of it. But right now he's just trying to make the work be the best it can be every day. That's got really nothing to do with what you do in acting class. It's got more to do with who you are as a human being. STOWELL: I got to be writing all this down! This is another part of the value that Mark brings to the table is that he comes and talks to all of us… Immediately, I store all that in my head. I've never been on a show like this. I've never been a [number one on the call sheet] before. This is all brand new to me. So he comes to offer that kind of advice and that immediately, I store all that in my head. 

What is the Origins shooting schedule like?  HARMON: They're working long hours right now. They're working night hours. It's all part of it. STOWELL: You're going to work every day. I wake up, I train, learn my lines, go to set. Wash, rinse, repeat, Monday through Friday. HARMON: And you get questions like, "Well, how do you handle that?" STOWELL: You just do.

What is your favorite thing about creating this new show? STOWELL: We've all worked really hard at this and we're trying to get it right. It looks beautiful. I [am] just really happy for all of our crew, that it's going to be something that we're all going to be proud of... I've gotten to know them, so many, really intimately, I know about their kids and their plans for the weekends. It's not lost on me that a big part of that responsibility is to keep everybody at work. I like that responsibility. It gives me great purpose. I don't just go to work for me, I go to work with everyone… I've been able to concentrate on what I need to concentrate on because I do feel like I have a safety net. HARMON: When I was selling shoes, I used to always look at my watch and I'd go, "Lost four hours today. Where are we going to make that up?" Guess what? At a certain point you stop looking at your watch. Maybe sleep is a little overrated. You care about your crew… You walk on the set, you can feel it. STOWELL: We're a family already. HARMON: And if you can bring that to it too, what Austin's talking about, then you venture into the territory of something special and it becoming a little more than a job. This is a place where everybody's busting their tail because they want it to be good. It’s not about a paycheck.

[seiya-starsniper]

9 BOOKS I PLAN TO READ IN 2025

Tagged by @softest-punk 💖💖

This was a bit hard to narrow down because my TBR is SO LARGE and keeps growing as new books are released every year!

I'm going to keep it to books I haven't already started as well, since my currently reading list is also...very long lmao

Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf by C.L. Clark - THE ARCANE BRAINROT IS REAL. My wife, my toxic milf, the most unhinged warmongering bad bitch in all of Arcane is getting a spinoff novel how could I NOT read it??? I'm unhinged about her. I cannot wait to have my heart ripped out.

Faithbreaker by Hannah Kaner - The final novel in the Godkiller trilogy. I'm so excited. I picked up Godkiller on a whim at Target and I've been unwell about the series ever since.

Vicious by V.E. Scwab - I've started and restarted this book like 10 times since 2013 when @lyriclorelei gifted it to me 😅. I am DETERMINED to read through the duology this year, I know I'm going to like it, I've loved every V.E. Scwab book I've ever gotten my hands on, and the premise of this book was basically made for me.

Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey - I imprinted on this book when I was 12. I would like to re-read it as an adult and see how it holds up!

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston - I meant to read this when it came out in 2024 but got understandably distracted by other novels. Nevertheless I am very excited to sink my teeth into yet another CM queer romance.

Swordcrossed by Freya Marske - Another book I meant to read in 2024. Can you tell I am a sucker for queer romance novels yet???

Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice - Now that the AMC show is leaning into TVL and QOTD for season 3, I must reread this chonker of a novel. It's tradition at this point. I reread Interview just before the premiere of season 1 and TVL right before the premiere of Season 2. I am so very excited to see the wild ride of season 3.

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro - Continuing my love of books that are getting adaptations, this novel is getting a movie in 2025 so it's time I finally read it.

Siren Queen by Nghi Vo - I keep getting recommended this book, and at this juncture I have no reason NOT to read it. I already love Nghi Vo's prose, and I'm a sucker for Hollywood fame dramas, AND this one has magical realism in it? Sign me the fuck up.

Honorable mentions to the books I'm currently in the middle of reading:

Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Scwab

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

The Nightmare before Kissmas by Sara Raasch (thanks @arialerendeair for the rec!)

The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by KJ Charles

Dark City Omega by Elizabeth Stephens

tagging: @lyriclorelei @gil212 @valeriianz

@b-plot-butch @janimoon @arialerendeair @beholdme

and anyone else who wants to play!

[celestial-specter]

I haven’t seen it as much online these days, but when season one was still airing, I often saw criticism that the batch, other than perhaps Hunter and Omega, ‘lacked character depth.��

It was something I didn’t think too much about at the time, but now, on my final re-watch of the whole show before the final season begins (😭) I couldn’t disagree more.

Sure, as there is so much action and plot occurring during the series premiere Aftermath, there is not much screen-time remaining to dedicate towards the emotional depth of the characters.

However, I’m a huge fan of the ways writers can use unconventional methods to show audiences the traits and roles of characters; As the bad batch are soldiers in every sense of the word, I believe there is no better way to highlight their individual personalities and talents than to show it through their battle strategy.

So, if you’re like me and love both star wars and unnecessarily in-depth analysis, I present…

Aftermath’s battle simulation: How one scene reintroduces us to Clone Force 99, and possibly foreshadows later events in the series.

(Part 1)

Across all star wars projects, the empire is always presented from above (in the context of The Bad Batch, think of the broadcast of Palpatine shown to the clones earlier during Aftermath, Raven’s Peak towering over the cloud cover on Eriadu, and Mount Tantiss surging over the natural jungle on Weyland). During the battle simulation, Tarkin watches from the viewing platform above the training ground, suggesting this scene will illustrate how the batch will respond to the new power of the empire.

When the team first enter the training ground, Hunter is the only one without his helmet on - he is already more humanized than the rest of his brothers. Of all the team, Hunter is the one who looks most like a ‘regular’ clone, despite his obvious attempts otherwise. He understands the importance of humanizing himself and his brothers - when he tries to save Caleb on Kaller, he removes his helmet in an attempt to get through to him. In this scene, Hunter only puts on his helmet and regains his status as a soldier when it is clear that a battle is about to begin. Even this small action could be interpreted as showing that being a soldier is not what Hunter truly wants, whereas the rest of his brothers are satisfied to continue in the way of life they have always known.

Once the battle begins, Hunter gives his brothers no instructions besides ‘You know what to do.’ Even as their leader, he trusts his team enough to know that they will succeed without his direct intervention. Even without a clear approach in mind, they all fall into places without any preamble - showing that Hunter is correct in his assessment of the situation, and that his brothers know each other well enough to do so without guidance.

The positioning of each member at the beginning of the battle is also important- as they move to the barrier, Echo, Crosshair and Hunter go left, while Wrecker and Tech go right, as seen below.

These positions could be indicative of their current roles within the squad at its peak. For example, the split between the right and left side could represent their difference standards of morals. Hunter, Echo, and Crosshair have, at this point in the series, been shown to be the most complex and strong willed members of the team - it is clear what each one of them believes in, and each one of them is unafraid to speak up when something goes against their personal moral code. This this shown prior to this point during Aftermath, as most of the discussion over Order 66 is between this trio, while Wrecker and Tech seem to be simply going through the motions rather than challenging them.

This is not to say that Tech and Wrecker do not also each have strong personalities, but so far they are much more focused on their individual interests than the morality of their lives as soldiers and their prospective roles in the formation of the new empire.

In this formation, Hunter is caught in the middle of all of his brothers, a position he is often placed in during group shots throughout the series. In this scene however, he is closely drawn to Crosshair’s side. Hunter’s reaction to Omega has shown that he has complex feelings about children being on Kamino, likely an attitude he has formed due to his own upbringing on the planet. It can be assumed by CT numbers that Crosshair (CT-9904) is the youngest of the batch, explaining the close yet intense relationship shared between him and Hunter.

Echo is also on the left side, but remains on the outside of the group. This could be interpreted as Echo simply arriving late to the batch and their having to reform this battle strategy to include him, but I prefer to think of it as a way to highlight Echo’s continued isolation, even amongst his brothers.

The placement of Crosshair between Echo and Hunter is also interesting. Echo, who has always been very focused on rules and regulations, and Hunter, the leader of a squad who openly flaunt their ability to break them. This positioning could be indicative of Crosshair feeling torn between two places, and his emotional conflict due to the effects of the inhibitor chip.

Located on the right side, Wrecker and Tech are both much more placid and easygoing. They are both often involved in childish bickering (as is Crosshair), but these two are never typically involved in intense conflict as the others are. As shown by the batch’s first appearance in The Clone Wars, Wrecker can be quick to anger when his brothers are threatened, but is easily dissuaded from violence by Hunter. Meanwhile, Tech is attempting to stop the fight from occurring in the first place, and is seemingly averse to conflict unless he deems the situation to be inescapable without it (e.g. the cafeteria fight).

Wrecker and Hunter are technically next to one another, but there is a huge space between them. To me, this gap represents the difference in their personalities as a result of their upbringing. Wrecker truly symbolizes the more easygoing, often-childlike comedic character, while Hunter is burdened by his concerns and responsibilities for his family. The pair were shown to have a closer relationship during their arc in The Clone Wars, with Hunter joining in with the jokes and antics of his younger brothers, and assuring Wrecker that he will beat Crosshair’s kill count during their next mission. In this scene, the space between them could foreshadow the upcoming degradation of their relationship due to the rise of the empire.

Tech is also on the outside of the group, but on the complete opposite side to Echo. Interestingly, since their very first meeting, Tech and Echo have been shown to have quickly developed a close relationship, with Tech being the main clone (other than Rex) to liberate Echo from captivity. The pair being on opposite sides likely is due to their similar technical skillsets but opposing ways off approaching situations- Echo is shown to possess a great deal of tact and patience when it comes to other characters such as Omega, whereas Tech can come across as nonchalant and uncaring at times. These positions also highlight how these two are the most independent of the group, both of them having no issues in leaving to compete missions alone.

[fantasysdreams-blog]

After having a long conversation with one of my fellow Polin/Lukola fan friends regarding Jake and Nicola red carpet debut, we both came to a sudden realization. We expected too much from Luke when S3 came out. We expected him to be a Johnny Bailey 2.0 and that didn't happen. I had offered a comparison to another actor I follow, Ncuti Gatwa who currently plays the Doctor on Dr. Who. Ncuti for the most part had only done European based production. Prior to Dr. Who, he was in Sex Education and has most done bit roles in films, films with short production times or stage performances. Sound familiar? I think that more likely Luke would follow in Ncuti's footsteps and choose to work with productions in Europe over LA unlike most British actors these days who take the leap and come to America. He may do a play, a voice acting role or a short production film in between seasons but that will probably be all. We already know with Nicola that she is going from Bridgerton wrapping to filming Big Mood Season 2 to her play next year and is probably going to loop back around to do press for all of these productions. We have a better idea on her next 2 years and we are content. With Luke, we do not have that. Yes, we know he has two films coming up but these are both lower budget projects that will probably have very little to no marketing. These are not on the same calibar as Bridgerton and if it wasn't for Big Mood coming out right before Bridgerton, we could have said the same. Yes, it is a good show but it heavily relied on Nicola's fan base and luckily it was well received and is now getting accolades.

I think, specifically from an American audience perspective, we see Luke as floundering his opportunities to stay stagnant in the UK. Once Bridgerton is done, I personally think no one in the US, who doesn't already follow European media, will probably remember his name. The same can be said for most of the cast of Bridgerton tbh.

I do think there is also bitterness in the fan base as well. Too many people blame Luke for ruining the fantasy of Polin by bringing his girlfriend to the premiere and people seeing that before they could finish the show. I am not in that boat but I will be perfectly honest in saying I do not like his girlfriend. Her vibe has always given me mean girl, wannabe Hailey Bieber who spends half her time posing and the other half girating on screen. I am not a contemporary dance fan so I am biased since I think of it as glorified club grinding dance. I come from a ballroom and hip-hop dance background for those wondering. I will give Luke's GF the benefit of the doubt and will say when it comes to dance opportunities, she has not used Luke in my opinion. I actually already followed someone who she is good friends with and is also a dancer who isn't dating anyone big and both girls are booking almost identical jobs. When it comes to her modeling jobs, I do think a large amount of it is based on who she is dating but I will not say the same when it comes to her dancing.

My friend did bring up a good point since she is deeper in this than I am. She did state, when you look at the foundation of Luke and his GFs relationship, they are perfect for each other. Both have been seen as considerable attractive for most of their lives so have never really been bullied for their looks, both went to performing arts colleges, both had supportive family members in the industry and both enjoy to travel. That's enough for most relationships to start and to grow from there. And also, they met online on Raya. They swiped on each other, met up, vibed and started dating. That's the new normal and I think because a lot of the Bridgerton audience are in their late 20's to early 40's, we hate that. A big reason why Nicola and Jake's red carpet debut is not getting as much hate could also be because we as the fans know they met through personal friends. That is more appealing to the audience than a Raya hook-up to relationship situation.

[horizon-verizon]

I'm still on my self-imposed Tumblr writing break but I had to share this comedy gold mine where Condal tells us all about "impostor syndrome" before I'm overtaken by the urge to write an essay on it instead. I have no time to cook. Fortunately, we've been served a meal on a silver platter.

https://bigthink.com/high-culture/house-of-the-dragon-ryan-condal/

House of the Dragon, which premiered in 2022, might have continued that [Game of Thrones] trend. Instead, the show proved a return to form, offering the same Shakespearean dialogue and political intrigue that made people fall in love with Martin’s fictional universe back in 2011. The second season is just as good, if not better.

I can see that this is going to be a very fair assessment of Condal and his work.

“Every day,” Condal confesses when asked if he suffers from imposter syndrome. “For me, though, it was less the scale and scope of House of the Dragon and more its visibility that intimidated me."

😭😭😭 It's okay! He wasn't worried about whether he'd do a good job! He was just worried about how visible his ingenious work would be.

Appointed for his encyclopedic knowledge of Martin’s oeuvre, Condal has — in his own words — “played with fire” without getting burned. In the following interview, he demonstrates his mastery of Westerosi lore and explains why all history – real or imagined – ultimately amounts to propaganda.

The business major is about to tell us about historiography. The question is, does he understand historiography? Or does he think he's inventing a new concept?

Condal is a relative newcomer to television. In his previous life, he graduated from Villanova University with an accounting degree and spent eight years working in pharmaceutical advertising — quite different from working as a Hollywood showrunner, but not entirely unrelated.

Yes, we know. It's actually very related. Especially the way Condal does it. I'll also point out here that his university was a private Catholic institution. I don't feel the need to connect those dots right now.

"I also learned to compromise, adapting your writing to clients who aren’t always going to love your brilliant, avant-garde choices. That’s the talent-studio relationship, right there."

I... this tells us two things about the writing process and attitude behind it. Two things we already knew. But... it's sure telling.

"I was able to navigate challenges that some of my colleagues with filmmaking and art history degrees maybe weren’t prepped for."

In theory, nothing wrong with this^ statement. But in context...

While some criticism is valuable, too much can lead to creative paralysis. “I tend more towards the negative than the positive, so I made a conscious decision to stay away from social media when I got this job,” Condal says. If anything, he believes the healthy distance he maintains between himself and his audience has improved the show: “Audiences think they know what they want, but sometimes, they have to be given what they need instead."

I repeat my prior sentiment.

Ultimately, Condal’s own passion for Martin’s writing outweighed any doubt he had about his own. “I’m trying to make the type of show I would enjoy as a fan, which I am. And while I realize my ideal fan show will be different from someone else’s, I still think that it’s a good true north heading on my compass. Actually, I think that’s why HBO hired me in the first place.”

Oh, we know.

“It was hugely intimidating, moving to a new country [the U.K.] and working with a new but also hugely talented crew that I had to — not tell them what to do, exactly, but lead them; collaborate with them. I definitely had to earn my place, but think that — because I came in with a clear vision of what I wanted for the show — those relationships were easy to establish.”

Make it stop.

The most important part of making a successful fantasy show isn’t the sets, costumes, or special effects, but lore. Fictional places like Westeros have their own unique cultures, customs, and social institutions, all of which help create the illusion that this fantasy world is as real and complex as our own. To transfer that illusion from page to screen, the writers must know Martin’s work as thoroughly as Martin himself. “It’s not just me,” Condal says. “We are all deeply entrenched fans of George. One of our writers has worked with him for many years. If I’m a graduate in Westeros studies, she’s an archmaester,” referring to the order of academics sworn to advise and educate Westeros’ nobility.

Well that explains why they're worse than Gyldayn.

Condal: “Textual references are best done in light touches to remind people that this is a fully realized society with hundreds of years of mapped-out history to it. And you don’t need an entire scene to do that. Instead of writing, you can communicate details environmentally through props like heraldry. For the fans, these little touches tell them they are in good hands. Better yet, they know the details are there just for them, the hardcore fans. For everyone else, the casual viewers, this stuff is flying by 100 miles an hour, and they probably won’t notice it. But it’s there.”

Again, there's nothing wrong with this^ in theory. In. Theory.

“I’m definitely an architect,” says Condal, “and I think I have to be as a screenwriter, because our life is so deadline-driven. The literal definition of a playwright, W-R-I-G-H-T, is ‘one who builds plays.’ A dramatic writer is almost by necessity a structuralist, and I very much fall into that camp.”

Now wait for it... wait for it... Keep in mind these are Brinkhof's (article author) words. But wait for it.

Martin, by contrast, identifies as a gardener. While this writing style — with its many unexpected twists, turns, and deaths — helps explain what made Game of Thrones so successful, it may also have been responsible for the show’s eventual downfall. Sticking to Martin’s analogy, “gardening stories” grow like trees, their narratives branching out in an exponential number of paths, making them difficult to finish. As of today, Martin has spent more than 14 years on the next installment in the Song of Ice and Fire series, his prolonged bout of writer’s block forcing Weiss and Benioff to come up with their own ending.

No words. Now back to Condal.

“The advantage we have over them is that we’re dealing with a finished text, where they were working with an unfinished, living work,” Condal says. “Where the Game of Thrones team had to trim down 5,000 pages into a few dozen scripts, we’re challenged in the opposite direction, turning around 100 pages into a multi-season arc of television, and that requires a lot of invention.”

Oh? So... you do know where it's going. Which means your "inventions" should... probably lead there?

Condal treats Fire & Blood like a real-world historian might treat a manuscript from the Middle Ages. “These three writers all had personal agendas which, to me, seem to reflect one of the main themes of our show: powerful women living in an unbreakable patriarchy. The writers, particularly the priest, appear to blame the war on the squabbling between Rhaenyra and Alicent.”

No comment for now. No... comment...

House of the Dragon pretends to show the real history that Fire & Blood recorded and distorted. Some events happen the way the one of the three authors describe it, while others contain elements of all three conflicting accounts. Others still indicate that none of them got it right. As a rule, every character in the show is far more complex than the jester, maester, and priest made them out to be.

I... I... I... I... I...

“Alicent can be the stereotypical evil stepmother at times,” says Condal, “just as King Viserys, played by Paddy Considine in season 1, can come across at weak. However, the thing that in-universe historians don’t get about Viserys is that he was carrying the burden of a prophecy passed down through generations and couldn’t tell anybody about it. A lot of his supposedly weak decision-making was actually in service of this secret prophecy. We were trying to show that there was more to him, that multiple things about him could be true at the same time.”

Must... Resist... Urge... To... Write... Essay...

“We have to arrive at the same endpoint as the book,” he reminds himself. “Whoever George said becomes king must become king at the end of the war. Hopefully, though, we have a bit of latitude leading up to that, to show how history has been interpreted differently at different times by different historians. I realize I’m playing with fire, but it does excite and fascinate me — to be able to comment on how history is made, not just this fictional history, but all history. It’s all propaganda to some degree.”

😭 The clownery.

Historiographers weep.

@rhaenin-time, you must be stopped. Ryan should be , too, but you have decided to bring me in close proximity to this nonsense. I am sitting here, eating chewy ChipsAhoy, and you came in here like a wrecking ball with this news....I hate you. [read, this is a joke]

I don't think I'll be able to address every thing I want to address in this. I want to be done with this show, I have been tired since the 6th epi of the last season.

Condal is a relative newcomer to television. In his previous life, he graduated from Villanova University with an accounting degree and spent eight years working in pharmaceutical advertising — quite different from working as a Hollywood showrunner, but not entirely unrelated. [...]

I also learned to compromise, adapting your writing to clients who aren’t always going to love your brilliant, avant-garde choices. That’s the talent-studio relationship, right there. [...] Audiences think they know what they want, but sometimes, they have to be given what they need instead."

Who tf does this man think he is?!!! Yes, I needed mother-son coochie eating. I needed to have a brown girl erased for a rapist to become a family man with a sick child. I needed Cole fucking Alicent at least 3 times instead of a brown haired Targ make instrumental alliances with more people to add to his stepfather's armies in the Riverlands. I needed to see nonexistent and sterile parallels. I needed to see a black woman be burned alive when she actually died at least surrounded by family, her ignored by her husband so his later marriage to a white girl be that much more special. I needed to see a disabled man jerk it over a queen's bare feet like she's in OnlyFans and doesn't know where her next meal is. I needed to see a pretteen prince jerk it over a window and barely even tell what his brother was doing later with Vhagar, instead of another preteen girl bond with the most powerful dragon of the then living ones. I needed to see a woman so much more hypocritical than her book counterpart be framed as one of the wisest women to exist while she praises Jaehaerys I of all people for having a peaceful reign, as if his decision to have that council has no responsibility for the now burgeouning war--OR that she still wouldn't be more resentful of Jaehaerys' actions ot pass her over, yes even now when they are deliberating war..bc praising Jaehaerys itself is NOT as important or more moral than her feeling "some type of way"...why did we need Jaehaerys praise now instead fo actual strategy?!--coming up right now.

He can't even properly write character ACTION as opposed to REACTION (Seth Abramson's article on substack):

Appointed for his encyclopedic knowledge of Martin’s oeuvre, Condal has — in his own words — “played with fire” without getting burned. In the following interview, he demonstrates his mastery of Westerosi lore and explains why all history – real or imagined – ultimately amounts to propaganda.

And yet Daemon dislikes his daughter or grow impatient with her bec she doesn't have a dragon....while he only claimed one at 16 or a bit younger with Caraxes AND Targs don't actually bond with dragons in the cradle that often, actually usually doing it in preteens to teens AND Aegon I definitely had to bond later in life as well. And said that Aegon I lived/was alive when Old Valyria still existed. Allowed Criston Cole to be called Dornish both by Alicent and the fans without giving us any explanation or exploration of that identity esp when canonically he came from the Stormlander part of the Dornish Marches. "Encyclopedic" my nonexistent ballsack! He has no authority to claim that F&B is so unreliable that he can't tell truth form agenda-motivated fiction and then claim himself intelligent or "brilliant" at the same time!

"avant-garde"...yes bc it's so revoluntionary and creative to have a man lick his former home from his own mother in a "vision". As if making a woman her son's character tool wasn't something HBO already did with its female characters and perform male gaze....okay...As if he's special and different from other male writers and it not just keeping with ASoIaF adaptation tradition. It added so much to the story other than the sick eroticism of something already cleared up last season.

I definitely had to earn my place, but think that — because I came in with a clear vision of what I wanted for the show

No you didn't. If you did, you wouldn't have had a such a problem with the pacing, the numerous inconsistencies, plotholes, the [if true] possible merge of Rhaena and Nettles and many episodes would't contradict each other as if one writer disagreed and vetoed another. And you'd see why/how show!Rhaena's purpose must be kept more or less the exact same as her in the bk for the post-Dance environment. We'd have Maelor. We'd have Daeron mentioned and described much earlier, not as some sort of random ass surprise that is bound to thrown so many locals off when he does appear.

If I’m a graduate in Westeros studies, she’s an archmaester,” referring to the order of academics sworn to advise and educate Westeros’ nobility.

....what the fuck does this even mean?! There are no fucking graduates of anything in Westeros and there are no archmaesters of real life bc the set ups in education of EU medieval history vs Westeros are so different it's not even funny. there are no universities for one to even imagine there are Westerosi "graduates", and there is no way you can tell if a graduate would be more or less educated than a grandmaester, bc we don't have rules of "graduation" or gradations of maestership exactly like the modern one. There are archmaesters, the Gran Maesters, acolytes, novices, and finally regular maesters who may or may not go ut to be the personal assistant and tutor in other lords' households. The modern school system can never be properly equalized in structure or depth or habits to Westerosi maestership, the instituton.

Therefore trying to create some sort of analogy as if grads exist in Westeros by immediately using "grandmaester" for another you're aligning yourself with is just so stupid. Worst part is, I know exactly what he's trying to say, but his use of this device is so wrong that I'm mad and sure people will just take this at face value instead of see how inept this man is with literature analysis and thus creative writing. Reminds me, ironically, of his saying he's inspired by PARADISE LOST in writing S2...if you don't sit yourself down to hell, sir!

Martin, by contrast, identifies as a gardener. While this writing style — with its many unexpected twists, turns, and deaths — helps explain what made Game of Thrones so successful, it may also have been responsible for the show’s eventual downfall.

And there it is, Ryan is prepping to use the ole fan excuse of "not much story left" excuse people had for D&D, and it makes sense how he would considering how F&B is considered to unreliable to adapt even the clearest events and characterizations as they are given....

[golbrocklovely]

this is about luke newton and the fans/bridgerton fandom

i'm very new to all of this so i'll be honest up front, i don't know everything. so maybe that alone is why i shouldn't say anything, but i feel like i gotta add my two cents since everyone else already is too lol

i keep seeing over and over again that for some fans, luke "ruined" part 2's airing bc he was seen out with his gf. how some have worded it, bc he was seen out the night of it's airing, he had the attention, the six months of pr and promotion that he and nic spent go down the drain all over a couple pics of him and his gf somewhat holding hands.

and to that i say…. are yall fucking nuts??

respectfully, the average viewer, which is the majority of ppl that watch bridgerton, don't give two flying fucks about the actors or more specifically who they are dating. so if you personally feel like the season or part 2 was ruined bc he was seen out with someone - that most have you have known about since like new years, if not before - i need you to come back to reality. luke is not colin. he did not betray pen or nic by having a love life that doesn't consist of either of them. if you genuinely feel like him being spotted a couple hours after the premiere of part 2 with his gf somehow destroyed all of the work he and nic did (along with the cast and crew), i need you to explain how any of that is possible. the show still exists. part 2 still aired swimmingly, and is getting record breaking numbers.

i think some of you got so lost in the sauce of nic and luke and them possibly being a couple that when part 2 came out and they didn't announce that they were together and in fact the complete opposite happened - yall didn't know what to do with yourselves. so instead of just taking a step back and realizing that maybe you read this situation wrong, you are now blaming him bc you decided to pay more attention to his love life rather than the show you guys spent two fucking years waiting for.

and look, i love nic and luke. and i would love for them to date. but reality is that's not what THEY want, as of right now. if that changes, awesome. if it doesn't, also awesome. if you can't handle two real life ppl making decisions for themselves that have absolutely no impact on you, go outside and TOUCH GRASS.

luke is not an asshole for dating someone. luke is not an asshole for having the friends he has. he's not an asshole for not promoting bridgerton as often as nic. he's not an asshole for wanting his life to be private. and on top of this, yall know literally nothing about his gf. everything that is known are conclusions or assumptions you are jumping to bc god forbid he might be happy with someone that isn't nic.

imma need yall to parasocial your ass to a therapist rather than luke. consider doing that. bc to all the outsiders (like me), you sound fucking CRAZY lol

[oneofthosecrazycatladies]

Hi there! I found your blog because of your monthly posts keeping track of the news in the US. First of all, I want to say THANK YOU for that! It’s so helpful!!! But as I scrolled through your blog I noticed you reblog a lot of Interview with the Vampire content. I LOVE IWTV so I wanted to ask what are you most looking forward to in season 3?

Hello Anon! First off, I’m glad to know that you find those posts helpful, it really means a lot to me!

Now onto your other question. I think what I’m most looking forward to is just finally getting a screen adaptation of The Vampire Lestat (Queen of the Damned (2002) doesn’t count).

I’m a big fan of the books and I’m actually just a huge fan of vampire fiction more broadly and Lestat is, like, one of my all time favorite vampires and Sam Reid is just so good at portraying him.

I really enjoyed the first two seasons so I feel pretty confident they’ll do a good job. From what I’ve seen in interviews that Sam Reid has done, it seems like he really cares about Lestat as a character so I think he’ll keep the writers in line if they don’t do Lestat’s backstory justice.

More specifically, I am just dying to see Devil’s Minion finally come to fruition. We got a little taste of it in season 2. 2x05 was like the appetizer but now I need the main course.

And of course I’m really looking forward to Loustat being reunited. I really hope the show doesn’t do all the on-again-off-again that the books did. That always really annoyed me, like just let them be together and be happy!!!

I know the show has changed things with regards to all four main characters (Louis, Lestat, Daniel, Armand) which makes it harder to predict exactly what direction the show will go in especially with Daniel and Armand (as individuals and as a couple).

And finally…Gabrielle. I think pretty much everyone in the fandom feels the same. Considering everything going on with trans people and the culture of transphobia right now, however they handle Gabrielle I think will say a lot.

Other things, um, I hope we see Claudia again, either ghost Claudia or Claudia in flashbacks (or both). I swear if they don’t have Lestat give his “Claudia was my dark child, my love, evil of my evil” speech I will absolutely lose my shit and boycott the rest of the show. I am so fucking tired of all the people saying Lestat never loved Claudia because he absolutely did. And she loved him.

Those are my main things that I can think of off the top of my head.

Oh! One other thing that I’m definitely holding my breath for. It makes absolutely no sense to me the way some people in this fandom treat Akasha as some Feminist GirlBoss™️ so I really hope the writers treat her as the villain/abuser that she is. Honestly there are other female characters in The Vampire Chronicles that are way better than Akasha.

But you know what I’m not looking forward to? The fact that season 3 won’t air until 2026. Like what the fuck AMC??? Like I understand there were the strikes between season 1 & 2 but they don’t have that excuse this time. And also…they do realize the show is about vampires right??? Vampires that don’t age? What’s gonna happen when the very human actors inevitably start showing visible signs of aging? I mean for god’s sake Eric Bogosian is already in his 70s!

Ugh anyway, there’s so much other stuff in the world to stress about so I’m not gonna stress out about this too. I’ll just keep rewatching the first two seasons and rereading the books and hopefully the premiere date will be here before we know it!

[twst-hottest-takes]

Hot take (?) I think

I don't think anything or at least much is going to change with the coming of the anime

twisted wonderland is way more niche then we give it credit for, I wouldn't be surprised if very few ppl will join the fandom because of the anime, from what I know and correct me if I'm wrong- it'll only be on Disney plus

Who the hell has Disney plus 😭 sure ppl can pirate but who's going to pirate an anime they've never seen a manga of (considering everyone who reads the manga has played the game and/or is already in the fandom) , at most it'll become popular through word of mouth, I know I'm going to try and get my sisters to watch it but they probably won't touch the game, some reaction Youtuber will watch it and I feel like that's where most of the new people will come from but not a lot

I don't know enough about JP fandoms and internet culture tho so maybe that will change a lot

But even if ppl do join the fandom are they really going to come over and start changing everything? is it really going to be anything we haven't seen before? I genuinely don't think so 🫠 it'll be crazy for like a month after the anime premier and then back to normal

Sorry for any mistakes English isn't my first language and I hate it

Yeah, that about sums it up.

I said it before and I'll say it again, "the concept gatekeeps itself." There might be a few more eyes on it, but I don't expect anything more than just that: More anime influencers or whoever reacting to "What if Disney Villains were Hot Anime Guys!?" Most of the people who are into the concept are probably already here to stay. So while those who have trepidations are understandable, I also do not think that much is going to change. The most likely scenario is that it'll be like every other seasonal anime trend. Over and done with quickly. I will be very surprised if it manages to get much traction. You're also right that it being Disney+ exclusive is likely to limit its reach even more.

I'm still looking forward to it. I do hope that it's successful enough to warrant an anime adaptation of the complete story (if and when that happens).

Thank you for your take.

Also your English is very good! (Cursed though the language may be.)

[foreverjustaplace]

The Bear, Season 3 PREDICTIONS

OKAY! So with The Bear premiering slightly earlier now, I wanted to go ahead and get my predictions (and maybe some delusional wishes) out on here because I just saw the still where Syd and Carmy are drinking tea after Carmy gets out of the fridge and I definitely had Syd being there when he got out of the walk-in. I never did get my fanfic out before the new season (although who knows. There’s still time!) so I hope I’ll still be in the headspace to finish it after I see the new episodes!

I would LOVE to see everyone’s predictions, too, so add them in the comments or create a post and tag me!

My Predictions:

Let’s start with Sydcarmy first. Oh, hell. This season is going to be one that drags us through all of the emotions. It’s already giving angst galore from all of the promos. A lot of us are worried about this ship, but I have to believe that while Storer may have not initially been on the sydcarmy train, we have a believer in Calo and loves love. We’ll be okay but it’s not going to always be pretty. We’re about to go through it, 100%, but I think the arduous emotional jouney will be worth it in the end (the end perhaps not being this season…). 

As mentioned, I predicted to myself that Syd would be waiting for Carmy when he finally is freed the walk-in refrigerator before I saw the image. To add to this, I believe this will be a very tense moment. Syd is incredibly disappointed with Carmy, but we’re going to get a hellava moment between the two in the very first episode. This moment is going to show just how deep Syd’s love (and I actually do mean in the friendship sense here) runs for Carmy. Despite Carmy already fucking up by not get the fridge fixed, we will get to see Syd give Carmy more grace than he deserves. But she is going to be skeptical as hell of him. He is going to seemingly change overnight and ignore all healthy ways of coping and go straight into this maniacal version of himself. 

They are about to put us through a Sydcarmy fight for the ages after Carmy does his whole partnership shit. But when I tell you this is going to remind us of the most dramatic romances we read on our Kindles, I mean it. Imagine this trope as one of those whole ass agreement list things that one or both of the romance leads (in a friends to lovers, especially) have. The agreement is done when the friends have an insane, amazing friendship and there’s more there, obviously, but they’re afraid to admit it. Sometimes they truly don’t even know that they like each other! In the case of Carmy, he is so avoidant of all of his feelings, he doesn’t even allow himself to think he likes her in this way. And even if he does recognize it, he certainly doesn’t know how to properly channel that into a romantic relationship with Sydney but he is 100% cognizant of the fact that he doesn’t want to lose her. That he CANNOT lose her. This agreement is done under the guide of a professional work agreement, but what he is proposing sounds more initamiate this just a work agreement. I honestly think it’s going to be jarring because on one hand Carmy believes this will lead to a star, but on the other hand what he’s trying to do starts to look and sound more like a non-platonic relationship.  

There is going to be a DREAM sequence that will make sydcarmy shippers happy. I just have this feeling or maybe this is me in delululand. Look. There were one too many damn dream sequence jokes for me to not take it seriously. I’m always a big believer that dream sequences should go big or go home; in fact, I’m trying to go through all of the dream sequences I’ve watched before in my head right now. I can’t think of one that did not involve kissing OR the wake-up-right-before-they-kiss moment at least. Think back to last month’s Polin (Bridgerton). I hope we get the kiss but I’ll even take the latter. BUT I’m going to go big and say that this may not even be a all heated and sexy dream. Um. What if it’s a Sydcarmy wedding!!!  

Syd and Carmy will sit next to each other at the funeral. There will be some comforting hand holding that is going to put us in a chokehold. I think Syd cries and Carmy comforts her. 

Ya know how Carmy helped Claire move whatever the hell furniture last season? Yeah, we’re gonna see a parallel of the moving thing when he helps Syd. We’re gonna get a Sydcarmy moment inside Sydney’s apartment and they’re going to talk about the future. This will be a great scene and will be use in all the future edits for sureee. Fantasyland me wants Carmy to say some shit like, “Syd, I don’t even know why you didn’t just move in with me?” “Carmy, use your head. You have one bedroom ? ? ?” “I would’ve taken the couch, nbd.”

Carmy sees Syd’s tattoos. I hope!! Perhaps this is in the dream sequence? Or maybe they have an actual conversation. Carmy tells Syd what one of his tattoos means. She does the same. But, forreal, this is a headcanon for me. 

To end the season, Syd and Carmy forreal do something that makes it hard to deny they are 100% in the platonic love category. They kiss and there is a conversation that rivals the under the table scene. Richie is the one who helps them get to this point. 

Sydney makes the decision to step away from Carmy a bit. Does she go to Ever? God, I hope not. But I think her health problems are going to be crazier (PLEASE STORER do not make her sick!!! I beg you!) and she can’t deal with Carmy’s shit any longer. I honestly think we’re going to see the season span months and the angst will be rough. Hopefully it’s one of those, “Three Months Later” things so we don’t actually have to see it. LOL Just get me to the end. 

Carmy is about to piss everyone off. I think we’re going to see Tina, Natalie, Richie, Sweeps, even Pete get into it with him. 

There will be a good number of flashbacks this season:

*Mikey in his last few months, weeks, and/or days leading up to his death 

*But also we’ll see some fun, sweet memories involving Mikey. Moments with Richie, Nat, and Carmy.

*Carmy as a chef before The Beef/The Bear. I’m so looking forward to these! 

*We are finally going to see Syd’s mom in flashbacks! 

Emanuael and Carmy meet. Syd’s dad will not like Carmy. He’s not gonna be impressed at all. They are going to talk and Carmy is going to do everything in his power to convince Emanuel he will be better for Syd and that she’s everything to him. Emanuel is going to give him some advice to win over Sydney. 

Richie is going to start dating and at least semi-successful. I think his redemption arc is still happening and specifically related to his relationships. Not gonna lie, I do actually like the idea of Jess and Richie and so I’m going to keep that in the mix and say Richie is the one who sets up Syd with the Ever guy. Richie will attend Tiff and Frank’s wedding. 

Syd and Marcus grow so much closer. Syd is going to serve as a supporting, loving friend to Marcus. They’re going to bond over the dead mom club. It’s going to be wonderful to see their friendship.

Donna is there for Nat. Perhaps she goes into labor and Donna is there to ease her nerves. It’s a wild moment for sure but a pretty poignant one. 

Luca. Dude. I don’t even know. I LOVE his character. I want him to, like, I’d love for him and Marcus to hook up. That would be the absolute best. Hell, I’d really love for Luca to be Sydney and starting flirting with her and with get to see jealous!Carmy! (PLEASE!) but I’ll settle for some flashback scenes. I guessss. Perhaps Luca comes help out at The Bear? I’d love that.

I’ve seen a lot of people say that The Bear will struggle greatly and close. I cannot deal with this LOL. I don’t want this to happen so I’m not going to predict it, but I think there will be some struggling. 

Tina’s story is gonna be emotional. Her journey into the kitchen is going to be one that happens because she desperately needs a job. We’re going to see her with Luis’ father. We are going to see her with Mikey. We’re going to see that she has always been bright and so capable. 

Claire. Man. I don’t like that she is even in this season, but I appreciate a great story and don’t think we can fully wrap this whole thing up if the walk-in fridge breakup was it. Fak is starting to get on my last nerves with his matchmaking shit lol but I think we will see Claire in at least a slightly different and enhanced light. Chris Storer is intentional in everything he does and I don’t believe for one second this doctor can be so surface level. Carmy may have this guilt eating him up and his trauma keeping him from  wanting anything good, but ultimately Carmy doesn’t actually want her. She’s meant to represent this nice person and serve merely as (physical) relief. But I don’t even know. I don’t think she and Carmy are endgame at all. I want Claire to tell Fak to stop his nonsense. I want her to understand her worth and not go back to Carmy after he said all of this shit about her (and not just because I love Sydcarmy but because I’m for the girlies knowing their worth!). 

What I would really love to happen is Claire cursing Carmy tf out. I’d love for Claire and Syd to have a one-on-one conversation and Sydney says something that exposes how she feels about Carmy to Claire. Awkwardness ensues. 

Okay. Damn. I started typing and I couldn’t stop. It was as if I was ten years old again and typing my predictions for the upcoming Harry Potter book. Dang. Take me back to those days! Those prediction threads were unreal. Tell me your predictions! 

[oldiesstationlover11607]

🥁 anon here! If you want to assign me a new emoji, feel free! I’m cool with whichever option.

I have an idea for you: Josh x reader (cause you know ya girl loves Josh haha). They have to get ready for a big event. You can choose what, some ideas are a gala, interview, maybe a premiere of something, etc. Just like, the reader maybe going shopping with Jenna, getting ready, and then Josh’s reaction to her all dolled up. If you do write this, then thank you very much! And if not, no worries!

Yours truly,

🥁

Premiere - Josh Dun x Reader

Warnings: None really hehe - super fluffy

Word count: 1690

A/N: Enjoy!

Josh had warned me it was going to be a big night, but I still hadn’t anticipated this level of intensity. I could barely believe that I, of all people, would be attending a movie premiere as his plus one. It wasn’t just any premiere, either; this was the premier of one of the most anticipated films of the year–and I couldn’t be more excited (and nervous) to stand by his side for it.

The pressure was definitely on. I wanted to look perfect, not only because this was such a high-profile event but because Josh would be there—suited up, looking incredible as always. Jenna could read me like a book and had insisted on helping me find the perfect dress.

As I sipped my coffee at the Joseph house, she leaned over the counter with an excited grin. “Are you ready for a shopping spree? We’re going all out today.”

I gave a little laugh, hoping it didn’t sound as nervous as I felt. “I think so. Just...no frills, no massive sequins, and no neon. Other than that, I’m ready.”

Jenna shook her head, clearly amused by my mild panic. “Relax, it’s going to be amazing. We’re finding you something that’ll make everyone’s jaw drop.”

The boutique Jenna took me to was an upscale place with deep purple walls, golden chandeliers, and rows upon rows of gorgeous dresses. It smelled faintly of jasmine and leather, like luxury itself. I took a deep breath as we walked in, feeling a little intimidated by the glimmering fabrics around me. Jenna seemed completely at ease, though, diving right in and flicking through the racks like a seasoned pro.

“Josh is going to love this,” she said with a smirk, pulling out a navy dress with a low back and smooth satin finish.

I blushed, imagining his reaction already. “It's beautiful,” I murmured, reaching out to feel the fabric. It was silky and weightless, a total departure from anything I’d ever worn.

“Try it on! I’ll keep looking, but something about this one feels right,” she said, shoving the dress into my arms.

I slipped into one of the fitting rooms, trying not to let my nerves get the better of me. As I pulled the dress over my head and looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself. The dress fit like it was made for me, hugging my curves in a way that was both subtle and breathtaking. My skin glowed against the navy satin, and the low back gave it a bit of an edge that felt daring.

Before I could even open the door, Jenna was waiting with an expression of barely-contained excitement. “Come on, let’s see!”

When I stepped out, her face broke into a grin, and she clasped her hands together. “Oh my god, yes. This is it. You look stunning!”

I glanced at myself in the full-length mirror, starting to believe her. The dress did feel like something special, like it had just the right combination of class and mystery.

Jenna tilted her head, evaluating. “The best part is that Josh has never seen you in anything like this before. You’re going to blow him away.”

I took another look in the mirror and started to feel a thrill of anticipation. There was something exhilarating about the idea of surprising him, of seeing his expression when he saw me in this dress.

“Alright,” I said, giving Jenna a small, determined smile. “Let’s do it.”

After an afternoon of shopping, we headed back to Jenna's apartment to start the real transformation. I knew I wanted a look that complemented the dress but didn’t overpower it—something classy and timeless. Jenna had taken it upon herself to play the role of stylist and makeup artist, and honestly, I was glad for it; her confidence was infectious.

I sat cross-legged on the floor while she arranged a collection of makeup products and brushes around her, ready to work her magic. The evening light filtered through the window, casting a soft glow over everything. I could feel the excitement building with each brushstroke.

“You’re going to look like a million bucks,” Jenna said, a glint of pride in her eyes as she applied a warm eyeshadow that made my eyes stand out.

A small part of me was skeptical, but with each step, I could see myself transforming in the mirror. I had on soft waves, natural-looking yet striking makeup, and the dress fit perfectly. I almost didn’t recognize the woman in the mirror as the same girl who’d been stressing about this event just yesterday.

When Jenna finished, she stood back with her arms crossed, nodding in approval. “You look like a movie star.”

I laughed, but as I looked in the mirror, I saw what she meant. I felt glamorous, polished, and ready to face any red carpet. The anticipation grew stronger. What would Josh think?

The time finally arrived for Josh to pick me up. I waited nervously by the door, my hands clasped tightly together, trying to steady my breathing. I’d been to premieres and events before, but never one as someone’s date, and certainly never for anything as big as this.

I heard the faint buzz of his knock, and Jenna mouthed “Good luck!” before retreating to another room, giving us our moment.

I opened the door, and for a brief second, Josh didn’t move. His mouth parted slightly, his eyes widening as he took in the sight of me standing there. He looked flawless, wearing a perfectly tailored black suit that gave him an air of effortless charm. His hair was styled just right, and his familiar, warm smile grew as he regained his composure.

“Wow,” he breathed out, looking at me from head to toe. “You look… I mean, really wow.”

A flush of warmth spread through me as his gaze lingered, a mix of admiration and affection in his eyes. He reached for my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look this beautiful.”

I swallowed, suddenly a little shy under his intense gaze. “Thank you. I’m glad you like it.”

“‘Like’ doesn’t begin to cover it,” he said with a grin, gently guiding me out of the apartment. “Come on, let’s get going before I decide to keep you all to myself.”

The car ride to the theater was surreal. The city lights glinted against the car windows, blurring as we sped through the streets. I held onto Josh’s hand, feeling a little more grounded with him beside me. As we pulled up to the premiere, I could see the flash of cameras, the red carpet lined with fans and reporters.

Josh gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “You’re going to be amazing out there. Don’t worry about the cameras, just stay by my side.”

As we stepped out of the car, a flurry of lights and voices greeted us. Josh’s arm slipped around my waist, steadying me as we made our way down the red carpet. I felt his hand on my back, warm and comforting, and my nerves began to ease, even with the cameras clicking away.

Reporters called out to him, and Josh answered questions with his usual charm and ease. Occasionally, they’d direct a question toward me, and he’d glance at me with a reassuring smile, subtly guiding me through the moment. The warmth in his eyes every time he looked at me made me feel like I was the only person there.

When we reached the end of the carpet, he pulled me close, his eyes never leaving mine. “I can’t stop looking at you,” he murmured, his voice soft, just for me to hear. “You’re making it hard for me to focus on anything else.”

I felt my heart flutter, a smile breaking out despite the seriousness of the event. “Good,” I replied, feeling a rush of confidence. “Because I’ve been waiting all day to see that reaction.”

He laughed, leaning in just close enough that his forehead nearly brushed mine. “Mission accomplished.”

Once inside, the theater buzzed with excitement. We took our seats, and as the lights dimmed, Josh took my hand in his, lacing our fingers together. Getting to watch a film on the big screen for the first time was surreal. When the movie ended, the audience erupted in applause. I looked over at him, and he gave me a soft, almost shy smile. 

As the night wore on, there was a celebratory reception, and Josh introduced me to some of his actor friends. Everyone was gracious and welcoming, and I couldn’t help but notice the way Josh kept glancing at me with a mix of admiration and pride. Every now and then, he’d lean in and whisper something, making me laugh or blush, reminding me that even amidst all the attention and glamor, he was there for me.

By the end of the night, I was exhausted but exhilarated. We slipped away from the party and took a quiet car ride back to his place. The city lights passed by in a dreamy haze, and I felt Josh’s hand find mine again, squeezing gently.

When we got to his apartment, he opened the door, and we both stood there for a moment, letting the silence settle around us. He looked at me, his gaze warm and intense, like he was taking in every detail.

“Tonight was incredible,” he said, his voice low and sincere. “Thank you for being there with me. It meant a lot.”

I felt my heart swell, and I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him close. “Thank you for asking me to be there.”

He chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair away from my face. “God I love you.” He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead, his arms enveloping me in a warm embrace.

As I leaned into him, feeling his heartbeat against mine, I knew that this was a night I’d never forget—a night where we’d both seen each other in a new light, side by side, as if the rest of the world had faded away.

//

REQUESTS OPEN

[those-who-stay]

For Mackie Samoskevich, playing hockey was not so much a choice as a birthright.  The Sandy Hook, Connecticut native doesn’t remember exactly when his parents set into motion the family’s backyard rink, but he suspects it predates him.

“I don’t think I was born yet.  They put down pavement; it was a whole job.  I remember seeing a picture of all the machines out in the backyard,” Samoskevich says with a smile. 

The backyard setup precluded the Samoskevichs from installing the pool they’d also fancied, but it invited a childhood with sticks and pucks ready to hand at all times for their three children.  “[My parents, Fred and Patty] definitely wanted the pool for sure, but I think [the rink] helped us out in the long run,” assesses the sophomore with his customary self-effacement.

Mackie, his elder sister Melissa, and twin sister Maddy (whose attempts at pronouncing her brother’s given name Matthew led to the nickname Mackie taking hold) laid the groundwork for their hockey careers on that backyard rink, whether on its wintertime ice or in its alternate summer concrete incarnation.

As Samoskevich explains it, “My dad hadn’t played to a high level, but he grew up loving the game.  I think his dad had gotten him into it at a pretty young age, so he was always a fan of hockey and always wanted his kids to play hockey.  It definitely worked out.”

In keeping with his soft-spoken disposition, the winger again undersold his siblings’ and his success.  Melissa now works as the director of player development and operations at her alma mater Quinnipiac, while also continuing her playing career in her third season for the Premier Hockey Federation’s Connecticut Whale.  Maddy, the lone blue liner amongst the three siblings, is a junior for the Bobcats with six assists already in just eleven games.  With a 10-1 record, Quinnipiac sits at fifth in the latest USCHO poll.

For the siblings, a shared bond of playing hockey helped brighten the day-to-day grind of sharpening their skills. “We’d always be in the backyard, shooting together and playing games,” Mackie says.  “Just having that was super special. It’s really nice to have days where I’m feeling tired and they get me out of the house [to play together] or vice versa.”

Ten games into his sophomore season at Michigan, Mackie has stepped outside of the shadow of last year’s Olympian teammates like Brendan Brisson, Kent Johnson, or Matty Beniers and into the running for the Hobey Baker.  He has eight goals and seven assists for a neat point-and-a-half per game.

A year ago, Samoskevich was no afterthought for the Wolverines, even as a freshman on one of the most talented rosters in the history of NCAA hockey.  He scored twenty-nine points in forty games and received the Big Ten’s All-Freshman honors.  Still, he did so without the burden or opportunity, depending on one’s perspective, of putting in the longest shift in the team’s offensive engine room.  Despite his impressive point total, Samoskevich played only third-line minutes with some power play time mixed in as a freshman, before flourishing with a greater role as a sophomore.

According to his head coach Brandon Naurato (an assistant a year ago for his first season in Ann Arbor), it makes more sense to frame Samoskevich’s sophomore ascendance as the byproduct of his limited freshman role rather than a natural development once roster turnover made more room for him.

“He wasn’t great right away,” Naurato says.  “Did he deserve more time?  Sure, he deserved more time, but [playing on the third line] might have been the best thing for him because he’s like ‘I don’t like playing twelve minutes, I think I should be playing seventeen, I’m going to do something.’  He’s always been an elite player, and he’s taken another step.  He went through some pain that made him stronger. Not even pain, but he wanted more out of himself, and he’s looking in the mirror, and he just took steps.”

One of Samoskevich’s new responsibilities is taking shifts on the penalty kill, a decision Naurato explains was at its most basic an effort to “take care of the boys.”  He added “your best players should play in all situations.  It’s better development for him long term.  He may not start in the NHL and play in the same spot [on the flank] that he can on the power play, but what if he can come in and he can kill?  What if he learns how to check?”

Naurato points to former Wolverine Carl Hagelin as an example of an offensive star in college who ended up with two Stanley Cups and $30 million in the bank by becoming one of the NHL’s top penalty killers and checkers.

Samoskevich adds that earning minutes on the PK has been a tool to stay engaged in any game state: “It definitely helps because when you’re not killing, you’re sitting on the bench for two minutes, three minutes, and maybe extends a little bit more.  It’s nice to just get out there.”

For Samoskevich, that the beginning of his freshman season provided a challenge came as no surprise: “I think that your first year anywhere when you go up a level, it’s gonna be harder, and it’s gonna be an adjustment period.”

From his head coach’s point of view, Samoskevich’s progress is well deserved: “He’s a really hard worker and a very cerebral player, and I’m happy for him.  He’s way harder, way harder.  [In the early going of his freshman season] it was all skill.  When he first came here he wasn’t soft.  He just didn’t know how hard it is to have success.”

Both coach and player also point out the importance of observing the habits of future NHLers in the form of then-sophomores Owen Power, Johnson, and Beniers.  Naurato points out that it was impossible to ignore the work that trio put in as sophomores despite their shared status as top-five NHL picks.  

“I’m not saying I [knew how hard it was to become a pro] at that age,” Naurato says. “And I wasn’t even as close to as good as [my players today], but just being around those guys all the time you see that any successful person in life—they’re not successful because of their job title. They’re successful because of the path and failure.”

Meanwhile, Samoskevich admired the way the teammates one year his elder embraced leadership, even though it was only their second year on campus: “It was nice to have the guys in the sophomore class that we had and just see how they handled that role.  Just how they [went] around their everyday, their little habits.  Owen was such a creature of the small little things that build up everyday.”

Adjusting to new environments is nothing new for Samoskevich.  Though Connecticutian by birth, Michigan’s burgeoning star forward has been on a roundabout tour of the Midwest pursuing his hockey career since his early teens.  First, it was Shattuck-St. Mary’s, the famed Minnesota prep school whose alums include Nathan MacKinnon, Jocelyn and Monique Lamoureux, and Brisson.  Then it was Chicago and the USHL, where Samoskevich won a Clark Cup for the Steel, before moving on to Ann Arbor.

When asked about his travels through a region that is not his home, Samoskevich smiles. “I’ve loved it.  Minnesota was definitely different.  Definitely colder.  I wasn’t used to that when I was fourteen, but I think it was a good thing to get out at a young age, just learn how to take care of myself away from my parents.”

Though the move to Shattuck carried with it a step toward independence, it did not take him beyond family bonds. “The reason why I went out there is because my sister [Melissa] went out there.  It was a good program, and she loved all four years, so I thought I’d go out there with my sister [Maddy].”

Six years after leaving Fairfield County for Faribault, Minnesota, Mackie Samoskevich is a vital cog in college hockey’s most formidable line.  Alongside Adam Fantilli and Dylan Duke, the quiet confidence with which Samoskevich carries himself off the ice manifests as a creative flair.

When you watch Samoskevich play (regardless of teammates), you first notice his release and his skating.  If the puck is on his tape with an unfettered look at the net, there’s a good chance you won’t see it again until the goaltender is fishing it out from behind him.

If has open ice to skate into, you aren’t catching him.

Yet even as his shot and top speed command attention, there is something more mesmeric about the way he can jaunt through the neutral zone without having to slam the accelerator to the floorboards.

There is almost a playful quality to the way he sidles past one defender and traipses around another, before laying the puck on for his teammates.  

There was something defiant in the backhand he roofed in an October home victory over Western Michigan.  Having received an expert keep-in from Luke Hughes, Samoskevich—using nothing more than his patience—reduced Bronco defenseman Jacob Bauer to sprawling across the ice in desperation.  From there, Samoskevich had no real options other than a backhand but still seemed to deceive WMU goaltender Cameron Rowe by preceding his instantaneous release with still more patience.

During a period of the season in which Naurato has made experimenting with line combinations an expressed focus, Michigan’s top line of Fantilli between Samoskevich and Duke remains untouched.  It is not hard to understand why.  Through ten games, the trio accounts for twenty-one of the Wolverines’ forty-six goals (45.6%).

Though they had never operated as a triumvirate before, neither Duke nor Fantilli was a new linemate for Samoskevich.

As freshmen, he and Duke settled into a role abreast of Johnny Beecher on the Wolverines’ third line.  Duke’s ruggedness along the boards, along with his craftiness at the netfront, paired neatly with Samoskevich’s speed and skill.

“There’s definitely a lot of chemistry that we carried over from last year,” Duke explains.  “We had a really good understanding of how we play and how our different skill sets can work together and create a lot of sustained o-zone time, and you know, score a lot of goals.”

Meanwhile, Fantilli and Samoskevich played alongside one another with the Chicago Steel.  As Duke said of him, Samoskevich emphasizes a shared understanding of approach as central to the strong chemistry he’s demonstrated with Fantilli.  “We got coached together [in Chicago], so we think the game alike.”  Ever one to downplay his own success, he adds “I think it’s coming along, and I think it’s just gonna keep getting better and better.”  2.1 goals per game between them, and Samoskevich believes the line remains a work in progress.

That Samoskevich has a near perfect split of his fifteen points (eight goals, seven assists) bespeaks an intentional commitment to being a dual threat player.  Though he grew up a Ranger fan, Samoskevich’s favorite NHLer is the Islanders Mathew Barzal.  The young winger attributes some of his knack for graceful rushes up the ice to studying Barzal’s game.

Samoskevich says that he loved Barzal’s playmaking, “how he creates space for his teammates.  I think that was the biggest thing that made me fall in love with him, and there’s so many videos of him just skating around the zone and then all of a sudden the play just appears from him.”

While the forward his teammates affectionately refer to as “Samo” sharpened his playmaking craft by studying the Islanders star, he credits his fearsome shot to the hours logged out on the backyard rink.  “I think I developed [my shot] by myself.  Like I said, in the backyard, it was something I did day in and day out.  It’s better to be more a passer AND a shooter, dual threat.  It’s harder to defend and makes me more dangerous as a player.” It is the closest Samoskevich ever comes to boastfulness, and, given his production, it is more than deserved.

When he’s not on the ice, Samoskevich garners attention from his teammates for his commitment to a housebound lifestyle.  In a mid-October edition of @umichhockey’s weekly Monday Question, several teammates expressed that they would love to experience the winger’s “insane routine” featuring naps, movies, and DoorDash.

Duke, who lives with Samoskevich in addition to sharing top-line duties with him, pauses when asked for something he’s learned about his fellow sophomore. The Ohioan winger jokes that he doesn’t want to “throw [Mackie] under the bus” before revealing that his room- and line-mate is an expert at making egg sandwiches.  According to Duke, Samoskevich will use whatever bread is on hand at their house, “but he loves his ketchup with his eggs.”

When the pair aren’t enjoying Samoskevich-prepared egg sandwiches, they are liable to be found on the virtual battlefields of Fortnite.  As Duke tells it, the duo, along with Luke Hughes and Ethan Edwards, have “a little squad going.”  

Based on Duke’s scouting report, “Edwards is definitely the best.  Mackie is mediocre, in the middle.  Luke’s just under Mackie, and then I’m the worst by far.”  Evidently, Duke’s workmanlike streak on the ice extends to video games—“I’m more there just to carry shields.”

As Sara Civian’s semiweekly style rankings for Bleacher Report attest, interest in pregame fashion has—like an attacking penalty kill or the fluid interchange of a center and his wingers—come into vogue in NHL circles in recent years. Perhaps this image from prior to his team’s October 16th contest with BU is the best distillation of Samoskevich.

The photo depicts the forward walking into Yost: a Michigan toque perched atop his head with a crisp blue-checked suit paired with Adidas slides.  The hint of a bandage peeking out from beneath the strap of his right sandal suggests that the footwear may be the byproduct of injury.

Even if that were the case, it’s hard not to read more into his pregame stylings. The sharp tailoring of his suit suggests focus, self-seriousness, and performance, yet the sandals show that even at his imperious best, Samoskevich projects a certain ease.  If nothing else, the pregame flip-flops appear appropriate for a player selected in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Panthers and thus for whom a professional future in South Florida awaits.

ARTICLE FROM GULO GULO HOCKEY

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[brightlight-dazzlingeyes]

between the lines | interlude

rúben dias x original female character [+18]

synopsis: isabella is a sports journalist covering the premier league. she has sworn to never get involved with a football player. that is, until she meets a handsome portuguese defender. warnings: incorrect journalism references; timeline of events are not faithful to real life; i have never been to england; mutual pining; romantic comedy;  minors dni.

previous chapter | masterlist | next chapter

Interlude

“I think she wants you to sing to her!” Carlos exasperatedly requests me a lullaby. I’m sitting down on the floor in front of my floor length mirror, trying to do something nice with my hair. I'm getting ready for my first day back at work after a short lived summer break. My brother is on facetime, showing me my niece. “I swear, she was saying ‘tía’ a lot. I think she’s asking for the song.”

It’s August and I just got back to England. Getting drunk on Pinot Noir on as many Spanish islands as my money could afford was a goal I gracefully achieved over the break. Okay, maybe ‘gracefully’ is not the best word to describe my alcohol driven antics. But here I am, all pieces glued together, ready for another season.

This time last year I was a rookie in this League and by the end of the season I was having dinner dates with a Prem superstar.

None of that this time, tough. I've grown a year older since my birthday last week, and that means I’m only focusing on my career. For real this time. No more relapses, no more calls in the middle of the night.

So I sing Lucía a song and then I go to work.

“New year, new me, huh?” I point out as Melissa hugs me, she has a new hair color and is rocking a new makeup style.

“Isabella, it’s August.” Mel doesn't share my enthusiasm. “Also, I hate covering pre-season. I always end up making stupid decisions like going blonde or something.”

“What? You didn’t have fun in the US?” I’m still hugging her when I ask.

“Oh, shut up. Your insta stories didn’t help me either, you know?” Mel puts both hands on my shoulders and looks deep into my eyes. “But you had fun, right? You’re feeling good?”

“Yeah, of course. Feeling good. I feel great.” I nod, mostly to myself. “I feel amazing…” 

She agrees and continues to walk.

“I swear I wish I had forgotten most of these dudes' names.” She bites her lips looking menacingly into the horizon. I giggle, ashamed.

“I share the feeling.”

At lunch Mel ordered Japanese food and I just stared at the package for a full minute before deciding to eat.

“You know you can talk to me, right?” It’s the fourth or sixth time she said that to me, ever since she noticed something was off a couple months ago.

It was a Japanese restaurant but I almost didn’t notice at first, being too focused on something else. He wore a button up shirt and I felt like dying.

I remember saying something like:

“I don’t really like Portuguese food. Too many eggs. You guys put eggs in everything. Egg on the entrance, egg on the fish, for desert? Egg flavored cake. Francesinha is a sandwich with egg on top of it. That’s not where the egg is supposed to go, Rúben.”

And he laughed, he laughed at every joke I said. At the end of the night my jaw was hurting from how I smiled at him and I wondered if he felt the same.

It’s a double-edge sword, this whole falling in love thing. Even being the one saying goodbye, I still hurt like I was dumped by my first boyfriend at 16 all over again.

At first it was easy, everything can be a distraction if you try hard enough. But with time the thing I was trying so hard to hide became bigger and louder in my mind. The sound of the laughter, the clicking of the cutlery.

The realization that I chose this, standing outside of Wembley with a microphone in hand; over whatever that was.

This is fine, I’m great.

“How are you feeling about this season?” I question a random City fan outside the stadium.

“Good, yeah.” The lad shrugs.

“You guys already won everything, do you think the players-” I start, but he stops me.

“Nah, we didn’t win everything. There’s always more to win. We only got 3 out of 4 last season.” When he says that, I realize that around 20 meters away from me, in the distance, is the Manchester City bus. I walk faster.

The sound of wanting gets drowned out by a crowded pub and suddenly it's easier to breathe again and everything really is fine.

“Rice, rice, baby!” It’s Victor’s voice that gets a genuine laugh out of me. “I fucking love Wembley!”

We’re all meeting at the pub after the Community Shield game and the atmosphere is exactly like the first day back to school, but with a lot more beer involved.

“Please don’t tell me you have money on Arsenal winning the league.” Seb is sitting next to me, pointing his green bottle to Victor.

“I do. Yes, go ahead, laugh all you want.” Victor raises his voice, looking offended. “I’m not even being optimistic, mate, it’s just the plain truth.”

The entire table laughs and we almost can't hear when he continues. “They’re stronger this year, guys, hear me out.”

“You’re right to be confident, but personally I’m not putting money on Mikel.” Mel says.

I bite my tongue when they ask my opinion.

“I’m being a hundred percent professional this year, no betting, no guessing, just straight analyzing.” The table booed me and I raised my hands in the air, in surrender. “Hey, I didn’t even want to be here. I wish I was in Australia right now.”

“Don't remind me!” Mel sighs and lightly slaps me. “We’re literally the only women not covering the World Cup right now.”

“No whining! Come on, let’s toast.” Seb raises his bottle once again, but this time we all follow. “To a busy and long season!”

And we all repeat: “To a busy and long season!”

[nickmaghighlights]

Nick Mag Highlights - Nick Mag Presents: Danny Phantom (Fall 2005)

Well, well, well, fancy meeting you here. Welcome back to my blog and the words that inhabit it. Today, Halloween comes early this year when we read through another exciting issue of Nickelodeon Magazine Presents, this time all about Danny Phantom. Boo! Trick-or-Treat! Deck the halls!

And not only is this edition of Nick Mag Highlights spooky, it’s also… pretty chill. Y’know? Just takin’ it easy, reading a handful of comics and probably a crossword puzzle or something. As much as I love researching the kind of stuff Nickelodeon Magazine includes in its articles, sometimes it’s nice to sit back and take things at face value and just see what the state of Nickelodeon was like at any given time, and these short-and-sweet issues of Nick Mag Presents are the perfect venue for just that.

But why exactly am I tackling this purportedly Halloween-themed issue in August? Well, mainly it’s because that new Danny Phantom graphic novel just came out… two weeks ago (oops). And I really enjoyed it! So I’ve since been in a big Danny Phantom mood lately. I even ended up re-watching the whole first season and had a blast doing so. This show was a real obsession of mine as a kid, so maybe this blog post is also a way for me to give it its dues.

This issue can be found online here, read along… if you dare!

Another Nick Mag Presents, another humorously wordy introduction. If you’re unfamiliar, basically all these Presents-styled issues have a panel on the first page with a character essentially advertising the book to you and talking about all the comics and activities included inside. This one here features Danny and an understandably perturbed ghost, for example. 

Since these issues were usually sold in stores as opposed to through a mail subscription, I suppose this is the issue’s way of hooking you in and explaining to you why you should buy it. I think a kid would probably be more inclined to just flip through the book and arrive at the same conclusion, but I guess this approach doesn’t hurt anybody.

But anyway, let’s see here… aw, only two wholly new comics? The Fairly Oddparents-themed issue I took a look at previously had five original comics. That’s a bummer, but at least we’ve still got variety… SpongeBob, My Life as a Teenage Robot, and The Wild Thornberrys, oh my! Even Tak makes an appearance here, two years before the premiere of his actual Nickelodeon cartoon, meaning this was an attempt to interest readers in the then-recently released video game: Tak 3: The Great Juju Challenge. Not sure if that worked.

And if you’ll take a look at that yellow, spiky bubble with words on the right there, this September 2005 issue is meant to coincide with the then-upcoming two episode-long Danny Phantom special, “The Ultimate Enemy”, which featured Danny taking on a more powerful version of himself from the future. Seems like the included removable poster is even themed around that very episode! Let’s just hope that poster is still left intact, eh?

So first up, we’ve got a page to get you up to speed on the main cast if you’re new to the show. It’s even got some new factoids for the already familiar superfans! For example: Did you know Sam is into anime? I sure didn’t.

Oh, and if you’re wondering where series villain Vlad Masters is, don’t worry, they go over him later on in the book.

On the right you’ll find an easy if not slightly amusing word puzzle, which tasks you with solving questions where each answer contains the word boo. Simple enough for a kid while still being worth the time, methinks.

Although all the stock ghost art on the page gets me wondering, how come most of the ghosts in the show manifest as typical-looking cartoon ghosts while others manifest in a human form? I guess maybe it comes down to the strength of your spirit. Who’s to say?

You’ve met the characters, now it’s time to meet the voices behind them! I’ll always take a side of interviews with my Nickelodeon Magazine, and this is no exception. The questions are cute, and I had fun reading them. Not much to say.

So we’re finally here at the first comic of the issue, and… not really a fan of this one! Yeah, sorry to start this retrospective off on a sour note but this isn’t really doing it for me. The main villain of this one is Youngblood, who already isn’t exactly one of my favorite villains from the series. But here they’ve got him and all the other characters stuck in a pretty by-the-numbers plot where Danny and co. get stuck babysitting the brat while he tries to maim them, with them of course unable to fight back lest they face the wrath of his parents (who are humongous lizard monsters, for some reason). 

If you’re even a little familiar with cartoons you’ve probably already seen quite a few takes on this formula already. And even if you like Youngblood as a character they don’t have him doing his usual pirate shtick he’s remembered for, so I’m not sure what anyone is getting out of this, really. What's especially not helping is that this goes on for ten pages, further dragging out an already tired concept. 

So there you have it, I guess. Done-to-death story with accordingly done-to-death jokes, a lame villain, and about two pages of action. I will say though, Danny and Tucker’s babysitting poster on page 2 did get a smile out of me, at least.

You’ve met the characters, and you’ve also met the voices behind them, now it’s time to meet… the rest of the characters! The villain ones! These guys really made the show for me, cause the team behind the show really just seemed to understand the assignment and made all of them really unique and memorable.

So we can see they’ve been ranked in terms of how dangerous they all are, which is a fun idea. ‘Course you’ve got Vlad at the top of, but then there’s Technus just behind him? I can’t say I remember him being notably more dangerous than any of the other baddies, I’m fairly certain he gets swept up at the end of his specific episode just like all the rest. I’m pretty sure Valerie gave Danny a bigger run for his money, and she’s down at #3.

Woah now, I’m starting to scrutinize the power levels of cartoon characters. Cartoon characters from a show I haven’t even fully watched all the way through since I was a kid, no less. Better put a stop to that before it gets ugly.

Cool little cartoons on the left there, that one on the top right is properly devious and I’m all for it. All the art is quite lovely too.

The right is… well, it’s Mad Libs, there’s no other way around it. Y’know the Mad Libs website refers to itself as “the world’s greatest word game” but I seriously think they need to take that up with Scrabble, or hell, even Hangman. Yeah I was never a big fan of this kind of fill-in-the-blanks stuff, but I guess it’s a pretty inoffensive activity to include.

Check out Danny’s dad rocking that emo hair.

And now we’ve made it to the second and last new comic for the issue, and unfortunately it’s only a two-pager. But hey, if my thoughts on the previous ten-page comic said anything, it was that I prefer quality over quantity. And this one is… okay. It’s funny enough, does what all it needs to with the concept, and it definitely doesn’t overstay its welcome. I’m again surprised by the lack of action in both of these comics, considering Danny Phantom is an action show, after all, but it’s not like the show wasn’t a comedy either, so it’s not that weird.

I guess while we’re here I could nitpick it a bit. The lineart here courtesy of series creator Butch Hartman* is a bit wonky at times. There’s the aforementioned emo hair Danny’s dad is wearing, but my main gripe is that dog robot just doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the artstyle. It being the only new original character design for this comic as well doesn’t seem like a coincidence to me. I guess the team was fine with whatever Hartman drew because he made the show after all, so surely he knows what he’s doing, right?*

*Insert obligatory comment about how much of a loser Butch Hartman is here.

Just want to give a shoutout to this pretty creative puzzle here. It actually stumped me a little when I first read it! Those monster designs are pretty entertaining too. Solid activity overall.

Next up it’s an installment of Sam Shade, which was a short-lived recurring series in Nickelodeon Magazine. Apparently the series ran from 2002 to 2005, so this may be one of the last times a Sam Shade comic was ever printed in a Nick Magazine. 

These comics mainly consist of the titular Detective Sam Shade trying to solve some mystery, sleuthing around the area in a series of detailed, wordy scenes. Likewise, you as the reader are as well tasked with scouring the pages for clues to help deduce the culprit. Each panel here smoothly moves into the next, making for something like a Where’s Waldo puzzle but with an actual narrative. It’s a really good idea! A shame this series didn’t last longer.

Hey, is that Carl from Jimmy Neutron on the bottom right there?

Pretty nice My Life as a Teenage Robot comic here. Although that’s kind of unfortunate in a way, since that means I haven’t got much to talk about! It’s pretty much a 1-to-1 translation from animation to comic here. The artstyle and writing are both on point, it’s all just in a shorter, more paper-y format.

I wonder why the aliens’ speech bubble has flowers in it. Is that a theater reference, maybe?

The design of these fiery aliens are particularly awesome - simple but effective. I’m surprised they used such a cool design in a comic that was going to be seen by way less people as opposed to using it in the cartoon. Man, this show is so cool, even its supplementary media is stylish!

But anyway, do you want to know how this story ends? Read it yourself!

Ohh man, I distinctly remember this comic. I don’t remember what issue of Nickelodeon Magazine this one is sourced from, but whichever one it was, I had it. The story’s nothing to write home about really, It's another take on the age old tale of “Squidward yells at SpongeBob and Patrick for doing something annoying, so they inadvertently ruin his life”. Squidward must have a really good lawyer for him to be able to bounce back from all the crap SpongeBob and Pat get him into.

This version of the usual story has S. Bob and P. Rick making a cake in Squidward’s image. Mr. Krabs ends up mistaking it for the real Squidward, bringing it to the Krusty Krab, and having it run the cash register, obviously to disastrous results. It’s all pretty par for the course, and there’s some funny lines to be had.

Weirdly though, unless I’m blind, I can’t seem to find any credits for this one. Not in the comic itself or at the back of the book. I’m pretty sure the artist(s) behind this one did more SpongeBob SquarePants comics though, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the same writing team had a hand in them too. I distinctly remember one where all the characters turn into desserts. Or maybe it was an alternate universe where they’re all desserts? Something like that. Maybe I’ll find it and cover it on this blog someday!

And up next, it’s a Wild Thornberrys comic of all things (said with feigned surprise, having read the table of contents moments ago). And I’m just now realizing none of these comics have anything to do with ghosts, or horror, really. Quite the magazine you’ve got just in time for October, Nickelodeon!

But hey, it’s not right to judge a piece of art specifically by the context in which it is presented. Especially when it was originally published in a magazine that likely came out years earlier, probably not even around the month of October. Desperate times call for desperate measures and all that, even when it comes to filling the pages of a magazine.

This comic is especially cool, anyway, as you can no doubt tell from its distinct shakeup in style!

The story has Eliza receiving some gifts from her Japanese friend, Mayumi (who was probably in the show, presumably), one of those gifts being a homemade manga. And while I’m not exactly an expert on the Japanese arts, I certainly find this art convincing and really appreciate the attention to detail. I bet any kids that were fans of manga around this time must have felt pretty seen to have one of their hobbies referenced in a rather unlikely place, and with such attention to detail no less.

One thing I can also appreciate is that this story really isn’t something they could have pulled off in the show itself (unless they studio really wanted to have an anime-themed episode and go through the undertaking of doing an episode in an entirely different, foreign animation style all on their usual budget), so overall this is a really fun idea done quite flawlessly. My only gripe is we don’t get to see a manga-styled Nigel Thornberry, but what can you do?

Oh boy, the Tak comic, cool. Now, I know these games have their fans, but I can’t say I’m one of them. I did watch the show a bit though, but I’ve heard it has nothing to do with the games, so I guess that makes me rather unprepared to tackle this two-page comic on an intellectual, researched level. I will say though that I think the Sam Shade comic from earlier pulled off this style of free-flowing, no-panel storytelling to a much greater effect. The amount of Taks they threw around the page makes it feel really busy and cramped, and they had to essentially remove the second character Tak is traveling with from the story since I guess they were strapped for page space.

But yeah, the colors are nice at least, and Tak media is especially hard to come by nowadays, so I suppose if I were more into the property, I might be more into this.

Last comic of the day, and it’s Jimmy Neutron. At least this one kinda fits the theme, I mean, aliens are almost in the same horror-league as vampires, zombies, ghosts, and all that. This is a pretty quality one to end off the book with, and in regards to Jimmy Neutron, this is one of the better ways these characters have been translated to 2D. Although the incredibly warm colors and harsh shadows throw me for a loop. Pretty good overall!

Before we wrap things up, I would like to mention that advert for The Nicktoons Film Festival on the right. I totally forgot these used to be a thing! From 2004 to 2009 Nickelodeon hosted a film festival and let viewers vote for their favorite animated short, along with letting proper animation people who know what they’re talking about vote on their favorites, too. Lots of great up-and-coming cartoonists took part in these festivals. This one in 2005 actually featured a short by J. G. Quintel that eventually was used as a basis for his own Cartoon Network show, Regular Show! You can check the short out below:

Neat bit of history there, yeah?

Even though I’m still a bit disappointed this issue didn’t include more original content, I still think this ended up being a fairly entertaining walk down memory lane. And hey, I hope you had a good time too. I’m doubly disappointed, however, that the archive of this issue didn’t come with that tear-out poster! Now we’ll never see it in its full hi-def glory.

As always, thanks for stopping by and checking out another bit of Nick history with me. Have yourself a good one, and I’ll see you all next time!

[photon-bytez]

Given that it’s almost been three years since the release of its first season back in 2022, it should be worth noting that the people behind Prehistoric Planet have been… kinda quiet about things after Season 2 came out the next year. From June 2023, and up to right now, that makes almost 2 years since we’ve heard any official info on the show. Granted, other things related to PHP have popped up since (namely that VR thing last year and the upcoming immersive experience in London coming this summer), but they’re not really big to note in terms of any future seasons.

Although, that leaves me to my next point; Darren Naish, along with a few other folks from the production crew, have said some rather curious things in response to people asking for news on a third season. Combine that with how it’s almost been 3 years since the show launched (which is made even more helpful if the idea/theory about S2 being cut from the same cloth as S1, originally being scrapped material made into its own season, is true), then it stands to reason that the production team have been kinda busy with the show recently. An important note to bring up is how the first season took 3 years to make, between 2019 up to 2022, when it premiered. And it’s been another 3 years already, meaning that if Naish and co. were working on more PHP episodes, they’ve had plenty of good time to work on them. One last note to go off of before I present my big idea is how 2025 is shaping up to be a very big year for paleomedia; Jurassic World: Rebirth and the 2025 reboot of Walking with Dinosaurs being the main examples discussed in paleomedia circles (Surviving Earth has apparently been delayed to 2026 for god knows why). There would be absolutely no way that Apple would wanna turn down what could possibly be a huge dino-craze, why else did they release PHP S1 in the same year as Dominion?

This then leads into my big idea; Prehistoric Planet 3 would not only come out this year, it could be the final season for the show in general (Mainly due to how there’s been alot of talk recently about MPC, the vfx company that was in charge of the animation for the show, shutting down, and given the hints left on by Darren and co., perhaps a third season could be one of the company’s final projects)

I said it before, and I’ll say it again; the Maastrichtian (the epoch of the Late Cretaceous that both of the previous seasons were set in), still has plenty of animals to use, including popular species like Ankylosaurus and Gallimimus, more recently-named taxa like Thalassotitan and Maip, and especially a few obscure oddballs like Bonnerichtys, Gargantuavis, and Sahonachelys. And given how the last episode of S2 (North America) was a bit structurally different from the previous episodes, it stands to reason that it was teasing S3 this entire time. Why else would an episode suddenly be about an entire continent instead of a certain biome? If what I’m saying turns out to be true, then we could see episodes set in the other continents present at this time in Earth’s history. Lemme break it down like this…

South America

Continuing where S2 left off, this season premiere could turn around and explore the continent of South America, with Patagonia and the surrounding areas being a good example to start. While quite a few fossil bonebeds and formations aren’t the most described, there’s plenty of species to work with, both in terms of returning faces and newcomers.

Carnotaurus

Dreadnoughtus

Austroraptor

Austroposeidon

Mortuneria (If we wanna continue the idea of them being South American natives, as established in “Oceans”)

Patagonykus

Maip

Stegorous

Pycnonemosaurus

Patagomaia

Saltasaurus

Aerotitan

Orkoraptor

Willinakaqe

Armadillosuchus

Europe

Going in a forward spinning order, the second episode could focus on the European archipelago, the surrounding Tethys Sea, and larger, surrounding bits of land that would become part of Europe in the modern day (like France), with a returning location being Hateg Island, of course. Given that aforementioned location was one of the continent’s most focused locations in the last two seasons, the list of returnees could be a bit small, but that would be made even by how many possible new species could be added

Hatzegopteryx

Zalmoxes

Telmatosaurus

Paludititan (which is what I headcanon the Hateg sauropods seen at the ends of “Forests” as btw)

Mosasaurus

Prognathodon

Tethyshadros (although, given how they were actually from the earlier Campanian, I feel like their scene from Season 2 makes them a one-off)

Nostoceras

Rhabdodon

Ampelosaurus

Gargantuavis

Balaur

Allodaposuchus

Eurazhdarcho

Africa

Going to a continent that was heavily shown alot, and to one that had been a rare sight from time to time, Africa, while not being well-known from this time in terms of how many species lived in it, still has a good few picks. And given how it’s so close to the larger continent, showing off Madagascar would work well too

Barbaridactylus 

Phosphatodraco

Tethydraco

Alcione

Beelzebufo

Simosuchus

Majungasaurus

Madtsoia

Rapetosaurus

Adalatherium

Masiakasaurus

Ajnabia

Thalassotitan

Arambourgiania

Khinjaria

Mahajangasuchus

Ocepechelon

Simurghia

Sahonachelys

Falcatakely

Asia

An easy location to pick for this episode would be Mongolia, as it has been featured in the last two seasons. Surrounding areas like Russia, Japan, and China would also fit in as well.

Deinocheirus

Tarbosaurus

Therizinosaurus

Nemegtosaurus

Mononykus

Tarchia

Olorotitan

Velociraptor (despite not being V. mongoliensis)

Barsboldia

Corythoraptor

Kuru

Qianzhousaurus

Prenocephale

Phosphorosaurus

Gallimimus

Shantungosaurus

Alioramus

Sinoceratops

Zhuchengtyrannus

Adasaurus

Lost Worlds

Basically the episode that covers the miscellaneous locations present during the Maastrichtian; India, Antarctica, Appalachia (which hasn’t been featured in PHP yet, oddly enough), etc. Just a quick lil’ bonus round, because…

This isn’t gonna be the last episode for the season. The next one is, and will cover a certain location to help end things off with a bang. As for this episode and its creatures?

Isisaurus

Rajasaurus

Morrosaurus

Imperobator

Mortuneria (again maybe?)

Tuarangisaurus

Kaikaifilu

Diplomoceras (this time being in Antarctica)

Dryptosaurus

Cretalamna

Bonnerichthys (they could probably roam in the seas west of Appalachia’s coast)

Laevisuchus

Sanajeh

Bharattherium (maybe show them feeding on grass, as that first evolved right at the very end of the Mesozoic, just only in India at the time)

Vegavis

And that would normally be where a normal PHP season ends; 5 episodes like with the previous two seasons…

But… I said that there was one bonus episode to fully wrap everything up, didn’t I? Sure, the continents have all been figured out now, but I get that Apple would still wanna have T. Rex at least show up one last time, since it’s THE face of the series. Let’s try something… experimental…

66 Million Years Ago… (Bonus 6th Episode + Series Finale)

I figure that Apple would wanna shove in T. Rex and co. for at least one last time for the show, despite how plenty of other species and locations deserve as much love. However, they and the production team could work on a lil’ compromise by making an extra 6th episode (which is a first for the series) based in Hell Creek (which itself is located in what is now North America), returning to its most popular stars to help end the show off on a high note. After all, it’s been stated that the Maastrichtian was chosen for the show in the first place because of famous taxa like T. Rex. Not only would this be the first instance of the show adding in a 6th episode, along with also being the first one to focus entirely on a single location (Hell Creek in this case), it would also be the first episode to have a full-on story present within said single location (think something like “The Ballad of Big Al” from Walking with Dinosaurs in terms of comparisons), along with being double-length. The story could show a T. Rex raising and protecting his young while living life in Hell Creek, during the final years of the Maastrichtian. While the main focus is on this T. Rex, various scenes could also show the other residents of Hell Creek and nearby areas. That way, species not normally native to Hell Creek, including Quetzalcoatlus and Alamosaurus, could still be featured in this finale. As for the K-Pg extinction and the asteroid that would go on to cause it? Honestly, I feel like the team would do a new spin on it, like they’ve had with various other tropes during the show’s run. Either they could just cut to the aftermath after just teasing the giant space rock in the sky, or cutting away to modern day after said teasing. Either way, this will be the show’s final hurrah, and it would have all the bells and whistles you’d expect of a grand finale. As for the fauna that would show up?

Tyrannosaurus rex (because obviously)

Triceratops

Ankylosaurus

Anzu

Edmontosaurus

Denversaurus

Didelphodon

Quetzalcoatlus (either that and/or Infernodrakon. The latter only being just described as of me typing this kinda makes its inclusion unlikely tho)

Alamosaurus

Pachycephalosaurus

Pectinodon

Leptoceratops

Torosaurus

Thescelosaurus

Ornithomimus

Trierarchincus

Acheroraptor

Brodavis

Champsosaurus

Thoracosaurus

Axestemys

Palaeosaniwa

Mosasaurus (again? Remains have been found in the US, meaning that they would have roamed the oceans near Laramidia’s eastern coast)

Lonchidion

Purgatorius

This was another neat lil’ thought experiment related to PHP, which I frankly love doing. We might be in a drought regarding new content with this show, especially with how we still don’t know if it’s even continuing or not (which, again, is not helped by the panic of it being canned due to MPC possibly shutting down soon, but there still could be hope) but speculating is still a fun way to pass the time until we get an update.