#Yes Henry was the focal point which makes SENSE but that's just it:

[rahabs]

The Tudors ran so Wulf Hall could shuffle awkwardly around reiterating the same tired old Tudor stereotypes while claiming to be something new.

[thomaslightwood]

I honestly believe people are allowed to express their dislike for any piece of media they consume, be it books, movies or shows (as long as they aren’t toxic and hateful about it, to the point where you question why they remain in the fandom). Now, regards to CC and TSC specifically, I find that majority of the fandom who dislike certain aspects of her books, don’t actively try to argue and be rude to those who love them. I will absolutely condemn anyone who does so.

And I have to say, the recent release of CHOT is a perfect example of how fandom can be divided. I honestly have nothing against people who enjoy EVERY aspect of CC’s work, but even they can be overbearing sometimes. For example, I find it laughable that some of them imply that the arguments we make are because we “can’t cope” with CHOT not ending “the way we wanted.” Like, no, we know CC is within her rights to end her trilogy however she sees fit, without giving a second thought to people’s theories and expectations. But that doesn’t absolve her of critical reviews when she herself said people will have strong opinions about the book, and not everyone is going to be fully satisfied with how the trilogy ends.

And there are three main things I disliked about the book:

(1) As much as I enjoy love triangles and adore Herongraystairs, I’m quiet wary of them as well, especially one that was executed like MatthewxCordeliaxJames. This fiasco might’ve been focal to the overall plot, but it was dragged out to the point where the series was reduced to solving messy relationships, instead of focussing on the fantasy plot at hand. The “dragging out” aspect of it would’ve made sense if James learned about the bracelet later, rather than sooner. However, majority of the book left him contemplating over whether of not he should tell Cordelia, to the point where I was expecting an understandable reason as to why he didn’t. But lo’ and behold, it was only because he didn’t want her to “pity” him *sigh.*

(2) I had reservations about Kit’s death, and not because I didn’t want him to die. To counter argue hardcore fans claiming this is the only argument we make, I want to go even further by saying, ok Kit died, yes we are told all his friends and family mourned him. But the emphasis here is on the word TOLD. There was a lot of telling, but not enough showing. As much as it would’ve been heartbreaking and unbearable to read his funeral, as well as a more detailed account of Cecily, Gabriel and Henry’s reactions to his death - it would’ve made for better storytelling. For example, I couldn’t imagine Queen of Air and Darkness being written without portraying how the Blackthorns mourned Livvy’s death - which was more beautifully executed by CC in my opinion.

(3) A more minor reservation I suppose, was the anticlimactic-feel of Belial. I mean, (1) Mortman (a mundane), wanted to create an army of automatons to take over England and rape Tessa to have extraordinary offspring. (2) Sebastian (half shadowhunter; half demon), succeeded in creating endarkened shadowhunters, and wrecked havoc during the dark war. But you’re telling me Belial (a literal prince of hell)‘s main motive was to be coronated in Westminster abbey? Are you frickin’ kidding me?

Fingers-crossed for a more satisfactory storytelling and ending in TWP, I suppose.

Anon, you're much more humble and respectful than I will be right now.

I would say it's okay to enjoy piece of media that is trash. I have books that I love that are absolutely trash and I can admit that - I still love them. If you just want to consume the media without analysing it, that's fine.

But it's ridiculously and childish to say or imply people saying "bad" stuff about COT is because we didn't like what happened. We are using critical thinking skills to consume media and it's so tiring to be called a hater because you use them when you consuming media. The anti-intellectualism is real.

So, now:

1) Overall, I agree with you! I hate love triangles but since it was about characters I didn't particularly care about, I don't have strong opinion on it. But it definitely influenced the structure of the book in very bad way, to the point as you said, it was reduced to solving messy relationships. The whole deal with James not telling Cordelia about the bracelet was ridiculous and pointless - needn't to wait so freaking long for literally no valid reason at all!

2) I definitely didn't want Kit to die... But even if we look from objective point of view, his death was executed poorly and served no purpose to the plot. It was to shock and upset the reader. He died just for the sake of someone dying. It was similar thing with Raphael, with Jordan, with Barbara, with George. Someone just had to die. And of course, it's absurd a protagonist to die and CC very hard tries not to play into the 'burry your gays' trope, so this leaves her with limited secondary characters to kill off.

I don't even want to talk about everyone's reaction to Kit's death, it all was a parody.

3) You may have a point, anon... I haven't thought much about it, I was too pissed about other things. I believe Belial's goal was to take over this dimension too... Or at least to rule London? Yeah, that's actually... kind of silly compared to other antagonist we have had? In the other three series the villians had some sort of stronger motives, that came from trauma and turst for revenge... But Belial was simply power hungry. I guess that's one of the problems having a Prince of Hell as you antagonist - he's usually inhearantly evil and when you're asking why he's doing whatever he's doing: "he's just evil". You don't have real answers why he's corrupt or power hungry - he just is.

I think it works only to have it as a side antagonist - like in TMI with Magnus' father (which name I don't remember, sorry). There it was ok because it wasn't the main source of problems.

At this point I feel like I can talk with hours about the issues this book had... The more I sit with it, the more I realize how unsatisfying it was.

[sortasirius]

TLOU episode 4 spoilers

L O V E THE JOKEBOOK!!!!! LOVE!!!

I love the homage to the old Americana that the game was based on. Theme parks, Love’s signs for gas and food on the interstates, the trains.

“Slow down”

“This is slow.”

AND JOEL FINISHING HER JOKE ARE YOU KIDDING ME

The watch being a focal point when he’s talking to Ellie in the forest…yeah

Lowkey kinda sad they took the burnt shit line from Dina

It legit feels so weird that they aren’t in Pittsburgh, I took it for granted that they would be and was stunned when they weren’t.

Also sad there was no bus crash

I-

Bryan screaming for his mom. Okay. Oof.

Honestly really into a woman leading this group. I also like how they’re giving them more of an identity. Neil talked about that at the end of the ep and it struck me as a really good choice.

What in the actual fuck was that pit thing? Maybe a bloater pit??

They’re taking these characters in a very different direction than I’m used to. I like it a lot, but I know game Joel would never apologize to Ellie like that

I have an idea that the person Ellie hurt might be Riley as she was turning. I will have to be committed to a psychiatric hospital if that is the case.

THE SCENE AFTER HER JOKE IS INSANE. I AM SCREAMING I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

“That is so goddamn stupid.”

“You laughed motherfucker.”

“I didn’t laugh.”

“Yes you did.”

“Jesus, I’m losing it.”

“You’re losing it big time.”

And them just dissolving into laughter? There have been several times where I’ve thought “there’s no game Joel or HBO Joel, that’s just Joel.” And that moment between the two of them? That was just Ellie and Joel, hands down my favorite scene so far.

HENRY AND SAM HENRY AND SAM HENRY AND SAM

I just…I feel like I’m getting a Joel and Ellie that are just as nuanced as Joel and Ellie in the games, but differently nuanced. I remember thinking, when Neil and Craig had said that they told Pedro and Bella not to play the games that I thought it was weird. Like how are you going to understand the source material? But now, it makes perfect sense. Because Joel is softer towards Ellie, in a way that I’m sure game Joel wouldn’t have been. And Ellie is a little less soft herself, she thinks she’s tougher than she is.

They’ve done such a good job with everything so far, which is how I know next week, with Henry and Sam, is going to be nothing short of gutting.

[theonceoverthinker]

OUAT 4X01 - A Tale of Two Sisters

Awww! The Frozen Arc! It’ll be ICE to see it again!

Let’s hope my review is better than my puns! Give it a read below the cut, if you are so kind!

Main Takeaways

Past

I can’t get over how GOOD the casting and chemistry was for the Frozen cast. I’m partially convinced that Disney has machines that construct people from their CG counterparts! XD I feel like the story fro this episode is perfectly good. This segment really just had to show off that it understood the Frozen cast and delivered a story that allowed for the story to continue in an engaging way, and I think they did a pretty solid job of it!

Present

”Your intentions don’t matter.” While this phrase is often a good point in terms of actions mattering more than intentions, it’s not here. While yes, I know that this ends up being Zelena, at the time, Emma was saving an innocent woman. I get that Regina’s upset and it makes sense for her character to be upset in this situation, This is a hard arc to watch. That said, I do like that Emma stands her ground here. While she’s sorry she caused Regina pain, she won’t apologize for sparing Marian. “That was the person I was, not the person I am.” But the thing is, you still have to answer for the sins of the person you were. The harm she caused didn’t go away because you’ve done better. It honestly frustrates me to see Regina deflecting back to this aspect of her character. That said, as I’m often one to defend Emma from criticisms against her walls popping up all the time, I want to make the effort to do the same for Regina. And I do think that not blaming others for her mistakes is the general trajectory of her character, and this arc is interesting because we see a more redeemed Regina put in a similar situation to the very actions that made her The Evil Queen to begin with. The immediate show of growth honestly helps here too. It’s clear by the end of the episode that Regina won’t go back to her old ways, and the engaging part now is how she reconnects with the rest of the mains.

I gotta say, I remember LOVING the initial idea of Marian coming back to life and I still do in the universe where more had been done with it. So much of Storybrooke has forgiven Regina because they’ve seen her take on Pan’s Curse and Zelena, but here comes someone who not only hasn’t seen this redemption, but has a strong connection to Regina’s boyfriend. The conflict there just SCREAMS of potential for all involved. Marian’s got a strong personality, Regina would get to truly prove her redemption to someone with no faith in her, and Robin would get a more intricate conflict and potential for deeper characterization that could contribute to him growing as a member of the main cast. And...nothing like that really happened. I think watching this episode tends to open up old wounds for me because this was an arc that I really looked forward to getting into the meat of and because the meat amounted to that found on a chicken’s foot, I can’t say that I’m that happy.

Basically every line at Neal’s grave had me filled with feels! What a beautiful and touching goodbye from Rumple to his son. It’s such a powerful moment. When it comes to Rumple this episode, they set him up so much to make the ultimate change just to not. Now, in the context of the episode as a vacuum, that’s fine and is a pretty classic Once-y twist. However, I feel like in the service of the arc as a whole, it would’ve been better maybe to show more of the reasons why the Sorcerer’s Hat was so tempting, and if not here, then in another episode. The closest we’ll get is Rumple’s speech to Regina in “Heroes and Villains,” which merely touches upon the effects of dying, being a slave at Zelena’s hands for a year, and losing Bae. And look, I like his declination back to villainy for that reason. Bae was his moral compass -- the person who had just enough doubt and love for Rumple that he would be able to keep Rumple on the path of good just with his willpower and lack of full trust -- and losing him at the end of what amounts to a torture conga is the kind of thing that would cause him to get more slippery with his morals. Belle in certain contexts can be easy to fool and I can see those small rationalizations build up in a way that would match up with the following arc.

”I know you, cause you’re like me.” Not to get too shippy, but I feel like the interaction between Robin and Regina in the office where Robin points out their similarities is a character point that should’ve been given more focus. Yes, from an abstract point of view, Regina and Robin are similar because they used to do villainous things, whereas Robin was a thief, Regina murdered, and that’s an entirely different league of villainy. And I swear I’m not trying to put Regina down here, but I think that difference is one that should be a focal point of their dynamic. Robin went through a redemption arc of his own in a way, and seeing him try to pass on those tactics and fail because they’re not compatible with Regina’s brand of villainy and grow from that to have a better understanding of Regina and take on a different approach to helping her. Getting into the meat of that and establishing those differences could’ve made them stronger for me.

I hate the way “monster” is used in this episode. The context of the episode frames “monster” as something undeserved being thrust upon someone, applying to Regina and Elsa. However, in the context of the episode, Regina’s being called a “monster” by Marian, someone whose most recent memory of Regina is saying that she’ll be happy with her head upon a spike and Marshmallow is being called the monster in Elsa’s case, though she attributes that as an extension of herself while Marshmallow is literally attacking a town. Just...this isn’t like The Beast being called a monster when he’s not attacking anyone and I don’t feel like the framing was entirely there for it. THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, I do think the retraction of “monster” towards Regina was well deserved! She saved Marian, even with all of that rage in her heart and that’s pretty freakin’ great!

Stream of Consciousness Thoughts

-This opening may have one of the most fantastically created storm. Look at the water and the panic of the crew as they try to fight it off!

-So while I don’t blame anyone from being a little nervous at the possibility of Regina going evil again (She spent half of the scene talking about how being a hero screwed her over and she does try to plot to kill Marian with Sidney in the vault), props to Henry for his faith in her!

-Dab, Elsa! Dab!

-”And once more, I’ve started it with a lie.” That was a really poorly-worded segue. He wasn’t talking about lying in the previous part of that speech and it’s not like he brought up lying about Milah’s “death.” It’s just one line, but it could’ve been better constructed.

-”I’ll spend my life repaying you for that.” Well, you’re not wrong.

-Damn, there’s a really interesting contrast in Robin and Regina’s scenes in the office between the finale and here. In the finale, they were on the floor, relaxed, and touching whereas here, they’re sitting on the couch, stiff as boards, and the distance between them looks more like a chasm.

-Okay! Watching this episode after the auction and seeing everything everyone bid on is hysterical!

-As we’re spending a lot of time in the mayor’s office, I’ve got to say that I LOVE the interior design here. I love the black and white that allows for the colors (Especially the reds) to pop against it. I love the forest-like wallpaper. It’s just so pretty!

-I gotta say, I’m really happy seeing Sidney again. The actor just rocks!

-Breaking and entering honeymoon? Sign me the fuck up! :D

-I need a map of Storybrooke SO badly. For a while, I HC’d the mansion as being closer to the town line, but I guess it’s closer to the docks? Thoughts?

-I gotta say, I think it’s a little dumb having Rumple be able to stop people in their tracks like that and have it only happen again like one or two times.

-Speaking of the auction, kind of weird that the Sorcerer’s Hat never came up in it.

-I really like how The Enchanted Forest was given an actual name. It’s not that I don’t like calling it The Enchanted Forest, but calling it Misthaven makes it feel more like a place with a history and a life to it rather than just...a place.

-”I need my beauty sleep.” Woowww, Pabbie. Way to leave in the rudest fucking way ever! Like, I’m bored, byeee! Your in-laws are there, clearly upset about this! Put in some more fucking effort!

-Anna, I don’t think Elsa’s “making excuses” when she’s the queen and can’t abandon her country!

-One of my favorite jokes that’s so underrated is how the “DO NOT BLOCK GATE EVER” fence just gets fucking stepped over! XD

-That snowman doesn’t even look scared! He just looks annoyed! Someone, make this dude a tiara!

-Nathaniel--I mean Kristoph! It’s you! ...I think watching Crazy Ex-Girlfriend might have made it impossible for me to fully immerse myself into this character.

-Fuck yeah, Marian! Going in for the fight! ...I do wonder. I guess had Regina not decided to save her, Zelena would’ve revealed herself in order to not die.

-”I don’t know what that [Netflix] is but sure.” I love this line so much!

-”Unless...another monster appears and kills me.” ...Welcome to your life, ma boy.

-I’d like to think that during that pause when Sidney wouldn’t appear, he was talking to Ingrid and plotting.

-Damn, Belle! You pull that off! Or rather, I suppose it was pulled off of you! ;)

-RUMPLE AND HIS SEXY ASS ARMS! WE HAVE RUMPLE AND HIS SEXY ASS ARMS! NOT A DRILL.

-...Anna, that’s not how you wear a necklace!

Favorite Dynamic

Emma and Regina. You would think given how I really don’t like what’s to come that this episode would’ve done no favors for me, but honestly, I love Emma and Regina’s dynamic here! As I said before, while I roll my eyes at a lot of the lines given to Regina here, I do think it makes absolute perfect sense -- not deserved, but make sense -- for Regina to be angry at Emma. And Emma is adamant that she doesn’t regret saving her life, but still feels terrible that Regina lost Robin in the process. It’s a very nuanced aspect of this conflict. I also feel like their reactions to their fight were really well written. Emma is trying to live up to both her job as the Savior and her resolve to fight against her walls by trying to find Regina to talk while Regina’s more reserved character aspects kick into high gear and she slinks back to think on the matter.

Writer

Adam and Eddy are our main guys today, as per usual with season openers and they did a great job! In a vacuum, so much of this story is great and sets up a lot of the conflict and mystery of the next half season. And while the rest of the half season doesn’t hit bullseye at every point, they do succeed more often than they don’t.

Rating

9/10. This episode is a little hard to watch in hindsight because of the potential of some things that just really didn’t pan out, BUT within the context of this episode, the initial quality of these arcs is so present and that’s what this review is mostly here to judge. While not balanced in the sense of giving everyone something to do, I do think that there was a perfect balance of character usage. Everyone placement and actions feel right and appropriate for their characters. Finally, I know I’m in the minority, but I LOVE the Frozen cast. They added a nice bit of charm to the episode and made a very memorable first impression.

Flip My Ship - The Home of All Things “Shippy Goodness”

Captain Swan - I really like the CS plot here. Romance, especially after Neal’s death, isn’t the easiest thing for her and especially given what just happened with Regina, she doesn’t want to let herself be happy, but Killian’s making sure that she gives herself that chance. So, also, I always grinned when I saw Emma fall right on top of Killian. I love when that happens with romantic pairings! And their kiss is just fantastic here! Emma is still very much interested and she feels guilty putting Killian on the side while she deals with her feelings and circumstances.

Rumbelle - I freakin’ love the breaking and entering honeymoon! RUMBELLE PORN! Just...that dance. That music. Robert Carlyle’s smile. My only regret is that we had to sacrifice the awesome outfits Rumple were already wearing (Though they make it up later in the bedroom! ;) ) AND SPEAKING OF THE BEDROOM. Yeah, Belle looks pretty freakin’ satisfied with whatever kinky shit they just got up to!

-----

Hey everyone! So, I altered the review style a little bit. I don’t know whether or not I’ll stick with this or return to the old format, but I feel like this was a better way to condense my thoughts. The Season 3 Overview will be posted...at some point, tbh. I don’t know why, but it is really hard to write right now and since I’m already behind, I figured that I’ll just jump into Season 4!

Thanks to the fabulous folks at @watchingfairytales and to my badass boss of a friend @daensarah! Finally, thank you to my loyal readers! Happy holidays to you all!!!

Season 3 Total (9/230)

Writer Scores: Adam and Eddy: (9/60)

*Links to the rest of my rewatch will no longer be provided. They take posts with links outside of searches and I spend way too much time on these reviews to not give them that kind of exposure. Sorry for the inconvenience, but they still can be found on my page under Operation Rewatch.