#a filler episode to establish future dynamics

[xcomresistanceradio]

Chapter 15: lakshmi: this is my boyfriend djore and his boyfriend the hunter

[thatfruityb1tch]

GRRM blog post should have been way worse.

With the amount of bullshit that HBO keeps putting him and his work through he should have given away their entire future plans. He should have thrown in a couple of swears here and there. Hell, he should have cussed out everyone's entire family blood line. And yes, I am aware that there was no way that he could do that because he would be buried in lawsuits but it is very interesting to know all of his thoughts on what HBO is doing to his life’s work.

If I was George RR Martin no one would be able to hold me back. Maybe I'm just a violent person but I personally would've pulled up to R*an C*ondal's house for a quick "chat". I would have actually been sued so fucking bad that the crippling debt that they left me to rot in would’ve left me with no choice but to publish Winds Of Winter. But alas, I am not George RR Martin. And honestly, mad respect to the guy. His work, an entire separate universe that he created in his mind throughout several years is being disrespected, butchered and abolished because of some egoistical pricks. The book - unlike ASOIAF books - has already been written and the events in it established. Now, I know some of you feel the urge to argue that it's "Maester propaganda" and that "we don't know if the events in the books is actually what happened" but guess what, history books are written the same way and Fire & Blood is meant to be perceived as a history book. Unlike real life history though, F&B is fictional and it's much better to stay on the safe side and take everything as it was written instead of actively trying to outsmart the original creator.

All the show writers had to do was write the dialogue and some additional filler scenes. The main events and character dynamics should have been left untouched. And yes, while the “Evil Stepmother” trope may be overdone it could have still had a ton of potential given that in this case, both the stepmother and the stepdaughter are power-hungry women driven by ambition and their own self-preservation and not one of them should be rooted for. That was the appeal of the original story. In the books both sides are evil and have done horrendous things. Now the show runners just decided to take the blacks and make them out to be the underdogs and Rhaenyra the new (old, technically) Daenerys. It makes no sense. F&B was written to show how the Targaryens were all inevitably driven to insanity and none of them are good. Some were murderers, some tyrants, most were sadists and some of them were depressed from simply being born Targaryen. F&B was meant to show how Daenerys was better than her predecessors and would have never gotten along with any of them but the damn show runners decided that no, Rhaenyra is gonna be the protagonist, the “hero” and everyone else can go fuck themselves.

Don’t even get me started on how C*ndal handled B&C. It was still a horrifying scene, of course, there’s no denying that, but it left me with a bitter taste. R*an C*ndal claims that in the books, how the murder of a six year old child is described was “green propaganda” and it was “just not that bad”. They specifically had a portion of that episode following B&C so the viewers would feel as if they were on a heist and root for them, hoping that they wouldn’t get caught. How insane do you have to be to call the murder of an innocent child “propaganda” and try and make us “root” for the murderers? That is disgusting.

How many more times are there going to be directors who take an already established book world and meddle in it to make something that is barely recognisable? Don’t they understand the disrespect they show to the authors of these books? They may as well spit in the authors face, it’s all the same. They’re just showing that no author should sign them the rights to adapt their work because inevitably it will just be made into a plagiarised fanfic version of the original book. I would not be surprised if in the following years more and more writers will refuse to make a screen adaptation of their work because directors and show-runners cannot stop themselves from making their mark. They’re just pissing in a corner, hoping no one notices but the stench is there and it’s revolting and it’s ruining a perfectly good carpet.

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

The Endless Cycle: In Defense of the "Filler" Episodes in "The Bad Batch"

I'm up to the the half way point of season 2 of the Bad Batch and there's something I've noticed about the filler episodes: there's actually a point them. The Batch doesn't simply "do." Whether immediate or later down the line, the "filler" episodes do have a point even if we an all agree they're not the best. I remember first watching and being like, "where's the plot" and "when can we get back to Crosshair?" And I'll admit, I did prefer the episodes where there was something more impactful happening. However, the more filler-y episodes weren't pointless either. The biggest difference between season 1 "filler" and season 2 is that season 1 sets up arcs and other characters while season 2 "filler" has more emphasis on the Batch themselves. The "filler" episodes make up what I call the survival arc in which the Batch must learn how to make a living for themselves.

Season 1

Ep. 4 "Cornered"- this is the episode where we meet Fennec Shand. Fennec is a part of the bounty hunter arc. Although there doesn't seem like much happening other than Omega getting chased, this episode sets up future conflict. The Batch now has to keep Omega safe from bounty hunters who are after her.

Ep. 5 "Rampage"- like the previous episode, this episode serves as a means to progress the bounty hunter arc. It is also the first time we see the boys work for Cid. Although it seems like a pointless episode, there is a point. The Batch go on a mission and in turn, Cid gives them the information on Fennec. Fennec was established in the previous episode as an antagonist.

Ep. 6 "Decommissioned"- in this episode, we learn about Rex's involvement in the show. Although the majority of the episode is just a mission for Cid, the end gives us a hint of what's to come. Rex is crucial for the Batch's understanding of the chip. This culminates in the events of episodes 7 and 8.

Ep. 13 "Infested"- this furthers the Batch's relationship with Cid. But other than that, this is the only episode I'd truly call filler.

Season 2

Ep. 4 "Faster"- Tech finally gets the spotlight. Not only do we see more of how clever he truly is, but Tech gets recognized and appreciated for it. It's a fun episode that lets us know Tech more. There is also an interesting contrast between Tech, a human who talks more like a droid at times, and TAY-0, a droid who talks more like a human. However, Tech is human and it's what makes him smarter than a droid at the end of the day.

Ep. 5 "Entombed"- another fun episode where we see more of Phee and her dynamic with the Batch. Two things I noticed: Omega tends to mimic others she finds cool or role models to her and how tired Hunter is. As my cousin pointed out, this episode solidifies the fact that the Batch is just going through the motions at this rate.

Ep. 6 "Tribe"- this episode is the foundation of what Pabu later solidifies: the Batch, Hunter in particular, being tired of constantly doing missions and wanting to find their own place to raise Omega. Gungi is separated from his home because of Order 66 so the Batch decide to help him. Through their interactions, Hunter pays attention to Omega and realizes that she deserves to be a kid, not a soldier.

These "filler" episodes take the Batch through an arc across the seasons. In the beginning, it was their means of survival. Not only could they use those missions as a way to get info, but it was a means to get money for food and repairs. In season 1, they were so eager to do what they could in order earn their keep. But as the Empire's grip began to tighten around them, that attitude slowly began to change. We see it in the form of Hunter's tiredness and frustration. By season 2, it feels like the boys and Omega are just going through the motions: need to live, go on mission, get money, rinse and repeat. This is no life for Omega and Hunter realizes that. While life as mercenaries might fit some like Cad Bane or Fennec, it clearly doesn't suit the Batch longterm. They want something more. Echo in particular realized that this was not the life for him or this brothers.

Echo as a character is very interesting even if he unfortunately doesn't get much to do. In the Clone Wars, he was part of Domino Squad who were sort of a Bad Batch themselves. Following orders as a cadet was Echo's thing; it was what earned him his name. However, there is more to Echo than just being a rule follower. Echo is very loyal and sticks to his beliefs firmly. He's kinda like Cross in that aspect. After losing Domino Squad, he only had Fives left. Fives, similarly, is someone who has a set of values that he sticks to without fault. I think they both inspired one another to be honest. Echo is then lost at the Citadel and turned into a cyborg. Fortunately, he is rescued by Rex, Anakin, and the Batch. Despite his suffering, Echo never lost his fighting spirit. I firmly believe that Echo feels indebted as a result of his rescue and second chance. He sees the Batch as a chance for a new life and to help others the way they helped him. When he chooses to off with Rex, it is to further his goal of helping others. Whenever Echo talks to Hunter, it's usually about what the Batch could be doing. Echo has a very solid set of moral values. He longs to give others a second chance at a better life. He was given that chance and he won't waste it. This is why I think he leaves in the second season. The Batch have been stuck in an endless of cycle of mission-payment. There's no greater good being fulfilled, only survival. Echo is tired of sitting around and doing nothing; he needs to find his own path. He's getting worn out. So, when Rex comes along and asks for Echo and the Batch's help, Echo makes a choice to fulfill what he needs to do. He's going to give others a second chance make a difference.

Then there's Hunter. Hunter spends the first half of season 2 in what I call "tired dad mode." Like the rest, this man is going through the motions and it's slowly eating at him. Was this the life he or his brothers were promised? No. Hunter is supposed to be the leader and look where the Batch is now. And then there's Omega. Hunter imprinted on her. That's his kid, the reason he wakes up each morning, and you can't argue otherwise. No one is going to get between them without a fight. But Hunter knows too well that war and a life as a mercenary isn't what Omega needs. She needs somewhere safe to grow up and be a kid. The clones never had a choice, but now, they do. The episode "Tribe," is a foreshadow to Pabu in my opinion. The Batch get a small taste of domesticity and they like it. More importantly, Hunter likes it. He realizes this is exactly what Omega needs.

In contrast to Hunter's tiredness is Omega. While the filler episodes show us just how the rest of the Batch is tired of this endless cycle, it has the opposite affect on our girl. Omega has never been outside Tipoca City until the Batch rescued her and adopted her. The filler episodes, which see the Batch on various adventures, let Omega explore worlds and things she's never seen before. Her wonderment always amazes me. It emphasizes her role as the heart of the Batch even more. The filler also lets Omega learn lessons about life and teach others as well. Twice, she convinces her brothers to help Cid because Cid helped them. Omega's personality is a complete 180 from the Batch but that's not a bad thing. She gives her brothers a new perspective just as they give her one. However, there needs to be a balance in life. Omega is still learning and growing. She may love all the crazy adventures and what they might teach her, but that also brings the inherent risk of danger. She needs to be allowed to be a kid. This is why Pabu and the events of "Tribe" are so important to Omega's growth. She may prefer adventure, but knowing life without worrying about one's survival is equally crucial. Omega still has a lot to learn, but her spunky energy and love for life will take her far.

With Wrecker and Tech, it's a bit different since they both kinda just float along with the rest of the group. They both are tired of the same old but don't have strong reservations the way Hunter or Echo do. Wrecker at the end of the day just wants to live happily with his family and blow things up. The missions give him fun things to do; there's never a boring moment when things go awry. Wrecker is more a less a child. But he knows when something is serious and can handle it with maturity. Where Crosshair struggles to open up and keeps his feelings buried, Wrecker is an open book. His "go with the flow" attitude is similar to Omega and makes missions more bearable. Tech, on the other hand, is more irritable. Being the logical one, he understands why the Batch continues doing what they do. However, his tone of voice and casual quips reveal that he too is done with everything. He needs to break out of the cycle. This isn't working anymore. Tech is someone who always goes for what's most strategic and to quote Mori from Bungou Stray Dogs, "the optimal solution." Need more speed? Just drop the weapons. Gonna go racing? Study the track beforehand. Even in season 1, he does what's needed to be done in order to continue surviving. He doesn't visibly show that he is tired; he does it through his words. Tech and Wrecker seek to continue on living and keeping their family safe. They don't feel the need to do more like Echo or have to lead like Hunter. That's the difference. Because Tech and Wrecker don't carry a heavy burden the way Echo and Hunter do, they drift along and it's gradually getting to them.

To summarize after such a long post:

The filler episodes drive the plot along by introducing certain ideas and characters. However, they also represent the endless loop of going through the motions. Mercenaries isn't the life the Batch should be living but are stuck in because they have no choice. Echo longs for more, Hunter is tired, Omega enjoys them for the adventure they bring her, and Tech and Wrecker go along with it because what else can they do?

That's my analysis on the Batch and filler episodes. I'm sure I'll have more to say, specifically Tech and Crosshair related in the future. Anyways, take care.

[elizabethshaw]

hm. thinking thoughts

under the cut for spoiler reasons:

this is literally just me writing stuff up in no real order so there is probably not all that much coherence to it. ah well

loved how unsettling it was having something wrong with the tardis! the tardis (in the tv show at least) is usually the one guaranteed safe place in any given dr who episode and so to have it suddenly a threat like that felt genuinely unnerving

the time window sequence was cool. really liked the fuzzy, there-but-not-quite-there visual effects

i also loved the monologue/prophecy/whatever, built things up very nicely and idk. i just vibed with it. i have more to say but the words are not coming to me right now

"and standing on high is the Mother and Father and Other of them all" i haven't even read lungbarrow but them saying "other" here immediately got my attention lmao

for an episode called "the legend of ruby sunday", it felt like (particularly in the last third of the story), there was remarkably little actual focus on ruby. while i do genuinely like her as a companion, i do feel like she's been one of the biggest casualties of the shift to a shorter series length with less time for "filler" episodes - we simply haven't had the time to get to know her on a deeper level, and i was hoping, given the title, that this story would do something to rectify that a bit. and then it didn't.

saying that, i did appreciate them giving her some more scenes with her mum this episode, i think she has a really nice dynamic with her family and we haven't seen enough of it since the christmas special imo

no trickster :( he got a mention at least but i was hoping he'd be the villain ngl

i have watched pyramids of mars once, four years ago, and barely remember the plot (my main memories of that episode are sarah with a gun ngl), probably going to have to rewatch it before next week. dailymotion you may have to be my saviour once again

not entirely sure how i feel about sutekh as the main villain. this is at least in part because my memories of pyramids of mars are hazy as anything, but i'm just... undecided. to its credit, the episode itself actually did a good job of getting me very excited about the reveal while i was watching, but as an overall thing? i don't know yet. i think i'm going to have to wait until i've watched the finale next week to form a full opinion

i reckon he must have hitched himself onto the tardis around/during "wild blue yonder" though - this is the first time where the tardis starts making The Noises, and is also the first time susan twist turns up, and that can't be a coincidence, especially given that, as previously established, it was likely fourteen's salt trick in this episode that let the toymaker back into the universe

i rewatched "the church on ruby road" earlier this week bc i figured it'd be a good shout and i hadn't watched it since broadcast, and during that i felt like mrs flood was maybe a "retired" companion, possibly a future companion (maybe of a future doctor) that we haven't met yet. after this ep though, i'm not so sure. she seems at least aware of sutekh in some way, and also seems potentially antagonistic, but i'm not sure she's actually directly linked to him. i'm fairly sure as well rtd said at some point she's more of a mystery for later series so. hm. it'll be interesting to see what more we get of her in part two

i can't shake the feeling that they are going to do something with susan further down the line. there have been more mentions of her in this series than in basically the rest of new who put together and i can't help but think that this must be for a reason even if susan twist wasn't her

anyway the real mystery for me: what is the vlinx. i have been thinking about this on and off since december. what is it. how did it get into unit to begin with. i need answers

[reelvibes91]

Batman: Caped Crusader Review

Batman has probably the deepest rogues gallery in all of comics. Oftentimes, when depicted on screen, the focus has been on a core few. With Batman: Caped Crusader, we step away from that and get some focus put on different characters. How does Caped Crusader stack up against other iterations of character?

This version of events is unique in various ways. Taking Batman back to a 40s Mafia setting was a nice touch. One that particularly helped lend to the investigative aspects of the character. It relies on good old-fashioned detective work instead of relying on modern technology.

The Batman/Bruce Wayne dynamic was handled well. Hamish Linklater has the task of living up to prior talent, and he does a great job. This is a Batman who feels more vulnerable and wants to keep in touch with his human side. It has always been his allies that ground him, and this version really allows the relationships Batman has form organically. He has to establish those links over time and knows full well these tasks can't be accomplished on his own.

There can't be a discussion about a Batman series without the villains. Here, we treated to a wide array of villains. Two standouts immediately are Firefly and Harley Quinn. The episode featuring Firefly was the most visually stunning of the entire series. By far, I stand out in that regard. Why Harley worked so well is the changes made to her origin story. This far into the characters' existence, it was a refreshing take and one that kept the fundamentals of the character in tact.

The only real issue of the series is a general lack of pacing. Some episodes hit very hard, and others were just the middle of the road. That is the hard part of trying to tell a complete story within a 25-minute episode. There really is no room for the additional subplots and working out enough growth for everyone. Catwoman and Onomatopoeia were the weakest links in terms of the villains because their presence does not matter to the overall plot development. Catwoman is all stuff we have seen before, and with the Onomatopoeia stuff, it felt completely like a filler episode.

The writing on this show was very well thought and executed with the mafia and overall look and feel. There is so much potential for future seasons of this show to capitalize on villains who need redemption. The potential and ceiling for this series are limitless because we know they are willing to make changes to classic villains. This show did in a way that elevates the character and does not take away why we love them. That is the key to enhancing any long-standing character. Make them your own and find a way to set yourself apart from other versions.

One last thing is that this show really proved why animation is much easier than live action. Live action takes on creating certain aspects of characters, which have translated to some ridiculous looks. Here, they were able to finesse together some new looks and new styles and blend them all together. Some of these scenes and new looks likely would not have created the same atmosphere in live action. That's not to say stop doing live action but more to say use animation to do things that are harder to create in live action. It was stunning to see some of this come to life the way it did. It feels the same way across all animation that has excelled at telling rich and deep stories.

[thewizardingtoad]

Why I hate the anime chess scene (aka. I still refuse to let it go a year later)

I wrote about how this scene establishes Zod's character and also his and Desir's dynamic pretty much perfectly, but how did the anime 'ruin' it? I mean, a scene can be bad for a large number of reasons, but "ruin" or "destroy" is a completely separate term that I think shouldn't be thrown around so easily.

The problem is that the scene doesn't work anymore.

In both the novel and the manhwa, Desir doesn't win the chess match because he is better than Zod, he wins because he makes him hurry. He says in the novel, that he never defeated him in chess before, and also that he is now at a disadvantage, because this Zod plays differently than in the future, so he doesn't know how he will react to his moves.

The only reason he manages to win, is because Zod has a meeting in less than half an hour, and he is a cocky old man, and makes a harsh move that loses him the match.

After this, Desir shows him his idea, and he pretty much loses any and all interest in anyhing that isn't this new shiny thing that he doesn't understand. He cancels his meetings, he gives Desir his credit card, he does not give a fuck! He needs to know what Desir did and he needs to know it NOW! That's his character. This side of him is shown in the novel and manhwa multiple times. If there's a shiny new magic trick he will not care about anything else but that.

And the anime made Desir show him the 'shiny new magic trick' before finishing the match. If Zod's character is the same as the novel and manhwa one, there is no meeting anymore. There is no 'I only have x minutes I need to hurry'. There is no 'There's no way this kid can beat me'.

There is however 'Oh fuck, I have to win, no, I NEED to win, I NEED to know how he did that, I can't risk not winning, there's too much on the line.' and Desir, if this scene made any sense, would now lose. Lose the match, lose the sponsorship, lose the whole story.

And he knew it. He knew how Zod works, he knew how to make him lose, and he made him lose in every other iteration of this story, except for the anime, because anime Desir is apparently a fucking idiot.

And that's why I'm not excited for the 2nd season, and why I hate everything about this, because the story should be over. Desir lost. He didn't have to, of course, but the anime needed half an episode of filler, so something had to be cut, and you know, why not the chess scene? It doesn't have any significance after all. Not like you can ruin the whole show by cutting it, right?

Right? :D

[magpiejay1234]

Episode 21 of the Toei animé features Mokuba, but his initial match with Yugi is not adapted.

Episode itself instead focuses on the group dynamics before Death-T, and Bakura's role in the cast, who wasn't here in the manga, as we discussed before.

Episode 20 features Daimon, the Toei version of the Kaiba manor butler. Apparently Yugi's card wasn't Mammoth Graveyard, but a different Mammoth monster.

Episode 20 also establishes Gozaburo is alive, and he just faints.

This episode probably inspired the whole Virtual World filler arc in Duel Monsters, since it seems Toei animé also wanted to use Gozaburo for future.

[lab-trash]

I meannn... for Mighty Med it really depends what you consider filler. It's only 2 seasons, I really do think it's worth watching all of them. But I suppose here are the ones I regularly skip when rewatching.

(I'm using the Disney+ numbering system, which means that the pilot is two parts)

S1E3: Frighty Med. I like it a lot and it establishes some dynamics, but it's not the most important.

S1E4: I Normo. This one might actually be considered important, but it's also lowkey retconned later so whatever.

S1E15: Growing Pains. The B plot makes me uncomfy, and the A plot doesn't have a lot of bearing on the show. But, if you wanna see Oliver as a four year old, forty year old, and ninety-four year old, go ahead and watch it.

S1E18: Fantasy League of Heroes: I actually watch the Kaz and Skylar plot, but I don't watch the Oliver plot. It's about football. The main relevant thing in this episode is seeing how good a hero Skylar is.

S1E20: Guitar Superhero. This one is... iffy. Oliver and Kaz help create a super hero and it shows some of Skylar's ideals, but overall not super important. I recommend watching it, but you dont Need to.

S1E23: Are You Afraid Of The Shark. Its just. This is filler. It's one of the only episodes that I'll be like "go ahead, skip it, who gives a shit." Horace has a shark. He hates his boss. There, you got the gist. I don't even remember the kaz plot.

S1E24: The Pen is Mighty Med-ier than the Sword. Another that I can't remember the b plot. Oliver’s plot this time though. Couldn't tell ya if you forced me.

(Others you could afford to miss but I wouldn't exactly recommend it is E6, E8, E11, E12, E16, E19, E21. I would watch them, but you could skip them if you really Really wanted to. Read the synopsis before deciding.)

As for Season 2. I watch most of these, but you're asking about filler and season 2 has more distinct episodes.

S2E8. It talks a lot about their potential futures, which are disproven completely by lref so it nearly doesn't matter. This one I definitely think is worth watching though.

S2E9. Another I think is worth watching, it shows a lot of the dynamic between Oliver and his friends.

S2E10. This one's completely fine to skip, I wouldn't even judge. Any progress that happens is undone.

S2E11. If you like the idea of Oliver being trans ABSOLUTELY WATCH THIS ONE. If you don't care about that, you can go ahead and skip it.

S2E12. Kaz goes on a date with toxic girl. Really funny, it used to be my favourite.

S2E13. If you like Wallace and Clyde, definitely worth watching. Despite my cringe, I still revisit it. Its a good one, but not super plot important for Season 2. If we're talking Season 1 plot, very important. But Season 2? No.

S2E15. It's not the most important. It's confusing to me, honestly. Good episode. But okay to skip.

And that's it, I'd say. Again, Mighty Med is just below 50 episodes and I absolutely think it's worth watching all of it. I love Mighty Med.

Anyway, for LREF. You wanna skip episodes unrelevent to the plot? Here ya are.

Need for Speed. The most that happens is that the mission suits are made. That's it.

Coming Through in the Clutch. I hate this episode actually.

Sheep-Shifting. I like it, but not terribly important.

Game of Drones. I like it, but not terribly important.

They Grow Up So Fast. It's not bad, but definitely not important, especially not as much as the penultimate episode should be.

Hey Lab Rats/Mighty Med/Elite Force fandom,, what are the essential episodes to watch so I can skip the fillers?

[gardenerian]

I wish we could respond to other anons lol. A lot of people mistook “I don’t care” as “I have no issue with this” and that’s where I think? the drama came from last year. When in reality for me at least it was “this is the last season i can’t dwell on things i don’t like” I definitely didn’t accept some stuff but i wasn’t going to treat it like it ruined everything. Mend it to how I like and move on. So yea that’s what I assume most people mean by not caring about storylines. 🥰

at risk of making you all hate me askdfh - at this point, yeah, i have no issue with it. or at least. very little issue?

take 11x07, everyone’s least beloved. when i say i don’t care, i mean that the ongoing discussion about their monogamy or their social life….. it doesn’t interest me much. when i said the other day that i could see them discussing their boundaries and safely exploring, i meant it. just as i could see them choosing not to. so i just do not care to dissect it further. the storyline was executed poorly. but ultimately, i don’t care. there are more interesting ways to discuss their future and their dynamic that aren’t within the lens of this single episode, ya know? and i do not like the color that episode in particular brings out in the fandom.

what actually bothers me about that episode is that it was a waste of time in the final season. so many of the episodes were just filler, and they had little impact on the trajectory of the season at or series at large. they did little to build on things established in s10, and ultimately much of it was forgettable. to have 11x07 follow noel and cam’s performances in the previous episode was just embarrassing. they could have done so much more - not saying it all had to be DRAMA but there could have been better ways for them to explore marriage and such. 

ANYWAYS. this is what i always hope to avoid with s11 talk and it’s why i tend to not engage 😅 at this point, honestly, it’s just tiring to rehash it, ya know? why wouldn’t we focus on more interesting things? we can still be critical - i think critical meta is still very fun asjkfh but this is just done for me i think. if you hated the season, i see you! if you loved it, i see you! for me, i will cherish the moments that mattered and completely delete the rest from my brain.

[organic-guacamole]

I've got a lot of thoughts on this finale.

starting with the length.

27 minutes? really?

I'm not asking for a 2 hour episode but cmon, at least give us something closer to 40 minutes.

next, the characters

the characters just didn't feel like themselves, especially portwell.

all season long we saw how much potential they had, how well communicated they were, how good they were at being a proper, healthy couple, and now they just can't talk to each other?

it doesn't feel like them.

portwell had arguably the best set up of all the other ships, they showed us how good they had the potential to be only to throw in a cheap plot to wrap it up? I would understand that they want some angst to make the ending all the more satisfying, but this was pathetic.

there I said it.

of all the ways to add drama in a ship, don't use the one that completely contradicts their entire development.

paired with the length of the episode, it seemed even more poorly written.

here I made a lovely, handy dandy homemade graph to represent how I see portwell's storyline:

as i said before, we saw the build up being nearly perfect. they peaked during episodes 9-11 because they just had the chemistry, the communication, and the most potential to be the endgame couple.

they just got eachother.

then we get Jamie popping in for 10 seconds and erasing a lot of that, only for mediator Ashlyn to jump in and solve their problems.

then there's the "kiss".

I know that Sofia is underage and that even if she/her legal guardians consent to the kiss, the writers can still decide not to show it, but still. In my opinion, if you're not going to show the kiss, then don't bother.

there are other ways to establish a relationship that would work better in this situation. Of course if they get together they'll have to kiss sometime, but one way they could postpone it is by having Gina be a bit more reluctant to give away her first kiss like that. it could also show how accomodating EJ is.

I like to think that Gina is very meticulous when making decisions so she'll probably want to be very sure of the relationship before giving him her first kiss. perhaps she'd stick to cheek kisses until she's ready, and then she kisses him and he's surprised.

that would've been, in my opinion, a sufficient way to hold off the kiss while still wrapping up portwell until season 3 when Sofia would be 18 (assuming they get picked up for S3 this summer then start filming fall-winter. Sofia will be 18 in January).

as my friend @rtcosley (idk why it's not letting me tag them, so their page is linked) said,

"They created like 10 plots

And instead of wrapping it up

They added 4 more"

there's just so much more they could've done...it's the season finale for crying out loud.

I get that seblos already had (what I assume is) their storyline for the season, the fight and resolution. Ignoring the fact that that only lasted for 2 episodes and didn't have anything to do with what we were expecting, (i.e.the financial differences between their families, as mentioned in episode 1, the fact that everyone treats seb like he's stupid, this being carlos' first show and the drama that the stress of that caused, etc.), seblos had to purpose this episode than to stand next to eachother and be gay.

I get that they're not part of the core four or anything, but the poster for season 2 has all of them, as opposed to season 1 just being the core four.

They deserved better, just like redlyn and kowie.

redlyn's arc was pretty early in the season compared to the other ships. they had Ashlyn confessing her insecurities in episode 3, antoine stirring the pot of confusion and causing a bit of distance between them briefly, and then big red confessing his goals and plans for the future in episode 8 and for the rest of it, we just see them getting closer and more comfortable with each other and caring about each other more and more.

they had a good arc together.

but that's just it. I wanted to see them have their own arcs. but then again, this show can't seem to balance multiple storylines. I think it is possible, but not when they keep adding new characters that don't contribute anything much to the story(more on that later).

kowie's storyline is... confusing.

I really like their dynamic, how carefree and happy Kourtney gets around him, how she's remaining true to herself and managing a million and one things, plus a relationship in her own without losing herself to it all.

but the main issue I have is that the entire development was never shown.

we went from strangers, to coworkers, to friends that flirt, to lovers that text constantly and went on numerous dates (and Howie met her mother at some point). but all of that, was off screen.

it's like the writers made every episode with them in it kind of thrown in at a new stage of relationship progression and said "here, accept this, no questions asked because we don't have answers"

I just wish we could've seen more of howie trying to get in her good side again after episode 7 because it seems like that's when a lot of it happened.

I appreciate the Rini scene in this episode, seems to be the very end of them, for good this time.

i'm happy about that.

Ricky especially deserves to be free for a while to focus on his development, and Nini has the chance now to really shine through her talents and make a name for herself.

The Rini storyline is the only one I'm fully satisfied with.

now, that being said;

what the heck are they trying to pull with Lily and Ricky rn???

just like that.

after lily being the villain this whole season, they're just gonna not redeem her and then have her confess her feelings to Ricky, a guy she barely knows and only talked to to harass and intimidate, and for him to reject her publicly then call her afterwards?

please I hope it's just to say "you dropped something, here it is and never contact me again, thanks." /hj

speaking of the villains, this season was promoted as the season of rivalry between North and East High right? so why did that plot idea only progress in about 3 out if 12 episodes?

we got Zackey Roy in there for a few episodes then he disappeared, Lily just caused Gina to stay true to her friends in episode 2 and 7 and then basically did nothing else?

this is what I mean by the new characters providing nothing to the show.

the writers can't manage having so many characters and plots at once so they start so many promising arcs, only to kick them aside later on.

we already know that the first half of the season felt like filler episodes, so I think they could've cut those down to leave room for the more important plots to take root, rather than have them pop up and get rushed at the end of the season.

all that, and they just add 4 more plots at the end of the season.

this post sounds very negative looking back...but if I'm being honest with myself, I'm just very very disappointed.

I love this show so much and I really expected better for the season finale, especially if they don't know if it's getting renewed or not.

given the IMDB ratings of this episode so far, I don't have very high expectations for the renewal, but I'm still hopeful because this show is a great thing, one of the best things that happened to me over the course of this quarantine. I've become so attached to this show, the cast and the friends I made through it, that I don't know what I would do if it just ends like this. writing these reviews and posts about this season has been so fun for me to do and thinking that this may be the very last one is a painful thought.

I'm sorry if you were expecting this post to be as light-hearted as my other posts about the episodes, I just had a lot to say about this episode in particular.

all my episode posts are tagged with "#guac's episode text blocks :)" in case you wanna read through and reminisce the simpler times🥲

[papers4me]

Lots of people think the Kakeru-Tohru subplot is filler/unnecessary but I like it because 1) it's an emotional catalyst for Tohru to confront her feelings (as you'll see when you get to later chapters) and 2) it provides direct commentary on how she hides her feelings with her smile. It forces Yuki to see and acknowledge this, too. It definitely wouldn't have worked in the 13 episode season 3 but I strongly feel Tohru's development is diminished by omitting it.

Hi Friend,

You see, me & you come from two different experiences regarding this omitted sub-plot.

You read the manga first, so this chapter came to you as part of the plot before you know the ending or how tohru's development will be furthered. So, tohru here was teased as a small step towards her future development. I find it fascinating that some manga readers thought of this chapter as filler once they finished the manga.

I already know tohru's core issues before reading this chapter cuz I saw the anime's finale first. Reading this omitted sub-plot felt fascinating for kakeru as a character which I agree with you on, but so underwhelming for tohru which I disagree with you on.

You see...

Direct commentary on tohru is what we ONLY have in the anime &.. what I'm disappointed to still see in the manga.. We know tohru hides her feelings, so the story tells us her feelings thro so many characters but her... Isuzu, kagura, shigure, kyo, momiji, hana, Arisa , kisa, hiro, kakeru & yuki... That's all what we see & know of tohru.

When yuki told his story, he took charge, expressed himself & was on control of his own flashbacks that the aduiance saw.. & who is yuki? someone who was withdrawn & hiding behind a mask with princely smile.

When it's time to know small scattered pieces of kyo's story, he was forced into confrontations with Kazuma, then akito & finally tohru But he told us his own story from his own pov. no one did it on his behalf.

Same goes for Isuzu, Arisa, hana, momiji & the others.

Only tohru was always commented on by the others. We see her thro binoculars & even her own flashbacks was introduced thro others.

I love this chapter for a glimpse of kakeru's new side.

Also~

I don't like this chapter precisely cuz we saw tohru thro yuki's eyes. Throughout se1 & 2, 90% of the story was presented thro yuki's eyes. Not only his own struggles with kyo, himself & tohru. We saw kyo-tohru's romance thro his eyes, saw isuzu & haru individual personalities & romance thro his eyes as well. Yuki provided plenty of commentaries abt so many characters including kagura!!!. Yuki is one of my top 3 fave characters, but his insightful comments abt other characters are my least fave things abt him & the story in general, cuz they're so direct, so forward, so guided, & so diminishing of the readers'/ viewers ability to connect things, relate to characters or guess the " lesson".

The author impersonates yuki to tell us straight forward what X & Y feels & I find myself confused on whose the target audience of the story? children? Do we really need to hear it that clear? Does yuki need to know every bit of other characters feelings & struggles so he can tell us the wise comments/lesson? Why can't yuki be allowed to be real ! interactive! & dynamic! instead he's the story's guide on what to feel & what to learn. To do that, he's made into this nonstop monologuist, tremendously wise & all knowing being. It adds to his "perfect" presence that contradicts his goal of being okay with imperfectness & un-princely character.

Tohru was already established as someone who hides her feelings. After seeing/reading kyoko's chapters & hearing her open up her ugly side to kyo in the sheet hug, to put more " indirect story-telling" abt tohru contradicts what the writer has established. It is regression story-wise. If this chapter was before kyoko's chapter, then fine, but now.... what is the writer trying to tell me in this chapter abt tohru that I dont know already??? Nothing. But the writer did inform me sth new abt kakeru!! but also needed to once again involved yuki into the only part in the entire story that he wasnt involved in.. tohru's past after kyoko's death.....

I love this chapter for kakleru, it's fun, but tohru's presentation? ~ another story-telling disappointment that I never expected from the author herself. but it's okay~

~

I'm glad you liked all the sub-plot & so happy to read your thoughts abt it! I love it when someone sees things differently, it's fascinating & provides new angles & refreshing perspective! I have lots to say abt kakeru. I love when characters are made to make horrible insensitive mistakes! It makes them human & realistic. That's how you tell a story after all, thro exploring their misdeeds & the reaction to them <3

[horromcom]

elaborating on earlier when i was talking abt the wasted potential barry carried im mainly talking in regards to his redemption/post-coma writing. not saying his pre-coma portrayal was perfect by any means, i still got some problems w it, but in comparison he feels leagues more well-utilized as a character

idk how to explain it but it kinda feels like the writers dont know WHAT to do w him anymore. like a barry redemption has the potential to be so complex and dynamic and could lead to soooo many fun ideas and episodes and potential plot threads and so many new angles to explore but the writers just dont do ANYTHING INTERESTING WITH IT (avgn voice) WHAT WERE THEY THINKINGGGG??

like ok 11x4 was. fine. still has some MAJOR glaring issues that make me foam at the mouth, but on its own its alright for the most part, i still revisit it a lot and if i dont think abt it too much its fun. 12x8 on the other hand was where it all falls apart for me

like i’ll never forget how excited i was for that ep thinking it was gonna tackle at least some of the cool new potential themes and ideas his character now carries like YES ITS HAPPENING WE’RE WINNING WAHOOO YIPPEEEE .. and then they completely botched it. like i cant say they didnt try, the ep did have some good ideas but the way it was all executed was sooo :/ disappointing and boring and surface-level and tbh kinda felt shoehorned in for a quick easy source of conflict and drama rather than being naturally developed over the course of his arc to the point where it almost feels like an afterthought and its all just so FRUSTRATINGGGG. (shrek image) they didnt even follow up on the events of 11x4. sucks especially bc this episode was shaping up to be one of my favs ever and then it actually aired and it was the worst night of my entire life hate and violence on planet earth. and it honestly has me extremely worried for future seasons too bc on one hand im scared his death’s gonna stick and the end of his arc will be whatevr the hell that was,, but on the other im scared he’ll come back and the writers will continue to butcher his character the way they’re doin. idk which is scarier AAAAA. like maybe they’ll surprise me maybe they’ll fix the problems i have and do something fun and new with him im trying so hard to stay optimistic. but my hopes aren’t high at all. the bar is at the earths core. yes im sooo excited for s13 yippee yay. yes im also shaking like a wet lil dog whenever i think abt how its almost here bc my poor blorbo might get massacred further

also the ‘doesnt get enough screen time’ slot that i checked off plays into the wasted potential angle too. like i think prior to the coma seasons the amount he got was fine (i def wouldnt complain if he had more but for what he got yeah it works) but post-coma i think the whole ‘once a season’ thing doesnt work anymore now that they’ve taken him in this new direction that requires more focus and care to develop. like i said abt how 12x8 felt rly rushed with barry’s whole deal feeling like it was tossed in without much forethought, i think that wouldnt have been so much of a problem if he were allowed more episodes prior to DO ANYTHING to establish his character growth and new motives/ideals and relationships/dynamics with the rest of the team and his clear struggles with recovery and how having archer back in the picture is affecting him and MY GOD. archer fx staff give him some filler episodes RAT NAO IM SO SRS and i know im yelling at clouds here bc i doubt this is something they’re gonna work on in future seasons considering they’re prob gonna stick to the 8 ep structure forever now which means less time to build on their side characters which drives me so mad and also another thing why have him apart of the team at all if ur not gonna do ANYTHINGGGG WITH HIM WHATS THE POINT THEN like if u for some reason cant feature him in too many eps then at least make up an excuse as to where he is or SOMETHING to affirm hes an established team member like the show claims like is he apart of the agency or not HELLO IS ANYONE THERE CAN ANYONE HEAR ME ITS SO DARK AND COLD IN HERE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD SOMEONE HELP MEEEE

where am i going w this what am i talking abt im running on three hours of sleep here im not crazy i just want my babygirl sweet angel darling honeypie to have good writing and a meaningful well-realized arc and fun interesting relationship dynamics and character complexity/depth and actual thought and attention put into his development SO SO BAD I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE AUUUGHH AUUAHAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA (DATS ME YELLIN)

[mc-critical]

A little thing than always despite me in mc:kosem is the treatment given to Mahfiruze hatun (the first one) and Sayeste. I mean...THEY ARE WONDERFUL. But they were totally ruined ! WHY ? it's a absolute criminal act i think, because they were nuanced with flaws and qualities on my opinion (Mahfiruze is emotive and try to kill her weak side with her arrogance, she has loved ones with and has a talent for manipulation when Sayeste is loyal, grateful but dellusioned ans angry) What do you think about the two girls ? What will you like to see with her ?

Oh yeah, early Mahfiruz was filled with potential from the start. I also love the subtly presented vulnerability of her character: that was perhaps her best scene that gave her both flavor and uniqueness. Developing a devious nature and sneakiness to mask a more insecure side of yourself isn't the most outstanding concept ever, but it's something that we didn't really get to see all that often in the franchise, especially not as masterfully established in a single scene, no less. And Anastasia herself being the one that discovered that vulnerability of hers is a rare gem that should be cherished and lets me acknowledge this simple conversation as one of the softest lines of action and dialogue in MCK.

What baffles me the most is not so much that the writers wimped out on her at some point, since that was to be expected both due to other cases in the past and the whatever reason behind the scenes (did the actress want to leave the show? I heard that there was something like this, but I'm not sure...), but how quickly they gave up on her future set up and development, most possibly even before the supposed stuff behind the scenes happened. She had so much promise with her one scene wonder, then we had a parallel repetition of the beating plot in MC E03 (that somehow ended up being even more filler than that from a narrative standpoint, how do they do it?) and... that was it. 2-3 episodes before her "departure" it was already done. There was some hope they would continue on her character concept when we realized that TIMS wouldn't give up on this relatively major role in the story, even if with a different actress. But Dilara Aksuek's Mahfiruze was an entirely different character that didn't live up to Mahfiruz's potential and instead turned her into a one-dimensional S01 Mahidevran archetype that has only a single aspect of that archetype. And that was a problem and relatively, a downgrade, because it seemed like Mahfiruz's dynamic with Anastasia, despite of some similarities, wouldn't be just a rehash of the typical rivalry dynamic between the two main concubines of the Sultan. The chance of seeing something different went away completely.

And you know, Dilara's Mahfiruze would've been a much better character if the writers picked up where the old Mahfiruz left off without killing her off, just replacing her actress (similarly to Vahide Perçin's Hürrem, but applied to a more minor character, of course), but also kept Mahfiruze's relationship with Ahmet and fleshed out more her relationship with Osman, fully utilizing her thematic role in setting the conflict between him and Kösem, which would have freely happened with both fleshing her character out and letting her meet her doom during the time-skip in E21, if you want that so badly, writers - these two aren't mutually exclusive concepts! But we got two safe, effortless, sudden and abrupt endings of two characters that we ended up not caring as much about in the long run due to sloppy writing.

While the waste of Mahfiruz's foundation is far from the worst offence of the show, it's certainly the most bizarre one. Unlike MCK Turhan, where they more or less had to rush things, they didn't have that much of an excuse to turn Mahfiruz's concept and role into... this. I, for one, generally cut the MCK writers more slack because of the ratings, but I don't feel this can be done here, neither because it is a choice they had to make because of ratings in terms of both characters, nor because I think the ratings would've gone down, if they fleshed Dilara's Mahfiruze more, quite the opposite really. Mahfiruz and Mahfiruze. didn't. deserve. the. MC. S04. Rumeysa. treatment. I fully believe this is one thing they could've avoided, yet didn't.

I'm not such a big fan of Şayeste, to be honest. I never liked her or her writing from the start, but that doesn't mean that she didn't deserve better. Her characterization was bonkers the instant she was introduced and her going back and forth from side to side was neither well written, nor interesting, unlike the duality of some other characters. They set her as a mean girl quickly manipulated by Mahfiruz from the start with only some more positive traits and I don't believe that "Heel Face turn" felt as earned as intended. Though, yeah, the worse thing here is that, just like Mahfiruz, the writers wimped out on her completely after that turn and that was also unfortunate. I would've loved to see these gratitude and loyalty you're talking about more in the story, even though their use was a step better than everything with Mahfiruz and Mahfiruze, and also, a bigger, closer role to Kösem, even though Meleki apparently took that spot for her.

Their dynamic was... okay? It seemed to only be a plot device at the end of the day and it was very vague and one-dimensional, too? I definetly wouldn't object if we saw more of it, but my current impressions just aren't as strong. It only seemed to have fulfilled a single purpose and left. If the writers fleshed both of these characters more, it would've been great though, no doubt.

[dragon-ball-meta]

Just discovered your blog today and am enjoying it immensely. I do have some questions about which is more "valid" between the DBS anime and manga though. The manga at least on a surface level has a tighter adherence to the manga's continuity, such as the lack of Gregory, no showing the Trunks' first SS transformation from the anime version of his past, and the SS Caulifla and Kale fusion churning out a SS fusion, which would seem to be what Old Kai meant when warning Goku and Vegeta 1/2

“2/2 But those are ultimately minor I suppose and perhaps they have explanations like "Trunks wasn't transforming for the first time in the Super flashback". I'm not a Toyo stan by any stretch and can't stand how he butchered my boi GOATku among other things but it seems like the manga would be just as valid/canonical as the anime. Toriyama works closely with Toyo as with the anime team and calls the manga a continuation. Sorry if this has been asked before, and keep up the good work“

Well first and foremost, welcome. Glad you’re enjoying this blog. As for the question, I’ve touched on it before, but I’ll dip into it again.  There’s definitely a bit more of a hierarchy than people want to admit, at least in terms of which would be “more canon” when it comes to the mediums of Super. To that end, I like to look at continuity, characterization, and lead platform.  See, the thing about Super, as it stands, is that it was never meant to have an ongoing manga. At all. It was written, conceived, and meant to be an anime series with Toriyama’s involvement. The “manga”, as it were, was originally meant solely to be a preview/promotional series for said anime, something to hint at things to come. That’s why the Beerus arc is so short and rushed.  When it came to the Resurrection F arc, however, that was when Toyotaro pitched the idea of letting him turn the series into an actual, full-fledged series, something Toriyama was ok with more or less because it meant that at least he wouldn’t have to draw it, and because he was interested in seeing how the anime and manga writers respectively would adapt his storyline ideas.  In that sense, the anime was the original, intended medium and means by which the series was meant to be carried forward, hence why I would consider that the lead platform. Beyond that, let’s look at continuity. Truth be told, neither manga nor anime are 100% flawless in it, making references to things that were filler in the name of comedy, or simply forgetting or ignoring a detail or two from the past. But even in cases of references to filler, I’d argue that they don’t INHERENTLY represent continuity errors per se, as they don’t directly contradict events depicted, and on occasion don’t even necessarily indicate that the exact filler events actually happened; in some cases, they’re just in-jokes or references for longtime fans and viewers.   Trunks’ “first time” transformation also doesn’t necessarily pin it as his first time in continuity, so much as simply reuse the animation and have the boy transform in a moment of grief. Don’t recall any direct reference to that being his first transformation at all. Similarly, I wouldn’t say Gregory inherently means Filler Gregory is meant to be who this one is, as Gregory in Super really doesn’t speak or have anything close to the same personality.  Similarly, Android 18 being as mad as she was about the mispronunciation of Marron as Maron can be seen as a nod to Krillin’s filler ex-girlfriend without actually acknowledging her. (As well as clearing up the whole “she’s named after her” thing since even the pronunciation is different in Japanese.) They’re not necessarily baking these things into continuity, just referencing them. One big problem the Super MANGA has, however, in an internal continuity issue. Toyotaro often feels a need to EXPLAIN things that don’t necessarily need to be explained, in an effort to feel like he’s fleshing things out more. The problem is... he often writes himself into a corner that way, as he doesn’t seem to run his ideas by Toriyama or check them against the man’s notes as much as he should, and thus finds himself in trouble later. Case-in-point: His decision that Super Saiyan Blue’s use had a mandatory cooldown period between uses, or else the multiplier the user receives from the form drops exponentially each time. Seemed a good way to potentially limit the form at the time, keep it from being “overused”, except... they very quickly found themselves in situations where it would HAVE to be used, to say nothing of the narrative issue of having Vegeta be in a reduced state of Blue by the time he faced Hit, thus making Hit’s win less shocking, and Hit himself a bit less formidable, to say nothing of downplaying Goku’s skill and reaction to it; he should have had a far easier time naturally, after all. This also causes some issues with Vegeta’s tactic vs Zamasu of popping into SSG for a speed advantage and then quickly in and out of SSB to strike, as that should have lowered the effectiveness each time, and THAT was done to deal with ANOTHER restriction Toyotaro had baked into the form of it draining ki almost as quickly as SSJ3 had back in the Buu arc, and that Godly Aura was actually just wasted ki. All of this then had to be negated via Toyotaro’s own version of SSB Kaioken, which was just... “Perfected” Blue. Which is just Blue without an aura. Which then leads into Goku knowing how to use Hakai despite not actually being a God of Destruction, not having ever even practiced it to know if he could do it, and only allegedly having seen Beerus use it once offscreen, which has to be inferred by the reader.   These are actually just a FEW of said issues in the manga version of things, but in my opinion, the biggest signifier and offender comes in the final category: Characterization.   It’s no real secret that Super does retread some characterization ground, but there’s a reason for that. New viewers, same characters, etc. Vegeta was sort-of given a full arc already, but due to popularity and ‘demand’, he has to be given a central role and can’t sort of fade back like Piccolo, Krillin, Tien, etc. were able to do once their respective arcs were done. (This also allows their own mini-arcs in the anime to feel more fulfilling as they’re not constantly shoved in your face, and they can touch on things happening or building up in the background of episodes, BUT, let’s move on.) As a result, one of the purposes of Battle of Gods, and how it was handled as an arc and the eps that followed it, was to establish a new sort of rivalry between Goku and Vegeta so as to renew that arc/dynamic for this particular series.  

And that’s where the manga... sort of falls flat. Vegeta is kept in prominence despite a lack of any sort of established/renewed rivalry with Goku; BoG was done in shorthand, after all, and the events following that, as well as the entire Resurrection F arc, were skipped wholesale. In fact, Vegeta himself seems to have gone through a VERY radical personality shift in that... he’s... nice. And I don’t mean nice-ER, he’s outright nice. He shows open affection for his family, he literally runs over to embrace his baby in happiness and rejoices that it’s a girl, he engages in pleasantries with the rest of the cast before the Tournament of Power and asks about their wellbeing, he’s got almost none of his original character traits other than a flair for the dramatic... and bear in mind, Vegeta still has that hardass-ness to himself in the End of Z, which these events are supposed to lead into. And this isn’t even touching on how the narrative seems to shift frequently toward him being THE hero of the series, often actually placing Goku in near-helpless situations and having Vegeta inexplicably bail him out, or just have Goku be in awe or starstruck at how awesome Vegeta is now. The Future Trunks arc, for example, has Vegeta healed only to the point of being able to stand, yet when Goku is shrinking back in fear at the sight of TWO Fused Zamasus coming at him, Vegeta... transforms, swoops in, rescues Goku, AND nukes both Fused Zamasus with a single blow. (It doesn’t “win the day”, no, but it’s a mite riduculous). The current arc is also trying to wholesale shift focus away from Goku onto Vegeta in a leading role, which is a distinctly non-Toriyama move.   And now, let’s talk Goku himself. HOO boy, where to begin...   For all the talk of flanderization of Goku in the Super anime (which I could write entire rants on but I’ll refrain for now), the manga does him ten times worse. Almost every negative fandom meme or interpretation of Goku is reinforced in this arc, sometimes even to the point of literal, direct lampshading of it. For example: Goku in the anime makes a comment on how he doesn’t see why Bulma would “kill” Vegeta if he’s not right there when Bulma starts labor, as he was dead when Goten was born and Chi-Chi doesn’t hold ill will over it. The manga? It quite literally has Goku state he wasn’t around for the birth of Goten OR GOHAN. He couldn’t even be bothered to be there for the birth of his son he was alive to see. When Whis pops baby Bra out via magic so Vegeta can attend the ToP, Goku is... apparently still so dumb that he legitimately wonders aloud if that’s how ALL babies are born. Goku, in this same tournament, has ZERO strategic or technical skill, and relies solely on brute force and powerups (which is actually how VEGETA typically fights but I digress) and even has both Roshi admonish him for it and even has Goku agree with it and declare himself a “bad student” and say that he’s “done letting everyone around him down”. This manga also has Goku and Gohan’s relationship visibly strained, with Goku seemingly trying to cut himself out of Gohan’s life completely as the kid has no interest in fighting. To top this off, rather than attending the tournament in a gi fashioned after his father, whom Gohan canonically does admire, the manga has him deliberately ask to have another carbon copy of Piccolo’s. Hell, Gohan is so far from Manga!Goku’s mind here, that it doesn’t even occur to Goku to ASK Gohan if he wants to fight in the ToP after Buu falls asleep. In fact, Piccolo suggests it... and Goku PROTESTS the idea, saying the kid’s got no stomach for fighting and they should look elsewhere. The only time Goku seems to show an interest in Gohan is when he shows off his power in a fight vs Kefla. This is distinctly, demonstrably, simply NOT Toriyama’s Goku, in any way, shape, or form.   Now, to speak on the other characters and their characterization... when it does exist, it’s one-dimensional and also often based around fan conceptions and memes. Krillin? Comedic coward who can’t fight. Goku even says that he thinks Krillin’s sole usefulness in the ToP might come in the form of him “being really good at running away”. He’s literally only in because Toriyama said so, and is literally immediately ringed out before he can so much as move. Tee hee so funny. Tien, who has no personality of note, is then also immediately out. Piccolo is just Gohan’s coach, really. Android 18 shows no emotion at all, even for her brother’s apparent death; this is later played off as her knowing he didn’t have his bomb anymore (something even Krillin somehow forgot???) so knowing he couldn’t have self-destructed... even though there are other ways to do that besides a bomb but w/e. 17 literally shows more care and affection for 18′s husband than she herself does as well, and their bond is pretty much non-existent. Chi-Chi and Goten pretty much do not exist. Trunks’ reunion with Gohan, meeting his family? Never happens. And Bulma... OH BULMA. What he did to that woman is criminal. She mostly plays the role of the worried Soldier’s Wife, fretting as she awaits her dashing husband’s return from war! The Bulma that wouldn’t take no for an answer? The Bulma that always insisted on going to the front lines to try to see things for herself? The Bulma who would be eager to see this future and see if she could find the notes of her other self and what else she may have discovered? That Bulma does not exist in this manga. HELL, the Bulma who was the smartest woman in the world barely does; what was Pilaf noticing one small math error in an equation in the Super anime becomes Pilaf “WELL ACKSHUALLY”-ing both Bulma and Future Bulma here and PERFECTING Time Travel so they can go to any point they desire, with Bulma being visibly upset about being upstage-aaaaaand she’s pregnant. It’s just... not good at all in this arena.   Now one last thing to mention: Toriyama himself actually did explicitly state that his canon Broly movie, which he did write himself, was set to follow the events of the Super anime specifically, with him saying the manga would probably continue telling its own story. And indeed, there are things about the Broly movie that do tie into what people thought to be just “filler” in the anime, such as the number of wishes Shenron had left tying into the episode where they summoned him and then fought over wishes. The fact that he DOES specify that he wrote it to follow the anime, however, seems like a firm establishment of heirarchy to me personally. I’m sure some will disagree but... that’s life. lol Anyways, hope that helped clarify my stance on it, at least.

[rachelbethhines]

Tangled Salt Marathon - To Filler or Not to Filler ( A first half of S1 Recap)

So we’ve gone through the first half of season one and while I’ve touched upon a lot, I think it might be beneficial to summarize just a bit and point out the recurring problems more succinctly. 

For starters here’s what we’ve covered so far if you need to catch up. 

Tangled

Before Ever After

What the Hair

Rapunzel's Enemy

Fitzherbert P.I.

Challenge of the Brave

Cassandra v. Eugene

The Return of Strongbow

In Like Flynn

Great Expotations

Under Raps

One Angry Princess

Pascal's Story

Big Brothers of Corona

The Wrath of Ruthless Ruth

Max's Enemy

The Way of the Willow 

Poor Pacing 

Listed above is 15 episodes out of a 24 episode commissioned series; not counting the extra pilot movie and including special hour long episodes as two parters. 

That means it takes over half of the season to get back to the actual plot. We spend fourteen episodes on standalone ‘adventures’ with maybe a beginning or ending sequence that ties back into the main story that’s mostly divorced from the rest of the episode.  And even then that’s only like three episodes that do that. 

Airing episodes out of order is part of that problem, but even if you placed those episodes back into their original intended production order, you’re still left with huge chunks of filler that add nothing to the story. 

 Too Much Filler

Out of the original 24 episodes only 11 episodes are plot relevant to the season, and only an additional 3 or 4 have anything to do with later plots in future seasons. That leaves us with about 10 episodes of just filler. Now, the first season actually benefits from having character development episodes that other seasons don't have, but even including those you still got roughly five episodes of dead space. Time that could have been spent to better use filling out plot holes and building dynamics. 

Most of the filler in TTS is focused on either redundant lessons for the mains that don't add anything to the ongoing conflict and ergo doesn’t actually development them, or wastes time developing or establishing characters and concepts that wind up not mattering in the end.   

Confused Focus

Tangled the Series doesn’t know what it wants to be nor what story it wants to tell. It tries to juggle multiple plots, characters, and styles of storytelling that winds up clashing with one another and fighting for screen time and prominence. Hence, the over use of filler, lack of step up and resolve, tonal whiplash, and an over reliance on exposition.   

Conclusion 

Structural problems, like pacing and direction, is to be expected in a series just finding its feet. What marks Tangled as a bad show is that it never learns from these problems nor makes the effort of smoothing out its rougher edges. Instead it doubles down on its flaws. In future seasons the filler only becomes even worse and lack of focus even more pronounced. 

[mysterylover123]

Mysterylover watches Bleach (Filler) Episodes 64-65

 mysterylover123

1. So I’m gonna also take a stab at the Bleach Filler Drought (just while also watching the canon episodes). Let’s see what filler madness awaits us

2. Reuniting with the Kurosaki Clan is nice. And Back to School for more school shenanigans. (Ah how I envy you now IchiCrew). Tatsuhime are back together and life is great. 

3. Ichi’s friends are under the impression that Ichi and Chad had a honeymoon together. Noice. Hime sadly has to lie to her s/o about wehre they went.  She actually tells her a version of the truth, but Hime is so generally spacey that nobody realizes she’s saying it. God I love her

4. We have a sad “saying goodbye to Rukia” montage. AND OOH BOY WHO IS THIS 60S GUY?! IT’S RENJI HOLY CRAP WOWSA RENJI IS AT ICHIGO’S SCHOOL AND LOOKING GOOD

5. YAS THIS IS THE KINDA FILLER I LIKE. Ichi and Renji are gonna go fight a hollow together on the school campus. Hime and Chad and Uryu also know what’s going on too and want to help. YAS RENJI JOIN THE SQUAD. 

6. And Hime is seconds from taking care of the villain for him before he finally works it out. + some Tatsuhime antics as they eat icre cream together.  YAS BEST COUPLE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN. 

7. Ooh Hime is getting a complex over how Tatsuki is more of a martial artist than her and worrying about being more helpful in future arcs. “I hear your voice saying hang in there” because of course she hears her waifu’s voice. 

8. Renji is staying with Urahara’s crew huh? NOICE. Time to get loads of Renji filler antics.  

9. ORIHIME TRAINING MONTAGE. YAS. LIFE IS GENEROUS TODAY. And Chad joins her and they both reminisce on how Ichigo helped them get powers. + Uryu.

10. BB ORIHIME!!!!!! + big bro Orihime. OMG SO CUTE CUTE OVERLOAD and now feels as Hime mourns her loss. AND HAS FLASHBACKS TO RUKIA AND RUKIBRO. OMG OMG.

11. HIMEBRO IS HERE AND HAVING A HAPPILY EVER AFTER WITH ORIHIME. BEST FILLER EVER OMG.

12. Renji pops up in Ichigo’s bed in the middle of the night. To recruit him for a mission. Apparently. 

13. OH SHIT AND IT’S NOT REALLY HIMEBRO?! ICHIGO AND RENJI GONNA GO HELP HER. Dammit why can’t Hime catch a freaking break. Also having just watched Canon episodes, I can testify that Hime is much smarter than this and would Canonically have sensed that this wasn’t on the level. 

14. Our quartet of dumbasses are now going to try and save Orihime from basically Hell apparently. This is honestly a pretty neat idea for a filler arc. (Uryu is definitely bickering with Renji because he senses competition)

15. HOLY SHIT THEY WIPED ORIHIME AWAY FROM TATSUKI’S MEMORY?! NO YOU BASTARDS HOW DARE YOU BREAK UP THE OTP)

16. Uryu being a sewing master always pays off. Ichi is immediately impressed. NGL I really like this squad setup. And Hime apparently needs to buy more food. (Also Renji being a Goku-style big eater seems to be from this arc alone, I don’t remember this being a thing with him before)

17. CSI Bleach’s team gather around Hime’s table to examine the evidence. Then crowd around Renji’s face to hear the creepy kidnapper girl’s voice.  Hm, and Ichi getting really passionate about Hime being kidnapped is nice and shippy. I do appreciate that there’s some real substance to their dynamic, as opposed to the usual Shonen romance.

18. “We’re going to be play a game” says the kidnapper. So let’s commence Bleach meets Saw. With Best Girl/Best character’s life on the line. Hell yeah. I’m down. With bonus Ichigo/Renji flirting like crazy. 

19. So the squad runs around taking challenges from the Phone Creep for most of the episode while Ichigo freaks out, establishing that Hime being threatened really triggers him. “at least let me hear her voice” is a really shippy thing to say. 

20. Orihime is back and acting weird as if she doesn’t remember anything. And she explains this in her typical Hime way. Later on we find out that she’s been possessed by something evil.  Dammit we  can’t have anything nice.  now they’ve got Chad too. Dammit stop kidnapping the squad.