#also interesting that this episode is so far called international break

[gottagobackintime]

That’s the exact same run time as Sunflowers… I don’t know what’s going to happen next episode but I’m excited.

[bengiyo]

Ben's Big BL Blurb

I was traveling for a few weeks, and there's no way I'm doing individual posts for every show I've been watching, so here's my thoughts on all of the shows I'm currently enjoying, in the order I'm most enjoying them.

Twilight Out of Focus

This show is fucking excellent. I'm not that keen on taking a break from our leads to see other couples, but I do like that BL continues to be the way that these guys are figuring out they're attracted to each other. Mao moving so smoothly into his boyfriend era, and knowing how he's feeling, has been excellent. I also really loved Hisashi knowing they needed to not be together all the time.

The Trainee

Jane is so attractive, and I'm so happy for Off. This latest episode was a lot of fun to watch for Ryan, because it's nice seeing him be more actively engaged in things happening around him. Pai seems far more settled now that she knows she has a place. Pah is clearly still a mess. Tae seems like he's good at what he does. Ba-Mhee falling for Judy is NOT IDEAL, and Judy is over the line.

Overall, I'm actually interested in seeing them mirror interns crushing on their mentors with two different pairings as a point of comparison. I also like how every week feels like the work goals make sense.

The Miracle of Teddy Bear

Besties, so much is happening in this show. There is daddy drama, wife drama, dead son drama, and so much more! These episodes are so long, but I'm really engaged with everything happening on this show. Job and Inn are really fucking good in this.

I Hear the Sunspot

I'm so glad that Kohei made his feelings clear, and I'm enjoying seeing Taichi figure out how to respond to them. We once again had a camping trip that did not give me what I wanted, but I did like Kohei being clear that he's still interested in Taichi. Finally, I liked the little confirmations that Kohei is taking to sign, and that Taichi is interested in that journey.

Knock Knock, Boys!

I'm so proud of Best! He has played Peak in this restrained way for so long, and it paid off in this most recent episode. I love that this story started with a gay man running from himself and his feelings, who then realizes that he can't run away from people who care about him anymore because they won't let him. I love that everyone being patient with him gave him what he needed to finally accept himself and say what he needed. I've really loved the way Thanwa tries to support Peak.

I'm also overjoyed for Almond and Latte, and I need them to fuck nasty before this show ends or I will be so disappointed. Latte is quietly one of my blorbos of the year with the way he is always clear about who he is and what he wants even as he is okay with where Almond is in the moment. They're an excellent pair.

Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko

RISA IS OFF THE BESTIE LIST FOREVER! I will never forgive her for outing Hiroko to Ayaka just so she could ask Ayaka to choose her instead. Also, fuck those Bettys at the bar, who definitely know Hiroko's business, and that she's not out at work. Why talk about her to a stranger who called her senpai?? I'm relieved that Hiroko knows that Ayaka likes women now, and am curious how we move forward at this point.

I also need to know who this woman was who hurt Hiroko, because nothing makes me sadder than when we have to hide from other queers.

Mr. Mitsuya's Planned Feeding

Thanks to @isaksbestpillow I was actually able to start this on my trip. I didn't want to start a show on a trip, but I could not resist. I really love that Ishida is in his late 20s and struggling with direction and purpose after his initial plan blew up in his face. I love that he's recognized so quickly that he's developed feelings for Mitsuya-sensei, and I love that Mitsuya-sensei is open about who he is. It's about goddamned time that we saw an age gap story of this kind, because so many meaningful relationships I've had are with gay men older than me.

Takara's Treasure

This quiet little show makes me so happy every week. I just desperately need for Taishin to figure out what he's feeling, and for people to help him realize what he's feeling. Takara's my favorite kind of pretty boy: the ones who are obviously and poorly masking incredibly turmoil. I love that Taishin sees through this and wants to help Takara. Excited for him to get to take care of him when Takara gets sick.

Century of Love

I've been having a lot of fun with this show, but episode 8 felt like a huge wobble. I love that San was so committed to Vee the whole time, but the back and forth about the stone was tedious. San giving up the stone as a way to signify that he was over the memory of Vad was nice, but we didn't reconcile Vee's theft and the emotional cost of that.

Love Sea

MAHASAMUT!! WE FINALLY BEAT THAT NASTY OLD MAN'S ASS!! Mut trampling over a bullshit breakup and kicking Rak's dad's ass instead was so satisfying that it almost makes up for Mut having little identity outside of his relationship to Rake, or the terrible arc that Mook and Vie are having, over the last few weeks. I have been playing Stomp for the last few hours because I needed them to kick that man. Mut did not hit him enough.

New Shows

There's a bunch of stuff I have to sort out over the next few days. I'm not going back to My Love Mix Up TH, but I do plan to start 4 Minutes. There's also another J-BL in the grey I got some help finding called Sugar Dog Life.

Shout out to @lurkingshan for helping me watch a few things while I was gone, and also @twig-tea for keeping me apprised of which new shows I probably need to pick up.

[moonlitlex]

thinking about it again. 73 yards did NOTHING for me. it's such a nothing episode. you keeping thinking something interesting MIGHT happen and then it never does. there's no payoff but not even in an interesting or satisfying way where that's the point. it has no impact on ruby because it's an erased timeline. it doesn't have any impact on the doctor because he vanishes first thing.

do we learn anything about ruby? no, not really. she doesn't really do anything. she just becomes sort of listless and accepting of her new life, which is probably what most people would do in her position. and then she decides she's there to take down roger ap gwilliam. and then she does. and then the episode just fucking ends. and there aren't really any answers to anything.

that part where kate said the doctor is gone was so ridiculous too. girl no he's not. he lives in donna's house. just go and check. knock on his door. like are we supposed to believe 13.5 and all the other versions of the doctor disappeared too or that he's an asshole and prioritizing his vacation over everything else?

and like, ruby took down roger ap gwilliam and also got like revenge or whatever for that other intern girl who he assaulted but like... that entire timeline was erased. it never happened. and what are we supposed to do with that? in the regular timeline roger ap gwilliam still does nuclear war because ruby isn't there to stop him with her creepy eldritch horror self. yay?

and like. rtd has been hyping this up as the best thing he's ever written? it's quite literally not even fucking close. it's not even close to the best doctor who episode he's ever written, let alone everything else.

but we're promised a welsh folk horror and/or a political drama because of the premise and it literally doesn't deliver on either of them. it abandons the horror premise partway through and it never even gets started on the political drama aspects of the story. it could have just been a character study but this is easily the most boring and flat episode for ruby so far.

and like also i'm sooooooo fucking sorry but everyone talking this episode up for how deep and complex it is and sucking rtd's dick about it is fucking ridiculous. if moffat wrote this episode yall would have rightly called him out for it being all setup and no payoff. but when russell does it its fine? russell is allowed to do all setup and absolutely 0 fucking payoff?? because he's rtd? i swear to god if this episode was written by ANYONE ELSE yall would have torn it to shreds but if nothing happens in an rtd episode it's ok? give me a break

[clonerightsagenda]

HDM 3 & 4!

Episode 3:

me watching Mrs. Coulter ransack a university library while demanding "find me something heretical or illegal" wow haha it's just like being at work

"tired old men talking about tired old things" How much of breaking Jordan's scholastic sanctuary is revenge for the fact that they won't let women like her in? If you can't beat them, tear them down.

Tony's mumbled excuses about how he found Lyra are so on point for 'kid who does not want his mom finding out about his vigilante justice escapades'

Loving the running gag of Boreal going to our world and finding his car ticketed/booted. He doesn't even know what the boot is

Oh wow, we're getting our first look at Will now? As well as backstory on why his family is getting harassed, and we dropped the bomb of John Parry = Grumman already, even though that's a late book 2 reveal. Interesting choice. My guess would be that they want to spend less time in season 2 on stringing that mystery along and more on developing Will and Lyra's dynamic, since they shift into bffsies mode pretty abruptly.

Mrs. Coulter thinking about falling off high places again... I don't recall the implication of this self-destructive impulse in the books (haven't reread the third yet) but this is certainly setting up her death, huh? Whose idea was it, I don't remember....

Also, her calling Benjamin "boy" multiple times even though he's clearly a grown man - does that have the same racist implications in the UK as it does in America? It certainly shocked me. We hadn't really seen a racial undertone in how she's dealt with Boreal, the Master, or the reporter...

Episode 4

Of course they added Lee singing a song lol. If you paid all the money for LMM...

They took away Farder Coram's disability? He's older, sure, but seems perfectly hale and hearty. I'd make a joke about Lyra just thinking someone is tragically disabled due to being 60+ but the books say his health got wrecked after getting hit by a poison arrow. There is that other gyptian with the limb differences, I suppose.

Iorek is pronounced Yorick??? Oh wow I've been doing Eye-or-eck (like neck) for years.

I can't identify the accent Iorek has, but I'd be curious as to what accent the showrunners decided bears should have. I'd assume something Northern European since we're in Fantasy Scandinavia.

Mrs. Coulter has been violent toward her daemon a few times, which I also don't recall from the books, although it comes up with that one guy in the prequels. It emphasizes her internal conflict that they're setting up super hard.

Lee's far more comic relief in the show, and they've padded out the Iorek armor quest quite a bit. Guess they decided they needed to get their money's worth out of having Lin Manuel Miranda around before he dies and gets eaten.

They didn't make Serafina's daemon a goose??? Slander!!!

Lord Boreal homophobia moment... These have been the Bigotry Episodes

So I get why they have Lyra speak up to convince the gyptians in the previous episode and take the initiative re: Lee and Iorek - it makes the MC a more active rather than reactive protagonist, etc. - but I said while liveblogging the books that I appreciated the gyptians clearly have their own plans and aren't just convenient brown people who exist to ferry the protag on her journey, and this undercuts it a little bit. Also being a kid getting helplessly buffeted around by the machinations of adults is part of what Lyra has to deal with.

I'm still reading it as Eye-or-eck in my head as I type this. Sorry. It's too late for me.

[always-outlander]

Outlander 7x01 Thoughts & Easter Eggs

Feel free to look below the cut, spoilers ahead!

First episodes are always interesting in that they have so much hype because the fans are starved for new episodes, but they rarely do more than set the table for the rest of the season. A hard thing to juggle and be able to hold peoples attention while also jamming a lot of context clues in there. I think overall this one served its purpose and I felt like it was a wise decision for there to not be a time jump between the last episode of season 6.

That said, we all need to keep in mind the parameters of season 7 going into the rest of the episodes of this first half. The first 4 episodes of season 7 were supposed to be a part of season 6. Then the rest of season 7 was filmed with the creators not knowing if they would be given a season 8, so they jammed 3 books worth of content into it. I don’t know about everyone else, but I certainly felt that pacing and quicker speed in this first episode. With a show and book series which historically takes forever for storylines and payoffs to come to fruition, it’s hard not to feel that change.

Opening scene and “vision” (? Or is it just a thought Jamie has?) of Claire being sentenced was impactful, excellent acting once again by Caitriona. I thought the internal monologue of Jamie knowing she’s not dead was lovely and a smart way to call back their vows. He does so twice in this episode.

Bree & Roger

Bree and Roger are such dweebs and their endless use of puns and 20th century references cracks me up. That said, if they keep it up I’ll get annoyed, sometimes it feels like a cop out for better dialogue and gives the impression that these two never share serious conversations between them. I understand their dynamic is different than Jamie and Claire’s, but there is a fear that the writers are solely using their conversations as the comedic relief points in the show.

Rogers preaching leads him to Indigo Donner (the actor is perfect, he’s a sneaky snake). The fact that Roger may likely have something to do with his escape is the ultimate irony. Especially given the time taken to find the date of the house burning in the future, and that he and Bree came back to try and avoid it.

Claire

Claire’s scenes in the jail cell are great, and the women in the jail were excellent character actors, especially Sadie. When Jamie and Young Ian finally reach the jail we see our first glimpse of vengeful Jamie and while I do sometimes get frustrated with Sam’s use of a furrowed brow, his anger and reactionary body langue is still in line with young Jamie. The continuity of the character has always been impressive to me, right down to his little finger movements and facial twitches.

Claire being a healer in action was so nice to see again, I feel like it’s been a while since she’s been actively healing others. Just like the books, her skills have granted her a literal get out of jail free card.

It may just be me, but I do feel like Claire is now capable of doing some bad things and has a bit more mischief in her eyes in her old age. Jamie is still a hot head willing to break every rule to protect Claire, and her moral compass is the only thing that keeps him in line. But the older she gets, the more Jamie’s willingness to bend the rules is rubbing off on her, and I really love that we don’t always know exactly how Claire is going to react anymore. She’s got a poker face now, and it makes her far more interesting to watch.

Major McDonald on board the ship is from the books but it’s also a great scene to help move the plot along. Governor Martin was a real historical figure and the actor who plays him is another great character actor. Forcing Jamie to gather men for the revolution and pick a side has been the trend of the last 3 seasons so it comes as no surprise that he’s once again being forced to swear loyalties to the crown (and finding a way out of it).

Tom Christie

Mark Lewis Jones as Tom Christie is a wonderful casting. He’s such a strong actor and his portrayal of Tom’s (very unfortunate) unrequited love is perfectly done. The scene where Tom tells Jamie his plan to free Claire was not shown in the books, just implied. Seeing that conversation was a perfect spot for Sam and Mark to wrap a bow around Tom Christie’s character and his relationship with Jamie. The callback of Jamie’s vow to Claire on their wedding night was also a very sweet bit of added dialogue. There are many moments where the show is able to add scenes and dialogue that seamlessly fit into the story, and this is one of them.

The way in which Tom was willing to lay his life aside for Claire was a beautiful thing. Jamie putting aside his pride to allow it was a big moment for him. I also loved the eulogy moment. Jamie giving Tom the eulogy he would have wanted and deserved was such a perfect way to close out their storyline.

The scene between Claire and Tom had so many lovely call backs to the books, and majority of the dialogue was straight from the text. The scene shed light on Tom’s brother, his wife, and the reasons Tom became the man he did. It also shed light on Malva’s upbringing and how that informed Tom’s shaping of his own motive.

Claire seeing through his lies actually reinforces why he fell in love with her. When he tells her that he loves her my heart broke for him, and for Claire. It’s not like she can do anything to persuade him, and she will never reciprocate. His life for hers is the ultimate sacrifice, and a debt she knows she cannot repay to him. I thought the acting of both Cait and Mark shined brightly in this scene.

Jamie

Jamie and Claire’s second reunion is cute, but this goes back to the timing issue I highlighted above. It feels off with all the abruptly cut scenes. In their first reunion, the two share a kiss and the scene immediately cuts to Jamie standing alone in the cabin with governor Martin. Then the second reunion, they meet on the docks and it immediately cuts to them laying in bed. You mean to tell me this man who just traveled for days and moved mountains to find his wife is given a literal peck of a reunion, then we skip their entire conversation and cut to them in bed hours later? It felt like they removed dialogue for the sake of run time and personally, I’d always prefer small talk with Claire and Jamie and a full two minutes of them staring into each others eyes than any B-Roll.

Third strange pacing and editing choice was when Jamie tells Claire to rest and she’s IMMEDIATELY asleep. It’s not even a minute later and he’s able to sneak out on her. At the very least they could have dimmed the lights and implied it has been an hour or so before he left.

But they redeemed themselves with the last scene between Jamie and Mr. Brown, that was great. Now that Jamie’s older and has greater responsibilities we see less of a fire in him. While his love for Claire is still strong, he’s not as reckless. But this scene shows the viewers that the fire is still very much alive in Jamie, along with his tactical mind. Having Ian go back to the ridge to implement his revenge was a great callback to young Jamie and his strengths. One of the best lines of dialogue in YEARS was:

“I’m also a violent man, any goodness that prevails in me is because of my wife. You tried to take her from me.”

THIS is what I hope we get loads of this season.

I’m optimistic after this first episode. Visually it was stunning as always, there was a lot of acting highlights for numerous characters, and the storyline and dialogue stayed true to the books when it needed to, and added more depth and context when necessary.

[storiesbyrhi]

The slightest break in our usual Eddie Munson programming for me to scream about Teen Wolf: The Movie.

Spoilers below the cut.

I'm an original Sterek shipper from back in the glory days. I watched the new episode each week. I was queerbaited to death. In the year 2023, why must I continue to suffer like this?

You chose the villain most associated with Stiles, but can't convince Dylan - the heart of the show - to come back? The reason Stiles is M.I.A. is that he has his 'own fires to put out' with the F.B.I. Lazy?! Lazy writing! He would have come A.S.A.P., but especially after Sheriff was taken by the Oni!

"Maybe you should call your son." What the fuck?

You give me this shitty Stiles-free movie, and then make Derek's son Eli a) obsessed with Stiles' Jeep and b) have the personality of Stiles? And have Derek and Sheriff Stilinski buddy up? And have Sheriff kind of go all dad on Eli too?

Don't get me started on Derek's death. I'm very pro-major characters dying but Derek has suffered unbelievable cruelty and yet, he triumphs. He builds a real life. Then you kill him. Not just kill him, but send him to, what, hell?

"Derek had complicated feelings about that Jeep." Give me Sterek or leave it alone.

Also, on the subject of Derek as a hero - @thisdiscontentedwinter made a succinct and absolutely correct post about it here.

AND, you chose a villain heavily reliant on Kira, her culture, and her family but won't pay Arden what she's worth? You use Japanese folklore and Japanese-American history (e.g. internment camps in the U.S.) but can't even begin to service the meaning or legacy of that? Kira isn't even mentioned?

You replace Kira with Hikari, a young Japanese-American woman, and a Kitsune. Don't worry - she's also Liam's love interest! That means she's got character! Right?! RIGHT?! She literally is just there to deliver Japanese lore, be another body in the fight, and make foxfire and ramen. "We're here for our pain," she says. Yeah, Hikari, you sure are. (Hikari is played by Amy Lin Workman, who is not Japanese.)

Nostalgia couldn't even save this. When you bring something so problematic into the current year, all it does is draw attention to how fucking problematic it was to begin with. Jeff Davis' ego is far too big for him to admit mistakes and rectify them here.

The only good things were Jackson being so Jackson, the introduction of more gore and swearing into the Teen Wolf universe (sorry but I love a "fuck" where there were previously no fucks allowed), Peter's entrance (he's even campier now), and Lydia and Allison's friendship being important.

There's already a huge catalogue of posts on Tumblr about why the movie was so fucking shit lmao. I'm going to enjoy reading them. And, oh my god, am I going to start reading Sterek fanfic again?!

Also, why is everyone wearing flannel?

I miss Isaac Lahey.

How'd everyone else feel about it? Are we all crying in Beacon Hills?

[imminentinertia]

Today's the day when everyone is required to add their thoughts on The Eighth Sense ep. 6, yes? Here are mine, and I'll throw them under a readmore because there are spoilers.

It would be nice to be the kind of person who carefully screencaps and illustrates their posts, but alas and alack, there's only text.

I've seen a lot of theorising on most/all of ep. 6 being a dream or a hallucination, and while the cinematographic choices certainly point in the direction of the trip not being entirely real (the bright and slightly fuzzy filters, the sudden jumps, bringing nothing -> suddenly having all the camping gear you could wish for, the dreamy (hotel?) bed room, the shift from both of the guys sitting on the beach to Jae Won sitting alone in the exact same position), I think it might be an unreliable narrator twisting the "real" events of the episode. Not a dream, I think, but not quite a hallucination either.

I raised an eyebrow at the rest stop shop guy (side note: who is he. I want to see more of him in other shows/films) giving Ji Hyun the memory stick, and both eyebrows at him giving Jae Won the fireworks, because it made no sense at all.

But it does make sense if a narrator is edging into an idealised version of his story, where everything is bright and inviting.

From the rest stop on, I (and everyone else...) found the episode very unsettling, and the sudden camping gear really threw me - spare boots, really? When a few hours ago nothing was ready and you'd buy any thing you needed? At the entirely too bright and perfect morning on the beach I was practically squirming. It was so off compared to the cinematography up to the trip starting.

The unreliable narrator is most likely Jae Won. He's teetering on the brink of something, with his therapy and his meds and his father and the broken camera coming to a bit of a crescendo, and while he might not be all out hallucinating, he may be glossing over some things and blowing other things vastly out of proportion. We haven't been shown any hints about Ji Hyun being this unreliable.

So what sort of reality will we get in episode 7? I'm not even going to try and guess, it could go any way from a SKAM type mental crash and return to near normal and happy ending to all out horrible heartbreak and loss.

SKAM (I wonder which version(s)) was apparently used as an inspiration/preparation, according to a live they did, and SKAM's happy solutions for the mains was not necessarily the couple lives happily ever after (Eva breaking up with Jonas because that was the best for her at that point).

However, I note that the domestic trailer is far more upbeat than the international one, it seems from that like it's supposed to be feelgood overall. So maybe an open or happy ending? Yes please?

I also wonder why the tone in the domestic and international trailers are quite different. Could be something about what tends to lure the domestic audience in vs. what gets the international attention, and I don't know enough about the Korean audience to guess whether they enjoy getting a cheerful trailer and then a horrible heartbreak episode.

As for SKAM, back in the remake bonanza days there was indeed talk of making a Korean SKAM. It never came to be, and I absolutely don't want to call The Eighth Sense a Korean SKAM, but a beautiful Korean show that deals with sexuality and mental health? Yes fucking please. Also the reminder that SKAM lurks in the background here gives me a hope to cling to for a reasonably not-unhappy ending. It was utterly horrible watching Even's manic episode and Isak's panic at Even's text in O Helga Natt, but it turned out well.

Life is now, and don't trust your five senses too much?

I don't usually tag my poor mutuals in rambly posts, but perhaps @mynameisnotthepoint and/or @lurkingshan may be interested?

[variousqueerthings]

Time can be rewritten...

Angels In Manhattan, Amy and Rory goodbye. this is a... difficult one to rank. it may or may not make sense. Amy and Rory work better or worse depending on whether you've excised parts of previous seasons. it's kind of a... simple way to go in a sense, but is that good? (and yes, in classic!who sometimes companions would be written out between seasons, but I always assumed M*ffat would try to outdo everyone by being more tragic than anything before)

also this interesting post by @brilliantfantasticgeronimo that at the end talks about laws of time and how and when and why they're broken or upheld in terms of timestreams. things to think about going into this one, but luckily there's a handy-dandy ratings system

sexism rank objectification (female character is ogled/harassed/turned into a sex joke by the doctor and/or a lead we’re supposed to root for and/or the camera): 6/10

sexism rank plot-point (lead female character is only there to serve plot, not to have her emotional interiority explored): 5/10

interesting complex or pointlessly complex (does the complexity serve the narrative or does it just serve to be confusing as a stand-in for smart, this includes visually): 3/10

furthers character and/or lore and/or plot development (broader question that ties into the previous ones, at least two of these, ideally three should be fulfilled): 3/10

companion matters (the companion doesn’t always have to be there, but if the companion is there, can they function without the doctor– and overall per season how often is the companion the focus or POV of the story): 3/10

the doctor is more than just “godlike” (examines the doctor’s flaws and limitations, doesn’t solve a plot by having it revolve entirely around the doctor’s existence): 7/10

doesn’t look down on previous doctor who (by erasing or mocking its importance, by redoing and “bettering” previous beloved plotpoints or characters, etc.): 6/10

isn’t trying to insert hamfisted sexiness (m*ffat famously talked a lot about how dw should be sexier multiple times, he sucks at writing it): 6/10

internal world has consistency (characters have backgrounds, feel rooted in a place with other people, generally feel like they have Lives): 2/10

Politics (how conservative is the story): 6/10

FULL RATING: 47/100 (if I can count….)

not the lowest a M*ffat episode's gotten. I think mainly it's just a bit... there. and I cannot help compare it to The God Complex, which is one of the two highest rated episodes of this era and manages much the same thing in a more cohesive way

OBJECTIFICATION: on the whooole considering River Song is in this one, it's mostly okay after the first few minutes

we do get some shit in the beginning: "My lipstick was combat ready and I was packing cleavage that could fell an ox at twenty feet" which the Doctor is... into? as a description? he doesn't even know it's River Song at this point, he just likes the description for some reason

but yeah, mostly it's okay. River is a femme fatale in a detective novel called "melody malone" but it's fine on the whole

PLOT-POINT: there's this bit where Amy reads a bit from the book River wrote in the past, and the Doctor is like "Now that you've read this it has to happen," and it turns out that the line (why do you have to break that) is a reference to River's wrist as she tries to get free from an angel

and it's this sort of theme of the episode, it's been read, it must happen, buuuut the Doctor could have just... not broken her wrist, according to this logic, right? it didn't say "and then River Song's wrist was broken" it just said that bit of line (and then "because Amy read it in a book...")

my point here is that then the Doctor gets really pissed off because it means something bad will definitely happen. he reads a chapter title called "Amy's Last Farewell" and it sends him into a rage -- (sidenote, Matt Smith's Doctor is the only Doctor I've seen so far where his kind of anger makes me very uncomfortable, that's subjective, but he comes across as An Angry Man sometimes and I'm not a fan of that) and instead of helping River out of the angel he tells her to figure it out herself in a way that doesn't break her wrist

she pretends she manages it and the Doctor is happy, until he realises she lied, and her wrist is broken and then he fixes it using time energy and she slaps him (we'll get to that in a minute) and Amy treats it as a "you just don't understand Womens" moment and then goes out to comfort River, asking why she lied

TO WHICH River replies: never let him see the damage, and never let him see you age

and this is just. peak River in the grand narrative once again. walking on eggshells around this rather petulant child in terms of the writing, and I'm meant to understand her feelings as anything other than "I was brainwashed as a kid to be obsessed with this guy and now I cannot break out of the programming" (which to be fair could be interesting, if it was done on purpose and not... by M*ffat)

and this also plays into Amy, who has since gotten reading glasses and "lines around her eyes," and it's this thing that's come up a lot in this iteration, that the Doctor has serious Peter Pan syndrome, but it's never been more textual than in this era

point being, Amy is the recipient of this line, but Amy isn't really narratively engaging with this. Amy could have let go of the Doctor ages ago, and in fact in the last episode the Doctor is saying that it's clear he needs her a lot more than the other way around... so why are we bringing this up now? what is it doing here? what is it saying about Amy or even River tbh, who's been in the form of a middle-aged woman most of the time we've known her and also at the end of the episode flat out refuses the Doctor's offer to travel with him for... no real reason

there's just a lot of quite uneven writing here that feels like it's trying to put together last-minute connections that don't belong there, and they're not in service of River or Amy, but to further hammer home that The Doctor Is Basically An Eternal Child Who Feels Bad

also this: When one’s in love with an ageless god who insists on the face of a twelve year old one does ones best to minimise the damage (at the Doctor, before he heels her wrist)... fascinating lampshading of all the seemingly very sexy flirting (including in this episode) River and The Doctor do... it's almost enough to make them interesting, in the sense that yeah, sometimes loving the Doctor means a different gender, different skin colour, different external-looking age, short, tall, thin, fat, etcetc

of course it's not really doing much with that, it's just another thrown out there line that feels like it's going "I know I know Matt Smith looks like a baby next to Alex Kingston and they have no chemistry, but stop complaining about it!!!" it's almost deep but not quite

COMPLEXITY: so the thing about the angels is that M*ffat invented them, right? and then he brought them back again, and now he's brought them back for a third time (feat. statue of liberty)

but way back in the very first episode of them a few things were established

. the angels feed on temporal energy -- sending someone back in time to live out their days . Martha and the Doctor are sent back in time, but with the Tardis aren't stuck there . they can be defeated by making them look at each other (or, I imagine but have never seen confirmed, with a sledge-hammer)

I think that's it pretty much. (sidenote, I heard that M*ffat didn't come up with "make them look at each other" and had no idea how to finish the episode, but that it's Gatiss idea? would have to search to confirm, but ooh, not-even-a-conspiracy -- would explain why M*ffat didn't ever bring it back, although he's not brought back his own Stuff on occasion as well)

so does M*ffat continue on the throughline of the angels? well, we know he doesn't because in s5 we saw them moving, which was a shame, considering the fun filmic idea that the camera in s3 functioned as another eye.

ah well, does the apartment make sense?

soooort of? I'm confused about logistics like... food. which may seem pedantic, but I feel like it's one of the many things that makes it hard to suspend my disbelief

I also realised that it sort of hinted that this whole set-up was very bad no good and was making time all squiggly, because of so many temporal mishaps, but it didn't go into it enough for it to feel like it was anything but a quick handwavy explanation for why you should keep suspending your disbelief no matter what happens, and still doesn't explain... the statue of liberty

almost had me with it, thinking this was why the statue of liberty was there because it was meant to be wrong, but actually no it doesn't make sense and worse, it doesn't need to be there, so that's... that

mmm, angel in a graveyard, I guess, but the thing that is a thing. The Thing. is yes, the angels are scary in a sense (so scary to Amy that she thought one of the spooky rooms in The God Complex with angels in them was for her), but arguably (subjectively) they were good villains because of their one-off appearance. do something kinda spooky and never try to explain more, leave it there as a little ooooh

bring it back over and over and you have to start getting into proper lore and you're Thing has to be strong enough to be able to hold that pressure, and to be honest. the angels aren't a good choice for that. they're very unwieldy when you get too close to them as concepts, especially when you start to pile a whole bunch of them into one tower block

New York, city that never sleeps, I get it, single line going "it's because everyone is secretly afraid of spooky things and so an eye has to be open at all times" eh but it's not quite enough

lot of sets for no reason, we could have cut the evil rich guy, he's not important to the story

and of course, the crux... why can't the Doctor just pick up Amy and Rory from the past? written in stone? my guy, you were declared dead for the whole of last season! again, I kind of get what's happening here, but it's kind of "inventing new rules for the plot" rather than established story rules informing the plot

the more you think about this episode, the more it doesn't quite fit together, and the more it feels like one big, overly complicated way of writing Amy out of the story, when she could have been out of the story at any point between here and The God Complex

not every companion leaving has to be a big tragedy, sometimes it's just the sadness of knowing peoples lives are going in a different direction from you, and that's exactly how The God Complex ends

CHARACTERS/LORE/PLOT: so technically yes, this is the last episode of the Ponds so there's a whole bunch of stuff, however I would argue that not much changes one way or another from season 6

Amy and Rory still love each other (The Dalek Asylum was stupid and offered us nothing else on them that actually mattered), they're still planning to leave at some point, and they live a life

moreover that life is no more tragic than, again, The God Complex, because one doesn't really have a sense of the things they've left behind -- yes, Rory has a dad now (seen in two episodes) and he's honestly not a bad character, but he's not really firmly established in any way and might as well not exist, but for a bit of "oh that's nice"

Amy never had parents or family really (fight me M*ffat), and they left Leadworth with all its non-characters and live in London with a further bunch of non-characters

them leaving to live their life in the past is no more ungrounded than the life that was written for them in the present, in all its "I'm a Kissogram no a Model no a... Travel Log Reporter..." undefined lack of glory

also River Song doesn't travel with the Doctor because Alex Kingston can't commit to a whole season and so River Song just flat out turns him down, which is very funny in a sort of "does this make sense for the characters apparent inherent tragedy of not having enough time," kind of way -- should've just not said anything (especially not "one psychopath per Tardis is enough don't you think" SERIOUSLY M*ffat????)

and I think that's the problem in the end. post-God Complex has tried to justify Amy's and Rory continued meaning in this story but it's just not managed to do it. it feels like an overextended coda, with one relatively fun entry (The Power Of Three), and five stories that don't need to be there and give us scraps of things that might be important at some point in the future (such as the Doctor shouldn't travel alone for extended periods of time, but we already know this!)

also Brian... does the Doctor ever tell Brian, whom he had this seemingly deep conversation with about not losing Amy and Rory and bringing them back, that he will never see his son again?

COMPANIONS MATTER: yeah, I guess. I mean the whole book is written by River Song who's semi a companion, Amy and Rory jump off a roof which creates a paradox, which breaks the angels hold on the block (do they wink out of existence or are they still there or???)

“GODLIKE” DOCTOR: this episode is more about the Doctor than the Ponds really, although he doesn't do much, just runs around, so...

in some ways we're anti-godlike-doctor in that there's a whole bunch of laws the Doctor suddenly can't break, despite... doing so... previously... notably in fact in the preceding season

PREVIOUS DOCTOR WHO: ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh got nothing. it's about the angels and it does weird shit their lore, but it's a surprisingly small episode on the whole, considering it's a companion's final setpiece -- not that it has to be massive (The God Complex, my preferred final episode for Amy and Rory is also in many ways a simple episode), but it's interesting for M*ffat

“SEXINESS”: so we've got the Doctor being into book!River, an ongoing joke with the word "yowza," a flirting scene when River and the Doctor first reunite (again, fascinatingly undercut by River later saying he "has the face of a twelve year old")

and an early scene where Amy asks Rory if she has lines around her eyes and him being "afraid" of telling her yes

it's not so bad on the whole, shockingly chill considering this is written by M*ffat

INTERNAL WORLD: one of M*ffat's biggest consistent weaknesses is that he eschews the "boring" details of making a place seem real, in favour of a plot just going at breakneck speeds without waiting around to see if it makes sense -- if you keep going very fast, nobody can see behind the curtain (unless you're actually breaking down the episode in which case... ah)

but yeah, they're in New York I guess, that's about it

POLITICS: there's not much in the way of overt politics once again, and honestly not much of anything else either. I guess one can pick up on a lack of things, but tbh there's so much else to pick at in this episode, a lack of interest in pre-WWII New York would have required an interest in world building at the minimum, and obviously that's not a thing in this episode, so much as it's a series of vibes (and you cannot coast on vibes alone forever)

FULL RATING: 47/100 (if I can count….)

So how do we leave the Ponds on the whole? it's got a few arresting scenes, Rory and Amy jumping off a roof together, the Doctor making a sad face while reaching for Amy

the rest of the episode is kind of there. neither the worst M*ffat has written, nor thaaat good. some good concepts that are under-written, a bit of shoddy lore-continuation and world-building

a big question for me at this point is where to end the Amy & Rory plot so that it fits going into the next stage of events (Clara). because The Power Of Three is quite fun, and might function as a coda (acknowledging they have a couple more adventures and then they drift out of the Doctor's life). but definitely, The God Complex is the ending for me

[prinnamon]

arlen's mind notes! mostly ground that was already covered by @spiderh0rse's arlen's mind notes, but i'm enjoying documenting my mindverse journey too.

EPISODE 1

unlike barney, Arlen relies on An Actual Alarm Clock instead of trusting his roommates to wake him

barney snores loud as fuck and is an extremely heavy sleeper (arlen tries and fails to wake him. in Mind of Ryan, Ryan claims to have done the same.)

arlen doesn't remember what he did last night, but his back hurts

says he doesn't give a fuck about barney

arlen wonders if he's the person who hates mornings the most in the world. sure, i believe it. maybe he really is the specialest boy in the universe.

"washes" his hands in the backed-up flooded sink water. thinks this is acceptable. disgusteng.

the vending machines eat his money. he is very upset that his snack and soda are gone (stolem). at least he tried to eat something for breakfast, but as a mindverse character, he is simply not allowed.

KATE! WE GET TO SEE KATE! i hadn't realized she'd be physically present. i'd assumed she was a Phantom Girlfriend like Lauren from Barney's Mind who we'd never actually get to meet.

is a little groggy and dismissive of Kate. immediately starts worrying that he sounded like an asshole.

"why do we need… a ramp… and stairs here?" arlen. buddy. c'mon.

"what the hell's going on here? what are they gonna do when they come to these stairs?" ok, he has a point about this one actually. why is there only a ramp in one spot

also, though, why does he find this worth remarking upon? he's not new here. that's first day/week talk.

jokingly predicts the alien invasion pretty accurately. expects to be the sole survivor. is looking forward to that outcome.

hates work. me too bud

walks into work, sees people having tech problems, and tells them "try a reboot if you have not." if i was one of his coworkers i would strangle him for that. you get here late and you honestly think we haven't tried turning it off and on again? perish at my hands loser

"i'm not a computer expert. i just press keys and then it works." ipad baby 🫵

sees Gordon driving in. does not recognize him but immediately clocks him as someone who "thinks he owns the place"

falls asleep on the job. maaaybe talks in his sleep, but it's always unclear in these series whether the dialogue is meant to be seen as spoken or internal.

wakes up with a headache.

shoots the vortigaunts reflexively before they even move to attack him.

extended string of "that did not just happen. did that happen—? that never happened."

his name is TJ. his dead coworker's name is CJ. i want all of the guards he encounters to be named something along these lines. PJ. DJ. AJ. it would be so funny

he has a radio that actually lets him communicate with sector G's management, holy shit. only character with functioning radio equipment???

hears that Sector F has sent in similar reports to what he just encountered and immediately starts running to see if Kate's okay. so for all that talk about how everyone aggravates him, he does really care, at least about her.

EPISODE 2

arlen is one of very few who actually takes a moment to really get close and examine the aliens he kills, trying to figure out what's up with them instead of running straight by.

he says "i know i just saw something" often.

extremely aware. has not given any aliens an opportunity to attack him yet. which isn't to say he's shooting them immediately for no reason; he has some pretty obvious clues to the fact that they are hostile, like the dead bodies and the headcrab zombies.

the extreme awareness continues even when there's nothing to be aware of. at this point, he's just on constant high alert.

calls things "gay" if they are of no use or interest to him

"i want a soda, and i have a gun." [shoots vending machine; it breaks and soda cans fall out] "and now i have a soda, too." probably most charming bit so far

Sprite drinker. *excitedly tabs over to a spreadsheet called "mindverse character soda preferences"*

shooting crates open in search of treasure chests. buddy. what???

forgot about Kate. feels bad for forgetting about Kate.

a couple times, he's taken a sort of "serves them right" position about people he's found dead. wonder if he really feels that way or if it just helps him cope.

doesn't shoot the houndeyes right away! waits for them to explode his ears with their psychic attack before he starts blastin'

thinks the soundwave made his kidney explode

Kate is his entire motivation for trying so hard. "i'm worried about her, and if i don't do this, i'll forever wonder if i could've helped her."

thinks it's incredibly unfair that aliens get to break the laws of physics and he doesn't!

would be pretty embarrassed if he survived an alien apocalypse and then died from a heart attack.

EPISODE 3

"calm. calm. calm. I'MGONNAKILLEVERYBODY. calm. calm." takes second place for my favorite line.

straight up that is an arcade and not a restroom. awesome but where do i piss.

"i'm not sure whether to be more upset that we're wasting money on something like this—an arcade—or that nobody ever told me about it." feels very left out and excluded.

has been trying to get the company to issue him a new gun for two months since his broke.

sees or possibly hallucinates a floating headcrab.

sees the barnacle ahead of time. guns down the nearby zombies before he can see what it does to them, but is curious enough that he gets close enough for it to wrap around his neck and choke him for a second. this stuns him, hurts really bad, and leaves him with headache #2.

says "i'm not evil! it's me! tj arlen!" as if the military would just hear that and be like ohhh okay! hey everybody, no worries, we got tj here!"

is so scared he mispronounces his own middle name

killed two people (out of necessity) and seems dead certain he's going to hell now

EPISODE 4

brands himself a "homicidal maniac" after, again, killing exactly 2 people in self-defense.

never before considered the idea that he might actually kill anyone.

slams his nose into the wall in his panic as he runs from more grunts shooting at him. gets more upset than i've heard him get in this entire series. thinks his nose is broken!

aware that he would die if he fell, but evidently not afraid of heights. just enjoys the view.

NOT having fun. does NOT like murdering people. …DOES like watching blood splatter against the wall (immediately feels bad and wrong for thinking that)

forgets how much the situation sucks for just a moment to be impressed with his own ability to shoot down a turret from a distance.

he says "god hold me" instead of "god help me." i have not heard that one before.

wishes kate was here… not that he was with her wherever she is but that she was with him where he is. would feel more comfortable and confident in his ability to get through this if he was with her. shows that he thinks of her as trustworthy and competent, probably more so than himself.

has played minecraft. associates exploding creatures with creepers

recognizes the gman even at a glance. wants NOTHING to do with him and will NOT ask for his help.

after his first encounter with a bullsquid, he gives up trying to make sense of anything that's happening to him.

says "back to my life as a mole" when he has to go back in the vents to progress

"explosions are fun! especially when they murder people." i think he's just saying words recreationally now because this is directly contradictory to the previous characterization in this same episode. i highly doubt the last four minutes were enough time for him to spiral into madness etc etc.

i will admit he is killing and quipping with a little more enthusiasm now and saying things like "i wonder if there's anybody down here to kill." concerning.

EPISODE 5

recognizes the tram, but has never learned how to operate one.

casually steps backwards off of the moving tram. is not hurt in the process. smooth moves

dismayed to realize he may now be a conspiracy theorist. quickly rationalizes his way out of it so he can go on feeling content that he's not One Of Them.

briefly entertains the idea that he's dreaming.

bullsquid spit RIGHT in his eye! horrible! he sounds like he's in more pain than when he broke(?) his nose, which is saying a lot, and there's a visual effect to show how badly it's messing up his vision.

broke his arm before. his eye hurts worse than that.

particularly terrified when he sees an alien grunt. probably in no small part due to having just watched it absolutely eviscerate another guard. reeeally wants to believe it doesn't exist.

creeped out when rachel, another guard, won't talk to him. she does just kinda stare at him and then follow him around. i'd be a little creeped out, too.

rachel gets killed, and he finds a blood-covered radio and a note among her things that. auuuugh. dumps a whole bunch of exposition which i found it really hard to focus on. he reads it while walking. okay i don't want to but i've gotta re-listen and try to parse that because it sounded plot-critical

arlen learns from this note that the marines and special forces are trying to apprehend gordon freeman, who needs to be warned. he learns that the marines were ordered to kill black mesa employees and that the special forces were ordered to do the same as well as kill the marines.

the radio he picked up allows him to communicate over a secret secure channel, since the special forces are monitoring the default channel.

somehow he knows the special forces "are like ninjas" despite not having encountered them yet

thinks he's as good as dead if the special forces are after him.

calls in over the radio and manages to reach his friend (jordan/jordon) from sector g. jordan asks after rachel. when he learns that she didn't make it, jordan tells arlen to take up her mission and warn gordon freeman.

yet again, he's fixing other people's fuck-ups! he feels this has been the story of his life since he started working at black mesa.

has absolutely no clue where he is in the facility until he lands in loading bay d, which he recognizes immediately

knows right away that it's freeman in the hev suit despite not having been told what he would look like. maybe this means he actually did know gordon beforehand? mneh. i will make my own canon about this since it feels inconsistent

EPISODE 6

HEV training flashback! …why does Arlen receive HEV training instead of guard training?

"door, why you no open?"

wonders how Black Mesa can "keep bitching about how they're underfunded" when they can afford training holograms.

his high school had a "positive parent" initiative with a $5 membership fee.

he considers his high school "the poor kids' school."

surprised and dismayed by the fact that there are scientists monitoring his training. would rather no one be watching. (arlen what do you think happens in that scenario if you hurt yourself)

"this isn't like i'm going to be training to be a black op." arlen? hello?? a black op???

says he's receiving this training in case they run out of scientists to do a certain job. and holy SHIT that's ominous to me. like the administration knew there might be a shortage of survey team members. like they knew that losing them was a possibility and were preparing backup survey team members. it's just. aaaaa it's so fucked up do you understand how fucked up it is. am i explaining it right

jokingly ponders whether they're invading an alien planet. is pretty correct except for the part about the purpose being so that they can cure cancer. nah i think they did it just to do it. but good on him for his miniscule amount of faith in the administration at least having benevolent intentions

you can't say that white baby.

"you know you're a sad case when you talk to yourself this much." AHA. so at least some of your dialogue IS spoken and not just internal.

says the long jump module goes around his arm. i don't… i don't like that. is that true? i thought it went around their torso somewhere. like a jetpack. does it go on their arm?? is he getting that from somewhere or just making it up??? i guess it looks a little small to go around your whole body, but i feel like you'd tear your arm out of its socket every time you used it if it was a thing on your arm. i've decided he's wrong about this. he's doing it wrong

he does like the long jump module a lot. wants to keep it. not above stealing it if he can get away with it.

tries and fails to step on the cockroaches he sees. hates them. manages later to smash one with a crowbar.

happy for the opportunity to break crates at work.

makes reference to slenderman. lists a number of things he think slenderman does. says he never found him scary.

extremely happy that he gets to do weapons training as part of this but wonders why the hell scientists need to be trained with weapons

tries for way too long to shoot through the glass that says "UNBREAKABLE" in big yellow letters.

he hates swimming because he does not like to be wet. actually thinks it's awesome as long as he's wearing a waterproof suit

UNDERWATER MUMBLING 🙌

INCOHERENT WHIMPERING 🙌

was sick the day they told people how to use the trams. gives up.

ponders kicking barney out of the dorm for the night since he can stay with lauren instead.

barney hates snakes. arlen would happily use this knowledge against him.

EPISODE 7

back to the present. he lives!!!

he wakes up somewhere completely different. looks like a wind tunnel. his radio, flashlight, and weapons have all been taken.

moving hurts. very bad.

seems to remember everything that has happened to him. upset to learn that the aliens weren't a dream.

his wound. isn't bleeding. at all. i guess

he was shot somewhere in the torso, because apparently his shirt is over the wound and tight enough to act like a bandage.

i'm gonna go ahead and say gman intervened to prevent him from dying. or, uh, gmind. cia guy. you know him. but anyway, the special forces had a clean shot at him. and there's no way they would have moved what they thought was his corpse to that random tunnel and left him alone without checking at any point to make sure he was dead. a certain somebody is definitely lookin out for him.

his priorities: get a gun, get a car, get Kate, get the fuck out.

lets out a little startled yell each time he fires the shotgun.

starting to like the adrenaline rush (of killing? of being in danger? i assume he means the former, but he kinda doesn't specify!)

would like to capture an alien and keep it as a pet. it would make him feel badass. that's his new back-burner priority.

still terrified of alien grunts but just says "holy pancake!" this time instead of letting out an extended scream like he did earlier.

houndeyes remind him of dogs. wonders if he can "train one to be a dog."

"they're like creepers in minecraft, only they don't self-destruct." so they're nothing like creepers then, man. why are you like this. why do you say the things that you do.

the pain had faded into the background. when he gets to a first aid station and gets some morphine, it finally registers with him again how much pain he was in.

i can barely hear him during this section over the music and gunfire, but he repeatedly shouts "evasive maneuvers!" which is very funny. it's like audibly going "stealth!" while trying to hide

the military is deliberately blocking the parking garage in an effort to prevent people from leaving. sucks!

dead survey team member? whuh huh?? what are you doing here???

has zero idea how to pick up women. no clue how he ended up with kate. seems like he earnestly Does Not Remember.

sees that the metal detectors didn't go off when bullets (metal) passed through them and naturally assumes they are inoperative. decides to step through to test this theory. they go off. nice going, dipshit <3

EPISODE 8

hit in the head with a brick. the turrets have been beeping nonstop for fifteen minutes, despite not thinking it'll work, he snaps and pops out of his hiding spot to shoot it.

admonishes the scientists for not taking the guns on the ground.

glass in his arm from when the houndeye soundwave shattered the window! not as bad as when he cut himself on dried shredded cheese. makes a "sharp cheddar" joke. awesome

shocked by the vortigaunts' ability to speak. ready to hear em out until it starts attacking. listens to the next one and argues/converses with it! does not kill em afterward!

starts wondering if the other aliens will talk to him. hesitant to kill them now.

bemoans the fact that the security guard team is a glorified IT department, fixing every problem around the facility.

"i did NOT go to engineering school! if your fucking elevator will not work, i can't help you."

has apparently had his pay reduced for not fixing things he doesn't know how to fix. awful hellworld stuff. not that people aren't justified in sleeping at all jobs, but i can especially see why he sleeps at this job.

balancing on a distressingly small ledge.

got called to the biology department to solve a computer issue. after three hours, he was finally able to determine that a power strip was plugged into itself instead of into the wall.

simmons and walter cameo!!! arlen calls simmons "simms." maybe they know each other decently well. neither walter nor simms has heard from kate, unfortunately. but they do have health goo! arlen loooves being injected with health goo <3

running still really hurts.

simms fucking DEAD! oh, false alarm. no body, so arlen assumes simms got kidnapped.

arlen fails his stealth check and gets kicked off a ledge instead of pushing the soldier off. oopsieeee. yknow gmind really has his work cut out for him protecting this guy because arlen really is the struggler

EPISODE 9

unfortunately growing accustomed to this cycle of fighting for his life for a while, being knocked unconscious, and waking up somewhere else with no weapons.

wonders how he's still alive! if he was the army, he'd have killed him by now for sure.

earlier, he thought he was meant to die. now he realizes he's so lucky not to have died by now, maybe he's meant to live. maybe even some alien overlord is looking out for him. …naaaah. probably not. :3

breezes past a human head and leg on the ground and says shortly thereafter he didn't see any bodies in that room. wow. blood splatters and human remains are really just blending right into the scenery for him, huh.

he has a headache again. and his side still hurts from where he was shot. and his legs hurt from falling. he's got a lot of problems right now.

"walk up in the club and be like. what up. i got a pet rock"

proud of having blown up a helicopter, but concerned that it makes him an even bigger target.

"i'd rather be freezing than burning!" me too, man. i miss cold.

"and i thought i needed medication before this." tj arlen you will always be famous

EPISODE 10

he's still amazed at the ease with which he guns down military grunts. concludes that they must be expecting him to be unarmed.

it is not 2016. i will bite you.

at some point, he had fingerless gloves. now he doesn't. anyway i thought that was interesting.

time is getting weeeird for him due to the duration he's spent unconscious.

he considers morphine his "drug of choice." was that true before everything, or did it become true during the events of the game?

"okay. i understand now. everything these past few days is just my interpretation of what happened. it's why all the clocks don't have hands." so much fucked-up and inexplicable shit has happened to him that he no longer has any faith in the accuracy of his perception of reality. awesome! 😁

"it feels like i've been here for years, but if i really think about it—GRRAAHHGH. …if i really think about it,"

regretting not having tried to hotwire the car he found earlier.

maybe he should give up trying to find kate.

maybe he's in hell. wonders if he could have avoided this by being more religious.

believes religious texts are written by governments.

"but really, i'm not enlightened or better than everyone else. i just like to think i am but pretend i'm down-to-earth and a good-hearted person. was that what i was supposed to realize? i guess not, 'cause i kind-of already knew that. i'd be lying to myself if i said i didn't." feels like much of his life before all this was sorta. operating under several layers of playing pretend. deep down, he knows he's not better than anyone else, but he tries to tell himself he is, but he tries to seem humble to others?

says Kate doesn't truly matter to him. feels he should have valued her more. i don't think i believe him. im clinging to what he said in episode 4, that he wished she was there. he's always talking about her! and someone who really didn't care, i dunno, i don't think they'd be so worried about whether they cared enough.

bad relationship with his dad. complicated relationship with his mom.

suddenly talking like he thinks he's the worst guy in the world—like he brought all these bad things upon himself by being a bad person, by acting wrong in other areas of his life.

ah. yeah. the morphine is likely not a new thing. had a drug problem before this. hurt friends and lost relationships he cared about because of it.

this whole self-awareness thing sucks. he wants to go back to lying to himself even harder.

ready to stop existing. how can he stop existing.

making fun of the vortigaunts. starts entertaining himself by rhyming random words, then by narrating his situation and rhyming as he does so.

disappears down a pipe. he went out like super mario. godspeed buddy o7

EPISODE 10 (POST-CREDITS)

HE'S IN A FUCKING TUBE?

WHAT IS THIS.

what the fuck happens in azure sheep

sick gurgles, though

they let him out of his tube

kate saves his ass!!!

different kate model. i like this one less. give her back her glasses how will she see. give her back her vest she needs that.

arlen says "where are we going now?" and kate very faintly responds "heaven :3". i'm in shambles. that one word is all the characterization i'll ever get for her beyond how much arlen wants to save her but tbh it's so cute. that's enough., That's enough. WHO VOICED HER THOUGH BECAUSE KATE'S VA WASN'T IN THE CREDITS. WHO SAID THAT!?!?!?

what a strange first thing to say upon reuniting with your partner. weirdgirl kate reigns supreme.

i realized the other day that, despite featuring arlen, mind of ryan directly contradicts the canon of arlen's mind. if barney was around for ryan, who drove into work from off-site, to try and wake up, barney couldn't have been sleeping in the dorm with arlen. so yeah, there's not just the "too few beds and too little space in the dorm for three people to sleep comfortably" issue, there's "ryan straight-up claims he slept last night at the same off-site location as barney which is not possible in the same world as the one in which arlen's mind takes place." and i know the real answer to all this is "dravenmario wanted to pay homage to the series that inspired him, not necessarily be fully canon-compliant with that series," but i still. i dunno. thought it was mildly interesting and worth noting.

next i'll probably watch shephard's mind or chell's mind (the one by CyhAnide, although i do eventually plan to check out the Rychotech one).

[sageandred]

In depth wtFOCK Season Three Thoughts (Part 2 Through the Seasons Review)

The other girl (Noor) storyline was questionable. (Having it take 3 episodes before Sander is introduced was a choice).

-and it's not like I'm closed off to changes, but I feel like they still could've introduced Sander in a different way without taking a 3rd of the season to do so (but I do like the little Where's Waldo of Sander in background scenes)

-I really thought there would be more significance/fallout to the Robbe-Noor graffiti. (I get it shows she's artistic like Sander, but) I thought that scene would contribute more to the entire storyline rather than just Robbe/Sander (first sighting).

I get the intended Robbe internalized homophobia. I don't hate it; should be interesting what changes it brings in the story. This is a much darker feel than the other evaks where "Isak" is concerned.

-the little things like the music he listens to as he walks up to his friends gives me the perception that he's always performing;

-and how his voice changes from when he's talking with the boys to when he answers a call from his mom

I'm a bit upset we didn't see more Robbe-Yasmina moments (he didn't leave the weed with her in this version, which is fine). [I know they spent some time during summer doing retakes, but I needed to see the friendship development or some bigger moments between them].

A change I like is that the season doesn't start off with "Isak" automatically living with "Eskild" (Milan).

Forgot to say this with the other seasons-this Skam might have the best cinematography and clear direction-but this season it's heightened

Love, love the apartment crew with Milan, Zoe, Senne, and Robbe!

Top tier first meet scene

-also grocery shopping was a nice change (plus music choices are great this version)

This "Isak" has some guilt immediately after during what would be the morning after the pool kiss scene; also it's kind of a change I like due to the obvious direction with the music suddenly coming to a halt as he blocks Sander.

Actually the use of Bowie in scenes is chilling (and RUDE-the Robbe-Noor sex scene); it's a good storytelling choice.

I like the changes, but the pacing and lack of a resolution with talking things out/really addressing things make them generally unimpactful so far [Robbe internalized homophobia (& projected homophobia)]

-I actually feel like Noor could've been used more strategically to display the intensified shutting out of his sexuality had they taken the time to properly flesh them out (it definitely showed), but again the pacing, because in some ways I think they needed deeper scenes to develop them, but I wouldn't want too much time dedicated to them that would ultimately take away from the actual love story of the season.

The reimagined convo with Milan worked, because their relationship is different here and it would've been unrealistic had they copied the og dialogue verbatim; also I'm glad they didn't have a copy and paste of "Isak" talking about how he couldn't be "gay" in the world while offending "Eskild"-the advice was a nice change and good the convo didn't end on a bad note.

-edit: I spoke too soon on the offending part. hurts (every time). [also: Milan's "maybe you should look at yourself" and then the clip ends with Robbe looking in the mirror. ok wtFOCK direction]

Glad Robbe broke up with Noor before things got even more complicated and it was actually a pretty well received exchange [up until her obvious shouting in the club scene] compared to other versions in which she gets immediately angry and the "Isaks" don't really break up with her properly face-to-face.

Again with the lack of resolution-srry, but there was no point to the attack in the street on Robbe & Sander. On one hand, it could be useful to be informative, having a purpose in the plot of the season, but it was barely talked about in the aftermath or hinted at being deeper addressed later. I kind of feel like they are just trying to tackle too much with this and there's just not enough time to really address it in an already storyline heavy season. The only good thing that came from it was how caring the apartment crew showed to be w/Zoe, Senne, & Milan (but that's not a shock).

(Skam season with the most trigger warnings award goes to).

I do think the coming out scene to Jens was cute. Very different version with the best friend having a non-reaction that just makes sense with him

May I shove Robbe's friends (minus Jens) into the pool that Robbe & Sander made out in. (God, they are painful to watch)

I like how Sander's manic episode was filmed. It was very pov heavy from Robbe's perspective with flashes of Sander and I feel like the characteristics were a bit different to what you normally see in tv all the time, even by Skam standards, which I found refreshing.

I really don't get why the change of Sander and his gf only dating 6 months if they were still going to have her overstep and be so controlling. It feels unbelievable that his mom and Robbe's friends (Zoe, Jana..) are so receptive to her knowledge on Sander and his illness. And I hate that they're all being so dramatic about Sander's abilities.

They actually resolved things pretty nicely in the last ep-his friends, Sander, Noor (and the additions with his dad the whole season were really sweet; minor note: his poor dad tho when Robbe suddenly left the restaurant with no explanation).

All in all: this season is great in terms of acting, chemistry, production, and direction. However the writing is pretty awful; aside from the obvious missteps, the season messes up when they make changes and fail to follow through (almost undoing the change in the first place) by rerouting back to the original and doing the same just at a different timestamp (It's frustrating to watch and I do really wish they would just commit to those choices, while handling topics with care; I think I would have a very different opinion on the overall season and how it fares next to other remakes in the long run). I suppose, overall that wtFOCK is fun, even with some wrong choices, though the story suffers with a lack of cohesiveness, development sometimes, or focus on what's important (that sounds like everything that matters, lol, but it was enjoyable).

[wen-kexing-apologist]

Ask game!

3, 16, 23

3. Screenshot or description of the worst take you've seen on tumblr

I was BIG mad about some of the takes I was seeing around Our Skyy 2 x The Eclipse episodes re: characterization. 

People said that Akk’s low self esteem and feelings of inferiority would mean that he wouldn’t be sulking about Aye forgetting his birthday and would in fact expect that his boyfriend would genuinely not know when his birthday was. 

People said Aye was out of character because he is letting his boyfriend sulk instead of engaging in the emotionally intelligent communication style that he displayed during The Eclipse. 

I saw people say this was more like watching First and Khaotung than it was Akk and Ayan. 

And I disagreed big time, so much so I wrote an entire post about it. 

Here's the thing though is I don't think using real elements of a life or a relationship is problematic or perpetuates problems. In fact, I think that helps bring realism and chemistry in to the narrative and gives the actors a good rooted place to jump off from. 

But in terms of like, how they ask their actors to maintain chemistry in public events, yeah that doesn't help with the bleeding effect where people are not able to separate the actors and their dynamic from the characters and their characters’ dynamic. 

I argue it is wildly *out* of character for Akk to assume that no one would know his birthday because he has *succcccchhhhhhhhh* low self-esteem. When that is simply not true, like Akk's main tension was never his self-esteem it was the pressures he and other people put on him, his fear of disappointing people that relied on him, and his anxiety around his queerness. His self-esteem was never really called in to question here.

If people were talking about Hira from My Beautiful Man that would make infinitely more sense for characterization, that Hira thinks himself as so far below Kiyo that Kiyo would simply not know or remember his birthday. But that’s not the case here. 

Even the second point Aye is very good about getting Akk to express his feelings but it is a fucking fight most times to break through that and Akk and Aye both had a lot of competition and brattiness with each other throughout their initial interest and attraction to one another so it would track that once Akk and Aye are past this incredibly difficult and emotionally challenging part of their lives, and Akk is no longer a fucking suicide risk, and they are away from the school pressures that Aye would not be applying as critical or intentional a lens on Akk's feelings.

Also he’s trying to surprise his boyfriend …so he’s gonna let him sulk a little bit. If he didn’t know the reason why Akk was upset that would be a different story. 

Anyway, Golf really did The Most with this episode and I’m sad with how overwhelmingly negative the feedback for this episode was when it was in fact, in character, has Something To Say, and gave my war criminal and his rat bastard boyfriend back. @bengiyo was right, a lot of times when queer characters are morally dubious, the fandom loses a lot of love for queer characters.

Same thing with OS2 x BBS x ATOTS, this was a crossover *for* Phupa’s character growth. You can scroll back through my posts about Phupa and internalized homophobia to see my thoughts. 

16. you can't understand why so many people like this thing (characterization, trope, headcanon, etc)

Incest, implied incest, accidental incest, incest via step-siblings, incest via foster siblings, incest via adopted siblings.

23. Ship you've unwillingly come around to

I haven’t fully come around to them because I probably will never rewatch Until We Meet Again but I made the mistake of saying I did not like Korn and Intouch as a couple and @bengiyo swiftly and rightly put me in my place about them so I appreciate their dynamic and Korn as a character especially a little bit more. 

also, not a ship but the OS2 x BBS x ATOTS has made me do a full 180 on the character of Phupa! Thank you so much Aof for this story.

[damelucyjo]

Possibly my favourite episode of the season. But could that be because it feels like they just remembered this show is really about Rebecca Welton and is just named after her boyfriend?? Not at all!!

Let’s go!!

Episode 10 - International Break

Woah! What a way for reveal Nate left West Ham! 🫢

Shut up, George!! You’re just bitter you were shut at your job and it’s showing now

Ted! We want to spend every weekend with you! Please never leave

Is this really how they find out who got chosen?? Seems like something they’d personally get told first. I think the boys knew, but the coaches didn’t!! Hmm

‘Wait, hold on. Bumbercatch, you’re Swiss?’ ‘Yeah. Look at me’ this boy really is a man of mystery!! 😂

Poor Sam 🙁

But God love Jamie though! He’s come so far!! 🥰🥰

‘I am not your bro. We are now enemies, and soon, you will be my bitch’ woah, Mexico Dani is a whole other breed of dog, huh!! I’ll stick with Richmond puppy Dani, thanks 😂

YYEEEAAAHHHH!!

We love a convo that sounds like it’s about periods but is actually about wine 🫡

MADELINE KAHN REFERENCE!!! 😍😍 this alone could make this episode my favourite!!

Totally tracks though that Ted doesn’t like gossip

As much as I always want scenes of Ted & Rebecca alone, that reveal to Trent was brilliant. And of course he’s good at girl talk 😂

Please, they way Rebecca reacts to Ted is such married behaviour. AND TRENT IS SEEING IT ALL FIRST HAND!! I’m so excited

Oh, Ted. You’re cute. You knew exactly what they meant. You just wanted to make your wife smile. It’s okay, we get it 🥰

AND AGAIN WITH THE DEVIL BIT. Boy…

I’ll continue to say it; Nate & Jade are cute!

Fully expected her to flip them all off, not gonna lie

Omg I totally saw this coming, and yet it’s still heartbreaking 🥺

Keeley’s not stupid. She knows it’s not the board, Barbra

JUNO TEMPLE!!! 😢😢😢 (first time I got teary this episode)

Scary Mexico Dani 🤘🏼 You just know Cristo had a blast with this episode!! (Peep the guy in the back with the huge smile😂)

Slutty Ted in red with his arms out 🥵

‘It’s hard to see the ball when your eyes are full if tears’ fucking savage 😂

The Wunder Turd. Nice

Fuck Jane though

I think Trent’s next book should just be about Beard. That is an interesting man, for sure! Like, why do you need so many axes, my guy?!

Well that was awkward… but also a little sweet 🫣

‘The creepy old man that lives in the sewers’ Renee, you’ll always be famous to us

Okay, I could go on and on about this, but I think this is a great, subtle way to begin showing Rupert falling apart.

‘When they used to play by candlelight’ YES, REBECCA! FUCK THAT OLD MAN UP!! 😂

‘Some people just are t ready when they get their shot’ That is not at all what happened, Rupert

Oop she knows that’s bullshit, too

HAPPY UNCLE DAY, ROY!! 🎉🎉

Okay, I love Roy’s sister. And also the subtle call back to her actually being the doctor that treated Sharon last season 👍🏼 Nice

Of course that’s the order of Phoebe’s favourite holidays. Uncle Roy is number 1! (&2😉)

Uh oh, secrets out boys! 😂😂

How fucking cute though that Jamie gets a call (probably from Phoebe herself) inviting him to this party and he actually turns up with a really thoughtful gift 🥹 THE GROWTH IN THIS BOY IS GORGEOUS!!

Omg Eloide’s face journey in this scene is perfection. Phoebe has been grossly underused this show!

Also the cutest fucking present. She’s knows your inside is so bright and colourful, Roy! You shouldn’t hide it!

‘Your sister is fit’ ‘I will cut your eyes out’ 😂 okay, but like… I would 100% be behind these two being brother-in-laws, just saying 😂

SAM RICHARDSON!!! 😍 always a blast when he shows up!

And you just know from Toheeb himself that these scenes are a struggle to get through once Sam gets on a roll

But poor Sam, though. Edwin is such a dick

Poor Nate, too. He’s so lost right now 🥺

Yeah, Lloyd, shut up (which is what she meant to say)

Seeing her signs blocked off 🥺🥺 heartbreaking

Since when does her lady ship enter a room like that?? 😂 but I’m glad it means we get to see more physical comedy from Jeremy 👍🏼 Always a bonus!

So her order is Keeley, Ted, Sassy, Leslie and never her mother 😂 I love that actually

‘I hate to break it to you, Rebecca, but those children are dead’ made me laugh just as much as it did the first time! 😂

We love a protective Papa Higgins in this house 🥰 but boy seems traumatised by that story 😂

Oh don’t suck your tie, Leslie 🤦🏻‍♀️

So that photo has shown up on both Keeley & Ted’s phone, but whose did she take it on?? 🤔

That is a bullshit text, Jack. Absolutely no excuse. I knew I was right to not trust you from the start! 😡

‘Everything? Fuck no’ another great call back

Also hell yeah to a Keeley & Mae scene!! (Do have some thoughts about what I’ve seen some people say about this scene, though…)

Whether she’s drunk or making a joke, Keeley actually going with Mae’s full name being Maybe is genius!😂

I really need a Mae in my life. I feel like I could actually get my life in order after a conversation with this woman

Everyone not knowing what to do or how to react to him wearing this t-shirt is brilliant

(Also Red Right Hand playing over this is maybe the last little push I need to finally start Peaky Blinders once this show is done)

Beard trying to get Ted’s attention- amazing. But what was he doing on his phone that he was so focused on??

‘Okay, now I’m worried. Are you alive? Text ‘no’ if dead’ living for silly, real Rebecca! 🥰

The boys all getting together to watch all the games is beautiful 🥹 they’re all so supportive!!

Also genius work casting Colin & Ryan as the commentators for this match 👌🏼

Savage Dani!!

What are you decorating, Rebecca, that you have a ‘decorating made easy’ pdf on your laptop?? 🤔

📢 THE ARMY MAN IS BACK!! 📢

Yo, Rupert is really struggling atm, huh!

Yes I gasped when he threw it on the floor, but had no doubt he’d bake back for it!

Rebecca is a gif sender. Of course she is

Rebecca has anxiety confirmed?? 🤔

Okay this scene with little Rebecca is absolutely gorgeous!! And did make me tear up a little, not gonna lie.

(As I’ve also said, I choose to believe Paul taught her to do that when she was little)

That is going to become his new favourite t-shirt, I can see it already. Something will eventually happen to it and he’s going to be devastated!!

Again, who the fuck is Leann?! Your name is Ruth, woman! 😂 it’s times like this that fanfic really screws with you 😂

‘I teach kids. I don’t mind cleaning up a mess’ tell him like it is, RuthLeann 😂

Aannndd it’s all falling into place finally. Took your time, Roy!!

‘I like clothes that tell the truth’ BARBARA!! You juicy minx 😂 I love you, please never leave!!

I’ve absolutely loved watching these two together 🥹

She’s so awkward, maybe a little bit autistic 🤷🏻‍♀️ makes sense!

Rupert’s being nice. Makes me feel weird…

‘How could I resist the chance of having a bunch of old men speak directly to my chest?’ Don’t try so hard, man. She’s not that funny!!

His assistant is called Bread. A play on Beard perhaps?? 🤔

Okay, what has he said about Rebecca to get a reaction from her like that??

Also this is deliciously awkward. I hope it comes out that Nathan told everyone he was sleeping with his assistant, as well as others, and that’s why he left. And that Bex left him too. You must suffer

Your ex-wife is also not stupid. She knows exactly what happened with your old assistant.

He introduced her as an owner, not his ex. HE’S TRYING SO HARD!!

I’ve had this exact exchange with many an older gentleman in my time. This is too real 🤢

This man and his obsession with Chicago-style hot dogs knows no bounds! 😂

Okay, these baby pictures are cute

Sam pulling the most out of a tiny little thing is wonderful 😂 wonder how long that actually went on for??

‘An untried dream’. Eww.

So Keeley does know how to text back! 🫢

I love how they bring things in from the actors themselves, assuming this really is Nick playing

‘Is this a fucking joke?’ FUCK THEM UP, GIRLIE!!

And Sam’s face 😂

They really just said let’s surround Hannah with kids this episode, huh 😂

Love her talking to a bunch of old men like they’re children, too

Jamie wearing 24 for Sam 🥹🥹🥹 yes, I have to pause until the tears go away

Roy, your handwriting is atrocious

How dare this show make me have a feeling towards Rupert 😡

I agree with you, Edwin, what a lovely speech indeed. Rebecca, you have come so far from the bitter ex-wife who just wanted to destroy something your ex-husband loved. You truly care and love the sport and your boys now and it’s delicious to witness 🥰🥰🥰

Omg that reveal with amazing!! (Although I will say, on my first watch I though initially the food on Tony’s head was because he’d been punched 🫣😂)

Those giggles were purely Hannah & Tony

Nick is absolutely killing in this season. This scene is a great showcase of exactly how these types of families are. It’s beautiful to witness

Also shoutout to the actor playing his dad. He’s done an amazing job too!!

I’m feeling so many emotions watching this scene. Tony is showcasing beautifully exactly how charming Rupert can be. Reminiscing about old times, getting food out of her hair. Doing his ‘Rupert act’ that likely always works for him. But not with her. Not anymore. She’s the strong one now and he’s lost 🥹 Good for you, Rebecca!

She has to look now, Roy, because nobody can read your handwriting 😂

Brett & Juno kill me. His letter is just beautiful and made me tear up every time I’ve listened to it 🥹 AND HE TOLD HER HE STILL LOVES HER!! 🥰

‘Sincerely yours, Roy Kent. XOXO’ 😂😂 never change, please

They really are beautiful and I can’t wait to see them coming back together!

Keeley opening that door and screaming at Rebecca was *chefs kiss* 😂 Juno Temple, comedy queen!

And I want what they have!! I love how she can share her good news, ask for a hug, then tell her she’s cross with her friend. And her friend completely understands. It’s wonderful

Again, being accountable for you actions. Rebecca doesn’t even have to say anything to her

I’ve seen people against Rebecca funding KJPR, but I think it makes perfect sense. Rebecca has the money and she wants to do something within her means to help her friend reach her full potential. Why wouldn’t she help?!

Keely’s disgust is all of us 😂

Baby girl is finally at the top of her mountain! Now just needs her lightening 😉

I love that the salute has become Rebecca & Roy’s thing 🥰

Wilk is shocked! Bit what a beautiful gesture!

Barbara left Jack and wants to stay with Keeley, as she should! I’ve said from the beginning she knew what Jack was like, but I think the difference is she actually likes Keeley…

I THINK THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP 🩷🎉🥰

Puppy Dani is back!!

Roy wears a colour other than black (or charcoal heather grey) and Beard learns he can share bits of himself with people. Yes, we’re coming to an end, guys…

She didn’t get rid of the painting!!

Also doesn’t need saying, but how fucking gorgeous is Hannah in this scene! That dress & colour on her are delightful. She’s so fucking soft now!!

She didn’t open the biscuits right away! 👀 and she shuffled closer to Ted 👀 is this it, girls? Is it happening?? I’m not ready! What do I do?!! 🫠

The little smile after she says so no longer cares about beating Rupert 🫣 He’s so proud of her!!

The heart eyes 😍 Ted, she is still your boss! She’s not your wife yet!!

OMFG!! 😂😂 how many times do you think she had to do that before she could do it without laughing?? 😂

‘As long as none of that tree piss gets in my mouth, I’m actually okay with it’ Okay, Ted. We get it!!

Well that episode was absolutely beautiful! On so many fronts!!

I do have more thoughts about a few points which I may elaborate on at some point, but I do feel like it’s showing we’re on the home stretch now 😢

Looks like we’re getting Mumma Lasso next episode, too!! 🫣 Kinda vibrating with excitement, but at the same time telling myself not to expect too much! But she’s in Richmond so it’s only right to assume there’d be a scene between her & Rebecca, right??

Only 2 more left babes!! 🫡

[twistedtummies2]

Sasaki & Miyano Discovery

So, recently, @belliesandburps​ informed me of a little anime called “Sasaki & Miyano.” He actually didn’t know much about it at the time other than a.) it looked adorable, and b.) it featured some voice actors we were both fans of, on both sides of the globe. I decided to check it out yesterday, on a whim, and ended up bingeing through all 12 episodes of the original subtitled version. I also watched the first couple episodes of the dubbed version. On that note, before anybody asks, I personally prefer the Dub over the Sub for this one, at least so far. The performances just seem more natural to me (possibly because it’s in my own native language), and the humor strikes me as more amusing. However, the Sub features Professor Moriarty as an absolute cinnamon bun, so it’s still worth checking out. ;) ANYWAY...for those who don’t know, “Sasaki & Miyano” is a romance story about two students of an all-boys school named...well...Sasaki & Miyano. Sasaki is friendly, but also impulsive, slightly jockish, teasing, and surprisingly enigmatic. Miyano is a somewhat geeky little guy who has trouble expressing his feelings, and is a self-confessed otaku with a particular interest in yaoi manga and fanfiction. This particular trait turns out to be ironic, as Miyano discovers he is bisexual at the same time Sasaki discovers he is apparently homosexual, and each develops a crush on the other. The twelve episodes of the anime pattern out their relationship as it develops, going from simple acquaintances, to friends who share some secrets, and finally to outright lovers and boyfriends. This is a different kind of show for me: while, if it hasn’t been made clear yet, I have nothing AGAINST romance, usually the romance isn’t the only thing I’m looking into. With otome games like “Alice in the Country of Hearts” or “A Villain’s Twisted Heart,” for example, I’m honestly more interested in the classic characters involved and how they are represented. The romance angle just comes with the territory. There’s usually an element of fantasy or adventure, as well, that keeps me engaged. “Sasaki & Miyano” is really JUST a romance. There’s no great quest, no journey into another world, no magical or superhuman powers involved, no deep mystery to be figured out...it’s really just a simple, sweet, wholesome little story of two people falling in love, and that’s about it. Having said that...that is really all it needs to be, and I think it’s pretty darn cute. The two main characters are really what sell the show: both are interesting and seeing them fall in love and come to accept their feelings for each other through their own internal issues is genuinely heartwarming. I can’t say this is a new favorite anime for me, because it isn’t my usual brand...but it definitely has some merit, and I do recommend checking it out, if you haven’t already. And of course, I must address this matter...kinks. While there isn’t that much overtly or canonically “kink-teasing” about this show, my trashy little garbage dump of a mind IMMEDIATELY latched onto the idea of playing with these two with my kinks. Now, mind you, I’m not entirely sure how to manage outright vore yet (not without breaking the rules of realism this show has set up, mind you), but when it comes to other elements of my kinks, including some vorish teasing if nothing else? It’s surprisingly easy for me to imagine stuff with these two, given their personalities and the way they interact. SO BEWARE, YE FELLOW LUNATICS; THERE MAY BE SKULLDUGGERY OF THE KINKY VARIETY ON THE HORIZON BETWEEN ME AND THIS SERIES. MUA HA HA HA HA...ha ha...haaa, I’m such a ham...kind of wonder if I taste like one, too... ...Um...d-disregard that last bit. >////>

[sexcromancy]

now that I've seen all of slexie 1.0 on this rewatch it's time to Discuss. talking points: what is working for me there, what is their purpose and effect in the show, and of course, how can I make this about ali? first one is pretty easy; slexie has been one of my favorite couples from my first watch. partially because lexie is my all time favorite greys character (tiny sensitive freak with a very specific set of morals 🖤) and mark is her most important and best love interest, and partially because they have fantastic chemistry. like many greys couples I imagine this is what kept them coming back around to each other on a showrunner level. I also really appreciate what they add to the Greys Conversation About Power Dynamics; I think they are by far the most interesting new addition post-Early Period (s1-4). getting into question 2 now, the slexie power dynamic is all about highlighting and underlining the age- and experience- gaps that first appeared in merder and burkecristina. the age gap in slexie is much more specifically called out and agonized over (by everyone except Lexie) in the beginning of their relationship. this is a fun chance for everyone to reflect on their choices from four seasons ago; almost everyone in the periphery had a similar relationship to varying degrees of success. I especially like that mark and callie have parallel lusting-after-interns struggles, both because it's fun bisexual bestie antics and because callie is the only woman who repeatedly sleeps with her employees. so then there's the experience gap, which was much more often a focus of the plot with merder and burkecristina than it is with slexie. the advantages and punishments that derek and burke bestowed upon Meredith and Cristina were huge plot points, and in my opinion a key factor of the appeal and horror of those relationships. those men TRULY, on screen, no illusions, controlled their lives. and of course the beauty of season 2/3 is that we see it play out both ways. and both women fall into that trap over and over and over with their romantic and career plotlines (Mrs. Derek Shepherd....). that doesn't really happen to Lexie. there's a few episodes where mark favors her, and post-breakup he takes it out on alex, but otherwise it's pretty downplayed. a few possible reasons why: Lexie is not a Main Character the way that MAGIC were; Lexie wasn't ever going to seriously pursue plastics; and mark and Derek are REALLY different characters. specifically, mark has a lot more Going On in terms of layers and motivations, and he evolves more over time. Derek is ambitious, clearheaded, and driven in almost every possible situation, whereas mark takes a much longer path to arrive at the idea that he wants a monogamous future and a family. which brings me to! little Sloan and the breakup. there's some pretty obvious gesture-at-freud stuff going on with little Sloan and Lexie being close in age, and at odds for mark's attention, and Lexie going platinum blonde, etc. but I'm most interested in the specific conversation they have while breaking up. Lexie is very sure, immediately, that she is too young to settle down and start raising a kid with mark (notably, the same reason little Sloan leaves). I like that Lexie doesnt question this decision in the aftermath of the breakup. of course, she does later, but greys as a show is obsessed with the narrative of difference of opinion over childbearing in couples. it's of course leveraged against Cristina in multiple relationships; it's a major conflict for calzona; etc. so it is interesting to see this as such a dealbreaker for slexie, but with relatively little conflict around it. he does not bully her (Derek!) and she does not act like his desires are ridiculous (Arizona!); it is, all in all, one of the most emotionally mature and heartbreaking breakups in the show. they love each other but they're on different paths! and I think it is SO interesting that slexie gets that ending, when so many other couples torture each other trying to prevent it.

[whatsafelony]

WELCOME HOME SPOILERS AND ANALYSIS !!!

Yes. absolutely, i absolutely agree with this analysis. what i’m about to do is a simple “yes, and”.

because here’s the thing. the ending of this analysis is Extremely interesting when placed alongside a long running analysis on each of the neighbors. it fits so strangely alongside my little thought that home is… by far is the most outcasted and lonely neighbor. to the point that whether or not it Is a neighbor is questionable.

rarely in any group photos, not given its own title sheet in the neighborhood, “only in one solo” on the not all that good record… it’s only evidence that it’s a neighbor is the “it is Regarded as a ninth neighbor, but” in wally’s description, and the fact that on the original websites guest book, on the bottom paper with everyone’s names, wally wrote homes name on it too. even with the 1-14 hidden audios, home is only on the very last one, while everyone else get their chances to shine several times over. home is othered. and for obvious reasons.

or, in short. home is home, and a very well loved home at that. but home is not, and never will be, a neighbor like eddie is

and that makes your analysis even more interesting, because you’re Right… but i think there’s more. eddie lacks a home in this community, meanwhile home lacks a community in its home.

wally is the closest thing home has to community, wally is its number one supporter and the person who tries to involve it in neighborhood activities. we also see barnaby talking to home in 14-bh, which means they’re at the very least acquaintances (thank god, and no doubt a friendship crafted out of an almost necessity for barnaby. if you’re best friends with a guy in a living house, you’re gonna wanna befriend the house 🤨)

but wally is… sighs. wally is homes bridge into the neighborhood, he’s trying to close that gap. but, how is he supposed to close a gap he’s never seen the other side of? wally has a lot of trouble fitting into the neighborhood himself, especially the socializing aspects. he relies on internal scripts (ex: the homewarming episode audio where for every neighbor he says the exact same explanation for what’s going on), he has to ask a ton of questions (to the point that it’s acknowledged as a dynamic between him and barnaby), he practices tone to try and break through his otherwise monotone cadence (phone call on the Awayfrompryingeyes where he’s trying to teach himself to sing). he’s trying to help home with something he hasn’t mastered himself.

(ik that image isn’t very convincing on its own but in context it makes sense)

home is just as much a lone pea on a plate as eddie is. the plate just has a different meaning for each party

so where does that leave this final commercial scene? i wouldn’t say that home and eddie are looking at each other with Understanding, it’s without a doubt in the world that the tension felt Dangerous. the entire ambiance of that scene reflected the genuine terror eddie was going through, and that is clear as day. (i can’t read homes emotion… but that’s par for the course).

i think that the symbolism for the pea on the plate is completely correct. it may not be the Only symbolism, but this one is really really good and makes a lot of sense. as for what is happening in that scene? … i’ve been reading all the analysis’s. i have one i’m cooking up that’s drawing from many ideas. but for now? who knows.

i might post later.. but also, i’m a finicky type. i might not.

The Pea

I'm very hung up on the symbolism of this dish, particularly with how it pertains to Eddie and his episode of severe emotional distress.

Eddie was all alone in his post office when we found him. Although he refused to state this outright, it was clear he was feeling excluded and forgotten by his neighbors. We have often seen him pushed to the margins of the community, only sought out for his utility to the others.

Barnaby openly delights in scaring and tormenting him, Howdy overworks him without sparing a second thought to his needs, Julie only calls upon him when she someone who's easy to drag into a game, Sally refuses to address him by name and treats his attempts at social connection with disdain, Wally and Poppy only have fleeting interactions with him, and Frank hides his burgeoning fondness behind a facade of cordial indifference.

The pea is alone, too, isolated on the stark white backdrop of the plate.

"Take care not to place them too close together." Even if there are more "peas" at this party, Eddie sits alone in Home's chair, denied the basic creature comforts of intimacy as he watches the others mingle.

The pea is also a pittance to Eddie. It is presented to him right after Sally's single, small attempt to show him goodwill, which she only bothers to do because it's a holiday.

She still does not address him by his name. The gesture, the pea, and the seat are all mere crumbs – too little, too late for a neglected outsider who struggles to make sense of the lonely, awful torment of his life in this Neighborhood, one which he cannot properly articulate for fear of sounding ungrateful.

Home stares him down from his lonely seat. Its presence is monolithic and ominous, a towering figure that only makes him feel more small and alone.

Is it intruding on his mind on purpose, trying to hurt him? Personally, I don't think so, though it still remains to be seen. His words to Frank at the end are telling, though. "I want to go home."

Whether it means to or not, Home torments him with its very being. It's both the elephant and the room. Eddie is an outsider. Eddie can't remember where he's from. Eddie sleeps in a post office after thanklessly running himself ragged every day. Home is the very reason for this holiday, and Eddie is homeless. It's staring him down because it's a symbol of everything he aches for, but cannot have.

Eddie is the single pea on Home's plate. Take care not to place him too close to anyone else.

[castle-dominion]

4x12 m for mayor

Loving death. Oh gosh that coat? I recognize.

Martha??? Just like my little bro, finished all his credits & just doing advanced physics. I on the other hand took an extra year of high school. I wanted to go busking in europe for a year after high school before going to college but that didn't pan out. Oh an internship? seriously? She's such a boring goody two shoes which is actually really good for her & I'm proud ig...

hyoid! new york ofc she doesn't have her license. nice coat on castle, becks, espt, & lanie too. Everyone is so pretty today. (oh & ryan also looks great & has that pretty pink shirt with no tie, they keep dressing him in pink right after his marriage, I think that's on purpose. No tie tho which is interesting & brings back s1 vibes but it's rly rly cute) lmao amish. I mean yeah the hutterites mennonites & amish are, well... As a folk catholic myself I should keep my mouth shut. kept the purse? & dumped it? Why not just leave it with the vic? or take the cash just as a bonus?

BIG CHEESE? NO

New actor for the mayor? RW: This is one of New York’s finest, huh, Ricky? RC, fondly: She’s the best. I like him I think. KB: I’ll do my best to keep the nature of your business private. RW: Thanks. I hoped you’d be there, Rick. RC: Fondue night with Alexis, but I did send a cheque. [this one is a cheque not a check] who calls them staffER rather than just staff?

I like how jordan the intern (alexis?) leaves & then the mayor takes rick to talk about the library stuff. RW: You know, I’ll—I’ll leave you guys to work through this unless, Rick, you want to take a look at our new library initiative. It wouldn’t hurt us to have your endorsement on that. RC: For the New York Public Library, my first love? Anything.

BS: I’ve already done your legwork, Detective. The car was checked out by Elizabeth Watson, Senior Director of Communication here at the office. When she left last night’s event around midnight, she discovered that it was missing. [that's really good of him!] *Shay pulls out a piece of paper.* BS: Here’s her statement. [that's taking it a bit far] KB: With all due respect, Mr. Shay, police investigations are usually conducted by the police. [she's right] BS: Yeah, well, unfortunately the 24-hour news cycle moves a hell of a lot faster than you do [yeah lol] and I have to get all my ducks in a row before this thing breaks. It’s my job. [he's right] KB: And my job is to find Laura’s murderer. So, if you don’t mind, and even if you do, [you can still accept the statement & thank him] I’m gonna get my own statement from Ms. Watson about that car, and I’m also gonna need statements from all of your staff as to whether they recognize our victim. [as you should] BS: Knock yourself out. But trust me, you’re wasting your time. [bro] KB: It’s my time to waste. Now, I got a job to do. [she's right] BS: So do I. Let me be clear. Mayor Weldon is my priority, and I’m not about to let this thing embolden his opponents and ruin everything that we’ve built. [he's right]

RC: Step back? These are politicians. They can’t order at a restaurant without two compromises and an ultimatum. Ooh gates is rly pretty Use castle's closeness to your advantage? Oh no castle you ARE biased

KR: No phone calls at all, because Laura Cambridge didn’t own a cell phone. Her credit cards haven’t been used in six months. RC: No cell phone and no credit cards? It’s like she’s from another century. JE: Amish theory’s looking pretty good, bro. Oh, I remember now. This is the phone sex episode. Good will hunting but in reverse. markiplier is the matt damon of poop. Rape or smth? death of a loved one?

Chuckleheads? like that time rysposito kept saying names for suspects & almost f*cked right then & there? Officer & gentleman? lmao. John watson? Mr Harvey: Bunch of deadbeat tenants in here. You ever get bored? I’m sure I could fill up a couple of holding cells for you. Caucasian is actually specific, not just white.

Ooh I love the pattern on the vest, I love esposito's shirt, looks not necessarily ironed but has some good breast pockets, I feel like the pink might contrast with his eyes. I'm a blue-eyed-indian but dang my eyes aren't that blue.

"No Please" really makes me think bad stuff & then Phone sex, babes!!! "yeah I'm still here babey" XD RC: I’d say it’s about $4.99 a minute. It’s not a sweatshop. *points to wall saying dial a goddess* It’s a sex shop.

Good gracious this is... well... I like how the office has dial-a-goddess art on the walls. Makes it feel more like an office. Tho they could work from home. But then they would have to set up secure phoning in their homes & it would just be easier & safer (safety of SWs is important) to route the office for payment & safety & anonymity. RC: Well, being the Chief… *reads the manager's nameplate* ...Sexecutive Officer did you notice any conflicts with her and her colleagues? [lmao sexecutive] MK: Maybe she liked it. We get all types here, Detective: students, actresses, moms. I know an accountant who did it because she liked the challenge…and it turned her on. It's a powerful thing to make a client lust for you.

Lil bro played the minecraft chicken sound & I was so confused for a sec bc I thought it was from-- (I almost called it sherlock)-- (I almost called it murdoch)-- Castle.

So true. You need fellowship & company & sometimes people, esp men, need the intimacy of sex to be able to have that emotional intimacy. Don't tell my mom but I've spoken to my priest about this, when I was in school & really stressed, I would have adult fun a lot, but after school was over (& I increased my testosterone dose too!) I stopped doing so much adult fun. It is a stress reliever. RC: It's therapy. Or…so I've been told. Castle nobody would doubt that you have called a place like this before. Plus you could say "or so I theorize" or smth. I mean remember that plastic surgery case when ryaposito were like "I can't believe the doctor doesn't have porn on his work computer" & the nanny case when castle saw rysposito & the captain standing around a computer & he said "that better not be porn & if it is I want in" like what? Ah well such is life. (Question for all you real adults out there, I'm technically an adult & I'm sort of a man but I'm trans & young & sheltered: do men really jerk off together? Do they sit around & watch porn together? Seems kind of gay tbh, jerking off around other men, comfy with or wanting them to see you jack it? sus. also gross.)

*picks up his phone & immediately has the number up*

WHEN was the door opened tho? Ah gas company. Fake af. Six foot, white, dark hair again.

Hm, usually drinks for actors are just coloured water but this wine has a foam on it, it looks very much like real wine imo.

RC: but that's going to be like looking for a needle in a needle stack. OH HO HO THIS IS A PLOT HEAVY EPISODE? I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE WHEN I FIRST STARTED PLAYING IT BUT THEN I THOUGHT TO MYSELF IT CAN'T BE BUT HERE IT IS IT IS INDEED A PLOT HEAVY EPISODE. HOO HOO HOO. but how so they always seem to be able to catch the murderer after being told not to in these episodes?

Greater forces at play? There is way too much, so much more than just beckett than just beckett's mom, with all the killing & death I think it is not worth it to look the other way for the safety of just one person. What if you DON'T know when it is time? RC: Tell her what? "Hey, Kate, I've been taking calls from a shadowy figure who wants to keep you off your mother's murder case so they don't kill you, too"?

KB on the phone: No, I'm not eating *while eating* RC: Brown cashmere. So, we narrow our suspects down to rich men with impeccable taste. KB: Are you saying you're a suspect? LOTS of phone calls dang. copious is a good word. RC: Are there any calls in there from the Mayor's office? KB: I thought you said you were confident that he wasn't involved? RC: I'm…just trying to be thorough…and impartial. KR: Not yet. But the private sector is well represented. I got calls from The Met, banks, several high profile brokerage houses. No wonder the economy collapsed, huh? btw ryan outfit, no tie, striped shirt (not a fan of stripes), & vest plus jacket with lapel pin. Typical Ryan wear. I prefer castle's stripes, they are a pattern in the weave of the fabric to make it catch the light differently, they are not actually different colours. Nice dark navy blue jacket.

Rystle protecting beckett they both love her so much. RC: A television station! RC: ya idk The way espt says navarro <3 beckett's jacket <3

my brother helped me get ship names for just the main four. 0: nobody 1: castle, beckett, ryan, esposito 2: caskett, rystle, Castlesito castito casposito espostle estle (he actually didn't help me choose), ryckett, especkett, rysposito 3: ryspeckett, ryspostle, caspeckett, Rycaskett 4: rycaspockett caskeitan (I chose rycaspockett but lil bro chose caskeitan which is three syllables but four ppl)

Man had a nice tie I am not the smartest person but here: Polemic = a speech or piece of writing expressing a strongly critical attack on or controversial opinion about someone or something.

Oh no not the mayor! & then the coat nooo

Remember what happened last time castle? with damien? Tho if he DID do it then he ruined his own career.

It's the backgrounds that make the show. I'm noticing this while gates is getter her leftovers for lunch. They have cereal tupperwares on top of the fridge, including fruit loops (froot loops?) & images on the fridge.

RC: You know what I think? I think she's hoping it's him, because if he's gone, I'm gone. She's right, she can't have him with her.

Find a nice private space to talk, you don't need to do it in public you don't need to do it in the interrogation room.

Lol I forgot that this was before castle & gates started to make some leeway.

VG: We are tasked by the City of New York to protect its people. Sometimes that task comes with a cost. I know what they call me, Detective. "Iron Gates." I hear the whispers. "She's from I.A., she must hate cops." Well, the truth is I love cops. My daddy was a cop, my uncles were cops. But the sergeant who assaulted my patrol partner under color of authority, who holds him accountable? We do. Go to the mayor, get him to voluntarily surrender his coat for fiber testing without a warrant. Tell him it's the only way to keep it out of the media. But if he refuses, you get that warrant and you do your job, whatever the cost. This is why I respect gates. I'm anti-cop so I respect her here. Protect the people, keep the cops in line.

He DOES play poker with him lol.

It's going to be the kid right? The intern? I respect that, I'd believe that. Once you are given the context you remember but you don't remember before that. The way castle nods at him. "it is in your best interest" Oh no he killed her? Who is "they"? Ah "they" probably planted his coat. She still needs to get the coat but again they could have planted the evidence. Yeah castle! She totally should have told him that she needed the coat & was going to get it either way. Withholding the coat & then getting it with a court order looks guilty but it looks even guiltier if they find it matches, but then it supports the conspiracy thing if he turns it over bc he believes it is normal. Here's a question tho, what if two coats were made of the same alpaca fur or whatever? What if someone spilled hot sauce on their coat & so the part on the body has hot sauce residue but the part of the coat they test has no hot sauce residue so they don't match? idk how forensics work(s).

Sus parking garage. Does he see the guy's face? not right but not wrong? Man just disappears like that? So cool & sexy bestie.

Ryan not wearing his gun rn. Rly cute tho, nice sweater, he also seems almost to be walking like a girl rn which is weird. Not a hip-problem way like he often does.

woah who's that wearing the unicorn onesie? "I had an epiphany" he says Fellow had a rubik's cube in her office while she was doing phone sex lol

Sarah! Heck yes!

lmao poor greta gramma I remembered it! It was indeed the boy I remembered! tho I feel bad that it was jordan More dangerous than you know though, so like here, why did smith help the investigation if he knew that beckett would get closer to The Big Bad Guy? Wouldn't he try to steer her away to protect her? suspense suspense suspense just spit it out BILL MOSS I KNOW THAT NAME FROM FUTURE SEASONS he has a nice coat btw.

KB: Jordan Norris is a pawn. I want the people controlling him. VG: Oh, it’s a long game, Kate. Play it piece by piece. (sus?) Feel bad for big cheese

RW: There are people out there. I realize it now, people who control what goes on in this city and beyond. I wouldn’t play ball, so they took me out of the game. It’s been decided: this is as far as I get. Like watts the autistic jewish man can't get better than detective, murdoch the catholic autistic man who can't get better than detective, george crabtree the adhd ex-con (innocent) who was raised by prostitutes who can't get better than constable.

RC: I’d be gone from the Twelfth Precinct. Me: not everything is abt you Smith: nono he's right. Smith: You play chess, Mr. Castle? There are times when a well-placed pawn is more powerful than a king. casually says he's a pawn. But good, he reaveals that castle's job is to protect kate, keep her in check.

Like yeah the case wasn't quite resolved but he had to prevent it from going any further, that's what's going on. I see

Oof so yeah that was a good episode.