#also it was a lot of fun deciding what nicks Val had for people in her phone lol

[merge-conflict]

where everybody knows your name

After @another-corpo-rat wrote this story in which Valentine tortures Victoria with her terrible fashion sense, I was motivated to write the prequel, where Victoria has the upper hand. Thank you for trusting me with writing her, she is such a blast!!

Summary: Valentine gets hit by a bombshell. Victoria isn’t ready for the fallout.

---

It had been a long time since Valentine’s last office party, but everything was the same as it ever was. Well, almost. There was a very particular sort of energy still lingering in the air, a sort of wary relief that things were finally starting to turn around. Some were still drinking like it was the end of days, but there hadn’t been any significant purges for at least a few weeks. The next few months were going to be a whirlwind, while the ambitious jockeyed for position, filling vacancies left in every rung of the ladder. Sometime soon they were sure to get an infusion of fresh blood, but until then it was anyone’s game, and nobody smart was going to waste a chance to rub elbows for a single evening of free booze.

Valentine herself was cruising the delicate line between buzzed and drunk. She would have liked to indulge, but she wasn’t invisible anymore, and it was astonishing the number of people who had just managed to run into her in the far corner of the Applied Research floor. It was an endless source of entertainment to see them try and guess what her angle was, although less endearing to endure every subtle and unsubtle attempt at gaining insight or access to Hanako. None of them had even bothered to try and dig up old dirt– but she supposed everyone was more cautious than usual for good reason.

A flash of something bright caught her eye, and her attention immediately focused on the woman across the room who looked nothing so much like a shark moving through schools of nervous fish. She was astonishingly striking– the bright, crisp white of her clothing offsetting the warm gold of her cybernetics and her light brown skin. Definitely a netrunner of some sort, both by the look of her implants and the signature of her interface, which was tagged with a string that would crash most casual scans. Valentine had just about launched a modified one when it occurred to her that where there was one trap, there was probably two. It would be a devastatingly embarrassing lure to fall for, purpose-built to catch careless busybodies and techs alike.

But it seemed she’d at least get to meet someone interesting, because at the exact moment that the runner turned and made eye contact with her. It was like she was twenty-two again, mind going treacherously blank the moment Birdy had given her the slightest amount of attention. Muscle memory allowed her to raise a glass in acknowledgement, but the intensity of the woman’s answering expression put her right back onto her heels. Within moments she had crossed the room, so that Valentine just had time to stand and greet her properly.

“Valentine,” the runner said abruptly, “Or is it Val?”

“Either is fine,” Valentine said, determined to remain cool. “Have we met?”

“In a manner of speaking. You don’t remember?” The runner paused, but she was difficult to read. Angry, maybe. Perhaps issuing a challenge. Or just a test. After a moment, she offered Valentine her hand. “It would be good to meet officially, I suppose. Victoria Crane.”

“Valentine Myśliwiec.” Crane’s grip was just a hair too firm, and the slight, contemptuous change in her expression suggested she knew exactly what kind of effect she was having. Valentine made herself relax, reminding herself it was better to stay cautious and seem a little stupid rather than open her mouth and remove all doubt. “I’m sorry, it’s nothing personal. I’m not great with faces.”

Not a lie– but she would have remembered meeting this woman. Once again she wished she had properly interrogated Johnny about his three-day jaunt about town. It hadn’t seemed important at the time, but she was paying for that now.

“Clearly.” Valentine held her breath as Crane reached out and rubbed the edge of her collar between her golden fingers. “They must be keeping you busy, if you’re still stuck wearing this.”

Valentine resisted the urge to nervously smooth down the front of her shirt. Wearing the standard-issue uniform wasn’t exactly glamorous, but she had never possessed the skill or interest for fashion. She’d been happy just to be back in clothing that didn’t disintegrate after a single wear, and it was the only thing she had that really matched the Arasaka red of her new left hand.

“Style isn’t really my forte,” she admitted. “I find it safest to stick to the basics.”

“It’s only a matter of knowing what flatters you best,” Crane said, finally releasing her. She was still standing just too close to be polite. Her smile was faint but cruel. “And, of course, how to hide any defects.”

“That can be a struggle,” Valentine said softly.

“All it takes is a little practice,” Crane replied, with a spark in her eye that confirmed she had not missed the implied insult in Valentine’s self-deprecating remark. “And some expert advice. Why don’t I take you shopping some time? It isn’t right for someone like you to be stuck looking like some low-level drone.”

Valentine covered her surprise, but badly. “That’s very generous–“

“Good–“ Crane said, before she could refuse. Her eyes flicked over Valentine’s shoulder for just a moment before once again fixing her in place with a steady gaze. “I’m afraid I can’t stay to chat just now, but I’ll be in touch.”

Crane swept away before Valentine could think of an appropriate response, the smell of her perfume lingering behind her. She turned to see one of the AR runners looking back at her with her eyebrows raised in a silent question. She answered it with a small shrug, which she hoped looked casual.

Damn, but Crane knew something and now she had to figure out what it was. They must be keeping you busy, she’d said, and it isn’t right for someone like you. Clearly calculated to get some sort of reaction, to suggest she was some jumped-up gonk who didn’t belong. Valentine wanted to look her up, but she was possessed by an irrational paranoia that she was being watched. If she made official queries she could end up triggering some sort of alert. All she needed was to tip her hand in a moment of blind panic. Instead, she sent a couple of messages out through a channel she knew was secure.

Goro answered first, much more quickly than she had expected, given he was on duty.

vim: I just met Victoria Crane, apparently for the second time. Do you know her?

🦊TAKEMURA🦊: Yes. Smasher’s pet netrunner…a very unpleasant woman. She spoke to your associate once, indirectly. Tread carefully.

vim: Smasher?? Has his own runner?

🦊TAKEMURA🦊: Indeed. Efficient and ruthless.

vim: ok.

vim: thank you

🦊TAKEMURA🦊: Of course.

🦊TAKEMURA🦊: Do not do anything rash.

Before she could respond, she got another little ping, this time from Abernathy.

vim: Victoria Crane?

🦢: avoid

vim: *she* came up to *me*

🦢: why?

🦢: she’s smasher’s girl. he might be in the doghouse now, but I wouldn’t count either of them out.

🦢: don’t piss her off

vim: i’m going to need a night off

🦢: she is way out of your league

Valentine bit her tongue and counted to ten. She was not going to lose her temper, and she was going to figure out what Crane knew. Smasher must have told her something, but the question was how much? Fuck Johnny and his dumb-ass quest for vengeance. If there was someone who would be bold enough to knock her around and ruin all of this, it was going to be the bitch working for Adam Goddamn Smasher.

But everyone had a weakness.

vim: she’s taking me clothes shopping

She watched the little chat icon dance for some time while Abernathy formed her reply.

🦢: god help her

[salty-dracon]

Heya, I’m curious, what is Secret Agents about?

my heart exploded with joy when i read that question omg

SECRET Agents takes place in America, around 2050, where the world hasn’t completely gone to shit and there’s technology that can give people superpowers. Most of it works through “symbots”, which are nanobots that can be inserted into a person’s bloodstream to enhance their abilities. The main characters live in Rubicon City, which was founded after the whole symbot revolution. There’s also a semi-underground organization that mainly operates in America called SECRET that sometimes acts outside of the law to bring justice to criminals or those that use symbot powers for evil. At that point in time, there is a villain named the Dark Angel (or just Angel, as I like to call him) who makes quite a show of breaking into houses, murdering any adults, and kidnapping any young kids. Though many superheroes have gone up against him, he’s capable of defeating all of them, and has even killed some of them. However, people note that he never kills anyone he considers a child, leading them to believe that the only people he can’t kill are children. There are also reports of a technology corporation, Kronus Technology, that is releasing villains of their own creation onto the street because selling superhero tech, and profit, and stuff like that. Which the son of the CEO doesn’t approve of, because he’s a good person. 

Allie and Bridget, two of the main characters, are recruited to SECRET after thwarting a villainous plot, even though they’re just teenagers, because they need more kids to stop Angel. They inject symbots into their system that allow them to move at super speed and turn invisible respectively. After a few jobs, they team up with Jake, Val, and Kat, three kids who have been in the program for a few years already and have superpowers of their own. While they’re fighting Angel, the son of Kronus Technology’s CEO, Nick, is also coerced into taking up superpowers in order to stop both of them. There’s also the issue that superheroing is not good for any of these kids’ mental health situations, and a lot of them had problems before they were even superheroes. There’s also the fact that the only adults these kids can turn to about these situations are huge assholes. One of them, the guy who literally gave these kids the symbots, is like “fuck ethics” and that’s literally why this whole thing happened. 

I started writing it four years ago, got around ¾ of the way through, realized most of the plot was shit, started a rewrite using the plot i outlined above, and then never finished it. 

I’m also working on writing a sequel (having not even finished the original) called SECRET Heroes, which takes place twelve years after the events of Agents. There are a few changes, including the new setting of Delavie, a city run entirely on “phytosolar power”, with much of its power infrastructure developed by Brid’s friend (and fiancee for like 5 months before she disappeared). Allie and Jake take in a couple of kids (Arthur and Julien) who were kidnapped by Angel and eventually adopt them. For them, it’s kind of the best way to deal with the whole “i just want to take care of people without putting my life on the line” thing. While out shopping, Arthur’s body is destroyed in an acid flood, leading to his memories being transferred into a nanobot swarm. The downside is that he’s forced to become a superhero in return by the same asshole who gave Allie and Jake their symbots in the first place. Later on, Julien gets their own powers in order to help out Arthur. While they (and their new sister Brooke) go beat up things, Val is working as a full time superhero in Europe when he finds Brid there. For different reasons, they have to get to America in secret, so they decide to work together again. Val is also being pursued by a villainous organization known as the Ascended Empire, which is led by a mad scientist who can modify a person’s DNA directly. And she’s got a bunch of machines that can mass-produce minions, and that’s not fun. 

The plots of these two are a lot more than just superhero shenanigans, I do try to include scenes where the kids just hang out as friends and stuff, but I’m also very proud of the action sequences I’ve written for the series. 

[aion-rsa]

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Episode 6 Ending Explained

https://ift.tt/3aA08S4

This article contains spoilers for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier episode 6.

Deviating from the Marvel formula a bit, the ending of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier isn’t designed to leave viewers with many questions. There is only one, quite brief, post-credit scene that falls well short of the Nick Fury “Avengers Initiative” watermark. 

Before that, Sam Wilson a.k.a. Falcon a.k.a. Captain America basically articulates all of the series’ themes in great detail with an extended monologue to the world at large like he was Stan Marsh at the end of an early season South Park episode. Even the show’s final title card leaves absolutely no ambiguity, changing the series title from “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” to “Captain America and The Winter Soldier.”

While Disney+’s second major Marvel effort wraps much of its story into a neat little bow, it still does leave some lingering questions at the end of the day. Let’s examine those questions here and offer up some answers where we can.

What Happened to Torres?

Every new Marvel property must introduce a new sidekick for fans to identify with. Hell, that’s how we got Sam Wilson in the first place. When it came time for Sam Wilson to get his own Sam Wilson, First Lieutenant Joaquín Torres of the U.S. Air Force answered the call. 

Torres was a consistent presence in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’s first few episodes. But as Sam interacted more with Bucky Barnes and John Walker, his military liaison largely fell by the wayside. He appears only briefly in this finale as we see him watch Sam deliver his speech to the Global Repatriation Council and smile at how far his friend has come. 

There probably aren’t any big plans for Torres to become his own Falcon-style superhero (but remember, he DOES have Sam’s old wings) but as WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier have made clear, the MCU always has a need for sympathetic “normal” characters. Don’t be surprised if Torres pops up again in a future Disney+ adventure to support his friend just like always. 

Is Batroc Dead?

Georges Batroc learns a very important lesson in this finale: never ask Sharon Carter for a raise. Yes, one of Captain America’s most consistent villains (though he’s more like an annoyance) has been working with Sharon a.k.a. The Power Broker this whole time. 

Read more

TV

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 6 Marvel, Captain America, MCU Easter Eggs

By Mike Cecchini and 2 others

TV

Marvel Fans React to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Finale

By Kirsten Howard

When Batroc finally fulfills his mission of subduing Karli Morgenthau he demands to receive four times his agreed upon payment from Sharon. Sharon responds by shooting him. Where exactly does Sharon shoot him? That’s unclear. But the French Pirate hits the ground very quickly. Given Sharon Carter’s superb marksmanship, it would appear that the shot was fatal. 

Batroc has had quite the run in the MCU. Who would have expected that he would even make it to a Disney+ streaming title after his brief debut in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier? This does, however, appear to be the end of him. R.I.P.

Is This the End of the Flag-Smashers? 

Very early on in this finale, Bucky warns Sam to be careful because the Flag-Smashers could be anybody. That’s what makes this group a bit trickier to stamp out from your usual MCU baddies. The Flag-Smashers aren’t a people, they’re an ideology. Now many of the group’s main players are dead and Sam gave a lovely speech urging for political tolerance. But was that enough for the Flag-Smashers movement to go away?

Realistically, it’s probably not. The so-called “Blip” of Thanos removing half the Earth’s population and the Avengers returning it five years later will continue to have enormous implications for years to come. In fact, in the continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is undoubtedly the single most consequential moment in all of human history. The issues of the blip won’t realistically go away and the Flag-Smashers are sure to become an embedded political movement within the MCU.

Granted, Marvel may soon decide that it’s no longer interesting to continue to harp on one event from a 2019 film for the rest of its filmmaking history and begin to move away from blip-storytelling soon. Rest assured, however, that the Flag-Smashers will still be out there somewhere, smashin’ flags.

How Does the Country Feel About John Walker?

John Walker made history in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by becoming the first human being to face consequences for killing someone. Hell, Sharon Carter is the Power Broker and killed Karli Morgenthau but she gets welcomed back into Uncle Sam’s good graces. The difference, of course, is that Sharon didn’t do her killing on camera for all the world to see.

What’s interesting, however, is that even though John Walker was stripped of all his titles and condemned, he did not face any lasting legal repercussions for killing. And that’s how he was able to throw on the stars and stripes, grab a makeshift shield, and head out to help Sam and Bucky save the day. 

That leaves John Walker in an interesting place as the show concludes. He’s certainly not a hero in the public eye but he’s also not a villain. “U.S. Agent” is a bit of a drab branding choice for his new superhero venture (even if it is comic-accurate), as is Val’s choice of a Cap costume that replaces the blue with the black. But Val’s first super-soldier appears to be on his way back to public respectability. And this leads nicely into our next question…

Who Is Sharon Carter Talking To?

As previously discussed, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’s post-credit scene isn’t too Earth-shattering. In it, Sharon Carter receives a pardon from the U.S. intelligence community. As she leaves the courthouse (which gets A LOT of screentime in these last two episodes) Sharon calls someone and says “start lining up buyers. Super Soldiers might be off the menu but we’re about to have full access to government secrets, prototype weapons, you name it. Should be something for everyone.��� 

That seems like some bad news! But who exactly is Sharon talking to?

Well one possibility is that she’s speaking with one of her Mardipoor underworld contacts from her time as Power Broker. But merely selling off government secrets and tech seems like a bit small potatoes for the now very powerful Sharon Carter. It’s more likely that Sharon is preparing to build her own superteam…which makes her quite like another powerful lady from The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. 

Contessa Valentina Allegra De Fontaine or simply Val (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) clearly has her eye on developing her own Avengers as well. Because one U.S. Agent does not a super team make. Sharon and Val could very well be joining forces to create a force that could rival Earth’s mightiest heroes. Whether they’re called Dark Avengers, Thunderbolts, or something else, a new crew seems to be on its way.

Will Sam Lead The Next Avengers Team?

Typically the Avengers don’t have an elected leader. Tony Stark provided the funding and Steve Rogers provided the inspiration to go into battle. But now Tony and Steve are both gone. Is the newest Captain America capable of stepping into a leadership role?

Well let’s make something clear from the top. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, it’s not even a guarantee that the Avengers are a thing anymore. Natasha Romanoff kept the lights on while half the world was snapped away. But even she is gone now. Thus far, Disney+’s series haven’t hinted at an incoming team-up aside from Val’s dastardly plans.

Still, the Avengers (or a team like them) will have to assemble again one day. Once they do, Sam seems to be in a prime spot to take on the mantle of leadership. He doesn’t just have Cap’s shield, he also has his moral clarity. 

What’s Next for Zemo?

Baron Zemo, bless him, got everything he wanted out of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. He got to take a little break from being imprisoned, wear a nice puffy coat, and most importantly: eliminate the threat of super soldiers once again. Yes, it was the Baron’s butler who took out the last four remaining Flag Smasher soldiers. 

All that’s left now is to retire to a life of quiet contemplation in his Raft prison cell, right? Well, not really. There is still one rogue super soldier out there in the form of John Walker. Zemo is simply too capable a schemer and too compelling a villain to stay in the Raft forever. It’s unclear what’s next for the Steve Rogers “tree” of Marvel movies. But whenever Sam, Bucky, and John Walker turn up in a film or TV show again, Zemo is sure to make another appearance. 

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Why Weren’t Sam and Bucky Cooking a Crawfish Boil?

Finally, the most important question. The final scene of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier features a lovely celebration where Sam returns home to Louisiana and brings his friend Bucky for a family food party. While much of the scene is devoted to seeing the novelty of the fearsome Winter Soldier playing with children, we do get some quick glimpses of the food being prepared and I’ve gotta say: grilled shrimp wouldn’t have been my first choice.

I have no doubt that the Wilson family grilled shrimp recipe is superb (particularly if it’s a Cajun recipe). But grilling some shrimp on a barbecue grill just seems woefully deficient for a party this size. Why not just go with a classic Louisiana crawfish boil? That’s a fun activity for the whole crew and will make a lot more food. Plus, they’re already boiling the corn cobs!

Also, it must be said that Bucky appears to come to this event with a pitiful store bought Oreo cake. That’s why Sam gets to be Captain America and you don’t, Bucky.

The post The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Episode 6 Ending Explained appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/32HOaRT

[easyobsession]

DWTS24: WEEK 2 (Lo Recaps)

Why is it in life that when one crazy thing happens, ALL the crazy things must then happen? Chaos City is my current location, yet here I sit giving you a recap because I’m such a goddamn good person. You’re welcome.

This recap starts right now.

Also PS before we get started I just want to say that again I didn’t watch the show live. I was going to, but changed my mind at the last minute and decided to watch RAW because Wrestlemania is Sunday (and because I wanted to see my bae Seth Rollins cut an epic promo, which you can BET YOUR ASS HE DID). ANYWAY. I’m caught up, I’m here, I’m giving you this recap and diving right in.

NANCY AND ARTEM. CHA CHA, 7777=28/40.

Her movements are still a little stiff overall, but I thought this was a huge improvement from last week. You can tell Nancy is more comfortable on the dance floor now that she’s gotten over the initial jitters and she’s having fun. Some of her steps looked a bit wide and yeah, she almost fell at the end. But big picture? Much better. And I know she said she has a hard time taking compliments, but she needs to get used to it because the girl looked HOT AS HELL. YOU GO, NANCY. I’ll talk about the scores more at the end.

ERIKA AND GLEB. FOXTROT. 7777=28/40.

I really, really like this woman. She’s fierce as hell and does not give a fuck if you aren’t on her side. She is shameless, fearless, and completely fierce. And I like that she and Gleb aren’t changing their style. I respect it. When I first imagined a sexy foxtrot, I’ll admit I was hesitant about it. But they pulled it off with class and elegance and I actually really loved it. I like watching Erika dance. Even with a few stumbles, she’s light on her feet and the girl can move. Straight sevens were too low. She deserved at least one 8. I’m calling bullshit.

CHARO AND KEO. PASO. 6676=25/40.

Another Latin dance. Okay, great. But I’m curious to see how she does in ballroom since Latin is her natural forte. For me, this routine fell flat. The more I watched, the more obvious it was that she just kind of followed Keo around the floor and moved her feet really fast without doing many legitimate steps.  For me, this was worse than last week and I wasn’t impressed. I would have given a 5. #SorryNotSorry And extra points lost for the shower puff on her head. What the hell?

NICK AND PETA. FOXTROT. 7576=25/40.

If I didn’t know him, I’d like him. But based on pure principal, I can’t quite be a fan. Regardless, he did alright. He’s light on his feet, which was good, but the airplane arms were in full effect tonight and he missed a step in the middle, which sort of threw him off the rest of the number. I actually agree with Len and Julianne- the number was hectic and for Nick, Peta needs to focus more on finessing his every step rather than a lot of choreography. Some of his movements came off almost better suited for a paso or something because they were too rough. But seriously, Len gives him a 5 and Charo a 6? Even I’m calling bullshit on that one.

HEATHER AND ALAN.* JIVE. 8688=30/40.

Lo is making her sad face right now. POOR MAKSY. But thank god for Alan and major props to him for learning the routine in a day. #boss  By the time this routine ended, I had a huge smile on my face. She looks like a pro out there. I loved the hip hop section but I’ll be fair- it shouldn’t have been there, or at least not so much. It reminded me off Sabrina Bryan’s first dance back in season 5- remember that? Mark put in a hip hop section and just like Heather, Sabs looked flawless. But it wasn’t a straight cha cha. Save the specialties for the freestyle. That being said, I think it’s clear that this girl could do damn near anything and make it look amazing. Hopefully Maks gets better soon because I love watching him jive almost as much as Val, so my fingers are crossed.

BONNER AND SHARNA. WALTZ. 8687=29/40.

It was pretty. It was really, really, pretty. Sharna’s choreo is always on point and this routine was no exception. She looked stunning and to be honest, she could be dancing with a broomstick and I’d watch every week. Bonner did WAY BETTER than last week. He had a good frame and seemed a lot lighter on his feet, even if he looked a little stiff. It was clear that he got frazzled a bit, but overall I thought it was an improvement. The 8s were a little much for me, but I think the 6 was uncalled for. I give applause to Cowboy!Jasper Hale. (SOMEONE AGREE WITH ME. HE LOOKS LIKE JACKSON RATHBONE, YES???)

SIMONE AND SASHA. CHA CHA. 7778=29/40.

I really do adore their partnership. And I love that Sasha is pushing her, because she can handle it and I think it’s what she’s used to. My issue with this routine is that it felt like she was thinking too much. I’ll admit, when the celebs are good dancers I have a tendency to judge them harder than others, but that’s also the reason I 99% of the time want them to win the whole damn thing. This wasn’t the best. Her arms were a little high when she pointed them and it almost came off as though she was trying too hard. Simone needs to work on accepting that she’s already a great dancer and she’s more than capable of doing the steps; she just needs to take a breath and have fun.  

CHRIS AND WITNEY. JAZZ. 6565=22/40.

Sigh. I mean… I think what my biggest issue is with this dance is that I didn’t GET IT. The costumes and theme didn’t mesh with the song or the style and then all of that combined with his jerky movements (his posture killed me, jesus lord almighty) just didn’t work. Like Simone, Chris comes off like he’s trying too hard to please the crowd. His jokes tend to be awkward and uncomfortable because he’s trying so hard not to mess up or at least make light of his mistakes. I give him mad credit just like all the rest for getting out there, but this fell flat and for me, 6s were a gift because I wouldn’t have been so kind. Sorry honey.

NORMANI AND VAL. CHA CHA. 8888=32/40.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VAL!!! So much love for that man, I swear it’s an illness. Anyway, this week Normani’s band is in Japan, which means a full schedule on the other side of the world. How this girl managed to not only get through the routine, but look DAMN GOOD while doing so is beyond me. She was fierce as hell and despite some iffy arm positions not unlike Simone, I was amazed. Also, her hair put hearts in my eyes. #WANT Awesome job to them. Seriously. Also Val’s comment about vampire blood killed me. xoxoxo

RASHAD AND EMMA. VIENESSA WALTZ. 8888=32/40.

Well DAMN. Okay then. First of all, “It hurt, but it should. Because that means it was real.” I LOVE that. He is so sweet and deep and he’s okay with being sensitive, and I’m diggin’ it. As for the dance, HE’S SMOOTH! I was like, ‘okay boy! Go ahead!’ I agree with Bruno about his hands, he needs to watch them, but overall very nice. Yes sir.

MR. T. AND KYM. PASO. 6565=22/40.

I mean… let’s just call it like it is: his posture is shot, he didn’t do a whole lot of moving. Was it better than last week? Yes. He seemed to keep up more. I think it was lucky that he got a dance that requires less fluidity and more impact with movements, unlike if he were to get a waltz or something along those lines. But good for Kym for being a rockstar and good for him for going out there and giving it his all.

DAVID AND LINDSAY. CHA CHA. 7677=27/40.

He is so much fun. I love watching him. I will say though, this didn’t go too well. Mouthing the words to the song distracted him almost the entire routine and for a good portion of the number I actually forgot what style they were supposed to be dancing because there wasn’t enough ballroom content. I get wanting to play into the theme and the song and go all out, but it just wasn’t very good in my book. Lindsay looked gorgeous as hell though, and I still love David.

THE ELIMINATION.

I’m not going to harp on this for very long. Again, I applaud every single person to ever go out there and try their hardest. And Chris gave it his all. That being said, we all know it was the right call. But good on him for doing it.

That’s it. There you go. As usual, this hasn’t been proofed but it is in fact written. You’re welcome.

I’m on the social medias @lauthom93 HMU if you’re brave or just want to witness my train wreck of a life up close.

If you people need me, I’ll be anxiously awaiting seeing my two baes dominate Sunday night at Mania. (#ActualShamelessRolleignsTrash)

Until next week, I send you love, hugs, and a big ole kiss right on the cheek. I’ll let you choose which one. ;)

Lo out.

[laceyeb]

DWTS Season 24 - Cast Announcement

For anyone new around here/to me... 

Years ago when I went off to college, my mom and I would send facebook messages back and forth as we continued to watch DWTS now without each other. It has evolved today into very long recaps at the end of each week plus my thoughts about the cast at the beginning of each season. Then I always post it all to tumblr because I like to share! Just keep in mind that my intended audience is her, so if something is weird or confusing, ask and I’ll clarify. :)

------------

OMG! I just realized I never typed up anything for you after the cast announcement! I was so excited about Bonner and Sharna that I completely forgot!

What do you think?! I think it’s going to be a really good season! The problem is that there is already so much talent on the female celeb side and it’s not going to easy for anyone to beat that.

Here’s what I think so far! I’m just going in alphabetical order from the wikipedia list…

Simone and Sasha - I’m sooooo happy she has Sasha, but that was just because I hoped it would lessen her popularity a little bit. I don’t think it’s going to make a difference though. I’m sure people are going to love her. I am happy for Sasha! He had such a good season last time and it’ll be nice to see him with someone as good as Simone. Do you think people are really going to want gymnasts winning twice in a row? I don’t know… Obviously they’ll make it very far, but I don’t think they’ll beat Val and his fan base. I’m curious to see if Simone is as popular as Laurie.

Bonner and Sharna - This is the most excited I’ve ever been for a couple after the cast announcement!!!!! OMG!!!!!!! I CAN’T WAIT!!!!! I’ve been looking at every picture and watching every little video they’ve been posting and I love them so much! Obviously I had never heard of him before I saw his name rumored and I looked him up. I’m worried about all the other more well known celebs, but people are just going to fall in love with him and I can’t wait!!! They’re definitely going to be the showmance of the season (but there aren’t really any other good options so it makes sense) and I have no problem with that if it brings in more votes! I think he’s going to be good, too! But at long as he can move even just a little, he’s going to stick around for quite a while. I hope they dance to some good music, too! Looks like it could be Luke first thing in week 1! It seems a little early for them to already know that though. But maybe a cha cha? That’s a typical week 1 dance. I was hoping for him to start with a foxtrot, but we’ve still got over 2 weeks to go. Things could still change. Could this finally be Sharna’s chance?! I hope so!!! I feel like I’ve been saying that for about 5 seasons now! Again, it’s not going to be easy to beat Normani and Val. Aside from maybe Rashad Jennings, Bonner is the only male celeb that has any chance at all.

Charo and Keo - I forgot that Keo wasn’t on last season. Jodie was his last partner and that already feels like it was so long ago. Poor Keo. The only thing I know about Charo is that she’s definitely going to overstay her welcome…

Erika and Gleb - No idea who she is. Never even heard her name before. Apparently she’s a singer?! But wikipedia says “dance-pop diva” which I guess is why I’ve never heard of her! I don’t expect her to last too long more because of lack of popularity than anything. That’s a shame because Gleb had such a good season with Jana! But maybe Erika will surprise me…

Rashad and Emma - OMG!!! I’m almost as excited for Emma as I am for Sharna! A FOOTBALL PLAYER FOR EMMA?! It’s a miracle!!! FINALLY Emma gets a real contender! FINALLY!!!! From the little I’ve seen of him, he seems excited to be there and I’ll sure he’ll do pretty well, especially compared to most of the other male celebs. I don’t see them winning I don’t think, but this is going to be such a good season for Emma and I can’t wait to watch! I love switch up week, but I hope there’s not one this season! If there is, I want him with Sharna! I’ve already decided! And he probably would be. Or maybe Nick since he’s with Peta.

Chris and Witney - I don’t know this guy by name, but he looks familiar. He should be somewhat entertaining and Witney seems awfully excited about this season, so that’s good I guess! I’m sure she knows they’re not winning so she’s just ready to have fun. I don’t really have much interest in them. Much more important things to worry about!

Nancy and Artem - Back in the day, she probably would have had a real shot at winning a season. Not anymore. But she’ll be nice to watch and I think Artem will be perfect for her. They’ll probably stick around for a little while, but I expect she’ll be eliminated earlier than she should just compared to some of the other big personalities and more popular pros.

Normani and Val - This is going to be Bonner and Sharna’s biggest problem! They are going to be good. And with his fans and her fans, they’re guaranteed at least final 3. In fact, I fully expect them to win and I’m already bitter about it. I don’t really know much about her except that she’s in Fifth Harmony and apparently they’re way more popular than I realized. Like you were saying, they’re on a world tour right now. So Val’s going to be flying around with them all over the world and they’ll be going back and forth to do the show. (We’ll be hearing about that all season…) The one thing they have against them is that Val just won, so maybe more casual fans will be looking for someone else to win this season. Plus with both Maks and Peta back, maybe some of the votes will end up split between the three of them. Nick and Peta might not last to the end for the votes to matter, but Maks and Heather might. Votes could end up split between Val and Maks. We’ll just have to wait and see. I also don’t see Normani gaining a lot of new fans throughout the season like someone like Bonner will. But I still don’t think any of that will really matter. They’ll do very well.

Heather and Maks - I think I’ve already said everything I can about them. Plenty of people come into this show with some sort of advantage and experience in performing and different forms of dancing. It would be impossible to fill a season without anyone having some sort of advantage. But that’s people like the ice skaters and gymnasts and singers who have experience with dancing, but aren’t actually dancers. It’s just part of what they do. But Heather is a dancer. That’s literally her job. She has been paid to be a dancer. It’s what she does. I just don’t understand!!!! And they’re going to spend all season saying that she’s never done this type of dancing and that’s true. But I don’t care! She’s a DANCER! It’s that simple. The one good thing about all this is that most people seem to feel the same way. But that worries me about Normani and Val. Because if people don’t like Heather and Maks, they’ll be voting for Normani and Val. Ok. I figured it out! I need a Maks, Val, Sharna, Peta final 4! Can you imagine?! Normani and Val can be the shocking 4th place elimination. Then Heather and Maks can be third because who wants a professional dancer to win this thing. I think Val fans would sooner vote for Sharna over Peta. Maks fans will vote for Peta, but no one likes Nick the Bachelor anyways so it won’t make a difference. Then Bonner and Sharna win! I’ve got it all figured out!

David and Lindsay - I hadn’t heard of him, but that’s just because I don’t watch much baseball. I can’t believe he’s the first MLB player to ever be on the show! That’s crazy! Lindsay seems pretty excited about this season and so does he from the little I’ve seen of him. So he was with the Cubs when they won? I think that’s what I read. Wikipedia tells me he played 11 games for the Padres in 2005 so that’s interesting I guess…

Mr. T and Kym - I don’t even care that Kym is with someone who doesn’t have a chance. I don’t need her to win. I’m so happy with how her last season went, so I’m fine with her on to just have fun. Obviously she’s not going to top last time! But I actually think he’s going to really try and work hard, even if he’s not going to be that good. The best part of all this is that I’m sure Robert will be at the show all the time! I can’t wait for that!

Nick and Peta - I would be more excited about them if I didn’t care about Sharna and I didn’t miss Jenna so much. (I almost forgot about Jenna not being there and now I’m sad all over again!) I expect him to be about as good as all the other Bachelors (Jake Pavelka (I think that was way back in season 10), Sean Lowe, Chris Soules), which isn’t saying a whole lot. But they’ll be around a while just because of Peta. Those other three placed 7th, 6th, and 5th place (in that order) and I won’t be surprised if Nick and Peta actually end up 4th! I’m definitely excited to see Peta back! It’ll be fun to see her again.

Long story short, all I really care about is Bonner and Sharna. The rest can just stay home.