#also the fact that there are NO poc in this show

[edwardsissyhandsthtdanceslikeabb]

my experience watching dark (netflix) is literally just saying "hell no" every two seconds bc they've found an elaborate and cosmically painful way to torture their characters or bc im two seconds away from calling cps on jonas bc THAT IS YOUR AUNT DUDE!? (AND A MINOR).

[nandorsrelentless]

there seems to be far too many fans who can't seem to wrap their head around the fact that no relationship in the Vampire Chronicles is healthy. every relationship includes an element of abuse/power imbalance by normal standards. literally every single one.

they are all monsters who are no longer constrained by societal rules. so I don't think it's too crazy to expect them to do mosntorus things. the genre is Gothic HORROR. the show really prioritizes the HORROR element more so than other adaptaions, which i love.

i don't need louis to be a liar to enjoy lestat. if louis lied or misremebered things about the fight in episode 5, i literally do not care because it's never gonna make me hate louis. the baseline of what constitutes "evil" or "bad" is so different in iwtv because of the fact that they are NOT HUMAN. Claudia is literally a serial killer and she's still mother to me. ykwim?

the nature of vampirism is they have to kill to survive. so it would be really cool if people could accept louis, armand, and claudia as complex characters who are fundamentally not good people (because they aren't people!) without being racist about it. THEY ARE ALL KILLERS

im more interested in this exploration of the complexities of memory and seeing how the show integrates the other books into this story in a way that hasn't been done before than I am in discoursing about whether louis is a liar or not. who gives a shit???? grow up and realize that there are no good guys here and that's OKAY

[yellowsubiesdance]

i think i’ve learned a lot when it comes to not applying my own values to the media i consume

for my script analysis class yesterday, we discussed two gentleman from verona, and nearly every classmate of mine was up in arms about how sexist the story is.

and i'm not saying it's not, or that it's not infuriating to read. but i'm also not putting my energy into getting upset about something written 500 or so years ago. and i'm not about to put my own beliefs onto these characters that are not me. i'm going to let their choices speak for themselves, and interpret it in the context of the story.

all that said, this now brings me to the point of alastor in episode 5, and how viscerally people are responding to it. those of you up in arms about the choices he’s making, and the violent threat he gave husk, you’re missing the entire point of his character, of this place they’re in, of the story being told. he’s an overlord, and he became an overlord by killing much bigger overlords and broadcasting their deaths over the radio.

HE IS NOT A GOOD PERSON.

if you started this show with the belief that every character working the hotel is a good person, you’re in the wrong place. watch the good place if you’re looking for a good wholesome story about getting dead sinners into heaven, because that’s not what this show is about.

you’re more than welcome to hate him after seeing the way he exerted power over a being whose soul he owns, but you’re doing the media you’re watching a disservice by writing it off so quickly. if you don’t like to be uncomfortable watching media, watch something else. this is an uncomfortable show, it handles uncomfortable topics, and it’s going to be an uncomfortable ride, and if you’re not up for something like that, then you should take a break from it and pick up something else. you don’t have to get online and defend your own ideals while you watch a show that goes against your ideals.

[biblicalhorror]

Okayyyyy yeah also let's talk about Tammy. I didn't know how I felt about her for awhile because she did very much feel like the Disposable Black Girlfriend, but I'm seeing people saying she's an "abuser" or God forbid "just as bad as Kevin" and that's just. Not at all true.

Yes, Tammy is controlling. She doesn't seem to really like Patty for who she is, and kind of seems to want to change her into someone else instead. HOWEVER, I think we need to look at the whole character to understand WHY she's like that. I don't think she's controlling Patty for personal gain or for the sake of manipulating her. I think she's lonely and desperate for companionship, which leads to her ignoring/pushing past the obvious incompatibility in her relationship with Patty.

Here's what we know about Tammy:

1. She seems to be the only black person in the Worcester social circle. She also mentions frequently how she's surrounded entirely by white men at work.

2. She is also the only openly lgbt person in the area, other than Patty, who is still not exactly out and proud.

3. She describes her entire job as "making excuses for" and "cleaning up after" the men at her job, particularly her partner (whose name I am unfortunately forgetting, does anyone remember?), who even had her plant evidence for him on at least one occasion.

4. Despite being very competent and good at her job, the white men around her keep failing upwards (she mentions a few times that people beneath her keep getting promoted) while she remains stagnant in her career. There doesn't seem to be any explanation for this other than the fact that she is a black lesbian in an extremely white, conservative community.

Basically, Tammy seems like someone who has been taught (like many black women) that she will have to work much harder than everyone else to get ahead in any capacity. She is also likely very, very lonely. She doesn't seem to have any friends outside of work, which isn't surprising given the above. It seems like she doesn't exactly have a ton of prospects, dating-wise, other than Patty. In my opinion, it's really no wonder that she clung to Patty so desperately and immediately and tried to forcibly mold her into someone who could be compatible. She's tough, smart, organized, direct, manipulative, no-nonsense and controlling because, well, she had to be. And she ends up trying to "rein in" Patty because, in her mind, what's the other option? She ends up alone, surrounded by men who force her to cover for their antics and don't care if she lives or dies.

I'm not saying her behavior is healthy. But it comes from an entirely different place than Kevin's abuse, or Chuck's, or even Neil's. And it's also not uncommon. In real life, I know many queer women (specifically small-town lesbians) who end up in relationship dynamics just like that over and over again because they start dating someone who doesn't quite fit, and they compensate for it by trying to force a connection instead of accepting loneliness and isolation. I have a lot of sympathy for Tammy. And I wish the show had taken more care to establish the abuse she faced from her coworkers off-camera.

[dapg-otmebytheballs]

coming back the next day to my blog terrified of reactions and yea I worry this will get swept under the rug and be made into a non issue

[yourlocalseanameduser]

Seeing helluva boss/hazbin hotel and mitski together makes me want to rip someone's throat

[hondagirll]

Sometimes I feel like everyone on here is posting stuff from all these incredible and fun looking currently airing tv shows and movies that I keep saying I will one day watch. Meanwhile I keep reaching for my comfort shows from the early 2000's like I'm in some kind of self imposed time warp and don't know how to stop

[sukibenders]

"Cannibalism as a metaphor for love is such an interesting narrative choice!" Until you add poc into the narrative and here come the millions of "think pieces" that either 1.) dehumanize them for the same thing their yte counterparts are praised and, sometimes, even...applauded for (eg. Yellowjackets and other supernatural media), 2.) or use it inappropriately to justify harm brought on to poc communities. But that's a conversation for another time.

(tw for some of the tags as well)

[immatalk]

THE ACOLYTE

finally finished the acolyte. it was decent, but a lot of my initial criticisms remain.

it’s a great show, if solely taking in costuming, effects, and action; story-wise, it’s adequate. and only just. because the storytelling potential far exceeds the reality of the series. and sure, some of those deficiencies are because it’s a show borne from a familiar, giant property that is beholden to legacy, and overly specific expectations regarding how that legacy will continue. but a lot of its shortcomings are also series specific. namely, the extremely lacklustre writing that withered and stalled so much, that the strings were beyond obvious and often pulled me out of the story. definitely made me wonder just how much studio interference was happening behind the scenes. because some of what aired was genuinely baffling. never terrible or unsalvageable, but certainly subpar. given the premise, this series should’ve been witty, gritty, unnerving, and affecting. not to mention fun! it’s a show that centres a fascinating mystery, with deeply connected yet diametrically opposite twins who only know half the story and have each been manipulated into fulfilling someone else’s ideas. their mothers are hot as fuck ever powerful leaders of an extremely compelling lesbian* witch cult! there’s a wookie jedi! the universe is expansive and odd and cool! and yet. it could all be chalked up to a whole lot of cyclical situations and stunted motion that, for all it’s heavy handed motions, did very little to convince me not only of the destination, but also the journey.

and that lacklustre feel & execution is completely on the writing. the characters are well acted, vibrant, fun, and compelling. but even the best acting can’t elevate a weak script. and because a lot of the writing was so underwhelming and flat, characters and stories that should’ve been gripping and fascinating, were instead limp, cliche, and sometimes silly in a way that grated. and this isn’t me not liking a joke or some cool aliens; i love a silly goofy time!

my issue is with the stilted dialogue, excessive exposition, and overly telegraphed motivations. i know this show will reach a broad audience, but ensuring that kids will understand your character’s actions and motivations is one thing. stiff, self conscious, overly repetitive writing is another. way too much telling and not enough showing and that’s saying something for a show where 2 out of 8 episodes are complete flashbacks, but it’s the truth. half the maneuvering should’ve been edited out or into something sleeker. yes, this show was under a particularly nasty, unfair spotlight and im super impressed that creator leslye headland still managed so make so much of it her own, despite all the pressure. that being said, there was a LOT of unnecessary over explaining and blatant manufacturing that ended up undermining the execution of what should have been a cool new entry into the sw canon.

also unfortunate, was how obvious it was that the writing was far more concerned with manufactured moments of shock and slight of hand, rather than organic and convincing storytelling. a strange case of wanting to conceal, yet spelling out even the smallest details because they don’t trust the audience. again, idk what was going on behind the scenes wrt to the studio, but looking at writing credits, it’s clear that headland is the weakest link. the episodes she co/soley wrote were the most scattered, obvious, and bland, with dialogue that was so transparent it bordered on juvenile. in contrast, the episodes others wrote, were more compelling, cohesive, and complex. not sure what’s going on there, because with my minor googling it’s clear she’s a fan. maybe someone needs to get ole girl into a writing workshop? show-running is difficult and writing even more so—ask shonda rhimes!—but something definitely needs to be done. because her ideas are incredible; it’s the storytelling that loses me.

but even with all its issues, this show is a worthwhile watch. if only for the action and performances. everyone was doing their thing and the sets and costuming were wonderful. i also loved that i could actually SEE what was happening on my screen. quite literally one of the bright spots of the series. unlike so many current shows that seem to be lit with fairy lights and imagination, there was no foolish lighting here.

i also appreciated that i was able to come into this show with no prior knowledge of star wars and mostly get it. there’s something to be said for a series that doesn’t over complicate a first time watcher’s entry into its universe.

but right now, it’s a show that’s operating at a 6. and the potential is there. with tighter writing, slicker pacing, and more finesse overall, it’s an easy 10.

*im aware that the creator said that the TWO MOTHERS who were very AFFECTIONATE and RAISING CHILDREN weren’t meant to be seen as a couple but LOL. that take is very much disregarded in my house. bc idgaf what she meant. i have eyes and ears and am also not stupid. <3

[saltycryptid]

The deeper I get into the supernatural seasons, the more that the specter of Cassie from season one haunts me tbfh. Where is she, what is she up to? I miss her 🥺

She was Dean's first love and they hyped up her relationship to him as something unbreakable and in future tense, and yet she has never even so much as been MENTIONED since. What happened? I know many, many side characters only get a single episode, but she had such interesting dynamic building. Especially when, as the series progresses, we get to learn about Dean more and get to watch him morph in something I am not sure she would recognize. Is she still holding out a candle for this version of him that never saw hell, that never experienced these personal horrors he has been battling ever since?

Also, just to make note so that it is not forgotten--there are some intense parallels between her and Dean! The reveal that the Winchesters are Men of Letters was both shocking and enlightening, in ways that Cassie's own deep dive into her family history echoed of. Obviously the situation is not one to one, but it's an obviously lost avenue of character development to the show. It's such a shame, and honestly, I haven't been able to get her out of my mind for months now.

[rosethreeart]

Who’s gonna tell swfities that boiling down all the complaints/criticisms against Swift to “misogyny” makes them the misogynistic ones…

[bodiesoflight]

hey just to let you know op of this post:

https://www.tumblr.com/bodiesoflight/733794261873655808

is an endo and endo safe (just check the tags). i assume you’re anti-endo so just to let you know. if you arent i apologize for bothering you.

[link above]

thanks for letting us know!

[the-thirteenth-prime]

Legend has it that if you’re standing in front of your mirror and make a totally super funny and not a tired, fetishizing, and low-key racist joke about how Leon’s sygna suit makes him look like a sex worker (stripper, hooker, whore, etc.), Raihan will phase into existence and punch you in the face.

[lapeaudelamemoire]

I don't think if you're a 'US'-ian that you can understand how utterly sick and tired a non-US person can be of just hearing about US stuff all. Of. The. Fucking. Time.

Even if I wanted to block all 'US' content this would be impossible. Fucks sake I'm almost about to communicate exclusively in Mandarin from now on so I (even then impossible) never have to deal with 'Westerners' ever again

[i-like-media]

I was wondering when they were going to play with the fact the Doctor is black now. 13 being faced with how people think of women was one of my favourite things in her era, so I was curious how they were going to treat his skin colour this season, if at all.

And honestly, Dot And Bubble exceeded all my expectations on the matter!

What a lot of episodes about racism and bigotry do is coddle the viewer. They make clear early on "this is an episode about RACISM and why it's WRONG!" As if you've never heard of the concept before and don't know it's bad. The episode will often portray racism in an extreme sense and show the viewer the main characters are above that.

What Dot And Bubble did, for the entire episode, was letting the viewer figure it out on their own. There was no coddling, only racism as it silently existed. A perfectly pastel and white community with not a single person of colour and the only visible outlier being a goth white kid. And in this world, the first thing the character we follow did, was to block a black guy with a face of disgust.

The title screen rolls and you're left to rationalise it. Surely it was because he was not in her contact list/saying all kinds of mind blowing stuff... Right? Except when Ruby enters her feed and talks about it, she actually replies back... With an eye roll, but she replies... and keeps talking... and listening.

The episode continues, still not a single POC besides the Doctor. They reveal this is an exclusive place for rich people, and eventually the character in question even admits she thought the Doctor was a different person because "I thought you looked the same".

What this episode also does well, is portraying a character we wish to see change and find a better life behind that change. We see Lindy struggle to navigate the world without her bubble, calling herself stupid, and we genuinely hope she DOES learn to be better, even as you slowly pick up on what's been going on sofar. You are left to hope she'll thank him and realise the error of her ways, and maybe find a new drive to think for herself.

And then she doesn't.

She stays in her bubble, doubling down on how she feels about the Doctor, how they're excited to be like their settler ancestors, and finally CLEARLY revealing to the viewers what's been off this whole time... and the scene asks: did YOU notice the signs? Did you see what went wrong along the way, or did you only notice just now when it's explicitly shown to you? And why do you think that is?

It challenges the perspective of the viewer and tells you to reflect on why you didn't see it coming, and that is so so powerful.

The Doctor's reaction to this scene..... 👌👌👌👌

His mouth is ajar, stunned beyond belief that after all he's done and all he can offer, the offer to literally save their lives, he is reduced to someone who's nothing more than the hue of his skin. He yells at them, telling them he doesn't care what they think of him because he's still the same doctor he's always been, and to still get rejected with a dirty look... Which hits extra hard when you remember how much the Doctor loves being himself. He LOVES being the Doctor again! And he walks with such a pep in his step, celebrating his existence and sharing it with all he meets... and then he tries to save some rich white kids from certain death.

His performance in that moment was literally phenomenal. It's a narrative that's so powerful and so creative in its execution, my jaw was still on the floor throughout the credits.

This episode is definitely up there as one of my favourites sofar

[demontobee]

Good Omens is queering TV/storytelling - part 1: GAZE

I would argue that part of why Good Omens is so refreshingly queer is because it does not cater to the male gaze (which centers around the preferences - aesthetic, romantic, sexual, visual, logical, emotional, political ... - of mainly white men in positions of power):

no oversexualization of groups or types of people: Women or characters that could be read as female presenting are not overly sexualized. In fact, some of them are shown to be grimy, slimy and not sexual at all. All of them are real characters and not just cardboard-cutout on-screen versions of male misogynistic fantasies. They portray real people with real people problems. They are human, or exempt from our categories when portraying angels or demons. There are no overly sexualized bodies in general (as has so far also often been the case with young gay men, PoC, etc.), no fetishization of power imbalances, and not exclusively youthful depiction of love and desire.

sex or sexual behavior is not shown directly (yet): All imagery and symbolism of sex and sexuality is used not to entice the audience but is very intimately played out between characters, which makes it almost uncomfortable to watch (e.g., Aziraphale being tempted to eat meat, Crowley watching Aziraphale eat, the whole gun imagery).

flaunting heteronormativity: Throughout GO but especially GO2, there is very little depiction of heterosexual/romantic couples; most couples are very diverse and no one is making a fuss about it. There is no fetishization of bodies or identities. Just people (and angels and demons) being their beautiful selves (or trying to).

age: Even though Neil Gaiman explained that Crowley and Aziraphale are middle-aged because the actors are, I think it is also queering the idea of romance, love and desire existing mainly within youthful contexts. Male gaze has taught us that young people falling and being in love is what we have to want to see, and any depiction of love that involves people being not exactly young anymore is either part of a fetishized power imbalance (often with an older dude using his power to prey on younger folx) or presents us with marital problems, loss of desire, etc. – all with undertones of decay and patronizing sympathy. Here, however, we get a beautifully crafted, slow-burn, and somehow super realistic love story that centers around beings older than time and presenting as humans in their 50s figuring out how to deal with love. It makes them both innocent and experienced, in a way that is refreshing and heartbreaking and unusual and real.

does not (exclusively) center around romantic/sexual love: I don’t know if this is a gaze point exactly but I feel like male gaze and resulting expectations of what a love story should look like are heavily responsible for our preoccupation with romantic/sexual love in fiction – the “boy gets girl” type of story. And even though, technically, GO seems to focus on a romantic love story in the end, it is also possible to read this relationship but also the whole show as centering around a kind of love that goes beyond the narrow confines of our conditioned boxed-in thinking. It seems to depict a love of humanity and the world and the universe and just the ineffability of existence as a whole.

disability as beautiful and innate to existence: Disability is represented amongst angels by the extremely cool Saraqael and by diversely disabled unnamed angels in the Job minisode. Representation of disability is obviously super important in its own right, but is also queers what we perceive as aesthetically and ontologically "normal". Male gaze teaches us that youth and (physical and mental) health are the desirable standard and everything else is to be seen as a deviance, a mistake. By including disability among the angels, beings that have existed before time and space, the show clearly states that disability is a beautiful and innate part of existence.

gender is optional/obsolete: Characters like Crowley, Muriel and others really undermine the (visual and aesthetic) boundaries of gender and the black-and-white thinking about gender that informs male gaze. Characters cannot be identfied simply as (binary) men or women anymore just by looking at them or by interpreting their personalities or behaviors. Most characters in GO, and especially the more genderqueer ones, display a balance of feminine and masculine traits as well as indiosyncracies that dissolve the gender binary.

Feel free to add your own thoughts on this in the comments or tags!