#and I loved seeing Isaac's character growth

[aromanticmina]

I've just finished watching castlevania (the netflix series) and while there are some things that could have been handled much better I really enjoyed this show and I'm going to miss it

welp, time to heal my pain with fanfiction and fanart!

[vole-mon-amour]

3x08, part 2.

The first thing I notice? Jamie. :) That boy can't sit straight or stand still. <3 (Also Jan, heh.) And Jamie's so fond of Henry. Surprisingly good with kids, yeah, and it's wonderful that Jamie pays him so much attention while being Henry's fav player.

All the boys are smiling and cheering for the kid, this so incredibly wholesome. Even the ones that aren't exactly participating are still smiling. I love this show, man. I rewatched this moment at least 7 times. I would like to be Henry in that moment, please.

I also can't get over the "I got that all covered" line and the cut to the boys just being boys and having the time of their life out on the pitch with Henry. Perfect training & Rebecca being more than ok with that. :') I need gifs of this. I need a cut of this scene only so I can have it on my blog with the boys cheering. I love EVERYTHING about this moment.

Yeah, I'm definitely still in love with her. Queen. Also, the line of this ep so far, "getting engaged".

I know there's no other way to say it, but when characters are on a first name basis with each other instead of their usual nicknames, you know something is up.

WHAT?! I'm not the one who's dating Jack, so: she can go fuck herself. I absolutely hate how toxic they make her and her relationship with Keeley, but I also can't ignore all of this. What. the actual. fuck?????

Either call Rebecca and meet her after or visit Rebecca at work. Because this??? Ughhh. Rebecca would never. Screw it, I'm back on my bullshit. Keeley and Rebecca should have been dating basically from the beginning.

Not in the way I expected, but the tongue returns. He's such a dork & I love him. :') The fact that none of the boys comment on his shenanigans bc they're so used to him just being This Way. <3

A Lynx dealer, I'm screaming. :D Though I'm very happy to see Jamie and Colin interacting. "Smart boy." My heart is soft for this friendship. I need this to be connected with Colin's sexuality and Jamie making a statement as bisexual. If not in the show (shame), then as fanfiction.

Also, the tattoo isn't there, I'm sad.

!!! I like how they keep mentioning how awful The Sun is. Like, it's a thing & everyone knows that & i appreciate them doing that since s1.

Colin, sweetie... I understand why he does that, but I wish he wouldn't and didn't.

My boy gets it. <3 Though the part of "that's why I delete all photos from my phone". Babe, all this stuff is probably connected to iCloud or Google Drive, which is... yeah. Won't help you much. Also, your videos are still somehow on twitter. :D

People said "let us see Jamie's legs" and the creators obliged. Isn't he cold though? C'mon.

Listen.... the path they walked since s1? I can't get over it. The growth!! The character development!!

Boys will be boys. :')

Jamie Tartt, an art and interior design lover.

The fact that that line is cut to Jamie and Roy's reactions. My heart. When you're two men that still love your ex. I am very deep in my feelings here. There is SO much happening here, my goodness.

Jamie watching Roy walking away after he heard about that, and both being deep in their thoughts. This drives me crazy tbh. And Jamie's reaction, his love for Keeley. I'm !!!!! :(((((

I'm sure Isaac is gonna make things right if needed to and he's gonna be very protective over Colin if exposed, but the anxiety in this is real for Colin. I totally get it.

[fandomgalore-blog]

Just finished the series finale of Sex Education! I hate to see this marvelous show go, but all good things must come to an end. Here are some of my thoughts:

- This show had the best ending for all of the characters. The thing I admired most was how realistic it felt. Literally none of the oc’s ended up with anyone by the end of the show except Aimee and Isaac, Cal didn’t feel comfortable yet due to dysmorphia, Maeve will probably never know if her brother is okay, etc. I’m such a sucker for realism in shows when it’s done well, so I enjoyed that aspect

- Everyone had fantastic growth, but my favorite was definitely Ruby and the Groff men. Absolutely loved that they weren’t fully at their best potential by the end, but it’s obvious they’re trying, and I love them all for that

- I felt bad for Ruby and Maeve the most during the whole season. Both are facing loneliness in different formats

- I like that Maeve stood up for herself against the writing teacher

- I actually don’t like that a good chunk of the cast just straight up wasn’t there for the final season, but the show did a good job with the new characters filling in their spots

- This is a continuation of the first point, but I loved that Ruby didn’t end up befriending Otis by the end since she realized he’d always unintentionally make her feel bad about herself. Usually shows go for the happily ever after and enemies to friends thing, but this show kept it real. Good for you Ruby

- This show is really good at making antagonist. O pissed me off so much

-Loved Isaac and Aimee’s relationship a lot

- Adam was so adorable and so were his parents

-Such a sucker for the estrangement period Otis and Eric went through cuz that happens sometimes when two friends realize just how different they are

-Eric’s storyline was so much fun when it came to the whole Christianity Vs sexuality debate. I loved that they made god a beautiful black goddess (literally)

- Glad Viv got rid of that loser before it got worse

- I feel like we still didn’t get a lot of Cal, but that could just be me

- That was the most unserious yet serious funeral I’ve ever seen and that woman needs to be fired cuz how do you mess up the deceased’s name before the service in front of the dead’s daughter???

- I like the realism of Jackson’s father rejecting him. Sometimes the birth parents just don’t accept you. It sucks ass, but it’s something a lot of ppl unfortunately face when they search for their birth parent(s). Glad he has his moms at least

- This season made me realize how many enemies Otis has lol

- Watching Joanna and Jean’s scenes gave me life tbh

- I loved the protest for making sure the school provided proper care for disabled students. It’s ridiculous they didn’t fix the elevator or ensure deaf students are catered to when there’s alarms ringing, etc.

- The final scene was the perfect send off for this show

All in all, great season finale for a great show. I will miss this show with every fiber of my being, and I hope Netflix will create something as good as it in the future. I might add or subtract to this list, but for now, this is it.

[mermaidsirennikita]

ARC REVIEW: A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

4.75/5. Releases 9/24/24.

The Vibes: roommates with benefits, widower angst, porn star/boy bander, tons of banging; tons of emotional constipation

Heat Index: 8/10

The Basics:

Five years, former boy bander (and People's Sexiest Man Alive) Isaac Kelly suddenly lost his wife Brooklyn—and he'll never love again. Two years ago, Isaac had the first sexual experience since his wife died (I mean, his only sexual experience with anyone OTHER than his wife) in the form of a threesome with porn stars Jack and Sunny. NOW, he's back in Christmas Notch, moping in a mansion as he tries to write a Christmas album. Sunny's in town too, NOT moping as she tries to write a Christmas movie script. It's all too convenient for them to become temporary roommates... and maybe roommates with benefits. But all Isaac can offer Sunny is sex—and while that seems like a good idea to a woman who can't say "I love you", once she starts feeling feelings... It might not be enough.

The Review:

I knew this would be good. But it was better than good. It was the perfect culmination of the Christmas Notch series—the rare series that really just kept getting better. The three main books are all great, but each one was superior to the last for me (the novellas are fab too, but I need to rethink and rank them separately).

They're Christmas-y (but not so Christmas-y that I at all regretted reading this in July... I'll just reread it closer to the date). They're SUPER hot (more on that below). They're body-positive, sex worker positive (Sunny is no longer active in the industry once this story really begins, but she has no bad feelings about it) and deal with actual issues while maintaining a fun, heartwarming tone. Oh, and they're fucking hilarious. It's surprisingly hard to find romcom books that are actually funny, but—here you go!

What makes this book so special is that, while you have the framing of Sunny trying to find Isaac his muse while Isaac tries to help her write her script (almost like... a muse...), this is really a character piece. So much time is spent building up Isaac and Sunny's relationship. While I kind of refuse to call this "friends to lovers" because the reality is that these two are super into each other from the jump—albeit moreso physically than emotionally in the beginning—you do truly believe in their bond. Their emotional connection is just as intense as their sexual connection, which is, um, pretty intense.

And dude. If you read the previous books first—not strictly necessary but HIGHLY recommended—you'll see that Isaac is just... so depressed. Like, not leaving his house depressed. Ironically, his threesome with Jack and Sunny kind of jolted him back to life? And that's all it's supposed to be. So he's not in complete "wallowing in grief" mode here, but he is still very sad, and really only half-enjoying life. But Sunny is by no means a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. She has her own responsibilities. She has her own goals. And she has her own problems—if this book has any weakness (and it's minor) it's that Sunny's problems aren't quite as dramatic or compelling as Isaac's. But they're still valid, and they're integral to her growth. Point is: Sunny has her own deal, and Isaac helps her with her deal just as much as she helps him with his, and they also both have a lot of growing to do.

But anyway, what Isaac's deal gets us is a lot of sweet, SWEET angst. Not the level of angst you'll find in some of Sierra Simone's darker works. Just enough angst to have me feeling the fucking emotions, though. There's a moment late in this book that is the conflict I was SO hoping would come up. A conflict that is honestly quite real, but still a gut punch. And soooo satisfying to see resolved. We may have a "snowmobile for your love" moment. Can neither confirm or deny.

Finally, it's a great time to see everyone in Christmas Notch together again. Bee and Nolan! Winnie and Kallum! The North Pole dancers! Luca and Angel! Krysta and Addison! And we get some really good Teddy Ray and Steph content. I love Teddy Ray. Such a unique character. Rarely do you get a "wholesome porn peddler" stepfather figure in a contemporary romance series, and seeing him get his HEA with Steph was incredibly sweet.

The Sex:

RIDICULOUSLY hot. All of these books are hot, but there was something about Sunny and Isaac falling in love, each encounter becoming more intimate, while remaining in such deep denial about their feelings...

I mean, photo booth sex... creative usage of gingerbread lotion (a big thing in this series)... butt stuff with the HERO as the recipient, something we don't see enough of in m/f romance... And Isaac is a bit bossy! Which we love to see!

You really feel like these two can be honest with their feelings in the bedroom, without words. Which I am SUCH trash for.

Also, loved how casual the book was about Isaac and Sunny both being bi, their threesome with Jack, Isaac being pushed onto dates (by Sunny) with men and women. It's just the norm, which is in fact standard for pretty much all Sierra Simone books. Love.

Anyway, this is great, a perfect finale for a series I've loved and can't recommend enough. Read it during the holiday season. Read it now. Read it next summer. I mean, read it ASAP because you'll love it. But I might do an entire series reread around Christmas, to be real. These are CLASSICS.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[writerinturmoil]

Heartstopper Season 3 Reaction

Just watched Heartstopper Season 3, and I would like to talk about it. (Note: This post contains spoilers.)

This season nearly wrecked my emotions. I cried, I laughed, I held my breath. It dealt with some heavy topics, such as mental health, eating disorders, and grief. Also, I related to some of the themes and topics very strongly.

First, let's look at the topic of grief.

Throughout this season and the last, Tao deals with the loss of his father. He fears losing those in his life whom he loves. I can relate. As a teen, I lost my grandma who I connected with on a deep, personal level. Instead of clinging to those I love as Tao does, I did the opposite. I kept people at a distance for fear of getting hurt by letting them into my life. It took several years of working through the grief and processing my emotions to get over the loss. It wasn't a loss as profound as losing a parent (I couldn't imagine.), but it was the first loss I experienced. It's great to see how much progress Tao has made in these two season. I also like that the show didn't rush through the healing process. Getting over grief doesn't take days, it takes years. And twenty-five years later, I still miss my grandma from time to time.

In addition, I related to the Aro and Ace representation in this show. It's not perfect, but it's a start. 🪼

I like the scene on the beach between Charlie and Isaac. When Charlie doesn't know what aromantic is, Isaac tells him to Google it. That's the same thing I tell people when they don't know what AroAce is. Like Issac, nine times out of ten, I don't feel in the mood to give people a "vocabulary lesson". I'll only explain what AroAce is to medical professionals or family members.

I also like the scene at the zoo where Isaac comes out to his friends as AroAce. It resonated with me deeply and was succinctly written. If only I could express myself as clearly as that, nobody would misunderstand me ever again.

I was disappointed that the ferris wheel scene between Charlie and Tori was altered from the graphic novel, but I understand the reason why it was done. I'm glad we got more from Tori this season. And if there's a season 4 (fingers crossed), hopefully we get even more character development. Maybe even resolve some of her mental health issues. Depression?

Speaking of character development, I like the growth of Imogen. She's slowly finding herself and discovering who she really is. Working though all the messiness of societal expectations vs reality. I truly hope she finds her authentic self.

Another character that needs more development is Isaac. Now that he's worked through his sexuality, maybe we'll get more of his personality. I want to know what his family situation is like. If he has any hobbies other than reading. And what his future hopes and dreams are. He's my favorite character, yet I barely know anything about him.

Last character that I need to know more about is Mr. Farouk. I like his kind yet serious personality. I'd like to know more about his past and special interests. I'd like an entire episode dedicated to this stern but tender character.

Next, let's move on to the trans issues raised in this season.

I like that they included nonbinary representation, for I'm nonbinary myself, specifically agender. In addition, I feel that they handled Darcy's coming out as nonbinary extremely well. Plus, there's Felix. This trans identity is sorely lacking in media, and we definitely need more representation.

Speaking of trans representation, I like that we got to explore Elle's gender dysphoria and the discrimination that she faces. That scene at the radio station was executed so acutely and poignantly. When the interviewer started in with the trans questions, my heart nearly sank into the pit of my stomach. How could anyone think those appropriate questions to ask? Especially given the fact that Elle is a teenager, and this is her fist interview. My heart goes out to her, and while watching that scene, I wanted nothing more than to give her a big hug.

Now, let's move our focus onto the mental health issues covered in this season.

It's good that we got some accurate representation of anorexia and OCD.

Most shows only depict anorexia nervosa affecting teenage girls and young women. It's good getting the message out there that boys can suffer from this disorder as well. It also addresses the fact that not all eating disorders stem from body dysmorphia. Some develop as a result of mental illness or neurodevelopmental conditions, such as schizophrenia, OCD, autism, or sensory processing disorder.

Most shows depict those with OCD counting the number of times they turn on or off a light switch or cleaning obsessively. Some with OCD may do these behaviors, but they're not a prerequisite. People with OCD have varied experiences and presentations. The commonality between all of them being obsessions and compulsions in the form of obtrusive thoughts or harmful behavior, such as self-harm or suicidal ideation. Even though I feel this show does a good job with OCD representation, it could still be expanded upon. They could really get into the obsessions and compulsions, and showcase the ramifications these have on Charlie's life. There's a particularly poignant scene in the novella This Winter. I understand it could not be included due to time constraints, but I hope something like this is included in the future.

I'd also like to see some discussions around neurodivergent conditions, such as autism, ADHD, or AuDHD. I know that Bradley Riches who plays James McEwan has autism. Perhaps, James could have it as well? It could help dispel some of the stereotypes surrounding these conditions. For autism, most people think Sherlock Holmes or Sheldon Cooper. For ADHD, most people think Bart Simpson. And in a show or movie, never did I see someone who has both like me.

Lastly, my final thoughts.

If only I had this show when I was a teenager in the early noughties, I would’ve had the words to describe my experiences much sooner. It wasn't until uni when I had access to the internet that I discovered the words AroAce and agender.

Lastly, as an autistic, I'd hate the only form of communication being a landline phone. I have a hard time understanding someone if I can't see their facial features or body expressions. Also, the person who I'm talking to always sounds like they're either chewing food or speaking in a foreign accent. That's why I prefer to text or dm my friends and family. I guess if I was in that clinic seeking treatment, I'd just have to write them letters or postcards.

Well, that's all I have for today. Until next time, take care and stay curious.

[selene-borealis]

I’mma just up and say it: if it wasn’t for Scott and Tyler Posey, I wouldn’t have gotten into this show.

Scott is the one who pulled me into this show. Yeah, he was sooo melodramatic in season 1, but that was part of his charm for me. He has such a very human, very teenager reaction for somebody who just got bitten by and turned into a werewolf, that to me he actually feels like a teenager. And once he loses that rage after season 1, he has such a big heart. He is adorable. He is the goofball. He is the hot girl.

His entire arc is about selflessness and sacrifice. The Scott we see in season 1 is caught up in his wants and desires. But as he gets older, as he accepts that he has this weird authoritative position in Beacon Hills that can’t really be explained until he becomes the true alpha, he accepts the responsibilities that come with being a leader. He faces danger head on, without question. He forms personal relationships with his pack (Stiles, Isaac, Kira, Lydia, Liam, Malia, and even Hayden!) that I feel like people like to ignore. He stands by his morals, not because they are the easy thing to do (wouldn’t have killing Deucalion been the easy way out?), but because he honestly, genuinely, wholeheartedly believes that standing by them is the right thing to do. That doesn’t mean he’s always right. He’s made mistakes that this fandom loves to rehash over and over and over again. But he is a good person. Fundamentally, right down to his core.

And this was what I needed when I got into this show. I needed a character who had the growth that Scott does, because it’s subtle, but the more you rewatch him, the more it’s there. I needed a character that could make me feel happy on a bad day. I needed a character who could do the right thing without question, who grew into himself and became more confident in himself, who could face the world even when it’d beaten him down so thoroughly.

Scott is the main character of the show, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

[hypaalicious]

Why I think Nocturne is way better than the OG Castlevania series

Sorry, when I try to shut up about this show I be like

so here’s my unsolicited, highly biased word vomit that will contain spoilers at the end (but those will be under a cut) so read at your own risk! Okay, leggo

It’s actually diverse.

One thing about high fantasy is that it’s almost always Eurocentric. Even if it’s not set in Europe, the characters are gonna inexplicably have British accents because we associate that with high fantasy. We’re gonna have European style “old” clothing choices. And if everyone isn’t white, they might as well be because they’ll only throw in a couple ambiguously brown side characters and call it a day. Or if they make a main character a POC then best believe everyone around them will be white.

Nocturne, tho? Oh, you can tell it’s made with more than just a sprinkle of representation. They didn’t just make Olrox indigenous, they tied his Aztec lineage in beautifully. Annette was a slave but it’s not flattening her character because of it. Drolta came to slay but even she has her authentic background. Which leads me to my next point!

The Black characters especially are done tastefully.

Like… don’t get me wrong. I love Isaac. He was the only reason I stayed tuned into Castlevania past season 1, LMAO! But his backstory felt like straight trauma porn cooked up by a non-Black person who wanted an excuse to see a Black man whipped for character development.

Zodwa Nyoni wrote some episodes for Nocturne and she put her FOOT in it. When it came to addressing Annette’s time as a slave, her connection to the Orisha through her bloodline… I was gobsmacked at how accurate everything was and now I know why LOL! Like, for me, it’s always gonna be hard to see slavery in fiction but I can’t say shit bad about how it was tied into everything in this show. Annette’s ancestors play such a huge part in her growth and it just warmed my heart to see a Black girl whoop some colonizer ass without it feeling hamfisted. 🥹

The token relationship is the cishet one, everyone else is gay asf

I love that trope flipped on it’s head, ngl LMAO! I, by default, HC everyone as bi anyway but MAN was it nice to see Olrox and Mizrak speedrun enemies to lovers and a hint of Drolta’s devotion/gayness to Erzsebet.

I know the majority of my fictional character thirsting leans male but don’t get it twisted; I jump for JOY for gay shit in media 😂 The only reason I don’t thirst as hard for female characters is because I prefer my men fictional but my women real.

That being said, this series sent me into bi panic and I’d like to be manhandled in a room by Drolta and Olrox.

Nocturne’s first season plays out neater than the OG’s first season.

Like… okay. My main beef with the OG series was that after they defeated Dracula, the rest of the show felt like a meandering fanfic. Sure, there were a few badass moments, but the energy kinda faltered for me and I was bored with a lot of it. I hope they don’t do the same with Nocturne; they left off at a nice cliffhanger which builds anticipation for the next season and… idk it feels more cohesive already? They coulda speedran kicking Erzsebet’s face in like the OG trio did to Dracula but I’m so glad they left us a lil something to look forward to.

Alucard’s glow up >>>>>

I’m chronically online but I’m so glad I went into this series blind because the way I GASPEDT when he showed up at the end

Like damn for the past fifty-leven years he was in that castle by himself going “do I wanna talk to Sypha and Trevor plushies again or do I wanna make myself even more of a bad bitch?” Then he chose the latter, went to the salon, got his hair bleached platinum along with some sew in extensions for volume, beat his face with Fenty, and said “sorry Drolta but there can be only one vampire baddie on this earth and hunny I’m TAKIN IT”

He looks more like his video game design this way too, which I love! I hate that he took out Cuntress McSlay tho 😔 Drolta I will always love you!!

Mmkay. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to start a cult to Olrox real quick. Erzsebet ain’t the only god walking the earth and I feel he just needs good marketing!

[beevean]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.comingsoon.net/tv/features/1352249-castlevania-nocturne-interview-kevin-kolde-and-adam-sam-deats-on-season-1s-ending%3famp

Good morning! Have a feast!

oh joy.

I think the Abbott is a great character, and a gray and complex character. [...] With the church, priests were being guillotined and everything else. [...] he’s reacting and doing what he must to survive and what he genuinely thinks is right, but it’s obviously so messy.

Guys, there is a difference between being complex and messy, and not making any sense. A priest who denounces the Revolution because it's "godless" but then allies himself with cruel murderous vampires with plans of making a queen vampire ascend to goddess status is not complex, he's a giant idiot.

"we we look at the French Revolution from our perspective" it was barely a footnote. Stop promoting Nocturne as this amazing fantasy story set during the French Revolution when you guys couldn't even be bothered to realize bread was nearly unaffordable and thus Tera, supposedly a common woman, couldn't offer it to guests.

One of my favorite parts of the series, honestly, is Richter having to come face-to-face with a possible future for himself is obviously a hallowing experience for him and is a big part of his character growth.

Juste is kind of a mirror for Richter because it’s where Richter may end up if he loses himself and becomes defeated.

...

....................

Juste exists solely for Richter to be like "eww no I don't wanna be like that".

Juste exists solely as a warning. Don't be too traumatized, or you'll become a nihilistic hateable fuck.

Juste. Juste Belmont. The Successor of Fate. The man who first grappled with the weight of his legacy. You killed off Maxim and Lydie without any thought just to shoehorn him into the "cynical mentor" stereotype regardless if it fit his character, instead of truly building up from the harrowing worst ending. He was included in the show to be shat on, for Richter to get over his trauma in one episode - or, to quote the article, "finally get his mojo back".

... yeah I'm just going to move on before I explode. "I love HoD" my entire ass.

"This was our chance to actually harmonize some of the things that were developed later with Harmony of Dissonance" oh you think you're so funny aren't you

an opportunity to show something that we didn’t really get to see that much in a lot of Castlevanias, which is that Juste is the first Belmont that can use magic, right?

Oh, is this why Juste is completely useless in unlocking Richter's magic, and he has to remember the woman who mocked him for not being able to use magic to have his badass moment? Huh uh. Please, you just admitted Juste's narrative role was to be pitied and looked down on as a warning to never become like him.

"[Alucard's return] was built in as we laid out what the first season was going to be. It was always there." I had no doubts.

The path of him finding himself when he’s in this totally new, different distorted form is really interesting. I think there are also some elements that speak back to Castlevania Season 3 and some of the conversations that Isaac has with his night creatures.

Season 4, actually. You're referring to Isaac's speech about how Night Creatures don't have to be tools of destructions just because they were made for that purpose. Which is not a bad scene in theory, but the problem is that Night Creatures in Nocturne are not the same as in NFCV. In the latter, they are truly mindless, except for FlysEyes because he used to be a philosopher so he's much more intelligent than the other souls (whatever, this is the canon explanation) - Isaac was, what else, mostly talking about himself allegorically. But in Nocturne, probably because they were created with a stupid DEVIL FORGING MACHINE, it's clear that the Abbot has little control over his own creatures. Like, Edouard is not particularly special in that regard, it's the Abbot that sucks lmao.

anyway I'm going to speedrun HoD, bye

[heyheymarrymearchie]

now that i've had the chance to rewatch sunflowers, here we go:

my s3e6 commentary

(aka my thoughts about the new episode, in chronological order, with no other context)

keeley’s pink fur coat is a MAJOR slay (the whole outfit is, really)

higgins had me SHRIEKING the way he just walks away after saying he's going to the red light district with no explanation

KEELEY! HOT DATE ALERT! I LOVE YOU

live laugh love :) so true sam :)

dani suggesting naps I LOVE HIM

HIGGINS AGAIN

ok but the fact that the intro isn’t until 7 minutes into the episode—

JAMIE’S CARTWHEEL

bald guy kinda hot tbh

DETECTIVE BUMBERCATCH

dani and his tulip!!!!

trent sitting in the fruitiest way possible

him suggesting a museum tour is so me

the little girl’s room is so cute

THE MOOVEH

the whole don’t do drugs speech, immediately cut to beard saying lets do drugs

BUMBERCATCH CHECKING THE VOTES BECAUSE ISAAC CAN’T COUNT

himbo dani writing in spanish

sam being so real

TRENT’S LEOPARD PRINT SHOE CATCHING THE DOOR KILLED ME ON THE SPOT

when bald guy said rebecca was bleeding and then pointed downward, WHY was my first thought that she had gotten her period

i’m truly a sucker for characters that don’t have names

jamie joking about how much of a prick he used to be! growth!

colin being so nervous when he gets there I WANT TO GIVE HIM A HUG

please trent, as much as i love your flair for the dramatic, in what world did it seem like a good idea to sneak up behind colin at a gay bar?? i love you but WHAT

REBECCA WITH HER HAIR DOWN LOOKS SO PRETTY! AND THAT DRESS!

rebecca being so cute

i love that not one but TWO adult characters on the show canonically couldn’t ride a bike

the scene where jamie is teaching roy how to ride a bike might be the greatest thing to ever grace my tv screen, i cannot stop smiling

this higgins/will friendship is so cute

trent gay confirmed had me SCREAMING

trent’s little nose scrunch when they cheers!!!!!! ugh!!!! i love him!!!!

colin’s monologue has me feeling too many emotions

“i don’t want to be a spokesperson” what if i cried and sobbed.

ted looking at the sunflowers, and showing all the van gogh paintings, oh god oh i’m feeling things

THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTINGGGG

my poor jamie i’m so sorry, don’t worry i’ll go beat your dad with a rope at 4 am <3

high but-not-actually-high ted is so funny

BACK TO PRETTY REBECCA WITH HER HAIR DOWN YESSSS she’s gotta wear her hair down more often

gezellig :,)

ted learning about triangles I COULD NOT STOP LAUGHING, IT FELT LIKE A VIDEO I WOULD’VE WATCHED IN MATH CLASS AS A KID (what’s that disney one?)

THE WHOLE MONTAGE WHILE HIGGINS IS PLAYING— i cannot even begin to express how much i love it

trent you can’t dance but it’s ok i love you so much

(and i love seeing him casual and just wearing a t shirt AAAAH)

himbos in crop tops himbos in crop tops himbos in crop tops himbos in-

THE VANILLA VODKA

ew not the foot massage

will talking to his mom on the phone hehehehehe

ROY AND JAMIE ROLLING UP ON THE BIKE TOGETHER AAAAAAHAHAAAAAA

rebecca singing again :,) nature is healing

colin squeezing trent’s shoulder while singing everything is gonna be alright, and then trent’s adorable smile????? i’m crying

all in all, this is definitely my new favorite episode. i laughed, i cried, i saw jamie do a cartwheel. it was perfect. so much love. <3

[chainofclovers]

Ted Lasso 3x9 Thoughts

This one might be tied for favorite episode of the season for me. While I’ve been mostly willing to vibe with the jam-packed episodes, I approached 3x9 with a bit of concern; if it felt like the story was getting bigger instead of smaller here in the final third of the season, I was going to start to lose my patience. (To translate: I am an impatient person but I'm also a pretty long-fused person, and me starting to lose my patience would be akin to someone with a short fuse going fucking ham on someone.) Luckily, I felt like each thread here spoke to the other threads really neatly, like watching a cohesive conversation take place in multiple rooms. Magically. 

For this one, I'm gonna attempt some bullets that cover 3x9 itself, then I need to attempt to process this weird experience of MISSING TED (while also basically appreciating what he's doing, but missing him, but appreciating him, lawjefpawoijfapweoijafwepklajwef) that has me very :eyesemoji: about the next three weeks of my life.

Nate’s desire for connection and camaraderie didn’t overshadow his ability to recognize that Rupert was trying to manipulate him into a toxic night out! There will be consequences for pulling away, and he knows it, but he did the right thing anyway. I’ve seen some discussions and arguments re: Jade’s influence on Nate and whether we should attribute Nate’s backbone and ability to make better choices to the love of a woman, and whether that’s disappointing and belittling to both characters, but I think a lot of those positions (on either side) are too hard-and-fast. Nate has always valued the things he values, and his relationship with Jade hasn’t changed his values or the fundamental truth of who he is. At the same time, being physically and emotionally close to a person you trust feels really, really good. Why shouldn’t those good feelings have a positive impact on the reserves of strength you must draw on to do things like stand up to an evil asshole you hadn’t entirely let yourself notice is an evil asshole? Nate in all his multitudes has always been Nate; Nate who is in love is able to see himself more clearly. If we were all only allowed in our real lives to experience character growth purely independently, we wouldn’t get very far.

I’ve been thinking a lot about influence and obligation when it comes to Rebecca’s storyline, too. I was a little afraid, after 3x3 and the way she initially responds to Tish’s prophecies, that Rebecca would end up a lone actor, in a sense, tracking down clues and answers at the expense of fostering her actual existing relationships. While I’m still curious and nervous and excited about what all of it means, I really appreciate that Rebecca has shown up for people this season, especially here in the latter half. Rebecca is almost certainly being driven a little crazy by the unfinished parts of what Tish told her, but she isn’t isolating herself. In calling Roy out for his avoidant behaviors and lack of accountability for the press conference (and, of course, the way his work performance mirrors his decision to leave his relationship with Keeley), she demonstrates accountability as a boss and as a friend. I don’t need to see Rebecca conducting meetings or writing emails to know she’s working, but it felt really important to me to see her get upset with Roy, both professionally and personally, and break through his exterior. Ted, Trent, Phoebe, and even Keeley have chipped away at it this season, but the epiphany required Rebecca being Rebecca. And the energy between Rebecca and Roy is very !!!

I loved the way the Nate-Rupert-Jade, Rebecca-Roy, and Roy-Isaac(-Will!) interactions all reinforce the idea that no one has the full picture of what is happening in another person’s brain, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t act on truths as they are revealed, as difficult as it may be. 

As a queer person who is thankfully many years removed from the most stressful coming-out experiences I’ve had (although of course there are still plenty of moments of having to explain or identify oneself to another person—it never really ends—I consider myself “out” in that everyone in my life who I care about knowing knows I’m queer, and, so long as general safety is established, I feel able to explain it to additional people in most contexts without much or any stress), I really loved and appreciated Colin’s storyline here. Very little about my identity or place in the world resembles Colins, but so much of this episode resonated. We’ve already seen Colin describe his relationship to his sexual identity to Trent, and within that same conversation he spoke about not wanting to be a spokesperson with the pressure of publicly representing gay men. I absolutely love that the framing of the locker room scene respected those desires; he tells his teammates and coaches he’s gay, but we the public aren’t part of the several seconds that the literal announcement occurs. We get to see the freedom and relief the truth brings him, but the lessons of this episode are for the people around him. 

The downside of writing this a couple days after the episode airs means I’ve read a lot of discourse, but I don’t think this episode did a disservice to Isaac or Colin. The writers room in s3 included writers specifically experientially equipped to tell this story, and to me, it shows. It shows in the realism of Isaac’s well-meaning questions (which Colin wouldn’t have answered so graciously if Isaac wasn’t so genuinely curious and caring!), and the tiring ways that queer people are burdened with conversational “obligations” and explanations that are just different than what straight people deal with. Ignorance and awareness exist on an incredibly long spectrum, and for me this story was affirming, not traumatizing, beautiful, and yet it also included the exhausting imperfections that cloak even the most positive coming-out experiences. 

I’ve also been thinking a lot about Ted’s speech. Basically ever since Colin said the thing about Grindr in s2, I’ve been certain Colin would come out as gay to the team and reckon with being closeted in the context of the men’s Premier League. And literally since he made that little comment, I’ve been nervous about how Ted would react. I already knew he was a politically progressive person who identified himself as an ally, so I wasn’t afraid he’d have some kind of bigoted rejection reaction. But I did worry that his reaction would be sooooo cringe and try-hard and awkward that I’d legitimately run into issues writing and posting fiction about his obvious latent bisexuality on our home away from home, Archive of Our Own. And while Ted’s seven-layer-dip Denver Broncos analogy WAS cringe and try-hard and off-base, I absolutely loved how unflinchingly imperfect it was and how, despite those imperfections, his instinct re: the point he actually wanted to make was spot on and extremely valuable. If a white, middle-aged, (past-tense-ish hahahahahahaha I’m so normal about the word “was”) straight man who’s worked in sports his whole life had figured out the perfect thing to say, I’d have rolled my eyes at the screen. It felt realistic to me that he desperately wanted to find an analogy or connection point, immediately regretted it, and still—because of who he is when the din of his thoughts gives way actual clarity—managed to articulate that it’s very, very important that Colin’s community actually cares about who Colin is and that he was able to share this information with them. It’s the difference, in many ways, between being doomed to continue to feel like you have two lives (because you’re surrounded every day by people who look past something important to you or pretend not to see the differences) vs. knowing that even if you never come out to the entire world, you aren’t splintering yourself because you’re able to be your whole self around the people who actually matter. Anyway, the speech was imperfect and unwieldy, and that was the point, and his actual message was essential for everyone in that room to hear, and that was the point, and I will be capable of continuing to write fic in which Ted is attracted to men without his reaction to Colin haunting me. (I actually already have an idea for a future fic in which he reflects more, but that’s literally a story for another time.)

At this point in the season, I feel so curious about, um. What is happening. With Ted Lasso. The guy. In both s1 and s2, I felt about a millimeter away from him at all times, even when he wasn’t onscreen. This season, he’s so intentionally obscured. Getting to go to that museum in Amsterdam with him—and, perhaps even more importantly, the Yankee Doodle Burger Barn, and perhaps even more importantly than that, the back of that bus—was a relief and a reconnection point that was much needed, but I am absolutely FASCINATED and MYSTIFIED at this point in time at just how effective and maddening it is that I’m having a lot of trouble understanding how he truly feels about himself and the people around him. Like, I would obviously love to watch him be in love with Rebecca. But I would also love to watch him be in love with a place, or with two places, or with coaching, or with his partially-lost Beard, or with the words and images that have come to him in visions, or even with the unhealthy things that pull at him, like booze and stewing and obsession. Basically every episode—at least for me—contains some glimmer of connection, to his self or to one of his friends, and it’s always fleeting, and I’m holding onto the almost certainty of the fact that the decisions he has to make are going to require some kind of visible reckoning. Most of my nerves about the final three episodes of this show as we know it are related to these questions. 

As for this episode, I don’t think I’ve quite captured the FEELINGS I felt while watching it. (I also completely failed to go into Ted sharing his biscuits with Keeley and continuing his perfect streak of making it super weird whenever he shares biscuits with a non-Rebecca person. I LOVED IT.) This was the episode that made me the most audibly squeal-y this season. And the most curious about how Ted has managed to get so far into his own brain that I actually miss him on his own show! Very curious stuff. What are the next three Tuesdays going to do to my brain and heart?

[porcelaintoybox23]

Completely Unhinged Review of Across the Spiderverse

This is just me losing my shit. Spoilers!

Gwen opening the movie is so fucking awesome. She has this wickedly cool drum solo where she gives her introduction and recaps the first movie. We follow her for the first 15-20 minutes, which was amazing, so amazing, cause I just knew she'd have amazing character growth and I also knew that she would be put into a morally compromising position. I knew she would be in conflict with Miles. I knew it and I was right. I went from loving her, to kind of hating her, but still loving her. Miles was not the main focus, but it was the perfect position for the continuation of his character arc.

It was so fucking funny. The animation is indescribable. They tripled, quintupled everything. Every visual, color choice, movement was even better than the original. The action scenes…I can't even imagine how they choreographed that. Insane, insanely good. The jokes were great even when it didn't seem appropriate to have them. It makes sense since a running gag was how spider people all use humor.

Oscar Isaac killed it as Miguel. He was such a threatening villain, and I'm so glad Miles called them out on their bullshit as well. “We have to let people die.” Yes, please tell Miles Morales to let his father die. Are you unwell? I wouldn't do it either, it's like fuck all of you. You're just letting people die for shits and giggles, not on my watch.

Now Miles is literally stuck in a separate dimension. There is this spot guy, who I think was a really good character arc of how underestimating people can kind of bite you in the ass because he’s actually a very serious threat that's still not resolved. There was a callback to the leap of faith when Miles was escaping the spider cult.

The callback of Gwen assembling the spiders. She went and got Peter B Parker, Mumbai spider man, spider ham, spider noir, penny, the cool black girl Miles flirted with, I like her. Spider Punk was so fucking annoying and also really fucking hilarious all “this is capitalism.” He’s like that guy you know, he has a meta commentary of every single fucking thing that doesn't need to be discussed cause hes punk, but he also has labels while eschewing labels.

I won’t say it’s as good as the first but it’s a perfect sequel that sets up the third film. I fucking loved it, even the awkward flirting and betrayal by Gwen and B Parker. It’s a 10/10, really a 9 but like a 9.9999999/10. So you know amazing .

I got a Gwen popcorn bucket head. She looked so cool. Go see Across the Spiderverse.

Miles wasn’t even supposed to be Spider-Man! It was supposed to be a different Miles who’s the prowler in his own dimension.

Did I mention he eluded capture from like 100s of spider people? That’s my baby, that’s my son who needs a haircut.

[leupagus]

Live Gus Reacts! After a nap

So this one isn't going to be long because my carpal tunnel is acting up, but I loved this episode. Yes, there were some after-school-special elements, but I think Chuck Hayward knocked it out of the park, especially considering this was his only screenplay for this show (of course, he's won Emmys for Wandavision and is about to run his own show so dude knows what he's about). It felt much more interwoven than last week's, and certainly flowed a lot better.

I'm hilarified that Edyta Budnik's Polish background was used for Jade's character, similar to how most of the Richmond players' actual backgrounds are used on the show (and why I had her reading a book in Polish in the WifeGuy fic I'm writing). I will say that Rupert, specifically, clocking that was an interesting moment because there is a very real (and ugly) history of prejudice against Polish immigrants in England; Rupert was not being charming there, by any means. The whole interaction with Rupert and Nate in this episode was really fascinating, because Rupert's clearly alarmed at the fact that Nate is getting outside support — he was so effective at cutting Nate completely off from everyone at Richmond, but here Nate is, building his own network here (Roger's invitation suggests to me that this isn't the first time Nate's been out with the West Ham staff/team after a game). And for Rupert, that's unacceptable — Nate's become as much a "possession" to him as Rebecca once was, so he's going to try his best to keep Nate isolated. Unfortunately for him, Nate is still The Great and is learning to balance his newfound pride with his enduring kindness. So however that shakes out will be fun to watch, I think. (All the fingers crossed that it ends with Rupert getting struck by lightning, because really how could you improve on mardia's masterpiece.)

One thing I hate about this storyline, though, is that Nick Mohammed is still having to field abuse from racist fans who think he hasn't "atoned" enough to be allowed happiness or character growth; I love seeing more of Nate, but not at the expense of Mohammed having to deal with this bullshit.

Re: the Colin storyline, I can't really say whether or not it was handled well or poorly, because my personal reaction to it has overwritten that kind of objective analysis. I've read a few reactions, which run the gamut, and I can see how those scenes may have left people disappointed/elated/angry/satisfied. For me, knowing that this episode was written by a Black man my age, from my mom's alma mater (and uhhhh glad to see they changed the mascot from when she went there) and that he and Dylan Marron were the two writers "in charge" of Colin's storyline does make me more inclined to see the choices — Ted's ridiculous Denver Broncos analogy, Isaac's lashing out and somewhat remedial "how does gay work" questions — as deliberate explorations of how straight men can and do react to finding out their friend is gay: not perfectly or even well, but borne out of love and respect and desire to protect. I was very grateful that the entire team immediately accepted Colin, because the last thing I wanted in that moment was "realism." Ditto with Colin's playing improving in the second half of the game, now that his two lives are (at least partially) connected; that's likely not what would happen IRL but I didn't care, even a little bit.

I'll admit I VERY much dig Rebecca as Tough Mom character this season; she's been doling out some extremely good advice to people, and it's delightful to me. Yes, she's a main character who's not getting enough to do, but like Ted I think the show still works when she's not in the spotlight, and when she gets to be the one offering support rather than needing it. And I adore her and Roy's weird-ass relationship, it's just incredible to get these glimpses into how they see each other.

Other than that: Sam giving Jamie the middle finger AND a beautiful smile was amazing, Jamie being pleased to be clocked as queer was interesting, the Higgins And Rebecca Buddies Fun Time is still great, and I want every one of Trent Crimm's t-shirts. And a clementine.

[missielynne]

I completely understand why a lot of people weren't happy with Thursday's Ghosts episode, but (whispers) I actually loved it!

We got more vulnerable, genuine Sam---I love when she's open about her insecurities and negative feelings rather than trying to be chipper and 'can do!' all the time. I also loved hearing she's super into musical theater - I've wanted to see more of her interests/hobbies aside from the fact that she likes rom coms and home decorating shows, and being a musical theater geek so fits her imo. I adore it. To be far, I'm much more of a Sam fan than most here, so that probably explains why I'm in a small minority who loved this episode.

That final scene of Alberta happily singing alongside Sam on stage while the other Ghosts are looking on and Jay's super proud of his wife was funny, charming and heartwarming and immediately cheered me up (I've been very depressed). That scene totally captured what I love so much about this show!

The normally down-to-earth Mark being hilariously pretentious about his acting was a funny and unexpected surprise

Sas always going for the unattainable and then referring to people he had only minimal contact with as his "exes" is both funny and (*bows head in shame*) relatable to me, and we definitely need his soft hopelessly romantic side to balance out how coldly instigative and manipulative he can be

Hetty and Isaac watching Sam train purely because they're "bored"--I mean, um, because they so want to support her---was amusing and so very them. I like whenever we get to see those two interact - they're such perfectly catty, petty, snotty BFFs.

So Pete has been bugging the living hell out of me this season, and even though being more confident and adventurous is the growth he needed, he's become so insufferable in the process and barely resembles the sweet, humble Pete I adored in previous seasons. Anyway, I'm giving the show credit for at least blatantly pointing out that he's being obnoxious and smug these past few episodes. It's comforting that the writers are at least aware of it and doing it deliberately, you know?

On a similar note, I love how the writing points out that Jay and Sam rarely ever have any guests staying at their inn and that their business is not exactly flourishing so far. Obviously I don't want Jay and Sam to fail in the long run, but it would feel so contrived and unrealistic if the inn was this instant success, especially given some of the "ghosts over reality" business decisions they've made! Until they figure out how to make the inn a success, I'm worried that Jay will have to sell beloved action figures to help them make ends meet :) -----

So, yeah, I actually loved the episode, but mostly because of #1---it was a great ep for the few of us who love Sam and like seeing other sides of her character!

It's totally fine that most disagree and I know you weren't crazy about it, but thank you as always for opening your blog to different perspectives!! I'm tempted to start a Sam Stan blog that like literally zero people will follow ;)

I admit I was one of the initial really dislikers. On my second watch that I did for my review, I found that it wasn't as bad as I thought it was initially and it grew from "This is unwatchable" to "It could have been better but I'll watch multiple times, mainly because the whole Alberta and Sam "training montage" made the episode for me.

1: I would say that point one is where most of my problems with the episode lie. Like I love the idea of Sam being open and sharing feelings too but I also don't hold on to bad experiences and let them linger and affect my life like she does so I guess it's kind of hard for me to give her particular problem here (and the fake prom date in Attic Girl") the sympathy they deserve because since I can just look at problem, deal with problem, and say goodbye to problem, a whole episode of dealing with "bullies were mean to me ten years ago!" or "I threw up at an audition more than fifteen years ago and it was so traumatizing I haven't been able to act since!" is a bit much to hold my interest when I could be watching ghost drama (I'm like Isaac and Hetty and Sass that way), but I like that she has a chance to work through it in general.

I did love her and Alberta doing the training together. Their friendship is one of my favorite things on the show and it warms my heart to see it every time it comes up. And I was so happy when she got the part, and when Alberta was standing with her so she could be more confident with her singing. I loved her journey in the end, it was just a little bumpy to me getting there.

2. Totally agree with you! That part almost made me happy cry and I felt so proud for Sam watching her perform.

3. Also agree. Seeing Mark in some other space besides "contractor" was both awesome and hilarious.

4. It seems like a lot of Sass's more selfish moments come from the fact that he's lonely and wants connection, so I hope Pete comes through with finding someone for him so we can see what else he's about. (Or even show him bonding with one of the other Woodstone ghosts who won't encourage his more conniving ways. I mean, he and Pete were/are roommates. Why not start there?

5. Gosh you have no idea how much I loved Isaac and Hetty as the peanut gallery. They say they were bored and no doubt they probably were, but if you think they'd miss a chance to be sassy and critical and have a good laugh at someone's expense, you would be wrong and I love them for that.

6. So agree about Pete! On the one hand, glad the doormat has finally found something that he can brag about to the others, you know? But yeah, it can make him a bit unlikable at times, like you say. And I'm also glad that yes...the show is actually showing that they're aware of it and now just acting like Pete deserves to be annoying because of all the ways the other ghosts have given him crap over the years, especially about Carol. I really hope that when he says he's gonna start using his powers for the good of the other ghosts, they mean it and we meet some really interesting spirits. But I also hope they don't swing the other way and ONLY have him use his powers for the good of the house and leave him with nothing. Happy medium is good.

7: I would love to see what they're gonna do to make the business pick up. In one of my fics I have Sam write an article about all the ghosts that haunt the place and they'll probably make money by showing people a haunted locale or something. Cause like you say, the show is clearly aware that Sam and Jay aren't the most successful people at present. I hope it won't lead to a big fight or something.

8: I love Sam too, and I love, so much, that we got to see her have a goal and succeed, even if her tendency to hold on to trauma is something that frustrates me about her character, I just...there are other things about her, like her drive to succeed and general optimistic outlook, that really draw me to her.

[buckybarnesss]

Imagine a world where all of the TW characters were given time and space to unpack their trauma. Where we saw Scott and Derek actually get to bond over how Peter hurt them both, how Isaac and Stiles could relate to seeing a parent become someone they no longer recognized. Just. Imagine.

the fact derek hale was never allowed to talk about his trauma will forever make sad, frustrated and angry. he is probably one of the most traumatized characters to grace television but he's not allowed to acknowledge any of it.

the other day, on the teen wolf sub reddit (believe i know. it's a sickness that i keep going back) i talked about how it bothered me how it is peter and jennifer that get to talk about paige. in visionary, peter is telling a story. paige isn't really a person to him and we know there is no way what peter tells stiles and cora is the whole truth. for her part, jennifer has mythologized paige's death and almost sanctified derek for committing the virgin sacrifice that allowed the nemeton to have enough power to save her when kali left her for dead. it's partly why she's so obsessed with him. in a twisted way derek saved her so paige is just a means to an end.

meanwhile derek doesn't even get to so much as say her name or confirm the real story when he was the one who had a relationship with paige. he is the one who knew her as a person, loved her and mourned her. .

someone in response to my saying that was like yeah well derek's not just gonna talk about his trauma. he's not that kind of guy.

and i'm like why not? characters suffering is not the only interesting way to tell a story.

if derek's story was to eventually evolve than that could've been part of it. opening up and healing.

imagine how powerful it would've been if derek was able to reach out to scott in the wake of allison's death and be able to tell scott about paige, that he understood all to well what scott was going through. imagine how much character growth that would've been for the both of them. derek finally able to reach out to someone emotionally and for scott to reach back finally able to set aside his issues with derek to see him as a person.

the missed opportunity that was cora hale. we could've learned about talia and laura and pre-fire peter via a couple of conversations between her and derek. there wasn't even a proper reunion between the two. (the fact most of our information about talia hale comes from gerard fucking argent still pisses me off).

malia was also a missed opportunity. derek had what? maybe one real scene with her? malia's character development should've been related to her reconnecting with her father, readjusting to being human and her figuring out what it means to be a hale by blood and what that legacy meant to her. not putting her immediately into a romantic relationship with stiles. derek could've factored into that. specifically regarding loss and guilt.

like derek finding out he had a cousin and malia finding out that just because she doesn't really care for peter doesn't mean there aren't other hales she can possibly have a relationship with.

isaac and stiles being bitchy to each other is fun but it's jealousy based due to scott. i think they could've overcome this eventually. imagine them hating theo together???? beautiful.

scott and isaac. i love them. adore them. but i will forever be pressed about that scene where scott throws isaac into a wall. like, fuck off. it was weirdly out of character for scott. instead of all the stuff about allison they could've talked about their dads. scott weirdly doesn't talk much about rafael and that bothers me because rafael mccall needed to be read for fucking filth (i am a child of an alcoholic so this may be a me thing). like we saw how much stiles hated rafael mccall. it would've been interesting for isaac (who was living with scott and melissa) to in turn be protective of him.

we had a whole episode of kira having a life changing field trip with derek and i wanted more that okay. that was a dynamic we needed more of.

i maintain lydia and derek's relationship would've been like two reality show judges. two beautiful people dealing with a world of plebs. lydia martin making derek hale have a spa day was a missed opportunity.

jordan parrish and derek hale being the personification of "someone is going to die." "of fun!" meme from parks and recs.

derek hale (and everyone else on this show) should've been allowed to unpack some of their trauma suitcases.

the fans wanted found family and the show took us by the hand and said "no. xoxoxoxo"

[altocat]

So hyped about rebirth demo WOOOO!!!! (I’m so grateful to you and Crow lmao- would legit never have known otherwise 😂)

How about 15, 22, and 5 for ask game?? :3c

Hope you're able to tune in tomorrow, Pichu! I know Nibelheim is your FAVORITE event so I hope you're excited!

15. The character that always makes you smile

Isaac and Miria from Baccano! Baccano is one of my favorite animes simply because of the characters. And this idiot duo is one of the main reasons why. They share less than half a braincell between them and they unintentionally spread joy wherever they go. Great anime and a great duo.

22. Fandom Friend you've known the longest

Pichu, you were there reading AMT from Day 1. That would be you all the way. Thanks so much for always picking up my fics.

5. Something you see in fics a lot and love

In FF7 fics specifically, I'm glad that Genesis is getting more love and appreciation, as well as reasons to have more personal depth and growth. I'd say he's very much a character that deserves to belong to the fans. Other than that? I've seen some truly great bond-building between Zack and Seph, along with some deliciously evil Hojo shenanigans. It's always the best to read!

[tending-the-hearth]

If I'd a known I would've been ranting and raving about the Richmond lads! I would like your every thought and feeling regarding the show if you fancy rambling? Isaac, Colin and Sam are my faves!

Richmond lads my beloveds!!!

I feel like it's illegal if Sam ISN'T one of your favs, I absolutely adore him, i think his entire character is like a warm hug, and i especially love that he gets a little more cheeky and teasing with the rest of the team as the show goes forward! god the scene when Sam and his dad walk into the restaurant and the entire team is there helping to fix it, and then there's the little montage of them eating together and just being the happiest group??? sobbing

and I have to say Isaac as well, mainly because of his friendship with the other members of Richmond! Also because he has some of the FUNNIEST moments

unsurprisingly Jamie is my absolute absolute favorite, I'm a sucker for a really well-done "antagonist to hero" character arc, and they nailed it beautifully for Jamie. I just love how he goes from being such an ass to being so genuine, and caring so much for the people around him. Speaking of Sam, his and Jamie's friendship is possibly one of my favorite things overall about the show, how they started off so separated, but the second things are all good between them, they become best friends (favorite game is how many scenes show jamie invading sam's personal space)

also it feels like i can't talk about Jamie without talking about his friendship with Roy, how it goes from them hating each other to also becoming best friends?? The episode that made me really emotional was when Zava came, and Jamie kind of just... faded to the background and was hiding his emotions about it (he is me i am he), and Roy immediately knows that something is wrong.

the prick signal™️ will always be one of my favorite moments

HONORARY MENTION TO MI AMOR DANI ROJAS HE IS THE GUY EVER I WANT TO HUG HIM AND SPEND HOURS LISTENING TO HIM TALK HE IS THE SILLY EVER HE IS ALSO JAMIE'S BEST FRIEND i could talk about Dani forever and ever

i just think it's such a well done show, the characters are great, and they do character arcs and growth phenomenally (also adding Nate's arc in there as well)

Rebecca and Keeley are my beloveds, I love their friendship with each other, and how it goes from amicable "see each other once in a while" to them planning a women's team and having such a beautiful connection. Rebecca especially had a lot of moments that spoke to me as she worked through the divorce and her relationship with her mother

(also... tedbecca... you are everything to me...)

i watched the show with my brother, and the amount of times we quote the line from the sewer episode to each other??? "It's just poopy, so let it flow" "just like in the sewer!" "bingo el ringo"

i could watch the show over and over again i love it so much