#and how controversially him as an actor bringing up any shipping is taken

[spnorwhatever]

okay but my brainworms are terminal enough that I've seen. a fair number of spn con panel videos lmao, and like... misha collins KNOWS what like slash fans are beyond the basics spn tptb seem to, he knows what rps/rpf is and has explained for the entire panel by way of answering some question or other, and he knows what wincest is lmao, beyond just oh I came across it and then threw it out just now. Or af least, he's done this thing before when ppl ask him what his fav ship is and he's like, .wincest oh for sure lmao.

Like. I truly think he's just fucking around and like maybe watching public opinion oscillate around just amuses him (when he's like doing it on purpose)

also, need need, lmao. (your you're??)

[shipsandlattes]

So I know everyone has already dissected this scene to its core, but it’s taken me a good 48 hours to digest this and I just needed to get it out.

I’m an aspiring actor, I’ve been training for a long time, with a lot of amazing teachers. I’ve watched a lot of shows and shipped a lot of couples. Some of them beautiful and canon, others, well, let’s just say waiting 22 years and counting for acknowledgement, closure, anything, it’s a damn challenge. I’ve seen a hell of a lot of will-they-wont-they’s, baiting, purposeful ignorance, deliberate fake outs, zero explanations, storylines that basically caused canon disintegration, the works.

In saying that, Dean and Cas were right up there on the list with the other “impossibles” because honestly, I didn’t think the writers would have the guts to do it, but I am so f*cking proud they did. It’s safe to say I’ve watched the scene a good hundred+ times already. 

I’ve seen a lot of “controversy” around Dean’s reaction/Jensen’s acting choices and whether or not Dean reciprocates Cas’ feelings, and obviously, I needed to add my own views to the mix.

Just work with me for a minute here.

Dean Winchester is an emotionally repressed trainwreck, and ironically enough, the one that is so full of emotion it hurts to watch. When Cas first starts his speech, he’s confused, really confused because why on earth would Cas start off on a rant now? Billie’s waiting to kill them, he just said he knew something that was more powerful than she was, something that could save them. That’s where he thought this speech was going.

The confusion turns to realisation that it’s a goodbye when Cas starts telling him how incredible he is, how his entire essence is love. Go back and watch the scene again, when Cas says “you’re the most caring man on Earth”, you physically see Dean look down, his eyes searching, he’s actively trying to make sense of what’s happening, he knows what’s coming and you can see him coming to terms with the shock of the words being said to him. He then looks directly at Cas. That look, that was pure shock.

Also, notice how he doesn’t stop Cas from talking? He doesn’t interject, make a joke, doesn’t talk about how there is no time for this now, they’ve got to at least try and stop Billie. He. says. nothing. He listens, he listens like I’ve never seen Dean listen before. Because it’s sinking in now.

When Cas really starts crying, when he says “you changed me, Dean”, you can actually see the pain in Dean’s eyes. He’s no longer in control of his emotions, he’s crying too. He’s never seen Cas like this, so raw, and vulnerable and human. This is the hardest, most emotional conversation they’ve both ever had. They are talking about the one thing that everybody knows, but is never addressed. When it wasn’t talked about, they could deny it, live in the lie. Once it’s said aloud, it’s real and they can’t turn back.

This above series of interactions is the part that kills me the most. The moment Cas says “because it is”, that’s the exact moment of realisation. Look at that last GIF, really look. He’s just worked it out, that he is Cas’ true happiness. He knows what’s coming before Cas even says it. Go back and watch the scene again, they pulled that off so well, the way the music swells at this exact moment. Jensen is giving us everything here, you can see what’s happening in his head - he is Cas’ happiness. He is the one thing on Earth Cas wants and thinks he can’t have. He is the reason Cas is about to die. He knows what Cas is about to say and he’s not sure he’s ready to hear it, not now, not like this. It’s almost a silent plea not to say it, because he knows. Of course he knows. It’s like he can’t quite believe Cas is really, after all this time, finally going to say it.

And because obviously Jensen decided that that wasn’t enough to break us, the loaded reaction when Cas says “I love you” has me nothing but convinced that it’s reciprocated. Because Dean knows. He’s always known. Those tears, that head tilt, that gulp. He’s so genuinely confused that they’re really having this conversation. It’s like he can’t quite believe that this is the reality before him because he’s been living in that denial, in that self-loathing and unlovable layer he believes to be true. He’s been under the ��what if... but it could never be’ umbrella for so long. 

What also makes this real is that there isn’t anyone else around this time. When “I love you’s” have been said before, they have always been able to deflect it, with other people or other words. Now it’s just the two of them. No deflecting, no running away. Dean is forced to hear it, to absorb it, to realise it’s for nobody else but him.

Now, I don’t know if you guys felt this, but when Dean says “Don’t do this, Cas”, he wasn’t just referring to Cas sacrificing himself to the Empty, he’s telling Cas that he can’t just say this, not now, knowing he’s going to die, knowing that Dean won’t get a chance to think, to process, to say what he needs too. I keep staring at that GIF above, Dean is breaking down, I’m almost convinced that Jensen was using an “I love you too, please just stop this” inner monologue for this bit. Look at the way he’s looking at Cas before he realises the Empty has started materialising and turns around. That’s a look of pure heartbreak. Trust me when I tell you, it’s really hard to keep those inner thoughts inside if you’re so in the moment - actually, don’t just take my word for it, read any acting book, ask any actor, it’s so hard to keep that in and sometimes you don’t, and sometimes you do - it’s in both the resistance and the letting go that the gold happens. This my friends, is gold. 

Did anyone else hear “Cas, I-”, well, regardless of whether or not it was an “I” or a very sharp breath, the outcome is the same. Dean’s gone into immediate panic mode. The Empty at one end and Billie at the other, and all poor Dean wants to do is gather his thoughts on not what to say but how to say it. I don’t think he comprehended just how little time he had, he was so focused on what was being said that the reality of the situation caught him completely off guard.

Also, I know this post was about dissecting Dean’s reaction, but can we sidebar a minute to talk about Cas as he pushes Dean out of the way? He’s sobbing, he’s fully crying. That hit me really hard, I’ve never seen Cas cry like that, I’ve never seen Misha get to play that level of emotion before and it was the most heartbreaking thing to watch since The Doctor and Rose and Buffy and Spike, to which by the way, I find many parallels between those couples and this scene.

Speaking of crying, that brings me to this: Dean slumped on the floor, ignoring a call from Sam, sobbing his heart out knowing he’s lost everything. Dean-I’m-emotionally-unavailable-Winchester is sobbing. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t recall ever seeing Dean cry like this before either, the sobbing was so evident and piercing in that silence. The look around the room, the burying of his head in his hands, that is a classic writers romantic love trope if I’ve ever seen it, they really pulled out all the stops with this one.

So, to summarise, I think Jensen’s choices and Dean’s reactions were absolutely and utterly perfect. They both did it so well that it didn’t break from character that these two emotionally distant and repressed men are in love and finally voicing it. Jensen barely said two words and still managed to cause mass coronary’s across the fandom. That my friends is what you call a brilliant actor. I bow down to the talents of these two amazing human beings.

Before I leave this novel, I have to say there are now a few things I’m going to need from the powers that be to not screw this up, help me manifest this:

1. Dean gets to reciprocate his feelings to Cas in person. So, I’m gonna need Cas back and a very emotional Dean.

2. Dean to be actively dealing with heartbreak in the next episode (unless they decided to bring Cas back that soon, which I wouldn’t put past them at this point).

3. Sam to confront Dean about his feelings for Cas, because out of everyone, he’d be the one to hit Dean with the truth of his fears. Sam knows. Sam is supportive. Sam sees it all.

4. I’m gonna need some physical affection, cause after 12 years of nonsense, we damn well deserve it. A hug, and not just any old reunion hug, a proper, this is different now hug. A kiss because hello, in love out loud now. Forehead touching, handholding, really gonna need the works here.

5. A happy ending for the two of them, one way or another. We’ve never had one, it’s time.

Okay, have at it now, let’s speak these into existence please.

Note: GIFs are not mine, I did not make them, credit to owners who I’m not sure of, but they’re beautiful, thanks for making them. EDIT: I’ve just been informed that these gorgeous gifs belong to @michaeldean​ and @inacatastrophicmind​! 

[geraltcirilla]

What did Jenny Nicholson do to John Boyega? Genuinely curious, it's the first time I'm hearing of this and would love to know so I can stop paying her any attention if she doesn't deserve it

Disclaimer before I get started: I’m a white woman and this topic is about racism perpetuated by white woman so please keep that in mind as you read. I’m gonna do my absolute best to echo what I’ve seen black people say about this situation and this type of covert racism but I am not black so they get final say on this topic.

This is not an easy thing to explain in it’s entirety because it happened about a year ago on Twitter and Jenny deleted a lot of Tweets after the fact because she’s a spineless coward. I’m going to do my best to remember and I’ll include any receipts I can find, which unfortunately will be limited to what people saved at the time. :(

This all started because John made a joke about Rey and Finn having sex on Twitter.

It was a harmless silly joke. And it was not about Reylo. But Reylos took it upon themselves to be personally offended and absolutely LOST it at him, calling him a misogynist, saying his statement was sexist, and sending him a slew of harassment, hate, and racism.

Now there’s a lot of hypocrisy going into this controversy because Reylos are notorious for sexualizing Rey often to disgusting degrees, like demanding the actual Star Wars movies be more explicit, saying light sabers are phallic symbols, accusing JJ Abrams of wanting Rey to stay his pure virginal Mary Sue, etc. (I’m not gonna bother providing receipts on this, just search the Reylo hashtags on Tumblr or Twitter, or check out the Twitter @ShitReylosSay). Let me make it clear that sexually explicit =/= sexist, and John’s statement was not sexist. Period. At the end of the day I think they were just looking for an excuse to attack John. Because he cannot breath without people attacking him.

Well John noticed right away it was Reylos going at him so he took the opportunity to drag Reylo.

Was he being a petty? Of course he was, but he had EVERY RIGHT TO after the endless racism he has endured from the Star Wars fandom. People are always applauding white actors like Robert Pattinson and Jacob Elordi for shitting on shows, movies, or fandoms related to their work. But when John does it suddenly he’s “unprofessional”?

John eventually started replying to some of the Tweets being sent at him.

They were all along this vein where a person was being outright hostile and vile, so yeah, he had every right to respond.

This all culminated in him picking out a bunch of hateful Tweets being thrown his way and posting this video to Instagram.

Well this triggered Reylos even more so they shifted tactics and took the whole white feminist approach that he was “attacking SHIPPING CULTURE which is majorly made up of WOMEN so he’s a MISOGYNIST”. They wrote these long essays and Twitter threads about how John was spreading harmful messages etc. But he wasn’t attacking shipping culture, he was attacking Reylo. Because it’s vile and abusive and he was no longer contractually obligated to endure it. And honestly? His tweet was mild at best. 

But please remember all this started because John made a joke that Rey and Finn ended up together. HE DID NOT START ON REYLO. THEY STARTED ON HIM. Everything that happened was reactionary on his part. We as a society refuse to let black people defend themselves and it’s fucked up and racist.

One of these pseudo-intellectuals spreading the whole “John is a misogynist and Reylo shippers are his VICTIMS uwu” narrative was none other than Jenny Nicholson.

Just so you know the “inbreds” comment was photoshopped by a white fan, not that Jenny would tell her incredibly large audience this to prevent spreading further slander about John.

A lot of people started replying to Jenny telling her why SHE as a WHITE WOMAN framing herself and other Reylos as the VICTIM of John, a BLACK MAN who did absolutely nothing to her or anyone besides not like Reylo and defend himself against online harassment and bullying, was racist.

And you know what she did? She blocked them all.

And to this day she continues to block anyone who brings it up because she’s a spineless coward who can’t be bothered to own up to her racist slip-ups.

Some of these people were being mean, but most were not. Some were nicer than she deserved. She still blocked them. She didn’t want to see any form of criticism (constructive or not) sent her way.

She even had the nerve to go at John AGAIN during the BLM protests after George Floyd was murdered because she has no fucking clue how to read a room. This was her bringing back her distasteful dislike of John DURING THE BLM MOVEMENT when John made that emotional speech in London’s Hyde Park. This was not the time or place but she can’t seem to help herself.

As a white woman with respect, authority, and a large audience, who viewed as an “intellect” on online spaces so her opinion is taken more seriously thank others, the things she says matter and impact a large group of people. She used her whiteness and her woman-ness to frame herself and other white women as John’s victim when she was not, because she knew it would be easy and she would get away with it. And she did and she has. As one person in the screencaps above tweeted so gracefully, she “participated in the fandom dogpile of John” when he had done nothing wrong except exist and have opinions.

Jenny is your classic example of a performative ally and she accidently showed her true colors. I no longer trust any white female video essayist who ship Reylo and are friends with Jenny because you know they all silently agree with what she was stupid enough to say out loud. This means Lindsay Ellis as well.

I believe the reason she refuses to acknowledge this situation is because she would be forced to either apologize or confess she still stands by what she said. And based off her vague-tweeting the situation as recent as June of 2020 I feel safe saying she still believes she was in the right.

The receipts I offered are only a small part of a much larger jumbled mess. I didn’t include everything there was but even this small amount is pretty damning.

[eryiss]

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~~~~~

Multi-Chapter Work & Collections

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~~~~~

One Shots

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Everyone had a different way of coping with being stressed, Laxus used his music. So here he sat, in a hospital corridor, blasting music through his headphones to distract himself from reality. Just waiting to hear the news about his fiancé. But until then, his world is music. [Fraxus Week 2017 | Canon Verse | 2.1k Words]

When The Games End (Tumblr | Ao3 | Fanfiction)  - 24/7/2017

A night of poker can be exhilarating, dramatic and endlessly entertaining. The Raijinshuu's monthly poker night was something they always looked forwards to. But for Freed and Laxus, what happens after a game of poker can be just as enjoyable as what happens when you play. Even if it's just sleeping. [Fraxus Week 2017 | Canon Verse | 1.9k Words]

A Day For Spoiling (Tumblr | Ao3 | Fanfiction)  - 25/7/2017

There are certain moments in a relationship that are special. Landmark moments that only happen once. So when Freed and Laxus Move in together, they decide to celebrate the landmark by spoiling each other rotten. [Fraxus Week 2017 | Canon Verse | 4.1k Words]

Playing By The Pool (Tumblr | Ao3 | Fanfiction)  - 26/7/2017

Laxus and Freed could be seen as stoic and only focused on their work. This wasn't true. they had more than enough of stupid, playful fun with each other. Unlike most of Fairy Tail, however, they reserved these moments for rare occasions. By the pool on their honeymoon, it was the perfect moment to have stupid, playful fun with each other. [Fraxus Week 2017 | Canon Verse |2.4k Words]

The Longest Walk (Tumblr | Ao3 | Fanfiction) - 30/1/2017

Laxus was tired, all that was in the way of sleeping was the short walk to his bedroom. But it seemed his rune wielding boyfriend had something else planned. A walk that should have taken minutes at the most became the longest walk of his life. And damn it was the best walk of his life. [Canon Verse | 4.6k Words]

[lilyfromfrogzcountry]

Saw TROS - spoilers ahead, don’t read if you don’t want to be spoiled

I need to get some things off my chest to sort out my feelings about this movie :)

It wasn’t as /bad/ as I expected. Let’s say I didn’t get bored. However, there was a lot of stuff I found weird, dumb or that didn’t make sense to me. A lot of things seemed rushed and like last minute additions, which spoiled a bit my enjoyment of this movie. So here’s a little summary of what I liked and didn’t like.

((Before reading, please be aware that i’m a hux fan and a multishipper (reylo included). If this bothers you, please avoid reading this post, since this will probably influence my perception of the movie))

⛔⛔ SPOILERS JUST BELOW - BE WARNED ⛔⛔

What I liked :

Finn finding other stormtroopers having defected (a whole battalion, even), and realizing that he’s not alone. Even if it was to be expected, Finn was always presented as an exception in the story. This shows us the First Order’s stormtrooper program isn’t as efficient in its brainwashing as they claim to be.

Hux being a spy for the Resistance. I know some Hux fans may not have liked it, but I personally found it to be an interesting development in his character. It’s not everyday that a high ranking officer, who’s been a ‘true believer’ in the cause his whole life, changes side like that. I wish it would have been explored more deeply and seriously. Too bad it felt like a last minute addition.

This idea that “some things are stronger than blood”. Rey’s ancestry doesn’t matter, doesn’t influence her destiny. Light side or Dark: what matters is who she chooses to be.

CGI young Luke and Leia flashback (I’m really a fan of this CGI way of bringing back younger versions of actors, the result is always quite realistic imo).

This cute and polite new little robot, D-0 . So sad to learn it was abused by its former master :’(

Kylo’s clothes changing when turning back to the Light. Bye bye black menacing attire and long cape, hello simple shirt and pants. Even if I loved his former look, I quite liked this one as well, it made him appear more “human”. Also, damn, I really found Kylo to be a treat in this movie, he looked so good!

Rey always making a difference between Ben and Kylo Ren : she makes it clear that what interest her is Ben, ie. the Light side of him. It is only after he turns back to the Light for good, after he becomes Ben again, that he earns her trust and love.

Rey lethaly wounding Kylo, then healing him. Because it really seems to be the thing that shook this boy’s soul and made him turn back to the Light (it’s a big part of why, at least). Also, I’m always a sucker for nice characters showing compassion towards villains.

That reylo kiss tho. I know this is a very controversial ship, but since TFA, I was personally certain something deep was going to happen between those 2. I’m glad it was a cute, sweet and hopeful kiss, right after Kylo saved Rey no less. We even get some Ben Smile™. I really wish the movie would have ended here and there, on this hopeful note.

A lot of Hux’s scenes, since I just like him a lot, and he looks both cute and funny (even if I don’t really appreciate how this character was turned into a joke after TFA). Him being unsettled by Kylo having his mask back on, and then saying fearfully how it ‘looks good’ when Kylo calls him out on it in front of everyone. Kylo waving his finger at Hux to shut him up. The whole interaction with Finn and Poe, how they were surprised he was the spy, how he helped them escape, how he asked to be shot to pretend he was taken hostage, the “I don’t care who wins, I just want Kylo Ren to lose” line, etc. Also, how strong his mind must be if he managed to hide the fact he was the spy from Kylo for so long (or did Kylo know and just ignored it?)

What I didn’t like

Rey being Palpatine’s granddaughter and all her powers coming from him. I’m disappointed, because what really interested me in this character since TFA is that she was a nobody. Star Wars had always been centered around the Skywalker family and its Exceptional Destiny™. It was nice for a change to see someone who came from nothing be the main protagonist and shake up the galaxy just because it was the right thing to do (a parallel to Finn, a simple and almost exceedingly banal stormtrooper who chose to become something more, and wasn’t pushed by some hidden destiny/heritage). Also, this whole Palaptine arc seemed like it was added at the last minute.

The whole ‘Palpatine is back and wants to make a new Empire’ shit. For me, Palpatine was really a thing of the past. That’s also what interested me in the First Order: the fact this was a regime built on the ruins of the Empire, having evolved under its shadow and memory, but wanting to become something more. It was a good way of exploring the “how the past can influence the present” thematic, and could be used as an interesting parallel to IRL authoritatian regimes reclaiming a glorious past. If Palpatine was behind everything from the beginning, nothing of this matters. Also, what was the deal with Snoke, then? Was he a mere creation of Palpatine from the beginning? Or a real being that got captured and manipulated? What was the point of this character?

Hux’s death. Like, I may be biased because he’s my favorite character, but his death was so rushed and unnecessary. Did he really need to be killed off by Pryde like that, in such a quick and callous way? With Phasma and Snoke gone, he was the only one left in the First Order to have a past history with Kylo. I think it would have been better to have them interact more, especially with the whole story of Hux being a spy. It would have created some interesting interactions. Also, he’s not anybody storywise: he’s one of the architects of the First Order’s rise to power, perfected the Stormtrooper program, participated in the creation of Starkiller Base, gave the order to destroy the Republic... He’s not some random underling. Nobody seems to react or care when he’s killed off out of the blue, which doesn’t make any sense storywise.

The whole character of Allegiant General Pryde. What was even the point of this character? Where does he come from? What did he do that Hux couldn’t have done? The only interesting thing about this character seems to be that he already served Palpatine during the Empire, but after this fact is stated, it doesn’t come up again and doesn’t really influence the story. He doesn’t do anything extraordinary, just gives random orders. Clearly a waste, imo.

The fact that the Rose/Finn thing is completely abandoned. I know a lot of people didn’t like that kiss in TLJ. I personnaly didn’t really care. But it’s weird it’s never mentioned again, and that even in the few interactions those characters have together, there’s no awkwardness, no aknowledgement that it ever happened (even just to say “we moved on”). It’s like it never even existed. What was the point of that kiss, then?

That weird love triangle thing I felt between Rey/Finn/Poe, and the hostility Poe seemed to have towards Rey for a good part of the movie. I really wonder if they didn’t try to subtly cater to Finn/Rey shippers (by making Finn seem in love with Rey) and to Finn/Poe shippers (by making Poe seem in love with Finn, and jealous towards Rey), while nothing clear is ever stated out loud. Of course, I may have misread the vibes, but that’s what their interactions made me think of.

Kylo’s death. Like, I may here again be biased because I like redemption stories, but was it really necessary to have him die right when he turns back to the Light? I was so hopeful for him, and it was all gone in an instant. Also, his death was very weird and seemed rushed. Rey kisses him, he smiles, he seems quite fine and not /at all/ on the verge of death, and then he just loses conciousness and disappears? What even was that?? (also, very sad to make that whole family die off without having known any true happiness away from Palpatine’s manipulations)

Stuff overwhelming the story: too many big revelations, too many powerful ships appearing out of the blue, too many weird stuff happening with Palpatine (wtf was that ‘ritual’ even? what was this shadowy audience he had?). Just...a lot of stuff to digest. And the Palpatine storyline seemed like it was added out of the blue. Nothing in the 2 last movies gave a clue about this (or it wasn’t obvious). Seemed like a cheap last minute addition..

[vmheadquarters]

Fifteen years ago, our favorite female sleuth made her first appearance on UPN (later turned CW) in Veronica Mars. Three television seasons, a Kickstarter-backed film, and two books later, Veronica Mars is being revived thanks to the beloved streaming platform Hulu.

From the get go, Veronica Mars has sparked the conversation on many ‘controversial’ topics – well ahead of its time – that were handled so well and subtly, you never felt like you were being lectured to. Within the first season, writer-creator Rob Thomas tackled topics like rape, slut-shaming, transphobia, racial stereotypes, and the most prevalent theme at hand is the war and divide between “the have and the have-nots”.

Kristen Bell’s portrayal of Veronica Mars and V’s sassy, yet endearing, personality has taken the marshmallow community by storm. The character is one that is efficacious and sharp, but is not without flaws. Veronica allows each of us to resonate with her as a person, with her struggles, with her traumas; she is and remains a grounded, human character.

The Murder Mystery

Set five years after the Veronica Mars Kickstarter film, three young spring breakers and a motel manager are dead after a bomb explodes in the office of the Neptune Sea Sprite Motel. This is the first of more to come, all of which are hurting the Spring Break destination and beachfront businesses. Hired by the Maloof’s, a wealthy and politically rich family of one of the injured victims, Mars Investigations is on the case to figure out who this serial bomber could be.

Meanwhile, Veronica finally gets a Pony, Logan (Jason Dohring) – a navy intelligence officer – returns home into the arms of Veronica, Papa Mars (Enrico Colantoni) is physically recovering from the car accident that occured in the film and reeling through the emotions of a potentially serious medical issue, Wallace (Percy Daggs III) seems to be happily solidified in his married life and career as a teacher at Neptune High, and Weevil (Francis Capra) must face the formidable consequences that occurred between the film and present-day. Max Greenfield reprises his role as Leo D’Amato, except this time as an FBI agent working with Veronica on the case. Even if you’re a LoVer, Leo’s presence back on the screen is one that deliberately toys with our emotions, but leaves us with a happy sensation coursing through our veins.

The plot has a heavy focus on the main mystery in a serialized fashion, so that any newbie can come fresh into this season without even the basic concept and still be able to follow along. The characters are introduced in a manner that subtly recaps their backstory without being overly explanatory, which allows the new faces to scoop in, but gives enough of the nostalgic factors to cater to those long-term marshmallows. Book readers might notice some similarities between this story line and the content of the books, and while some of it seems to be derived from them, this is not an exclusive adaptation.

There is a noticeable lack of mini-mysteries in each episode set within the confines of the larger, long-con mystery that the previous seasons managed to execute so well. A bit of a letdown since those episodic stories also helped provide teachable moments, and without them we’re almost without the moral compass that creator Rob Thomas has perfected in years past. But when you see how twisted this bombing story turns out to be, in hindsight it’s understandable.

The Nostalgia Doesn’t Outweigh the Modernization

Longtime fans are already on the edge of their seats waiting for this revival and eager to figure out what is so “controversial” about it that warrants Bell’s contemplation of falling off of social media during its release (per an interview with E! News). While they will eat up every moment of the new series, Bell is not wrong in that this is arguably the most controversial season of Veronica Mars simply for the arcs in the storyline. With fellow critics having early-screening access and all eight episodes dropping on day one, caution is advised on social media and within articles, as this season is one you do not want to be spoiled on.

Albeit some pandering to LoVe-rs (the acronym for fans who ship Logan and Veronica), which I am all on board for, Veronica Mars isn’t willing to sacrifice its authenticity and realness simply to keep solidified fans happy. Veronica and Logan have been together for a solid five years now and with a particular state of affairs that arise, Veronica must fight a battle within herself and decide what’s more important: the love of her life or protecting herself from her fears? This is not a plot device created in order to cultivate some rundown teenage emotions, but rather to reflect on the characters we have come to know and love.

Veronica desires chaos because that is all she has known; she has found comfort in it and the only way she has learned to cope with life is by fighting that chaos. ‘Classic Logan’ is in reservation as he’s been working with a therapist, but that doesn’t mean we don’t see those sparks inside of him. For what it’s worth, this is the most likeable and stable Logan has ever been. The chemistry between Bell and Dohring on-screen is on fire more than ever before, and they’re much more compelling now that they’re adults with real issues to discuss.

Hulu doesn’t try to recapture the exact essence of the original three seasons and film, which may be somewhat jarring to old fans. This is new, this is different, and this is an emotional roller coaster you need to prepare yourself for in a completely different way. Thomas and Ruggiero-Wright have managed to take the crux of Veronica Mars & Co., encapsulating who she is and what built her to this phase in life, and expand upon it.

We’re no longer looking at a teenage girl whose life is constantly at battles with every rich kid who wants to dual it out, but we still have good ‘ole Veronica Mars. She’s the same in the way that she still has a hard time letting her guard down – both physically and emotionally – and will smack you in the face with her brutal honesty like a baseball coming out of left field. But Veronica is grown up and we needed this version of her. Sure, they could recycle the same character and we’d still love it, but Veronica aging and growing with her original viewers is a great way to give a nod to those fans and simultaneously grow the show.

New Players Pull Up Their Sleeves and the Old Ones Need More Face Time

When Veronica Mars originally aired, there was an overwhelming number of guest stars on the show that later became top notch actors/actresses. Season four’s casting announcements have generated huge buzz, from big names like J.K. Simmons to Patton Oswalt, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste to Clifton Collins Jr as guest stars.

Simmons plays Clyde Pickett, an ex-con who works for Richard Casablancas a.k.a. “Big Dick (David Starzyk) after meeting during their incarceration in Chino. The two are an entertaining pair who receive a huge chunk of screentime but in relevancy to the over-arching story. You know they’re good when they can fit naturally into the Mars world and hold a light to the insanely talented OG casting. A handful of other guest appearances from the original to tease the fandom will leave you with your hands in the air cheering and send your heart racing (good and bad).

Other criminal syndicates include the fantastic addition of Alonzo (Clifton Collins Jr.), who manages to bring laughter and fun to a character that is a literal drug cartel hitman for El Despiadado.

Alonzo and his new partner are in Neptune looking for the at-fault bomber that killed his boss’s nephew. Unfortunately, the El Despiadado storyline is pretty minute and would be a fun side-story to pursue in the next season. If you’ve seen Collins’ other work, you know just how talented he is, and his persona here is no exception. The vicious and brutal pair might give you a chuckle but you know they mean business.

Two other characters that definitely received their fair amount of attention is Patton Oswalt’s Penn Epner and Kirby Howell-Baptiste’s Nicole. Oswalt is a Cho’s Pizza delivery driver (yes, THAT Cho’s), a true crime obsessee and “murder-head” participant. He’s the kind of pain in the arse we love to have around.

But Nicole. What a character. She’s a strong-willed (and seemingly strong-fisted) business owner of the local spring breaker bar, making waves calling out Big Dick and punching douchebag guys in her establishment. Big Dick is advocating for a movement (N.U.T.S) which seeks to remove the spring-breakers and their trash behavior from Neptune, but he also wants to buy up the real estate on the boardwalk, including that of Matty Ross (Izabela Vidovic).

Matty is the deceased motel manager’s daughter and now property owner of Sea Sprite Motel (somehow, even though she’s still in high school). As V’s new protege, Matty seems to have the same lived experiences as Veronica, leading her to the same determined and resiliant personality that Veronica most definitely can resonate with. She’s an entertaining watch when she gets her screen time, but with as much is packed in to this 8 episode mini-series, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time for the characters growing on us and those we remember with a fondness – like Weevil and Wallace.

Wallace is living his best life – married with a son (who happens to be played by Percy’s ACTUAL daughter) – and working at Neptune High. The absolute disappointment here is that we just don’t get enough of him. We spend so much time focusing on the case at hand and the LoVe relationship, it’s like Wallace was cast to the side a bit. While we can all certainly relate to getting older and losing touch with our close friends, it seems odd that Wallace wouldn’t want to extend his help with this case or that Veronica wouldn’t want to rely on him for some advice. This is the biggest letdown in the revival.

And then there’s Weevil (Francis Capra). Why is he one of the most underrated and incredible castings on the show? Probably because he has a deep heart of gold, he’s beyond loyal to Veronica, and Capra knows how to steal the show with a powerful performance. But again, this is another character we needed more of. One of the most beloved in the show and a character that’s still integral to this storyline, Weevil feels underserved and underutilized.

A Girl Needs Closure

There’s no doubt that this is top-tier content from within the Veronica Mars world, a needed step up from season 3 and the film. But if you’re a marshmallow Weevil’s been loving long time, you’ll need to accept what the writers are doing here and understand why.

It’s not sunshine and rainbows. Rob Thomas always desired Veronica Mars be a dark noir and season four absolutely delivers on this principle. It’s a worthwhile investment that most definitely has a clear conclusion, but with enough content and characters that if Hulu were to appease us, a fifth season is a must.

The shocking ending will leave you speechless and have you wondering how Veronica could possibly recover, taking us back to the roots of what makes Ms. Mars the person she is. As V herself said in season one, “Tragedy blows through your life like a tornado, uprooting everything, creating chaos. You wait for the dust to settle, and then you choose. You can live in the wreckage and pretend it’s still the mansion you remember. Or you can crawl from the rubble and slowly rebuild. Because after disaster strikes, the important thing is that you move on. But if you’re like me, you just keep chasing the storm. The problem with chasing the storm is that it wears you down, breaks your spirit. Even the experts agree, a girl needs closure.”

With edgier and more adult content, Veronica Mars is cussin’ back with Mr. Sparky (her taser) in her hand and dusting the wreckage off her shoulders. The private eye achieves her closure, and we are left with enough hope that Mars Investigations will soon be back in business.

[allthefilmsiveseenforfree]

Child’s Play (2019)

Well it’s Friday, so that means another classic horror franchise is getting rebooted. This time it’s Child’s Play - you know, the one about the spirit of a serial killer that gets trapped inside a talking doll and terrorizes the neighborhood? Well, serial killer spirits are SO 1991, so the 2019 version has updated it to a “smart” doll capable of operating all your wireless devices and there’s no supernatural mumbo jumbo going on here - just a disgruntled factory worker pushing back at unjust labor laws by removing all the safety protocols in ONE doll and shipping it off far away. You know, as most labor disputes get resolved. So Chucky (voice of Mark Hamill) comes to be best friends with Andy (Gabriel Bateman) and soon starts disposing of anyone he believes might be compromising their friendship. I think we all remember how upsetting it was when our Teddy Ruxpins started to do the same thing. So is this AI bringing in a new wave of “smart” horror reboots? Well...

God I hope not. It’s a mess. There’s some ok stuff in here, but wow I have a lot of questions for the director, the screenwriter, and the design team.

This is the worst character design I’ve ever seen. His eyes are both too big to be like a standard doll, but too small to be in the Bratz or anime-type range. Also, he suffers from the Jack Nicholson problem. For as brilliant as Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is, its casting is truly epically terrible. Jack Nicholson looks crazier than a shithouse rat at the very beginning of the film, making his descent into madness feel a little less like a descent and more like a very level straight line that you could use to hang a picture frame. Same thing with ol Chucky blue eyes here. He looks so uncanny valley creepy right from the get go that when he goes full murder spree it’s like “oh no he’s...doing exactly what his face indicated he would be doing this whole time who could have possibly predicted.” I’m all for the use of animatronic puppetry over CGI but...I just feel like the design here really missed the mark. 

I’m sorry, I’m just so pissed at the inciting incident for this whole thing. Why would your revenge against your shitty boss be to remove all the safety protocols from a microchip going into a device that is shipping halfway across the world from you? What’s the endgame here? Seriously. THE most plausible line of reasoning is “This doll will malfunction and cost this company I hate working for $39.95.” Well, that doesn’t impact your shitty boss. The only OTHER plausible line of reasoning is “This is going to make a murder doll that will malfunction and kill people on the other side of the globe.” That STILL doesn’t impact your shitty boss AND it means this guy is a total sociopath with a diabolical scheme on a level Chucky can’t even dream of. Why isn’t the movie actually about him???

It’s weird to see Aubrey Plaza playing a mom but I kind of love her snark being melded with maternal instinct here. Although, honestly, she does feel more like Andy’s big sister than his mom. 

As for Andy (Gabriel Bateman), he’s actually a really solid leading man in this. Even when he has to break down into hysterics over Chucky’s bad behavior, his performance never veers into whiny or shrill. He’s got a lot of charisma and plays Andy as a fundamentally sweet kid who maybe just doesn’t have many friends because he hangs out with his mom and sucked into the vortex of his phone too much. I was impressed, because he has to carry 80% of the movie by himself talking to an animatronic Annabelle.

I will say, Chucky’s horrible design aside, Mark Hamill does a phenomenal job as the voice of Chucky. Even when he’s repeating the same phrases over and over again, he injects a level of pathos and humanity into Chucky that’s really impressive. I know this isn’t a controversial opinion, but he really is maybe the best living voice actor of our time.

Full disclosure, there is some violence done to a cat that is very distressing, not once but TWICE. The cat dies :( And it’s particularly egregious because not only do you get faked out once thinking “oh this cat is gonna be ok” but THEN after the gruesome part, Chucky uses the sounds of the cat to emotionally torture Andy and the audience. That shit is fucked up.

Um, I’m not sure what lack of googling this screenwriter, Tyler Burton Smith, did but these literal children are not millenials, they are generation Z, GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER.

The tone is wildly uneven. It’s not funny enough to be a horror comedy, and it’s not really scary, just jump scares and being creeped out by Chucky’s fucking face. Also, the film can’t decide if we’re meant to feel bad for Chucky being a victim of his programming and his shitty preteen masters showing him a bunch of campy slasher movies OR if we’re meant to be scared of him because he’s a murderous monster doing things of his own free will. 

Why are there watermelons in this man’s yard? And the line “a white guy dead in a watermelon patch - poetic” ... what fucking poetry are you reading? Listen, I have two degrees in English literature, and I don’t remember Samuel Taylor Coleridge ever writing anything about any fucking watermelons.

Another weird choice - the movie is pretty gory but not in a fun or campy way. I think sometime around 2010, movies lost the ability to do buckets of blood in a fun way? I know that sounds fucked up, but this isn’t campy or silly, it’s just kind of gross - both trying to be gleeful and also taken way too seriously. At first, when it’s only super pervy or abusive dudes that are getting whacked, it’s like, ok, there’s a comeuppance factor here, this is gross but fine. But then it starts extending to characters that have done nothing wrong and that we’ve been pushed to love and empathize with. So then it feels a lot less fine but still very gross. 

One major highlight - I will watch Brian Tyree Henry in anything. He’s just so so good at everything, and this is no exception.

Also - BTH plays a detective and Andy is literally trying to hide evidence made of human remains in the detective’s apartment. For dayyyyys. Let that sink in. Do you think that shit doesn’t smell?? And he keeps disposing of evidence and things he doesn’t want to deal with in the trash chute of his own building. Where the detective also hangs out. There are other dumpsters, my dude!

If you’re making a murderous doll movie and a guy who looks like Jack Black (Trent Redekop) perving around in a basement is the creepiest thing that happens, that’s probably not a good sign.

Speaking of Not Jack Black, everything in his death sequence makes no sense. Why would you stand on a table saw to get away from literally anything? Why would your table saw have a “smart” functionality? Take this as a warning kids, if Google starts making smart table saws, that’s when we draw the line.

There is one (1) cute dog, and Chucky is uninterested in him. He escapes the movie unscathed and appears to be a Very Good Boy.

Did I Cry? Fucking no, oh my god, not at all. 

This is just a real uneven mess. Some performances shine amidst the terrible material (BTH, Mark Hamill, Gabriel Bateman) but overall, I had a lot more fun with the playfully wicked marketing campaign (coming out the same day as Toy Story 4, the film leaned into the gag by creating a series of posters depicting some gruesome ends to our favorite Toy Story characters, with Chucky being responsible). If this had been more comedy, less uneven revenge porn, this might have had a fighting chance at being something really interesting. As in most things, though, I have to advise you stick to the original.

If you liked this review, please consider reblogging or subscribing to my Patreon! For as low as $1, you can access bonus content and movie reviews, or even request that I review any movie of your choice.

[ariannjs]

HAPPY | A SasuSaku Short FanFic (3/4)

For Day 4 (City Lights) of SasuSaku Month 2019 - @sasuxsakumonth

This fic was inspired by the Filipino celebrity pair/loveteam called “AlDub” (based from their screen names: Alden & Yaya Dub) or “MaiChard” (their real names: Maine Mendoza & Richard Faulkerson, Jr.). The plot and content have nothing to do with the said actors, but I based the idea for this fic from the themes of Maine’s two most controversial blog posts.

Rating: K+

Summary: The truth was loud and clear, that the combination of pink and green wasn’t meant to be with black and blue – both professionally and realistically.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and AlDub.

Warning: Get some tissues.

Enjoy reading!

…or not.

—

(Happy - PART 1 , PART 2 )

—

The whole ballroom was filled with movie and TV stars dressed in their most sophisticated fineries. There was a limited number of people in the room now compared to the one in the auditorium, but it didn’t change the fact that Sasuke was edgy being here.

He wasn’t even supposed to attend the after-party anymore. In fact, he was already seated in his car, with his eyes shut and head positioned on the headrest when he felt a buzz in his pocket. He was trying so hard to forget the last scene he has witnessed at the Awards Night, and at first, he thought that whatever his phone alerted him for was a good distraction.

But he was wrong.

Naruto was so hopeful in his text message that Sasuke spent a few more minutes battling with himself if he should head straight to his apartment or grant his best friend’s request, which would mean taking the risk of getting his heart shattered even more. He then thought about how Naruto rarely really asks anything from him. And although he wasn’t feeling hopeful at all at the moment, he didn’t want the dobe to feel disheartened and betrayed just because of him, to think that he was indeed his best friend.

So with a “tch”, he started his engine and drove off to the hotel a few streets away, effectively avoiding the influx of people at the parking lot since the program has just ended as well.

He hadn’t seen Sakura again on the first hour of the party, which was a relief. But the moment that his vivacious best friend grabbed the mic and called everyone’s attention, he caught sight of her standing near the stage, eager to hear what Naruto had to say while an arm was tightly wrapped around her waist. 

His brain automatically recalled those times that it was him holding her in his arms, as if it was his self-proclaimed duty to protect her and always be there by her side. Those times that she always clung closer to his body, as if she entrusted her entire being to him, including her heart.

He quickly shifted his gaze to the blond at the middle of the small stage. If only he didn’t want to disappoint his best friend, he wouldn’t have seen that anymore. He just mentally noted that he could always give Naruto what he deserves on their sparring sessions in the gym. After all, Sasuke was the one who had to take his place on his supposed task for the Awards Night, leading to his slip-up over the microphone that was probably already trending on Twitter by now.

Naruto’s announcement was short but moving enough to fill the whole venue with a jubilant uproar. “I...um—I’m just here to share with you all that...Hinata and I are getting married! She said yes to me today, ‘ttebayo!”

Even he smiled genuinely at that. Who would have thought that his dobe of a best friend would actually have the guts to ask a girl about marriage and have a flourishing love life? 

But that’s where his smile faltered. Although he wanted to disregard it, and he knew he shouldn’t have such a feeling towards his best friend, there came a sudden envy bubbling inside his chest. 

Naruto and Hinata met through the set of SasuSaku’s first major movie, both playing supporting characters to Sasuke and Sakura. The blond was thrilled to work in the same movie with his best friend, but little did he know, such opportunity would also lead him to meeting the woman that became his girlfriend a year after that. The same woman whom he was now engaged with.

Sasuke gripped the wine glass in his hand a little tighter than necessary. Just like him and Sakura, the newly engaged couple started as a mere celebrity loveteam too. And though SasuSaku turned out to be the most remarkable ship of their generation, why didn’t he and Sakura have a real life happy ending like theirs?

He caught sight of his face’s reflection on the red liquid he was drinking. And it was funny how that seemed like a slap on his face, a blatant answer as to what – who – was the reason why they didn’t even progress to anything more than a professionally fabricated couple.

Needing some time to breathe, he downed his drink as quickly as he could and grabbed another glass from a waiter who passed by before heading out to the balcony.

It was breathtaking to see the city lights from where he was. Various colored lights from different heights covered the entire Konoha. Seeing them was a good enough break from seeing only pink and green in his head. Yet he realized how these lights looked astounding only because they were lit all at once, together. If just a single light from a far building was open that night, it wouldn’t have made such an impact to anyone’s vision because it wouldn’t be noticeably shining and beautiful alone.

Like him now.

His chest throbbed simply reminiscing his journey side by side with her for four years. With each other, it was unquestionable how shining and beautiful they were. But in a blink of an eye, their light dimmed. And in the end, he was left alone. 

And though he wasn’t as desperate to think that he couldn’t live without her – for he basically survived twenty years before her unexpected entrance in his life – he realized that her leaving had taken away much of the light that they had when they were still considered one.

When there’s no Sakura without Sasuke, and vice versa.

Yet even good things come to an end, he knew. So right this very moment, right in front of these city lights that only exposed how dull he was becoming, he decided that he would try to shine again on his own and find beauty in a life without the epitome of beauty herself. Even though he knew it wouldn’t be easy at all.

“I knew you’d be away from the crowd.”

A voice from behind made him shut his eyes. He didn’t even budge when he heard a follow-up chuckle alongside the sounds of elegant heels clicking against the marble floor.

He released a sigh, exhausted with all the unavoidable tension that he had felt today to the point that he had no energy left to think of any excuse for him to leave. 

He had already expected it somehow, that he and Sakura would still end up talking with each other no matter how much he desired to avoid such encounter. So now that the time came, he finally stayed still and went with the flow.

She was beside him in a matter of seconds, leaning against the marble parapet with eyes set towards the city lights below them. She was smiling. And as much as Sasuke wanted to enjoy this moment with her – at least, for the last time – he still couldn’t find it in him to accept their current situation. As if a part of him could relate with their solid fans who were still rooting for SasuSaku, even in real life.

As he busied himself with gazing at the stars, she glanced at him then. “I realized I haven’t congratulated you personally on your latest movie. I have to admit I wasn’t able to catch it, though! I’m really sorry.” She released a bashful chuckle, looking back to the vast expanse of the city as if intentionally detaching herself for a brief moment. Then she said, “Sasori and I were out of town for a vacation that time.”

He flinched at that, but he hid it well.

“But I’ve heard it was really, really good! As usual for an Uchiha.” Sakura feigned a scoff and then giggled at her own reaction. “This may be late but...congratulations, Sasuke!” 

“Thanks,” was his only reply.

“So…how was it working with Karin? I’ve heard a lot of great things about her and her acting skills! I’m so glad you were paired with a very nice and talented woman, Sasuke. One who is even the cousin of your best friend!”

He simply nodded when she paused. 

“I’ve stumbled across Orochimaru tonight though, he said you weren’t a gentleman enough to bring Karin home on your late night shoots. And oh boy, that manager was not pleased at all!” She nudged him, giggling lightly while waiting for him to respond. “I don’t even know why he told that to me, but it seems like he didn’t get over it so he’s still complaining about you.”

“Our shoots are taxing. I’m always too tired after it.”

“But you always used to—oh well.” Sakura stared at the glass of mocktail in her hand, seemingly weighing the next thing she should say. 

Sasuke knew what she was thinking. And for a moment, he wondered why that wasn’t enough of a giveaway to her on what she meant to him. There was never a time that he didn’t bring her home, whether they were from a different country or from across the street.

“So tell me…” She then propped her elbow on the parapet, leaning closer to him as if they were BFFs huddling for a top-secret gossip. “Is she a good kisser?”

Not as great as you. Sasuke took a sip from his wine. He didn’t even have any idea as to why she was talking about another girl so he found solace in staying silent. Besides, that girl and that movie barely even retained in his memories once the project was done. 

That. That one was just a mere job.

Strangely, Sakura then pouted. And it took a lot of willpower for him to brace himself and not kiss her after seeing the gesture from his peripheral vision. “You aren’t even willing to spill the beans about Karin and update me about anything?” She feigned annoyance with a roll of her eyes. “I thought we are close friends.”

Tch. That’s the problem. I was never more than that to you.

“She seems like a great girl, Sasuke,” she continued to speak while grinning like a Cheshire cat. All feigned irritation went down the drain as she displayed that look that Sasuke had always seen her wear whenever a silly idea entered her mind. “A girlfriend material too. I’ve seen your movie poster and dang, I think you look great together!” Sakura almost squealed before she continued, “She’s beautiful and nice. She’ll take care of you. She’ll make you happy. Your onscreen and offscreen life will be sweet! Isn’t that amazing? Both of us having the love of our lives and—oh my goodness, Sasuke! You better not forget to invite me to the weddi—!”

“Stop it, Sakura.”

Silence.

Silent moments with Sakura (whenever she’s too tired to ramble about her day, or their shoots, or her pets, or pretty much everything under the sun) used to be very comfortable for Sasuke, relaxing even, because just her presence alone brought him satisfaction and inexplicable inner joy. 

Yet right now, it was startlingly different. The tension made him feel as if the balcony was becoming smaller. Tighter. Suffocating. And even though there was a growing desire in his heart right now to run away from this – from her, he couldn’t just leave her hanging. For there’s an elephant in the room that was making itself known, and both of them were not exactly ready to talk about it.

“This isn’t about me teasing you, right? It’s something else.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

A sniffing sound caught Sasuke’s attention then. When he reluctantly glanced at her, his instinct told him to wrap his arms around her and be ready to wipe those tears that were now brimming her eyes. But his logical side told him not to. Because it was not his role to do so. Because it was actually his fault. And because he needed the comfort too. 

His hand clutched the wine glass even tighter as he looked away again. It was empty now, much like him. 

“You weren’t like this til the last time we saw each other,” Sakura began. “That was...that was the day before my last blog post. I didn’t want to overthink about it at first, convincing myself that it wasn’t anything negative. That you’re just being your usual introverted self. But, Sasuke, you’ve dodged our last three dinner hangouts with Naruto and Hinata in the past two months. You never do that.” Sasuke heard another sniff again. “Is it because I’m there?”

“Sakura.”

“No, Sasuke. I know you. Something’s off.” She turned to him now, with glassy eyes that were filled with determination to make him speak. “I just want to understand why...” And then her voice softened, “...why you’ve been avoiding me since I’ve...since I’ve announced about my relationship with Sasori.”

Silence.

Of course she would notice. And of course, she would be hurt. He slowly parted his lips to say something – anything – but he couldn’t find the strength to speak. 

Sasuke clenched his jaw as he saw her trembling, so beautiful yet so vulnerable in that maroon gown. And he blamed himself for it. The last thing he ever wanted was to see her getting hurt; but now that he was hurting on the inside, he ended up inflicting pain on her as well. Because it’s true, hurt people hurt people. If only he was able to process his emotions beforehand, he wouldn’t have made her feel whatever she was feeling now. 

“Sasuke, you know you mean a lot to me, right? I know you might think it’s weird but I...I feel like I’m losing you. I miss my friend, Sasuke. I miss you. But you’ve changed in an instant and all I want to know is why.” She was tearing up now and Sasuke struggled to restrain himself from screaming that he loves her so much he would do everything to protect her from feeling any pain.

But he was in pain too. 

And he couldn’t help but think that if only she chose him – or rather, if only he took the first move in letting her know about his feelings a long time ago – they probably wouldn’t be hurting the way they were now.

Even if he didn’t want to see her like this, even if he wanted to be the friend that she didn’t want to lose, Sasuke knew that he needed to heal on his own too.

“That’s all I want to know, Sasuke.” Her voice softened once more. “Why? Aren’t you happy for me?” “I’m happy for you, Sakura,” he finally blurted out something, voice hoarse and eyes still fixed on the landscape of lights below them. It was only a matter of time before his own tears would end up falling like hers. 

“Then why is it—?”

“But I cannot say that I’m happy for me.”

Sakura’s breath hitched. And for a moment, it felt like the world stopped as she let his words sink in. 

The next thing she knew, Sasuke was already walking away from her without the intention of coming back.

—

(Happy - PART 4)

—

One chapter left! I’d love to know what you think about Sasuke and Sakura here :D

Check out my other works here! It you like what I do, kindly consider supporting me on ko-fi or patreon. I’m also saving up for a special post-birthday trip this November so your support would mean a lot to me!♥️

—

June 2019 | AriannJS

[estelofimladris]

Queerness and Death in The Magicians by SE Fleenor (The Removed Syfy Article)

[ NOTE: This article is being reposted in its entirety because it was removed by the Syfy website where it was originally posted. I (estelofimladris) did not write it, but still had it open after its removal. Please read and enjoy - send the writer, S.E. Fleenor, some love if you can. ]

by S.E. Fleenor

SPOILERS FOR THE MAGICIANS SEASON 4 FINALE!

By now you already know that The Magicians’ Quentin Coldwater died in the Season 4 finale. Yes, D-E-D, dead. There’s no resurrection in the works and no trick of astral projection or Niffin state of higher being can bring sweet, depressed, narcissistic Quentin back.

The decision to kill off a major character — the major character, if the Lev Grossman novels still mean anything (they don’t) — is almost always controversial. But we live in the day and age of Game of Thronesand The Walking Dead and Thanos snapping half of the Avengers (and the universe) into nothingness. Any character could die at any moment (and sometimes all of the characters could die at any moment) and that’s the brave, new, kill-happy world our media is made in.

So, why does it matter that Quentin is dead?

Well, my friends, let’s revisit a little trope we like to call Bury Your Gays. Throughout media representations of queer folks, reaching back to 19th-century Victorian novels, the formula has been about the same: An LGBTQ+ character is introduced, they reveal their sexuality or an attraction to a specific person, and then they die, die, die, often horrifically. This trope is also called Dead Lesbian Syndrome due to the overwhelming number of queer women who have been slaughtered onscreen — not exactly the representation queer women have been begging for.

Back when archaic censorship laws ruled the page and the screen, writing about queer characters was taboo and the only way queer writers, or folks who wanted to create queer characters, could include LGBTQ+ characters was by portraying them unfavorably. Queer characters could exist, but only as a warning of what a “perverted” life would bring you. So, in order to get some kind of representation, LGBTQ+ characters had to suffer.

Sounds a little rough, huh? Like who would really bury their gays? Oh, just Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood, The 100, The Walking Dead, The Expanse, Jessica Jones, Xena, Smallville, Battlestar Galactica, Hex, Torchwood, Hemlock Grove, Teen Wolf, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Dracula, The Vampire Diaries, Arrow, Salem, American Horror Story, Ascension, Lost Girl, Scream, The Shannara Chronicles, The Exorcist, Van Helsing, Doctor Who, Gotham, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Purge, and last but not least (and not for the first time): The Magicians.

Let it be noted that I have only included science fiction, fantasy, and horror TV shows on this list and only those that I know about. The list is much, much longer when you include non-genre TV shows and film. (Autostraddle has a very complete list of queer women on TV who have been killed off, for those of you who feel like being sad.)

Oh, did you recognize a bunch of queer-friendly shows in that list? Does that somehow feel like a violation of the promise made when a series goes out of its damn way to present itself as queer and feminist?

EXACTLY. And, that, my sweet babies, is why people are pissed about the death of Quentin Coldwater, generally speaking. We’re sick of seeing queer characters die over and over again. But, what specifically about the death of Quentin is so frustrating? I’m so glad you asked.

Full disclosure: I'm not going to get into the creators' rationale for killing off Quentin. I've read all the interviews with the creators and with Jason Ralph, who plays Quentin, and they all read like a whole lot of familiar BS. (At least Hale Appelman, who plays Eliot, gets it.)

In the first season of The Magicians, Quentin, Eliot, and Margot have a threesome. It’s the first time Quentin has sex with a man, as far as we know, and it’s the first time we see him start to confront his queerness. In Season 3’s “A Life in the Day,” Quentin and Eliot end up in a different Fillory, from before they were born, where they must solve an unsolvable puzzle. As they spend a lifetime working on the mosaic, they fall in love, raise a child, and make their queer family work. Upon returning to the main timeline, barely a word is spoken about their encounter, and queer folks everywhere braced ourselves for that experience to be treated as an anomaly from another timeline. (Another weird queer trope where characters get to be LGBTQ+, but only elsewhere or else when or, or, or…)

Season 4 brought unexpected twists and turns, such as Eliot being trapped inside his own mind by the Monster. With that, many a fan prepared to let Queliot rest. And, then “Escape from the Happy Place,” took us into Eliot’s mind and — after exploring a lot of deep trauma that has a particularly queer flavor to it — back to the day Eliot and Quentin came back from their lifetime in Fillory. As they sit on the steps of the throne room, Memory Quentin and Memory Eliot talk about what happened between them. Memory Quentin asks Memory Eliot why they shouldn’t try to be together, saying “Who gets proof of concept like that?”

Eliot kisses Memory Quentin hard on the mouth and then walks through the door that will allow him to take control of his body for a moment. In the real world, face to face with Quentin, Eliot gets a signal out that he’s still alive. He looks at Quentin and repeats the question Quentin had asked him, following it with, “Peaches and plums, motherf*cker.” When he realizes who he’s looking at, Quentin hesitates, a look of surprise and longing washing over his face.

This deeply emotional and compelling storyline appeared at the same time that Quentin finally officially rebuffed Alice’s advances, telling her he no longer wanted to be together, that he could never see her the same way again.

Then, after all that work, after all the maturation the characters undergo, the series undoes everything, shoehorning in a last-minute declaration of love between Quentin and Alice and killing off Quentin when he uses magic in the Mirror Realm, without ever seeing Eliot again. Quentin then goes to the Underworld branch of the library and meets with Penny 40 while reminiscing over his life and pondering over whether or not he died by suicide. (The treatment of suicide in the episode is problematic and deeply offensive.)

There are probably as many critiques of this ending as there are people who watched it, but I’m going to focus on the main issues that stood out to me.

The series has gone out of its way to confirm Quentin as queer and tease the possibility of a queer love story.

Queer viewers are used to surviving off subtext and tend to be fairly generous in what we’ll accept. Seriously, many a queer considers Thor: Ragnarok to be part of the queer canon when it’s not even implied onscreen that anyone is queer, and have you seen people shipping Carol and Maria in Captain Marvel? Maybe it’s because we’re used to being served scraps that the Bury Your Gays trope feels so pointed. Oh, you’re not happy with the almosts and the could-haves and the alternate timelines of queerness? Well, then we’ll make your characters queer and just murder ‘em right up.

After Season 3, The Magicians could have never acknowledged the relationship between Quentin and Eliot that takes place in another timeline or they could have shrugged and been like, “Must have been the opium in the air!” They’d already done as much with the threesome in Season 1 and all but ignoring Quentin's queerness in the episodes that follow. The series didn’t have to confirm that Quentin wanted to follow his attraction to Eliot and give being together a try. But, The Magiciansdid. The series took the time onscreen to show Eliot and Quentin kissing again, to show Eliot declaring his love for Quentin in their own code, and to show Quentin dedicate his time to helping Eliot get free.

Furthermore, how messed up is it that the series spends a significant amount of time dredging up the trauma of Eliot’s queer youth only to make him realize his biggest regret is how he treated Quentin, just for Quentin to be forced back into the closet? An episode that was deeply evocative and affirming of queerness smacks of voyeurism when taken in the context of the finale.

At the last minute, after confirming his queerness, the series forces a relationship between Quentin and Alice.

It’s hard not to see the last ditch shoving of Quentin and Alice together as an attempt to shove Quentin himself back in the closet. Season 4 shows Quentin rejecting and wanting to be apart from Alice, only for him to decide that he loves her and wants to give their relationship another try because? Honestly, I’m not sure what rationale he uses because it MAKES NO SENSE. And, what the hell does he think of imprisoned-in-his-own-body Eliot while making this decision? To judge from the series, not a whole hell of a lot.

It’s totally cool if queer or bisexual characters date people of different genders — that’s not the issue. The issue is that without a moment of hesitation, Quentin whiplashes from his lover who he knows is trapped by the Monster and cannot see, hear, or reach him to his ex-girlfriend who he has distanced himself from due to her selfish behavior.

In the context of his death, I like to call this particularly messed up turn of events “Bury Your Gays and Stomp On Their Graves” because all the work that had been done to show Quentin’s coming to terms with his own sexuality is undone shortly before he dies.

There are other ways to write a character off a series.

A lot of people fall back on bad faith arguments like: what is a show supposed to do when an actor no longer wishes to appear in the series?

The answer, of course, is: ANYTHING ELSE. They could have done literally anything else to write Quentin out of the show and release Jason Ralph from his commitment. The Magicians takes place in a world WHERE MAGIC EXISTS, where characters leave the main story to go on their own adventures, and where average human beings can become gods. There’s no excuse for falling into lazy storytelling and reifying a trope that has been well-documented and mourned for a long time.

In the novels, Quentin gets kicked out of Fillory and decides to use his discipline, minor mendings, to build a new world for himself and Alice. He essentially walks through a door and never comes back. THAT WOULD HAVE WORKED and it wouldn’t do the work of retraumatizing queer audiences.

It comes down to this: To ignore the wider implications of making a character specifically queer, having him return to his prior unhealthy relationship with a woman, and then killing him off is a disservice to queer people everywhere. It is, at once, a declaration of the meaninglessness of the queer experience and an unforgivable reminder of the expendability of queer lives.

Series like The Magicians (and before it, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) trade on their reputations as queer and feminist shows. We watch them for their powerful women and their kickass queer characters and their storylines that affirm the power of survival. And what do they give us in return? They bury their gays.

Does that mean that all LGBTQ+ characters should be immortal? The rational response would be: of course not. Up until today I may have agreed with that argument, but right now I’m feeling a little less generous. It’s 20-f*cking-19 and there is no excuse for Bury Your Gays to pop up in a progressive TV show. Maybe until series and creators who make their money off queer characters and queer fandom take responsibility for how they use the lives and bodies of queer people, maybe until then, all LGBTQ+ characters should be immortal.

I’m pretty damn sick of watching every character who loves like me, who looks like me, who explores the bounds of their sexuality like me, die. I’m sick of watching characters bust down the doors of the closets that held them back only to have their queerness erased or elided through their deaths. I’m sick of watching relationships between men and women blossom onscreen only to see queer relationships torn apart by death.

Queer people deserve happy endings. We deserve them in real life and we deserve to see them onscreen and we deserve them now.

Until that’s the norm, you better damn well consider any queer character you create immortal. Because if you don’t, we queers will f*cking haunt your basic ass.

[justgotham]

The fifth and final season of Fox's Gotham begins in five months, and it will - finally, for some fans - take David Mazouz's Bruce Wayne into his first steps as Batman. In an set visit earlier this month, Newsarama spoke with the cast and crew about 2019's ten-episode final season and the finale to the story of Bruce Wayne, James Gordon, Oswald Cobblepot, and more.

The set visit began at Gotham's Sirens Club, with Donal Logue (who plays Harvey Bullock) talking about his character's moral compass and how it's changed (or hasn't) in the past five years.

"The most important thing to me is that the idea of moral relativism is this notion of black and white," Logue told Newsarama. "Jim Gordon is all good, Harvey Bullock is all bad or crooked, but we’ve seen Jim do some dark, shadowy type stuff and we’ve seen it go both ways. I think that’s an imperative moment you hit on."

When cast, Logue became the first live-action iteration of the decades-old character, bringing life to one of Gotham P.D.’s most controversial characters and someone who defined what kind of people Gotham could turn them into. The veteran actor opened up about the challenge to bring this character to the screen and putting his own personal stamp on Bullock.

"You know, I think it would have been very difficult - it was beautiful in the animated series - but it would have been difficult to have played somebody who was so misogynistic and possible homophobic," he explained. "I think that I had to make this guy more empathetic and to see the humanity in him in all the way he had to play the comic relief for a while, too."

Gotham's final season is only scheduled to run 10 episodes - less than half of the previous four seasons. Logue admits that he wish he had more episodes - or more seasons even - to continue this story.

"I wish we had twenty more seasons for our stories to tell. There’s part of me that misses Gotham Central with the sense of the noirish sort of police department, I liked that kind of stuff in the comics," he said. "The internalized conflict within the department itself, I liked the politics of the precinct and I don’t know if we got the time to tell that as much I would have liked."

After that, actor Cameron Monaghan - who plays the Joker-ish twins Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska - stepped up to talk to the press. The twin sons of a snake dancer and fortune teller, Jerome was the manic and explosive twin while Jeremiah more collected one, but still very dangerous. Monaghan explained what it was like being able to make this version of the Joker his own not once, but twice during the show.

“I think what’s awesome was it allowed so much freedom for a performance and it could have gone in so many directions with someone who isn’t constrained by social conventions, his behaviour is defined by what he wants to do," he said about these proto-Joker characters.

“Which means as an actor you can bring it any way you want. With Jerome, I wanted it to be heightened and sort of cartoony, but with [Jeremiah] I wanted him to be a bit more chilling and internal with his mania," Monaghan continued. "That being said this year, he’s sort of gained an ego and started to lose some of the plot and go off the deep end in the fact he was successful for causing so much destruction."

The actor continued praising the show’s creators for letting him to be able to play characters like these two.

"It’s just an amazing opportunity as a performer to have gotten to do this."

Monaghan went on to explain that there are definite highlights in these upcoming episodes for his character that allow them to use classic Batman/Joker moments.

"I have a couple moments this season, especially deeper towards the end where the character gets to play with some iconic imagery that I love that we’re bringing from the history of the character and there’s moments that are huge for people who are fans of the comics," he said.

"I will say that the final episode of the season there’s some stuff that I’m really excited for. I’m champing at the bit to get to that."

In Gotham's fourth season, Monaghan-as-Jerome said that Bruce was his only friend - hinting at the conflicted dynamic that the Joker and Batman have had in comic books. The actor says that they will "absolutely" explore that more in these last episodes.

"That’s sort of Jeremiah’s main plot point this season, he’s relating into Bruce," he replied. "I think the main difference between Jerome and Jeremiah was that Jerome was destructive and most of his anarchy came from the fact that he wanted to destroy things and didn’t have much of a plan. What’s interesting with Jeremiah is that he’s this strange craftsman. He gets his joy from engineering these things that tend to hurt a lot of people. So most of his amusement is coming from his influence on Bruce and I think the reason he’s so obsessed with Bruce is this strange sense of love."

He went on to say that for Jeremiah, Bruce is the only person he felt connected to emotionally, intellectually, and he’s coming from this place of almost admiration.

"I do think there is this weird sense of appreciation for each other in this strange way. Jerome wanted to kill Bruce since he didn’t care for him that much, but Jeremiah very much does and that it is emblematic of the Batman/Joker relationship and I don’t know if it’s been really explored enough in live-action yet so I wanted to push that if we could."

Following that, the assembled press were taken to several sets including the Riddler's and Bruce Wayne's libraries, the new City Hall, and Penguin's newest base of operations. After that, we were circled back to Siren's to find Ben McKenzie (who plays James Gordon) "tending bar," in his own words.

The first question McKenzie was asked concerned Jim Gordon’s trajectory at the beginning of the season with No Man’s Land in effect.

"Gordon is literally and figuratively on an island so he’s not in a great place when we first see him...and it gets worse."

McKenzie said that Gotham's final season will be teasing the adult relationship between Gordon and Batman down the road.

"I think we are definitely leaning in to giving the fans those iconic moments between Gordon and eventually adult Bruce," said McKenzie. "There will be more of those to come but it’s been such a rewarding thing to watch, and of course it mirrors real life over the course of over five years, to see him grow from a boy into a man."

He went on to say how there is a certain pressure to say everything that they’ve wanted to say and get it said in the final episodes, but also it’s a "certain blessing" to know the end is near.

"So many shows get cancelled at the last minute based on things outside their control so they don’t get time to ramp up towards the conclusion or sense of closure and we are absolutely trying to give the fans a lot of these iconic moments that everyone is thirsty for," McKenzie explained. "Everyone is going out of their way to take time and appreciate each other."

At the end of Gotham's fourth season, Gordon stays behind in the ruined and isolated city - something that affects the character coming into the new season.

"Well he’s the last guy to go down with the ship, and the pressure becomes more and more intense, almost like Atlas carrying the weight of the world," said McKenzie. "It’s interesting because then it leads him to make decisions he otherwise wouldn’t make which there’s a big one in the middle of the season in the heat of passion that will have serious ramifications for himself and others."

These last ten episodes are packed with Easter eggs according to the actor - something he, the cast, and the crew wanted to make sure to include.

"All the questions we got at Comic-Con International: San Diego were ‘When are you going to do this’ and the answer is right d*** now! We don’t have any more time so might as well throw it in here, though, you know, in a well-constructed way. John Stevens and the writers have created a plan to sprinkle in things they want to see that doesn’t come across as lip service, but actually part of the 98 episodes that we made."

With things winding down, McKenzie talked about whether or not Gotham’s version of Gordon has reached his apex and finalization.

"I hope that with each season new layers are discovered and explored, but some of the events in season five are things that we’ve never seen Jim go through before and I would imagine we would see new sides of him."

Lastly, he talked about his relationship with Bullock and how it’s evolved from the beginning when Gordon joined the ranks of the GCPD.

"I think that their friendship was at the core of the show and I always appreciated how it never devolved into the classic this guy says blue, the other guy says red...I always felt it was more nuanced than that and as we get into this apocalypse, staring down the face of Death in season five, we can watch these two men who started out with a huge distrust and almost animosity towards one another to a true friendship."

After that, David Mazouz stepped in to talk about his final season as Bruce Wayne - a role the 17-year-old actor started when he was just 13. Is he ready for it to end? Not remotely.

"No, not at all. 70% not ready," he said shaking his head.

Mazouz is also one of the youngest actors to ever play Bruce Wayne in a setting that allowed some time to show his point of view of Gotham and his surroundings. The actor said he enjoyed showing a side of Bruce that isn’t explored in live action media, saying it’s all about making sure he gets to do the character justice, first and foremost.

"I get a lot of fan letters around my age and a lot of them say the same kind of thing and that is it’s great to see a hero that’s our age and somebody we can identify with," said Mazouz. "Seeing Bruce take on this mantle was such an inspiration for me. We just had a scene with all the good guys and discussed their game plan and realized I’m the only kid in the room and it’s cool."

Expanding on what McKenzie said about trying to cram so much material from a full-length season into a half length episode order, Mazouz emphasized that yes, it is a lot, but completely worth the wait.

"It’s so action-packed and we really do cram into the action from twenty-two episodes into ten which makes it a fascinated read when you’re looking over the scripts. It makes me think how the hell are they going to get the money to do that. Every episode is huge and almost its own finale and as an actor the hard part is keeping up with it and knowing what’s going on."

Circling back to Monaghan’s comment about some "iconic" imagery with his fight with Bruce, Mazouz said it’s incredibly special to him and so glad they included it.

"I won’t say much about it, but it’s very reminiscent of other incarnations of the Joker."

Playing Bruce’s faithful butler and father figure Alfred Pennyworth, Sean Pertwee added a level of toughness to his usual olden characteristics.

"Bruno and I had this conversation about why is Alfred there and who is he and what is he to this young Master Bruce, and that’s been the biggest thrill, to give him this difficult journey," said Pertwee. "He had no experience with children, he never asked to be a father, he has PTSD and he’s a disaster himself but through the darkness they find each other.”

Gotham’s Alfred also wasn’t afraid to take out any and all threats to young Master Bruce, but Pertwee himself is a bit more sensitive. When we sat down, he talked about how he just learned he had filmed the final scenes in Wayne Manor and the emotions he felt when he wrapped.

"Yeah, I didn’t know until [series writer] John Stevens told me last night. It was very emotional for David and I as it seems like only yesterday and he was a young boy that I could pick up with one hand and now in that scene he could look me in the eye."

Pertwee went on to explain how Alfred and Bruce’s relationship has strained but also grown and matured as the series has gone on.

"Their dysfunctionality is their reality. The boy needs the man just as much as the man needs the boy."

As for the show being allowed these last ten episodes, Pertwee feels lucky that they get to still end with a bit of closure.

"It feels like we’ve been lucky enough by Fox and Warner Bros. to grant us to finish with dignity. It feels like we can exhale and let Batman rise. We’ve earned it. I wish we would have had more time in the proper cave. I mean, we’ll get there, but I wanted more to that point of their true relationship. I never wanted it to stop really."

Pertwee went on to say how he hopes people will look back at this iteration of Batman and how it has defined the world for generation.

"There are so many versions, ours is our generation’s. Ours is Taxi Driver meets Brothers Grimm. People have accepted it and I think people will now reference us. I think people will look back at this for future iterations."

Following Pertwee was Robin Lord Taylor, whose breakout role as Oswald Cobblepot helped define Gotham early on - even before he amassed his criminal empire and obtained his trick umbrellas. The actor began by reflecting upon his time in the tuxedo and prosthetic nose.

"It’s one of the things I’m most proud of in my career. Just to take a piece of American pop culture and bring it into today and especially that it’s so dynamic and brilliantly layered and sketched out, but to bring it to now and something that’s never been done before feels incredible. It’s exhilarating."

Shane West was announced earlier this year to be joining Gotham as Eduardo Dorrance, the father of Bane in comic books, and Taylor talked about interacting with the new addition.

"Yeah we just had a scene but we’ll have more in the future. It’s interesting because as you know Penguin and Jim have this interesting dynamic, there is this weird sense of trust there but Eduardo knows Gordon very well, but he sort of comes in the beginning and disrupts that connection and no, it’s not good for anybody."

Taylor offered his own thoughts about whether or not ten episodes is enough to give this world and these characters a proper ending, saying he has faith in the writing team to bring everything to a close with a nice superhero landing.

"I mean, I think there’s a lot to cram into 100 more episodes, you know what I mean? We’ve shown in previous seasons this story, this city, these characters...there’s so many of them and they can go in so many ways. I think the way it’s coming down it’s very concentrated. We’re bringing storylines to a close, relationships to a close, and it feels like a rush."

When asked about what he wished he had more time for, he thought about it before coming to an answer.

"I wish we had time to take a closer look at these individuals’ lives. I wish we could spend a day in Alfred’s shoes and see Gotham through his eyes. Or Selina. To really solidify who these characters are."

The last question for Taylor was if his character will get an ending that the actor felt he deserved.

"Absolutely," Taylor replied with a laugh. "I mean we’ll see, but I’ve said before the ending I want for Penguin is that he becomes the classic supervillain we know. Somebody devoid of humanity and somebody who has done so much damage not only to himself, but to so many people. I want to get that point and ultimately, we’ll be seeing that."

[doctorwhonews]

Shada (DVD/Blu-Ray/Steelbook)

Latest Review: Shada Written by: Douglas Adams Directed by: Pennant Roberts, Charles Norton Produced by: Graham Williams Cast Tom Baker (The Doctor), Lalla Ward (Romana), David Brierly (K9), Christopher Neame (Skagra), Daniel Hill (Chris Parsons), Denis Carey (Professor Chronotis), Victoria Burgoyne (Clare Knightley), Gerald Campion (Wilkin), Shirley Dixon (Ship), Derek Pollitt (Caldera), James Coombes (voice of the Kraags), John Hallet (Police Constable), David Strong (Man in Car) Cover Art: Lee Binding (DVD, Blu-Ray), Adrian Salmon (Steelbook) Originally Released: November 2017 Shada Reborn Quite possibly a record-breaking candidate for the longest filming period for a single script, Shada bridges two millennia – from 1979 to 2017 – and represents a heroic effort to finally plug one of the most egregious gaps in the Doctor Who canon. In a way, Shada mirrors the antagonist of that other great Douglas Adams story, City of Death. Just as Scaraoth is shattered into dozens of versions of himself across the centuries, the industrial action that stymied the original production of the serial saw it fractured into a number of variants and doppelgangers. Most famously, Adams decided the root concepts and ideas behind his final Doctor Who script were too good to waste and they found their way into his Doctorless novel Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency. In 1992, a rough edit of the surviving footage was patched together with exposition from Tom Baker and some unsympathetic synthesizer music. Later again, an animated incarnation saw Paul McGann’s Eighth Doctor reunite with Romana and K9 and a new supporting cast to cure a nagging feeling of something undone in Cambridge 1979. But this Shada is very much the real deal. The entire surviving cast have been reunited to record the missing dialogue, the missing sequences have been animated where appropriate, though brand new models and have constructed and filmed by the Model Unit to act as inserts in the live action scenes, and a brand new score by Mark Ayers is constructed like an act of musical archaeology to recreate the instruments, methods and style of 1970s legend Dudley Simpson. It can never by Shada as it would have been, but it by far lays the strongest claim to being the definitive article. As with any such project, the team had to make creative decisions and not everyone will agree with all of them. For instance, with Denis Carey (Professor Chronotis) and David Brierly (K9) having died since their original contribution a couple of minor scenes requiring them are left unanimated, while others have their presence reduced to lines which could be reproduced from other recordings of the actors. While some no doubt may have preferred soundalikes to be used to make as complete a version as possible, it’s a sensitive decision and highlights that, in fact, the missing moments were largely padding anyway. Similarly, but much more controversially, is the decision to assemble Shada as a 138 minute film rather than as six episodes. (It even has - steady yourself - a pre-titles sequence). This will go against every instinct of many long term fans, still sore from VHS cassettes of hacked down stories and the fight to get episodic releases. But in this case it seems to work. Watched in one sitting it makes for a breezy, fun, adventure – yet the way the story is paced would have seen the episodic version with a curiously uneventful Part One and a number of extremely undramatic cliffhangers (only the midway point would have given us something as genuinely brilliant as “Dead men require no oxygen”). For me, the only genuinely poor decision is to seize on the existence of the original K9 prop, some original wall panels from the 1979 set, and the surviving (bottom) half of an original Kraag monster costume to recreate a few shots of K9 fighting a Kraag. I appreciate the sentiment behind it, but the fact the surviving bit of set to squeeze them into is so small, and the Kraag only visible from the waist down, makes for a weirdly, and unintentionally silly, looking moment that takes you out of the flow of the story more than the switches to animation do. Few would argue, though against the decision to bring in Martin Gergharty and Adrian Salmon to do design work for the animation. Not only are they brilliant in their own right, creating clear lined, loyal yet character-filled, interpretations of the cast in warm, friendly colours, it also helps smooth over the slightly stilted, flash style – the characters may not feel like they have a full range of human movement, but the presence of Gergharty’s art, so familiar to the readership of Doctor Who Magazine, makes it feel almost like panels from the beloved DWM comic strip brought to life.   Shada Reviewed But has all this effort simply been an ultimate exercise in obsessive, fannish, completeness? Are we seeing the resurrection of a poor story just because it’s there to be done, or the completion of a classic in its own right?  In short – is Shada actually any good? As it happens, Shada is brilliant jewel to add to Doctor Who’s crown if one, like all the most spectacular diamonds, not without its flaws. One the wittiest of Who scripts, and certainly with one of the most fascinating premises, at six parts it’s basically City of Death with extra portions. Famously, one of the script’s biggest critics is its own author – written, as it was, at a point when Douglas Adams was juggling several different projects and deadlines and pouring his greatest effort into his own personal work rather than Doctor Who. Considering that a billion years from now, stuck in the glovebox of an interplanetary roadster, the fruits of that rival project may be the last sign of the human race’s existence, it would be churlish to complain about that but still, Adams is being ungenerous about the serial. In almost every way, this is the fullest encapsulation of the latter half Tom Baker years. Tom himself exudes the same sort of relaxed charm, peppered with moments of total nonsense that marked City of Death while Lalla Ward has never seemed more possessed of an unearthly beauty. All of their scenes together are a joy and something as simple as them going boating, or visiting an old friend in his rooms for tea is all stuff I could watch hours of, even without any alien menaces showing up. And the alien menace that does show up is stupendous – possibly the most unbelievable thing about the whole story is the revelation on the commentary track that the people in the background of Cambridge genuinely ignored Christopher Neame in his outrageous hat and slowing silver cape as if he was an everyday sight. But the massively fun campness of Neame’s character Skagra is balanced by the imaginative and typically Adamsian plot the villain has hatched. Skagra is unusually preoccupied with the heat death of the universe in several billion years’ time and obsessed with stopping it. Like solving the central question of  Life, the Universe, and Everything the main stumbling block to finding the answer is processing power – so he’s going to absorb every mind in the universe into one great gestalt entity, so that every being in creation is simply a conduit for finding a way to save it without the petty distractions of life. In a way, it’s Douglas Adams inventing cloud computing thirty years early and typical of the scientific verve and imagination he brought to everything he wrote. (Tellingly, a year later his replacement would also craft a story about forestalling the heat death of the universe but, while propounding the superiority of ‘hard science’, would solve it by inventing some space wizards who use magic words to make it go away).There are undoubtedly flaws, mostly as we race towards the end with the mounting sense of a script with the ink still wet and no time for afterthought or final drafts. Chris Parsons is probably the best of the solid young everymen Doctor Who has ever featured, and pitched perfectly by Daniel Hall, yet despite early episodes spending more time of introducing and building on his character, he gets lost in the shuffle of the climax. There’s even a dramatic scene of Chris making a vital deduction and racing out to save the day, only for Adams to be plainly unable to think of anything to give him to do once he gets there (a problem Gareth Roberts ingeniously solved in his 2012 novelization but which, presumably for purity’s sake, the producers here don’t take the opportunity to steal). Meanwhile, the Kraag outfits are really quite poor, even for the era that gave us the Nimon and the Mandrel, and a lot of the location film work in Cambridge feels rather loose and in need of a tighter edit.Yet, there’s an inescapable magic to Shada that goes well beyond its status as a mythical ‘lost’ story, and had it been completed in 1979 it would still have been regarded as one of the highpoints of Season Seventeen.   Extras This release comes with a full set of extras the complement the story perfectly. A commentary orchestrated by the unsinkable Toby Hadoke on less funding than the bus fare into town sees him interview Neame and Hall about their experiences during filming, and Gergharty and animator Ann Marie Walsh about the pressures and effort involved in creating the project against incredibly tight deadlines. Taken Out of Time interviews many of the those involved in front of and behind the cameras on the original production to build a picture of exactly how it came to abandoned in the first place. Strike! Strike! Strike! uses contributions from those involved in industrial relations at the time to help explain exactly how the unions of 1970s television came to be so powerful, and give a potted history of their rise and fall through the lens of how industrial action had impacted Doctor Who over the decades both negatively (when it was at the BBC) and positively (when it was arch rival ITV left showing blank screens opposite the Doctor’s adventures).  Both of these are proper, half hour documentaries that tell a story of their own almost as compelling as Shada itself. There’s also fascinating Studio Sesssions - 1979, showing the working methods of the cast and crew in-studio as the cameras roll between takes. Most fun of all is are the Dialogue Sessions – in which we get to see Tom Baker and Daniel Hall record their contributions for the animation, with all Tom’s uproarious ad libs and suggestions for improvements to the script intact. The extras are rounded out with the video of the Model Unit filming of Skagra’s space station and ship, as well as the TARDIS model, new footage taken of Daniel Hall and Tom Baker’s stand-in as reference for animation, photo galleries, as well as the obligatory Now and Then tour of what the Cambridge locatoins look like three decades on. ROM content even includes a full set of scripts, storyboards, and the 1979 Doctor Who Annual (if, rather bizarrely, packed as 56 separate image files).The Steelbook release goes even further to try and lay claim to the definitive Shada package – with a third disc containing the 1992 reconstruction and the 2003 Paul McGann web animation adaptation (remastered for viewing on TV screens rather than computer monitors). About the only thing not included is the novelization.   Presentation and Packaging The DVD version has a slightly astonishing error where the coding that tells a television to display it as 16:9 or 4:3 is messed up – meaning that if watched on a 4:3 television the image will appear in the centre of the screen, with black bars on all sides – top, bottom, left and right. On a modern 16:9 television it displays the picture correctly (with bars on left and right as this is archive television intended as 4:3) but even then some resolution is lost as the image is basically being blown up to fit. That said, you’d be hard pressed to actually notice the lower resolution on viewing the DVD and it probably still looks better than it would have done on the average 1970s domestic television. All the same it’s disappointing to see such hard work by so many involved obviously handed off to someone much less fastidious at the eleventh hour for authoring the DVDs. It should be stressed, however, that the Blu-Ray and Steelbook don’t share this flaw so, if it’s going to bother you, those are the routes to take. The cover art, some may remember, was the cause of a bit of a social media flap last year when Clayton Hickman’s distinctive and unusual scarf patterned cover was ditched at the comparative last minute. In the final result, Lee Binding’s replacement is… fine, if a little bland and stilted seeming, probably as a result of the tight deadlines under which it was done. Strangely, a vestige of Hickman’s original design lingers on in the insert booklet.  “Bland” is not something anyone could accuse the Steelbook art of. Undoubtedly DWM’s most marmite love-him-or-hate-him artists, Adrian Salmon provides a cover piece in his distinctive, angular, impressionistic style. Personally, I love him. A thread long dangling frustratingly at the corner of Doctor Who history, Shada is reborn by a massive and dedicated effort by a hugely talented team to reveal it as an all time classic mix of Douglas Adams’ trademark whimsy and intelligence. Handsomely accompanied by a great set of extras and marred only by some inexplicable technical sloppiness, this is a must for any collection. But one, perhaps, to get on Blu-Ray if possible.   http://reviews.doctorwhonews.net/2018/02/shada_dvd_blu_ray_steelbook.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[cominatchacleopatra]

VLD Pairings For Dummies™

Okay so we all know shipping plays a really big part in this garbage fire of a fandom. It has divided the fanbase and people will judge you and immediately think you’re an awful person for shipping something they don’t personally like. Why is it like this? I dunno, I’m just here to bitch and pretend that I’m funny (keep in mind these are my personal opinions so take them as grains of salt and throw them over your shoulder if you don’t like them). Let’s get into this

Two of the biggest pairings:

Klance: Follows the typical tropes of frienemies to lovers, red and blue aesthetic, opposites attract type of thing. Is currently the most popular pairing in vld.

Sheith: the second most popular pairing in vld. A fair amount of people love the chemistry between Shiro and Keith. They want to know more about their back stories and such.

These two pairings have an... intense rivalry... and that’s putting it mildly. It has escalated to the point where it’s an outrageously over blown shipwar taking the guise of social justice. It really has become a case where if you tell a lie long enough it will become accepted as the truth. some Klance shippers (a loud minority really) will accuse people shipping anything other than said ship of supporting pedophilia. And let me assure you, that word isn’t meant to be taken lightly so how dare you haphazardly throw it around to where it loses it’s original meaning? I digress, fans of klance largely out number the fans that like other pairings so antis can get away with all the harassment and bullying that they do, mostly to the sheith shippers and now currently the staff and voice actors. But lately, it’s evolved into a pure hatred for a certain character and ships with that character: Shiro.

“Shaladin” ships

Shance: Lance/Shiro well known in it’s own right, Lance and Shiro have some nice moments together in the show. Has a nice balance between the two, The jokester and the slightly more serious one that keeps him in line. Slightly less hated than sheith but those that ship these pairing are very civil towards each other

Shidge: Shiro/Pidge. One of the more controversial ships. I personally see them like a mentor or replacement sibling type of thing but I can see why people like it. They have cute moments too. Shiro is so nice and encouraging towards Pidge.

Shunk: Shiro/Hunk. Very rare but visible. Buff and Soft combo. Nice. Hunk could totally manhandle Shiro like Allura can.

Shallura: Allura/Shiro. Used to be the second most popular ship next to klance but wondercon happened and now people scorn it because they think Allura is too young. Gonna be biased here, some people (antis) only shipped this to compete with sheith so that Shiro could be out of the way. Regardless I still think this is a great ship and they could have even more good moments together in the future.

You see antis severely dislike Shiro for no reason. I’m pretty sure they don’t even know why themselves. I can say with full confidence that most antis ship klance and will attack any other ships that “threaten” their ship. To that I say fuck off and stop being so insecure, you already have the most popular ship, so enjoy it and stop bothering people.

Threatening Outliers

Kallura: Keith/Allura. In previous incarnations of voltron these two always end up being together romantically. Due to season 2 this ship has shot up in popularity a little bit that more antis come and clutter the tag. But ironically more antis ship kallura ever since the wondercon fiasco (which I find hilarious and infuriating because most kallura shippers and “shaladin” shippers are on very civil terms with each other)

Plance: Pidge/Lance. They have some cute moments, some have even made the parallel with another ship from OHSHC. I don’t really go into the tags for this ship but I’m guessing it’s light spam from antis, nothing too bad.

Hance: Hunk/Lance. This ship is pretty cool and holds it’s own well enough. It’s great if you don’t want to see Hunk constantly on the sidelines in fanart/fiction.

Allurance: Allura/Lance. I see great potential and even greater headcanons from this ship. They have their moments. Great art works all around.

Laxum: Plaxum/Lance. It’s cute. Their tag has more or less of the same problems that the kallura tag has.

I think these four pairing should get more love because they all can be written really well and have interesting chemistry with each other, especially ships with Pidge because I think they are worth exploring. Another thing I keep seeing is people leaving out Pidge because they think she’s 14, but they never do the same to her brother Matt.

Kidge: Keith/Pidge. They work well together in the show. I could see a really nice friends developing into something more out of this. The art is nice. I don't really go into their tag though.

Hidge: Hunk/Pidge. All I can say is this ship is cute as fuck. And dishes out really good content every now and again.

Shatt: Shiro/Matt. (I know not a Pidge ship but there’s a reason why I’m bringing this up) This ship is popular enough amongst antis and their shipping circles.

Pallura: Pidge/Allura: It’s very cute. I don’t go into this tag either because not my thing but I’m sure the fans are nice.

And I question why since Matt has barely gotten any screen time within two seasons; Shiro and Matt are friends so of course I can see why people would ship them but to me, he looks around the age of 17... 19 tops, wouldn’t Shiro be around the same age as Matt? In photographs he and Pidge only look one or two years apart. What I’m trying to say is Matt is around the same general age as the other paladins yet some antis will ship him with Shiro and not even bat an eye? I mean according to antis “logic” Shiro is 25, so wouldn’t it be wrong to ship Matt with him? Or shatt is totally fine because it doesn’t get in the way of klance? Hmm....

There is also that whole issue of making Pidge asexual because of her age and other things but that’s a topic for another day.

EDIT: 8-15-2017. I was fucking wrong about how old Matt actually is. My bad. Damn... I also have a slightly different stance on Shatt now.

Wild Cards

Allurvian: Allura/Kolivan. This came out of nowhere and I never expected the fans to be so interactive and nice. It also has this pseudo enemies to lovers type of thing so if you like that this ship is for you.

Alforan: King Alfor/Coran. I’m not gonna lie this is a rare pair. There is some art but very few. You can reach the end of the ship tag easily. But it has that servant/royal trope so if that’s for you go nuts.

Shendak: Sendak/Shiro. Oh very problematic pair. I mean if you can stomach the noncon, go for it but other than that, would not recommend.

Shlav: Shiro/Slav. First of all what the fuck. Second of all this is a shitty crack pairing. Third of all WHAT.. the fUCK?! Pairing a character with somebody they don’t like, sounds familiar. No wonder antis like this, they hate Shiro so much.

Haggar/Zarkon: I feel like I don’t need to explain this one. But I think they both had a hand in making Lotor.

Speaking of which, Lotor ships

Lancelot: Lotor/Lance. I can admit when I take off the shipping goggles, this is a crack pairing. They haven't even met yet so why? And to this I say why the hell not? Most of Lotor ships are gonna be assumed hero/villain ships unless stated otherwise later on in the show.

Lotor/Allura: Classic considering the context in the original show.

Keitor: Keith/Lotor. If you like memes this is the crack ship for you.

Pidge/Lotor: It’s another crack pairing. 

Edits:

Thulaz: Thace/Ulaz. I don’t really go into this tag. But from a quick look over they generate a lot of headcanon. Very sweet and sappy adorable. Both are dead though so have fun with that.

Heith: Keith/Hunk. They have such a cute ship name. Honestly, it reminds me of the candy. It’s nice and sweet like the candy. The art is really good. And the shipper have a nice little community.

I know I missed a lot of ships but tell me and I’ll add them in post. Also another tip for newbies in this fandom, if you see a url with starry- as a prefix, avoid at all cost. They are most likely antis and will try to brainwash you. Just avoid antis in general. They don’t know what they’re talking about.

[deborahdeshoftim5779]

Trelsi Fanfiction: Thou Shalts and Thou Shalt Nots

Troy and Kelsi.

What more can I say?

I will go into depth about my love for this ship at some other time, but suffice to say that this scene was like a glowing candle in the darkness otherwise known as High School Musical 3: Senior Year. I’ve only been a shipper for nearly five months now; I wanted so much to be a Troyella shipper, but just couldn’t connect to them at all. Then I discovered that Gabriella’s behaviour was the precise reason their interaction left me cold. But Trelsi? Completely different reaction; every scene with them reveals character and helps propel character development and/or the plot. They are incredibly important to each other’s character arcs and they are both quite complex on the inside. I will wax lyrical about this in another post sometime, because I’ve literally never felt so connected to another pair of characters in any other fandom (with the exception of the Harry Potter fandom) as I have with HSM (a movie franchise I used to dismiss as corny and overwrought). 

So few people write for this ship. Why? *weeps* I am a voracious reader, so I have scoured the net for as many Trelsi fics as possible and read them, regardless of the writing quality. (I am allowed to say that there are some really shit ones out there. Sorry, but there are.) I’ve added LOADS of useful things to my own headcanon for writing. Nonetheless, there are a series of tropes that I find so frustrating when reading, and which I hope to GOD that I will not copy in my own writing. So this list is as much for my own help as it is for anyone else who loves this ship (or indeed any other ship, bar Troyella, which is full of these terrible tropes by necessity). I’m a real writing technique junkie and though I’m better with the line-editing side of things, I have a real interest in characterization. Maybe if anyone else has a love for this fandom, they might find this list helpful, too. 

As follows, my “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots”. I use the words relationship/pairing/ship interchangeably and they refer to platonic/romantic liaisons depending on the context. 

1- Thou shalt not foist Gabriella upon Ryan in order to bring Troy and Kelsi together. 

Code red. For some reason, many fans are favourable towards Gabriella and Ryan. Why is beyond my humble astounding. Gabriella only became friends with Ryan to make Troy jealous, which is cruel manipulation of someone as sensitive, caring and honest as Troy Bolton. That is no basis for a relationship. Then there’s the small matter of Ryan Evans being as straight as a circle. Thirdly, this is nothing but a contrived plot link designed to deal with the spare characters, and thus demonstrates a lack of thought on the author’s part as to the character journey, wants, needs and actions that are realistic to each character. Such advice applies to romance stories regardless of fandom anyway, and just writing in general. Don’t set up sham relationships. I’m no fan of Gabriella, but she deserves thoughtful characterization just like everyone else.

2- Thou shalt not have Kelsi being in love with Troy from the very start.

I actually don’t care too much about the fact that Kelsi may or may not have had a crush on Troy in canon. Having a crush on someone does not mean that you will fall in love with them, and there is no evidence in the movies that this would ever have been the trajectory. On the contrary, I think Kelsi became more mature and comfortable with Troy, particularly having dated Jason for a considerable period of time. I don’t think it’s particularly interesting or relevant, and I think that any such crush does not necessitate falling in love. You’re skipping the necessary character development before the falling in love part starts. I would prefer starting with the friendship. 

3- Thou shalt not kill off Gabriella to justify Trelsi.

Such a monstrous plot convenience implies that the only thing that would break the Troyella relationship would be death. You have got to be kidding yourself. There are several things that would single a long overdue demise of the Troyella relationship; Gabriella’s arrogance. selfishness, cruelty, manipulation and hypocrisy being key causes. Again, this just shows an abject lack of thought by the author. And dare I say it? Yes, I do dare say it: if you’re a Trelsi shipper (platonically/romantically), you cannot seriously consider Troyella to be on an equal level with that pairing, given the vast differences between the two. One is unhealthy and destructive, the other uplifting, egalitarian and complementary. No contest, folks. 

Besides, much as I dislike Gabriella’s behaviour, she doesn’t deserve to be killed off. 

4- Thou shalt not turn the Trelsi pairing into gooey, saccharine mush.

Leave that for Troyella. Granted, Troy and Kelsi are thoroughly decent, likeable characters, but neither of them are perfect. They have flaws and there is NO way (if one considers the romantic angle) that their relationship would be plain sailing. Both have significant self-esteem issues for one thing. Troy’s attachment to Gabriella is and should be the major cause of tension and struggle in achieving the character arc for both. Furthermore, Kelsi idealizes Troyella to a ridiculous degree, and I have said before that her songs feed into that wish fulfilment and yet idolatry of a thoroughly unhealthy relationship. Besides, depending upon where you begin (in my headcanon, I see no potential romance until after graduation from high school), you need to contend with how Troy’s dependence upon Gabriella has soared and his self-esteem has taken a shark jump. Is he just going to up and run into the arms of another woman? I wish he would, but that is just not realistic. 

And can we please scale back on the endless making out and “I love you’s” Troy and Kelsi have a much more esoteric language, which is far more interesting in revealing their bond. (”Playmaker/Composer/Hoops Man” are affectionate nicknames). 

5- Thou shalt not make Kelsi always shy and quiet.

If you do, you’ve missed the boat entirely. The whole value of Troy and Kelsi’s friendship is that they make each other more confident. Kelsi is very comfortable around Troy, and had they shared more screen time, we would have seen more of this. By the third movie, she is more confident, she can tell jokes (”I believe that actor would be you, Mr Choreographer!”) and she has an enjoyable sarcastic sense of humour, which I think would be very compatible with Troy’s own sarcasm (to Troy after a disastrous rehearsal: “You look like you’re having the time of your life!”). She directs an ENTIRE musical, people! Compare how she appears on stage for the callbacks in the first movie, and how she appears on stage in the third movie. It could be two different people. That’s thanks to Troy. He brought her out of her shell, which is why she is always so keen for him to participate in her musicals. In my headcanon, they always have great banter. There’s no way she’s just sitting in a corner writing more miserable love songs. 

6- Thou shalt not ignore the friendship.

This is why the whole crush thing is damn near irrelevant. The core of Trelsi is their friendship. It’s the alpha and the omega. Troy (literally) picked Kelsi up and made her feel good about herself. Kelsi guided and nurtured Troy’s performance abilities and connected to him via her music. I’m going to say something controversial: Gabriella is NOT the reason that Troy discovered his love for music. She was just the beginning. Like I have said before, the way Troy reacted to “What I’ve Been Looking For” was based on the quality of the song and Kelsi’s superlative abilities to translate emotion into music. The song moved him. Gabriella was simply pleased by the song. Big difference. Furthermore, the lyrics that Kelsi writes are more a reflection of her relationship with Troy than his relationship with Gabriella: “You know how life can be/It changes overnight/Sunny then raining/But it’s alright/A friend like you/Always makes it easy/I know that you get me/Every time/Through every up, through every down/You know I’ll always be around/Through anything you can count on me...”

Kelsi gets Troy, she is ALWAYS there for him, and he can always count on her. The same is true in the reverse: Troy instinctively understood how to raise Kelsi’s self-esteem, and if he had These lyrics do not reflect Troy and Gabriella’s relationship. Disprove this if you can. *hides behind fists* :D

The friendship comes first, people. 

(And the romance would be anything but conventional. I mean, Kelsi dresses like she lives at Woodstock. But seriously, there is no point breaking up Troyella if you’re going to write Trelsi like you write Troyella. Apples and (sour) oranges.)

7- Thou shalt not overuse song lyrics and movie tropes.

Yes, we know Kelsi is a composer. Like seriously, we know. And yes, it is called “High School Musical”. So music is a huge thing. But you’re a WRITER, and it’s your job to tell a story, so if you’re including song lyrics every other line then it stops being effective and now resembles padding. And I want to read a story that tells me MORE about Kelsi and Troy, not one that simply rehashes everything I already know. Things I could watch myself in the canonical movies. One of the most important things to note about Troy Bolton is that he struggles with the idea of being limited to basketball by his peers. He is more than that. He knows he is more than that, but his peers don’t understand this. They see Troy as a figurehead for their own expectations and their own dreams/aspirations, so they don’t take the time to see that Troy is a complex and nuanced character. (Which makes him awesome and fascinating). Take movie tropes and develop them in a realistic way. Add some new things. In my headcanon, Troy becomes a real auto junkie and loves classic cars. It’s the start of something new, folks. :D

8- Thou shalt moderate thy use of physical descriptors.

Blue eyes? Don’t care. Seriously don’t care unless you’re using exaggerated awareness in a skillful way. Long, curly hair? Don’t care. Smooth, lean body? Don’t care. Overuse of physical descriptors just means underuse of meaningful character descriptors and lack of good characterization in general. Exaggerated awareness is important in romance, but it is not separable from proper revelation of character, build-up of tension and the general structure of any decent story. Seriously, I have now read so many stories in a variety of fandoms where the author wants to let you know about the eye colour of so-and-so EVERY FRICKING PARAGRAPH which makes me wish I could take an eraser and erase the whole fricking page. 

This was supposed to by a “Thou Shalt/Thou Shalt Not”, but mostly appears to be “Thou Shalt Nots”. 

Anyway, I feel that if one abides by the above (and there may be more), then they will succeed. 

Of course, if you disobey all the above rules, what you have is not Trelsi, but just another Troyella fic. 

[akissatmidnight]

Morning! We hope you loved our review of the Scottish subscription box, WeeBox, and are now ready to get into some straight Outlander talk! But use caution: This contains Outlander season 3/Voyager Spoilers! Read no further if you haven’t read the the third Outlander series book!

Now that you’ve been warned, are you ready to talk about Voyager and what might come in season three of Outlander on Starz and what Sarah and Kelsey are looking forward to, plus where you can see some of the stars, besides what we mentioned in another post, which you can read here.

A final reminder, if you hate spoilers, don’t read any further!

Anyways, here’s Kelsey with some of her book-themed dreams, hopes, thoughts, and feelings before Sarah brings in her movie skills to tell you all about the new actors and actresses that are gracing the Outlander stage with their presence!

♥Jamie’s return to Lallybroch♥

It’s going to be sad, seeing Jamie wounded and hiding in Dun Bonnet’s Cave for so many years with only a few books to keep him company. As you probably read on our Legends of Outlander post, there was a real-live man named James Fraser who hid in a care and was nicknamed Dun Bonnet by the cap he wore. Nice connection, Diana!I love seeing history come to life and see how things connect. Something I’m not too thrilled about seeing it when little Fergus get’s caught up in the traitor madness and looses his crafty little hand. I assume more than one tear shall be shed for our tiny adopted Fraser.

♥Friends Foreverrrrr♥

The peculiar relationship between Jamie and Lord John Grey is something that I’m curious to see brought to life on the screen. I’m not saying it’s romantic, you know Jamie only has eternal eyes for Claire, but his friendship with Lord John Grey is going to be one of the cornerstones for the series moving forward. Without Lord John Grey, Jamie’s time in prison, and his later reunion with his biological son, might never be possible. Although, it looks like they’re setting it up to be more romantic in the show than it was in the books, something I’m not really into, as I think their complicated friendship in the series was compelling and deep. I almost feel like making it sound like a torrid love affair, like in some other blog posts and news stories, cheapens their dynamic relationship. If only the show series could do a chapter an episode!

♥Roger and Brianna help Claire Prepare♥

Okay, so A lot of people have a lot of thoughts about how Brianna was cast for the show, and honesty even I was expecting someone redder and taller, but the acting may surprise us in the coming season! But one thing I had a little bit of an issue with is how the show portrayed Brianna and Claire as not being close, like…at all. In the books I felt that there was much more warmth involved in their relationship that wasn’t represented on the show. However, Starz only has an hour an episode to work with, so I’m trying to ignore it, knowing that it’ll be impossible to ignore their true, loving, feelings as the show goes on. So I’m looking forward for Roger and Brianna to grow close as they help Claire prepare for her return to Jamie. I hope it’s just as touching as it was in the book! BTW, just so you know, we also have a lovely Claire dress guide here, so your clothes can be on point, and Sarah’s done a Claire hair tutorial, which is so easy, even I could do it.

♥Meeting Geneva♥

This is going to be tough for all those who love Claire and Jamie. I’m going to be honest, I think Geneva is a grade A asshole. Blackmailing Jamie into sex was a low blow and the man’s life has been tough enough. I know I’ll have a rage stroke when she throws out the “bang me or I’ll scream rape” card. At least Jamie can see some joy in the terrible union by his son William grow for a few years. But seeing as how happy he was knowing Claire was pregnant when she left, It’ll be tough seeing him watch his child from afar. There’s a lot of controversy surrounding this particular part of the series, with the word “rape” being used to describe both sides of the coupling. It’ll be interesting to see how the show addresses it. To cleanse the soul, let’s take a look back in time to when Jamie and Claire were #RelationshipGoals…

♥Baby Jamie♥

Jamie and his interactions with his secret son is going to be bittersweet. Their doings takes up a good chunk of book, and for good reason. We all read, and saw, how into being a father Jamie was when Claire was pregnant with Faith and how important it was for Claire to go back to Frank for the safety of their unborn child. It’s going to be bittersweet to see how young Willie sees a father figure in Jamie and Jamie longs to be close to a child he never thought he’d have, after Claire’s leaving. Their bond in the books might be hard to portray on screen, but Starz has done an awesome job, so far. We know Jamie’s big heart is one of the things we all admire about him, and in care you need to be reminded of the other reasons, take a look at our other list here!

♥The Highlight of the Year♥

I know for a damn fact that I’m not the only person who ugly cried when Claire went through the stones and later learned that Jamie was alive all along. While I understand that she needed to go for her own safety, it’s like she’s still twenty years too late to their reunion. I’m already preparing myself for the Kim Kardashian-like sobs when she finally sees him in the print shop. I’m also dying to see how well Jamie aged. I’m guessing it’s like a fine, beautifully kilted, wine… although he’ll be unkilted for a lot of the season, and not always in the fun way. The fact that we’ll probably have to wait a few episodes for this glorious meeting adds a certain level of delicious suspense. At least it’ll be a smoother journey for Claire, as Roger and Bree help her get the cash and clothes necessary for a successful jaunt through time. Some people are salty that Claire left Brianna in the present to go into the past, saying she’s a bad mom, but Claire did right by her kid and her promise to Jamie, so she deserves to have some Highlander goodness up in her petticoats.

♥The Scorned Second Wife♥

Dis Bitch is right. Ya’ll probably know that I feel Laoghaire is a dirty home wrecking hussy and no one deserves to get lumpy and gross in their old age more than her…well, except for Black Jack Randall… not that he lives long enough for that. Well, anyways, her coming out of the woodwork again to claim Jamie as her rightful husband is something I’m looking forward to. Like, I get how she saw Jamie as the one that got away but, damn girl, have some self respect! I wouldn’t tie myself for a man who was constantly wishing I was someone else, no matter how hot he was. BTW I’m all sour grapes on how Jenny lashes out at Claire and rats to Loaghaire, even thought Claire told her the potato-planting key to Lallybroch’s survival. I hope Loaghaire’s gun-toting dramatics are just as wild on the screen as they are on the page.

♥High Seas Misadventure♥

Poor Jamie can’t catch a break. He, along with Claire and Marsali, go to rescue Ian and he’s stuck vomiting with seasickness while Claire is basically kidnapped by the Porpoise, because the ocean has never been kind to Jamie. Like, universe, give the man a break! All he wants is to live the quiet life and plant some crops and make sweet love to his new found wife, not be held captive and taken towards prison. At least he’s conveniently shipwrecked near Claire. Small victories. I’m curious to see how this will play out since, in the book, their oceanic struggles is a large chunk of action. Thankfully, Starz has brought Mr. Willoughby onto the scene, so poor Jamie will have some relief on the ship. Also, it’s said that the Outlander Starz crew will be using some of the same set used to film their pirate series Black Sails, which I highly recommend to people into high seas adventures, sex, romance, murder, mystery, history, and backstabbing.

♥The Return of Geillis♥

Gonna be real, I’m pumped for the return of Geillis. I know she’s a murderer, adulteress, and all around baddie, but I’m really excited to see her return in all her crazy glory. You have to admire her vicious tenacity and the way she unraveled thousands of years of legends and myths to learn about time travel. Sure, she could have gone around without human sacrifices, but I admire a bitch with flair. I mean, if she had really been killed before having her son, a certain green-eyed man wouldn’t be able to grace us with his presence (lookin’ at you, Roger, you silver-tongued songster)! It’ll be neat to see the witch we love to hate back on the screen.

♥The British Scorch of the Highlands♥

After the failed Jacobite uprising, England took measures to ensure the Scottish would never rise again. They passed the Heritable Jurisdictions Act of 1746 that outlawed the Scottish chief system, hoping that by removing those men from their places of power, the people would be more accepting of full English rule. The Act of Proscription of 1746 was also put into effect, which outlawed all highland dress (see ya later, kilts) in the Dress Act. This took away a large part of the clan identity, which is exactly what the British wanted. If you were caught wearing a kilt after 1746 you could be fined, imprisoned, or even sent to the British colonies for “indentured servitude”, which was just a fancy term for “slavery”. It explains why the kilts of the previous seasons will be lost for a while and not make any sort of comeback for some time. As a history-lover, I’m curious to see how these real life restrictions will come about on the show. Now…let’s have a moment of silence for the glorious kilt.

BTW, if you’re interested in learning more about the Clans, and how they fared after the Jacobite rebellion, take a look at our Outlander page here and read up on Outlandish Clan History parts 1-5!

Sarah’s Thoughts

Now, I am here to help keep Kelsey honest lol. No, I read the books up to what’s been shown on TV to keep the spoilers at bay, so I have not read Voyager yet. My fingers are itching and I can’t wait to start, though. So I get excited about other things…like actors.

As much as I try to avoid spoilers, it is nearly impossible. As a result, I know about Jamie’s other daughter, the “Other Fraser” (Ten points if you get this reference). But what really excited me is the casting! Lauren Lyle and Nell Hudson look so alike its scary!

Perfect casting right? It almost makes you not want to hate Laoghaire…almost.

Okay, we’ll talk about one more kid. Young Ian. I also know who this is, Jenny and Ian’s son but that’s all I know. However, I am a HUGE Jenny fan so I am excited to see the craziness her spawn will likely cause. Plus, he looks like a little Jamie (sorry Ian). It’s alright for a kid to look like his uncle though. In fact, I think it is going to seriously help his future! So, let’s say ‘hello’ to John Bell!

Alright, let’s get into the big one…John Grey. Now, I know he and Jamie are supposed to be friends, but again, that’s all I know. I have heard the rumors that their bromance may be turned into a romance. All I have to say is, where is Jamie going to find the time to do that? Doesn’t he have enough going on with all the needy women in his life? I think it’s all hype to keep people interested and talking about the show while we’re waiting not so patiently for it to start. However, I will say I am terribly upset with the casting of David Berry! Uh! Did we really need another sexy man on the show? Okay, totally joking. He is a nice piece of eye candy and I definitely can’t wait to see his strutting across my BIG screen TV.

I love a man in a suit!

Now let’s here it for Fergus! Everyone’s favorite trouble maker is all grown up and lookin finnnneeeee. I’m happy to see he’s still around and even more excited to see where his character goes from here. The hand thing… yeah, that’s going to be interesting. I almost wish they could pull a Hunger Games and pretend like that bit never happened. But, I don’t think it’s going to take our man too long to get his good hand into plenty of trouble. Let’s hear it for César Domboy!

How about Joe Abernathy? I know he’s a doctor with Claire and he knows about time travel, so that is going to be a whole lot of fun. Mostly because I looked at Wil Johnson’s photos, and he takes a good picture! He has one of those stares that just bores into your soul and leaves you questioning everything in your life!

So, what are you looking forward to in season 3?  Are you a fan of the new cast members? Let us know in the comments! BTW, if you’re a fan of Scotland, check out the WeeBox here! It’s a subscription box filled with all sorts of fun Scottish items worthy of ever Sassenach♥ And don’t forget to check out our Outlander page to fill up the bitter droughtlander!

Read about Kelsey’s Scottish historical romances series and her contemporary romance novel here! And learn more about Sarah’s contemporary college romance series here!

Season 3-Ready for a Voyage? Morning! We hope you loved our review of the Scottish subscription box, WeeBox, and are now ready to get into some straight…

[idolizerp]

LOADING INFORMATION ON INDIGO’S MAIN RAP, VOCAL BAN JISUNG…

IDOL DETAILS

STAGENAME: N/A CURRENT AGE: 25 DEBUT AGE: 20 TRAINEE SINCE AGE: 17 COMPANY: MSG ETC: This member has become involved in acting since the group’s shift in popularity

IDOL IMAGE

outer

actor face, model proportions, nobody rapper. the weight of the last moniker is the card that knocks it all off balance, locks him (them) into this seemingly never-ending cycle of shoddy luck, until that survival show miraculously turned the tides for the better. before that, he’s the dissonance that msg likes to play off of–softer visuals of his sort don’t scream “rapper,” but that’s precisely the point.

with this wave of newfound fame now, he’s this: actor face, model proportions, indigo’s lead rapper; now with a more extensive list of footnotes tacked to each label following his name. there’s still a lot of focus on how he looks, surface-level perfection that plays off a criss-cross of intimidating and downright ethereal, a physical symmetry that at times (even on the account of the most grainy, pixelated fantaken shots) is difficult to fathom whole.

it’s enough to gain him some traction in advertising, something the company has pushed along with acting, both which he’s complied with wholeheartedly.

the rule of thumb? stay aware of your image, but never fail to be humble–being projected to the same spew of lovely compliments on loop of course makes this awfully easy. they want him to be relatable, down to earth. another trick with contrast that’s enough to entertain the masses and gain empathy. jisung’s own personal touch being to never cross the threshold into straight up delusional territory (exhibit a: attitude controversies? what the fuck are you smoking? exhibit b: saying they don’t need girlfriends when they’ve got their fans? no thank you).

the same philosophy is applied when it comes to his place among the boys–give credit where its due and be thankful for what’s given and got. anything that goes above and beyond and enters peak uncharacteristic excessive tomfoolery? then on god, he’s gotta be the one that’s smoking mad.

inner

his single crime is having a backbone. a human spine can only take so much pressure before it snaps under the weight of the unimaginable. humiliation stings (they’re next to nothing, close to it), sure, but there’s a reason why language exists. the pen’s mightier than the sword, and a mouth that knows how to strike someone numb than the slap of a palm works the same way. it’s not loyalty here, but merely an honest defense of everything that has his name associated with it. in the past, he’d been notorious for it–particularly in the wake of senior groups who don’t know when to can it, like they’re not only on top because fortune favors the fucked up and vice versa. the truth hurts, and the only thing that’s changed in the name of it is that he now has ground that is more solid than it’s ever been before if he’s to take the fall. evolutionary tactics for the sake of survival. it’s that simple.

IDOL HISTORY

baggage? pass. any brand of mommy-daddy issues or familial dysfunction both nuclear or extended? forget about it. there’s absence, but in a world this big, who doesn’t want some negative space in their lives? brooklyn is being pushed and pushed til it spills over, and he’s caught in the flood. childlike wonder keeps him distracted most days–that, and a schedule of extracurriculars that has him up and running. life moves by the rhythmic click-clack of the L, the school bell ringing for every hour, and earbuds glued in on his way to baseball practice. the blueprint, epmd’s strictly business, odds and ends of music mixes and archives he clicks through, building up a little world of rat-tat and snares.

there’s a meaningfulness to it, a to-the-point truth, the same sort that his parents jot down or announce through television screens. he takes to it like breathing, and from then on it’s kind of all-consuming. experimenting with different sounds, moods, flows–ranging from embarrassingly bad efforts to perfectly decent with some polish.

opportunity knocks after high school graduation. the rare trip to seoul to visit his grandparents turns to an msg talent scout handing him a card for consideration. if there’s anything to be thankful for, it’s that he’d sprouted like a beanstalk the summer before–paired with him growing quite nicely into his features, there’s a chance here. and with passing auditions, it expands. jisung weighs the percentages in his head, a diploma in journalism versus the paper-thin degrees of (possible) fame and affluence. his parents look at him as if to say with their eyes, god, eighteen years, and only to raise atall dumbass?

the prideful creature that he is, jisung doesn’t know how that could be possible. it’s only when the trainee days hit that he realizes with silent horror that oh. they might’ve had a point.

being familiar with singing and rapping gives him a leg-up in evaluations, all for that to be for naught the second they have to learn how to dance. it’s probably the first time having legs this long and inflexible nearly screws him over, but that’s where fake it ‘til you make it is exceptionally handy.

it all ends sooner than anticipated, anyway (like all fever dreams do, you could suppose). a year and then some, and he’s slotted for msg’s upcoming boy group. they’re multifaceted and (for the most part) interesting. neither of these qualities, jisung also comes to understand, mean shit. but he clings anyway, because there’s that so-called “meaningfulness” to it that might as well be the proverbial titanic in the face of the iceberg called public opinion. and if there’s nothing else going for him, face and body aside, he’s got a nose for smelling out bullshit, and jisung knows, this is anything but. jumping ship isn’t happening anytime soon.

they keep releasing songs, performing, and releasing more songs, rinse, repeat ad nauseam. hope is a thing with feathers, except those feathers are molting real fast for some of them. the years drag on, the calls from his parents offering to terminate that damned contract once and for all more tempting by the minute. but he’s a twenty-something by now, and with it the buddings of adult responsibility. emphasis on buddings, because as far as the msg execs are concerned, he’s not doing anything along the lines of responsible.

case in point: what he says, or rather, does. his transparency is a double-edged sword, simultaneously refreshing and well, sharp. not in the way that they like, and especially when he uses it against (senior) industry mates taking the liberties to drag their lack of reputation through filth. pity is the last thing desired, but there’s something about soon to be has-beens themselves picking on small fry that doesn’t sit well with him. so (allegedly) ignoring such folks on broadcast to forgoing the honorifics with a drop of the hat, no doubt it’ll get the rumor mill running. it’s not until the public eye starts zeroing in on an apparent pattern of him not bowing to other acts on stage does msg bring the hammer down–reflecting the obvious resort, but the reminder-slash-warning of the bigger consequences if he isn’t careful.

but by then, he’s a different kind of desperate as is. re:group is taken to like a second chance, fever dream-like training sessions that feel like deja vu and all. three years in, and dignity be damned. he’s grateful for the chance. exposure feels both like a second skin and a novelty, fits him glove-sleek in spite of not lasting there all that long, let alone making it to the final cut. it’s enough of a catalyst, enough of tiny, tiny nudge to skyrocket them into an overnight success.

compromise, along with this “nothing to something” narrative, makes for a winning combination. it no longer becomes a matter of being talented but being marketable. the love calls begin soon after, and so starts the growing repertoire in endorsement deals and acting projects, and he’s looking to expand his horizons a little further. he’d been here solely for the music from the start, and always will be, but in the face of a changing sound, there’s something oddly relieving in filling a different path to success that is hard to deny.

[newagesispage]

                                                                          February 2017

 PAGE RIB

*****Dale Jr. married Amy Reimann on New Year’s Eve and Delta lost his luggage. Jr. does not seem too happy about the Muslim ban. He tweeted that his family immigrated from Germany in the 1700’s to escape religious prosecution. America is created by immigrants.

*****I know of a local church who is trying to get some of their mission workers back to their families because they are stranded in other countries.

*****Did Lance Armstrong or other racers use motors on their bikes?

*****The Michigan department of natural resources is offering a million bucks if you can keep the Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes.

*****Oprah is joining 60 minutes.

*****Caterpillar is moving senior executives and about 300 employees to Chicago. Their earnings have dropped more each year since 2012.

***** Megyn Kelly is out at Fox and in at NBC. Greta Van Sustern is now on MSNBC. George Will has been let go. Is Fox falling apart?

*****A New York man started a fight in an eatery with Jamie Foxx and his friends.

*****Janet Jackson had a baby with Wissam Alman that they named Eissa.

*****Four days after the inauguration, Israel approved the construction of 2,500 new homes in Jewish settlements in the West bank.

*****Hooray for the NHL and its 100 years!!

*****Ray Davies received a knighthood.

*****TNT’s Major Crime is back on Feb.22.

*****An updated ‘Archie’ called Riverdale is back and his parents are played by Molly Ringwald and Luke Perry.

*****There are reports that Trump will cancel funding for the National endowment for the arts and privatize the corporation for Public Broadcasting.

*****Dylan Roof was sentenced to death for the Charleston massacre.

*****The North Dakota legislature has introduced house bill 1203 aimed at protesters. It states that if a driver runs over someone on the highway and it wasn’t “on purpose” that they won’t be held accountable. The language does not specify protesters, it could apply to a child running across the street. It gives a pass to careless drivers and hot heads. The DAPL protesters are outraged.

*****Glad to see Norm back on The Middle. Also.. his book, Based on a true story, is one of the best I have read. Thanks Norm!!

*****The Baseball hall of fame announced the 2017 inductees: Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines Sr.. Ivan Rodriguez, Bud Selig and John Schuerholz.

*****Thought it would be Green Bay and Pittsburgh but it looks like the Super bowl will be Atlanta vs. New England.

*****Saw an interview with La. senator Bill Cassidy.  He did not make a lot of sense, I wonder if he is ok? I mean, I wonder if he is mentally stable? Of course I say the same thing about our new President. Anybody else and their family would be checking him in for a mental evaluation.

*****Days alert: We have a new actress for the role of Jade.  Glad Eric and Anna are back. Carrie and Austin still seem like the perfect couple. More Abe!! I miss Phillip!!

*****Thanks for the giggle by turning Hollywood into Hollyweed.

*****A new BBC documentary brings us evidence that a coal fire on the Titanic may have helped the ship go down even faster. A 30 year researcher tells us a fire in the boiler room damaged the hull long before it hit the iceberg.  So the real culprits could be Fire and ice and criminal negligence. This had been reported at the time but has resurfaced because a collection of photographs. They were found in an attic by a descendent of a director of the Belfast based company, Harland and Wolff. There was a 30 foot long diagonal black mark on the hulls front starboard side near where the ice hit in a photo taken before the Titanic ever left the shipyard. Some seem to think this isn’t important but others think the mark was caused by fire and is a revelation.

*****The Coywolf is gaining ground in your cities. I think I saw one the other day too.

*****SNL suspended writer Katie Rich for tweeting a tasteless joke about Barron Trump.

*****Look for Ted Levine as the preacher in the thriller, Bottom of the world with Jena Malone.

*****Check out learn the address.org. Listen to some great speakers or leave your mark.

*****Tim Kaine told Capitol Hill about what it was like to be part of the fake news. He commented that a 4th grader would have trouble believing the stories so how can a possible National Security advisor?

*****Usain Bolt was stripped of a gold medal.

*****The Wall Street Journal tells us more than 150 financial institutions hold IOU’s from Donald Trump.

*****Gospel singer and radio show host of Bridging the gap, Kim Burrell , has been taken off the air in Houston. She was to perform on Ellen but due to anti -gay comments she made, her performance was cancelled. She was to perform with Pharrell who still appeared but distanced himself saying, ”I love her but there is no room for any kind of prejudice in 2017.”

*****C’mon while they still can.. could we have a Walton’s or Dr. Quinn movie? This country needs some good old fashioned family love. Dolly can’t do it alone.

*****Assange = Putin puppet

*****Who the fuck is Bo Bice?

*****Charles Manson was rushed to the hospital at the beginning of January. Some reports said that the 82 year old was to undergo surgery for serious gastrointestinal bleeding but officials would not comment.

*****There are only 7000 cheetahs left.

*****Illinois still has no budget.

*****Wow! So scientists now say that we have an organ, the mesentery, that they previously thought ‘a group of structures connecting the intestine to the abdomen.’

*****The Golden Globes started off with a teleprompter malfunction for Jimmy Fallon.  We did not see much of him after that. The highlight of the evening had to be Meryl Streep and her fabulous speech about the election. People often poo poo the liberal Hollywood agenda when receiving awards but this was the first time all night that the crowd was silent and really listened. The ladies in the room looked so proud as she made her way to the stage for her Cecil B. DeMille award. She made such a perfect point about Trump and about supporting good journalism. We are gonna need that! Go Meryl! ***Other highlights were Donald Glover who got best actor and best show, Atlanta awards. He so deserves them. I was jumping up and down! Glover has also signed a new deal with FX to develop new projects. Atlanta won’t be back until 2018! I was so hopeful for Bob Odenkirk or Matthew Rhees to win but Billy Bob Thornton nabbed it. At least he mentioned Mr. O and Thornton pretended a funny feud.  It was a win for Sarah Paulson and Casey Affleck!  It seems that Julia Louis and her winning days may finally be over. Viola Davis won!! Gosling (who gave a great speech too) and Stone and La La Land won big, breaking records. *** There seemed to be some controversy about Fences and Hidden Figures with Jenna Bush.***While presenting for animated film, Kristen Wiig and Steve Carell  took their banter all the way until the room was silence. Beautiful! Best dressed were Kerry Washington, Mandy Moore, Sofia Vergara, Janelle Monae, Questlove, Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Kristen Bell , Ruth Nega and Laura Dern. Worst dresses for me were Felicity Jones and Zoe Saldano, Riley keiou, Nicole Kidman and Carrie Underwood. It seemed a surprise to see Brad Pitt and Leo Dicaprio.  Why was this Chrisley dude on the after show?? Did he dis Nancy Grace?***The stranger things kids seemed to be the belles of the ball. They seemed to have fun meeting everyone they came to see when the commercials were on.

*****The Jeff Macdonald case is back in the spotlight. The Green Beret officer is still trying to get out.

*****It looks again, like the left has been pussies to the republican bullies. During the election, Obama and his team wondered if lashing out about the Russian cyber problem would be adding to the chaos. We always worry about how it looks and we try to bend over backwards to do the right thing. While we are doing that, they just bulldoze over everything and everyone and people applaud it. We were looking for Putin to interfere in the actual votes but he was more interested in psychological warfare.  Voters seemed to be looking for any reason to not vote for Hillary while Russia and the Trump lies kept coming. It is not surprising that Comey was so against not releasing this Russian interference. He turns right around and keeps bringing up the’ damn e mails.’ Funny he said nothing about the file that Russia had on Trump. Why does this guy have a job? He is always in the middle of some dirty business. We now know that Trump and his team were already talking to Russia during the election.  BTW.. Is it worrisome that Trump was given a brief about this file but did not seem to know of it for days because he did not read it??

*****Is the new President doing some advertising for L.L. Bean?

*****Trump waited longer than any other president elect to hold an official press conference. It happened right when all his nominees were getting questioned. It took the spotlight off the bizarro world picks he made. Didn’t he always moan about Obama not holding press conferences? The crowd was filled with his own people to applaud his words.  Trump and his family looked a bit queasy on Jan. 11, 2017. His announcer is spouting about lies before the racist even takes the podium. They had piles of files to make a point. If we read them what would they really say? There was a lot of venom (like the first 20 minutes) spewed at reporters. They built a whole campaign on fake news but now they seem to be against it. He calls CNN “fake news” and then the BBC, ”that’s another beauty.” Hmm. Jake Tapper hit back that CNN did not report any uncorroborated news. And Trump is still talking smack about Hil and now about how wonderful and elegant inauguration day will be, anything to keep from the real issues. We now know the inauguration was not all he built it up to be. He tells us that reporters are the only ones that want to see his tax returns. WRONG!!  The bulk of this press conference was his lawyer telling us about his business affairs. He is going to give money made from foreign dignitaries at his hotels to the U. S. treasury. Ok. What about all the rest of it? You still have your name on buildings and you own the shit. There is still no resolution to various conflicts and his business ethics. Since then lawsuits have been brought by ethics lawyers against Trump. The press conference ended with the lovely thought that if his sons do a bad job running his biz, he will say “you’re fired.” What??

*****Ivanka is going to be a “modern day first daughter” who will be an integral part of the administration.

*****Seeing Laurence Fishburne on The Daily show call Trump ‘45’ gave me great inspiration. I have noticed that Joy Behar, Triumph the insult comic dog, myself and most everyone I know has so much trouble even saying ‘President Trump’. So I think in my next columns I will start to call him scary clown 45. To me it sums him up pretty good. I want to laugh, to cry and I’m downright scared for our country.

*****Shulkin , the current under secretary, has been picked to run the Veteran’s affairs department.

*****It was wonderful to see Joe Biden get the Presidental Medal of Freedom with distinction.

*****The bees have been added to the endangered species list.

*****The White house remembered Holocaust day without mentioning the Jewish people. Standard holocaust deniers in the White House, I guess. Reince Priebus who made the rounds at the Sunday morning shows this weekend made no apologies. He did agree that many Jews suffered . I think it is their mantra to never apologize.

*****Diane Sawyer takes on the ‘new reality’ on 20/20. She follows Americans who work 2 or 3 jobs with no safety nets or savings accountants. There is a boom in third shift child care. I am a little shocked that so many people are just waking up to this. It is business as usual for a big chunk of society, Most of the people I have known in my life have always lived this way. This really shows just how little people look to their fellow man to help or inquire of their plight. Oh, people are out there that have always had big hearts. But it seems like these ‘forgotten ‘ Americans ‘ don’t realize that a lot of us were always ‘forgotten’. It will never get better as long as people keep worrying about their own wallets. We need to work together. I do not understand what they mean when they want to make America great again. With some simple research we can see that unemployment is down, homelessness is down, wages are up, emergency room visits are down and crime is down. There is bad, always will be but America is pretty great. Until the top of the food chains spread it around, we are doomed to repeat things that forget some of us. Unfortunately, those very souls are in charge for now.

*****In the confirmation hearings of the rich, old Trump picks, it was great to see Diane Feinstein hit them hard right out f the box. She immediately asks about human trafficking and abortion. Jeff sessions tells us that Roe v. wade “one of the worst, most erroneous decisions made by the supreme court ever.” Al Franken seemed to really get under his skin. Do they not see that abortion rates are the lowest they have been since ’73? With better health care and access to better reproductive education we have gotten better and more widespread use of birth control. The Pope is trying to do his part by letting Catholic charities give out condoms despite many upset that it goes against religious teachings. Sessions was confirmed.  **Rex Tillerson says the climate change studies are inconclusive. Elizabeth Warren was grilling Tom Price since he just kept going round and round and never really answering the questions.**Scott Pruitt is nominated for the EPA. He always sides with the corporate polluters, always working against the EPA.

*****They say the Wall will be a minimum of 15 to 25 billion to construct. The border is 3000 Km. long. This does not even take into account future maintenance and employees. The border towns do not seem too happy. Making it harder for people to legally cross the border is not the answer. They rely on customers that cross the border to buy their goods. Mexico is the 3rd largest trade partner of the U.S. and according to NAFTA and the WHO, Mexico can retaliate. After 9-11, the auto industry supply flow through North America from Canada to Mexico was disrupted. Do we remember the chaos that ensued?  Sanctuary cities (except Miami) are not happy but should not be threatened with funding yanked. Former Mexican President Vincente Fox says he agrees that they should withdraw from NAFTA if this happens. 20% tariffs will cause prices to go up. Current President Nieto, though not terribly popular says they will not pay for this fucking wall. Lindsey Graham is pushing back to make sure we have Corona and tequila at a decent price.

*****The SAG awards went out just before January was over. There were many shout outs to Trump and speeches about acceptance. Julia Louis was the first to win and talked of her Father, an immigrant. Sarah Paulson asked for donations to the ACLU. The most emotional speech came from Mahershala Ali who talked about being at odds with his Mother about faith but that they worked it out. Other winners included Orange is the new black, William H. Macy, Viola Davis, Bryan Cranston, John Lithgow, Denzel Washington, Emma Stone, Hidden Figures and the cast of Stranger things which seemed to be the favorite. Dolly Parton was there to give Lily Tomlin the lifetime achievement award. Jane Fonda was supposed to be there but had taken ill. The Lily montage really showed an array of so many characters that is rare even for an actor’s montage. I thought the worst dressed were Nicole Kidman, Julie Bowen, Salma Hayek and Michelle Dockery. Best dressed were Michelle Williams, Emma Stone, Sofia Vergara, Gina Rodriguez, Taraji P. Henson, Mahershala Ali and Janelle Monet.

*****Meet the Press is 70 years old. Tom Brokaw has been with NBC for 50 years.

*****We have a newly discovered primate species called the Skywalker hoolock gibbon.

*****Sky arts cancelled the urban myths show about the Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson, Marlon Brando drive.

*****Criminal Minds won a People’s choice award and Jane Lynch is back this month!!

*****Marshawn Lynch made a great cameo on Brooklyn 99.

*****Scientists now believe the appendix does have a purpose. It may protect beneficial bacteria living in the gut.

*****Thank you EW for your awesome cover story on Sarandon and Lange as Davis and Crawford. The first television ad left much to be desired but Ryan Murphy has to shock I suppose. I could not believe that set designers even recovered the bedroom furniture and the piano from the original  ‘Baby Jane’ production Anyway, so excited about FEUD! Can’t wait!

*****The Tick is back.

*****Go Portland!! They have America’s first non- profit pub. You order a drink, a meal and which charity you want to support. I want to go to there. We need more of this. Those involved in the highlighted charities each month come a few times to work and tell the customers about their charity. One of those was the wayfinding Academy, a new Portland college. Exnovo Brewery is another non profit on the same wavelength.  We must have more of this in Trump’s America.

*****A new book out by Brad Meltzer called I am Jim Henson looks great.

*****Hey Rev. Pat Conroy: Isn’t the notion of opening a house session with a prayer outdated?

*****I am loving The Young Pope on HBO with Jude Law, James Cromwell and Diane Keaton. I like the contrast between the large, empty Vatican rooms and the long dialogue .

*****HBO is bringing us Big Little Lies with Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern and Reese Witherspoon.

*****People are alive because of the affordable care act. If the republicans wouldn’t have eliminated the risk corridor, insurance companies would not have dropped out.

*****Weird Al is coming out with a boxed set of his best.

*****Excited about the film ‘Newness’ with Danny Huston and Matthew Gray Gubler.

*****Richard Carpenter has sued Universal music for 2 million because he feels that he and his sister Karen’s estate are owed royalties.

*****Ok.. so I never really see Dateline but do appreciate Keith Morrison’s voice and the sly little things he says.  I caught a good one. They told us that the victim was pretty and there were always men around. Keith’s response: “But now she’s dead!” He was also quite wide eyed with the discussion about autoerotic asphyxiation.

*****Tom Hanks was hosting on NPR for Pete Sagal on Wait Wait don’t tell me!

*****Charmed is coming back with a prequel.

*****Biloxi, Mississippi does not celebrate MLK day.

*****Steve Harvey is a HUD consultant?

*****Georgia’s John Lewis does not recognize Trump as a legitimate President. He and many other Dem’s avoided the inauguration. The only real downside is that Russia is getting what they want. They love us squabbling amongst ourselves. It is a lot of ‘look over here while we are busy fucking you over here’. Trump is using the same play book. He is freaking about the size of the crowds at the inauguration. He puts the White House press secretary Sean Spicer out there on his first day to lie about the crowd size. CNN did not put this out live. They wanted to see what he said first , very shrewd. This might be the new normal. The press keeps asking Ms. Conway about it while we should be talking more about the women marching for their rights. I mean, talk about crowds, the women’s march had unprecedented crowds. My favorite shirt was the monster face of Trump with the American horror story logo on it. I think we need some of those knock down –blow up clowns that we played with as children only with Trumps face on them. They hit back with ‘oh they thought it would rain’ or ‘the Nielsen ratings were good.’ It is a tricky biz: Do we call him out on his ridiculous lies and blathering ? To ignore him could be dangerous but we will never get straight, coherent answers from these people. We have to put them at the bottom of the news but keep a close eye on what they are doing. Will the press be kicked out of the White House? Should they opt out on their own if they are only going to be told lies? Perhaps the Trump team just wants us to change the channel when Ms. Conway is being ridiculous so nobody is watching real news. It isn’t even spin or political speak any more, it is psychotic, blatant lies. Integrity matters.

*****Trump won’t have a lot of D.C. friends.. The map around Washington gets bluer and bluer every election cycle. The oval office is a bit frightening when you see Andrew Jackson looking on.

*****The right wants us to move on from this election. Everybody did give him a chance and every time he lets us down again. Did they let go of the birther movement? Should we forget the hateful things Trump says and continues to say? Should we thank him when we can no longer go to the doctor? He is trying to get the EPA to shut up, to keep them away from the press or social media.

*****It’s always sunny in Philadelphia and wolf cola are back! But are they trying to get taken off the air. They have always been so clever but they have been relying a bit too much on gross this season.

*****The constitution states that it is illegal for a President to not give up ownership of his business.

*****The Ringling Brothers circus is over after 146 years.

*****Liz Cheney is on board with Trump in supporting ‘enhanced interrogation.’

*****Independent lens on PBS did another riveting episode. They did a wonderful job of following Bill Genovese as he re discovers his sister, Kitty’ murder. I remember the case often in the news as I was growing up. It seemed that every other detective show did their interpretation. The murder of Kitty Genovese became a national talking point after a NY times article proclaimed that 38 onlookers did nothing. The truth had never really been known and we discover that much of what we thought we knew was wrong. After 50 years we will probably never know the whole story but the case still fascinates.

*****Seth Meyers and Mike O’Brien are working on a pilot for NBC called Deadline Reports about a high school biology teacher.

*****Stephen Colbert will host the 2017 Emmy’s. Do they even look anywhere but late night tv for hosts anymore?

*****Michael Moore is proposing a Taxes March on April 15. Yes.. Let’s see those fucking taxes.

*****The Oscar noms came out for the broadcast on Feb. 26. Wow.. nothing for Annette Benning!? But hooray for Viggo Mortenson and Michael Shannon. Hail, Caesar got a production design nod. Hmmm.

*****This Cobi fella seems pretty talented.

*****1984 from George Orwell is the top seller on Amazon.

*****So good to see Brendan Fraser making the rounds again. He is in the Affair. I think he will age like Chris Walken: a little nerdy, a little quirky, a great actor.

*****Aaron Rodgers Father is talking. He says “fame can change things.’ It seems the family does not attend Packer games.

*****Is Elizabeth Warren already looking into impeachment?

*****The inauguration: There was a lot of flap beforehand about performers. Ambassadorships were being offered to agents to get big names. Jennifer Holiday had not even agreed to be there. She had performed for 4 other Presidents. When it was announced that she would play for Trump’s inauguration, she did not quite seem to get it but that is no excuse for bullying.** All the Trump wives were there. **Ron Reagan Jr. reported that the 16 minute American carnage speech was a ‘Steve Bannon production’. It was full of darkness and bullying. **The crowd was still yelling “lock her up.” Climate change and healthcare is off the White House website. ** A couple hundred people were arrested. ** An executive order was signed to ease the burden as they repeal Obamacare? ** They filed a motion in Texas to postpone the voter ID case that has been shameful in its discrimination. They released no announcement about it, of course. It is only the beginning.**John Gore was named to head the civil rights division. He is the lawyer who defended the anti trans bathroom law and he is big on redistricting. ** Hillary Clinton was there, talk about the bigger man.**There was controversy about the inaugural cake because someone from the Trump staff ordered a replica of Obama’s cake that had been made by Duff. The cake shop used this time was asked to make a Styrofoam cake with 1 real piece for cutting. The owner said they do not refuse service to anyone because of their sexual orientation or political leanings so they did it. She and her employees decided to donate the money to charity. They gave it to the Human rights campaign who believe that Trump is unfit for the presidency.

*****Lisa Madigan is fighting against the shady practices of student loans.

*****Why are there missile launchers at the DAPL?

*****IT is the Year of the Rooster!!

*****Howard Dean is calling out the democratic leaders to do more.

*****Trump reorganized the National Security council. He stuck Steve Bannon in there and put the Director of National Intelligence and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on sort of a need to know basis. These are person who should be indispensable.

*****Trump may be letting go of the torture bone with some convincing by Gen. Mattis. Perhaps this will be one that he finally lets go of.

*****Rutland Vermont has hundreds of jobs available and are welcoming refugees. Well, they were until our fearless leader decided to ban people from 7 Muslim countries from coming into this country. And why would Iraq even be in this lineup? As of this writing, I am looking at CNN and watching the protests that are happening at JFK and all over the country. There was a stay put in place by a judge but Priebus later said they apologize for nothing and that there was no chaos. How do they say things with a straight face? Why are they so fucking scared of people that don’t look like them? They should be scared of themselves, most serial killers are white men! Should we ship them out?? Justin Trudeau says Canada will welcome those fleeing prosecution. CEO’s are weighing in from ETSY to Box on how despicable this all is. Even Dick Cheney stated that this is “against everything we stand for.” With all the protests and anger that is flaring, I would think that police and employees at airports etc. are going to be sick of all the extra stress and angst that Trump is causing them. All I can figure is that the President, his cohorts and supporters are terribly miserable folks. They seem to want to make the rest us unhappy as well. This administration seems to want to pull big government into everything. I was under the impression that they were against that sort of thing. Unfortunately, the law seems to be on Trumps side. Precedent gives the President sweeping power as to whom he lets in this country because of national security. Giuliani told a reporter that Trump asked him how he could do a legal Muslim ban and I guess this is what they came up with. Congressman Seth Moulton said in a statement that the ban made him “ashamed Trump is our President. His policies literally put our troops’ lives at risk. There is nothing in his executive order that improves the vetting process.”

*****San Francisco is suing Trump over his executive order about sanctuary cities.

*****ISIS is already using this ban against us.

*****The New Orleans Jazz fest welcomes Stevie Wonder, Tom Petty, Alabama Shakes, Snoop Dogg and The Roots to name a few.

*****Bounce tv hosted the Trumpet awards.

*****Aimee Mann has a new LP, ‘Mental Illness”. She will be touring America to promote her very acoustic new music inspired by folk rock of the 60’s and 70’s.

****Trump has nominated Judge Neal M. Gorsuch for the Supreme Court. His mother, Anne was part of the Reagan administration.

*****Al Franken in 2020!

*****RIP William Peter Blatty, the Ft. Lauderdale victims, Kevin Holt, Yanni “John” Alexis Mardas, Tommy Allsup, Miguel Ferrer , Geoff Nicholls,  Barbara Hale, John Hurt, Mary Tyler Moore and Margaret Jean Lipinski