#and then we watched Babylon 5 and we are now on SEASON 3

[reflectionsofgalaxies]

some iconic finds from the thrift store today

(specific shoutout to butterfly bones. wild take on anatomy.🦋🦴)

[swaps55]

I lost my friend to cancer yesterday.

I’d really like to tell you about her.

We meet people throughout our lives who change it, in big ways and small ways, and ways we will never forget. Sara/ @dearophelia was one of those people for me.

I met her here, on tumblr, about 10 years ago. I wish I could remember what piece of writing I stumbled onto first, but she was such a gifted writer that I immediately wanted to see more. I somehow wound up following her live blog of a road trip, which was full of uproariously snarky jokes about Ohio. I had the courage to reach out and tell her how funny I thought she was, and how great her username was to this fellow Mass Effect fan who lived right down the road in Kentucky and got all the Ohio jokes.

We talked. We chatted. I introduced her to a group of people I played Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer with. She grew from a level one first-timer to a total badass who could carry a team and taught other people how to do the same thing.

And then my life fell apart.

Everything fell apart for me. Turning to my family wound up being a catastrophe, and I didn’t have local ��real world” friends I could turn to.

So I texted Sara. Told her I needed somewhere to go, and asked if I could stay with her that weekend.

She texted back, “Yes.” Sent me her address, and said to ping me when I got there. She didn’t hesitate. She didn’t ask why. She just gave me shelter. So I showed up on her doorstep, and she listened while I told her everything. She didn’t judge me. She didn’t think I was insane. She had every right to think both things. Instead, she gave me safe harbor at a time when I had no control over my life and didn’t know what was going to happen to me.

For the next several months, I made frequent trips up I-75 to Ohio. She kept an air mattress out for me. We played multiplayer. We talked about Mass Effect. We talked about life. We bitched about all the people who hated on one of our favorite characters. She introduced me to Babylon 5. I have so many memories of sitting on the couch in her apartment, with her cat Odo crawling around behind my head. When I eventually pieced myself together enough to leave Kentucky and start the work of starting over, it meant leaving behind that sanctuary with her in her apartment, and it was something I had to grieve along with everything else.

And now I am grieving it again, and so much more. I am so lucky I was able to fly back to Ohio a few weeks ago while I had the chance. Hugging someone goodbye, knowing it’s the last hug you’re going to get….well, it sucks.

But I got that hug.

Sara was so many things. She was a gifted storyteller with entire worlds in her head. One of the weekends I stayed with her, she had recreated the Mass Effect galaxy map on her wall with notecards and string to help her tell a story. She could create a character and make you fall in love with them in a matter of sentences. Because of her stories, I binge watched all ten seasons of Stargate SG-1.

She was also not afraid to unapologetically be herself. I had a lot of things to learn and unlearn about the world, feminism, gender, and sexuality, especially in those days. Listening to her fight for her space in the world and refuse to be told she was anything less than who she wanted to be helped me learn some of the things I needed to learn, and embrace the things I discovered about myself.   

She loved music. She made the best fucking playlists. She taped inspirational notes around her condo. She sent me a set of coasters that say, “Fuck It,” and “Nah,” and I use them every single day. Her smile was gorgeous. She lit up a room.  

And now she’s gone. I won’t see her in my tumblr notes anymore. I won’t see her on my dash. I won’t get pinged with new Odo photos. She won’t get to hear the new music I listen to that shows up in our Spotify blend. I won’t get to talk about the next Mass Effect game with her. I won’t get any more Ao3 updates in my inbox.

I wanted you to know about her – this pocket friend of mine who impacted my life in ways that I won’t ever forget.

I hope you will read her stories. Listen to her playlists. She was a brilliant human being. She should still be here. She isn’t.

And I miss her.  

[lydia-too-late]

Six Song Soundtrack :: Tula

RULES :: If you're tagged, make a new post with links to music and/or lyrics describing the following...

////Going with first impulse. None of these are definitive and they are all. over. the. place.////

1. AN EVENT THAT DEFINES YOUR CHARACTER'S PAST

"Bukowski" by Modest Mouse

Well all that icing and all that cake, I can't make it to your wedding, but I'm sure I'll be at your wake. You were talk, talk, talk, talkin' in circles that day, When you get to the point make sure that I'm still awake, OK?

Went to bed and didn't see Why every day turns out to be A little bit more like Bukowski. And yeah, I know he's a pretty good read. But God who'd want to be? God who'd want to be such an asshole?

2. HOW YOUR CHARACTER SEES THEMSELVES

"Weird World" by Allie X

Hail Satan At least he keeps a promise Big brother's always out of office I know nobody wants to hear this, but

I live in a weird world Yeah, it's sad but it's true Maybe you can't see it But you live in one too I used to be a dream girl But the world interfered At least now I know why Now I know why Now I know I'm weird

3. HOW OTHERS VIEW THEM

"Whore of Babylon" by Zheani

The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour And decked with gold and precious stones and pearls Having a golden cup in her hand Full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication And upon her forehead was a name written Mystery, Babylon The Great The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth

Mystery the Mother of Harlots I am drunken with the blood of the saints

4. THEIR CLOSEST RELATIONSHIP

"Repetition" Purity Ring

I can feel your knees sinking into the bed Searching in my dark eyes to break what's been said There's a will of grace until the sadness down There's a light in my skin that's been dimmed I'mma dig you up and give you what I took Pull you up and tuck you in and make you look I'mma smooth your shoulders down and calm what's shook It was all forlorn, if only for a season

Watching me is like watching a fire take your eyes from you Hope it isn't repetition Though that's the only thing that keeps and takes you

///FUCK IT ONE MORE HOPE YOU LIKE GIRLY POP 'CAUSE I FUCKING DO///

"Heartbreak in the Making" by Dagny

You're like a stranger I've already met You're like a fantasy I've had in my head Don't know if time's gonna mend me again Hey, you feel like a heartbreak in the making

Bittersweet (bittersweet) Always had a taste for the bittersweet (Bittersweet)  Recklessly, I run towards the danger When it's close to me

It's a good thing that we can't say It's a bad thing before it's too late It's a good thing that a bad thing can feel this great

5. A MAJOR FIGHT SCENE

"Daughter" Beyonce

Your body laid out on these filthy floors Your bloodstains on my custom coutures Bathroom attendant let me right in She was a big fan I really tried to stay cool But your arrogance disturbed my solitude Now I ripped your dress and you're all black and blue Look what you made me do

[...]

I sashayed my dress Did my best impression of a damsel in distress This alcohol and smell of regret Allured my catch Outfit too small to hide my scars Feelin' bottled up like bottle service broads How long can he hold his breath before his death?

6. OPENING CREDITS / END CREDITS

"Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)" by Run The Jewels

Fashion slave, you protestin' to get in a fuckin' look book Everything I scribble's like an anarchist's cookbook Look good, posin' in the centerfold of Crook Book Black on black on black with the ski mask, that is my crook look How you like my stylin' bruh? Ain't nobody smilin' bruh 'Bout to turn this mothafucka up like Riker's Island, bruh

I was tagged by @gorbalsvampire, @porcelainseashore, & @silkenred (y'all are great!)

I'm tagging... FUCK, I think I might be the last person on the site to complete this??

[terrible-titles]

A Hodepodge of Older Shows to Watch During the Strike

We support the writer’s strike here, and in a Culture of New, TV execs are going to use the “impact” to currently running shows in order to try to shift your support to them. But here in Tumblr we have revived century-old novels and put them firmly in the mainstream by having a Tumblr-wide bookclub, so I think we can do the same to older shows--not only to keep ourselves entertained, but to remind us all why writers are so important to begin with. Now that AI is coming dangerously close to replacing writers’ work (and is indeed one of the issues the writers are striking over), I think it’s important to remember that our favorite lines (one of mine is “Everything is confetti” from Haunting of Hill House) couldn’t have happened without a writer creating and then fighting for it. Writers deserve healthy workplaces, fair compensation, and recognition for their talent.

Disclaimers: 1. As with all shows, but especially older ones, there will be problematic content. 2. I will try to avoid obvious recs that still have an active fanbase like Star Trek or Buffy, but I don’t have my finger on the pulse of pop culture so maybe I rec something that’s still pretty popular and I don’t realize it. I’m also not necessarily going for “obscure” or “you’ve never heard of this,” but just shows people might have overlooked. Yes, I’m from the US (sorry!) and yes, I would love to hear from non-US people about the best shows from your country that I’m missing out on! Please feel free to reblog and add your favorites to this!   3. Maybe my taste doesn’t align with yours and you disagree. Maybe I missed something because I didn’t want this to be 500 pages long. That’s fine! Again, reblog with your own recs. The more, the better! 4. Genres are weird. I tried. 5. I chose not to add where you could find these series because it can vary country to country, but if all else fails, check your local library’s media collection! (And if that fails, you might sail the seas...) 6. Please be cool... please. 

Comedies

Better Off Ted (2009, 2 seasons) A workplace comedy in an evil corporation. Perfect for fans of The Office or Arrested Development. Happy Endings (2011, 3 seasons) It’s like if Friends was just every so slightly more diverse. Takes place in Chicago, which is cool.

M*A*S*H (1972, 11 seasons) You’ve probably heard of this comedy/drama that stars cultural icon Alan Alda as a cynical army medic just trying to survive the Korean War, but have you watched it yet? You should.

NewsRadio (1995, 5 seasons) A workplace comedy in a news radio station starring Phil Hartman. A less cringy Office and a less sophisticated Frasier. Vicar of Dibley (1994, 3 series + specials) Dawn French plays the first-ever female vicar in a small English village. Watch out for an utterly amazing Spice Girls reference and Richard Armitage. Keeping Up Appearances (1990, 5 series) A British woman from a lower class family attempts to social climb to predictably hilarious results. Was apparently one of the Queen Mother’s favorite shows though I can’t for the life of me figure out what she got from it.

You’re the Worst (2014, 5 seasons) Just two really toxic people in a relationship trying to make it work. Definitely has dramatic undertones in addition to being pretty funny.

Side note: If you like comedy, get a subscription to Dropout TV. I’m not a shill. Nobody’s paying me to say this. I just really love it and they’re a great company to support.  Science Fiction/Supernatural

Babylon 5 (1994, 5 seasons) Was Deep Space Nine your favorite Star Trek series? Watch this. (Watch it even if it wasn’t.)

Sliders (1995, 5 seasons) An updated Quantum Leap. Jerry O’Connell and John Rhys-Davies star. A couple of scientists and their unfortunate friends are stuck sliding between alternate universes trying to find their way home.

Wynonna Earp (2016, 4 seasons) The great-great granddaughter of Wyatt Earp is tasked with sending reincarnated outlaws back to Hell. Often called the spiritual successor to Buffy, this is a real campy adventure in the Wild West and everything Supernatural wished it could be. 

Lost Girl (2010, 5 seasons) This show is about a bisexual succubus named Bo. I don’t know what else you need to watch this.

Drama

The Darling Buds of May (1991, 3 series) The British Little House on the Prairie if Pa were a con man you like to root for. An early Catherine Zeta-Jones stars as the oldest daughter who kidnaps and marries a tax inspector in order to avoid paying taxes. Incredible. Icon.  

Midsomer Murders (1997, 24+ series) Technically, this one is still going (and I’m sure everyone’s heard of it), but there’s so many back episodes to get through, I still feel okay recommending it because it’s great for binge-watching when you’re sick. You’ll never run out of episodes. Cozy murder mysteries that take place in England’s most deadly village. Joyce deserves better.

In the Heat of the Night (1988, 7 seasons + films) A crime procedural in the Deep South in the US, a big city Black detective is hired as the head detective in a small town in rural Mississippi. Progressive (for its time), this show dealt with racial issues, police corruption, poverty, and more.

Six Feet Under (2001, 5 seasons) Two brothers work together to run the family business, a funeral home, in the wake of their father’s death. The show’s finale is considered one of the greatest of all time, so you can go in having confidence in a satisfying conclusion.

Historical Fiction/Fantasy

Rome (2005, 2 seasons) A collaboration between HBO and BBC, one of the most expensive series of its time. Has so many incredible character actors. You will constantly be on your phone asking where you recognize That Guy from. Polly Walker was instrumental in my discovering my sexuality. 

Xena: Warrior Princess (1995, 6 seasons) Okay, I know this is another popular one, but it also feels like a show people have heard of and never watched, so this is your reminder to do so. Brideshead Revisited (1981, 1 series) British schoolboys doing what schoolboys do best (falling in love with each other). Adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s novel by the same name. Galavant (2015, 2 seasons) Hilarious musical comedy about a downtrodden knight trying to rescue his girlfriend from King Richard, even though she is actually pretty happy being Queen. Catchiest theme ever. SUPPORT WRITERS.

[starlight-edith]

tag 9 people to get to know better

( @i-am-morrigans-apprentice left it open to anyone so here I am)

1. 3 ships: Carson Beckett/Rodney McKay (Stargate Atlantis), Elim Garak/Julian Bashir (Star Trek: Deep Space 9), Kirk/Spock (Star Trek: The Original Series)

Honorable mentions: Nyneave/Lan (The Wheel of Time) — they are my token straights :), Talia Winters/Ivonova (Babylon 5), Lennier/Literally anyone at this point why can’t baby boy catch a break?? I mean who wouldn’t want to date someone so adorable??? (Babylon 5) no I do not have a crush on Lennier I will threaten anyone who calls me out on that one. He’s just adorable ok??

2. first ever ship: Honestly hard to remember!! Probably Luna/Harry or Luna/Ginny (Harry Potter)

3. last song: Xavier by Dead Can Dance (which happens to be my favorite song by them, with Summoning of the Muse coming in second!)

4. last movie: Coroline (I couldn’t remember who wrote it and assumed it was by Stephen King and then was thoroughly confused when it was not at all scary whatsoever lol)

5. currently reading: Eye of the World (Wheel of Time book 1 — rereading, not a first timer!)

6. currently watching: Star Trek: TOS, The Handmaid’s Tale again (I want to watch the new season and I’ve started it over twice now because I want to watch it all in the same general timeframe instead of going months between watching it), Stargate SG1

7. currently consuming: Nothing right now but I’m gonna eat my Almond Joy soon!!

8. currently craving: Beand and cheese and salsa with the good scoop chips because they are so salty

9. tagging: @aa-lamp-shade @unbidden-yidden @tributary @atleastitsnotasbestos @trillscienceofficer @jewishbarbies @mornmonday @jewishpangolin @spider-sideblog and anyone else I couldn’t remember the username for especially if we are mutuals!! Please don’t feel like I don’t like you if I didn’t tag you, I just remember everybody by profile picture and remembering actual handles is really difficult for my tiny brain

[lanistas]

6,15,22,33 :D

Thank you! <333

6. 3 characters that inspire you

Delenn (Babylon 5). She has been my main source of inspiration for many years now.

Lucy Preston (Timeless). If I ever finish my phd, this will happen only because of her, because goodness knows I can barely look at my dissertation at this point, I’m so tired of it lol

Roberta Pellegrino (Il Paradiso delle Signore). There are many wonderful characters in this tv show that inspire me, but probably the one who taught me the most is Roberta, whose character journey gave me strength to work hard, to dream, and to not be afraid to live my own life.

15. 3 quotes that have a special place in your life

“How rare and beautiful it truly is that we exist”, a line from Saturn by Sleeping At Last.

“I didn’t know that similarity was required for the exercise of compassion!”, words said by Delenn in Babylon 5 s2ep18. I think about this quote very often.

“Io imploro il destino / E sei tu che rispondi”, a line from Ho cambiato i piani by Arisa (translation: “I implore fate / And it is you who answers”).

22. 3 movies/books/tv shows that made you cry

Okay, movies:

La vita è bella (1997). Oooooooooooh the amount of tears that I cried watching this movie could fill an entire ocean.

The Sound of Music (1965). I just love this movie very much, and I cried both happy and sad tears.

Klaus (2019). An animated movie that I watched four times. Cried every time.

Tv shows:

Babylon 5. I bawled my eyes out when I was watching the finale.

X Company. Can’t remember any other tv show that made me cry multiple times every single season.

12 Monkeys. Yeah, I cried, and I cried hard.

Books:

“The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah.

“Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine” by Gail Honeyman.

“Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes.

33. 3 scented candles that you love the most

I don’t have a lot of experience with scented candles, because I am a little bit afraid of fire. When I think of lighting a candle inside my apartment, anxious thoughts about something that might go wrong always win, and I put the candle aside… so no answer here, sorry!

[derrestistschweigen]

Started watching Babylon Berlin and I wish we would have seen Gräf find out that Jacobi lost his job. I mean...we see him loose his job and try and find a new one and then Gräf knows that he lost his job?

Come on! One scene of Gräf coming home and being surprised to see that Fred is home already and then consoling him. Is that too much to ask? Especially after Jacobi was boasting about his job being so mich better than he police and better paying too at the end of season 3.

Oh and what killed me was Gräf's sad deer eyes when finding out, within 5 Minuten, that his colleague is now a Nazi and he now has to fear for his safety because Gereon knows he is gay and then had to see his best friend get fired because she tempered with evidence.

I judt want a scene of happy domestic Gräf again. He is also the only character I still care about.

[fancoloredglasses]

The saga of Babylon 4 (time travel again?!)

[All images are owned by Babylonian Productions and Warner Bros Discovery. Please don’t sue me or send the Shadows after me]

When dealing with a show with an overarching story spanning multiple seasons, there are bound to be episodes where the stories overlap, but what about multiple episodes (in different seasons) telling the same story? Such is the tale of Babylon 4.

This review is going to be a bit different than most “sagas” I’ve done. In previous sagas, I’ve told each episode in chronological order. However, as the two episodes in question (one in two parts) cover the same time span but from points of view two years apart (isn’t time travel fun?) I’ll be chronicling the two episodes simultaneously. If you would like to watch the episodes, they’re available on Tubi or behind your favorite paywall.

Someone should have some Advil and a straitjacket handy just in case.

PREVIOUSLY ON…

As you know, Babylon 5 is the fifth station in the Babylon Project. Three stations were destroyed during construction, but the fourth disappeared without a trace 4 years prior to the start of the series.

A Great Machine is discovered on Epsilon 3, the planet that Babylon 5 orbits, and Delenn’s friend Draal has become its operator. Commander Sinclair has been named Ambassador to Mimbar, later creating a covert group of human and Mimbari warriors known as the Rangers (with Marcus Cole being assigned to Babylon 5) and being named Entil’Zha (“Ranger One” in English) by the Mimbari.

Babylon 5 is drawn into the coming war between the Vorlons and the Shadows, declaring independence from the Earth Alliance.

Additionally, Captain Sheridan and Ambassador Delenn have started their relationship.

We open on Mimbar, where Ambassador Jeffrey Sinclair is about to receive a disturbing message…

(Thanks to Aaron Anglea)

Roll credits!

Sinclair immediately hops a ship to Babylon 5, but his aide raises an interesting question. That letter was written 1,000 years ago by Valen, who was the architect of Mimbari society. How did he know Sinclair would be on Mimbar at that time?

On Babylon 5, Ivonova claims she never sent that distress signal, but Garibaldi isn’t sure.

Garibaldi gives a 15 second synopsis of the events in Babylon Squared (which I’ll cover shortly), that I’ll be covering later (trust me, this will make sense…I hope) Garibaldi wants to investigate the source of the signal, and Sheridan authorizes it.

Meanwhile, Delenn receives a similar letter and is as haunted by it as Sinclair was. Also, how did Valen know she’d be on Babylon 5 when it was built 997 years after the letter was written?

She then marches her way to C&C and interrupts a meeting with Sheridan and Marcus.

[The White Star, as you may remember, is a ship built using Mimbari and Vorlon technologies. By season 5 there is a fleet of White Stars, but at this point there is just the one.]

She takes Marcus and Ivonova along as well, and are joined by Sinclair.

About that time, Garibaldi reports in (he’s been gone for about an hour at this point) that his long-range scans show the temporal rift in Sector 14 has doubled in size due to an outside source (namely, Epsilon 3).

Speaking of Epsilon 3…

…a being known as Zathras is worried about issues within the Great Machine, but Draal has given him orders, and Zathras knows what must be done.

Back on Babylon 5, Sheridan wants to investigate Epsilon 3 instead of Sector 14, but Delenn is insistent.

Her logic is that they need to leave now because this is the time they’re supposed to leave (hey, don’t blame me if your head hurts from that. She said it, not me!) Sheridan reluctantly agrees. He’s even more skeptical when Sinclair reveals he didn’t know he was coming to Babylon 5 until just before he left Mimbar.

Upon arrival on the White Star, Sheridan wants to know what the hell is going on.

Next begins the exposition part of the episode where Delenn starts talking about the last Shadow War 1,000 years ago…and how the tide of the War began to turn against the Shadows…

The appearance of Babylon 4!

Further, just before Babylon 4 disappeared, it was about to be attacked by allies of the Shadows to prevent it from going back in time, but were stopped…

…by the White Star!

Then Delenn reveals that their mission is to go through the enlarged temporal rift to save (and steal!) Babylon 4, or else the Shadows won’t be defeated in that War, causing a chain of events that will lead to the destruction of Babylon 5! (So…no pressure or anything)

Sheridan contacts Garibaldi (remember him?), who’s been monitoring the rift and recording whatever transmissions come through, saying he's witnessed the destruction of Babylon 5 through the transmissions.

With that, Sheridan’s vote makes the decision to proceed unanimous. Sheridan orders Garibaldi to return to Babylon 5 as the White Star prepares to enter the rift. However, there is a shuttle from Epsilon 3 preparing to rendezvous with equipment for their mission, as well as the last member of the team…

Sinclair immediately recognizes Zathras (for reasons that will be explained) and tells him not to say he knows his past self when they meet (I swear this will make sense!) Zathras is honored to meet Sinclair and Sheridan, but won’t explain why (yes, things are very confusing and secretive. I hope it doesn’t hurt your head too badly)

Before they enter, Zathras gives everyone a temporal stabilizer device that will negate most of the effects of time displacement, as well as keep them anchored to the current time (or the time Babylon 4 is in, anyway) With that, the White Star enters the rift.

Upon arrival to 6 years ago, the White Star finds Shadow fighters with a fusion bomb large enough to destroy Babylon 4.

Six years in the future, Garibaldi has returned to Babylon 5 and finds out Sinclair was there. There’s a message from Sinclair waiting that’s a bit ominous, saying Sinclair isn't planning on returning.

Meanwhile 6 years ago, the White Star destroys the bomb, but is too close.

A wave of something hits Sheridan’s stabilizer and he vanishes into the time stream! While everyone wants to find Sheridan, Sinclair reminds them what’s at stake and tells them to continue with the mission.

And what of Sheridan? He appears surrounded by Centauri guards and facing down…

Londo, only much older and wearing the attire of the Emperor! Londo tells him it’s been 17 years since the end of the Shadow War, and his planet is in ruin because of him and Delenn, and they are to be executed for war crimes! Londo sends him to his cell to prepare himself for his execution.

Back in the past, the White Star (thanks to the explosion knocking out Babylon 4’s sensors) has infiltrated and latched onto the station and cut into the hull so the crew can quietly board. Ivonova and Marcus go to secure a path for Zathras to bring the equipment for the time jump while Sinclair and Delenn go to…do something reckless (but apparently necessary) as part 1 ends.

[Normally I would have a pic of the title for part 2, but I’m not in this case since Babylon Squared will be mixed into this and it could become a bit confusing. Plus, due to doing three episodes in one review, my image budget is taxed to the limit as it is!]

Ivonova and Marcus begin looking for an unsealed access panel when suddenly Marcus vanishes, just as a patrol finds her! Then Marcus drops from the ceiling and helps Ivonova subdue the guards. They then find an access panel and get to work rigging the security systems.

Meanwhile on future Centauri Prime, Sheridan convulses and fades.

He appears briefly before Zathras before returning to the future just in time for Delenn to be thrown into his cell.

Well now, THAT’S a hell of a way to discover you’re a father! Sheridan quickly explains what has happened, and Delenn reveals he told her long ago of this moment but didn’t entirely believe him.

Back on Babylon 4, Delenn and Sinclair find a spot in the fusion reactors to place the time travel devices as Ivonova triggers an alarm to clear the reactor chamber.

On Centauri Prime, Londo has called for Sheridan and Delenn. However, Londo has made himself very drunk…

…to induce his “keeper" (a member of one of the Shadows' minion races) into slumber so he can be candid with them. He has arranged transport off of Centauri Prime for Sheridan and Delenn and begs them to save the Centauri from the remnants of the Shadows in exchange. He quickly sends them away, as he can feel his Keeper waking up. He then calls for…

Londo asks G’Kar to end his life to give Sheridan and Delenn time to escape, then Londo’s Keeper awakens, killing G'kar as G'Kar kills him!

Thus Londo’s vision of his death (mentioned Season 1) is fulfilled. Who says long-term storytelling is dead? Also, thus paves the way for Emperor Vir.

However, on the way to the escape ship, Sheridan feels himself being pulled away. Delenn gives him a warning before he leaves (which he doesn’t wind up heeding)

Back on Babylon 4, Zathras is rigging one of Babylon 5’s space suits with the broken time stabilizer in hopes to retrieve Sheridan, to which Marcus calls Zathras mad. Ivonova muses about Valen (a Mimbari not born of Mimbari) when suddenly Sheridan appears in the suit!

With Sheridan back, he and Sinclair place the rest of the time displacement devices along the outside of the station.

Then the station increases power output, causing a surge that sends Sheridan and Sinclair flying! And with that, Babylon 4 vanishes (and so does Sheridan)! Zathras manages to stabilize the equipment, but Babylon 4 has moved 4 years into the future to Season 1.

Speaking of Season 1...

(Told you I'd get to this)

We open at breakfast with a bit of levity…

(Thanks to Grv3n)

And what about the Star Fury that was sent to Sector 14? Alpha 7 gets to the source of the disturbance and discovers…

…just before he utters a blood-curdling scream!

Roll (Season 1) credits!

We come back to find Ivonova unable to make contact with Alpha 7, despite sensors saying it’s returning to the station.

A bit over an hour later Alpha 7 returns, but halts just short of the station and doesn’t respond to instructions. They do a scan and discover no life signs! An autopsy reveals he died of old age, despite being only 30 (his organs were those of a 90 year-old man!) After doing a thorough search of the Star Fury, Garibaldi’s team discovered something scratched into the safety harness…

Then C&C contacts Sinclair (I’m gonna call him Past Sinclair just to avoid making this any more confusing) about a distress signal.

After confirming the authenticity of the signal (though the time stamp is 4 years old), Past Sinclair offers his assistance (without revealing from where) to evacuate Babylon 4. He and Garibaldi lead a team of transports to B4’s location, a trip that takes 3 hours.

Meanwhile on Babylon 4, the crew of the White Star meets up with Sinclair to find…

…he’s aged considerably due to one too many run-ins with the time distortion field. Sinclair puts Zathras to work repairing Sheridan’s time stabilizer for if/when he returns. Zathras scurries off with Ivonova into Babylon 4 for the parts he needs. Meanwhile, Sinclair heads back to the reactor to make adjustments and sends the others back to the White Star.

Zathras manages to repair the time stabilizer, but…

Security takes Zathras to a holding cell. Delenn decides to leave the White Star and sees…

Meanwhile, the shuttles from Babylon 5 arrive. Upon their arrival…

(Thanks to Texx Titillations)

“Unstuck in time” is an interesting way to phrase what’s happening, but I can’t think of a better one. Anyone who can, please let me know in the comments.

As the evacuation proceeds, Major Krantz says they found an alien (Zathras) aboard just after things went pear-shaped. Zathras then looks at Past Sinclair and immediately sits back down.

Zathras explains he’s stealing Babylon 4 to fight “a great war”, but never explains when that war is.

Then a guard summons Krantz. He and the others follow (including Zathras, since no one thinks to stops him)

Sheridan’s space suit appears out of thin air. Zathras claims Sheridan is “The One.” Past Sinclair moves to speak with The One, but when they touch, he’s blown clear about 20 feet! In the confusion, Zathras hands The One some sort of device and scurries off as The One vanishes. Unfortunately for Zathras, he’s quickly re-captured.

Meanwhile, Ivonova has made her way to C&C after the crew has evacuated to help Sinclair make adjustments.

Marcus then leaves the White Star and sees…

But if Sheridan’s there and stable…who’s in the space suit?

Back in interrogation, Zathras reveals the device was his time stabilizer so The One will survive the time jump. wants to take Zathras to put him on trial (for what? Being an accomplice for stealing Babylon 4?) Zathras says that if he leaves Babylon 4, he’ll die since he’s not from this time.

Then the power fades a bit. Zathras says Babylon 4 will be leaving for its new home soon.

Garabaldi then reports in that the station is getting ready to go to whenever it’s going. Krantz insists on taking Zathras with them, and since he’s technically still in command he can order it.

Then the station shudders and a pillar falls on Zathras, pinning him! Unfortunately, it’s too heavy to quickly move and they need to go now! Zathras tells Past Sinclair to leave him, but before he goes…

Garabaldi practically drags Past Sinclair to the last shuttle, but as they leave Zathras gets a visitor.

So that’s who was in the suit!

At C&C Sinclair tells everyone to go back and he’d join them shortly. Marcus calls him out on his bullshit, claiming that someone has to control the station’s journey…and there’s no way back.

Then Sinclair shows the letter he got back on Mimbar (remember that?)

Delenn then reveals her own letter, verifying Sinclair’s claim. Sinclair also says the aging effects of yet another trip through the temporal rift would likely kill him anyway. Sinclair then asks Ivonova and Marcus to leave so he can have a conversation with Zathras.

(Thanks to evelyn raymond)

With that, Zathras decides to stay with Sinclair to assist with the integration of Babylon 4. And with that, the White Star leaves Babylon 4 to return to their own time and the temporal rift closes behind them.

(Thanks to Korfez Derince)

Now we know how Valen knew how everything had transpired.

Hope you enjoyed. Now, I’m gonna take a few dozen Advil and beat my head against the wall to clear my head of this.

[queerstuffonscreen]

Queer as Folk US (2000-2005)

Episode length: 44-58 min.

Country: USA

Genre: Drama

Language: English

Brash humor and genuine emotion make up this series revolving around the lives, loves, ambitions, careers and friendships of a group of gay men and women living on Liberty Avenue in contemporary Pittsburgh, PA.

Season 1

Episode 1: Premiere

Episode 2: Queer, There and Everywhere

Episode 3: No Bris, No Shirt, No Service

Episode 4: Ted's Not Dead

Episode 5: Now Approaching… The Line

Episode 6: The Art of Desperation

Episode 7: Smells Like Codependence

Episode 8: Babylon Boomerang

Episode 9: Daddy Dearest (Sonny Boy)

Episode 10: Queens of the Road

Episode 11: Surprise!

Episode 12: Move It or Lose It

Episode 13: Very Stupid People

Episode 14: A Change of Heart

Episode 15: The Ties That Bind

Episode 16: French Fried

Episode 17: Solution (How TLFKAM Got Her Name Back)

Episode 18: Surprise Kill

Episode 19: Good Grief!

Episode 20: The King of Babylon

Episode 21: Running to Stand Still

Episode 22: Full Circle

Season 2

Episode 1: Home is Where the Ass Is

Episode 2: All Better Now

Episode 3: Hypocrisy: Don't Do It

Episode 4: Pride

Episode 5: …Wherever That Dream May Lead You

Episode 6: Mixed Blessings

Episode 7: The Leper (Hath the Babe Not Eyes?)

Episode 8: Love for Sale

Episode 9: Accentuate the Positive

Episode 10: Priorities, Please! (Beat the Time)

Episode 11: The Wedding

Episode 12: One Degree of Brian Kinney

Episode 13: It's Because I'm Gay, Right?

Episode 14: The Dangers of Sex and Drugs

Episode 15: Rage Against This Machine

Episode 16: You Say it's Your Birthday! I Couldn't Care Less!

Episode 17: You Can Leda Girl to Pussy

Episode 18: Sick, Sick, Sick

Episode 19: Bowling for Equality

Episode 20: Out With a Whimper

Season 3

Episode 1: Mad Dog Kinney

Episode 2: House Full of Children

Episode 3: Doctors of Dickology

Episode 4: Brat-Sitting

Episode 5: There's Nothing Noble about Being Poor

Episode 6: One Ring to Rule Them All

Episode 7: Stop Hurting Us

Episode 8: Hunt(er) For Love

Episode 9: Big Fucking Mouth

Episode 10: Uncle Ben

Episode 11: Poster May Lead to the Truth

Episode 12: Drugs, Sex and Lies

Episode 13: Tweaked-Out, Fucked-Out Crystal Queen

Episode 14: The Election

Season 4

Episode 1: Just a Little Help

Episode 2: Stand Up for Ourselves

Episode 3: Starting a Whole New Life

Episode 4: Escalating Violence

Episode 5: How Far You Can Go

Episode 6: Death in the Family

Episode 7: Preponderance of Death

Episode 8: Two Kinds of Lies

Episode 9: Have Some Balls

Episode 10: The Snake in Paradise

Episode 11: Gay or Straight? That's the Question

Episode 12: Irritation and Separation

Episode 13: Proposal of Two Kinds

Episode 14: Liberty Ride

Season 5

Episode 1: Move and Leave

Episode 2: Back in Business

Episode 3: Fags are No Different than People

Episode 4: Hard Decisions

Episode 5: Excluding and Abstemiousness

Episode 6: Bored Out of Ya Fucking Mind

Episode 7: Hope Against Hope

Episode 8: Honest to Yourself

Episode 9: Anything in Common

Episode 10: I Love You

Episode 11: Fuckin' Revenge

Episode 12: Mr. Right (Never Broke a Promise)

Episode 13: We Will Survive!

Watch on FuboTV

[swedebeast]

Some asks to pass the time:

Favourite local dish?

Favourite foreign dish?

What kinda vidya are you playing at the moment, if any?

Any shows you're into currently?

Favourite weather? - (mine's a clear and sunny winter's morning)

Sheeit, how local are we talking? Because I could go with plain Swedish pork stuffed potato dumplings - kroppkakor,

or the now infamous fermented herring - surströmming. That one is more an acquired taste, and not something I would not every day. But brined pork stuffed, seasoned with allspice, potato dumplings - served with butter? Gimme that.

Now, foreign dish - I gotta say I have a weak spot for some of the street food in Canada. A local "Ontario variant" of the poutine is the Chicken Shawarma Poutine.

I do miss that.

And as for what games I am playing, at the moment I am in an odd moment where I actually got back into War Thunder - and I either play that Swedish grind of planes and tanks, or or I play the occasional Civ 5 or Civ 3 game.

Not so much for watching shows at the moment. I have the last few years been very bad at following the latest thing, but I have been idly contemplating rewatching Deep Space 9 - after I rewatching Babylon 5 a few months ago for the first time since I saw the show in the 90's.

And weather... I am split between a 18-25 degree summer, and the midwinter snow storm. Something cozy about that.

[foone]

so I've not really been watching any of the new trek, but I watched some reviews/recaps. I basically realized I was never gonna get to the point where I would just naturally watch them, I have too much reluctance (for Reasons), so I read up on what happens in Discovery/Picard/Strange New Worlds.

I haven't really gotten to Prodigy & Lower Decks yet, though I read a bit of a few Lower Decks episodes.

And of the ones I've read, I think I like Strange New Worlds best?

Like, I can see why people would like Discovery & Picard, obvious. I definitely hope to watch them someday, but I'm just REALLY not in the mood for serialized drama these days. It's fucking awesome that Trek has finally started doing that, I've always wanted it to (I loved the semi-serialized parts of DS9 and the more serialized parts of ENT, even, and I always thought Babylon 5 really showed what Trek could be, by being serialized), it's just not what I can handle these days.

So Strange New Worlds is way more my speed. Like, yeah, there's some ongoing plots from episode to episode, but it's not like they're doing a Big Mission Per Season. The whole season isn't "fight the Klingon War" or "Figure out the Synth Crisis", it's just... missions, and the episode-to-episode story might be about OH NO THE GORN ARE KILLING EVERYONE or it might just be "HELP WE FOUND A NEGATIVE SPACE WEDGIE AND IT MADE US ALL SING?"

and I can just barely handle that right now, so it's probably the Trek for me, at least for now.

Although again, this is a personal thing: I know people have Serious Opinions about Picard and (especially) Discovery, but this is more that I have trouble watching scripted drama and season-long serialized drama is like the absolute opposite of what my brain can handle at the moment.

Anyways I hope to finally watch all of SNW and then check out Lower Decks and Prodigy. They sound like they're closer to what I'm able to watch.

although the aspect ratio still bothers me. Come on, Star Trek is supposed to be in 4:3, damn it.

I just finally got into new-Trek (post 4:3 Trek) and I've only watched like one entire episode of one of the new shows so far, but I have one single conclusion that I think everyone can agree with:

We need a full length version of the k-pop Klingon song. Now. Maybe even a whole album, with music videos.

[thisismehappy]

tag 9 people you’d like to get to know better

tagged by: @sculien 😘 and actually! @narvaldetierra tagged me in this too a little while ago so there you go! 💜

- 3 ships: EO (Elliot/Olivia) from SVU, literally almost anyone with Olivia from SVU (see this mediocre gif set I made lmao), Rafi/7 from Picard (but I haven't read any fic yet lol. That's the real test, but I just finished season 2 last week and EO is out of control right now lmao)

- first ever ship: I'm gonna say my first ship was MSR. I was 10 and it was 1996 and I'd literally never even been on the internet so I didn't know a thing about fandom, but I'd write little stories about them anyway. I desperately wanted them to have all the sex and babies LMAO. If we're taking internet/fandom related, I'll go with Lianca. That's Lena and Bianca from All My Children (first same sex kiss on daytime tv lol). I used to read their fics on message boards. I think they actually spoiled me a bit because AMC watchers trended older so there was pretty good fic. I find it hilarious that the word "ship" in this context was literally created for MSR which I was dead for, but I first heard the term related to a secondary Bianca ship with her sister Kendall. They called it Kinks, the ship to hell. 14 year old me was stunned and intrigued by this internet nonsense. 😂

- last song: Say Something by Jasmine Thompson (I have a google doc eo fic that I'm never going to post that's named after this song 😂)

- last movie: Matilda the musical. It was delightful 💜 Although I liked both the original movie and the Broadway show better.

- currently reading: Mostly fanfiction. Also, Kushiel's Dart which was recommended by a lovely lady here on the tumblr. I've never read it before, but it's pretty great!

- currently watching: I watch kinda weirdly little TV on my own for some reason. Like I need it to be a social appointment mostly lmao. I'm watching L&O SVU and OC on my own. Then I have a Friday night crew and we're currently watching Star Trek TOS and Babylon 5, but taking a break to watch the Witcher spin off atm. My Saturday night crew just finished Season 2 Picard and we're about to start Season 5 of the Crown. Oh we also watch Grey's when there's new ones.

- currently consuming: Lol an orange cream flavored water

- currently craving: Cuddles lmao. Someone come squish me up please.

- tagging these babes: Haha I already shot my tagging wad for the night so I'll let you tag yourselves if you want to 💜

[jenniferstolzer]

Babylon 5 Rewatch Season 3 Ep 03 A Day in the Strife

The Centauri/Narn peace continues to be one-sided as the current government sends Na'Far, a Narn dignitary, to Babylon 5 to fetch back G'Kar who is the last free member of the Kha'Ri. Meanwhile a Star Trek episode happens when a probe appears to give the command staff a pop quiz. Also Garibaldi challenges Franklin on his substance abuse. They eat Italian.

ALSO! DEVELOPMENT! For those of you out there who don't have HBO Max, all of Babylon 5 is now on IMDBtv! Watch the original series before they start putting out the remake for maximum in-joke appreciation! Straczynski said the new show is going to be a brand new take on the material, so you won't be spoiling yourself for the new one to watch the old one. Maybe I'll Pic an Episode the new series when it drops, too! Guess I better get this rewatch a-goin'

Things I liked and Didn't like about A Day in the Strife Below:

Things I like about A Day in the Strife

Ta'Lon is one of my favorite characters in this show. He doesn't show up often, but when he does he brings such a warmth and gentle strength it really leaves an impact. It was great seeing him get a drink with Sheridan after their escape together in the last season. It's a great handshake to the past to have this character come back and it feels like the two of them actually did forge a friendship that survived Freind of the Day status. Seeing Ta'Lon standing behind Na'Far feels wrong on a deep level, since it's obvious that Na'Far is short for Nafarious, but following him around means that Ta'Lon is inside all these political dealings. He is able to give G'Kar some well-informed advice, and explains the meaning of the K'Tok! Aka the sword JMS handed him to make him look different than other Narns. I kid Ta'Lon. Marry me.

I love G'Kar. I love how brave all the Narns are. I love how much it both heartens and hurts G'Kar to see the faith his people have in him. It's quite a burden to put not only the fate of their people on his shoulders, but the blood of all their families.

Finally confronting the drug abuse storyline that's been simmering under the surface is a good thing. I appreciate that Garibaldi had the hard talk with Franklin and that we got to see it. It felt very authentic to the twos' relationship as friends, and esp with Garibaldi's own substance issues... its a shame this wasn't the end of it, but a nice talk and a promise rarely is the end of a dependency, so even in that it's better storytelling. Also Franklin having a Stim problem makes sense within his story and his position. It's not just a drug problem for the sake of a drug problem, we as an audience can see how it would arise. Makes it a better representation of such a thing than other shows sometimes do.

Londo demonstrates to Vir what he considers "good politics." Which is to do what he must do as best as he can... and he's real good at it, too. Him talking to Na'Far about the executions is chilling. He can be a real monster when he wants, and Vir is appalled to watch it. This is what convinces Londo to send him to Minbar, to protect him. To save that little light of good inside Vir that Londo, himself, used to have. These characters are so goddamn complex you all. They love each other, they think things that are different than their behavior, ugh this goddamn /show/. And that scene with Delenn where she's convinced and Londo is evil now, but sees a little crack in the mask herself when he seeks her out in order to send Vir to Minbar. Londo loses two more friends. He really is alone and has no one to blame but himself.

Things I don't like about A Day In the Strife

The space probe plot really aches of "The Earth Force folk need something to do" syndrome. I made the joke that it's a Star Trek episode, and that wasn't to call it bad, but it's very in tone with the high-minded syndicated space show. Such a plot would make an excellent TOS episode without changing the twist or anything... but this isn't TOS. This is B5. This is 1995. It feels a little derivative and unexplored. That's a small complaint in a good episode, though. On to the next!

[spnyouresostupid]

Season 3 Final Rankings

The Top 5!!!

#5 - Mystery Spot

My Score - 9

Sarah’s Score - 9

Total Score - 69

Mystery Spot was just as good as I remember it I’m realizing that this season is either terrible (most of it) or amazing there is no in between. Shout out to Speight, he was fantastic to watch!

#4 - Jus in Bello

My Score - 9

Sarah’s Score - 9

Total Score - 71

Everyone pack bonds with Dean me included. This is such a tense and well written episode. The first time we see the anti-possession tattoo’s!

#3 - No Rest for the Wicked

My Score - 9

Sarah’s Score - 8

Total Score - 75

Before it became cliche this was such a shock. This is still just as engaging even knowing how it ends. MVP Jensen and his jacting skills!

#2 - A Very Supernatural Christmas

My Score - 10

Sarah’s Score - 9

Total Score - 81

This is one my all time favorite episodes of Supernatural, it’s everything I love about this show. Shout out to baby!Colin Ford in his first apperance as young Sam! He was perfect.

#1 - Ghostfacers!

My score - 10

Sarah’s Score - 10

Total Score - 82

Screw you binge watchers, this episode is perfect! 7.6? I can’t. Hillaious, and strangely heartfelt I loved every minute of this watching experience.

Also here’s what Ed looks like now:

To quote Sarah ‘Holy Shit!’

#16-11 #10-6

The ranking so far of Seasons 1-3:

1. Ghostfacers! s3

2. A Very Supernatural Christmas s3

3. Nightshifter s2

4. In My Time of Dying s2

5. What is and What Should Never Be s2

6. All Hell Breaks Loose pt 2 s2

7. Faith s1

8. No Rest for the Wicked s3

9. Something Wicked This Way Comes s1

10. Tall Tales s2

11. Jus in Bello s3

12. Home s1

13. Hunted s2

14. Mystery Spot s3

15. Devil’s Trap s1

16. Bloodlust s2

17. Skin s1

18. Hell House s1

19. The Kids Are Alright s3

20. Bad Day at Black Rock s3

21. Crossroad Blues s2

22. Scarecrow s1

23. Hollywood Babylon s2

24. Simon Said s2

25. Asylum s1

26. Windego s1

27. Folsom Prison Blues s2

28. Croatoan s2

29. Provenance s1

30. Playthings s2

31. Dream a Little Dream of Me s3

32. The Benders s1

33. Everybody Loves a Clown s2

34. All Hell Breaks Loose pt 1 s2

35. Born Under a Bad Sign s2

36. Pilot s1

37. Bedtime Stories s3

38. Phantom Traveler s1

39. Bloody Mary s1

40. Salvation s1

41. Dead In the Water s1

42. Nightmare s1

43. Roadkill s2

44. Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things s2

45. Red Sky at Morning s3

46. Houses of the Holy s2

47. Fresh Blood s3

48. Dead Man’s Blood s1

49. The Usual Suspects s2

50. Hook Man s1

51. Long-Distance Call s3

52. No Exit s2

53. Heart s2

54. The Magnificent Seven s3

55. Time is on My Side s3

56. Shadow s1

57. Malleus Maleficarum s3

58. Bugs s1

59. Route 666 s1

60. Sin City  s3

[yukinojou]

I already squeed quite a bit on Twitter, but turns out my Shadow and Bone thoughts demand longform. So that was a 40+ tweet thread or using my Tumblr for an original post for once.

I was wary about the Shadow and Bone adaptation the way I'm usually wary about good books being adapted onscreen. It was amplified because my actual favourites are the Six of Crows books, and because the American-based movie complex has a bad track record of doing anything based on Eastern Europe. 8 episodes in 3 days should tell you how much I loved it - the moment I finished, I wanted more.

First, the technical praise:

Damn but the plotting is tight. It took me a while to realised it's based on heist movie bones, where every little thing (The Freaking Bullet!) is important. The story fulfills its promises and manages not to bore at the same time - it delights by the way they're fulfilled. I called out a few plot developments moments before they happened, and I was happy about it. Such a joy after so many series where "not doing what viewers expect" led to plot holes and lack of sense. It might be an upside to the streaming model after all.

From a dramatic point of view I can tell all the reasons for all the changes, especially providing additional outsider points of view on Ravka (Crows) and letting viewers see Mal for themselves the way he only comes across in later books.

Speaking of which, this is a masterclass in rewriting a story draft. SaB was Bardugo's first, and having read later books you can really see where she didn't quite dare to break the YA rules yet, especially Single POV that necessitated a tight focus on Alina's often negative feelings rather than the big picture and a triangle that felt a bit forced. The world in the series is so much bigger, the way Bardugo could finally paint it when SaB success gave her more creative freedom, and some structural choices feel familiar too. It's a combination of various choices by crew and cast, but the end result meshes together so tightly and naturally.

Visuals! Especially the war parts because Every Soviet Movie Ever, but also the clothes (I would kill for Nina's blouse in the bar), the jewelry, the interiors. The stag was so very beautiful. And a deep commitment to a coherent aesthetic for each character and setting.

Look, you can do a serious fantasy series with colours! Both skin colours and bright sets and clothing! And all scenes were well lit enough to know what's going on, even in the Fold!

Representation (aka I Am Emotion)

To start with: I was born behind the Iron Curtain, in the last years of the Cold War. The Curtain was always permeable to some extent, and we have always been aware that while we have talented artists of our own, we never had the budgets and polish of the Anglosphere Entertainment Machine. So we watched a hell of a lot of American visual storytelling especially because yeah, you can tell we don't have the budgets. 90s and 2000s especially, it's getting better now.

In American stories, the BEST case scenario for Eastern European representation is the Big Dumb Pole, the ethnic stereotype Americans don't even notice they use, where the punchline is that his English is bad or that he grew up outside Anglo culture. Other than that, it's criminals, beggars, sex trafficking victims, refugees. Sure, we may look similar (except we really really don't, not if you're raised here and see the distinct lack of all those long-jawed Anglo faces), but we are not and have never been the West, never mind America. It's probably better for younger people now, but I was raised under rationing and passport bans. Star Trek and Beverly Hills 90210 were exactly as foreign to me.

The first ever character I really identified with was Susan Ivanova in Babylon 5 (written by J. Michael Straczynski, yay behind-camera representation). This was a Russian Jewish woman very much in charge, in the way of strong women I know so well, not taking any bullshit, not repressing her feminity. I recognised her bones, she could be my cousin. The sheer relief of it. There have been few such occasions since.

The reason I picked up Shadow and Bone in the first place was recommendations from other Polish people. I've had no problems finding representation in Eastern European books because wow our scene is strong in SFF especially, but it's always a treat to find a book in English that gets it. And Leigh gets it, the bones of our culture, and I could even look past the grammar issue (dear gods and Americans, Starkova for a woman, Morozov for a guy) that really irked me because of the love for the setting and the characters, the weaving in of religion/mysticism (we never laicisized the same way as the West, natch), the understanding of how deep are the scars left in a nation at war for centuries. The books are precious to me, they and Arden's Winternight and Novik's Spinning Silver.

To sum up: Shadow and Bone the Netflix series gets it. You can tell just how much they've immersed themselves in Eastern European culture and media, it comes across so well in visuals and writing and characters. Not just the obvious bits (though the WWII propaganda posters gave me a giggle), but the palaces, the additional plotlines and characters, the costumes, the attitudes. About the only thing missing in the soldier scenes was someone singing and/or quoting poetry.

I will blame the Apparat's lack of beard on filming in a non-Orthodox country. Poland's Catholic too, but I very much imagined him as an Orthodox patriarch, possibly because I read the books shortly after a visit to Pecherska Lavra in Kiev and the labyrinthine holy catacombs there. Small quibble, not my religion, not my place to speak.

(I've seen discussion on the issues with biracial representation in the show, which is visceral and apparently based on bad experiences of one of the show writers in a way that's caused pain to other Asian and biracial people. I'm not qualified to speak on those parts, other that Eastern Europe is... yeah. Racist in subtly different ways. If anything, the treatment of the Suli as explained in Six of Crows always read so very true of the way Roma are treated, and even sanitised.)

And now for the spoiler-filled bits:

Kaz and Inej. I mean... just THEM. So many props to the actors, the writers, the bloody goat.

I adore the fact the only people who get to have sex in the show are Jesper and a very lucky stablehand.

Ben Barnes needs either an award or a kick. The man's acting choices and puppy eyes are as epic as his hair.

So Much Love for Alina initiating the kiss. Her book characterisation makes sense, she's so trapped in her own head because she has no time to process everything that's happening, but grabbing life by the lapels is a much more active choice. Still not making the relationship equal, but closer to it.

Speaking of, Kaz's constant awareness of how unequal his relationship with Inej is, and attempts to give her agency. I'm really curious how his touch issues come across to someone who doesn't know the backstory there.

Feodor and his actor. He looks exactly like the pre-war heartthrob Adolf Dymsza, a specific upper-class Polish ethnic type that's much rarer now that, well, Nazis killed millions of Polish intellectuals in their attempt to reduce us to unskilled labour only. The faces he makes are the Best.

Nina!! Nina is perfect, those cheekbones, that cheek, I was giggling myself silly half the time. I cannot wait to see Danielle Galligan take on the challenge of Nina's plotline in Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, she'll kill us dead.

I already mentioned that the writers fixed Mal's absence from the first book, but Mal in general! The haircut gives him a kind of rugby charm, and Archie Renaux is outstanding at emoting without talking. Honestly, all the casting in this series is inspired, but him in particular.

Extra bonus: Howard Charles and Luke Pasqualino playing so very much against the type of the swaggering Musketeers I saw them play last. Arken dropping the mask at the end... Howard Charles is love.

I can't believe not only was Milo's bullet a plot point, but the fact Alina was wearing a particularly sparkly hair ornament in a long series of beautiful hair ornaments was a plot point.

In conclusion: so much love, and next three season NOW please. Okay, give me a week to reread the books, and an extra day because new Murderbot drops tomorrow...

[lanistas]

A, B, D, G, Q, U, and Y for the ask game 🩷

Thank you, love <3 And sorry for the long post!

A - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed.

Currently I am utterly in love with Adelaide/Marcello (lovingly known as Barberasmo) from Il Paradiso delle Signore. I can’t remember the last time I was this taken by a ship, they fit all my OTP criteria perfectly.

Other ships that are on my mind right now are Helen x Will from Sanctuary and Moiraine x Lan from The Wheel of Time. Both these ships work perfectly as platonic ones, but I also don’t mind seeing them as romantic pairings.

Oh, and not so long ago I had a good cry over Lucy/Flynn from Timeless and what could’ve been, so I guess this ship also counts haha.

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind.

This is a difficult one, hmmm… honestly, nothing comes to mind, sorry!

D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t.

Hmmm… no pairing exactly like that, but the closest thing here would be Lucy/Wyatt from Timeless. But it’s not like I wish I liked it, because yes, despite it being canon and a non-painful version, I dislike it. These two characters were forced into a relationship that does both of them a disservice, and this is the hill I will die on.

G - Have you ever had an OTP? If so, do you remember your first one? Who was in it?

Currently my list of OTPs consists of 19 ships, so yes, you could say I have had an OTP :) My first one was Marguerite Krux and John Roxton from The Lost World. They are still on my list, as I still love them very-very much.

Q - A fandom you’ve abandoned and why.

Oh, I have abandonded many fandoms. I suppose I usually just lose interest in a show and leave… it happens sometimes. The most recent fandom I’ve abandoned is probably “House of the Dragon”. I still lurk in the tags, but I am not planning to watch season 2 when it comes out, so technically I am not in the fandom anymore.

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

№ 3 – Delenn of Mir from Babylon 5. I admire her strength, her wisdom, and her compassion. I see her as a wonderful role model, and she has been my inspiration throughout many years.

№ 2 – Helen Magnus from Sanctuary. Well, first of all, I adore Amanda Tapping, and the way she portrays Helen is phenomenal. And, secondly, Helen as a character is so… so… urgh, I don’t even know how to describe her and explain why she is among my favourites. She is just… everything to me. Her curiosity, her genius, her determination to protect the fragile harmony between two worlds (the human one and the abnormal one). Helen is… well, Helen. And I love her for that.

№ 1 – Adelaide di Sant’Erasmo from Il Paradiso delle Signore. Her character journey is incredibly fascinating to follow, and she is definitely the one who is on my mind the most these days. Some of her actions make me want to scream in frustration, but at the same time I find myself enchanted by her complexity when her carefully crafted façade cracks and when we see glimpses of the real her. When we are introduced to her, what we see is a stuck-up noblewoman whose moral compass is kind of questionable, but then we get to know her better, and oh, the layers, the insane amount of emotional and psychological layers that surround this woman… Adelaide di Sant’Erasmo is an absolute gift of a character.

Y - What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)?

Korean and Chinese dramas are the answer to this one :) My real-life friends love them, and we discuss them sometimes.

Oh, and Farscape. Definitely Farscape. Lots of it on my Tumblr dash.