#as I believe it wouldn’t have distracted but elevated so many different themes and relationships

[frenchtoastpanda]

The Leverage finale

Gonna rant in public because @rainaramsay expressed interest. I have no theme this is just my thoughts as I rewatch this episode. Idk why I’m doing this. (Also I don’t know how to format, so sorry about that)

Oh right I forgot that this is a fucking sad episode why am I doing this to myself

Ooh the return of the Steranko! I am very glad they brought that back

I just love when they bring things back in general, like in the white rabbit job all of the companies looking to buy dogson are previous marks and how they have like three brand names for safes that they reuse a lot. It just makes it feel like a real world that people live in.

The theater! Perfect for Sophie! And the mentioned the tunnels, which I believe we encountered in the gold job

Sophie says “I have just the thing” and my immediate response is always “the play’s the thing” even though I know it’s from a different play than the one they are doing

And can we talk about how they are doing the same play as the pilot? Actually I will probably yell about that closer to the end

Parker being all emotionally cognizant and Nate just reciting physics formulas in response

God I love this bit (and I love that they are still including references to Nate’s alcoholism)

Just, Parker, the new mastermind, who doesn’t “let feelings get in the way” (like Hardison - this is the reason he can’t be the mastermind, much to his chagrin. He’s too much of a cinnamon roll)

Nate says she spins problems like puzzle pieces until they click, but I think it’s more like juggling all the fiddly bits inside a lock until it clicks open

HE TRUSTS HER HE TRUSTS HER HE TRUSTS HER!!!!!!!

Zachary is the lead! Love him!

Sophie saying she doesn’t miss acting at all 😏

She is a good director, though

"I'm exactly where I belong" I'm gonna die I am so happy for all of them

Oh no here we go

Cut right to Nate covered in cuts being interrogated about the mistakes he made

"Mr. Ford, how did your friends die?" CUT TO COMMERCIAL

This must have killed me the first time around

I do love this investigator though. I think I remember from the commentary that it wasn't originally supposed to be her, but it worked out really well

Nate looking around like he's confused (and trapped) while not being able to put together a full sentence (I'm not sure if I ever developed a solid headcannon for how much of this scene was him faking and how much was actual injuries from the actual crash) (I'm open to ideas!)

Ellen giving a vicious predatory little smile when she says that she's here to help him

I wish I could do gifs or screencaps or something. This is one of my absolute favorite callbacks! Parker in that little black bonnet thing jumping off a building having the time of her life and the boys do their "twenty pounds of crazy in a five pound bag" thing (whuch my autocorrect recognized as a phrase for some reason? Do I really yell about that but enough for it to suggest those words in that order? Fantastic)

But this time their faces and voices are full of affection. She may be an insane thief/mastermind, but she's OUR insane thief/mastermind

And coming after the white rabbit job where we had that line about how she's not and never has been crazy, the fact that you can tell they are saying this as a callback without meaning the crazy part is just perfect

It makes me wonder how many other times they have repeated this, because you can't convince me they haven't

Aah Sophie's horrible rendition of Lady Macbeth! Same speech, different ways of doing it just as badly (props to Gina Bellman)

Is this the same outfit? Hold on I need to check.

Y'know, I didn't think they changed that much physically over the years, given that they are adults, but going back to the pilot, I keep going awww look how tiny they were! (Especially Aldis. Like I know they had problems because he was getting too hot and ripped, but Damn)

Anyway, the dress is very very similar, same color and pattern, but it very slightly different. I will maybe post my very very horrible pictures after I finish this

Parker is so good at computers now that she has this adorably bored face when hacking! I love that they taught each other their stuff!

Using chaos as a distraction and co-opting the expected response as a cover! One of my favorite tricks!

Parker changing in the elevator! And the boys turning to give her privacy! And this isn't even the first time they did a callback to this! I love my respectful boys! Remember when Hardison turned the David around? So pure!

Ah, we are setting up for competency porn and then it all goes bad! Aah!

I love Eliot's little "wassup?" Before fighting the guy. Points for intimidation, Spencer

My stronk babies opening an elevator with their fingertips

And Hardison's recurrent fear of heights combined with Parker's love of them

She says "I got you" (twice)

Oh god Beth's acting in the elevator shafts

Oh I'm gonna cry

Oh and a "dammit Hardison"

Oh Gina's face

Even in a situation as tense as this, Eliot still takes the time to empty the gus and toss it away

I don't think I've ever seen him check for an ankle piece, actually. How has that not come up before now?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Age of the geek, brother" I'm sobbing

I mean, so is everybody

Look at this acting!

I love that they didn't go for the clichéd established couple dying in each other's arms, but instead put Eliot in the middle, giving us our yummy hurt ot3 goodness

And Parker sitting up so she sees the other two go

Ugh. Where's that poetic cinéma image when you need it?

Anyone remember the perfectly timed bridge from the pilot?

What number Lucille are they on?

I love that they actually stop in from of the barrier at the bridge, then take a moment to decide before just going for the crazy impossible stunt because why the hell not at this point

Ah Nate and Sophie are holding hands on the way to death too!!

And cut the scene before they reach the top of the bridge. Time to see Tim show us why he's an academy award winner

Ooh and here's where we find out she was lying! (Should this be the part where I started wondering if Nate knew? Probably. Did I? Not even a little)

There was a big twist where the person Nate was facing off against was playing him in the pilot too

But John fucking Rogers didn't play ME in the pilot. I take that personally.

Ooh hints at the true story are being dropped

Ellen is almost adequately suspicious

JUST WALK TWO FEET FORWARD ELLEN! LOOK AT THE STAGE! COME ON!

"You loved them very much" Yeah he did. They all did! Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh!

She knows he's lying, I love that (just like Dubenich knew Sophie was manipulating him)

"The only thing I ever had"? That's intense, Nate

God Tim is a good actor

(Like I low-key don't like Nate at all, but Damn he is well acted)

And he just turns it off, just like that

Wow

I am really into her little impressed face when he goes all Sherlock and explains how he knows they are at interpol

The glass! Of course Sterling brings him the glass! Not a pilot callback, but a good callback nontheless. The commentary says it's literally the same exact glass every time. I will have to go back and verify that at some point. I swear it didn't have those ridges around the bottom in at least one episode, but I also trust John Rogers, so idk

I love how sterling knows everything from the moment he appears, and Ellen doesn't even know what the black book is

"That's why you joined Interpol? Screw justice. You're the order guy?" What a good line for Nate and Sterling's relationship

Nate's not even interested in hearing Sterling's evil speech of evil about the bailouts

I actually really love the little exposition flashbacks

Her look of horror and dawning comphrension when he explains why he is there is fantastic. If we bring this show back, can we have more of this lady?

Yeah, Ellen, why IS he still lying to you??

Sterling remembered to be cautious about the coroner's van, but not cautious enough!

That's some timing. How did Nate arrange that ? Oh right, this was triggered by the arrival of the van, which he probably set the timing of

Nate's face after "Parker's still in the server room." Yes, sell that fear to Sterling! Make him believe he's right! I wouldn't have thought to fake a reaction to that. But that's why I'm not a griffer

And he trusted sterling to have a snark remark so that he could have an attention-stealing reaction to distract him

I try every time to see the kids going in, and I never manage to catch all of them

Why does Nate turn away here?

God, that really is a terrifyingly lifelike Hardison face

I gotta say, the first time I saw sterling shoot the Hardison corpse, I was really convinced that he was right and he was really killing Hardison for the first time

"Second question... No, Nate, why don't you tell her what my second question is?"

Honestly, the first time around, I had forgotten about that secret meeting between Nate and Hardison

"The plan's the thing" A callback to earlier in this episode. I'm dying. I love this show so much

And they can do that without being annoying because every leverage episode is like three or four episodes rolled into one. Sometimes more!

That's one of my favorite parts, but also one of the very few downsides

I get so excited watching the flashbacks that show how it all happened

Omg I love the thing where they stack! Parker crouching, Eliot just above her head, Hardison looming tall! It reminds me of the princess bride for some reason

Sterling is the Trojan horse, the way out is the way in...wait, didn't they do that with at least one other episode, where the floor was a horrible way in, but last minute they used it as a way out?

Are these callbacks or parallels at this point?

Sophie taught Nate how to act! "She found her calling." Yeah she did! So proud of her!

"Your ride to a life sentence in a secret prison has arrived" So dramatic for someone who knows Sophie is behind the wheel

Ooooooohhh he called him James!

"You and I are not the same" okay sterling

"Justice is always easy" YES GO STERLING wait that's a callback to the justice vs order thing earlier in this episode. I just got that

I have seen this so many times and I still notice something new every time I watch it

Does John Rogers have a tumblr? I want to tag him but I don't think he does

What is Parker wearing? Why is one sleeve randomly yellow?

I can't believe Nate is proposing in a hoodie

I love how the kids pop in with insults and Nate just agrees. He knows it's true

That's a huge fucking rock

"Did you steal it?" "No." "Oh, cause that would have been more romantic"

"I'll steal the first anniversary ring" lol I love these guys

Parker insists he follow the proper procedure

Oh wait, the ot3 are gonna branch out with other crews?

Y'know, in an alternate universe I could have shipped Eliot and Sophie

GOD

I'M CRYING AGAIN

"You're the smartest man I know" where have we heard that before?

Parker recognizing her feelings! (And they've been preparing her for this the longest)

Aah, the circle shot from above and the breakaway, but this time not everyone breaks away!!!!!!!!!!

"You do know that Laura is not my real name, don't you?" Sophie I'm gonna kill you

And then the big obvious callback to the pilot, where Beth meticulously studied Tim's acting to recreate it

Loving the look of this scene. The costumes, the blocking, all of it

And they made sure to switch which parent was crying

Very excited for leverage international. Gimme!

[enbouton]

Better Call Saul Rewatch, Part 1/30: They Called Him Slippin’ Jimmy

Late last month, I decided to rewatch all of BCS and post about it, one episode at a time, every day during the 30 days leading up to the premiere. The elements of this plan that proved problematic were “post” and “one episode at a time”, but we’ve still got three weeks, so let’s do this. I’m not much of a critic; this is going to be mostly just a bundle of thoughts and observations. There will also be a key to references in the dialogue, notes on locations and the timeline, and probably a lot of gushing over beautiful frames, because there are many (see above! look at that! look at it!!!). The tag will be #bcs rewatch, for your following/blocking needs.

Uno (Season 1, Episode 1)

Written by Vince Gilligan & Peter Gould / Directed by Vince Gilligan

If the Cinnabon sequence constitutes fanservice, I don’t care, because it’s brilliant. 

BCS uses a lot of intense chiaroscuro, and it starts in the scene at Gene’s apartment. Details— the ice in the glass, the white label on the bottle of Scotch— are highlighted, the rest of the picture is subdued. There’s also a gorgeous softness to the black-and-white images. Overheard on the TV as Gene pours: a woman cheerily saying “Well, from time to time, people make mistakes, that’s okay!”

There’s a bit of Breaking Bad-style handheld camera here, which stands out because it’s mostly absent from the rest of the show. In Gene’s living room we have the first appearance of glass block windows, about which blogger Marc Valdez wrote an excellent piece (Streamline Moderne and Jimmy McGill).

“No charge is too big for me!” says Saul, on the tape that Gene is watching in hiding with his blinds closed. :(

(In this episode, Jimmy’s personae are introduced in reverse chronological order: first Gene, then Saul Goodman, then James M. McGill Esquire, then Slippin’ Jimmy.)

It’s May 13, 2002, and the courtroom scene— beautifully paced, by the way— is one of the most distinctly Vince Gilligan scenes that ever Vince Gilliganed. The stenographer loudly slurping on her Big Gulp, the attorney using her legal pad to draw a shirtless man on a unicorn, the prosecutor silently wheeling in the TV in response to Jimmy’s argument, and most of all, the horrifying punchline.

When we first encounter Jimmy— as opposed to Gene or Saul— he’s pacing in the men’s room, muttering about how people shouldn’t be punished for whatever stupid things they did when they were young. Hmm. The three defendants sit there, chastened and nervous in ill-fitting ties, as Jimmy does an excellent job of talking around what it is they actually did. No one got hurt! It wasn’t trespassing, the business was open day and night! “I don’t think they deserve to have their bright futures ruined by a momentary, minute, never-to-be-repeated lapse in judgment,” he tells the jury.

I’m jumping ahead here, but where do you think Jimmy would have ended up if the whole Chicago sunroof incident never happened? I mean, he wouldn’t have gone to Albuquerque, he wouldn’t have become a lawyer… do you think he was happy just running small-time cons and smoking weed at age c. 30?

Anyway, as soon as we see the boys in the mortuary, let alone hear the sawing, we know the case is unwinnable. Jimmy collects his meagre paycheck and stalks out to his car. The show teases us a bit by putting a white pearlescent Cadillac front and centre in the frame before panning across to a battered 1998 Suzuki Esteem (aside: that car is awfully beat up for being only four years old). I love the car, by the way. The colour and the mismatched door are perfect.

The Kettlemans, who could have stepped straight out of an episode of Fargo (as Julie Ann Emery in fact did!), introduce the theme of denial of reality. They’re the innocent victims of a misunderstanding, you see. Craig’s business practices are “beyond reproach”. The missing money is a “discrepancy”. While Craig is amenable to hiring Jimmy, Betsy won’t have it; needing a lawyer would imply guilt, after all. Bob Odenkirk plays Jimmy’s barely-hidden desperation very well. He looks literally and figuratively hungry as Craig prepares to sign.

I want to take a moment to comment on Dave Porter’s score, which helps set Better Call Saul apart from Breaking Bad. The two scores are similar enough to provide continuity, but where Breaking Bad’s music is full of mechanical sounds, drones, saws and reverberations, the music of Better Call Saul has a much warmer timbre, more traditional instrumentation and a more naturalistic sound. (The best side-by-side comparison I can think of is “Dead Freight” versus “Border Crossing”— similar themes, similar rhythm and tempo, completely different feels.) The use of flute and harp stands out in particular— you’d never hear those instruments used in the same way in an episode of Breaking Bad.

One of this episode’s most effective individual beats is Cal coming out of nowhere and hitting Jimmy’s windshield, which manages to be startling even when you know it’s coming. It’s the distraction factor: preoccupy the audience with new information (Jimmy’s card was declined) and then fling a skateboarder into the frame. Jimmy, his windshield broken (can we call that a Breaking Bad reference?), limps home.

The lighting in Jimmy’s office is just gorgeous. This show unreasonably romanticises broke lawyers living in salon backrooms. We learn that Jimmy has a host of “past due” bills— wireless, Visa, library, Diner’s Club, phone— and then get a brilliant hook in the form of a check for $26,000 (dated May 9, 2002, for those of us tracking this stuff) that he promptly rips up, scowling.

Everything about the offices of Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill is so composed, right down to the five-note elevator chime. Blue and wood panelling predominate. I’ll have more to say about colours later on.

The boardroom scene is a beautiful piece of exposition, establishing characters and relationships bit by bit without spelling anything out. Chuck is someone close to Jimmy, and Hamlin, a senior partner at HHM, is giving Chuck money. He’s paying it into Jimmy’s account because Chuck isn’t capable of going to the bank, for some reason. Chuck helped build the firm, but he doesn’t work there any more and Jimmy thinks he never will again. Hamlin, on the other hand, believes Chuck can overcome his situation, and Jimmy dodges the question when asked whether Chuck really wants to be cashed out. The words “brother” and “illness” aren’t even used.

“If Chuck can call this an extended sabbatical, so can we”, Hamlin says— it’s not just Betsy Kettleman who’s engaging in a degree of denial (though the whole situation with Hamlin and Chuck’s illness becomes much more shaded and more complicated later on).

Let’s take another look at this incredible frame:

Kim and Jimmy share a cigarette. Seven words are spoken. Thus, their relationship is sketched out. See above re: exposition. We also see Kim literally clearing up after Jimmy after he takes his frustration out on the trash can, illustrating how they respectively deal with unfairness; he lashes out, she sets things straight.

Again in darkness, Jimmy arrives at Chuck’s house, stashes his phone and keys in the mailbox, and grounds himself on a piece of metal. (The air in Albuquerque is so dry that it’s very easy to build up a static charge. I was constantly getting zapped by door handles.) Chuck, noticing Jimmy’s discontent, instinctively asks him if he’s “in trouble”, which must sting.

Good Lord the lighting is beautiful.

Chuck does have a point about what would happen if he were to cash out of HHM. Jimmy doesn’t seem to see past the initial payout. What they’re really arguing about, beyond money, is whether or not Chuck is ever going to recover from his unspecified illness. The way his voice breaks on “I’m going to get better!” is rough. 

“Your friend Kim— a promising career, over and done with.” Not to read too much into this phrasing, but it sounds almost like Chuck thinks that if Kim lost her job at HHM it would be the end of her entire career. As if the firm is only keeping her there out of charity.

“But Jimmy, wouldn’t you rather build your own identity?” Oh, Chuck, if you only knew.

The next scene plunges us into sunlight. Jimmy has tracked down the skateboarders and we get a foundational piece of his backstory: he used to make money running slip-and-fall scams on the icy sidewalks of his hometown, and now he wants the boys to take a hit from Betsy Kettleman so that he can parachute into her good graces. Jimmy, apparently, has been observing Betsy closely enough that he knows where her kids go to school, what time she leaves to pick them up, and what route she takes. I mean, okay.

The hit-and-run happens at 7th Street and Tijeras Avenue, very close to the school where Jimmy & crew film the flag in season 2, and a short distance west of the courthouse district and the Civic Plaza. This whole sequence is such a glorious comedy of errors, and it showcases perfectly Jimmy’s ability to think on his feet. I mean, it’s also true that if he’d aborted the plan when “Betsy Kettleman” had driven off, he never would have ended up hog-tied in the desert pleading for his life, but those are unknown unknowns, I suppose.

“You felonied my brother!" is possibly one of my favourite lines of the season.

Who among us saw Tuco coming? None. None of us. I gasped. It was very considerate of the show to release the next episode immediately.

Miscellaneous

While most of the addresses shown on screen in BCS are fictionalised, the address shown on Jimmy’s mail—160 Juan Tabo Boulevard NE— is the actual IRL location of the nail salon.

Items in Gene’s shoebox: the videotape, an old Band-Aid container, various photos including one of a man standing in front of a 1940s-style car, and a photo packet from a film lab in Portland, Maine

Broken windshields: 2

New Mexico Statutes violated: 3— § 30-28-2, conspiracy to commit felony fraud (Jimmy, Cal and Lars); § 66-7-202, failing to stop after an accident causing damage to a vehicle (Mrs. Salamanca); § 30-3-2, aggravated assault (Tuco)

Timeframe: May 13 to May 25, 2002 (see next post)

Music

“Address Unknown” by the Ink Spots (1939), during the Cinnabon sequence

“Milestones” by Shook (2014), as the twins attempt to scam Betsy

References

Network: a 1976 film about a news anchor who begins ranting about the state of the world during a broadcast. The character whom Jimmy quotes (”You have meddled with the primal forces of nature...!”) is a man who berates the protagonist for speaking out against his network’s corporate owners. Bryan Cranston starred in the 2017 stage adaptation.

Peter Minuit: a Dutch trader who purchased the island of Manhattan from the Lenape people for a sum equalling about $1,000 in today’s money

“Ergo, a falsis principiis proficisci”: “therefore, you proceed from false principles"

Trichinosis: a parasitic disease most often spread via undercooked pork

Starlight Express: an Andrew Lloyd Webber rock musical performed on rollerskates 

> NEXT EPISODE: MIJO

[prettybabyhazy]

Moriarty x Reader | Always Take The Shot | Part 2 FINAL

READ THIS FIRST:

YOU GUYS! I can’t effin believe how much love i’ve gotten from this thank you! So ye this is the last part (i know...) BUT, the lovely @magpiesandmurder have taken the theme and basis and turned it into a hopefully ongoing story! Which you can check out HERE  (it’s super amazing)

PART 1

Later

You went over the photos you took of the supposed ‘Richard Brooke’ You smiled at how naive you must’ve acted. He was so photogenic, gorgeous. You put them down and ran into your room. You paused.

You were looking at yourself in the mirror, pondering on what to wear. It was only 5 PM but you still were worried you wouldn’t have enough time. You pulled open your wardrobe and sifted through your clothes. Pulling out different outfits but still nothing excited you:

“Should I go out and buy something new for tonight?” You mumbled to yourself. “Why on earth did I say yes?” You asked yourself quietly. Staring at yourself in the mirror.

Although, you did know why. Your love life had been put on hiatus for far too many months and Sherlock and Lestrade had kept you far too busy for any sort of relationship. You didn't mind most of the time but you felt the sense of dread to coming home to an empty apartment. Seeing your empty studio. You yearned for someone to be waiting for you. You wanted a muse. You really enjoyed taking photos of Moriarty. And you were excited for tonight. (But you wouldn't tell yourself that)

You went to go and grab your purse until you heard the letterbox go and something dropped through. You tilted your head outside from your bedroom and saw a package. You ran up to it and ripped it open.

It was a *outfit of choice* . You gasped, grinning. A small black letter fell out too. You picked it up and opened the black envelope. It read the address of the venue. Luckily you had heard of it, it was at a very prestigious and posh hotel, something you weren't used to. You received another text.

I hope you like what my stylist chose for you tonight x

JM

You smiled and texted back:

See you at 8 x

(Y/i)

You continued to get ready and ordered a taxi to pick you up at 7 PM. You looked at yourself in the mirror one last time as you could hear the beep of the taxi’s horn. You grabbed your coat. Pulling it close as you went down the stairs and out the front door. You gave a quick smile to the taxi man as you got in. You told him the address and he started the journey. You got another text.

Got anything on the Moriarty case?

SH

Your heart started to beat a little faster, the fact that you were meeting Moriarty at 8 PM and not for business reasons scared you. You texted back, fingers shaking a bit as you did.

Nope, none yet, I’m out tonight. I won’t be able to reply.

(Y/I)

You put your phone away now. Not wanting to talk to Sherlock anymore and focus on the night. You tried to relax in your seat and looked out the window, breathing heavy. You were slightly nervous.

You walked into the hotel, being directed to the elevator, to the very top floor. You shifted awkwardly in the hotel elevator, the people who got on with you looked so posh, so refined. You felt as if you were in a movie. The room the elevator opened to was decorated in a very art deco style. It was breathtaking...

You looked around at all the very well dressed guests, going on your tiptoes a little. More importantly you looked around for Moriarty, but trying not to seem like you were lost as people were staring. You half hoped it was how good you looked. You walked up to the open bar, nervous still and turning your head trying to look for him, you waited to see his smirk and deceiving eyes. Then you felt an arm wrap around your waist, gently. You turned your head and there he was. Those deceiving eyes.

“Right on time. I'll have a whiskey and for my darling here a…” He said to the barman. He looked so gorgeous, his suit was sharper than ever. He looked back at you. You felt relaxed again in his presence.

“Uh… Just a red wine please.” You said smiling. Moriarty let go of you and paid the bartender, taking your drinks to a more secluded spot when you got them.

“You look absolutely amazing tonight, Y/N…” Moriarty purred, grinning. You got a much better look at him now. “How does it feel to dine with one of Britain's most notorious serial killers?” He asked, taking your hand in his. Your cheeks heated up once again. You looked down at his hands. They looked so large compared to your small ones. You looked at the

You knew that Moriarty isn’t a good person, that the devil himself hid behind those eyes. Yet you still felt so different and wonderful around him. So you looked away, scared almost.

“To be completely fair, I didn't expect it. But… Why would you take me out? I'm just a photographer, really nothing special.” You said, you admitted it sounded a little cliche. Being a photographer wasn't really the norm. He leaned forward.

“You intrigue me. You intrigued me from the first time you took the camera away from your eyes. It's not normal for me to feel this way.” He said a smirk forming. “And we both know you work with Sherlock and I suppose I work against him.” He continued.

“You could call this night a test if you will.” He added, letting go of your hands and sipping on his whiskey. Your eyebrows perked up.

“Well.” You started, Almost sipping all of the rest of your wine. He grinned as you did. “Let the test begin.” You smirked this time, you liked a good challenge.You stood up boldly. Moriarty put his hand on the small of your back, walking you over to some of his friends and colleagues.

“Evening Moriarty.” An older looking man said. “And you might be?” He continued, looking to you. Moriarty was about to speak for you, but you butted in a little, stepping forward.

“Y/N. Pleasure to meet you.” You gleamed. His other colleagues really were taken aback at how confident you were. They looked over to Moriarty, worried he’d not approve. But he just grinned. Taking the hand off your back, he knew you could lead the conversation.

The two of you started small talk and how the two of you met. You really quite impressed Moriarty’s colleagues, making them laugh and engaging in conversations about your photography, creating a new fake life with Moriarty. When they were all distracted, Moriarty whispered gently into your ear.

“Care for a dance?” He asked. You chuckled and took his hand, he pulled you up. He pulled you close.

“I’d thought you'd never ask, or think you could.” You said as he walked you over to the center. One of his eyebrows perked.

“Of course I can, a gentleman must know how to dance.” He said, he put one hand on your waist and the other on your other hand. The new song started and the two of you waltzed around the room, along with the other couples too. You both looked like a dream together. You thought that it was possibly a twisted dream but still beautiful.

You felt like the two of you were the only two people in the room, you felt like royalty when you were with him. His eyes never leaving yours, the both of them, E/C against his brown, searching and wondering what the other was thinking. Wanting to know more about the other. He spun you around and pulled you close at the end when the song finished. You also hadn't realized that everyone was applauding the two of you. You laughed, embarrassed and hid your head in the crane of his neck, he held you closer. He led you back to an empty table.

“I can't believe I just did that! I've never waltzed in my life. Well certainly not in front of a crowd!” You said excitedly, Moriarty laughed and smiled at how proud you were of yourself.

“You did great, although you couldn't keep up.” He said, you fake pouted and gently kicked him under the table. One of his eyebrows raised and he lightly kicked you back. The two of you were acting like school children almost. Until you raised the trouser leg of his with your foot, slowly. You noticed a change in expression as he smirked, a sense of flirtation between the two of you now.

“Now Y/N, stop these games. You'll make me fall for you harder if you carry on.” He said very quickly. You stopped. Blushed at his remark and a waiter walked up to the two of you. Moriarty ordered you the most expensive things he could find which you loved.

“Oh Y/N, taste this.” Moriarty said, finishing a bite. He held out the fork and you leaned forward. You bit down on the food. You saw the lust in Moriarty’s eyes now. As flirtatious as this action was, it honestly tasted delicious. You both brushed it off like nothing happened. The sexual tension was rising by the second.

The meal was amazing, and left you very full by the end of it. You were also a little more merry now, not drunk but after the 5th time of asking Moriarty to come back to the dance floor to show him you ‘great moves’, you looked at your phone. You soon realized it was around 11 PM. You tapped his arm gently to get his attention.

“Moriarty, I've really got to be off soon. It's nearly 12.” You said looking at your phone.

“Slow down cinderella, i'll get you home. I was hoping you'd stay longer and show me some more dance moves.” He said. You laughed. “But I know you've got to entertain our little detective tomorrow. Come on.” Moriarty said grinning. You nodded. He paid for the meal you  had and escorted you to a very fancy looking car, that was waiting at the bottom of the hotel’s steps. He held the door open and then joined you on the other side.

“Moriarty I-” You started.

“Please, call me Jim.” Jim said gently, a different side of him showing. He slid his hand onto your thigh. He seemed more bolder now. You blushed and then looked down at his cold hand and back at him.

“Jim What I was going to say was… I honestly had the most wonderful and magical night of my life. I don't think I could've ever been happier. Thank you so much.” You said properly, you liked the way his name sounded to you. Jim Moriarty gleamed at your words. “I'm an awfully lonely person, but tonight you made me feel not so lonely. Even though there’s the fear of you, possibly. Killing me… I had fun.” You added. He smirked at the last part.

“It's been an absolute delight to have taken you out. And i'd love to again.” Jim replied, he was very taken aback by what you had said. “And what’s life without a little bit of murderous fun?” He added. You chuckled.

“I also… Still don't get what's so intriguing about you, you're so…” Jim chuckled, looking down, having no words and being slightly drunk. Which now made you laugh too. His face was close to yours now, you could feel the warmth of him and smell the expensive cologne he had put on. He leaned in and kissed you, his hand cupping your cheek and the other to the back of your head, bringing you closer. You shifted closer to him. You could taste the whiskey on his lips and it drove you crazy, he felt so dangerous. But before it could go any further he pulled away.

“Ah, ah, ah Y/N not tonight. I don't trust you yet.” He whispered seductively, making your heart beat even faster, which you didn’t think it could. And then you were outside your apartment. You wished the ride lasted longer. You grabbed your bag and the chauffeur opened the door for you. Jim pulled you back quickly for a kiss on the cheek.

“Goodnight Jim Moriarty.” You giggled. Jim smirked.

“Goodnight F/N L/N.” He said, the door closed and you waved him off. You looked up at the night sky and sighed. You then ran up the steps to your apartment, it was very chilly.

You wished you had your camera. In fact you wished you brought it with you tonight, he looked stunning tonight as did you.

You sighed as you shut the door and dropped your bag. Leaning against your front door, you kicked your legs and your shoes flew off. You un-buttoned your coat and threw it on the floor. You draped yourself over the sofa and grabbed for the light.

“When were you going to tell me you were seeing Moriarty?” A voice said, you screamed. There he was sat on one of your corner chairs. Sherlock Holmes. He held up the polaroid of Moriarty.

“Sherlock?! What the hell, you don't just go and bloody… Break into my apartment!” You said, standing up, but honestly did you expect any less from Sherlock bloody Holmes.

“I didn't break in. Remember our first case? You said If I needed any help at any time, I could come right round.” He stood up, pacing around your living room. He was right. “Also your door was unlocked. Although well done on keeping your spare keys hidden. Buried under some moss and then under another plant pot never came across my mind.” He added. You still had no words. He looked at you. Deducing you.

“New outfit, not yours. Far too expensive. Hair, same as always but styled differently. Perfume.” He paused, stepping closer and smelling your perfume. You gulped, feeling uncomfortable. “Hmmm… Cheap disguised as much more expensive. And you've been drinking, red wine on your lips and…! Moriarty kissed you. You don't drink whiskey. You liked the kiss.” He finished. “Why?”

“He… Said if i didn't go with him, he'd kill me essentially. How could I not. Moriarty would've hurt you and John again.” You explained. “He took me to this gorgeous hotel Sherlock…” You fantasized still slightly hazy and drunk. Sherlock rolled his eyes, pacing again. “We danced and I spoke to his colleagues, we ate and drank. Nothing about you. He said it was about a test.” You finished.

“A test… He's lying to you Y/N, he doesn't like you, couldn't like anyone if he tried.” He said, harshly. 

“There you go talking about you again. He was different. You can't stop me from seeing him.” You said dangerously.

“Y/N… Please, he's not a good man, he’ll use you. Like all your other relationships.” He said standing tall. The last bit really stung. You threw your arm back and slapped him across the face. Hard.

“Get out.” You said quietly. Tears running down your face. He left.

“I’ll be seeing you tomorrow, to discuss this properly.” He said seriously. He closed the door behind you and you ran to your room. You cried. But then of course… A text:

Stop. You're far too wonderful to cry, too beautiful, don't listen to him. Sleep.

JM

You almost didn't care if he was spying on you or not. You smiled and went to bed straight away. You wished he wasn't like the rest. Just here to use you. You felt protected throughout the night, feeling as if Moriarty was there with you. You were a mess but he didn’t care.

The next morning you spent it just taking photos around London, trying to clear your head. You thought about Moriarty, you weren't really clearing your head to be perfectly honest. You decided to visit Sherlock too.

You were sat in the client chair, you and John sat in silence. You drank tea quietly as Sherlock paced the room. No one had said anything since you arrived other than John asking if you wanted sugar or not.

“Look Sherlock I-” You started but he told you to shut up as he thought. “No, I won't shut-” You started again but he stopped you once more. You were now angrily sipping your tea.

“Leave them be… He doesn't seem as if he wants to kill Y/N…” John suggested.

“We don't know that. He said he was ‘testing’ you?” Sherlock asked you. You nodded.

“Yes but, he didn't take it too seriously... In fact he meant it in a fairly flirty-” Sherlock cut you off again. You were really getting pissed off now.

“Get out, go home or something. It’s as if i can hear your thoughts of that disgusting man.” Sherlock said abruptly. “And I can still smell that bloody whiskey.” He said in annoyance. You went to go and slap him again but instead pointed at him.

“Stay out of my apartment unless I invite you in.” You said, much more calmer this time. John chuckled. Proud of you standing up to Sherlock. You left, grabbed your camera bag and rushed out. You didn't know what you wanted. Was Jim here to just use you? Was last night a facade to just trick you?

You caught the tube home, not making eye contact with anyone, just focusing on nothing and wondering whether to call Jim or not. You took some more pictures outside of your apartment. Nothing seemed to be capturing your eye.

“Always take the shot.” Someone whispered in your ear, you jumped as you realized it was Jim Moriarty.

“You're here!” You said smiling, hugging him tightly. You quickly let go as you realized you were embarrassing yourself. He held you still.

“Yeah… I was a bit bored at home and thought I'd come see you. Killing people was boring today, also I'll be honest. I couldn't stop thinking about you. Cliche I know.” He said looking down a bit. You smiled even more. “Also as Sherlock was in your apartment last night, I got worried. I'm so sorry about that.” He added. Stroking your cheek, you leaned into his touch. You could see the almost worry in his eyes.

You reached up to him and kissed him, pulling his face towards yours. You stood there, feeling that feeling again when you were the only two people in the world. You both pulled away and you smiled. For once Jim was speechless.

“There's just something so amazing about you. I can't place my finger on it.” He said.

“How about we discuss it over a coffee?” You suggested. He nodded and the two of you left.

AAAA I AM SCREECHING! I’m so sorry? That ended so badly... Ugh. This won’t be the last of these I feel and PLEASE gimme some requests. I loved writing this. I also feel my writing of Moriarty is so bad?? aaaa!

Thank you so so much for reading this! x

taggin’ people who asked! @niawoods @adaleya @cutie1365 @thedumbestravenclaw @kpafb-love

[spicynbachili1]

Unknown Pleasures: 20% seasonal | Rock Paper Shotgun

Boo!

Haha, Halloween is very easy. Though I’ve by no means understood the principles when it falls on a weekday, and like all depressing British whingers I resent its bizarre enlargement from a number of hours of hiding from disagreeable infants into a whole sodding month of pumpkins and garbage horror. So with that in thoughts, let’s have a spooooky Unknown Pleasures!

Threatening however then being too British to really ‘trick’ anybody this week: barely interactive fiction, a multiplayer indie with precise gamers, and a stick on the moon.

Vox Machinae £19.49 / 20.99€ / $24.99, Early Entry

A mech shooter is such an apparent match for VR that I’m somewhat shocked we’re not inundated with them. Even should you accurately have little interest in VR although, Vox Machinae is value contemplating. It primarily does what you in all probability already assumed: gamers pilot completely different courses of mech (the distinction being their steadiness of mobility, firepower and armour – there aren’t any help roles), decide their lasers/rockets/cannons, and exit in groups to robo-kick every others’ computo-faces in. Though there’s bot help (which unusually I haven’t examined, as I used to be having loads of enjoyable with – ugh – people) it’s primarily multiplayer, and actually relatively spectacular. The sport modes are effective – occupy bases on the map, race to a randomly showing salvage spot and struggle over it. The degrees are very vertical due to inbuilt jet boosters, and the feeling of ponderous, weighty motion is already there. There’s even a devoted ramming mech, and the weapons and modular destruction of limbs and hardpoints put some previous entries within the style to disgrace (sorry Hawken. You weren’t a nasty recreation however you had been a nasty mech recreation).

The non-VR participant will cope effective, however that is an space that wants work. I couldn’t discover a record of keyboard instructions (although there are some respectably succinct tutorials that can type you out quick), nor discover out the that means of varied beeps and warnings. Extra severely, with out voice (as a result of go to hell) I had no method of speaking with different gamers in any respect, which was a disgrace as I’d have preferred to thank the right nearly-full server I discovered at 4am for a good time. Significantly the American man who I mistook for voice performing when the very first thing I heard was a delightfully droll “Name me Stella, ’trigger I obtained my groove again”.

LoveChoice 拣爱 £1.69 / 1.59€ / $1.99, Early Entry

Lovechoice 拣爱 (Chinese language for “(a backing refrain going ‘love! Alternative! Ah-aaaah!’)”) is by far the shortest recreation to outlive the brutal trials of UP. Will probably be over for you in a couple of minutes. Even a second playthrough will in all probability not outlive your contemplative sandwich. However it’s candy. It’s a heat, light micro-tale about relationship, whereby the same old aim of “unlock the puzzle field that’s some girl” is changed with “she type of likes you so it’ll nearly positively occur no matter you do”. The vital half will not be second-guessing the proper sequence of phrases to cross her exams, nor accumulating Seduced Factors to unlock A Girlfriend, however contemplating what it takes to kind a very good relationship.

Its classes are usually not revolutionary, however then elementary truths about how lovers intertwine seldom are. Vulnerable to spoiling (truthfully, in case your curiosity is piqued, skip to the following paragraph till you’ve performed it), I recognize that the subtext is a critique of our perspective to each video games and romance – the trail of the connection parallels your actions as a participant, and is dictated by not simply what the participant character says, however how a lot you assume and take as a right in regards to the recreation.

It’s tiny, so tiny, nevertheless it’s doing one thing completely different, and one other IF recreation – a courting one, no much less – tipping the scales of the style away from the sweating, lecherous mire it’s notorious for, and for that I believe it’s value recommending.

Ship Us The Moon: Fortuna £19.99 / 19.99€ / $19.99

At any time when one thing goes improper IN SPACE, the protagonist should clomp forwards and backwards fixing doorways and rebooting engines and getting the entry code from that man’s desk (which is infuriatingly bulletproof as a result of folks do it in actual life on a regular basis). And it’s in all probability aliens, and it’ll be closely foreshadowed instantly. Ship Us The Moon has each an fascinating premise and a real thriller. These dozy Earth folks have tousled the planet once more, this time by working out of gasoline, but in addition found a option to generate tonnes of unpolluted (I believe?) vitality from a helium isotope which occurs to be plentiful on That Moon. A colony is constructed, it smelts the helium or no matter and beams the vitality again to Earth through microwaves (theoretically doable – house nerds had been already bouncing the concept round once I was at school, however then EVE On-line got here alongside and distracted them so it by no means took off). However then it out of the blue stops, and Earth is hosed once more.

So, you and a few rogue astro-boffs have scraped collectively a rocket and launched a determined solo flight to the colony to search out out what occurred and repair it. I wouldn’t usually relate a plot in such element however Ship Us The Moon is one among only a few video games to make practical fashionable house shuttle stuff fascinating and approachable to me, and I’m actually curious to search out out what occurred as a result of it could possibly be something. It’s principally about floating in regards to the moonbase reducing cables, listening to audio logs, and changing gubbinses, and it’s not notably taxing. However it appears to be like good, has a good environment, and it’s all somewhat bit understated. I need to discover out what occurred, and for as soon as it appears like I’ll wind up serving to to repair it relatively than blundering right into a face-eating house mutant.

[John has extra ideas on the sport in his Ship Us The Moon: Fortuna overview. –Ed]

Neighbor £11.39 / 12.49€ / $14.99

The one recreation that truly matches the theme this week. Oops. Neighbor is a couple of girl who strikes right into a flat the place she’s continuously afraid and suspicious and laid low with ghostly sights and intrusive, threatening noises, and unable to go away due to extortionate rents, all of which her landlady coldly shrugs off. Much less a horror story than a barely beneath common week in any houseshare within the Southeast, then.

This too is a little bit of a file, for stretching the definition of “interactive” to its close to restrict – Neighbor is as passive because it will get, with nothing to do however click on for the following line, and never even the phantasm of selection that many visible novels current. However it does the job. Ghost tales are of virtually no curiosity to me, however this one’s financial narration and assured pacing had me intrigued all through, and very similar to Ship Us the Moon, I actually loved the supply of the clues and foreshadowing. It’s not tremendous scary, and positively not the boring startle-you-up most horror is, nor does it invoke a very sturdy dread. However I preferred the narratagonist’s perspective – she sees sufficient to be each be rightly scared and really feel silly and uncertain about being scared. She additionally acts remarkably rationally for a personality in a horror story, touchdown the tone extra in supernatural thriller than frightfest. Quite than mark herself as a madwoman by insisting that you simply have to belieeeve me, or creeping across the lair of the monster going “hellooo?” like a lemming with a vore fetish, she units about following up leads on the historical past of the flat and what might presumably have gone on there. She’s a fairly good cookie, and the consequence would possibly invoke the fury of the It’s Not A Sport militia, however should you like a basic thriller with only a little bit of a scare in, you should do nicely right here.

Reignfall £7.19 / eight.19€ / $ 9.99, Early Entry

Although technically a city builder, Reinfall’s constructing is all in help of elevating defences and armies to struggle incoming waves of monsters (which could technically make it a type of tower defence, nevertheless it didn’t really feel that method so I’m saving it from that condemnation). Putting homes and woodcutters and roads carries that delicate satisfaction of growth and enlargement, however there’s no actual administration to talk of moreover rising output by periodically upgrading a farm or plonking a market down by some homes to extend their gold output.

Defending them is the enjoyable bit, and regardless that it too is extra streamlined than a ‘pure’ manstab or RTS, you possibly can at any second take management of your Lord and run round proper alongside your militia and trusty knights. I’ve talked earlier than about what an enormous distinction this will make. Your items could also be nameless, however you’ll nonetheless rush over to rescure a lone peasant when he’s separated from the herd and cornered by skellies (and never simply because surviving ones accumulate stat boosts), and swinging your sword into two or three bandits directly, or simply distracting them for a little bit of crowd management makes an enormous distinction.

There are ranges to achieve and attributes to unlock too, bringing welcome replayability. I just like the artwork model, low tech although it could be, and I’m at all times up for a recreation that channels only a trace of Mount and Blade. And a punny title, too? Alert! Somebody is courting us.

Decide of the Week: Tough, tough resolution. I might nicely look again and need I’d gone for LoveChoice. However it’s going to Vox Machinae.

Early Entry or not, this can be a sturdy mech recreation, and with the suitable growth might have a protracted tail. The place most on-line video games that cross by means of the column are unattainable to guage for lack of gamers, I obtained into Vox instantly, had a grand previous time, and wished to maintain going. Mastering motion and the angles wanted to trace and intention, particularly vertically – assaults from above have a giant benefit since you’re proper there within the cockpit and have big blind spots due to your individual mech, simply correctly – supply that sensation even once you get shot down of getting tangibly higher by means of observe.

And but I additionally felt helpful, battling the large lads however quickly favouring a zippy bot with twin miniguns, harassing and distracting opponents with low, however fixed harm and stress. I notably respect the best way the ‘scope’ extends a feed from a high-zoom digicam, helpful however very tough and dangerous to make use of. This one deserves to take off, and should you’re into having video games sellotaped to your head, you’d be mad to cross it up.

Oh, proper, the theme factor. Uh… I vaaant to suck your blood, mwahaha, and so on.

from SpicyNBAChili.com http://spicymoviechili.spicynbachili.com/unknown-pleasures-20-seasonal-rock-paper-shotgun/

[sindrafalcone]

Sin’s KDrama Review #1

IRIS is arguably the most famous Korean TV series worldwide for many different reasons.

First, the drama is based on the Korean theatrical box office hit Shiri, which drove 6.5 million Koreans to the cinemas in 1999, and was co-produced by electronics giant Samsung. The film has also met with great success in the rest of Asia, and in the Western world. (I haven't seen this film.)

Second, IRIS was produced by Taewon Entertainment for KBS, the national broadcaster, benefiting from the largest audience in the country, and with the largest budget ever allocated to a Korean TV drama (at the time). The big budget really shines when it comes to the action sequences, more on that later.

Third, IRIS cast two of the most internationally famous Korean actors as leads, Lee Byunghun (G.I. Joe, RED 2) and Kim Taehee (Stairway to Heaven). [sidenote: She is often referred to as the standard of Korean beauty. I just don't see it... but, to each his own.]

Fourth, IRIS is a spy series, which draws upon the classic North/South divide, a plot device which has been very popular in the past, with Shiri but also other movies & shows as well.

Plot Summary

Kim Hyunjun and Jin Sawoo are best friends who both fall in love with Choi Seunghee through different circumstances. But it turns out, Seunghee is a secret agent and Hyunjun and Sawoo are her new recruits into a top secret organization known as the National Security Service (NSS) which protects South Korea from foreign threats. While on a solo mission in Hungary, Hyunjun assassinates a North Korean official and fails to get away cleanly. He is betrayed by the NSS while he is also on the run from North Korean agents. While on the lam, he learns of a mysterious organization, IRIS, that could be connected to what happened to him. What is IRIS and who set him up in this predicament?

Honestly, the plot is MUCH deeper than that... but that's the best I can do without giving away terrible spoilers.

Trailer

My Review

The Good Stuff:

I feel like one of the strongest points of this drama is the way it depicts both North and South Koreans without any biased judgment. In other words, neither North Koreans nor South Koreans are shown as the bad or good guys as they typically would be in a U.S. TV crime series. The truly evil ones are the members of IRIS, who do not belong to any government or nations, but operate across borders and have aims of their own (mostly financial). This drama will constantly have you questioning who really is the bad/good guy. Just as soon as you think you have it figured out, it flips the script on you (in the best of ways). The only truly “bad” guy character is Vick. (But, we'll talk about him in a minute...)

The romantic aspects of the story count as subplot, at best. But also serve as another emphasis to build an emotional connection with the audience. The balance between action and romance is efficient. So efficient, in fact, that I don't believe that you'd have any trouble getting a guy to watch this drama with you. With the exception of one episode, the romance is sparingly scattered throughout & isn't too heavily focused on at any one time. It really is more about suspense, spies, guns and violence.

IRIS is also very interestingly filled with sub-plots involving each main character (and even side characters) separately, through their involvement with the NSS, North Korean army, governments and IRIS, but also at more personal levels. Such diverse stories keep you on the edge of your seat waiting for what’s next. Each episode is cut so that viewers interested in the action and viewers interested in the romantic relationships are both left on a cliff-hanger. The subjective perspective, through the eyes of Hyunjun, fuels an atmosphere of mystery all along the 20 episodes, so that truth is only unveiled to you at the same time as he discovers it for himself.

The music also contributes to the impression of a story tightly paced and filled with action. The main theme is one to remember as it bridges each episode one after the other. The relevant use of popular Kpop songs helps to create an atmosphere which complements the catchy action scenes and addictive romantic subplots. Having TOP involved also allowed the drama to benefit from a musical contribution from Bigbang... check out “Hallelujah” when you get the chance. You only hear a snippet of it in the show, but it really is a great song. (Even if it's only GD, YB and TOP & not the full OT5.) Plus ”Don't Forget”, one of the 'love ballads' of this series, is one of my all time favorites. I still tear up a little when I listen to it.

Hallelujah (Audio only)

The diverse landscapes, with a story that takes us to Japan and Hungary too, and the numerous well-choreographed action scenes are other great pleasures of this drama. This is where the big budget really shines through. I think there were only a couple of wide shot helicopter scenes that were a little fake looking. (Also, the NSS elevator scene must've cost a freaking fortune because they use it over and over again. It was to the point that I'd roll my eyes when it came on.) The cinematography is very well done, making you feel like you're actually right in the thick of things instead of being merely a spectator.

The actors carry out an overall pretty convincing performance, with Lee Byunghun in probably his best performance ever with his seductive, slightly naive, yet powerful character. He is able to display his experience in both action and romantic-focused stories & uses that to his full advantage. He also has a really great chemistry with the entire cast.

Jung Joonho is also very good in the second male lead slot. The character goes through a wide range of emotional & motivational changes throughout the show. His acting really is superb at making you understand the character and feel for him (even when he's being a jerk). I never really did feel sorry for him where the romantic subplot was concerned though. Plus, he has a line towards the end that just absolutely made me sob in a weird happy/sad way. Watch it & you'll see what I mean.

Kim Taehee is alright. Strong in the first few episodes, her character somehow slides into a stereotypical reduced screen presence, to the benefit of the male leads. I have yet to watch anything else with her in it, but I will say that I hated her character by the end of the drama. And, honestly, I think it's because she just did a shoddy acting job. I can't believe that with so many other well-written characters, hers (as the supposed female lead) was written so poorly.

Kim Soyeon was, by far, my favorite part of watching IRIS. So much so, that I had my hair cut like her character, Kim Seonhwa. She is a kick-ass, take no prisoners kind of woman... but she also has a soft & caring feminine side that you discover as the story progresses. Her acting is superb and I can't wait to watch something else with her in it! [sidenote: My husband and I affectionately dubbed her character “North Korean Trinity” or K-Trin for short. lol]

And now, we shall talk about TOP... Let's be honest here. The only reason I wanted to watch IRIS in the first place was because of Seung Hyun. He gets very little screen time in comparison to others, as his character really is just one of those that pops in every now and then. But, honey... when he is on the screen, he owns it. In fact, I had to rewind his scenes & watch them over because I was too distracted ogling him the first time through.

To put it bluntly, he plays a cold-blooded, contract killer who uses his sex appeal to his advantage. I know deep down that I was supposed to hate Vick, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it even though he did terrible things. Seung Hyun is just too damn sexy, even when he's covered in blood. Never mind the fact that he's wielding a gun, speaking English, has the emo hair and has the sexiest effing wardrobe. Oh, and there's a scene with wine, one with coffee and lots of fight scenes. *happy sigh* And don't even get me started on the man bun...

It's funny that Seung Hyun hates his acting in IRIS. He will visibly cringe if it's brought up & refuses to talk about it now. And, yes... his acting is a little stiff. But at the time, he was young, new to it & that shows a little bit in his performance. However, I feel like that actually works for the character. Vick really has zero emotion, just like a good Hitman should be.

The Bad Stuff:

Beware: There is a heavily condensed movie version of the TV series with the same name used to bring people up to speed quickly for IRIS2. I wouldn’t recommend the movie unless you’re short on time and really don’t want to sit through 20 episodes. By condensing 20 one-hour episodes into a two-hour-long movie, it loses pretty much all of the characterization, back story and intricate storylines. And if you're watching solely for TOP, he loses almost all of his already short screen time.

A downfall of the action/thriller aspect of the drama is that at times it can get a little over the top & overwhelming, with too many subplots and things happening all at once. It's a lot to keep up with sometimes. There is a handy little synopsis at the beginning of each episode to bring you back up to speed though, in case you've gone a few days without watching. Although, fair warning... this drama will hook you & you'll feel the urge to marathon it.

There are also some plot holes... nothing too terrible though, as it didn't really hinder my viewing experience. But if those sort of things really bother you, it might just be a problem. Unfortunately, I can't really point any of them out without giving away spoilers.

You are thrown right into the thick of the action in the first episode & it's a little hella confusing at first. I'd say that it takes until about the fourth episode before you get fully invested in the show. Until then, it's a bit flat because you're dealing with a lot of backstory to bring you up to speed. Looking back at it now I can see that really was the best way to go about setting the story up, but it was a little frustrating to begin with. Once it gets going though, the momentum doesn't stop until the final episode.

Speaking of the final episode... *sigh* I can't really tell you what happens, except to say that I despised the ending. And, when I say ending, I mean like the final 5 minutes or so. I realize that it was done a certain way so as to set up the second series. (Which, for the record, I have not watched but I've heard bad things about.) It was just an aggravating ending to what would otherwise be an almost flawless drama. (Again, I can't really elaborate more than that without spoilers.)

Still, even with the ending, this drama is an experience I’d highly recommend. Especially if you are just beginning your foray into the world of Korean dramas, as I was at the time. In the interest of full disclosure, I should point out that I did end up binge watching IRIS. Not necessarily because I wanted to, but because I had to. At the time, I didn't have Dramafever & was watching on Hulu. About 5 episodes in, I started getting a time warning that they were going to pull the series in a week. So, I had to mainline it. Which might have something to do with why some of the plot holes were so noticeable to me.

Overall Rating: 8 out of 10  (it would be 9 if not for that damn ending!)