#bbc please please please bring in new writers and showrunners so we can have some fresh ideas

[anovertureinyellow]

Joy to the World had a similar almost emptiness to most of it that I feel is beginning to be characteristic of "Nu-nu-who" and that ending was pretty shit lmao. However, I absolutely love the direction Moffat is taking with Villengard (although it does feel a little bit like we're starting to be hit with "technology bad" in bold font) and the criticism of partygate was really very good. Outstanding Mr Moff man, more of that anger please. Also I have it on good authority (friend with dinosaur autism) that dinosaurs went extinct 66 million years ago so the T Rex couldn't have existed 65 million years ago.

[havetardiswilltimetravel]

I agree with your assessment that Moftiss let the Sherlock narrative run "until they were in over their heads." Now that it's been more or less proven that they didn't know what to do about that, do you think they can be trusted with any other projects? In other words, will either of them ever work in this town again? (Your opinion, please?)

In regards to your first question...personally, no, I don’t. I don’t think they can be trusted with anything else. They’ve betrayed their audience. They’ve betrayed their narrative. They’ve betrayed their characters. If they didn’t know what sort of story they were building from the beginning, how can anyone trust them to build another with narrative sense? If they knew all along and it still ended up as it did, that goes double. If they think that TFP is the best they’ve done, how can anyone trust their judgement? On top of that, they obviously have no problem with gaslighting, and while I can’t understand how Mark Gatiss especially could be ok with queerbaiting and view it all as a joke, being a gay man himself, their actions (and words) speak for themselves.

As to your second question, unfortunately, yes, I think they will. The BBC has shown that they don’t care about the treatment fans get and that they don’t care about queerbaiting. Mark and Steven may lose many viewers for shows they pen in the future, but there will always be new people tuning in who don’t care who the writers are, people who weren’t as invested in the show, people who don’t view the queerbaiting as an issue or even think it exists (which is beyond me tbh, but it is what it is), ect. Mark and Steven will keep getting work because they have shown the network that they can bring in ratings and keep an audience, even with years between each series. One series of low ratings and bad reviews won’t negate the stellar performance of the three that came before it nor the extra revenue that came flowing in by way of movie ticket sales.

Moffat, in addition, already has a solid relationship with the BBC through Doctor Who, and while some of his episodes rate quite badly, some have honestly been the most brilliant. They’re not going to just cut ties with him, especially not considering the way they’ve responded to complaints and especially not when they’ve stuck with him through lowering Doctor Who ratings. 

That being said, I think where Doctor Who is now says something about where we are with Sherlock. Because it’s hard to understand how the man who wrote Blink co-wrote TFP until you remember that after he became showrunner of Doctor Who, his writing became inconsistent, overreaching, and self-aggrandizing. Doctor Who is a show with a loyal built-in fanbase and the full backing of the BBC, and when he was given it to run, he essentially gained protection from the editors. He was given full reign (much like he had in Sherlock), and as each series passed, he had less and less to prove with no one to pull him back, so his stories grew bigger and wilder with more plot holes and more breaks in characterization to make way for said plot. There were no check and balances anymore. Sound familiar?

When it came to Sherlock, I’d always thought that perhaps Mark Gatiss had provided that balance for Moffat. Because they were a team. They came up with the show together, they collaborated and coordinated. And while they were always on the same page, my theory was that Mark was there to pull Steven back if he ever went too far. But it’s grown quite apparent that as BBC Sherlock’s acclaim grew (with every new series, with every good review, with every new award) that their egos grew with it. And that that partnership changed - or perhaps it was what it always had been. Perhaps “insane wish fulfillment” was wildly accurate and (in their minds) the phenomenon Sherlock had become had provided them with the same protection from backlash that Doctor Who had provided to Moffat so they simply let themselves go. They’ve said all along that they’re not writing this for us, they’re writing it for themselves.

And yet, quite honestly, this fandom is what kept them afloat. This fandom has shown me some of the most creative, clever, well-written ideas, fic, meta, and they’ve all come from brilliant people who want more than we were given. So, yes, I’m quite sure they’ll continue working. But I’m just as sure that people from this fandom will break into the industry and they will be innovative and fantastic and put Mofftiss to shame in every aspect they take on. And I know this community will support them 100%.

[ladystylestores]

Family affairs: Everyone learns they can’t go home again in Killing Eve S3

After being shot and left for dead by Villanelle, Eve (Sandra Oh) is now working in the kitchen of a Korean restaurant.

BBC America

She’s trying to patch up her marriage to Niko (Owen McDonnell), who is recovering from PTSD.

BBC America

Villanelle (Jodie Comer) on her wedding day, to a wealthy heiress in Spain.

BBC America

Villanelle’s former mentor, Dasha (Harriet Walter) shows up unannounced.

BBC America

Villanelle and Dasha have some issues to work through.

BBC America

Meanwhile, Eve’s former boss Carolyn (Fiona Shaw) isn’t in good favor at MI6.

BBC America

Another MI6 supervisor, Paul (Steve Pemberton) is vying for control of the division.

BBC America

Carolyn finds an ally in MI6 agent Mo Jafari (Raj Bajaj).

BBC America

Carolyn’s son, Kenny (Sean Delaney) has left MI6 and is now an investigative journalist with The Bitter Pill.

BBC America

Eve finds her own ally in Kenny’s new boss, Jamie (Danny Sapani)

BBC America

Yeah, Konstantin (Kim Bodnia) is still around, with his own agenda.

BBC America

Villanelle is less than pleased when Konstantin comes to call.

BBC America

Villanelle’s latest kill takes a page from Dasha’s old playbook.

BBC America

Villanelle wants to be a Keeper with The Twelve.

BBC America

Villanelle tracks down Eve during a London visit.

BBC America

A violent fight leads to a passionate kiss.

BBC America

Killing Eve burst onto the scene in 2018 to rave reviews, as viewers and critics alike were enthralled by the sexually charged cat-and-mouse game playing out between MI6 agent Eve (Sandra Oh) and expert assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer). Alas, while S2 had some powerful moments, overall it lacked the same taut, addictive focus. But the series came back strong for its third season, fleshing out the story in some fresh, fascinating ways. Small wonder it’s already been renewed for a fourth season.

(A couple of major spoilers below for first six episodes of S3—we’ll give you a heads-up when we get there—but no major reveals for the final two episodes.)

As S3 opened, we learned that Eve survived being shot by Villanelle in the S2 finale (duh). She is keeping a low profile, working in the kitchen of a dumpling eatery in London, and living on a shocking amount of junk food in her dismal flat. Her long-suffering math teacher husband Niko (Owen McDonnell) also survived his encounter with Villanelle in S2 (although his fellow teacher, Gemma, did not). He is now an in-patient being treated for PTSD, and unreceptive to Eve’s efforts to reconnect.

Meanwhile, Villanelle is marrying a wealthy heiress, but her plans for a life of semi-retired luxury are upended by the appearance of Dasha (Harriet Walter), her former mentor from Russia. She gets sucked back into working for the shadowy organization known as the Twelve in exchange for a promotion to “Keeper” (aka upper management).

Eve’s former supervisor, Carolyn (Fiona Shaw), is out of favor at MI6, with an irritating rival named Paul (Steve Pemberton) challenging her former dominance over her division. Carolyn’s estranged son, Kenny (Sean Delaney), has left MI6 and is working as an investigative journalist for an outlet called The Bitter Pill, while her former Russian paramour, Konstantin (Kim Bodnia), is plotting to flee the country with his now-teenaged daughter, Irina (Yuli Lagodinsky).  

In my review of the first S3 episode, I noted that the series faced a major challenge in its third installment, as viewers have come to expect shocking twists, thereby making it harder to achieve that element of surprise. “I trust that the writers and new showrunner Suzanne Heathcote have plenty of exciting twists and suspenseful moments in store for us [in S3],” I concluded. “But at some point, the basic premise—already wearing a bit thin—will run out of steam altogether. And then the real question becomes, where does the series go from there?”

Well, I’m pleased to report that S3 successfully met that challenge, mostly by changing the focus a bit. Keeping Eve and Villanelle (mostly) apart was a good creative strategy, even more so now that we’ve moved well beyond the “who’s the predator, who’s the prey” dynamic of S1. This third season is really about family, as every major character must grapple with the high personal cost of their decisions thus far.

(Warning: major spoilers begin below this gallery!)

Villanelle has that magic touch with children.

Gemma Whelan plays Carolyn’s daughter (and Kenny’s sister) Geraldine, who tries to repair her relationship with her mother.

BBC America

You may remember Konstantin’s strong-willed daughter, Irina (Yuli Lagodinsky) from S1.

BBC America

Niko moves back to Poland and his roots.

BBC America

Villanelle does a favor for Konstantin in exchange for information about her biological family.

BBC America

Meanwhile, Dasha has her sights set on Niko.

BBC America

Eve witnesses the attack.

BBC America

Niko survives, but rejects Eve.

BBC America

Eve confronts Dasha about the attack on Niko.

BBC America

Villanelle looks over family pictures with her brother Pyotr (Rob Feldman).

BBC America

She bonds with half-brother Bor’ka (Temirlan Blaev), who is obsessed with Elton John, at the local Harvest Festival.

BBC America

Her mother, Tatiana (Evgenia Dodina), insists she leave: “Do not bring your darkness into this house.”

BBC America

Villanelle’s revenge.

BBC America

Eve still clings to the futile hope that she can fix her marriage, unable to see just how damaged and shattered Niko has become after all she’s put him through by exposing him to the risks inherent in her job. Those risks are only heightened when Villanelle discovers she’s still alive and her obsession with Eve rekindles anew. But our favorite assassin is also confronting her own past in Dasha—the woman who turned her into the “perfect killing machine” and then betrayed her—and in a sudden desire to seek out the mother who abandoned her to an orphanage as a child.

Carolyn suffers a devastating loss when Kenny (allegedly) commits suicide by jumping off the roof of his office building at the end of the first episode. She’s a woman who has spent a lifetime suppressing any genuine emotion, who must now deal with her estranged  touchy-feely daughter, Geraldine (Gemma Whelan), seeking to bond in their shared grief. Konstantin is trying to keep his daughter safe, only to realize she has her own inner darkness, exacerbated by his constant absence, the nature of his work, and Villanelle’s pernicious influence.

As always, all the performances are spectacular. Most of the attention has a focused on Oh and Comer, and rightly so. Villanelle is just as outrageously unpredictable and charming (in a deadly psychopath way) as ever, with even more spectacularly outré outfits. You never want to take your eyes off her; no wonder Eve remains obsessed.

But the supporting cast is every bit as strong, particularly Shaw and Bodnia, who quite possibly has the richest, most expressive laugh on TV these days. Among the new faces for S3, Harriet Walter is a sheer delight as Dasha, a chain-smoking, raspy-voiced former Olympic gymnast turned brutal assassin for the Twelve (and trainer of the the next generation of brutal female assassins). Game of Thrones fans will recognize Whelan from her days playing Yara Greyjoy, and she is given ample opportunity here to display her impressive range as an actress. And I loved seeing Lagodinsky return as Konstantin’s precocious, sarcastic, tough-minded daughter Irina.

The plotting is much tighter than last season—especially the final two episodes, as Eve pursues Villanelle by following the bodies piling up along the way—and while Villanelle’s kills don’t quite measure up to the macabre creativity she employed in the first two seasons, the S3 writers manage to pull off one very good twist. Concerned that Villanelle is once again behaving erratically because of her Eve obsession, the Twelve asks Dasha to intervene. Dasha decides to drive a wedge between the two women by killing Niko and framing Villanelle—making sure that Eve arrives at the Polish farm where he’s been working just in time to see it happen.

Eve tracks down Villanelle.

BBC America

Konstantin has plans to flee with Irina.

BBC America

Villanelle is a bad influence on Irina.

BBC America

Hélène (Camille Cottin) is a member of The Twelve.

BBC America

Villanelle does not hug.

BBC America

Yet another assignment, this time with fellow assassin Rhian (Alexandra Roach).

BBC America

Tensions are rising between Villanelle and Dasha.

BBC America

A hit at a golf resort in Aberdeen.

BBC America

Eve finds Dasha.

BBC America

Konstantin collapses at a train station.

BBC America

Paul might have his own plan in place.

BBC America

Carolyn faces off with Villanelle.

BBC America

Eve finds Villanelle.

BBC America

The happy couple, together again.

BBC America

It’s genuinely shocking in a way that Kenny’s death, while tragic, is not, thanks to some very clever editing. Unfortunately, the writers then blinked: Niko barely survives, although he (understandably) severs ties completely with Eve when she comes to see him in the hospital. I love the character, but it does undercut the power of the attack. I guess the writers are keeping their S4 options open where Eve and Niko are concerned.

By far the best single episode is “Are You From Pinner,” in which Villanelle visits her hometown in Russia and reconnects with her biological family, especially her brother Pyotr (Rob Feldman) and her coldly distant mother, Tatiana (Evgenia Dodina). Comer’s social awkwardness and discomfort with even small affections contrast sharply with the loud and boisterously enthusiastic family members. She tries to join in on a post-dinner singalong to Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock,” to comic effect, and watching her intensely compete in the dung-flinging competition at the local Harvest Festival—and her euphoria when she wins—is both hilarious and strangely touching.

Villanelle is trying so very hard to belong, even briefly bonding with her young half-brother Bor’ka (Temirlan Blaev), but she is far too damaged. And it is inevitable that the equally damaged Tatiana will reject her, telling her to leave and not bring her “darkness” into their house. Of course, Villanelle takes her revenge.

Killing Eve is based on Luke Jennings’ 2018 thriller Codename Villanelle, a compilation of four e-book novellas he published from 2014-2016. He published a sequel in 2019, Killing Eve: No Tomorrow, but despite Eve’s prominence in that title, Villanelle was clearly conceived as the central figure. So maybe it’s not surprising that we spend far more time on her backstory and family of origin issues than on Eve’s in S3, which makes Eve’s own journey back to Villanelle over the course of the season less impactful in comparison. The first two seasons did a better job balancing the focus between the two.

But that’s a minor quibble with an otherwise excellent season. These two women are clearly damaged in similar ways, with a shared social and emotional awkwardness, and morbid/violent bent. It’s just that Villanelle’s tendencies were encouraged and exploited via extreme physical and mental abuse, while Eve managed to channel her darker tendencies into her government work, and found some semblance of a family with Niko—at least until Villanelle burst into her life. But we still have little idea what Eve’s own early family life was like, or how it shaped her.

Here’s hoping that will be a major angle of exploration for S4, when Laura Neal replaces Heathcote as showrunner. Delving into how Eve and Villanelle have shaped and changed each other over three seasons would be another promising narrative vein to mine. Perhaps these two women can eventually find the families they have lost with each other, in their own uniquely twisted way.

  Listing image by BBC America

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[the-fandom-newsletter]

Fandom Newsletter #8

Today is Friday, January 25, and it’s 2019! Welcome back to our first 2019 Fandom Newsletter, a provider for all things fandom!

Writers: Blackpurrl, Fyne, YoursTruly, and Atlas

Editors: Fyne and YoursTruly

“You don't have to be ruled by fate. You can choose freedom. And I still believe that that’s something worth fighting for.” -Castiel, Supernatural

Let's get started!

First up we have Fyne with the Supernatural, Sherlock, and Mythology fandoms!

Sherlock: Does Sherlock look up to/respect his older brother? Throughout the entire BBC show we see Sherlock being annoyed by Mycroft and at some points, Sherlock can be seen belittling Mycroft. But while the boys have a relationship that is rocky at times, I have reason to believe that Sherlock actually looks up to his older brother. In Sherlock's mind palace, when Mycroft is giving advice to further a case in some way, he is always higher up than Sherlock. Plus, Sherlock is always looking up at him. Is it possible that this is symbolism? Yes. Is it probable that this is just a cool coincidence? Also yes. Just thought I'd put it out there, folks. You decide.

Supernatural: Dean Winchester never saw his mother burning on the ceiling. I know, bold statement. But let me elaborate. When his mother's death was happening, Dean was a child in his room. When John ran in and told Dean to take Sam and run, I don't believe Dean ever even looked up and saw his mother on the ceiling. True, John probably explained to him later on how his mother died, but the image was mostly left to his little imagination. Fast forward some years later and Jessica is burning on the ceiling as well. Dean rushes into Sam's room to find Jessica, and he looks up with a face of absolute horror. This is the first time he's able to see what he had only imagined happening to his mother, and now it's actually happening before him. Something he had thought about his entire life, finally right in front of his eyes. And to be honest, it's probably even worse than he ever imagined. Hence the look of horror.

Mythology: This week's legend originated in Greek mythology and who we're talking about is Medea. Medea was a princess of Colchis, and she was known to be skilled in magic and sorcery. In the legend, she fell in love with Jason (son of Aeson and the boy who assembled Greece's bravest heroes to sail in the Argo in search of the fleece) and helped him (against the will of her father: Aeëtes) obtain the Golden Fleece (The Golden Fleece was the fleece of the gold-haired winged ram. The fleece in this legend is a symbol of authority and kingship). When Jason left Colchis, Medea ran off with him and even lived as his wife for years. Medea ended up bearing two of Jason's children during their marriage. But later on in the legend, Jason wished to marry Creusa (daughter of King Creon of Corinth). When Medea found out, she sent Creusa an enchanted wedding gown that burned the poor girl to death. Medea then completed her revenge on Jason by killing her own two children. (In some versions of the legend, the angered citizens of Corinth stoned the children to death instead of Medea). Afterward, Medea fled to Athens, where she later married King Aegeus.

Next, we have YoursTruly with the YouTube, Horror, Tim Burton, Hannibal, Movies, and Marvel fandoms.

YouTube: Fallout between James Charles and NikkieTutorials! Both makeup artists on YouTube uploaded a video of the same title with the same idea. No big deal, YouTubers follow trends all the time, right? Wrong. James Charles posted this video just a few days after Nikkie and didn’t credit her for starting the trend. He then tried to claim that he started the trend and Nikkie just so happened to have the same idea, despite him uploading AFTER her. We sure do love a good sister scandal!

Horror: The horror movie Escape Room is gaining major popularity online. The movie is set to be released next year, but they have started an online competition to see who can solve their puzzle. Anyone who is crafty enough to solve it is entered in a cash giveaway. Each day they change the puzzle. Can you solve the puzzle? Test your skill here, if you dare.

Tim Burton: Burtonists are all awaiting the release of Dumbo. Many fans can’t wait to see how Burton will put his dark twist on this Disney classic.

Hannibal: Fannibals are getting even more excited with continued talk of a season 4. Showrunner Bryan Fuller has begun talking about seriously giving the fans a fourth season following Alana and Margot. Will we get the season? Guess we’ll have to wait and find out.

Movies: Mary Poppins Returns starring Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda is a massive success! Fans of the original say that the movie perfectly continues the story of Mary Poppins and brings back the same characters and charm as before.

Marvel: Fans are starting to get their conspiracy theories about Avengers: Endgame circulating. Seemingly every fan has an opinion on who will die for good, who’s coming back, and how they will defeat Thanos. What are your thoughts? We’d love to hear what you have to say on the topic! Also, the backlash from fans after the newest movie from Marvel Into The Spiderverse mixed up Spider-Woman and Spider-Gwen! The movie introduces a character which is very clearly Spider-Gwen (identical costume) as Spider-Woman. These two characters are completely different, both in personality and very obviously in costume and appearance.

Then we have Blackpurrl with the Harry Potter fandom.

Harry Potter: If you’re big into Harry Potter I’m sure you already know this, but recently we’ve been told that Harry’s scar isn’t just a lightning bolt. It’s also the hand motion used when the spell Avada Kedavra is cast. 

And finally, we have Atlas with the Gaming, TV, Musicals, Celebrities, and Voltron fandoms.

Gaming: A Fisherman's Tale is a VR game where you break reality. Read more about it here.

TV: After spending an estimated $12-13 billion in 2018, reports estimate that Netflix will probably spend up to $15 billion in cash in 2019. The popular streaming platform continues to collect and create new content every month in addition to reinforcing its abundance of original programming – and there appears to be no slowing down for Netflix. Imagine how much they will spend in 2020.

Musicals: Lin-Manuel Miranda recently raps at a fan for filming his musical Hamilton. Anyone who has ever seen a show of any kind is probably familiar with the phrase, "The use of recording equipment is strictly prohibited," and knows that the punishment for breaking this rule is a risk of being tossed out of the performance. You would think that Lin-Manuel wouldn’t take to kindly to being recorded on stage, and you would be right. But the way he did it is absolutely legendary. In character, Lin-Manuel self-edit live on stage, as he changed the words to one of the show's songs to call out the lady. He sang: "Lady filming in the fourth row, please stop it." The line was originally: "The problem is I got a lot of brains but no polish.” What an icon. 

Celebrities: Demi Lovato posted a snap to her instagram in which she is wearing a one-piece bathing suit. She is a queen demolishing the thought that the only way for women to look sexy is by wearing a bikini. Demi has been known to fight against sexist stereotypes before, and we’re glad that she’s still up and kicking these assumptions and knocking them down. Thank you, Demi!

Voltron: The showrunner of Voltron made a post confirming the show was celebrating its final day behind the scenes. Joaquim Dos Santos, one of the show’s executive producers, shared the bittersweet announcement alongside a touching message. Excuse us while we dab our tears. “This is it...our last day at Dreamworks on Voltron. It’s pretty surreal. We started this ride in June 2014 and we just had our final watchdown on the final episode of Season 8. I just wanted to take a moment to say that is has been an absolute honor and privilege to work alongside such a talented and dedicated cast and crew, both at Dreamworks and Studio MIR, who came together (like Voltron) to make something truly special. To the amazingly passionate VLD fandom, we couldn’t have made this journey without you. Your passion, creativity and love is infectious and has helped us up in tough times and creative low points.” What a way to close such an amazing time in our lives. 

Now let's move on to our news segments, where Fyne talks about positive news, news about mental health, and news about the LGBT community, plus Blackpurrl talks about World News.

Positive News: 2019 is just around the corner, and 2018 is soon to be left in the dust. While this is a fairly good thing because of 2018 having some pretty horrid things go down during it, not all was bad. Here is a list of some good things that happened in 2018.

LGBT: India’s supreme court has gotten rid of a ban on gay sex that has been around for centuries. Gay sex became a criminal offence again in India in the year 2013. The law, named Section 337, was brought back into the limelight. But recently, the nation’s supreme court voted to throw the law out the window in September. There is a new ruling that consensual gay sex (among consenting adults in private) is no longer a crime. Yay for gay people in India!

Mental Health: Our veterans are people who sometimes have to suffer in silence. I mean, it can be hard to get people who feel a pressure to be what they believe to be strong to open up. But there's something that could be a way to help us access these vulnerable people and it's called fishing therapy. Psychologists say that fishing can be an effective way to help with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and reduce symptoms. It was discovered that: “It could be helpful for veterans by chance, after chatting about how going fishing cleared their heads while they were having a pint.” It has been shown that overnight fishing trips have reduced PTSD symptoms by at least 30% in patients! For some, it was even the first time the patients left the house in years. Progress! An article by Metro even interviewed a veteran who has suffered with PTSD for the past 20 years of his life. This man went on one of the trips. He said: “Fishing is so helpful because it is a break to completely turn your brain off. It is the quietness of it with no distractions. When I came back for the first week, I slept properly every night and I struggle to do that.” (Iraq and Northern Ireland veteran: Stewart Bayford, 48)

World News: On MLK Day, Trump reminded black voters of what they lost with his election. Read about this here.

And now for our weekly tidbits where Blackpurrl gives a test and a trivia fact and Fyne asks a question to our followers.

Weekly Test: Animals!

1. How many mammals lay eggs? A. One B. Five C. All of them D. Two

2. True/False? Bees can only sting once, but wasps can sting many times.

3. Which animal is a mammal? A. Fisher B. Lionfish C. Basilisk D. Toad

4.  Which of these fish is a shark? A. Parrotfish B. Lionfish C. Dogfish D. Catfish

5.  Which one of these animals is a bird? A. Fisher B. King fisher C. Marten D. Beagle 

Weekly Trivia Fact: Did you know that beavers are among the few animals that mate for life? Once beavers find a partner, they stay together for as long as they live. Talk about TIl death do us part!

Weekly Question: If you didn't have to sleep, what would you use the extra time for? Let us know.

And for our last segment, the personality quiz.

Which of the 7 dwarves is you?

Question #1 - When a stranger attempts a conversation with you, which of the following can describe how you act?

A. You try to be polite, but strangers make you nervous.

B. You acknowledge the person, but you really don't like to talk to strangers.

C. You tell them to go away because you're busy.

D. You tell them that it's nice to meet them and invite them to join you in watching some TV.

E. You greet them warmly and crack a few jokes to break the ice.

Question #2 - Do you think you're an optimist, a pessimist, or a realist?

A. Definitely a realist. That glass is just a glass.

B. Probably an optimist, but that can change.

C. Pessimist. That glass isn't just half empty, but its also filled with poison.

D. Realist. Why put so much thought into it?

E. Optimist. That glass is half full and also contains rainbows and sunshine.

Question #3 - Favorite color?

A. Red

B. Purple

C. Black

D. Blue

E. Yellow

Question #4 - Your crushes all have one thing in common. What is this thing?

A. They're all intelligent.

B. They're all shy.

C. What is a crush?

D. They're laid back.

E. They're funny.

Question #5 - Pick a Snow White character.

A. The Huntsman

B. The Magic Mirror

C. The Evil Queen

D. Snow White

E. The Prince

Question #6 - Pick a Snow White song.

A. Heigh-Ho

B. Someday My Prince Will Come

C. Whistle While You Work

D. I'm Wishing

E. With a Smile and a Song

Question #7 - Which of the following would you like to do after a long day of work?

A. Read a book.

B. Make something. Anything.

C. Shoot some darts.

D. Sleep/Watch TV.

E. Sing/Dance

Results:

Mostly A's - You are Doc! You're the leader of nearly every group you are put into, even if you're not very good at it. You're very wise and like to think carefully about problems when they arise. People look to you for advice and guidance, but it can take a while for you to give them a good answer to their questions because you're quite a nervous person.

Mostly B's - You are Bashful! You are very, very shy, but people love you for who you are. You tend to blush easily, and your hands are almost always fiddling with something. While you're not big on talking, you do really enjoy listening. You like stories and poems, and you are big on music. When you want to get someone's attention, you tend to just stare at them, and when they notice you, you probably unknowingly flutter your eyelashes.

Mostly C's - You are Grumpy! No matter what anyone says, you're always complaining. You see the glass not only as half empty, but thrown across the room and shattered. You never seem to agree with anyone, but if any of your friends need you to help them out, you're the first person to their rescue.

Mostly D's - You are Sleepy! You tend to be fairly lazy, and when you have nothing else to do you're probably in bed or on the couch. You enjoy the simple things in life and you're not afraid to indulge in some relaxing activities. You're probably the type of person who is always tired and yawning, but your friends enjoy spending time with you when they need some calm. 

Mostly E's - You are Happy! No matter what life throws at you, you're always laughing and trying to find the sunny outlook. You see the glass as half full, and you even see your favorite drink inside the glass. You get along with everyone, but people can get angry at you because you can never seem to take anything seriously.

That's all for today! Goodbye all for this year, and we’ll see you soon! Happy 2019 with another Fandom Newsletter!

Signing off,

Atlas, Fyne, Blackpurrl, and YoursTruly

Test Answers: Animals!

1. D 2. True 3. A 4. C 5. B

[njawaidofficial]

What 'The L Word' Sequel Must Do to be Relevant Today (Guest Column)

http://styleveryday.com/2017/07/11/what-the-l-word-sequel-must-do-to-be-relevant-today-guest-column/

What 'The L Word' Sequel Must Do to be Relevant Today (Guest Column)

In the eight years since The L Word ended its run on Showtime, the question of whether we’ll ever see another big lesbian show has often come up.

During that time discussion has largely been split into two distinct queries. Do we want another The L Word? Do we need another The L Word? Sure, we might want one because you’d be hard pressed to find a queer woman who would say, “No, please, show less of us on TV.” But do we really — in light of our increased inclusion in mainstream media and our major strides in civil rights — need one?

Now that the original show seems poised to make its own comeback amid Hollywood’s reboot fever, the question shifts to what we — as lesbian, bisexual and queer women — want from this potential The L Word sequel. In short, we have another shot at making this the show we deserve.

For all its foibles and fumbles (and, goodness, there were many — RIP Dana Fairbanks), the series was indisputably groundbreaking and has become a communal touchstone. For many it was the first time we had seen our lives, our loves, our chosen families reflected back to us — even if imperfectly, even if often frustratingly. That matters because representation always matters. To have looked for so long without seeing yourself and then finally be able to say, “That’s me,” can be an a powerful and transformative moment.

Yet the show is also very of its time when it launched in 2004. This was a time when same-sex marriage was not legal across the country. A time when “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ruled our military. A time when Ellen DeGeneres was just restarting her career as a talk show host. A time when only a handful of female celebrities were out — and even some in The L Word cast were still closeted.

So now, looking back, some of it seems almost quaint. It’s a reminder of the progress we’ve made. But, also, how quickly that progress can be challenged. Just a few years ago the idea of bringing back The L Word or creating another lesbian-centered series might not have felt terribly necessary. We are represented across the spectrum in shows like Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, Freeform’s The Fosters, The CW’s Supergirl, BBC America’s Orphan Black, OWN’s Queen Sugar, Hulu’sThe Handmaid’s Tale and Syfy’s Wynonna Earp.

But then came the rebirth of the Bury Your Gays Trope and an outbreak of Dead Lesbian Syndrome last year. Shows from The CW’s The 100 to AMC’s The Walking Dead and even Fox’s Empire all killed of significant lesbian or bisexual characters sparking a fan revolt cam campaign for better representation that continues today.

That was followed by the even more consequential 2016 presidential election. With the Trump administration threatening past gains and a vice president who thinks it’s OK to refuse to sell pizza to gay people there’s a renewed urgency in our community. Nothing about being LGBTQ in America feels quaint right now.

This also means this new The L Word has an extraordinary opportunity to make a statement beyond the simple, “Look, lesbians exist!” of the original series. While it was critical then to be the country’s lesbian training wheels, we’ve long since pedaled past that. Now, suddenly unburdened by the mantle of having to be The First Lesbian Show, the return to this world can be as a bold and political step forward.

But for that to happen, The L Word must also unburden itself from its mistakes of the past. And that starts first thing with finding the right showrunner. Original creator Ilene Chaiken will serve as an executive producer, but be hands off because of her commitment to Empire[both shows are produced by different companies]. To be honest, that’s a good thing. Fresh eyes are needed for a fresh start.

So now Showtime has said they are looking for a new executive producer with “ties to the lesbian community.” I’d say having a queer woman at its helm is non-negotiable. It’s an absolute must. They must also hire queer women writers and queer women directors. We need gay women telling stories about gay women.

Second, reflecting a wider diversity of the lesbian, bisexual, non-binary and queer women’s community is just as essential. During its original run the show was criticized, and rightfully so, for portraying a largely white and largely femme and largely upper class segment of the gay women. That can’t happen in the sequel if it is meant to feel in any way authentic.

Series stars Jennifer Beals, Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey will reportedly executive produce and appear in the sequel — which will no doubt be applauded because their characters were among the most loved/lusted after. But any new additions should include more women of color, women from various economic strata and women who represent the fuller spectrum of sexuality, identities, body types and gender fluidity. That’s what most queer women see when they look out into their social circles and that’s what should be reflected on TV.

Third, instead of getting sidetracked by soapy circus sideshows (aka basically anything to do with Jenny Schecter), the new The L Word should delve deeply into what it’s like today to be a queer woman talking, laughing, loving, breathing, fighting — well, you know the rest of the song. When it was good, when it was at its best, The L Word unveiled a culture that is unique to gay women yet also somehow universal in its shared humanity. That’s what good TV does, it makes us care about people different from us.

Fourth, but not last, it has to be good. Gone are the days when LGBTQ audiences would watch a show simply because it had an LGBTQ character or an LGBTQ subplot or an LGBTQ kiss just that once for sweeps. The failure of some recent gay-themed series was simple — they were bad. Others were good, but struggled to find an audience in a world with wider acceptance and seemingly less need for the refuge of a televised community. In the era of Peak TV, queer shows need to rise to the occasion. (Also, don’t scrimp on the quality sex scene — please, we were all thinking it.)

While many queer women probably have mixed feelings about the return of The L Word (excitement, anxiety, nostalgia, confusion), it represents a singular opportunity to get things right. In this political landscape, being as gay as possible as loud as possible feels like an act of rebellion. And it’s equally important to give queer women a place to see themselves and be reminded in the value of our community and strength of culture.  

For this new The L Word to succeed, in short, it must answer the questions we’ve been asking ourselves for the last eight years. Why do we want and need a new The L Word? Tell us that and, who knows, you might even make lesbians happy. Just be sure to nix that theme song.

Dorothy Snarker is a contributor to Autostraddleand a former longtime writer for AfterEllen. Find more from her at dorothysurrenders.comor @dorothysnarker.

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