#bobby singer being iconic

[rainroses45]

What’s in your burger? pt2

☠︎︎description: so Dean decides to take a chance on you…so he takes you to Bobby’s but will they believe your story? (Dean Winchester x Ghoul Fem! Reader)

☠︎︎a/n: I FINALLY FINISHED THIS REQUEST and hopefully you enjoyed this part two (NOT EDITED)

☠︎︎song inspo: Cannibal-Kesha

☠︎︎warnings: umm dead ghouls and i think that’s it

Pt1

The Impala rolled into Bobby's salvage yard just as the last rays of sunlight dipped behind the horizon. Dean killed the engine, the rumble dying away, and glanced sideways at you. You hadn’t said a word since the cemetery, but the tension in the car was thicker than molasses.

“You sure about this?” you asked, breaking the silence. Sure, you could have killed the man in seconds, but then who else would help you salt and burn bodies.

Dean sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Nope. But we’re here, so keep your claws to yourself, alright?”

You snorted, leaning back in your seat. “Relax, Hunter. I don’t eat people I’m forced to carpool with.”

“Comforting,” he muttered, grabbing his shotgun as he climbed out of the car.

You followed, scanning the salvage yard. It smelled like oil, rust, and faint traces of blood—a mix that put you on edge but didn’t scare you. As your boots crunched on the gravel, the sound of a slamming screen door drew your attention.

The one and only Bobby Singer stood on the porch, his shotgun resting on his shoulder, his sharp eyes narrowing as they landed on you. Behind him, the youngest Winchester emerged, his tall frame filling the doorway, his expression shifting from cautious curiosity to alarm.

“What the hell did you bring home this time, Dean?” Bobby asked, his voice gruff.

Dean groaned, his shoulders sagging. “Not this again.”

“She’s a ghoul,” Bobby said flatly, his grip tightening on the shotgun. "I'm used to your brother bring home demons and wounded vampires but you?"

You raised a brow, crossing your arms. “Wow, you’re quick with the quips for an oldie.”

Sam’s eyes darted between you and Dean. “And why is a ghoul here? Better question—why is she alive? I mean aren’t you the whole killing and burying hunter not the ‘i see potential for americas next top model.”

“I mean he ain’t wrong.” You smirked up. “I got the curves to kill another president.” Dean gave you a side eyes, holding back the urge to say, "you're not helping the situation out much."

“She’s not like the others,” Dean said, holding up a hand to stop the inevitable argument or whatever he would call this. “She’s… different.”

Bobby barked out a humorless laugh. “Different, huh? That what you’re calling it now? This ain’t no adopt me pound for puppies boy.”

“Listen,” Dean snapped, stepping forward. “She helped me take down a couple of feral ghouls last night. She’s got information we need. If she wanted to kill me, she had plenty of chances.”

Bobby’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t lower his shotgun. “And you believe her?”

Dean hesitated, glancing at you. “I do.”

You smirked, though your gaze remained fixed on Bobby. “If I wanted you dead, old man, you’d already be rotting in that scrapyard of yours.”

Bobby’s shotgun came up an inch, his finger twitching near the trigger. “You’re real bad at making friends, ain’t ya?”

“Not here to make friends,” you replied, your tone clipped. “I’m here because Dean dragged me here. He seems to think I’m worth keeping around.”

Sam stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. “Why? What’s so special about you?”

“Well besides this amazing ass of mine I know a thing behind close doors. Ghouls don’t work together,” you said simply, meeting his gaze. “Not unless something bigger’s pulling the strings. And trust me, I know my kind. Something’s wrong, and if you want to stop it, you’re going to need me.”

Sam exchanged a wary look with Bobby, who finally lowered his gun—barely. “And why should we trust you?”

“Because I know how to think,” you said. “Not just act. And because I want this mess cleaned up just as much as you do. If something’s organizing ghouls, it’s bad news for everyone, including me.”

Sam frowned, but Bobby spoke first. “So, what’s pulling the strings?”

You hesitated, your jaw tightening as you glanced at Dean. “That’s the part I don’t know yet. But whatever it is, it’s strong. Strong enough to make even feral ghouls work together. And that’s not natural.”

*cue me* ( i guess you would say something supernatural ) *PUDUM PUDM*

Bobby grumbled something under his breath before gesturing toward the house. “Fine. Get inside. But if you so much as twitch the wrong way—”

“Yeah, yeah, you’ll blow my head off,” you said, waving him off as you followed Dean toward the house.

Sam fell into step beside Dean, his voice low. “You seriously trust her?”

Dean sighed, glancing over his shoulder at you. “I don’t know if I trust her,” he admitted. “But I believe her.”

Inside, the air was thick with tension. Bobby paced the room, his shotgun leaning against the wall, while Sam hovered near the table, his eyes flicking to you every few seconds like he was waiting for you to snap into a hungry monster.

You leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching them with an amused expression. “This is cozy,” you drawled. “Really like how the open floor plan allows you to soak up the lighting.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Bobby snapped, moving his decorations from you. Ain’t no one taking his hobby lobby decore from him. Nobody.

Dean pinched the bridge of his nose. “Alright, enough. She’s here to help, so let’s all stop measuring our guns and focus on the real problem. Bobby she ain’t going to be taking your fine china from dollar tree so relax.”

Bobby huffed but didn’t argue, only whispering a small “it was from family dollar idjit.” Sam, however, leaned forward, his eyes sharp. “If we’re doing this, I want details. Everything you know.”

You smirked, pushing off the wall. “Fine. But you’d better keep up, Boy Scout because it’s going to be a tongue twister.” And so the madness began.

[avengerscompound]

The Interview - Chapter 7

The Interview - A Captain America Fanfic

Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Rating:  E

Warnings:  nothing really

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Melody Danes

Word Count:   1747

Summary:  Melody Danes gets the break of a lifetime when as a lowly intern, she’s assigned to write a profile piece on Captain America.  Steve Rogers is a hard man not to fall for and as she and Melody get closer and Melody’s career takes off, jealousy leads to sabotage, and the potential to bring her whole world crashing down.

Chapter 7

The day Melody’s article was published she was taken out by Bobbi to celebrate.  It felt amazing to see her words on the glossy pages of a luxury lifestyle magazine.  The photos Peter had taken looked so good, being bracketed by her words.  She felt like she’d made it.  However, even that feeling didn’t cover the fact that she was still nervous about Steve reading it.

They had parted on really good terms about a month before the piece was published.  Every time they were together felt more comfortable and more flirtatious than the last.  Steve slowly opened up to her, becoming more comfortable and more real.  It was exciting to get to know Steve's more playful flirtatious side, but it also felt like a privilege.  It was something that was private and meant just for her.  She kept those special pieces of him minimal in the article, holding onto it for herself.

Still, there was a lot of how she felt on those pages and she hoped it spoke to Steve.  They had agreed to wait to decide whether to date after the article came out.  That meant they hadn’t spoken to each other for a month.  In that time, Melody had already started a new piece, this time shadowing Dazzler as the singer prepared for her show at Madison Square Garden.

Her nerves were high by the release of the magazine.  She worried that Steve would have moved on or forgotten about her.  She worried that he’d hate the article and have lost all respect for her.  She worried about the general feedback on the article.  And yet, there was excitement and anticipation in there as well.  She’d done it.  She was a published author.  She was earning money as a writer.  It was the dream she had been working for.  If Steve never called her, she still managed to realize the dream of being a professional author.  Not everyone could say that.  The fact that there was also a potential relationship in the mix, was just the icing on the cake.

The night out with Bobbi was needed, and her cousin took her out for dinner and then drinks to celebrate, and she happily spent most of her first paycheck on the event.  Going out with Bobbi was always a good time, but this just amped it up even more.  She didn’t end up coming home until the early morning, very drunk and feeling very good about herself.

She fell into bed and passed out, sleeping until late the following morning.  It was her phone that woke her.  It was rare to get a phone call and when she fumbled for it, her first thought was that it was her alarm, despite being a completely different tone.

When she realized it was a call, she thumbed the answer icon and pressed it to her ear.  “Hello?” she grumbled.

“You have a crush on me?”

It took a moment for her to register what was being asked of her and another moment to realize who it was that was asking her the question.

“Steve?” she croaked.  Her throat was dry and her mouth felt like it was coated in wax.  She reached over to her bedside table to grab the bottle of water she normally kept there, only to find it empty, and she fell back with a groan.

“How many people have you written about having crushes on?” Steve asked.

“That depends on how far back you want to go,” she said, attempting a joke, even though she felt like she was going to vomit.

Thankfully Steve chuckled softly.  “Okay.  How many people have you written about having a crush on recently?”

“Just the one,” she said, pulling her pillow down to cover her eyes.  “So - did you like the article?”

“I did,” he said.  “I like how you wrote about your feelings about spending time with me.  It made it feel personal and more real than just a regular bio stating all the facts.  Especially seeing as you seemed to like being around me.”

She laughed softly and licked her lips.  “I do like being around you.  A lot.  Was that not clear?”

He chuckled.  “The feeling is mutual,” he said.  “More than mutual.”

She smiled and took a deep breath.  Her heart was beating rapidly.  He liked the article and he liked her.  This was the start of something that could be great and she was in bed, nursing a killer hangover.  “I’m really happy to hear that, Steve.”

“Did I wake you up?” he asked.  “I can call back.”

“No, no,” she said.  “I mean yes, but I don’t want you to hang up.”  She groaned and sat up leaning against her thighs.  “Bobbi took me out to celebrate.”

Steve laughed.  “Oh, I see.  This is the second time I’ve talked to you after celebrating with Bobbi.  Who’s the bad influence, her or you?”

“I think we might both be bad influences on each other,” she laughed.  The sound immediately made her grab her head and groan.  “Oh, that was a mistake.”

He laughed.  “You really went hard, huh?”

“Yes,” she complained.  “You must think I’m terrible.”

“Not at all,” he said.  “I’ll have a drink from time to time, I just can’t get drunk. It’s not like I’ve never tried to.”

“Really?” she said.

“Really.  I’m not a huge partier, but I like to let my hair down from time to time,” he said.  “Maybe a little more low-key than you is all.” 

She laughed softly.  “I’m usually a bit more low-key than this too.  We just ramp each other up so much.”

“It’s good to have friends like that though.  Mine are like that for me,” Steve said.

She relaxed again, letting herself fall back down onto the pillow with a huge smile.  “I’m so glad you called, Steve,” she said.  “I was worried you might not.”

“Why would you think that?” he said.

“I don’t know. It’s been a month, and maybe the article would have scared you off.  I mean I did admit to having a crush on you in it,” she said.

He laughed. “Do you think you were coming on a little strong?”

“Maybe,” she said.  “But I meant what I said.”

Steve made a soft sound that made her heart flutter. “You were right though,” he said.  “It’s been a month. I really want to see you.  Are you doing anything tonight?”

She frowned and her stomach sank.  There was nothing she wanted more than to go out on an actual date with Steve Rogers, but she had a shift at her second, better-paying job.  “I can’t,” she complained. “I have to work.”

“Oh - wow.  New piece?” Steve asked.

“No. I wish,” she huffed.  “I’m an intern at DB - it barely pays anything.  I have a waitressing job to pay the bills.”

“Busy woman,” Steve said.  “That’s commendable.  Another day?”

“I’d really love that,” she agreed.  “I work Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night this week,” she said.  “Other than that…”

“What if we do Sunday brunch?” he said.  “I’ve never actually done brunch before.” 

“You haven’t?” she asked.  “Then we definitely should do that. Brunch is the best.  There's nothing like getting to drink alcohol before lunch and it be socially acceptable.”

As they spoke, Bobbi emerged from her room.  Melody heard her shuffle into the bathroom and close the door.  A moment later the water started in the shower.

“I would have thought you'd be put off drinking so early this morning,” Steve teased.

Melody couldn't help but laugh.  “Yeah, you're right there.  Even the thought of hair-of-the-dog makes my stomach roll over.  But still, brunch is good.  Do you have anywhere in mind?”

“I'm not sure.  What about if I come up to your side of town? I mean - you did travel all over the place for me already,” Steve suggested.

A smile crossed her lips.  Steve was such a gentleman, it made her feel a little giddy.  “That was for work,” she reminded him.  “And some of those places weren't exactly convenient for you either.”

“Even still,” he said.  “I'd like to make the effort.”

“Alright.  I should be able to find somewhere nice that has big portions for growing boys,” she said.  “I'll text you the address.”

“Sounds good,” Steve said.  “Is it weird to say that I missed spending time with you this month?”

Her smile got wider and her heart flip-flopped in her chest.  Here she was waiting on tenterhooks to see if her article would scare him off or to see if he’d forgotten about her, but it turned out absence had made the heart grow fonder for both of them. Steve felt the same way about her as she did about him. “It’s not weird,” she assured him.  “I have missed you too.  I know it was my idea, but I’ve been thinking about you a lot.”

“It was a good idea,” he said.  “There were a lot of good reasons to wait, and we didn’t want to risk starting things on the wrong foot.  Your article is out.  It’s good.  Now we can go out there with everything on the table.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “But it feels nice knowing we both feel the same way.”

He chuckled.  “Yeah, it does.”  There was a pause where Steve sighed.  “I better get to work,” he said.  “But I don’t want to stop talking to you.”

“Yeah… I better get up and get coffee,” Melody grumbled.

Steve laughed.  “Yes, you better.  Join the real world.  I’ll see you on Sunday.” 

“See you then,” she said.

She disconnected the phone and squealed, kicking her feet in the sheets.  She didn’t notice the sound of Bobbi stepping out of the bathroom.  “You sound excited,” Bobbi said from the other side of the partition.

Melody sat up and crawled to the end of the bed, popping her head over the top of the room divider.  “Steve and I are going out to brunch.”

“Oh, you bitch,” she said laughing.  “That’s awesome.  Congratulations.  I can’t believe my cousin’s going to be dating Captain fucking America.”

Melody laughed along with her.  “I better go have a shower,” she said. “You can work out your jealousy while I'm there.”

“I’ll do one better,” she said. “I’ll make us breakfast, and you can tell me all about the phone call.”

Melody laughed again as she got out of bed.  “You, my friend, have a deal.”

// NEXT

[bigskydreaming]

I’m rewatching X-Men (2000) for the first time in a long time and besides finding it exquisitely nostalgic, I keep finding myself thinking, “Damn, [character] is kind of OP” with literally every. Single. Character. And it’s funny now to think of how crazy powerful all the X-Men are compared to say, the Avengers, where I feel like the only god-tier power the MCU ever delivered was Captain Marvel and maybe Thor in Ragnarok. I guess the first X-Men kind of downplays Jean Gray’s powers, and there are cool take-downs like Magneto’s iconic “That remarkable metal doesn’t run through your entire body, does it?” line and Toad getting fried by Storm, but I feel like it’s so fun that most of the time literally every character is OP. Anyway, I wanted to ask you as an X-Men expert, have they always been so cool and powerful, or do the comics toggle back-and-forth with how powerful they are like the later X-Men movies did? And did comics Avengers and Fantastic Four ever think they had a chance vs. the X-Men?

LOL its ironic, I kinda consider them to be massively UNDERPOWERED in the X-Men films, but also I hate everything about them because Singer, so who's unbiased, not THIS guy!

For the most part it depends on the character. Like, you know Bobby's my Blorbo above all Blorbos there, so the X-films in particular did a shitty job of depicting his actual power levels, but in their 'defense' I guess, so does every other adaptation. Nowhere but the comics has been consistent about him being portrayed as ridiculously OP as he is, which is kinda funny because for all that Iceman doesn't SEEM like he'd be a top tier power level kinda character, he's consistently been that way since the early 90s. Hell, for that matter, he and Jean were the original omega level mutants used to debut the term in its modern interpretation.

(A lot of people point out that omega was first used to describe Rachel Summers, who isn't considered an official omega level mutant these days, but that was by Sentinels describing her as an omega level THREAT, so I don't consider that the same thing as the OL classification mutants use among themselves, but just throwing that out there).

In the comics, there are different classifications, kinda, that mutants use to describe different power levels. Most mutants are gamma or beta mutants. Most combatant mutants like major X-Men and foes, such as Cyclops, Bishop, Psylocke, Emma Frost, etc, are alpha level mutants.

Omega mutants are the rarest of the rare, and are, simply put....god-tier mutants. Their literal definition is mutants whose upper levels of power are beyond any ability to measurably quantify. A lot of people default to calling them infinitely powerful, which isn't quite INaccurate, but also isn't quite accurate....its more like....they're mutants who will never stop finding new ways to grow and advance their abilities, who have no upper ceiling to their powers...though all of them reach different tiers of ACTUALLY utilized power at different times/lengths of time.

A ton of people HATE the omega concept because frankly, it DOES make those with that designation overpowered as fuck but I like to point to DC and the Justice League which has always been full of god-tier characters who are nevertheless possible to write for and give relatable issues and equivalent foes. Personally though, I've always loved it for the narrative possibilities rather than the power levels per se. I like it because omegas are like, ultimate examples of evolution (Marvel style, lol, as in the kind they always have go hand in hand with mutants but uh, isn't always scientifically on point haha). But I mean, they're individual mutants who embody the concept of constant, unending evolution. The view of omega mutants as just the most powerful misses the point, IMO...part of why I hate Bobby's constant cycle of 'untapped potential' storylines (his most often recurring narrative) is because it fails to acknowledge that omegas like him CAN'T ever fully realize their potential, just MORE of it, because like evolution, there is no actual intended ENDPOINT for his or any other omega's powers. There will always be more. Further they can go.

Anyway....I know X-Men '97 emphasized Jean, Storm and Magneto as omegas, but even it didn't actually convey the level their powers are at in the comics, other than Magneto doing the global EMP thing. Omegas can pretty much all affect things on a global scale. A group of twelve of them in the comics recently terraformed Mars, in order to relocate a bunch of mutants called the Arakkii there after they returned from their 4,000 year long war in a demon dimension, protecting Earth from being invaded by it. (Long story).

But yeah, so omegas are a thing in the comics, and no adaptation has quite yet even scratched the surface of what they can do in the comics. There's only 12 acknowledged omegas out of all the Earthborn mutants (though Hickman's list is shit IMO and its ridiculous that there's only one person of color on it, Storm, and there's several other mutants of color I'd happily add to it if given the chance to balance things out), but the Arakkii (who are all black-coded if not actually black, because of where and when Arakko/Okkara originally existed on Earth before Amenth invaded 4K years ago), have a similar number of omegas of their own. But again, we're talking around 12 mutants EACH, among their total respective populations of about a million mutants each.

Anyway, the big four of the omegas, the major names among the X-Men, are Jean, Storm, Bobby and Magneto, with the other Earth omegas being Exodus, Elixir, Hope Summers, Absolon Mercator, Jamie Braddock, Proteus, Gabriel Summers/Vulcan and Quentin Quire (sigh). And then on the Arakkii side there was Isca the Unbeaten and her sister Genesis, Apocalypse's wife, Lactuca, Sobunar, Xilo, Ora Serrata, Lycaon, Tarn, Lodus Logos, Idyll, Kobak Never-Held, and Apocalypse and Genesis' kids, the original four Horsemen. Plus they keep going back and forth on whether or not White Sword is an omega or just a really powerful External, but whatever, I digress. Anyway, that list isn't accurate anymore because as of Genesis War, a few of them are dead, just like on the Earth list Hope is....transcended I guess you could say, lol, and Elixir and Proteus are back in the White Hot Room with her and who knows where the fuck Mercator is these days, but like.

Point is, the omegas are cosmic level. Jean's current solo literally has her being called a cosmic entity, because yeah, she's one with the Phoenix again but since the Phoenix has long been described as a future point of her own evolution and was recently solidified as like, a mass gestalt of mutant life force and psyche that was collected within her and her power like a nexus point, its kinda one and the same. Storm's solo is said to have plans to have her interact with the Abstracts of the Universe (the like, ultimate top-tier beings in it), Eternity and Oblivion.

Bobby's been quite literally unkillable since the early 2000s at least, as in he's been hit with a nuke and atomized, been blown up MULTIPLE times, and he just makes himself new bodies out of the next nearest moisture. He once started a new Ice Age, can create armies of semi-autonomous ice giants, teleport anywhere there's water, etc. Oh yeah, and since he's the walking embodiment of the future heat-death of the universe, he's also frozen reality on a quantum level to quarantine a cosmic tier threat. Oh AND frozen Hell. Jean reignited a sun recently. Storm took out an alien mercenary army in seconds by just hitting them with Jupiter-level atmospheric pressure with a snap of her fingers, and the only thing about that which actually required she exert herself came from holding BACK enough that her allies standing mere feet away weren't affected the same as her targeted enemies. Vulcan talked about obliterating Mars when he got cranky, and everyone took that very seriously because he can absolutely fucking do it. Any of them can.

There's a reason X-fans are sore about how editorially scripted AvX went, and not just because the X-Men were known to be a lesser priority at that time due to the film rights, so they were never going to get to be the 'winners' of that, ideologically, even though the optics for how that fight started were not actually as great for the Avengers as Marvel seems to think they were. But it also has a lot to do with the fact with all credit to the Avengers heavy-hitters, which there are quite a few of, they tend to get their powers/origins from cosmic storylines far away from Earth, hail from other dimensions like Asgard, etc, whereas mutants have been home-growing cosmic tier fighters on Earth for decades now, and that was pretty much treated like a non-factor.

None of the omegas (and Magneto and Storm may not have OFFICIALLY been listed as such yet, but Bobby was, and its not like they actually got any power UPGRADES when they were finally canonized as omegas, it just was a label change acknowledging the power they've always been depicted as having) actually played definitive roles in that, and again, when you've got global threats in one side's ranks that you refuse to acknowledge as such in order to make sense of pitting them against opponents they should be able to handle with a finger snap, it does tend to make stans cranky. Its like yeah, they gave me a panel of Bobby fighting Red Hulk in the background, but that was the extent of his impact on AvX as a whole, even though he'd quite literally taken Thor on, solo, mere months before during the Dark Iceman arc.

But yeah, you say AvX around X-fans, we will hiss at the memory like a snake. Was not fun for us. And again, this isn't to disparage the cosmic tier characters the Avengers have, and of the Fantastic Four, Sue and Johnny are right up there at the top of any power ranking system one might care to devise. But...like....mutants tend to deal with their threats internally in the Marvel universe, so every mutant alive has known for decades that Magneto, Storm, Iceman and Jean should not be locked in a room together and told to fight because without nonomegas who can't actually survive the stuff they can around them to remind them to keep their power levels DOWN, those four could very easily blow up the Earth before they even realize what happened since omegas vs omegas equals unlimited escalation.

Meanwhile, it was literally only during the Krakoan era that anyone OUTSIDE of mutants sat up and took note of the omega classification (which has existed for decades) even being a THING, let alone mutants casually being like 'oh yeah, we have like, twelve of those guys.'

LOL, so anyway. Yeah, it is kinda funny to hear the X-Men in existing adaptations described as OP, because none of them even come close to scratching the surface of how many of the X-Men are portrayed in the comics. I have very little interest in the MCU as a whole, and am not expecting to be a fan of their take on the X-Men but I am very curious to see which X-Men they emphasize as the heavy-hitters and what level of power they depict them as being at. For better or worse, whether fans like it or hate it, there's a good dozen of them who can go toe to toe with literal gods without breaking a sweat.

(Like, literally literally, not how Kalen usually uses literally literally. Bobby single-handedly thwarted a Loki 'take over Asgard' scheme in the EIGHTIES, at a time when only Thor himself was going one on one with his brother and if he wasn't around, Loki was considered a 'bring your whole team' kind of threat. And this was a full decade before the omega term was even a thing. Thor's canonically been wary of Bobby since the latter was SIXTEEN because he considers him to be a baby Ymir, the father of all frost giants. He was literally playing poker with other Avengers when he sensed Bobby go Dark Side during the Dark Iceman arc and his face went 'oh fuck.' You know how powerful you have to be to make Thor's face go 'oh fuck'?)

(Fimbulvetr is the Asgardian term for the Everwinter, the start of Ragnarok. Its a Ymir thing. Incidentally, after AvX when the X-Men and Avengers were making a point to cooperate, Thor and Bobby teamed up against Ymir himself, and THEN Marvel was perfectly happy to allow Bobby to kick his ass solo and be like 'what, was that supposed to be hard' to an incredulous Thor, BUT I DIGRESS).

But anyway, the official omega list is very recent, but everyone on it like Storm, Jean, Bobby and Magneto have all been consistently powerful as fuck since the 80s, MINIMUM. Bobby's 80s solo was used to debut Oblivion, an Abstract of the Universe, Storm was channeling the energy of multiple stars when fighting the Brood in space, and that was all decades ago. They've all had occasions of being nerfed since then, but for the past decade or so, the Big Four have had relatively few occasions of that compared to any point before, and Marvel's been more pointed about keeping their upper ranges of power more normalized for them.

[eddie-redmayne-italian-blog]

Eddie Redmayne Says 'Willkommen' to Broadway in First Production Photos from Cabaret Revival (Exclusive)

'The Good Nurse' actor is starring as the Emcee alongside Gayle Rankin as the musical's leading lady Sally Bowles

By Sabienna Bowman Published on April 15, 2024 02:30PM EDT

Eddie Redmayne is ready to put on a show in the first photos from Broadway's Cabaret revival!

In PEOPLE's exclusive first look at the famed John Kander and Fred Ebb musical's return to the Great White Way,The Good Nurse actor, 42, suits up at as Kit Kat Klub's mercurial Emcee. With his jaunty green party hat, oversized brown cravat and black gloves, Redmayne is both intriguing and imposing as the fascinating character.

In another snap of the Emcee in action, Redmayne leaps into the air as several members of the cast dance around him during the show's iconic opening number, "Willkommen."

See Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin in First Rehearsal Photos for Broadway's Cabaret Revival (Exclusive)

Additional photos from the show shine the spotlight on House of the Dragon actress Gayle Rankin in the role of the vivacious nightclub singer Sally Bowles. In one compelling photo, she seems poised to take the stage with a microphone in hand as she's surrounded by ensemble members during the song, "Mein Herr."

Another picture finds Rankin in a ruffly white dress while holding a prop cigarette as she performs the song "Don’t Tell Mama."

The Cabaret revival is being directed by Rebecca Frecknall, who helmed the West End version, which also starred Redmayne. Previews began April 1 at the August Wilson Theatre in New York City, with the show set to officially open on April 21.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Cabaret has long been a success both on the stage and screen. Based on John Van Druten’s 1951 play I Am a Camera, which in turn was adapted from the 1939 novel Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood, Cabaret first hit Broadway in 1966. It was later turned into the 1972 film of the same name starring Oscar-winner Liza Minnelli.

The musical tells the story of Sally, an ambitious English singer who starts up a relationship with American writer Clifford Bradshaw as he observes the eccentric characters who populate the Kit Kat Klub in Berlin. Set between World War I and World War II, the growing unrest beyond the club's doors is ever-present as the artists within express themselves through song.

It features a score by Kander & Ebb made up of a string of songs that have become musical theatre mainstays, like “Willkommen,” “Don't Tell Mamma,” “Mein Herr,” “Two Ladies,” “Tomorrow Belongs to Me,” “Money,” “Maybe This Time” and, of course, “Cabaret.”

Jennifer Lopez Visits the Kit Kat Club for Broadway Revival of Cabaret (Exclusive)

Redmayne, who also produces the Broadway revival, has long said that Cabaret “properly ignited” his love for theater, while playing the Emcee in a student production of the musical over 25 years ago.

In an October 2023 statement, he shared, "It now feels completely thrilling and a little surreal to be a part of Rebecca's truly unique vision of Masteroff, Kander, and Ebb's brilliance as it arrives on Broadway, where the piece has such a history."

In addition to Redmayne and Rankin, the rest of the principle cast is rounded out by Ato Blankson-Wood (Clifford), Steven Skybell (Herr) and Tony winner Bebe Neuwirth (Fräulein), as well as Natascia Diaz (Fraulein Kost and Fritzie); and Henry Gottfried (Ernst Ludwig).

The cast also includes, Gabi Campo (Frenchie), Ayla Ciccone-Burton (Helga), Colin Cunliffe (Hans), Loren Lester (Herman/Max), David Merino (Lulu), Julian Ramos (Bobby), MiMi Scardulla (Texas), Paige Smallwood as Rosie, and Marty Lauter (Victor) — also known as Marcia Marcia Marcia of RuPaul's Drag Race fame.

Tickets for Cabaret are on sale now.

https://people.com/see-eddie-redmayne-in-first-production-photos-from-cabaret-revival-exclusive-8633414

[abbys-universe]

bobby singers last words being idjit is so iconic and so bobby like i can’t think of anything better to be his last words

[qapsiel]

Positivity anon here! Could I ask you to shout out to your five fave blogs? Just to make someone smile today and let them know you love their blog! Maybe even say a little about why!

I'm more than happy to spread positivity and love, and I'll totally ignore the audacity to only give me 5 blogs and just do more hehe

I'm gonna start with @ruinedmyself because Kas was one of the first people to talk to me when I ventured into the spn fandom, and they've done nothing but make me feel incredibly welcomed <3 I love our silly little chats and also the pain we inflict on each other regularly. We really do share one (1) braincell, and I wouldn't want it any other way. You've got such a fantastic grip on Sam, on his badass-ery but also his softer and goofier side, and I scream excitedly whenever I see I got a reply from you!

No Sam without Dean, obviously, so I gotta yell about @bloodsalted a bit. Dixon is an extremely friendly person, and I'm still glad I managed to sweet-talk force you into joining me in hell. Or heaven, I suppose, is the better word, because our interactions are truly GREAT. Whether it's sexy times or angsty shit, every reply is magnificent and makes me giggle. You write Dean in all facets that make his character so lovable: his fears and passions and his silly times and also his anger. I love him to pieces!

Who doesn't love the king of hell? Cas, probably, but I adore every interaction with @murderdeals because it enables me to use all the pissed-off Cas icons. When you write Crowley, I can hear Mark yell into my ear. And honestly, I would have never guessed that Cas and Cain could become such good buddies, and yet they somehow ended up being the bestest bee bros, and that's largely due to your fantastic writing and your excellent grip on a character that can easily be branded the villain without second-guessing.

@singersalvaged should always be included in my rant about lovable people because she's just so chill to talk to! A truly great person who has an amazing view of Bobby Singer and writes him in a way that makes me believe the guy is standing behind me muttering idjit whenever I read a reply. And Allie! Let me gush about Allie, who's Cas' weed friend and brothel companion, and every single interaction just makes me howl with laughter. They're absolutely unhinged and dumb, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

While Crowley makes Cas want to eat glass, @eyeless-smiles makes him want to tear his own ears off because Corinth is such a fucking asshole (affectionate), a True Nightmare, and I love seeing him annoy Cas in every single paragraph. It's just hilarious, and they never hold their muse back, which is refreshing these days!

Cas loves to steal kids (just look at Jack), so it didn't take long for him to steal @innerwar 's Homelander when he was still a child with Vought. And honestly, I just adore this verse and you, friend? It's so funny and yet also sad, and I'm just so unbelievably happy that Homie gets a better life with this and that Cas gets to be a Dad again, and your writing is just SO FANTASTIC and catches Homelander's young voice brilliantly. 

I gotta yell about @nightmdic really loudly for a second because she is a FREAKING MAGNIFICENT OC and both Cas and I love her to pieces. She's kind and nice and helps Cas through his forced humanity without finding him (too) weird, and Paige just casually managed to write one of my favorite OCs here on Tumblr with her eye for detail and well-chosen words 

And last but not least, a big shoutout to @bleakfated who writes a lot of different spn muses (among others) and yet manages to hit that nail (= the voice of every single muse) square on the head every time! I hear Balthazar's funny-ironic voice when I write with him, I see Jody being Mom when I interact with her, I get the British Mick Vibes when it's his time to shine. I'm in awe of how someone manages to juggle so many muses and give everyone their own little voice. Kudos!

[fandomanimatic-tournament]

Fandom song animatic tournament: Bracket 1 Side B Round 3

Lemon Boy - Cavetown

"Lemon Boy and me started to get along together I helped him plant his seeds And we'd mow the lawn in bad weather It's actually pretty easy being nice to a bitter boy like him So, I got myself a citrus friend"

The Zombie Song - Stephanie Mabey

"If I were a zombie I'd never eat your brain I'd just want your heart Yeah, I'd want your heart I'd just want your heart 'Cause I want ya"

Remember that we're voting on how Iconic they are for ANIMATICS, not for the song itself. In order to make things fair, the tone and mood of the song should not affect how iconic it is (for example, a serious song should not be considered more iconic than a joke song just because it's serious)

Propaganda and animatic links of the songs under the cut:

Lemon Boy - Cavetown

Propaganda:

Most animatics are for ships but the song is not necessarily romantic and I've seen some pretty sweet animatics about friendships, siblings and other platonic relationships

So many genuinely touching animatics for this one but its also a very interpretable song because of how it chooses to use its metaphor so you get a real broad spectrum of animatics for this one. Usually focusing on some sort of odd couple dynamic, aka the singer and the 'lemon boy

It's a classic. For those ships with sunshine x grumpy dynamics, and a dash of angst at the end. *chef's kiss*

Animatics with the song:

Camp Camp Dadvid animatic

Richarlyson and Bobby Animatic

Karmaland Animatic

Homestuck Davekat Animatic

South Park Bunny Animatic

The Zombie Song - Stephanie Mabey

Propaganda:

cuz it slays

Animatics with the song:

Satsuriku no Tenshi

My Student Spirit

Karmaland Mangelito Animatic

South Park Bunny Animatic

Your Turn To Die

Please be cautious and read the title, description and warning cards on the animatic videos if you decide to watch them. If you've got specific triggers I'd recommend even more caution when watching animatics of fandoms you don't know, since sometimes canon-typical themes don't get warnings.

[thenightling]

Vincent Price's cover of Monster Mash

In Honor of World Goth Day here is arguably one of the oldest (if not oldest) Goth rock songs (though it wasn't called Goth Rock yet). And much like the more edgy Goth bands that would come later, it got itself banned in the UK. It was a novelty song released in 1962 called... Monster Mash. Monster Mash was officially banned in the UK for ELEVEN YEARS for being "too morbid."

There is an unsubstantiated (though very plausible) rumor that the real reason it was banned was someone at the BBC mistakenly thought "Mash" was American slang for F--king. They thought the song described an orgy. And when they realized this was not true they were too embarrassed to reverse course. So the song "for being too morbid" remained banned for over a decade and didn't get released in the UK until its 1973 re-release. In 1977 horror icon Vincent Price recorded his own cover of the hit song. The original singer was Bobby "Boris" Pickett Jr and The Crypt-kicker Five. Vincent Price's cover of the song is relatively rare but here it is for your enjoyment for both World Goth Day, and the late Vincent Price's birthday coming later this week (May 27th). Also I very much enjoyed the recent delightfully cheesy, Asylum mockbuster, called Monster Mash, named for the song and released just a few weeks ago. Vincent Price's cover of Monster Mash. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj-eatTGFsg Disclaimer for the BBC: There is no Monster f--king in this song. :-P

[crowley-the-1-true-king-of-hell]

So my absolute favourite Crowley episodes are in order from earliest to latest are ...

Wait before I get there the problem is all of them except the episodes were Crowley gets bullied or worse are my favourites. That's a lot of episodes because the bullying of Crowley, rather than just general rivalry and enemy stuff didn't happen until season 10. So I decided to change it to only the favourites where I can actually explain why beyond "I just love it just because uh yeah it's amazing"

Abandon All Hope

Okay so this is the episode where we see a demon trolling a homophobe and as one of those woke millenials it felt like Crowley was the kind of person that would have a blog on Tumblr and give entertaining rants about the unfair state of LGBTQphobias and racism in the world

The Devil You Know

Okay so this is central to understanding pre human blood Crowley's character. You cannot write accurate and informed metas of prehuman Crowley without having knowledge of this episode in your subconscious influencing you

It is basically a character study. It tells you that he is brilliant as he persuaded someone who didn't fear Crowley or the Winchesters torture or death into telling them where Pestilence is. He got Bobby who is clearly intelligent into giving up his soul

He is dramatic and funny. "They ate my tailor!"

He is quick to anger and doesn't have much patience. "Shut up the both of you!"

He is willing for his allies to get hurt to achieve his their goals. "That's what you get working with a demon."

He is flirty. "Lovers in league against Satan."

He shows more emotional range than most demons we've seen. "So come with me. Please." However his ability to feel the full range of emotions from anger to fear even before the human blood is unfortunately a big weakness of his, because he doesn't think of all the ways things can go wrong when he is feeling strong emotions as he acts impulsively, and therefore doesn't think of contigency plans for them. When he's calm he's brilliant

See most people think Crowley is smug and arrogant and he can be those things. But often he isn't and it's just a cover up for his worry

He is badass. He fought and won against an entire hive of demons single handedly before he became the ruler of fallen humanity

It is also his character centric episode

He also shrugs off being shot with a salt bullet

Two Minutes to Midnight

Telling the boys that Bobby used tongue is a well known, hilarious and iconic moment. To be fair to Bobby he might have thought he needed to use tongue for the deal to work

This is the episode where Cas' first line to him wasn't something something abomination but a surprised "how did you get that?" the first active impression that Cas has of Crowley is curiosity on his ability to gain things that should be difficult to get. That meant Cas never underestimated Crowley even in later seasons when the boys stopped being scared of him because Cas' first impression is that Crowley is very able to achieve what should be very difficult or near impossible

Weekend at Bobby's

Crowstiel is my favourite ship but the chemistry rivalry between Crowley and Bobby Singer is undeniable. It was also kind of hot. "You come to daddy." Them both mocking each other's accents was hilarious

The Man Who Would Be King

His support for Cas and the fact that he made Hell unique from the other Hells we've seen. This is also the episode where we see just how much respect that Crowley has for Cas. He genuinely believes that Cas is able to lead an army and win the war. He respects Cas in every way and even when Cas was in his honey era stage he believed in Cas to help beat Dick. How do we know he wasn't just saying that? 1. Why would Crowley team up with someone incapable? 2. We see evidence both before and after that episode of Cas' intelligence and badassery 3. Iirc and maybe I'm wrong Crowley has never called Cas a moron. Something he has no qualms using on even people he thinks of as friends post human blood like Dean for example

Season Seven, Time for a Wedding!

This is Crowley at his most fearsome and respected. Dean fears him "oh, crap". His demons fear him "oh, crap" and his unexpected speech about wall street and integrity from a demon was ironically funny

There Will Be Blood

This is the episode where Crowley is one of the most crucial characters of the season. They need HIS blood [ along with Cas and the alpha vamps ] to save the world

Crowley and Cas deserve to be important

Survival of the Fittest

He wins that episode. He gets Kevin. Cas and Dean get trapped in Purgatory and if Dean was a random side character rather than necessary to the plot there wouldn't have been a way out for him

He also doesn't get bitchy when Cas said not in so many words "no thank you" to helping with Dick Roman

The Great Escapist

Crowley sees Cas and his eyes light up. That is good acting to make even your irisises gleam. The look was very affectionate. It wasn't a smug yes I have Cas now! Angel tablet let's go! It was a soft adoring look

It was also nice for Crowley to have a win. It also shows just how good his logical thinking is and how he can draw the right conclusions from the information available to him. Plus his devil bullet idea was a creative solution to not having to get within an angel's smiting range

Clip Show

He called the Winchesters out for their collateral damage and they needed to be called out tbh. That was so satisfying. This episode is also a reminder to us that he isn't just funny dramatic Crowley as he is also "the ruler of fallen humanity" and Crowley shows that dark side of himself

Devil May Care

He had been tortured with a sledgehammer and he behaved like his nails had been painted. Badass. What a king 💅

Road Trip

There is evidence suggesting Crowley wasn't trying his best to hack Gadreel in order to force Dean into a deal where he gets to possess Sam and therefore go free

The evidence is that he doesn't do as much twisting with Gadreel as he does with Alfie. The evidence is that the pins Crowley is using to hack Gadreel vs Alphie are on opposite temples

Absolutely magnificent bastard

King of the Damned

Watching Crowley be soft hearted for Gavin was so rewarding from Weekend at Bobby's

The Foundry

The episode you point people to when they ask why do you ship Crowstiel as a friendship or a romanceship?

They play off each other well humour wise. And rather than rolling his eyes or looking disappointed in Cas for the Beyonce name like Dean would Crowley decides to join in on the joke

Crowley finds Cas fun whereas Dean can find Cas annoying

LOTUS

"I agree with agent Zappa." This is where Cas engages with Crowley like they really are partners and was the beginning potential of a friendship

I also believe Cas would prefer being Crowley's FBI partner and I know what you're thinking "but Cas loves Dean" and look I love my partner and I would choose him over my online gaming friends but some of my online gaming friends are more enjoyable to game with than my partner is. It doesn't mean I love them more but in this particular circumstance i.e gaming I would rather game with them than my partner f

For example my partner doesn't really do activities with me in the game he just goes off and does his own thing

Dean rolls his eyes and insults Cas where as Crowley joins in like it's perfectly normal to refer to yourself as Agent Beyonce. He never goes out of his way to make Cas feel embarassed and I just feel like if it wasn't for Dean Cas would really enjoy being FBI partners with Crowley after Lucifer gets defeated as well

[queenbrittonelite]

@Queentaushyiab @rnbsouleffect_tv Happy Soul Legend Birthday Bobby Brown Grammy award icon Bobby Brown got a street name after him called "BOBBY BROWN WAY" in his hometown in Boston MA and also a street after him in Atlanta Georgia. Career Highlights As A Solo Artist 6-Number one R&B Hits 7-Top 10 R&B Hits 2-Number one Dance Hits 1- Number one Australian Hit 2-Number one Belgium hits 1-Number one Canadian RPM Hit 2-Number one Pop Hits 7-Top Pop Hits 2-Top 20 Pop Hits "Don't Be Cruel" Brown dedicated the album to his deceased best friend James "Jimbo" Flint who was stabbed to death when Brown was aged 11. "My Prerogative" was also the second-biggest single of 1989, ranking at number two on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1989. "Don't Be Cruel" The album also spent a total of 11 non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard R&B Albums chart over the course of 1988 and 1989.being the best-selling album of 1989 in the United States. At the 32nd Grammy Awards, Brown won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Every Little Step". In 2015, Billboard ranked Don't Be Cruel at number 82 on its list of the Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Albums. Don't Be Cruel also garnered Brown two American Music Awards, a Soul Train Music Award and a People's Choice Award also a Grammy. "Bobby" The album also reached number one on the Billboard R&B Albums chart, and reached the top 10 in Australia, New Zealand, and Sweden. Brown received his second Grammy Award nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 35th Grammy Awards for the single "Humpin' Around". In 1990, Brown was featured on the number-one hit "She Ain't Worth It" by Glenn Medeiros, making it his second number 1 hit on the pop chart. Bobby is the only r&b singer to win 12 Boston Music Awards that's from Boston. #BobbyBrown #DanceArtist #icon #RecordingArtist #Actor #Chef #Author #RnBMusic #NewJackSwing #DancePop #HipHop #RnBSouleffectTv https://www.instagram.com/p/CoWNN8PN_z-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[randomvarious]

Today’s compilation:

The Best of 60s Sock Hop 1987 R&B / Soul / Rock & Roll / Pop-Rock / Pop

Here's an excellent slate of oldies tunes that was put out by Priority Records back in 1987. It's dominated by chart-busting classics, like "I'm a Believer," "Duke of Earl," "Rescue Me," "Wild Thing," "Runaway," and "Leader of the Pack," but this album's compilers also managed to fit in a few bits of less remembered and underappreciated gold too.

For example, there've been lots of high-profile covers of Martha and The Vandellas' "Dancing in the Street" over the years, from The Kinks, to The Grateful Dead, to Van Halen, to Mick Jagger and David Bowie. But one cover that wasn't very commercially successful was by The Mamas and The Papas, which only peaked at #73 on Billboard's Hot 100, and it was actually the last song that the group ever performed live, closing out their set at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.

And on a similar tip is Cannibal & the Headhunters' "Land of a Thousand Dances." This song proved to be an enormous hit for Wilson Pickett, but he wasn't the first one to release it, and actually, neither were Cannibal & the Headhunters. This tune was originally by Chris Kenner, but Cannibal & the Headhunters added the iconic "na-na-na" chorus to it, which only happened because lead singer Frankie "Cannibal" Garcia forgot the words he was supposed to sing 😂. Pickett then sang the "na-na-na" part too, netting him a much bigger hit, and decades later, Ini Kamoze lifted that same "na-na-na" for his 1994 reggae fusion jam, "Here Comes the Hotstepper." But that Cannibal & the Headhunters version only managed its way up to #30 on the Hot 100.

And lastly is Claudine Clark's "Party Lights," a song I feel like is less remembered among others that share a similar vibe. It's pretty much essentially a girl group song, but only Claudine Clark is credited as its artist. And it's her lone hit too, reaching #5 on the Hot 100 in 1962. Maybe you've heard it before, but when you think of all the 60s R&B and girl group classics, I can't imagine that this song is one of the first ones that you come up with. And it probably should be, because her voice is fantastic on it, with her naturally higher-pitched register and flashes of gravelliness.

I guess I should also mention that this album isn't actually *all* 60s hits, despite its name being The Best of 60s Sock Hop (You had one fucking job, Priority!). There's a song on here that came out in 1970 by Three Dog Night called "Celebrate" that features the band Chicago on horns. And it's a great rock song, but it sure as hell wasn't part of any 60s sock hop!

Great release regardless, though. Stone-cold classic hits along with a few that have collected a bit more dust. Can't really ask for more from an oldies comp.

Highlights:

Monkees - "I'm a Believer" Betty Everett - "The Shoup Shoup Song (It's in His Kiss)" Gene Chandler - "Duke of Earl" Bobby Lewis - "Tossin' and Turnin'" Fontella Bass - "Rescue Me" Three Dog Night- "Celebrate" Mamas & The Papas - "Dancing in the Street" Cannibal & The Headhunters - "Land of 1000 Dances" Del Shannon - "Runaway" Shangri-las - "Leader of the Pack" Knickerbockers - "Lies" Troggs - "Wild Thing" Claudine Clark - "Party Lights"

[golden-bubblebee]

Supernatural season 5 pt 2

SUPERNATURAL IS FILMED BEFORE A LIVE STUDIO AUDIENVE????

Okay I am not liking this

Why are they clapping and cheering during my show this isnt a comedy they dont belong here. Shoo!

And so saturated omfg help

I WANT MY DESATURATED TRAUMA CHANNEL BACK

No okay I accept the intro song that is ADORABLE

The way theyre laughing at the startling and face wiping

Im sorry we are to believe thid guy is straight???? (Dean)

Like my guy was having full on gay panick

DEAN THE GIRLS MOTHER IS STANDING NOT EVEN 3 FEET FROM YOU

Nah thats not lucifer. Thats a different demon100%

Okay so it was lucy

Obsessed with them trying to get Sam in a psych ward so he just tells the truth

You bet they rock paper scissored this, and Dean, for once, did not use scissor

OH MY GOD DEAAAN

'You see what I mean doctor, he's being beating himself up over this for months. The apocalypse wasn’t -his- fault'

IRMA CANCEL MY LUNCH

The relationship you have with your brother seems dangerously codependant

WORD

I love this doc

Though I love him as a telly doc, not sure how convinced I am of his practices as a real psych doc

They classify Dean as a narcisist?

Oh my god it's here, the iconic scene

The little jiggle jump makes it so much worse

NOT THE FLOPPY NOISES

Flopflopflop

Mary is sending all the signals she wants sam and dean out and john is just plain igboring her

Its absolutely wild being in a fandom where you get sentences like 'Im only at season 8'

Okay we need to talk about Dean continuesly opening beer bottles with his bare hands

DEAN

TAKING OFF THE GLOVES ONLY HAS POINT WHEN YOU TAKE OFF BOTH

Okay

He clicked one button

And one beep was sounded

So: Dean has cas on speed dial

CASS WEAR SOME GLOVES

CHERUBS ARE NOT INCONTINENT

Oh my god cass what.

He stole deans burger

Please tell me theyve been cupid'd togheter

Oh my god thats a grown man

That's a naked grown ass man

I think its a new horseman (not the cherub)

Is there one for gluttony/lust?

SAM WDYM 'I COULD SMELL YOU'

New new theory

The briefcase is pandoras box and theyre meant to open it

It was a horseguy!!

THATS WHAT YOU CALL 'LOCKED DOWN GOOD'??? A pair of cuffs????

At least give the man entertainment so he can think of something else

He isnt gonna have a soul is he

Fucking called it

But what the fuck what the fuck

Spn: has a character watch a docu abt wildebeests so the audio can line up with the real events (it then closes in to the kill etc)

Also spn: shows us a screen several times of what is most definitely not a wildebeest

BOBBY THESE ARE YOUR KIDS

'And who actually are you?'

'A friend of bobby singers'

'The town drunk?'

'I thought he was the town drunk? (Sam points at other guy)

'And who told you that?'

'Ehm. ... bobby singer'

Dean canonically sleeps with his hand on his gun and thats both to be expected and deeply sad

WOW WTF

What a way to start an episode, just straight up killing the man

Dean death count: 109

Sam slaughter count: 2 (I think)

Deans heaven is literally innocent sam and the impala

IT WASNT PERFECT UNTIL AFTER SHE DIED (the marriage between John and Mary)

And from the grown ass naked man cherub we know that they hated eachother before God meddled

I NEVER REALISED HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN CLEANING UP DADS MESSES

No no no no crying

This is the face of a boy who got beaten to shit for that (letting sam run away)

No I dont like this episode

Sams heaven is filled with Deans trauma

Its all about him being away from them

And Deans heaven is being with him

HAJAAHHAHAAHAHAHAHAA

'Wow! Running from angels! On foot! IN HEAVEN! With thinking like that I'm surprised you boys haven't stopped the apocalypse already!'

ASH OH MY GOD

"You boys die more than anyone ive ever met''

I love how aware spn is of the spn death phenomena

When I tell you I actually screamed

Im out of images so there will be a pt3

[liugeaux]

Greatest Songs Ever - Part 26 (100 Years of Music)

Here are 10 more of the greatest songs ever. I wasn't intending to have a theme, but after lining up 10 tracks I realized they were from 7 different decades. That's when I decided to tweak a few choices and got one song from each of the past 10 decades. The songs that were cut will likely hit next time, but this time the challenge is not only to hit every decade but to build a playlist that doesn't sag due to back-to-back ancient songs. This list is all over the place, but I think it works, enjoy.

1959 "Dream Lover" - Bobby Darin

Let's start the show with a show-stopper! "Dream Lover" has been in my library for decades now, and I never thought to check what year it came out. As the representative of the 50s, it's really a song that couldn't have been released in later decades. It's got such an esoteric instrumentation and arraignment, that it works great for period pieces but is very representative of its time. It gets deep in your head and stays there indefinitely, "Dream Lover" is the very definition of a classic.

1986 "Take Me Home Tonight" - Eddie Money

Another layup, "Take Me Home Tonight" is one of the most singable songs that is easy to get crowds singing along at a bar, at a concert, at a grocery store, basically anywhere it's being played. I love the sax, the big breakdown at the end and the hook is perfect. Honesty, prior to this adventure I didn't know what he meant when he sang "Just Like Ronnie Sang" and I definitely didn't know Ronnie Spector sang the "be my little baby" part. Fascinating! Fun fact "Be My Baby" almost made this list, and will likely be in a future installment.

1993 "Callin' Baton Rouge" - Garth Brooks

The representative from the 90s also happens to be from arguably the most successful artist of the 90s, Garth Brooks. The decades haven't been kind to Mr. Brooks, as it turns out he's a super-weird dude. That wasn't as obvious in the 90s but the seeds were definitely there. "Callin' Baton Rouge" is far from his most iconic song, but of his hits, it's the one that's aged the most gracefully. It's got a heavy country fiddle, and real county fair feel to its chorus. I'll likely add more Brooks songs to this list eventually, but "Callin' Baton Rouge" will be the one that took the least personal convincing to do so.

2022 "Just Pretend" - Bad Omens

Hot out of 2022, "Just Pretend" is the newest track on display today. It has a pop friendly hook to it, but still retains the modern prog-rock vibe of the rest of their library. Bad Omens benefits SO MUCH from the singer Noah Sebastain's power vocals. The breakdown at the bridge deserves to be in the bridge Hall of Fame. Introspective lyrics with an underlying sadness is 100% my bag and "Just Pretend" is a pristine example of what modern rock music can be.

1969 "I Want You Back" - Jackson 5

Side note, I'm proud of the audio transition from Bad Omens to Jackson 5 here, its a good sweet and salty complimentary placement. As for this song, this is another classic track that's lived in my subconscious for decades. The layers of sound in this simple pop song is a testament to both the Jacksons and Motown.

2004 "Somewhere Only We Know" - Keane

I had never heard this Keane song until it was used in the Netflix show Beef, and despite never hearing it before I was rolling tears...hard. I wouldn't say its a song that best represents its decade, but that's not what we're doing here. Part Oasis, part Radiohead, and part Coldplay, "Somewhere" is Brit-pop at its core but has an undercurrent of personal longing, a nostalgia that's just out of reach. Deliberately vague lyrics can easily turn into an incoherent shit-show, very quickly (see Bush's entire discography) but Keane leaves just enough crumbs to lead the listener to whatever destination they want, with a surge of emotion to carry with them. How I had gone 20 years without hearing it, makes me wonder what other gems are in Keane's library.

1940 "We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me)" - The Ink Spots

I knew I would need to include some desperately old songs to make this list's theme work, but "We Three" was already in the hopper for inclusion. Unintentionally haunting, "We Three" seems like a song that's supposed to be a sweet little ditty, but thanks to games like Bioshock and shows like Fallout, the sound and tone of songs from this era make your spine shake, regardless of their original intention. What's wild about songs like this in this era, is multiple artists could have a hit with the same song in the SAME YEAR. The Ink Spots and Frank Sinatra both had a hit with "We Three" in 1940.

2015 "Addicted To A Memory" (featuring Bahari) - Zedd

This Zedd song has been hovering just off of this list for nearly a year. It almost made the collabs list and every list since then. Technically an album cut, "Addicted To A Memory" is Zedd at his very best. The best EDM songs have a heavy drop, and the one at 1:36 in this song should be hung in The Louvre. The sections with Bahari only exist to bridge the gaps between crunchy EMD rants. At the 2:40 mark, she packs it in and disappears for the remainder of the track. I know this genre is very polarizing, but its place in the 2010s cannot be ignored in the grand history of music. Zedd is the best at what he does and this song is proof.

1977 "Alison" - Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello has always flown completely under my radar, but after realizing one of my favorite Butch Walker covers "Alison" was Costello, I had to check out his original. It's got a sloppy charm to it that invites cleaner and bigger covers later, much like Bob Dylan's library. I kind of want to hear Fall Out Boy, Neon Trees or even Badflower cover this Costello classic, the outcome could be fantastic.

1938 "Nightmare" - Artie Shaw

Here it is the functional cornerstone of the theme of this list. I was having trouble rounding out the 10 decades because the 1930s are so pesky. Other songs popped up but didn't quite knock me over. "Nightmare" blew me away. Its harsh brass mixed with the undulating bass is frightening and feels like the soundtrack of a trippy horror film. It's obvious that "Nightmare" influenced the classic James Bond theme, and that's great, but the Bond theme doesn't have the teeth that "Nightmare" does. If I knew the exact moment I was going to die, I would want "Nightmare" playing in my final minutes with the final uptick at the end being my last breath. Morbid I know, but "Nightmare" is that effective of a song and I'm so glad I stumbled on it.

I don't anticipate having a theme next time, but I'm proud of myself for being able to put this one together. The grander list needed some older tracks anyway. See you next time.

Cheers.

[droughtofapathy]

rank every production of: company and follies, then rank every performance of

- not getting married today

- ladies who lunch

- being alive

- losing my mind

- could i leave you

- (anything else.)

What do you *mean* every performance? There's unhinged and there's batshit unstable because fuck's sake, how is this even possible? I'm putting it all under a cut. We're going to be here a while.

Okay, so given that I've only ever seen the recent Broadway revival of Company live, and otherwise only have a passing familiarity with the original and the two other subsequent revivals, I'll say that the real answer is Elaine Stritch best Joanne, Katie Finneran best Amy, Jennifer Simard best Sarah, and objectively Raul Esparza best Bobby. And that's all I have to say about that.

Follies: 1. Encores! 2007 for that sublime trio of Donna Murphy as Phyllis, Vicki Clark as Sally, and Christine Baranski as Carlotta. However, points off for not being a full maximalist design (y'know, being an Encores! and all). 2. Original 1971. Yes, there have been more talented performers, yes there have been better sets, yes it was kind of a nightmare to put together. But I've read Everything was Possible and I am deeply besotted by what was. 3. NT 2017. For the design and some of the background direction, full honors. That set is everything I have ever wanted from a Follies set. Gorgeous costumes. Love the execution of the ghosts. The actual performers...? Well...let's just say I can count on one hand how many West End performers I actually respect. 4. 2011 Broadway revival. Jan Maxwell, my beloved. The design may not have been as grand as it should have been, the casting of Bernadette might have been a little underwhelming, the drama backstage might have been harrowing, but Jan Maxwell may well be the best Phyllis we've ever had in a full production. 5. 1998 Papermill Play House. There were rumors of this transferring to Broadway but that got axed, alas. Instead, we got the 2001 production (starring neither rumored Donna Murphy nor Jean Smart, so what was the point?). But Dee Hoty is one of the great Phyllis performers. She did "Ah, But Underneath" instead of "The Story of Lucy and Jessie" and you know, I'm not mad about it. Honorable Mention: the Follies concert this past June at Carnegie Hall. It's been enough time that I can make up a laundry list of what I didn't like. But what I did like made for a magical night.

As for ranking the songs, you're getting my top three-to-five and you'll be happy about it:

"Getting Married Today" 1. Madeline Kahn Hands down, no question, zero contest, everyone else pack it up. This is it. The pinnacle of the song. She is everything and her "I'm not well" runs on constant loop in my head. 2. Katie Finneran Truly an ideal role for her, and this rendition is as nerve-wracking as it should be. Extra points for being post-partum and leaking breastmilk into that white dress. 3. Veanne Cox I've seen her do this live, and it's an impressive feat. She's got the neurotic panic down to a science. 4. Julie Andrews Do I think it's anywhere near the best rendition ever? No. But am I endlessly entertained? Absolutely. Julie Andrews, my beloved. 5. Marin Mazzie (technically) You never said it had to be the Amy part of the song. Marin Mazzie as the soprano Wedding Singer deserves a spot on this list, and while the video I'm thinking of seems to have vanished into the aether, there are a few clips of her doing it at different concerts, and I think of them fondly.

"The Ladies Who Lunch" 1. Patti LuPone But not the one she did for the recent Broadway revival. It was fine and all, but not her best. I do like the 2011 concert version, but I'm going with the Ladies in Red version specifically here. 2. Elaine Stritch The original. The blueprint. The ideal. 3. Christine Baranski, Meryl Streep, Audra McDonald It's iconic and feral and I don't think anyone's going to argue. 4. Debra Monk and/or Barbra Walsh I don't listen to them often, but solid takes either way.

"Being Alive" 1. Marquee Five I've said it before, and I'll say it again, but this song was only ever just kind of there for me until I heard an alto woman sing it. Now I get it. Obscure choice, yes, but argue with the wall. 2. Raul Esparza Okay, so I did hear him do this live during an unexpected appearance at a 24 Hour Plays event, and okay yeah, I get it. I understand the hype. It was incredible. Other than that, I don't really listen to others aside from Marquee Five.

"Losing My Mind" 1. Marin Mazzie This is everything to me. The gown, the silhouette, the sheer size of her mouth. And the little gasp at the end? I am in a puddle on the floor. 2. Kate Baldwin The pause at the climax of the song is one of the singular most transcendent moments of live theatre I have ever experienced. Total silence as nearly three-thousand people witnessed utter perfection. I am haunted by this performance. 3. Victoria Clark The best Sally, and I'll die on that hill. She gets it. And her costume, hair, and makeup for the 2007 Encores! concert has me so in love. Almost enough to make me overlook how delusional she is and propose marriage. 4. Liza Minnelli Yes, in case you didn't know, there's a Liza Minnelli disco version of this song, and I just... I... yeah, you're going to have to see for yourself.

"Could I Leave You?" 1. Donna Murphy Shocker. Who would have guessed that DroughtofApathy would put Donna Murphy's definitive rendition of this song at the top slot? She goes somewhere during this number, and I haven't seen a performance come close to touching what she does yet. 2. Jan Maxwell My beloved.

But let's be honest here. I'm not listening to any other version aside from Donna's. So here's just a few I think are very good, but given the choice, I'd never voluntarily listen to any of them if Donna is also an option: Julie Andrews, Dee Hoty, Emily Skinner, Alexis Smith, Janie Dee, Lucia Spina, Bonnie Milligan. Basically any woman. (Though I'll be honest, I didn't really care for Beth Leavel's during the Follies concert.) No man ever. Every time a man does this number at a cabaret, just know that beneath my mask, I am hissing and spitting in disgust.

And that's all she wrote.

[murdockbuckley]

bobby only being 10 years older than abby makes me laugh and cringe.

watching s1 ep10 and bobby’s favourite tv show being friends, and singer being celine dion is so iconic of him

i hated the age gap between buck and abby because like that's the age gap between me and my baby baby brother it's weird 😭

bobby is an icon and more people should realise like hello?? he was a figure skater with bowie inspired hair

[mr-divabetic]

Alyson Williams is an incredibly talented entertainer who knows how to captivate an audience. I had the pleasure of seeing this Emmy Award winner live at Ashford and Simpson's Sugar Bar on Valentine's Day, where she performed with Nat Adderley Jr. Her stage presence was absolutely dazzling. She had everyone in the room mesmerized by her music and stories. 

 With a lifetime of experience in the music industry, Alyson has dedicated herself to making people smile through her music. She comes from a musical family, with her father being the bandleader Bobby Booker. She began performing at a young age, showcasing her singing and dancing skills. After college, she became a well-known backing vocalist for  Melba Moore, Bobby Brown, and Evelyn Champagne King. She was also part of the singing group High Fashion. 

Her work on several early hip-hop songs helped her make a name for herself in the music business, leading to her signing by the Def Jam label's Russell Simmons in the late 80s. Her sultry hit song, "Just Call My Name," and success earned her the title of "The First Lady of Def Jam." Alyson Williams’ soulful delivery of "Just Call My Name" struck a chord with listeners, contributing to its instant success. Its meaningful lyrics and heartfelt delivery make it a powerful expression of love, support, and the universal human yearning for emotional connection.

Recently, Alyson teamed up with Najee for a beautiful rendition of "Valentine's Love," which topped the charts. The song is a true work of art; everything about it feels just right. In addition to her music career, Alyson is an on-air personality on Harlem's WHCR-FM, where she hosts the popular show "Love Notes with Alyson Williams." In an interview on Dreamers Unite with Sherri Pullum, she said that her favorite singer is Ella Fitzgerald. 

Her talent and charisma shine through in everything she does, making her a true icon in the music world.