#brendan brady is the character of all time

[focusfixated]

absolutely going out of my fucking mind right now. here i am, on an ordinary saturday evening, thinking, as i sometimes do, about brendan brady, a recurring character from 2010 to 2013 on the british soap opera hollyoaks.

i go into the brendan brady tag all casual-like, expecting, as is the case every time i do this, to find like, two gifsets from 2012 and a link to the hollyoaks pride month special they did like 8 years ago.

instead? i find an absolute stream of posts tagging simon walker, an undercover detective who had a storyline towards the back end of brendan's run on hollyoaks, which involved a truly insane amount of manipulation, crime, and violent murder.

so i look into it a bit closer. turns out - the actor who played walker, neil newbon, is the voice actor for astarion in BG3.

i know nothing about BG3. but i've seen the pictures. all this time i've been seeing this white-haired, high-elf motherfucker and you're telling me it's walker from hollyoaks??

the brendan brady-era hollyoaks fandom on tumblr has consisted of about nine people for eleven years, and now, of all things, there's a bralker renaissance out of absolutely fucking nowhere.

i don't know what to fucking do with myself right now. there's x reader fic. there's discourse. you know your miniscule fandom's having a modern revival when there's discourse about whether two soap opera characters (the most classically problematic of characters) are too toxic for each other.

absolutely fucking surreal.

[sixeyedangel]

Hi! I decided to put together all the clips from the Brendan/Stendan storyline from YouTube/Dailymotion to make longer videos and add english subtitles (maybe spanish in the future) for new and old viewers.

If someone wants to help me correct or write the transcriptions please? ;;-;;

There is really no rush, I don't have a lot of free time myself between work and stuff, I'm only starting now. It will be a long-term proyect I think and that is okey. If you are interested tell me here or message me, thanks!

[meusamatus]

Simon Walker | Watch Guide + Links

Simon Walker is a character from the English soap opera Hollyoaks, played by actor Neil Newbon.

He's a character in Brendan Brady's storyline, and appears during the episodes aired from the 11th of May of 2012 to the 19th of March of 2013.

Where can I DL the episodes? What's the watch order?

2012 episodes NEW LINK (Archive)

2013 episodes NEW LINK (Archive)

Hollyoaks Later episodes

Edit: ONLY Brendan and Walker scenes

The watch order is episodes from 11/05/12 to 14/09/12 >> Hollyoaks Later episodes 1, 3, 4 & 5 >> episodes from 25/10/2012 to 19/03/2013. Here's a link to the Wiki where all his episodes are listed. Beware of spoilers!!

Do I need to watch the entire series, or can I start with the 11th of May?

You can start with the 11th of May. Hollyoaks has many different characters and story arcs, but Simon Walker is only relevant to Brendan's story. Even if you haven't watched the previous Brendan episodes, it's very easy to follow. Characters will bring up and explain past plots because the show has been running since 1995, and the showrunners don't expect viewers to remember everything. The basic summary is that Brendan Brady is a criminal / gangster / drug dealer that operates from his (half) sister's club, the "Chez Chez". How and why he knows Simon Walker is explained soon after Simon appears for the first time.

There's too many irrelevant characters / story arcs happening at the same time! I'm only interested in Simon Walkers' plotline!

Somebody clipped and uploaded the scenes pertaining to Brendan's storyline here, so you can watch just those. Simon / Neil appears for the first time in the video named (241), but it's been taken down so you'll have to download / watch it from the Drive link above. There might be some other numbers missing too.

[disasterbuck]

rules: make a poll with five of your all time favourite characters and then tag five people to do the same. see which character is everyone's favourite!

tagged by @sunflower-eddiediaz & @darkrose6578 😘

this was so hard btw

tagging: @donationwayne @taketheplanspinitsideways @inell @tofanasmuse @unlifeira

[grazygardener]

TST: as someone who creates across a variety of fandoms, what is it you feel helps a fandom/blorbo/ship have "staying power" for you? ie. which fandoms do you find yourself returning to over time, and why?

Brendan Brady/Stendan is definitely my number one, something about BB's character and his story arch just hit me straight in the core and I love that manic abusive blorbo so much. Being huge fan of Embo's also helps because watching him act is just 🤌

Also BTVS is one I keep coming back to, even tho I don't create for that fandom. Overall I fall for characters who has something that speaks to me and which I can relate to, and I do have a type lol. And once I have that connection it's pretty impossible to break, so coming back to those blorbos and fandoms always feels like coming home.

In short, it's all about the feels.

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Violent Night

Its that wonderful time of the year again and you know what that means. It is time for all the holiday music to truly be listened to at right time and definitely time to get your annual viewing of Christmas films marathon started. Every year I watch "It’s a Wonderful Life", "Christmas with the Joker" episode from the Batman: Animated Series and my favorite the first Die Hard film. Every year there is a film about Christmas that is always cheerful and features old Saint Nick himself. Some are fun and heartwarming like "The Christmas Chronicles" or sometimes a little more funny, crood and dark like "Bad Santa". What I haven't seen is an action film featuring Santa Claus in a situation where he is vulnerable and out of his element. Something that acknowledges his legend and maybe shows a more jaded hero. This film delivered that in spades and I loved every second of it. Now it wasn't only about the amazing amount of creative violence and hilariously well timed usage of classic holiday phrases, it actually was a heartwarming tale of how adults have forgotten how to believe in good and how powerful a child's belief can reinvigorate ones belief. It was a surprisingly smart action film that is of this generation, but also fun for the older crowd as well. I mean who doesn't want to see Santa save a family from armed goons comitting a heist on Christmas?!

David Harbour was absolutely perfect as a modern grumpy and heavily intoxicated Santa Claus. He is truly in his element as the every man that has almost lost his faith in humanity and I loved watching him fumble around while delivering presents. I liked that he wasn't jolly and his commentary on the state of gifts was hilarious and true. Once he gets involved with the action in the film, he was wild, funny and just awesome. He explores Santa's past and then quickly brings back the heart of the character in so many heartwarming moments. You can't help but love David as he takes Santa on a rollercoaster of emotion and creative action. Alex Hassell was good as Jason Lightstone as he tries his best to reconnect with his family. Alexis Louder was great as his estranged wife Linda and their chemistry was excellent. Leah Brady was outstanding as Gertrude "Trudy" Lightstone and she steals your heart in the best way the moment she's on screen. Most child actors can go too over the top or completely undercook the innocence of childhood, but she perfectly balanced. She really reignites the heart of Santa and I loved that she got in on the action as well. She pretty much is almost the R rated version of Kevin McCallister. Beverly D'Angelo was perfectly savage as Jason's mother and Trudy's grandmother Gertrude Lightstone. I always enjoy her on screen presence as she nails that "take no crap from anyone" attitude. Brendan Fletcher was fun as one of the henchman in the heist codenamed Krampus. He was such a good sociopath and I think he is truly an underrated actor. John Leguizamo is the head of the operation as codename Scrooge and my god was he amazing. I loved his dark sense of humor and relentless brutality. Once we get into his backstory, he really embodies his codename. I loved his dialogue with Santa the most and especially their fight scene. It was personal and sad. I'm so happy to see him back in the spotlight.

The score by Dominic Lewis was great and cheery in the right moments and then fantastically joyful and bombastic during the action scenes. I liked his subtle twist on the classic Christmas tunes like Silent Night and Carol of the Bells. They're in there and well hidden. The action in the film was expertly shot and I loved that you could see that most of it was David Harbour really doing it. All the fight scenes were creative and used their environments in the best way. I cheered so many times as a few ornaments were used in brutal ways. Like I said before, this film was exactly what you expect in terms of action, but it will definitely surprise you on how heartwarming the story truly is. This is definitely a new favorite Christmas film that I will add to my annual rotation. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

[mayamidnightmelody]

Step by Step 📺✨

Yo, let’s take a blast from the past and dive into the dope world of “Step by Step.” This '90s gem was basically the OG family sitcom, giving us major laughs and feels with every episode. Think of it as the prequel to all the blended family dramas we binge today. 🎬✨

Main Characters Roll Call 🚀

Frank Lambert (Patrick Duffy) – The dad vibes were real with Frank. A laid-back, cool stepdad who was always trying to keep the fam together. 🧔👔

Carol Foster-Lambert (Suzanne Somers) – The mom everyone wished they had. Carol was the queen of balancing work, kids, and stepkids, and still looking fab. 👩‍👧‍👦💇‍♀️

J.T. Lambert (Brandon Call) – The ultimate big bro. J.T. was the classic '90s teenage dude, always into sports and getting into hilarious trouble. 🏀🤘

Dana Foster (Staci Keanan) – Brainy, sassy, and always ready with a killer comeback. Dana was the stepsister with a sharp wit and zero tolerance for nonsense. 📚💁‍♀️

Karen Foster (Angela Watson) – Fashion queen and aspiring model. Karen brought the glam and always had her eye on the latest trends. 👗💄

Mark Foster (Christopher Castile) – The little bro who was all about tech and smarts. Basically, if you needed a computer hack, Mark was your guy. 💻👓

Al Lambert (Christine Lakin) – The tomboy who could hang with the boys and still be a total badass. Al kept it real and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. 🏈🧢

Brendan Lambert (Josh Byrne) – The youngest Lambert, Brendan was the cute kid who brought a lot of heart to the show. 🧸👶

Lilly Foster-Lambert (Emily Mae Young) – The adorable addition to the fam, bringing even more chaos and cuteness. 🍼👧

"Step by Step" kicked off in 1991 and ran for a solid seven seasons. The plot was all about blending two families into one wild, crazy, and loving household. Think “The Brady Bunch” but with that rad '90s twist. Frank and Carol meet, fall in love, and boom, their families merge overnight. Cue the drama, the laughs, and all the awkward moments. 😅

Each episode was packed with real-life situations and how the family navigated through them. From school crushes and sibling rivalries to big family vacations, "Step by Step" had it all. It was like getting a peek into a mega relatable, albeit sometimes over-the-top, family life. 🤗🏠

Why It Still Rocks Today? 🌟 Even though it’s been decades since "Step by Step" first aired, it still slaps. The themes of family, love, and growing up never get old. Plus, seeing how they handled the whole blended family thing back then is kinda inspiring. It’s proof that no matter how different you all start out, love and understanding can bring everyone together. 💞👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

In today’s world of streaming and binge-watching, "Step by Step" is like a warm, nostalgic hug. It reminds us of simpler times, when we’d gather around the TV and just enjoy good, clean fun. So, if you haven’t checked it out yet, or if it’s been a minute, give it a watch. You won’t regret it. 😉📺

"Step by Step" was more than just a TV show; it was a slice of '90s culture that showed us how families can come together, no matter how chaotic life gets. With a killer cast and storylines that hit home, it’s no wonder this show is still loved by many. So, here’s to the Lamberts and Fosters – thanks for all the laughs, lessons, and legendary moments. 🌟🙌

[sparksadrift]

Gellert Grindelwald Character Recs.

You know, for fun. My small list includes chaotic, charming, manipulative and emotionally distant characters. All of them remind me of Gellert Grindelwald in some way, sometimes in an eerily similar manner. This is based on personality - less so on actions, so no dictators taking over the world, or anything too wild. Link added to each one, if anyone's interest is peaked. I'm sure there's more to list, but this is all that I have for now. Coincidentally, they all happen to be gay men:

Brendan Brady, Hollyoaks - Sociopath, difficulty being close to others, callous, manipulative, deeply flawed but embraces the hell out of it. He's charming, quick witted, sassy, very rough around the edges, but - there is a softer side to him that he keeps buried. Deeply complex character - when I watched Brendan's story this year, my constant stream of thought was how much he reminds me of Gellert. A charming villain. Has a grace to his actions.

Likes to assert dominance by taking bites out of other people's food. Shows affection with threats and violence. Will bludgeon a man to death for even thinking about hurting someone he loves. Does a lot of fucked up shit. Brendan is fearless, and bulletproof.

A very damaged man, who keeps it well hidden, and will snap and do something drastic - just for fun. Likes fruity drinks and confusing the hell out of everyone, will be an intimidating piece of shit while singing under his breath, walks into church and taunts Jesus - would definitely steal candy from a baby. He also reminds me of the brothers from Boondock Saints - Irish, religious, usually murders with good reasons.

I highly recommend watching his story, it's long, and devastating. You will despise him, then grow to love him. You will sob your eyes out by the time you're done. I have never in my life, seen a character as well written as Brendan Brady. He is absolute chaos, and you won't regret watching his story.

Brian Kinney, Queer as Folk - A God amongst men, unapologetically queer, callous and dry, emotionally distant, might also be a bit of a sociopath. His mantra is no apologies, no regrets. A master at getting what he wants, and giving no fucks.

An asshole, always, because it amuses him. Deeply charming. Self centered, because he knows he's beautiful and can have whoever he wants. Aversion to love and intimacy, keeping everyone at arms length, but inevitably does break his no relationship rule. King deadpan humour.

Brian will always be one of my favourite characters, because he is authentic and unapologetic.

James Nightingale, Hollyoaks - This one is more loose, but there are similarities. Cold, detached lawyer; very dry and clever insults, highly intellectual - but James has a grace, and a flair that I see in Gellert.

He is very elegant in how he carries himself and speaks, and is rather particular about his style. Classy, kinda old fashioned. Feels that he is above others. Highly unethical, problematic and angsty.

A little damaged and broken inside. Discovers what it means to truly love someone. Occasionally will acknowledge when he goes too far, and will feel remorse. I adore James, the problematic little gay ball of trouble that he is.

[Edit: If you actually check anyone out, let me know what you think! These characters aren't very common, and I'd love to hear other's perspectives.]

[sing-pink-nightingale]

An incomplete ranking

Of Ste Hay’s significant others. As seen on Hollyoaks. And ranked in my personal preference.

1.) Brendan Brady

This relations was toxic as hell but boy did I root for them to figure it out the whole time. Brendan was such an amazing character and these two had insane chemistry.

2) Harry Thompson

I was hesitant when this started as I was hoping Ste and JP would get back together but these two also has great chemistry and they just worked even with all their differences.

3) John Paul McQueen

John Paul is one of my favorite characters and I was so excited for him and Ste to be together but I feel like this relationship was doomed from the start. It was rough going the whole time and while I think they still love each other I think these guys are better off as friends.

4) Doug Carter

Doug was such a sweet guy and I feel like he was always second choice. I loved his coming out and relationship with Ste but it paled in comparison to the mighty Brendan.

5) Amy Barnes

No one will argue Amy and Ste were better as friends but their relationship was one of the most important in Ste‘s life and she pushed Ste always to be the best version of himself.

6) James Nightingale

This is still new and it’s not my favorite pairing but I love both these characters so I’m willing to give it a chance.

[hiheyimhuy]

Movies/TV Shows

1 Roman Empire -Season 1 -Theme Funny -Golden Age

-Birthdays -Jayden Kouli Spring -Ian Spear Summer -Rex Woodbury Fall -Taylor Phillips Winter

-Jennie Mayer “Type 1” Insults -Arlene Williams “Type 2” Conversation -Tina Fey “Type 3” It’s Not Funny, But It Is Funny -Alison Kang “Type 4” Fighting

-Annie Bucher -Bayley Lichtenberg -Brenna Harrington -Briana Jackson -Carley Wood -Christine Baker -Ellie Hoekman -Emily Dugan -Emily Ross -Heather Bateman -Heather Stams -Jessie Torlai -Kailyn Pennock -Katie Fischbeck -Katie Theisen -Kirsten Brewer -Kristen Kemper -Kylie Barrett -Kyra Pennington -Lexi n Abby Klinkenberg -Meg Mullen -Meressa Mamon -Mia Torlai -Nicole Silver -Rebecca Nixon -Samantha Holler -Tahlia Carchedi 1/2 -Taylor Green 1/2 -Tessa Acay -Zoey Golden 1/2

-Austin From Gardenscapes -Kevin Hill

-Season 2 -Theme Suffering -50 Years After The Golden Age With New Complicated Rulers/King And Government Officials -Nice People -People Who Likes To Play Games -Hard Living -Ancient Technological Society -Consequences -Crimes -Passion of the Christ Roman Guards -Green River Teachers -Guys from Han Tinh Phan Kim Lien -Rating 100% -Jessica Clarke -Kelley Flanagan -Hannah Ann -Lindsey Allemeier -Julia Newell -Annika Brauer -Catherine Berner -Olivia Carlson -Louisa Dunwiddie -Emma Linde -Savannah Billedo -Danielle Brady -Jackie Robinson -Rachel Keyser -Angela Zhang -Megan Williams -Maia Lee -McKay Njos -Tylar Philpott -Vanessa Chukri -Dan Mitchell -Brett Goldstein -Brendan Welzien -Jackson Zariski -Adam Newton -Toro -Richard Ferguson -Jared -Royals Friends -Josh Brueckner -Katie Betzing -Matt Howard -Abby Howard -Charli D’amelio -Addison Rae -“Too Hot To Handle” IGTV video guys -Jacqueline Miller -Eileen Bruns -Johannes Huebl 2/3 -Matty Carrington -Franky Cammarata -Ben K Bowers -Colton Underwood -RJ King 2/3 -Graham Davis -Willem De Koch -Brian Pruett -Gigi Meyer  -Henry

-Hailey Napier -Blake Napier -Alex Knutson 2/3 -Elle Petschl -Sam Petschl -Anna Lynch -Ana Rae Miller -Brenna Hudson -Madeline Huletz -Claire Kennedy -Connell O’Brien -Max Tychsen -Dylan Inman -Austin Budke -Cameron Sackett -Elliot Knapp -John Mark Lambert -Colby Franklin -Season 3 -Theme Conquering -Depicts The Fall Of The Roman Empire -Combat Tactics -Strategies -In Places That Trigger Fear -“X Ambassadors - Renegades” Feel -Austin Olson -Chris Torlai -Kevin Hall -Matt Mead -Max Liebl -Nathan Lantz -Nathan Rodland -Oak Griffith -Sean Redmond -Stefan Andonian -Tanner Patnode -Travis McGuire -Wes Concepcion -Ben Affleck -Christian Bale -Tom Cruise -Cavill -Simon Pegg -Sam Quinby -Garrett Yrigoyen -Ben Higgins -Peter Weber -Jack Weber -Chris Harrison -Arie Luyendyk -Jason -Blake -Jared Haibon -Chris Soules -Jordan -David -Joe Sessa -Josh Canova -Graham Bennett -Kevin Park -Aaron Park -Julien Isnardon -Armie Hammer -Maurice Laab -Keegan Selby -Tyler Pichette -Season 4 -In Heaven With Henry And Malcolm

-Season 5 -Reunion Live “Maplestory - Ergoth’s Throne” “Maplestory - Orbis Tower” “Maplestory - Ludi PQ” -“Imagine Dragons - To Exist” 2 -“Imagine Dragons - Darkness Lies Above” 3 -“Imagine Dragons - Fear Is In Your Eyes” 3 -“Imagine Dragons - Only Way Across Is Cold Water” 3 -“Alesso - To Live Without Music” 1 -“Alesso - Watery Feels” 1/2 -“Bastille - What Keeps You Awake At Night” 2 -“Bastille - Every Time You Close Your Eyes” 2 -“Benny Blanco - The 4 Amigos” 1 -“The Chainsmokers - Wishing You Can Untouch” 2 -Might Change Title When I Have Time -“Charlie Puth - Day And Night Changes” 2 -“Coldplay - To Make You Wish You Don’t Have A Soul” 2 -“DNCE - The First To Arrive And Last To Leave” 1 -“Linkin Park - Rather Fall Than Surrender” 3 -“Kaskade - Your Voice Is All I Need” 1 -“Lana Del Rey - The “H” Word” 2 -“The Lumineers - A Cold Winter Morning” 2 -“Major Lazer - Gets You Off The Ground” 1 -“Major Lazer - Hard Bed, Soft Together” 1 -“OneRepublic - Rather Whisper Than Say” 1/2 -“Selena Gomez - Hope You Can Make It Back To Me” 3 -“Selena Gomez - I Need To Give You” 3 -“Shawn Mendes - If I Was Your First Lover” 1/2 -“Shawn Mendes - Fulfill Your Wishes” 1/2 -“Taylor Swift - February Missing You” 3 -“Taylor Swift - Waking Up And You’re Not Here” 3 -“Tove Lo - Roses In Water” 1 -“X Ambassadors - Repentance” 2/3 -“X Ambassadors - Remorses” 2/3 -“X Ambassadors - Regrets” 2/3 -“X Ambassadors - In The Woods” 3 -“X Ambassadors - No One To Be Found” 3 -“X Ambassadors - Only Nature Exists Now” 3 -“X Ambassadors - When You’re Lost” 3 -“2AM Club - I Still Remember You” 1

2 Killer -Henry Farm Childhood -Tom Cruise -Henry Cavill -Simon Pegg -Kelly Hu -Mila Kunis -Chiaki Kuriyama -Amy Johnston -Connell O’Brien -Yugioh Main Characters -Yugi -Joey -Bakura -Pegasus -Marik -Mai Valentine -Weevil -Rafael -Dartz -Charli D’amelio -Matt Howard -Alessandro Dellisola -Johannes Huebl -Sean O’Pry -Taylor Swift -Shawn Mendes -Girls Non-Killers -“Soft, Tender, Delicate” IGTV video -“Finger 11 - Paralyzer” IGTV video -Excluding Claire Miller -Abby Howard -Armie Hammer -Chace Crawford

3 Witches History on Earth -Malcolm in Heaven -Hocus Pocus -Vietnamese Girls -Trang Nguyen -Nguyen Ha My -Yen Nguyen -Written By Henry And Malcolm

4 Paris by Night in Modern Time -Presidents -Ben Affleck -Leonardo DiCaprio -1/4 Europeans -Brody Jenner -1/4 Asians -Japanese -Chiaki Kuriyama -Substitute -Cheyenne Stacey Powell -Administration -Nia Nguyen -Stephanie Che -The Bachelor Girls -The Bachelorette Girls -Clothes -Elementary And Middle School -Less Normal -High School -Fashion -College -Travel After College -Love

5 Ancient Forests -Josh Brueckner -Katie Betzing -“131 Tall Tree Guys” IGTV video -“Soft, Tender, Delicate” IGTV video -The Bachelor -The Bachelorette

6 Toys

7 Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) -Inventions -Movable Type Printing (1041-1048 AD) -Gunpowder (1000 AD) -Compass (1100 AD) -Paper Money (11th century) -Arts -Music -Literature -Philosophy -Theme Romance -Marco Polo -Born in Venice -Silk Road -Visited China (1275-1292 AD) -Father and Uncle -Lingchi Torture -TVB Actors/Actresses -Kenneth Lam -Kacie Lo -Chloe Tsang -Clarissa Chan -Jessica Yi -Danny Shin -Joyce Lin -Shin -Alex Landi

8 Ancient Egypt -Theme Revenge, Ruling, Warfare -Pharaoh -Pyramids -Sphinx -Nile River -Farming -Hieroglyphics -New Kingdom (1570-1069 BCE) -Kings Are Called Pharaohs -Golden Age -Wealth -Prosperity -Power -Wars -Burned alive -Thrown into river with crocodiles -Charli/Dixie D’amelio -Addison Rae -“Roosevelt High School” IGTV video -Andrew Mead -Austin Perlatti -Bret Johnson -Carter Rey Johnson -Casey Manso -Christopher Wilson -Clay Barton -Colby Foss -Connor Bennett -Dalton Bond -Derek Pedersen -Hayden Njos -Jake Zylstra -Jared McAboy -Jeff Seid -Jett DiPalma -Jordan Kirkland -Ken Williams -Kevin Brown -Kevin Hall -Kevin Kennedy -Kramer Fairclough -Leo Trotz -Marco Amalfitano -Max Liebl -Michael Leverenz -Mike Suguro -Mitchell Booth -Nathan Lantz -Nathan Rodland -Matt Fisher -Nick Fisher -Nick Watson -Oak Griffith -Ozamataz Buckshank -Pabi Dhaliwal -Pat McGuire -Pierre Groenewald -Roddy Hanson -Ryan Johnson -Scott Andrew -Seth Gunning -Seth Shields -Sheldon Stober -Stephen Bishopp -Tanner Patnode -Taylor Tinney -Wes Concepcion -Zane McCanless -“Soft, Tender, Delicate” IGTV video -“INNA - Amazing” IGTV video -Elizabeth Rodland -Armie Hammer -Chace Crawford -Franky Cammarata -Johannes Huebl -Sean O’Pry -Blake Horstmann -Jan -Joe Sessa and his friends -Matt/Abby Howard -Taylor Dean -Kelley Flanagan -Jessica Clarke -Madison Prewett -Lindsey Allemeier -Katie Betzing -Ben Higgins -Hannah Ann -Ian Spear -Laguna Beach -Lauren -Kristin -Stephen -Talan -Jessica -Taylor -Adam Newton -Sean Lowe -Catherine Giudici -Brianne Schmidt -Connell O’Brien -Tyler Pichette -Hannah Brown -Max Tychsen -Dylan Inman -Tyler Cameron -Taylor Phillips

9 Mesopotamia -Daily Life -Learning To Be A Scribe -Ziggurat -One Of The Seven Wonders -Hanging Gardens -The Fertile Crescent -Invented The Plow -People Of The City-States -Nobles -Priests -Merchants -Scribes -Craftworkers -Free Farmers -Enslaved People -Farmers Who Did Not Own Their Land -Cut One Hand Off -Women’s Legal Status

10 Ancient Greece -Philosophers -Socrates -Plato -Aristotle -Mathematics/Science -Euclid -Archimedes -Eratosthenes -Hippocrates

11 Greek Gods/Goddesses -Athena, Goddess of Wisdom -Parthenon Temple

12 Alexander the Great

13 Medieval Europe (500-1500 AD) -Theme Suffering -Boiling -Baking -Burning -Brazen Bull -Cooking -Stretching Bones -Sleep Deprivation -Quartering -Children’s Crusades -Castles

14 Islam -Muhammad -Arabia -Persia -Pillars -Architecture -Learning -Astronomy -Algebra -Medicine -Mapmakers -1001 Nights Book

15 India In The Middle Centuries -Taj Mahal

16 Central/South America -Theme Coming of Age -Maya -Toltec -Aztec -Tenochtitlan -Teotihuacan -Olmec -Inca -Cotton -Maya Calendar -Maize Corn -Metal -Writing -Soccer -Rituals -Religious Ceremonies

17 Europe (1400-1750 AD) -Peasant Revolts -Wars -Renaissance -Coldplay -Exploration -North/South America -Slavery -Imperialism

18 Industrial Revolution (Late 1700s AD) -England

19 Nations in Conflict (1775-1921 AD) -Revolutions -Independence -Nationalism -Ending Ancient China

20 1900s Conflict -Hitler -Russia -Japan -Westernization -Communism -World War I -World War II -Cold War -Berlin Wall -Technology -Advancements -Independence -Space Race

21 1900s Fun -China -Shanghai -David Kangmeng -South Korea -Fashion -Music -Recreation -France -Coffee -Restaurants -Sex -Hugh Jackman -Germany -Hugh Jackman -Spain -Hugh Jackman -Great Britain -Hugh Jackman

22 United States 1970-1990 -Fraternity -Fun -Matt Damon

23 Adulthood in the United States -The Bachelor -The Bachelorette -City -Country -Jobs -Relationships -Financial Problems -Making It In Hollywood

24 Masculinity -Male To Male Friendships And Siblings -Domination -Dealing With Girls

25 Comedy PBN Part 2 “Spin Off” -Continues After “Paris By Night In Modern Time” -Age Around 30+ -Van Son Cast -Similar To “Adulthood in the United States” And “Virtues of Harmony II” But Different

26 Countryside “Que” In VN -Theme Suffering -Financial Problems -Hard Living -Making It As Singers -Dating Singers -Accidents -Human To Human Crimes -How To Get To The United States

27 Physical Buildings And Transportation -Thailand, Malaysia, And Singapore -Hotels -Motels -Apartments -Bars -Clubs -Supermalls -Supermarkets -Companies -Motorcycles -Taxis -Trains -Airports -Gambling

28 Companies And Corporations -India And The Middle East -Work Time -Play Time

29 Modeling -Brazil, Portugal, And Spain -Amazon Rainforest -Rio De Janeiro -Marcello Alvarez -Jobs -Pay Less -Require Effort -Tired -Time Consuming -High School Drop Out -Saving Money -Criminal Offenses -Competition

30 Hierarchy In Society -Mexico -Poor -Rich -Cartels -Illegal Immigration To The United States -MTV Reality And Game Shows -Cabo San Lucas -Travel To The Caribbean

31 Route To Antarctica -Theme Living With Air Pollution 1990s -Chile -Santiago -San Antonio -Argentina -Buenos Aires -Andes Mountains -Lake Titicaca -Atacama Desert -Tierra Del Fuego -Tip Of South America -Cape Horn -Herding Farm Animals -Biking

32 High School In Vietnam -Movie Length Duration -Fun During School -Hard Times Outside Of School

33 United States Road Trip -Washington -Oregon -California to East Coast -Variety Of Climates -Route 66

34 Girl Pornstars -Hot Girls -Hard Past -Family -Friendships -Relationships -School -Money -On The Street -Need Food -Need House -Need Home -Models -Real -Instagram -Victoria’s Secrets -Pornstars -Feelings -Resentful -Fearful -Anxious -Apprehensive -Insecure -Suspicious -Trust -Travel -Making It In The Porn Industry

35 Guy Pornstars -Straight Guys -Gay/Bi Guys -Henry Pheet -Malcolm -Random Grindr Hookups -Travel -Making It In The Porn Industry Leonardo DiCaprio Robert De Nero John Travolta Tom Cruise Henry Cavill Simon Pegg Christian Bale Hugh Jackman Keanu Reeves Edward Norton Sean Connery Matt Damon Mel Gibson George Clooney Tom Hardy Orlando Bloom Guy Pearce Heath Ledger Robert Redford Paul Newman Scarlett Johansson Rachel McAdams Amanda Bynes Japan -1900s WWI/II -Westernization South Korea -1990s K-POP China -Song Dynasty -Ending Ancient China -1900s Beijing Vietnam -School In United States -Travel -Love -Comedy -Countryside “Que” Thailand, Malaysia, And Singapore -Physical Buildings And Transportation Drama India -The Middle Centuries Taj Mahal -Companies And Corporations The Middle East -Companies And Corporations Europe -Medieval -Renaissance -Exploration -Imperialism Italy -Roman Empire France -1900s Great Britain -Industrial Revolution Mexico -“Hierarchy In Society” Brazil -Modeling Portugal -Modeling Spain -Modeling

[skinks]

hi!!! what are your favourite movies? like actually good ones but also any trashy comfort movies? is IT (2017) one of them?

Hello!! IT (2017) IS ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THEM oh man, thank you for this, I love talking about movies!!!! This is possibly the most difficult question you could have asked me. Apologies for how absolutely off the rails this got, I just... love movies so much lmao

I’ve said this before, but opening night of IT ch1 was the best cinema experience I’ve ever had, I’m so glad I got to see it with a fully packed audience who were all laughing and screaming together the whole way through. I’m a huge fan of... everything ch1 was doing, the 80s nostalgia, the summer-coming-of-age themes, the solid ghost train funhouse JOY of the Pennywise performance and scares, the washed-out cinematography, the tiny background details to make everything that much more eerie, the kids’ ACTING?!

Like, a lot of the time I find child actors can be really awkward and stilted to watch, but I remember leaving the cinema really impressed by JDG and Sophia Lillis in particular. I liked that they were all allowed to be little shitheads with potty mouths, it felt like a callback to 80s movies like The Lost Boys or Stand By Me. The whole thing worked to make me really care about what happened to the kids (even if I do still have issues with how they handled Mike. I understand even ch1 had limitations with juggling so many characters, but still). I saw it another 2 times in the cinema and have rewatched it at least, I dunno, 7-10 more times since then?

Add to all of that the retroactive CANON R+E baby pining subplot? I just love it, as if that wasn’t obvious by now given my Whole Blog. It’s a really special movie to me!

Anyway!! Ok, the main handful of movies I rewatch all the fucking time are:

Back to the Future, The Lost Boys, Pride and Prejudice (2005), Jaws, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Ocean’s 11, POTC 1, The Dark Knight, Inception, Die Hard, LOTR trilogy, Snatch, The Nice Guys, Logan Lucky, Mad Max Fury Road, Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You, Billy Elliot, Dirty Dancing, Tomb Raider (2018)...

Those are the easily consumable ones that I’ve seen so many times I don’t really have to concentrate or think about them, but I really love them and unfortunately often KEEP rewatching them instead of new stuff. It would take too long to go into why I love all these movies so much because I could write the same amount as I already did for ITCH1, and everyone already knows why those movies are good, so, lol.

I think I’m gonna have to subdivide and categorise this whole post because there are too many separate criteria for... goOD MOVIES, AUUHH 😩

Okay so first off, HORROR MOVIES? I’m especially in love with Re-Animator (1985) and its sequel Bride of Re-Animator, they’re such good examples of camp and batshit 80s practical effects, and also EXTREMELY funny. I’m actually just gonna post my list of my fave horror movies that I do actually keep on my phone at all times lmao. These are in no particular order:

Wholeheartedly recommend every one of these. I’ve never been so scared in my life as I was watching Hereditary in the cinema, hoo boy. Mother! by Aronofsky is one of the strangest experiences I’ve ever had (and I actually saw it on the same day I saw IT ch1 for the first time!! That was a fun day)

Psycho (1960) and The Fly from 1986 should also be on there but I couldn’t fit them in the screenshot.

I’m a HUGE fan of a ton of martial arts movies too, like Kung Fu Hustle, Shaolin Soccer, Ip Man, The Raid movies, John Wick 3 is my fave of the trilogy, Drive from 1997 with Mark Dacascos is incredible, SPL 2, Ong-Bak, Operation Condor, Project A, Iron Monkey, and Zatoichi (2003) are some favourites.

My favourite Tarantino is Reservoir Dogs, fave Coen brothers are Raising Arizona, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and O Brother Where Art Thou. Love some old-timey colour correction and weird offbeat dialogue. I also love Goodfellas!!! And Donnie Brasco! And The Firm, I’m so easy for any good crime/law/gangster/heist procedural like that, especially if they’re from the 80s or 90s in a super dated way.

Fave Disney movie is Tarzan, favourite Ghibli movies are Spirited Away and Lupin III. I remember watching Spirited Away during a thunderstorm one time and it being.... god! Transcendent! Favourite Pixar movie is The Incredibles (the first one. ALSO the documentary “The Pixar Story” is great and well worth a watch, it’s very comforting for some reason) and my favourite Dreamworks movies are HTTYD1 and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron.

I tend to watch more anime movies than tv shows, so stuff like Akira, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, Journey to Agartha, and my ultimate fave anime is Sword of the Stranger (2008). The climactic fight in that movie is fucking stunning and should be counted in “bests fights” lists right alongside anything live action

Also if we’re talking animated movies another hearty favourite is Rango, and a Belgian stop-motion (which at one time I considered my favourite movie ever) called Panique Au Village (2009) which is one of the funniest movies ever made imo.

As for TRASHY movies, I’m not sure if that’s the right word for how I feel about these ones but.. dumb/silly/slightly guilty pleasure movies? Ones that I feel need some kind of justification lmfao

Troy - something u must know about me is that I’m a giant slut for the Assassin’s Creed franchise, so if a movie smashes historical and mythological nonsense together with fun costumes and sword fights, I’m gonna enjoy myself. Even if they should have made Achilles and Patroclus gay. Other movies in this vein are King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, and Immortals (2011)

Gods of Egypt - I know all the reasons this movie is whitewashed bullshit. But it was already bullshit with giant Anubis mecha and giant snakes and bad acting and ridiculous CGI and frankly I had a blast at the cinema (my friend who I forced to come with me did not have a blast. Sorry H***)

Avatar - yes, the one with the big blue people. This movie gets a lot of flack nowadays but I really do enjoy it just for the spectacle. The full CGI world technology was so new at the time and I love to wallow in the visuals and daydream about riding a cool dragon around in the jungle

George of the Jungle - I’ll defend this movie to the death ok this movie shaped me as a person, it is fucking hilarious and Brendan Fraser is the himbo to end all himbos. It’s perfect. The song Dela is perfect. I still want to write a reddie AU about it. It’s one of the best movies ever made and I’m not being ironic

Set It Up - I KNOW this is a dumb Netflix original romcom but consider this; it was funny and the leads had great chemistry. I got butterflies. I once watched it and then literally immediately set it back to the start so I could watch it again

The Brady Bunch Movie - when people talk about great satires or parodies you will see them bring up the same movies over and over again, Blazing Saddles, This Is Spinal Tap etc, but they never talk about The Brady Bunch Movie from 1995 for some reason, which they should. It is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen and every time i watch it somehow it gets funnier

Some more general favourites that I do still love but don’t rewatch as often, and don’t wanna go into more detail about are:

Moon (2009), Crna Mačka Beli Mačor, The Sixth Sense, Parasite, The Handmaiden, Tremors, Wet Hot American Summer, Tucker and Dale vs Evil, What We Do In The Shadows, Hunt For the Wilderpeople, The Secret of My Success (I love kitschy 80s movies, is that obvious by now), The Green Mile, When Harry Met Sally, Rear Window, The Odd Couple, Breaking Away, Pan’s Labyrinth, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Eagle, Gladiator, The Artist, The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec, Call Me By Your Name, Master and Commander, Pacific Rim, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Legend (1985), Emma. (2020), Flash Gordon, Trolljegeren, Hross í Oss, Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America, WarGames, District 9, Ajeossi (2010), Tracks (2013), Sightseers, Mud (2012), Pitch Black, Four Lions, Shaun of the Dead, Starship Troopers, The Truman Show, Withnail & I....... Jesus Christ ok I need to stop

NOTABLE EXTREME FAVOURITES that I didn’t include in the regular rewatch list because they’re too heavy/not as well known/require more attention.:

Thin Red Line (1998), Badlands (1973) both dir. Terrence Malick

Malick’s brand of dreamy impressionistic filmmaking is something I find really appealing, both of these movies are gorgeous and unusual and poignant and, in the case of Thin Red Line at least, have a lot of things to say about a lot of rough subjects. I don’t totally understand all those things sometimes, but a theme with a lot of my favourite movies is that I’ll be more likely to love something long-term if it raises unanswered questions, or is surreal/esoteric etc. Plus the cinematography is incredible, and I wish there was a way to get Jim Caviezel’s narration from The Thin Red Line as an audiobook because it’s very poetic and soothing.

Let the Bullets Fly (2010) dir. Jiang Wen

This movie is WILD, it’s so much fun. It’s sprawling and intricate and epic and smart and really fucking funny, it! Has! Everything! A gang of very tolerant outlaws!! Jiang Wen’s beautiful broad chest!!! Chow Yun Fat absolutely DECIMATING the scenery, and the two of them outsmarting each other in order to gain control of a small Chinese town!!! Plus it’s long, but it packs so much nonsense and intrigue that it goes by really fast. Wow what a flick

A Field in England (2013) dir. Ben Wheatley

I know I included this in my horror list but aaaaahhh ahhhh Wheatley is one of my favourite directors (he also made Sightseers, and is directing the Tomb Raider sequel which makes me absolutely rabid.) This is a surreal black-and-white psychological horror black comedy set in the English Civil War about some deserters who may or may not meet the Devil in a field. People eat mushrooms. It’s bonkers. I love being blasted in the face with imagery that I don’t understand

Mandy (2018) dir. Panos Cosmatos

Speaking of being blasted in the face!!!!! This movie... I saw it in the cinema and I can’t even begin to explain the experience, but I’ll try. My favourite review site described it like this:

“...somewhere between a prog album cover come to life and a metal album cover come to life, and subscribes to both genre's artistic tendency towards maximalism: what it ends up being is basically naught else but two glorious hours of being pounded by bold colors...”

So, prog and metal are my two favourite genres of music. This movie opens with the quote “When I die, bury me deep, lay two speakers at my feet, put some headphones on my head and rock and roll me when I'm dead.” and then a King Crimson song, it is SURREAL to the nth degree, it’s violent and bizarre and Nic Cage forges a giant silver axe to destroy demonic bikers and there is a CHAINSAW DUEL. A galaxy swirls above a quarry. Multiple animated horror nightmare sequences. At one point a man says “you exude a cosmic darkness” and releases a live tiger. At another point Cage says, in a digitally deepened voice, “The psychotic drowns where the mystic swims. You’re drowning. I’m swimming.” and I haven’t stopped thinking about it for two years

Paper Moon (1973) dir. Peter Bogdanovich

Really fantastic movie set in the Great Depression (and also in black & white) about a conman and a little kid who may or may not be his daughter, running cons across the Midwest. It’s beautifully shot, so sharp and sweet and the progression of their dynamic is really well done because they’re played by an IRL father and daughter. Tatum O’Neal was NINE YEARS OLD and she’s so amazing in this movie she’s actually the youngest person to win a competitive category Oscar. I keep trying to get people to watch this fbdjfjdbf it’s wonderful

Alpha (2018) dir. Albert Hughes

THIS MOVIE IS A VICTIM OF BAD MARKETING ok, the trailers made it look like some twee crappy sentimental Boy And His Dog Adventure, plus it had voiceovers in American-accented english? That’s a total disservice to one of the coolest things about this film; the fact that they got a linguist to construct an entirely original Neolithic language that all the characters speak for the entire runtime. And yes, it is eventually a Boy And His Wolf adventure, but it’s COOL and fairly brutal, and it has some really incredible cinematography. The landscapes are so strange and barren and alien, you really get the sense that this is an ancient world we no longer have any connection to. And it’s also about like, the birth of dog & human companionship sooo it’s perfect.

Free Solo (2018) dir. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin

The Free Climbing Documentary. I loved climbing as a kid, I love outdoor sports, and I love movies that elicit a physical reaction in me, whether that’s horny, scared, real laughter, overwhelming shivers, or in the case of Free Solo - HORRIBLE SWEATING TENSION. Like, I knew about Alex Honnold beforehand because of this adventure film festival I go to every year and I followed him on IG so obviously I knew he lived, but the actual climb itself was torture. My hands sweat every time I see it!! It’s incredible, such a cool look into generally what the human body can do, and more specifically, why Honnold’s psychology and life means he’s so well suited to free soloing. It’s such an exercise in getting to know an individual and get invested in them, before they attempt something very potentially fatal.

Brokeback Mountain (2005) dir. Ang Lee

I can’t even talk about this. When I was around 13 I snuck downstairs to watch this on TV at 11pm in secret, and my life was forever changed. I wouldn’t be who I am if I hadn’t seen Brokeback at the age I did. I seriously can’t talk about this or I’ll write an even longer essay than this already is

God’s Own Country (2017) dir. Francis Lee

The antidote to Brokeback Mountain, I’m so glad I managed to see this one in the cinema too. It makes me cry every time, as someone who’s spent years working on a cold British farm with sheep it was very realistic, which is expected since Lee grew up on a farm in Yorkshire. I love that this movie isn’t really about being closeted, but about being so emotionally repressed and self-loathing that the main character finds it so hard to accept love. Or that he deserves to be loved. The cinnamontographies.... lordt... but also the intimacy and sex scenes are fucking searing wow who hasn’t seen this movie by now. 10 stars. 20 stars!!!

Tomboy (2011) dir. Céline Sciamma

I saw this years ago but I’ve never forgotten it, it cut so deep. It’s from the director of Portrait of a Lady on Fire and it’s about a gnc kid struggling with gender and misogyny and homophobia in a really raw, scrappy way, it reminded me very much of my own... childhood... ahh the central performance is amazing for such a young age. I haven’t seen Portrait yet but I feel like if you went nuts for that, you should definitely check this out, it’s lovely.

Donnie Darko (2001) dir. Richard Kelly

EVERY TIME I WATCH THIS MOVIE I UNDERSTAND LESS AND LESS and that’s what I love so much about it. I love surreal movies, I love time-fuckery and stuff about altered perception etc etc and Donnie Darko scratches all my itches. I wish I could find a way to figure out an IT AU for it, because I know it would work! Somehow! Plus it’s got the subdued 80s nostalgia and I found it at an age when I was really starting to explore movies and music and the soundtrack FUCKS.

Offside (2006) dir. Jafar Panahi

I wish more people knew about this!!! It’s an Iranian film about a disparate group of women and girls who are football fans and want to watch Iran’s qualifying match for the World Cup, but women aren’t allowed into the stadium, so they all get thrown into the Stadium Jail together? They don’t know each other beforehand, but it’s about their changing relationships with each other and the guards and just, their defiance alongside hearing the match from the outside and WOW it’s so lively. Great dialogue and very funny, and such a different kind of story from anything you usually see from Hollywood.

The Fall (2006) dir. Tarsem Singh

This movie... I guess it’s the ideal. This is the platonic ideal of a film for me, it has fantasy, magical realism, glorious visuals, amazing score and costumes and production design and a really interesting, heartbreaking relationship at the core of it. I don’t know why so many of my favourite films feature incredibly raw performances by child actors but this is another one, Catinca Untaru barely knew any English and improvised so much because of that, and it’s fascinating to watch! Also the dynamic with Lee Pace is one of my favourites, where a kid forms a friendship with a guardian figure who isn’t their parent, but the guardian grows to really care for them by the end. It’s like Paper Moon in that sense. What is there to even say about this movie, it’s pure magic joy tempered and countered by genuine gutwrenching emotional conflict in the real world, it’s also ABOUT old moviemaking, in a way, and it’s stunning to look at!

Mad Max Fury Road (2015) dir. George Miller

I know I included this in my “most rewatched” section but it deserves its own thing. We all know why this movie is fucking incredible. I remember clutching my armrests in the cinema and feeling like my skeleton was being blasted back into the seat behind me and tbh that is the high I’m constantly chasing when I go to see any movie. What a fucking gift this film is

Théo et Hugo dans le Même Bateau (2016) dir. Olivier Ducastel, Jacques Martineau

I only found this movie last year and it became an instant favourite. Initially I was just curious because I’d never seen a movie with unsimulated sex before, but it’s so much more than the 18 minute gay sex club orgy it opens with. No, not more than, AS WELL AS. The orgy is important because this movie is so candid and frank about sex and HIV treatment in the modern day, it was eye-opening. Another thing that really got me is that I’d never seen a real-time film before. It’s literally an hour and a half in the lives of these two men, their intense connection and conversation and conflict in the middle of the night in Paris, with some really nice night photography and just!!! Wow!!! AMAZING CHEMISTRY between the actors. This is such a gem if you’re comfortable with explicit sexual content.

Ok. This is already over 3k but film is obviously one of my ridiculous passions and I can and do talk about it for hours. I’ve been reading magazines about it for years, listening to podcasts and reading review blogs and recently, watching video essays on YouTube because the whole process is so interesting to me and I want to learn more!!

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of valuing form over narrative. The idea that story can often come second to the deeper physical experience and emotional reaction that’s created by using ALL the elements of filmmaking and not just The Story, y’know? Whether that’s editing, shot composition, colour, the sound mix, the actors, how it should all be used to heighten the emotional state the script wants you to feel. And so, I think for a few years now this approach has been influencing the types of films I really, really love.

I think I love surreality and mind-bending magical realism in films specifically because the filmmakers have to use all those different tools to convey things that can be way too metaphysical for just... a script? I’m always chasing that physical response; if a movie can make me stop thinking “I wonder what it was like to set up that shot” and instead overwhelm that suspension of disbelief, if I can be terrified or woozy or crying for whatever reason, that’s what I’m looking for. That’s why I watch so many fuckin movies, and why I’ll always remember nights like seeing IT (2017) for giving me another favourite.

Thank you again for this question, I didn’t mean to go so overboard. Also there’s no way to do a readmore on tumblr mobile so apologies to anyone’s dashboard 😬

[virginbutstillahoe]

Rules: name your top 10 favorite characters from 10 different fandoms then tag 10 people.

tagged by: @prayedtoyou! thanks so much!! can’t believe i wasn’t following you before this omg.

idk if this will be in order bc i have a hard time choosing bc i love all of my children equally.

1.) dean winchester // supernatural

2.) brendan brady // hollyoaks

3.) pamela poovey // archer

4.) nick miller // new girl

5.) juliana baker // flipped (not really a fandom, but it’s one of my favorite movies)

6.) c.k. dexter haven // the philadelphia story (see above)

7.) sirius black // harry potter

8.) angela martin // the office

9.) jess mariano // gilmore girls (sorry jared padalecki, dean forrester is the fucking worst)

10.) jessi glazer // big mouth

tagging: @navajolovesdestiel @green-eyes-and-classic-rock @victorian-sexstache @multifandom-fanatic @missjojo96 @katelyndeveraux @dannierights @thewriterofawesomeness @beardyspock @fanartaddict

[hollyoaksloversx]

Not going to lie what would make the show better would be to bring back the classic character from the golden time Brendan Brady, the oldest mcqeen sister (forgot her name but know she was a queen), cheryl and Kris. Also if they showed actual issues around the pandemic like having Ste relapse into booze (which has happened over the pandemic) or have some develop social anxiety. The gangsta stuff can go away. What do you think?

I think, whilst bringing characters back can be a good way of generating interest from past viewers, unless the rest of the show is strong, then any returning viewers won't stick around. In saying that, there are past characters that I wouldn't mind seeing back, Justin Burton being top of my list at the moment.

The pandemic is an interesting one as it's obviously a thing in the Hollyoaks universe, but none of the character's lives have been affected by it. I suppose trying to reflect a fast moving, ever changing real life situation in a soap is always going to be a challenge, then there's the fact that those watching for escapism may not want it referenced. However, Hollyoaks has chosen to mention the pandemic, so they could at least have taken the opportunity to develop some stories out of it.

I totally agree with you about the gangsters. The show was all the worse back in 2014 for its obsession with gangster stories, so it's not great to see it head down that road again.

P.S, the McQueen sister you’re thinking of is Jacqui :) 

[danveresque]

As I'm still furiously reliving stendan and dying to read your take on them... 😉 For the character game: Brendan Brady and Ste(ven) Hay

Thanks @mochoaemo!

For the character meme:

Brrrrrendan | favorite | DICK | absolutelyproblematic fave | unhinged & hilarious | cursed the show with making almost everyone else in comparison seem an uncharismatic heap | will always be sad about the more unsavourable aspects of his character (no Brendan, getting in the way of a bullet for the man you love doesn’t erase you beating him up) 

Ste | ugh | DICK | love/hate/love/hate | love the daddy Ste who adores his kids and wore cute aprons in his cute deli (sad his love life started to take off after he brained Brendan with a baseball bat) | not so much the radicalised racist thug of recent times (excellent storyline - Emmerdale take note, characters in popular ships can continue to thrive after the ship has sailed) 

Stendan | beautiful | for a moment in time called Dublin, they were perfect | he’s gay, I’m gay, we’re all gay! | Brendan bringing soft taost to ridiculously long-lashed Ste | Brendan showing Ste his Dublin | the smashing up of the childhood pub and the ultra-romantic sweeping kiss that followed | *sigh* Dooblin | you know they both decided to move there a week later in the lightest timeline right? 

[sammysamstuff]

Hi I love your blog! I really liked your RH best acting scenes post so so good! I love Ryan too and do you think he will come back? would you back a recast? also what do you think of this whole storyline? I'm bitter about it idk why they seem to be rushing it

Woot Woot! I received an ask! I haven’t gotten one in a long time! 🎉👏🏻 Cheers my love! I’m happy to hear that my blog brings you joy in this chaotic Robron-less world.

I’m gonna break down my answer to cover all your questions:

1- I PERSONALLY don’t think Ryan will be back. Do I want him to come back? ABSOLUTELY! Let me clarify my POV: Ryan is not only a good actor, but he’s graduated from one of the top acting schools in the world and the UK. That, plus 5 years of Emmerdale, plus his other tv, theatre and film experience built a nice CV that will open more doors. So I’m sure that if he auditioned for a BBC 2 show for example, he’d land it and his career would grow from there. I personally feel he’s overqualified for just soaps - and he seemed bored and checked out towards the end of Robert’s exit and Robron’s storyline. He seemed dissatisfied, exhausted and basically done. So I also think that he wanted to leave and do something else, or there were BTS issues (money, shit storylines, shit producers - hence 9 actors leaving). So from that perspective, I feel he’d only come back if something went wrong and he didn’t land other (better/more interesting) acting jobs.

2- I WOULD NOT support a recast or watch Emmerdale with a different actor portraying Robert Sugden. Some characters are larger than life and some actors take such ownership and add so much value to them that makes it impossible for me to suspend disbelief and accept a different actor playing them. Robert is my favourite character and, to me, Robert Sugden is Ryan Hawley. Just like Emmett Scanlan was Brendan Brady in Hollyoaks, no one else. So even though I understand the need to recast from a writers/producers POV, I wouldn’t watch Robron or Robert Sugden with a different actor. The Robron chemistry is between Danny Miller and Ryan Hawley. Period.

3- I’ve discussed my dissatisfaction with this storyline previously, so I’ll be brief: they’re rushing to end/erase Robron and every trace of Robert from the soap and it goes against everything Robron has been for the past 5 years. You don’t make LOVE LIKE THAT disappear in a matter of DAYS. And there’s no need to do so. With Andy Sugden, we heard of him for MONTHS on end after he left. So why rush to erase Robert and Robron? And as I’ve said before, I’d much prefer a fake death storyline - Robert deserved to go out with a BANG! He deserved better. 

[whenthespotlightfades]

Hollyoaks 30 Day Challenge

Day 1. Your favourite male character.

Current: James Nightingale

James Nightingale is without a doubt the best thing to have happened to Hollyoaks in a very long time. They struck gold with him as a character. He’s a complex, well-rounded and morally-grey character, which is how I like them. James protects those he loves almost as well as his own heart and that makes him a character easy to love and be excited about to see evolve and grow and yeah scheme a little ^^. 

Past: Brendan Brady 

To this day Brendan Brady is still the best soap character ever, in my opinion. And I will love him forever. He’s so complicated, interesting and complex and his storyline is almost art to watch play out the way it does. Every emotion under the sun, Brendan has displayed them all and there is a good reason, he’s still the number 1 character most hollyoaks fans would love to see return to the village.  He’s damaged and he knows it but he fought so hard to be a better person, to protect the ones he loves no matter the cost and the costs have been high for him.