#but s1 is so good i should have listened to you all earlier

[mariusslonelysoul]

You all were right, nine really IS That Bitch

[nyaskitten]

This is such an insanely good scene To Me and we genuinely do not talk about it as often as we should even though it makes me so autistic... So I'm just gonna analyze it, looking mainly at Ras' manipulation tactics.

First, you have Ras, pissed off in an alley, angrily complaining about his woes, when suddenly Beatrix approaches him with an offer. (This scene will later be paralleled in the finale, but Jordana takes the initial role of Ras, and Ras takes the role of both Beatrix and himself, the Approacherrr and the Manipulatorrr.)

Ras stops, because he hears Beatrix's footsteps before her shadow appears on-screen, and based on the lighting the shadows appear to be pretty long, this scene occurs either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. We're gonna go with early in the morning, as a reverse parallel to Jordana's scene, which is pretty late at night, so already you got an additional parallel.

Ras turns around to see Beatrix approach, he gets her name right the first time, but then proceeds to ask if she could be Zeatrix instead in a slightly fake tone. She reacts angrily, of course, and Ras feigns surprise at getting it wrong, and bows respectfully, as a means of apology. This was the immediate start to his manipulation, in "confusing" their names, he was feeding into Beatrix's anger, which he continues to do in this scene, and then later on with Jordana, both in the s1 finale and in season 2!

When Beatrix says she's interested in Ras' offer of unlimited power, he seems like he may be genuinely shocked at her willingness to join him, however given the tone he takes on, this may be another tactic to further play into her anger, asking her why she'd do it so she could explain, and just get even angrier.

When Beatrix vents about how Zeatrix's birth robbed her of elemental power and Levo's father, Ras says elemental power is a cheat, and someone who may not deserve it gets it anyway, this time wearing his manipulation on his face with a smirk, he Wants her angry, he wants her rage.

Ras then fakes a scoff and waves his hand around, asking a question he likely already knew the answer to, about Zeatrix being the future Empress of Imperium, and getting Beatrix even Madder as she explains she will be left with nothing, while Zeatrix gets everything.

Ras smirks yet again, and claims it to be a waste of her "true potential." Now, I have made a post about this specific line before (which I can no longer find) but basically, I think him putting emphasis on the "true potential" is Also meant ot anger her. Why?

Aside from real-world usage, in Ninjago, ones True Potential is, as we all know, them unlocking their element properly, so in saying it's a "waste of her True Potential," it's like Ras wants to rub in the fact that she lacks powers, that she can never Have that moment like her sister, where she finally figures out what holds her back, and unlocks her powers, because she's powerless.

Beatrix asks Ras to help her in seizing the throne, offering him the resources he needs to capture a Source Dragon, and in response, Ras bows to her, as he did earlier, and he goes "As you wish, Empress Beatrix," and he smiles yet again, he's succeeded, he's manipulated Beatrix, he's gotten her angry enough that she's willing to trust him, and murder her father to seize control.

Everything Ras did in this scene was to feed into her anger, hell, the way he glances at her at the end of the cold open, part of me thinks he Knew she was gonna follow, maybe he was anticipating it, hence, the glance. Ras was angry only until he needed to manipulate, in which case he became this instigating force, there to listen to Beatrix's rage, and make her even worse.

[thesherrinfordfacility]

LWA: To expand on @robinwithay's point some more, I am thinking again about Crowley's equivalent to Aziraphale's stubbornness when it comes to rejecting Heaven. Crowley just will. not. learn. that actions have consequences, and that the responsibility lies with the agent, not some nebulous figure out there somewhere. What's striking, in fact, is that "actions have. consequences" is the closest thing the GO universe has to divine providence in action: when Crowley does something, it comes back to bite his occult arse, without fail, every single time. Shut down the cell phone network? Great, can't call Aziraphale. Make yourself look good to Hell? By golly, Hell is going to give you all the sweet assignments. (From their POV, anyway.) Turn a freeway into a demonic sigil? Whoops, it's on fire when you need to cross it, and also a lot of people are dead. Moreover, not only does the universe keep pointing this out to Crowley, but so do the other characters. In S1e1 alone, Hastur, Aziraphale, and SATAN FOR CRYING OUT LOUD all call him out on the whiny "why me?!" business, and Hell does it again in "The Resurrectionists." ("Off my head on laudanum. Not responsible for my actions!" HELL: Oh honey, no.) Arguably, "why me?" is the /one/ question to which Crowley gets a definitive answer, and he consistently refuses to listen to or learn anything from it.

Gaiman's very deliberate decision to prolong and inflate this aspect of Crowley's character is fascinating, because the Nuremberg Defense moment in the novel is there to put an /end/ to it. I keep harping on the Nuremberg Defense issue because in 1990, that was /topical/, not historical: at the time of publication, the most recent high-profile example of someone Nuremberg Defensing himself out of Nazi-era war crimes was Kurt Waldheim /in 1986/. Pratchett's and Gaiman's point in the novel is that Crowley's--and, more so than in the series, Aziraphale's--refusal to take responsibility for what they've done as Hell's and Heaven's agents leads inexorably to them thinking like, you guessed it, Nazi-era war criminals. But as of the end of S2, Crowley has still not come around to the moral epiphany about this that in the novel, Aziraphale has /first./ Instead, Gaiman's substitute for the Nuremberg Defense, the child murder subplot in S1, is averted in such a way that Crowley doesn't learn anything from it.

Further to the point that @robinwithay and others who responded made, you know who did learn something from the child murder subplot? Aziraphale. I said in an earlier ask that in S1, Aziraphale's own failure in the subplot is that he winds up deferring to Crowley's judgment, despite his own clear discomfort, because he cannot turn to Heaven for moral authority. "You can't kill kids" is not represented as a divine or infernal universal mandate--it's a /human/ mandate that transcends both. (That's entirely in keeping with the point, made in both the book and the series, that humans are capable of both far greater good than angels and far greater evil than demons.) In S2, Aziraphale does what he /should have done/ in S1, and says "no" to Crowley's proposal that Gabriel just be abandoned somewhere. I think people sometimes forget that Crowley, for all that he asks questions and nudges Aziraphale along out of his allegiance to the Heavenly party line, is not the series' moral arbiter. Aziraphale knows that Gabriel is facing "something terrible" and is not sure whether or not he's still "awful," but he does what S2 itself shows by the end to be the right thing. Doing the right thing sometimes means telling Crowley "no" and sticking to that no, just as, in S1, the moment Aziraphale hits on the right question to ask at the airfield, he moves /away/ from Crowley to stand with Adam.

good afternoon LWA!!!💕

okay so i feel some frank warning is due for anyone else reading my reply, especially if you're new around these here parts: what follows beneath the cut is going to be crowley-critical. it's not meant in bad faith, but recognising character shortcomings is important for all characters involved. there is (quite rightly) a lot of critique in relation to aziraphale in the fandom, and this is not in ignorance or denial of that - there are certainly points where aziraphale's actions throughout both seasons are called out, and i agree with a number of them - but a) that's not what im talking about here, that's a different post, and b) similar analysis of crowley is (as far as ive seen personally in the months ive been active) not as common - hence the post. if that's not your bag, fair enough, but take heed!!!✨

can't believe a fandom-specific cw for this is necessary but. here we are

(because i get asked this a fair amount - AWCW: Angel Who Crowley Was) (and just now recognising the grammatical error in this, ah well we move)

the part of crowley's character that does not accept consequences, and seemingly refuses to learn from them, is one of the most intriguing for me. as well as all of the instances that you've listed, this is something that we see as being so inherent to him that it even predates the fall; it's not a trait that is specific to crowley-as-a-demon, but to crowley-as-crowley. for all of the understandable reasons that AWCW felt he should ask questions, should challenge why his hard work and creativity was going to be put to waste as if it were nothing, he outright dismissed aziraphale's frankly prophetic advice that directly delivering criticism to the almighty, even if meant with the best of intentions, might spell for trouble... might even spell for AWCW's own personal ruin.

slightly unrelated, but another note: the mindset of, "if i were in charge", however much it might have been meant offhandedly or innocently, even connotes an incredible amount of hubris that, whilst not wholly condemnable in itself, gives an interesting insight into how crowley views himself from before the fall and going into present day.

AWCW's questions may come from a place of innocence and collaboration, and may speak to how much trust he placed in god/heaven to hear his questions with patience and understanding, but it still remains highly likely that he dismisses aziraphale's warning. and the reason he ignores it, most likely, is because it is not what he wants to hear, nor does it (in his eyes) benefit him to exercise caution. one could go a step further and suggest that this indicates a fatal "crowley knows best" mentality, which the rest of the two seasons doesn't exactly negate. and look - that's fine, ignoring advice is hardly an indictable offence, but if what you're doing goes to shit? that is on you.

shifting into speculation-mode in the absence of any confirmed account of the fall itself, we can presume that AWCW's questions fall on deaf/reticent/dismissive ears, and that will just as likely have left AWCW with a sense of frustration and resentment. i continue to be a really hopeful advocate of AWCW having had a lucifer-parallel narrative; that after what was essentially a dismissal, he may have precipitated (at least) the inception of the fall by way of knowingly or unknowingly planting the seeds of rebellion amongst the eventual-fallen... e.g. "they're not treating us fairly, all of our effort will be for nothing, all in service and deference to 'human beings', i tried to speak to god about it but they won't even hear me out."

i don't think he will have led the rebellion, that doesn't quite seem appropriate to his character, but certainly that he may have sparked the initial machinations, and then - by furfur's account - participated in the war. this, again, would fall in line with crowley's ongoing tumultuous relationship with consequences-borne-from-his-actions.

crowley's unreliable narratorship of his own fall is, by definition, untrustworthy, and as such it's not a given that he was unimpeachable in any participation of it. "i didn't mean to fall" would definitely suggest that it was not his intention, but if we return to the Dead Whale Theory, this is a dead whale that crowley has failed to fully accept, or learn from. he seems - when we consider how he inhabits the role of god (as he sees that role to be, anyway) in how he treats his plants in s1 and the goats in s2 - to be very much of the opinion that he is entirely innocent of any wrongdoing.

and in some respect, he's not wrong - asking questions is not a bad thing, it's a very good thing, and his willingness to do so is one of crowley's greatest assets - but his refusal to heed advice in favour of his own agenda, refusal to accept the answers given even (especially?) when he doesn't like them, to have potentially sparked dissent that led to a war (which he fought in), and his lack of accountability for the results, is where he falls down. im not going to go so far as to call it narcissistic behaviour, that feels a bit extreme, but there are... similarities. he doesn't learn from the whole fiasco in any manner that would indicate self-reflection, and instead seems to have walked away from the fall with his clear-cut conclusion that heaven was wrong, and are in fact The Bad Guys.

certainly, GO proposes that heaven isn't the traditional definition of truth, light, and good that aziraphale hopes that it is intrinsically... but crowley still hasn't reached the point of understanding the rest of what the narrative is saying.

heaven and hell are not always good and bad respectively, but they are not always bad and good respectively either. it's not a simple, 'we're turning this on its head' concept. it is altogether a veeeery grey system that simply exists, and it exists in the way that it always has done since the fall (possibly even before, in heaven's case). it is instead your choice whether or not to be part of that system, if you do not think it is right. if you continue be a part of that system, even if there are stakes involved that would make it difficult or compelling for you to remain and act within that system, you should at least recognise the consequences of your actions, accepting your part in it. this goes for all angels and demons, not just aziraphale and crowley. 'just following orders' may be understandable in some circumstances (e.g. threat to life of yourself or others), but does that mean that you are absolved of all responsibility?

we are, collectively, quick to point out that aziraphale has not fully learnt this, but it's clear that crowley has not either. it also suggests by extension that aziraphale is not always wrong, just as crowley is not always right. where actions-and-consequences are concerned, i'd tentatively wager that aziraphale at least demonstrates a bit more understanding of this than crowley does. aziraphale has been shown to recognise when he is wrong, accept it, and make efforts to correct himself or remedy his erroneous actions moving forward. aziraphale hides the antichrist's location from crowley and holds out hope for a higher power to see reason/do the right thing, but when aziraphale gets the confirmation that heaven isn't going to do the right thing by stopping the apocalypse, the first thing he does is call crowley to tell him about adam. you also then have, as you said, aziraphale physically and figuratively moving to stand with humanity; good and bad are just names for sides, and 'human incarnate' equally embraces both concepts (in their truest meaning) and yet similarly rises above both. this is the side to back; 'our side', to aziraphale, doesn't mean just him and crowley, but humanity too.

alternatively (really grinding at the fall thing here, sorry), even if AWCW did not willfully participate in any goings-on of the rebellion, and the fact that he fell was an incident in which he was blamelessly implicated/scapegoated... well, even then, that does not give him a free-pass for him to continuously believe that he is innocent in all matters that follow. sure, he may have been blameless in the fall, but does that mean he's therefore beyond reproach or above accountability for... everything he does/says that occurs afterwards?

setting up the perfect environment for armageddon? tempting aziraphale to kill the antichrist? giving a group of humans live firearms in order to make a point? abandoning aziraphale and retracting 'our side' when aziraphale asked him for help with hiding gabriel? withholding information from aziraphale that directly concerns him and his safety? i said it in a separate post (mainly because it would have made this one a really ungodly length), but my point remains the same; regardless of his part or not-part in the fall, crowley's character does not develop in this arena, despite incredibly formative experiences that might in fact impart an important lesson upon him*.

*and that lesson - again! - is not that he shouldn't ask questions, but instead that his actions may prove to have consequences that he does not like or want, but must accept anyway, taking accountability for his part in them.

not changing does not mean that he is perfect from (before) the beginning, but instead suggests that he is very comfortable being the same person that he's always been... and in some ways, it's commendable to remain true to oneself, but it's equally not conducive to growth... and crowley still has a lot of growing to do (he has grown since s1: his kindness for one thing absolutely has!).

crowley does not seem to recognise where his lack/refusal of development may have contributed to the breakdown in his and aziraphale's relationship by the end of s2, even if that lack/refusal is not directly referenced in the final fifteen. by this i mean: crowley appears to have a very clear expectation of how he believes aziraphale does - and perhaps should - think and behave. crowley, to crowley's mind, he has the right of it ("crowley knows best"), and that includes him thinking that aziraphale will act in the way he has come to expect as a result of his influence on him. crowley has poked and prodded aziraphale away from heaven's rhetoric and dogma* about what good and right is, which aziraphale desperately needed... but does that mean that aziraphale should replace that belief system with Morality According To Crowley? instead of developing his own ...exactly as aziraphale demonstrates in the final fifteen?

when aziraphale doesn't do what crowley thinks he ought to, instead of crowley considering that his perspective of aziraphale may not actually be reality, he takes it as a betrayal and a rejection of crowley himself. though we won't really know until s3 (and possibly not even then) what crowley was really thinking during the final fifteen, it isn't too impossible a notion that crowley now thinks that aziraphale has chosen heaven over him, and loves heaven more than him. which... after everything that he has seen aziraphale go through, battle, and come to terms with, does he truly think that little of him? that aziraphale would think that little of crowley? if he does, that's an incredibly sad and disappointing prospect. perhaps bold of me to say, but sometimes it seems that there are some specific similarities between crowley and heaven in how they individually view and treat aziraphale.

*whilst crowley encouraging aziraphale to think outside of heaven is a good thing, and aziraphale definitely needs it, it does elicit out a couple of concerning traits from them both that, whilst may be borne from respective senses of powerlessness, they manifest onto each other.

crowley has a hero/saviour complex, which aziraphale encourages. aziraphale encourages it - by his own admission - because he thinks it makes crowley happy. however, what is not clear is whether aziraphale recognises that in allowing this, not only does it potentially suggest that crowley benefits from perceiving aziraphale as incapable of protecting himself, and any ability to protect himself (or indeed crowley! 1941!) threatens what crowley thinks is his place in aziraphale's existence, but also that aziraphale himself is projecting what he doesn't get from heaven/god onto crowley.

it similarly isn't clear whether crowley realises that not only he has been - in part - substituted for god/heaven in aziraphale's eyes because he provides the love, acceptance and confirmation of worth that aziraphale has craved since time immemorial, but also that in keeping information from aziraphale that directly concerns him, crowley is nurturing an environment where aziraphale will make decisions according to the limited information he has. we even have a suggestion of this in the final fifteen: to aziraphale's mind, it won't be crowley that protected him from heaven's threat of erasure from the BOL (ie. crowley didn't tell him), it was the metatron. (and if aziraphale finds out about/puts together, in s3, the sheer amount and scale of information that crowley kept from him, there is going to be the hard conversation of whether trust between them can exist as it has before, built over thousands of years).

just as crowley has an arguably skewed perception of aziraphale, aziraphale has a skewed perception of him in return (the levels of codependency are off the charts, lads). it's not a unique observation to say that they both need this break in order to renegotiate within themselves how they view each other, but it's no less true for being repeated.

[afrogwhocantdraw]

Giving the Sbg gang Madilyn Mei songs- Tyler 1/2

I'm sorry for splitting this into two but I lost the entirety of the second song analysis and half of this one so

Gonna get right into it, this will have spoilers for the S1 finale of school bus graveyard, yet again I reccomend listening to the song because it's very good (imo) and I'll only be referencing lyrics I can link to the characters

'song' 1- Tho I'm a tortoise (Hare verse)

where do I start, I know I'm technically supposed to give them all full songs but this verse just fit Tyler so well I had to talk about it

"a slap on the wrist, a tomb made of stone, a casket awaiting a nap"

starting off the verse right away I connect it with Tyler.

"A slap on the wrist" connects to very early on in the comic, when Ashlyn has to bring him back down to earth in order for him to actually process what's happening and help the rest of the group, while she doesn't physically slap him (even though she's close to) she still reminds him that if he doesn't start helping, he can get out. A reminder that, let's be honest, he needed in that moment.

"a tomb made of stone" and "a casket awaiting a nap" are just very clear reminders to me of his death, especially "a casket awaiting a nap" because it just makes me think of how inevitable his death was, how atleast one of the group was going to die in their situation and Tyler unfortunately was the first to go

"we all end up six feet below"makes me think of those many theory's people have that all of the main six are going to die at some point

"the medals I've won from the races I've run on display back home with my cat" can quite obviously connect with his baseball achievements

"we all end up six feet below, so why should we care about all that?" Makes me think of two things, the first is linking back to the previous lyric and how Tyler never really enjoyed baseball as he got older and how the only thing he's focused on is ways of getting into college. His awards dont really matters to him because he's fixated on creating a good future for him and his family.

The other way I see it is by linked it with a scene just after his death, when Ashlyn apologises and he tells her it's not her fault ( in this case "so why should we care bout all that?" Relates to him not caring/ not blaming Ashlyn or any of the group for his death- which side note was amazing character development)

"I run my mouth and I will 'till I'm old"

I mean, do I even need to explain this one, excessive bickering and speaking his unfiltered thoughts (especially to Aiden) has been one of Tyler's main traits since he first showed up.

"and things may not be as the forecaster told, cause they wanted me to show off what I do

But I couldn't care any less to show you

Cause though I'm a Hare I've got nothing to prove"

Yet again this fits Tyler's personality almost perfectly. The thing I mentioned earlier about baseball also fits here with the "they wanted me to show off what I do, but I couldn't care any less to show you". And the rest just fits Tyler's character as a whole.

I swear the next part will be out quicker but motivation was like a rollercoaster lately

[thelioncourts]

Do you think the series will really have 8 seasons? I heard some horrible stories about TVC' latter books and I'm just wondering how long they can go before going too far,you know like ''they should had stopped earlier ''.

I think they should focus on more episodes by season than too many seasons.

And I don't really want to wait 5-6 more seasons before Louis and Lestat get back together.

I think 7/8 seasons it probable for this series, and it does seem daunting but I think there's enough good in the books + there's what is original for the show itself so I think that will get them far. clarifying that I don't actually know anything and am merely guessing, but:

S1 - IwtV

S2 - IwtV

S3 - TVL

S4 - QotD

S5 - Some mix of TotBT/Memnoch/an array of things that show unrest in the vampire world

S6 - PL

S7/S8 - PL/PLatRoA/BC

this is a simplification of it because, obviously, the show is much more of an ensemble cast than the books and so we're going to be exploring Daniel, Armand, Louis, perhaps Gabrielle depending on how much they want to include her, etc. and this isn't me getting into vague 'what I think those seasons might look like' but these are the books/broadest storylines I think they might explore.

IwtV had to be two season for a lot of reasons: 1) 7 episodes for the one book would have been a travesty 2) fleshing out of Louis as a character to include him more 3) the establishment of the Family (Lestat, Louis, Claudia) and how that is the driving force of the entire series/the reconciliation of Loustat, etc. 4) the 2022 Dubai storyline being entirely uncharted territory/establishing Daniel as a prominent character 5) the way other characters get a lot more exploration than they do in the books (Armand, Daniel, Madeleine, Claudia even, Lestat, Louis, etc.) because that is how you get people invested. and probably more things, but these are the important ones.

I have no proof, I'm just guessing, but I think we may start getting 10 episodes a season (I think this because of ratings and because of the fanbase, again, no proof of this, I'm throwing out gut feelings here)

the later books definitely are a mess (so are the earlier ones in a lot of ways, there's good but just! a lot), in a lot of ways, but there are some good things and there's a really great writing team that can take it and make it amazing, I think. and, again, there's going to be originality taking place because Louis and Daniel and even Armand are fairly absent in a lot of the books as it becomes the Lestat-story.

so I do have faith that 7/8 seasons will be just fine for this show, but I would start to get nervous if it went beyond that (and, again, it could be totally fine, but I also think they're focused on quality and would stop when they have told their story as they wanted to - and because, I think, they have a lot more they could do with the vampires in the new talamasca series or even in other spinoffs (night island, my beloved, etc.).

AS FOR LOUSTAT, listen. it's not going to take 8 seasons for them to get back together. I know Rolin joked about it but that man is sarcastic as hell and jokes a lot, I wish it would have been a video interview so we could have heard it.

my genuine Loustat theory - from the bottom of my heart I feel this - is that we will see them get back together in s3. I think it will be in the last 2/3 episodes of the season, and their feelings that have been brewing and spilling over all season will come to a head and they'll get back together and we'll get 2/3 episodes of happiness, where it's like 'wow, this is what they needed, this is what it was always supposed to be' only for Akasha to snatch Lestat from Louis at as the final scene of s3. and they'll be apart for most of s4 as the vampires band together to stop Akasha and get Lestat back.

then, by s5, they'll be together fully and we'll be able to explore a lot of other things while still seeing Loustat be a couple that has things to work on without their issues being the only major conflict as that would get boring given that their issues are driving factors of the conflict in s1-s2, and, no doubt, s3.

anyway, idk if this makes sense, and - once again - I am just putting thoughts out there.

[aeoki]

Blackjack - Santa Will Not Come: Chapter 1

Location: Yumenosaki Student Council Room Characters: Touri, Shinobu, Souma, Mao & Yuzuru Season: Autumn

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ< In the past, right before the school field trip.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤBeginning of November – Yumenosaki Student Council Room. >

Mao: I’ll start from the basis of it all.

“Starlight Festival” or “Star Fest” is a big event that’s held on the same day as Christmas Live.

In terms of dreamfests, it’ll be an “R1”... no, a “S1”, huh. Either way, it’ll be the next highest ranked dreamfest aside from “SS”.

Touri: “R1” didn’t become a thing in the end, huh~

Both ES and Yumenosaki still use the names they’re used to, so it just made things more confusing for everyone instead.

Yuzuru: Isara-sama is speaking so please refrain from interrupting him. I do agree with what you’ve said, though.

Souma: I have a question, Isara-dono.

Mao: You guys just do whatever you want, huh. You should let me explain everything first.

Well, it’s fine, I guess. What’s up, Kanzaki?

Souma: It is a simple question but why did you want to change how the “dorifesu” ranks were called?

It felt as though that had become a reality somewhere along the way, but I do not particularly remember the specifics.

Mao: Dunno but maybe Tenshouin-senpai and the other Yumenosaki alumni didn’t want their presence to be felt within ES.

So the ES management forcibly changed the name?

I’m assuming they wanted to change just the name, so that it would make it look like they’re the ones leading it all…

Touri: That’s something incompetent managers or politicians do. They’re just changing the signboard.

Souma: I see. I understand now. I apologise for interrupting earlier. Let us continue with the discussion.

Mao: Alright. Since things have kinda gone off on a tangent already, I’ll ask just in case, but do you two have anything else you want to add? Anzu? Sengoku?

Shinobu: Huh!? N–No no, I’m fine just listening! So don’t mind me!

Mao: Yeah? I’m a bit worried since you tend to keep to yourself. If there’s anything you want to say, feel free to.

Shinobu: T–Thanks but no than– I mean, I’m grateful all the same ~de gozaru.

Ah! Come to think of it, what is Anzu-dono doing here? She’s not a member of the Student Council, right?

Mao: I didn’t explain, did I? It seems Anzu’s in charge of this year’s “Star Fest” again.

Shinobu: Haha, so she’s here because she wrote the proposal, huh.

It feels like it's become a regular thing for Anzu-dono to be in charge of “S1” events. Like “Tanabata Fest” and “Halloween Party”...

Touri: Hmm~ It looks like ES is also working Anzu to the bone, so she must be having a tough time.

Mao: Yeah. Personally, I don’t want to make Anzu do too much. It’ll be another nightmare if Anzu collapses again.

Souma: Come to think of it, it was about this time of year when Anzu-dono collapsed, correct?

Yuzuru: Indeed… I’m relieved to see you’re in good spirits this year compared to the last, Anzu-san.

…Although, you do seem rather pale.

Shinobu & Touri: …………

Mao: Hm? What’s wrong with you two? Do you have an idea as to why Anzu has been feeling a bit down?

Touri: It’s just a guess but it’s probably something to do with Kurone. 

Mao: Kurone…? Oh yeah, what’s happening with him, Anzu? He was stuck to you like glue at the beginning of the school year, but he’s not with you today?

Touri: Geez, this discussion is going nowhere! This happens every time Anzu's involved – this wouldn’t have happened if Eichi-sama was here. Looks like you still have a long way to go, New Prez~

Mao: Going off on tangent after tangent would be the only thing he’d be doing.

But it’s precisely as you say, Touri. There are a few parts I’m curious about, but let’s get back on topic.

This year’s “Star Fest” will be produced by Anzu.

To be precise, the “Producer Course” will be organising it with Anzu at the centre of it all.

The only thing the Student Council will be doing is providing a budget, so we’ll get to take things easy. Of course, we’ll be helping out with the preparations if the “Producer Course” asks for it, though.

We’ll all be appearing in “SS” this year too. Honestly, having too much work would be the least thing we’d want right now.

Touri: Yeah, “Trickstar” won’t be the only unit taking part since we’ll all get to participate in “SS” this year.

Submit the application form, take part in the Qualifying Rounds, make it pass that and then you’ll get to appear on the Main Stage on New Year’s Day…

Shinobu: It makes me feel dizzy… It seems we’ll have our hands full starting from the middle of November all the way until the New Year thanks to that ~de gozaru.

Yuzuru: Being busy is a good thing. I’m sure the Young Master is very happy seeing as we’ve all been given an equal opportunity to take part in this year’s “SS”.

Touri: Yeah! It was totally unfair that “Trickstar” was the only one that got to take part last year!

Mao: It wasn’t unfair… The condition to gain the right to take part in “SS” was to win “DDD” and that’s exactly what we did.

Touri: But it’s still unfair! You stole that right from us “fine” like some petty thief…!

Souma: Enough now. That is disgraceful behaviour, Himemiya. Once again, we have gone off on another tangent.

Mao: Yeah. Anyway, “SS” will be another load of work, so I figured we’d be able to take it easy with “Star Fest” but…

I was surprised when I saw Anzu’s proposal for “Star Fest”.

I had an inkling before but are you wanting to kill us?

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ← Previous Chapter ᠂ ⚘ ˚⊹˚ ⚘ ᠂  Next Chapter →

[raayllum]

Was thinking about Rayla re: the boys (specifically Callum) being her new team in S1 and how that shifts (and sometimes doesn’t shift) throughout the first four seasons, and then the 2x04 / 4x07 parallels earlier in terms of “I have to do this” for Callum (and Rayla’s disapproval of him risking himself framing both events), as well as one of my favourite little details that bookend their interactions in 4x06 (1 here, 2 here) but mostly amount to how often Rayla either actively looks for, or takes, direction from Callum.

Even when he’s expressed dire uncertainty (1x03 and 4x07), even when she’s reluctant at best (1x04, 2x02 about Soren and Claudia, she folds first at his request), even when he’s more than a little emotionally ruined (1x03′s infamous “Say the word,” 4x03), she looks to him, often without even knowing his plan ahead of time. Now Rayla, of course, tends to rush into things even more without a plan than he does, but we still see this inherent trust being built up. He says “get behind me” and she does so without hesitation; after bickering all episode about said trust and egg, she looks to him for the answer on the ice; they look to each other to make a joint decision in 3x04 about Nyx; leaving in 3x08 is a surprise to her but she hears him out and agrees that they should go (just, later, that she can’t go with them). Even when they’re arguing in 4x06 and Ezran tells them to remember who they are (and who they are together), she goes quiet and looks to him. Are you gonna listen or not? Are you going to work with me or not? She puts the bag and his agency in his hands in 1x03 and routinely puts it back there (so long as it’s not about him risking himself for her, and even then, there are exceptions) time and time again. 

Contrast this with say, his dynamics with Ezran or Soren. For Soren, they interact too little in arc 1 to say more than where Soren could be giving Callum more agency, he chooses to deride him. For Ezran, one of Callum’s big lessons in Arc 1 is to let go of trying to make Ezran’s decisions for him (typically in a protective big brother way or occasionally in a skeptical, more mean spirited way) and instead give Ezran the full picture so he can make his own decisions, and to support those decisions. We see this follow into S4 as well. (And perhaps its own analysis pending now that I’m thinking about it more? Although somewhat already reflected in my how Callum parentifies himself / is parentified in his dynamic with Ezran meta, pre-S4.)

Conversely, running in tandem of Rayla learning she can rely on people (whether she always thinks she should is another matter) is of course Callum realizing he’s someone who can be relied upon in the ways she needs. He’s noble and brave and smart and kind, and she sees all those things in him early on, bolstered by but also completely separate from his growth as a mage. But Rayla’s faith in him - to call him a mage, to get the cube, to follow his lead, to appeal to him to make decisions together, to see worth in him regardless of magic (2x04, 2x07, 3x01) or sometimes directly in spite of it (2x09) - does help him grow in his confidence. The Callum he is in S4 would not be who he is without her (both the good and the bad) and I think that’s part of why her absence is so permanent and internalized to him: “It’s not really my birthday anymore. Not to me. To me, it’ll always just be the anniversary of the day she left.”

But like, Rayla having this relationship to his agency is perfectly in line in both how she revoked it by leaving alone in TTM (bc self loathing) and how she shows up seconds before he’s going to run, possibly, right into Aaravos. That Rayla is the one who is the Mouthpiece, in a way, for Callum still having agency in spite of Aaravos’ hold on him, highlighted through her role in the actual possession scene in 4x04, in their discussion above in 4x07, and in the framing of her return in 4x02/4x03. She looks to him for direction, and most often, he looks to her for hope (turning him toward her in 2x03, “That’s the miracle. That’s hope. They’re going to be the ones to break the Cycle” from 3x06, etc) and this is no different.  

And this specific exchange of support, particularly Rayla usually following Callum’s lead, is not only a really nice consistent detail that, like many things, S4 has taken from the subtextual background and then brought, textually, to the forefront in S4, but it is also, in my personal opinion, poetic cinema.

[lifblogs]

I went to such a shitty doctor today.

The dude lied that you can see bulging discs on x-rays, and then he said I clearly didn’t have any. Joke’s on him I know I have bulging L5 and S1 discs. So yeah, liar.

He was also apparently supposed to prescribe a sedative for my MRI tomorrow since that’s the norm around here with people who have spine injuries, and I get that because that table hurts. But nope, he did not. Yeah, it’s kind of a moot point because the sedative usually prescribed makes me feel like crap and does not sedate me at all, but he clearly ignored my pain and needs here.

My pain was further ignored. I was told to move around. Good luck having working ear drums after that since I’ll just scream the entire time from AGONY. I can barely walk, can barely handle sitting in a wheelchair, and this dude tells me to move around? I can’t lift my left leg!!

He barely looked at me, barely felt where I had pain, and then lifted my left leg WITHOUT ASKING FOR PERMISSION FIRST WHICH CAUSED ME A TON OF PAIN.

So yeah, calling the office to get a new doctor tomorrow, or else I’m stuck in bed till the 31st waiting for this guy’s shit opinion and shit behavior, and fucking lies.

This asshole doesn’t care about me, my pain, or my quality of life at all. Pretty sure if a patient goes to you in such dire need that you should do something to figure out what’s going on. I know I would listen to someone who came in in a wheelchair and complained of pain so bad they’ve been bedridden and have had their brother helping them out with daily needs.

Like, why the actual fuck does it feel like no one wants to take care of me? My life, and my pain mean nothing to most of the doctors I’ve seen for this. I’m always waiting for the next appointment or the next doctor to feel better, and they do jack shit while I’m getting worse every day. Like, yeah, an ER doctor gave me excellent pain meds and told me what he suspects is the problem, but god, I wish I could’ve gone inpatient to get an MRI there and have someone take care of me because no one’s doing it out here like he assumed they would.

I uh, didn’t want to be here earlier because of all this. I think I’m better on that front, but I am so. DONE.

[quackle]

Frankly, I think Ripper should be eliminated in episode 5, he and Axel’s plot have basically complete. He leaving now could allow Axel to develop her own character.

Also episode 5 is the episode where Nichelle quit AKA one of the most WTF moments of all time. Like why? what? how? Nichelle deserve to stay more than 5 episodes.

gonna go on longgggg ramble about this under the cut! (per usual lol):

after some thought, i've realized that my main problem with s2 isn't the elimination order persay, but the lack of characterization we got for certain contestants. this is mostly because the reboot cast is such an interesting group of characters, so when we don't get as many details or content for some of them, it kinda sorta sucks. there's only so much the writers can do, and ultimately, this was the way they went about it. (it's similar to how i feel about the gen 2 cast. i swear i wish we got more from them before they dove into an all stars season w/ gen 1. gen 2 cast were so fun...)

you're right: axel definitely deserved some more to her character. going from second out to seventh out should be enough time to give us a little something more, but the farthest we got was her love for the arts (poetry + her painting (also she's so good at art, can we all talk about that more???)), along with her participation in ep 5's challenge (as much as she's working on changing herself, she's still an act-first-think-later kind of girl, resulting in her flopping when she could arguably dominate almost all of those obstacles).

but at the same time, i think that way for ripper, too. i found myself wanting more from his character. his placement in s2 didn't matter to me much unlike how i originally felt after watching s1. he got the girl! he beat the odds! he even wrote a poem! but after that, he just mostly kissed axel over and over and as funny as it was (to me!!!!!), i would have liked to see him more on his own. like i stated earlier, ep 5's challenge was so fun. he actively participated with his team (or, technically, the cheating side of his team)! not a single lip lock during that challenge! i was enthralled!

ultimately it's a sort of a similar case to how i view priya and caleb. i want these characters to exist outside of their partners, because they're so much more than sole romance. we need more individual moments. otherwise, i'm just gonna go "oh... who are they when they're not with -insert person here- and why didn't we get to see them as much...?"

(maybe one of my main cons is romance in this show in general though? the more i think about it, the more i can come up with negative points about a lot of canon ships... then again i am on the ace spectrum and my perception of romance can be quite different to others, so take my views with a grain of salt. it's all internal opinion at the end of the day. i know people are bigger fans of romances like this, which is valid!)

as for nichelle quitting right before the merge—disappointing of course, will always think about what could have been (especially if we never get another season...), but it also makes sense. whether she's a relatively new actress or started her career as a child in the td timeline, at the end of the day, she's a product of hollywood. she'd do anything for a chance to be back in the spotlight, so much so that she'd blindly listen to some shady, copy-pasted contract rather than think things through. add that with her need for positive perception from the public view, and you basically get s2 nichelle. the show presents her as more of a gag character rather than one they want you to take more seriously. once again, disappointing, especially because sheMs my fav, but with the way they wrote her in s2, i couldn't imagine her staying longer than she did, even though i also wanted her to ����

[kurokoros]

No you're so right about Nancy. She could be such an interesting, cool character if her flaws were portrayed as such in the show. It's like me as a viewer sees okay there she was unnecessary mean to another character but that character doesn't act like Nancy's actions were hurtful (other than Steve in one scene). I know many hated her after s1 for her treatment of Steve, but I was already annoyed with her in s1. Before Barb went missing she was so fucking awful to Mike her 12 year old brother whose best friend was just went missing. There it showed me the true character of Nancy. You don't need to have a good relationship with your siblings to show some empathy, especially in such a severe case. And then on the night when Barb went missing, the way she treated her supposed best friend, forcing her to drink and putting her in the spotlight to humiliate her, just to show she's cool for Steve's friends. Even Steve was less of an ass to Barb in that scene. After Barb was gone she's now the victim, everyone had to listen to her only and if not they were bullshit. Funny how she only cared when it directly affected her, no ounce of empathy for Mike.

And then, after that, her behavior just got amplified by her trauma. I don't mind her being a cruel, calculated person who only cares about stuff when it affects her if those traits were properly explored in the show. They are just played off as her being a girlboss who doesn't take shit, it's really annoying how so many eat it up. Like yeah give her guns, which are useless, she's so badass, such a feminist.

She doesn't care about stuff, only how it benefits her. Justice for Barb was really about her, not even caring how she could potentially endanger others. Steve was made out as the villain for stopping her even though it was logical and he was in the right. So she dumped him for Jonathan, who always goes along to what she says because of his home situation, and he's afraid to lose her if he says no. I saw one take that says Jancy is superior because Jonathan indulges Nancy's ideas where Steve tries to stop her, like in s4 when he's the first to dismiss her plan to go back in the UD (after being maimed by monsters). They say it shows that Steve doesn't care and isn't listening when I think Nancy needs someone who says stop to her from time to time. Not shipping Stancy because they were awful, but this is such a ridiculous claim.

Yes. All of this. Exactly. You get it anon.

Also I've always hated the idea that Steve doesn't doesn't care about Nancy's feelings/opinions and doesn't listen to her. He's been in the right about all three of the moments (that I can remember off the top of my head).

The first was Nancy coming to him about the monster she saw behind his house (side note: the monster made a sound behind her and the cinematography didn't make it seem like she got a good look at it, so I wouldn't have believed her either), and that's not something anyone would believe at first. Jonathan didn't believe Joyce until Nancy was able to give a similar description of the monster. If Nancy had gone back to Steve with the picture of Barb and Jonathan's testimony, I really do think Steve would have joined the monster hunting squad earlier, if only because he wouldn't want Nancy going alone with Jonathan.

Steve was completely in the right about how Nancy's plan to whistleblow about the lab was stupid. In a show with actual consequences for the main characters, that plotline would have backfired and Nancy would never have been able to get the lab shut down. She's so lucky that she didn't get the Hollands killed for that phone call. Like, Benny Hammond was shot and killed just for knowing El was alive.

And, yeah, in S4 Steve was also in the right about suggesting they not jump into anything. He was the one who was just injured fairly severely, of course he should have reservations about going back when he was just strangled and had chunks of flesh ripped out of his torso.

Nancy's writing just has this weird dichotomy between her being the smart girl while also trying to make her the action girl, and they just don't work. Nancy is supposed to be smart. Let her be a strategist instead of giving her a gun and having her make the most rash and senseless decisions.

I'll be addressing a lot of my issues with Nancy in my ST rewrite series (assuming I ever get around to working on it lmao).

[soleadita]

I've been thinking about u mentioning you wanted some media recs and. Listen. There's a ton of shit I could rec u but that's like WAY too much pressure ok BUT there is one thing i'm super comfortable recommending:

The good place.

It's on netflix, not too long (4 seasons, 13 twenty-minute episodes each) and it's going to make u laugh so hard but then you'll be crying and then you'll have an existential crisis <3

So it's great! Enjoy :)

HI SORRY i meant to answer this so much sooner but (1) sometimes i stress myself out about how to answer asks (public? private? and if i answer it publicly then sometimes i overthink what i'm going to say and then it takes me forever to post) and (2) i...am a very bad sitcom watcher (i tend to binge entire seasons until i literally can't stand any of the characters, and i just never end up finishing)(i was thinking about this earlier today, actually, and i could not think of a single sitcom that i've actually finished. aside from, like, disney/nick shows from my childhood). and i know the good place is SO BELOVED by so many people and i’ve been nervous to watch.

but i truly have heard so many good things about this show, and i see gifs and quotes from it all the time, so i decided i should just...give it a try...and i. uh. can't stop watching. help??? i'm in the middle of s1. there's so much autistic and ace coding. jianyu/jason has me screaming. i'm having a great time.

ps. if you ever want to message me your recs, i won't feel pressured - i genuinely do keep a list, and i love hearing what other friends have enjoyed, whether or not it ends up being something i'm into. but i also understand that it can be terrifying to recommend things. so no pressure. <3333

[feuqueerfire]

2023 Series Overview + Stats

2022 OVERVIEW (SHOWS, SHIPS) + STATS

It's the end of January 2024 but I realized I didn't end up doing a 2023 Series Overview and Summary, so I thought I'd do one now. Unlike the 2022 series overview where I was more prepared, had watched a lot more, and had even rewatched the favourites and almost-favourites of the year, I'm very unprepared this time.

So, it's gonna be shows & movies I watched in 2023 and my ratings for them until today (240128) without really having rewatched anything (except Beyond Evil).

I wonder if I'll rewatch some of these at the end of 2024 (along with the 2024 rewatches) and whether that'll change the rankings or my feelings at all.

I think I've decided that these yearly overviews will not change/be edited regardless of whether I come to really like a show afterward or change the ratings or whatever - a snapshot in time.

Favourite Shows

The shows released before 2023 will have (release year) beside them.

Top 3 Shows Watched in 2023:

Beyond Evil

My School President

Strangers From Hell (2019)

Beyond Evil: The only show that I watched in 2023 that I have since properly rewatched (I literally watched all 16 episodes this January 2024 without really skimming or speeding it up despite having watched the whole thing already. The characters, especially the mains Juwon and Dongshik gave me so many brainworms, the acting was great, the relationships among the characters was great, the mystery and suspense succeeded for me. Great show all around, actually it's making me wonder why it's a 8/10 and not at a 8.5.

My School President: This was so fun and introduced me to Gemini and Fourth, which was another delight. The OST and singing aspect of this was so good, for which I am eternally thankful. I think I liked the first half of the show better than the second half, which I thought for long-winded; otherwise, it might've also earned an 8 from me. Haven't rewatched the show properly but have watched some reactions to the earlier episodes and also listened to people's podcast episodes, as expected.

Strangers From Hell (2019): Out of these 3, this is the one I've thought the least about since watching and also haven't rewatched, so I remember the least about. So who knows, maybe I'll rewatch and be bored or something but it was so good while I watched it, the vibes so unsettling and strange and weird. Great acting, great story, should rewatch. It's also the first non-BL kdrama that I watched in a long time and was the reason I started watching more of them again, especially the thrillers/mysteries with no romance but homoerotic undertones lol

Next 4 - Liked A Lot:

Not quite the top 3 but I thoroughly enjoyed these. Unordered because they're all 7/10.

Moonlight Chicken

Derry Girls S1 (2018)

Alice in Borderland S1 (2020)

The Devil Judge (2021)

Only 1 BL, one non-BL with homoerotic undertones, 1 English-speaking comedy, and a death game thriller. Also from different countries: Thailand, Ireland, Japan, South Korea.

Ranges from fun/funny, thrilling, exciting, and heartfelt. They definitely all made an impression on me and have good acting/production value/story/etc, but maybe a thing or two disappointed me, or I just haven't connected with it enough to think about it too often. Still overall good shows that I liked a lot.

These were generally good, but just something was missing - either there was a production/story/acting issue that was bothering me a lot, or the production was very good, but it failed to take up any brain space after I finished watching. 6.5/10 in my rating.

Never Let Me Go

Midnight Motel

Choco Milk Shake (2022)

Happiness (2021)

Derry Girls S2 (2019)

Derry Girls S3 (2022)

A Shoulder To Cry On

So Long, See You Tomorrow (2021)

The Merciless (2017)

Bed Friend

Alice in Borderland S2 (2022)

Bloodhounds

The Eighth Sense

Enigma

Stay With Me

Our Dating Sim

High enjoyment or fondness, lacked in either production/acting/writing: Never Let Me Go, A Shoulder To Cry On (except the last ep rip), Stay With Me (it actually didn't lack in production and stuff either and is better than medium levels),

High production/acting, but lacked in making me care or be as invested as I should’ve been: Happiness, Alice in Borderland S2, Bloodhounds (okay idk where to put this because first 6 eps were so good - ep 6 itself is fucking wild but the ending sucked rip), The Eighth Sense, Our Dating Sim

These had medium levels of both production and fondness but not enough to think about often or be great: Midnight Motel, Choco Milk Shake, Derry Girls S2/S3, So Long, See You Tomorrow (can't remember a single thing about this but I must've liked it from my review of it lol), The Merciless, Bed Friend, Enigma,

I think these should be lower actually maybe, like a 6/10 not 6.5 but I haven't rewatched them and don't remember a lot, so who knows: The Merciless, Bloodhounds, Midnight Motel, Choco Milk Shake, Bed Friend

Could Climb Higher - could be bumped up to a 7/10 if I love it upon rewatch and end up thinking about the characters more: Stay With Me, Eigth Sense, Our Dating Sim

Special Mentions: The rest of the shows I watched were rated lower than 6.5/10, though there were still a few that I have some fondness for because I like the concept/the acting pair/it just gave me something I wanted. This includes Island (literally only Cha Eunwoo's cool young priest character), Our Skyy 2 (some eps), I Go To School Not By Bus (2015) (idk that specific running away to bathroom scene and making out is so good), We Are Gamily (2017), ummmm I skimmed through eps 10-15 of Addicted Heroin (2016) (didn't watch anything before that) but there are certain very specific parts that I liked and get why it gave everybody brainworms.

Favourite Pairs (characters):

Lee Dongshik/Han Juwon (Beyond Evil): They are not a real couple in the show and yet... have read so much fic about them and in my head, they are indeed in love after all this mess. I don't have much to say, I just love their antagonistic relationship turning into something so tender (though still jagged) and it turning into something more after the ending

Tinn/Gun (My School President): cuties, my cuties. Adorable.

Don't have a third one, I don't think? so strange

Special Mentions: 

Palm and Nueng (Never Let Me Go)

Heart and Li Ming (Moonlight Chicken)

in my head, Ajin and Fa (Enigma) -not canon

Favourite Pairs (actors):

Fourth and Gemini, I think they're the only pair that I became interested in 2023 and like followed fanaccounts and stuff. I'm so looking forward to them in future projects (My Love Mix-Up was at Q10 very recently, I'm waitingggg). Incredibly talented young people, both in terms of acting but also the performances they did at the concert like oh nice

Favourite Side Pairs

Can't remember a single one except Heart and Li Ming (Moonlight Chicken)

Biggest Disappointments

To be a disappointment, I had to have at least semi-high hopes

Be My Favorite: This one was a real disappointment because I've been looking forward to it for so long. In fact, I'd been looking forward to it since I saw the original trailer with Mike and people were still insisting they wouldn't watch it and were booing Krist because I thought the synopsis was intriguing and liked the chemistry of the ship. I was so happy when everybody seemed to love the show and it's such a shame that in the end, I'm the one who ended up bored and feeling nothing for this show...

Happiness: Not a super big disappointment because it was still a good show and it wasn't super hyped but I thought I'd like it more because I've only heard good things about it. Also thought I'd like it more when I first started because I liked the beginning few eps quite a bit before it fell into a lull in the middle.

General Stats

Total Watched: 44 entries in my spreadsheet, less than half of the 104 completed in 2022 - makes sense because I watched very little in the latter 6 months of 2023. Without the following below, 39 newly completed series/movies/shorts in 2023.

1 DNF (The New Employee)

2 Rewatches (Midnight 2021, Kiss Me Again Pete/Kao cut)

1 Survival Show (Boys Planet)

1 extreme skimming (Addicted Heroin 2016)

Release date 2023 vs earlier: 23 vs 21

Almost half and half, interestingly. My to-watch list now has fewer BL/GL from earlier than 2023 but more het/non-romance kdramas from earlier since I've watched a lot of the earlier BLs that I'm interested in but have barely dipped into kdramas.

Queer vs non-queer: 23 vs 20

The non-queer shows may still have some queerness (Claire is a lesbian in Derry Girls, trans girl in Alice in Borderland, etc.) but it's not the main character or the main plot and not a significant enough side plot

lol didn't count Boys Planet in this but it feels queer fr

Also 50-50 surprisingly. Some non-queer shows like Derry Girls, Alice in Borderland, and Island have 2-3 seasons, so that bulks it up just a bit

BL vs GL in Queer shows: 21.5 vs 1.5

0.5 to each for We Are Gamily

rip my fawking GLs for reallll but hopefully I'll have a more fruitful lesbian-watching year because there are like 5 that I have on MDL that seem promising (and have also watched Bottoms this January)

Romance-Centric vs Non-Romantic in Non-Queer Shows: 3 vs 17

in the Non-Romantic shows, this many shows have very homoerotic undertones (regardless of whether I ship): ~6 (Bloodhounds, Midnight Museum, Beyond Evil, Devil Judge, Strangers From Hell, The Merciless)

Some of these also had het undertones/side couples: 5 (Tomorrow, Island S1/S2, Enigma, Midnight Motel)

Number of shows per month: 6, 4, 10, 4, 5, 7, 7 (July to November), 0

Please this funny spread, I really just fell off on watching shows in the last half of the month because I was preoccupied with ZB1

Didn't count Boys Planet (August)

Average rating: 6.3 (higher than last year, so that's nice)

[thescrapbookingscientist]

Biweekly Media Roundup

- All Saints Street (Anime) - Adorable and underrated, been enjoying s3 and happy to see Crystal be animated!

- The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady (Anime) - One of the many yuri-centric anime I missed from last/earlier this year, I have been enjoying this one for it's fun 'magic-technology fusion' plot and interesting central characters. I still have a little left to go so I'll save most thoughts till the end, but for now I think it's cute, Anisphia is a fun mad scientist lead, Euphie is adorable, I hate the stupid "evil faces" they pull but appreciate that they do at least give her brother a valid motivation, even if it wasn't built up great, and the vampire reveal was unexpected but kind of funny so it's fine.

- Chainsaw Man (Anime) - Rewatch for my sister's benefit, still love and fear Makima.

- The Locked Tomb Series (Books) - Lagged a bit on finishing the audiobook of Harrow due to the books intentionally confusing first half not jiving with my usual "listen while working" habit, but I took a couple days to clean through my room and in the process finally got through, and boy did I have to say the second half really returned my interest, this series is insane. I do prefer Gideon's narration over Harrows, I like them both as characters and can appreciate the more serious tone of Harrows thought process but Gideon's is just more my speed with how fun and memorable it is, at least in audiobook form. Anyway Ianthe is great, I miss griddlehark interactions, would've loved to see more of Harrows canon ship AUs, and excited to see what level of f-ed up Nona ends up being - this series is very good.

- Link Click (Anime) - Rewatching s1 in preparation for season 2, which is airing now. Not much to say yet, I like the backgrounds.

- Voltron (Cartoon) - This is a weird add here as I didn't actually watch Voltron recently, but I have been listening to multiple video essays on the series as a whole and the very weird way it went downhill before it's awful finale. With series like this with a decent premise but poor execution I can't help but want to rewrite it in my mind, so Step 1 way more of the team needs to be aliens, the aliens need to look more, you know, alien and not just like elves, Lotor should have stayed a sympathetic doing f-ed up things for good reasons villain, and while I did like Shiro during the first couple seasons I actually did watch, he should have died in order to make the surviving team members dynamic fit better/character development reasons. Can't believe they made Keith here essentially a space werewolf and then had the gall to only show that with 1 purple scar and 1 frame of yellow eyes like, commit dammit!

- Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth (Video Game) - This sure is a game so far.

- Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Video Game) - Got the Ember set and it looks dope, as well as finally fighting the gloom hands/ Phantom Ganon which were not as frustrating as I assumed they would be, and they do have awesome designs. In general, I really like how much they upped the monster designs in this game, I'll have to do a ranking of them on my monster blog sometime.

- Crazy Ex Girlfriend (TV) - S4 has been pretty slow paced compared to the previous seasons, which works fine for the narrative and themes but does lead to me watching it a bit slower rather than the cliffhanger binges of previous seasons. As usual the songs are still bangers, with "I Always Never Believed in You" and "I Want To Be A Child Star" being recent faves.

Listening to: Sway Cover and Eat Your Young Cover by Reinaeiry, Fast Car by Tracy Chapman, It Was A Shit Show and Hello, Nice To Meet You from Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Let's Get This Over With by They Might Be Giants, If We Have Each Other by Alec Benjamin, Fight For Me by AlicebanD, I Wish by Haley Kiyoko, Crush by David Archuleta, Not Another Song About Love by Hollywood Ending, Fences by Paramore.

[shelleysmary]

the end of 8x02, morse and thursday having that chat on a bench, is so much because what thursday says about human nature and “you are what you are, whether you like it or not” seems kind of out of place within the context of their conversation about the girls in the blue films, how they’re somebody’s daughter and how they do and should matter. but then again, morse and thursday have conversations like these all the time. they don’t have regular heart-to-hearts - they run on subtext and tough love and small acts of service, but they don’t say what they mean exactly, and hardly ever at the right time.

it’s morse who can’t accept that he is what he is. he’s drinking more after violetta, but it isn’t about violetta at all. morse has always struggled with his own compassion, his sensitivity, and the feeling that he doesn’t quite fit in. and, as a result of not fitting in, morse believes himself to be barred from all those things that make everyone else happy. it’s self-sabotage, but it’s also the result of his upbringing, his experiences, and having this high-stress job where he is exposed to the worst of humanity on a regular basis. i remember him feeling so deeply for the people he encountered over the course of his investigations. and now he can sit on that bench and say he doesn’t care about girls like lynn parry (he’s lying). that people make bad choices and have to suffer the consequences (self-flagellation-by-proxy). and that it isn’t his job to feel for the victims, only to bring them justice. by saying “you are what you are” thursday is subtly calling his bluff. morse doesn’t need to shut down his compassion by drinking - he needs to find a way to cope with being morse.

which reminds me of s1 and thursday’s advice that he find something worth defending. morse says “music,” but what he really mean by that is beauty. in earlier seasons, even in the way the episodes were shot and the prevalence of music and his love of opera especially, there was so much more beauty to be found in morse’s world. he sought it, he found it in the subtlest of places, and it’s what carried him through even as he carried the painful baggage of his past - his mother, his father, his stepmother, his failed relationships with susan and joan, the feeling of never getting the good he deserves. but by s8, the presence of those things is all but gone. even when we see him listening to music now (rarely), it’s more in the background, either when he’s sloshed or running late or in a terrible mood - it is no longer something worth defending because morse, at this point, has lost all faith that anything is.

and yet, if we’re going by thursday’s view that you are who you are, whether you like it or not, underneath all that bitterness and disappointment and put-on nihilism is our same old endeavour morse - the romantic who loves poetry and wants to believe in the ideals of truth and beauty, who still holds them as holy. and in the end, that is morse’s tragedy - we love him. thursday chose him. he has friends who genuinely care about his happiness, but he sees none of it. the world he has created for himself in s8 is so narrow by design - the working and the drinking and the being short with everyone, both as a release valve and a means of keeping them at a distance, thereby confirming his own idea of being fundamentally unlovable... all of it is to keep from getting hurt again, without realizing that what he’s doing is hurting himself. or perhaps not caring that he is hurting himself.

up until now, it was sad seeing morse and knowing where life ends up taking him. catching glimpses of the deep-rooted sadness in a man who tries his best but never lets anyone in. there is something about this series specifically, though, and in the one that came before, that feels so bleak because he is often unrecognizable from the morse we met in the pilot. neither is he fully inspector morse. he’s in a miserable in-between, and i’m curious to see how - as the final series - s9 will choose to tie it all together.

[markantonys]

“i had to stop thinking about tfoh chapter 42 because it made me too crazy” compilation post

mat wants rand to need him so bad it makes him look stupid

mat is soooooo jealous of rand’s boyfriend. new randwich just dropped! someone should write a fic where this scene results in a weird angry angsty and overall very emotionally confusing mat/rand/asmodean threesome. it will not be me because that’s a challenge greater than i feel capable of tackling, but someone should.

not from this chapter but while we’re on the subject:

another new randwich just dropped. am i gonna have to start saying #PutAsmodeanInThePolycule? lmao anyway back on topic

they are so emotionally constipated that i’m near tears at rand saying he’ll be sorry to see mat go jdfkjg also, why do i feel like mat secretly wanted rand to try to talk him out of it 👀

this hurts so bad (tho lmao at rand being like “egwene will tell moiraine anything” in front of moiraine’s warder who will also tell her anything). i miss the dream team. from what i’ve gathered of future spoilers, i do believe the ef5 are never once in a scene all together again after eotw (or maybe the beginning of tgh i forget) and that absolutely sucks. i fully support and advocate for the show making any plot changes necessary to let the gang see each other more often. i understand that there’s a huge sprawling plot that must take them all over the world, but when i watched s1 those core ef5 relationships were the aspect that hooked me the most and i refuse to relinquish them dammit! i have also discovered that after the very beginning of the next book mat and rand will not see each other again until book 14, which almost made me too depressed to make this compilation post. literally HOW am i going to survive 9 books without cauthor!!

yes i already posted this bit but i have to discuss it in more detail. there is so much to unpack here! once again mat shows how deeply he still cares for rand without actually admitting it. for 2 books he’s been thinking about how he can’t wait to peace out and leave rand behind, and now that it’s finally happening he can’t help being sad, even though he keeps sternly telling himself it’s for his own good. his brain says he wants to go but his heart is going to miss rand! mat has many thoughts about how rand’s hand feels in his, like any bro would. and the GROWTH of earlier-book-mat’s feelings about rand channeling vs. now when he can go multiple days without even thinking about it

the Yearning..........

ok but the tragedy of these idiots and their complete inability to talk to each other. more than once before rand has thought that he wished mat would talk to him about what happened in rhuidean, but mat won’t talk to him, so rand has no choice but to trick him into revealing his new knowledge from his past lives, which makes him feel bad, but if he’d just outright asked mat to stay and use his knowledge to help them then i bet mat just might have agreed (given how he kept “accidentally” intervening in the battle in the next chapters bc he couldn’t let people die senselessly when he had knowledge that could save them), but rand couldn’t do that because mat refuses to confide in him and would’ve gotten defensive if rand had asked him outright, but if mat finds out rand tricked him like this he’ll be pissed. and don’t even get me started on how they’re both struggling with remembering their past lives/losing sight of who they are and what memories belong to them, and could help each other if they’d just confide in each other and realize they’re going through the same thing. AAAAHHHHHH

rand after mat dumps him: that’s so sad asmodean play despacito (also, the fact that rand is trying so hard to protect mat and his secrets in whatever small way he can afford to 🥺)

imagine going to meet with the leader of your armies, a dramatic emo 20-year-old who’s just gotten dumped by his boyfriend, and for the whole war council he makes you listen to his personal harpist play depressing songs so he can pretend he’s in a sad music video

but in all seriousness my heart is breaking!!! raaaaaaand!!! i swear that mat leaving + rand being forced to use him and knowing he’ll have to do so again in the future is like, the Final Straw in the breakdown that’s been building all book for rand (i mean at least for now, i’m sure this is only a “man reaches first of dozens of breaking points to come” even just for this book, i don’t even want to think about how many more breaking points will be in the next 9 books). after a brief emotional outburst at asmodean above, rand is now dissociating HARD and has just emotionally shut down altogether. someone (mat) give him a hug goddammit!!!!

[hmspogue]

Outer Banks season 2 Official Trailer shot-by-shot rundown

A comprehensive post where I scream about analyze the entire trailer frame by frame for clues, theories, and plot. Just my own opinions and general tin foil-hatting

These are screenshots from Netflix’s trailer for Outer Banks season 2. I do not claim or own any of these.

note: this post is tagged as a long post if you wish to avoid having to scroll until your thumbs break.

“My old man used to tell me, ‘it’s best to never say you’ve hit rock bottom’.”

(Putting all of these shots together since they’re scenes we already know but-) Holy shit, okay let’s just....start off like this I guess, damn.

“'Trust me’, he said...”

Kiara looking back and forth between the boys like this really just feeds the headcanon I have that her form of grief this season is going to be her trying to hold it together for their sakes (and eventually just snapping).

JJ just looks fucking furious someone give these kids a hug? I already know this scene is going to ruin me.

“You can always go...”

JJ back working at the hotel. He looks literally so angry again in this scene I could see him self destructing at work and losing his job? (Please do not be isolating yourself you beautiful son of a bitch even though I know you’re going to).

Pope in the Twinkie (costuming wise they all are in warmer looking clothes for some of the shots, so just confirming it’s a little bit into the school year when this all takes place).

“Lower”

Big John was real big into pep talks, I see. (seriously can you imagine Big John having this conversation with like 8 year old John B after he fucking dropped his ice cream cone or some shit I shouldn’t be laughing).

I’m just-

These poor kids, I wanna know how the police all the way down in the Bahama’s knew about them?

Their calves....

“RUN!”

Are going to be so fucking jacked by the end of this season I stg.

Fuck you.

“The gold from the Royal Merchant....it’s here.”

For a while, I had thought that maybe they didn’t even make it to the Bahama’s at the front of the season and ended there (because everyone had been filming in there). But I guess they’re going to be making two trips.

If I were a bird from this POV I’d shit right on that house no questions asked.

oooooh ho hokay. Just so we’re clear. Ward Cameron not only get away with murder and about two dozen other felonies, but-

“Half a billion.”

HE STILL FINDS THE GOLD IN THE CRAIN HOUSE AND GETS TO KEEP IT?

Not the polo with the snap back, I just know this man has a playlist called Sad Boi Hours that is just Juice WRLD’s top 5 songs on Spotify and he tells his friends they wouldn’t know the underground artists he listens to.

Sh, you have lost screaming privileges. Go inside and take a nap maybe.

“John B, we are fugitives in a foreign country.”

So, previously, I was talking about how I was confused how they would still be trying to find him is everyone thought he was dead, but here the wanted poster clearly says “presumed lost at sea”. I think that will be interesting to see how the Pogues all interpret that. 

Especially because they already had a memorial for John B and everything, I wonder if there will be any part of the Pogues holding out hope that they both could still be out there OUCH.

I’m going to circle back to this, but it looks like John B and Sarah are going to get separated for a little while in this man hunt, I could see my idiot himbo son trying to sacrifice himself so Sarah can get away but in reality just....stranding her.

“Promise me you won’t do anything stupid?”

Oh, sweetie....

“Well, Sarah Cameron, I do stupid things all the time without realizing it.”

The volume of his self awareness is astronomical. sir, that is your whole character summed up in your own words.

GOD, IT’S ME AGAIN. PLEASE LET THEM LEAN INTO COMPLETE HIMBO JOHN B THIS SEASON I’LL DO ANYTHING-

nyyooooOOOOOOOOOOOOM-

“Hold on!”

The complete abject terror I would feel having John Booker Routledge driving get-away and then saying the words “Hold on” while reaching fro the gear shift? The english language fails me. 

Sarah, bestie, I’m so sorry.

I just wanna know-

what the plan or objective was in this situation. What was the reason for being this dramatic.

Rest in piss, bozo <3

“Ward’s still out there...”

Okay, same conversation they were having as before. I wonder what makes them decide they need to get back to the OBX for this tho.

“I can clear my name. This can all be over in one shot.”

It looks like Topper watching this but way more concerningly, correct me if I’m wrong but this 100% looks like....John B gets caught. And the DEATH PENALTY?! He did have a mug shot for the fliers in s1 and the one above but he was never brought in? Plus he just looks super dirty and dishevled in this one so I-

Jail break anyone?

I also still want to know if they’re going to go with a Topper redemption arc this season. like, does he know more than he should just from being around Rafe and his big fat mouth? Is he going to help out the Pogues even if it’s just for Sarah?

This shot just suddenly made me really sad. The thought of this all started because Big John left one last thing for his son to find, his literal life’s work. And when it all started, it was just a fun adventure John B and his best friends were going on together and having fun with. Then it all got dragged to absolute shit and turned into what it did, including the remaining 3 Pogues thinking that this treasure hunt took their two best friends away from them. And it’s nothing like Big John intended it to be.

Why my eyes wet?

Now we’re edging into what I was talking about earlier with John B and Sarah getting separated.

“If you think there is anything I wouldn’t do...”

Once again, John B is no where to be found. Also, just in case y’all didn’t already know or forgot Ward is an actual psychopath.

I believe this one of the new character, played by Jontavious Johnson (Stubbs). Based on the voice over it lowkey sounds like they’re implying Ward maybe hired Stubbs and Cleo to find and bring Sarah back. My theory would be I bet they do go to retrieve her, but she somehow convinces them that it would be more beneficial for them in the end to be on the Pogue’s side instead.

Miss Girl you gotta be keeping your head on a SWIVEL. Especially when you’re a FUGITIVE of the LAW-

“...you haven’t been paying attention.”

My guy, who are you clarifying this for?

It’s what you deserve for monologuing.

in all seriousness, the idea of them coming to face to face with Ward in Nassau after thinking they finally escaped him is genuinely terrifying.

“SARAH!”

It kind of looks like they’re either hiding their faces or covering their noses? I don’t know maybe it was from some tactic to get away from Ward.

What did I literally jsut say about yelling privileges, you unhinged mother fucker?

“I’m calling the shots now. I’m driving.”

The following progression of scenes made me actually snort-

“I can’t drive stick.”

PLEASE THE FINGER GUNS LAUNCHED ME INTO ORBIT I LOVE THEM, YOUR HONOR.

Alright, so now it looks like we’re in Charleston. This is the same scene with Heyward’s truck that got leaked from BTS (read: JJ and Kie shoulder touch).

One of the main things that stuck out to me in the following scenes which, you will see, is it lowkey looks like Pope is kind of heading up this part of the operation, or even going in alone? The following clips are just very Pope focused. 

I don’t know what it means, it’s just an observation.

“John B was not the only one that Ward double-crossed.”

LIMBRY-

Bro, we have been hearing about this woman for literal months and I just have....so many questions? 

Who the hell is she? How is she connected to Ward? Why is she in South Carolina instead of the OBX? How do the Pogues even learn about her and how to track her down? How is she meant to “help” them? GAH I JUST WANNA KNOOOW. I already know I don’t trust her though and no I will not be offering up supporting evidence.

Sir, that is my son please unhand him.

“I think you know what I want.”

.......no? But feel....free to explain yourself?

The print on the paper is the same one that’s on the ceiling tiles in the following scene. Obviously, with a key on it that most likely goes to the place a few shots from now.

Hell yeah, son, let’s get SLEUTHING.

“The treasure belongs to the Pogues.”

DAMN STRAIGHT.

Bestie’s I’m not going to lie, I stared at this frame for a solid 10 minuets and I have no idea what it says on there I’m sorry. Someone in the comments is welcome to enlighten us.

“We gotta find it first.”

I can’t tell if that’s just dirt or if he hurt his head? But he look GOOD right now for one thing. For another, same outfit as the one in the Twinkie from the beginning of the trailer.

Look at her. LooK AT HER! LOOK! AT! HER! I MISSED HER SO MUCH even in that damn smiley face top that continues to haunt my waking hours she is in it so much and it stresses me out for literally no good reason I’m sorry-

I could literally cry right now and I think that speaks volumes to how little we actually see him genuinely happy. Have I mentioned how much I love that red hat?

Also, probably not that important, but this is not from the same scene as the shots of Pope and Kiara were. This is from the next one-

“Woogity-woogity?”

“Give me some woogity, baby!”

Yeah, this pushed me over the fucking edge, the way that they’re actually happy and laughing? The fact that they kept woogity-woogity and made it A Thing? Yes.

I am, however, going to be intentionally ignoring what appears to be the very intentional stagingof having such an obvious space between where Kiara and Pope are sitting adn where JJ sits, even including the level they’re sitting on because I don’t have the emotional capacity to face those implications right now. Thank you for your time.

Yes yeeeeEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!

GIVE ME ALL OF THE SCENES OF THEM ACTUALLY GETTING TO BE TEENAGERS AND JUST BREATHE AND LAUGH AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AND NOT BE RUNNING FOR THEIR FUCKING LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!

before Rafe comes in and literally starts shooting because they can’t breathe for more than 7 seconds but we’ll....get to that.

They refer to Sarah as a Pogue this season or I burn Netflix to the ground. Your move, Jonas.

50 bucks says John B is driving the Twinkie again for the first time since being back.

I deadass think the Pogues JUST got Sarah and John B back and they’re just having the time of their life. Kie was in her smiley face outfit when Pope was in this one a few clips ago, and I still hold to the belief that that one still they released of JJ and Kie hopping over a fence is the Pogue reunion so-

Ward? I have no idea what he’s looking at behind the wall paper and I’ll be so honest I don’t care my eyes are only seeing Pogue content right now.

“This is a map of the whole island.”

This fit, when will John B learn how to operate buttons, stay tuned for season 5. Also my previous theory of this being their reunion outfits and stuff because Pope is in the back in the same jacket as before.

The plot thickens and so has JJ’s hair, Rudy drop the shampoo brand.

Please, dear God, tell me they’re back in the sex church. For @jiaaraa sake.

Kiara, your Madison is showing.

Okay, I really did try but all I can make out is Something to the tomb begin something something.

You’re welcome.

I am no expert but I do not believe boats operate on land.

John B looks like he is in the same outfit here that is in his mug shot we saw on the TV screen so I have a sneaking suspicion this is where he gets caught. 

“John B is back-”

Once again with the damn sexual tension that’s always between Barry and Rafe in every scene they do are we about to kiss right now?

“-it’s him or me.”

First of all, no.

Second of all, I’m just....so very confused about this time line this season. It kind of looks like Ward and Rafe follow and find Sarah and John B in Nassau (unless those scenes by the truck were actually back in the OBX). So did they....go to Nassau, then just come right back when they did? I’m just confused.

Put that thing back where it came from or so help me.

Literally when will you stop at this point I am begging you. 

This looks like the same scene the Pogues were, ya know, literally just having a good time at so fuck me, I guess.

Yeah, no, it’s going to be a no from me, I’m just going to pretend like I’m not seeing this and moving on.

I have simply no idea what is going on here or who that is on the bike but maybe JJ? Maybe Luke even? I think that’s JJ’s bike. 

The sewer scene. The SEWER SCENE-

For months sicne that tiktok leaked this damn scene has been genuinely all I could think about. So (obviously) it seems like they’re sending Kie down into the sewer to go do seomthing and things go horribly, horribly wrong. 

If you haven’t seen the tiktok, essentially all it was was JJ and Pope screaming and trying to lift up the man hole cover while Kie is begging for them to hurry from inside. I’m cheating a little bit as this isn’t a shot from the trailer but this picture was posted and it’s from the same scene.

I’ll just....leave this here. Back to the trailer shots.

Nice. Also, same shirt as mugshot.

Hey, um, what? 

Kiara’s car, she’s driving, I can’t tell who’s in the back seat or the front.

Holy God what is going on and how can I as an audience member put a stop to it?

So, same scene as we will see and was in the teaser but, for some reason, they’re all jumping off of a giant ass boat into the little life raft where it looks like JJ gets hurt later but don’t you worry we’re getting to that.

JJ AND KIARA WITH THE POGUE HANDSHAKE JJ AND KIARA WITH THE POGUE HANDSHAKE THEY BOTH LOOK SO DAMN GOOD AND THEIR LITTLE SMILES SPARE ME-

Cleo 🥵

I’m so excited to see her arc and what it brings this season you guys have no idea.

Please for the love of God be about to get Ward Cameron’s ass like he deserves literally punt him into jail right from Tanny Hill.

Sarah at My Druther’s with what looks like a bloody bandage on her side? Same outfit she’s wearing when they’re running from the police on the beach and she has the bandage there too so. Interesting. 

Topper hugging who I’m pretty sure is Sarah, being a general douche because he’s clearly looking at John B like 😏 

Clips like these serve to remind me just how many of my worldly posessions I would gladly give up to be able to punch Topper Thorton in the throat one time. 

I think this is Cleo jumping off the boat with Pope after John B and Sarah. 

Absolutely busting a lung at Pope’s form in this one.

John B and Sarah waiting in the life raft, still Cleo and Pope coming after them. The obvious next question is where are JJ and Kiara. The scene I’m sure you all have been waiting for is coming up and clearly takes place in the life raft as well.

So, I really think JJ and Kie get left for last, something horrible happens as they’re trying to jump (my head instantly goes to JJ maybe like pushing Kie out of the way and getting hit on the head instead or even just some accident). 

And, oh my GOD a scene of him falling off the boat after it happens and Kiara diving in after him immediately, having to desperatly try to stop him from sinkingand get to the life raft holy shit-

Girl CATCH HIM?????

Because why wouldn’t this be Rafe’s fault. Part of me wonders if this isn’t related to JJ being hurt.

I am going to try and unpack this as calmly as possible because behind my computer screen I am vibrating at a frequency that could shatter glass but respectfully.

WHAT IN THE FUCK IS TIAUEWFHLAILA

Okay, so scene wise, JJ’s hit his head somehow (probably while he was jumping with Kiara) it looks like and now they’re back on the raft. 

In my opinion, this is either:

A) JJ is in really, really bad condition after getting hurt in the jump and they’re not sure he’s going to make it. So this is a “Please stay with me, stay awake, please don’t die” hug OR

B) They very narrowly just avoided a deadly situation (my first thought is JJ hits his head while jumping, passes out in the water, maybe almost drowns but Kie and the others get him onto the life raft in time) and this is more of a “Oh my God, you’re okay, you’re safe now, we’re okay” hug. 

I honestly lean more to the second one based on the little bit of Sarah’s face we saw in the background. To me, it almost looked like she was smiling thru tears, which, fits way more with the second option than the first. 

Anyways. Moving on before I burst a lung again.

(also, before anyone comes at me, no, I’m not happy JJ is hurt, obviously.  

(Once again, arrest outfits). You can still see the bandage but it looks like Sarah’s limping now too so...good Lord give the girl a break maybe?

Everything in this trailer just went to shit so fast I think I have whip lash, can we go back to the Pogues hanging out and being happy now pkease I liked those scenes.

“I get it. You guys are scared.”

“No.”

She’s cute but, uh, hello sewer scene outfits. Seems like them planning to do whatever the hell they were going to do in the sewers but the boys are starting to get cold feet as maybe they should but hind sight is 20/20 I suppose.

“It’s kind of cute.”

“I’m not scared.”

“You should’ve just led with that.”

I will never be able to express how much I adore Pogue banter and general dumbassery and I have a feeling this season will not be lacking in either department

I high key don’t think these two are actually going to be there for this scene to go down but I’ll let it slide this time because-

They do be kinda cute.

It both feels like I’ve been waiting for this damn show for 3 years and also like I just watched season 1 last month explain that to me. 

Either way holy shit. I missed this dumb show and these dumb kids so much it physcially hurts and WE GET THEM BACK IN T-MINUS 16 DAYS.

Also. Where The Hell Is Wheezie Cameron And When Will She Have The Rights She Deserves.