#crew roope

[rbf451]

rooperokka ig story 28.4.2023

[firenati0n]

feeling your heart beating, wondering what you're dreaming

by firenati0n on ao3

M | 5.7k

tags: alternate universe, childhood friends to lovers, only one bed, alex pov, brief ellen pov, brief henry pov, sleeping together, cuddling, tipsy love confessions, first kiss, arthur fox lives and is a wonderful parent, mutual pining, 5+1 things

But Friday nights are just for them. People no longer make fun of Henry’s accent the way they used to in elementary school—they look at him now. It’s weird, and it makes something in Alex’s jaw hurt. “Oh shit, it’s late and I know we have Bea’s piano recital in the morning. Should probably go to bed, yeah?” Alex pulls his shirt off and slides under the covers before yanking it down on Henry’s side for him, an invitation. Henry doesn’t move, though—instead, he’s chewing his bottom lip and staring at the floor, pointedly not looking at Alex.

Or, five times childhood best friends Alex and Henry share a bed platonically, and the one time (of many) they do as something more.

xoxo roop

my @flufftober fic for day 17: only one bed! :)

tagging the rest of the collection crew: @thesleepyskipper @theprinceandagcd @caterpills @kj-bee @exitariel000

@shesfromboston @msmarvelouswinchester @dani-dabbles @jafffacakess

[theywontletmebeprincipal]

KNUCKLE TATTOOS

DICK BALS

BETA CUCK

STAR WARS

SUCK FUCK

FERA LHOG

THEJ OKER

EATS FEET

RAZL DAZL

KNUK TATS

BABY GIRL

BUTT HOLE

A.HAM A.BUR

ONCE -LER

JEB! BUSH

PRON OUNS

MYFI NGRS

BIGB OOBS

GOOD LORD

WEEE EEEE

TEE♡ HEE♡

COCK VORE

SIXFI NGERS

HAND JOB!

AMON GUSඞ

TWIN TWRS

CALL SAUL

PUNC HYOU

YURI YAOI

FORT NITE

JAKE PAUL

PIKA PIKA

FACE BOOK

ELON MUSK

HATE GAYS

JOEB IDEN

CRUC IFIX

YUOR DEVL

TOON TOWN

CRPY PSTA

KILL BILL

SOCC RMOM

HOPE UDIE

JOHN LOCK

SUPR HELL

ROAD TRIP

PRTY ROCK

DOES DRUG

SEXH AVER

SUCK UOFF

IAMA LSBO

BISE XUAL

NGRY BIRD

SMOS H.COM

MARI OBRO

RPGM AKER

CAS♡ DEAN

DIVO RCE☹

YAOI HAND

SEXY HOMO

ITMY HAND

OWIE OUCH

JAKE DOG (the empty space is for a portrait of him)

BIOS HOCK

PADS TMPN

ONEP IECE

SCOT LAND

GAMB LING

FEET PICS

JUNJ IITO

GARF IELD

RIDD LER?

GRDN RMSY

DNGN RNPA

ROLE PLAY

KEYB OARD

LEGO LAND

HOLY SHIT

WIKI PDIA

TAPE WORM

DADY ISUE

WIKI FEET

ITCH BALS

CROA TOAN

LOCH NESS

SANS NESS

MTHW PTRK

IBPR OFEN

HOME WORK

RCKY HROR

STRI PPER

FIRE STAR

BATH ROOM

MALE WIFE

HOTT LEGS

GOOF BALL

OMGA VERS

GLUP SHIT

OPEN CSKT

LITL PONY

RAYQ UAZA

TUBE ULAR

RATA TOUI

BIRT HDAY

FAML YGUY

SIMS FOUR

COLO RADO

RDIO STAR

COLD HAND

PNIS ENVY

E621 USER

AIRP LANE

NNJA TRTL

ASDF MOVI

FROG LEGS

UNGA BNGA

APPL SAUC

TWNK DETH

DRTH VADR

GENI TALS

LEGO BTMN

FINN JAKE

FUCK YEAH

ATOM BOMB

DAVI NKY?

MAMA MIA!

SLAY CUNT

FLAT FUCK

DCTR PHIL

SASU NARU

HELO KITY

Y/YO A/TI

SHRE KTWO

SPDR MNKY

PORR IDGE

PMPL POPR

LADY GAGA

TAXF RAUD

AWOO GA!!

CPTN [HOOK] (ideally you wouldn’t write hook at all because you would have an actual hook hand here. the text of “HOOK” is. implied)

MATCHING KNUCKLE TATTOOS

for two people

GUES WHAT / CHKN BUTT

DAFY DUCK / BUGS BUNY

CREW MATE / IMPO STER

HAND HOOK / CARS DOOR

POWR BTTM / SRVC ETOP

UNDR TALE / DLTA RUNE

FEMI NISM / MISO GYNY

GIRL DICK / BOYP USSY

ROOP PAUL / DRAG RACE

FIVE GUYS / BRGR FRYS

for three people

GASL IGHT / GATE KEEP / GIRL BOSS

SUPR NTRL / DOCT RWHO / SHER LOCK

BLOD BORN / ELDN RING / DARK SOUL

for six people

APPL JACK / FLUT RSHY / ♡RAR ITY♡ / TWLT SPKL / PINK YPIE / RNBW DASH

for seven people

SPON GBOB / PTRK STAR / SNDY SQRL / SQUI DWRD / MR.K RABS / PLAN KTON

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

There's a very interesting read on page six about roop. Who might be investing, who turned her down and what Hollywood thinks of her brand. Basically, apart from an instagram account and a video of her parading in her gown, there's nothing. Also Mandana was meant to be some sort of business advisers, pitching lots of ways to make money.

Some quotes:

One insider who knows the Sussexes told Page Six that it’s looking like a typical Markle project: plenty of glamour, little substance. “They [Harry and Meghan] consistently make announcements and roll things out really early … to what point?” the insider said.

and

Kerry Clasby, an organic farmer who runs the Malibu Fig Ranch and supplies to top chiefs including Tom Collichio and Jean George Vongirechten, said that Markle also needs to be diligent about using the name America Riviera — a nickname for the posh Santa Barbara region, which includes Montecito. “If you’re calling it American Riviera, you really ought to be [sourcing ingredients] grown in Santa Barbara,” Clasby told Page Six. “Otherwise, you’re going into the wholesale dump in downtown LA, where all the produce comes up from Mexico or Chile. “The kitchen should be there also [in the Santa Barbara area], unless they are just putting their name on it and getting it made wherever, or getting it pre-made. And then it’s hype.”

and

But another insider who knows Markle isn’t so sure the Flamingo Estate crowd is interested. “She thinks her audience is high-end wealthy and wear Cartier and Tiffany — because she does,” the insider said. “But I think they are J Crew. She is really in the mid-tier market.”

[borisbubbles]

Eurovision 2023: #26 & #25

26. AZERBAIJAN Fahree ft Ilkin Dovlatov - "Özünlə apar" 36th place

Decade Ranking: 98/153 [Above James Newman, below The Roop]

We're nearing that point of the ranking where I'm feeling "okay this is enjoyable moreso than flawed", but there are a few entries on that cusp that just fall short.

And I think Azerbaijan are a very good example of that, actually. If you wanted to know the entry that is the most smack-dab-average of the year's musical representation look no further. "Özünlə apar" is the posterchild of this contest - an entry that showcases its home country's musical traditions while also not being particularly competitive.

On a bad-to-good scale,"Özünlə apar" lands at "Not Bad". Which is... fine? But is that something Eurovision songs should strive for?

Well, staging and context can improve matters, but in Azer's case those worked against them. Semi 1's second half was a weaksauce affair, and I felt like Azerbaijan were one of the main contributers to that. You have this not uninteresting ethnic mugham song with two conventionally attractive vocalists that -by their sheer appearance- exhude massive sexual tension (both of their looks are so gay-coded lmao <3). It can become good, if you give it the right care.

This is not the right type of care:

Those visuals would work for Veronika maybe (god Raiven WOULD kill for that backdrop wouldn't she?) but for an ethnic ballad, eh. Wouldn't it be better to just focus on the main vocalist? Try to make it intimate rather than have him swallowed by the LEDS (i am SO not marking Natalia down for the same thing btw, dwi) The "big prop on an empty stage framed by copious wideshots" staging is not one that suits the genre.

(tho lol at how you can see the crew WHEEL THE HANDS ON THE STAGE in the background of this gif)

We saw with Hersi's "One Night's Anger" and Blas Canto's "Voy a quedarme" how the deadly combination of slow + empty can murder an average song's immersion, and I felt like this was one such example. Staging that outclevers the audience is a thing of the past, Azerbaijan. Back to the "Miracles", I think, or you will not see a final for a long, long time.

And since this one was a short write-up, let's add in a second:

25. GERMANY Isaak - "Always on the run" 12th place

Decade Ranking: 93/153 [Above Malik, below Sudden Lights]

Like Fahree and Ilkin, Isaak is right on the cusp of the Green Zone, but falls just short. I feel like the year was good enough for me to not cling to a "Not Bad" banger.

That said, I did feel like Isaak was marginally better than the average German entry - half a decade behind the pop curve, as per Germany's usual (I mean, the German jury 12'd Sweden. SWEDEN!!) but catchy enough. The real ringer was always Isaak himself. I don't know why the Germans were so outraged about when the international jury put him first (esp since Isaak also won the Televote? lmao). When in doubt, pick someone who can perform, you dipshits. I saw the German NF live (it was -mothershocker- really bad) . The only two that came anywhere near "serving" (SMFD RYK & MARIE!!) and didn't have a song that made me wish homicide on the composer/performer (DIE MAX!!) were Isaak and Bodine Monet? And Germany were NEVER going to pick an individual with a vision and a personality, let alone if that person is Dutch, not Deutsch, so~

Indeed, it was always Isaak's ability to sing while emoting that made me question whether I just liked him or liked the combo of him + the song, but I now know it's the former. "Always on the run" is -again- Not Bad, but we've had so many fucking Counting Stars pass pver the counter over the years (the fact that I've spent YEARS headcanoning "Counting Stars" as ID despite KNOWING it's a 1R song says enough for how fucking interchangeable these "indie" poprock songs are). How can one be excited by one at this point, I don't understand.

However, if Isaak's live skills were my main draw, then we must also admit that the performance in the Semi (the non-canonical one) was better than the one in the Grand Final. The one in the GF felt like one where Isaak went through the motions of Having To Perform. Maybe it was the backstage tension, maybe it was because Tuesday had a piss-poor line-up that made him look better, maybe it was the bad R/O that put him behind the far more exciting Ukraine, but Finale Isaak was just kinda there for me, singing his song one final time, neither adding nor detracting from the proceedings. That is hand-on-heart a high yellow, not a green, so here we are.

But I do think it's good the juries handed him a 12th place (is 12th the default placement all the generic dated radio pop gets nowadays? Cannot wait to confirm that again with 2025's inevitable Pompeii clone)(sent by Denmark, bank on it), because (1) AOTR was well-staged with respect for its introspective narrative, which is rare for GERMANY (2) Germany needed some sort of pick-me-up after the Ryk fanboys terrorized everyone for not getting their way (3) the surprise left-side result FINALLY PROVES THAT SANDBAGGING RYK WAS THE CORRECT CHOICE, EAT A MOULDY DYK!!! It's MY meta now, and Bubblevision has no time for your shitty also-ran fanfaves...x

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 24 GOOD(ish) ENTRIES OF 2024

The efforts to improve the year despite the ongoing shitstorm have been noted and appreciated. ^_^

THE RANKING

[hischierlovebot]

Val, to the surprise of no one, I want to hear about all of the ryatt all of the time! I can’t possibly choose, so please pick one for me and tell me more about it (please and thank you!!)

Hello my friend! I always write Ryatt with you in my heart so it's always a delight that you want to hear about them ❤️

I think you have heard about most of them so! I'll turn to my most recent additions to the wip pile

Siren ryatt includes a pirate ship, a tank full of sea water, and a crew trying to figure out what to do with the thing they fished out of the ocean. It's still in it's very early stages, but I have a couple images in my head I'd love to give form to

"How do you know he's a dude?" Tyler leaned forward, eyes squinting at the triton's tail. The triton didn't know enough to be embarrassed, but he picked enough from their reactions to know Tyler was doing something he wouldn't enjoy. He scowled, but his face was too young to be intimidating, and the thick glass between them meant no one had anything to fear from his claws or his teeth, if he even had any.

Entre fantasmas is the Spanish name for ghost whisperer, and so far it has me deciding whether Melinda Gordon should be Roope or Wyatt, the stories changing quite a bit depending on the choice (but both including hockey), so this is even earlier stages than siren ryatt. I haven't written ghosts in a long time though, so I think it's time to go back to them!

Thank you so much for asking!!

[libraryfag]

watched the first 2 eps of drag race season 7

trixie and katya are so small- it's so weird to see them with hair! but its adorable how they're already like defending each other

I wasn't expecting katya to be doing so badly earlier on- but i also didn't realise how athletic she was

i HATE HATE HATE the critiques why are they so fucking mean to these girls. i understand all the complaints about what it's done to the drag community.

i especially LOATHE how much hate the queens get for 'looking like a man' as if the entire POINT of drag is being gnc. Violet was so right when she called Michelle Visage out for critiquing her body

speaking of violet she's so hot both in and out of drag omg. but it did kinda rub me wrong when she was bragging about having the skinniest waist on dr. like the body shaming in this show guys. it isn't even like this was made in 2008. this was 2015. what the fuck.

what is with Roop's evil laugh between ad breaks lol

is the 'pit crew' just some guys or are they the actual crew. i really hope it's the later because Based. More people should sexualise backstage crew people actually.

[historyhermann]

Velma Review

Velma is a mature animated series which mixes the genres of mystery, comedy horror, and thriller. It is based on characters from the Scooby-Doo franchise and is an origin story, of sorts, for Velma Dinkley, before the formation of Mystery Incorporated. The series was developed by Charles Grandy. He previously created Guys with Kids, produced episodes of The Office, and has been a creative collaborator with Mindy Kaling, the voice of Velma, since 2013. This review will have spoilers.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the twenty-fifth article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on February 17, 2023.

The plot of Velma primarily centers around the story of Velma Dinkley. She attempts to uncover the perpetrator who murdered two local teenage girls, Brenda and Krista, and circumstances behind the her mother's disappearance.

She is soon joined by school news reporter Norville Rogers (voiced by Sam Richardson). Her former best friend, and popular girl, Daphne Blake (voiced by Constance Wu) also helps her, since her quest to find her biological parents, draws her closer to Velma.

Unlike previous depictions, Velma is South Asian American, while Daphne is East Asian American, and Norville, often named "Shaggy" in previous Scooby-Doo iterations, is a Black man. This representation is reflected in the voice actors: Kaling is of Indian descent, Wu is of Taiwanese descent, and Richardson is a Black man of Ghanaian descent.

The only one of the original Mystery, Inc. crew who is portrayed as White is Fred Jones. He is a popular 16-year-old rich kid, heir of a fashion line for men, and said to be a "late bloomer". Despite these negatives, Velma still has a crush on him. Voiced by Glenn Howerton, known for his role as Charlie Day in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Fred is accused as the murder suspect of Brenda and Krista, despite lack of evidence which ties him to the crime.

Velma is differs from previous Scooby-Doo series by not featuring Scooby-Doo as a character. Grandy, one of the show's executive producers, said that the show's staff struggled to find a take on this beloved dog. This coincided with Warner Bros. Animation telling them "Hey, you can’t use the dog", as Grandy recalled.

Apart from Kaling, Wu, and Richardson, the cast is relatively diverse, more than other Scooby-Doo series, including Black men, Black women, and actresses of Cuban, Chinese, Filipino, Malaysian, and Indian descent. This aligns with the focus of Kaling's small-but-powerful production company, Kaling International, which founded in 2012 and described by Time magazine as telling stories about "inner lives of women of color" and stories of underdogs.

While in previous iterations, Velma has been in romantic relationships with men, her romantic attraction to women was hinted in episodes of Mystery Incorporated and in 2022 animated film, Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! In contrast, Velma depicts her as bisexual, as she has a crush on Fred, and accepts Daphne's feelings toward her. Like other versions, Norville has a crush on her, but it is not received by Velma, as it appears. This leads him, to later, date a cool girl named Gigi (voiced by Yvonne Orji).

Daphne has a crush on Velma, kissing her at the end of the second episode (as shown in the video above), causing her to go into a bit of a panic. She has crushes on men as well. Her actions are partially affected by her two incompetent police detective mothers: Donna and Linda. Both are voiced by lesbian actresses: Wanda Sykes and Jane Marie Lynch. Lynch previously voiced a lesbian character, Mrs. Roop, in The Ghost and Molly McGee, while Sykes voiced a lesbian character Deb, in Q-Force.

This representation is not limited to Daphne, Velma, Donna, and Linda. Cherry Jones, who voices the mother of Fred, Victoria, is a lesbian actress, as is Fortune Feminister, voice of popular girl Olive. Others are unambiguously queer, such as Nicole Byer, the voice of Crystal Cove High principal (and mother of Norville) Blythe Rogers, and Shay Mitchell, the voice of Brenda. This series appears to be the first voice acting role of Mitchell.

Despite this, the characters of Donna and Linda appear to reinforce the lesbian cop trope, which depicts adult lesbian characters as cops. This trope is said to make such characters more palatable to so-called "average people" in the U.S., if these women, mainly women of color, are "helping to uphold the systems that oppress them".

These characters seem to fall into the has two moms / two dads trope, although such a trope ignores "traditional" views of family life necessitating a mother and father. In this case, Donna and Linda are the same gender as their parents, just as Barry and Randall Leibowitz-Jenkins are in The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. In fact, Sykes had personally served as a former NSA contracting specialist for five years, something which could have influenced her role as a police detective in Velma.

This breaking of the nuclear family is present in Velma's family, as her original mother, Diya Dinkley (voiced by Sarayu Blue), left. As a result, her father, Aman (voiced by Russell Peters), a lawyer, re-marries to Sophie (voiced by Melissa Fumero), owner of a malt shop in town and a pregnant model. The latter is often belittled by Velma.

While the first season spotlights Velma's long, and strong, friendship with Daphne, with Velma even proposing they become girlfriends in episode 8, it ends with everything up in the air. As a result of the events in the show's season one finale, Velma's personal life is in shambles. This is unfortunate because the writers had a chance to make Velma/Daphne canon, but chose not to. Instead, they went the route of Never Have I Ever, Wednesday, and even Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl by setting the groundwork for a likely love triangle between Daphne, Velma, and Norville, but not Fred. Such a development shows the limitations of Velma.

Velma has been received by critics, and those on social media, with mixed reviews. Apart from the diverse cast and LGBTQ+ representation, I was drawn into the series as a new fan to the Scooby-Doo franchise. The dialogue can, sometimes, be snappy, funny, and witty, while the plot can move along smoothly. The characters, themselves, can be compelling enough to make viewers sympathize with them, but aren't always this way.

Even though Velma is snarky, one can root for her at times, but not at others. The former is the case when she has horrifying hallucinations as she feels guilt for her mother's disappearance. The only parallel that comes to mind is Julian Chase in gen:LOCK. Although he is only alive as a copy of himself, as his original body barely survived, he faces internal demons, which manifest in his memoryscape, while he faces external demons in the form of the Nemesi, who are "evil" copies of him.

While there is some similarity between both characters, Velma doesn't face trauma akin to the terror Chase experiences. However, she still faces the crushing burdens and oppression of being a person of color, and is in part of some dangerous situations.

Velma sometimes cheapens its own protagonists, even making them unrelatable, at times. For instance, late in the season, Daphne begins a fake relationship with Fred so that both of them can become popular, even if it enrages Velma. Daphne also wants to become part of Jones Gentlemen's Accessories, and is willing to put everything on the line.

On the other hand, Velma acts awful to everyone throughout the series, even acting like she is in a relationship with Norville to fool her mom, Diya, who is recovering her memory. She is probably even worse than the toxicity of Penny Proud's long-time friends in The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

The series seemed to counter past claims about Norville's supposed drug use, as he says he hates drugs, and is only shown to be a nerd who likes Velma. While he might appear to be a stoner, he is annoyed, in the second episode, when stoners are listening to his online show. Funny enough, his father Lamont (voiced by Gary Cole), has a design similar to what Norville looked like in previous iterations. The season one finale hints that Norville may begin trying drugs, possibly marijuana, at the suggestion from his father.

In addition, there is a focus on beauty norms, shut-shaming, human experimentation, and the over-bearing power of the government (especially the police). In terms of the latter, the town's sheriff (voiced by Stephen Root), declares that they can't catch a serial killer because "it is a ghost", not because they are incompetent.

For example, in the fourth episode, it appears that Fred becomes a better person after reading The Feminine Mystique. Instead, Velma just sees him as problematic and gross, showing he hasn't changed. His character somewhat improves as the series move forward, as he becomes more sure of himself.

The voice actors of Velma are seasoned, making the series strong in that regard. Many have experience in TV, film, and even theatre roles, or previously played characters on other projects by Kaling, like The Mindy Project and Never Have I Ever.

Furthermore, some voiced characters in Amphibia, Kim Possible, Milo Murphy's Law, Phineas and Ferb, Glitch Techs, and Big City Greens, six all-ages series. Others provided voices in mature animations such as Close Enough, American Dad!, Family Guy, Bojack Horseman, Harley Quinn, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Pantheon, and Bob's Burgers.

I had hoped that characters like Dandruff Tuba, voiced by Weird Al Yankovic, would be more prominent. The name was familar because he voiced Milo Murphy in Milo Murphy's Law, a character with so much extreme misfortune and bad luck that he is prepared for any situation thanks to his handy backpack. Sadly, he was underutilized in the series.

The voice talent of Velma comes through with actors like Richardson, who is best known for voicing Richard Splett in Veep. Also, Wu voiced the Mom in Wish Dragon, Lynch voiced characters in Final Space, Fumero voiced others in Elena of Avalor and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and Peters is a Black comedian. The cast of Velma includes well-known talent like Stephen Root, Ming-Na Wen (voicing Carroll), Debby Ryan (as Krista), and Frank Welker (voicing Fred's father).

Welker has voiced Fred since the character began to be animated in 1969. He previously voiced characters in a variety of series, like Star Wars Resistance, 3Below, Totally Spies!, and Futurama. There is, additionally, Karl-Anthony Towns who voices Jacques Beau (Jock Boy). Towns is a professional basketball player of Dominican descent.

Although Velma is not my favorite series, I somewhat enjoyed watching the episodes. Others may have liked the series as much as I did, or perhaps even more, as Velma broke records for HBO Max in terms of the largest number of people watching an original animated series on its premiere day. In fact, at times, the comedy can be subtle and strong.

The series premiere is a miracle in and of itself, considering the HBO Max content purge championed by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav last year. Two series (Summer Camp Island and Victor and Valentino) were removed from the streaming platform, while Craig of the Creek had its final season order cut in half, and Young Justice was effectively cancelled.

All five of these shows, regardless of other issues, had outward LGBTQ+ representation. Previously, the platform shuttered Final Space, which featured a lesbian protagonist, Ash Graven, voiced by pansexual actress Ashly Burch. The acclaimed Infinity Train, which featured Black and Asian protagonists in the third and fourth seasons.

The fact that the series survived this purge could be due to the fact that it was produced by Warner Bros. Animation, along with 3 Arts Entertainment, Charlie Grandy Productions, and Kaling International. Not only had Charlie Grandy Productions, the production company of executive producer Grandy, worked on previous projects with Kaling before, but an executive producer, Howard Klein, was one of the heads of 3 Arts Entertainment.

Another executive producer, Sam Register, headed Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. He had previously produced various Scooby-Doo and Tom & Jerry films, Teen Titans, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Young Justice, Harley Quinn, and many others.

Charlie Grandy Productions was known for producing The Office, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Duncanville. The show's producer, Kandace Reuter, had worked on Scooby-Doo!: The Sword and the Scoob and Thundercats Roar, and the show's editors had worked on assorted series, such as Undone, Bojack Horseman, and Tuca & Bertie.

Despite all of these experienced people, in the entertainment industry, working on Velma, it does not take away from one major flaw: music. Apart from a scene in the show's season one finale, in which Velma listens to old voicemails of Norville, the music is altogether unmemorable, and the theme song is strangely alienating.

This is too bad because a Bronx-born Black man, Craig DeLeon, who composed the score of the series, worked with renowned directors in the past. Perhaps his talent was not used as well as it could have been. There were no amazing songs like those in D4DJ or banger songs like the theme song of recently premiered Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.

This credibility of the show's producers may have been a reason that the series moved forward on HBO Max, just as Harley Quinn did. It could have been part of the rationale beyond the renewal of a Season 2 for Velma. Considering that the series became a "lightning rod for controversy" and garnered many hate-watchers, it may garner more of a cult following than anything else.

Although the series has incurred backlash, with Wikipedia claiming that audience response had been "overwhelmingly negative", it did not dissuade me from watching the series, nor even writing about it. Surely some of the criticisms, like the comedic lines which fall flat, or possible stereotypes have merit. But, the show is not the worst thing out there as those review-bombing the series on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, or others complaining about it on social media and YouTube, may lead to you to believe.

This season had Fred, and his family, as the manifestation of White privilege and wealth. It is on par, in some ways, with the snobbishness and narcissm exemplified by nouveau riche protagonist Kaz Khan in Neo Yokio.

At the same time, the series exemplifies the reality of how easy it easy for someone, especially people of color, to be swept up in the criminal system. After all, Velma herself is almost imprisoned by being at the wrong place at the wrong time, before she falsely implicates Fred in the murder.

Thee show's plot only hints at part of what the Marshall Project noted in their November 2020 post about trials in the U.S.: that many felony convictions on the state and federal levels are often results of plea bargains, and prosecutors are some of the most powerful players in this criminal system, relying on sheriffs and police as key witnesses. In many of the states, the Marshall Project noted, that judges can charge for use of a public defender.

In Velma, the arrest of Fred by Donna and Linda is not questioned, despite Velma's defense of Fred, before his outburst causes the judge to declare him guilty. Velma's father, Aman, takes Fred's case because he wants the money for his girlfriend, Sophie, not because he truly believes in the case.

The series highlights the inadequacy of mental health care in the U.S., therapy, and gender disparity. The latter is exemplified by the school Principal, Blythe, only having 50 dollars in the school budget to counter "centuries of toxic masculinity", which she uses to pay for an all-girls self-defense class, taught by Daphne's moms. The former is shown through Norville and his father.

I thought the story's focus, at first on experiments by Doctor Edna Purdue, the grandmother of Norville, a scientist who found a way to keep the human brain alive outside the body, was intriguing. I would say the same for the series plot about Velma's mom, Diya, her lost memory, and manipulation by a miscreant to commit the murders. However, it felt hollow in the end.

Velma reveals that Diya had been manipulated to recreate the lab of Dr. Purdue, recruited by Army General Henry Meeting to create the Special Covert Operations Brain Initiative (Scoobi), a reference to the original franchise. This manipulation happened through hypnosis by Fred's mother, Victoria (voiced by Cherry Jones). It is further noted that Velma herself was hypnotized as well.

Victoria states that she wanted to switch Fred's brain with someone more "ambitious", who she believed were "hot girls",  and keep the global brand of Jones Gentleman's Accessories afloat. This absurd plot cheapened the series. It was compounded by Velma's foolhardy attempt to get her mom to remember anything, involving massive lying, which blew up in her face, and her rupturing of friendship with Norville after falsely accusing his father as the serial killer.

While the social commentary on big companies which support politicians who "look the other way", as is the case for Jones Gentleman's Accessories, is apt, as much as the criticism of economic exploitation in My Dad the Bounty Hunter, it is muddled by the rest of the story.

For one, there are callbacks to the first episode of this series, when female characters were showering in the nude together, sexism by the police, and more. In the case of Velma, it is problematic that the villain is a woman in that it could send a bad message about women in positions of power.

Through all of that, the series seems to hint at a possible storyline for another season, as the police officer who received the file from Velma is killed while putting it in a "solved cases" box. Undoubtedly, in the next season, Velma will continue to use her "pretty good" detective skills, the relationship between Velma and Daphne may develop, and a new "conspiracy board"/"murder board" would come about. The series will likely have a love triangle between three of the protagonists: Daphne, Norville, and Velma.

This is because, in the season one finale, Velma inadvertently said she "loves" Norville, so he came to save her from the serial killer who is out to kill her, Daphne, and Fred. If this comes to pass, and the story straddles the home/school lives of the main characters, and doesn't come into more of its own, it will feel more like a stale CW drama. That would be a serious loss of potential in a story which could be stronger if it's plot had better execution.

In the end, I feel this series is not great but not terrible, as hate-watchers have declared. Instead, it is only in the middle. So, I can't fully, and confidently, recommend giving this series a watch.

The first season of Velma is currently streaming on HBO Max.

© 2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[lyricsssdotin]

Demand Lyrics

Singer:Goldy Desi Crew, Shipra GoyalAlbum:Singham (Punjabi) Ho naagni ae gutt, suit patialviKaatil ne lakk de hulaare chann veHo reejh naal takk lai je roop kudi daDin’ch dikhadu tainu taare chann ve Ho aini sohni naar chhad ke naar chad keBudy kehdya kamma de vich maahiya Adab subah de jatt ne subah de jatt neTeri ek bhi demand na pugayi aaAdab subah de jatt ne subah de jatt neTeri ek bhi…

[themovieblogonline]

Craving Punjabi Content? Zee5 Global Serves Up a Desi Feast!

Feeling a void in your life where some good ol' Punjabi entertainment should be? Well, fret no more, cuz Zee5 Global just came through with a banger update! They've added a whole bunch of new Punjabi titles to their already-stacked library. We're talkin' Chaupal, fam. It's part of their Add-ons thingamajig in the US, and now it's bursting with fresh flicks and shows from Punjab. From love stories that'll make you weak in the knees to laugh-out-loud comedies and action-packed thrillers, there's something for everyone. This move proves Zee5 Global is serious about bringing the global diaspora all the desi content they crave. Fresh From the Tandoor: What's Cookin' on Zee5 Global? Let's dive into the new arrivals, shall we? Buckle up for some titles that'll have you saying "Jatta!" (which is Punjabi for "wow," FYI). Plaster: This web series is an action-packed joyride following a crew of five low-income dreamers, Bunty, Gora, Lucky, Pradeep, and Honey. These fellas decide to try their luck at being fraudsters, but their plan hits a snag – a plaster, of all things! We won't spoil the surprise, but let's just say things get messy in a hilarious way. Starring Sukhwinder Chahal, Ashish Duggal, Aman Dhaliwal and Diljot, this show promises entertainment with a capital E. Qismat: Love and fate collide in this award-winning story. Shivjit falls head over heels for Bani while they're both studying in Chandigarh. But family drama tears them apart, and when Shivjit tries to win her back, it might be too late. Ammy Virk and Sargun Mehta bring their acting A-game to this emotional rollercoaster. Warning 2: This one picks up right where the first movie left off. Remember Geja, our vengeful hero? Well, he's locked up alongside his target, the ruthless Pamma. Prison walls can't contain their deadly game though, and new and old enemies emerge, all seeking revenge. Will Geja get his payback, or will prison become his ultimate battleground? Buckle up for a thrilling ride! Jatta Dolie Naa: This film is a love story with a twist. Kirandeep Rayat plays a bad boy who falls for the lovely Roop. There's just one hitch: he has to win a championship to score a date with her! Get ready for some romance, family drama, and a deep dive into Punjabi culture. Prabh Grewal also stars in this one. Why Zee5 Global is Your One-Stop Desi Shop Archana Anand, a big cheese at Zee5 Global, says this content drop is all about giving the diaspora what they want: the best South Asian entertainment around. They're constantly adding new stuff to their library, so you'll never run out of fresh flicks and shows to binge. Sandeep Bansal, another high roller at Zee5 Global, promises a year packed with fresh content, including a ton of originals. They're pulling in all the talented actors you know and love, so get ready for a desi feast for your eyes! (Source: Zee5 Global)  

[rbf451]

makijoona ig story 29.3.2023

[firenati0n]

flip the switch and let the cauldron bubble

by firenati0n on ao3

T | 2.7k

tags: magic/fantasy au, college au, parent feels (catherine and alive!arthur), tooth-rotting fluff, sassy black cat david, tea as a metaphor for love, if you imagine david sounding like a mix of ian mckellen and patrick stewart it makes it 100x better

Henry is eight, and he can’t sleep. The trees outside are too big, their shadows too scary in his window as the wind makes the branches thump against the glass. He rubs at his eyes before digging his head in his pillow again, hoping sleep claims him. From underneath his door, light filters in from the hallway—his mother is probably in the kitchen, grinding herbs and ingredients for her potions. If there’s anyone who can help him, it’s her.

Or, Henry shares special potions that he learned from his parents over the years with Alex.

xoxo roop

my @flufftober fic for day 11: ingredients and spells :)

this is a sequel to my kiki's delivery service au with warlock!henry and baker!alex but can absolutely be read as a standalone. but that fic is very sweet and soft and i would recommend reading it alongside this for all the backstory and maximum feels<3

tagging the rest of the collection crew: @thesleepyskipper @theprinceandagcd @caterpills @kj-bee @exitariel000

@shesfromboston @msmarvelouswinchester @dani-dabbles @jafffacakess

[drmajalis]

Them: Why so down? What's on your mind?

Me: On April 8th, 1940, the destroyer HMS Glowworm encountered the German convoy carrying troops to Trondheim for Operation Weserubung, the Invasion of Norway, and the crew found themselves face to face against the convoy's lead escort, the 18,000 ton heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper. Armed with only four 120mm guns against the Hipper's eight 203mm guns, Glowworm decided to stand and fight rather then flee, and after firing all ten of her torpedoes, the only weapons that stood a chance of penetrating Hipper's armour, and suffering numerous hits from the heavy cruiser's 203mm guns, Glowworm turned and rammed the cruiser that was quite literally ten times her size.

Forty of Glowworm's sailors were rescued from the water as the ship immediately sank after the ram, though six would later die of their wounds. Hipper suffered moderate damage from the ram, but was otherwise able to continue in his mission.

The Captain of Glowworm, Lt. Cmdr. Gerard Broadmead Roope would later posthumously become the first recipient of the Victoria Cross in World War II, based almost entirely by the recommendation of Hellmuth Keye, Captain of Hipper, who wrote to the British through the Red Cross, praising Roope's courage in the face of overwhelming odds.

[shankarjaikishanfansassnintl]

#Remembering #DevAnand on his #DeathAnniversary. #ShankarJaikishan and Dev Anand, a Divine Association It was #AmiyaChakravarthy’s #Patita that brought #shankarjaikishanduo and #devanand together in 1953. The critically acclaimed movie was followed by eight other movies, including the shelved Sajan Ki Galiyan and Raksha, all with beautiful music. Patita (1953): Dev Anand acted opposite Usha Kiran. The movie was produced and directed by Amiya Chakravarthy. There are a total of six songs in the album. Hasrat wrote one and Shailendra five. Love Marriage (1959): The movie was produced and directed by Subhodh Mukherjee. Mala Sinha was cast opposite Dev Anand. There are eight songs in the album. Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (1961): Nasir Hussain produced and directed the super hit movie. Asha Parekh is the leading lady. There are eight songs in the fab album. Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1961): Waheeda Rehman is the heroine of the movie. Rahul Chitra produced the movie and H. S. Rawail directed it. There are eleven songs in the album. Asli Naqli (1962): The Sadhana-Dev Anand blockbuster has the actor in a dual role. It was produced by L. B. Lachman and L. B. Thakur. Hrishikesh Mukherjee directed the movie. The excellent album has seven extremely popular songs. Pyar Mohabbat (1966): Produced and directed by Shankar Mukherjee, the movie has Saira Banu cast opposite the actor. The nine beautiful songs and exotic locales couldn’t help the movie’s success. Duniya (1968): Vyjayantimala and Dev Anand acted in one of the highest grossing movies. It was produced by Amarjeet and directed by T. Prakasa Rao. All six songs were received very well. Kahin Aur Chal (1968): The ill fated was produced by Jal Mistry and directed by Vijay Anand. Asha Parekh played the lead opposite Dev Anand. Financier, Tolaram, wouldn’t cooperate with the unit which delayed the production considerably. In order to show the movie as a loss to off set profits from other ventures, Tolaram, pulled the movie off from the theater within days of it’s release which upset the cast and crew. Although the movie is not available for viewing, the audio version of the songs are available on YouTube. https://www.instagram.com/p/CltNLgVv5dQ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sharksloveblud]

rooperokka story

[blindchannelarchive]