#currently on ep 5 of s2!

[queeranesearch]

omg jas okay finished first two eps of the bear (wanted to start ir after abbott elementary one bc i was already watching it and two bc ayo edebiri guest stars in a few episodes of that) and it’s SAURRRR good beloved like the way it starts w screaming was so fun and interesting and also every time carmy has like implied suicidal (?) thoughts and the scene just holds and it’s OURGH so good also carmys and richies blue eyes r . something! yeah i had many thoughts yesterday when i finished but sxhool has drained me so that’s all i have rn. but i’m excited to continue watching <333

EESHA MY DARLING I'M HUGGING AND SPINNING YOU AROUND IM SO GLAD YOURE LIKING IT AND RIGHT?? this show is a stellar example of 'show don't tell' in my opinion the way its shot and edited is just so evocative!! the shot of carmen just staring into the stove fire as it lifts around him lives in my mind rent FREE (hence my blog title!) also god don't even their eyes are SO BRIGHT its insane like i think they look nice then other times i'm like 'carmen please look away you're gonna turn someone to stone with those'. thank god for syd and her beautiful big brown eyes <3 AND NO WORRIES. UPDATE ME WITH YOUR THOUGHTS HOWEVER COHERENT THEY ARE

[goth-emrys]

Help me decide what episode to show my sci-fi gf as the ultimate test of her interest in Merlin.

What is an engaging episode that serves a 'if you dont like this episode you wont enjoy the show' role?!

[cherrymoonvol6]

.

[twig-tea]

GL odds and ends 6 October 2024

I haven't been as good at posting about shows as I wanted to be, so I'm trying a round-up format instead because it feels like a lot of GLs skirt under the radar. It's exciting that we're in a time when there's enough GL airing that it's worth doing a round-up! This was a great week for the lesbians to figure themselves out, so it feels like a good week to start. No idea how regularly I'll do this, need to figure out a cadence that makes sense.

Currently airing (with thoughts up to Oct 6):

Reverse 4 U 5/8 (Thai, Tuesdays 1:00 PM EDT, Netflix / YouTube) This week the girls finally sorted themselves and we got set up for the main plot to start next week. I was initially really stoked about this one and then a little bummed that it's not taking it's very cool premise and the stakes it establishes as seriously as it could be, but I'm still hoping it will start to have real stakes in the main plot stretch.

The Two of Us s2 ep 6/6 END (Thai, 29 Aug-3 Oct 2024, YouTube) It was so great seeing women in their 40s being romantic together but I did not love the plot of this one; I find their romantic conflicts too juvenile (lots of easily-triggered jealousy). The moments they're being sweet are great though.

Unlock Your Love ep 4/8 (Thai, Wednesdays, GagaOOLala / YouTube [cut version]) This is the first episode that this series felt a little more assured; I liked the series this production company produced with a short run time, it feels like this series has been worse off for its longer episodes. That being said, when these couples get to do their thing like in this episode, they have good chemistry.

Chaser Game W s2 ep 3/8 (Japanese, Thursdays 12:30 PM EDT, GagaOOLala) @lurkingshan is already doing a great summary of this week to week in her JQL weekly round-up!

Affair the series ep 6/8 (Thai, Fridays 11:15 AM EDT, iQIYI/ YouTube) Finally! I liked that it was Ek pointing out that Wan was unhappy the entire time she was gone that finally got Pleng to give in to her desire to be with Wan. This show is so melodramatic but the emotional threads follow and the character motivations are clear and consistent; I'm enjoying it in spite of not loving melodramatic storylines in general. It helps that the acting in this one is excellent.

The Loyal Pin ep 10/16 (Thai, Sundays 12:15 PM EDT, YouTube) Glad we finally got confirmation of Patt's history! And I'm relieved Anin knows she has an ally, though I feel like it's given her false confidence that worries me. These two are stressing me out by how bad they are at being careful but I do love how desperate they are for each other, as well as how beautiful this show is.

Red Whisper ep 2/8 (Korea, Wednesdays and Sundays, YouTube) Starting with cheating is not my fave but is par for the course with these SukFilm short series; my fave so far has been their first GL so if you haven't seen that yet I'd honestly recommend that instead.

Recent One-offs

Out of Breath (re-release in a bingeable version; Korean, YouTube) Highly recommended! Also the creator, Soo not Sue, announced she's working on another series to hopefully air before the end of the year, which I am super stoked about.

The Suffering of Xiqing Mountain (Chinese (censored), YouTube)

Sastra film app YouTube channel has several short Cambodian GL series that come out weekly Honestly they are not to my taste but I don't like gatekeeping GL especially from smaller markets. I check in on these time to time and if there are any that I think are great I'll give them a shout-out

Ditto above with JPC media YouTube channel for Thai GL shorts if there are any that stand out to me I'll say so

Recently ended that I haven't had the wherewithal to write about:

Hoshikuzu Telepath (fansub) Thank you to @yuiyuihan for your hard work making it possible to watch this series! I I haven't read the original manga but I do know they changed the kiss communication to a forehead rest; Unsurprised that this adaptation, starring idols in the same group, would be left ambiguous in terms of whether their feelings are friendly or romantic. I liked what this series was trying to say, but in all honestly didn't love the execution. It's too bad because I absolutely love the concept of an alien being helped by girls obsessed with building rockets.

The Secret of Us 8 eps [complete] (24 Jun-15 Aug 2024, YouTube) I first included this in my recommendations from the summer and then retracted, but I ended up liking this series and then never updated again. So to set the record straight: Though it lost me in the middle, the ending on this series won be back over. I really appreciated the way this series handled filial piety and balancing that against personal happiness. I appreciated SO MUCH that the main characters decided together how to handle Lada's situation with her mother. I finally understood too late that Earn believed the lies Lada's mother told her in ep1, and that affected some of their decisions in the middle of the series. I still think the execution was wobbly, but the acting and chemistry between the two leads carries this series through. This has some of the best domestic fluff in any GL, as well as my favourite GL counter lift to date. And it's gorgeous. Tentatively recommended with the caveat that you do have to either enjoy or power through the melodrama in the middle.

Starting soon:

Apple My Love, Thai, 12 October, GagaOOLala

Pluto, Thai, 19 October, VIU

The Nipple Talk, Taiwanese, 1 November GagaOOLala

My Ex's Wedding [in theatres in Thailand 14 November]

Petrichor, Thai, 23 November, TBD

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

☀️JUNE LISTENS☀️

i still don’t have a brain! ah!!!! but i do have ears for listening! i actually listened to a lot of stuff that i ended up not liking as much, last month, but i still have plenty to rec.

Remnants — (ep1-2 early access) a dark fantasy mystery anthology. hard to describe without giving anything away. i love everything by Hanging Sloth (creator of SBR, NQD and Clockwork Bird), so i knew that i was very likely to enjoy this regardless of the premise… but my god, absolutely surreal vibes. the sound design is breathtaking! feeling very grateful to be a HS patron right now. keep an eye out for this one coming 15th july! subscribe now and don’t miss it.

Mockery Manor — (3 seasons, 37 eps + miniseries, between seasons) a murder mystery set at a theme park with a comedic twist. i didn’t think this was going to be my thing and i was so wrong. the protags are twin sisters with plenty of baggage between them. their shenanigans and banter keep the tone light even when the plot takes dark turns. looking forward to s4!

Limelight: The Specialist — (5 eps, complete) self-described as a “dark medical thriller” set in rural wales. Limelight series are generally good but satisfying endings are hit or miss; this one was VERY well-paced, with a satisfying payoff, and gave me hope for a series 2 in future. i loved the execution of the gruesome mystery and i loved the protagonist to pieces.

Close Your Eyes — (1 season, 9 eps, s2 in production) having recently listened to RQ’s Neon Inkwell: The Pit Below Paradise, which also centers around cult dynamics, i found this to be a very fun contrast. here we see how someone can be immersed and isolated by a cult, regardless of their personal skepticism or strength of will. the suspense was so delicious i had to listen to all nine episodes in a row. ends on an incredible cliffhanger — can’t WAIT for season 2.

The Silt Verses — (44 eps, finale soon) a grim religious fantasy dystopia. some of the most intricate and fascinating worldbuilding i’ve ever seen. huge cast. i know that everyone in the AD space has rec’d this pod a hundred times over, but i can’t stress enough how it’s one of my very favorite stories in the medium. the penultimate ep left off on an absolutely deranged note and i have no idea what’s coming! so exciting, if you’ve been waiting to check this one out — now might be the time!

Dice Shame — (2 seasons, 200+ eps, ongoing) classic dnd actual play ft. Harlan Guthrie of Malevolent fame, and his equally charismatic friends and family. i don’t listen to a lot of APs bc i have trouble focusing on such long episodes but i just love the chemistry of this party. slapping it on the rec list bc the current storyline has me hooked!!

Bridgewater — (1 season, 22 eps, ???) supernatural mystery, notably starring Misha Collins as the protagonist. this one has a lot of complicated family dynamics read: mommy AND daddy issues. the length of the series is just enough to let you spawn several of your own theories, which is fun, and i was really pleased that i was able to predict the true conflict and identify the antagonist. excellent use of foreshadowing etc, biggest props to Lauren Shippen of The Bright Sessions fame.

Consumed — (12 episodes) small town horror/mystery through the eyes of a stranded newcomer. this one did NOT go where i expected it to, because i started it before i listened to Bridgewater; they’re set in the same universe, so the same worldbuilding applies. i would honestly recommend listening to this one FIRST because if you do listen to the end of Bridgewater, it will kind of spoil the twist in Consumed.

The Penumbra Podcast — (5 seasons, 2 storylines, both ending this summer) still barreling toward the finish line for both Second Citadel and Juno Steel. as a patron, i was notified of early release for the SC finale this morning, which i know is gonna wreck me. just wanted to feature this because i don’t see it recced as often anymore and that’s a fucking crime. one of my top AD recs for sure.

Red Valley — (While You Were Hypersleeping 3) three ep miniseries featuring our main best boy, warren, who has been notably absent from most of this season! so nice to hear from him and to get a glimpse of what might be coming in the next part of the season.

Observable Radio — (11 eps, ongoing) my favorite recent sci-fi/horror anthology by far, tied up in a terrifically dreadful meta narrative. afaik this is a limited series but i’m really savoring each and every episode; the most recent, “Earworm”, was one of my favorites. very dark and dystopian. mind the content warnings!

The Network Defenders — (ep1) the debut of a new Planet Arcana miniseries, featuring some new voices and a fresh new tarot-based system (crowdfunding this year!) has all of the appeal of PA in terms of prod. quality, vibes and emotional depth, just new mechanics. 2nd ep is out now so i’m hopping right on that as i post this!

Waterlogged — (ep1) a new indie horror that i’ve been waiting to drop for a while now, and i really enjoyed the soft-spoken eerie vibe of the pilot. there’s a couple more things in the feed now so i’ll have to go catch up.

[eerna]

Act II is deffo super messy.

Like Arcane is still a fucking amazing show.

But if S1 of the show was a 10/10, currently S2 is sitting around a 7 or 8 for me.

If Act 3 can land the emotional elements, I'll take it, even if the show could really have done with a few more episodes, or heck just an additional 5-10 minutes per episode.

I feel like they would have needed a full season ngl... I don't think 10 minutes per ep could fix the breakneck pacing. In fact, the exact length added should have been the exact amount of time needed to steep in every new development they made. And if there is no time to steep in it, cut it out of the show entirely and find a different route. I know arc 3 will have stellar battles and cool animation and nice music and loads of hot people, and that's still totally worth it in my book... but it's pretty bittersweet how such surface-level pros replaced the deep connection I felt towards s1.

[biconickyoshi]

Okay y’all… I was very critical of eps 3 & 4 (especially 4) of NAtLA. Then all of a sudden eps 5 & 6 kinda slapped me in the face with how much better the show suddenly got.

Spoiler-free thoughts first:

Zuko, Iroh, and Aang have cemented themselves as the best parts about this adaptation - which is really funny considering I’m currently writing a longfic AU where Zuko and Iroh discover Aang in the iceberg right after Zuko is banished at age 13 and end up becoming the first members of the Gaang (albeit reluctantly at first lol). Episode 6: “Masks” (the Blue Spirit adaptation) was so good, I’d venture to say that it actually improved and fleshed out some things from the original series.

Episode 5: “Spirited Away”, while not as good as E6, was not as bad as I heard people say it was going to be. I think that the changes they did make didn’t bother me nearly as much as the changes they made in the last episode, and it was actually entertaining.

There were several scenes that made me cry in both of these episodes (moreso in episode 6, which I’ll get into further down in the spoiler section). These are the scenes that I feel like really tapped into the heart of the original show rather than feeling like a soulless remake.

Now for my in-depth thoughts (INCLUDES SPOILERS):

EP 5: “Spirited Away”

- Staring out, I was bummed because I had just rewatched the first two eps of the original animated series lol.

- It was an interesting choice to have all three members of the Gaang get stuck in the Spirit World, but I think it worked.

- Wan Shi Tong just showing up randomly was a bit unnecessary, but I suppose it will be kinda interesting to see him again in S2 since he’s already met the Gaang

- Hei Bai plays a much smaller role in these eps, but I strangely didn’t mind that either?

- Seeing Katara’s last memory with her mom was devastating, especially the fact that she had to witness her death and hide in the igloo with Kya’s charred body :(( she definitely has severe PTSD.

- Even Sokka’s memory made me tear up a bit

- Koh being the villain and a soul-eater or whatever was a bit of an odd choice, but I guess I can see why they did it. I do prefer him just being an asshole who steals ppl’s faces lol

- Appreciated the Fog of Lost Souls reference from the LoK lore

- Aang reuniting with Gyatso made me cry. I know some people didn’t like him being in the Spirit World, but I really liked it. Also, the fact that Gyatso was the first person to tell Aang that it wasn’t his fault the Air Nomads died, and that if he had been there he would have died too? THANK YOU! My poor boy has been berated enough for “abandoning” the world.

- We got some interesting lore about the afterlife for humans from Gyatso and Aang’s convo, which we’ve never gotten in AtLA media before. Idk if it’s just for Air Nomads, but Aang mentions that Gyatso stayed behind instead of “seeking enlightenment”. I know that the end goal in Buddhism is to reincarnate until you eventually achieve nirvana, so I wonder if that’s what they were alluding to (I’m not an expert on religions so pls correct me if I’m wrong)

- Oh yeah, I forgot June is here lmao. As a queer person I loved her (bc beautiful goth woman) but I didn’t like the weird choice to make her hit on Iroh - I guess to contrast the Iroh being creepy towards her thing in the OG series. I wish they would have just had them interact normally tbh, no weird “flirting”

EP 6: “Masks”

- Here we go y’all. The best episode in the show so far and probably the best the show is gonna get this season. I’m still pretty shocked at how good this one was.

- I think the decision to include flashbacks to Zuko’s Agni Kai was a good decision here. It felt like an appropriate episode for them and the flashbacks were very well done.

- In general, Dallas is doing a phenomenal job at portraying a Zuko who is angry and aggressive, yes, but also so very sweet and compassionate at his core. I love when little inklings of his true self shine through.

- Roku was… not what I expected. He was very much more of a lighthearted and jokey person… I didn’t hate it, it was just unexpected lol. I wonder if they did that to contrast him with Kyoshi. Which, speaking of, I’m glad Roku clarified that Aang doesn’t just need to be a merciless warrior (and that he didn’t berate Aang for “abandoning” the world like she did). But I still am annoyed about the mischaracterization of Kyoshi in general.

- RIP Shyu :/

- Thought it was kind of strange how June captures Aang at Roku’s temple lol. Like how did she get on and off the island??

- Zhao continues to feel like a completely different character to me lmao. I think this version is pretty funny, but it’s so weird to see Zhao being portrayed as so goofy and incompetent when he was such an intimidating force and the main villain of Book 1 in the OG series. Just a weird direction they went with his character.

- The Yuyan archers look cool as fuck. 10/10 no notes

- Still not sure how I feel about Azula already being this insecure and jealous of Zuko. I think it makes her feel a bit more realistically like a child, but the whole point of Azula’s character is that she is really good at maintaining this cool and calm persona on the surface, which she uses to scare and manipulate people. I can see her maybe getting to a point later on to where she hardens herself into that though. We’ll see.

- Baby Zuko asking Iroh how he looks and his little smile 😭😭😭😭 I had a physical “aww” reaction to that. THAT’S MY SON (me and Iroh shouting in unison)

- War Room scene was handled very well. No complaints. I like how Ozai tried to test Zuko with battle strategies.

- Blue Spirit break out scene was extremely close to the original, and it was really good. They adapted it almost shot for shot with all the important parts.

- Here’s probably my favorite part of the episode: Zuko and Aang’s talk inside the abandoned house after they escape from Pohuai!!!!!! Gahhhh I could gush about this scene all day. I love how they expanded it to be an actual friendly conversation between Aang and Zuko. Like we get to see Zuko’s true self coming through - the sweet, kind boy we know he is. Zuko and Aang just have such great chemistry as well, wayyy more than Aang has with either Sokka or Katara. Like I adored them bonding over painting and caligraphy!!! I think this is the best acting we’ve seen from Gordon so far, and Dallas did a phenomenal job switching back to that hurt, angry version of himself (of course a trauma response). And the fact that Aang said “sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you” when he blocked Zuko’s firebending attack??? My sweet boy 😭

- The final flashback to the Agni Kai was really well done too. I’d already heard Zuko fights back, which I wasn’t sure I’d like, but I actually didn’t mind it. I really liked that they showed Zuko’s hesitation whenever he did actually have an opening, and that was what angered Ozai the most - Zuko showing compassion, “weakness”. Daniel Dae Kim is of course doing a phenomenal job (no surprises there), and I really liked that Iroh actually attempted to stop Ozai at one point. It also looked like young Azula had tears in her eyes, which I again actually liked because it humanizes her.

- I loved that Aang was still there when Zuko woke up on the boat 😭 he wanted to make sure he was okay!! I full on started crying when we got the “do you think we could have been friends too?” lines from him. Again, Gordon killed it. I love how you can tell that Aang knows Zuko has been hurt and that’s why he acts the way he does. He doesn’t blame him for any of it. 10/10

- the last flashback to Zuko in his bed recovering from the burn… god the tears just kept flowing. I really liked the choice to have Ozai almost give Zuko a chance to like… idk understand why he did what he did, and how compassion is “weak”?? And then Zuko’s response to give people a chance 😭😭😭 as if I couldn’t love him any more!!! And then of course Ozai gets pissed. But seeing baby Zuko just cry in his bed UGH I’m dehydrated at this point

- Of course I can’t finish this review without mentioning the 41st division. What an incredible way to expand upon the source material by making them Zuko’s crew!!! It shows just how much Zuko truly cares about others and it moved me so much (once again to tears).

I don’t have high hopes for the last two episodes, but honestly, if this is what the live action can be, it gives me a bit of hope (at least for future seasons). I really think that Dallas, Gordon, Paul, and Daniel were the stars of this ep and are a big part of what made it so good.

[ofmdrecaps]

9/10-17/2024 Daily OFMD Recap Pt 3

TLDR; David Fane; Lindsey Cantrell; Nat Torres; Damien Gerard; Dominic Burgess; Fan Events: OFMD Rewind; S2 Trailer (Because the Night, Belongs to lovers); Trends; Fan Spotlight: Relax I'm From The Future; OFMD Colouring Pages/Paper Pete; Love Notes;

Part 1 / Part 2

== David Fane ==

David is teaching at ICAN International! Check them out on their website!

"ICAN’s focus is to help create opportunities in work force development, build infrastructure and establish placement goals by amplifying training with extensive ongoing master classes, by bridging connections beyond Hawaii." More videos on the Repo

Source: David Fane's Instagram Stories

== Lindsey Cantrell ==

Our beloved set designer, Lindsey Cantrell has so much going on too right now! Did you know she's going to be at Comic Con LA! Our friend petrichor (aka gheyandwoke on twitter) is spreading the word about the OFMD Panel happening Oct 6, 1 PM PST featuring none other then Linds Cantrell!

Source: GheyandWork on Twitter Oh and in case you are a fan of Only Murders In The Building, it just won an Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition For A Series! This was another great show she worked on and if you'd like to check out some BTS/other things she shared for it, feel free to visit here!

Source: Lindsey Cantrell's Instagram

== Nat Torres ==

One of our fabulous writers, Nat Torres making a quick appearance.

Source: Nat Torres Instagram Stories

== Damien Gerard ==

Damien, our dear Father Teach has some WONDERFUL NEWS. Five Years Clear of Cancer! Congrats sir!

Source: Damien's Twitter

In other news, he's on Dragon Age: Vows of Vengeance Episode 1! Listen in if you're interested!

Source: Damien's twitter

== Dominic Burgess ==

Dominic, (aka Jeffrey Fettering) keeping up with the current events!

Source: Dominic Burgess Twitter

== Fan Events ==

OFMD Rewind Eps 5-8 with @adoptourcrew and @astroglideofficial is happening tomorrow, 09/19/24! Did you miss out on the fun on twitter on the 12th, or just don't have access to twitter? No problem! You can see the whole thread here on the repo.

"Join us and @astroglideofficial for our rewatch of Episodes 1-4 of S1 of #OurFlagMeansDeath! We’ll see you on Twitter at 2:30PM PDT to talk it through…as a crew 🏴‍☠️ #LubeAsACrew#OFMDRewind#ofmd"

Source: AdoptOurCrew's Instagram

== S2 Trailer Anniversary ==

Adopt Our Crew lead the charge with the S2 Trailer "Because The Night Belongs To Lovers" S2 Trailer, anniversary on Sept 14th! They asked some fun questions to boost engagement! Feel free to reach out to them to answer any of the questions! Don't know which trailer we're talking about? Check it out below!

Source: Adopt Our Crew Twitter

Source: Adopt Our Crew Twitter

== Trends ==

Oh and great job everyone, looks like some great trends on twitter from the 14th!!

Source: Politest Menace's Twitter

Source: AOC's Twitter

== Fan Spotlight ==

= Relax I'm From The Future! =

So this is VERY late because of my delays but I was given permission by the fabulous @citrussyndicate and all folks involved to share this phenomenal Relax I'm From The Future Cosplay w/Rhys! Thank you so much for allowing me to share this, it's so cool!

Source: @ CitrusSyndicate's Twitter

== OFMD Colouring Pages / Paper Pete! ==

Our fantastic friend @patchworkpiratebear is back with more colouring pages, and something new and exciting-- Paper Pete! These were all done as part of the @ofmdaction event, and they are awesome!

Source: Patchwork Piratebear's Twitter

== Love Notes ==

Hey there lovelies. Gosh, I can't believe it's been a week. I have to give it up to the ofmd fan crew cause they do week long reports and oh my god is it exhausting. I tip my hat to you lovely folks for all the work you did for so long with weeklong updates. Tonight, I wish I had more in me so I could properly express myself. I am so very grateful for all of you wonderful crewmates who have been patient, and kind and supportive over the past week to me. It's been a lot, and I try to keep people up to date, but I also try not to go too crazy cause it's a lots of heavy stuff going on (not just with me, with everyone on a personal level, with the world, etc), so whether you left passing hugs, or a kind word, I just want you to know you are so very incredibly appreciated and it means so much to me. So please accept so many hugs coming your way from me, and some ghostly forehead kisses.

Sometimes life hits us with some of the absolute craziest shit, and you know what helps get us through it? Each other. A hug, or a kind word makes a world of difference. Someone checking on you, or reminding you to drink water, it can honestly save someone's life/sanity and it kept me going this week. So please know that you make such an amazing difference, in my life and so many others. <3

But also, please remember. if you need support too, reach out, I know sometimes it's hard to ask for help, but we're here for you <3. We only have this one life, and there's no use going through it alone. Love you so much crew, thank you again for being such a wonderful group of kind hearted, compassionate folks. I am so honored to know so many of you <3.

Source: The Latest Kate's Tumblr

Source: BloomWithChristie Instagram

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

03/03/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; OurFlagTurns2; AdoptOurCrew Rhys Cameo; Samba Schutte; Vico Ortiz; Nathan Foad; In Soup Now Fundraiser; Watch Party Reminders; Wrecked;Newark Newark; Our Flag Means RTL; Fan Spotlight; Taika Cast Card; Captain's Orders Cont'd; TX OFMD Meet Up - Well and Truly Docked; Love Notes; Daily Darby/Tonight's Taika

#OurFlagTurns2!

Happy 2nd OFMD Anniversary Crew!

So many things were going on for the 2nd Anniversary! @AdoptOurCrew were putting out questions/prompts to increase community engagement! Did you all send any stories their way?

Thank you to @PaulineKnip for catching the #OurFlagTurns2 tag trending!

@adoptourcrew was kind enough to get the crew a Cameo from our esteemed Captain! They were having some technical difficulties getting the full thing uploaded, so I've included it here for now, but you can access it via their @AdoptOurCrew Tiktok

== Fundraisers ==

In Soup Now is now live! Interested in helping raise funds for Team Haven Belfast to support their work to feed unhoused neighbors? Check out: InSoupNow: In Aid of Team HAVEN for WeeJohnWonday

== Cast & Crew Sightings ==

== Samba Schutte ==

Samba posted a couple of things in honor of the 2 year anniversary of OFMD in his Stories!

== Vico Ortiz ==

Just some photos of Vico and what they've been up to lately!

== Nathan Foad ==

Nathan has a bunch of stuff on BBC this week! Please give some a watch to support him!

Monday 4th 11:15pm - BBC2 - "Our Flag Means Death; s2e5'

Tuesday 5th 10pm - BBC2 - 'Newark, Newark' Ep 1

On iplayer (&repeating tonight, 11:40 pm bbc3) ' Things you should have done' ep two.

== Watch Party Reminders ==

For all current watch parties, check out Watch Party Calendar

Mar 4 - Mar 8: Wrecked Season 1

Wrecked is no longer on any streaming platform, and it is not available digitally on US sites. (Apparently, it is available on German Amazon?) There are sources being passed around. If access is an issue, DM @iamadequate1 on Twitter or Tumblr

Season 1 watch from March 4th to March 8th. 

Season 2 watch from March 11th to March 15th. 

Season 3 watch from March 18th to March 22nd. 

Times will be 10pm GMT / 5pm EST / 4pm CST / 2pm PST. Watch two episodes per day. Episodes are 21-22 minutes each. Use the following Saturday for the tags/watch if interested but not able to make this time.

Hashtags: 

#WreckedPirates

#SaveOFMD

#RhysDarbyFaction

= Mar 5: NewarkNewark with @adoptourcrew =

Please join @adoptourcrew for a @NewarkNewark watch party on March 5th at 10 pm GMT/ 2pm PS / 5pm EST!

== Deutsche Nachrichten / German News ==

Twitter-Watch-Along von Our Flag Means Death:

Streamt Staffel 2 ab dem 15. März.

Samstag, 9.3. 17:00 Folgen 1 bis 3, 

Dienstag, 12.3. 20:00 Folgen 4 & 5, 

Mittwoch, 13.3. 20:00 Folgen 6 & 7, 

Donnerstag 14.3. 20:00 Folgen 8 & 9, 

Freitag, 15.3. 17:30 Folge 10

Und anschließend bingen wir zusammen Staffel 2! 

Schaut und tweetet mit! 

Hashtag:

 OurFlag RTL.

== Fan Spotlight ==

== Cast Cards! ==

Our crew-mate @melvisik is back again, this time with a Taika trading card! So glad to see Taika joining the rest of the cast!

== Captain's Orders ==

Two more of our crew-mates, @amuseoffyre and @pehmokoira were kind enough to share their #CaptainsOrders pictures with us! Thanks for getting out everyone, even if the weather wasn't perfect!

== In Person Events! ==

TX: Sept 21/22 - Well and Truly Docked on the Strand Hey Crew! Some of our crew-mates in TX are holding an in-person OFMD Fan Gathering on Galveston Island in Galveston, TX - September 21/22! Learn more! For tickets, visit Truly Docked 2024

== Love Notes ==

Hey lovelies. It's been two years. Two years since OFMD started the journey to bringing all of us together. I know a lot of us are later to the party than others, but I just wanna say thank you to OFMD for helping so many of us feel loved, and included, and safe-- and for this fandom for always being so welcoming.

Whether you've been here since the first trailer was shown, or since the cancellation of s2, you are part of this found family and we're so happy to have you.

I know a lot of folks are worried right now, and we've been going for so long, but we have something to celebrate today! 2 years! Can you believe it?

I've had more fun in the last half a year with you all, than I have in nearly a decade. The love and support I feel in this community is so strong that I feel like there's hope for just about anything. I fully believe we're going to get our s3 at this point because everything we're doing means something. This show is all about queer joy, and we need that on tv, and we're showing everyone exactly what it means to us. It's gonna happen. We're manifesting that shit.

You are wonderful lovelies, every last one of you. Don't ever forget that. I hope you have a fulfilling, restful evening/day, and everything good you could need happens for you. Stay strong, we made it this far, we'll make it through <3.

= Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika =

Sorry but I can't speak with these gifs here:

Fingers. Palpable Fingers.

Darby Courtesy of @wastingyourgum

Taika Courtesy of @waititi-tho

[koolkitty9]

LET ME FINALLY GIVE MY THOUGHTS ON THIS SCENE RIGHT HERE. Hi I am obsessed with this scene for absolutely no reason. I have MANY THOUGHTS on it and I want to share my analysis on this entire minute scene. It has been almost EIGHT YEARS NOW since it aired (Sorry some of this got formatted weird by Tumblr hhhhh)

Right here, you can see the moment where Yumoto's heart just drops into his stomach and he realizes he MAY actually lose for the first time ever as a Battle Lover (Which would be A VERY INTERESTING THING to see!)

Now why do they show him in the past? It shows that this is a REAL fear of his, losing Gora is such a big deal to him. This MAY have happened before at home but as a child, this scene takes place during the events we saw with the tiny Beppu bros in ep 10. Where he was left alone

Starting off with this, WHERE is this coming from? Well, Sailor Moon S1Ep1, we see Usagi having an attack JUST like this, and it is a defensive attack, which I believe Yumoto's own attack was based on. Wombat MUST have known about this, I believe he NEVER thought it would occur

The others are confused at this new power (Power #5 for Yumoto in s2) meanwhile, the twins are horrified/even MORE angry at him. Aki tells Haru to not falter and Haru tries to shoot Yumoto in the chest to stop/fatally injure him at this point

Atsushi mentions Yumoto has stronger emotions compared to the VEPPer (He shames them btw), we learn in the OVA, Yumoto's powers are loved based, we DO get hints of in ep9 when Yumoto performs his Love Sprinkle attack. En notes that the twins underestimated how strong Yumoto is

To me, this is just a VERY extreme panic attack but since his powers are with love, it is amplified due to his love for Gora. Kinshiro notes that both past and current Yumoto are merging. I HC that Yumoto was always destined to become Scarlet, so this moment has taken him back to the time when he was a child and this has somehow made itself known in the universe. This could be a result from the alien technology (or could just be nothing and Im looking too deep into a single line)

Everyone isn't sure WHAT is going on, Ryuu tells him to get a grip after he learns Yumoto is "Losing himself to fear" and tries to touch him. As we see when Haru tried to hit Yumoto, this power is actively protecting Yumoto while doing damage to anyone who tries to hurt him. I actually find this to be SUPER interesting

It's more interesting when he calms down after the twins realize how strong he is, I believe this is his true anger over the entire situation. By this point Yumoto is sick of it, he has been fighting these two for so long over his own brother. He has almost been killed and now He's ready to do the same to them. When the boys all come running to stop Yumoto, they all have different expressions (Can't see Io's :(( ) The twins though, are horrified as they know if they get hit, THEY ARE DONE FOR! (It's finEEEE)

En's first thought is to grab Yumoto to try to calm him down somewhat by grounding him back to reality

Atsushi (just like a mom as Yumoto says about him) gently grabs Yumoto's face and tries to get him to look at him, while also shielding him from either himself or another attack from the twins. You can actually see him and Io pulling Yumoto closer to them

Ryuu and Wombat don't add much, BUT Ryuu does actually support Yumoto's head when they all fall onto the ground. Which Yumoto's head SHOULD be in Ryuu's lap (In theory).

As for the dark place? Yumoto probably experienced a severe form of tunnel vision along with the influence of his powers. IMO, He was so overwhelmed with the thought of losing his only family forever that he forgot about his found family as well.

adding to how Yumoto is being held, Ryuu seems to have Yumoto's forearms pinned, Io has his arms around Yumoto's chest, and En and Atsushi I CAN'T really see where they're grabbing at but it but it does show you even with their strength it takes all four of them to subdue Yumoto

And uhhh I think that's it really for this scene...for now... Once Yumoto remembers how he's loved by his friends and he's not alone, he transforms into his highest form to date :)))) also these frames of him are pretty lol this scene had a lot of gorgeous frames OKAY BYE!

I WANTED TO ADD MORE PICS BUT RAN OUTTA SPACE

I didnt fit ALL I wanted to talk about but ANOTHER TIME! OKAY BYE FOR REALSIES

[slytherinshua]

NOSEBLEEDS

genre. fluff. a little angst. could be read with the same counter!reader as miss me?warnings. blood and fighting mentioned. takes place directly in ep 3 of s2 so this is your spoiler warning. pairing. so mun x counter!reader. wc. 1.5k.

You wanted to lunge at the evil spirit as soon as he had the audacity to walk right into the noodle shop. But, instead, you kept to your seat next to a small kindergartener with pigtails tied with colourful hair ties. You pretended to listen intently to what she was telling you, but all you were really focusing on was your boyfriend who had sat down across from the evil spirit.

The air was tense, the pressure building up even physically as the building began to shake. Luckily, it didn’t seem like any of the kids were noticing what was going on. Ms. Chu had, though, and she gave you a serious look from across the room, clearly as concerned as you were about the situation. 

There had never been anything like this before. You had never seen an evil spirit walk straight into the noodle shop. You could feel the energy in the air. Mun had summoned the territory and you could also sense him using his psychokinesis. The evil spirit could use it too, and that terrified you.

You couldn’t hear their conversation, so you focused on Mun’s face instead. You were usually pretty good at reading his facial expressions. You watched his eyebrows furrow and his eye twitch. He was using a lot of his power, and you could only guess that the evil spirit was matching it. 

They were having a mind battle. 

You had tried to learn psychokinesis from Mun’s group lessons. You weren’t as good as Hana, but you could lift most small objects with ease after a couple weeks of training. Your specialty was time manipulation. On a good day and with the help of Mun’s territory, you could freeze time for up to 5 minutes. It was strenuous, though. Intensely strenuous. When you had first begun you could barely manage 5 seconds, but with ample training you started to improve.

You thought about freezing time now, but you were hesitant. The evil spirit didn’t look like he came here to fight, and So Mun seemed to be managing in his current state.

You gulped as a crack in the window started to form, with each second it became bigger. Mun was straining himself, pushing his limits to fight off the opposing psychokinesis. His fist was clenched tightly, though he tried to keep his face calm. The evil spirit seemed more tense than he was, which gave you some small hope that Mun was still stronger.

It felt like the tense moment went on for hours, but it suddenly all came to an end when one of the kid’s glasses slipped off the table from the shaking and the evil spirit caught it smoothly. He gave a fake smile and a gentle, “Are you okay?” to the small child.

“You have so many things you need to protect.” The words sounded sadistic and devilish, and you forced yourself to not lunge at him. Mun was breathing unsteadily, anger flashing in his usual soft eyes. You scowled at the evil spirit. You hated leaving things unfinished. You didn’t like waiting to fight another day. You were always one to face things head-on. If it had been different circumstances, you would’ve frozen time and given this evil spirit a piece of yourself. 

It absolutely enraged you how he had come here to scout things out, to test So Mun’s ability first hand without risk. And now that he had found out what he wanted, he walked out. But you were glad that he was leaving nonetheless. A fight in front of all the kids would’ve been a much worse outcome.

The door swung shut and you turned your focus back to Mun, who suddenly lurched forward and gasped, almost falling to the ground but he caught himself on the table.

“So Mun-” You were by his side immediately, hand on his shoulder and supporting him to make sure he didn’t fall. Your eyes widened as a drop of blood fell to the floor. All the other counters had gotten nosebleeds in psychokinesis training before, even Hana when she was just starting out. But you had never seen it from Mun. It sent a chill up your spine as you realized just how strong these new evil spirits could be.

You felt every inch of you ignite with rage. He just walked in and out like he owned the place? He pushed Mun to the edge of his abilities and strolled out like it was nothing? You started to move to run after him. You wanted a fight. You wanted payback. Evil spirits were bad in their nature, but this one was worse than any you had seen.

Your boyfriend stopped you before you could go, though. He was heaving still, his nose dripping blood and his forehead shiny with sweat. He gave you a small shake of his head. He knew what you were thinking in an instant, and he kept a firm hand on your arm to make sure you didn’t leave.

“Don’t.” He gasped, coughing a little. You sighed, fist clenching as you looked back at the door for another second before turning your full attention to Mun.

“Are you okay?” He nodded, finding his footing again to stand up but he stumbled a little, still exhausted from the encounter with the evil spirit. You caught him safely in your arms before he could fall. 

“Sit down.” You guided him back to the chair and grabbed a tissue from the side table for his nose. Hana had gone back to the kids knowing you could handle the situation with your boyfriend, but Ms. Chu stayed by your side. She always felt like injuries, no matter how big or small, were her responsibility. You understood her completely. If the team were ever too late, you couldn’t help placing the blame all on yourself and millions of what-if’s and alternative scenarios would play in your mind. Mun had always been helpful for your overthinking, even before you two were dating. He always knew exactly what to say to get the thoughts out of your head.

“He’s stronger, isn’t he?” You were now sitting beside Mun, gently clasping his hand.

He nodded, “But we’re stronger too. At least, we will be. We have to be.” You gave his hand a squeeze. It was a scary thought, but you wondered if the team was cut out for defeating evil spirits of this level.

//

There was only one person that could possibly be knocking on your door at 1 am. You wondered whether it was something serious or if your boyfriend really despised sharing his new room with Jeokbong that much. Whatever the reason was, it didn’t really matter. Mun was always welcome wherever you were. 

He opened the door, but didn’t come in, instead faltering in the doorway for a while. You opened your arms wide, waving for him to come over for a hug. It was enough to get him to take steps forward and close the door.

“Can’t sleep because of stress or because Jeokbong is really annoying?” You asked with a small laugh as Mun positioned himself to snuggle close to you, a position which allowed you to play with his curly hair— something you loved to do more than anything.

“Jeokbong isn’t so bad, you know. He’s part of the team now.” Your boyfriend mumbled.

“Yeah, well he isn’t much help yet, but he’s pretty cute at least.” 

Mun gave a small discontented groan at your comment, “He is not cute.”

“Are you still stressed about it?” You asked, moving the topic of discussion to a more serious matter. Your boyfriend sighed and shuffled just a little closer to you.

“I can’t stop thinking about it. I should’ve done something. He was right there, but I let him go. Maybe if we had all worked as a team-”

“Baby, you did your best. It was better to not have a fight in front of all the kids.” You reassured him, truly meaning every word. The fact that he even got a nosebleed showed that he truly strained himself as far as he could. 

“I know you’re right, but I still don’t feel like it.” He mumbled.

“And you can’t sleep because it’s still bothering you?” You guessed and he hummed affirmatively.

“I thought being next to you might help me sleep.” He admitted and it made you smile.

“I hope it does.” You pressed a kiss to his forehead before closing your eyes and preparing to sleep.

So Mun kept his eyes open for a while, mindlessly staring at your sleepy face. When he finally felt some tiredness wash over him, he pressed one last kiss to your lips and hugged you close, slipping away to his dreams.

↳ k-drama taglist: @yeonjuns-redhair,, @wolfmoonmusic,, @cha3w0n-hearts (abp & tuc only),, @tempobaekh (tuc only)

[ca-suffit]

“loumand were happy together most of the time” is kind of an insane take bc louis spent eps 1-4 haunted by lestat and distracted by a hallucination of him, fought badly with armand and called him a boring beige pillow in ep 5, the closest they probably came to being genuinely happy was in 6, the ep which had louis acting really off (i think jacob himself said he’d regressed to a lot of his past personality). eps 7, 8 and dubai speak for themselves lol. whereas loustat *were* happy, especially when they were raising claudia (“we were a happy trio”), and it’s clear that louis downplayed a lot of that happiness (see all of jacob and sam’s comments about dreamstat reflecting the softer and happier parts of loustat that louis wants to forget). but people also ship them because a) their intense chemistry and b) the whole show revolves around their romance, which is tragic and destructive because they love each other *so much*. it’s fucked up but also so compelling and epic and romantic because they will literally love each other forever and nothing can stop it no matter the cost. that doesn’t mean you have to ship it, but it actually surprises me that someone could even enjoy the show if they don’t even “get” loustat at all

tbh I think an argument could be made for both relationships either way. I don't think any of it has to be a contest of any kind. ppl come into the show from all different backgrounds and awareness of the books / characters or not. I think it's fine to let ppl come into the story however they want.

loustat allowed louis to feel seen for the first time in his life but also unseen in other ways. we do see them have happy moments but the more time goes on, the worse they get and the less "alive" he seems. then there's the explosive endings of the fight and mardi gras. although the show has told us there's layers to this and a general back and forth of whether things were better or worse all over their timeline.

loumand and being in paris gives louis more freedom in ways than he's ever known. he explores hobbies, he feels less judged as a black man in public spaces, he feels like he's allowed to have boundaries and voice desires. armand pretends to relinquish control at times when he knows it's what louis requires to feel good. that's something that lestat wasn't doing. for a lot of S2, in dubai, there is an unease felt and a forced manner of discussing all of these "happy" memories they have together, but a lot of it still feels real. like an authentic couple that's been married a long, long time and settled into each other. 2x5 shows us a layer peeled back and starts to break the illusion, but just like with louis' happy moments with lestat, it doesn't change that those moments still exist.

the show itself is always telling us that everything we see of any of this are parts of a whole. just like real life, all events have different perspectives. if louis' memory hadn't been erased after 2x5 then who knows what would have happened. but louis also wouldn't have left lestat on his own without claudia too, so maybe nothing?

the core of all of these relationships is what they reveal about the characters. while loustat has been said to be the main focus throughout, it doesn't lessen any of the others. all of these characters are around each other for eternity and have to endure each other somehow, whatever their current status with each other. I don't think anyone has to have any relationship preference to watch the show tbh, bcuz they're all related in the end anyway.

[imthepunchlord]

Is there anything the show could do to make you go back to watching it?

I... don't really know.

Show wise, ML isn't really for me anymore. I realized that s2 which is why I stopped after it, and only checked out a handful of eps afterward that I was intrigued with enough to see. But everything about it just leaves a sour taste in my mouth and it's just unpleasant.

The ship that is the center stage of the show and is going to get the most priority, I don't like. Why watch a show that's going to heavily focus and care about this ship I do not like. I haven't genuinely liked this ship with no grievances since s1.

The characters are unlikable or it's just unpleasant to watch them.

Character relationships are just a joke or non existent. I can't say anyone in this show are actual friends. There's nothing enjoyable in how characters work off each other, not in a long time.

The hero designs are boring and basic or ugly. Worst offenders are for the girls and whatever the heck Gabriel has going on when he unifies with more than one Miraculous.

The lore is incredibly lacking or confusing.

The writing makes weird choices I don't like or agree with. Some of which goes into really icky territory and I got to wonder wtf are they thinking.

The clear bias and toxic messages are irritating.

Powers are all over the place, are frustrating, or are confusing.

The kwamis, which easily could've been the most fascinating part of the show, are just disappointing and easy to cut out. Heck, they actually get the least amount of content. I search up a specific kwami to look at fanart and I just get the holders.

Even if I hear that s6 is really good, I don't know if I would want to watch it. S6 is going to work off the mess that is the prior 5 seasons. A lot of which did stuff I don't like.

And this show would make me so mad and frustrated I had to step away a good few times.

At this point, my only enjoyment with ML is just thinking of ideas and exploring them. One of the big frustrations is that this concept is just so full of potential and it's so easy to get creative and experimental with it, and what we got was their lazy slop. And it's really that frustration that just keeps reeling me back.

If I was to come back to ML the show, I would wait for a reboot personally. I would be more open to watching it rebooted. I want this current version of it to just stop. Cease to be. Try again with a fresh start, a more defined vision, and have some actual consistency.

[marvelstars]

X-MEN 97 EP 10 REVIEW

Loved this episode, as Beau said this felt healing and it didn´t dissapoint. That said I agree the series peaked on Ep 5 but for me this doesnt mean this was a bad episode at all.

Highlights for me:

Rogue beating Bastion into a pulp over Remy´s memory "remember it"

Scott and Morph being there for Logan.

Nightcrawler praying with Charles and Magneto.

Cable oppening to Jean and Scott about his childhood and their farewell.

Storm simply laughing at Phoenix appareance, just like her sister to save them all at the nick of time from the prime sentinels.

Morph making fun of Sinister

Charles remembering he is supposed to have a degree on psycology and having a therapy session with Magnus instead of leaving him in a coma, not gonna lie, this always pissed me off in the original FA, him having regrets post fact and remembering Magneto only made me feel more mad at him, so seeing him this way helped me remember why I liked his character, especially considering what has been done to him in current comics.

The first people Magneto remembers are Rogue, who is right there on Asteroid M and his children Lorna, Pietro and Wanda as well as his parents.They help him center himself in his humanity, just wish this series tackled Magda and Anya as well. Talking openly about his sense of isolation over not having an actual family and fully feeling himself part of the X-men now was great, I don´t think even in comics this has been tackled with quite the same intensity.

I personally don´t think Magneto at this point or Rogue see each other in a romantic sense, Rogue more than Magneto´s lover this season, has been more like an honest friend who could understand where he was coming from but also tell him when he was being a jerk so even if they tackle AoA, I don´t see them being end game, their relationship is more like an AU but this doesn´t mean they don´t trust or appreciate the other pov.

Just "Magneto is alive" moment.

Cyclops bad ass leadership moment in which he hoped to understand and help Bastion, supported by Storm and X-men, following the logic of the dream. Bastion reaching out to them.

Just all the cameos. Captain America, Iron Man, Peter, MJ, Cloak, Dagger, Psylocke, Omega Red to name a few, I just missed another cameo by Doctor Doom

This Ep effectively closed up previous plot points and showed what to expect of season two

Gambit will come back as death but I am almost sure this won´t last long. My guess is that Storm, Logan and Morph were selected by Apocalypse to be his current horsemen.

This kind of fun and expectative is something that has been missing for a long time in comics and I am very happy to see XM 97 feels like a fresh take of old stories.

This looks as well as if S2 is tackling different X-men teams, one in the future, another in the present and another in the past. My guess is that it was Apocalypse the one who used time manipulation to take them to different spaces in time.

That comment by Apocalypse "My children, so much death" made me remember current comics Apocalypse, so I expect him to gain new nuances in the series, just like Bastion did.

[twig-tea]

GL odds and ends 10 November 2024

Still feeling out how regularly it makes sense to do this; first one was 2 weeks ago on 6 October, second was--oops--3 weeks ago on 20 October. If you're interested in GL older than that, check out my GL rec list through Feb 2024 and my update in July 2024. New series marked with an asterisk*.

Currently airing (with thoughts up to 10 Nov):

*The Fragrance You inherit 1/8 (Japanese, Friday/Saturday-ish, no official distribution but fansub on @isaksbestpillow's blog [thank you Siiri!] I wrote about episode 1 already, but just to keep it all in one place: this one looks great. Not really a GL, more a family drama with a lesbian at the center of the story. I'm doubtful we're going to actually get anything other than closure for the romance in this one.

Pluto ep 4/12 (Thai, Saturdays 9:30 AM EDT, YouTube) This plot continues to be absolutely wild (at this point both of them have suspected the other of being involved in attempted murder?!) but Namtan and Film stay gorgeous and serving so I am still tuned in.

Apple My Love ep 5/7 (Thai, Saturdays 11:45 AM EDT, GagaOOLala and YouTube) This show is very sweet and continues to hold up the recent Kongthup pattern of being great about things like sidestepping the most annoying drama tropes, showing great friendship dynamics including asking your friends about sex, and in this one, excellent sibling dynamics too.

The Loyal Pin ep 15/16 (Thai, Sundays 12:15 PM EDT, YouTube) Anin remains so brave. This latest episode felt a little like we rushed to the finish line, but I've really enjoyed the way this show has handled things overall to date. The show continues to enjoy faking us out in previews so I'm not going to speculate on the ending until we get it.

Red Whisper ep 7/8 (Korea, [schedule is kinda unpredictable; vaguely every 5 days??], YouTube) Oof we've graduated to actively upsetting me with the way this show has depicted nonmonogamy and bisexuality. For the record: Not all bisexuals are nonmonogamous, and entering a monogamous relationship under false pretenses and then acting like your partner is being unreasonable by not wanting an open relationship is shitty behaviour.

*The Nipple Talk 5/10 (Taiwanese, weird schedule: the first 5 dropped on Nov 8 and the last 5 will air Nov 22, GagaOOLala) I honestly owe this show a separate post, it is great! This is an ensemble show with the main character being a heterosexual woman but her two besties are a gay man and a lesbian woman, and the show follows all of them through relationship issues. There is a lot of sex, great conversations about sex, and different relationship styles from one night stand casual flings, to nonmonogamous casual regular sex partners, to long term monogamous relationships. It is very funny, fun, and charming as all hell. It's made a couple small stumbles in the first 5 episodes but I'm still enjoying it a lot. If you liked Diary of Tootsies, this is highly recommended!

Recently Completed:

Reverse 4 U 8eps (Thai, 3 Sept-22 Oct 2024, Netflix / YouTube) I did not like this finale--in the end I was sad where we ended up with this show and I hope we get to see these actors in something else. Also looking forward to more genre GL, which is in the works!

Unlock Your Love 8eps (Thai, 11 Sept-30 Oct 2024, GagaOOLala / YouTube) This show was a little slow, but it stayed cute and relatively low stakes, and the actors had excellent chemistry when they were allowed to do their thing, which was relatively often--I appreciated the amount of good kissing in this show lol. The plot meandered, and we forgot we were in a worklpace GL by the end, but I enjoyed this in spite of that.

Chaser Game W s2 8eps (Japanese, 19 Sept-7 Nov 2024, GagaOOLala) @lurkingshan is already doing a great summary of this week to week in her JQL weekly round-up, but I'll add my thoughts to the finale here. Honestly this show did not do it for me for several reasons, but the main thing this final arc did that bothered me was introduce lesbian motherhood as a serious conflict, and then seemed to suggest that homophobia only exists because queer people are not brave enough. It rubbed me the wrong way. Plus the boss who sexually harassed characters in the first season was back to sexually harass characters in the second season with no consequence. I think this show was trying to do to much and as a result it didn't feel coherent.

Recent One-offs, Side Couples, etc.:

A very short and cute Chinese GL Oh General! My General! aired on bilibili and was subtitled by @douqi7s on YouTube This short manages to speedrun training, shared bath, cheek kiss, forced separation, timeskip, and happy ending in 2 minutes

The sapphic backstory in The Hidden Moon concluded with a happy-in-the-afterlife ending

We also got more of the Aim as a Lesbian plotline in the new Love Sick 2024 remake again (this was not a plotline in the 2014 version and it's one of the changes I really like and that I think works really well; her conversation with her mother was a good scene)

The Thai lakorn The Empress of Ayodhaya had a kiss that earned very high ratings on Thai television (This show does not have international distribution so I can't cover it in any detail unfortunately)

Sastra film app YouTube channel has several short Cambodian GL series that come out weekly Honestly they are not to my taste but I don't like gatekeeping GL especially from smaller markets. I check in on these time to time and if there are any that I think are great I'll give them a shout-out

Ditto above with JPC media YouTube channel for Thai GL shorts if there are any that stand out to me I'll say so; that being said I haven't had time recently so if I've missed anything good let me know!

Starting soon:

My Ex's Wedding [in theatres in Thailand 14 November]

Mom Ped Sawan, Thai, 17 November [international distribution uncertain; it should be on VIPA app with subs, but that is region-locked]

Petrichor, Thai, 23 November, iQIYI

Mate, Thai, 26 November, WeTV

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

🪸 JULY LISTENS 🪸

(ft. some lovely coral for those of us caught up on The Magnus Protocol😌)

this month, i’ve been working through some of the stuff that’s been languishing on my listen list for approximately a million years as well as revisiting some old favorites. here’s what i enjoyed most in my earholes:

G.O.B.L.I.N.S — (pilot, crowdfunding now!) for fans of Stellar Firma, the Meredith brothers have reunited with some other familiar voices to spin a story about an overly ambitious human office worker who gets dragged through the veil into the fae realm by a pair of chaotic goblins. the show is scripted but it’s marked by the same sense of humor that has characterized the Meredith’s other improvised works. 8 episodes projected if it funds.

Larkspur Underground — (11 eps, complete?) a fictional exposé about the sole survivor of a serial killer’s disturbing abduction and grooming. i was giddy to discover this one as an ardent fan of Showtime’s Dexter. it’s gory and glorious, and if you’re keen you might spot some clues; if not, the final episode is going to shock you. creator wants to make more, but it’s been a few years so who knows.

I Found A Wormhole — (5 eps, complete) a short yet existentially harrowing series. exactly what it says on the tin. mind the content warnings on the final episode but by the time you get there you’ll definitely know what’s coming tbh.

The Grotto — (10 eps, ongoing) a pull-no-punches exploration of messy grief with a supernatural twist. season two is here! this series has an absolutely killer soundtrack and immersive sound design. it has such a unique vibe. you’ll definitely like it if you like WOE.BEGONE.

Dear Bastard! — (16 eps, complete?) an epistolary comedy about a bunch of squabbling neighbors. i like to use this show as a palate cleanser when i’ve been listening to a lot of gruesome horror, because it’s just so light and fun.

Deviant — (10 eps, complete) a space pirate dramedy! i stumbled across this purely by accident and did a little binge. i love an absolute mess of a protagonist, so this was right up my alley. it’s a little abrasive at times but overall i enjoyed the narrative and it wrapped up nicely.

Murphy — (6 eps, s2 in production) a folkloric monster-of-the-week mystery with very charming characters. the first season is complete and although it is short, the episodes are long and make great use of their runtime. pleased to see their recent crowdfunder has been successful so there will be more!

Ghost Wax — (45+ eps, hiatus) a horror anthology facilitated by a “reclaimer” who can extract the final statements of the dead. this is similar to How i Died but the lore feels much more fantastically intricate. i don’t want to spoil too much of the meta plot but there’s a LOT going on, and i’m looking forward to s2.

Fulmar’s Folly — (12 eps, ongoing?) people on reddit love this series so i decided to give it a spin. fans of zombie survival like We’re Alive are most likely to eat this up. it can be a little overwrought at times, but the constant tension feels genuine in context. episodes are quite long but the length feels satisfying and necessary.

Nowhere, On Air — (46 eps, ongoing) another spooky small town radio show about a girl in a world she doesn’t belong to. this is one of my favorite genres of AD. fans of WTNV, King Falls AM, Tiny Terrors, and other shows of that ilk will probably enjoy this. it leans a little more surreal and introspective than comedic. IMHO, the host also just has a lovely voice. the meta plot is currently really hitting its stride.

All In My Head — (19 eps, ???) night terrors turn out to be something much more sinister. so intriguing, i was devastated to realize it may have been abandoned. i’m not going to completely give up hope for a final season though!

Zoinks! — (11 eps, complete?) a darkly comedic homage to scooby doo and other childrens detective fiction. i loved the way the narrative approached the subject of child neglect, while still maintaining a thread of silliness that saved it from complete bleakness. s2 has been mentioned but it’s projected release date has come and gone without a word, so it may or may not happen.

Trice Forgotten — (10 eps, ???) an aspiring cartographer gets accidentally mixed up with some pirates. i relistened to this series in honor of its anniversary and was just blown away by the sound design all over again. the setting is made so rich and alive by the effort put in by the production staff! and the character dynamics are so intricate and gorgeous. i am especially a fan of the tension between alestes and gammon. beautiful first season with SO much left to explore, i really hope to see this come back for a s2 someday.