#episode: guilty pleasures

[cryscendo]

the ABCs of KEH: G IS FOR… GIFTS

Kurt, they’re beautiful. But what are they for?

You killed your audition, Blaine. If anyone else got Tony, including me, the Wrath of Sondheim would fall upon William McKinley like a plague of Shubert Alley locusts. These are to celebrate you. [insp]

[gleesongtournament]

[jauntilyplacedcaps]

[srslylini]

is it just me who finds this anti pregnant shit a lot of people carry in fandom spaces weird?

Do not get me wrong I get it to an extend. Making a person end up pregnant in media who has, throughout the entire time, expressed the want to not get pregnant is weird and there is definetly a lot of media that... does it wrong. I'm not dumb. I see it, too.

but a character getting pregnant in general is... not bad? It doesn't take away from a character (especially not if written right) and why shouldn't it happen?

This is mostly in general but I'm also again thinking about when a lot of people thought Mel will be pregnant. At first I was also like "no way, no way are they doing that trope".

but the more I think about it the more I'm like

"Why ever not?"

Mel never expressed NOT wanting to be pregnant, getting pregnant wouldn't go against her character and it would've been sweet had it happened. At times a lot of people take this stuff so far that they bite themselves into their asses and hurt the cause they try to stand up for. A person being pregnant does not destroy them, it doesn't have to take away from their character if done right, it can even ADD a lot of things to them as a person. And it makes for a good, engaging story, (again if done right) do not even try to say it doesn't.

I also do not wish to become pregnant and that's fine. Just as it is for people to want that. At this point it is just getting weird. You are not advocating for a strong character anymore you are advocating for a lonely shell of one.

[respectthepetty]

I can only watch one show today, so in normal trashy fashion, I picked my Wattpad BL Bad Guy My Boss because I'm ecstatic that PAT had a girlfriend while Elyes has been the gayest motherfucker in all the lands since Day One! Look at him. He doesn't understand bisexuality! He can't even fathom a man wanting to sleep with a woman.

I love this Black Brooder pendejo who won't let his Heavenly Human secretary resign yet won't actually communicate that he loves him.

And it's because I get him! He was so light before and watched his boyfriend just get darker. He communicated everything! His worries. He dreams. HIS LOVE!

Yet Run didn't say he loved him back, and regardless of Run's reasons, he hurt Elyes.

Even at the very end, with a clear barrier between them, Run couldn't even admit that he ever loved Elyes.

So despite how happy Elyes is with Pat,

He will use any means possible to avoid telling Pat the simple truth.

I don't know if Run actually loves Fei Long, but Elyes is now incapable of telling Pat what he wants to because of the way his relationship with Run blew up.

Elyes wants to lighten up!

But he can't for too long because life always reminds him that Pat could be snatched away if he isn't stalking him 90% of the time.

And Lord forbid Elyes go to therapy for his dark past of trust issues! No! Instead, he will threaten Pat as his boss because that is all Elyes has to fall back on, which is why he refuses to let Pat resign.

Thank goodness Pat is a smart cookie, but even when Elyes can't get at Pat directly, he forces others to track him down and make Pat come back to him.

Elyes continues to tell Kim that Pat is the best secretary who he can't live without instead of just owning up to the fact that he loves Pat, but Elyes. Cannot. Do. That!

Pat has always been honest in his relationships, and for it, he has been rewarded with a healthy breakup due to long distance, but Elyes has not! He was honest, and for his honesty, he got his heart ripped out and stomped on.

So he is going to continue to do The Most™ in attempt to avoid doing the bare minimum.

But Pat keeps proving that all he wants is the simple life.

Which is why I'm proud that Elyes, in his attempt to be light, learned his lesson regarding food and continues to bring the two of them closer by eating meals on tinier tables.

Because the first episode emphasized one of the problems was the fact that the distance kept growing between them as the tables got bigger and longer.

And he also picked up his phone just to tell Kim he was busy with another man, which isn't perfect, but is a hell of lot better than him leaving Pat to go to Kim. Evolution doesn't happen overnight for a Black Brooder.

As far as I'm concerned, Elyes is doing everything right according to his color because some Black Brooders are far more comfortable being arrogant assholes.

Who do not utilize space appropriately!

Which is why I want to know why Run, who is dark around Elyes, is so light around Fei Long. Is it really love?! Or is it Maybelline blackmail?

But shit is getting messy before that question can be answered, and now my color-coded boys in a situationship (since Elyes refuses to say love) are being visited by thots of Booty Calls Past AT WORK.

And by the looks of that big ass barrier between these exes, I don't think Elyes is going to lighten up after this conversation.

Because just like bisexuality and viewing women as attractive, Elyes doesn't seem to understand what a healthy relationship or healthy conversation looks like.

I love him.

[locustime]

“I know after last time, Grian, you lost your HotGuy poster. But don’t worry! I got you a new one!”

A friend of mine requested some Buttercups!

[caliblorn]

Cursed to imagine my favourite characters break into a musical number

[onion-morty]

he was so me fr

Morty canonically loved to write so I like to think he probably started off somewhere like in RP chats and wattpad or smn like a normal 14 yr old kid, eventually moving to ao3 (like i did LMAO AM I PROJECTING). His writing would have some errors, a little unpolished but its got heart

Rick probably stumbled upon his acc when Morty left his laptop open and idk, we all know Rick loves to snoop hes a rascal w no boundaries lol

Probably would be judgy abt it at first and laugh at the clumsy writing, something he'd pull up for a little light hate-reading. But despite the clumsiness Mortys writing's got legs. It would be funny if Rick actually looks forward to the next chapter. Like 4am hes crying over the latest update when it was revealed that Brick lost his family before meeting Max. And the story is riddled with spelling mistakes and excessive exclamation marks so the dissonance is real hahdhjakaj.

He makes a code that can give multiple kudos from one account.

Idk I just want an inverse of the crewcoo's morty heist episode where Rick actually supports Morty's hobbies :((

[halyorke-vampiredisaster]

Thank you zdf for supplying me with the most cheesy, kinda gory, a bit stupid (affectionately), very retro feeling (that genre mix is not cool anymore) vampire show in 2024 😭

It was fabulous, truly

[dandadamnit]

Ngl I got a kick out of people fearing for their life when Mr. Shrimp's backstory was revealed. As soon as it started, everyone got an Acro Silky PTSD reaction and went "Oh fuck no. No. No. No. Don't you fucking dare. Let's not do this. Not again."

[cryscendo]

kurt hummel in every performance

4x17 - Guilty Pleasures

Mamma Mia - Various Artists

[gleesongtournament]

Glee Song Tournament Round 1

[jauntilyplacedcaps]

[driftingmoonmenace]

So that TSAMS episode today, huh?

[respectthepetty]

Elyes/Elias gave Pat head, so I forgive him for all his rich boy antics.

Elyes is a giver . . . of forehead kisses, blowjobs, and problems. He is multi-talented.

He is also light. Even though he is still grumpy, he is the lightest he has been after having sex with Pat.

So, of course, this Black Brooder has to ruin it by being mean and distant to his Happy Human secretary since he cannot sort out his feelings.

He demands to see Kim and puts back on the black like its armor, yet he takes it off and hands it to Kim once it's clear Kim is there for sex.

And he shows up to grab his drunk Happy Human who, just like Elyes, has shed his jacket and color throughout the night.

Both of them are lost in whatever is happening between them. Pat is grey. Elyes is light.

And the mood is just right for head . . . kisses? Kisses on the head! And tears.

Nothing happens, and Pat wakes up in a different grey shirt because not having sex only makes everything murkier.

But just like before when Elyes stayed the night, he remains light.

Well, at least until he gets back to work.

He is upset that Pat didn't stay home, and that Pat is interviewing a person who will probably become his replacement.

Because no matter how light these other boys are, none of them can replace Pat.

And I think that pisses Elyes off; therefore, he must brood.

Pat has always been the balance Elyes needs, but now that the line between them has been crossed, neither one of them knows how to act.

Is this a moment to bite off each other's heads, to give head kisses, or to give head? The Wattpad BL doesn't know and neither do the characters.

So Pat is going to quit in an effort to distance himself from the man who is making his world darker.

And Elyes is going to brood about it.

[shenlis-spear]

THE LEGEND OF SHEN LI 与凤行, 2024

⇢ starring: zhao liying, lin gengxin

If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more. (I'm talking about The Legend of Shen Li)

Let me preface this by saying I'm biased. And it's been a million years since I tried to put my thoughts into writing so this is gonna be all over the place and long-winded. And probably wouldn't make any sense. So here it goes.

I really enjoyed The Legend of Shen Li. Do I love it? With all my charred heart. Do I think it's the best drama this year? It's still April. It's hard to say. Are Shen Li and Xing Zhi the best power couple? This shouldn't even be a debate.

Honestly, I didn't even plan to chase this drama while it's ongoing because I binge watching drama is what I enjoy best. However, I was bored. And The Legend of Shen Li's trailer looked interesting. And my heart still needs healing from the mess of an ending that is Princess Agents. I needed closure. So I started watching the drama, and boy oh boy did it drag me down one hell of a roller coaster ride of emotions every single night. (No, I'm not complaining.)

However, before I talk about the things that I really loved about the drama, I have some things to say about the stuff that kind of irked me. Because no drama is perfect (unless it's Nirvana in Fire).

So let me get started on the things that I feel like the drama could've done better.

Musical scoring - the OST's? Chef's kiss. However, they way they're putting music on the scenes are a hit and miss. Most of the time it just distracts me from the scene and I just get bored with the mv-ish scene. I wish cdramas especially custom ones would stop this. I don't need 5 mins of the leads staring at each other in all angles accompanied by a really nice song. I'm here to watch a drama. Although, I kinda did get used to it in the latter episodes (specifically ep35-38) because I definitely needed a minute or two to process the emotions.

The progression of the story - One thing. I'm confused. Not to the point that "I don't understand the plot confusing" but still confusing nonetheless. There was no consistency in the scenes and the dialogues. (Ex fishing village). There was no flow. I feel like someone messed up the storyboard and when they edited the scenes they were also confused. Or maybe this is the issue of the translation of the dialogue? I don't even know. Still, I definitely think this part could've been done better.

The internal monologues - sigh when I said the thing I love most in dramas are their dialogues I don't mean what's happening in The Legend of Shen Li. The characters just talk (or think?) too damn much I can't keep up. They're supposed to be the characters whom their actions should tell the story but the way they're narrating the whole plot to me is just so jarring. Am I watching a drama or listening to an audiobook? Sometimes I can't tell. I wish they'd tone it down but it just got worse with the later episodes.

The camera - this is just me being nitpicky but there are some random camera angles especially the spinning ones that probably is supposed to make the scene dramatic but all it did was make me wanna vomit.

This is not in any way, shape, or form hating on the drama because I genuinely enjoyed it. I've deluded myself into waiting for a Princess Agents S2 but I got a better deal and had Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin to reunite in a new project which is better in my opinion because Princess Agents is a hot mess. There was really no saving that one.

So moving on to the things I like! But like, where do I even start?

First of all, Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin. Chemistry so good, they had to be casted in another drama. Everything about them was just so perfect for the drama and the role. Could not ask for a more perfect casting than them. The 7 year wait was almost worth it.

The WOMEN! - so much room for improvement regarding the characters but I loved that the women were not treated as damsels who always needed saving. I have to say 5 1/2 braincells were working throughout the drama, 2 from Shen Li, 1 from You Lan, 1 from Jin Niang Zi and 1 from Shen Mu Yue (1/2 from Xing Zhi because he's too unbothered if it's not related to Shen Li).

Shen Li - might not be the best female character in cdramaland but I think she can hold her own place. She's stubborn, a bit reckless but she's loyal and righteous. She's a strong woman without being a stereotypical cold and ruthless strong woman. Shen Li is a strong woman at the same time also a mad woman in love. She does not have to be one or the other. The more I write this the more I'm falling in love with her character. You just don't find a character like her. She is Shen Li. A capable general. A strong leader. An empathetic comrade. A respectful student. A woman in love. She is not just one of them but all of them.

Lin Gengxin is pretty believable playing as an ancient god. He has that air around him that screams your highness. He played the lofty and aloof Xing Zhi to perfection.

And what can I even say about Zhao Liying? As always miss ma'am played Shen Li perfectly. Whimsical, stubborn, in love and devasted in love, you can feel all those emotions just watching her eyes.

It has angst but not too much that we as viewers would spend multiple episodes pulling out hair of frustration about the misunderstandings and accidental killings. (Not a shade to any specific drama but just to the xanxia genre in general). It has the perfect balance of angst, romance and comedy. You laugh, cry and giggle all in one episode. The comic relief scenes are naturally funny and doesn't feel forced. Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin's comedic timing are 👌.

The conflict was handled maturely and the confession was direct but still heart fluttering. Throughout the drama, they both got their heads perfectly placed on their shoulders.

The last episode! Let us talk about the last episode because when has a drama provided that kind of fan service just making one whole episode of shenanigans and fluff. After going through the angst, the reward that is the last episode is just too good and definitely worth all the tears.

Also, can we talk about Dong Jie's guest role? I know miss ma'am is good but when I tell you I cried for a minute because of her story arc? Just hands up and mic drop. So so good!

Now that all of these are out of my system, hopefully I can move on to the next obsession, whatever that may be. I'll still probably watch episode 39 on a daily basis though. It's just too enjoyable and it makes my day. Will probably, revisit this "review" in the future and update it because I'm aware that at this point it's not making a lot of sense.

RATING: 9/10 REWATCH VALUE: 10/10 definitely would watch again! ACTING: 10/10 CATEGORY: GUILTY PLEASURE