#gap episode thoughts

[themagnusbane]

GAP The Series Episode 12 Thoughts

Aaaaaand we have made it to the very last episode. And boy it has been quite the thrilling ride. Now, I give my final thoughts on the series as a whole, at the very end of this post, but for now, I am strapped in, eager to see what Idol Factory will be giving us for our series finale (thank the universe that the angst is ending this episode cuz I don't think I have the strength to watch my girls cry for more than 2 episodes. Nope. I am not God's strongest soldier. I'm a weak ass bitch, who hates PAIN!!!!!), and keeping my fingers crossed that they stick the landing!

It probably says something horrible about me, but the glee I felt watching the previous episode snippet of Dishonourable Grandmother screaming for Sam as she walks away from her and her toxic mansion, is making me cackle so loud!!! Utterly satisfying!

2. Urgh!!! The pain I feel at Sam crying at the loss of her grandmother and asking if Mon will love her forever, because now she's separated from the one family that has defined her, and I am in so much PAIN!!! Because this isn't fair! This isn't right! Dishonourable Grandmother's abuse has so sunk into Sam that now she's floundering and wondering if there can be her without her grandmother and it's just heartbreaking because that's the codependency that abusers strive for, and my poor baby Sam, you deserve the world. You deserve better than what you got. Family shouldn't do that to you, especially when it's the only family you thought you had left. THIS IS PAIN!!!!!

3. My dearest Mon. YOU ARE AN ANGEL!!!! Look at Mon trying to comfort Sam, and telling her that she can have both: she can have the love of her life, and also have the love of her grandmother, and Mon is willing to help Sam fight to have both. And I'm crying because although Mon is that kind and loves Sam that much, that she realizes just how much Sam loves her grandmother, and separating form her would break her, the Dishonourable Grandmother, doesn't have that same insight, or just doesn't care. She is willing to break Sam, so she can get her own way, and Sam would be forced down the path she wants her to take, and that is just so painful to witness, because those you love shouldn't want to break you like that. But alas, abusers can do nothing but abuse the love and care you have previously extended to them. This is breaking my fucking heart, and I need to give Sam ALL the hugs!!!

4. Wanna bet that the person calling is fucking Kirk?

5. Aaaaaaand I was right. URGH!!! This phone call is giving me the call of doom. Like the minute Mon picks up, it will be something guilt-tripping like Dishonourable grandmother is in the hospital, and she needs Sam to marry Kirk as the incentive for waking up from like a coma or something. Which if this is the path that they take with this phone call, I AM LOSING MY SHIT!!!!!

6. They really did. They really did "Your grandmother is in the hospital". How. Fucking. Original. And of course, all the work from the previous episode will go down the drain because even whilst in a coma, Dishonourable grandmother is still a MANIPULATIVE BITCH!

7. Thank the heavens Nueng is here!!! Maybe she can speak some sense into her.

8. Aaaaand I spoke too soon. Sam honey. It's not about winning or losing. It's about your grandmother's abuse and you breaking away from that. Because what I foresee is a lifetime of her being able to use her frailties as yet another weapon in the arsenal of her abuse, and my heart is breaking for Sam because her grandmother is so clearly succeeding. AND URGH!!!!!!

9. But she's right though to call out Neung though. They are both being sucked into Dishonourable grandmother's wishes. The difference is that her sister at least knows this and resents it. Whilst Sam is resigned to this. Which, once again... FUCK!!!! But she is right in telling Sam to break up with Mon though. Let baby girl Mon go. Keeping her on a leash after she's decided to follow Dishonourable Grandmother's wishes is unfair. And now we will probably have them separated from each other until like the last 10mins of the show. Which... URGH!!!!!!!

10. Yuki is such a good friend. My queen!!!

11. Mon saying that she should have known that their relationship wouldn't last, and that of course Sam would pick her grandmother... MY HEART!!! This show is so determined to crush my heart into tiny smithereens. I'm dead inside.

12. The fact that Tee and Jim rushed over immediately to be with Mon is making me cry even harder. I just love the way this show has depicted the relationships between these group of women. Sure they are Sam's besties, but they have also adopted Mon into their group, and now that their bestie has been forced to break Mon's heart, they are there to offer Mon emotional support, and even Kade is desperate to come over, even though she's on set. They really are the ideal! And now I'm crying all over again!!

13. Me too Jim!! I really hate it when people leave things unresolved. It's something that is making me really resentful in this episode. Sam's been told to break up with Mon. Choosing to instead ignore her calls and refuse to speak with her, is very frustrating. It's this whole leaving her plunging at a precipice, and the only person it serves is Sam, who's chosen her grandmother, and by extension has stuck her head in the sand. Mon isn't getting the closure to move on, and although I know why Sam is doing that, it still reads as selfish because Mon deserves to have that thread snapped off, rather than it being pulled taunt, keeping them still connected because Sam isn't brave enough to make that choice. But I guess that is something that Sam's been battling with this entire series: her bravery. And this yo-yoing is driving me nuts!

14. Hold up. So it's not ONLY Mon that she's ignoring? She's gone radio silent on everyone??? Fuuuuuuuuuck. Sam baby girl. You can tell that she's distraught. And now she's cut off all contact. And the only people she's with is Dishonourable Grandmother, and Kirk the trash heap. Urgh!!!

15. I repeat. Sam's friends are the best!!! The fact that they're the ones forcing this. To give Mon the chance to move on. But are also willing to provide her the support, if she does want to walk away without having this final conversation with Sam? Best. Friends! For real! No show's doing female friendships like these! I love these women!!!

16. Gghjghjghjghjghjg. OMG!!! OMG!!! OMFGGGGGGG!!! Yuki just called Tee BABY!!! Yes!!! I HAVE ASCENDED!!!! GAY JESUS THANK YOU!!! LESBIAN JESUS WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS MORSEL!!!

17. Hold up! HOLD THE FUCK UP! They are married??? She is marrying Kirk for real???? And It's not until her wedding day that Mon gets this closure??? Not from Sam, but through their mutual friends? What in the??? SAM WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?? WHAT IN THE FUCKK IS THIS??? WHO WROTE THIS?? WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS IN ANYWAY OKAY???????

18. You know what? At this point I'm just exhausted. And done. This conversation... That Sam is having THIS conversation, whilst IN her wedding dress, ON her wedding day, and from what Mon has said, has ignored all of Mon's messages to her, until this very moment??? Mon is a much better, kinder and more forgiving person than I am. Because I would be screaming right now. And now in a good, sexy way. Mon sweetheart. You deserved so much better than this!!

19. Sam, Dishonorable grandmother falling ill IS NOT YOUR FAULT!!! Her body's the one that is LITERALLY failing her. It's got NOTHING to do with you. I swear, if at some point, this show doesn't address this huge ass fallacy, taken straight from an abuser's handbook, I. AM. GOING. TO. RIOT!!!

20. Wait. I'm confused. So were those pre-wedding pictures that they were taking? What is with this editing???

21. Yes Mon! That's good news!! Travel to England. Move on. Find a new great love. Leave everything behind. I am not the one dealing with all of things, but I'M EXHAUSTED!!! I can't even begin to imagine how Mon feels.

22. You go Mon beloved!! Get that post-heartbreak haircut!! Plus, it just makes Becky's face look even more angelic and beautification!! Absolutely stunning.

23. The audacity of dishonorable grandmother to say she would do anything to make Sam happy, whilst literally listening to Sam cry her eyes out because she's being forced into a marriage she doesn't want, to make her dishonorable ass happy? I AM LIVID!!!

24. Awwww. Her coworkers cheering her on, is making me so sad. So many people love Mon, and are so sad to see her go. And you know what? Valid. I love Mon too, and if I was in this universe, I would be spitting mad that because of dishonorable grandmother's comfort and wishes, Mon wouldn't be in anyone's lives in Thailand anymore. I repeat, this IS ASS!!!!!!

25. I know the show is expecting me to be ecstatic about DIshonourable grandmother and Kirk having a change of heart, but you know what? Fuck that. This is too sudden. We have been given NO hints that this woman and Kirk and the trash heap have been reconsidering the vileness that is this goal of theirs. To have it suddenly pop up feels unearned. Like the story needs to wrap up quickly so boom! We will have her grandmother change her mind. And honestly, I am over it. We still haven't tackled the abuse. It goes beyond just you being selfish Dishonorable grandmother. And the fact that we can see traces of you making it about you, and not the pain that Sam is going through??

26. I know that this show wants us cheering Sam rushing to make it to Mon to tell her that she's now gotten permission from Dishonourable grandmother and they can now be together. But you know what? Fuck that. I sincerely hope that by the time she gets to Mon's house, her parents tell her that she's already left for the airport. And that when Sam calls Jim to ask where they are, they tell her that Mon's plane has already left. They need to make her work to earn my girl, Mon back. I am vindictive enough to want that. Mon deserves that. After all the bullshit Sam and her family have put her through. But knowing this show, we are probably not going to get that.

27. I swear, the only reason why the premise of this show is able to work is because Mon is a Mary Sue character. That quick easy forgiveness and hug that she's given Sam right now? If it were me, I am first screaming at her for almost killing everyone in the car, especially Jim who is HEAVILY pregnant. Then telling her that nope. I'm going back to England. Cuz fuck EVERYTHING!!!! But alas. Mon is a much better, kinder, and sweeter person than me. So here we are.

28. Now that I've resigned myself to the fact that we are getting this rushed resolution and reunion, I will like to admit that this scene of their confession and reunion is soooo cute!!! ALL THAT COLOUR!!!!! It's sooooo pretty!!

29. OMG!!! It's Saint. My pretty pretty boy!!!!

30. Sam being all "I shall shout to the world that MON IS MINE!!!!!" is giving me life!!! Yes! That's a good start to making it up to us and Mon. Make that love visible!! Shout it from the rooftops!!

31. Now I know the reason why they've brought Saint, is to show Dishonourable grandmother that there are other royal people like her, who aren't homophobic, and his words have got her thinking outside the box... But I really don't like her as a person, and I'm miffed that every time I smile at Saint's pretty face, she shows up!

32. WE ARE GETTING A WEDDING!!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!! This is sooo awesome!! And the colour of choice is Mon's pink hues??? Be still my heart!!!

33. Hold up a second. Is that Chin? Are he and Yha together??? I thought he was married??? Is he now divorced and with Yha??? I AM CONFUSED!!!!

34. I'm still wary of everything grandmother says. But I get it that this show is trying extra hard to remake our opinion of her, and even pulling in Nueng to do so. I don't buy it one bit. But I'm here for my girls being married, so I guess, I'll just have to live with that.

35. THEIR WEDDING DRESSES!!! I AM DEAD!!!! They both look so radiant. My babies. My hearts. MY LOVES!!! GAH!!!!!!!!

36. Their vows!! OMG!!! This is so beautiful. It's everything I've ever wanted. My heart!!!!

37. Hehehehe. I was hoping that either Yuki or Kade would catch the Bouquet. But having it be Kade and Kirk? Not bad. Not bad at all! Hehehehehe.

38. Awwwwww. That was beautiful. Her loving pink now because of Mon? My babies ARE married!!!!!

Aaaaaand we made it!!! This entire show was a rollercoaster. Am I still slightly miffed that we never actually tackled how abusive Sam's grandmother was? Yes. But am I surprised that the show didn't? Nope. I don't think it's a discourse that society is ready for. We are always so quick to sweep over the "sins" of our elders as long as they are moderately acceptive of our queerness, and I guess I am not surprised that Gap maintained that.

What I am happy about though is that we got a full-length GL series, that centered women and our queerness and also our community. Not only was it Sam and Mon's incredible love story, but we also saw two other sapphic romances. We also saw friendships amongst women. The type where they show up for one another, and also accept their friend's lover into their circle and become her friend in turn. It was beautiful and amazing and I hope we get more of stories like that.

And can I also say, I'm really appreciative that they didn't make any of the women catty? Like I thought for a second that they were going to make Nita this femme fatale. Especially with her noticing Sam and Mon's couple bracelets. But that didn't show up, and I love that!

GAP the series made my Saturdays enjoyable and I am definitely going to come back and rewatch it over and over again.

Thank you to everyone who came on this ride with me. If you want me to share my thoughts on other series like I have done for Gap, please come into my ask box, and drop your recs. Just make sure that they are gay and interesting and I will definitely get around to checking them out.

Until next time...

See ya!

[clarionglass]

here we go :) part one of three, updates to be released weekly!

---

sam says 4 (game master cinematic universe, part 3)

Ruby was at her mum's for a family dinner she couldn't miss on pain of death, apparently, and the Doctor was many things, but a family dinner kind of guy wasn't one of them—particularly when Carla had already slapped him once in the short time he'd known her. He thought he'd broken his streak of bad luck with mums, but… well, seemingly not. So he was companionless for a few hours, and while he could wait for her to get back, maybe catch up on his reading—what was the point of waiting when you had a time machine? 

He ran his hands over the TARDIS console, marvelling at her clean lines and metallic flourishes, the way that even now she felt brand new but familiar, and paused. He’d just pop off for a quick adventure, nothing too dangerous, but—where to go?

He could scan for a distress call nearby, and pitch in to help. He could drop in on Donna and Shaun and Rose, beautiful Rose, and see how they were all doing. Or he could just hit the randomiser button, and jump in feet first wherever he ended up.

He remembered a conversation from a long time ago, when he wore a different face, and his gorgeous TARDIS wore a face too, for the first and only time.

“You didn't always take me where I wanted to go.”

“No, but I always took you where you needed to go.”

He grinned. Who could resist an offer like that? He pressed the button and whooped as the time rotor spun into action, ready to see where the universe would take him.

---

Apparently, he was needed pretty close to where he already was. Earth, 2024. Huh. Same planet, same time—within a few months of where he’d left Ruby, even. The main thing that had changed was the location: he was now in the good old US of A. California, to be more specific, and Los Angeles to be more specific still. And to really narrow it down, the Doctor discovered as he poked his head out of the TARDIS doors, he was in… a broom closet. Not bad, as a parking spot—a bit squeezy, but out of the way. And as he poked his head out of that door, he could finally see he was in the backstage corridors of a studio of some kind. Film or TV, if he was to hazard a guess, it was a different vibe from Abbey Road.

With a shrug, he decided to go exploring.

It couldn’t have been more than a minute before a young woman wearing the full-black outfit, headset, and permanently stressed expression of a production assistant came running up to him.

“Are you the fill-in Sam organised?” she asked breathlessly, and honestly, seeing the look on her face, the Doctor didn’t have the heart(s) to tell her no. And really, what was the Doctor, if not a professional fill-in? This, this was why he had a randomiser button on the control panel, because whatever he was about to get himself into was going to be fun.

“Sure!”

“Oh, thank god,” sighed the production assistant, relief dawning across her face. “When Ally tested positive this morning, I thought we were sunk for the record, because we called around and we couldn’t get a hold of anyone. But then Sam said he could get someone in, and, you know, here you are, and just in time, so—ah, yeah, if you could follow me this way?”

Smiling all the way, the Doctor followed his guide through to hair and makeup, looking around as they went. The studio seemed to belong to a company called Dropout, according to the branding scattered around, and things seemed, at least on the surface, to be… well. Fine. He couldn't tell why he'd been brought here yet, which meant that when he found the reason, it was going to be particularly tangled. He couldn't wait! 

And then he looked back at his guide, still engulfed in a miasma of anxiety, and realised he'd been too busy looking for clues to notice the person right in front of him. 

“Hey, it's cool, you've found me,” he started with a gentle smile. “You can relax. Hi, I'm the Doctor. What's your name?”

“Oh!” she said, startled. “The Doctor, yeah, of course. Um, hi, I'm Kaylin. Look, sorry, it's just that I've been so busy this morning, I'm so distracted… Shit, and I would've completely forgotten to get your details too. There's paperwork to fill in, but you can do that later. Um, just for now, though, can I get your pronouns?”

The Doctor thought for a moment. “He/him, for now.”

Kaylin nodded, making a note on her phone. “Okay, cool! And do you have any socials?”

“Not me, babes,” he replied. “I'm hardly sitting down long enough to be able to update, you know?”

“On a day like this, I know exactly what you mean,” she said. “That's okay, Lou didn't have socials either for the longest time. Right, so if you go through there, the team will get you sorted, and once you're done, someone will take you up to the greenroom. All good?”

“All great,” the Doctor replied. Kaylin flashed him a quick, relieved smile, then hurried off.

Hair and makeup was a fairly quick process, the sound mixer fitted him with a microphone, and before too long, Kaylin was back to take him upstairs. 

“This is the greenroom,” she said, pushing the door open. “The rest of the cast for the episode are already here—they’re great guys, and they’ve both been on the show a lot, so they’ll be able to help if you’ve got questions. And if you need anything else, just come find me or any of the other PAs, okay?”

The Doctor nodded, beamed at Kaylin, and walked in.

---

The greenroom was small but comfortable, and its occupants, two men around the same age as the Doctor appeared, looked up as he entered.

“Oh, you’re new,” the taller of the pair said, clearly giving him the once-over.

The other sighed with a mixture of fondness and exasperation, just as clearly used to his friend’s antics.

“Hey, I’m Brennan,” he said, levering himself up to standing from his perch on a chair arm, and holding out a hand. “That’s Grant.”

The Doctor took it warmly. “The Doctor. Just passing through, and happy to help.”

Grant’s eyebrows quirked. “Doctor… something?” he prompted.

“Or is it just ‘the Doctor’?” Brennan asked.

“Just ‘the Doctor’,” the Time Lord confirmed cheerfully. “You’ll get used to it, everyone does.”

Grant didn’t look convinced, but—

“Copy that,” Brennan shrugged, and settled back on the arm of the chair, returning his gaze to the door.

Grant, in turn, looked at the Doctor and rolled his eyes in a clear expression of ‘no, I don’t know why he’s like this, either’.

“Okay,” the Doctor said after a moment of watching the watching. “I wasn’t going to ask, but now I think I have to. What’s up with the door?”

Brennan huffed a laugh. “Well, the last time there was one of those up—” he pointed to the Out of Order sign stuck to the bathroom door, “—we got locked in here for the game.”

“He’s paranoid,” Grant interjected.

“Well, yeah, maybe,” Brennan retorted. “Or just cautious. Because Sam’s been acting weird lately, and we’re coming up to the last few records of the season, so he’s probably planning something way out of the box for the finale. And the original cast was you, me and Beardsley, so…”

He shrugged one shoulder meaningfully, and Grant nodded, conceding both the point and the potential for chaos.

“So if Sam comes in to give us the briefing, rather than waiting til we’re on set,” Brennan continued, “or there’s anything else weird going on, I’m gonna know about it right from the beginning.”

He turned to the Doctor. “The only reason I'm not quizzing you is because I know for a fact Beardsley was genuinely scheduled for this, so you can't be a plant by the production team. No offence.”

“None taken,” the Doctor smiled. “That sort of thing happen often, does it?”

Grant and Brennan exchanged a look. 

“More than you'd think,” Grant answered with a grimace. 

“Alright,” the Doctor said slowly, then brightened. “So what is it we're actually doing?”

Grant gave him a disbelieving glance. “You don't know—?”

“Very last minute fill-in,” the Doctor said breezily. “But don't worry, I'm a quick study.”

“Well, you're not that much worse off than the rest of us,” Brennan said encouragingly. “You know about Game Changer, obviously, if you know Sam, and we only find out the rules of the game once we get on set. Hopefully,” he added, with a dark look back at the Out of Order sign. 

The Doctor nodded. No, he didn't know Sam, and he didn't know Game Changer, but he could work out the situation from context clues. This was a game show. And with the Toymaker banished, and Satellite Five not coming into existence for another 198000 years, give or take, he found himself smiling. Maybe third time would be the charm. 

“Mmm, hopefully they aren't going to throw you in the deep end,” Grant said. “Because Brennan might seem lovely now, but as soon as we get out there, he's a whore for points. He'll stab you in the back and won't even blink.”

Brennan barked with laughter. “Yeah, and you wouldn't?”

“Excuse you, I'm always a goddamn delight,” Grant replied, the very picture of injured dignity. 

“Oh, absolutely!” agreed a new voice. The Doctor turned to the now-open door to see a bearded man in a pinstriped suit smiling broadly. “That's why we keep inviting you back!”

Grant bowed sarcastically. “Why, thank you, Sam. Good to know I'm appreciated by someone here.”

“Always,” Sam replied, gently but firmly ending that particular path of the conversation. He scanned the room, and his eyes lit up when they landed on the Doctor. 

“Ah, you must be the Doctor!” he said with obvious delight, walking over with his hand outstretched. “I'm Sam—thanks for filling in for us, you've made sure we're going to have a good show. Seriously, it's a pleasure to have you here.”

“Aw, cheers!” the Doctor smiled, shaking the offered hand. “Glad I could help out, I'm really looking forward to this!”

“Well, great!” Sam exclaimed, then took a step back, regarding all three players in turn. “Now, folks, I'm just letting you know that we're just about ready to start the record, so if you can start heading down, that'd be great.”

Grant and Brennan nodded—Brennan, the Doctor noticed, with relief. 

“See you down there,” Sam said, smiling. “Have a great show, and—”

His eyes caught on the Doctor's for a second, twinkling. 

“Good luck.”

---

Backstage, the Doctor, Brennan and Grant were marshalled into podium order and given a final briefing from the crew. And then, with a thumbs-up from Kaylin, that was it.

Showtime.

“Get ready for a Game Changer!” came Sam's voice from onstage. “Tonight’s guests: he can shoot off a monologue with laser accuracy; it’s Brennan Lee Mulligan!”

Brennan, his back to the camera as the curtains opened, spun on his heel and, with a stone-cold expression, pointed finger guns straight down the barrel, before letting the facade crack open. “Hi!” he exclaimed, and walked over to the leftmost podium.

“It’s his first appearance, but he’s already on fire; it’s the Doctor!”

The Doctor leant against the archway to the stage and flashed a broad smile towards the camera, then in a few skipping steps, had bounded over to the next free podium. What the hell, why not make an entrance?

“And even in the toughest of mazes, you’ll always be able to find him; it’s Grant O’Brien!”

Grant dipped his lanky frame into an approximation of a curtsey, spreading his arms wide, then sauntered over to the closest podium with a grin.

“And your host, me!” Sam announced, a ring of manic white showing around his irises as he beamed down the barrel of the camera. “I’ve been here the whole time!”

“This,” he continued, pushing his microphone shut and stowing it in his jacket pocket, “is Game Changer, the only game show where the game changes every show. I am your host, Sam Reich!” 

As he said his name, he looked at his hands, front and back, as if he was pleasantly surprised to be himself, then gestured towards the three podiums.

“I am joined today by these three lovely contestants! Now, you understand how the game works.”

“Of course not,” Grant started. “You know we don't.”

“We can't, Sam, that's the whole point of the theatre you've set up here,” Brennan said over him. 

“Not yet,” was all the Doctor said, anticipation starting to drum a tattoo of excitement against the inside of his ribcage. 

“That’s right!” Sam said brightly, shooting finger guns at the camera. “Our players have no idea what game it is they’re about to play. The only way to learn is by playing. The only way to win is by learning, and the only way to begin is by beginning! So without further ado, let’s begin by giving each of our players fifty points.”

The Doctor, biding his time, watched the reactions of his fellow contestants. Grant looked at the front of his podium, checking the point total, and nodding approvingly when he saw that yes, it was sitting at a round fifty. Brennan, on the other hand, was starting to frown.

“Players, Sam says: touch your nose,” Sam began, and Brennan sighed the sigh of someone who wasn’t happy to be proved right.

“Oh, no,” he groaned. “Oh, you son of a bitch. Wasn’t one this season enough?”

He touched his nose anyway, as did the others, and Sam smiled encouragingly. “Sam says: touch your ear.”

When they all did, Sam nodded. “Touch your other ear.”

Everybody held still, fingers on the ears they had originally touched.

Sam beamed. “Easy, players, right?”

“You say that now,” Brennan said darkly. “Which makes it worse, because all you're doing is setting us up for failure.”

Sam gasped, pretending offence. “Would I do that?”

“Yes,” Brennan and Grant replied in unison, which drew a grin from the Doctor and set Sam off chuckling.

“And I'm not having it,” Brennan continued, leaning his elbows against his podium and pointing at Sam with the hand not touching his ear. “You better watch yourself, because I know how this game works, and you're not going to get one over on me.”

“Strong words, Brennan!” Sam said, clearly delighted by this response. “Okay, then, let's start making things a bit more interesting!”

The game continued as per Sam Says usual, some rounds done as a group and some individual. Points were won, sure, but lost slightly more frequently, and even the Doctor found he was having to concentrate to avoid getting caught in the host's traps. 

It was fun. Genuinely, it was like playing a game with friends, and the Doctor felt himself leaning into it. There wasn't any sign of danger—maybe there wasn't a mystery to solve at all, and the TARDIS just decided he needed a total break. 

Well, probably not. But the way things were going, he was able to let himself hope. 

“Alright, players,” Sam said a good few rounds in, just as pleasantly as he would start any other question, and the screen behind him dinged as a new prompt popped up. “Survive the death beam.”

For a second, everything was frozen perfectly still. 

And then came the crash, the explosive noise of heavy machinery moving relentlessly through a drywall set.

The Doctor was already moving. “Everyone down!”

“Duck!” Brennan yelled at the same time.

The two of them hit the ground within milliseconds of each other, but Grant was still paralysed in the face of the giant, science-fiction type laser cannon that had just ploughed through the wall. 

It whined ominously, screaming its way to fever pitch. And then a sharp pain in Grant’s ankle made him stagger, pitching forwards onto the carpet behind the podiums as the Doctor rolled away to avoid getting pinned.

“Sorry, babes,” the Doctor whispered. “But it was either kick you to get you down, or—”

A hideous metallic screech ripped through the air, and all three of them could feel the crackle of ozone as a beam of energy swept across what had, moments ago, been neck height.

“…Or that,” the Doctor finished with a grimace.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Grant breathed, suddenly very conscious of every inch of his 6’9 frame. “Thanks.”

“Well done, players!” Sam exclaimed delightedly from above them. “But… sorry, I didn’t say ‘Sam says’, so that’s a point off for everyone.”

“What the fuck!” Brennan snapped.

“Are you actually insane?” Grant demanded at the same time, his voice overlapping with Brennan’s.

In response, Sam just wheezed with laughter. “You can come back to your podiums,” he said, cheerfully ignoring them.

Nobody moved.

“Very good!” he acknowledged, and even without seeing his face, the grin was obvious in his voice. “Okay, Sam says: come back to your podiums.”

Although the words were innocuous, and his tone was just as light and breezy as usual, there was nevertheless an edge hiding just underneath the surface. And while the death beam loomed large in the minds of all three players, it was impossible to consider disobedience as an option.

Slowly, they stood, returning to their places. Now they had the time to look at it properly, the death beam was even more sinister, and Brennan and Grant both kept flicking nervous glances its way, ready to move if it looked like it was charging up again.

The Doctor, however, was focused purely on the man standing in front of them. Unbothered, Sam met his gaze like a challenge, a mischievous smile playing about his lips.

“Oh, you’ll love this one,” he said, and the screen changed. “Sam says, starting with Grant: say my name.”

Grant frowned in confusion, but answered quickly nonetheless. “Sam Reich?”

The man himself shrugged tolerantly, moving on. “Brennan?”

Brennan just stared at him coolly. “Do you take me for a fool?”

“Well caught, Brennan!” Sam said happily. “Sam says: say my name.”

“Sam,” Brennan replied, suspicion clear in his voice. “Samuel Dalton Reich.”

He nodded, still with a hint of indifference. “And lastly, Doctor.” His smile broadened. “Sam says: say my name.”

It was easy. Too easy. And as the Doctor looked into the eyes of the man calling himself Sam Reich, he felt his hearts stutter in recognition, because something had changed. He wasn’t hiding himself anymore, and while the face was different yet again, the Doctor would know the shape of that soul anywhere. It was impossible. It was inevitable.

“You can’t be,” he breathed. 

Sam smirked, leaning in across his podium. “Oh, but Doctor… I’ve been here the whole time,” he stage-whispered with a wink.

“He said you lost,” the Doctor said, shaking his head, looking wrong-footed for the first time that Brennan and Grant could recall. “You lost, and he trapped you.”

The other two watched, uncomprehending, but Sam just smiled, drumming his fingers against the podium with an audible beat, fast but distinct. Four taps, four taps, four taps. “I’m waiting.”

The Doctor took a slow, deep breath. Set his jaw. 

“Master.”

---

missed an installment of the game master cinematic universe?

original idea by @ace-whovian-neuroscientist: x

art by @northernfireart concept: x scissor sisters sketch: x sam and his doppelganger: x

writing by me (!) part one (escape the greenroom): x part two (deja vu): x part three (sam says 4): you are here!

[stagefoureddiediaz]

Sooooo this post by @lover-of-mine got my brain going brrrrrr over the Mitchell Mitchell Charlie Charlie ambulance of it all

Because there are also two Freddie’s tied up in this as well but it’s more than that - it’s the living/dying danger/no danger (technically) of it all.

Bear with me - I need to set it out for my brain because there’s something about the Mitchell’s dying and the Charlie’s putting Buck and Eddie in the line of fire (by this I mean both of them at the same time and not one or the other being in danger)

We have Charlie 1, who puts the both of them in danger (unintentionally) with the grenade in his leg. Up to this point Buck and Eddie have been at odds but this bonds them and we get the ‘we might end up real close’ line. This is essentially the foundation stone/ moment of their relationship.

Then, 7 episodes later we have Mitchell 1, who gets crushed by a car and dies. Neither Buck or Eddie are in any danger during this call. And we have the establishing of Bucks method statement - ‘you don’t find it you make it. (Which imo is the first time we see buck misunderstanding the assignment)

Then we have Charlie 2, again Buck and Eddie are both put into (again unintentional) danger when the come under gun fire. This time Eddie does get hurt but it plays into the might end up real close concept as ultimately we see the bond getting even tighter through the will.

Then guess what 7 episodes later (you can’t tell me this isn’t intentional at this point) we meet Mitchell 2, who like Mitchell 1 dies. Whilst Buck and Eddie can be seen to be in danger throughout this episode, in reality neither of them are truly in danger - killing them wont get Mitchell what he wants, so even though we are held in suspense through the episode, the reality is that they’re ‘safe’.

There is something about how a Charlie binding them ever closer together while Mitchell’s are a omen - they foreshadow events later in their respective seasons.

Mitchell 1 gets crushed by his car, foreshadowing Bucks crush injury at end of season (and the hand holding parallel is not lost on me either - Thomas holding Mitchell’s hand and Eddie being the one holding Bucks).

Mitchell 2 is Eddie’s foreshadowing - he blows out his brains to protect his heart so it can be transplanted into his son. This is foreshadowing Eddie’s mental health breakdown - he neglects brain in trying to protect his son - his heart - Mitchell’s heart is a literal one and a metaphorical one while Eddie’s is more just metaphorical.

Then there are the two Freddie’s - Freddie Costas sets of bomb that crushes buck and Freddie Vaughn is the guard who is lax with Mitchell and ends up injured at the initiation of the prison riot.

And now we have two Thomas/Tommys - both who seem to be there to direct Buck to the correct path in some way - Thomas set buck on the path of you make it and it feels to me a bit like Tommy is going to play a part in either reenforcing that concept for Buck (correcting his path) or building onto the idea of making something.

Basically we need to be on the look out for Charlie’s Mitchell’s Freddie’s

[infinstar]

There is so much that I love about Ayaka chan wa Hiroko senpai ni koishiteru episode 6 but I understand other peoples concerns.

Before we judge Risa and Mama (and others in the bar) we need to understand their purposes as characters within the story as well as what their personalities are like. Because it is as much as about them as characters as well as what they represent in this story. Firstly, they are representing three generations of lesbian attitudes and behaviours. Risa and Ayaka being unabashedly confident in themselves as they don't deliberately hide their sexuality (and also in Risa's case, seeing the lying about one's identity as cowardice) representing the confidence, innocence and straight forwardness of the younger generation. Ayaka represents the middle generation in this case who has experienced that acting on their feelings/being herself has consequences in the wider society that we live in as well as to the people we love (she represents to me the that our lives are bigger than our own quote). Which results in her being more reserved and cautious navigating this world still hiding aspects of herself depending on the context. Mama represents a more older generation who has also probably seen various types of queers walk through that bar opening up to her about their experiences as well as her own. She understands both the younger and middle generation (and might've gone through a similar path herself). She is the balanced voice of reason in this series as well as everyone's confidant. Hence why it is appropriate for her to reveal to us about Hiroko's past.

Hiroko has been living a double life to her own detriment for the last ten years. She has kept a facade of a cool co-worker/manager that is extremely capable of work, reliable whilst managing interpersonal relationships in a cohesive non-judgemental way - this allows her to avoid others attention to herself as a person as that would break the facade. But she was not always like this as seen in the way she confused to Chinatsu senpai in the past (which reminded me of Ayaka haha). The facade is the manifestation of her guilt she feels towards Chinatsu senpai and she sees it as her responsibility to maintain it at all costs otherwise in her perspective senpai resigning would've become meaningless. This was the main reason she was blind to Ayaka's advances because it happened at her workplace. In her personal life she is extremely open about her sexuality and though in the first episode in the lesbian bar she comes off easy going as she flirts with others (but I have a feeling that she did not have any serious relationships after the incident as her guilt would've been too strong).

For me it makes sense why Mama would tell Hiroko's past to Ayaka and Risa (and subsequently to us as the audience). Mama knows the history of Hiroko, before the incident and after the incident to who she has become today. She also one of the few people that knows that Ayaka likes Hiroko (which I think Risa might have picked up on as well). She can see Hiroko's walls that she has built to protect herself and knows that Hiroko won't let go of that facade to even give Ayaka and herself a chance. We need to judge Mama's actions through the perspective of Hiroko not our own. She had Hiroko's best interest at heart irregardless of her actions. If Hiroko is angry at her then we would see some confrontation regarding her and Mama (and the other bar guests in future episodes). But from what we have seen of Hiroko so far, I doubt it would be like that because Hiroko herself knows she needs some intervention to breakdown the walls she barricaded herself with. I think it is unfair to judge characters actions as if there is only one "right" way of doing things because that's not true in fiction or in real life.

I still love love Risa. I was really glad that she told plainly that it is Hiroko that Ayaka likes and it is her straightforwardness that actually gets through to Hiroko. It is also consistent with Risa's personality that she did that because like Ayaka she doesn't hide her feelings when it matters. She is highly passionate and loves Ayaka that she is trying to help them get together and decided to stop her unrequited feelings because she values her friendship with Ayaka. Her actions might not be the "correct" ones but she is a good friend in her own way and I want to appreciate that.

I am looking forward to seeing how Ayaka is able to break down Hiroko's facade in the workplace to show her that it is different to ten years ago. (But also thinking in terms of how there still is no law protecting those discriminated on the basis of their sexuality in Japan, I wonder if they will portray acceptance only within the current workplace itself)

[allastoredeer]

It's hard being a fan of a popular ship like RadioApple because there's so much great art but some fans of popular, relatively wholesome ships can be awful to other shippers. It's a bit nerve-wracking looking at a new artist's page and expecting to be on their DNI. I wouldn't even say my other ships are *that dark* (RadioStatic, RadioBelle, FallenWings), but being around those people is like walking on eggshells.

Any ship can be dark if you try hard enough 👁️👁️

I can understand people being icked out by certain ships, that's totally fair. We all have our icks. But, idk, going after people who ship something you dislike?

It's like, bro just block them and move on. You don't have to let them know how much you hate the pairing, no one cares, it does not matter.

And I squint at people who automatically assume RadioBelle is dark 😑 Like, maybe they're just being silly goofy. Have you considered that? Maybe they're just being crazy and having a jolly good time.

[gossippool]

WHAT THE HHELLFWVLFVWLWBGLWGBOFWKQFKO

[angelhummel]

forget everything i've said in the past about silly love songs 2x12 bc if you ignore all of finn's war crimes and domestic terrorism it's literally the best episode of s2 so far.........

[chippdhearts]

@frostysfrenzy requested - CSI + Favourite story arc ↳ Catherine's leaving arc

[kurtsascot]

ok so what do we think happened after white christmas ice skate ? besides hanging out with burt obviously…..

did blaine come back to kurt’s apartment and they watched christmas movies together/caught up? did kurt take blaine around new york a bit? did blaine get kurt a present …. did they fuck or almost fuck……what are we thinking…..

[tanukitsuneko-suki]

i haven’t finished the series but like….does keiwa just not get a job the entire season of geats 😭😭

[keeps-ache]

found a scorpion walking down my arm the other day like nobody's business and now i'm scared of every brush of air on my neck fhvshfvh

[wings-of-angels]

What if... john practices doing makeup on bruce....

[randomcollection-o-stuff]

Watching this show is making me realize how much I adored the book series. Like I was one of those kids who knew all about Greek mythology and read the series a million times; I guess I didn't completely realize how much they impacted me and its all flooding back to me as I watch, like things I completely forgot are being retrieved from some vault in my mind and I go "I remember that!!!!"

Idk ig it's just really cool to access that part of me that I forgot about again.

[arovalentines]

even now i cling tightly to my glass slippers

[sinistersuns]

been watching violet evergarden and gods i would love it so much minus the. 14 years old part.

[hyperionshipping]

Shapes of whatever. Getting the vibes out. What if YOU were an ex-Catholic college dropout whose family hated you for multiple reasons BUT that church* you cried in had a cool guy who went "Don't worry it'll be okay" and it took you way too long to notice it was a church for Satan but like. It's kinda fun here and wow it's like you finally have a family surely nothing will go wrong, what could go wrong in a house of Satan? Nothing! No way!

*you did not notice any of the signs that maybe this was not a regular church and you are a bit stupid