#i enjoy the drama that will be with noah's storyline

[thisghosts-obsessions-again]

Had to obviously redraw Noa. The swimsuit looks more lingerie than beachwear and I'm sorry 😭

[twyftwyt]

Chapter 4 (TEASER)

…you have more pieces of me than the desert has sand

and i have less pieces of you than i can hold in my hand…

warnings: SMUT (18+)

authors note: we’ll slowly get into the drama and angst and unresolved traumas but i just wanted to give these two a few last moments of physical intimacy

(also listen to this while reading, I promise it’s good and it’s important for the storyline)

Noah’s POV

“My therapist will hear about this” was not really the first thing I expected to see when I grabbed my phone and opened X, this morning, but here we were. I looked over to the naked body sleeping next to me and felt my stomach twist a little. I wanted to throw up. Something I haven’t felt in a while. Not when it came to women and relationships whatsoever. I knew what I did was wrong and stupid. I knew I could’ve just gone home to think it through but there was something about her. Something I couldn’t figure out yet. And it kept me coming back time and time again. I’ve spoken to my therapist about her a few times but never really gotten that deep into the whole subject. It seems like she will have to hear about this after all, cause I was lost.

I looked at her again and traced my finger through her hair. She shifted a little in her sleep. “Beautiful. Fucking beautiful.” I thought. The sheet wasn’t covering much of her body and my eyes peered over the arch in her back. Her left foot was curled next to mine and her skin was exuding so much warmth. The outline of her breast and the way her arm was curled up under the pillow made my dick twitch and I felt the need to touch her.

“No.” was my immediate thought. Not after last night. Not after what I did. So I decided to do the best thing I could come up with, the most rational thing any man in my position would do. I got up and started looking for my clothes. Yes, I was going to leave before she wakes up. Was that an even bigger dick move? Yes. Was I gonna regret this later? Probably not. Cause I was already regretting it.

“Mmh… No..Noahh..”

My head snapped back so fast I felt my neck crack and was almost certain that I wasn’t going to be able to look straight for a few minutes. She looked like she was still sleeping. I went over to her side to take a double look. The sheet was barely covering anything but her ankles at this point and her naked body was fully exposed to me. And god, was it a sight to see.

“Noah…”

Yes, that’s me. I’m here. And I look fucking stupid with my hard on, my bare ass and my socks in my hands. Her body shifted a little and I realized that she was taking in her sleep. I thought I’d give anything to be in her head right now, in this very moment.

“Y..yes, plea… please, No.. NOAH.”

My eyes were glued to her face and her own snapped open after that last scream. If I’ve never felt like a creep before, now was my time to shine.

“What the…” she was more shocked then me, for sure.

“That was a nice dream you were having, I reckon.”

I smiled at her, sitting down on her side of the bed. I saw the red creep up her cheeks and she covered herself swiftly with the sheet, still trying to wake up from whatever she was dreaming about.

“It’s nothing I haven’t seen already, babe. Plus I was enjoying the view. And the acoustics with it.”

I could feel the heat radiating from her and I knew I had to stop, but she was so cute when she was embarrassed.

“I, uhm.. I don’t know..”

“I mean, I take it as a compliment. I’m sleeping right next to you and you’re dreaming about me.”

“Don’t. Stop.”

“Well, it was more of a “yes, please, Noahh”, but “don’t stop” works just fine as well, I guess.” I shrugged and smirked at her.

Her hand flew so fast and the next thing I felt was a slap across my naked chest.

“Shut up. What are you doing up?”

Yeah, go explain now, dumbass. “Oh, nothing, just sneaking out, you know. Something every single respectable man, out there, would do.” I didn’t know what to say, so I just stared at her.

“Noah? Earth to Noah?!”

“Yeah, sorry. I was just about to go retrieve our clothes from.. all over the house, I guess. If your roommate hasn’t already found them.”

“Oh… yeah. You’re right. Fuck. Well, won’t be the first time.” she shrugged and let the sheet fall off her shoulders

I knew I wasn’t in a position to even try and touch her. I felt guilty in my core and all I wanted to do was apologize, but I never knew how. All I knew was running. I always ran when things got too serious, too deep, too complicated. I guess what they say about living in a burning house and thinking everything is on fire all the time, is really true after all.

I was so lost in thought that I didn’t notice her body moving close to mine and jumped when her lips touched my left cheek and traced a wet line to my ear.

“Maybe we don’t have to get our clothes just yet.”

Fuck. Her breath was hot against my neck and all the hairs on my body stood on ends. It was almost pathetic how much my body responded to her every touch. I really was weak for her and she didn’t even know it. Not fully. Not really. She probably didn’t believe me either. I was always manipulating every situation after all.

“Y/N, I’ve to go. I have a meeting with the management in 2 hours.”

Not entirely true. It was in 4 hours. I had plenty of time to give her a couple of orgasms and get a coffee on the way home, but I didn’t want to exploit the situation.

“Mmh..no. Stay. A quickie. You’re halfway there anyway.”

She was looking down at my junk. And she was right. I didn’t need much. I had everything I wanted in front of me. Naked. And fucking divine.

“I know we didn’t talk things through. I know what’s going through your mind. Stop overthinking it. Stop overthinking us. It’s always a dead end. And I don’t wanna talk about it for now. I just want you. I want to feel you inside again.”

Her fingers traced mine and she started dragging my fingers up her thigh. She was warm and smooth and soft. So soft. She was putty in my hands. She was mine. I didn’t need to power play things. She gave in. Always. No one could take her from me. And she didn’t even need to tell me. I knew the power I held over her. She was water. And she was flowing through every single part of my being.

“Feel what you do to me.” she placed my hand right at the center “And feel it again.” and then guided one of my fingers between her folds “And again.” then added a second one “And then feel it again until you can’t feel it anymore.”

No, she wasn’t water in my hands. I was water. And she was the moon. And I shifted according her plan and energy. I moved at her speed. I was under her control and spell. She had me, not the other way around. I was hers entirely. And so I gave her what she wanted. I buried my fingers so deep inside of her, I felt her whole badly shake under my weight.

The world could wait.

“Lay down and spread your legs for me.”

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 1/5

Book Blurb: Alexis Carlisle and her cat café, ToeBeans, have shot to fame after she came forward as a victim of a celebrity chef’s sexual harassment. When a new customer approaches to confide in her, the last thing Alexis expects is for the woman to claim they’re sisters. Unsure what to do, Alexis turns to the only man she trusts—her best friend, Noah Logan. Computer genius Noah left his rebellious teenage hacker past behind to become a computer security expert. Now he only uses his old skills for the right cause. But Noah’s got a secret: He’s madly in love with Alexis. When she asks for his help, he wonders if the timing will ever be right to confess his crush. Noah’s pals in The Bromance Book Club are more than willing to share their beloved “manuals” to help him go from bud to boyfriend. But he must decide if telling the truth is worth risking the best friendship he’s ever had. A hacktivist and a cat café owner decode the friend zone in this romantic comedy from the author of Undercover Bromance.

Review:

Two best friends find themselves trying to not only take the next step in their relationship but also deal with family drama. Alexis Carlisle owns a cat cafe, and became famous when she came forward as a victim of a celebrity chef’s sexual harassment. One day a new customer approaches her and reveals she is actual her sister and that she wants Alexis to donate her kidney to her father, a man who has been absent Alexis’s entire life and despite knowing about her for three years never contacted her until now, when he needs her kidney. Noah Logan is a computer genius and former hacker who is now a computer security expert. Noah is madly in love with Alexis and they are best friends, after everything thats happened to her he’s been trying to time his confession to be right. With the help of his Bromance Book Club they’ll help him how to go from friend to boyfriend. Yet Alexis is dealing with all this new family drama and deciding if she is ready to take the next step with Noah. Can they decode their friendship and move into a relationship? Honestly this one just was not for me, I didn’t really feel their chemistry and I just didn’t really like Alexis all that much. I especially did not enjoy the kidney transplant storyline and how easily Alexis was willing to give her kidney to a man who never cared about her, who never loved her, and how she was just so ready to accept it all. Like why??? This man never went out of his way to contact you or your mother, he never tried to build a relationship with you until it was convenient for him and even then he wasn’t treating her that great. Seriously, why?? It just did not sit well with me at all. Despite me not enjoying this one, I definitely would give other books in the series a go, this one just didn’t interest or work for me at all though.

[galaxy-rose99]

“We all had our roles to play, and I was the bitch. 

Or to rephrase in the family-friendly language preferred by the corporation that aired our Tv show: The Mean Girl. A villain with devious plans and that devasting eyebrow.” 

~ The Daydreams by Laura Hankin Chapter 1, Page 1.

Synopsis:

The Daydreams is a fictional TV show that follows the lives of four high school students who decided to start a band. Storylines would often switch between the group’s growing music careers and their ongoing high school drama. The main cast includes:

Kat: The Mean Girl. 

Liana: The Best Friend. 

Summer & Noah: The Sweethearts. 

On screen, the world of the tv characters was perfect. Everything is idealized and sanitized to the point of parody. Off camera, however, the lives of the actors was basically the complete opposite. Thirteen years after the season finale, the cast returns for a reunion special, forcing them to confront past regrets and mistakes.

What I Liked About the Book: 

One of the main reasons The Daydreams caught my attention was its early 2000s setting. From the aesthetics to the pop culture, I’ve always been fascinated by the nostalgia of the late '90s and early 2000s. The book acts like a time capsule, offering a glimpse into that era while exploring the experiences of the characters as child stars. 

Atlas, the fictional network that aired The Daydreams, feels like a blend of Disney Channel and Nickelodeon—a powerhouse station producing family-friendly content that shaped so many of our childhoods. However, much like recent documentaries exposing the darker sides of these networks, the book delves into Atlas’ own shady past, revealing the less glamorous reality behind the scenes. 

Though much of the story is told from Kat’s (or Katherine, as she prefers) point of view, the shifting perspectives of the other characters adds a lot to the narrative. We slowly uncover what happened in the lead-up to The Daydreams' season 2 final. And with each viewpoint, the pieces of the past—and the characters’ thoughts and motivations—fall into place.

What I Disliked About the Book: 

Honestly, there’s not much I can say that I truly disliked about The Daydreams. While it’s not without its flaws, I didn’t have any major issues or nitpicks. The only thing that felt a bit off to me was the inclusion of some chapters that were presented as random articles. Given the setting, it makes sense to include examples of the toxic media culture from the early 2000s, and the diary entries had their purpose as well. However, the fanfiction excerpt about Summer and Noah kind of threw me off. It didn’t seem to add much to the overall narrative and felt more like showing extra fan reactions.

Conclusion: 

Overall, I really enjoyed The Daydreams. The story was engaging and kept me hooked until the very end, with several unexpected twists that added to the excitement. I appreciated how well the characters were developed as the book switched between past and present. I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in exploring a nuanced take on early 2000s fame, or still disappointed by Sam Levinson's The Idol. Then Laura Hankin’s The Daydreams is the perfect book for you. 

[tellytuber]

12 Shows of 2021

The new (and sometimes old) series and seasons that made my year. 

Landscapers [HBO]: During the first episode I thought: “Boy, this is pretentious. And an arthouse Fargo by Noah Hawley rip-off.” But then I remembered that I adore all of those things. Sharpe’s literal interpretation of this being a dramatization injects much needed creative life in the now very tired genre of true crime. Stunningly artful with flairs of fly humor. And if they were to make a spin-off of the police squad that I am very much obsessed with, I’d be very happy.

Queen of Mystery [KBS/Viki]: Picked this one up after Hello, Me! because of how much I enjoy Choi Kang-hee and became absolutely obsessed. (Even though it ended with rushed infuriating cliffhangers and never actually delivered on the teased romance...)The chemistry of the leading pair was sparkling (even when it was all yelling), and the premise of an enthusiastic amateur detective and the put-upon detective hooked me deep. So much so it inspired me to develop my own take on this fun trope.

Motherland (S3) [BBC Two]: As my previous year’s repeat watch pick-me-up, this was my most highly anticipated show. But what I wasn’t expecting was this season’s more serious tone. (Even though I should have after S2’s dramatic finale.) It was thankfully still very funny and ridiculous (like the sideways pandemic take with lice), and the more somber turns were lifted up and lead to a light and hopeful end. Julia’s storyline of fancying her builder had me cringing through the episodes, but the conclusion was both hilarious and poignant. And that very last scene with that certain character strutting in? I screamed. I appreciate a show that isn’t afraid to abandon its own conventions to stay fresh.

Mad For Each Other [Netflix]: This cute romcom quickly became a huge joy to me. As it aired, I’d look forward to every workday when I could watch the new episode on my phone during lunch. As a sucker for an icy but fragile woman and a combative but protective man, the sweet romance hit just right. The actors had great chemistry, and delivered the sweetest and sexiest first kiss ever. The series’s side focuses on mental health, identity, and acceptance of those who are different were also handled fairly well, and nice to see in a Kdrama.

Evil (S2) [Paramount+]: A religious/psychological/horror procedural following a ragtag team? Yes, please! Thank you Kings for giving me more of what I loved the most in S1: Kristen/Ben & Kristen unhinged. While watching this season (”S is for Silence” especially), I was struck with just how affecting its quietness is. Without layering on music or action beginning to end, they let scenes breathe, the acting to emote, and the creepiness to tingle. I can’t wait to be freaked out even more next season.

Taskmaster [Channel 4/Dave]: Influenced by my tumblr dashboard, I was curious about this silly gameshow that featured a charming mustachioed suited man twisting himself upside down to produce a fart. It was indeed silly. Joyously & absurdly so. It was just the injection of good humor I craved this year. I sped right through all 11 seasons, and now I crave at least 20 more.

Feel Good [Netflix/Channel 4]: One of the shows I watched as a part of my marathon of projects related to the cast of my previous pick, which absolutely blew me away. I went in expecting a sweet and dirty relationship comedy, but what I got was a powerful exploration of sexuality, gender, addiction & recovery, strained family dynamics, sexual harassment - All in an incredibly funny, beautiful, fantastically soundtracked show.

Succession (S3) [HBO]: While watching the premiere, I was overwhelmed with gratitude to be alive to experience this show in real time. There is truly nothing else like it that weaves comedy (insult to dark to farce), tension, high drama, literature, and dynamic character study together. It truly deserves a genre of its own. Like, Best of All Television. The only reason it’s #5 for me this year is because of how invested I was! It was a real rough ride for the Roy kids, it really bummed me out.

The Other Two (S2) [HBOMax]: Finally!!! The funniest comedy returned! It was great seeing Brooke & Cary inching up the industry ladder this year. (Alessia Cara!) Even though I would have loved more Lance, Chase, and Skeeter, more Molly Shannon and scene stealer Brandon Scott Jones made up for it. But Brooke/Helene York was the real standout for me: From her beautiful candy colored woman-boss wardrobe (that had me buying up suits) to the knockout performance of that dressing down of the Chex Mix bitch.

Awkwafina is Nora from Queens (S2) [Comedy Central]: As loud and brash and wacky as its debut, from time traveling to 2002 with a future serial killer to sidelining the pandemic with a cult stay. This show is a lot of fun. But what really hit me hard this season was how it leaned even further into its exploration of what it feels like to be a late twenty-something wash out in the world today. When social media is a brag board of friends and strangers flying by you with professional and personal accomplishments, how can you possibly catch up? If you’re directionless, how to find your way forward? What does that even mean anyway? Especially when the world the seems to change everyday.

Search Party (S4) [HBOMax]: This show pulled out all the bananas for this season and I loved it. Elliot unabashedly grabbing the Republican cable “news” money. Portia playing the role of Dory. The cinnamon roll twink and that twisted family. The guest stars. Every single performance. The trio kiss! And everything else really. But my top highlight: Elliot’s meta speech about being unlikable. Both a response to every person who complains about intolerable, whiny, self-absorbed millennials. But also (I’d like to think) a slap to every review (at least on tumblr) that claims the show is bad because the characters are bad. And to them Search Party says: You stink like shit too.

How to with John Wilson (S2) [HBO]: There is nothing else like it. Video snapshots that prove reality will always be stranger than fiction, intimate little interviews with real people, and Wilson’s comedic existential narration all ingeniously cut to illustrate whatever story Wilson is telling that week. Taking us on twisting journeys, like being led to a group of Avatar heads seemingly to laugh at them, but instead leave them with heartfelt compassion. As if taking heed of the life coaching from the interior designer from last season, How To’s voyeuristic charm is maximized as he exposes more of his personal life into the narrative. We feel even more connected with him, New York, and all of humanity.

Honorable Mentions: Seeking Sister Wife, Damned, Love 101 S1, A Black Lady Sketch Show S2, Mythic Quest, Inside No. 9, The Duchess, I Think You Should Leave, Frayed S2, Law & Order, Five Bedrooms, Stath Lets Flats, The Other One, Yellowstone S1/S2, C.B. Strike.

[battinsonrobert-archivess]

hello, my name’s noah and i’m looking for some new writing partners to make some beautiful storylines with on our own 1x1 site on jcink, on tumblr, or our own server on discord. i enjoy talking to my partners and sometimes like to talk scenarios more than write, but i do like to write. i just don’t tend to rush my partner’s, but i do like some communication of some kind at least once a week so i know that you’re still interested and that i’m not wasting my time.

currently, these are some of the plots that i’d die to have some people take up. so if you’re interested, please message me so we can give each other each other’s discord’s and begin discussing our plots together.

do not reblog.

mumu ideas:

gotham ocs:

so basically, an idea of basically a bunch of original characters who live in gotham city who interact with that world. they’re like, dealing with all the bullshit that come with living in that world, but they refuse to leave it because it’s their home and they love it. i kind of like the idea of batman and some of the other vigilantes going missing to cause drama so that we can make our original characters who take matters into their own hands. but if you want those characters around we can have them, i’m just like in awe of that world right now and think it would be so fun to have a a few ocs in it just living their lives.

dawning falls:

it’s been years since the lake and the woods were polluted with toxic waste. the mayor and the scientists at the local lab swear that nothing’s changed since then, and that everyone and everything’s been fine. however, those who are aware know that some people have been given abilities that go beyond what normal human beings can do. the town of dawning falls is kept in the secret due to these people, and no one can leave without special clearance. not only that, but no one can visit. the town isn’t even on the internet. you look it up and your computer’s given a virus so fierce you decide never to again. eventually, lorraine santos attempts to leave, discovers she can’t, and goes on to investigate the lab and the people of her small town. what really is happening here? she wants to find out, and you’ll find out with her. can bring in ocs or can just be like? a 1x1.

burn after time:

a mumu involving people raised to be assassins, in a world similar to the john w.ick universe where there are places where assassins go where they’re not allowed to make hits and have to keep the peace. but basically, there’s so many ways we can go about this.

s.ix of cr.ows inspired mumu:

a found family of criminals are hired to kidnap someone from a highly secure prison. we can copy the dynamics from the books or make up our own. but the ocs would be our own of course. i just think it would be a lot of fun just to explore these dynamics and this friend group that likely is there against their will, haha.

scientifically made supernatur.al beings on a different planet:

so like, vampires, werewolves, and ghosts are on a whole different planet, except they’re on a different planet and the only reason they’re this way was because of accidents due to scientific mishaps. could be fun to explore different dynamics. but if you just want supernatural beings on a different planet that works too.

we make our own magical world

like our own magical universe........hell yeah.

1x1 ideas:

my movie br.uce wa.yne x your nb or woman oc – we can discuss ideas. i just want to use him with an oc. it could be fun.

my matt m.urdock x your oc (any gender) – we can discuss ideas. I just want to use him with an oc

my character alexander in a time traveler’s wife type of plot. oooor a plot where your character is his arch foe and they always get stuck in a timeloop haha. his fc is rob.patz but i can use one of his alternate fcs if you don’t like that fc.

my character claudia daviau in a plot similar to cla.ire temple and ma.tt murdo.ck’s where she nurses a character to health after they get injured after a fight. she’s an art gallerist, in the daytime, tho and her fc is alexa dem.ie. i’m open to other plots with her tho cause i love her. any gender.

life & death raising a baby pls.

death & the maiden plot.

s.cream plot.

aphrodite x ares as a con-artist and assassin. pls.

hades x persephone where hades owns a burlesque club

a plot like ka.z & in.ej sob

message me here or like this post if interested.

[ravenadottir]

Which of the characters kept this thought in mind that Love Island is still a competition with 50k as prize money?

During my second playthrough, I somehow thought of Hunger Games where the protagonist pretends to be in love with the other one to increase their popularity and improve their chances of survival, with success. In a weird way, the same applies to Love Island, survive to win.

I don't accuse any of the characters of lying about their intentions like Henrik being on LI for only a good time or Hope trying to find a partner for life but yk 👀

Maybe some of them thought twice about pieing sb off bc it would damage their popularity among the audience or created drama on purpose bc that's what maybe the production team likes to see more of 🤷🏻‍♀️

see this is what i'm talking about when i say 'playing the game'. no shade just... love island is a game, with a cash prize, and the entrance for a quick way of getting famous without doing much.

players got offended when i said bobby was playing the game for the money and like, i applaud that storyline! i still think that was the intention behind the tweet and a later revelation would out him as a player of the game, so his name is on my list still. just because they chickened out doesn't mean it wasn't supposed to happen.

priya. she doesn't even hide the fact that money is a problem for her (on a rare occasion you catch her as your main female friend and she comments about the villa being the type of property she sells but could never buy). there's a hint of "ah, if only i had that money" and it's not farfetched to imagine it's part of the reason why she went for rahim. he was rather vulnerable, emotionally, and very impressionable. it was easy to convince him to pick her on day 3 even though she's not an option when you talk to him that afternoon. the game gives nods to hannah, mc and lottie, but priya knew how to play him and did it right. i think eventually she realized she wasn't going anywhere with that (because the tweet about her called her out on the gold digging thing) and decided to just go for who she wanted since the beginning, noah.

blake. like... duh. she admitted the convincing noah on his route, and i still don't buy she had genuine feelings for henrik or lucas, just giving away something she thought would make them choose her, nothing more.

shannon. maybe not about the money but definitely about the competition. you can't deny the girl was thirsty to prove something, we just didn't' know to whom or what, but she was in there to win and it felt like a matter of honor, more than a matter of money. (i guess we can say she always has to prove herself in her field of work but we can add the fact that some people might shame her because she's not thin). regardless she's there but not to find love.

marisol. i'm not saying it was the only reasoning behind it but like... she doesn't seem the type of girl that enjoys fame. there's a lot about her that lets it show she's not there just for the kicks of it. while some talk about experience, connections, friendships, having a fun summer, she is very emphatic about coming in and taking what she wants. that, to an extent, could be about the competition and the money.

graham. i don't care if he lost his head over marisol afterwards, he knew there was nothing there and persisted instead of doing the brave thing and breaking up. the only reason to stay with someone in the show, who you can't have a future with, is to win something. maybe he thought the other couples would eventually crumble and by a miraculous turn of events he and marisol would get the prize, since they weren't voted off by the public after stick or switch. there were worse couples there, but as soon as they left he and marisol were the first voted out.

rocco. he was trying to stay not to find someone. and it's like, the mixture of desperation and horniness is something truly remarkable in his route. it's obvious he was going behind his partner's back because he wanted to guarantee his spot. why else would he do that if he didn't have his mind in the game? "i hope i find someone suited for me later on" doesn't sound very rocco-esque. whether his mind changed i'm not so sure, because what was going on between him and marisol was paper thin, so like... maybe he liked her but his goal was still something other than love.

[ariendiel]

Hey, I hope this isn’t a super annoying question but you’ve altars got such beautiful and positive content - what helped make a Noah route more enjoyable in the actual playthrough? Any advice you can impart?

Not annoying at all! I love these kinds of asks, so thank you! 💗 I'll make this my detailed guide to how I make the Noah route enjoyable (to me at least), but without playing it as a burn-the-villa route because I actually don't enjoy my MC being mean... Hope it might help some of you at least!

Please note this all requires projecting a lot of feelings etc. onto MC, which I think is a requirement for most routes to be fair. I'll add this post to my masterlist and will replay the game soon-ish (and for the last time) to make sure it all makes sense with any possible changes etc.

My guide to a nice* Noah route

Day 1: Choose Noah, I never minded that Hope "stole" him (it happens) but it does help if you – like me – want to create a "what if?" storyline in your head while playing. I've also never been a Bobby stan**, so I don't mind being in a friendship couple with him and just reject him. ** If you're a Bobby stan, probably choose someone else.

Don't flirt with anyone else at first, that way he will approach you during the evening and you can chat for a while before Hope comes to, uhm, collect him.

Day 3: Since MC is in a friendship couple with Bobby, and not really interested in anyone else here, flirt with and couple up with Rocco. The sympathy you get throughout Roccogate, while also forgiving Marisol, is quite nice – especially because you get protective Lucas.

Speaking of Lucas, I tend to flirt with him during etc. but then purposefully don't save him so that MC is again left feeling like there's no real option for her (Bobby is her friend, Rocco grafted on someone else, and now Lucas has left). This helps in the build-up to Operation Nope. Choose Henrik here if he's your preferred part of Lurik.

Day 7: Help Noah win the Mr. Love Island competition (I'm still salty they changed it so that Bobby is the one to approach MC initially. But just imagine Noah is the one doing it).

Day 9: Choose Noah for your Villa date. At this point, I headcanon MC and Noah as very good mates who increasingly look longingly at each other. Nope is rapidly falling apart, and book boy is feeling lost. The date is also just lovely in general. Hope picks first at that recoupling though, so pick Bobby.

I would recommend coupling up with Bobby here, but this time because he actively will encourage you to participate in ON. Like, you can project onto him whatever motivations you like, but it definitely makes MC kissing Noah feel a bit more... valid?

Day 10: Kiss Noah during Operation Nope (I don't like to be too enthusiastic when they plan it though, feeling pity for Rahim especially).

Day 11: If you don't like Jakub: Go on the date with him, and hate every moment of it. Break up with Bobby, saying your head's turned.

Day 12: Listen in on the conversation between Noah and Priya, it's quite cute I think – and makes it clear that Priya is quite bitter Noah is into MC and not her. This, I think, is why she later is the one to purposefully tell Hope in front of pretty much everyone that Noah is into MC and wants to couple with her.

That night, when the big argument happens, there are a few dialogue options I'd recommend over others: 1. Suggest coming up with a compromise. 2. Suggest giving Noah space to think. 3. Admit you like him, but say you won't act on those feelings. This way, Noah won't snap, Hope will forgive Priya, but not you, and at least to me it feels like MC is genuinely just tired of the whole thing and Hope yelling at her. Note: I haven't played the game in a while, but will do so soon to make sure these are all the same as they were over a year ago.

Day 13: Disaster recoupling! Noah will pick you, and just enjoy this for as long as it lasts. Literally it is so lovely to be coupled up with him and you get to learn quite a lot about him. Kiss him before going to CA.

CA: Ugh, just get through it. I prefer to stay loyal to Noah throughout, mostly because suddenly MC's girl"friends" don't think she wants to be serious with him and at least this way it proves them wrong.

Day 17: Noah switches to Blake. This man's a notorious over-thinker, and a combination of insecurity and Blake playing the game made him switch. Don't think too much about it, other than take note of how he switched to the girl that managed to "mimic" MC in how she behaves, rather than the one that looked like Hope. It's the little things, really. Say you're happy for him, and just enjoy how genuinely sad and apologetic he is, but also how he almost certainly thinks he's completely blown his chances with MC for good.

Day 18: THE PAIN. Everyone ignores MC and her feelings completely, instead working together to get Hope back with Noah for some bloody reason. The worst day on a Noah route, but you can tell Noah isn't really into it, and by this point it's hard to tell if Hope is just playing the game or not (I choose to imagine her knowing she has to be with Noah to have a chance at winning. I love her, but she's competitive and wants to win).

During the recoupling, I usually choose to save Jakub and stay with him in a miserable couple until the end. But choose whoever you're not really interested in from here on out.

Day 19: Fail the ‘Mister and Missus’ challenge. Your partner, or Jakub at least, will be genuinely mad at you for it. If you have low enough relationship points, Noah will make you breakfast the next day. ❤️

Get through these days and the gossip-sneezer drama as best as you can, ignore Hope and flirt with Noah when you can. Honestly, the chemistry and building (s*xual) tension between him and MC is so good if you're into him.

Admit to Chelsea you're into him***, that way you get to chat with him on the roof terrace, say you like him. *** I can't remember the day this happens on, but will check later.

Day 22: Flirt with Noah that morning, and notice how Hope is acutely taking note of it, because not much later she'll corner MC and ask her who she fancies. Here, you can't say Noah, the game forcing you to say someone else (I say Jakub because my poor MC is coupled with him and it feels like the "right" choice, but choose whoever you want to couple with). After you say a name, Hope will literally sprint out and tell this person, before quickly going to Noah – most likely to tell him about how much MC fancies [insert name here]. This, combined with literally everyone expecting it of him, is why Noah blows his last chance at being with MC and chooses Hope at the recoupling.

I think we mentioned it quite a bit in our Noah character analysis (here), but note how his speeches when choosing Hope get less and less emotional and more robotic as time passes.

Don't do any gem options with your partner by the way, and don't kiss them etc. Treat it like a simple friendship, and nothing more. It makes it a lot easier to imagine that they're only really with MC and laying it on thick at times because they're in it for the money.

Day 24: Whoever you sent home out of Lurik comes back, you can swap to them without hurting your chances with Noah if that makes it easier to steal the money. I still don't like to outright cheat or flirt with them though.

Again, just enjoy and take every single moment you get with Noah to flirt with him. He flirts back and is so very clearly into MC it hurts.

Day 28: Say no to being your partner's girlfriend (if you haven't flirted with them much up until here it's super awkward and feels forced). Noah won't have asked Hope to be his girlfriend either, so neither of you will technically cheat later, as they're pretty much just formally coupled up. Agree to chat with Noah on the roof terrace that night, and straight out admit you like him – don't go for the kiss... yet.

Day 29: Just get through the prom knowing that all Noah and MC, depending on how you project, can think about is the other. Hook up on the roof terrace that night, and accept that Noah won't just run back in and break up with Hope right away (it doesn't make much sense to do so, and Noah is not one to act rashly).

Day 30: Steal the money. Go talk with Noah and Hope first. Noah breaks up with Hope and you get that wonderful pool scene with him where he says "I love you".

Good luck, and let me know how it goes or if you have any questions! Now go get that sweet pixel librarian 📚

[rahleeyah]

Hey Leah, I see a lot of fans complaining about the sheila arc as if it was WL's but it's not. I gotta say, as a drama fan, I really, really enjoy having so many Liv centric storylines in s19. How do you feel about it?

lightbulb was gone by s19, right? 19 is one of my sleeper favorite seasons, actually. the return of my disaster son brian cassidy. peter stone. something happened. alex cabot, and an entire arc of episodes on the theme of what is right vs what is legal, and weighing the costs. remember me/remember me too is a great finale. and, of course, sheila. sheila is part of the overall character driven theme of the season, as each member of the squad finds themselves warring with their gut instinct vs the path in front of them, with the law and their own conscience. olivia's gut didn't trust sheila, initially, but liv has always wanted family and sheila seemed to give that to her and noah and of course liv fell for it, and then we get to see everybody go fucking feral to get sweet boy noah back, which makes for good, compelling television. my only gripe about the sheila arc tbh is that when sheila goes on and on about how noah is hers bc he's her blood and olivia can just adopt another baby olivia doesn't fight for noah with words, doesn't tell sheila that after four years of diaper changes and hospital stays and first steps and first words that child is olivia's, that the love olivia feels for him is just as valid as any biological tie. i think we're just supposed to know that, but it would have been so satisfying to hear olivia just fucking say it. yeah overall i'm a fan of s19

[jazy3]

Thoughts on Grey’s Anatomy: 18X03

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

I liked this episode overall, but I didn’t love it. The writing this season is slowly improving after a complete disaster of a Premiere so that’s good, but I still feel like the episodes this season lack punch. They lack suspense and drama and action. The pacing is just really slow and it’s getting on my nerves. I enjoyed Addison’s return, but I wish they’d done more with it. I loved seeing Addison back and Kate Walsh did an amazing job, but I felt like they could have gone further with her scenes and made them a bit deeper. I felt like they skimmed the surface of what they had to work with and that they could have gone a lot farther with it. 

My favourite Addison scenes of the episode were when her and Meredith were on the elevator and the scene at the end with Zola, Bailey, and Amelia. I thought Kate Walsh and Ellen Pompeo gave a great performance in the elevator scene. It felt genuine and real to me. That being said, the scene didn't have the emotional impact for me that I hoped it would. I felt emotional, but it didn't hit me in the gut as I was expecting it to. I think part of that was the music choice, how short the scene was, and the lack of build-up beforehand. I also loved the scene with Meredith and Derek's kids at the end of the episode. I thought that was really lovely. Especially when she told them that Derek called her Addie. I also really enjoyed the OR scenes with Meredith and Addison and watching them teach Levi. 

Speaking of Levi, while I liked his scenes and moments in this episode, the other residents, minus Jo, just got on my nerves. Their comments were so cringeworthy and disrespectful. Levi was literally the only person to tell them to shut up and show some respect to their attendings. Their speculation about Addison and Meredith was so childish and gossipy I just can't take any of them seriously as future doctors. It was awful. I liked that we got more medical cases this episode, but I can’t say any of them really grabbed me. It felt like this script needed another draft before it went to air. 

If I had to pick, I'd say that Rashida's case was my favourite. I don't feel that we got to know Addison's clinical trial patient well enough for there to be an emotional impact for me. I did like that Winston continued to advocate for Rashida and got her the kidney she needed. I loved seeing Ben back in action and the surgery truck scene between Ben, Owen, and Winston. While I thought Owen went overboard going to Noah’s house, I am excited for Owen to have a non-romantic storyline. Kevin McKidd is a great actor and deserves plotlines outside of his messy love life. 

The storyline with Teddy and Link trying to fix the broken HVAC Unit was just stupid and I still don’t get why Link is so suddenly dead set on marriage that he’s willing to throw away an otherwise healthy relationship with Amelia and put Scout in a split custody situation especially since that's what he had growing up and he tells Teddy that is exactly what he didn't want for Scout. Why is being married so important to him? And why doesn't Amelia seem to care about Link or Scout anymore? Is her tumour back? I know some people out there are rooting for Amelia and Dr. Bartley and I do feel like Amelia and Bartley could have good chemistry if it wasn't for the fact that Amelia has a whole ass family in Seattle that no one wants to see her leave which put her scenes with Bartley in a weird position. 

The HVAC plot was absurd. HVAC systems have been computerized for at least the past five years now if not longer. The ignorance on Teddy and Link's part was ridiculous. To me, storylines like that really devalue the important work that tradespeople do and since I come from a family of tradespeople it really bothers me. It’s just so ignorant and upsetting. You can be funny without spreading ignorant stereotypes about hard working people who basically have had to retrain as both maintenance and IT which is very impressive. 

That being said, I did enjoy Teddy’s turn as Ambassador of Fun! It was silly and hilarious and I loved it! I especially enjoyed the hats! The sequined biker hat Teddy put on Owen? LOL! My favourite scene of the episode was the one between Meredith and Hayes when he brings her coffee and they talk about her new project in Minnesota, the weather in Ireland, and how Austin is doing. I just love their chemistry together and I love seeing Hayes talk about Ireland. I also love that Meredith is confiding in Hayes about Minnesota and her plans to give up the Residency Program to Richard, but I’m confused as to why she hasn’t told him about Nick yet or why she would bother going out with him when she has Hayes back in Seattle whose clearly still interested in her. 

He literally tells her he’s unhappy about adjusting to the idea of her being gone part of each week and the only reason they aren’t together is because Austin is having a hard time right now so why is Nick even on this show? It doesn't make any sense. I feel like they are wasting Richard Flood's talent so far this season. He's a great actor, he brings so much depth to Hayes, and they are so underutilizing him it's maddening. Get rid of Nick and focus on the characters you have people! It’s not hard. Oh, and also pick up the pace while you’re at it. We’re only three episodes in and this season is already dragging. While I enjoyed this episode and I feel like the writing is slowly improving I'm really not digging this season. 

They had such a great set up coming off of the last two seasons and I thought with jumping ahead to a post-COVID world we would finally see the culmination of so many storylines that we've all been waiting for. But apart from Teddy and Owen's wedding we literally haven't gotten anything fans have been waiting for based on what they set up previously. So far, I'm super disappointed. Making Meredith Chief of the Residency Program at the end of last season just to have her give the program back to Richard so quickly is a super bizarre move. As I’ve pointed out in the past it’s also really weird that they've spent so much time talking about Jo switching to OB but so little time actually showing it. The promo for next week shows more Addison and her talking to Amelia so hopefully that’s good. 

Until next time!

[laufire]

RNM 3x04

Although I’m enjoying the season so far, I gotta say, the episodes feel super disconnected, this one most of all. I blame the fact that Liz (THE LEAD) and Rosa still aren’t participating in the main fucking plot :)))

I’m still extremely wary of Rosa’s storyline. I think it makes sense for the character, and that *for now* they’re keeping it in line with it being more about Rosa proyecting/exorcising her issues than about Wyatt Long’s manpain, but. I’m eyeing it. And I really want her to be more involved in the main plot/do more stuff. Now that Kyle is in peril and Long is leaving town (which made me wonder whether he’ll become a suspect, actually), I hope that’s where she’s headed. I loved her art (it always has so much personality in it, I love how they do it) and her quote about people changing and becoming who they want to be.

I feel that with this storyline I’m doing a reverse of my usual “things I roll with in fiction but wouldn’t stand for irl” LOL. Because if I was in Rosa’s shoes I WOULD try to deradicalize someone like Long -and there’s no shortage of people like Long in my hometown, so I’m not just talking out of my ass here-, less for him and more as harm reduction and for my own morals. But this could derail Rosa’s storyline in really annoying ways. And I REALLY don’t trust this show’s track record with race. On top of that, a lot of the discourse around redemption arcs~ conveniently omits the fact that only white male characters are pressumed to get them after they commit horrible acts. Why can’t Flint, a MoC, be the one to get a redemption arc instead, for example? It could’ve been painfully easy to switch their storylines, and it could’ve been interesting since Rosa actually disliked him in high school. But the show suddenly decided to care for Long’s inner life. Because white characters (and people) are afforded more complexity by others, more good faith.

I’m not TOO worried about Kyle because it feels too early in the season to fully close that plot. But if they killed him I don’t know that I could continue with the show. I adore Rosa, but her storyline isn’t grabbing me; and I dig Michael’s family drama with Nora and the dictator, but they’re not as ~dear to me. Kyle this season was the one reuniting it all. And they can’t kill him before we figure out everything with the communicator and his father!! C’mon. Anyway. I did love him this episode, helping out; and his scenes with Michael (my rareship is sailing! xDD) were great, from their bitchiness with the radio to their perspectives during their argument. The moment Michael pushes him to take cover and then removes Kyle’s hand from his shoulder asldkfjaf. This fandom is weak for not writing me multiple pages of this rareship, js.

Speaking of rareships sailing LOL, I can’t believe after my joke post about Bert x Kyle I got a mini scene asdlfjasdf, where Bert talks to Kyle and pays a compliment to his mother. I’ve also said since then that I wanted more Bert in the show, but frankly, I wish it was for more alien/conspiracy/fun stuff (like his artisanal beer or his werewolf obsession! or get into the main alien plot!), and not an Issue Storyline that I don’t even trust the show to handle properly.

Maria and Isobel’s vision quest was fun, although I resent the fact that the Liz we saw for half the episode was a fake (seriously, BRING HER TO THE DAMN MAIN PLOT ALREADY). I don’t care much for the two of them bonding, tbh, but if it’s what Maria wants, so be it. And her moments with Kyle this season have made me more lenient towards Isobel, at least. I’m also curious about some of the elements in the quest: the first things Maria sees are Michael sitting in her bar and Rosa painting her table <33. Bert is around being attacked by racists. I also dig that either/both of them pictured Kyle in his doctor getup (with the radio).

Wrt the vision itself, I’m still on denial about the dead being Kyle lol. I’ve heard all the theories: fake death to hide the aliens (I hope that can get solved because if Kyle couldn’t for some reason continue his career in medice it would CRUSH him), and his mother (please don’t) seem the most likely options after this episode. Others are Sanders (for the hints in last week’s) or even Arturo (for Rosa and Liz’s reactions, although obviously the “Valenti” crest wouldn’t make sense there). I also don’t see how it makes sense to cover Kyle’s death if Logan killed him? Unless Max tries to heal him and leaves a handprint. Anyway, I hope none of the above die and it can be resolved. And BTW: the SPN war flashbacks I’ve witnessed in the tags with the “killing” method are. Something. I think RNM still kept the scene dramatic and the audience concerned, but man. The risk of that reference... I don’t know that it was worth it lol.

BRING LIZ TO THE MAIN STORYLINE FFS. I like what we see of her on LA in abstract, but in practice... she’s the lead ffs. One episode where she’s out and having a nice time dancing (those scenes were lovely, admittedly) like this one can be great, but after three episodes where she’s been so removed of it all? Nuh huh. Given recent events (Kyle’s attack, the handprint on her chest reacting, her resignation) I hope it changes soon. And I hope Heath can be taken at face value, because I don’t trust this show’s track record with MoC that could inconvenience its storylines (see Noah and Diego, or even Flint). Also, I LOLED at her dream in the beginning, with her imagining Max apologizing to her and expressing her own concerns about getting lost in their relationship lmfao (as if that would ever cross his mind xD).

His scenes with Kyle seem designed to get Michael out of his funk wrt his heritage, and I appreciate it (especially if it’s THIS, and not the useless or even counterproductive pep talks of anyone else Michael cares more about that does the trick lol). I’m still eagerly awaiting for development on this front. Related to that, I’ve seen the theories about Jones being his father, but. Eh. It’s not that I don’t see how it could be possible (he’s incredibly powerful and can make fire), but. To put it bluntly? I don’t think the actor can pull off what I want from the Dictator. I want someone charismatic, and preferably visibly older than Michael that actually looks like his father. Jones would be a terrible miscast on both accounts. If they bring someone else JUST for Michael it could also be a sign of him really taking over the storyline (which I’m still iffy about because of my other faves, but it’s an interesting way to see where the show is headed).

I feel they could have taken Jones to more interesting places but there’s still time. The good news is that he shaved his godawful beard AND saved a dog’s life lol. Also, am I the only one that thought he might’ve known Noah, when he grabbed his and Isobel’s picture? I’m curious about that.

[thisghosts-obsessions-again]

Playing two separate characters in Summer of Love and Noa (my MC from LITG S3) is so popular everyone wants a piece of her (I think she kissed more singles just in the first challenge alone) 😳

I am pairing her with Noah because of the whole Scarlett and Amber thing between the three of them, BUT THE NOAH SCENES! THE DUCKING NOAH SCENES!!!! THE GAP MOE! IT'S KILLING ME! 😫

[gra-sonas]

Rewatch anon here, I'm at the end of S1 and this show's logic is taking a real beating, it's like they want to drag the mystery more but don't know how to do it properly so they're torpedoing every avenue for answers, the whole we just found a prison full of aliens who could tell us everything but they're blown up instantly is so lazy, the answer to a cell door cracking is to explode everything? Really? There weren't a hundred options before, and our heroes couldn't hack anything. And the whole thing with Noah dying is even worse, Max refusing to let Michael give him the antidote , even pulling a gun on him, like they didn't have any other option when ??? Neither of them have conditions prone to blackouts, they could've gotten the info then given him the serum to take his powers again or killed him or 50 other things, it all comes off as extremely lazy, there are so many ways they could've given us a few answers then done different mysteries. A story about aliens who don't know they're from has so many possibilities and storylines, it's like they don't want to commit to it. You can have well written characters and relationships and a wonderful overarching mystery and plot, dozens of shows have done it, Fringe, buffy the expanse etc... Nancy drew(which is a fantasy/horror but same diff) on the same network is doing it right now. Sorry to be ranting in your inbox, I honestly love scifi stories and they're so rare especially ones with this setting, I just keep feeling sad at all the wasted potential. p.s I'm also very much enjoying superman and Lois and If you want some other fantastic superhero shows, doom patrol and the boys are both really good shows.

Oh nonnie, I feel you, believe me! There's SO much cool potential in the set-up of this show, and we have all these amazing characters, I really hope that with Chris (who loves romance AND sci-fi), we'll see some more sci-fi elements woven into the fabric of the show, and with Mr. Jones, Deep Sky, and possibly The Alighting becoming involved, I hope we'll finally get some ANSWERS this season! I really want to know more about their home planet (which Chris has teased we'll see more of!!!), their abilities, and so on!

Superman & Lois is sooooooooooooo good, it's the perfect mix of family drama and superhero story, I love it! I'm also a HUGE Doom Patrol fan!!! I've tried The Boys, not my thing tho. But man, Fringe (one of my favorite shows of all time!!!), and of course, Buffy! During a recent rewatch of S1-3, I also became majorly hooked (again) on Star Trek Discovery, another incredible sci-fi show with a chef's kiss cast!

Fingers crossed, RNM S3 will be more eager to reveal new information, than to keep us in the dark, that it will focus more on one overarching mystery/main story instead of losing itself in several side plots, and that - as per Chris's writing preferences - we'll see 1. Character Development 2.Romance 3. Alien Stuff. In that order!

18 DAYS! 💚👽🧬🛸

[heathneycanon]

okay so i ranked 113 total drama/ridonculous race ships based on how much i like them with explanations below the cut.. fair warning that i’m a lil mean to some of the ships lower on the list.

also i forgot to include dwayne senior and that one girl’s mom from rr because i literally forgot they existed until now, and i don’t want to manually add them in so i’ll just say that i think they’re cute but not super interesting.

EDIT: this has been updated post-roti-rewatch. i switched around the order of a couple ships, and added a new one. if i ever rewatch rr or pahkitew i’ll probably edit it again, but the likelihood of me rewatching either of those seasons any time soon is... ok i was about to say it was slim but it’s probably not

also i’m not ever adding in dwayne and the mom because i like it being a part f the description lmao. an afterthought. as it should be.

enjoy!

113. stephanie/ryan - i HATE the daters/haters. they’re like a weird, shitty mix of tda gidgette and duncney. like, they’re either annoyingly all over each other, or they’re toxic and fighting. tbh, they’re pretty toxic all the time. they stuck around for way too long imho.

112. jacques/josee - I CHANGED MY MIND IGNORE THIS

111. tom/jen - tom is canonically gay, and i hc jen as a lesbian. so i’m not a fan of this ship.

110. nemma - yeahh, knowing me, this is also a predictably low ranking. i hc noah as gay and emma as a lesbian, so again, i don’t vibe with this one.

109. coderra - i can only deal with this ship in rewrites. i’ve seen super well thought out rewrites of coderra and sierra’s character, but as it stands, i really don’t ship this at all.

108. davesky - dave is an incel lmao. anyway yea this ship initially seemed like bootleg zoke, which was kind of bootleg gwent, but then BOY did davesky get worse. i can’t stand dave and i can’t stand pairing him with sky, either.

107. leonard/sugar - why. i hate both of these characters. no thank u.

106. ella/dave - ok so u know i don’t like dave. i also hc ella as a lesbian, she hasn’t realized it and is dealing with comphet. i don’t like this ship.

105. topher/ella - i hc both of them as gay. they are friends tho.

104. macarthur/brody - in case you’re noticing a trend, i do in fact hc macarthur as a lesbian. i also don’t really care about her at all lmao. anyway, not a fan of this one. i really don’t understand why fresh thought this was a good idea.

103. noah/katie - again, i hc noah as gay, but this ship is more funny to me than anything else because these characters were shipped together so often early on, when they both a) barely had any characterization and b) had never interacted? anyway yea i don’t ship it.

102. cameron/sierra - this one’s weird? literally sierra had a crush on him or whatever because he reminded her of cody even though they’re… nothing alike? dude please get sierra some therapy oh my god

101. heather/justin - i knew someone who really, really shipped them once, which is why i’m including it. anyway i cannot see this ship at all, next.

100. amy/rodney - i guess this existed? i barely remember pahkitew, and i know rodney had a bunch of crushes, but this is the main one i remember so it’s the only one i can be bothered to include. anyway this relationship didn’t seem healthy at all.

99. max/scarlett - i don’t like max and i don’t really care about scarlett, but i also hc both of them as gay, so this is a no from me.

98. gwody - creepy and bad. i don’t trust people who ship this or davesky.

97. dashawn - shawn can do better. that one scene where they look at each other when dave has to kiss the person next to him is kinda funny tho.

96. topher/dave - marginally better than all other dave ships just because topher is there and i like topher. again tho, topher can do much better.

95. malejandro - why does this ship exist.

94. ezekiel/bridgette - not my thing at all. i don’t care about zeke too much, and i have a lot more ships with bridgette that i prefer over this one.

93. cody/beth - i only care about cody in certain contexts, and i practically never care about beth. i wouldn’t click off of a fic if this were a background pairing or whatever, but i definitely wouldn’t seek it out.

92. ezekiel/beth - again, don’t really care about beth or ezekiel that much. but in certain contexts, i can see why this would be cute.

91. courtney/jose - the only way this is cute is alongside aleheather, so that courtney and heather could marry into the same family. but also, why is this a ship that exists?

90. scourtney - i love both scott and courtney, but no thank u. they had absolutely no chemistry, and courtney was using scott both in the competition and as a rebound. not a fan.

89. gwen/cameron - is this a thing that exists? i found a screenshot of gwen kissing cameron on the cheek but is that edited? if it is real, i probably blocked it from my mind.

88. courtney/cameron - now i know this one exists in the weirdest, stupidest way the show could’ve gone about it. barely even qualifies as a ship, and it’s definitely not a good one.

87. duncan/zoey - i kind of see why others would like this one, but at the same time, it doesn’t really appeal to me.

86. alejandro/courtney - i love alejandro and i love courtney. but i can only see them as friends, tho i can see them like. kissing just because they’re bored. or to fuck with people. they did that in the show, right? kind of? i forget the specifics.

85. chris/blaineley - while i guess i can see why people ship this, chref is canon and blaineley is a lesbian.

84. katie and/or sadie/justin - why would katie or sadie date justin, when they’re in love?

83. gwuncan - maybe could’ve been good, but literally everything about how they got together and their relationship in canon has tainted my view of this ship. i definitely preferred them as friends in tda anyway. there’s a lotta cute gwuncan fanart out there so i do rb it sometimes tho. i see why people ship this, i get the potential, but for me it’s soured by world tour.

82. laurie/miles - who?

81. mary/ellody - yea ok they’re smart gfs, but also i literally don’t give a shit about either of them.

80. pete/gerry - they’re definitely dating but again i don’t care about them.

79. mike/cameron - not a horrible ship by any means, i just don’t really like cameron that much.

78. alejandro/justin - there are so many superior alejandro ships. and a handful of slightly better justin ships.

77. carrie/devin - wow they didn’t have a storyline that was original in any way! they’re pretty cute tho.

76. sanders/macarthur - would be higher but acab.

75. macarthur/josee - i really like the whole rivals to lovers thing, but again, acab. this is higher than sanders/macarthur because of the rivals to lovers, but mostly it’s because there’s only one bastard cop here rather than two.

74. owen/alejandro - i don’t really mind this one, but i see it as more of a one sided crush on owen’s side.

73. lightning/cameron - i don’t really care about cameron, but the jock/nerd dynamic is kinda good.

72. rockspud - they’re definitely a couple, but as the trend indicates, i really can’t bring myself to care too much about rr ships.

71. lindsay/beth - best beth ship, worst lindsay ship. i like one this better if lindsay is also dating tyler.

70. lindsay/lightning - a crackship i made up when i was eleven. i just think it’s really funny.

69. noco - not a bad ship, it’s just not my thing. i definitely see why other people ship it, i just ship both of them with other people.

68. ella/sugar - i see why people ship this as well, but i just really don’t like sugar. i can bring myself to see past that because this dynamic is genuinely good.

67. sierra/heather - i’ve seen this in au’s and rewrites of sierra’s character, and i see the potential. not bad.

66. bawn - they’re cute i guess? i just never really saw the appeal. they’re not bad by any means, it just seems kind of bland.

65. dakota/zoey - okay so i’m adding this one in as i’m reordering stuff because i rewatched roti. i didn’t have this here initially but their friendship was cute until zoey was all “she’s scary” and voted her off. just saying, if zoey wasn’t written as a hypocrite and was actually written as a COOL character that lived up to the potential of her concept, this would’ve slapped. also i love any combo of dawn, zoey, and dakota, because they’re cute. i’m not including poly ships on here because that’d make things wayy complicated, but i’d be here for a poly ship of these three.

64. scott/zoey - UPDATED. was originally “yea something about this rubs me the wrong way. i feel like if i rewatched roti i would remember what, but i’m not going to do that just for this list. maybe someday.” i ended up rewatching roti for unrelated reasons the next day, and honestly? this one is not that bad. could be cute, potentially.

63. dj/katie - i guess this one’s pretty cute? i don’t really remember them interacting, but i guess i can see why someone would like this.

62. dunhar - i see why people ship this one. i kind of like it? i feel like it would work really well in an au or a rewrite.

61. dott - UPDATED. was originally “i used to kind of like this ship, but now i really don’t. i do love the idea of dawn and scott as best friends who bully each other in the friendly kind of way, though.” but i rewatched roti and... this has potential. i kinda like it. still prefer the bullying friendship tho.

60. scott/mike - again, i see why people would ship it. i’m not sure if people actually do? but it seems like the sort of thing i might have shipped in middle school, so someone probably likes it. but meh, it’s not really my thing anymore.

59. topher/shawn - i don’t remember if these two interacted but i guess this could be cute? maybe?

58. sky/ella - yea it’s cute i guess? i don’t really have an opinion on this one beyond that.

57. dawn/dj - i mean… i get where this comes from. i fully understand. i personally see them becoming close friends, but i also see why people would ship them.

56. dawn/brick - again, i see them much more as friends, but i get why people would ship them.

55. geoff/gwen - this ship kinda interests me because it was originally going to be canon in camp tv, but because of that one gweoff friendship episode in island i see them as unlikely friends.

54. dj/bridgette - maybe you’re sensing a trend here, but i see them as friends. i could probably get on board with shipping them, though.

53. deather - i like them as friends more, but i do think a relationship between them could be fun.

52. ella/dawn - i feel like i’ve seen this ship? it’s not bad! i’m not the biggest fan of ella but this is pretty cute.

51. zoke - i really want to like them, and i wish they were written better. as is, i kind of ship them? there’s nothing wrong with zoke. but both as characters and as a ship, they could’ve been so much better.

50. noah/justin - this one’s interesting! i’ve never actively shipped it, but i can see it for sure. it’s cute!

49. owen/justin - again, not something i’ve actively shipped, but i like it!

48. carrie/kitty - i think they’re both in their late teens? like 18ish? appropriate ages for each other? if so, i like this one. they’d be cute

47. josee/jen - yea i like this. i feel like they would get along pretty well. they’re both successful in their own right. power couple for sure.

46. tom/jacques - again. power couple. i also think they’d go on double dates with jen and josee, which i like a lot. honestly both of these teams are the epitome of mlm/wlw solidarity. i like this one.

45. alecody - i like it! i don’t have much to say about them at all, but i like it.

44. brody/geoff - good ship! putting the romance in bromance. i like this one more when it’s combined with gidgette though.

43. anne maria/vito - originally i put “what is the appeal of this ship? genuinely asking.” as the description, and then an anon sent in this reply: “You wanted the appeal of anne maria and vito? Well here it is; they are both so dumb. Not a brain cell between the two of them. Imagine them trying to do anything domestic like. They could not assemble a bookshelf or make a pot of spaghetti without it turning into a horrible, but memorably fun, mess. They’re soft for eachother but would kick anyone’s ass for so much as looking at the other. Sorry im rambling lmao i just think they are so funny together”. i get the appeal now, so i’m moving this one up.

42. lindsay/courtney - lmao their dynamic is so funny. i don’t know how well a relationship between them would go, but i can see court realizing over time that lindsay is a lot smarter than she initially seems to be. idk courtney’s observant and lindsay is actually pretty smart. i can see it happening.

41. trent/justin - best justin ship, worst trent ship (that i can think of. i’m sure there are more trent ships but i can’t think of them lmao). i can see them getting along pretty well! i bet in universe a bunch of drama brothers fans ship them, because of course they do. i can see the potential here.

40. lindsay/heather - yea this one could be good. i’d like to see a post world tour version of this ship, or an island au where they get together. either way, i like the idea of this one.

39. lindsay/gwen - again, this ship is pretty good. gwen was kind of rude to lindsay at points, but i think after she stood up to heather, gwen gained some respect for her. idk i can see it happening.

38. lightning/scott - is this jock/farmer? jock/asshole? i’m not sure, but i really like it.

37. harzeke - tumblr user harzeke has opened my eyes. their posts are enlightening. the reason i kind of like ezekiel. harzeke is a good ship.

36. sadie/lindsay - remember in phobia factor when they were hyping each other up? yeah. they’d be cute together.

35. dundie - you know, i really didn’t expect them to make this one canon, but total drama dundie came outta nowhere. i wasn’t sure i was going to like them together, but fresh pulled together it’s first coherent plot in years and created a beautiful love story. very well done.

34. chref - chref is canon and u can’t tell me otherwise.

33. katie/sadie - after they got over their comphet, they realized they were in love and they end up having a really cute wedding.

32. ozzy - this ship is cute! they’re both bi and i hc they talk about cute people together because of course they do. also they would be so much fun to be around. i like them.

31. dj/geoff - djeoff? yea i like this. i think they’d both go out of their way to do sweet things for the other, but of course, they’re still geoff and dj. dj would probably bake a lot for geoff, but at least once, he’s gotten nervous and dropped it by accident. and geoff practices pick up lines and jokes before their dates but they’re like. the bad ones. dj loves them. anyway! this ship is good.

30. courtney/trent - i really, REALLY love them as friends, but i like them as a ship too! honestly i just love them getting along in any capacity. i think they’d be cute.

29. dawn/dakota - i made this up five minutes ago and i love it. i have no idea if people actually ship this but they should. just… think about it for a second. think about it and then try to tell me i’m wrong. u can’t.

28. alenoah - noah had a crush on alejandro during world tour, and u can quote me on this. i think they would be a power couple for sure. i like this one.

27. gidgette - season one gidgette is amazing. gidgette in the context of the killer bass five is amazing. season two and three gidgette is kind of meh to me, but not horrible i guess! i like geoff and bridgette and i think they’re cute together.

26. duncan/dj - i like the idea of this one. remember when duncan found dj a bunny? yea. they’d be cute.

25. jock - jock is good. rivals to allies to lovers. that’s the path i see this ship going down. i really like picturing them in any sort of au where they can kick ass together.

24. gwourtney - i used to like this one a lot more, but it’s still very good. i love the idea of them both mistakenly attributing their feelings for each other to duncan and accidentally ruining their friendship in the process. and by love i mean hate but also think is a good interpretation of the love triangle. i can see them together in an au, or after seriously reconciling in the future. or, honestly, in any universe where sundae muddy sundae doesn’t exist.

23. leshawna/gwen - did i hear u say best friends to lovers? no? well you’re getting them anyway. leshawna and gwen would be amazing i’m telling u. it’s a good ship.

22. tyler/alejandro - this is the third time i’ve said someone had a crush on alejandro during world tour, but. tyler had a crush on alejandro during world tour. i think they’d make a cute couple.

21. jashawn - this is a relationship built on respect and trust and i am here for that. they’re both a lil weird but neither of them mind, and they care about each other so much… i’m soft.

20. jasammy - i like this only marginally better than jashawn. honestly, i like all three dating the most. but anyway, jasmine was the first person who saw sammy as more than an extension of her sister… she stuck up for her. she was sammy’s first real friend. can i just reiterate… i’m soft.

19. evzy - they would light your house on fire together just cuz they were in the mood. eva bench presses izzy every morning. do not try to challenge them to any sort of competition, they will win by any means possible. eva picks izzy up at every opportunity. whenever they cook anything, they burn it. is this by accident or on purpose? i’m not sure. izzy likes lighting stuff on fire and eva likes eating burnt food for some reason, so it doesn’t really matter. i love their dynamic so much.

18. jomaria - if u were talking shit about either one of them, they would both get together and beat u up. they’re both legends and i love them.

17. gweather - total trauma comic has truly opened my eyes… i really like them in a future setting where they’re both more mature and can understand how they were both in the wrong at times during total drama, and ended up hurting people and were hurt themselves, and work through that together. so basically… in the setting of the total trauma comic.

16. heather/leshawna - rivals to lovers…. au where leshawna and heather get together during tda… i’m telling u it’s a good ship.

15. nowen - imho, this is both the best noah ship and the best owen ship. they complement each other so well. world tour nowen is just. the peak of their dynamic. i think enough has been said about nowen that you can understand why i would like it, so i’m just gonna move on.

14. trody - this one came outta NOWHERE a while back, i’m telling u. but i love it?? i liked their friendship in island, and i just. i love the idea of cody having a crush on both gwen and trent during island, misunderstanding that and thinking he just has a crush on gwen, and realizing after island at some point that he also liked trent. and then trent developing a crush on cody after the breakup with gwen and just… dijfalsfjla honestly i like them in so many contexts. thank u tumblr user gothcody for bringing the trody hype. anyway they’re a good ship!

13. bridgecourt - my favorite bridgette ship! idk i loved bridgette and courtney’s friendship in island, and i can see them having a best friends to lovers type of deal. i just think they’d be cute together, and their relationship would be really healthy and balanced.

12. gwoey - u can try and tell me there wasn’t a little something between these two in all stars, but u would be wrong. their designs compliment each other really well, they’re cute together… i’m a fan.

11. lesharold - SO valid. harold drinks his respect women juice every morning, except for that one time he rigged the votes in island to vote out courtney because he was mad at duncan smh. anyway this is a relationship built on RESPECT and CARE. they’re very cute together, and i love them.

10. dawn/zoey - the superior doey. listen the only reason these two weren’t friends is because fresh decided that zoey was going to think dawn was “weird”? but what if zoey just said that because she didn’t know how to deal with the fact that she found zoey cute… zoey is the epitome of that “i had a crush on a girl and i didn’t know how to deal with it so i sent her a letter that said ‘get out of my school’” tweet. n e way they would be such a good couple.

9. samkota - dafjlsflkaakf i think about samkota and i freak out i’m telling u. like is there anything. ANYTHING. better than a guy loving and respecting his girlfriend unconditionally? and mutual love and respect? … well i mean there are several more entries on this list, so okay, maybe a couple of things, but this shit is galaxy brain right here.

8. aleduncan - ok so apparently something i like slightly more than partners who are soft and even softer for each other is total assholes who care about each other. like alejandro is a gentleman… but he’s a manipulative jerk too. and duncan’s a fucking asshole and i love him for it. anyway when they teamed up in world tour, especially in that episode where they hunted ezekiel (??? what is total drama??) i really liked their dynamic.

7. lyler - ok back to love and respect. tyler and lindsay are so good!! tyler got so excited when lindsay remembered who he was right? and lindsay never stopped asking ppl if they were tyler ok. like she knew she cared about tyler enough to want to be with him even when she didn’t know who he was?? i feel like we don’t talk about the implications of this enough. honestly… i feel like people overlook how much the period in between tyler’s elimination and slap slap evolution must have sucked for both of them? like it was played for laughs but… that shit’s sad :( ok i’m done being sad they’re cute and they love each other and i love them.

6. gwent - yea u got me i still care about them. tdi gwent was really sweet! there was a lil pining. a lil outside meddling. and a lot of cute. and GOD during the finale when trent ran alongside gwen with that boulder? he cared about her so much!! of course action ruined it with the shitty portrayal of ocd and a healthy portion of not fucking communicating with your partner, but before that it was good.

5. truncan - you got me, i like the idea of trent serenading duncan with his guitar and duncan liking it a lot more than he anticipated. i think they’d have a dynamic that’s a little more turbulent than most other trent ships, but less so than most other duncan ships. they’d be a lot more balanced i think. i’m a fan of that.

4. scuncan - okay so u remember how i said i like to ship two fucking assholes together? scuncan is peak asshole/asshole rights. all stars totally missed their chance to have these two team up by dumbing scott down, whatever they did with duncan, and of course, introducing scourtney, i’m just saying. scott was actually playing the game pretty well in roti, and duncan was a veteran of the series. the two of them could’ve dominated the game. those fuckin assholes.

3. aleheather - okay now this ship was like, the only central ship that started out good and ended good in this entire series, except maybe jashawn but they don’t count because they were literally only in 13 episodes. anyway they did rivals to lovers right here. also, they simultaneously gave heather a great character arc and wrote alejandro super well. so the characters as individuals were great at the time they got together, and the couple was great together, so what i’m trying to say is… aleheather was and still is amazing.

2. duncney - in case u couldn’t tell from how high gwent is on this list, i am a fan of the tdi ships. another thing you might be able to tell from this list- duncan and courtney are two of my favorite characters in the series. so of course duncney gets a high placement on this list. not only that, but they go from disliking each other to really liking each other, which is something else that i really like. tdi duncney is opposites attract in the best way, where they compliment each other each other instead of clash. beyond that… ugh. eughhh. i don’t even want to think about that. but duncney in tdi alone earns itself number two on the list.

1. heathney - yes i love girls. yes this ship is pretty fucking basic. and no, there are no heathney fics on ao3. i will be attempting to remedy that. anyway, i could see them pulling a rivals to friends to lovers as well, which is one of my absolute favorite tropes. i think they’d be a total power couple. and to top it off, i love them both. a lot. so much. thank u for ur time.

[thethirdwheel404]

Med Rewatch Series (#5)

S3 e3: Trust Your Gut. From what I remember this is a big one. I just remember this episode title honestly but we’ll see what happens.

-look at that! ava’s just casually in this scene, minding her own business, doing her job! you would never guess that this is a character who would later have a psychotic break and commit suicide.

-that’s really the point i’m trying to make. I hate all those posts where they’re like ‘i hated ava before, but season 4 has finally shown her true colors’ like not even?? no??? we’re trying to prove that that was never even a thing. i want to eliminate the possibility of s4 happening from your minds. nothing from s3 should ever be used as foreshadowing. that’s what the rewrite is about, ava being a good character. ava was never going to commit suicide. she was never gonna go psychotic. that should be ingrained in everyone’s minds.

-anyways, back to the episode.

-connor takes everything like a personal attack. relax

- i never realized how fun stoll was. like obviously not in the story but as a character he’s hilarious. unattached by everyone else’s drama

-awww. this maggie interaction is amazing. tapping sarah on the shoulder (neck actually but whatever) just to say hi. adorable. and sarah is already super jumpy. come on. her anxiety is already setting in. they really gave sarah two huge storylines in the same season.

-maggie... no one else would ever slash sarah’s tires. i mean honestly

-WHY DOES CONNOR HAVE TO CONTROL OF EVERYTHING - honestly ava was just reading off the chart and he can’t even let her do that he has to take over just to say the same things.

-and the way ava just takes it with her smug smile

-she is such a strong character there is no reason she would have gone crazy over connor she literally needs nothing from him.he has not ever had anything that she needed. 

- SHE’S JUST ROLLING HER EYES, SMIRKING, AND SHAKING HER HEAD AT THIS INSECURE MAN ava I love you.

-okay there’s no way i can explain it but after rolling her eyes at connor Ava turns and looks at the patient and instantly her face changes and you can see such pure concern in her eyes?? s4 ava could never (can someone please rb with a picture of what i’m talking about? it’s uncanny and so so sincere.)

- she’s in control of her emotions. she cares so much for her patients so don’t even try to play that card. the only thing connor has done literally since she got here is get in her way.

-AND CONNOR LOOKS AT HER WITH SUCH DISTRUST AND CONTEMPT. TELL ME HOW. this is insane. exasperating.

-and the way she smiles and comforts the patient. i mean come on. she’s just so amazing. AND COMFORTING. if ava really was as heartless as people say, she wouldn’t take the effort to do that. connor didn’t even do that, he just scowls at ava.

-which just proves my point, ava is only ever mean to people who she thinks deserve it. and, the more that I think about it, she’s never really actually mean. sure, she’s blunt and rude, but never cutting. she’s nice to her patients (and I know what you’re going to say, it’s not because she has to be. she’s a doctor, she still wants to help people). but when her patients are dicks, she’s not nice to them. she’s as snarky with as she’s professionally allowed to be.

-like, take this guy. he seems nice enough. he’s funny, polite, comes across charming, so ava is nice and is polite back to him.

-let’s move on.

-why is connor always so suspicious of ava. come on. he’s the one who should be sus. she literally said ‘Don’t worry, Ray, we’ll take good care of you’ and he’s giving her this weird side eye.

-ethan and will being in this board meeting is really adorable to me. like, just, bros.

-oh godddd sarah please relax. sweetie. please.

-sarah fucking tranqed him oh my god

-oh my god noah asking people for help literally shut the fuck up

-straight people are gross. not to hate but how does anyone sit through manstead

-connor literally needs to chill. I know this bit (they’re arguing over menial things in surgery) plays more to them just picking on each other, pulling each other’s pigtails on the playground if you will (i didn’t like that analogy but I used it anyway), but if you look at it, ava was only trying to help connor (suggesting a wider possible target and an easier to handle stitch) and connor took it wayyy to personally. sure the second bit of advise is just poking at him, but she suggested a better spot on the base and he shut her down without any thought.

-and then latham points out that there is no point in arguing, to which ava defers, then connor snidely says ‘Thank you, Doctor, Now, how about from here on out we keep the background noise to a minimum’ and ava just shakes her head, scoffing.

-at this point ava just likes annoying connor because its fun. it’s entertaining. he gets so upset. everyone’s done that, just be annoying for fun (its bad to say but i mean come on everyones done it)

-another point, ava immediately deferring to latham might read to some as her being a suck up but that’s not what it is.

-ava really likes seeing how close to the line she can get. she goes right up to it, but she never crosses it. the same is true with her interactions with other people outside of surgery.

-I really like this story of the girl who passed out and hit her head, and her brother’s a wreck, and her parents obviously think the brother’s a disappointment. and it was finals week so of course she wasn’t taking care of herself. and the brother knew that, and you can tell he cares so much and feels so bad. it’s nice

-complication on the surgery they were working on. ava comes in with a solution (off of connor’s mistake during surgery after not following her advice) but I have a sneaking suspicion that by the end connor will be back on top

-the effort it took connor to say ‘it’s a good idea’ come on man just fucking let it go

-i’m glad we’ve all agreed that connor’s just a dick

-aw look at that she even held the door for him. connor would never

-i don’t want to overly push the ‘med is sexist’ thing but how is it that in a storyline between nat and ethan, characters who have never been romantically involved, they still pull the woman thinks one thing, man refuses to believe it and is right dynamic. i mean come on med seriously. what the fuck is wrong with you.

-the look of annoyance and disbelief on ava’s face that connor hadn’t actually messed up. comedic, but also i get your pain.

-glad that latham sides with ava, ava advocating for a riskier procedure so they could ensure the blockage is removed)

-(something could be said about ava’s high-risk, high-reward ideals. you could even draw the parallel to events in s4 and s5, even though I really don’t want to. it’s an interesting and notable character trait to say the least)

-YOOOO I FORGOT HOW METAL THE PSYCH STORY GETS

-dude straight up cuts his abdomen open and his intestines spill out

-the fear and shock and emotion on sarah’s face make me feel so bad for her

-WAIT IS THIS THE EPISODE WHERE SHE LOSES THE END OF THE INSTRUMENT? IS THAT WHAT THIS IS? i am not prepared to watch an ava bekker breakdown rn.

-the shock on ava’s face when connor said nice job.

-ava actually tried to apologize to connor. well, not apologize but she feels a little bit bad for just how abrasive she’s been to connor. (connor didn’t necessarily have to make it super competitive). Ava said “Look, I know i have the tendency to step on toes. it’s nothing personal”

-and now they’re not arguing and are this close to actually working like a team

-and i cannot believe connor’s big one-liner is ‘Murphy’s law’

-the emotion on april’s face when the girl’s parents won’t even let her brother grieve for her. I feel it. astounding. its so painful omg

-ava: “your optimism is enchanting.” when i was writing earlier I was worried I wasn’t being accurate with her dialogue and making it sound too overly formal but i guess I nailed it. also, this line reinforces how much I love her (so does every other line)

-connor just refusing to give ava anything, no credit, no nothing. doesn’t even give her credit for earning the surgery saying “you may have elbowed your way onto the case, but he is still my patient” (I JUST TRANSITIONED INTO A QUOTE SO SMOOTHLY WHY CANT I DO THAT IN MY LANG RHETORICAL ANALYSIS ESSAYS YOU’RE KIDDING)

-hey it’s joey!

- i can appreciate him so much more when he’s not chasing after reese

-do you remember their first meeting? bickering over who gets the last splenda? (real meet cute amirite)

-dr. charles remarking how all the scientific advances can’t beat human instinct, nice little tie in to the episode title

-ava just smiling while connor waits for her to apologize. she. takes. no. shit.

-i literally hate connor’s face so much. it fucking looks predatory like stop looking at her like that. it’s almost like you were planning her psychotic break

-ava’s cunning, saying ‘we’ instead of ‘i’ when talking about the decisions being made. she’s smart. she knows what to do. She knows how to present herself. (and yeah, a little hypocritical that she said to connor ‘when you fail, I will make sure that it is noted that it was your fault and not mine,’ but like I said, she just knows how to present herself)

-latham: “Dr. Bekker seems to enjoy this discordance.”

-rhodes’ face when changing his mind and saying ‘maybe I do’ when asked if he enjoyed it too - he literally makes the dumbest faces. please. stop. (is it a straight people thing?)

Alright. Another episode down. 17 to go. This was actually a pretty good episode all around. Ava took none of connor’s shit and you’d have to squint to find any sort of romantic subtext in their interactions, which is huge win in my book. reese’s storyline wasn’t too bad, she didn’t go through too much trauma, which, the bar for watching med is incredibly low i guess. This was a really good episode for ava. like I said before, very little romantic subtext, and she had a redeeming quality in the way she obviously cared for her patient at the beginning of the episode.

The main point is something I’ve been reiterating again and again. Ava cares about her patients. Ava is mean to connor because she knows someone needs to put him in his place, and she is glad that it is her.

All in all, this was a pretty good Ava episode. Very happy.

thanks for sticking with it.

-

read the rest here:

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10 / Part 11 / Part 12 / Extra

[lovecolibri]

It’s not about the stories being told, and it should be.

It's so frustrating because we keep watching these shows for the crumbs of good character development that they could give us and to support actors/characters we like, and the people in charge are just like, “Hey! People like this garbage, let's keep feeding it to them!” Like, no. If I wanted to watch petty drama with no plot and a bunch of people sleeping around for no discernible reason, I'd watch reality TV. I'm here because I wanted to see a show about aliens, and soulmates, and broken people learning to heal and how to love each other after trauma. And I cannot stress this enough, that's what season 1 was about. That's what got me, and many others, so hooked into the show. It wasn't perfect. The pacing was a little odd at times, Max still had a lot of toxic "leading man" issues, (but at least Liz called him out on some of them), and making Noah, the only non-white alien we have seen, be evil was...a choice. But overall, there was growth, and acknowledgment of faults, and painful moments that teed the characters up to learn something, and be better. Specifically the Malex storyline consistently subverted many people’s expectations (mine for SURE included) at every turn and set up a beautiful soulmate story that mirrored the “main” Echo story, and was only enhanced by that lightning in a bottle Vlamburn chemisty.

But now? Now I just feel lied to.

There is a lot of character assassination, because characters are being warped to fit into what feels like a bullet list of plot points, instead of working the plot around who the characters are established to be. You always see writers, even "amateur" ones, talking about how they didn't know their characters were going to do that one thing and then they had to change and adapt the story around that. C*rina doesn't do that. This season makes me feel more than ever than she decided one day to make this show and at that point she made a checklist of the things she was going to make happen. And now she is clinging to that list with both hands and refusing to budge. Despite what is happening with the characters, or how their backstories may affect their actions, despite what anyone may tell her about how something she thought up might not play out well because it's an actively harmful portrayal of some facet of a character that she didn’t think about, she is going to do what she wants. And it is such a shame, because this show had the chance to be something more. Something deep, that truly resonated with the viewers, that was beautiful, and healing, and affirming. But instead it's more of the same and I am tiiiiiired.

And I'm REALLY tired of the "it's the CW, what did you expect" crowd. For one, there aren’t a lot of options out there for these kinds of shows so where else am I supposed to go? CW has dramatic "teen" shows sure, but it also has a whole slew of superhero shows, and has always housed fantasy genre shows, which are things I enjoy, and find interesting, and want to see. And two, this is a network geared towards a younger demographic. They should be on the cutting edge of making new, progressive media, and in fact are constantly making ad campaigns to tell people how “woke” they are. But there is still something missing. There is a distinct lack of coherent storytelling and character development, and an overabundance of dropped plot lines, rushed plot with important things happening off screen, and “plot twists” that just assassinate characters simply for shock value but don’t add to the story. And what bothers me about that is not just that the network is okay with shitty writing, it’s that people have been complaining about it on the shows they otherwise really enjoy and the network does’t care to try and make them better. Do you know why? Because just like movies based on YA novels, the people in charge (usually old white dudes), don’t think that these stories have value and therefore don’t need to be told well. They just need to have enough hot people involved and a catchy slogan or logo that they can use to sell merch. And because there aren’t a lot of options for watching shows like this, especially on a free network television station, they get away with it because people still watch, even if it’s just for the crumbs.

It’s not about the stories being told and it should be.