#i feel like its giving romcom vibes

[uglypastels]

Movie tag game 🎬

Rules: no cheating! You're starring in a movie with the last person you saved in your camera roll. The last song you've listened to is the title. Who/what is it?

I was tagged by the luvly @edsforehead btw

No pressure tags incoming:

@spiderrrling @69potatowaffles @munsons-bun @quinnsmunson @justasmisunderstoodasloki @hellfiremunsonn

[totallyjustabunchofhocuspocus]

I know "fuck canon" is always an option and generally the more sensible thing to do, but with last night's episode I had two smidgens of HOPE and now with Tim's apparent new interview I just want to crawl back into my cave again 🫥

Hi nonnie!

TLDR (cause I'm having THOUGHTS): I don't think anything is off the table, if I had to bet money I'd lay somewhat decent odds that Buck and Tommy get back together, and I don't think either side of the ship war has anything in particular that indicates victory.

I'll preface this by saying yes, 'fuck canon'is usually the more sensible option. 'Fuck canon' is where no one ever dies, people do not make stupid decisions, and couples never break up.

And I'll also preface this by saying that Buck is my favorite character (honestly one of my favorite characters of all time, not just this show) and my ultimate OTP is Buck/Happiness in this show, however he gets it and whoever gives it to him. I am quite happy being a multishipper and I started out in fandom spaces back in the mid-nineties, where the etiquette and relationship to the content were vastly, vastly different than today and that really colors the lense I view fandom through. In the ship war, I'm mostly Switzerland.

Still with me? Okay.

My main source of optimism re: Buck/Tommy is the simple fact that guys...911 is Not That Deep. It's a fun show (usually), predicated on ridiculous Situations (increasingly), and in movie terms is a cash-grab popcorn flick. Have they hit something with the characters and actors that often elevates it above its station? Absolutely. Are there parts that make you go, "whoa, this came from the shark on a highway weewoo show?" Of course! But 911 isn't fucking Inception. There's no hidden messages and jaw-dropping plot twists that No One Saw Coming.

Like...all the cries about "learn some media literacy you cretins!" really have me scratching my head because, uh, taking everything solely at face value--this absolutely is the Third Act Miscommunication in the relationship. Both parties expressed a desire for the relationship to be more. They broke up on the tried and true "I'm doing this for both our sakes'even though it hurts" and not a dealbreaker schism which they ABSOLUTELY could have done. Literally, one scene of "wow I can't wait to be a dad/oh, uh that's not something I want" and we have a reason to break up that has the exact same "no villains just circumstance" vibe.

On the other hand, it absolutely is a stopping point that is believably permanent.

They went out of their way to show how desperately much Buck wants to talk to Tommy (like we turned it into a meme, but they didn't really have to show him baking That Much) and how he's spiraling in a way we haven't really seen since Abby. In a Hallmark romcom this would be where the audience is reassured that our plucky protagonist has Real Feelings for the LI.

On the other hand, the show often uses Buck as comic relief and the keep away with the phone could absolutely be the indicator that this breakup isn't as serious as Buck thinks it is and he should move on.

The interviews are pretty disheartening, but the interviews for this show really honestly have always had a kind of weird monkey's paw quality to them. Like, they don't lie exactly, but there's a lot of misdirect.

As it stands now, the relationship 100% reads like a Hallmark romcom that is being written by people who Had a Gay Friend In College Guys, So of COURSE We Know What We're Doing...wait why are you discoursing?

On the other hand, as it stands now, it also wouldn't be surprising if this was the end. I honestly don't think they have 100% decided how it's going to go and the writing and especially the pacing this season has been so uneven that it's not hiding the flaws in the storytelling as well as it usually does.

But, if canon goes in a direction I don't like, I have no problem saying 'fuck canon' ;)

[imahgined]

the rosy blog project - episode 2:

꒰ঌ pt. 2 on how we made 2024 actually feel like 2014 ໒꒱

hey there, honeybear! ໒꒰ྀིᵔ ᵕ ᵔ ꒱ྀི১

i loved doing this series so much, i literally couldn't end the year without writing even more ways our beloved rosy blog era got its way into 2024. you can check out part one here!

༊࿐ ⊹ ˚. my take on how we made 2024 really feel like 2014, part 2

| section 2: movies, trends, and nostalgia

ig dumps feeling like the og instagram posting style: omg, literally all i see on ig nowadays are people's photo dumps in so many different ways. this feels so much like the carefree vibe we had for posting when we first opened our ig accounts. i love the way it is slowly turning into a more relaxed and casual app.

reading and bookstagram came BACK: even though this has always been around, 2024 really brought back reading as an it girl hobby, like it was back in 2014. i feel like booktok blew up—there's a creator for every type of genre and style! i have been watching recommendations nonstop and started buying so many books, secondhand or new, to fill my shelves.

book-to-movie/tv show adaptations: also, there were so many book adaptations coming to the cinema, from it ends with us to uglies and the idea of you. i love that we're going to the movies again, dressing up, and being excited to see our favorite stories on screen. last year, we had the ballad of songbirds and snakes in theaters, that was the IT comeback from 2013 in 2023. we also had a teen wolf movie??? that is actually my fav show ever.

the sofia coppola obsession: there is literally nothing better than watching a sofia coppola movie. in 2024, i saw people all over pinterest and tiktok acclaiming her (which is absolutely necessary). and can we talk about the bling ring? it's THE most 2013-2014 movie i've seen. the story is crazy—i was so invested in it, i kept reading about it weeks after i saw the movie! also, not related to coppola, but i would recommend watching spring breakers if you like the 2010s look and feel in movies. it's not much of a good story, but i promise the visuals are insaneee.

actual romcoms slowly becoming a thing again: we had movies this year like we live in time, one day, and turtles all the way down (a john green novel adaptation, so 2014!). i think the industry is trying to bring back those romantic movies we girlies love so much. last year, we even had anyone but you, which became really popular!

substack being the go-to platform for bloggers: this is actually SO cool. everyone these days is writing articles, reflections and overall just sharing their thoughts on substack. this is such a cool way to bring back the blogger era from the 2010s in a modern way. let me know what you like to read on the app! i personally love twirl magazine by @i-miss-2013, go check her out!

girly content trending everywhere: this year, it felt like everyone was posting aesthetic cute vlogs, pink hauls, girly fashion, and beauty tips! i'm SO here for that. i feel like girls are becoming more confident and comfortable embracing their femininity on social media, and i love that for us. so much like the rosy blog days!

quizzes on tiktok: i don't know about you guys, but i LOVED taking quizzes on books, magazines or even buzzfeed back in the day. this year, i saw so many tiktoks with these type of relaxing and cutesy tests, but in a more much visual way, with themes such as "plan your dream wedding" or "plan your dream vacation". this is so 2014 girly magazine coded—i loved it when these popped on my feed!

source: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMkSuhfyN/

"challenges" on social media: this is what i mean when i say that social media is getting back on track with actually being fun and giving us a good laugh! we had such funny "challenges" like the hear me out cake trend, the we listen but we don't judge videos, and even the pretending our DOG got into harvard for no reason trend. ugh, i loved these so much—they were giving the same feel as the challenges we did back in the day in 2014 on social media.

i hope you liked the second post from the series! part 3 will be up tomorrow as my closing for 2024  ೀ hope you're having the lovelist day/night, sending you warm wishes! xx

[ragnarokhound]

Hi wife! Thinking about you. Should we buy a hot tub? Or a sauna? Or both?

Also thinking about the werewolf fic. I would be delighted if there was full werewolf smut in the werewolf fic👀👀 When will my wife (you) return from the war (writing the werewolf fic)?

Also thinking about the hilarity of tim hearing jason talk about his “time of the month” and ofc assuming it’s about Jason being trans when jason is talking about wolfing out. Picture:

Tim: “-and I brought chocolate-“

Jason: “Are you trying to kill me? canines can’t have chocolate!”

after some confusion they clarify things (jason is trans, not a big deal, he’s a werewolf, also not a big deal). Then (important for plot and character development) they have dirty dirty werewolf sex :)

Hehehe hello darling, you are always near my thoughts <3 And ohhh I could use a dip in a hot tub, especially now that winter has come to my climes >.< Though I fear a sauna would never see its use with me, haha

I am ALSO thinking about werewolf fic. Nigh constantly these days. I am deep in the trenches. I am furiously pondering how to reconcile the idea I had sketched most of the bones of almost an entire year ago with what I think and like now. It's been a bit of a battle. One I am fighting... tooth and claw you might say ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿ (badum tsh)

Alas, while I don't want to give too much away, I feel I must warn you that the kind of werewolf Jason is in werewolf fic is more in line with 'that's just a wild animal' and less 'monsterfucker furry.' So while we'll see some very animalistic behaviors from Jason (what with the scenting and the licking and the biting and the growling etc) and some occasional signs that he's on the verge of wolfing out, there is no actual wolfed out smut lmao OTL. Please enjoy a small sneak peek of what I kind of sort of mean at the bottom of this post <3

For actual werewolf smut you'll want to look forward to the timestamp/smutty sequel I fully intend to write for my vamp!Tim and werewolf!Jay fic, in which he is absolutely the monsterfucker furry kind of werewolf and Tim takes gleeful advantage of that fact lololol (but werewolf fic comes first...! It Is Time. I Will Not Be Distracted.)

And omg yes. I do very much love the trans 🤝 werewolf overlap and metaphors, it's one of my favorite things fr fr (you got me thinking about trans lesbians jaytim now--)

I LOVE assuming there's a mundane explanation for a supernatural secret, that's my JAM (Do know that our early correspondences live rent free in my WIP document and that I would eventually also like to write the goofy sitcom-esque romcom in which Jason isn't quite hiding his lycanthropy from Tim - but Tim's not really clocking it either lmfao)

--and it must be said that dirty dirty werewolf sex will always be VITAL to both plot and character development <33 (it certainly is to werewolf fic, even if the werewolf part of that sex is mostly in the vibes lolol)

Anyway, here's wonderwall a sneak peek leading up to some of the smut in werewolf fic:

Jason snaps his teeth sharply, inches from Tim’s throat. It's not an empty gesture, and Tim wildly thinks through his options, squeezing tight with his knees around Jason’s thick waist so he can’t buck Tim off immediately. Jason is too strong and Tim is too light; he can’t stay here forever. Jason writhes underneath him, looking for leverage. With his shoulders trapped under Tim’s staff, Jason plants his feet and surges his hips in a powerful, cresting motion. Tim sinks back on his haunches to keep him down, then forward again when he threatens to break free. In Jason’s struggle, he rocks up just as Tim rocks down— and they inadvertently grind together. Tim's stomach curls and tangles in an electric jolt of heat at the glancing friction. He realizes with a spike of hot, mortified shame that he's— Tim is hard under his uniform. He sucks in a short gasp, trying to hide it, and Jason— —whines.

[al-the-remix]

I know nothing about 911 but seeing all the bucktommy posts makes me really interested, if you don’t mind could you give a short introduction of the ship/which episode(s) to watch for them? Thanks!!

Hi! So the ship is a very new one and they don't have a lot of screen time yet, so their relationship only appears in season seven, episodes: 7x3 to 7x6 and then 7x9 and 7x10. Tommy Kinard as a side character also shows up in episodes 2x9, 2x12, 2x14 (in an off-screen capacity) and 2x16.

As for the introduction, the lore with this show runs sort of deep, but as condensed and simplified as I can give it to you: the decision to introduce bi!Buck and Tommy and his love interest was made very last minute (like as the first few episodes of season seven were coming out kind of last minute...) as the tv show switched networks from FOX to ABC and was working with a protracted season, (10 episodes in stead of 18), so this first season you see them together in has a very "let's see how well this works and if the general audience approves of it" kind of vibe.

Obviously, it worked for me! And the general reception has been good. Personally, I find their dynamic fun and genuine; the show runner was aiming for a non-heavy coming out story with a romcom twist, which I think they succeeded at. Buck (or "Evan" as Tommy calls him) is sort of the obvious favourite of the show in the audience and the writer's eyes, he's gotten a lot of development over the years, but has stagnanted recently on the romance side of things and also in his professional development, (which is partly the fault of the writers and partly just bad luck with maintaining actors). So I think a lot of fans are excited to see him "off the hamster wheel", as they say, in the love department. This opens up the possibility to explore other plot lines with him as a character in his professional life and personal life now that hes in a steady relationship.

Tommy we don't know much about yet, other than he was deeply in the closet when we first see him in the season 2 flash-back episodes. He's not initially a very warm, welcoming, and accepting person, but it's implied that a lot of that behavior was influenced by his environment and poor upbringing, and he is quick to make amends and befriend the main characters when he's shown to be in the wrong. He used to be in the army, and is a fan of cars, martial arts, and rom coms. The way he talks in the season seven episodes makes it clear that he's done a lot of self reflection since we've last seen him (and since he's come out). He's shown to be an open and honest person who does his best to show up for the people he cares for, and once Buck is in his line of sight, all that attention is turned his way.

I think with this ship what people are most excited about is the potential it demonstrates: Buck as a character is someone who's been on an aggressive misson of self discovery and understanding, he's been actively looking for a romantic partner to have a committed, mature relationship with, he's someone who's willing to give a lot of himself away to his partner and is desperately hoping to have that attention and affection mirrored back at him.

What little we know about Tommy so far makes it clear that he's mature and willing enough to be that person for Buck: if it works out and the writers allow him to be. I just really enjoy what little I've seen so far, and with the show being back to its regular 18 episodes next season and Tommy pretty much confirmed to return, I'm interested and invested and hopefully in where they may take this relationship next.

Also I feel like I need to add if you're going to engage with the fandom specifically for this ship, do it through the #bucktommy tag on tumblr, because it's a real mine field out there right now, lol.

[enriquemzn262]

It’s turboweeb shit time, so be advised.

Anyway, with the new anime season finally settled, let me share with you what I’m watching, or what I at least tried, so in case any of this is of your interest, you may check out:

Mayonaka Punch

A v-blogger has a falling out with her old friends, leaves her channel and accidentally gets involved with lesbian vampires, who now join her in her quest to reach one million subscribers in order to take revenge on her former partners, with the promise that once she does, she will let the main horny lesbian vampire suck her dry (of blood).

Great animation, weirdly deep character developments, an underlying plot of anxiety and denial, and even an exploration of what happens when an immortal vampire gets too close to the spotlight, all the while keeping an overall comedic energy.

8/10, its an original anime so the story will probably warp up by the time the season ends, hopefully they don’t fuck up the landing.

Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction

Aka DDDD

What I originally wrote off because I’m sick and tired of high school anime, it turned out to be quite the fascinating show about life after an alien invasion, with tons of Roadside Picnic vibes, a great cast of screwball characters who are actually as relatable as they are realistic, and for once its a show set in high school that doesn’t give a single shit about glorifying that era of education, you will not see any mention of any school council, festival or any of that tired nonsense.

Plus, there’s always an inherent darkness brewing around the story, with episodes 0 basically setting up how everything will go to shit at some point, and the story slowly moving towards that endgame, it’s great!

Oh, and if you’re a fan of Doraemon, you’ll be pleasantly surprised too.

10/10, I’m absolutely glued!

No Longer Allowed in Another World

In an era where there’s 10 million isekais about the most boring male main characters who go into your standard fantasy world to get harems and be overpowered, here we have a story in which the MC actually wanted to die (by double suicide with his lover), and accidentally got summoned into said standard world, only to say fuck it, I want to die, you fuckers deal with this shit on your own.

No overpowers, no useless harems, no boring MCs, it’s so far a hilarious story about the one guy completely incapable of playing along with the world, and how said world, which keeps getting standard boring guys who do fuckall and just end up indulging in their newfound powers, deals with him, including the love interest, which the guy barely acknowledges, and the standard cute cat girl that’s now the jobber of the group.

7/10, could have tried to make a more unique world, oh well.

Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan

Not gonna lie, I too fell for the earworm of a theme song that dominated memes for a good month before release, and while it does have its moments, it hasn’t really lived up to the potential of it’s wacky premise, mainly because it tries too hard to go for the “cute girls doing cute things” angle, instead of completely embracing the batshit insanity that pops up in every episode.

I’ll still watch it, if anything, I want to see what else they come up with in between the boring school life shit.

6/10, needs more nuclear deer antlers.

Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian

There’s a good number of romcoms this season, and while all are set in high schools, since DDDD showed me there was a chance I could watch a show set in one and not deal with the usual bullshit, I gave it a watch.

It deals with the usual bullshit of school councils, school festivals, clubs and the like.

Honestly, the russian part is what made it somewhat interesting, but that hasn’t led nowhere, so now I have a female love interest that’s nothing more than your standard tsundere, and your standard male lead who at least doesn’t lack a backbone, but that overall remains boring.

5/10, the weird sister is the only interesting thing, but in a car crash sort of way, may end up dropping it if they actually try to be serious with her.

Too Many Losing Heroines

It’s garbage, had an interesting setting of following girls who are basically third wheels in their own love stories, and it could have worked, have they not chosen to tell the story from the point of view of the most boring, spineless, stuttering betamale in existence, the usual curse of the romcom, somehow turned up to 11.

It’s a pity really, overall the animation is really good, and while it gets too horny for its own good many times, it’s still cute to see those girls dealing with their unanswered feelings, a pity we can’t just follow them and instead have to stick with mister whatshisface.

3/10, dropped it after not being able to finish the latest episode (4? 5? I can’t be arsed to check), seriously, just write off the dude and the show will at least be 6/10.

I tried a couple more shows, and iseaki I didn’t know was one that I dropped after the first episode (oh no, I’m actually trapped in a VR game!!1exclamation point), and another about a drunk V-tuber who reinvents herself around alcoholism (good premise, extremely boring execution).

Not gonna lie, I only really like the first two, the other two may drop the ball really soon, and I’m another school council episode away from dropping the russian girl one, so overall it’s been a pretty underwhelming season.

Do watch DDDD though, that one truly is the absolute gem of this season!

[untildawnss]

sfw/nsfw ( either! ) Ud boys with a grunge/goth reader? 🫶🩷

okay, i've seen some goth! reader, so i'm gonna do (mostly fem) grunge-ish reader, some slight nsfw

i tried my best lmao

chris

kind of intimidated at first because he thinks you look way too cool for him

starts listening to your favourite songs and will buy albums to listen to with you in his car because you know that boy has a CD player in there for the vibes

will try to match your vibe, dyes his hair dark brown or black because he thinks blond looks too soft, hates it and then shaves it all off

will try the style for a few weeks but feels like it doesn't suit him and goes back to his regular style

will get a matching piercing with you, probably an industrial or conch

starts painting his nails because he thinks it's fun

really likes when you leave a lipstick trail on him, anywhere

josh

calls you emo all the time to annoy you

will buy shirts he thinks you'd like "for himself" because he hopes you'll wear them

will probably get tattoos with you and pretends to be in sooo much pain so you'll hold his hand

really loves when you do elaborate make up looks, especially with dark lipstick

gets his tongue pierced because he read somewhere that it feels nice during oral

the outfit stays on during sex, he's a sucker for thigh highs and ripping tights, loves when your make up is smudged after, he thinks its's so hot

matt

thinks it's super fun to be the jock dating an alt girlie, feels like he's in a romcom

(he definitely has older sisters) quality time for him is hanging out with you watching movies or listening to music and he'll be painting your nails, doing your make up or hair and then having you give him marks out of 10

will take you to concerts, even if he isn't super into the music, will insist you sit on his shoulders if you can only barely see the stage

has a lot of fun finding cool new jewellery for you, especially chokers because he's super into them

loves when you wear the chokers he buys you during sex

mike

is definitely into the same music you are into and knows bands you haven't heard of

makes you mixtapes and spotify playlists

has a guitar and sings, sometimes plays your favourite songs for you, might try to write a song for you

is actually the one stealing your clothes sometimes because he thinks it's funny when you complain that he has the same exact shirt in his closet

calls you the grunch if you wear something green

has tattooed himself and will tattoo you if you let him

probably (like josh) also super into you wearing thigh highs and boots in bed

will blast music during sex and try to match the beat sometimes

[who-the-fuck-knows-blog]

girl (gn), NO ONE is coming into your house and pissing on your show or being inconsiderate for feeling fucking betrayed and upset by a show that told us queers were safe and it was an office romcom and then added mcd last minute. all of us were also betrayed in other queer media we are ALL queer & have been traumatized this way.

i’m happy for what the show did give me, I’m happy i got a lot of good stuff, its just completely overshadowed by grief of this character i spent a year loving and watching people be bashed for loving. no one is coming TO YOU and saying “fuck you! you cant like this show anymore!” people are upset and they’re ranting/venting online to their blogs.

it’s actually okay to just only engage with the parts of fandom who support your preferred emotional vibe from the end result of the show, plenty of people are still gushing about blackbonnet, and people being upset are not inconsiderate assholes who need to leaen to accept what we are given. thanks

[snowsays]

ok Keeper fans, I want yall to give me all your headcanons about Sophie and her friends (including Stina) that might fit a human au

the brainrot is real and I'm writing fanfiction for the first time in 12 years and it's a human, college au (tho the setting isn't exact, they're gonna visit Everglen and the college is gonna be Foxfire but other than that I think I'm gonna leave it up to imagination if this is a world where the elven cities exist as human cities, like a random human city called Eternalia, or if they don't exist at all). It's sokeefe, with maybe some dexiana in the background. I have some ideas but I need more info to fully pad their characters (imagine two hands filling a Sophie Foster stuffie)

For Sophie I'm keeping her fashion sense mostly t-shirts, jeans and sneakers. Not super baggy but also not form-fitting. Kinda like, baggy tshirt tucked into straigh leg jeans vibes. Not super colorful either. She still doesn't feel comfortable standing out.

I remember in book 1 she was listening to rock so pls recommend rock bands (I'm more of a vibe girly so I'll listen to whatever has a good sound and dont follow many artists/bands themselves so I only know like the 70s-80s classics and some random songs I think are cool, like Seven Nation Army and How Far We've Come), but I dont want to make her feel like a pick-me/im-not-like-other-girls so I kinda want to make her like pop too. And I already decided she likes the Deadpool movies (bc Amy has an X-Men tshirt in Nightfall, and Sophie makes a Rogue reference), but also romcoms. Also I'm thinking her and Stina would be in college to become vets

Biana is ofc a girly girl, I'm imagining mostly skirts and dresses, some jeans every once in a while, but also very stylish, idk about shoes tho, pretty sure in canon she wears heeled boots everywhere, but irl heels are tiring so...maybe sandals? I also imagine her as more of a pop girly with an edgy side in both music and movies, bc in canon she's not a damsel in distress, so I'm imagining she's an Olivia Rodrigo fan (not saying that Olivia is edgy...idk if she's edgy, I like her music but I wouldnt dare define it, she just popped into my head, as I said, I dont follow artists that much), and she would like both romcoms and action/spies movies (bc vanisher). I'm not sure about her major, I read a fanfic where she was a fashion designer and I like that, I was also thinking maybe art bc I just read a post that talked about how she painted over Tam's mom's painting in Nightfall. I know in the US she could do both but idk

As for the boys...I have no idea. I'm thinking Dex as a mechanical ingenieer (the spanish, french and english are all mixing in my brain and completely jumbled that word, sorry if its written completely wrong) bc ofc, technopath. Keefe as an art student, also he likes Deadpool too, and both beer and fruity drinks, and he still has Mrs Stinkbottom but I have nothing else on him, besides keeping his daddy and mommy issues ofc. Fitz I have no idea.

The rest of the gang I'm not sure if it's going to appear (I'm still trying to think if I should give Fitz a partner, and who would it be in that case), Tam might be mentioned tho, as the quiet fourth roommate of Dex, Keefe and Fitz, who doesnt like to mingle at parties much. But I'll be thankful for any headcanons you can give me of any member of the gang. Or facts that could be useful in a human au

This was longer than I expected, I'm sorry

[mermaidsirennikita]

ARC REVIEW: The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling

4.5/5. Releases 10/8/24.

vibes: "are we friends or have we always wanted to bone (the second one)", TIME TRAVEL!!!, sexy hilarity punctuated with emotional gutpunches, and Lite Christmas (Yule)

Heat Index: 6.5/10.

The Basics:

Powerful but reclusive witch Bowen Penhallow hires the chaotic human Tamsyn Bligh to be his personal magical-item-finder... for reasons that may have a lot to do with redemption. After months of a slowly-building working relationship that becomes genuine friendship (albeit with a lot of sexual tension) the two accidentally end up at the same wedding. Tamsyn is out to steal a million-dollar find for a mystery item. Bowen... is coming face to face with the darkest part of his past. But when a witch accidentally sends the two of them back to the 1950s, they're stuck trying to right what went wrong long ago--otherwise, they just might be trapped there (or worse) forever.

The Review:

I've really enjoyed Sterling's previous books about, you know, witches, kissing, a good bit of romcom-ery. But as soon as I learned that there was a Penhallow brother who looked like a craggy werewolf, I was like "THAT ONE". And God, his book did not disappoint. Easily my favorite of the series, The Wedding Witch takes us to a different place both physically and emotionally, while at the same time maintaining the things I loved about the previous books--a lot of humor, a lot of chemistry, and the friction two people who really wanna fuck but don't want to confront their feelings.

And the magic is kicked up a good bit, too. The series has always been pretty paranormal. Like, this isn't Immortals After Dark, but it's also far from Bewitched. You have ghosts, curses, some actual factual spookiness. Here, we go to another level with a grief-stricken witch throwing Bowen and Tamsyn to a different decade... and I fucking loved the way the time travel was done.

Like, instead of getting up its own ass about How Time Travel Works, this novel goes full camp in the best way. Oh my gosh, that's that old lady we saw at wedding, but she's a YOUNG LADY now. That's the crazy father of the bride as a little, crazy boy! Those are my grandparents? Young and hot and bickering at each other?

Which is really one of my favorite things about the novel. Bowen and Tamsyn are actually thrown back to shortly before his grandparents' wedding... and they've just broken up. So it's a PARENT TRAP SITUATION. Or rather, a GRANDPARENT TRAP SITUATION. Bowen and Tamsyn (apparently) need to get his grandparents back together before the solstice! Aaaaah!!!!

Like, it gives hard Christmas movie in a lot of ways, even though the holiday is less Christmas and more Yule. For the record, though--I can be a little iffy on consuming Christmas content this far ahead of the holiday, but honestly? While there are some Christmas-y moments, the sense is more... Christmas media than Christmas, if that makes sense. I mean, I've definitely seen my fair share of time travel Christmas romcoms.

And in many ways, this was my IDEAL Christmas time travel romcom. Because first off... this is a fuckton hotter. Like. The Wedding Witch doesn't end on a chaste kiss. There are several sex scenes, and each one fully goes for it. (It's never a bad thing when the hero is all "I'm worried that I won't be gentle enough for you" and the heroine is like "PROMISE?"). The sexual tension between these two is heavy from their first meeting, and while I do think this one could fall under friends to lovers... Were they ever really friends? Did they ever see each other in a truly friendly way? Or were they just slow-motion falling in love the whole time?

While by no means is this a heavy book, there is also a kind of emotional resonance that you won't find in most Hallmark Christmas movies. I was really fucking sad about The Thing driving Bowen (and his guilt). There's one aspect of the plot here that's really bittersweet--not in any way that directly affects our romance, don't worry, this is very much an HEA, but in a way that injected some seriousness. I kind of wanted everyone to get everything they wanted in the end, but by withholding that indulgence, Sterling ensured the book hit harder.

I don't know if she'll write in this world again, but if she doesn't, she went out on a high note and didn't tie every single thing up with a little bow, which I appreciate. But to be clear: this is, overall, a very funny, adventurous book. You have a snarky teenager who actually isn't annoying, the horror of realizing your grandparents were hot and also had a fiery sex life (Elspeth and Harri were QUITE the secondary couple, and I loved every bit of pagetime they got), and some truly classic tropes. (Only one bed, sexy bathtime, very MUCH opposites-attract shenanigans.)

I read 80% of this in one sitting, and that's kind of hard for me to do at the moment. But it was just so fun! And I really wanted to see what happened next the entire time. Which is when you know a book is really good, right?

The Sex:

Like I said, you get several sex scenes, and while there's one other thing I would've liked to see on the page (it happens, it's just not directly on the page), what we do get is so good. Like. It gets hot up in this romcom. Tamsyn fantasizes a lot about Bowen before they get together, and she lets him know exactly what she does when she fantasizes (in total darkness... with him becoming QUITE responsive). There's some mirror action. There's some tree action. Look, you'll be happy with this shit.

It's always great when a book not only lives up to your expectation but surpasses them. Full of whimsy and heat and FEELINGS, The Wedding Witch is one to catch!

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[clairedaring]

Hi, I've seen your blog and it appears to me that you've watched a lot of gdh movies. So I was wondering this: what is your top 5 gdh movie? I, for my part, have only watched two so far: oh my girl ! and you, me and me which is one of my favorite movie this year so far.

it brings me to tears (happily) whenever someone talks to me about GDH films ಥ_ಥ so here are my favorite GDH films (in this order as of this moment, no. 2 to no. 5 interchange from time to time depending on my mood)

1. Bad Genius (2017) and Bad Genius: The Series (2020)

So whenever I'm asked about GDH, the first film I instantly recommend would be Bad Genius. Because not only is Bad Genius imho THE film that puts GDH on the map, I think it has a lot of influence on Thai cinematic works, and to some extent television works.

Essentially, Bad Genius is a story about Lin, a straight A student who team up with her friends to pull off a large scale cheating scheme on an SAT-like exam. It's a heist thriller drama that definitely leaves me feeling stressed out as hell as if I was there in the testing room with those students.

I know it's kind of a cheat to also add this, but whenever I recommend Bad Genius, I also must recommend Bad Genius: The Series which is a 12 episode series that serves as a more detailed+sequel version of the film. I love this series because the young actors of the series gave me a fresh take on the characters I already know and loved so I had a great time falling in love with all of them again. The series fixed a few plotholes/qualms I had with the cinematic version as well as an extensive background story on Bank (played by Nonkul Chanon in film, Jaonaay Jinjett in series), my favorite character from this franchise so Bad Genius: The Series is the one work I cannot recommend enough.

One of the things I love about the series as well is that it also maintained the exact same vibes and cinematography like color-grading, camerawork...

2. OMG! Oh My Girl (2022)

I am a sucker for 'seemingly unrequited love' and 'right person, wrong time' tropes so this film really hit ALL the spots for me at its release.

Stylisticaly speaking, I absolutely love the Wes Anderson-esque zoom-in-from-afar shots for comedic effect. many stellar comedic moments where i laughed out loud. I think the humor in this film is poignant, accompanied by great comedic timing from both leads.

One of the highlights of Oh My Girl aside from the many subversions to romcom clichés, I like how Guy (the ML played by the incredible Sky Wongravee) was a morally grey protagonist and that the film isn't afraid to call out his problematic "nice guy" facade. He's a self-aware jerk and I genuinely love his self-awareness.

3. One For The Road (2021)

So I didn't watch this at release and it took quite a while before I gathered the determination to sit down and watch this on Netflix on a late rainy evening. Little did I know, I would soon be crying screaming bawling my eyes.

One For The Road is about Aood (Ice Natara) who enlists his estranged friend, Boss (Tor Thanapob) on a road trip to return items to his exes before he dies.

If I had a nickel for every time GDH wanted to give me a selfish, jerky male protagonist, I would have like four or five nickels but it's crazy that it's happened so many times (formulaically one would say) and here I am still empathizing and crying over these kinda jerky male protagonists.

The soundtrack was just brilliant. To quote a review I once wrote, the director, the music score and composer were truly out for blood with the soundtrack for this movie and they did it. This film is a good example of how important soundtrack and film scores are to elevate the narrative being told.

There are so many things to praise about the production but if I had to choose one thing, it would be the excellent mise-en-scene of this film. Every shot is dazzling, intentional and fill with metaphors. It was truly beautiful.

4. Not Friends (2023) 

So I went into this thinking it would be Thai take on Dear Evan Hansen but I was so glad that it wasn't the case even though there are similarities.

Not Friends continues to deliver GDH's classic "selfish jerky male protagonist" with Pae (Anthony Buisseret) who just transferred to a new school in his last year of high school. Seeing no chances in getting into university through the entrance exam, Pae decides to enter a film contest by making a film about Joe (Jump Pisitpol), his seat mate who recently passed away.

The film had me bawling my eyes out in theatres by the end. I love that there were a lot philosophical questions like how much we value a friend's worth in the film. If you like Baipor/Anthony tandem in You & Me & Me, Not Friends is a must-watch for this acting duo reunion.

5. The Con-Heartist (2020) 

So for the last spot, I debated a lot between two romantic comedies (both starring Baifern Pimchanok), The Con-Heartist (2020) and Friend Zone (2019). I recently rewatched the former and was reminded by how much I love the zany humor in this film so she gets the last spot.

The Con-Heartist is about Noina (Baifern Pimchanok), who is in debt because of her ex-boyfriend so she hires a con artist, Tower (Nadech Kugimiya) to help her get revenge against her ex-boyfriend by swindling him.

Even though it's billed as a romantic comedy, I think it's more comedy-leaning compared to Friend Zone but I love the comedic moments the two leads, Baifern and Nadech. พี่ไม่หล่อลวง by BamBam is the OST song for the film and it has never left my Spotify Wrapped for the last 3 years 😭

+bonus: How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024)

This is the first GDH film from 2024 and although it comes out in like two weeks, I can feel it's going to dethrone one of the films in my top 5 list for sure. If you're thinking of going to watch something at the cinema soon, I hope you consider checking out Lahn Mah this April!

I hope you give one of these GDH films a chance. I love watching GDH films because although they can have different directors/team of scriptwriters, they always end up with certain similarities (be it cinematography or screenplay or characters). While not all GDH films are incredible masterpieces but out of the Thai production houses for films, I would say GDH 559 (and its predecessor GTH) has the most solid record of having strong and compelling cinematic works.

[kmcosplays]

Do u have any angsty mphfpc hc youd like to share :3

OH BOY HOWDY DO I EVER! well they're not all angsty. But I have a document of all my headcannons I will post under this . They're mostly post cannon headcannons.

Jacob

The kids once saw him chase a gator off with a broom and were like wow Florida is wild 

Beyond his cannon love for classic rock he really likes bands like Joji, greta van fleet, Ricky Montgomery (soft boy bands and more emotional stuff)

He later in life gets tattoos 

Some for his grandfather and one that looks like a hollow tongue 

 He’s bi

Him and Ricky had a slight thing together

They mostly cuddled while playing video games and sat together on the beach or on a dock and would hangout and drink 

He never said anything to his parents 

His mom would be cool with it 

But if his dad knew he would be mad 

He knows spanish but like a hs amount 

His grandpa still practices judaism 

His dad said he switched out of love but it was hate for being raised that way and hate for his dad 

Decent at drawing from spending time alone as a kid

Alcoholic dad and workaholic mom

(scorpio)  that’s cannon but he fits it so well 

Emma 

In the modern world she really starts to like the cute and simple girly look

She makes her own skirts and sweaters and people think it’s the coolest

She accidentally bought a crop top and thought something was wrong 

She had to return it because it was too much for her and Ms. Peregrine freaked out  

She’s a swiftie for LIFE 

Jacob gave her tapes with her and a few other artist he thought she’s like along with a tape player

She has to ask or look up some of the more modern things in the song but more  modern people are willing to help.

She quickly has the words memorized to a few of taylor's albums

She also loves a good romcom

pinterest  QUEEN 

Hc voice: Alice from alice in wonderland 

Bronwyn 

Is a cottage core grily ( only bc it reminds her of the past )

Loves that some modern young people still love making homemade food and clothes 

Chills with the old people at the craft store and pretends to not be older than them

Isn’t super into modern things 

Took up a babysitting job

Makes toxic men feel small at the gym 

Once broke a machine and ran out crying 

Lesbian and he brother was gay ( not bc she’s strong bc of things she says in cannon )

Group mom (kinda cannon )

Very round and soft face and a button nose 

Voice hc: she sounds super welsh and has a very soft voice 

Millard 

Long hair and super skinny with TONS of freckles if he was visible 

He doesn’t see his hair so he never cuts it

He only cuts it when he can feel it on his shoulders but even then it’s a struggle 

But he is vaguely aware of how he looks 

But he does keep it in a man bun or a ponytail if he doesn’t feel like having it down or he’s reading a map

Sometimes they will just see a floating hairband or headband 

He once let Bronwyn and Emma put makeup and a wig  on him to see what he looked like ( based on a mha comic)

  It did not go that well 

It made olive cry 

He kept in touch with Lilly

He set up an email and they talk all the time

He visit her occasionally visits her but sometimes he brings a stand in so she isn’t talking to nothing Its noor 90% of the time 

Sometimes him, lilly, noor and jacob go on double dates 

He attends her concerts and loves it 

The first time he heard Lilly sing he loved it 

They tried the makeup and a wig thing on a date and it wasn’t too bad mainly bc he had on a face mask and sunglasses 

He keeps tabs on all his favorite peculiars and visits them regularly 

He is ace ( he just gives me ace vibes idk )

Voice hc: he has a super deep voice ( someone gave me this idea and I loved it ) he also has a thick scottish accent (kinda like the in audiobook)

Lilly could sit and hear him talk for hours 

Both to hear his accent and to hear him talk about stuff he likes 

He once described to Lilly  and Noor what he looked like

Then with the description lilly made a drawing or a picrew of him

He loves when people come to him with questions 

Not because it makes him feel smart but because he is glad that they want to learn something 

He takes up a teaching job in the peculiar world

Olive/ claire

Are both in awe over kids toys of the modern world 

But are confused by some of them

Kinda both like modern stuff 

Claire learning about Claire’s and thinking it’s magical and loving it 

Mainly for the name and also for the glitter and toys 

She keeps telling the workers that her name is Claire 

Jacob takes her on a birthday shopping spree there one year and she goes WILD

Claire looks and sounds like Shirley Temple and old people tell her DAILY

It gets to a point where she has to look up who she is 

She couldn’t agree more 

She then keeps acting like Shirley Temple and will sing animal crackers in my soup all the time 

Jacob blames himself for getting her that dvd box set ( you know the one that would blast on tv at 1 am yeah that one )

Olive is more of a slight tomboy

Olive keeps wanting to join sports but has a hard time with getting led filled  tennis shoes. 

She eventually joins a soccer team for peculiars that work with all kinds of accommodations 

Neither of them are huge fans of more modern kids tv but they do both like the older stuff

Jacob shows them older 60s and 70s kids tv and that seems to be more their speed 

Hugh/ Fiona

They move out and have a small place together 

They have tons of plants and a small garden

They eventually get married soon after the events of DoDA

Fiona works at a flower shop 

She doesn’t really care for too much modern stuff 

Hugh only really cares for things he can use in the modern world 

Even back in the loops he would smoke to keep the bees calm if they got out of control 

That mainly started in Devil's Acre and when he thought he wouldn’t see Fiona again bc his bees were going wild 

Enoch stole a cigarette off him once and hugh found him hidden from him in a corner somewhere (complete goblin mode)

After threatening to tell Ms. P he just laughed and let him keep it and lets him take some as long as he asks

Fiona hates it because she doesn’t like kissing him afterwards

Seeing her again has got him to slowly stop 

She also hates kissing him after he’s had coffee

But she doesn't mind too much and he still gives her cheek kisses with his coffee breath

The bees hate coffee but he doesn’t care  

Him and Fiona could sit and drink tea all day especially with fresh honey and flowers 

Voice hc: Hugh for pintofplane on tiktok and looks too 

Fiona has a small and high pitched voice and a thick accent 

Hugh thinks it’s super cute 

Noor 

Gets a ton of tattoos 

Some based on V and her loop

Still visits Lilly with Millard 

Is pan

Uses they/she pronouns 

In the way of using they for anyone who gets it they ask them to use just they/them but lets older peculiars and Ymbrynes get to call them a woman.

Goes to as many of Lilly’s concerts as possible 

Teaches Enoch about being punk along with Ricky helping 

 Voice hc:  thick NY accent and a bit more masc ( kinda deep and a bit gruff) sounding Iman Vellani look hc

Horace 

Kinda still dresses the same and people just think he’s into vintage stuff

Slightly warms up to more modern fashion after learning more 

Isn’t into some modern fashion but slowly grows to like the more classic and fancy stuff

He cries and sits on the gucci website and stuff

They all pitched in and got him something once for his birthday

It was like a pair of really nice and designer socks or a belt or something 

He basically keeps it on display and only wears it for special occasion 

He’s gay (kinda cannon )

He doesn't really get too into modern lgbtq+ culture because it's too foreign to him

But he does adopt the gay flag ( the og rainbow one ) and has a small one in his room and one as a lapel pin

Does adopt the 30’s and 40’s american lgbtq+ symbolism like lavender and saying things like “ friend of Dorothy” 

But he loves that modern men actually dress nice(ish) and take care of their skin and aren’t afraid of more feminine things 

The only modern tech he loves are modern ovens, high tech sewing machines, embroidery machines and the canon ones like fabric softener and modern landry tools 

When he gets older he goes out with Enoch 

They date on and off over the years but eventually stay together after a year or so of being on again off again 

Gets a job later as a tailor and love it 

Enoch 

Becomes a punk asap

Ricky and Noor teach him about it 

He LOVES that it mainly started in England 

They teach him the history and values 

They start him off with the older punk music then work they way to more modern

Noor helps him make all his clothes and jackets and stuff

 He becomes a mechanic when he is older

When he’s older he also get tattoos 

Some of his old life and skulls and  one of a set of his old mortuary tools and one for Victor (or several) 

Other of stupid random stuff but he is COVERED in tattoos and Ms. P has a heart attack at first but stops after the first few bc he’s an adult and it's his money 

He thought about working at a morgue but decided to leave that work in his past 

That and things changed so much that he didn’t want to catch up

He’s bi and Noor kinda helped him understand modern lgbtq+ stuff 

He also has a few pro lgbtq+ rights patches on his jacks and loves the idea of pissing of homophobes 

Horace hates his music but tunes it out because he wants him to just be happy 

He finds a new love for scary movies 

He makes Horace watch with him but Horace hides his face the entire time 

This is a quick way he gets Horace to cuddle him when even during the times they were not together 

Doing this and cuddling him made Horace realize how much he actually really liked it and they got back together and stayed together 

Enoch sometimes finds loops in the early days of punk shows just to experience them and show Noor (I aint punk sorry it’s also 2am I’ll fix this later if the wording is dumb)

Voice hc : pyrocynical ( i’m sorry I made this hc in 2018 and it stuck but I can’t think of another one)

Ricky

Trans 

Bi or gay 

Wants Jacob to go out with him

The lot lizard line was half true

Has a band later and wrote a song about Jacob and he heard him play it (I got this from a fan fic) 

Missed him while he was gone but pretended it didn’t bother him

He once checked in on Jacob while he was gone and Jacob's mom yelled at him 

Moved out ASAP at 18  but still visits his mom all the time 

Jacob likes to visit his mom because she’s so nice to him but Ricky feels bad because she tries to impress Jacob and have tons of food and snacks ready even though Jacob insists she doesn’t have to 

Him and jacob have a small moment while hanging out after the events of DoDA and they make out and cuddle while a bit drunk but both feel super guilty 

Jacob one day spilled that secret to Noor and they were like “ okay… and… we all do stupid shit with our ex’s. I don't care because I know you stopped having feelings for him a long time ago”  

[mousieta]

Dramas Recap - 2024

It’s the beginning of a new year and I have definitely been in a multi-year drama slump so I figured I’d do a little dramas state-of-the-union. I don’t know that I’m really up for full reviews of things I’ve watched over the last couple years but I can share a few thoughts on what I’ve seen and what I am currently watching with a list of things I intend to watch and why.

Completed Dramas

Happy Ending Romance (2022, Korea) - Continue to be mostly unfulfilled by KBL. Watched for Leo, he was great but otherwise disappointed by weak/ nonsensical writing. 1.5/10

Moonlight Chicken (2023, Thailand) - P’Aof, however, continues to not disappoint. Poignant and meaningful, only hampered by the fact I could not believe Earth was a man in his 30s/40s despite how hard he tried. 8.5/10

Semantic Error (2022, Korea) - Cute. Deserving of the hype. I am just bored that so many queer stories focus only on college/high school. 8/10

Curtain Call (2022, Korea) - Sad I disliked this one because I do so adore both Ha Ji Won and Kang Ha Neul but I really hate lying For Reasons storylines especially when they drag out tortuously to meet an episode count. 6.5/10

Taxi Driver (2021, Korea) - Really enjoyed the found family cast, disliked that it felt the creative team didn’t trust their audience so felt talked down to a lot. Minor plot holes/ inconsistencies in writing undermined what could have been a truly stellar show. Maybe I’ll get around to watching season 2. 7.5/10

The New Employee (2022, Korea) - Cute. Forgettable - in that I don’t remember anything about it now a year out. 8/10

Only Friends (2023, Thailand) - A mess of a show rendered annoying by the truly bottom tier of discourse it generated. Worth it for FirstKhao, though, despite weak and frustrating writing. 7/10

The Eighth Sense (2023, Korea) - Ok I suspend my feelings on KBLs for this show because it was actually fantastic (minorly annoying plot points notwithstanding). I found this swoony and moving. 9/10

My Sweet Mobster (2024, Korea)- One of the few standouts of the last couple years. It felt like a throwback to an early 2010s drama in a good way. Familiar and comforting but with a lovable cast and standout leads. 8/10

Love in the Big City (2024, Korea) - One of the shows where I feel the distinction between BL and Queer Media may be pedantic but relevant. Amazing and moving show full of things I crave: powerful and memorable characters with solid writing. Heartily recommend. 9/10

Good Manager (2017, Korea) - Again a bit of a throwback feel hampered a bit, imo, by uneven writing for the male lead that always fell just shy of truly good to land with me. A bit of tsundere bromance in our male leads made up for it, though. 8.5/10

Lovely Runner (2024, Korea) - Again a fantastic throwback of a show with vibes of School 2015. Loved the twists and turns of time travel and the supporting cast. The chemistry of the leads was solid. A standout in a few otherwise lackluster years. 9/10

Rewatches

Cruel City (2013, Korea) - Still, in my opinion, one of the best KDramas, hands down. A little silly with the plot convolutions but Jung Kyung Ho’s portrayal of Doctor’s Son remains raw and haunting. His dysfunctional crime family still live vibrant in my heart. 10/10

My Father is Strange (2017, Korea) - A perennial comfort watch that remains one of the best crafted shows I’ve seen with one of the best redemptions stories in all of media - and I don’t say that lightly. Full of lovable characters that basically give me 4 romcoms in one. 10/10

Completed Movies

Hidden Blade (2023, China) - Tony Leuhng and Wang Yibo? Yes, absolutely. Never rose above the sum of its parts but was riveting none-the-less 9/10

Method (2017, Korea) - The toxic old man yaoi that keeps the constitution strong. 8/10

Marry My Dead Body (2022, Taiwan) - Absolutely fantastic, excellent time had by all, with good rewatch value. The queer buddy cop comedy we all deserve. 8/10

Dropped

Reborn Rich (2022, Korea) - Just got bored and I’ve never been enough of a Song Joong Ki fangirl for him to carry a show for me.

War of Y (2022, Thailand) - Def. Understand why this is an important show for BL lovers, just struggled connecting with any of the characters enough to care about watching more.

Kokdu: Season of Deity (2023, Korea) - Really wanted to like this one because I enjoy Kim Jung Hyun and wanted him to be good coming back from his ‘scandal’. It just felt like the Wish version of better shows like Goblin or My Love from the Star.

Ameiro Paradox (2022, Japan) - Just kept forgetting to watch more episodes then gave up. Obviously just wasn’t compelled enough.

Cherry Magic (2023, Thailand) - Might have kept up with this if its production company hadn’t gone all fucky with international access. Not sure if its available now, didn’t care enough about the little I did see to bother checking.

4Minutes (2024, Thailand) - This is all down to weak writing. I found myself yelling in annoyance at the screen more than enjoying anything about it. It’s ok, Bible, I still love you.

Century of Love (2024, Thailand) - Somehow the writer just didn’t know how to make enjoyable characters despite having all the right archetypes. Found one of the male leads so one note and flat I couldn’t keep watching.

Ok now on to the things I am looking forward to watching:

Stranger Season 2 (2020, Korea) - (for itself but also because they gave Prosecutor Seo, my favorite terrible cockroach, his own show)

Adventure Behind the Bronze Door (2024, China) - My life has been distinctly lackluster since I’ve had a DMBJ vehicle in my life

A Shop for Killers (2024, Korea) - Will not lie, this is 100% because Primary did the soundtrack and I love it.

Bad and Crazy (2021, Korea) - Absolutely for Lee Dong Wook and N

Guardians of the Dafeng (2024, China) - Dylan Wang. Enough said.

Fangs of Fortune (2024, China) - I have Heard Things

Immortality - [uncontrollable sobbing]

[visionaxry]

TOP 10 TV SHOWS I WATCHED IN 2024

this year was so good on new amazing series, and i watched a couple older ones that were on my list. let’s get to it!

1. MY LADY JANE

this show is so lush. modern humor and language is so perfectly incorporated here. i live for historical shows like this, that sort of brake the boundaries of what's okay. and the soundtracks are top tier as well. but of course the main driving force is the main romance which couldn't be more perfect. i'm absolutely obsessed with them and always will be. definitely, one of my fav ships ever. unfortunately, it's the forth year in a row, when my favorite show gets cancelled after the first season. it's never fair, and "my lady jane" deserved to live on.

2. Mr&Mrs SMITH

i thought it was so energetic and creative. maya and donald had perfect chemistry. i loved how the show took an existing story concept and turned it around, made it its own thing. a perfect action romcom imo.

3. NOW APOCALYPSE

when the show came out back in 2019, i watched the pilot and i KNEW, this was made for me. why did it take me 5 years to finally watch it? i don't know. but it's fantastic. it's just so unabashedly fun, bright and cooky, i'm obsessed. i get how it's not suited for a mainstream audience, and that's probably why it didn't take off. but it's very special to me.

4. FANTASMAS

quite campy, in the same vein as "now apocalypse", actually. it was certainly made for me, i'm an aquarius after all. the level of production and creativity is insane. this is a piece of art.

5. THE BEAR

finally got around to this "comedy" that gives people anxiety. undoubtedly, it's one of the best shows airing now. a must-watch.

6. ONE DAY

so this surely is a romance that will tear your heart apart. it reminded me of "normal people" and "lovesick" (which i whole-heartedly recommend). "one day" is so beautiful, the way it depicts time is genuine and real. the performances of leo and ambika are outstanding.

7. NI UNA MAS

this show surprised me by how it drew me in. i found the story riveting, and the characters very authentic. i especially enjoyed the styling of the characters, the main girls had such well thought out unique styles that fit their personalities.

8. TELL ME LIES

it's time for guilty pleasures. i mean, it's a really well-made show, nothing to be ashamed about. but it's just so messy and sinister in away, that at first i could't really say i loved it. but when season 2 premiered and i found myself clinging on to each episode, i knew i was in for it.

9. ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS

this has the aesthetics of "call me by your name" and the feeling of a perfect summer day. beautiful and vulnerable.

10. WE ARE LADY PARTS

they are a force. this is both hilarious, dramatic and extremely inspiring. i could listen to "voldemort under my headscarf" all day.

honorable mentions go to the shows that i continued to watch this year: good trouble S5 - so i finished my favorite show ever that’s been with me for 5 years, i’m so happy it exists and i’m gonna miss it forever, i think everyone should watch it, it’s worth it. shrinking s2 - obsessed with the vibes & extremely attached to this little friend-family. heartstopper s3 - still the most warm and kind series ever, only more mature now, and i love it. that 90s show s2&3 - so comforting to me, so sad it got cancelled. chucky s3 - camp itself has ended this year, i'm gonna miss this world. heartbreak high s2 - best teen show on tv rn, let’s be real, the energy is unmatched, i hope the final season will exceed my expectations. young royals s3 - i don’t think season 1 could ever be topped, but it was a satisfying conclusion to a beautiful show.

[sillylittlelemon]

HELLO!! ok sorry I’m not sure if ur still doing match ups so u can just ignore this if u want but could I get a saiki k and a hazbin hotel matchup <33

- I’m a certified yapper and I will ramble on about my interests for hours

- Im a big people pleaser and I try my best to make everyone around me feel comfortable and appreciated

- I tend to tolerate toxic behaviour just to avoid abandonment

- Im a romcom enthusiast and a bit of a film buff

- I like loads of music and singers but lately I’ve been loving my bloody valentine , salvia palth , alex g and Tyler the creator.

- My love languages are probably acts of service and physical touch.

- My humour is kinda all over the place and Im a sucker for dad jokes and well thought out dirty jokes

- I’m a hopeless romantic and I would probably fall head over heels for anyone who shows the slightest amount of interest in me

Okay- i wasnt sure about your sexuality (or gender) so ill do short headcannons for two characters i think youd fit with (seperatly not poly)

Sorry to my other requests im working as i go- right now tumblr is a passion project so ive gotta feel like- i dunno 'the spark' to actually get it done, but i promiseim trying

ALSO just a warning to anyone who reads/requests saiki k stuff, its been a bit sincei watched the show and also i donthave anywhere ican watch it currently so characters areprobably atleast a little ooc

This chick-

(I make a vauge reference to a little spice in her part but nothing explicit or bad)

And this guy-

YES. I know they have totally different vibes but hear me out.

He gives such 'im a big tough guy, but please love me in secret and call me your favorite boy'

she gives such 'im a brat but im your brat and actually i just want love and attention because i look like i would have major mommy issues'

And i dunno it just works

He would def be a cuddle bug once the walls are down and yall have bonded more and your in private(read: MUST be in private bc bb boy is defensive and dont f with pda), i feel like hes the type to hold you on his chest and rub your back (yall are laying on his/your couch or bed) and when he thinks your asleep he starts murmuring under his breath about how he's so glad you got past his walls- about how it means so much to him that you put up with his bs. This def lead to you pretending to be asleep more often so you can hear in words how he really feels, because lets be honest, words dont always equal feelings, and sometimes (i.e most times) he doesnt say it how he means it.

Now HER on the other hand-

All. Over. You.

Like..

Lowkey her?

Shes just so happy to HAVE you, right? Like- soulmates or not, youre hers. She adores you. Worships the ground you walk on, praises you breathless in more ways than one. Shes so confident- like... even if she isnt ACTUALLY, she portrays it so well, and she Hypes. You. Up. 24/7, 365. No matter if youre short, tall, heavy, skinny, freckled, dark, pale, or anywhere in between. She is making sure everyone knows youre her girl (or boy or whatever but based on your sentence structure im guessing female?) [NOT MEANT TO BE OFFENSE I SWEAR I JUST IMAGINED YOU BEING FEMALE?] -oh god im gunna get cancelled-

N-E-Ways

Same here but itll be just generally better bc im more caught up with this fandom lol

He is this

But he wants to be this so bad

Sir precious for my darling precious

And

His love lmao

Sir Precious is 100% angel material (take that sera you bitch 🤟😝) He's just.... precious. Lmao. We've seen how flustered he gets with Cherry and imagine that but like- in an ACTUAL relationship with pda and shit. Like- stuttering, panicking, but also completely soothed by the hand currently resting in his? So many conflicting emotions, y'knowwww... he might need a kiss to get his head straight? Or maybe two? Hmmm, no that didnt work- lets try three, third times a charm right? *cue pentious sly+nervous smile* Would 100% bury his face in your tits/chest (under much encouragement and reassurance even more now that his minions spill the tea that hes been talking in his sleep about this very moment)

-can we talk about the smooth bass in the finale?-

-poor husk, man was singing and smiling like his soul was free-

Why do i feel like this is right up her alley?

Onto Miss Bomb,

She's a lot more brash in her affections. Not afraid to tug you down to her level and suck your soul out through your lips. Def had an emo phase when she was alive (if shes not still in it) She just.. loves you. Like her and angel you guys bicker, but i feel like while youre bickering she has her chin resting on your chest/tits, staring up at you with the slyest smirk and biggest heart eyes known to demon AND man kind.

[thesweetnessofspring]

So I was going to make this a Reddit post (since up until this week that was the only place to have any kind of real discussion online about Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), but I took too much time to think it over so now it has to go here. I can't hold it in anymore.

Nathaniel is a poorly conceived character and lacks a genuinely earned change of character as a result.

Warning: This is a long rant, hopefully with a point at the end. I just have so many complaints I hoped I pulled them together in a coherent way.

First, to be clear, Scott is amazing. No complaints on the acting.

But the character? For a show that took stereotypes and showed the human behind them in a a way that was grounded despite the ridiculous nature of the show, they just fell absolutely flat with Nathaniel's character.

Obviously Nathaniel is the "rich boy/antagonistic lover" romcom cliche. I think that is the first part which created a hurdle, because CXG is set in West Covina, not Scarsdale. The other characters are normal and relatable. I've seen Josh and Greg get more criticism for their characters than Nathaniel (which is honestly so ridiculous to me) and I think part of it is because we all know Joshes who haven't learned to grow up and be someone a partner could actually depend on. We all know Gregs who are bitter and make sarcastic comments and bring down the vibe in the room. So it's easier to hate them because they're grounded in our world. But it's rarer to know a Nathaniel, so the show builds his character based not how real rich people act, but perpetuates the idea that movies and TV shows have put in our head about rich people.

Why is Nathaniel a jerk? BECAUSE HIS DADDY DIDN'T LOVE HIM! WAAAAAA! HIS DADDY WAS SO MEAN TO HIM! POOR NATHANIEL IT'S NOT HIS FAULT YOU CAN'T BLAME HIM FOR TRYING TO HAVE JOSH'S GRANDFATHER MURDERED!

I know that parent issues can come across cliche anyway, but really? The rich boy's daddy puts pressure on him and doesn't give him affection? THAT'S the best they could come up with? Some Logan Huntzburger knock-off?

I loved CXG from the beginning because of how real it feels despite its ridiculous tone. I remember watching the first episode and feeling so excited, because wow! West Covina was so much like the SoCal town I grew up in and the characters I could tell were already like people I actually knew! Nathaniel failed in this way.

I used to work on occasion with rich people as a legal assistant. I saw a few third-generation rich people that Nathaniel was supposed to be like. Do you know what kind of so-called "men" they were? They were all spoiled man-children whose daddies were bailing them out of their legal problems with money, lying, cheating, and committing perjury. They were able to use their family wealth to dick around, not do any real work, and yet keep living life high. Did they have good parents? Hell no! Did they have parents who pushed them to the point of perfection? Hell no! These spoiled rich babies always got whatever they wanted, no consequences. And that is what made their parents so bad.

For Nathaniel to be so rich he has his own private jet, and yet be pushed to work so hard is not the way it actually works with people that wealthy. Yes, for rich people who are still on the lower-end of "rich" their kids will have to go to a good school and pursue a career with money-making potential. But Nathaniel has little need to do any actual work.

If you want a more well-known comparison: Donald Trump is a third-generation rich person. After all that came out in the media, you can't tell me that Donald Trump was pushed to perfection by his daddy.

And then there are other things that bug me like, Nathaniel is a water polo player...but that isn't a rich person sport. Not in SoCal anyway. A kid from my high school actually went to Stanford to play on their water polo team (like Nathaniel) and I come from an area that is very middle class at best. West Covina should not have been the place he was first exposed to normal people! He even says that his water polo team were his brothers, who would have been made up of normal people because water polo is not a rich person's sport. Which makes me wonder why it wasn't until West Covina Nathaniel starts "becoming nice." You're telling me away from his dad, as an independent adult, spending HOURS with normal people including traveling for games and team bonding, and it takes a lady with big boobs and a quirky personality to make him "nice"??? I'm not quite as familiar with Stanford culture, but again, from the people I know who went there, it's not as much of a rich people haven as the east coast prestigious school (from my understanding). Then Nathaniel's parents house looks like it's straight-up from Gilmore Girls (again the Logan Huntzburger comparison) when rich people's houses in LA look nothing like that. Why in a show so based in California culture are they making him into an east-coast cliche? He's a mirror of Rebecca, sure, but then why make him from LA if they based his character off of east coast old money? California is new money! Even if the wealth is across generations, it is not at all like east coast old money at all!

So in terms of keeping the character based in actually seeing this type of person in real life? I'd give Nathaniel...2/10. Just because how cruel he is at the start is how real-life rich people act so he gets a point for that.

And another thing that annoys me about Nathaniel is how hard the writers went to try and make him sympathetic. Because if you have a character who is straight-up sexually harassing a female employee, cheating on his lovely girlfriend, verbally and mentally abusing his employees they have to make him even more uwu than the other romantic leads. So they always pull out things to try and make people say, "Awwww, but he likes the zoo! And monkeys! Look at him hugging that alligator all sad! And he reads Harry Potter?! He's just a lil nerd!!" (at the time people still liked Harry Potter) I just feel manipulated by these "isn't he so cute?!" additions to Nathaniel's character. I don't see them as a natural fleshing out of the character, I see them as the writers trying to wave me over to distract me from just how downright awful he is as a person. And that makes me resent him more. Like...ok, you go to the zoo Nathaniel...but you were still going to have an immigrant deported and ripped away from his family, you jerk.

Rebecca does messed up things, too. But the show gives her a diagnosis, she goes to therapy, they at least show her apologize to Josh about what she put him through, as well as the hormone-induced attempt to take a hit on Mona to Nathaniel, and own up to what she did to Paula. Nathaniel's response to trying to send a hitman to murder Josh's grandfather was "in my defense, I was promised sex." He never apologizes??? really apologizes??? to ANYONE??? He doesn't go to therapy or even get a life coach or...anything. I guess he does nice things for people (while reminding them HE'S NICE NOW and DEMANDING they get over the fact that he, again, TRIED TO HAVE THEIR GRANDFATHER MURDERED). I would argue that Nathaniel is way more messed up than Rebecca and doesn't do a fraction of the owning up to his past that she did, which imo is still lacking overall.

Like my dudes, Greg has his AA meetings, even Josh goes to therapy. But the objectively worst regular character on the show...doesn't. Huh.

And I think that's what drives me so bonkers about Nathaniel's character. Yes, Rebecca is this force that comes into West Covina and changes people's lives, but it makes sense for other people. She shows Heather unironic joy. She challenges Valencia's relationship with Josh, which pushes Valencia to grow. She gives life to Paula's dreams again. And I'd argue Greg is more changed by the result of their relationship (the DUI he got trying to drive to talk to her) more than Rebecca herself just being that amazing. But Nathaniel's character comes in hard and cruel. His actions and attitude are the kind that in real life, are above what I've seen ever actually change because it is so steeped in enormous privilege. Nathaniel would need to be drastically, drastically, and for a significant length of time humbled--not just pooping his pants in the office. And I'd say even that would likely be a stretch. The writers made him so unbearable to start that I can't believe even Rebecca could really help him change. Imo, they don't show it. They chalk it up to "he just wants to have sex with her really bad...and...uh...yeah his feelings are now just that strong for her. Mmmmhmmm, a woman really can change a man by his sheer desire for her!"

I just think they bit off more than they could chew with Nathaniel. I get they were going with another romcom cliche, but that cliche was too out there to start with and they jumped fully on board with it, not realizing that the strength of their characters are in how they reflect people we actually know. Nathaniel's character sticks out as not belonging or fitting in because he's simply a stock character they didn't add any real depth or nuance to or any earned change. His character being so privileged makes turning him into a good person all that more challenging.

And if I'm being honest? Since you've made it all the way down here...I do wonder what it would have been the response if Scott weren't so good-looking or white. Josh Chan, whose worst crime is a toss up between kissing Rebecca while with Valencia or leaving Rebecca at the altar without communicating with her at all about it, gets more derision from the fandom than Nathaniel, who again, would have orchestrated someone's murder without a second thought. I understand why Nathaniel is so popular, but it makes me worried that even a show as progressive as CXG with fans who have the same mindset still give such a quick pass to a handsome rich white boy.