#i have only seen season 1 so i know jamie has more development to come

[loving-jack-kelly]

I simply crave roy and Jamie being besties who hate each other instead of just hating each other. They are mirror images.

[sighonaraa]

As you are taking on the Herculean task of fixing season 3 (thank you for your service 🙏), I am curious to know any thoughts or potential spoilers you have regarding the Amsterdam of it all? If you don’t mind sharing?

i DO have thoughts on the amsterdam of it all and i do NOT mind sharing!

so. amsterdam. amiright. personally i loved a lot of things they did with this episode -- or, like. i WOULD have, if they'd taken the time to unpack all of the themes and ideas they introduced. but they didn't. so now i am filled with anger. one of my broader complaints is that this episode supposedly functioned as a vehicle to portray how far roy and jamie's relationship has developed since season 1, but in the following episodes there is so little that indicates that amsterdam was a significant turning point for either of them. particularly re: jamie's Childhood Amsterdam Story. but i'll get to that later.

for the fix it, i really want to explore amsterdam as this significant turning point, but ONLY for roy. because my plan is to have the season preceding this "episode", as it were, really dealing with roy's anger and how jamie is using that anger as a way to quietly punish himself for his 'mistakes' (not reaching out to his dad, who he's recently found out is in rehab). so when amsterdam comes around, roy is pissed off from the beginning. and jamie clocks this, and his trauma is already manifesting in this sort of. manic energy. so he uses that to sort of poke and prod at roy, in a desperate, last-ditch effort to just get roy to be MAD at him and STAY mad. to hit jamie the way jamie thinks he deserves. so he teases him about biking and he runs him ragged across the city and he spouts off random facts about the city and he thinks it's gonna work. he thinks this is when roy is finally gonna do to him what he feels he deserves. but then the amsterdam story comes out.

(i can get into how i'm going to handle the Amsterdam Story itself in another, more targeted post but. trust. it WILL be handled and it will be given more attention than a one-off "that must've been traumatizing" and nothing else. TRUST.)

anyway. so roy hears this story, and his entire worldview is collapsing in real time. because here's jamie, right. and roy's seen jamie in the locker room at wembley in his socks but it's easier to yell and lunge at a 23 year old than it is to be confronted with the fact that that same 23 year old was once a kid, and that kid was alone and he was also in his socks and oh, fuck. maybe jamie's been standing alone in front of his dad in his socks his whole life. and maybe every time i've yelled at jamie i've also yelled at that kid.

(and there's also gonna be A Lot about how roy grew up with anger as a method of expressing emotions and how when he's confronted with jamie he has to reconcile himself to the fact that he was ALSO that kid, and he was also deserving of soft and gentle things.)

and so amsterdam functions, for roy, as a MASSIVE turning point re: his dynamic with jamie. after this, he starts actively trying to change. cue phoebe parallelisms. he doesn't force jamie to wake up early every morning for practice and he makes sure he gets enough to eat and he's just. gentler. softer. but jamie doesn't Get It, because for jamie the Amsterdam Story was nothing much to think about. and now he's fucking terrified because why is roy treating me like i'm soft, what'd i do, what am i gonna--

and then MORE PLOT AND EMOTIONAL STUFF HAPPENS.

[brainrotallthewaydown1312]

my friend just got me into Ted lasso earlier this month. slightly before 3×10 came out. it's already one of my favorite shows, which took me by surprise. the only sports shows I've ever liked before have been anime. technically i am half way through season 2 but I'm online so ive seen a lot of spoilers. including how they just handled the ot3 in the finale. and i have a couple thoughts.

before we started the first episode, one of my friends selling points was "there is an ot3 that might actually have a shot at going canon by the end and the end is soon" and before seeing any of it my answer was "you already sold me but don't get your hopes up. it's still made by two massive studios and studios are pussies. and then i watched the first episode and she showed me some clips of Roy and Jamie later in the series and some actor interview clips to explain the ot3 better and i said "I'll tell you exactly what is going to happen. they are going to pull a korrasami. it looks like the writers are writing towards it and the actors and everyone wants it to go that way, but they are at best going to get an episode close to the end where their 'friendship' develops with a few hints and then at the very end of the last episode they will throw an ambiguous bone that could go either way. because that is as far as those studios will allow" and i was exactly right. exactly fucking right.

and I'm happy we got as much as we did with them. it feels like the type of representation you get from a Hollywood movie in the 50s. subtextual but easily readable with a trained eye. and it feels natural for their development. even with the backslide of the fistfight. because real growth isn't linear and theirs has never been either. this feels like a very natural place for them to end and it feels like they are at the start of something that they as characters don't quite understand yet.

but there is a part of me that is still disappointed. the same way part of me was disappointed when i finished leverage and got korrasami'd by that ot3. it's always left ambiguous with polyamory. it's either an ambiguous ending that will go under the studios radar or it's basically a porn from the start (not that there is anything wrong with that side of it either, i just want more variety) Dani got to have 2 girlfriends. and they looked happy. and they were there for a few seconds and they were gone. and we don't know them. Roy and Jamie and Keeley have been at the center of the show since the start and they have been growing towards it the whole time. they deserve something more than being happy together at a celebration. something concrete. something that acknowledges where they are with each other properly.

I'm elated that we weren't told no. I'm elated that Keeley didn't let them make her choose. I'm elated that they looked happy in the end. that they were close. that something that would have been several episodes of drama in season 1 was solved with "fuck we're stupid".

but I'm devastated that it's happened again. that the comfort of the cishet target audience was valued over the narrative value of their growth together. that it's entirely my decision what the ending means yet again. that even in a show that has been bold with it's queer representation, polyamory with actual narrative strength and value is a step too far. that i fell into the same trap I've been falling into since i was a little kid watching avatar. that i saw it coming and was still hit with the full force of it. and I'm so tired.

but i can't wait to get properly caught up. i know it will be a gut punch, but i still love every second with these three. and with everyone else. this show has taken me by surprise in so many ways

[mindibindi]

Okay, but you referring to Sam as a "child" is problematic in ways you apparently don't see, so maybe look into not infantilizing grown men.

I think it's fairly obvious that I'm using the word 'child' and 'baby' as a (somewhat jokey) rhetorical strategy that emphasises Sam's age and thus expresses my feelings/thoughts on the direction Ted Lasso has recently taken. If there is some hugely pervasive problem of infantilising grown men that I am unaware of, please let me know. But I think the the problematic element you are identifying is linked with the show rather than with my language. In general, western societies do have a bad habit of infantilising grown women: in language, legislature, fashion and so on. But when it comes to young black men, I think you will find that the problem is quite the opposite. Young black men are often held accountable for things way beyond their years, required to grow up before their time. This is a much larger issue though, and one that has absolutely nothing to do with the character of Sam Obisanya.

I understand that if you're in your teens or 20s, 20 may not seem like a baby or a child. But I am way past 20 so, for me, a 20yo is a baby adult. They are in their first, awkward year of adulting. Sorry if it sounds condescending but I just find all that enthusiasm and hope and drive kinda cute. It is a beautiful and necessary phase of life but one that (like all phases) does not last. The world needs the drive, enthusiasm and hope of young adults, especially now as everything implodes. Many are performing vital work, as we saw Sam do in taking a stand on environmental issues earlier this season. That said, a 20yo is not yet fully cooked. They don't quite know who they are, nor are they neurologically developed. I know I wasn't. (If you think I'm an idiot now, you should have seen me back then....)

But it is not just that the character of Sam is young in my opinion, or from the vantage point of a divorced woman pushing 50, or...I mean, pretty much objectively. Sam is also super young for his age. There is something childlike about him. He is naive, hopeful, sunny, even angelic. He loves Harry Potter. He spends a holiday he doesn't celebrate convincing small children to believe in Santa Claus. He thinks the British press are all his mates. The most important person in his life is his Dad. If we compare Sam to Jamie Tartt, who we are told in season 1, is 23, there is a huge maturity gap between these two young men. Jamie has a worldly edge, a defense system (however faulty) that Sam does not. As I said in my original post, this is partially because Sam is out of his cultural milieu, away from his family and support system. Despite Jamie's abuse, Sam comes across as the more vulnerable of the two. So to compromise his new found family and support system in this way seems....questionable to me, at best. Sam has certainly taken great strides in the past few episodes/months, but he is not all that far from the mopey, displaced teen we saw in s1.

But again, my objection to this narrative arc is about more than the fact that Sam is 20 or even what sort of 20yo he is. It is about his character, his circumstances, his position and his race. I am not going to go into this in-depth since people have gotten upset enough over a relatively benign topic like age to start delving into race. All I will say is that Rebecca not only has the advantage over Sam in terms of her age and experience, she also has the advantage over him in terms of her position, power, wealth and white privilege. It is not just the age gap that creates the enormous power differential in this 'relationship' -- a power differential that, for me, is just too great. I would love to believe that the showrunners and writers can somehow find a way to write themselves out of this mess they have made for themselves. But for me the damage has kinda already been done: to Sam's character, Rebecca's character and, most disappointingly to the character, integrity and ethos of the show.

[gra-sonas]

This article was written by Alison D, Ellys Cartin, and Jamie Coudeville. The article was edited by Donna Cromeans (DJRiter). The open and close of the article were written by Ellys Cartin. Prepared for publishing by Aimee Hicks.

Roswell, New Mexico may fly just under the radar, but the show has quickly accumulated fans who are drawn to the courageous characters. The development of Tyler Blackburn’s Alex Manes has particularly gripped our readers, who have rooted for Alex to overcome his family’s traumatic legacy and navigate the risks of letting himself be vulnerable around the people he loves. Season 2 was a journey full of heartbreak and discoveries, especially for Alex. He reunited with one of his brothers, took a risk on a new romance, and discovered unexpected betrayals and love in his family tree. This journey led to a desperate last-minute attempt to protect the people he loves most from his father, a journey that concluded with a gunshot that punctuated the most painful storyline of Alex’s life. In the season finale, Blackburn delivered a quiet, eloquent performance, providing a fitting coda for his character’s search for resolution, a search that was a flight to freedom. For his performance, he was selected SpoilerTV’s Readers’ Choice Performer of the Month for June.

Season 2 of Roswell, New Mexico concludes with Tyler Blackburn performing in character as Alex Manes. How did Would You Come Home reflect Alex’s journey thus far and echo Can’t You Love Me, the Tyler Blackburn and Novi song that played in the penultimate episode of Season 1?

Alison: Would You Come Home really reflects the turning point in Alex’s journey. It’s him breaking free of his father’s “Manes Man” mantra, unmasking the trauma in his life, and publicly declaring that he’s in love with Michael (Micheal Vlamis). The performance in the Wild Pony is his loud and proud moment, a public coming out in a town that never felt like home. The exception being when he was 17 and he and Michael kissed. Not that coming out requires grand public gestures. It doesn’t. Alex and Michael are in a different place than they were at Caulfield. From the moment right before the prison exploded until Michael walked out during Alex’s song, I’m reminded that these two are idiots but look how they’ve grown. They’ve grown together, but more importantly, they’ve done so while apart. Would You Come Home and Can’t You Love Me are competing echoes, the former now drowning out the latter. The show, hopefully, is at a point where the pain of the past has been drowned out by hope for the future, at least, where Michael and Alex’s journey is concerned. Would You Come Home is their way forward, loving in the present tense. Can’t You Love Me was them mired in the past, the shed, familial legacy, walking away, and looking away. With Would You Come Home and Michael’s definitive “I think so,” it seems these two star-crossed lovers may finally be cosmically aligned.

Ellys: The scene with Alex singing forms a beautiful duology with that earlier scene where Alex tries to save Michael by telling the latter that Alex sees him as his family. The moment he states that truth is as emotionally cataclysmic as anything can get, with Michael being forced to leave behind the family he has searched for his entire life. It seems their love story can’t survive under the weight of the reality that Alex’s father and earlier Manes generations brutally imprisoned and slowly killed Michael’s mother. Worse still, even knowing this, Alex can’t break free from his father’s abuse. In Season 2, Alex discovers the truth about his family’s legacy may be more complicated. Blackburn becomes the emotional core of the series as Alex painstakingly digs up the Manes family skeletons, finding horror and hope for his own future along the way. There is a wonderful symbolism in how the show goes from having Blackburn telling Alex’s story at a distance through Can’t You Love Me to Blackburn performing as Alex sharing his story and taking power over his wounds in Would You Come Home.

Jamie: In this finale, we finally got the result of what’s been building since the start of the show, Alex is finally breaking free from his family and all the prejudice and expectations they laid on him. Alex and his father had an extremely complicated and destructive relationship. No matter what he did, he was never good enough. Throughout this season we’ve seen Alex break free from his father, which is something he had previously been unable to do. While in Season 1, his father’s opinion still mattered to him, now he’s finally focusing on what he wants and needs.

Confronting familial legacy is a recurring theme on the show. What stands out to you from Blackburn’s performances that brings authenticity to Alex’s struggles in this area?

Alison: Going from an Alex Manes that incapacitates his violent, xenophobic father in Season 1 to an Alex Manes who believes his abuser can change in Season 2 was a heavy ask. Not because it was an unrealistic turn, but time wasn’t built into the story to make the transformation anything but jarring. To his credit, Blackburn made the viewer believe. Alex has a desperate desire to believe in the people he loves even when they constantly provide evidence to the contrary. It wasn’t until late in Season 2 that he articulated the thought, but his actions told the story. Consider episode 9, Alex tries to convince his father, Jesse Manes (Trevor St. John), that perhaps drinking isn’t the best idea for someone recovering from a recent hospitalization. There is warmth in the way he speaks and in the slight upturn of his mouth. He genuinely cares. In response to Alex’s overture’s, Jesse slams the whiskey bottle down on the table, Alex retreats, not in fear, but as a soldier reminded of the enemy before him. Softness is replaced by someone alert and prepared for what usually comes next. Blackburn’s quick turn from hopeful son to cautious soldier shows the struggle between a son clutching at acceptance from his father and a man remembering that he never was nor wanted to be a “Manes Man.” The audience also witnesses the pull away from legacy when in the same scene he gets a message from Michael. There is the fastest of smiles, and he quickly leaves his father behind. In the season finale, once again Blackburn moves between emotions as his father holds a gun on Michael, but in this instance, there is no question about the sacrifice he’s willing to make. Alex’s season ends with him finally dismantling his familial legacy, literally. As he destroys the shed, the place where his love story with Michael took a sharp turn, Blackburn lets out a yell that encapsulates the torment and the hurt and the fear that kept Alex running and hidden. He emerges a new man, on the other side of legacy, when he sings at the Wild Pony.

Ellys: Of all the Roswell, New Mexico characters, Alex is the most often shown to have a near bottomless capacity for love and forgiveness. Blackburn illustrates this repeatedly through the compassionate frankness that Alex brings into every interaction with his friends and family. He doesn’t merely wear his heart on his sleeve; he displays it constantly. Blackburn’s face establishes this reality for Alex. His character is always absorbing every emotion that others throw at him, yet he only tosses the good emotions back. Alex’s heart is his strength and weakness. He believes that there’s a way to be everything that everyone needs or wants him to be, often placing blame on himself when these relationships aren’t what they should be, which results in him offering people multiple second chances they don’t deserve. In this episode, we see Alex finally hit a brick wall with one of these relationships, and heartbreak gives way to relief in a moving journey to acceptance that Blackburn approaches with respect and sincerity.

Jamie: Blackburn really shows just how painful this all is for Alex. When it comes to toxic relationships we always say “Oh, just leave them.” or “Why do you care what he thinks?” but it’s not that simple and Blackburn shows that in pretty much every scene. Whenever Alex is in a scene with Michael or Forrest (Christian Antidormi), until recently you could see that there was always a little bit of himself that Alex held back. I hope that in future seasons we get to see Alex be able to fully give himself to someone.

Blackburn shares a key scene in the finale with Michael Vlamis. What character interactions involving Alex have stood out to you this season and which ones are on your wish list?

Alison: Without a doubt, Vlamis and Blackburn are extremely magical when they share scenes, so many of Alex’s best moments involve Michael, but not all. A few of Alex’s interactions with other characters stand out for terrible, horrible, no good, awfully bad reasons, but we’ll focus on two that brought joy. Alex’s relationship with Kyle (Michael Trevino) was a highlight in the first season, and while fans hoped for more of the same in Season 2, the friendship was unfortunately sidelined. Though they shared a few scenes, one of their best interactions came near the end of I’ll Stand By You (2x5). It’s a quiet moment easily overlooked in what was a packed episode, but it’s especially poignant considering earlier Alex commented to Maria (Heather Hemmens) that Kyle wasn’t his friend. Oh, the irony. Michael’s voiceover plays as Kyle sits above the surgery room. He’s risked everything for his friends, but as they scatter, he sits alone and forgotten, his purpose served. When Alex arrives, he quietly passes a flask, Kyle takes a drink and passes it back to Alex who takes a drink of his own. The smile on Blackburn’s face tells a simple story about Kyle Valenti—this is a good man and a good friend.

In American Woman (2x10), Blackburn and Tanner Novlan who plays Gregory Manes shared a heartfelt scene. For a long time, Alex has felt like this show’s favorite punching bag, like his feelings don’t matter, so it was beautiful to see a character acknowledge not just Alex’s trauma but how they failed him. Novlan’s speech was heart-wrenching, but Blackburn’s expressions and subtle movements convey how overwhelmed Alex is, as well as his relief. It’s in the way he looks away or down, clears his throat, and allows tears to slowly well in his eyes. He is overcome by this outpouring of love and doesn’t know how to react. Blackburn affects the innocent and bashful gesture of shoving his hands into his pockets when talking about his father. Alex wants to believe that an abusive, homophobic, monster of a man could be better, but there is also fear that he is being played the fool.

I have just a few wishes for Alex Manes. I’m ready for Isobel (Lily Cowles) and Alex to take Roswell by storm, for Alex and Kyle to grow their repaired friendship, and I’m more than ready for Malex to rise. For its part, the show has rooted their queerness and their love in violence and trauma. Enough. Time to tell another story. It’s time to stop treating Alex Manes like a “Very Special Episode”. Michael and Alex together and happy is real rebellion, so let them kiss, get a dog, make waffles on Sunday morning, stay in bed all day, do crimes to ensure the good aliens survive, fight about the superiority of Star Trek over Star Wars, be emotionally articulate, and love one another in the present tense. Blackburn and Vlamis’ preternatural chemistry is the absolute highlight of this reboot, but it was mostly squandered in a messy and disjointed Season 2, so let’s make sure that never happens again. And on a final superficial note, Blackburn is very pretty, so let Alex Manes be pretty.

Ellys: One of my favorite characteristics that Blackburn gives Alex is his ability to snap out a quick retort. The use of humor to deflect and defuse is a subtle form of self-protection that gently reminds us that Alex is a survivor. How often Alex uses it when he’s around someone else helps us gauge the importance of that person to him. He also uses it less successfully in situations where there are high emotional stakes. Blackburn turns in some of his best work in the tense scenes Alex shares with his father Jesse, although nothing can hold a candle to how Vlamis and Blackburn carry years and years of conflicted longing into every look and word their characters share. My wish list would include more scenes between Alex and Kyle Valenti, as they are uniquely situated to understand each other’s family legacies and present-day responsibilities.

Jamie: Any scene with Michael has always been emotionally charged. The same goes for the scenes with his father but in an entirely different way. Since we won’t be getting those anymore, I’m hoping for more interactions with his brothers. And not just Flint (Kiowa Gordon) but also Gregory, who has accomplished what Alex is trying to do now, break free of his family. Overall, Alex has been mostly separated from the other characters. Only recently have we seen him interact more with others like Isobel, but I’d like to see him interact more with Liz (Jeanine Mason), and maybe even Rosa (Amber Midthunder). Including this episode, what are some of your favorite Alex scenes from this season?

Alison: Stay (I Missed You) (2x1) – Alex and Kyle being partners in crime when trying to retrieve Noah (Karan Oberoi)’s body from the morgue. Bonus points for Kyle’s face when Alex gets rough with the lab tech. I think we both enjoyed the moment. What If God Was One of Us (2x4) – Alex and Michael in the barn on the Long farm. Alex’s sass when commenting on Michael smelling like rain beneath the grease and bourbon to then comforting him about his mom not releasing him from the pod. Alex and Michael sitting on the fallen tree talking about how he knows Forrest. Alex realizes there are layers to Michael Guerin. Sex and Candy (2x6) – Michael cleaning Alex’s wound. It was a great way to end the episode. That’s where the episode ended, right? Say it Ain’t So (2x8) – Alex and Forrest on their paintball date. I’m not a fan of keeping two people apart by needlessly pairing them with other people; there is something to be said for working on yourself by yourself, but it was wonderful to see Alex so happy, smiling, and free. The Diner (2x9) – it’s a short exchange between Alex and Michael, but it encapsulates their journey. Michael is surprised—but not really—that Alex came when asked. Alex, who has always wanted to be asked to stay, says it’s because Michael asked. Bonus points for Michael’s cowboy lean during that scene.

Ellys: The introduction of Alex’s brother Gregory Manes added another dimension to Blackburn’s performance. Meeting a sibling who had successfully made it out from under Jesse’s control clarified how severe Alex’s predicament was concerning his father. Blackburn’s scenes with Novlan underscored how forgiving Alex is and how he would never be able to give up hope that Jesse would finally accept him. The scenes between Alex and Gregory were brief, but they had to set up the season finale, not only to sell the turn of events but to make Alex’s final scene this season carry that cathartic gut punch.

Jamie: I really enjoyed the paintball scene with Forrest. It was nice to see Alex have some fun for a change. And the scene in the finale where he and Michael take a hammer to that cabin, I think that might’ve helped Alex release some tension. The song he sang in the finale was probably my favorite. The amount of tension conveyed by Michael and Alex without them interacting was insane.

Give us a one paragraph pitch for Roswell, New Mexico to explain the show to TV fans who haven’t discovered it yet.

Alison: Ten years ago, Liz Ortecho left Roswell, New Mexico in the wake of a tragedy, leaving behind her family and friends. When she returns to her small town, she uncovers hidden truths, but those answers come with unexpected dangers. She returns to a town divided between those sympathetic to immigrants and violent xenophobes. The unwelcoming nature of the town takes on a new meaning when she discovers that the 1947 UFO crash wasn’t a hoax. Lines are crossed, secrets are revealed, friendships are tested, and love is messy. What happens when aliens walk among us?

Ellys: Years after surviving the crash of their spaceship, three adult siblings may not be able to conceal their alien origins much longer when their past and present collide. A serial killer, a brilliant scientist, and a forbidden love complicate their lives; the darkest secrets about Roswell’s oldest tragedies are beyond the reach of mind-reading, telekinesis, and supernatural healing. Foes become friends. The hunted become the hunters. Humans and aliens, alike, confront their inner demons and reckon with the threat of extinction. Jamie: Even if you don’t know the show, you’ve undoubtedly heard the term “Roswell”. Basically, aliens live amongst us and none of them are straight Max (Nathan Parsons) did not seem that opposed to riding a cowboy). We have a badass Latina main character who is almost too good at science, a psychic bartender, a doctor who does way too much for his ex, and an ex-military gay man who’s performance was so good he won Performer of the Month. And if that does not do it for you, there are weekly reviews by me where I call everyone idiots.

Alison: This reboot has flaws, but some of the best choices it has made center around Blackburn as Alex Manes. He simply feels like Alex Manes, disappearing into the role and becoming an abused boy turned Air Force Captain and a gay man who finally realizes that what he wants does matter. Blackburn always strikes the right note as Alex. Whether he is clasping his hands and trembling as his father wields a hammer, crackling with confidence as he apologizes by sliding into the bed of a pickup truck, commanding the room as a no-nonsense military man whose men don’t ask questions, breaking into the softest of smiles when Michael charms him with the sweetest kiss, being wide-eyed and eager when a cute blue-haired boy pays attention to him or lighting up when his song is heard by the person he loves most. It all works so well. Kudos to you, Tyler Blackburn.

Ellys: It’s still rare on TV shows, particularly dramas, to have a male character who is gay and not there to solely exist as the quirky dramatic one or the placid, supportive best friend to one of the leading ladies. Alex Manes has backstories, traumas, hopes, and victories that are just as complex as the other main characters on the show. I appreciate how much Blackburn has championed all sides of his character, including who Alex loves, and I look forward to the show breaking more ground in the third season now that Alex and the Manes skeletons are out of the closet.

Jamie: This honor is totally deserved. Blackburn has been a standout performer since the very first episode and I’m glad to see it rewarded. Let’s face it, he was one half of the reason for this show’s initial popularity. And let’s not forget that it’s no easy feat stepping into an already beloved character and making it your own. I fully expect that it will not be the last time he wins POTM.

As Tyler Blackburn sings in Would You Come Home, throughout Season 2 we see him break down Alex Manes’ walls stone by stone. Alex measures himself against his father, grandfather, uncle, and brothers, but he isn’t trying to measure up. He is looking for where he came from, why his values and heart aren’t what he’s told they are supposed to be. When Alex first hears about Tripp Manes (Jason Behr) and Nora Truman (Kayla Ewell), he immediately rejects his father’s interpretation of that relationship, choosing to hope that they had a love story. Blackburn paints Alex as hopeful and romantic, fiercely loyal, and sacrificially brave; most importantly, as a survivor, Alex finds and receives the strength to stand alone and choose his own family. Blackburn plays this role with compassionate dignity, giving us a hero whose emotional battles grip us as strongly as his physical ones. For all the reasons discussed in this article and the many more they have shared, our readers voted Tyler Blackburn as SpoilerTV’s Performer of the Month for June.

[gamermoment]

WAHOO :D!!!!!

OK SO I've really liked Rachel from the beginning (as in from when I first started watching Gumball when I was like 7 and only the first few episodes were out on) and honestly, coming back to series after getting older and finding that she NEVER appeared in any episode post season 1 (or just post "The Party") kinda did shock me a lot. I feel like they'd at least keep her in the background every now and then :(

OKAY SO POST VOID AU THEORY:

Tobias probably didn't lie; Rachel might have supposedly gone to college like he stated in that one "Darwin's Yearbook" clip. Seeing that she supposedly went there, it's weird. She was attending Elmore Junior High and I'd assume she's in the same class as Clare, Hot Dog Guy, Wilson, etc., since she was the older sibling. Did she get to graduate early? And as far as I'm aware they all haven't physically grown over the course of the show. Rachel specifically was taken out by the show directors because they didn't like her personality; as though none of the other characters were just as annoying (that's what gives the show a sense of genuinity. teens are cruel and really blunt and annoying (speaking as a teen myself ofc.)) (And even then- the characters did subtly-or-straight-up develop over time)

Rachel has vanished, and something I noticed when comparing Rachel and Rob was they both are stated to have supposedly gone to college. Rob claimed to have a degree in canadian history; and Tobias stated that Rachel went. So these two already have a lot in common, on top of the "both being background characters who suddenly vanished before Season 3" but with Rob's case, he comes back and takes on a new style change in his design. Rachel isn't seen again.

There's a strong correlation between "college/uni" and the Void. So did Rachel go to college? Allegedly, but my theory is she ended up the same as Rob- in the Void.

ok now for the actual AU:

im still working on a little synopsis for a fic! but so far I've got

• She's stuck in the Void and with a strong drive to leave and spite the world, she forcibly makes her way out even if it means tearing apart the materialized border between the Void and Elmore.

• She steps out of the void and

(just like Rob, she's disfigured- which I actually drew some concept art of her that I'll post later! it's not done but i will share the WIP on my art acc :3) She looks around and sees almost no one except for a couple of people right outside their houses.

• Shes not angry, just annoyed she got sent away from where she lived; so she looks and tries to reunite with her brother and family.

• but before that, it becomes night time and she finds a bench to sleep on, she's cold; she wakes up and woah!!! someone covered her in newspapers

• Rachels unaware of what she looks like so as shes making her way to the school and encounters Felicity, Rachel is really confused as to why the woman is screaming and covering Billy's eyes before running off.

• Offended and taken aback, she realizes something- if it isnt the fact that her arm is slightly glitching and both arms are covered in faint gray and pink; its that she hasnt had a makeover in an eternity.

• she goes over to a puddle on the side of the road to see her reflection, but it's too muddy and unclear so she makes her way to the school again.

• Rachel walks in and the halls are empty; everyones in class so Rachel takes this opportunity to go to the bathroom and see what changed.

• She sees herself in the mirror, freaks out which alarms the two other girls in the bathroom (sarah and jamie, who neither of them recognize her) The latter of the two grabs a broken pipe and attempts to attack Rachel with it.

• ThE GiRls ArE FiGhtInG and Clare walks in just in time, slamming the door behind her which caught all 3 girls' attention.

• Rachel took the chance to kick Jamie off of her and bolted towards the door; Clare immediately gets out of the way.

• After leaving the bathroom, she goes around the school seeing if she can find her brother and eventually stumbles into Brown's office (who did not take Rachel's sudden uncanny appearance lightly) He doesn't recognize her at all and threatens to call authorities if she doesn't leave school property.

• Rachel is now running through the hall, the bell rings and she bumps into Mr. Small (note: she saw him and the wattersons come into the void when they rescued Molly) She passes by Gumball and Darwin too but doesn't pay much attention.

aaaaand thats all that I have of the base/rough draft for now; im really excited to finalize this into a full fic!

Another note: the main plot of this AU is she unites with Rob and the two get to know each other better while planning revenge and discussing the void (they even live together at the dump where Rob resides)- there's also a little romance between her and Clare as they see each other more frequently outside of the school, Clare trying to suppress her feelings for Rachel but the latter prompts they hang out each time they see each other.

this AU is still a wip but its really fun thinkin about it!

[curlewsteph]

COVID THERAPY VIEWING

It’s been a year indeed and a struggle, but when I’ve needed an escape I’ve found solace in some brilliant tv series this year that I want to take a moment to remember. Immersing myself in characters, online discussion, podcasts and more, has kept me going and allowed me to block out everything that 2020 has been when I’ve needed to. This is my first and possibly only Tumblr post but here, the place where I’ve found so much great conversation, fan fic, gif sets and more to add to my enjoyment of my favourite things to watch, seems the best place to leave my own thoughts. So here goes from the year’s beginning to its welcome ending:

TURN - Washington’s Spies

I’ve got a thing for moody Jamie Bell (The Eagle 😍) and discovered TURN last New Year looking for other historical dramas he’d appeared in. These characters completely captured me and drew me into a historical period I’d done my best to avoid since flunking it during A Level history. Abe made quite the most useless spy but his passion and compassion sold him to me. The Culper Ring story is fascinating and the show brought to life the real lives and conflicts of those involved. Intriguing portrayals of morally corrupt characters (Simcoe, Andre etc) who surprise you at every turn kept me gripped and props to some extremely fine acting and characterisation. The found family dynamic of the Culper Ring was a real joy and Brewster will forever be one of my most favourite characters. I wanted more personal development and not really being able to ship Abe with anyone especially was a let down but it was a fine series that really kept me company.

PEAKY BLINDERS

I’ve no idea why it took me so incredibly long to watch this series but having eventually succumbed I was hooked from the very first episode. Brooding, oppressive, threatening yet full of charm and humour with characters that jump out of the screen and take your heart without asking, made it addictive viewing for me this year. The next series is light years away but I’m waiting for you Tommy.

THE 100

Thank all the stars that we had good weather during lockdown because the final series of this post-apocalyptic drama almost ruined my summer. I’ve followed every twist and turn over the past six years, had my Bellarke heart broken time over time, shared the pain and angst of an array of brilliant characters and watched through my fingers when the creators treated legions of fans of all factions, worse than mortal enemies. But the end was coming and I stuck with it - despite my misgivings since the overturning of the Writers Room - buoyed by some hopeful S6 content, but I should have listened harder to my guts. Despite some flickers of promise in S6, it was beyond clear to me that the new writing team simply didn’t have the same connection to the characters and history of the show. Instead of wanting to resolve arcs and reunite characters we’d become inexorably entwined with, the lure of the new and an opportunity to reinvent and take a detour sparkled more brightly to them - something I will never ever be able to fathom. Fans forgotten, long running storylines dropped and characters - including our leads - essentially abandoned and made for a horror show of a final act. S7 broke my heart and I should have seen it coming. When I’ll feel ready to rewatch The 100 again I don’t know, but I’ll end my run when the show should have at the S5 finale and save the CPR scene for an occasional treat. Farewell and May We Meet Again.

THE MUSKETEERS

Salvation comes in leather and 18thC lace. I ADORED this so much! Again I was incredibly late to the party because it seemed such a frivolous show but a Youtube fan vid drew me in and I’m so thankful for it. The plots are mostly light but tackle some important issues, the tension is chest heavingly dramatic and everyone looks astonishing and oh my was this the antidote to an anti-climactic apocalyptic obsession that I needed. There’s humour, kindness, compassion, daring do and a huge dollop of care and an emphasis on the value of friendship too. Clever dialogue, confident female characters, wry humour and some seriously good acting healed my heart. And yes the outfits helped. I loved it all and was transfixed by Tom Burke’s Athos.

STRIKE

...which led me to Strike. I don’t do whodunnits and crime fiction as a rule is just not my thing, usually because the core cast is always too small and I miss the found-family dynamic and they often feel claustrophobic, plus the predictable focus on difficult but supposedly fascinating men in the lead can be dull. In some regards, Strike is no different but Tom Burke’s performance and more significantly Holiday Grainger’s skill in playing Robin and how she transforms the usual “gritty detective with attractive sidekick” dynamic on its head, is really superb. I’ve read the books now too - my first JKRs. Honestly, parts are overwritten and a little indulgent but elements are breathtaking and as she’s so involved in the series too it’s a tie up I became incredibly invested in and the actors on screen are the characters on the page for me too. One does not lose out to the other, which is often the case with dramatisations. I can’t wait for the next instalment.

THE LAST KINGDOM

#TeamUhtred #TeamUhtred #TeamUhtred that’s it, that’s all there is to say, although it’s not obviously. TLK has been a slow burn for me and I began it several times when it was first aired by the BBC. The early series felt small, focussed on a pretty hateful hero who I failed to connect with, but I loved Aethelflaed and her story with Erik and Uhtred’s growing maturity was intriguing too. And then Netflix came in and the show exploded! Better scripts, more than the same 3 locations, impressive costumes and set-piece battles with characters that grew and grew. I rewatched S3 in preparation for S4’s release which I binged in style in lockdown 1 and cried when it ended. Utterly brilliant and a cast of characters that came closest to replicating the joy of my first fandom experience with the outlaws of Robin of Sherwood. Uthred has become a leader, has had to reckon with his responsibilities and shows a tenderness as he’s aged that the young callous warrior lacked. But if it weren’t for his bunch of faithful arselings I wouldn’t be watching at all. Without Finan there is no TLK for me. He’s my favourite character to have emerged in years. It’s the humour, the humanity of him that makes me cheer for him every time - as well as the arms 😍 Long live TLK. Or a final season at least.

VIKINGS (*spoilers for S6b)

2020 ended another long standing favourite series that I’ve followed for years. Unlike The 100 I’m not as deeply invested in this saga but Vikings has kept me company for so long now that the show feels part of me. It’s certainly lost it’s way over time but my favourite characters still shone brightly and those we lost were sent off triumphantly. I’ll forever miss Ragnar and the show lost a lot of its appeal with his passing, but the homage paid to such a talisman of a character was always done well. Later series did feel repetitive and the drama between the Ragnarsson brothers diluted. But Ubbe - my love - stayed true and the ending for him and Hvitserk (I always felt so heart sick for him) both felt fitting. And Bjorn’s final climax was awe inspiring (I do wish the tomb had stayed closed though). I’d have absolutely loved more time to have been spent on Ubbe’s future adventures instead of the endless hours in barren wastelands and storm lashed ships, but what we got was good. As for Ivar... an utterly unforgettable character (performed superbly) who became human again was a journey to behold. I’m glad it went that way but honestly I lost touch with him with all the time spent on the Rus storyline that repeatedly ate its own tail. Getting back to Wessex brought the show full circle and I loved it for that. Farewell Vikings. I hope Ubbe and Torvi are still doing ok in their new Valhalla.

[sigmalied]

THOBM S1:E4

While I’m here I’d like to obnoxiously discuss why Episode 4 of Bly Manor is my favorite, regarding the portrayal of Dani’s inner struggle with her sexuality, through a point-by-point chronological analysis.

Part 1: First Flashback

The episode opens with a flashback to Dani’s childhood, revealing the owner of the glasses as Eddie. Dani says she needs to go home, but Eddie insists she stays. At this point, persuading her to stay is relatively innocent. Some day, it won’t be.

We then leap to the moments before Dani and Eddie’s rehearsal dinner. Eddie asks if she’s ready, and Dani hesitates, giving a weak “I think so,” which Eddie brushes off without much concern, perhaps chalking it up to stage fright.

Dani does not speak at the rehearsal, but Eddie does. In his speech, he reveals that Dani had to dare him to kiss her, presumably because she couldn’t do it herself. He calls her “Danielle”, never “Dani”. Additionally, Eddie spent their adolescence and early adulthood asking Dani to marry him, each time receiving a “no” until Dani finally caved in. Why Eddie is so surprised about being dumped later on is beyond me.

Eddie’s mom, Judy, catches Dani escaping the dance floor and gives Dani her old wedding dress. Dani holds the dress in front of herself before a mirror and Judy asks her to say, “Good morning, Mrs. O’Mara,” in reference to both the first time she met Dani, and Dani’s wedding day when that will also become her name, too.

During this segment, both Eddie and Judy insist that Dani knows what she wants. Judy even encourages her to speak her mind. This puts some responsibility on Dani for her predicament, and it’s not entirely undue. Dani is passive. She is trapped, yes, but she has also taken no measures toward freeing herself.

Part 2: Day of the Funeral

The flashback ends and Dani’s in her room at Bly, getting ready for Owen’s mom’s funeral. The timing of Dani remembering her impending wedding on the day of a FUNERAL is incredibly telling, as is the obvious link between Judy’s dress and Dani’s only black one.

Jamie comes in, and when Dani expresses her reservations Jamie doesn’t pressure her to go if she’s not comfortable doing so. Jamie’s, “I don’t need you to be my date to Owen’s mom’s funeral” suggests they’ve discussed going together, probably sometime that same morning, but Jamie doesn’t trap her in that arrangement. She readily gives Dani a way out and doesn’t shame her about it. (Compare to Eddie and Dani before the rehearsal).

Dani asks Jamie to help her out of the black dress (just the zipper!). The point of this isn’t merely sexual tension, it’s also symbolic of Jamie freeing Dani from a life she equates with death. Eddie’s specter shows up, right on schedule, to guilt Dani for her intimacy with Jamie.

Part 3: The Kitchen & Dani’s Nervous Episode

Jamie returns from the funeral to find Hannah, Dani, and the kids preparing supper in the kitchen. Jamie eerily foreshadows the struggle she and Dani will face in their future relationship, as well as her own character development, when she discusses care for someone with a terminal condition.

Jamie catches Dani staring at her. Dani averts her gaze but keeps glancing back even as she approaches the kitchen sink. Eddie makes an appearance, as expected, and it thoroughly rattles Dani because his form has become physical as he places his hands on her hips. (It may be somewhat of a stretch, but the physicality of Eddie might imply that Dani's private thoughts toward Jamie were trending toward the ‘physical’). She excuses herself in a panic; it’s all coming to a head because she’s starting to realize what this means for herself.

Part 4: Second Flashback

Dani’s getting Judy’s old wedding dress fitted. Judy and her own mother watch. For such a short scene, this one is DENSE. Allow me to draw your attention to a few spicy quotes: “Luckily, Danielle does not share my taste in men.” - Dani’s mother. “Well, lucky for Edmund; he’s the lucky one in this equation...” - Judy. “Danielle��s father helped pick [my dress] out, and look how THAT turned out.” - Dani’s mother. Everything here has double meaning. From the obvious implication that Dani doesn’t have a taste in men at all, to the more subtler “THAT” referring to both Dani’s mom’s bad marriage and how Dani ‘turned out’ (to be non-heterosexual).

The tailor flirts with Dani. Or seems to. Either way, Dani hones in on it; how she compliments her shoulders, gives her a smile, lets a hand linger on her lower back. Dani sees their reflections together in the mirror.

When Dani resurfaces from this flashback she looks solemn, even grim, with realization. She’s still looking at Jamie, but now she understands why.

Part 5: Third Flashback & The Bonfire

Dani joins Jamie, Owen, and Hannah for a bonfire outside. She spaces out and recalls the night Eddie died. They went to dinner that night. Dani nervously bites her fingernails and Eddie says, “Hey, easy. You’re going to hurt yourself.” Dani replies, “I’m sorry. I keep trying to stop.” Some more subtext there. It should also be pointed out that Eddie doesn’t even ask what’s wrong, or if she’s okay. He just assumes it’s the stress of planning their wedding. Little does he know, Dani’s about to break up with him. She almost doesn’t, at first. She tip-toes around it. “I thought I wanted it. I wanted to want it... [there’s] so many people to let down...” Then Eddie says, “For a second it almost sounded like you didn’t want to get married at all,” and the opportunity is finally right in front her, put in words, because she hasn’t been able to do it herself.

They talk in the car. Dani says she didn’t want to hurt anyone, because she still loves Eddie, just not like that. “And it’s just what we were doing... If I could just stick it out, eventually I would feel how I was supposed to.” They’ve been physically intimate, but Dani’s been unable to feel any emotional connection.

Angry and hurt, Eddie exits the car, gets hit by a truck, and dies. This is the source of the guilt that haunts Dani. She blames everything on herself. If she had just married him, or had the guts to be truthful about herself earlier, Eddie would still be alive. This is her flawed logic, and it sabotages her every time she tries to move forward. She sees Eddie in reflections because she can’t bear to confront herself.

Back at the bonfire, they toast the dead. Jamie toasts the late Wingraves. Dani, too, surprisingly. What’s important is that she praises who Dani is: “a bit of a weirdo, but stronger than she thinks”. It’s brief, but significant when you contrast it with Eddie’s speech at the dinner rehearsal, where he gives no real indication that he even knows who Dani is. To him, Dani is Danielle, “this amazing, beautiful girl” and while those are nice things to say, he speaks nothing of Dani’s character. 

Part 6: The Greenhouse

Dani and Jamie sneak away to the greenhouse, where Dani elaborates about her fiance and confesses how she still ‘sees’ him. Jamie doesn’t say she’s crazy, instead focusing on what matters: that Dani’s surviving. Jamie knows grief and trauma. She knows how it can fuck people up in different ways, from first-hand experience. It’s acceptance and the peace of being heard and seen that compels Dani to kiss her. She doesn’t have to dare Jamie, she doesn’t passively wait for it to happen, no, she takes the initiative to make a move first because for the first time possibly ever, Dani knows what she wants. But her guilt’s still there. It ruins the moment when she sees Eddie again.

Part 7: Drunk Dani Putting the Past to Rest

After drinking courage into herself and nearly getting fucking bodied by Viola on her way out, Dani tosses Eddie’s glasses into the bonfire and confronts his ghost a final time. She knows what she wants, but she first needs to make peace with the past and with herself. 

In conclusion: This episode was a true delight from a critical point of view. Dani’s journey from realization to self-acceptance was filled with subtlety and heart the whole way through and I had such a good time picking out the parallels, subtext, and symbolism. I know S1:E9 is probably more popular, because yeah, that all happened, but S1:E4 was so well-written, personally relevant, and teeming with storytelling devices that the writer in me could not for a second consider any other entry as my favorite episode of the season.

[multimetaverse]

Jamie Johnson 5x08 Review

Tonight was one of the best, if not the best, Jamie Johnson eps so far. Dillon faced some of his toughest obstacles yet in his coming out journey and we got some sweet Delliot moments. Let’s dig in!

This British kids soccer show continues to make history. We saw some very nuanced and mature discussions between Dillon and Elliot about being gay and coming out; how often on tv do two gay kids actually discuss their sexualities?  Elliot gave Dillon some great advice and perhaps more importantly told Dillon that he was in fact brave and a winner on and off the pitch

You’d have to be daft to deny that Dillon and Elliot have crushes on each other after this ep. Seeing both Dillon and Elliot trying their best to look nice before meeting up with each other was cute and their handhold at the pitch was very sweet. Lots of soft smiles and longing glances and we even got a hug before Elliot left

Laquarn has confirmed that he’s not in any more S5 eps and doesn’t know if he’s back for the yet to be filmed S6. I can only hope he’ll come back. It would be a waste of great chemistry and an engaging character if Elliot was just meant to help Dillon with his sexuality before passing the torch to Ruby. He clearly left the door open for a future reunion when he told Dillon to call him when he was ready. Patrick confirmed in an interview today that he’ll be back for S6 and presumably Dillon will be playing for Foxborough or some other pro team. Being in a relationship would certainly be a good spur for Dillon to come out more publicly. And Elliot’s love of astronomy is a perfect set up for a date under the staahs

It’s true that the show has not really focused on ships in a big way; the most we’ve gotten was Boggy and Nancy and the low key Jack, Jamie, and Michelle triangle. But at the same time if Dillon can take Indira out and kiss Sienna then he should be able to date a boy he likes. It would be tragic if the closest Dillon gets to having a boyfriend or kissing a boy is Liam outing Dillon and claiming that Elliot was Dillon’s boyfriend and that he thought they were gonna kiss

And it’s a bit shady that Eric of all people is suddenly getting a female love interest out of nowhere. I just hope when the show eventually ends that it doesn’t turn out to be another Andi Mack where Cyrus was able to kiss a girl twice and go on dates with a girl and use the word girlfriend when none of that happened with a boy

Jamie Johnson really covered a lot tonight with Dillon. We had a very helpful run down of Dillon’s past with girls and the show carefully explains that Dillon never liked Sienna like that, he never wanted to kiss her, he never had a crush on anyone else like she thought, and he never liked Ruby as more than a friend (at least Duby shippers still have Alba and Liam for an Osborne-Simmonds ship). It wasn’t subtle but I think it was necessary to really drive home that Dillon is really gay and there’s no going back. And we got confirmation that Elliot was Dillon’s first crush, he’s obviously never beaten anyone up on this show and the way he phrases it makes clear that he’s never really thought about liking boys that way until very recently

And boy did this ep ever tackle homophobia. Graham Simmonds was seriously out of order this ep. He clearly didn’t want to believe Liam but Dillon using his aftershave already primed him to believe he was trying to impress someone, he just assumed it had been a girl. He really ran through the homophobe’s greatest hits collection: blaming Ruby’s gay parents, saying being gay was a choice, saying that being gay would end Dillon’s career, and disowning and kicking Dillon out for being gay. I suspect that quite a few of the parents watching JJ with their kids hold some of the same views or act the same way and this ep really holds up a mirror and reflects how ugly that kind of behaviour is. We also see Graham praising Dillon’s accomplishments and character right before Liam outs him which just exposes his hypocrisy even more. I do give the show credit for not shying away from Graham’s awfulness, it’s not going to be a quick change for him to suddenly accept Dillon and I’m excited to see his journey to atoning for his mistakes

Thankfully Mrs. Simmonds returned from her banishment to the shadow realm to tell Dillon she loved him and to tell him to return home. Shaun Duggan said he hoped this ep would be a lifeline for kids watching who may be living in homophobic homes (he also mentioned that CBBC rules don’t allow eps to allow on cliffhangers so he has to end an ep showing that the characters are at least physically okay)

It also challenges the audience, most of whom are probably young boys and men, as to whether they will suddenly stop liking Dillon just because he’s gay. It was a real gamble on the show’s part to have their fan favourite character and the effective second lead of the show come out as gay but it has the tremendous pay off of really making the audience question their assumptions and hopefully for some of them it will change their world views

Dillon and Elliot also discussed homophobia in sports. Dillon correctly notes that there aren’t any out players in the top professional teams. Shaun Duggan mentioned in a BBC interview that they like to bring on professional soccer players when they’re having the kids going through things but this time he wasn’t able to have anyone come on to help Dillon because there are no out players. So it falls to Jamie Johnson to basically create that reality themselves by telling Dillon’s story

Patrick Ward did a phenomenal job tonight and he really is the best of the kid actors. He’s mentioned in interviews that he did a lot of research by watching shows and movies with similar gay story lines. In particular his breakdown set to Behind Blue Eyes by the Who was very well done (and once again the show has great taste in music). And of course, Shaun Duggan did an amazing job writing this ep. He’s openly gay himself and that makes all the difference in bringing an authenticity and depth to this story line. On Andi Mack of the 5 textual gay eps only one, 3x11, was written by a gay man and not surprisingly that was the best written by far of those eps

We were 19 minutes into the ep before Jamie himself briefly showed up. And he was 5th in the credits tonight with Dillon and Elliot taking the number 1 and 2 spots. Actually this whole ep had a very small cast and only a few locations, it really helped focus this ep on Dillon. Having Dillon seek out Jamie is interesting in that they’ve been foils for each from the start. But also because it sends a message to have Jamie Johnson himself praise Dillon, it’s a way for the writers to speak directly to the audience through the title character

We’ll doubtless get some more development on Dillon’s story line in the rest of the season but they’ve done historic work so far. A lot of what we’ve seen so far: the depiction of homophobia, coming out to parents, and two gay kids discussing their sexualities has yet to happen anywhere on Disney. Hell this ep alone had more uses of the word gay than Disney has yet to have

I loved how extra the black and white boxing match cold open was. Not surprising that Dillon sees Mike as the supportive (and non homophobic) father figure he wishes Graham was

This was a big step backwards for Liam’s redemption arc tonight but at least at the end he didn’t seem to buying into his dad’s bullshit about them being the only men left in the house. Liam is by no means blameless but he’s also a victim of his dad’s emotional abuse and his pitting his sons against each other. That little meet up with Eric was interesting because they’re foils for each other in some ways and I’m curious to see what lies ahead for Liam and the U13 crew and for how Liam makes this up to Dillon

Looking Ahead:

Finally we get back to the real meat and potatoes of this show; online gaming! Looks like Mike is bored of gardening at the allotment and wants Jamie to get back into real soccer. We’ll see if Jamie makes into the online tournament

Again, not really sure why Eric suddenly needs Ayesha but we’re getting some Freddie anger over Eric choosing lasses over lads

Until next week Jamie Johnsoners

[mcustorm]

Thoughts on Love, Victor Season 1

PSA: If you think that you might be gay, don’t get a girl emotionally invested! Please!

Ya know, at first when I thought about what I was going to write about this show, I thought that I should split the writings into the first half/last half of the show. Now I’m thinking “screw it”, if only because if I was going to go that route I should have stopped, parsed through my feelings about the first 5 episodes, and written those thoughts before proceeding with the next half. That, of course, did not happen, so to prevent the back half of the season’s events from miring the first half, I’ll just write about the whole shebang. There’s probably a joke about that word somewhere, I’ll try not to make it.

Anyways, let’s start by saying that on the whole, I really liked this show. It was not as good as Sex Education season 1, yet in my opinion waaaay better than HSMTMTS season 1. Most of the characters were likable and felt developed enough, it moved at a nice pace, and you can tell that a lot of heart went into this. Perhaps because we all watched this in a day, it felt like a 5 hour movie rather than a 10 episode tv show.

Additionally, I of course like the Latinx representation. The intersectionality of the Latinx community and the LGBTQ+ community has been presented on at least five TV shows to my knowledge: Ugly Betty, One Day at a Time, Diary of a Future President, The Baker and the Beauty, and now Love, Victor. Let’s keep it up!

As for the premise of the show itself, I *love* that this show acknowledges that Simon’s journey, at least at his house, was leaps and bounds easier than many other people’s. Victor’s parents are more conservative and religious, and they don’t have their shit together, so this is not the best environment to drop that bombshell in (which is why it was so incredible when Victor decides to do it anyway). Simon and Victor’s DM’s being a framing device for the show was a great way to tie the universe together.

The hook of Love, Simon was that you know all those cheesy and cliche rom-coms that straight people have gotten since the dawn of time? Well LGBT people deserve those stories too! Love, Victor is sort of presented with that same thesis in mind, which is why watching these episodes felt like different things I’ve seen before all over. The whole season ironically feels like Alex Strangelove: The TV Show, right down to the often cringy relationship with the girl, the openly gay love interest who conflicts our protagonist, and the goofball friend who chases after a girl who is seemingly out of his league.

Mia’s character felt a lot like Laila from All-American, being a black girl who is ordained as the hottest girl at school (which I feel like is a title only given in fictional schools), who also has a missing mother and problems with her rich dad. Pilar, on the other hand, feels like Casey from Atypical, in that she is openly rebellious in large part because of her mother’s infidelity.

Victor’s story this season sure was something to watch. The biggest question for me was, just how much sympathy should he be given? The world is inherently unfair to Victor. None of us should have to go through the agony and anxiety that so often comes with being in the closet and coming out. But for Victor to have visited those problems on Mia, who is going through things herself? That makes him pretty morally gray.

But he was still finding himself! But he loves Mia, just not like that! I get it, which is why he should have cut things off as soon as he got back from New York, no he should have cut things off when she asked him if there was “anything else” in her bedroom, no he should have cut things off when he literally felt like he and Benji were the only two people in the room at the concert, no he really shouldn’t have done this to begin with.

The line between Victor finding himself and him deceiving Mia is the conflict of the show, but the moment for me when I was like “Damn, Victor” was after he intentionally derailed Mia’s shebang-ing that she planned, he found the gall to lie to Benji and plan a seduction! That is why the season finale was so glorious. Because yes, while the world is unfair to Victor, he’s being unfair to the people around him.

I have made it a point not to read other people’s opinions extensively so as not to bias my own thoughts, but is Felix everybody else’s favorite? Felix’s character and arc was great. He was a supportive friend yet still felt like he had a story and stakes of his own, something which some TV shows get right (Sex Ed) and some TV shows get various shades of wrong (Jamie Johnson, Andi Mack). I like that he knew his worth and cut things off with Lake, and I like that she realized that her happiness with him should take priority over what others think of her.

I was soooo sympathetic to Mia. Her world is being turned upside down at home. Clearly, she has not even processed her mother being out of her life, and now her Dad is “replacing” her Mom while the baby is also “replacing” her! In Mia’s eyes, at least. Mia just needs to know that she is loved and appreciated. Which she *thought* of all people she’d be able to get from her boyfriend. Shucks.

As for the rest of Victor’s family, I also thought the parents’ storyline was pretty interesting yet unfortunate. Armando just can’t come around to trusting Isabel, which I actually kind of understand. Isabel, meanwhile, is being prevented from doing the thing she loves to do, which sucks especially because she’s in a radically new environment. Adrian is of course great, protect him at all costs. Pilar’s seemingly permanent mode of “angsty” is completely justified, as her friends back in TX are moving on just fine without her, she’s having trouble opening up and fitting in, and her family is WYLIN.

Some things that didn’t go so well for me was Andrew’s character, who feels like he’s just there to obstruct at any given moment. Y'all knew that when Victor and Benji were having that convo in the bathroom, someone was in the stall and someone was Andrew. Also, my guy, how are you not even somewhat aware that you are a total douchecanoe? I liked Benji, but Venji didn’t quite work for me because of all of the cheatation that it took to get there. Benji was pissed and ready to stay away from Victor permanently after the [attempted seduction], but once his relationship was over he was completely fine with putting his tongue down Mia’s boyfriend’s throat.

Overall, I really enjoyed this show. Some of these teen dramas I’m admittedly only watching for the LGBT content, so to have that be at the forefront of a show for once was amazing. The conflict was realistic if frustrating, and to me most of the characters seemed fully realized. Thankfully, the show didn’t even feel too “spin-offy” even with Nick Robinson being all over it.

In any given multi-season serialized show, the trajectory of the show goes one of two ways: the first season puts your feet on the ground of the series, and then later seasons go above and beyond with the storytelling (The Office, Breaking Bad, Bojack Horseman, Jamie Johnson) OR the first season is pretty great TV, and the following seasons fail to live up to its glory (The Good Place, Dear White People, really most every Netflix show ever). Which category Love, Victor ends up in is something to look forward to. Where do we go from here now that Victor is taking his first steps out of the closet?

Stray thoughts from the episodes:

The soundtrack on the whole, was not my cup of tea. I still liked a couple of songs, so that means somebody out there liked more of them.

I completely forgot Natasha Rothwell was in Love, Simon. More of her! More of Ali Wong! More of Beth Littleford! They were all great.

So Roger got his ass beat by Armando, and he still wants to get back with her?? Roger is reckless, man.

Speaking of reckless, Victor’s closet skills completely fell apart towards the end there. Assume somebody’s always watching!

Lake’s mother is a trip.

Good for the family for standing up to the grandparents.

Oh my god, Simon and Bram. Those guys are mine, and now they’re growing up and moving to the Big Gay City. They’ve come a long way.

Speaking of the Big Gay City, we were in Atlanta for a season and got *0* acknowledgement of the vibrant gay community there. More things to look forward to.

Was anybody else singing Selena along with Isabel? That is my favorite Selena song!

By rule of Felix being a male and Pilar being a female close in age, I immediately thought they were going to be a thing. The writers didn’t pull that thread too much...

That moment at the end there when we all thought Victor was going to hold off on his announcement only for him to go “fuck it” and say it anyways? And then he got to exhale? Perfect. chef’s kiss

What with June being Pride month, the SCOTUS ruling a couple of days ago, this entire show premiering today, and Delliot things going down in less than 24 hours, this will likely be the gayest week of the year. I suggest we all enjoy it.

Stay Peachy!

[pianoandcookiedoughlover]

season 5 episode 12. where do we start with you?

(jamie johnson by the way lmao)

okay i can’t be bothered this time to put in any screenshots so i’m sorry about that

i don’t know where i want to start because i was . . . uh . . . not a fan of any of it really?

i guess we should go with jamie. this whole gaming storyline has just been a little . . . blegh and seeing so much of it in this episode was kind of mind-numbing. i will say i think it was cool how they did the animation for the video game scenes and were able to get the cast to have opportunities to play. i know they all have a real passion for it. 

jethro is jetpac11 - can @celialestial get a prize for this?

i was laughing so hard hearing how much deeper jethro’s voice got

and then ian.

honestly just not surprised at this point. it’s always the same thing: he waltzes into jamie’s life, his irresponsible and reckless behavior screws jamie’s life up and watch, he’s gonna dip again, like he always does. he’s always seen jamie as an excuse to act like a complete buffoon and this was no different. because of jamie’s age, he can try and “get in his corner” by acting so “relatable” and being the fun and light-hearted dad, something that was always such a stark contrast from karen. and now jamie’s career at hawkstone is well and truly over because of it. he always claims to be behind jamie, but encouraging behavior that may be fun at the time but will cause a person to have regrets over it is not being behind them, it’s egging them on.

something that also kind of bothered me was how they sort of leaned into stereotypes at this gaming tournament. jamie played against two girls in the entire episode, and both had the kind of goth look. on the other hand, all the guys we saw (jethro, his friends, etc) all seemed relatively normal. video games are always made out to be a guys thing, and the only girls that play it have to be “eccentric” - there is no way a stereotypically feminine girl could ever play video games and be good at them, no way. that was just kind of something that annoyed me. all kinds of girls can and do play video games competitively. 

anyway, now jamie is royally fucked with hawkstone and has to play against jethro in the final. who knows what’s going to happen with that. i genuinely have no clue what they’re planning to do with his character going forward, but i just hope we can see some real character growth from him after this whole ordeal.

speaking of character growth . . . 

where the hell did liam’s go???

i thought we were going to see a great arc after dillon’s whole coming out (or rather, liam outing him to his dad) but nope, he’s just turned into the manipulative jerk we saw in season 4. maybe season 6 will be his comeback?

i’m literally laughing as i write that.

the whole locking in alba, freddie and eric thing was kind of . . . *sigh* because it’s a trope that supposed to serve as an opportunity for reconciliation between characters, but i just felt it wasn’t fully fleshed out. it was just kind of, “we’re always gonna be the three amigos” and that was it. 

side note: it kind of feels like most characters in this show are incapable of apologizing? which i could see them defending as saying that kids don’t know how to but as a teenager, plenty of people i know my age know how to apologize. i just find it frustrating because so many characters in this deserve better and flat out were either treated horribly or used as plot devices for other characters.

i thought it was actually really mature of aisha to want to take a step back from eric. a lot of the time, teenagers have the tendency to want to dive into relationships at the sacrifice of other things/people in their life, naively thinking that that prospective boyfriend/girlfriend/s/o is the only person they need. soon, the whole relationship completely implodes and that person has alienated themselves from everyone else and has no one to support them afterwards. i think aisha can see this and has to do something for eric that she knows he can’t do himself. she knows that being with eric would destroy his friendship with freddie and alba in multiple ways, and she knows that he needs them. i really liked that from her. let’s hope she doesn’t disappear off into the sunset with all the other characters in jamie johnson that are brought on for no more than 1 season . . .

the whole thing is a shame because i really don’t think freddie truly liked aisha. i think they enjoyed each others’ company, but after eric got jealous, freddie got really caught up in the competition of it, almost like a game. but i think there could’ve been something between eric and aisha. i mean, come on, he told her about his brother the first time they hung out, even though it took him AGES to even tell molly. and i think it would’ve been a really cool thing to demonstrate to their younger audience if eric and aisha could’ve gotten together and eric not be completely all over aisha and still make time for alba and freddie, and for freddie not to be so competitive with eric. showing a healthy relationship and balancing that and valuable friendships.

when alba told them about how the adoption was successful, my heart broke slightly for her. that is such a big deal and her two best friends are being absolute clowns over some girl.

OH i also thought it was cute how quickly alba defended aisha, saying it wasn’t her fault that the trio were growing apart. honestly if a talented artist out there wants to make fan art of these ships that we come up with i think we’d all love it. 

while i feel bad for liam that he’s feeling so alone, manipulating people’s current feelings about their friends and trying to act as a better replacement for them is not the way to gain someone’s trust. so i’m really disappointed in his character.

the last plot was with ruby and dillon. i was kind of upset about how short their scenes were, but i’m glad we got to see this side of his whole journey. coming out is a really complicated process with a lot of potential consequences. we’re seeing dillon being torn about wanting to be open about who he is but being afraid that that is going to ruin his football career for him. he even said it himself, “right now, i don’t know what i want.” it’s a horrible situation and incredibly confusing. i think being outed hasn’t helped matters at all. while i’m not exactly in his situation, i do know about feeling conflicted about coming out, for various reasons. it’s a whole process in itself, knowing when you want to come out and how and who to, even after you’ve accepted yourself or are on the path to accepting yourself. i hope we get to see this developed further. i really praise the show for how they’ve handled this entire storyline so far and i’m excited to see the last episode and season 6.

and ruby being the supportive ally like we said . . . we stan

i think that’s it. hopefully the season ends with a bang in the next episode. and then we’re all gonna be sad because we have to wait probably 50 years before season 6 comes out, but in the meantime . . . maybe i could write some fics? 

if you got to this part of it, i appreciate you reading through this mess of a post, thank you!

[isagrimorie]

The Doctor Who showrunner wars is still in full swing despite the three Doctor Who showrunners being friends IRL, and some things they’ve done and implemented can all boil down to preference.

I wanted to weigh in with my thoughts on this.

I like some things RTD did in his time in Doctor Who, I am very grateful to him for bringing the show back from the war but I also remember slowly getting disgruntled with his writing.

He is a drama writer, and one of the best; RTD has a way of turning a phrase that just fires up the imagination like:“Skaro Degradations, the Horde of Travesties, the Nightmare Child, the Could-Have-Been-King with his army of Meanwhiles and Neverweres.”

He has also written and help re-write my favorite two-parter of Revival!Who Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit, Midnight, Turn Left, and Children of Earth. The problem is as much as he loves both camp (sometimes the results can work, sometimes it doesn’t), RTD’s cynicism does leak through.

He tried to fight against those instincts in Doctor Who but you can see the strain show as he struggled to keep that cynicism away from the show.

There’s also the part where his frequent joke targets are middle aged women. And TBH, I was tired of Ten’s God Complex (“I am the final authority!”) and how the narrative rarely call him out on it. Unlike Nine, he started to believe his own press and the press of other people

I wasn’t keen on the way he joked about appearances of women above thirty, and tbh, I was tired of Ten’s God Complex (“I am the final authority.”) and how the narrative refused to call him out on it.

Ten believing his own press could have been interesting if the narrative didn’t think he was right. For example, The Water of Marscould have been interesting but I thought WoM resolved Ten’s Time Lord Victorious moment far too soon and easily.

I thought they could have explored more about the ‘Time Lord Victorious’ moment for at least another episode, or have The End of Time comment on it.

Apart from series 1, all of RTD’s series finales were heart-wrenching; each finale I ended up feeling like I was going twenty rounds against a meat grinder.

It was why I loved and will continue to love series 5 and how refreshingly happy the ending was.

No one was trapped in another dimension! No one had to single-handedly stop an apocalypse and have their family enslaved, or mind-wiped.

In the scheme of things, I think in certain aspects, Moffat’s storytelling style is more on line with my tastes. The fairytale seasons. Even Twelve becomes a fairytale Doctor, and I wager that his arc in series 8 is remembering the joy and becoming the fairytale Doctor again.

Another reason why I love series 5, coming directly from Ten’s Lonely God thing, was that a lot of people called out the Doctor on their God Complex and made their self-loathing a lot more text. I also loved the fairy tale aspect of his seasons.

But like with RTD not everything Moffat’s done is my favorite, there were some stories that had missteps, and one of those missteps was Moffat trying to out clever himself. Credit to him for swinging for the fences but he also started to spread himself too thin working on two shows, and the seams showed.

One of the criticisms about Moffat’s writing is character work, and he had no interest in the Companions’ families.

I’m in the middle. I have issues but also (especially after rewatching) I was more forgiving, as an example, in the end I didn’t care as much about the state of Amy’s parents.

No, that’s wrong, I did care.

I cared the first time I watched Angels Take Manhattan, I cared so much that when Amy and Rory disappeared I was so angry because all I could think about was Amy’s parents and Brian (Rory’s dad). I cared to the point that it was one of the reasons why I stopped watching.

On subsequent rewatches, I’ve reconciled with the idea that Companion families and family dynamics (the Companion’s parents) isn’t something Moffat was interested in. It took Chibnall to give Rory a dad (interesting that parent-child dynamic is really something Chibnall is drawn to).

Honestly, if family dynamics isn’t something he is interested in, that’s fair. Also, Amy’s parent’s weren’t a factor since series 6 and Amy’s parents might have well fallen back into the Crack for all we know.

Rewatching also helped me come to terms with some narrative choices I wasn’t fond of. Binge (re)watch tended to sand down any rough parts and I find rewatching can help me hold the shape of a story more.

Still, it took a while to realize Eleven acting big and bombastic was deliberate. Moffat needed Eleven to be big and loud, and full of himself so he can also go crashing down. It falls in line with what River describes the Doctor she knew: “Now my Doctor, I’ve seen whole armies turn and run away. And he’d just swagger off back to his Tardis and open the doors with a snap of his fingers.”

One of the things I wasn’t satisfied with Moffat’s writing (and there were plenty) was how series 6 dealt with child loss. Or, how s6 initially didn’t deal with child loss. The writing would eventually address it, and most prominently in The Wedding of River Song in a fantastically chilling scene between Amy and Kovarian.

But even then I felt it wasn’t enough. Emotional continuity during this time was very low.

This brings me to River. I loved her the moment she stepped on screen in Silence in the Library but my love for her character cooled because of series 6. My theory is Moffat wrote himself into a corner trying to out grand series 5.

For those taking notes at home, I watched Doctor Who sporadically during series 7 and then stopped watching at Angels Take Manhattan. I stopped watching until Day of the Doctor happened.

**DotD* reignited my love for Doctor Who! So much so that I went back and binged series 7.

I liked s7 well enough except for how Amy and Rory left, that still sticks in my craw. I would have been okay if the Ponds left at the end of the Power of Three. Unfortunately, for Revival!Who, there’s an expectation now that Leaving Stories should be hard and tragic, and breaks your heart. I don’t always need grand leaving stories.

TBH, with the exception of The Day of the Doctor, Series 7B is one of my least favorite Moffat seasons.

One of the many factors was the way the writers kept giving Matt Smith big speeches. The writers know he can do big speeches so they kept writing big speeches for him. It was their default.

Also, as one podcast speculated series 7B could have been where the writers realized (belatedly) that Smith was actually quite hunky. This and Moffat being too busy to manage the next half of the season because of The Day of the Doctor can explain the disaster that was the Time of the Doctor.

TotD remains as one of my least favorite Doctor Who episodes ever. (Well, not ever, there are some series 2 and 3 episodes that stand above it).

And then the Capaldi era.

This was the turn around where I started loving Moffat’s work again. It wasn’t easy to get to that point though, and like the previous series, there was a time I fell off the Doctor Who wagon because the first half of Capaldi’s season didn’t click with me.

I found him far too mean and unlikable which broke my heart since I loved Capaldi.

But a binge, again, sanded down all sins (well, notall) and now the difficult and prickly series 8 is something I really enjoy because knowing where Twelve ended up in his character journey helped.

This is why, I don’t mind getting spoiled about a show, as long I only get the broad strokes but not the details. I love finding out what his journey was and I don’t think I would have come back if I didn’t know where he ended up.

I think I saw snippets of Zygon Inversion speech on YouTube, and then I decided to give Husbands of River Song convinced me to finally watch all of Twelve’s run.

And now Twelve is my favorite Doctor.

Moffat’s writing didn’t magically become perfect (to me) but I loved the themes he chose to tackle for Twelve. Twelve is another PTSD!Doctor but unlike Nine, he had an opportunity to grow from that trauma. (And get fresh ones — thanks Time Lords!).

I love that Moffat used Twelve’s stories as a way to interrogate Ten’s stories culminating in Heaven Sent/Hell Bent.

IMO, Twelve’s relationship with Clara is similar to Rose and Donna. Twelve and Clara developed quite a co-dependent relationship by the time series 9 rolled around. They never quite achieved the height of smugness that was the first minutes of Impossible Planet nor have they ever been as obnoxious as Ten and Rose were in Tooth and Claw. Possibly because the Doctor’s older at this point and knows the perils, and similar to Donna because of how Donna kept Ten grounded. And, of course, because of the mindwipe argument that was definitely Moffat’s answer to the mindwiping of Donna, and as Moffat said in the War Games commentary, to the mindwipe of Zoe and Jamie.

And then we have Bill with Twelve, showing the very final form of the Twelfth Doctor. Twelve as a grown-up, feeling settled with himself, finally. He learned a lot of lessons and committed himself to stay in one place.

I love the relationship he built with Bill and while I do love, love, love Jodie Whittaker, I was sad to have only one season of Bill and Twelve. Especially since after Lie of the Land Missy’s story began to have more prominence over Bill’s.

(And there’s the whole Missy thing which tbh would make this a longer post than it already is!).

TLDR. Both showrunners aren’t perfect, sometimes their views don’t align with mine. I loved series 1 because it was my entry point into Doctor Who but there are also things about RTD’s run I wasn’t happy with. Same with Moffat there were things I adored and things that really didn’t sit well with me.

There were points during both showrunner’s time on the show I had to take time off.

Now with Chibnall, the same thread runs through: I like most of his stories in series 11 but it also isn’t perfect and has a lot of room for improvement.

/EDITED

[thepunktheory]

Why GoT Season 8 sucked - Welcome to my TED Talk

I hadn't been a GoT fan from the first minute. However, once I had watched my first episode, I was all in. I binged all season, devoured the books. Needless to say, I was both excited and anxious about the final season. We could clearly see a decline in quality once the show had left the charted territory marked by George R. R. Martin's books. So, I had dialed down my expectation for the final season. Nevertheless, Benioff and Weiss managed to fuck it up beyond my wildest imaginations. About three episodes in, all I wanted was for the show to be over. It was almost painful to watch! So, what did Benioff and Weiss do to ruin it all?

What has Game of Thrones always been known for? Unforeseen plot twists, cleverly crafted stories, impressive characters along with intense character development, epic battles and (very important) strong female characters who seriously kick ass. Let me tell you in detail how all of that went down the drain with season 8.

I'll begin with the amazing female characters as that is what pissed me off the most. I have thoughts on Dany, Arya, Brienne, Sansa, Yara, and Cersei so prepare for a longer rant.

Brienne had always been one of my favorites in the show. She was strong, smart, stood up for herself and others. I was cheering for her when she finally got to be a knight in this season. Well, my joy was short-lived. After the big battle, Jamie, Brienne, Tyrion, and Podrick play a drinking game and Tyrion assumes that Brienne is a virgin. She stalks off into the night only to be followed by Jamie who ends up sleeping with her. The next he leaves a weeping Brienne behind as he heads for King's Landing (and Cersei). Let dissect everything that is wrong here. First of all, the fact that Brienne is a virgin is presented as something that appears to be a problem. Problems need fixing. So, of course, good guy Jamie is there to help her out. Seeing her cry because of some dude is jab the character that was built over 7 seasons. Don't try to tell me it was to make her human. We already know that. Brienne isn't perfect, she's also had her share of heartbreak. This scene only served one purpose: to remind us that in the end Brienne is a woman, weak and governed by emotions. No matter how amazing she is on the battlefield, she's still just a weeping girl. The scenes I mentioned have absolutely no relevance to the bigger story, don't do anything in terms of character development and were altogether simply unnecessary. Also, I was rooting for Tormund and was really sad to see him cast aside.

Next, some quick thoughts on Yara. Well, where was she this season? We get to see her for half a heartbeat before she's shipped off to the Iron Islands, never to be seen again. The fact that she was there in the final episodes, to say just about one sentence, felt more like a concession to fans than anything else. Her story arc doesn't really get any form of closure. It's like Benioff and Weiss had completely forgotten about her this season.

Just like Brienne, Arya had also been one of my favorites. I cheered when she killed the Night King (more on that later) but was somewhat flabbergasted during the penultimate episode. For the last 7 seasons, she trained to become this badass assassin and now she was headed to King's Landing. Killing Cersei had been one of the main driving forces that have kept her going and in the penultimate episode of season 8, she was closer to her goal than ever. Anyhow, once she and Sandor get to the capital he basically tells her to skedaddle as there's only death to be found here. Arya is like "K, bye." Her whole story was building up to this and now she just turns to leave. One could argue that she finally overcame the hate inside her, her thirst for revenge or whatever. But this is not the way it's presented here. A man tells her it's too dangerous for her and ever the good and obedient little girl, Arya decides to leave. Something sound off here?

With Sansa, I think I get what Benioff and Weiss wanted to say but their writing is just terrible, so it comes across the wrong way. I love that she ended up as Queen in the North but before that, we have one scene that really irked me. She’s talking with Sandor and kinds of says "well, it's really good that all this shit has happened to me. Otherwise, I'd still be a little bird." So, I guess, what writers were going for was for her to come to terms with her past and embrace who she is now. How it came across: being a little bird is a terrible thing, (There's nothing wrong with living a sheltered life, are you arguing that the only good way to live is to be mistreated?) ultimately all the shit that happened to her was okay anyways (it was not okay).

Now what you all have been waiting for: Dany. Benioff and Weiss really murdered her for good. She's always been an intricate and complex character, not without flaws but with a desire to become a better person. Writers decided to take all that, wrap it up real nice with a bow and throw it out the window. What we get in season 8 is a mad Queen with no feelings and no remorse. I was so angry when Benioff and Weiss claimed it was foreshadowed that she'd go mad. Why? Just because the Gods toss a coin when a Targaryen child is born? It wasn't foreshadowed that she'd go batshit crazy within the blink of an eye. We knew she struggled with her heritage, but in the past seasons, Dany always made a point to distance herself from her father's actions, made a point to not be like him. Remember when she was heartbroken because her dragons had grilled an innocent child? Over my dead body is that the same character who burns down an entire city without thinking twice or without the slightest hint of internal conflict.

When it comes to Cersei Lannister, I was equally disappointed. We barely get to see her this season, she has just about 6 sentences and isn't quite herself. I was already pissed during the first episode. Euron Greyjoy (don't even get me started on that twat) wants to bed her. And Cersei holds a more or less elaborate speech, basically telling him to go fuck himself. However, he cocks his head to the side and claims that he'd rather have a go with her. So, of course, Cersei gives in without further discussion and sleeps with him. That is not the Cersei we know. I talked with some people about it and they argued that she had to in order to convince him that the child in her belly was his. Well, I beg to differ. It's just written terrible and out of character. Cersei has always been a strong character, she doesn't bow to no-one. In this season she's but a shadow of herself. Especially the penultimate episode was a letdown. Her life ends with Jamie holding her and Cersei keeps muttering that she doesn't want to die and she doesn't want her baby to die. Well, Cersei had faced death before and we know this is not the way she deals with it. She's always held her head high, unwilling to give, strong to the very end. The Cersei Martin created never would have cowered like that. 

As we were talking about foreshadowing with Dany. Does anybody remember the prophecy Cersei got back in the day before she was married? It stated that she'd have three children with golden crowns (Joeffrey, Tommen, and Myrcella) but Cersei would have to watch them all die. Thus I am convinced that however much she wanted the baby in her belly to live, Cersei knew that it wouldn't happen. That's another reason I am convinced her final scene is absolutely out of character. I won't even talk about the rest of the prophecy as Benioff and Weiss really fucked up that front. This leads me to one thought that was also expressed by Martin himself.

Writers nowadays try so damn hard to surprise the audience, they don't even care that the stories often don't make sense anymore. The fact that somebody might have guessed the correct ending isn't a bad thing. It means that what you wrote/produced so far paints a picture of the characters it's coherent. You can't build a story, fill it with clues and then just take another route because you feel like. What you get from that is endings like GoT Season 8 (or Captain Rogers in Avengers: Endgame).

So, what else did I hate in season 8? The battle of Winterfell. Sure, the battle scenes were rather epic but there were just so many things wrong in that episode. The first 20 minutes were almost black, meaning most viewers weren't able to see a thing. I heard the explanation that you simply need a super expensive TV, then the episode looks fine, that's what the colors were calibrated for. If that's not a big fuck you to all the fans than I don't know what is. Next, there were so many strategic mistakes in there. We don't have time to unpack all of that, but who had the brilliant idea to put all the women and children in the crypts? With the dead people. When the Night King is coming, whose best trick is to resurrect the dead. Also, killing the Night King didn't seem that big of a deal. After 7 seasons build-up for that battle, I expected him to be a bigger problem. I mean, I love that Arya was the one to take him down. But one dagger was really all that was needed? Somebody could have sent a sharpshooter in season 1 and the problem would have been dealt with

Finally, let me give you some examples for the lazy ass writing done by Benioff and Weiss. Do you remember that in the past seasons it was actually hard to kill a dragon? Well, in season 8 Euron Greyjoy kills a dragon with a single freaking bolt. Why does that happen? Because Danaerys forgot about his fleet (According to Benioff and Weis). Are those guys seriously trying to convince me that nobody in Dany's council remembered that Greyjoy is still alive and kicking? What the fuck?! Another example is the scene were Missandei gets executed. Had it been written by Martin, Tyrion would have held a smart speech and pleaded with his sister (nope). More importantly, Missandei would have had some inspiring last words for Dany. All she says is Dracarys. You know how that felt to me? I bet this was Benioff's and Weiss' thought process: "Well, we could let her do a speech. But then we have to come up with a speech. Let's just make her say Dracary and the audience can come up with the rest."

I’m sorry to say that it's obvious how overwhelmed Benioff and Weiss were with writing season 8. They clearly lacked the skills to bring the show to a worthy end and I'm sad to see so much money being wasted on that. Honestly, it felt like they didn't even care anymore and just wanted it all to be over. HBO should have just hired some fanfiction authors to do the job. They would have done infinitely better. I don't even think that all the decisions made in this season were bad. They were just terribly executed. You know, I can imagine Dany going nuts even in Martin's version, just not the way Benioff and Weiss portrayed it. It's the kind of story arc you can only pull off if you are an excellent writer, otherwise, you just slaughter your characters. You need internal conflict, development - more than CGI effect and dragons. As we are speaking of dragons: I had hoped the dragon would turn Jon into a piece of steak and grill him instead of the Iron Throne. But of course, the golden boy had to survive...

Season 8 is a really unworthy end to a show that had once been great. My only hope is that now George R. R. Martin has some motivation to finish his books. Hopefully, he'll show us soon how it was meant to be and how you get the job done properly.

Thank you for listening to my TED Talk.

[romanticsuspense]

Outlander Season 4

Some Musings and a Plea to Stop the Hate

Way back in 2014, it seems like ages ago now, I kept seeing ads on goodreads for a new show, based on a series of books, called Outlander.  Intrigued by the gorgeous promo art, I googled it to learn more.  Lo and behold, the first episode was available to watch for free on Starz’ website!  I watched ‘Sassenach,’ then immediately bought the book.  I couldn’t wait for the rest of the show to premiere, I had to read the story now.  By the time episode 8 aired, I had finished reading the first four books.

I may have been pulled into the Outlander-verse because of Jamie and Claire, but I have stayed for Roger and Brianna.  At the time I read it, Drums of Autumn was the first book in a very long time that I found so engrossing I stayed up very late to read because I just could not put it down (one more chapter...).  I had to know if Roger would find Brianna in the past. And after they fought and were separated, whether they’d ever get back to each other.  I fell in love with Roger and Brianna in Drums of Autumn, as separate characters and as a couple.  So, I’ve been patiently waiting for four years to finally see this book brought to life on screen.  Now that Season 4 is over, I wanted to reflect on what I loved and didn’t love about this season.

“I don’t belong here,” I said softly. “Brianna, Roger … they don’t belong here. […] But we are here, all of us. And we’re here because I loved you, more than the life that was mine. Because I believed you loved me the same way.”—A Breath of Snow and Ashes

Drums of Autumn, the book on which this season was based, is really a turning point in the Outlander story.  Gabaldon has always masterfully crossed the boundaries of genre, blending romance, historical fiction, and magical realism into all of her books.  Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, and Voyager were all epic adventure romances.   Family Saga can be added to the list with Drums of Autumn. Jamie and Claire finally have a place to settle with their family.  As Jamie and Claire get settled into their new life on Fraser’s Ridge, their family grows—Fergus, Marsali, Germain, Murtagh, Jocasta, Ian, Lizzie, and most importantly, Brianna and Roger.  As Jamie and Claire’s family grows, the Outlander story expands to accommodate these new characters.  Jamie and Claire are no longer alone.  The people that they have surrounded themselves with need them.  The story shifts focus from Jamie and Claire’s undying love for each other to Jamie and Claire doing everything in their power to protect and cherish the family around them.  In Drums, there are no real threats to Jamie and Claire’s relationship. They’re solid.  Instead, the story’s conflict revolves around their daughter, Brianna, and the man their daughter loves, Roger.  Drums is Brianna and Roger’s crucible.  They both endure terrible hardships and come out the other end surer of themselves and who they are at their very cores.

I loved Season 4 just as much, if not more, than Season 1.  There are several episodes that I will re-watch over and over again, which is not something I could say about most episodes in Seasons 2-3.  I loved, and would re-watch, ALL of the episodes in Season 4 except ‘America the Beautiful’ (too boring), ‘Do No Harm’ (too emotionally taxing) and ‘Common Ground’ (too boring).  Once I got over my disappointments with ‘The False Bride’ and ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ (which I will get to in just a second), I was fully engrossed in this season and eagerly waiting for each new episode to be added on Saturday night.  

So, I thought the show did a decent job of adapting Drums of Autumn for the screen.  There were missteps and some odd writing choices along the way.  But, in retrospect, I see why they made the changes they did and I understand the overall character arcs.  That being said, I still want to discuss two of the biggest disappointments for me this season.  These changes had the biggest negative impact on my own perception of the season.  My view of the season as a whole, though, is very positive.

“…he thought perhaps it didn’t matter that they faced in opposite directions—so long as they faced each other.”

By far my greatest letdown of this season was how Roger and Brianna’s relationship was condensed and written, particularly in ‘The False Bride.’  We haven’t seen these characters since Episode 5 of Season 3, ‘Freedom and Whiskey’, which aired more than a year before ‘The False Bride.’

“Drums of Autumn, the novel that corresponds to this season, is the book where Roger and Brianna become main characters. It would make sense to tell their stories in a parallel manner to that of Claire and Jamie, echoing the back-and-forth from the 18th to the 20th centuries that made the first half of season 3 so memorable.” (Source: TV Kills Time)

If not a back-and-forth, then I think there should have been at least one more early episode in which they were heavily featured so that their relationship could develop in a believable way and the audience could become invested in them as a couple.  I think ‘America the Beautiful’ was slow enough that they could have easily included Roger and Brianna, and doing so would have established that these two are major characters in Season 4.  Or they could have been featured in ‘Do No Harm’ to give viewers a bit of a break from the heavy emotional stuff Jamie and Claire were going through in that episode.  If I had done the story outline for their relationship this season my two early Roger and Brianna episodes would look like this...

Episode 1: Roger and Brianna awkwardly reconnect after the events of Season 3.  They’re shy around each other at first, but by the end of the episode it’s obvious something serious is developing between them.  They decide to give a long distance relationship a shot.  (Possible book story to include: Roger and Brianna go to the Scottish Festival, Roger meets Joe Abernathy)

To indicate time has passed and they’re in a serious long-distance relationship—either at the end of Episode 1 or the beginning of Episode 2—there’s a montage of them picking each other up at the airport to visit each other, writing letters, and talking on the phone.

Episode 2: Since Roger visited Brianna in America in Episode 1 (and in ‘Freedom and Whiskey’—seriously, who shows up uninvited at Christmas?), Brianna needs to visit Roger in Scotland, so it doesn’t look so much like Roger is pursuing Brianna.  By this point, they’ve established this is a serious relationship, so a proposal from Roger wouldn’t seem so ridiculous.  Even though Brianna rejects his proposal, they part on good terms—Roger understanding that Brianna isn’t ready, and Brianna understanding that Roger is committed.  (Possible book story to include: Brianna visits Roger at Christmas, hallway makeout session, romantic walk after Christmas Mass, proposal)

The fight at the end of ‘The False Bride’ was incredibly frustrating because I knew that they would be fighting again in ‘Wilmington,’ and the way the fight unfolded came across way too adversarial.  I never interpreted Roger and Brianna as clashing in the books.  I always thought of them as young, inexperienced, and prone to miscommunication because Roger is so forthcoming, while Brianna is very guarded.  They should have ended ‘The False Bride’ on a more optimistic, hopeful note.   Considering that Roger and Brianna both endure so much hardship in the second half of the season, did they really need to add fuel to that fire?  No.  Writing the fight the way they did had ramifications for the rest of the season—from their handfasting not being believable in ‘Wilmington,’ to viewers questioning why we should be rooting for them to be together, to people not caring about, or even hating, Roger.

I’ve written about my disappointments with regards to Roger and Roger and Brianna before, so I’m not going to rehash all that here.  But, if you’re interested in reading more of my thoughts on the matter, check out this post and this thread. 

All that being said, I genuinely loved the Roger and Brianna story line from the handfasting forward. I didn’t even mind how the fight was written at the end of ‘Wilmington.’ (He left because she told him to go people!)  I just wish that ‘The False Bride’ had ended differently, so this corner of the Roger/Bree fandom was a bit larger.

“She had set out thinking only to find her father; she hadn’t realized that she might discover a whole new family in the process.”

My second biggest disappointment this season was the writer’s decision to cut Brianna at Lallybroch.  I understand what the writers were intending in ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’—to draw parallels between Frank/Claire and Laoghaire/Jamie.  I still believe this is a really weak connection to make, and not in the spirit of what Brianna is going through at this point in the book (transitioning from Randall to Fraser and bonding with her Scottish family).  I loved all the Frank/Brianna flashbacks, I just thought they felt out of place in this episode.  It would have been better to include all the Frank scenes in ‘Blood of my Blood’ and juxtapose Frank/Brianna with John/Willie.  Frank and John raised Jamie’s children.  That’s a motif worth exploring, and a much stronger parallel than Frank and Laoghaire.  That way, Brianna’s already processed her complicated feelings about Frank by the time she arrives in Scotland, and she’s ready to meet Jamie.  By the end of ‘Down the Rabbit Hole,’ viewers should have been excited and on the edge of their seats anticipating Jamie and Brianna’s eventual meeting.  Instead, most viewers were confused about why we just watched an episode focused on Outlander’s two most polarizing characters: Laoghaire and Frank.

In my opinion, the Laoghaire drama just completely overshadowed the episode, and Roger’s scenes in particular.  This is supposed to be a moment of growth for Roger, who is demonstrating great moral character by standing up to Stephen Bonnet and risking his own life to protect Morag and baby Jemmy.  This episode could have changed viewers minds about Roger, but it didn’t.  And I wish there had been at least one scene of Roger doing something, anything, more strenuous than hanging a lantern.  Oh, and don’t even get me started on that fucking beanie.  So, yeah, ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ was not my favorite episode, even though I thought I would love it because...Roger and Brianna!  

If you’re interested in reading any more of my episode thoughts, here are some links:

Down the Rabbit Hole (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3); Wilmington; The Birds and the Bees; and Man of Worth.

So, I had my disappointments with the show this season. But far more disappointing than anything the show writers ever did was the critic’s and fan’s reactions to this season.  I have never in my life read so much hate directed towards a TV show.  Reading some of the vitriol online, you’d think the show was a complete garbage fire and everyone involved in its production moronic, selfish bastards who are conspiratorially creating a garbage show to troll fans.  So I ask...

Is this show GOOD?  And who decides if it’s GOOD, anyway?

Outlander has never been, nor will it ever be, the best show on TV.  It has never been, nor will it ever be, a critically acclaimed masterpiece worthy of awards and accolades.  Of course, the actors are amazing, the costumes are superb, and the set design can be well done, and it’s one of my personal favorite shows.  But this is just not the type of show with mass appeal or the type of show to garner praise from critics (who aren’t necessarily fans) who are paid to analyze the show and determine if it’s “good.”  What they deem “good” TV is not necessarily what I, or you, would deem “good” TV.  It’s just too subjective.  Anyway, the source material the show is adapted from is weird, meandering, melodramatic and sometimes boring.  It’s inevitable that some of those qualities will seep into the TV show.  I don’t enjoy every chapter of the books, and I don’t enjoy every episode of the TV show.  I don’t expect to.  And I don’t expect critics, especially critics who haven’t read the books, to enjoy the show, either.  Just because someone writes reviews for the New York Times, doesn’t mean they are the ultimate authority on what’s good or worth watching.  I have read much more thoughtful and meaningful analyses of the show here on Tumblr than on more well-known outlets, whether major news sites or fan-run sites like That’s Normal.  Shout out to Connie at TV Kills Time, whose “Deep Thoughts” on Outlander are always perfectly balanced and eloquently written.  

The show had a lot of buzz in its first season, Caitriona’s been nominated for Golden Globes, and I think the costumes have received or been nominated for awards as well.  And that’s great.  I love when a show I love gets recognition.  But, I don’t think a critic, or an awards panel, can tell me what TV shows I should love.  Plus, these critics are tasked with reviewing the show after every single episode, without the full context of the entire story arc of the season.  I think this media culture of reviewing each episode of a TV show has changed how we watch television.  Each episode is dissected and analyzed to pieces as if it’s a movie, with the expectation being that each episode stand alone as a terrific work of fiction with its own narrative arc.  Which is nearly impossible to achieve with any show, but especially with a show like Outlander, because there are just so many characters and so much plot to cram into 13 distinct episodes.  Don’t get me wrong.  I want each episode to be good on its own.  But, I also understand that the episode has to fit within the season as a whole.  And I don’t expect each episode to thrill me and delight me.

Moving on to the fandom…    

Why are you watching this show?  Seriously, why?

The Frank hate that exploded in Season 1, particularly around ‘Both Sides Now’ was my first negative experience in the Outlander fandom.  I still remember how shocked I was to read (in this post): “Frank was a low key asshole at first, but then just becomes a full blown prick further along in the series.” I had never read such harsh criticisms of a fictional character who wasn’t a villain.  I had always viewed Frank as a pretty benign character and frankly (pun intended) I was confused.  I thought, “People hate Frank?  Why?  He’s such a tragic character!” I quickly came to his defense in that thread.  I hadn’t even read Drums of Autumn yet when I wrote that, but reading the post again, I still stand by everything I said.  This was the first time I thought it might be better to enjoy this book series and TV show alone in my own little world.  I decided to take a step back and stop reading other’s opinions on the internet.  I kept watching the show, but stopped blogging about it.  You won’t find much on my blog from Outlander Seasons 2 or 3.  I was watching it, but I wasn’t super engaged in the show anymore.  Two to three weeks would go by before I remembered that I had episodes of Outlander to catch up on.  I got excited again when Roger and Brianna’s episodes premiered.  But I had to take another step back when the Sophie Skelton hate started.  I still considered myself a fan of the show, I just wasn’t part of the fandom, anymore.

Fast forward to August 2018.  I hadn’t picked up an Outlander book since finishing The Fiery Cross in November 2015.  That’s nearly three years!  I decided to reread Drums of Autumn before Season 4.  Even reading it a second time around, when I knew Brianna and Roger would be reunited, I couldn’t put it down.  My fervor for Outlander was renewed.  I was excited about Season 4.  

Then ‘The False Bride’ aired and the Roger hate began. It hurt to hear a character, who I admire for his capacity to love deeply and determination to do what is right, being called an asshole, a historical douche (whatever that means?), a whiny butt, a misogynist, or abusive.  So, as a kind of catharsis, I wrote about Roger.  And I tried, as best I could, to filter out the hate, or sometimes even laugh at it.  And, thankfully, by writing that post, I found lots of positive fans who love Roger and Brianna just as much as I do.  And before I knew it, I was neck deep in the Outlander fandom again.  And I was having fun.  

But, after the all of the uproar about Roger in ‘The False Bride’ died down, then came ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ and gasp! Jamie and Claire weren’t in the episode at all!  Then Roger and Brianna got naked in ‘Wilmington’ and fans got in an uproar yet again.  How dare they get a sex scene racier than anything Jamie and Claire have done all season! How dare they try to mirror Jamie and Claire’s wedding episode!  How dare a grown man have body hair!  And with every new episode, the complaints and hate just kept rolling in...Brianna doesn’t deserve Jamie as a father!  Frank is the worst, why does Brianna even love him!  Claire and Jamie don’t have any chemistry anymore!  Roger deserved the beating he got from Jamie!  The writers are destroying Jamie and Claire! Caitriona is phoning it in this season! Sophie Skelton is a terrible actress! Roger should go back through the stones or just die already!  Jamie and Claire are no longer the heart of the show!  Roger and Brianna are gross!

I still am just so baffled by how much hate is in this fandom.  It shouldn’t come as a surprise by now, but it does.  I understand not liking a character and I understand that everyone has their own personal favorite characters.  But, why do I see more hate directed towards Frank Randall and Roger Mackenzie, than I do for Black Jack Randall and Stephen Bonnet?  Why did I read more disgust about Roger and Brianna’s sex scene in ‘Wilmington’ than about Brianna getting raped?  Why do Jamie & Claire fans feel the need to denigrate Roger & Brianna because they’re angry about how their favorite couple is being portrayed on screen?  Why are these people even watching this show anymore?  

I’m not saying your only two choices here are (1) love the show unconditionally and find no fault with it ever, or (2) stop watching the show altogether.  (I just spent a good part of this post criticizing two of the show’s episodes.)  I believe we can enjoy fiction and still acknowledge its flaws.  I believe we can be critical without being hateful.  And I believe we can express disappointment in how some characters are portrayed without tearing down other characters or tearing down fans who don’t hold the same opinion as you do.  If you are disappointed, please write about it, if it helps you process your disappointment.  But don’t just say “Roger is the worst and I hope he dies.”  Tell me why you think that.  Let’s talk about it.  I like to debate story lines or character’s actions.  But, it’s hard to have meaningful discourse (especially in the comments section) if you’re not willing to take the time to explain your side or you resort to ad hominem arguments.

I’m going to take a little segue here and talk a little bit about the last fandom that I was involved in.  A few years ago, I became deeply obsessed with The Walking Dead. If you scroll through my archive here, I’m sure you would be able to pinpoint my TWD phase.  TWD, like Outlander, is an adaptation—it’s based on a series of graphic novels.  Like any adaption, the show writers make changes.  Characters who are dead in the graphic novels are alive on the show or vice versa.  Relationships that exist on the show, don’t exist in the graphic novels.  Now, I never read the graphic novels, so these changes never bothered me.  But, within the fandom, there was a lot of discontent around certain character deaths and relationships.  And even though I tried to avoid spoilers, there were plenty of fans that were excited about upcoming story lines or new characters and would talk non-stop about what they hoped to see on the show in the future.  During Season 6, there was a lot of hype within the fandom about a new villain coming: Negan.  Negan is one of those ‘charming’ villains who talks a lot and people love him.  They don’t love to hate him.  They just love him.  Negan finally made his appearance in the finale of Season 6.  After hearing about the extremely violent deaths of two beloved characters at the hands of Negan, I could never bring myself to watch the episode.  I was fed up with the toxic fandom (though TWD has nothing on the Outlander fandom), I was fed up with fans glorifying a villain, and I did not like the direction the show was going.  So, I stopped watching.  It felt hard at the time, to give up on a show that had previously brought me so much joy.  But, when the show no longer brought me joy, I just stopped watching.

I tell you about my experience with TWD, because I just do not understand why some of you are still watching Outlander.  I really, really don’t.  If, after every episode, you can’t find even one nice thing to say about the story or the characters, then why are you still watching?  If you’re so disappointed in the writers because you think they’ve annihilated or don’t get your favorite characters, then why are you still watching?  If you think the actors don’t have chemistry anymore or are just plain terrible actors, then why are you still watching?  If you’re fed up with the adaptive choices the writers are making, then why are you still watching?  If the show no longer brings you joy, then why are you still watching?

I may not watch TWD anymore, but I still follow a bunch of TWD blogs so I can keep up with the story and my favorite characters (the ones who aren’t dead), but at a distance.  And now that some time has passed, I actually think I may be ready to start watching the show again.  So, even if you’re not ready to give up on Outlander entirely, maybe it’s best to at least consider taking a break.  Stop watching…for a while.  Let those of us who are enjoying the show, enjoy it without being inundated with negativity and hate.  

Entitlement

“They need to include this”... “They can’t cut that”... “They better not mess this up” ... “We deserve to see this”... Reading assertions like these (I’m guilty of this as well, so I’m calling myself out here, too) brings to mind an interview I read this year with a woman who knew she would die of cancer at the age of 35:

“When we feel like we’re deprived of something we’re supposed to have, something we’ve decided we’re supposed to have because we think others have it, that’s when things tend to become “serious.” Life is too serious to take seriously. […] What makes us change is when something is taken away from us that we feel entitled to. Our bodies are rented. This day is rented. Nothing will stay. And if we live from a mindset of “I am entitled to this,” “I deserve this,” at some point we get stuck trying to hold onto something that is not ours, that is no longer there, and have to change.”

If you are still stuck in an entitlement mindset, I beg you to consider change.  It’s not healthy to constantly be stewing in feelings of disappointment and anger over not getting what you want because you think you deserve it.  It’s time to move into a new mindset.  Here is a harsh truth: You cannot change the show.  No matter how much you attack the producers, writers and actors on Twitter or how many malicious comments you leave on other people’s Tumblr posts.  Calling Roger a “whiny butt” isn’t going to change anything.  Coming onto someone else’s positive post about the show to burst their bubble isn’t going to change anything.  Body shaming Richard Rankin for having chest hair isn’t going to change anything.  But, what you are fully capable of doing is changing yourself.  You can change your mindset.  You can abandon the world of disappointment and entitlement and join me as I strive towards acceptance and gratitude.

If you find yourself saying “I need” or “I demand” rather than “I wish” or “I hope,” you’re heading in the wrong direction. We all hope that our favorite characters are written well.  We all hope to see our favorite scenes from the book on screen.  But we are not owed these things.  The only thing we are entitled to, as human beings, is kindness. Be kind to yourself, and be kind to others.

Thank You

I want to thank everyone who started following me during this season of Outlander.  I’m grateful to each and every one of you. You’ve made watching this season of Outlander even more joyful for me.  I know my blog has been 99% Roger and Brianna these last couple of months.  So, I feel like I have to warn you that my blog is not Outlander exclusive, and at some point during Droughtlander it’s likely I will get hooked on a new show and start posting a bunch of stuff not Outlander related (I’ve been itching to re-watch The Americans…).  I hope you’ll continue to follow me, but if you don’t want to, that’s fine too!  You do you.

I’m not sure how active I will be on Tumblr during Droughtlander.  I still have a post on Rogergate coming, and I might be posting a few more edits. But, I’m taking the PE exam in the spring, and I need to buckle down and study for that and stop watching so much TV!  As much as I loved being so involved in a fandom again, I think I need a little break.  So, I might be taking a Tumblr hiatus, but I’m not sure for how long. We’ll see.

One of my ‘Reading Resolutions’ for this year was to write reviews for all of the books I read.  I am currently reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes, and plan to get to An Echo in the Bone sometime this year as well.  So, even if I’m not around Tumblr much this year, you can find me on goodreads—send me a friend request!

I love you guys!  I wish you all a peaceful Droughtlander.

[buzzworddotie]

A Satisfying End to a never ending story: Game of Thrones

Oh god it's over. And the online journey has been so nasty but I'm dipping my toe into the scalding hot waters and presenting my feels on the final season of Game of Thrones.

Straight off the bat, I found the overall season really enjoyable. Was there a moment here or there when I wished to see something or I'd maybe nit pick a scene? Maybe on reflection but to absolutely in no way to ruin the season for me.

It was a blast, it was all of these characters we spent so much time with. (7 seasons of character development).

It was all leading to the end. And I think that hurt the show with the fans.

If this season had never been announced as the last and people watched it as though there will be more, it would be praised.

But parting is such sweet sorrow.... Anger fueling sorrow.

Regardless, here I go pissing people off...

Bran as King

Perhaps on of the most bittersweet character arcs of the show. Bran manages to give his siblings freedom, give the ruling of the 6 kingdoms to Tyrion and has to be trapped himself for eternity.

When you think back to season 1, you remember how free and full of life Bran was. He wasn't some meek little boy, he was fiery and energetic.

He dreamed of knighthood.

But first he loses his legs, then he loses his mind. Being the 3Eyed Raven has its perks but Bran is lost somewhere in there. And he can't escape.

And now he's King. He's trapped in another role.

But Bran only took that role so Tyrion could be ruler. No one was going to vote for Tyrion. History doesn't even remember him.

In fact, clock Ser Jamie's book entry, Tyrion is only going down in history as killing Joffrey. After everything he's done.

But maybe now he will get written in as hand of Bran the Broken?

Jon shoulda been King

Nope.

OK so maybe on paper it makes sense. But....

No one was voting in a Targaryan after all that mess.

Killing Daenarys may have saved them but Jamie Lannister did the same thing and people hated him for it.

Bran said he was always exactly where he needed to be. And Bran has seen it all. Bran is sending Jon north because he's saving him. It's where Jon belongs, with his second family. Tormond, the wildlings and Ghost.

Jon gets to be free and happy.

Arya's Faceless training was for nothing

Ehhh... Thanks to the training she literally saved the world. What more does she have to do? She used the faces to take revenge. Didn't she get told that's the exact opposite of what she should do?

Anyway, she did that. The more she started becoming Arya Stark and not "no one" she didn't need the faces. But she used the talents provided by all her mentors, The Hound, Syrio, Faceless Men...

The training wasn't just faces, it was movement, stealth... All that good stuff.

And she got freedom in the end, embraced her Stark side and got to go adventure. She said it's what she wanted, she told Lady Crane!

Daenarys heel turn was dumb

The problem that I think fuels this view is people think it was rushed or something. That she "went bad".

But the whole point was that's not what happened. She didn't lose her mind. She's been dillusional from the start!!

Maybe it wasn't the reveal you were expecting but the unexpected is good!!!

She literally had scenes where she looked like a Messiah! She has a god complex. And a nuclear weapon.

It's like if you watched a bunch of movies about Thanos and you're rooting for him but then he reveals his plot to destroy earth and you're just like, wait he's a bad guy? That's dumb in one movie...

Her ego has been fed since she was a child. And what is so so sad to see at the end was that she hadn't grown up.

She was still an innocent child who just believed she was right.

Jon Killing Daenarys - Dumb

Rewatch that scene knowing what you know now. Watch Jon beg her to not make him kill her.

He gives her so many opportunities to say something to show him a sign of compromise and reason.

It's what he's been all about. Free will. He believes in it. But she doesn't.

It was sad and beautiful and really, both actors did a great job.

Drogon's Reaction: Mixed.

I think everyone seems to like when Drogon first gives us Simba finds Mufasa tear jerker?

But part 2 reaction has some people salty.

Some I've spoken to can't understand why he burned the throne and not Jon...

Well Jon is Targ. Throne killed Dany.

Next are the people who get that and think it's dumb a dragon would get the concept of metaphor.

First, it's for entertainment purposes and secondly they told us before Dragons are intuitive and intelligent.

The whole season was utter Garbage

I think this show has garnered such a creative community. A community who are able to make weekly, video essays about it. It's insane. Like good insane.

But guys, just because you don't get your way, doesn't mean you get to ruin it for everyone else.

Going off on one and throwing a massive tantrum is sad and a serious buzzkill for such an epic show to be ending.

I mean, do people really need an apology?! Seriously?! A rewrite?

You know when you're in a shop and you see a kid who is way too old to throw a tantrum but goes off on one? Thats the equivalent to how grown adults are behaving right now.

If you've made it this far

If you've made it this far I clearly haven't triggered you.

And so I would like to just thank the writers, producers and cast of this show. The directors, editors, cinematographers. The composer.

Every fucker who for a long ass time had to work on this show, from the crew in marketing to the interns. Just bravo.

This show has been an experience that I don't think will get recaptured to this scale in my lifetime. Good stuff will come, stuff will get hype but it's the entire community and passion for the show that is amazing.

That passion from fans unfortunately can lead to disappointment. But it shouldn't, you should let yourself accept the story they have told and let yourself enjoy it.

It really really isn't as terrible as you want to believe it is.

And I really, really loved it.

Also, thanks to all the fans who made all the content I consumed!! Great work.

[diversemymedia]

The Passage: The Goods and Gripes

The Passage wasn’t necessarily on my list of shows to watch but I am more than glad that I gave the show a shot. Before it aired, I had seen commercials for it every now and then but the promotion wasn’t to a point where I made sure I wanted to see it. What slightly intrigued me was the little Black girl who, from the looks of it, had superpowers? Something I couldn’t really recall seeing in my life—especially as a lead. Like many others, I was rightfully skeptical because it was meant to air on Fox. Instantly, I thought about Sleepy Hollow, Minority Report, and Pitch (a show I never watched but heard a lot about). Since I was unsure of what it was about I did a little more research and discovered that it is based on a novel trilogy of the same name by Justin Cronin. Initially, Fox paid millions to have the books adapted into a three-part film series but plans changed and it was morphed into a television series,and I couldn’t be more thankful. Our wonderful Saniyya Sidney was exposed to millions of people across the US. I told myself that if I was tired of seeing shows, that featured Black girls, get the axe, the least I could do was support it by watching. I feel the need to also mention that I had no idea Gosselaar, he co-star, was Indonesian, which made it all the more worth it. 

Hope you enjoy reading. This will be a spoiler free review. I’ve also included a new rating system for myself. Instead of five stars, I will be using ten.

The Passage aired on January 24th, 2019. I missed the premiere because I never made plans to watch it. I found out about it through the on-demand menu and gave the show a shot. I had mixed feelings shortly after watching the first episode but I stuck around anyway because I was completely astounded by the little lead actress. The series follows a preteen named Amy Bellafonte (portrayed by Saniyya Sidney) and a federal agent named Brad Wolgast (portrayed by Mark-Paul Gosselaar) who are both caught in the crossfires of a medical government conspiracy known as Project Noah. Right off the bat, it’s evident that the father-figure/daughter-figure duo relationship is being built here. This trope can be well-received, especially if it’s done right. It gives characters a chance to explore backstories, have interesting dynamics, and build meaningful relationships and it’s usually with someone one of the characters least expect. I guess it’s fair to say that it was another one of the reasons why I decided to stick around. Ironically enough, a lot of my top favorite shows and games use this trope. To name a few there’s Ellie and Joel from The Last of Us, Clementine and Lee from The Walking Dead video game, and Rex and Agent Six from Generator Rex. The only difference with GR is that both are males.

The powerhouses of the show are Gosselaar and Sidney and their character’s relationships are undoubtedly the foundation of this series. The greatest thing about the pair is the chemistry they share on-screen together and whether it might be a flaw or strength, they’re even greater together than they are apart. Brad is introduced as a federal agent who has dealt with a devastating loss in his life, which in turn has made him become a stoic weapon for the government—willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. However, as time goes on, Brad not only shows a softer side but a far more empathetic one. As mentioned by a follower of mine, Brad isn’t the typical type of mentor who puts all of his burdens on Amy and tells her harbor it because she must remain “strong”. Instead, he acknowledges the trauma and grief that Amy experiences and he does everything he can to allow her to get some sense of closure, even if it means helping her find it.

Amy is a wonderfully complex character from start to finish and deals with a vast amount of emotions through the entirety of season 1. Although I’ve already said it before, Saniyya is an actress who is deserving of all the awards in the world to handle such a multifaceted role. Amy deals with loss, being abducted to being manipulated, and coming to terms with something that changes her entire life forever. Although other people constantly refer to it as “sass”, I saw her as nothing more than a preteen who stood up for herself against smart-mouthed adults who thought they could always one-up her, but Amy was always a step ahead. One thing I feel a lot of people missed is that Amy represents a latch key child and wears a key around her neck. Over time, the key serves itself as a prominent symbol, existing to tell other children like her that they matter and that they can be destined to do great things although the going gets tough.

Aside from these two, a lot of my praise also goes out to the overall production side of the show. This is one of the few times I can truly say I appreciate almost every single cast member’s acting ability. Special recognition to Caroline Chikezie, Jamie McShane, McKinley Belcher III, and Brianne Howey for their depictions of their respective, morally grey, characters. Everyone was truly fascinating to watch and I grew to passionately appreciate or dislike their characters for such superb presentations. Not to mention, the dialogue between the characters are just as great and seemingly realistic. I grew attached to a majority of them. Even the graphics and special effects—although they are basic, they were very fitting and not too overkill to a point where it felt like a flashy mcu film. My only advise would be to use effects a bit more during certain scenarios.

Now, there were only a couple of things that made me grumble and, if done excessively, could impact on the show’s life span. For starters, my biggest gripe is with the series’ showrunner, Liz Hildens. I question if it’s just me but I think it’s clear by her track-record that she isn’t the best person to lead a show. Personally, every episode she’s had a hand in has been the weakest to me (episodes, 1, 2, and 10). Ratings fell drastically whenever Hildens’ episodes aired. The other writers, however, managed to keep a firm hold on the remaining audience although they had to work with what they were given by Hildens. Everything was going in the right direction right up until Hildens returned for the finale and gave us a very subpar tenth episode.

The only thing I can commend Hildens for is her history of hiring black actresses as leads in her shows. For a white woman, this is a trend I’ve seen of hers and if it weren’t for her, I’m inclined to believe that Saniyya would not have been on our television screens every Monday night. For those who didn’t know, Hildens also created a soap-opera called Deception, that aired back in 2013, where Meagan Good portrayed the show’s lead. On a macro level, Hildens appropriates a lot of soapy techniques and the tone of her writing just doesn’t mingle well with a series that’s supposed to reflect an intense thriller. She attempts to cover so much in a single episode that a lot of subtext gets lost. I could arguably say that having her on the writing team was detrimental to the series but I fear Amy being put in the hands of someone else.

Any other criticisms are extremely minor. For instance, characters react a little unrealistic in the face of danger, and it’s usually done for the sake of getting the immediate plot going. There’s a scene where a character is getting pursued by an enemy. Instead of running to one of the many armed gunmen for help, this character decides to run to a fellow colleague who is locked in a cell and pleads for their help. There are plenty of moments like those. There are also times I wish the writers utilized Amy a lot more. As episodes progressed, Amy did spectacular things. Seeing that she is just a child, the care given to her is understandable but her defenselessness in later episodes was such a backpedal to her character and it was disappointing. Taking this direction begged the question as to how the finale played out the way it did.

A brief synopsis of the show is that Project Noah is currently in the process of trying to develop a cure-all remedy. The twist? They’re experimenting with vampire’s blood. These vampires are commonly known as ‘virals’. Basically, a scientist comes to the conclusion that a younger patient would be an ideal candidate for their research and as horrifying as it sounds, they go through with it and assign an agent to fetch one.

Overall, The Passage certainly did meet my expectations considering that they were low after the first two episodes. It wasn’t below nor above, yet It does a fabulous job at telling young girls everywhere, including those who look like Amy, that they’re capable of being superpowered on-screen. With the first season completed, all there’s left is to do is wait for a renewal of the sci-fi thriller.

The Passage: Season 1 rating: 7/10 stars.

Hope you enjoyed this read. Feel free to follow my blog for more posts and critiques on diversity & representation.

(Updates: I corrected Liz’s surname to ‘Hildens’ instead of ‘Hilden’.)