#i've finished this drama and its easily one of the best written shows this year

[bubblegeon]

So I'm the rebound guy who's her escape from loneliness after all. 📿 KOCCHI MUITE YO MUKAI-KUN 1.06

[lettersfromandie]

Guns, Glory, Sad Endings: My Thoughts on "Mr. Sunshine"

So I just finished watching Mr. Sunshine and I cannot emphasize enough how overwhelmingly great and gripping it is. To say that I love it so much and it's my new favorite just isn't even enough. It is by far the best I have watched. I AM BLOWN AWAY. I don't think there's any so far that can measure up to how freakin' outstanding this drama is. It's a masterpiece!

For the interest of all (if you are), the story follows on the life of a boy from Joseon who was born into slavery. After a tragic event that happened between his parents and the noble family they served, he ends up in America to survive. Years later, he returns to Joseon to station as a United States Marine Corps officer, and meets a noblewoman in an unexpected encounter. As she tries to figure out if they are allies or foes, their growing relationship places an obstacle to their separate goals for Joseon.

Hearing a satisfactory review from my kdrama-addicted mother + reading that some people on the internet have this on their recommendations + it being one of the highest-rated kdramas in history, I can already tell that this drama is so worth the watch. Truth be told, it hugely exceeded my already high expectations! Grabe ang ganda talaga that I'm sure it will take some time for me to move on and find another drama with the same calibre as this. 

Excellent storytelling and absolutely well-written. Watching it was so compelling that I wanted to click next episode immediately. But at the same time, I wanted to watch it slowly since I hate to finish it so soon 😢 I loved how I think it's not just plot-driven, but also character-driven. It shows not only the tremors of the rapidly changing Joseon, but also the struggles of the characters. With its v beautiful cinematography, it captures elements that make the story more evoking.

It never failed to stir so much emotions from me. As a feeling > thinking person, I easily do get emotional but the feels were more intense especially when a song is placed on a scene perfect for it. Its soundtrack is so well-crafted that it made the scenes more beautiful, more enthralling, more soul crushing... I've been listening to its OST on repeat for days now. And I enjoy playing the music videos because the song accompanied with the scenes from the drama pierces me more 💔

But of course, it wouldn't pierce my heart as much if it wasn't for the phenomenal acting. The casting in this one is so superb 💯. Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-Ri, Yoo Yeon-Seok, Byun Yo-Han, Kim Min-jung, and many other renowned actors in their supporting roles. They definitely did justice to their characters. I was so convinced and drawn to their acting that when I was watching videos and interviews of them, I was surprised yet fond of their real personality. Also checking their filmography and the various characters they have played throughout their career, I guess it's telling how versatile they are as artists.

If you're a history buff, loved Scarlet Heart, fans of those actors, or simply enjoys watching kdramas, this is a must watch!! I highly HIGHLY recommend Mr. Sunshine. If you've yet to watch it, here's what you can expect:

1. Guns 

"Shaking hands implies that one isn't holding a weapon in them." "I like its meaning. When do we let go though?" "When you wish to wield a weapon." "At least for now, I don't wish to."

2. Glory

"Those were glorious days. Each of us was a flame, all of us bloomed, burnt & wilted vehemently. We wish to ignite the embers left by our comrades."

3. Sad Endings

"Sad endings always leave a lasting impression, a sorrowful conclusion."

But aside from those seemingly vehement words, there are also:

4. Romance (even bromance included)

"What is 'love'?" "Why are you asking?" "Because I want to do it. I heard it's better than earning a title." "I suppose it is, in a way."

5. Sarcasm and Humor

"Can you slice a flower petal exactly in half?" "I could cut you in half." "Horizontally or vertically?"

6. Beautifully written thought-provoking lines

"His choices were always quiet and heavy. They seemed selfish and sometimes cold. However, he was always walking in the right direction."

There's also this line that really lingered in my head:

"This country you're trying to protect. Who is it for? Is there a life for butchers? Is there a life for slaves?"

Somehow, that line is something that makes us think for whom are the things we do and the causes we fight for. That, I believe, is what Mr. Sunshine wanted to convey.

It's the kind of kdrama that makes me want to forget the details about it, just so that I can watch it again for the first time. It's so good that there's still so much I want to say. But I guess that's it, for now. 

Love, Andie

[deuterosapiens]

So, about six years ago (seriously? I whisper, suddenly aware of the passage of time once more), I had tried to read William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist. I never finished it because college and reading for fun do not mix. I read Perfume for the first time that year, loved it. Not important.

I'm very much not the same person now that I was then. I realized that when I re-read Perfume and discovered how different my understanding of Jean-Baptiste had become since I originally read it. Which, I suppose, is not the best segue into this, but whatever.

It is eight-twenty-nine at night. My kitten Pazuzu is trying to steal my microwavable burrito. I just finished reading The Exorcist.

I think it says more about me than it does Blatty's writing, but I found this novel quite beautiful. It stems clearly from Gothic literary tradition, combining elegant prose with religiously motivated horror. And of course, in true Gothic fashion, Godly tradition is upheld to triumph over evil.

In a world where horror films, and religious horror films, are a dime a dozen (this book alone has five films, a television series,and an upcoming reboot Trilogy to its credit, to say nothing of it having a literary sequel), it's safe to say that a modern reader is unlikely to find it too frightening. Hell, I can easily see a modern reader becoming extremely bored while reading it. It's not the book's fault that modern audiences have The Conjuring Universe to occupy their religious horror endeavors, twelve seasons of AHS, and enough horror-themed mini-series and full-length shows with more edge and more bite to them than anything an eighties' R-rating can shake its one full-frontal nudity shot at.

I can't imagine now what reading this was like then, just as I can't imagine what watching the movie was like, then. When it was the most terrifying film ever made, and the most terrifying novel ever written. Horror, in our modern world, is such a commercialized gore-fest that smaller, more thought-provoking slow-burn drama gets praised by critics, torn apart by audiences, and ultimately is forgotten.

That's not to say that The Exorcist asks too much of its reader. This book isn't asking you to sit down, think, contemplate humanity and the ramifications of consumerism or anything. It simply wants you to sit back and be, just a little bit, frightened. There's depth, of course. After all, a simple fright with no real substance isn't worth much to most audiences.

There's a wonderful conflict that makes up the backbone of this story. A bit of driving question, which the novel takes up quite a bit of time looking into: is it psychological, or is it Satanic? I find it amusing that audiences now will simply accept that possession is part of the narrative, will simply accept that "yes, supernatural events exist in this setting, and yes, all of this evil can literally be blamed on straight-up The Beast, The Antichrist, Satan himself," but perhaps it says something that audiences then needed a bit more proving before they would accept that.

There's a funny factoid about how the "it was a dream" ending for The Wizard of Oz came about as executives weren't sure that audiences would accept that, yes, Dorothy did go to a magical enchanted land and now some of the most profitable properties are fantasy world which offer no such conceit. Yes, Westeros is a real place. Yes, the Continent is real. Yes to Middle-earth and so forth.

Reading The Exorcist reminds me quite a bit of that. The audience must be shown that there is no other explanation for these events beyond the simple reality of demonic possession. If you are not expecting it, I can imagine these conclusions will be quite unsettling to the reader.

Dear holiest of Hellfires do I love Blatty's prose here. It's approachable and elevated. It expects the audience to be gripped by this investigation and does a damn good job of making sure exactly that happens. I'm sort of reminded of Agatha Christie but as I've only read Murder on the Orient Express and that was (damn, holy hell) ten years ago, I cannot claim to know how strictly correct that impression is.

Possessed Regan's dialog is unintentionally extremely funny now. Like a PG-13 impression of a Twitch streamer who's just discovered that the word fuck exists. It might have been unsettling to hear a twelve-year old talking like that then, it's hilariously expected now.

You know how absolutely no one is frightened of Bram Stoker's Dracula now, and yet it's still praised to hell and back as a horror classic because it is legitimately good, even if horribly dated and unintentionally quite funny? That's The Exorcist.

I might not read it again, because honestly, the film is the exact perfect adaptation, but I'm happy to have finally finished it once.

[overthinkingkdrama]

Favorite performances from 2020 and also from 2021? (it doesn't matter if you haven't seen much, just curious)

I appreciate this ask since I'm not going to get to do a drama awards type post, and there were definitely some standout performances in the past 2 years that I didn't get the chance to talk about. So, in no particular order, here we go:

Since I already talked about this in my 2020 top 10 I'll mention it again here: I think Oh Jung Se is a strong contender is I was giving out my own personal Daesang. Not only was his role as Moon Sang Tae in It's Okay to Not Be Okay one of the finest pieces of acting I've seen in a drama, during the same period he was also putting in a performance as a chilling sociopath in The Good Detective. I was watching the two dramas at the same time, and seeing him in both roles was giving me whiplash.

In 2021 his performance was probably the single best thing about Jirisan, which turned out to be a ludicrous mess. I haven't watched Uncle yet, but I expect I'm going to like him there too. He's just a consistent and powerful character actor. I'm a big fan.

Recently I finished watching The Red Sleeve, and I have a lot of complicated feelings about it. It's one of those dramas that keeps you unsettled and conflicted until the end. But that isn't to say that the lead actors aren't incredible in it, just the opposite in fact. Lee Jun Ho and Lee Se Young play off each other so well. They manage the ambivalence and complex range of emotions those character require with a subtlety and deftness that was really top notch. I can't imagine anyone else in those roles.

I've been a fan of Lee Se Young since I first saw her in The Best Hit. And of course she's been acting since she was a child, and is a well known talent, but in the past couple of years she's cemented herself as one of my favorite female leads. Her performance was the standout for me in Kairos too, but I just love to see her in these historical roles. She was phenomenal in Crowned Clown too, and Red Sleeve feels like the natural continuation and maturation of her abilities. You love to see it.

On the lighter side, Shin Hye Sun came out and absolutely slayed me in a double role as So Yong/Bong Hwan in Mr. Queen. She could not have been more perfect. The way she embodied the character of Bong Hwan, her mannerisms, the tone of her voice, her comedic timing. But she also nailed the heavier scenes. Easily one of my all time favorite comedic performances.

You can't really talk about acting in 2021 without talking about Shin Ha Kyun in Beyond Evil. I don't want to get too deep into it, because I'm going to talk about it more in my 2021 list (spoilers, I guess) but he devoured the role of Lee Dong Shik. That drama is tightly and compellingly written, but without Ha Kyun it wouldn't have lived up to the half of its potential, in my opinion.

A few additional notable mentions: I know a lot of people didn't watch it and it's one of those slow dramas that requires the right kind of temperament to enjoy, but I loved Jeon Do Yeon and Ryu Jun Yeol in Human Disqualification aka Lost. It was also just lovely to see Ryu Jun Yeol return to dramaland after so long exclusively making movies, and to see him give a really wonderful, subtle performance that really had him showing off his acting shops. And then I think the underrated performance of 2021 was Jang Nara as Hong Ji Ah in Sell Your Haunted House. She really just showed us everything in that role. Grit, anger, grief. Her scenes with her mom just tore me up. It was an unusual character from her and I would love to see more like it in the future.

Anyway, I think that covers it for the most part. Hope that satisfied you curiosity :)

Jona

[projectjasper]

my thoughts and opinions on "lovely writer": criticizing the critic

tw for discussions of age gaps, rape, and sex

before i turn into the mean and constantly dissatisfied archer that we all know and hate, i just want to say that i liked this show. i think it's great, actually! gene and sib are appropriately cute, the premise is nice, and the attempt at criticizing the industry is... well, an attempt, which is better than nothing. moreover, "lovely writer" came with gifts because it gave me my new favorite character, so you can't go telling me i'm trying to completely obliterate it or something.

besides, this specific post isn't going to get into analyzing the show as a whole anyway. i won't be talking about any irrelevant plot points, cinematography, sound design, or anything like that, though i could probably write a post just as long as this one about that side of things as well. however, i am here to specifically look at the problematic things that were both criticized by the show and included in the show without any criticism. i'm going to talk about the more serious side of things here, which means i'm going to get serious. and i'm going to be harsh. very harsh.

gene and nubsib: yes's and no's

overall, the relationship between gene and sib was a fair attempt at showing something complex, yet ultimately quite healthy, which i appreciate. there were some things i was especially glad about. the fact that sib dated other people before settling on getting together with gene, for example, makes the whole situation a little less codependent. however, as much as this show prides itself on not wanting to romanticize problematic relationships, there are at least two major problems with genesib.

the age gap (and why it was not needed)

i've tried my very best to give this entire concept the benefit of the doubt. at first, i was convincing myself that they were simply close childhood friends, then i was trying my best to believe that even though sib did have a sort of crush on gene (which sometimes happens to little children), gene only saw him as his younger brother, but eventually, the show gave me no choice, but to deem the entire storyline problematic, because they did their best to romanticize that relationship - from gene's dad seeing the "early signs" to the counting and kissing the cheek turning to counting and full-on lip-locking in the last episode.

i could go into how this could all easily be mended if little sib was shown as kind of obsessed with his older friend, but gene was shown as not being anywhere near interested in the kid. but the real question is - why was the age gap needed at all?

i've researched the age of the boys during the flashbacks to the best of my ability and it seems that gene is 11 and sib is 6 or 7. if sib was the same age as gene (or maybe just one year younger, but not any more than that), not only would none of it feel weird, it would also be quite appropriate to explore that first glimpse of romantic feelings some of us experience exactly around that age. i don't think it's necessary for sib to be much younger than gene (children can be just as impressionable at 11 as they are at 7, and as for gene being surprisingly nice and helpful and the other kids not wanting to play with sib, he could have easily been - for example - bullied by his peers instead, which would have the same effect).

moving forward to the present, i don't think the lack of an age gap would affect the storyline that much either. even if they desperately needed sib to be a university student, they could have that one-year difference i've talked about before, which is not as significant. sib could be in his last year of uni, while gene could have easily written his very first novel during his university years, which would actually make more sense (since that guaranteed him employment and freedom to write after he finished uni; and i would rather believe that he had time to write his first novel in-between classes than in-between shifts at work, which he would surely need to have if he started writing after finishing university).

so that brings me back to my initial question - why was it needed? and much like the show often does, i will leave this one up for your interpretation because i do not have any sensible answers myself.

the issue with sex and consent

"but archer!" - i hear you exclaim - "lovely writer is known for explicitly denouncing rape romanticization in bls, how could there possibly be any problems with consent here?" and i hear you, my dear reader. and you aren't incorrect, "lovely writer" is indeed very explicit at calling out bls for having rape scenes (and i do appreciate that). however, as i'm sure you know, there are different ways in which consent can be taken from a person, and there are different non-consensual acts that someone might perform. for example, there are many different forms of coercion, such as the person being persuaded until they feel like they have no other choice, but to say yes. touching someone or kissing someone without asking for permission are also non-consensual acts. i can go on and on, there are many examples outside of what so many people consider rape.

now, what if i tell you that though there (thank the gods) has been no rape present in "lovely writer", not all scenes with gene and sib are consensual? well, that's what i'm telling you because it's the truth. both the first kissing scene and the scene where gene and sib "try out different poses" have clear coercion in them. the entire "joke" of the scene before gene and sib's first time is literally built upon the concept of "a person is trying to run away from someone, who wants to have sex with them" and it is NOT funny. the later reveal of gene actually looking up how to have sex seems to be there on purpose, to show that everything that's happened is "ok" because gene was thinking about it. as a sensible person, i will only accept actual enthusiastic consent and not someone possibly maybe probably considering it. not to mention that right before having sex, sib asks gene one last time if he is sure, which is great, except it is immediately followed by "i'm not going to let you change your mind anymore", which - daily reminder - you are allowed to stop having sex at any point during the act if you start feeling uncomfortable with it. that's absolutely normal.

now the problem that we seem to run into here is that "lovely writer" appears to think that it's ok to push someone to the limit until they either finally agree or confidently and loudly disagree. the drama has repeatedly shown us that actually forcing someone to have sex is not ok; however, persuading and otherwise coercing someone, as well as taking an approximate guess of them wanting to have sex based on some marginally related factors, is ok. i would like to once again remind everyone that all of that is not ok.

one more issue i want to bring up in connection with sex is something i wish was common knowledge: it is NOT supposed to hurt during your first time. whether you are planning to have vaginal or anal sex for the first time, it should not hurt. and if it does, something has definitely gone wrong and you need to stop. you are not supposed to experience any pain or discomfort during sex, including your first time (outside of desired and therefore intentionally inflicted pain, but that's not what i'm talking about here). i have seen this misconception brought up many times in bls along with the other person "thanking the person who got hurt for bearing the pain to bring them pleasure" and absolutely none of that is normal. stop. please, just... stop.

criticism of the BL industry

there are certainly quite a few things i liked about the way "lovely writer" criticized the many problems that surround bls. i think they dealt especially well with the fan aspect. the breaches of privacy that are considered normal, the toxicity of social media that encourages people to comment on other people's personal life, harass and stalk them - all of that was shown in its full glory (or rather horror) and clearly condemned. it was also interesting to see how easily everyone around sib fell into the routine of having to hide genesib's relationship, just because "that's what's supposed to be done in these situations" - even tum did that without thinking twice.

however, i have not spent the past three years hating gmm for a show trying to criticize the industry not to focus on criticizing the production company and everyone professionally involved with the making of bls. don't get me wrong - they didn't completely overlook that side of things, but i found the way they approached it dissatisfying.

like yes, tum fights with his sister (aka sib's manager) and calls her out for her terrible actions, and the publisher (bua) eventually apologizes for what she did, but all of that feels a bit too... personal. i do not care about these individual stories. i care about you saying that the whole system is broken because it very much is. i wanted manner of death but with the bl industry, and instead, i got an "uwu the fans are demanding we do this, and our hands our tied" (which is a lie) and "uwu i'm just trying to make money" (which i mean... if you feel ok milking even more money than you already have by doing something unethical and immoral, then be my guest, but also go fuck yourself). besides that, i didn't see any criticism of tabloids or exploitative celebrities either (both of which we had examples of in the show), and that was kind of disappointing.

coming back to the fans for a moment, i also think that the criticism of real people shipping was entirely unsuccessful. we basically mostly got an "oh, what if this person's partner thinks they are actually dating", which... if a bunch of people on the internet who do not know your boyfriend personally and make all their judgments from screenshots and their imagination can convince you that your boyfriend is cheating, i've got some bad news for you and also a number for a therapist. partly i know why it was so complicated for them to get into it properly - the issue with real people shipping is an issue of privacy, boundaries, the perception of celebrities, acceptable interests, and many other complex topics. however, it's better to not criticize something than to criticize it badly and inaccurately (because the latter usually leads to even more encouragement of whatever you were attempting to criticize).

aey: the flamboyant villain

aey certainly starts as a promisingly complex character, but the farther we go from his backstory and his family, the less complex and the more evil he gets. eventually, the trauma he goes through is no longer enough to give him a get-out-of-jail-free card, and he loses all remaining sympathy after sexually harassing gene and pretending to drug sib. and i did start this post by saying that i am not to analyze any plot points or characters from the show here; however, i'm saying all this to prove a point that aey is a clear villain in the show. this is further cemented by the fact that by the end of the show he loses the only two people who cared about him, and the very last moment with him in the show is literally just him crying for about 3 minutes. there was no redemption arc, no pity, no revenge - he was left alone and broken, clearly punished by the narrative. and i've got a bone to pick here as well.

one of the first things that we find out about aey is that he is gay, and quite openly so. he is repeatedly described as very feminine by many characters, he flirts with men, he talks about being good in bed, and his entire character is built upon being gay (half of it directly, and the other half due to the fact that his entire backstory and therefore personality is also built upon the fact that he is gay). he is - for the lack of a better term - the gayest character in the show and the only one who is loud about being gay not because he is in love but simply because it is a part of him and he doesn't want to hide it. and he is the villain. not the disgusting publisher or the terrible manager - no, this guy was specifically chosen to ruin everyone's lives. and i can't say i'm particularly happy about that. *british voice* seems a bit homophobic love

not quite queer enough

as i said, aey is openly gay. gene and sib also eventually say that they are gay, gene's father teep is queer, so are tiffy and mhok. but it just doesn't seem to come up as much as it would in real life. the only time anyone has a problem with any of the characters being queer is when we deal with the parents. but knowing actual queer thai actors in real life, we are all aware how hard it can be for them, but it has not come up even once for aey, gene or sib (with genesib only being a problem because they are a "non-shippable couple"). being queer is far from being a non-issue in the industry, and i found it incredibly weird that it was never brought up (and i would also prefer if they brought that up instead of showing the unaccepting parents plot for the millionth time).

same goes for the lack of conversation around queer people on set. i think we all have a wonderful example of how much better a bl can get simply when it involves a queer director and/or screenwriter (gods bless p'aof), gay actors, etc. i also thought it was a missed opportunity that gene being a gay man writing a bl novel was never highlighted. if anything, everyone made a big deal out of him being a man writing a bl - never mind that he is a gay man that is far more qualified to write bls than a straight woman.

in conclusion, there are simply not enough queer issues talked about here for a show that is about queer people facing difficulties while making a queer drama.

tiffy and tum: the good, the bad, and the ugly

overall, tiffy and tum are quite cool. outside of my own personal feelings, i really liked the clear reversal of gender roles they have going on: he knows lots about make-up, she knows nothing about it, he knows how to sew, she knows how to repair a car, etc.

tiffy is also a nice addition to the precious few queer girls we have in bls. however, the way her being bi is executed... it isn't great. when she first talks about dating girls to tum, she says things like "even though i look like this" (implying queer girls have a certain look?) and "maybe it seemed normal because i was at an all-girls school" (which wtf does that even mean?). i think the worst thing, though, was when she assumed tum was gay. my best guess is she thought so because she initially thought that tum and gene were a couple; however, she should be the first person to know that just because he likes men, it doesn't mean that he doesn't like women or any other gender. even though there was nothing explicitly leading me to make this conclusion, this whole thing did kind of feel like the old "flipping the switch" stereotype (meaning, she used to like women, but now she likes men, and both of them can't happen simultaneously).

make it make sense

i think i've never been more confused in my entire life than when i found out that the director of "lovely writer" also happens to be the director of "th*arnt*pe". and if at first, i was asking a lot of questions about this peculiar individual, who went from working on the worst rape-romanticizing show we have ever had to a show that explicitly states that rape is not normal. but the more i thought about it, the less i was interested in him, and the more i was interested in whoever made the decision to hire him. there are dozens of different directors that have worked specifically on bls, and even more that haven't. yet out of all those, you decided to choose this one. the dude, who before your show has only directed the show with the biggest rape-y vibes. that casts a particular kind of shade on the entire show that i simply do not like.

conclusion

at the end of the day, i think what "lovely writer" tried to do was very interesting. it succeeded in some ways and failed in others. frankly, i think this show could have easily been made better if someone queer was involved in making it. that's always true, but especially so, when we try to talk about the issues of making a queer drama. either way, it's certainly a good start to this conversation; however - as i said - i'm still waiting for my manner of death but with the bl industry. this was unfortunately not it.

[jlf23tumble]

There has been some really gross drama going down in one of the non1D fandoms that I've been really invested in for the last 10 years so if you had any famous/nonfamous 1D fics (my favorite thing ever) to rec I would be forever grateful.

OH, MAN, I WANNA HEAR THIS DRAMA!! I’m always so happy when I find some deep dive into something I’m totally not following, tell me more! In the meantime, I’ve got you, bb! I have a bunch--mayhaps too many--so I tried to cull (and tried to avoid famous/famous in other professions). Hopefully, there’s at least one here you haven’t read!

I normally list fics from smallest to largest, but I’m gonna break tradition here to front load my all-time favorites, which are Tuxedo Dress-Up and its sequel Tuxedo Classic Dance Party, both by Blake. If you read nothing else on this list, please god, read these two, the first one especially kills me, it’s so fucking funny and hot (even the TAGS are funny and hot), featuring famous Harry and real estate agent slash drag queen makeup artist slash aspiring songwriter, just the detail in the houses that Louis shows Harry ALONE, I wanna die.

day 1, by sky_reid, 5.6k. The tease of this one being the first part of a series that doesn’t materialize, help, but it doesn’t matter, it is as it says, pure luxury vacation porn, and even though it’s not clear in the story, the tags indicate famous footie star Louis and nonfamous Harry, so I nailed the brief!

I Won’t Let You Forget, by @graceling-in-a-suit, 7.2k. I’m not usually into time travel OR soulmates, but this one’s both AND it’s brilliant, so who am I to judge??? Loved it, the canon aspect works especially well, too!

breathless for an eternity, by cabinbythesea, 7.8k. The first of two SNL-related fics on this list, famous Harry w/ SNL writer/cast member Louis, so it kind of skirts the whole famous/non-famous line(ish), but the tags spell out all the reasons why this one’s a yes in several categories, ahem.

Love Me Like You Do, by sweaterpawstyles, 9.1k. I can’t do better than this one’s author notes: “Harry is a famous model, and Louis is a quiet writer who may or may not be his dom.” SO MUCH GOOD STUFF HERE, FWIW.

The One Where Harry Really Doesn’t Have Ten Cats, by LoadedGunn, 10k. The banter is off-the-charts good, and the entire concept borders on the very best crack, I’m SO HERE for catsitter-to-the-stars Harry and one of his more famous cat-owning clients Louis.

Thought the Song Was Sung, by @100percentsassy, 12.6k. I feel like this one is genre-defining, it’s so wonderful from beginning to end, famous ex-boybander Harry and computer tech Louis meet cute on a dating app (and by the by, the author notes about the inspiration for this are HILARIOUS).

Answer All Your Wishes, by @sadaveniren, 13.5k. I don’t know the IRL reference material for this, but it doesn’t matter, it’s famous musician Louis and stay-at-home mommy blogger Harry who have been in love since high school, and it’s super cute.

Hold My Heart, by Awriterwrites and phdmama, 14k. Heart surgeon Harry joins the mile-high club with famous actor Louis, and the true best part is how Louis’s just as starstruck as Harry here.

Then We Talk Slow, by @letsjustsee, 20k. This one reads so real, Louis Tomlinson out there promoting “Just Hold On,” with social media manager Harry at his new label doin’ his part to help.

You Know It’s Christmas (My Heart Is Open Wide), by @softfonds, 21k. The second SNL fic on this list, famous Harry w/ SNL cast member Louis, and GOD, does it make ya think with all the ropes and what not.

let me make a thing of cream and stars, by @missandrogyny, 24k. Radio 1 DJ crew member Louis dealing with absolute sex pest/famous Harry, plus I really like the way Nick is written here.

led by your beating heart, by @missandrogyny, 29k. Same author as above, so another good job on writing Nick, but it’s also a great game of “call or delete,” with famous Harry deciding if he should call or delete “cute Lou from the loo,” a guy he met when he first auditioned for X Factor (cute Lou now being a teacher).

hymns for restless stars, by @turnyourankle, 37k. Can I just say how much I love the authors who write fictober and advent fic? You get a gift every day, and this one’s from Christmas 2018, featuring haunted-by-fame Harry and his niece’s teacher Louis, a soft and cozy holiday bonanza.

I Think You’re Already Home, by jaerie, 38k. There’s a lot going on here, but bottom line, agoraphobic yet famous alpha Louis Tomlinson hires omega Harry to have his child (the tag “questionable parenting decisions” sends me).

Buried Like Treasure, by QuickedWeen/ @becomeawendybird, 40k. Easily one of my all-time fave Marcel fics, this one’s about famous royal Harry hiding his identity and kinky secrets (but not for long!) from art thief Louis.

Harry Styles Cooks..., by sunsetmog, 61k. A wip, but who cares, this is famous chef Harry and obsessed fan Louis, and I’m not describing it well enough, but every chapter CRACKLES with humor and sex and sweetness, I love it so!

Not That Gone series, by abrighteryellow/ @a-brighter-yellow, 64k. Famous Harry goes back to his high school reunion and reconnects with decidedly non-famous Louis, and a truly great story ensues.

Tired Tired Sea, by MediaWhore/ @mediawhorefics, 113k. Yep, it’s a long one, but there’s a huge world built here, famous Harry with non-famous inn keeper Louis, you will absolutely want to visit a lighthouse when you finish it!

[annavolovodov]

i feel like i've run out of things to watch, what would you recommend watching?

omg my time has come

Humans: one of my absolute favourite shows ever. The acting is on a whole other level and the last two episodes of the second season are some of the best television I've watched, period. HOWEVER, I'd recommend stopping at 3x07 as the finale is nothing but a big mess and you're better off not wasting your time.

Harlots: beginning as a rivalry between two brothels in 1700s London, Harlots is one of the few period dramas that actually acknowledges the existence of POC and queer people. The second season is particular is gay af. Unfortunately like Humans, the writers shat the bed when it came to S3 and I would recommend skipping since S2 provides a satisfying enough finale. Also there is potentially triggering content given the nature of the show but most of us generally agreed that the show handled sensitive content well in S1 and S2.

The Expanse: set in a future colonised solar system, The Expanse transforms from a mystery surrounding a missing girl into a much larger ensemble drama about humanity, progress, and the tenuous relations between Earth, Mars and the Belt. The majority of the cast are people of colour and there is some LGBT+ rep. So far there are three seasons (which aired on Syfy), S4 is coming to Amazon Prime in December and S5 has already been confirmed.

Call the Midwife: the true definition of an emotional rollercoaster. The first three seasons mostly follow the real accounts of a midwife in 1950s Poplar then shifts into an ensemble as we move into the 1960s. The show tackles pretty much every social issue under the sun and is maybe the only series ever to remain watchable going into its ninth year.

Downton Abbey: not as deep as many people tried to make it out to be but Downton was one of my first fandom experiences and boy was it a lot of fun. A pure escapist soap opera and I loved it.

Killjoys: Killjoys follows a trio of intergalactic bounty hunters over five seasons, the final of which is airing right now. I don't want to spoil the surprise with details but this show contains one of my fave wlw couples ever (there's a mlm relationship too!) and it's worth watching if only for them.

Charmed (2018): okay so I just finished watching the CW reboot of Charmed this weekend and holy shit I am invested. People got pissy when the series was announced and it's true that there are better-written shows out there, but you know what? I had fun. I enjoyed watching it, which is more than I can say for most TV recently. Plus, the three leads are WOC and there's a love triangle between three lesbians of colour, which I don't think has been done before.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: a musical comedy featuring one of the best depictions of mental illness imo. All four seasons are consistently excellent and the writers wrapped things up in a way that felt fitting. Fair warning: since the show has an emphasis on mental health there are a few potentially triggering situations, particularly during S3 when the protagonist reaches her lowest point, but it is not graphic or sensationalised in any way and the show goes on to depict her recovery and growth.

Deutschland 83: a German-language show set during the Cold War. I only started it because my friend told me to and I was planning on using that to make her watch one of my shows later but then I accidentally watched the entire first season in one day. More importantly there are multiple gays who don't die!!!!

Derry Girls: the only accurate depiction of being a teenager, ever. Genuinely hilarious and you can easily watch both seasons in a single day.

Lost in Space: I watched this last summer and enjoyed it way more than I expected to. S1 really valued hope, family and love which makes a nice difference to a lot of sci-fi shows out there right now.