#if this was s1 and they had mostly unknown actors

[chirpsythismorning]

When ya'll told me I was crazy for saying s5 is gonna take up to a year to film and so I stayed quiet, but now it's low-key being confirmed:

[feuqueerfire]

April 2024 Movies/Shows Wrap-Up

A little monthly (spoilery!) wrap-up of all the shows, movies, and shorts I’ve watched or am watching in April 2024, general thoughts, and ranking of them all.

Recommendation of the month(s): idk, had a bunch of shows that I rated pretty well but they each have big caveats lol.

Ranking

The Good Bad Mother (2023) = Utsukushii Kare S2 (2023) = 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) = The Warp Effect (2023)

I Hear Your Voice (2013) = Rewatch: ? Utsukushii Kare S1 (2021) 

Jazz for Two (2024) =  Utsukushii Kare: Eternal (2023)

Some More (2018)

Watching: 23.5

I managed to watch some shows that I’d been really anticipating for quite a while and were released early last year: Utsukushii Kare S2 + movie and The Warp Effect

Average Rating: 6.5/10

MDL Updates - Added to Watchlist: 

A section because I’m curious about how many shows I decide to add to my Watch List a month and also the ratio of watching them:adding them.

Title MDL (year) - (date added to Considering or finalized to Watchlist): initial reaction

Jazz for Two - 240411: New kBL that seems fine

Love is Better the Second Time Around - 240417: i'm fond of the second chance/post-breakup romance trope, hopefully I’ll like this one

Blank - 240417: Only season 1 is out for now and apparently it ends on a cliffhanger, so idk if I should be adding it to the watchlist quite yet but I want age gap GL (w dubious morality? idk what the discourse is about tbh), so I’ll add it and hope S2 is released in May as expected and turns out well

My Beautiful Man: Eternal (2023)

Unknown: I’d been keeping an eye on it since it started releasing and it got pretty high praise all throughout. I think I can get into the we’re-not-biological-brothers-but-we-grew-up-together-as-brothers dynamic 

Deep Night: I’ve enjoyed First Piyangkul in shows before and am curious about the host club setting in this. This show is such an interesting case because on reddit and on Tumblr, everybody seems to love it and MDL has some mixed comments but mostly positive there too and yet the MDL rating is 7.5, I wonder why the discrepancy.

23.5: FINALLY

I Became the Main Role of a BL Drama - 240417: The Conversation podcast mentioned in their 2024 Winter Lagniappe and seems like it's a celeb-related show? they’re actors?

To Watch List At Start Of Month: 64

To Watch List At End Of Month: 64

Removed from To Watch List:

Title (Year) - (date removed): reason

Nothing this month

Completely Watched

The Good Bad Mother (2023)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Apr 26, 2023 - Jun 8, 2023

Watch Via: iQiyi (so, ;>) 

Watch Dates: Apr 1 - 3, 2024

Rating: 7/10

Overall Impression: Lee Dohyun <3 My reason for watching but the show is bigger than just him. It was so addictive and entertaining, watched the whole show in like 2 days and 2 hours. Impressed by the acting of Lee Dohyun and the mother and Mijoo's actors. The show was mostly about the mother and son relationship, with the revenge plot + the Mijoo/Kangho romance arcs in the background. I deeply wish that Kangho hadn't apparently forever loved and understood his mother and did everything for her and sang her favourite song while studying for the Bar or whatever. He went low-contact with her in Seoul even before he discovered the stuff that made him break up with Mijoo, so I think the reasons behind that and the hurt and betrayal that caused him to take such an action should have been focused on more. We got fleeting moments of him being angry or her saying she's bad but it was all explained away or he understood or whatever. Anyway, idk, I think if that relationship was more clear + the ending of the revenge arc was more solid, I would've rated it higher because I did enjoy this but some things bothered me significantly.

Also Appears In: The Good Bad Mother Live Blogging

I Hear Your Voice (2013)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Jun 5, 2013 - Aug 1, 2013

Watch Via: Viki (paid, so ;>)

Watch Dates: Apr 3 - 11, 2024

Rating: 6.5/10 [May 12, 2024 Update: Decreased by 0.5 stars when rerating shows I've watched in 2024: 7 -> 6.5]

Overall: Noona romance + mystery + courtroom + sliiight supernatural with mind-reading, it has a bunch of things I liked. It's from over a decade ago but enjoyable nonetheless. I liked it, though Hyeseong and Sooha were quite cute but I wish 1) the episodes were a bit more condensed to be 14-16 episodes and 2) the fucking love triangle wasn't so prominent (though I get that they probably did it because Sooha was underage at first). Not life-changing and kind of overstayed its welcome for me, esp because I was barely watching 1 ep a day in the middle there.

Also Appears In: I Hear Your Voice Live Blogging

Jazz for Two (2024)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Mar 26, 2024 - Mar 29, 2024

Watch Via: iQiyi (paid, so ;>)

Watch Dates: Apr 11 - 12, 2024

Rating: 6/10

Overall: Nobody in this drama asks before kissing lol not Doyoon, not Seheon, not the little kiss that Seheon's brother gave to sleeping Taejoon, and the other two, Juha and Taeyi, are experts in being creeps and having internalized homophobia that they direct outwardly to the guys they like as well (Seheon's brother fits here too lol). Yet, I enjoyed it a fair amount, the story was coherent, the acting was fine, I was endeared by Doyoon (is he the Omega X kid?), and the dynamics were enjoyable, if iffy on certain counts. Not super attached though.

tags: jazz for two

Also Appears In: Jazz For Two Live Blogging

Some More (2018)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Nov 7, 2018

Watch Via: Gagaoolala (paid, so ;>)

Watch Dates: Apr 13, 2024

Rating: 5/10

Overall: It was fine ig but I did skim through the latter half. 

Ah, my exams are done (for this semester or forever? who knows), so I can finally start some new shows. Dunno whether I want yaoi with Utsukishii Kare rewatch + S2 and movie or to watch The Warp Effect. They’re both early 2023 shows that I’ve been meaning to watch but it’s been so long of me anticipating them before their release + wanting to watch while releasing + meaning to binge them after release that the expectations are a little high and I keep putting off watching them oof.

And then I got a bunch of Love for Love’s Sake tiktoks on my FYP and the edits for that show are really good, so I’m tempted a bit to rewatch that because it’s on my To Rewatch list anyway but I’ve decided no.

Rewatch: Utsukushii Kare (2021)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Nov 18, 2021 - Dec 23, 2021

Watch Via: Viki

Watch Dates: Mar 23, Apr 17 - 18, 2024

Rating: 7?/10

Overall: Ahh, idek why I wasn't Gripped by this rewatch, like I like the characters and dynamics but it wasn't keeping my attention as much, maybe because it's a rewatch? Maybe my original rating of 6.5 was correct and I shouldn't have bumped it up to 7 but who knows, maybe I'll be reintroduced to the brainworms after watching Season 2 because I found ep 6 really engaging and was into it and S2 + movie will have new, unfamiliar stories for me.

tags: utsukushii kare

Also Appears In: Utsukushii Kare, Utsukushii Kare (S1, S2, Movie) Live Blogging

Utsukushii Kare Season 2 (2023)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Feb 8, 2023 - Mar 1, 2023

Watch Via: Viki

Watch Dates: Apr 18 - 19, 2024

Rating: 7/10

Overall: This season is about Hira and Kiyoi's relationship. They didn't become boring after getting together, they didn't magically end up being a perfect happy well-adjusted couple after getting together, nor were there random issues thrown just because; the struggles and hurdles are true to their characters and dynamics. I liked the themes and dynamics it explored and their character + relationship development and progression. I also smiled a lot and lost my mind a little at certain moments. Strong writing, strong characters, strong acting, what a relief.

tags: utsukushii kare

Also Appears In: Utsukushii Kare (S1, S2, Movie) Live Blogging

My Beautiful Man: Eternal (2023)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Apr 7, 2023

Watch Via: Viki

Watch Dates: Apr 19, 2024

Rating: 6/10

Overall: Great, fun, though not as emotionally invested as Season 2 because they're in a better place in their relationship in this movie (even if it's not necessarily Perfect). It was interesting to have new people in their lives like Anna and Noguchi and how their stories influenced them. I'm happy with where we're leaving off the characters after ~6h of show/movie but lowest rating so far because it felt like we spent too much time on stuff like Anna’s story or the random kidnapping.

tags: utsukushii kare

Also Appears In: Utsukushii Kare (S1, S2, Movie) Live Blogging

The Warp Effect (2023)

Country: Thailand

Release Dates: Dec 12, 2022 - Feb 27, 2023

Watch Via: Youtube

Watch Dates: Apr 20 - 26, 2024

Rating: 7/10

Overall: A unique and enjoyable show, it was so fun to see all these characters in their specific situations and how they deal with them. The characters were all compelling, it's wild how I was into all their storylines. how charming each character/their story was, and how the story juggled them. It also made me see a bunch of actors in new lights, New most of all, as they acted in a role outside of their usual wheelhouse. I think the most frustrating part for me was how it seemed like although they were getting at it, they never quite acknowledged that what Alex did to Jean that night was rape. It made me quite angry actually, especially how Alex's actions didn't feel like it actually took Jean's feelings and trauma and requests into account. I was at least glad that in that timeline, Jean doesn't get back with Alex. 

tags: the warp effect

Also Appears In: The Warp Effect Live Blogging

GMMTV 2024 Part 2 Showcase happened and it was very intriguing, I’m excited! 

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Country: USA

Release Dates: March 31, 1999

Watch Via: TV

Watch Dates: Apr 23 , 2024

Rating: 7/10

Overall: Watched it with my sister impulsively because apparently Heart Breakers is loosely inspired by Taming of the Shrew/10 Things I Hate About You and I wanted to understand all the stuff that referenced that movie. It’s a fun one, I thought Kat and whatever the guy’s name is were cute, even though I thought the resolution was much too easy. 

Change2561 Changing Project Lineup 2024 happened and oooh, it had some gems, I’m sooo excited for Goddess Bless You From Death now! 

Also last night I created a list on MDL for Upcoming shows without release dates (mostly BLs, some GLs, a non-QL here and there) and it now has 33 shows. I hope most of them are released by this year please

Currently Watching

23.5 

Country: Thailand

Release Dates: Mar 8, 2024 - May 24, 2024

Watch Via: Youtube

Watch Dates: Apr 27 - ONGOING, 2024

Rating: -/10

Overall: Started it when 8 episodes were released.

tags: 23.5 degrees

Also Appears In: 23.5 Degrees Live Blogging 

I think I'm just in more of a mood to watch intense/thriller stuff and would binge if I was watching that was more that route because I've been watching one ep of 23.5 a day and while it's fun, I'm not dying to watch the next part or next ep. The Warp Effect was kinda like that too, I was watching 1-2 eps a day for a while. Been a while since I binged stuff quickly (The Good Bad Mother in 3 days at the start of the month). Hopefully I can make sure I keep up with the rest of the episodes as they release and don’t get distracted with other shows.

Posts Created This Month:

GMMTV 2024 Part 2 Showcase

Change2561 Changing Project Lineup 2024

[pynkhues]

🔥 If there was to be a modern-day Dawson's Creek who would you cast and why. Also would you change anything about the characters? And their arcs?

Ohhhh, this one was so fun, but also so hard, anon! I watch a lot of tv and film, so I do have an idea of what actors are around for roles in a teenage age bracket, but the fun thing about that sort of show is usually in casting unknowns / being a young actor's big break. Still! If we're going off actors who are already out there, I'd say:

Dawson's a bit of a hard line to walk given he's such a frustrating character most of the time, but I think Jack Dylan Grazer's really proven that he's adept at making obnoxious, neurotic or smartass characters pretty darn likeable on-screen, and I think he could be a really watchable and interesting Dawson in a reboot.

Gosh, I watched The Fallout the other day and just thought she was staggeringly good in it, and between that, Scream, Jane the Virgin, and being the standout in s2 of You, I just find her such an exciting actress to watch. I think she'd balance Joey's wry, self-deprecating humour, focus, snark and vulnerability perfectly, and she was literally the first person who came to mind when I saw your ask.

I was really trying to stick to actors under twenty for this recast to keep them close to their charcter's age in s1, but I can't imagine anyone but Jharrel coming close to Pacey right now. Jharrel has so much screen presence and charisma, and he can balance light and darkness so well in a way that feels really important to Pacey's character. I've loved him in everything from Selah and the Spades to Moonlight to When They See Us, and just want to see him in everything, haha.

Another fave! I Am Not Okay With This was taken from us too soon! Sophia Lillis is such a talented young actress and I feel like she'd do such a good job of balancing out Jen's acerbic wit, rebellious streak and raw vulnerability.

Having watched The Fallout the other day, I was just so impressed by the core three actors, particularly Jenna and Niles. Niles was so charming in the role, but carried the weight of his character's brother's death in every scene he was in, and I think that would translate really well to a role like Jack, who especially in the early seasons is trying to project an image of himself while hiding his sexuality and managing his mother and sister's mental health.

I thought Selah and the Spades was ultimately a pretty flawed movie (mostly because I thought it had too much compelling storyworld for a 90 minute movie, and would've been better served as a series), but Lovie was such a standout in the titular role, that I've been dying to see her in another meaty, complicated role. Andie's such a complex and rich character, and I think it would be the exact sort of role Lovie could really embody well.

As for what I'd change, I definitely would not kill Jen off in the finale. That felt really cheap to me, and is something I don't think I'll ever truly forgive the show for. I think the show struggled with Jen's arc the most, and I think hers is definitely the one I'd change the most. There's so much about it that I really love - especially her shifting relationship with her Grams - and I think I'd definitely focus her arc a little less on guys and more on her really getting to find herself.

Also I'd kill the Pacey-sleeps-with-his-teacher storyline.

I feel like I need to re-watch the series to work out what else I'd change, haha, but Jen's arc is definitely a big one.

Send Me a 🔥+ a Topic, and I’ll Tell You My Honest Opinion About It

[rinharu-purple]

Lucien: MLQC’s Mastermind

Yes, I said that Lucien is the creepiest LI in my opinion, and I wouldn’t choose him in a million, billion years. BUT, Lucien is by far the one person, who is pulling the strings and is the driving force of the MLQC universe. He is the only person who acquires all the information from all sides and is connected to every important actor in the story. Therefore, Lucien has become the second LI I’ve started to follow more attentively. Mind that the ranking ist 1) Gavin 2) Gavin 3) Gavin 4) Lucien ;)

In my manifesto, why Gavin is MC’s choice, I’ve already mentioned briefly, that Lucien has the strongest EVOL among all the characters but is also the strongest character (it’s not the MC or the Black Queen, let’s not fool ourselves)

The Machiavellian

Before we talk about Lucien’s part in the MLQC universe, we should first look at him as person and observe the elements that make up his personality.

In the game, all our guys have their personal priorities. Gavin and Kiro are on the front line, fighting for peace and prosperity, Victor, well...I don’t think that he cares for anything else besides MC, maybe his position. But with Lucien, his priority is not a person or a concept, but rather a philosophy. Lucien wants to see the next step in human evolution and is determined to take any measures necessary to see it to it’s end. Other guys can not stand oblivious to other things that come up their way in achieving their goals but Lucien only has his eyes on the prize and to him nothing else matters, no one else matters and no ethics matter. 

Machiavellianism denotes cunningness and claims, that those dark triads use whatever means necessary to gain power. If we consider the choices Lucien has made throughout the story so far, we can clearly find his manipulative ways in getting other actors to the positions of his conjecture. He lies to MC and hides his personality as Ares, penetrates Black Swan to use their facilities, but also uses LFG’s resources for his R&D projects all the while concealing his true nature. 

Another trait of a Machiavellian, is that he is charismatic and friendly, all the while displaying no emotions. I think, there can be two possible reasons as to why Lucien has limited display of emotions. The first possible explanation has something to do with his parents passing and the trauma he suffered afterwards. Among all LIs Lucien is the one with the most loveless childhood and teenage years, the most important years in developing one’s psychological traits and during those years Lucien received alongside with Kiro the most blows. That resulted in him losing the connection to his emotions as a defense mechanism. 

Another possibility might be him losing the connection to his emotions as a result of a chemical reaction in his brain due to excessive testing Black Swan objected him to. Lucien’s EVOL was created in a lab and he was the first man-made Evolver. Lucien is called various times a psychopath, because he shows signs of psychopathy such as lack of remorse, empathy or compassion. It is said that that kind of behavior might occur due to a misconnection between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and the amygdala. Considering the fact that Lucien’s parents were killed right in front of him and that he was both physically and psychologically abused for the coming years, this might have led him to experience an imbalance in his chemical balance. One might argue, that his altruistic actions in the orphanage are an evidence for his compassion, I think it is yet another disguise for his unethical ways of reaching his goals.

The Orchestrator

In all honesty no one is actively seeking alliances and keeps tabs on other’s actions for their agenda like Lucien does. Maybe Commander Leto but he mostly fails in drawing others to his side, because he is not able to speak in their pendants’ language or resonate with their perspective. Lucien, on the other hand, is gifted with an extraordinary ability to observe his surroundings and companions, making it very easy for him to talk to them in their terms and desires. Lucien doesn’t show much empathy, UNLESS, it contributes to his cause, in that case he can perfectly put himself in other’s shoes and plays them in such a meticulous way, that they join him willingly.

That is how Lucien directs MC successfully in entering the Black Cabin or in understanding the evolution core.

Lucien is not exactly a piece on a chess board, but is a player, who knows all the pieces very well, knows the rules of the game, has observed many games and took notes of how they all has turned out and therefore knows what kind of a game he is going to play. Just watch closely. how he co-operates with Kiro and the Black Queen. He knows that Kiro is using Black Swan for his goals, much like he does, so he uses his hacking abilities to access to information. The Black Queen is the initiator of everything in S1, so he makes sure to stay close to her. He knows that Victor is searching for MC and trying to understand the Evol gene, there he has an investor. 

The Cool, Calm and Collected Type

in the MLQC universe, everyone loses their composure at one point or another, because...who wouldn’t? Time and space warps constantly and people are also changing their stances depending on the time-space constellation they find themselves in. 

MC loses her cool almost on a daily basis, Gavin was in a constant haywire in the Daybreak era, Victor literally threw people into black holes in CH11 and freaked out as he saw the Black Queen for the first time and Kiro walks around in a bipolar state. So, everybody is pretty unstable due to understandable conditions but we never see Lucien lose his cool and this is one of his best qualities. 

Here is the thing about Lucien. This guy is always at least one step ahead of everyone and he achieves this by two simple rules: 

1) Acquire all possible information

2) Observe everyone and everything at all times

Why am I saying this? It lies in the basis of anxiety and angst. We humans tend to feel uncomfortable in the face of an uncertain situation, meaning in the wake of the unknown. MC is constantly anxious, because she doesn’t know what is going on, why is everyone after her, why is she blessed with the unconditional affection of 5 equally attractive men? (ehm, but not quite equally ehm *Gavin* hihi, sorry, Gavin-stan gotta Gavin-stan ^_^). Anyway you get the picture. Gavin went haywire in CH22 because he was pushed in a tight spot and therefore had angst. Same goes for Victor in CH11 his mind went blank as he saw history repeating itself and then in CH18 when he saw with his own eyes what could the girl of his dreams might become.

We don’t see Lucien in such deadlock situation though do we, and I think it is mainly because he is always prepared for every possibility and he can calculate them meticulously, because he possesses the largest chunk of information and also keeps tabs on everyone and everything that’s going on. So, when a crisis occurs he doesn’t freak out, sure he gets surprised at times, because the outcome of a a certain situation is the possibility, which he calculated to be no higher than 1% and yet there it is. But since he’s already took this into consideration, he has a plan. Combine this with his knowledge about the persons and organizations involved in the matter, then you have a calm Lucien, who is in control of the situation. Thus, he is calm. You can actually also bind this behavior of Lucien with that of a predator, whose movement are languid, is non-reactive and doesn’t mind turning his back to his opponents, since he doesn’t perceive them as a threat.

If this wasn’t enough, Lucien manages to joggle all of this without exposing himself. Even in the last stage of the play he never gets caught. Unless he willingly exposes himself, as in the case of revealing Ares to MC. MLQC actors can usually see through each other and use their weaknesses to meet their own ends. MC is obviously Gavin, Kiro and Victor’s weakness and their opponents can see this pretty easily. IT’s not quite the same with Lucien though and he doesn’t let himself be blackmailed or threatened by any weakness. He always keeps his cards close to his chest. 

Considering the fact that Lucin is the least outstanding LI, this is pretty impressive. So I guess this makes him the embodiment of the phrase “still waters run deep”.

The Renaissance Man

Lucien is a man of science and aesthetics. Explaining phenomenons with associations and loading them with philosophical substance. He doesn’t necessarily perceive things bluntly as they are, but interprets them in a meaningful way. The way he associates MC with a butterfly, how he wants to entrap her in ajar, so she wouldn’t get away, alas taking the only resource of color in his life away. Not only that, but he can also break down the matters at hand to its fragments and can therefore work his way up from there. He is blessed with a strong deduction ability, so he can connect the dots easily, come to a conclusion and act accordingly. No doubt that the other guys have very good deduction abilities, but because Lucien always has a bit of an information more than them, he can find the solutions just a little bit faster in my opinion. 

Reading is a necessity for his guy much like eating and drinking, Which is why we see him reframing events in the context of a certain story he’d read at some point in his life. With time, I will add here some of his quotes about certain situations to explain what I mean. Or even better, if you have some, that are evident in you opinion, you could add them in the comments. I really enjoy reading/hearing Lucien’s philosophical, scientific explanations to certain moments in MC’s life. They are always to the point and helpful.

-------------

So this is my very first analysis on Lucien and I have to admit, I still have  so many material to check on him, so if anything is missing please bear with me here :)

I was watching Joe’s Twitch while I wrote this, so there are many spelling, grammar mistakes, which will be corrected gradually.

This post will get better and better, scout promise!

[drops-of-moonlights]

Specialists, suit up! Magic Transformation!

An update on the guys and on Specialists in general! Descriptions of each guy will be lifted from the older post describing them slightly updating them as well.

Specialists are a less-magically-focused version of Paladins, doing most of the same things but without direct supervision from the Order of Mana, not quite mercenaries but not quite military, either. their armor has wings that let them levitate and fly at high speeds, and when not in use they turn into a cape-like shape.

Sky, Riven, Nex, Brandon and Timmy share a dorm and are Team 3Q, and they’re all in their second year at the start of the series. Riven is older than them, as like Stella he failed his first year, though out of aggresion and an accident than just an accident like Stella.

Sky Calem Beaufort: Crown Prince of Eraklyon, pretended to be his squire Brandon for 2 years when entering Red Fountain due to the recent assasination attempts done on him when he was still unknown to the public by the rogue team of Yoshinoya. He’s sweet and courageous, and has formal training with swords and shields, but he has a habit of procrastinating important stuff and not wanting to talk about royal duties, which is the root of the issue with him, Bloom and Diaspro in S1. Was betrothed to Diaspro since they were both kids, but neither loved each other and was purely a political agreement. Ends up dating Riven at the end of S3.

Brandon Ortiz: Squire of the Crown Prince, second oldest son of 5 siblings. He’s a very jovial person and prone to crack jokes and flirt, but he’s also the most responsible of the team and will hold them by the neck as if kittens if they misbehave. Son of a teacher and a guard, he’s a good cook and agile with his spear, and is one of the main frontliners alongside Riven. While he sticks with Sky due to his job, his friendship with him is real and he’s usually the first one to find out about his issues. Was dating Stella for a year before having to put their relationship on hold during S1, retaking it right after it.

Riven Altamura: Held back a year, he’s a grumpy Orc who’s trying to adapt to the situation. He got along horribly with his previous team, and he’s trying to see how his relationship with the rest will develop. While his face is almost always stuck in an annoyed look, he’s more experienced than the other 4 and tries to guide them whenever they seem to fail, but since he’s prideful and with a short temper, it almost always ends up in a small argument. His father died when he was little, and enrolled in Red Fountain to give some relief to his mom once they started to run into monetary problems. He’s the main frontliner of the team, and favors sabres and other curved swords to fight, though he also has a good handle on maces. He’s a Solarian, and being of age, as a tatoo of a red comet on his back. Ends up dating Sky at the end of S3.

Nex Arancelle: a particularly cocky half-elf, Nex is their second midliner alongside Sky and mostly fights with daggers or axes. He’s equally prideful as Riven and likes to argue, so they butt heads most of the time. He’s a genuinely nice person despite this, and will be the first person to try and defuse a potentially heated situation alongside Brandon when they arise. Everyone in his family are performers or actors, and has inherited their dramatics, which tend to bother everyone else. He translates his gymnastics and gestures into battle, however, and becomes a competent and flexible warrior. He’s from Magix, especifically from the Soraia District. He’s trans, and gets a girlfriend during the downtime in S4.5.

Timothy “Timmy” Ayton: A somewhat aloof elf, he’s their main gunslinger and long range fighter. Timmy is very smart and confident in his intelligence, and will gleefully correct everyone else once in a while, but he’s insecure in his social skills and sticks to his team most of the time, only occasionally talking to other classmates. He’s their fastest fighter and has a decent skill with daggers, but he sticks with his guns most of the time as none of the other guys are good with aim, especially aim from a distance. He comes from Dolona. Starts dating Tecna at the end of S5.

Helia Saladin: he’s the grandson of Headmaster Aure Saladin and is a dropout of Red Fountain. He’s a fervent pacifist and has been since a young age, but went to Red Fountain out of obligation and left the school after a heated argument with his family after the first semester, which he had passed with great scores. He works as a small-time traditional artists and lives in Magix City, but occassionally helps the guys whenever they ask him, thought only as support and healing. He’s the Witch of Alloys with powers over minerals and metal and appears as a Glamourix fairy from the start, earning Enchantix behind the scenes in S4 and getting Altheix at the end of S4. Lynphean-Esperian. Starts dating Flora during S2.5.

Nabu Grant Daithe: an Andrian noble, he was born and conceived with the sole purpose of marrying the soon-to-be-born Princess Aisha, and was raised since his youth to be king consort. He vehemently opposed the marriage, however, and shortly before their scheduled meeting, he ran away from home and went undercover as Ophir, a young performer working in Magix. We meet him at Charmix level, and earns his Glamourix near the end of S3 when finally confronting his parents alongside Aisha. He gets his Enchantix at the end of S4, and then gets Onyrix during S4.5. His title is Fairy of Shadows, with power over darkness. Gets a boyfriend during S5.

[jonny-byerss]

What are your answers to those 20 questions? Im planning to add my own answers too (even though nobody asked lol)

I got another ask for some of the numbers but I’m just gonna do this one because it’s all of them.

1) Favorite character? Jonathan, hands down. He’s so underrated. I love him with all my heart.

2) Favorite season? Even though I love Season 1 and the amount of thought that was actually put into the writing, I’m gonna say Season 2 because I really loved that season and a lot of amazing things happened in that season (mostly the Jancy kiss lol but other things too)

3) Favorite scene? Oof that’s a hard one. I really like the exorcism scene from S2 with Joyce, Jonathan, Nancy and Will (Noah Schnapp did amazing, all of the actors in this scene were phenomenal, Winona, Charlie, and Natalia and especially Noah). I also obviously love the Jancy first kiss, and how passionate it is (and scene directly before and morning after scene lol).

4) Favorite 80s song from the album? Even though it was used for Stancy (sigh), I am a sucker for Africa, I’ve loved that song since before Stranger Things. But I also love Should I Stay Or Should I Go and how significant it is to the show.

5) Favorite ship? I think it’s obvious to anyone who’s seen my blog lol, Jancy obviously. And it’s canon so there’s that.

6) Favorite outfit? Oh gosh, literally any of Jonathan’s sweaters cuz he looks so cute in them. I also really liked Joyce’s S3 look, she was a cutie. And I liked Nancy’s dresses in S3, they were cute. I like a lot of the outfits tbh (Max always has cute outfits, and El in S3).

7) Favorite antagonist? Can I say just Hawkins Lab in general? I miss S1 and S2 when you never knew what the Lab was gonna do next, it made for a good antagonist. The Russians didn’t seem all that mysterious tbh.

8) Scoops Troop, Griswold Family, or Eagle’s Nest? Griswold Family for sure! Jancy and the kids will always be superior! I wish they got more screentime, especially after the hospital scene. I also wish the siblings actually acknowledged each other.

9) Who’s your favorite actor? Charlie!! I mean, all of the actors are amazing, but I’m starting to really appreciate Charlie Heaton. For one thing, I love British boys, and for another, I just think he’s a phenomenal actor and he’s really good at showing his emotions. I wish the writers gave him more to work with.

10) Most badass Hawkins lady? Oh dang, that’d have to be a tie between Joyce and Nancy. I just love how Joyce would do anything for her kids, including go into an unknown dimension with the possibility of being Demogorgon lunch. Also, when she punched the mayor, gosh, that was amazing. And Nancy, when she stood in front of the car and just shot at Billy when he was racing towards her, I was so proud (and also scared for Nancy’s life). And “Let’s burn that lab to the ground”, I love her, she’s such a badass.

11) Favorite mom? (By the way person who made the questions, Steve’s not a mom!) I love Joyce! She is the World’s Greatest Mom™️! Sure, she has some problems, but she would literally do anything for her kids and I love that! Also, she’s so chill, like Jonathan had a girl over and she totally knew and didn’t care! My mom would literally kill me lol. I love Joyce.

12) Saddest scene? Oh gosh that’s hard. Bob dying was really sad to me, but I actually genuinely cried at the S3 ending. Not because of Hopper’s letter but because the Byers are moving! Like I get why but it’s still so sad seeing everyone say goodbye to each other, like come on Joyce, look how sad they all are :(

13) Any merch? So, because I’m fairly new to this fandom, I don’t have much. I seriously watched the whole show for the first time in April because quarantine and my friend wanted me to watch it, so I did, I’ve binged it at least 4 times though already during quarantine. However, since I recently graduated from high school and was given a lot of graduation money that I had no idea what to spend on (yes, I set some aside for college), I bought some merch. I bought a S3 poster from Walmart. I bought a Steve Funko online. For my birthday, which was in June, my friend gave me a Scoops Ahoy shirt and pin. My boyfriend gave me a Robin Funko (he said he was gonna get me Jonathan but they didn’t have anymore of his 1 single Funko, rip). And then my sister and I went to Hot Topic and I got two shirts, one that just has the Stranger Things logo and the other has the Griswold Family on it (seriously, I saw Nancy and Jonathan on it and I screamed). That’s it. Oh, and then my sister gave me some Stranger Things decals for my birthday which I put on my laptop. And then my sister’s friend gave me a sticker with Robin on it, and that’s on the back of my phone. That’s it. That’s all the merch.

14) Favorite line? I’m sorry but my favorite line will forever be, “So, Jonathan, how was the pull-out?”. That line is literally the most clever innuendo I have ever heard. And I love Jonathan’s reaction to it. And Nancy’s little smirk. I may be pretty innocent, but I understood that line the second I heard it. And I love that it’s for Jancy. If it was for any other couple, I might not have laughed as hard as I did, but it was still hilarious, imo.

15) Contributed to the fandom? Again, I’m pretty new to the fandom. I did write a fanfic, but it never got posted because my computer decided to delete it for some reason. I’m not good at art, so no on that. I did make a Tik Tok though. You can check it out, my name is @camree_nicole. The Tik Tok literally blew up (like seriously most of my videos only get like 20 likes by my irl friends, but this one got 12K likes, it was crazy!), like I gained a lot of Stranger Things fan page followers. What was the Tik Tok? I literally made it because I was procrastinating my online school (back when I was still doing that) and it’s literally about how whenever I’m binging Stranger Things and get to S2:E6, I get really excited and I showed the scene of Nancy and Jonathan about to kiss. I got a lot of comments like “Yesss I was so happy!” and stuff like that and it made me really happy lol.

16) Favorite fan theory? Idk, there’s some pretty crazy theories out there. I don’t really look at many theories, I just like seeing what some people theorize for S4. I especially like @unpredictablybittersweet’s S4 theories here on Tumblr. And GemmaStones on Reddit has some theories I really like too.

17) Favorite filming location? The Byers house!! I’m gonna miss that place :’( Lots of iconic stuff has happened there. Still bitter we didn’t get much of it in S3.

18) Read any books or comics? Again, I’m pretty new, so no I have not. I’ve heard what happens in some of them online though.

19) Favorite duo? My fave duo will forever be Nancy and Jonathan. Whether it’s platonic or romantic, when they get together they do some pretty badass things.

20) Favorite behind the scenes photo? The picture in my profile pic I believe is a BTS photo. It’s also my lock screen rn.

Also here’s my Tik Tok: (ignore my face)

[nadjaofstatenisland]

What is it that makes you love/prefer parentdale Vs Riverdale

one of the draws for me after watching the pilot is how they got (mostly) unknowns for the kids and casted a bunch of 80s/90s former teen actors for the parents. as the show grew more and more ridiculous we saw less and less of the parents but by then we had already developed them fully and loved them unconditionally.

during s1 I still genuinely liked all the kids but as the show went on I noticed how quick everyone was about to forgive their own favs no matter what they did and I was like hmmm I can do that too!

[mentallyinwalmart]

Hahahaha I am in great pain

Mini rant about my thoughts on 8x05

I had to take a day to calm down and digest. And now I’m ready to share my thoughts

(This post does NOT contain leaks, but DOES contain spoilers for all of S8 so far)

—————

Okay...

First, kudos. Kudos to Peter, Lena, and Nikolaj for the incredible, heartbreaking performances. All the accolades to Kit and Maisie for the pain and anguish on their faces during the sacking of KL, and a thousand hurrah’s to Emilia for going on the most intense face journey of all time.

Of course a thousand high fives to our cinematography team who redeemed themself with one of the most beautiful episodes I’ve seen in a long time (the clouds when the city burnt broke my heart but tickled me in my aesthetic places)

And of course, s/o to Bran for sending Arya that Uber.

Now, onto my thoughts.

I wish there would have been 7 episodes. Like many people, I believe Dany’s madness was forced, however, I disagree by how much. I wish we’d have had one more episode to see Dany truly descend, because while I feel she’s been walking a fine line all season, I think Danaerys and her confedants are all such dynamic characters (and phenomenal actors) they could’ve done a LOT of good with one more episode to show her descent.

However, I believe this had foundation beginning when she didn’t flinch as Vesarys burned in S1, and when she crucified the masters of Meerena in S4.

Dany said herself she would make them pay with fire and blood and that’s just what she did. I believe that with the 6 episodes they have, they did a very good job tying together her arc, and I’m excited to see how they end things.

As for another thing I mostly enjoyed, I felt that the Hound/Puppy dynamic (Sandor and Arya) and the Cleganebowl were both brilliantly executed. The hound knew exactly what Arya had with Gendry. He’s known them both for years, and he spoke to gendry about it last episode. When he spoke to her and told her she had more to live for, that she could have a life not rooted in vengeance and death, I felt that was beautiful. It showed his development, it showed how much he grew to care for our beloved stabby Stark, and it showed how much she has grown, into someone who is driven by more than just vengeance, and someone who, by turning back, accepted a future of questions and unknowns, accepted another aspect of life.

My biggest hope for Arya is a reunion with (hopefully Queen) Sansa, and for her to use her face magic thingy one last time (taking out the mad queen)

Jon Snow followed Dany into battle because he loves her. He thought that, though he couldn’t return the romantic love, by showing her that he would march on the front lines for her, he was truly proving she was loved. Sadly, it wasn’t enough. But he was true to his character and I loved it.

...

Finally... to address the elephant in the room. Jaime ‘fuck-your-character-development’ Lannister.

I have thought about this a lot. I have removed the books from my mind and focused solely on the show canon, and I have come to the conclusion that had the events of E4 not gone as they had, I’d have been fine with his end.

If after E4, Jaime Lannister had fought bravely, saved the living, the innocents he so loved and took on the title of Kingslayer for, then gone back to Cersei, I would’ve respected that end. True, I would’ve been mad that he didn’t end up with Brienne, but I would not have been angry at him because, perhaps he would’ve pleaded with her to surrender and potentially saved Missendei, and by fighting for the living but still returning to Cersei, he would’ve fulfilled his arc, but his heart would’ve remained true as it was in episode one. I would’ve respected and probably even enjoyed that end.

But that’s not how E4 went.

E4 and E5 Jaime are different men. E4 Jaime is a man who fulfilled his arc, and was changed. E5 Jaime was a man who had technically fulfilled his arc, but had betrayed his morals along the way.

Because of the happiness he had with Brienne, and because he ‘cheated’ on Cersei with her, him going back to KL didn’t make sense. One of the biggest governing principles in Jaime’s life is loyalty (as is with Brienne, which is why I shipped Braime so hard). Jaime killed the Mad King out of loyalty to the people, and Jaime never slept with another no matter how many times Cersei hurt him because of loyalty to her.

Jaime who was happy in the North with Brienne was not the Jaime who forsought the people and went back to Cersei to comfort her. These simply can’t exist in the same universe.

I seriously would’ve preferred to never see a Braime scene past the Knighting Ceremony if it meant that Jaime’s character wouldn’t have been truly massacred.

Sorry this was long? I love you if you read all the way through, hopefully next week doesn’t dissapoint.

[toneelspeler]

1/2 I feel you on the Skam remakes just copying the characters and scenes. Especially because the Italian and French casts seem to be largely actors in their early twenties with film and TV credits under their belt. I do appreciate the diversity of the French cast, but it feels like it's missing the point to cast pretty twenty-something pro actors? It was so refreshing to have real, unpolished teenagers with spots and imperfections telling stories about themselves.

2/2 The shows might end up being good but IDK, it feels like there's a missed chance to discover new talent by casting amateur actors and getting a gifted showrunner to write new stories relevant to that culture. The original actors so defined their characters, and just repeating the storylines and apparently filming ahead of time misses the show's level of fan engagement that was so important.

hiya anon! it’s a bit double-sided isn’t it. i’m sad mostly because of your first point i guess? like, it’s one thing to just copy the stories and the characters. in some way, i guess i expected it too, because julie’s approach to teen television was so drastically different that i think most of the remakes would love to just take the original and make it - insert country - version. like, honestly, i don’t think that any of the adaptations will or can do s1 or s3′s storylines justice (or even the sexual assault one in s2, or the isolation and pain felt by sana in s4). but the fact that they just cast the most available actors they had seems to miss the original purpose of skam entirely - for kids to see themselves in characters and identify with them. it’s clearly a different business-like approach to it, expecting to get the popularity but i don’t think either of them get what skam was trying to do. still, i’m kind of intrigued to see the different appropriations of the stories too. it’s quite funny to see they made the penetrators a basketball group called the raptors in the french version, lol. (the french mari magnus also seems like someone who’s quite young? she seems my age.)

there’s still two adaptations left we don’t know anything about though; the spanish and dutch one. as far as the last one goes; i can’t find anything on the matter yet, unfortunately. we’ve had some extremely popular teen shows before though - spangas is very popular and tackled some issues like homosexuality (both mlm and wlw), friendship troubles and divorce etc, but it was mostly for kids that are quite younger than the target audience of skam. (there’s also a series called brugklas - following kids’ first year in high school, but it’s scripted reality so ridiculous, but at the same time -- played by kids who haven’t necessarily acted before!). i’m quite interested where my country will go with it; whether they’ll go for the straight adaptation or will go and do some field work and make something entirely new? i’m hoping for the latter, especially since i’ve not heard anything yet. they’re probably more likely to go for unknown actors and actresses though.

[altimys]

Winter 2018 anime reviews

Hello, hello. This is a follow-up post to my initial impressions post. I’ll detail how my perception of the animes changed over the season.

Also note that I will not review Violet Evergarden since I’m way too far behind on it. I’ll finish it sometime in the next season once I’m free.

Dropped Animes

The ones that were unbearable.

Citrus

3/10

Like mentioned in the post from the beginning of the season, it just had this unrealistic, trope-driven, incest (but not really) story. Mostly style and little substance, but not even my style. Well, do take this with a grain of salt. I didn’t even finish the first episode.

Pop Team Epic

7/10

I definitely appreciate the experimental and sarcastic nature of this anime. But it wasn’t really worth spending an extra 15 minutes to watch the same thing a second time, especially since I didn’t find all the skits funny. I probably would’ve watched it if they were broken into seven minute segments.

Sanrio Boys

5/10

Too cheesy. Thanks for the “be yourself” message, but I’m not really interested in bishounens parading this every episode. The protagonist’s broken relationship with their grandmother as a sad backstory made me facepalm very hard. If you had advertised this to me about 6 years ago, I may have gobbled it up, but nowadays it’s not my taste.

Darling in the Franxx

5/10

I didn’t pick it back up, and I didn’t really see anything major from twitter or tumblr, except for gifs of the pink haired girl being with her sexy-cute charm. Y’know, the kind of charm where she’s designed to be appealing in a sexy, vampiric way, but she’s doing something cute like licking her fingers after eating a slice of meat or something. Normally I’d not mind this so much, but remembering how typical the protag was, it definitely gave off the manic pixie dream girl vibes. Art and animation I saw was great though! Unfortunately.

Osomatsu-san

5/10

Skits really fell flat this season. I knew that S2 would lose some drive after the stunt they pulled for the finale of S1, but a lot of skits were utter nonsense. I enjoyed the ones where they experimented with the complexities of each character’s personalities (i.e. Choromatsu and Ichimatsu’s awkward interactions), but it was like wading through a swamp to get a chuckle. I watched most of the season then dropped it, since it wasn’t really worth spending time not having fun.

Mediocre Anime

I don’t know why I watched these but I did.

Garo Vanishing Line

3/10

The story was killing me so much in the end that I would multitask when watching it, and I’m not a natural multitasker. It was just bad writing. Nothing really made sense, and it was quite predictable. Like Sword’s sister came out of nowhere (after she died for Sword’s sad backstory) and was suddenly had HACKER SKILLZ. And I was almost positive that in S1, Sophie’s brother was taken away from her by force, not him wanting to join the El Dorado project. Whatever, does it even matter? The best thing of the season was probably Luke getting a haircut and ditching that awful trenchcoat. Do not recommend.

Touken Ranbu Hanamaru

6/10

Guilty pleasure of the season. Still managed to enjoy the nonsense, with the musicals, and these bishounen and moeblobs being one-dimensional. I did appreciate some of the character interactions and the references to Katsugeki Touken Ranbu, but with these kinds of animes, I really can’t say it’s quality. It’s meant to be aimed at a certain audience, and knowing that I am part of this audience makes it enjoyable to watch. Wouldn’t recommend unless you really like bishounenified swords.

Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles

6/10

I previously wrote that I was interested in seeing the stalker girl’s infatuation with Koizumi-san turn into a relationship. Of course it didn’t happen. Yuri? In your dreams. I do applaud this anime for going in depth into the ramen culture and making me hungry every week. There were some hardcore facts about ramen’s origins and experimental ramen. You could tell that they did a lot of research (or were sponsored well). I ate an average of 1.5 packs of instant ramen each week, partly thanks to Koizumi-san. How can I not eat noodles after watching it? Not really any substance to this anime unless you like hearing about ramen facts and watching anime girls foodgasm.

Average Anime

These I could recommend with disclaimers and not feel bad about it.

Junji Ito Collection

6/10

Like with most animes with short stories, there’s a handful of good and bad stories. Since the source material is pretty good, there’s more interesting stories than not. There are definitely some that are ridiculously stupid, but if you are in search of horror anime, this is one you should watch. I wouldn’t say it’s equivalent to Yami Shibai, but it’s good. The animation can’t match the signature entrancing horror that Junji Ito creates, but it’s a decent adaptation. One minor quip I have is that they reuse voice actors in each skit. Might be a budget issue, might be something else. It’s not a big deal, but mostly noticeable to me because Hoshiyan’s voice is too recognizable for me. lol. Oh yeah, the short story with the oil was absolutely disgusting. I enjoyed being grossed out.

Gakuen Babysitters

6/10

It’s like a shoujo but with toddlers. Cute interactions, likable characters. Of course, it’s a light-hearted story, so I guess I shouldn’t expect too much out of it. The comedy bits are well-written, and the art style is absolutely adorable. Great casual watch if you want to feel fluffy without the bullshit of shoujo romances.

Laid Back Camp

7/10

As the title suggests, it’s a pretty laid-back anime. I love the different personalities of the female cast. They shone quite well through the segments of texting. The way that they texted felt friendly, and I felt that I was part of this silly chat group. Also enjoyed learning a lot about camping supplies (and the little pinecones that squealed were so cute). Makes me consider wanting to go solo-hiking or camping to be able to enjoy nature. I’m really glad it covered winter camping, because that’s something that most people never consider, so you get to see the different equipment, activities, and benefits. Recommend if you want something chill with a well-written cast, but not a character-driven story line.

Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens

7/10

Surprisingly, I liked it quite a bit. I was actually expecting this one to tank, because it had a predominantly male lineup, was about assassins, and had a crossdresser. Sounded like someone picked things they thought would appeal to the general public and made an anime of it. Thankfully, I was wrong. Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens is actually based off a light novel series, which really shows through the thought-out plot and layered characters. I wouldn’t say it’s as crazy as Durarara!!, but some of the twists are quite interesting. I also really enjoy the diverse cast and their interactions: Lin Xianming, pseudonym for a Taiwanese assassin who also happens to crossdress; Banba Zenji, a playful, seemingly idiotic detective with a deck of tricks up his sleeves. There’s also a canonically gay character, an ex, a child, a hacker (with an interesting backstory), and more. And these characters make mistakes, get injuries, and have flaws. I’m hoping for a second season, because watching this was quite nice each week.

Karakai Jozu no Takagi-san

7/10

If you wanted fluff with actual romance, here’s the one for the season! There’s also quite a bit of comedy added. I did feel sorry for the protag Nishikata for falling victim to Takagi’s pranks every time, but I always looked forward to what she was going to do, and how it would fluster him. I think the romantic buildup was well-paced throughout the season. Kudos to whoever paced it, because they danced around with my feelings like an expert, giving me enough of a taste to feel the flutters of romance in my stomach, but not enough to make Nishikata and Takagi an item. Some of the skits were directed very well, with surprisingly effective cinematography (see the rain and umbrella skit). The ending was really cute, and I’m pretty encouraged to read the manga to get more content.

Mahou Tsukai no Yome

7/10

Nothing really jumped out at me. I feel like the actions of the characters didn’t follow a logic to it that made me understand the character better. Nothing really sparked an interested in wanting to cheer the characters on. I really felt passive in watching events happen to Chise and Elias, and the ending wasn’t particularly spectacular either. I think it’s a decent one to pass the time, but I could not get invested in the plot or characters.

Koi wa Ameagari no You Ni

8/10

This anime certainly isn’t for everyone’s tastes, but I think I really appreciated the latter half of the series more than the first half. The surface-level summary is about the age-gap romance, but once I was able to hear Kondo’s internal thoughts, especially about being older, the nostalgia of youth, and trying to pick a passion back up, I started enjoying it a lot more. I especially loved the scenes when he would banter with his college friend Chihiro. The only downside of the latter half of the episodes was the awkward tension between Akira and her friend. Her friend would just yell at her, and Akira would take it, and then not really consider it. And somehow it’s resolved. Well, other than that, I did like the characters and ending a lot.

Kokkoku

8/10

I rather enjoyed the setup and the unknown mechanisms of the system. The enemy really had the advantage in intellect and strength, and it was interesting watching how the characters tried to get around that. The last three episodes were a little flat, and the plot armor (kind of) and last bit of exposition was almost unnecessary, but it was there to give us a happy ending, which I did appreciate. Love the grandpa. I’d say this anime did a pretty decent job at the action and strategy, and the ending wasn’t blowing my mind, but I do really commend it on the setup.

Exceptional Anime

Worth your time.

A Place Further Than the Universe

8/10

Drama about girls aiming to go to Antarctica. Strong female cast, with a pretty believable depiction of average high school girls and how they might react and pursue their dreams. The voice acting was pretty spectacular for this show, especially during the second to last episode. ;) I think this anime is very real with what it’s like with concepts we usually don’t think of: having ambitions, lacking ambitions, making friends, losing friends, finding closure. It was rewarding to walk with the girls in every step of their journey. Animation quality was pretty awesome too. I also cried a bit at the end. I didn’t think I would enjoy an anime about high school girls going to Antarctica, but hey, I loved it.

Hakumei to Mikochi

8/10

It’s a slice-of-life about a pair of thumb-sized forest dwellers. Hakumei, the more adventurous of the two, works as a handyman and has a determined attitude. She’s still a very considerate person and is full of compassion and a heart to help others. Mikochi is a bit more reserved and particular. She’s famous for her cooking and has a passion for textiles and clothing. Both characters compliment each other well, and it’s cute seeing them bustle about their daily lives. You also get to see into the lives of other characters they meet, and it feels an established world with all it’s quirks and culture. The general feel of this anime is relaxed and storybook-like, similar to the same kind of vibe I get from Ghibli movies. I honestly thought this was a children’s anime during the first episode. It could be, but I enjoyed it a lot.

[swiftsuburbanlegends]

Arrow’s journey for me

Arrow is a show that when it came on the scene a lot of people expected it to fail. It was hot on the heels of Smallville, and many assumed they would just cast Justin Hartley, because he’s Justin Hartley. Why would you take a 10 year established set of characters and relationships, and start all over with unknown qualities? Why would someone want that risk? But they took that risk, and it was the best choice they could have made.

I won’t speak anymore about Smallville, mostly because I probably watched a grand total of 40, out of order, minutes from it’s whole run. But even I was skeptical about this new show when it came on the scene. I have always loved archers as characters, but I also adored Hartley, as an actor I watched him transition from soap operas to primetime and it made me happy that he was employed. I didn’t know this Stephen Amell character, and what could he possibly have to offer the Green Arrow that we haven’t seen from every person trying to be a superhero for the last 30+ years. 

And then like a ray of sun through a clouded sky, my friend Cassie messaged. Arrow was a few episodes in by then, like maybe 1x08 had just aired. And she told me and my roomie that we had to watch this show. That we would love it. We rolled out eyes, but we agreed to try it. 

Now we have a rule in our friendship, we give a show 3 episodes. They have the first 3 episodes to grab our attention and make us beg to know more. If we’re not feeling it, we drop it. I have too many shows as it is, and I won’t stick around with something only okayish. So we watched the pilot and episode 2. Roomie liked it because Katie Cassidy, who we had justed watch in the miniseries Harper’s Island, and I loved Willa Holland from the OC. By the end of episode 2 even I had to admit that Stephen Amell was an attractive guy with acting chops. But I wasn’t 100% sold yet. 

Episode 3 The Lone Gunman. I honestly don’t know anyone who didn’t LOVE this episode. We’ve got Deadshot, we’ve got the Bratva. And then the introduction to our favorite genius hacker. Felicity Smoak. I loved her scenes, however short and brief they were, and I wanted more. I remember asking Cassie if the adorable blonde would be back? She was wonderful. And Cassie, chuckled, and said yes she was in a few more, but she wasn’t a series regular. Which was a bummer. But by the end of that episode Oliver had saved Diggle and revealed himself as the Hood. And I was hooked. I had to know more. 

Arrow came for me the same year One Tree Hill ended, which is, was, and will always be a show that saved my life. I loved it. And I didn’t think I’d love another show the same way ever again. But Arrow became like that for me. I latched on to the characters and the stories. And who cares if it doesn’t follow comic book canon, it’s building this new world, that’s slightly grittier. And Oliver Queen is the most damaged person ever, but he still fights and pushes until he can save as many people as possible. I loved it. I loved everyone at the end of s1. And when Tommy died, and Oliver held his best friend’s face, begging him to open his eyes, I was bawling. Because I felt that emotion off of Oliver. It wasn’t a scene for me, it was like it was really happening, and I wanted nothing more than to save Oliver from another wave of guilt and pain. 

Arrow established itself as a new book in the world of superhero shows. One that didn’t shy away from the dark and the pain, but also with the help of some talented people, brought a light and ease to the characters as well. And because of how strong and solid it was, it was able to launch not one, not two, but a total of four shows off it’s shoulders (I am including Vixen in this). 

Flash, Supergirl, Legends, Vixen, none of these would even be possible without Arrow, and without the producers and writers strength to break way from ‘comic canon’ and forge their own path, and create their own history. 

The Arrowverse, exists because of the actors, writers, producers, showrunners, crews, stunt people, and dozens of others who put their heart and soul into something that, like I said, people were kind of expecting to fail. But that’s not what happened. 

Arrow you have not failed this verse. And I don’t think you ever could.

I cannot wait to see what the next season has in store for us. 

P.S. That Stephen Amell character? He’s grown on me.

[papermoonloveslucy]

Lucy, the Coin Collector

S3;E13~ December 14, 1964

Synopsis

When Jerry finds a rare penny worth $16.50, Lucy and Viv decide to search through thousands of pennies to find a rare one and pay for a new coat and fix their leaky plumbing.  They finally succeed but clumsily drop the coin down the storm drain in the street.  To retrieve it, they must go undercover as sewer workers.  

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carmichael), Vivian Vance (Vivian Bagley),Gale Gordon (Theodore J. Mooney), Jimmy Garrett (Jerry Carmichael)

Ralph Hart (Sherman Bagley) and Candy Moore (Chris Carmichael) do not appear in this episode. Chris is, however, mentioned by Lucy.

Guest Cast

Ray Kellogg (Policeman) played the loud, barking Assistant Director (“Roll ‘em!”) in “Ricky’s Screen Test” (ILL S4;E6) and later appeared in “Bullfight Dance” (ILL S4;E22). This is the second of his seven episodes of “The Lucy Show.” He also did two episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Just as in his other screen credits, most most times he played policemen, as he does here.

Monya Andre (Miss Ferguson, Mr. Mooney's Secretary) had appeared as an uncredited background player in such Oscar-nominated films as Imitation of Life (1934), Ninotchka (1939) and It's a Wonderful Life (1946).  This is her only appearance on “The Lucy Show” and her final screen credit before retiring from the business.    

Ferguson is the perfect surname for Mr. Mooney's secretary. It is Scottish in origin, a people stereo-typically known for being thrifty. Ferguson was also the name of the Mayor of Kildoonan in “Lucy Goes to Scotland” (ILL S5;E17). In “Lucy Gets Locked in the Vault” (S2;E4) Mr. Mooney's secretary was Miss Tanner played by Ellen Corby.

William Meader (Bill, Bank Teller) had appeared as an airport extra in “The Ricardos Go to Japan,” a 1959 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” He made many appearances on “The Lucy Show,” most times as a clerk in Mr. Mooney’s bank, as he does here.

Mr. Mooney calls him Bill during when he is requesting $20 for Lucy. Meader has lines in this episode.

James Gonzales (Jim, Bank Teller) was a popular Hollywood extra who first acted with Lucille Ball in the 1953 film The Long, Long Trailer. He was previously seen on the series as Stan Williams in “Lucy Digs Up a Date” (S1;E2). He was seen in more than 20 episodes of “The Lucy Show” and 3 episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

Mr. Mooney calls him Jim during when he is requesting $20 in pennies for Lucy. Gonzales has lines in this episode.

Tex Brodus (Sewer Worker) appeared in the stage to screen musical movies South Pacific (1958) and My Fair Lady (1964). This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball.  He left the business in 1967.  

The character is dressed in a vest and hat with a pushed up brim, very reminiscent of TV's most famous sewer worker, Ed Norton (Art Carney, inset photo) from “The Honeymooners.” It is possible that Carney was intended to play this cameo role, but declined. In 1968, Jackie Gleason turned up in full bus driver's uniform as Ralph Kramden in a cameo on “Here's Lucy.”  

Sid Gould (Distracting Passerby) made more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show,” all as background characters. He also did 40 episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader) was Lucille Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton. Gould was married to Vanda Barra, who also appeared on “The Lucy Show” starting in 1967, as well as on “Here’s Lucy.”

A dozen background performers play the bank customers, staff, and gawkers in the street.

This is the first and only episode written by David Braverman and Bob Marcus. The two wrote exclusively for television from 1964 to 1969.

The date this episode first aired (December 14, 1964) actor William Bendix died.  Although best known for playing the title role in “The Life of Riley” (1953-1958) on NBC, Bendix and Lucille Ball had both starred in the 1946 film The Dark Corner.

A still photo from this episode with Lucy and Viv in overalls was featured in the photo collage on the Official Season 3 DVD box.  

A scene from this episode was included in “Lucy and Viv Reminisce” (S5;E16), a clips show retrospective aired during the second half of the final season. 

The opening scene has Viv debating whether to have a second cup of ‘rust’ (aka coffee). In the mid-1970s Vivian Vance became a spokesperson for Maxwell House 'rust’.

Lucy is having trouble with her kitchen sink garbage disposal. It bears noting that these disposal units were common on the West Coast, but rare in the New York metropolitan area because they were banned by New York City law as a threat to the sewage system. The ban was finally lifted in 1997. While not totally unknown in outlying areas they were not at all common in the New York suburbs during the 1960s.

Lucy complains that she can't afford to call a plumber. Lucy has previously employed plumbers Joe Melvin (Stafford Repp) in “Lucy and Viv Put in a Shower” (S1;E18) and Harry Tuttle (Jack Benny) in “Lucy and the Plumber” (S3;E2).  

Viv initially compares the geyser spurting from the sink to Yellowstone National Park and later to Old Faithful.  Mostly located in Wyoming, Yellowstone features dramatic canyons, alpine rivers, lush forests, hot springs and gushing geysers, including its most famous, Old Faithful. The kitchen sink also erupted in “Lucy and the Plumber” (S3;E2).

An early road map drawn by Lucy Ricardo of the gang's car trip to California shows a planned stop at Yellowstone, but it was not shown on air or ever mentioned as being visited. 

Among the items Lucy and Viv pull out of their handbags to offer Mr. Mooney as collateral are: 

three earrings 

a collapsible cup 

Jerry's Mickey Mouse watch 

Viv's faux diamond wristwatch (from her cheap ex-husband) 

a tarnished brass compact Lucy said was jade 

a locket of Chris' hair 

a doggie bag of spaghetti and meatballs (which Viv snatches back) 

a jeweled garter 

Jerry's bronzed baby shoe (made into a bank) 

Lucy's high school broad jump medal 

Jerry's bronzed baby shoes were mentioned by Lucy in a season one episode, and were always on display on the top shelf of the bookcase behind the dining room table, even in this episode (see “Blooper Alert” below). 

A visual gag about the many unusual items Lucy keeps in her handbag was featured in 1954′s “Bonus Bucks” (ILL S3;E21).

Viv volunteers to sing a couple of choruses from “Pennies from Heaven” or “Three Coins in the  Fountain.” "Pennies from Heaven" is a song written by Arthur Johnston and Johnny Burke. It was introduced by Bing Crosby in the 1936 film of the same name. It has been covered by numerous artists, including Andy Williams, the same year this episode was first aired. “Three Coins in the Fountain” was written by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn. It was introduced in the 1955 film of the same name and won that year's Oscar for Best Original Song. “I Love Lucy” actors James Conaty, Harold Miller, Alberto Morin, Vincent Padula, Mario Siletti and Norma Varden, were all uncredited extras in the film.  Varden played Mrs. Van Vlack in “Lucy Gets Her Maid” (S3;E11).

Jerry finds a rare 1927S Lincoln penny that is worth fifty cents. Currently, that coin is worth between $1.75 and $125, depending upon condition. Jerry reads in a book that an 1887 Indian Head penny may be worth $800.  Actually, most 1887 Indian Head pennies are fairly common (45 million were made) and only fetch about $2.50. However, proof specimens (only 2,900 were ever made) in excellent condition can go for more then $6,000!  The 1912S penny found by Lucy and Viv is listed in their book as being worth $16.50. Adjusting for inflation, that would be equivalent of nearly $130 today. As of  2017 the coin was listed online for between $22 and $270, depending upon condition.  

2,000 pennies weigh 5 pounds 14.5 ounces.

In 2001, the Merrick Mint issued “I Love Lucy” commemorative 24 karat plated half dollar coins.  

Callbacks!

This is a slightly re-dressed and re-painted version of the Danfield city street used in “Lucy, the Meter Maid” (S3;E7). That episode's street also featured a florist, a restaurant, a realtors, a mailbox and a Danfield Cab call box. The parking meters, however, have been removed. The taxi call box was also seen in the train station during “No More Double Dates” (S1;E21).

Blooper Alerts!

Inconsistencies! When Lucy and Viv come back from the bank lugging the heavy sack of pennies, Jerry's baby shoe is already sitting back on the living room shelf, when it should still be in Lucy's purse!

Generic! Lucy's box of dish washing soap has no label on it.  This is a contrast with “Lucy Digs Up a Date” (S1;E2), where brand name cleaning products like All and Whisk were seen on camera next to the sink.  

“Lucy, the Coin Collector” rates 4 Paper Hearts out of 5

[drops-of-moonlights]

The Specialists plus 2 plus Roy retouched! Thoren will be handled in a different post. More on them below!

Not many big changes on the guys, their Specialist outfits got a slight retouch and the two magi got their full transformation line.

Sky, Riven, Nex, Brandon and Timmy share a dorm and are Team 3Q, and they’re all in their second year at the start of the series. Riven is older than them, as like Stella he failed his first year, though out of aggresion and an accident than just an accident like Stella. Nex is now a specialist from the start since I have specific plans for the Paladins in the AU. Riven has longer hair because his turnip ‘do was Bad, and Sky also has longer hair specifically to spite his S5 haircut. They still have the wings from the previous redesign in their armor, I just didn’t draw it. On each of them individually!

Sky Calem Beaufort: Crown Prince of Eraklyon, pretended to be his squire Brandon for 2 years when entering Red Fountain due to the recent assasination attempts done on him when he was still unknown to the public by the rogue team of Yoshinoya. He’s sweet and courageous, and has formal training with swords and shields, but he has a habit of procrastinating important stuff and not wanting to talk about royal duties, which is the root of the issue with him, Bloom and Diaspro in S1. Was betrothed to Diaspro since they were both kids, but neither loved each other and was purely a political agreement.

Brandon Ortiz: Squire of the Crown Prince, second oldest son of 5 siblings. He’s a very jovial person and prone to crack jokes and flirt, but he’s also the most responsible of the team and will hold them by the neck as if kittens if they misbehave. Son of a teacher and a guard, he’s a good cook and agile with his spear, and is one of the main frontliners alongside Riven. While he sticks with Sky due to his job, his friendship with him is real and he’s usually the first one to find out about his issues.

Riven Altamura: Held back a year, he’s a grumpy Orc who’s trying to adapt to the situation. He got along horribly with his previous team, and he’s trying to see how his relationship with the rest will develop. While his face is almost always stuck in an annoyed look, he’s more experienced than the other 4 and tries to guide them whenever they seem to fail, but since he’s prideful and with a short temper, it almost always ends up in a small argument. His father died when he was little, and enrolled in Red Fountain to give some relief to his mom once they started to run into monetary problems. He’s the main frontliner of the team, and favors sabres and other curved swords to fight, though he also has a good handle on maces. He’s a Solarian, and being of age, as a tatoo of a red comet on his back.

Nex Arancelle: a particularly cocky half-elf, Nex is their second midliner alongside Sky and mostly fights with daggers or axes. He’s equally prideful as Riven and likes to argue, so they butt heads most of the time. He’s a genuinely nice person despite this, and will be the first person to try and defuse a potentially heated situation alongside Brandon when they arise. Everyone in his family are performers or actors, and has inherited their dramatics, which tend to bother everyone else. He translates his gymnastics and gestures into battle, however, and becomes a competent and flexible warrior. He’s from Magix, especifically from the Soraia District.

Timothy “Timmy” Ayton: A somewhat shy elf, he’s their main gunslinger and long range fighter. Timmy is very smart and confident in his intelligence, and will gleefully correct everyone else once in a while, but he��s insecure in his social skills and sticks to his team most of the time, only occasionally talking to other classmates. He’s their fastest fighter and has a decent skill with daggers, but he sticks with his guns most of the time as none of the other guys are good with aim, especially aim from a distance. He comes from Dolona.

Helia Saladin: he’s the grandson of Headmaster Aure Saladin and is a dropout of Red Fountain. He’s a fervent pacifist and has been since a young age, but went to Red Fountain out of obligation and left the school after a heated argument with his family after the first semester, which he had passed with great scores. He works as a small-time traditional artists and lives in Magix City, but occassionally helps the guys whenever they ask him, thought only as support and healing. He’s the Witch of Alloys with powers over minerals and metal and appears as a Glamourix fairy from the start, earning Enchantix behind the scenes in S4 and getting Altheix at the end of S4. Lynphean-Esperian.

Nabu Grant Daithe: an Andrian noble, he was born and conceived with the sole purpose of marrying the soon-to-be-born Princess Aisha, and was raised since his youth to be king consort. He vehemently opposed the marriage, however, and shortly before their scheduled meeting, he ran away from home and went undercover as Ophir, a young performer working in Magix. We meet him at Charmix level, and earns his Glamourix near the end of S3 when finally confronting his parents alongside Aisha. He gets his Enchantix at the end of S4, and then gets Onyrix during S6. His title is Fairy of Midnight, with power over shadows

Roy Sean: he works for the Andrian Royal Family as their boat driver, and has known Aisha since she was a little girl, when he was still in training. He’s 6-7 years older than the rest of the guys, and makes his first appearance in S3 when ferrying the Winx to Mareia to save Ligea and the merfolk. He’s also a merman, and is a Sorcerer - the Sorcerer of Sea Brezees, with power over wind. He remains in Energix the entirety of the series, since he doesn’t take a very active role unlike the other guys.