#interesting also! occurring to me post posting how this would relate to nate meeting the two the other way round

[rebeccasbiscuits]

I’m thinking so many thoughts after that episode, which was wonderful and hilarious, but something I’m very much thinking about is where someone on twitter pointed out the contrast between Rupert going to the club every single day for six weeks to wear Rebecca down vs Ted coming to her office every day for biscuits and genuinely wanting to get to know her. I’m especially thinking about how this adds some more context to Rebecca’s point of view on that as well. We see her disparagingly calling him ‘relentless, and nice’, and her desire for her love of the biscuits to not make her dependent on him providing her with something.

The moment I’m thinking about most is the one at the end of episode 5, where Ted storms in after finding out she sent Jamie away. The biscuit reveal at the end has always felt crucial in this way, but even more so in this context. Her experience has been with the relentless interest and charm until the other person pulled back the layer of charm and showed that this charming nature wasn’t genuine, and in a way I think here, as Ted yells at her, it lets her feel a bit vindicated, or at least secure, in her belief, or lack of belief, in the nature of other people. But then Ted continues the biscuits, and the extension of kindness they represent, no matter how angry he is, and not only that but reveals he has been (without having told her) baking the biscuits himself. His only deceit was hiding an extra kindness he didn't even seek self serving credit for, despite knowing how much she liked the biscuits. Obviously this works so interestingly as another anti-Rupert parallel in a Ted/Rebecca sense, but I love it even just generally in the context of how it’s visible that this is what shakes Rebecca in that scene, because it shakes the view she has of how people treat people after her abusive marriage and isolation, which is allowing her to go on with the plan that will hurt so many of them. It disarms her because even when she has done something bad, and Ted is expressing legitimate annoyance about it, he will not stop extending this relentless kindness and generosity to her, even when he has not got what he wanted, the way she experienced Rupert doing once he had got what he wanted. Ted’s not only relentless, not only nice, he’s also sincere.

[talesofafangirlwithadvr]

June Picks!

And just like that we’re at the end of yet another month. I seriously do not know where these months are going. I think they’re going by faster now since we’ve been socially distant. I hope everyone is staying safe out there and can enjoy the start of summer while also being smart. It’s good to know we can always escape into TV and movies at home. Without further ado, here’s my monthly wrap up. 

You know spoilers are coming....

DC’s STARGIRL

I gave some quick thoughts a few weeks back when the first episode of the latest DC TV show premiered on the CW. I really liked this episode and it got me pumped for the series, but since then I feel most of the episodes have dragged for me. Because this show has the DC streaming service feel, it makes you want to binge all the episodes, which is something you can’t do when CW airs it on a weekly basis. Most of the action occurs at the beginning or end of the episode, which serves as a great cliffhanger, which works well in this streaming format. Due to this format, the middle can drag...a lot. Going in I didn’t know much about Stargirl or the JSA. (My main knowledge comes from that special the Justice Society had in that one Smallville special all those years ago. There it was a bit of an overload of heroes, unlike here.) I love Pat and Courtney’s relationship. Every episode they bond more and I especially liked when she was complaining to him about how the other teammates don’t listen to her. He understood that really well. I am also just loving Luke Wilson as Pat. I think he works well for the role. Feels believable. I’m ALWAYS a fan of a new generation of heroes. While it was slower getting the team together, now that we have the core group I am especially excited. The latest episode (6) was one of the strongest for me and I am very excited to see this up and coming team train and get stronger. I’m also interested in learning more about the villains. I think it’s interesting how we are also meeting a lot of the villain’s kids who seem to not know their parents’ true identities. I wonder if we’ll be able to turn any of them. (Feeling it for Icicle Jr.) For our team, I’m really loving how it’s three girls and one boy. I think that’s a dynamic we don’t often see, especially in a group of superheroes. I’m still working out who to ship, but I’m really loving Rick. Can’t wait to continue watching. I hope we get more of these epic stance moments.

LEGENDS OF TOMORROW

Let’s continue on this superhero thread with another one of my favorites, which wrapped up its 5th season (crazy it’s already the 5th!) at the start of the month. I’ve said this before and I will continue to do so, Legends is THE BEST SHOW IN THE ARROWVERSE. It has been the most consistent and that’s not only because of a strong cast, the freedom to do basically anything they want with the plot and also being a mid-season show. I think where the Flash and Arrow often get tripped up is having too many episodes to fill, which forces story lines to be dragged out and filler episodes. With a 13 episode season you don’t get that.  WARNING I’m going to jump into season 5 spoilers now!!

So, some of my overall thoughts for this season: 

The Wave-rider has always been a revolving door for characters. This show probably has the most turn-over than any other show I watch. And it works, but for this season especially it felt like a lot of coming and going as I look back. 

It was sad to see Ray leave. Not only is he one of my favorites, but he was one of the core crew that was left. He brought great humor and heart to the show. I loved his bromance with Nate over the seasons. I wish he could have come back for the finale. While I like that he left with Nora (because they are adorable) it just felt too fast (and that was with me knowing how many episodes he had left). 

Charlie’s exit. I know she had a large part of the plot with her sisters, especially in the second half of the season, which means she’ll be missed even more next season. When she said she was staying in the finale I was like WHAT! It just felt so sudden and I didn’t see it coming. 

The lack of Sara on the ship this season made me feel like she had other projects in the works. When she became blind I was like op this is it for her character. Now of course, I see how that worked into the overall story line, but with her abduction at the end of the season (meaning another absence) I’m curious if she is working on other things. I do love seeing Ava at the helm though. She makes a great captain. I just wish the two could be co-captains on the screen more often in future seasons to come. It hurt me too much to see Ava’s reaction to when she knew she was going to lose Sara. 

At first I REALLY missed the original Zari. She’s the one we knew for a few seasons and now she was gone. That’s the main reason why I had difficulty liking Behrad right away. I do appreciate that they didn’t drag out the plot of discovering something in the timeline had changed. I liked how Nate had some memory and got that message from Zari. When Zari 2.0 showed up I missed our original Zari even more, but the more episodes she was a part of, she grew on me and I suddenly was worried to lose her. I was completely fine with having both Zaris on the Waverider (ha, ha, ha, but seriously). I think Tala did a great job of bringing two different incarnations to the character and seeing how Zari would have grown up if she didn’t have such a tragic backstory. 

I can seriously go on and on about this season, but I think it’s best to leave for another post. 

THE 100

If you follow me or have read other posts on my page you know I’m a 100 fan. If I’ve had strong feelings about an episode (positive or negative) you will probably see a reaction post. I haven’t watched this past week’s episode yet, so this will mainly relate to the first five episodes of season 7. I’m having a love/hate relationship so far, which honestly I’m not shocked about. The first few seasons of this show were definitely the strongest, but I’ve remained a loyal fan and supported it throughout. When the first episode of season 7 aired a few weeks ago, I instantly felt it wasn’t going to be a strong ending. I kept saying that the true ending happened when our characters went on the ship to look for a new planet and “ended book 1.” Since then the feel of the show has shifted and that’s especially true with this final season. It’s always been a sci-fi show, but now with the anomaly and this jumping multiple portals and planets it feels VERY SCI-FI. Like at times I don’t 100% understand how what they’re doing is possible. But I’m okay with that. I’ve watched Doctor Who and felt the same way and still had a good time. Going into this season, I thought the anomaly plot was going to be the one I disliked the most. But for me now it’s what’s saving this season. I am loving that story line over the one we’re having at Sanctum (where they are FAR too many new characters that I don’t care about). I absolutely LOVED the Octavia/Dioyza/Hope backstory episode. There were so many great parallels to Octavia’s own childhood and I was able to appreciate how much her character has developed. After seeing this episode, I instantly grew to really like ‘adult’ Hope as well as her dynamic with Gabriel and Hope. (It hurt me so much when Echo killed the man who was helping them get back.) I can’t wait for Hope to find her mom. (I saw pictures of the three of them together again, so I know it’s going to happen.) Speaking of not liking new characters, I DO like Levitt so far. That could be mainly for the fact that he’s also a fan of watching the 100. I was NOT expecting to see Bellamy at the end of episode 5. It brought me so much joy. I hope we don’t have to wait so long for the next time. (Because, come on-we know he’s not really dead.) I am upset that Bob is barely in this season. It’s not fair to him or the character. Even thought the Sanctum plot is bothering me I am loving the scenes Murphy is in. Talk about character development. He better make it out of all this at the end. I also enjoyed Raven’s story line with the radiation. I agree with a few people’s posts I saw about her not having a large plot last season and not being the Raven we know. I’m happy to see her being one of the main characters again. We might not get the ending we deserve, but I hope it’s one that isn’t horrible.  

MARVEL RE-WATCH

What’s one way to spend your quarantine/social distancing? Why ranking all 22 movies in the MCU and then re-watching all of them (one a day) and re-ranking them with your new thoughts. With seasons ending early and less being on TV now was a fantastic time to do this. (Plus, I knew a few other people doing it so I felt inspired.) For some of these films, I think I had only seen them a few times and it was hard to remember what happened in certain ones over others. (I kept thinking stuff that happened in Captain America Civil War was actually in Captain America Winter Soldier.) I really enjoyed the experience and highly recommend it, whether you’ve watched these movies a countless amount of times or only once. Watching them in order of their release really made me appreciate all the Easter Eggs and planning that went into it. I longed for some movies and was not excited for others (I’m looking at you Guardians Vol. 2). It also made me feel a deeper connection to Iron Man (which made the ending even tougher-and I knew what was coming). The nostalgia was strong and I’m so happy to be a part of this fandom. 

Sneak peak at my re-ranking that is still in the process:

Top 3)

Avengers Infinity Wars

Avengers Endgame

Spiderman Far From Home

Bottom)

Guardians Vol. 2

Thor the Dark World

Iron Man 2

AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER

Avatar was released on Netflix this month and something in me said now was the time to watch it. (That’s right, I haven’t watched it before). The hype for this series is crazy! I remember it being on Nickelodeon as a kid, but I had never watched it. I didn’t know much about it other than the main character had an arrow on his head and was the last airbender. (Yep, so not a lot.) Currently, I’m still very early in-I think about episode 9-but I already feel very invested. I like that the episodes are only about 25 minutes long. They’re quick watches, which allows me to watch a bunch without feeling guilty. After watching the first two I already felt like I wanted to learn more about this world and its characters. I think it’s really interesting how the elemental bending is used and how some characters can do it while others can’t. I also like how the avatar gets rotated within each bender and how the one before Aang was a fire bender seeing as how that is our main opponent in this first season. Coming into the show I was told by a friend that this is some of the strongest character development he has seen. That was such high praise and I cannot wait to witness it for myself. One of the reasons I love watching TV/movies and reading is because of the characters. I love bonding with them and feeling like I know them. I can already hypothesize who will change the most (my mind automatically goes to Prince Zuko), but I’ve been really good about spoilers, so that way I can witness it myself. Because I’m still so early on I can’t say much, expect that I’m enjoying it and will keep you posted on how my journey with Aang, Katara, Sokka and Zuko go. 

VIOLETTA SEASON 2

I was ECSTATIC when I found out that season 2 of Violetta had FINALLY come to Disney Plus. It had felt like FOREVER since I had finished the first season (of 80 episodes. You know a show is good if after 80 episodes you’re like where is the next season of 80 more episodes!), but it was really only a few months. It feels great to be back at the Studio with Violetta and the crew. There’s a few new faces this season both with the students and the faculty. It always takes adjusting with new seasons/characters, but some of these characters I really don’t like. I know that’s good because you’re not necessarily supposed to like them, but I really want some of them gone. (I’m looking at you Jackie.) But with a show that has so many episodes, a lot of the story lines often get dragged out, so I don’t know when that will be. Again, Violetta has found herself in a love triangle (just like every other teenage girl, lol). This time Diego opposes Leon and is much different than Tomas in season 1. Where Tomas was passive and always wore a face of uncertainty/confusion, Diego is bold and won’t take no for an answer. At times I feel he borders stalker territory. 

So far, I’m up to episode 20 and am getting more into it. I was missing out on the performances/ songs and now there’s starting to be more, which has me excited. I’m hoping not to watch this one as fast because I know most people say it is the best one, plus who knows when season 3 would appear on Disney Plus. For anyone unfamiliar with my first post about Violetta earlier in the year should check it out if they’re looking for a telenovela full of drama, misunderstandings love triangles, angst and music that will get stuck in your head. Definitely worth the watch! 

WORLD OF DANCE

My favorite dance competition TV show is back and I could not be more excited!! There’s just something about World of Dance that puts me in such a good mood and I can’t wait for Tuesday nights. I’m just upset at myself that I watch the latest episode too soon and then have to wait another week. This season the judges switched it up by coming to the contestants last audition with the producers...or so they thought. I loved seeing their reactions when they walked into the room and Ne-Yo, Jennifer Lopez and Derek Hough were there. It was priceless. While I don’t have a dancing bone in my body, I still am able to appreciate this talent and love watching the contestants perform. What I really like about this show is the range of ages and types of dancers from soloists, duos, trios and groups. I like how each competes within their group until the final episode when they have won their category. The talent is already so strong as they finished the call backs (which was a new feature this season too). Some of my favorites are below. I can’t wait to see what happens for the rest of the season. I just hope the pandemic didn’t interrupt the filming. You can catch up on all episodes by watching NBC on demand!

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST....

BEECHAM HOUSE

Ending strong with yet another Masterpiece Classic, Beecham House. This series, which aired earlier in the UK, premiered about two weeks ago here in the states on PBS. While I’ve heard that there will not be a second season and the outrage of that makes me worried for how this season will end. (After watching Sanditon earlier this year you really don’t know what to expect.) Despite knowing this already, I will continue to watch the show and enjoy what we have. Which I am so far. While only the first two episodes have aired, I already feel very invested. The first episode, specifically, leaves a lot of questions unanswered, which is understandable because they want to draw you in to watch the show. I was making a lot of speculations, but refrained from going into too much spoiler territory. (Surprisingly, I’ve been good! That’s impressive for me!) Some of my questions have already been answered in the second episode (but of course, there are more to go) and I was happy how I guessed. There’s so many characters and it feels like we’re gaining more with each episode. Despite, there being so many, I am able to keep up and like seeing new characters interact with one another. I also enjoy seeing a lot of familiar faces from Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol) in a very different kind of role compared to Downton and Leo Suter who has been in a lot of my recent Masterpiece watches (Victoria, Sanditon). I love how he plays such a different character in each project he’s in. Really shows his range. With four more episodes to go I can’t wait to continue learning more about what’s going on in Beecham House and what their futures will be. I don’t know if the US numbers will help a chance for a second season, but I hope so! 

Speaking of my previous Masterpiece watches: I really enjoyed World on Fire overall. It ended with some big cliffhangers and I am very excited it got a second season!! 

What are you watching? Any requests of what I should tune into next? 

[jamezvaldes]

PLEASE RAMBLE ABOUT DESPERATO I LOVE NICKY SO MUCH

I’ve been answering this over the past couple of days because idk what you wanted me to ramble about?? like come on man, give me the rambling direction. and tbh i didn’t know what i wanted to ramble about when I posted. This is actually gonna be under the cut because I ramble about secondary characters a lot.

Desperato/Blackwell Gals: I don’t think people will expect it to go certain ways in terms of some areas. Like I don’t think it’s what people’ll expect and this inadvertently gives me a number of issues and makes my anxiety a lot worse, because i don’t know if people will like that i just do my own thing sometimes and not have the canon storyline at the forefront of the fic. Nicky’s issues are a major point of the fic. Emmy’s relationship with her mother is another important issue, like Em learning to not care about her and learning to not feel guilty about cutting her out of her life.Also I will fight anyone who says that the relationship between the Blackwell gals isn’t the most important relationship in the whole fic. Like fight me.S2!Nicky is a fun character to play around with because it’s more true to who she actually is, like S1!Nic is sort of an act? like the person she wants to be. In relation to Jacob, I don’t think that Nicky has actually grieved him. Like she lives in the same house, her cabin was his, her car was his, her old motorcycle was his. Like there’s just a constant Jacob presences in her life so has she actually grieved him? and Emmy is so angry that she never got to have a relationship with him but has a relationship with a small select of videos that Nicky took of him. Emmy doesn’t know the real Jacob but a false one because of a small selection of moments that Nicky captured. Jacob wasn’t a good man but he tried his best for Nic and he loved her so much.  There’s a running joke that Jacob haunts the Blackwell home and the cabin.Nicky’s friends are my life line tbh. I love them all so much and they’re just a good group of people. - Nate Jenkins, Holly Mitchell, Quinn Lewis, Dean Murphy - They’re just so good!!!!! And Emmy’s other friends - Scott Bishop and Amber Mitchell - are just the best and this little trio are going to be the best and I’m just so excited to bring in my Amber. Who knows what the ships will be at the end of the three seasons? I sure as fuck don’t, well I have a vague idea but that’s a later problem for a depressed post 3am breakdown Jess to figure out. Nicky’s birthday party/event is probably one of the only times she’ll be truly happy throughout the entire fic tbhSecondary Characters:  if you want to see FC’s check this link and go to Desp on the right (x)▫️ Nate Jenkins - Nicky’s childhood best friend (they were next door neighbours) business partner and the other mechanic. Married to Joseph and are in the final stages of adopting a baby, they’re literally just waiting for it to be born and have all the paperwork finalised. The mom friend, and has been making dad jokes since he was a child. He’s a serpent but on the edge of the gang since he got married because they knew adoption was the only why they’d be able to have children so they have to look like #decent members of society and not knee deep in crime. Just loves pulling cars apart. ▫️ Holly Mitchell - Bartender in the Wrym. Was almost an accountant because why not. But left because of a ~scandal~. Engaged to Quinn Lewis and older sister to Amber Mitchell.  Makes a lot of “i’m engayed” style of jokes . A fun loving gal who takes nothing seriously. Also a serpent. Lost both her parents within the period of a year. Often sarcastic and acts as a therapist for the serpents because that’s sort of part of the job description for bartenders. Loves puns but not Amber’s puns. What is organisation? how was she almost an accountant with all this chaos.▫️ Quinn Lewis - She’s just the best, a nurse who works at the hospital and does nights at a no questions asked walk in clinic in the southside. Getting married so planning that takes up almost any of her free time. Has made Nicky maid of honor but has not told her that, just assumes that Nicky knows. Often very tired, always disgruntled. Patches Nicky up after fights far too often despite knowing she could and probably should lose her job because of it. A good person who loves her friends too much. Probably the most serious of the group and the most adult one. Also pool game is next level with this gal. Serpent as well. Very organised and has a good eye for detail. ▫️ Dean Murphy - A soft serpent  who is one of Nic’s childhood best friends. They shit a lot of illegal stuff together, stole cars and all that jazz. Cleaned himself up, worked a number of odd jobs until he started working in the sheriff’s department. Still a serpent despite this. A sarcastic rugged man who is often done with serpent shit and just wants to sit down and not help cover up a crime. Nic and Dean have a complicated relationship, like are they only friends because Nicky (lovingly and jokingly) threatens to blackmail him? Nah they be actual friends.  ▫️ Amber Mitchell -  My angry and depressed gal who i love and cannot wait to bring her in, see this  ask if you want to know more about her. She’s happy being a wallflower, probably will fight Betty Cooper at some-stage but also fight Jughead as well. ▫️ Scott Bishop - baby boy who i love with my whole cold dead heart, see this ask to see more from him. Sees the best in everyone bar Betty. Despite being a “loner” not friends with Jughead, can’t deal with his over dramatic ass.▫️ Amanda Harrison - Nicky’s mother. left baby Nic on Jacob’s doorstep. She’s an interesting character who I think you’ll hate to begin with but you’ll understand why she did what she did. I don’t think you’ll hate her when she leaves the fic. ▫️ Lucy Fletcher - Emmy’s mother and a complete bitch. A drug addict and she often successfully manipulates Emmy into doing stuff for her. Not a good person to be around, didn’t even tell Jacob that she was pregnant with his child▫️ Jacob Blackwell - lowkey often regret killing him but it had to be done. Nicky and Emmy’s father, didn’t know that Emmy was his child. A good father to Nicky and she was his only weakness. Was the leader of the serpents until his death. Was very violent and if anyone went against his wishes or challenged, fight would always occur, and he would always win. Was meant to be a pro bare knuckle boxer but did too much bad shit outside the ring to be one. ▫️ Tristian Owens - evil tbh.  He’s a drug dealer and a ghoulie who is currently in prison for tracking drugs across state lines. He’s a good five years older than Nicky, so she would have been 14 when they met and him 19. Became her “boyfriend” at age 15, he was 20, so not a boyfriend, there’s clearly a power imbalance from the offset. He introduced nicky to the harder drugs. Nicky never really got justice for what he did to her, he’ll be before the parole board soon.   ▫️ Jordan Naylor - Sweetie and music teacher. How he meets Nicky is cute ish. Comes back to Riverdale because his mother isn’t well.▫️ Simon -  Nicky’s sponsor at her AA meetings, he just wants the best for her. The only one who understands Nicky’s addiction since he was one as well. Like nothing is really known about him, since the sponsor isn’t meant to get personal with the sponsee. ▫️ Joseph Aquinas -  A southsider who isn’t a serpent. He’s a lawyer who works in civil law. Nate’s husband. Often gives Nicky legal advice, and he’s a good name who deserves the world. Cannot wait to start a family. Doesn’t mind that Nate will be dragged into dangerous stuff, but doesn’t like it, he’d rather that Nate didn’t get involved. But he knows that Nate would follow Nicky to hell and back. Joseph can deal with a  husband who comes home late but not a dead husband.

[ailec-12]

#rebecca ripped off his kindness face but luckily he was wearing a second - more secret - kindness face underneath #it's what she DESERVES i love how season 1 is an arc of her coming back to herself via being treated well after her horrible experiences #ted lasso #ted lasso spoilers #ted x rebecca #tedbecca #interesting also! occurring to me post posting how this would relate to nate meeting the two the other way round #not necessarily re persistance but def the idea of how the attention makes someone feel special (via @rebeccasbiscuits)

I’m thinking so many thoughts after that episode, which was wonderful and hilarious, but something I’m very much thinking about is where someone on twitter pointed out the contrast between Rupert going to the club every single day for six weeks to wear Rebecca down vs Ted coming to her office every day for biscuits and genuinely wanting to get to know her. I’m especially thinking about how this adds some more context to Rebecca’s point of view on that as well. We see her disparagingly calling him ‘relentless, and nice’, and her desire for her love of the biscuits to not make her dependent on him providing her with something.

The moment I’m thinking about most is the one at the end of episode 5, where Ted storms in after finding out she sent Jamie away. The biscuit reveal at the end has always felt crucial in this way, but even more so in this context. Her experience has been with the relentless interest and charm until the other person pulled back the layer of charm and showed that this charming nature wasn’t genuine, and in a way I think here, as Ted yells at her, it lets her feel a bit vindicated, or at least secure, in her belief, or lack of belief, in the nature of other people. But then Ted continues the biscuits, and the extension of kindness they represent, no matter how angry he is, and not only that but reveals he has been (without having told her) baking the biscuits himself. His only deceit was hiding an extra kindness he didn't even seek self serving credit for, despite knowing how much she liked the biscuits. Obviously this works so interestingly as another anti-Rupert parallel in a Ted/Rebecca sense, but I love it even just generally in the context of how it’s visible that this is what shakes Rebecca in that scene, because it shakes the view she has of how people treat people after her abusive marriage and isolation, which is allowing her to go on with the plan that will hurt so many of them. It disarms her because even when she has done something bad, and Ted is expressing legitimate annoyance about it, he will not stop extending this relentless kindness and generosity to her, even when he has not got what he wanted, the way she experienced Rupert doing once he had got what he wanted. Ted’s not only relentless, not only nice, he’s also sincere.