#it's been 2 episodes but it's comedy gold already

[stuffnonsenseandotherthings]

[burningvelvet]

I finished Moby Dick. So, to continue my former post(s) documenting my thoughts, here we are (spoilers ahead):

captain ahab: i am once again asking hast thou seen the white whale

Narrator, for the 5 millionth time describing captain ahab: "MONOMANIACAL. MONOMANIAC. MONOMANIA."

I was thinking "the homosexual themes everyone talks about are really exaggerated apparently…" and then I got to the chapter about sperm squeezing

Stubb meeting with the French in chap 91 had the exact vibe of a filler episode on a comedy sitcom

there are a lot of moments that reminded me of The Office ngl like i could just imagine stubb in the little interview chair just talking. so much meme material. he's seriously just doing his own thing. the little random characters like the blacksmith and carpenter just talking shit and side-eyeing ahab in the background lmaoooo

Saint George didn't kill a dragon, it was a whale #THETRUTHREVEALED #WHALETRUTHERS

It would have been hilarious if the British people told Ahab that they already killed Moby Dick already before he could get to it. I was so hoping that would happen. Bonus points if it was the Rachel after he'd turned them away.

Ahab discusses the topic of madness a lot. It's almost like he's… mad...

I vote Ahab for the most Byronic hero to ever Byronic… Heathcliff and Rochester have nothing on him… The origin of the Byronic hero, Byron's titular character from the narrative poem Childe Harold, is literally mentioned by name in the novel and had to be a blatant inspiration - it could not be more obvious! (I have yet to encounter the famed Byronic heroes of Russian literature, most notably Eugene Onegin, a work where Byron is also blatantly name-dropped).

Everyone thinking Queequeg was dying and having a coffin made to his measurements and filled with grave goods at his direction and then him literally climbing into the coffin to test it out and then waiting silently to die…. then all of a sudden getting better and saying he chose to recover bc he remembered he had something on his to-do list….. iconic

Ishmael referring to Queequeg as "my Queequeg…" omg. Queerqueg

Queequeg drawing figures like the ones on his tattoos omg… au story where Queequeg is an artist/tattoo artist when???

I was literally saying "AWWWWW" out loud when Ahab and Pip were having their little moments

The irony of Ahab abandoning the Rachel then it coming back for Ishmael… the coffin lifeboat��� etc… good stuff…

okay ahab is my man but yeah he was an asshole to the captain of rachel.

also feel bad for tashtego. he wanted that gold doubloon so bad and ahab was like SIKE, MOTHERFUCKER! umm tashtego did not get cut out of a whale by queequeg to deal with ur shit ahab!

Once again wanting a Black Sails/Moby Dick AU… I found this essay about the similarities between Flint/Ahab https://ijms.nmdl.org/article/view/22389/14361

They only have like 2-3 little moments together but like… Starbuck/Ahab kind of outdoing Ishmael/Queequeg there for a moment… chaps 132/134… oh my godddddddddddddd whyyyyyyy

Captain Ahab's moments in chapters 36/37 AAAAAHHHHH you will see me being normal about this

I noted some of my favorite Ahab moments/chapters and they are 36/37/41/70/99/108/109/113/115/116/119/125/129/132/134/135. Like I may seriously just re-read those chapters (no offense to Melville's whale facts, Stubb's jokes, & Pip's insanity)

the end is kind of similar to the great gatsby in the sense that you finally realize the entire novel was actually written for him to cope with his grief-related trauma & then suddenly it all makes sense. the lingering, the sentimentality regarding seemingly insignificant details or people, the meandering/digressing/procrastinating getting to the end, etc.

there are actually several moments -- i don't know if he actually referred to ahab or the others in past-tense specifically, but there were several moments where i felt like i kind of thought he was giving away the end before he did (it wasn't a shock to me bc i read about the end prior, but still)

[silviakundera]

Did a speedrun through modern cdrama Everyone Loves Me because I'm a fan of both leads. A fairly well constructed romcom for a specific trope, AND also one of the most valid examples of the critique that cdrama storylines are pointlessly over-extended. This would have been a great modern drama at 12 episodes. Unfortunately, it's at least 10 episodes too long. The literal gaming (characters interacting while playing videogames) is very light - it's an initiating plot device piece but doesn't consume much actual screen time. The real genre is IT workplace romance with Hidden Identity trope.

Do you like:

* Capable & ambitious female lead x male lead with a competency kink whose turn-offs are white lotus & green tea girls and turn-ons are brash ladies who can cuss you out; dressing up to impress is not required

* Romantic dynamic of equal partners (2 strong personalities, not active/passive)

* "We don't know yet who is going to be the breadwinner. My goal is to be a CEO."

* Low heat (just a few kisses),

* modern workplace dramas (so much working)

[heavy spoilers below]

The actual set up & outline are:

* Online friend group who casually game together, in the last days of university. One of the guys starts catching feelings for the girl, our FL (let's call him Gamer Friend). FL isn't romantically considering Gamer Friend at all, because she has a crush on a guy from her uni.

* This crush is Gamer Friend in rl! 😮

* ML isn't open to being crushed on by anyone at rl uni, because he is already hung up on FL (as his online friend) 🙈

* FL asks for advice from her gaming buds on how to pursue her rl crush. Gamer Friend doesn't want her to succeed, because he wants to win her heart, so he keeps giving terrible advice to chase him by acting out the soft-spoken innocent maiden archetype (the opposite of FL's real boisterous & brash personality)

* This creates a comedy of errors where ML in rl is being pursued by the woman he's in love with, but he's shooting her down left & right. This culminates in her confessing and he publically rejects her in a harsh manner. When she comes crying (and vengeful) to the group, the guys all realize the identity confusion. Appropriately horrified, bros have no idea what to do. (This whole scene is gold tbh.)

* This plotline covers 7 episodes, but should have been dealt with in 4.

* Next 5 episodes (should have been 2!): Gamer Friend, toiling under karma, tries to be virtually supportive of his beloved while in person desperately making gestures to show remorse & have her less willing to obliterate his RL person. (this is all complicated by them both hired into the same company post-grad; there's a whole gaming dev & art design subplot - like in Lighter & Princess, the writers did the research so the setting is reality-based). This arc ends with identity reveal: she finally knows irl crush = Gamer Friend

* Next 6-7 episodes lead her from being (rightfully) furious and humiliated to them finally becoming friendly & supportive of each other. He waits to ask for more until he feels truly forgiven for the shakespearean hijinks that kept them apart. Includes work drama and fake-dating For Reasons. This arc, again, could have been 3-4 episodes.

* Final 5 episode arc is dating era and culmination of the gaming dev plotline. Heavy emphasis on work drama. Only 2 out of the last 5 episodes had significant romance material for the main couple, which was the major flaw in the drama. Avoided the separation cliche but also no marriage scenes at the end - we just see that they're still close, supportive partners a year later. Should have been 3 episodes ;)

The structure is right for a simple rom com set up of: one party pursues, gets rejected, then the other party pursues & corrects their mistake. The misunderstandings are logical enough; FL is assertive and we see evidence of her talent (not just told); ML likes her for herself & doesn't want a childish, obedient woman like the idol dramas represent; they are shown to make a good team & respect each other; the wronged party isn't a push over and their forgiveness has to be earned. It's clear why they like each other and that they work as a couple. (Though the emphasis is on compatibility & domesticity rather than sexual heat.)

The showrunner just needed to compress each arc and spend a lot less time on corporate minutiae. The way I engage with this type of drama is to binge, skip all 2nd couple scenes, and liberal use of fast forward ⏩⏩.

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

✨APRIL/MAY LISTENS✨

hi i’m back, i’ve just finished my degree and do not have enough of a brain to write an in-depth of anything. but! here’s some of what i’ve been shoving in my earholes for the past month, in no particular order.

The Magnus Protocol — (season 1 ongoing) continues to blow my fucking mind. the sound design/music combo for this series is of particular note, it really just… mwah. elevates the text so much for me. i also continue to be impressed by how well this works as both a standalone series and as a delicious trail of candy for those of us who loved Archives. we’re halfway through s1 now and all i can think about is alice dyer.

Beef and Dairy Network — (ongoing @ 109 eps) a partially improvised absurdist comedy pod set in a world that is bizarrely obsessed with beef. my qpp listened to one episode and called it “distilled british humor” which feels… correct. i’ll be real, i’m actually mad at myself for not getting into this one sooner, but on the other hand having a long binge of it has been divine. i would kill to go to one of their live shows.

The White Vault — (5 seasons, 10 eps apiece) not including goshawk because i’ve barely started on that. but the main series… woah! god, i totally didn’t think this was going to be my thing but i could not put it down? the first season is definitely slower than i usually prefer but the characters kept me hooked and by season 3 the narrative completely took over my brain. i also love how well they sold the found audio format, it WORKS. gold fucking star, highly recommend.

Jackie the Ripper — (3 seasons, 5 eps apiece) put this one aside for a rainy day and binged it all at once. deeply wish there was more of it. it’s a raunchy crime drama with a downtrodden detective at the helm who i SWORE i wouldn’t root for but ended up doing so anyway. do recommend! if it sweetens the pot, the protag has the same VA as watson in the currently popular Sherlock & Co.

The Mistholme Museum — (6 seasons, soon to be complete) people have been recommending this to me for years and i just never got around to it, but on the bright side — it was an incredible binge. anthologies aren’t my strong suit but i found the framing device really strong and, crucially, it develops a meta plot that balances really well. biggest strength for me was the narrator, but i can’t explain why without spoiling some key plot developments. just trust me.

Wake of Corrosion — (4 seasons, final ongoing) very cool apocalyptic suspense/horror. i initially loved this show for the dynamic between the two leads, who are brothers trying to reconnect on a solitary camping trip when the world decides to go wonky. i ended up loving the worldbuilding as well. final episode drops very soon.

Neon Inkwell: The Pit Below Paradise — (miniseries, ongoing) this one has a bit of a western vibe and heavy religious/culty overtones, which isn’t my favorite genre. but i think each of the main characters has been developed really well thus far. + many fun cameos from members of the production team, those are really fun to try and spot :)

Twits: A Steampunk Distraction — (2 seasons, 5 eps apiece) very silly comedy of errors from the pov of a bumbling aristocrat. can’t say too much without giving the end of s1 twist away. i highly recommend it if you’re looking for some lighthearted listening. the ending credits are also very cute.

Planet Arcana — (ongoing @ 71 eps) i’m so bad at TTRPGs but this one has such a unique setting, i’m just captivated. tarot-flavored sci-fi adventure for anyone interested. i’ve made it through the first arc and the party has already experienced a crazy amount of development; stoked to see what happens next.

Selene — (ongoing) anthology about a spooky little town with a vintage vibe. single narrator, quite talented. i’m not always easily invested in anthologies but the narrator here really sells it for me, and (!) i think he writes children — both their thought processes and dialogue — very realistically. which is my grandest compliment.

Camp Here & There — (s1 complete @ 33 eps, hiatus?) i put off listening to this for a rainy day because i’d heard nothing but rave reviews and they weren’t lying. this is quite literally the ONLY pod i’ve come across that completely captures the same magic that WTNV did for me on first listen. the creator is kinda going thru it so idk if s2 is going to happen but i really hope so. even if not, s1 is very worth listening to. it’s wacky and sinister and i just love the narrator, it’s hard not to.

We’re Alive: Scout’s Honor — (8 ep miniseries, complete) imagine WA from the perspective of some awkward tweenagers. what’s not to love? the gore is really heightened by each characters’ stage of emotional development. i especially loved the conclusion but i won’t spoil it here ;)

Among the Stars and Bones — (2nd season ongoing) sci-fi drama with a solid first season, really nice narrative tie-up, but the second season was SUCH a glow-up nonetheless! + the most memorable karim kronfli performance of all time IMHO.

[itwoodbeprefect]

911 season 7 episode 4!! we've arrived!!

the only reason that i understand this long opening section is playing on the bachelor is that i've watched jarvis johnson talk about it before. thank you jarvis johnson.

the i'm taken but he's not scene. buck has a rule. eddie looks confused. hmmm.

fjdkf "hey joey." while watching the previous episode i said buck was bisexual character number 2 this season (after norman) but i may have been wrong. he's number 3, after norman and chimney.

i mean, admittedly i've never seen a single episode of the bachelor firsthand, but it seems to me like they'd LOVE for something like this to happen. nobody got seriously hurt, it's extremely dramatic and big, lots and lots and lots of free press - what could be better for reality tv?

buck is so pumped to be getting the tour!!

"i guess that night was the most fun i'd had since getting struck by lightning." "you need to raise your bar, kid." fjdkfd. lines that could have worked word for word in a katherine hepburn/cary grant screwball comedy.

fjdkfjdkfj he's just using getting struck by lightning as a point of reference! "ah." is the right response, i think, tommy.

he could give buck lessons if he wants!! honestly i could quote every line of this conversation as notable and fun. i'm having a ball watching this actually happen with audio, instead of looping chunks of a few seconds. (not that there's anything wrong with looping chunks of a few seconds. i love looping chunks of a few seconds, looping chunks of a few seconds are tumblr's liveblood.)

tommy has "something" (a person) "that" (who) should be arriving right now, actually. fjdkf. early practice for when eddie ends up crashing their date next episode

also, dear god, eddie's giant truck. forgot about that thing.

fjkdf. this poor man, watching his best friend and unknown crush fly off together. admittedly not into the sunset, but to vegas nonetheless

waffles!!! bobby and athena made it through a cruise on a sinking ship and now there's someone breaking into their home making waffles

harryyy. i was just thinking about him during the last episode!

ohhhh. he didn't just shoot up into the sky, that actually is a harry recast. interesting

okay, so apparently (x) marcanthonee reis was "sort of ready to move on". assuming that's true, fair enough - for anyone, but especially for a kid playing a role on tv.

ravi's "who's tommy?" is totally fair, and then he gets rewarded for his patience in being totally excluded from buck and eddie's weird jealous bff conversation by getting sent down a sewer. rough day, man

"both like watching half-naked men pummel each other" is certainly a set of words. it certainly is.

not for nothing, but is eddie blind, or is he just enjoying winding buck up a little, being at the center of some (as he would probably assume) friendship jealousy? because buck is. not being normal about this. at all.

buck thinking he's getting invited to the bar trivia thing and being asked to babysit.... i fully knew that was coming, but it's painfully awkward either way. also, dear god, eddie has already asked his girlfriend to babysit his kid twice this week. hmmmmm.

the AIR QUOTES. had to replay that three times, it's excellent, i adore this. the way he says it is SO good

the little WIGGLE at the second set of air quotes. GOLD

"get this! [star wars opinion]" jfkdfjk. possibly the funniest 911 has ever been

on his fridge! eddie has a day calendar! underatakeoutmenu

IT'S CIRCLED. WHAT DON'T YOU GET, MADDIE.

maddie's "with a little heart around it?" line is exactly as good as it seemed in all the gifs. wonderful, amazing, life-changing stuff

uh oh, harry in trouble!

yeah. so. the woman on this home break-in call absolutely shot her son, didn't she?

she did. we needed a nod to athena's recast son subplot.

that's athena's cop side coming out when she tells her son in a weird roundabout way that people are going to pee on him in jail. if buck and eddie sounded like a classic screwball, this is more tango & cash.

OH. we ARE getting into the athena-is-a-cop part of it.

oh my darling. you are being SO weird about this (affectionate).

insane amazon prime sponsorship just right in the middle of jealous bisexual weight lifting. what is happening

oh my god. oh boy. oh no

i mean, oh YES, but there's just oodles of secondhand embarassment to go around here. love you though buck, go for it, don't let me stop you

chimney innocently asking what that is buck is heartbrokenly cuddling..... and getting roped into this insane musclebound love triangle. poor chimney, you did nothing wrong.

also though. eddie giggling on the phone and fully and blatantly ignoring buck for that entire scene? there's just so much going on here. everyone's in love with tommy and his cool helicopters.

i was genuinely sort of hoping the athena-breaking-the-news part of this woman-shot-her-son case would remain implied. very sad. only misery here.

buck bullshitting his way into pretending this is totally just his attempt to bond with his future brother-in-law is very funny. nice try, my boy

the face of a chimney realizing he's been tricked :(

chimney calling himself a basketball beard...... chimney is cleverer than he even knows, i think.

i saw the post @redgoldblue reblogged pointing this out, but. yeah. that IS a whole montage that's just a very long top gun reference. playing with the boys!!!

also, in light of that...... buck & eddie's infamous "you can have my back any time" was also a top gun reference. (specifically, a reference to "you can be my wingman any time."/"bullshit. you can be mine.", as in, this right here.) we all agree on that, right? i've never seen anyone mention it, but that might just be because i only really see 911 content when it happens across my dash, so. we do agree? because. buck&eddie first bonding moments related to top gun.... buck&tommy arc starting with top gun basketball..... i'm just saying. i am. just saying.

sitting here open-mouthedly indignant that buck dragged chim along and then doesn't even let him play. chimney deserves better even in the middle of a dramatic understandably self-centered sexuality crisis

he bucked that up!! oh my god

big sister maddie is Good. i like that

a few minutes to go in the episode and there's a knock at buck's door! who might that be? maybe he ordered something else off of amazon prime (which is canonically really quick and convenient and you don't even need to sign anything).

the way tommy says "evannn." is so good

the fact that it's the terrible fake mouth static over the radio that got buck's attention is amazing. meet cute: we fly into a hurricane and you badly pretend your radio isn't working when someone tries to talk sense into us

🌈🎉🌈🎉💖

yes 🥺 he is free 🥺

gifs are good and wonderful but there are some things they just can't possibly do justice due to the limitations of the medium and just. seeing buck's quiet wide-eyed response to tommy kissing him and this Big Revelation he's having is definitely one of those things that need to be watched as a full scene with audio. oh gosh

saturday!

just lovely lovely good very sweet stuff! it's nice. but, like, nice - in a wonderful, good, heartwarming sort of way. god. the distance we've come - incredible.

[themousefromfantasyland]

I've been rewatching The Fairly OddParents recently on YouTube. You have no idea how obsessed I was with this show when I was a ten-year-old. I saw myself on Timmy Turner. For a while, I had imaginary friends that were carbon copies of Cosmo and Wanda. My birthday party when I was ten was Fairly OddParents themed.

Rewatching as an adult not only made me realize how the first seasons were comedy gold but made me appreciate the show even more. But this is not the point.

I have a world-building problem. I create theories trying to make sense of fictional universes since I can remember, even if these universes are from comedic shows that have no regard for continuity.

These were my realizations rewatching the show.

1 - Fairies are probably the most powerful magical beings in this universe.

Fairies seem to be the dominant magic species in this universe. Not only they are the most seem magical creatures in the show, but their "Da Rules" seem to bind other magical creatures as well.

Santa Claus in this universe seems suspiciously too dependent on Fairy Magic.

All the stars in the universe are secretly ancient fairy warriors protecting the world from ancient darkness.

And when the Pixies try to take over Fairy World they explicitly say that they want to take over "all the magic."

2 - Fairy Magic is Dependent on the Belief of the Dominant Species of Earth

When a chimp wishes apes to be the dominant species on Earth (Yeah, that happened!), Cosmo and Wanda along with all other Fairy Godparents are forced to serve ape children instead of human children.

And just like in Peter Pan, fairies are dependent on the belief in them.

When Crocker was temporarily cured of his fairy obsession, Fairy World lost its power because it was too dependent on his belief. They fixed the problem by bending the secrecy rule, traumatizing several Crocker-like people around the world, and harnessing the magic from their newfound obsessive beliefs.

3 - Fairies grant children's wishes because otherwise, they can't keep their physical form.

That was the lore of the earlier seasons. If a Fairy Godparent didn't grant any wish for a long period they would burst into confetti, streamer, and fairy dust. In canon, this is called Magical Build-up.

Why the other fairies of Fairy World weren't affected by this was never addressed, but due to how Cosmo and Wanda had this happen to them in two different circumstances and both ended up alright by the next episode, I guess that the effect isn't permanent. You just need someone to put you back together afterward.

4 - Fairies are afraid of Butterfly Nets

To finish this, in canon, butterfly nets are the Fairies' kryptonite. Once inside the net, the fairy loses all its magic and is completely defenseless. Thanks to that, fairies are mortified of them.

When Crocker captured Cosmo and Wanda in Abra-Catastrophe, Jorgen forbid all fairies from returning to Earth until the situation was resolved.

This intense fear of being captured, along with the already cited Magical Build-up may give a somewhat decent explanation to Fairies' role as wish granters.

Human belief powers fairies, but if they are revealed the humans might try to capture them and use their powers for evil. Worse, they can't completely ignore humans, because if they don't grant wishes, their powers will mess around with their capacity to have a physical form. So they grant wishes to children, that are relatively safer option than adults.

[nazathelivingcorpse]

Now that Smiling Friends's season 2 is over here's my ranking of the episodes from worst to best because why not

8: E6 Charlie, Pim, and Bill vs. The Alien - Might have been the most forgettable episode in the whole show. I can't remember any good jokes outside from the flat earth one.

7: E2 Mr. President - Surprisingly unclever for this show, they went with the low hanging fruits for all the comedy

6: E3 A Allan Adventure - it's good but i dont like how it has some long periods of time where there just arent any jokes

5: E5 Brother's Egg - i feel like they could have done more with the concept but it was still gold

4: E8 Pim Finally Turns Green - I understand rotten the snowman could be really annoying for some people but i really liked this one

3: E4 Erm, the Boss Finds Love? - it was just good, nothing to comment

2: E1 Gwimbly: Definitive Remastered Enhanced Extended Edition DX 4k (Anniversary Director's Cut) - You already know that this one is great, you've seen the impact it had on the internet

1: E7 The Magical Red Jewel AKA Tyler Gets Fired - It was really good but also i think im biased because the whole ending sequence was the funniest shit in the world to me and idk why

[rayningnight]

Star Wars - Ray’s Fic Recs List - Feb 2023

AU, Time Travel, Dimension Travel, Crossovers, etc. Fic Recs List. Mostly Obi-Wan centric! Mostly GEN and Mandalorian-friendly. Relationships specified in the turn-offs too. Please mind the trigger warnings in the turn-offs/TOs. 💫 are my current favourites!

For Want of a Nail

Pre-Episode I

How one (1) mission changed mission reports for all by jemtessaremuslupin Review: Obi-Wan isn’t taken back by Master Qui-Gon Jinn, and becomes a Floater Padawan. His reports are... interesting. Part 2 is where this fic series shines! Work in progress, as of 12 Aug 2022. Words: 31,473. Works: 3

Be that monster you've been wanting by otherpeoplescoats Review: Imagine if Dooku took Obi-Wan as his padawan when he was 10 years old. Work in progress, as of 12 May 2022.  Words: 29,164. Chapters: 12/?

Episode I

Tatooine Gusha by Natural_Logarhythm Review: Master Qui-Gon lost Obi-Wan on Bandomeer. Ben ends up in Tatooine, raising Anakin. This is an interesting storytelling method, where we see Ben’s voice at the beginning when he’s already back at the Order, explaining Episode I in his POV. Work in progress, as of 03 Feb 2023.  Words: 51,592. Chapters: 11/15

A Novel Alignment by quomores Review: Imagine in Darth Plagueis took in Obi-Wan. (This is not a happy fic.) “Sith Family Comedy,” indeed. I have mixed feelings overall after finishing,  but I still think it’s a fic worth reading, this bleak world is- hm). Complete, as of 20 Jun 2020.  Words: 62,291. Chapters: 21/21

Cin Vhetin, Ogir'Olar (New Beginnings, One way or Another) by pureimagination Review: Okay, so the premise is that Obi-Wan gets separated from Satine and ends up losing his memories under torture from Death Watch, and this fic starts off 6 years after this, when Ben aliit Mereel ends up preventing Galidraan, and walks the path only Tarre Vizla has ever walked before. SUPER fast updates! Author write 4 chapters ahead and keeps a speedy schedule, and has already posted a sequel! Complete, as of 30 Jan 2023. Words: 28,260. Chapters: 17/17 TO: Character Death

Post-Episode I

Just Go Kill Palpatine by nevertheless_turtle Review: Yes. Obi-Wan is given the sus truth from Quinlan and responds not as a Jedi but as the caretaker for Anakin, thus exposing Palpatine’s hand early. I dearly hope this updates! The memes in the end too, are just *chef’s kiss*. Work in progress, as of 24 May 2021. Words: 6,832. Chapters: 4/5

Men of Power by AlabasterInk Review: So, so many father-son feels between Obi-Wan and Anakin here! The what-if where people DO second guess why Old Sheeve Palpatine wants access to tiny padawan Anakin here? Work in progress, as of 04 Jan 2021. Words: 86,177. Chapters: 11/?  TO: Gaslighting.

💫 Sith Killer by Livsy Review: This takes canon a bit sideways, because a Sith is not just a title here. Work in progress, as of 20 Dec 2022. Words: 107,559. Chapters: 27/40

Where We’re Going by Thousand_elf Review: Can we just keep giving Anakin some hobbies? This is great. The glassblowing fic! Work in progress, as of 26 Dec 2021. Words: 8,436. Chapters: 2/?

dead and the gold by Icarus_is_flying Review: This is not a fix-it. This is a what-if: Orders 66, during Episode I. Obi-Wan runs to his ex-grandmaster, because at least he’s not a hunted Jedi, right? Work in progress, as of 25 Dec 2020. Words: 115,123. Chapters: 27/? TO: Gaslighting.

Stand By Me (What's in a Padawan?) by ShawnArms Review: Give Obi-Wan a padawan, so give him therapy too! Master Nu really is the best. Throw in some positivity and Tatooine Slave Culture realizations and... tada! Work in progress, as of 25 Dec 2022. Words: 40,138. Chapters: 10/?

The Making of Mand'alor Kryze by phoenixyfriend Review: If Satine died and it turns out Korkie Kryze was Obi-Wan’s son with her? Love the justification that Obi-Wan has to call Anakin his son... Work in progress, as of 18 Oct 2022. Words: 3,916. Chapters: 3/?

💫  Obi-Wan Declares Himself Dad Shaped by phoenixyfriend Review: There seems to be a trend here... but nevertheless, this is such fantastic voicing, for the POV Outsider. Complete, as of 19 Sep 2021. Words: 2,403. Chapters: 2/2

💫  General Kenobi and the Twins by phoenixyfriend Review: Obi-Wan is trying to train Anakin here, and then comes his future-self straight out of a war with two babies in tow. Lovely. Wish there was more in this ‘verse! Complete, as of 11 Nov 2021. Words: 13,174. Chapters: 2/2

Episode II

💫 Shifting the Blame Around by Machina_Fun_T Review: Anakin places the blame on the Senate instead of the Jedi. This skews his views on a lot of different people. Complete, as of 14 Jan 2023.  Words: 17,680. Works: 3

The Ground Beneath Us by stolen_pen_name23 Review: Basically if Obi-Wan put the walker in Skywalker. If only one simple change could have happened for real... Complete, as of 27 Nov 2021. Words: 7,566. Chapters: 4/4

General Jocasta by BairnSidhe Review: Give the librarian the leadership to organize an army and well... Complete, as of 03 May 2022. Words: 18,474. Chapters: 8/8

there is no death (there is a wedding) by virdant Review: Crack. Pure, but hilarious. Excerpt: “Married?” Obi-Wan squeaked. He was unfortunately going through puberty. “What do you mean, I’m married now? I’m a Jedi! I can’t get married.” Or: Obi-Wan accidentally marries a ghost. Only... Jango isn’t dead. Complete, as of 11 Jan 2021.  Words: 8,759. Works: 5. TO: ...Technically Jangobi? I mean. Just see for yourself. (Or just read P1 and P2.)

Episode III:

The Vagabond Crew by StephanieStephanie Review: What if Anakin didn’t Fall and ran away with the younglings? It’s not actually that long, and it paints a bleak picture still, but this some-what-of-a-fix-it isn’t a new hope, but many hopes still burning. My heart... WIP as of 16 March, 2021. Words: 19,185. Chapters: 31/?

Sacrifice by Artikka Review: Obi-Wan watches the video of Order 66 with Yoda. There’s a different hurt, here. Even as my heart shrivels up and twists more tears out.... this is still a better 'verse than canon. WIP as of 5 Sept 2020. Words: 6,976. Works: 2. TO: Character Death.

Post-Episode III

💫  Knightrise by deviantaccumulation Review: I think I’ve reread this like four times. There’s so much going on in this ‘verse where we get into the heads of the survivors of a genocide, of Vader, and the bonds between all. The nail here though, is Obi-Wan convincing Yoda away from a fight, from fighting Vader at all, and saving the cinders of the Order. Work in progress, as of 03 Dec 2021. Words: 89,475. Chapters: 27/?

Unmasked by Mallow_of_the_Marsh Review: There isn’t a central character to this one, but it delves into the consequences of the whole Galaxy seeing the Jedi Temple getting gunned down. Complete, as of 12 Dec 2022. Words: 16,673. Chapters: 6/6

sun of my right hand by loosingletters Review: I need more fics like this one, where Obi-Wan raises Luke himself. Work in progress, as of 01 Mar 2021. Words: 4,307. Chapters: 6/?

inheritance by jesuisdeux Review: Grandpa Dooku gifts his life savings to Obi-Wan. Some officer shows up at Ben’s doorstep on Tatooine. Yes. Now we await for part 2 in this series... Complete, as of 14 Mar 2021. Words: 4,737. Chapters: 1/1

Time Travel

Pre-Episode I 

Hope Like a Blade, Intolerable by berrymascarpone Review: Would you like your heart shattered, just a little bit? Obi-Wan is born crying, remembering his death. Complete, as of 22 Apr 2020. Words: 2,716 Chapters: 1/1

Whispers of the Future by cywsaphyre Review: Oldie and goodie from ffnet. Author’s stopped writing, so read knowing that Obi-Wan may see the future, but we may never see the future of this fic. WIP as of 28 Jul 2012. Words: 37,640. Chapters: 5/?

💫 One Hundred Hours To Rearrange The Stars by soft_but_gremlin Review: PLEASE READ THIS. Part 1 is completed and Part 2 is a WIP and it’s just glorious seeing Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka in teeny-tiny bodies being cared for by Mandalorians and Jedi on Galidraan. Work in progress, as of  03 Feb 2023. Words: 41,319. Works: 2

💫 Change in the air by Ancathepurple Review: Obi-Wan travelling back after his death in canon to his 13-year-old-body fic on the ride back to the Temple after Melida-Daan. The trauma of a General is much worse in everyone’s eyes, and the ‘genius’ he shows by accident... yes, all of this, YES. Peggy Sue-ish, but I’m living for the family lineage feels. I’ve reread this twice already... Work in progress, 18 Nov 2021. Words: 34,521 Chapters: 14/?

Who you are today (is not who you have to be tomorrow) by wildimaginingsofhalfbakedideas Review: Another Obi-Wan travelling back in time to his 13-year-old-body fic, but this time, he hails the True Mandalorians for help since he knows their views on children. There’s quite a bit of mando’a throughout the fic, as Obi-Wan leaves with the True Mandalorians. Work in progress, as of 29 Jan 2023. Words: 69,612 Chapters: 20/?

Time and Time Again by seriouslythoughwhat Review: This has a lot of potential and I hope it’ll continue one day! Basically, if Ben was sent back to his 14(?) yo body, before Xanatos is found, but after Melida-Daan. Work in progress, as of 13 June 2020. Words: 12,168, Chapters: 3/?

💫 a comedy in four acts by jesuisdeux Review: There isn’t another fic out there that captures this kind of prose, at least not one that I’ve found. It’s funny and definitely written by some English major out there who was like: what if we had not-gonna-take-your-shit Master Obi-Wan and living-to-spite-the-world Grandpa Dooku deciding to change the plot.  Words: 17,263. Chapters: 4/4

undeserving fall (this kind of sunlit love) by loosingletters Review: I’m putting this FIRST - Turn-Off: Luke/Palpatine. Yes, you read this crack right. This is crack treated seriously. I gave this fic a chance and so maybe everyone should? Redeeming Palpatine is never something most fics do. Complete, as of 19 Mar 2021. Words: 9,662. Chapters: 1/1

💫 General Kenobi and the Twins by phoenixyfriend Review: Snapshot of post-Episode III Obi-Wan, twins in each arm, walking into Knight Obi-Wan’s meditation session with bb!Anakin. I literally want SO MUCH MORE of this. Complete, as of 11 November 2021. Words: 13,174 Chapters: 2/2

Episode II  

💫 Ashes To Ashes, Dust To Dust by Livsy Review: OMG OMGOMG THIS IS JUST. PERFECTION. The POV Outsider from Anakin’s view on a changed Obi-Wan and how THIS Obi-Wan treats him. ;-; I have no words how much I love the hurt/comfort vibes. Work in progress, as of 29 Jan 2023.  Words: 24,477 Chapters: 9/10

Looking Glass by Livsy Review: Another Obi-Wan time travelling to the past; but he carries a Sith lightsaber. Misunderstanding ensue. Work in progress, as of 08 Aug 2022.  Words: 18,451. Chapters: 7/?

💫 Living Memory, My Fate to Follow by elsa3beth Review: Ben here really doesn't know his self worth and I hope that this journey not only saves the galaxy, but saves himself. Props also on handling the mental issues, the moral issues, the politics and the military! Definitely a favourite! WIP, as of 13 November 2021. Words: 353,548. Chapters: 30/40

Visions in Red by likethesoda Review: So, imagine if jedi and clones recall the canon future-that-would-be. I wasn’t sure to put categorize this as time travel but the memories time travelled? I digress. It’s amazing to see how people react to Anakin, how Anakin reacts, and though horrifying, this is also comforting? That they are all alive, and can maybe, possibly, do something. Work in progress, as of 06 June 2022.  Words: 16,546. Chapters: 6/? 

💫 Birds Fly in Different Directions by Triscribe Review: One by one, jedi recall their deaths in the future. Yes. YES. Complete, as of 15 Dec 2022. Words: 14,666 Chapters: 3/3

desecrate my lungs by loosingletters Review: Let’s have Vaderkin wake up in the body of General Skywalker, and he forgets to breathe, because he’s been in a suit for two decades. Work in progress, as of 12 Dec 2020. Words: 16,050 Chapters: 8/?

a distant fire is burning by e_va Review: Cal Kestis travels back in time and ends up in his 10-year-old body, sent off to be Obi-Wan Kenobi’s padawan, and everyone deals with the consequences. I love the perspective and I want to see more of the changes in dynamics with this new addition to the dysfunctional Jedi lineage! Work in progress, as of 23 Jan 2023. Words: 40,214 Chapters: 7/?

They Don't Care About Us by ironhoshi Review: Here is another Cal-centric fic! With an added time traveller: Boba Fett! Imagine if these two interrupting Obi-Wan’s meeting with Jango at Kamino, and ends up causing much confusion and interesting changes to the world. Work in progress, as of 27 Feb 2022. Words: 62,215. Chapters: 33/? TO: Obi-Wan/Jango

(I Promise) This Time Will be Different by Nation_Ustria Review: Yes, here’s a third one with Cal. I love the conversations and the interactions with the clones in this one! Seriously... There’s something about these fics... Work in progress, as of 05 Nov 2022.  Words: 21,975 Chapters: 7/?

To Fix the Shattered Past by Forever_A_Thief Review: Throw Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka from the Clone Wars into child bodies during Melida-Daan, and stir. I love the Grandpa Dooku vibes here. Sometimes it’s nice to have fics without the dark side showing in Anakin and Dooku, y’know? Work in progress, as of 22 Jan 2023.  Words: 35,976 Chapters: 10/?

Stop All The Clocks by Panda_2703 Review: This fic has Obi-Wan thrown into the body of his General body, and he attempts, through his trauma of dying four years into his exile on Tatooine, to save whoever he can 8 months before the end of the Republic. Ahsoka’s trial goes differently! Work in progress, as of 14 Nov 2022.  Words: 37,866 Chapters: 7/?

how to disappear completely by jaigeye Review: Have you ever read a fic with Jango Fett as the time looper? Not just a single travel back but he dies, so many times, and gets back to square one- at least, until we have a hopeful ending for everyone. Complete, as of 25 Feb 2022.  Words: 11,595. Chapters: 1/1

Touch Starved by CourtesyTrefflin for uncorrectgrammar Review: This is THE hurt/comfort fic starring Obi-Wan and Vaderkin. There is so much to unpack with these two... Complete, as of 15 Dec 2022. Words: 71,012 Chapters: 22/22

Fate Gives Second Chances by The_subtle_briar Review: Ben is not of sound mind when he wakes up in the past, and it’s understandable that years of trauma and in exile would make him think this all a sham at the beginning. Longfic. Work in progress, as of 16 Sept 2022. Words: 111,199. Chapters: 30/35. TO: Cody/Obi-Wan

there but for the grace of god by wanderlove Review: Let’s have Luke travel back in time from an alternate universe where he’s being raised by Ben! Miscommunication and misunderstandings ensue. Complete, as of 24 Apr 2021. Words: 49,217. Chapters: 12/12

The Kenobi Scandal by AppoApples Review: Both Luke and Ben travel back, and they explain Luke’s existence as Luke Kenobi. Shenanigans ensure for a grand fix-it fic! Complete, as of 23 Dec 2020.  Words: 97,426. Chapters: 19/19

Alternate Universe / Crossovers

💫 still much that is fair by RaineyDay Review: Padawan Obi-Wan dimension travels/time travels into a war-torn universe where his padawan saves him? He’s a Master? He’s on the Council?!? Complete as of 4 May 2021. Words: 21,173. Chapters: 8/8. TO: Suicide Attempt/Thoughts. 

Aliit ori'shya tal'din by SilverRayan Review: This universe has the Sith Empire, the Mandalorian Empire and the Galactic Republic. The excuse to have Obi-Wan and Jango Fett fight for their sons is great. Mind the Jangobi, hinted. Work in progress, as of 25 Jul 2022.  Words: 18,847. Chapters: 6/?

Manda'kara by Virodeil Review: BB!Obi-Wan delves deep into the archives as he nearly ages out for Knighthood. The worldbuilding in this one is amazing! The idea of the culture of the Mandalorians still being preserved here... the POTENTIAL of this series! Completed, as of 22 Dec 2022. Words: 10,569. Chapters: 10/10

24 Seconds by c_m_li Review: Imagine Obi-Wan and Quinlan, teenagers sent off to a mission go MIA until they are found by the True Mandolorians. I like the respect in cultures/traditions in this. Complete, as of 26 Sep 2022.  Words: 11,314 Chapters: 1/1 TO: Obi-Wan/Quinlan

devoted by loosingletters Review: If Anakin was more eldrich, god-like and this has consequences, in a world, “where the Force splits into aspects of itself, deities for all sentients of the galaxy to worship, people cling to their silent gods, wishing they could be just as powerful.” Complete, as of 06 Mar 2022. Words: 34,308. Chapters: 8/8. TO: slightly Anakin/Obi-Wan.

falling up by obiwanobi, shatou Review: This series is based on if Obi-Wan never got to take in Anakin as his padawan, and Anakin is raised by Palpatine. Vader shows up at Obi-Wan’s doorsteps, and this is Vader’s journey back to the light. Work in progress, as of 18 Nov 2021. Words: 24,060. Works: 9. TO: pre-Obi-Wan/Anakin hinted?

With no root in the land --(To keep my branches green) by llamallamaduck Review: This NARUTO crossover is something I never imagined to like, but wowza. Imagine Anakin, an eldrich being instead of our canon humanoid, dimension travels to the Five Great Shinobi Countries, specifically, Whirlpool. Uzushiogakure will never fall, but the other nations? Hm. Work in progress, as of 28 Nov 2022. Words: 25,490. Chapters: 7/?

A Star to Steer By by dogmatix, norcumi Review: I’ve never even read Stargate Atlantis before, and you don’t really need to after either. Summary: “ Not so long ago, in a galaxy not very far away at all, there's a Republic with an order of Jedi - a symbiotic species and their clone hosts.” This about sums it up, and now Obi-Wan and the 212th Company arrive in an alternate dimension. Work in progress, as of 21 Dec 2022.  Words: 115,437. Works: 2.

Bare Your Teeth, Soldier by phoenixyfriend Review: OKAY AS A HEADS UP THIS IS NOT A ROMANCE. IT IS NOT SMUT. Now, imagine our regular, canon duo, The Team, ending up in the omegaverse. Yes. This is that fic. I highly recommend, please suspend all disbelief, for the worldbuilding. Work in progress, as of 19 July 2022. Words: 13,306 Chapters: 2/?

On the other side by esama Review: What-if Obi-Wan never became a Jedi Knight? AgriCorps = academics and plants. Much love. Complete, as of 20 Dec 2020.  Words: 53,143. Chapters: 14/14

Canon Universe

💫 Reputations. by outpastthemoat Review: There’s something to be said about a fic that captures a badass Gary Stu from POV Outsider, and then POV Obi-Wan is like: ??? Me??? Perfect??? What is a consummate jedi because it ain’t him, fumbling along. Read when you want a feel-good. Complete as of 18 March 2021. Words: 36,738. Chapters: 12/12

not the place that I was born in (doesn't mean it's not the place where I belong) by ghostwriterofthemachine Review: Worldbuilding on Jedi Traditions, in Anakin’s POV. Could be AU and lead to a hopeful future, but too short (and sweet) to know for sure. Complete, as of 06 Aug 2020. Words: 5,030. Chapters: 1/1

Acknowledged by EclipseMidnight (EternalEclipse) Review: What-if there was more initiations to be done to become a Knight of the Jedi Order? 25 Sept 2017. Words: 14,328. Chapters: 1/1

The Folly of Foresight by Blue_Sunshine Review: The author of Desert Storm made a side-story about canon Obi-Wan knowing his fate with Infinite Sadness, and I live for this. Complete, as of 18 July 2022. Words: 2,431. Works: 2

twin suns by too_obsessed_with_everything Review: There’s something special about fics that verge off the script but still end up back into canon. Leia from Obi-Wan Kenobi (TV Series) is precious and precocious and this really captures a dangerous, coming-of-age adventure. Complete, as of 18 Dec 2022. Words: 37,610. Chapters: 15/15

everything I have ever learned by Fialleril Review: I’m sure everyone and their mother in the SW fandom has heard of the author of Double Agent Vader and the originator of the Tatooine Slave Culture tag. It’s again, amazing worldbuilding, focusing on Luke, and can coincide mostly with canon! I missed this years later, so here’s a flag you missed it too! Complete, as of 04 June 2019. Words: 12,717. Chapters: 2/2

Remedial Jedi Theology by MarbleGlove Review: This one is old, and I was going to leave the big-name, many-kudosed fics out of this list, but I felt like this one may be harder to find. The fic that made me first click the Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker tag. Complete, as of 15 Aug 2018.  Words: 51,336. Chapters: 7/7

[crehador]

brother crab’s 2023 seasonals in review: fall

most of the fall shows i'm watching are still an ep or two away from being complete but i'm leaving on a trip tomorrow and wanted to get this finished first so here we go

pretty sure none of this will change at this point (though aots and runner-up did just flip like five days ago lol)

FIRST UP. IN A STARTLING LAST MINUTE UPSET. ANIME OF THE SEASON

MIGI TO DALI!!! although for the past month or so i was convinced overtake! would take it, migi to dali has been coming to such a stellar climax that it's shot into the lead

overtake! is still exceptional and i've talked a lot about it this season, it's just a beautiful thing in its simplicity, with characters that are so Weird yet Real

migi to dali is EVEN WEIRDER in an astonishingly good way, it was intriguing right from the start and continued to build and build to a payoff that really blew me away

i don't think uniqueness is everything, sometimes a show that feels like i've seen it a hundred times before can still be my favorite thing of a season, it would just feel like home. but migi to dali's uniqueness is definitely a huge part in what makes it so alluring to me, the way it balances psychological suspense and comedy is so excellent and fresh

and now the sequels! in addition to spyfam, arknights, and dmdp, bpro and hpmi got sequels and hanako-kun got a little tv short

no comment on hpmi it'll get its own post

best sequel probably should go to dead mount death play, the world building is just fantastic to me, and this season definitely feels even stronger than the first (which was already very strong!)

however. i'm giving sequel of the season to arknights just for the sasha and eno ep, they put me on the fucking floor with that one

bpro s3 was unfortunately not really my thing, i want tsubasa happier and more well-rested :( but spyfam is adorable as usual, and some more hanako-kun was great (though we need more!)

quickfire thoughts on everything else:

onmyouji was unspectacular but surprisingly fun! and gay. gay as hell. asnm u have not led me astray this time

dog signal is not exactly High Quality but it's... fine and sometimes fun? i'm forever amused by the fact that it's billed as an educational series, and it kind of is! there's actual information about dog training in here. but there's also "guy walks other guy on leash in public for 2 hours" in here. and that was just episode one

kawagoe boys sing is a hot mess and i love it to bits, it starts out so silly that i'm sure it's an insta-drop for many people, but the club dynamics really come together throughout the series in a way i'm enjoying very much

bullbuster... talked about this a lot already, it was fine as an office drama/tiny business vs giant corporation type thing, but fell short on the mecha side of things

bokuame's shit. more on this later

atarashii joushi wa dotennen FREAKING ADORABLE. MORE OF THIS FOREVER

yuzuki-san chi no yon kyoudai EVEN MORE ADORABLE. MORE OF THIS FOREVER AND EVER

good night world was pretty decent, i overall... liked it, i think? it was very bingeable, so it was nice of them to drop it all at once lol and i liked the general premise and plot and all. but i think the wrap-up just felt a bit, eh, maybe slapdash to me? not Bad, but fell just short of exceptional

hoshikuzu telepath ADORABLE AS WELL as far as cgdct goes i'd say this is one of the better ones, kind of same tier as diy for me, but it's no yuru camp (the gold standard)

s-rank musume had a premise i really liked, and an overarching plot that was less compelling to me. wish we'd seen more of a focus on the family bond rather than like... magic and politics type stuff

watashi no oshi wa akuyaku reijou was a cute fucking yuri, the romance was a delight but as with s-rank musume, the 'plottier' bits were not as compelling to me

kamonohashi ron no kindan suiri feels like a very solid adaptation! makes me even more keen to read katekyo (which has been on my planning list for... fucking forever)

ragna crimson is pretty fun but not that outstanding, but like. really fun actually

shangri-la frontier is also very fun! not terribly high stakes (not really any stakes at all) but hilarious, action-packed in a good way, and probably especially entertaining for anyone who's played mmos before (because some parts are so so so relatable)

undead unluck is SO GROSS but IN A GOOD WAY idk how to explain this so i won't try

and sousou no frieren is anime of the year. no contest. (personally i disqualify my aots shows from winning aoty as well so i can do this. i can do anything i want forever)

as for the music!

we had a queen bee op this season and i will almost always pick queen bee as op/ed of the season when we have one, this is no exception. undead unluck's 01 takes op, and ed of the season goes to kamonohashi ron's lip-sync! just really like the vocals of that one

blorbo of the season MADOKA-CHAN KOUYA ship of the season surprisingly it's a toss up between like. seimei/hiromasa (WHAT YEAR IS IT) and kinjou/aoyama from atarashii joushi. like. momose/shirosaki VERY GOOD but those side bitches... they are in my head

[theultimatefan]

Four Hobbits Wood, Astin, Boyd, Monaghan In Rare ‘LOTR’ Reunion At FAN EXPO New Orleans in January

It has been more than 20 years since Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan first took the film world by storm as the “four hobbits” in the original The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001. Now the four get together at FAN EXPO New Orleans, set for January 5-7, 2024, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, to greet fans, pose for photo ops and sign autographs in a rare full reunion of the actors who portrayed “Frodo Baggins,” “Samwise Gamgee,” “Pippin Took” and “Merry Brandybuck,” respectively, in the popular trilogy. Additionally, FAN EXPO New Orleans announced today that popular guest Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”) will also attend the show.

Wood, Astin, Boyd and Monaghan will also participate in “The Four Hobbits: An Unexpected Reunion,” a special premium live show on Saturday, January 6 at 7:30 p.m., during which fans will have the opportunity for further interaction with the stars at this exclusive evening of stories, questions, discussions, hilarity and more. The once-in-a-lifetime Backstage Pass package includes an in-person Autograph and Photo Op with all four Hobbits plus a Gold Ticket to the reunion event.

Tickets for FAN EXPO New Orleans and the “Four Hobbits” reunion event are available at https://fanexpohq.com/fanexponeworleans/four-hobbits-unexpected-reunion, with a variety of individual single day, 3-day and Ultimate Fan Packages to choose from.

Following the LOTR trilogy, Wood has gone on to success in many areas of the entertainment industry. His record label, Simian Records and film production company SpectreVision/Company X have spearheaded numerous critically acclaimed projects, and his more than 120 film and television credits attest to his passion for his craft and enthusiasm to express his creativity.

In addition to the “Samwise” portrayal, Astin has demonstrated his innate ability to share his heart with the world through such iconic roles as “Mikey Walsh” in The Goonies, the title character of Rudy, and “Bob Newby” in "Stranger Things 2," roles that epitomize hope, determination and loyalty. Sean's recent feature films include the award-winning thriller Adverse (2020); the family comedy Hero Mode (2021); Charming the Hearts of Men (2021); and the 2022 comedy iMordecai.

The Scottish-born Boyd also had roles in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, On a Clear Day and The Flying Scotsman. He has appeared in popular television series like “Outlander,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “NCIS: Hawaii,” “Snowfall” and others, and in many iterations of the LOTR franchise, including video games. He has done voice work on numerous productions as well.

Monaghan has appeared in more than 50 productions and is known to many as “Charlie Pace” in the hit NBC series “Lost,” on which he appeared in 77 episodes. Some of his other featured roles have included spots on X-Men Origins: Wolverine in 2009 and ABC’s “Flash Forward” that year. He was recently the lead in the AMC+ series “Paul Sarno.”

Campbell first gained notice for his portrayal of “Ash Williams” in Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead franchise, appearing as the character in numerous films and series including the original 1981 movie, time-bending Army of Darkness in 1992, last decade’s “Ash vs. Evil Dead” series and others. He is also well-known for a long run in the hit USA Network series “Burn Notice” and last holiday season starred in the Hallmark Channel movie My Southern Family Christmas.

The LOTR cast and Campbell join an already impressive autograph area that includes Danny Trejo (Machete, The Book of Boba Fett), the "Daredevil" tandem of Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio, Katee Sackhoff (Star Wars’ “The Mandalorian”), Jon Bernthal (“The Punisher,” “The Walking Dead”), Sean Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, “Avengers: Infinity War”), the “Charmed” duo of Holly Marie Combs and Rose McGowan, Peter Cullen (Transformers), Jason Lee (Vanilla Sky, Almost Famous); Linda Hamilton (The Terminator franchise, Dante’s Peak), Jeff Ward (“One Piece,” “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”), Peter Weller (RoboCop, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension), Felicia Day (“The Guild,” “Supernatural”) and many others. Fans can see the full list of celebrities at fanexpohq.com/fanexponeworleans/celebrities.

FAN EXPO New Orleans features the biggest and best in pop culture: movies, TV, music, artists, writers, exhibitors, cosplay, with three full days of themed programming to satisfy every fandom. More guest news will be released in the following weeks, including line-up reveals for comic creator guests, voice actors, and cosplayers.

FAN EXPO New Orleans runs January 5-7 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Show hours are Friday 3 - 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tickets start at $28 during the advanced prices window until December 21, and begin at $38 from December 22 through the end of the show; 3-day passes and VIP packages also available at fanexpohq.com/fanexponeworleans/buy-tickets. More information and updates can be found at fanexpohq.com/fanexponeworleans.

New Orleans is the first event on the 2024 FAN EXPO HQ calendar; the full schedule is available at fanexpohq.com/home/events/.

[icecoffee90]

Top 9 Shows

Thank you for tagging me, @jerzwriter!

Okay, this list was so hard to narrow down and I'm sure I still forgot some, lol.. I was addicted to TV shows at one point (it all started with House and Heroes in about 2008 and lasted for years), I've barely watched anything in the past couple of years, though. Alright, let's get to it! I'll TRY to keep this short..

1. Will & Grace: Smart humor, top-notch physical comedy, amazing cast.. Is it perfect? No. No show is. I once saw a video in which Megan Mullally said something along the lines of "our worst episode is still funnier than the best episode of other comedy shows", which I respectfully disagree with, but it's definitely high quality entertainment! The reboot (or the last 3 seasons, whichever you prefer) admittedly wasn't that enjoyable, but the original finale sucked, so at least the characters got the ending they deserved!

2. Pushing Daisies: I love procedurals and I love shows with a supernatural aspect, so a combination of the two is an absolute win! This show deserved much more than just two seasons! I should rewatch it for a third time soon..

3. Sherlock: What can I say? I got hooked immediately with "A Study In Pink", I rewatched it at least 4 times while waiting for episode 2 to air in my country.. Welp, I couldn't wait, I binged the next 2 eps the next day, lol. To this day "The Reichenbach Fall" remains the best episode of any show I've ever seen and that's the reason why, despite the abomination the final season was, Sherlock made my top 3.

4. The Last of Us: Do I even need to say anything?! I doubt there is anyone who missed everyone and their mom singing the show's praises after each episode, lol. Episodes 5, 6 and 8 were pure television gold! The only reason I didn't put the show higher on my list is that we've only seen one season so far and it's still not clear in which direction season 2 is gonna go.. 🤷‍♀️

5. Only Murders in the Building: Another show that got me hooked with the series premiere already! Of course, the main reason I started watching it was the main trio of actors, but the show is about so much more. I love getting to know the character's backstories as we're trying to uncover the killer.

6. Schitt's Creek: Okay, what can I say about this show? Like with Will & Grace, the first season may not have been "all that" (just my opinion), but from season 2 onward it became a comedy gold! The characters quickly grow on you and make you care about all their highs and lows.. And Moira f**king Rose is hands down one of the best characters on TV ever!

First, a little fun fact nobody asked for: I've finally gotten around to watching this show when covid started and my timing couldn't have been worse - I binged the entire thing within a week, I had one episode left the day the penultimate episode aired and then I had to wait a whole week for the finale! 😩😂

7. Person of Interest: A great procedural with an interesting "twist" (for a lack of better word).. But again, aside from the 'cases', you care about the characters as well. I remember there were at least 2 eps which made me cry.

8. Young Royals: Am I a little too old to be enjoying this show this much? Maybe. Do I care? Hell no! But I'd argue that rather than a teen show, it's a show about teenagers. I originally had no intention to watch this show, but I read a fan review which was very positive, so I figured that I might as well give it a shot and if nothing else, I'd at least pick up some Swedish (Boy, was I naive, lol! The opening scene already showed me that I'll be lucky if I learn 2 words.. 😅). Ahem, sorry, to the point - all I know is that no other recent show had me looking up release Dates and actually worrying that there won't be another season. The show just sucks you in. And it is about so much more than the main romance arc! But apparently I'm partial to the "idiots in love" trope, lol.

9. White Collar: Did I mention that I love procedural dramas? Lol. The main reason I started watching this show was that I fell in love with Matt Bomer's character on Chuck and I simply wanted to see more of the actor. Little did I know how much I'd be enjoying it, even though I didn't agree with each and every of Neal's decisions. Although, if I remember correctly, it was also starting to run out of steam toward the end. I know everyone was hoping for a reboot, but now I'm not sure it would be the same without Mozzie.. 😔

Honorable mentions: Chuck, Monk, Abbott Elementary, The Good Wife..

I'm sure I'm still forgetting many others but this is probably enough.. 😅

They may have already been tagged, but I'd like to see what shows are on @dr-colossal-pita's list (feel free to ignore!)

[fzzr]

What I'm Watching, Winter 2023 Anime Season

New Stuff:

Ars no Kyojuu (Giant Beasts of Ars) - A show with a concept of "let's use waifu powers to kill raid bosses" didn't need this much worldbuilding effort. I am very interested in how this goes.

Benriya Saitou-san, Isekai ni Iku (Handyman Saitou in Another World) - Comfy no-plot isekai don't have the best performance with me, but this one is endearing enough that maybe it will break through.

Koori Zokusei Danshi to Cool na Douryou Joshi (The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague) - It's Wotakoi meets Interviews with Monster Girls. I like both of those things, and I'm liking this too. Very slow, and both protagonists are perfect cupcakes. Sometimes that's all you need.

Ningen Fushin no Boukensha-tachi ga Sekai wo Sukuu you desu (Ningen Fushin: Adventurers Who Don't Believe in Humanity Will Save the World) - I usually can't deal with the "what if this genre but being realistic means things suck" shows. Somehow this one didn't set off my cringe detectors yet. It might not make it through the whole season, but I'm in for now.

Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsunomanika Dame Ningen ni Sareteita Ken (The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten) - Ah yes, a fusion of the "perfect girlfriend you will never have" and "perfect school idol is actually a normal and sometimes sarcastic person" microgenres. Maybe it will get exasperating, but for now let's do it.

Revenger - Who knows, maybe some dark over the top samurai violence will keep my list for the season from being oops all comedy.

Rougo ni Sonaete Isekai de 8-manmai no Kinka wo Tamemasu (Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement) - Yes we get it, the only way anyone today will save up for retirement is going to a literal fantasy world. This one is superficially far on the light and fluffy side, but it's also openly wearing a black armband of unexpressed grief and I'm wondering where they're going with that.

Rougo ni Sonaete Isekai de 8-manmai no Kinka wo Tamemasu (The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady) - Is this lesbian V for Vendetta? Is this Utena with less incest? Is this no-boys-allowed magical Dr. Stone? I don't know, but I'm here for it. A possible show of the season dark horse.

Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko! (Tomo-chan Is a Girl!) - Will some teenagers figure out their feelings? How will this love directed graph resolve? Spin the wheel of twists - the main girl is a tomboy! Yeah this show is for me personally, probably. This is the frontrunner for show of the season.

Tsundere Akuyaku Reijou Liselotte to Jikkyou no Endou-kun to Kaisetsu no Kobayashi-san (Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte) - The Villainess genre is definitely going to be overloaded soon (it's been popular in the non-moving pictures space for some time). However it ain't yet, and this twist on the genre is wild. Another potential show of the season candidate.

Sequels:

Itai no wa Iya nano de Bougyoryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu. 2 (BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. Season 2) - Bofuri is one of the great comfy/funny power fantasy shows. Obviously I'm back for more.

Maou Gakuin no Futekigousha: Shijou Saikyou no Maou no Shiso, Tensei shite Shison-tachi no Gakkou e Kayou II (The Misfit of Demon King Academy II) - Misfit is one of the great awesome/funny power fantasy shows. Obviously I'm back for more of this too.

Carryovers:

Boku no Hero Academia 6th Season - it's HeroAca, by now you're either watching it or you're not.

Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute! (The Eminence in Shadow) - Sorry Bofuri and Misfit - this one might be THE best takedown of the isekai/power fantasy genre. I'm going to have some things to say about this when it's done.

Urusei Yatsura (2022) - This modern take on one of the ancestors of every romcom shenanigans series today is a jolly good time.

Hall of Shame (things I already dropped after one episode):

Buddy Daddies - This is going to be the easy winner for people who are in it for comedy and feels, but I don't think I'll be able to deal with the kid. Sorry, I'm sure it's good, it's just not for me.

Dog Show - I'm not going to link it and you shouldn't look for it. I watched one episode to see how bad it is and it turns out to be softcore hentai with something that is definitely not my fetish.

Kaiko sareta Ankoku Heishi (30-dai) no Slow na Second Life (Chillin' in My 30s after Getting Fired from the Demon King's Army) - It's just so mid, and panty shots we don't get to see and grotesquely oversized anime tiddy can't make up for that.

Spy Kyoushitsu (Spy Classroom) - How can we take spy vs spy mind games and make them mindbogglingly boring? I don't know why you asked to do that but you did. Congrats. Skip.

Trigun Stampede - I don't need Trigun again but bad. Pass.

[wrens-garden]

Outsiders, Krowfangs POV, episode 5

A cake has appeared in Krows house, despite it having told no one where it lives.

Reddoons is drunk. Silvia is colour-blind, They're having a feast. Silvia has been asleep for a week.

It's Oecamas. Krow received wooden throwing knives, although apparently shouldn't have opened it yet. Soup has given Krow a key to their hideout.

Krow is trying to figure out who left the cake.

Another door has opened. Enter stage right Acho and Kyle. Krow seems to think the doors are failing, Ayngel thinks they're all gonna die.

Krow and Oeca started fighting/ bullying each other (Honestly their relationship is so amusing, great fanfic material if you ask me, especially in this situation. Just imagine you're confused and in a whole new area, everyone is trying to talk to you then there's just two teenagers scrapping in the corner and bullying each other, vaguely gesturing with knives. Comedy gold right there)

Krow is also getting overwhelmed. It's already wondering if the doors don't close. It's checking that the doors have closed, they have. It's wondering why no one else is concerned about the second door opening, Ayngel is also concerned.

Krow just took the beer from the barrel that Red put in. Mohwee and Krow agree that it's stupid that they're having a feast instead of an emergency meeting. Krow is helping Mohwee set up the table. Oh, Krow and Mohwee are so similar, they have such a sweet bond, like siblings, it's so cute.

Krow has nearly run into the maze after Kyle. Owen thinks Krow sounds like him.

It's come up with the mercy and death maze theory. Krows gone to check out the second maze. Ayngel apparently was the one who put the cake's everywhere. Krow would go into the second maze, preferably with someone else.

Krow sure makes a lot of noises when frustrated.

Feast time! Magic is choking, she's been poisoned. Krow thought Gracie poisoned Magic. It really doesn't trust her. Krow is talking with Guts, Krow says that it would have an issue if Guts tried to poison Magic, but doesn't really care if Guts tried to poison Red. Krow has told Guts that Magic will be fine. Guts says imps can eat nether wart and didn't know humans couldn't, Krow says imps would eat scraps.

Silvia is having a breakdown over statues that are outside their house. Krow is panicking, it is very much not equipped to deal with this. Now Red is trying to help, neither of them are being useful. Krow is cleaning up the statues, Red has given Silvia beer. Jesus Christ, they are so good at this. Silvia has burned all the statues they've taken down, Krow has kept some, though.

Krow finds fish gross, but likes raw beef and stuffed potatoes. Krow seems to be getting along with Squidney and Rasbi, it has so many friendly acquaintances. Krow wonders if eating the apple is foreshadowing to it eating Apo. Krow has polished some rose quartz. Krow wants to eat the rose quartz. It did not succeed. Rasbi is also trying to bite it.

Magic wants to talk to people. Magic is telling everyone to not be mad at Guts. Krow is so suspicious of Gracie, perfect angst material, if I say so.

Kyle, Oeca and Gracie have gone into maze 1. Krow is going in after them. Krow is so protective of everyone in the clearing, even if it doesn't trust them. They're back and Krow sounds so pissed.

Gracie is speaking for Magic. She says that they can't keep fighting, that clearing 2 people can't be mad, that it's okay and that they have to work together, and they need to respect each other.

Krow is bringing up the mercy and death maze with the rest of the group. Krow asks if there is a chance the mazes connect now, like a new section opening up. Ori thanks it for thinking new possibilities with the maze and asks it to keep doing so.

Kyle has made a song about their experiences. Krow and Rasbi are talking, it's telling her about Ori's trust fall. Krow makes so many noises when frustrated, it's so endearing. Krow is full demon, Rasbi isn't sure on her percentage. Krow doesn't blame Rasbi for the lever. Krow thinks Rasbi is too quiet, it feels bad for her.

Krow doesn't care about Silvia, but doesn't like people freaking out like that. Krow thinks Ori talks too much. Krow is passing out beer, it doesn't like the beer. Krow is going to punch Ori. It feels so much better upon doing that. Krow really hates him, it thinks Ori is smart but wastes it on stupidity.

Krow is going to get a boomerang to throw at Ori. Krow is going up the tree to throw it at Ori. Krow has made it to the top of the tree, Ori has jumped off the tree and fucking died. Magic is mad at Krow, Krow can't stop laughing. It's told Mohwee and Rasbi, they are all laughing, Ori ended stream after it happened. That's so fucking funny.

Oh, Krow's bond with people hurts my heart. Rasbi, Mohwee, Squidney. Their bond. Magic has asked Krow if it's okay, Krow insists it's fine, Magic disagrees. Krow is telling Magic about its grief with Ori. Krow really doesn't like or trust Gracie or Ori. It says that Ori is nice to it to make it play his game. Krow is telling Magic that it doesn't trust Gracie. Magic says she trusts them, Krow says that that means nothing to it, and it doesn't trust people simply because other people do. Magic says it doesn't have to trust them, but it doesn't have to be mean to them. Krow says it's acting differently from in clearing B because they aren't in clearing B any more. Magic says she's helping Gracie lead, Krow says she better fix the clearing up, and it knows she will, because they need her. Magic says she can't lose anyone else from clearing B, Krow says if they lose anyone it'll be Bek.

Krow wonders if it can eat the stuffed pumpkin and be fine, Magic won't let it test that. Ayngel also wants to try some of them pumpkin. Magic thinks Krow will get itself killed, Krow insists otherwise and says if it gets killed that is its own fault and to thank their murderer. Krow thinks Magic is paranoid, Magic thinks Krow is giving up. Krow says all Magic does is doubt it and try to change it.

[metalandmagi]

Winter 2021 Anime Worth Watching!

Since 2020 basically sacrificed itself to give us the most stacked anime season of all time, I’m currently buried under the weight of almost 20 shows airing per week. So for anyone who’s looking for some anime to watch this winter, here’s some first impressions! I’m speed running my list this time by only talking about the new shows...because otherwise this would be my great American novel. 

If anyone’s interested, I have master lists for both 2020 anime and 2019 anime, because there’s no shortage of fun things to find. 

New Shows!

And before anyone asks, So I’m A Spider, So What? isn’t on here, because CG spiders freak me out.

Cells At Work Code Black: This...less comedic spin off of Cells At Work (made by a different studio) takes the wholesome concept of Osmosis Jones meets cute anime girls and turns it on its head. In this much more depressing version, we follow a rookie red blood cell who works in the body of an overly stressed, alcoholic smoker who puts every strain on the body imaginable. I love Red Blood Cell AA2153 and his co-workers, but man am I glad we get the regular Cells At Work airing this season too, because I need something fun and uplifting after seeing my sweet son go through hell every episode. 

*Heaven’s Design Team: Have you ever wondered how God came up with some of the weird ass animals that live on this planet? Like, what’s the deal with giraffes? And why can’t we have dragons and flying horses? Well this is a comedy about the engineers and designers in heaven creating the new animals that are going to inhabit the Earth. That’s it, that’s the show. It’s kind of in the same vein as Cells At Work, having comedy blend with a surprising amount of educational information. If you want something light and funny, this is the show for you (though I don’t think it needs to have full length episodes). I’m just hoping there’s an episode about how the hell the platypus was created. Also it’s the only new one available on Crunchyroll.

Horimiya: A romantic comedy about a girl named Hori who fits the image of a perfect queen bee and a quiet bespectacled boy named Miyamura who never makes an impression at school. When the two meet by chance outside of the classroom, we see that Hori is practically raising a younger brother by herself, and Miyamura is actually a sweet guy who happens to be covered in tattoos and piercings. This show is an exercise in breaking down the images people have of others in their minds, and it’s a concept that really hits home in a fun and meaningful way. Honestly, this has become one of my immediate favorites. The characters have great chemistry, and I can’t wait to see more of them!

Monster Incidents (Kemono Jihen): When big shot Tokyo detective Inugami is called to a rural town to investigate a series of strange animal deaths, he finds a mysterious boy with the nickname Dorotabo who has been shunned by the other children in town. As the detective gets closer to Dorotabo, he discovers that there may be more...inhuman secrets to the boy than he realizes...and Dorotabo discovers that Inugami has some secrets of his own. This is a hard show to sell without spoiling the first episode, but it had twists and turns that kept me engaged from start to finish. I’m really interested to see where the plot goes, because I thought this was going to be something totally different just from the PV and series summary. If it plays its cards right, this could be a great paranormal detective show!

Wonder Egg Priority: A psychological drama about a girl named Ai who starts having dreams about a mysterious egg that promises to give her what she wants most in the world...a true friend. Before long, she begins to see how the dream world and reality are tied together, and trippy antics ensue. It’s hard to say more without spoiling anything, but I had to go back and add this one in because I made the mistake of thinking it was an OVA when it’s actually a full series. And what a series it’s starting out to be. This anime has all the psychological discomfort of a Satoshi Kon product with the beauty and style of something from Kyoani (even though it’s made by Clover Works). It’s really one of those anime you just have to see to understand.

Sk8-∞ (Skate the infinity): An original skateboarding anime from Bones, featuring a typical sports anime protagonist who takes a new transfer student who has never skateboarded in his life under his wing. Together they compete in dangerous races and take the skating community by storm. The character designs rival Appare Ranman’s in outlandish creativity, and I can smell the main characters’ ship dynamic a mile away (considering they’re exactly the same as the protagonists from Robihachi). If you’re looking for some wild and crazy fun with top notch skateboarding animation, don’t skip this!

2.43: Seiin Koukou Danshi Volley-bu (Seiin High School Boys Volleyball Club): Yes, it’s another volleyball anime. And no, it’s not just a clone of Haikyu. This story follows Yuni Kuroba, a physically built but emotionally weak teenager who finds out his childhood friend Hajime is moving back to their hometown for high school. Yuni discovers Hajime has become an exceptional volleyball player and they join their school’s volleyball club hoping to turn the unknown team into a rising star. If anything, this anime is much more like Stars Align or Free, where the sport is a backdrop for letting the characters explore their personal problems. Or at least it seems that way after the first episode. I went into this show ready to throw it in the trash because how could anything compete against my beloved Haikyu, but I found myself really enjoying the dynamics of the main duo and I’m curious to see what the rest of the team is like.

And speaking of sports anime rip-offs…..I can’t believe I’m including this but…

Skate Leading Stars: The show where the animators clearly wanted to design another throw away idol anime but saw how popular Yuri On Ice was so they decided to make whatever the hell this show is instead. It revolves around a fictional team sport called skate leading, and we follow the world’s most insufferable main character, a former figure skater named Kensei who wants to return to the ice and join his school’s skate leading team after he finds out his childhood rival is going to compete in the sport. Look, this show is just trashy enough to get a certain type of audience hooked, and it mainly has to do with the best boy of the winter season, Hayato Sasugai, the aspiring team “coach” who pulled most of us into watching this show with his punk appearance, snide comments and smug personality. He’s basically the lovechild of Izaya Orihara and Shizuo Heiwajima in a high school sports anime setting. The show treats itself with the perfect amount of sincerity to get away with being absolutely ridiculous most of the time without making you feel like you’re watching it from a dumpster...like Try Knights. You will know after one episode whether this show is for you. All I can say is, Hayato is worth the watch, and I haven’t seen any 3D animation used for the skating scenes (yet) so that’s a win for me. 

Honorable mention:

Jobless Reincarnation ( Mushoku Tensei): Yet another isekai where the main character is hit by a car (big surprise) and gets reincarnated into a fantasy world...but he happens to remember his previous life and narrates himself growing up as a jaded adult. I’m only including this because it looked amazing animation wise, and I love the opening where getting hit by a car and dying is actually traumatic. And I love the protagonist’s parents (who are retired adventurers who just want to bang all the time). But honestly...the main character is the fucking worst, and I don’t know if I want to keep watching it because of how creepy and weird he is. Like...he’s the hit on your fantasy mom as a baby kind of creepy and weird. But for anyone who wants a cool looking isekai that had an amazing PV, it’s worth checking out. 

Continuing Series!

Because the real gold of the season is in all the established anime getting their next seasons, I’m just going to list some of the things that are also amazing and definitely worth checking out if you haven’t already (because I’ve already talked about most of them at some point and don’t know what else to say).

Attack On Titan season 4

The Promised Neverland season 2

Beastars season 2

Log Horizon season 3

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime season 2

Re: Zero season 2 (second cour)

Dr. Stone season 2

Cells at Work season 2

Osomatsu-san season 3 (second cour)

Higurashi New (second cour)

Jujutsu Kaisen (second cour) 

Not to mention all the shows I don’t watch that everyone else loves...like World Trigger (which I have seen quite a bit of, but long shounen shows are too much for me now) Quintessential Quintuplets, and Non Non Biyori. 

So there’s just some of all the anime airing this season. Hopefully, someone can find something they like. Here’s to a great year...well, of anime at least...

[thefearandnow]

Audio Drama Sunday: 11/29/22

So its been almost a full month since I stopped checking Twitter and one of the things that I always loved reading on a Sunday was all the lovely Audio Drama Sunday threads where I discovered a ton of amazing fiction podcasts. Inspired by those and my goal to write more on tumblr I thought it'd be fun to put together my first Audio Drama Sunday post and try to make it a semi-regular thing. Mostly to just get my thoughts down and get through my listening backlog but also for podcast recommendations!

Quiet Part Loud

I posted about this a couple weeks ago (I'm including the past two weeks in this post) but Quiet Part Loud is high on my list for favorite podcasts of the year. The Monkeypaw created, Mac Rogers written, Jordan Peele executive produced Gimlet show really delivered on the hype and I'm excited that there's possibly going to be a season 2. Though the premise sounds very similar to like a Limetown/Black Tapes sort of podcaster/investigator type of thing going on, the way it's written actually reminded me more of last year's comedy series Dark Air starring Raine Wilson (though of course this one is squarely horror, also very Burned Photo in terms of plot). They do an excellent job conceptually and aesthetically grappling with audio as a vehicle for social terror across history and mediums, which is the type of shit I live for! I thought the story was really well paced, the second half of the series had some incredible stand out episodes and the last two episodes were very satisfying. I think this show has a ton of re-listen value and I'm excited to see what happens in the next season. The only bad part of this podcast is that it's a Spotify exclusive so not as many people can listen and I'm not really sure it's worth a subscription if you don't already have it. But if you already have Spotify and love horror I can't recommend enough!

The Goblet Wire

The Goblet Wire is probably one of the more unique podcasts I've listened to: a surreal horror scripted role-playing collection of bite sized portraits (it'd be a stretch to call some of them stories). Very similar to John Darnielle's Wolf in White Van. And last week I finally listened to the last two episodes, which I thought really helped give the whole first batch of episodes a true sense of a series arc. Which I don't think it necessarily needed, but it felt like the end of a season y'know? I love the writing, the simplicity of the format but complexity of the imagery. It's such an open ended concept and I'm looking forward to hearing what the next set of writers do in the next batch of episodes. On top of the show itself being fun to listen to it's just like an incredible thing to exist as a platform for indie fiction podcast creators to collaborate on and make crazy shit. I've got a ton of other podcasts to check out from the plugs at the end of each episode and it just feels so like underground comics community vibe.

We're Alive: Descendants

We're Alive was the first audio drama I ever listened to but I dropped off somewhere in the middle. I tried to get back into with with Gold Rush but felt too lost from the original story line and felt intimidated by going all the way back. But when I saw that they were doing this most recent Descendants season I decided to give it another shot and... it's sorta like my guilty pleasure listening. Like it's nostalgic mainly. It's like their Hunger Games moment which I'm into but for the most part everything that I'm excited about so far during the season gets watered down in clunky dialogue or slow moving plot points. And overall the episodes end up being too long and kinda boring. This last week I listened to Episode 7 (parts 1 and 2 which is a whole other thing) and I can't tell if it all went over my head because of a ton of lore and character work I missed but I definitely felt confused. I'm still gonna keep listening cause at this point I'm invested in figuring out how it all goes down from a story perspective and it feels like this next episode will finally connect the two concurrent story lines. I'm curious to see if longtime fans have enjoyed this season; I've found it an easier entry point than Gold Rush and I like hearing about the regional evolution of the infected, I'm definitely enjoying it even if it's a bit slow.

Welcome to Night Vale

Seems a bit basic to be adding WTNV here but I have been inspired recently to go back to some select episodes, all of them recommendations from this post. And yeah: Night Vale is still such a classic with hilarious writing, fun concepts and undeniably influential style. So far I've only listened to a few early episodes (The Glow Cloud episode is 100% gold) that I was already familiar with and it's been really interesting to listen back to them after listening to Start With This for the past few months. I have a completely different appreciation for what they were doing with this show as it was coming out, like when I was heavy into Night Vale I think I took it for granted that this show existed and was perfectly weird and couldn't really wrap my head around the talent and thought that went into making it so special. I'm really enjoying my trip down memory lane but I'm also really excited to hear some new ones y'all recommended so I'll probably be carving out some space for future posts about my wtnv backlog.

Honorable Mention:

This isn't audio drama but I do want to note that the "Qatar's World Cup" episode of Throughline was really a great listen and worth the hour or so for anyone who's even vaguely following the World Cup or if you saw that John Oliver video. Throughline is one of my fave non-fiction podcasts and episodes like this one feel especially valuable in terms of their research and production.

[dragodina]

Ten Characters, Ten Fandoms, Ten Tags

Big thanks to @chrisoels & @fallingforfandoms for the tag 😊.

I'm still having fun with the Writing Ask game (so if anyone wants to ask something please feel free to 😊) but happy to put this one in as well 🙂.

I have to admit though, I did have some struggles to come up with 10 characters/fandoms. I might still not be 100 % satisfied with my choices here 🙈.

And then I noticed I only choose 10 female characters, wooopsi?? 🤭😅🙈

In some fandoms, I will add a couple just because I can and I love them so much 😊.

1. Julia Grosz / Tatort Hamburg

I need to start with the one character that got me back into writing that I have not done for so many years in the first place. And even had the courage to post it online and share it. Julia Grosz, absolutely brilliantly portrayed by phenomenal Franziska Weisz 🥰. Strong, smart, beautiful, funny in her own way, troubled by her past, but not broken, found a friend to trust in again with her partner and finding her way back into life. So maybe "Last Chance" is a bit of a tribute to her character.

Fandom couple: Julia Grosz & Tine Geissler (Tinia) ❤️

2. Sofia Curtis / CSI

A very close number two, because her character was possible the first tv crush of mine. And, like with Tatort, we just never really got to see much of her personal life. A character so sadly wasted beyond what could have been shown. But that seems to be the story of my life really in terms of favourite tv or movie characters.

3. Claire Redfield / Resident Evil

Okay so I'm not really a gamer and I know the Anderson Resident Evil movies were, huh, crap. Crappy crap. But I will out myself here: In some crazy way, I did like them. At least the first one and the ones that Claire Redfield was in. A true leader that was not born into this role but took it upon herself and because of exactly that, became the strong leader the last remaining humans needed in the apocalypse. To me, Ali Larter will be the one and only Claire Redfield for me, I just can't help it. What the movies completely missed though, was to make Claire and Alice Abernathy the absolute canon power couple in their movies 😎😏. AND THAT was their biggest mistake in my eyes. I liked their friendship, but I would have loved to see them as a couple much more. And I'm sure I'm not the only one 😎.

Fandom couple: Claire Redfield & Alice Abernathy ❤️

4. Sansa Stark / Game of Thrones

The little girl that was so annoying at the beginning, went through so much horror in her life, but never let herself break under these circumstances and rose to become one of the strong-minded and powerful woman in Westeros without a dragon at her side. The true Queen of the North ❣️

5. Rika Nonaka/ Digimon Tamers

Okay so I was a kid, I loved that anime (even more than Pokemon) and even then I already might had a crush on a (fictional) girl character ... 🤭😊😅

6. Tasha Dexter / V.I.P.

I just seem to have a soft spot for tough women with a soft heart that they are not showing, at least not at first sight. I really loved her character and enjoyed her bickering with Valery Irons and the rest of her colleagues. That show was pure comedy gold and had some very nice action.

7. Franziska "Franzi" Jung / Notruf Hafenkante

I just really like that German crime show since the beginning in 2007 😱. Gosh, I'm getting old ... 😅 A very lovely character I just enjoy watching. And it also plays in Hamburg. Huh, that screams after a fanfiction crossover with Tatort Hamburg ... 😏🙈😅

8. Lexa / The 100

A bittersweet one. Lexa was such a powerful conflicted yet loving character. Back in the good seasons, before it went to hell after episode 3x07. I knew what was coming but it still hurt me, even made me angry, big times. The 100 could have been special, could have been so much more. But what they did was to destroy my belief in tv shows, my interest in those. My fun to get invested into any show, or movie or characters for years. Until I saw Tatort and the character Julia Grosz again.

Fandom couple: Lexa & Clarke (Clexa)

9. Dani Ferrington / The Fall

If you want a colleague loyal at your side I would choose her. Compassionate, down to earth, heart at the right place and yes, having a lady crush on the leading woman. Honestly, I can't imagine anyone not liking Dani Ferrington.

10. Sara Lance / Arrow/Legends of Tomorrow

A true ninja girl and that really picked my interest. She has those insane fight scenes that I just love.

Fandom couple: Nysssa al Ghul & Sara Lance (Nyssara)

And another character that I would like to add just because I would have liked to see more of her but another character that was sacked way too soon and for eeally Bad reasons I get furios over still yet: Leslie Shay / Chicago Fire. Would have liked the idea of her and her colleague Allison Rafferty to become a couple but another one of those wasted tv chances.

I don't really know enough people here on Tumblr and have much followers to tag ten 😅🤣🙈 .

So no real tagging anyone in particular but as always, if someone wants to share I’m always happy to read about other writers or readers interests or thoughts ❤️.

Are you interested? @except4bunnies @disappointingsalad @karin-in-action @caromitpunkt @frauv @krejong

Otherwise I wish you all a lovely evening and a wonderful start to the new week ❣️