#katie reviews tv

[katzell]

The Bear Season 2 - Initial Thoughts

Mainlined season 2 today. I have no idea why I thought I would take my time with this. I certainly didn’t with season 1. I suppose I anticipated the same anxiety levels as the previous season. I planned for chill out breaks, and yet here we are!

I really appreciated how this season’s remodel gave each character time to look inwards and do work on themselves. I loved that Carmy facilitated these journeys, even if he never fully appreciated how meaningful they were to the people around him. Richie got a win! I had no idea that was something I even wanted and yet the satisfaction of seeing him finally find his lane was everything.

I’m tagging this for spoilers, but I don’t think I’m ready to talk about the Seven Fishes episode. It was amazing. Give Jon Bernthal all the awards. Bob Odenkirk scared the hell out of me. John Mulaney gave a surprisingly nuanced performance. Lets give some awards to Jamie Lee Curtis as well. I thought they were wasting Sarah Paulson and then I watched her eyes well up and her façade crack…clearly there are no small parts in this show.

Speaking of, hello Will Poulter! Seems like Hollywood just realized you’re hot now.

But no, I’m still trying to understand what The Feast of Seven Fishes means for Carmy, Sugar, and Richie. This episode could teach courses on “show don’t tell.” The family dynamics that continue to haunt everyone are on full display. Tragedy is so close to the surface and yet so mixed up in love and joy.

Carmy’s family scream I love you when they are simultaneously ripping into each other. I love you means calm down. I love you means I’m not hurting you. I love you means stop hurting yourself. They say it a lot. They mean it. But its part of the chaos.

At the very end of the season, we hear those often spoken words again, this time from someone outside the family. When Claire says “I love you,” she says it in a moment of quiet during her day, and Carmy hears it when he is literally locked up, alone with his thoughts. The contrast to Richie screaming the same thing moments before is heartbreaking. In losing Claire, Carmy lost a different kind of love, not just that it was romantic, but that it was calm and easy.

I liked Claire and really bought into her dynamic with Carmy. They felt like two formerly awkward kids reconnecting. She was someone who could have really understood his life without being part of it. She could have been an oasis for him, and Carmy, who is actually really good at listening to and supporting others, could have done the same for her. But he’s an infant at relationships. He hasn’t done this before. He could salvage this one, but at the moment he doesn’t value himself enough to try.

Carmy’s relationship with Sydney though continues to be a fascinating and lovely work in progress. I could see them together at some point in the future. But for now, I’m glad for storytelling reasons Sydney isn’t carrying that burden. The vortex of chaos that surrounds Carmy would subjugate Sydney to his emotional journey. For now, I want to watch Sydney grow into a leader who speaks with assurance and commands a room. I want to watch her continue to build her network and reputation. And I’d like to see her date other people to see what that side of her is like without Carmy. And if all the while they continue building the trust and respect, I will probably be delighted to see them kiss.

Or if Sydney and Richie want to hate fuck that would work for me too

I don’t know what the hell is going to happen to tv in the US as we move into this new phase of streaming, but we better get at least three more seasons of Jermey Allen White as an introverted depressed chef and his loud, weird, wonderful family.

[theaddictedwatcher]

Hello everyone!

Today I am delighted to present you the series you were able to choose thanks to the survey done on my Instagram (@theaddictedwatcherreviews) last Saturday and that is ... Oh no, I'm not going to tell you just like that! It's a series created by Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (yes, that's a lot of people!) in 2008 for the BBC. Need more clues? It's a medieval fantasy series that revisits a great myth. Do you have it yet? Yes, of course, I'm going to tell you about the Merlin series!

To begin with, I'll give you a short synopsis: In medieval times, in the Kingdom of Albion, King Uther Pendragon has banned the practice of magic. Merlin, a young magician sent to the castle to be educated by Gaius, must hide his extraordinary powers in this age of terror against magicians and sorcerers. Propelled as Arthur's valet -the son of the monarch Uther Pendragon and future sovereign- following a fortuitous combination of circumstances, Merlin has sworn to protect his lord Arthur at the request of Kilgharrah -the dragon secretly imprisoned beneath the castle of the monarch Uther Pendragon. And a short technical presentation : Created by : Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy. Music by : Rob Lane, Rohan Stevenson, James Gosling and Michal Pavlicek. Main cast: Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Angel Coulby, Katie McGrath, Richard Wilson, Anthony Stewart Head, John Hurt.

Merlin is a freely-adaptated story of the Arthurian legend that largely rewrites its roots. Over the course of 5 seasons and its 65 episodes, the creators and screenwriters have attempted to modernise the themes of the original legend, including the following examples from the first episode:

Uther Pendragon -played by Anthony Stewart Head- governs the kingdom of Camelot which, in the legend, does not exist under his reign.

Merlin -played by Colin Morgan- and Arthur -played by Bradley James- are approximately the same age, which is not the case in the Arthurian legend.

Morgana -played by Katie McGrath- is the ward of King Uther and Arthur's adopted sister.

Guinevere -played by Angel Coulby- is the mixed-race daughter of a black smith and works in the castle as Morgana's lady-in-waiting instead of being the daughter of the King of Carmelides -a clan federated by Arthur- in the legend.

And there are other alterations that I'll leave you to discover as the series progresses (although I'll talk about some of them below but I'll warn you when I will)!

I realise that, for people familiar with the legend, this can be very confusing and even unpleasant. But, if you manage to put aside your pre-watching knowledge of the subject and give the series a chance, I think you might just enjoy it all the same.

The main cast of the series - although different from what you might expect - has been meticulously chosen. The characters may differ in character from those in the legend, but there's no denying the acting ability of the cast. Some of them were well known before the series, such as Anthony Stewart Head -notably known for his roles in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, in the film The Iron Lady alongside Meryl Streep and more recently in the TV show Bridgerton -, John Hurt -notably known for his role in the Harry Potter saga, in the film V for Vendetta and more recently in the Doctor Who series- and Katie McGrath -notably known for the King Arthur: The Legend of Excalibur movie, the Tudors series and, more recently, the Supergirl series which I'll talk about in a later article. However, the revelations that turned out to be Bradley James and Colin Morgan are not to be outdone either. As for the guest actors and actresses, many of them are well known to the British public, and some even to international audiences. Indeed, actors such as Asa Butterfield (Sex Education), Tom Hopper (Umbrella Academy), Tom Ellis (Lucifer) and Warwick Davis (Harry Potter, Willow, Leprechaun, Star Wars) have enjoyed successful careers since Merlin went on air (and some even before that) and are recognized as major talents internationally. Whether they are recurring, main or guest actors, the unity formed by their complicity both on and off stage helps to make this cast a family with its affections, tensions, passions and losses. The relationship between Merlin and Arthur, despite their complicated beginnings and the fact that their social positions put them on different levels of equality, is a brotherly one. Merlin, on his mission to protect the future King Arthur, will do everything in his power to learn how to live at court and make himself useful to Arthur, who, for his part, will come to recognise Merlin's usefulness at his side and will develop a great affection for him, albeit tinged with teasing. Even during their quarrels, the bond that unites them always leads them back to each other, and to me, this is a fine illustration of a brotherly friendship. The bond between Merlin and Gaius is also important and touching, because, in the series, Merlin was raised by a single mother and Gaius acts as a father figure to him. Indeed, Gaius protects and educates him as best he can. In the end, a real bond and understanding develops between the old man and his apprentice, and I think it's important to show that a parental figure is not necessarily linked to a blood relative.

However, there was one aspect of the actors' performance that I didn't like, but I think that has more to do with the artistic direction than the acting ability of the actors: I'm talking about the fight choreography. I'm aware that sword fighting or even hand-to-hand combat isn't easy, but that's precisely where I think they should have been better choreographed to make the various battles that take place throughout the series more believable. Indeed, when we talk about the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, these epic stories are often punctuated by numerous battles. It was only natural, then, that when I watched the series I expected big, strong, rhythmic and carefully choreographed battles. Unfortunately, in my opinion, most of the fights, especially the sword fights, failed to live up to these expectations…

I'd also like to say a few words about the different filming locations. Pierrefonds Castle in the Oise region in France, near Compiègne, was one of the locations used for the Camelot Castle set. This 14th-century fortress is open to visitors and many of the sets for the series can be seen there.

The series was also filmed at Goodrich Castle in Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire, on Penshurst Place in Kent in England and in Wales. The fact that the majority of the sets are real means that the use of special effects - especially green screens - has limited, as the series ages, the diminution the quality of the images.

Speaking of the quality of the images, I'd like to talk very briefly about the special effects used on the series. As a fantasy series, Merlin necessarily uses special effects to symbolise the magic and mythical creatures that inhabit the kingdom of Albion. The computer-generated images were produced by the British team The Mill, whose credits include the special effects for Gladiator and Doctor Who. However, the quality of the effects varies depending on what is being represented. As long as the effects remain minimalist, such as smoke or a change in the colour of a character's eyes, they have aged well and remain effective in their own right. But as soon as they are more important, such as a fall caused by magic, a physical transformation or the animation of a dragon (this is not a spoiler, the word dragon appears literally in the name Pendragon), the effects have generally aged rather badly, look a little crude and, let's be honest, quite ugly…

On the other hand, one of the aspects of the series that I liked the most was the work that went into the characters' costumes. From what I've been able to see and learn in the course of my research, the costumes chosen for the characters by the series' costume designer, Charlotte Morris, are fairly faithful to the armour and court dress worn in the period that the series aims to reflect. One detail, however, bothers me personally in this temporal cohesion, and that's the cut of Merlin's brown jacket. I find that this jacket, which appears to be made of nubuck, seems too modern, too recent to blend in with the atmosphere that was intended to be created.

Let's take a look at the changes that have been made to the Arthurian legend! BEWARE OF SPOILERS IN THIS PARAGRAPH! In the series, Merlin -who in the legend is a druid and in the series a magician- is Arthur's valet, to whom he hides his magical powers while using them to save his master without his knowledge. He is the son of a single-mother and farmer called Hunith and his father is unknown. It was Hunith who sent Merlin to her friend Gaius, a physician in Camelot's court and a former magician. In the legend, Merlin's parentage differs radically from one version to another. Speaking of the origins of the legend, an anecdotal but noteworthy fact is that even Geoffrey of Monmouth appears in the series as a court genealogist. The real Geoffrey of Monmouth (1095-1155) did exist, and he is known to have been the first to write a very extensive version of the Arthurian legend that served as a model for all later Arthurian stories. Finally, in the most remarkable changes, Morgana, who is Arthur's adulterous sister and Morgause's consanguineous sister in the legend, is in the series Morgause's adulterous younger sister and Arthur's consanguineous older sister. END OF SPOIL. All these changes have enabled Merlin's authors to modernise the various themes and make the series more accessible to a wider audience. They also took this opportunity to slip in a few nods to the British literature to which the Arthurian legend belongs.

Finally, as usual, I'd like to end with the series' soundtrack. It was created by Rob Lane, Rohan Stevenson, James Gosling and Michal Pavlicek and for me it's one of the series soundtracks that best fits the genre of this one. Unfortunately, the link I've provided is missing a lot of tracks, but there are enough for you to get a good idea.

That's it for this article on the BBC series Merlin (2008). I hope that if you were reluctant to watch it, I've been able to help you in your choice. And for those of you who have seen it, let me know what you think and whether you agree with me.

Don’t forget to keep an eye every Saturday on my Instagram account (@theaddictedwatcherreviews) if you want to be able to choose the subject of the next article!

Until our next adventures, I wish you a great weekend and a wonderful week ahead,

Eli.

[scorbleeo]

TV Series Discussion: Supergirl

Season 6 (2021)

Source: Google Images

The adventures of Superman's cousin and her own superhero career.

Source: IMDb (2015)

A Bittersweet End

I am going to start this out by saying I had no expectations for Supergirl Season 6. I might have watched all the previous seasons, but I was disappointed with the last or last 2 season(s). Although I adore Supergirl and the Super Friends, the plots were often average. Now thinking back, I can't even name a Supergirl villain that stuck to me.

That being said, this final season of Supergirl was much better than the previous seasons. It got me hooked onto the show and there were times when I was actually emotional. Although the villains were way below mid, the storylines were solid. And the action, I absolutely enjoyed it. Even the character developments were good. As a Supergirl season, season 6 was one of the better ones. As a final season, I believe it could have been better plotted.

Lets start with the villains. I'm not saying Nyxly was a marvellous villain but because of her existence and actions, it created several great storylines, especially the role it played into Kara's self-realisation, then development.

Lex on the other hand, his arc was so weirdly written. The Lex Luthor I was used to disappeared in season 6, for real. Him being in love really ruined his arc, when he could have gone down as one of the show's better villains. But, I like what the writers did with this character. I mean, people have tried to kill Lex, he lived. People have tried to incarcerate Lex, he walked away scott free. Other than the Phantom Zone, I doubt there would be another way to get rid of Lex once and for all.

As for Lillian. I hated her throughout all 6 seasons. I really did not like the idea of her redemption in the end but her redemption meant enlightenment for Lena. For that, I eventually accepted that there was a redemption arc for this infuriating woman. Perhaps, if her redemption was shown gradually through this last season, I might not have disliked the idea as much.

Through the entire season, I enjoyed more than I was bored. I liked more than I disliked. Unfortunately, there was something I seriously wished the writers never wrote down. What happened to William did not need to happen, or at least, not to him. It's not as if William's death meant the whole Super Friends was going on a revenge path, so why bring him back from being shot only to have him go permanently by being shot? He was the one character I constantly wished nothing happened to him since his first appearance...

Moving on to brighter topics, lets talk about Kelly. First thing first, that episode that was Kelly-centric? Wow. It was the first time Azie Tesfai impressed me. The way Tesfai portrayed Kelly in the episode, it was almost like I could feel everything Kelly was experiencing. Then came their wedding scene and I am never one for vows, not a romantic and could care less about wedding vows. However, Kelly's vows to Alex touched my heart. I really don't know if it's the words, Tesfai's acting, or the combination of both. Whatever it is, I finished Supergirl extremely aware of what a magnificent actress Tesfai is.

Next, Nia. Not only did Nia (and Dreamer) grow, Nicole Maines improved so much too. I never disliked Maines nor her character but the acting always felt a little awkward. Usually, I just let it go because if Nia is one awkward girl, Dreamer will be awkward too and thus the awkward acting. This last season proved me wrong because I still see awkward Nia but the acting very obviously improved. Completely off the tangent here but when Nia confronted Maeve? Atta girl! I loved it when Nia told her sister, she will not forgive her but she can give a second chance. That's the way, actually. How do people forgive without seeing how others handle their second chances?

Lastly, Kara's character arc. I have always loved it when Kara showed vulnerability. In this season, she's practically always vulnerable even when she's not actively attacked. It hurts to watch Supergirl lose hope so often but then the way the smallest things brought back some hope to her? Love it. The courage plot was something else too, something I did not see play out the way it did. As much as I loved it, I still don't know how I feel about the season ending with the world finding out Supergirl's identity.

After watching several Arrowverse shows consecutively, Supergirl was a nice end before a break from the Arrowverse TV shows. Although Kara and Mon-El are not endgame, I am still very happy that the finale brought back the old faces.

Rating: ★★★★☆

More Arrowverse here: Legends of Tomorrow Season 6 | The Flash Season 7

[lostinaflashforward]

SNOWPIERCER - Recensione 4x06 "Bell the Cat" e 4x07 "A Moth to a Flame"

Snowpiercer sta per concludersi e in questi due episodi succede davvero di tutto, fra colpi di scena, morti a sorpresa e un pericolo sempre crescente...

RECENSIONE 4x06/07

[rickchung]

Sunny (prod. Katie Robbins).

There's a strange but sleekly intriguing immediacy to the tone of Sunny's bleakly offbeat comedic leanings. [Rashida] Jones as a lonely sad sack propels much of the A.I.-themed thriller into deftly amusing territory inspired by foreigner in Japan dramedies à la Lost in Translation with the robotic sensibilities of something like Big Hero 6.

[storytime-reviews]

Slasher TV Series Review

Slasher is an anthology slasher horror television series. Each season is centered on a masked killer with an unknown motive for killing their victims. The first season, retroactively subtitled The Executioner, centered on a mysterious figure who terrorizes the fictional town of Waterbury, Canada. The second season, subtitled Guilty Party, follows a group of former summer camp counselors who return to an isolated campground in order to retrieve the body of a murder they committed, before being targeted, one by one, by an unknown killer. The third season, Solstice, is centered on a group of neighbors who are targeted during the summer solstice period due to their complicity in not saving a murder victim who was killed one year earlier in front of their apartment complex.

I recently binged the first three seasons of Slasher, and was surprised by how much I loved it. I’m not a huge horror aficionado, however I do enjoy a good horror movie and thought this might pass the time. I was easily drawn in by the characters and narratives, and I thought it was really cool that quite a few cast members are used in multiple seasons, playing different characters.

Each season starts similarly – an unknown killer starts murdering people left and right, but there is often some kind of pattern to it. In season 1, Katie McGrath’s character returns to her home town, where her parents were murdered, and a new killer dons the mask of that killer and bases his murders on the seven deadly sins. In season 2, former friends who killed someone five years ago are targeted, whilst in season 3 residents of a certain apartment building are targeted a year after the death of one of their own.

I absolutely loved trying to figure out the patterns and who would be next – as well as the identity of the killer. There are always a handful of clues, but there are also some pretty incredible twists and reveals that keep things particularly interesting. The narrative works so well precisely because you cannot help but keep asking these questions, whilst the characters themselves are compelling enough to hold your interest until those questions are ultimately answered. Each season reveals the killer at least one episode before the end, allowing for some time to delve into the killer’s motives. I wasn’t just engrossed by trying to put the puzzle pieces together, I was genuinely invested in each story and its characters.

A warning – the kills can get quite gory, and season 3 in particular is quite graphic. So if you’re easily grossed out by blood and gore, and especially theatrical and gruesome murders, then I’d give this show a miss. If you enjoy slasher type horror, I would recommend it.

[milliondollarbaby87]

Fingernails (2023) Review

Anna and Ryan have found true love and it is all confirmed by a new technology which is very controversial. Anna still has so many doubts about it and takes a job at one of the love testing institutes, which leads to meeting Amir. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Continue reading Fingernails (2023) Review

[tinyreviews]

I liked this episode. But the Coruscant plot doesn’t really fit into “The Mandalorian” way.

The third season of the American television series The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal. It is part of the Star Wars franchise, set after the events of Return of the Jedi (1983). The season is produced by Lucasfilm, Fairview Entertainment, and Golem Creations, with Jon Favreau as showrunner.

[katieroo28]

💐KATIE’S MAY CHECK-IN💐

Yes, I know I’m super late to post this. Shhh.

TOP FILMS

Belzebuth

Corsage

Desperado

Evil Dead Rise

Farewell, My Queen

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

The Mermaid

The Muthers

The Quick and the Dead

The Three Deaths of Marisela Escobedo

TOP TV

BARRY

Love & Death

The Other Two

The Real Housewives of Atlanta

SisterS

Succession

Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard

True Crime Story: It Couldn’t Happen Here

Vanderpump Rules

Yellowjackets

FINISHED BOOKS

The Hunger by Alma Katsu (3.5 out of 5 stars ⭐️)

The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf (3 out of 5 stars ⭐️)

The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter (4.5 out of 5 stars ⭐️)

[rabbitechoes]

the last full month of summer is HERE! august is going to be a busy month for new releases, especially on the album front, but i'm excited! hopefully i can stay on top of it all!!! there were some pretty noteworthy tracks released this week!! here are my thoughts on them!!! also feel free to follow me on rate your music and twitter <3

"Guess featuring Billie Eilish" - Charli xcx & Billie Eilish

◇ released: Aug. 1, 2024 ◇ genres: electro house, tech house

Charli xcx has returned with yet another remix of a song from her phenomenal album BRAT - which I'm sure everyone is well aware of by now. More specifically the track "Guess" from the deluxe edition with Billie Eilish sliding in for a lustful feature. I can't say it's my favorite track from either the record itself or its remixes, but it is certainly a fun time. Yet another example of how BRAT is having the best rollout of any album of the decade thus far. I truly can't wait to see what she has in store next, I don't see BRAT summer ending anytime soon - despite what Pitchfork says. It might even bleed into BRAT autumn maybe even BRAT winter.

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"FUKOUNA GIRL" - STOMACH BOOK

◇ released: Aug. 1, 2024 ◇ genres: indietronica, dance-punk, indie rock, dark cabaret

A few months removed from her sophomore record, STOMACH BOOK has returned with a new single. Crazy sounds on this one. A quirky blend of dance-punk and indietronica with some subtle hints of cabaret music. It feels like a circus! This kind of wacky blend of upbeat instrumentation with manic lyricism usually doesn't do much for me, but I think this song is a good time.

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"M" - Soccer Mommy

◇ released: Aug. 1, 2024 ◇ featured on Evergreen (not yet released) ◇ genres: indie pop, singer-songwriter

I remember loving Soccer Mommy's third record, Clean, when I was in high school, but her music just hasn't stuck with me at all. Her more recent records have all been good, but not great. I'm waiting for something to blow me away and unfortunately, "M" still leaves me waiting. It's a fine piece of singer-songwriter music, but nothing about it really leaves a lasting impression on me. It captures a vibe very well though. If you want some bittersweet music to feel sad to, she has you covered here. Maybe her upcoming album Evergreen will surprise me despite it all.

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"HIGHJACK" - A$AP Rocky feat. Jessica Pratt

◇ released: Aug. 2, 2024 ◇ featured on Don't Be Dumb (not yet released) ◇ genres: cloud rap, trap, memphis rap

I was not expecting this at all. I had to do a triple take when I saw that A$AP Rocky had a new single dropping that featured JESSICA PRATT. The same Jessica Pratt who makes the otherworldly folk and brill-building songs that sound completely removed from the current time? Apparently so. She absolutely kills it here and I hope this leads more people to listen to her music. Rocky puts in some really good verses too, I was impressed! You can also definitely tell this song was called "Like That," but it had to be changed for obvious reasons. Anyways, this is a totally unexpected collaboration that kinda knocked it out of the park.

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"GYAT" - Ice Spice

◇ released: Aug. 2, 2024 ◇ featured on Y2K! (Bonus) ◇ genres: new york drill, east coast hip hop

"GYAT" is the lone bonus track on the deluxe edition, of which there are many, of her new album Y2K! I don't even know what to say about this. Why is this a bonus track? The album is already like 23 minutes long and this is like definitely in-line with the rest of the tracks on the record. Why wasn't this just included? At the end of the day, this is just same old, same old Ice Spice. The only thing notable about this song is that it's the first time I've ever typed out the word "GYAT."

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"Liar" - Jelly Roll

◇ released: Aug. 2, 2024 ◇ genre: contemporary country

LEAVE ME ALONE!!!! IT'S LIKE HE'S FOLLOWING ME. WHY ARE YOU EVERYWHERE JELLY ROLL? WHAT DO YOU KNOW???

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"Here's the Thing" - Fontaines D.C.

◇ released: Aug. 6, 2024 ◇ featured on Romance (not yet released) ◇ genres: post-punk revival, alternative rock

Fontaines D.C. are three-for-three when it comes to the singles for their upcoming album. This one is definitely a bit more raucous than the previous, but it's just so enjoyable. The band really sound like they're onto something brilliant here. Just some endlessly enjoyable rock tunes that feel like they breeze past you while still leaving an impression. Lead vocalist Grian Chatten really shines here too. I'm loving these new songs and I can't wait to dive into Romance in a few weeks!

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"Once a Bunch" - Adrianne Lenker

◇ released: Aug. 6, 2024 ◇ genre: country, americana, singer-songwriter

Adrianne Lenker has returned with presumably a leftover from her excellent album Bright Future from a few months ago - still one of the best of the year. This one leans heavily into the country sound. Very raw, duet-driven country with some vivid songwriting that you can just close your eyes and dream to. Whenever I write about Lenker, I always have to say that she's one of the greatest songwriters of our time and "Once a Bunch" is yet another example. Loving this track to death.

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"Summer 2000 Baby" | "Take a Trip" - TV Girl & George Clanton

◇ released: Aug. 6, 2024 ◇ genre: chillwave, trip hop

Spotify algorithm core band TV Girl have teamed up with George Clanton to release perhaps their best material to date. Clanton's impeccable ear for great sounds elevates these songs. A lot of "vibe" songs just float past you leaving you nothing of substance, but most things Clanton gets his fingers on just have a kick to them. You just get lost in his songs and these two are no different. "Summer 2000 Baby" is an upbeat jam and "Take a Trip" is much more chilled-out, but both are pretty great. If you're looking for some late-summer tunes, TV Girl and George Clanton made a gift just for you.

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"Continuum 1" - Nala Sinephro

◇ released: Aug. 7, 2024 ◇ featured on Endlessness (not yet released) ◇ genres: nu jazz, ambient

Nala Sinephro is returning soon with a brand new album, the follow-up to her great debut Space 1.8 from 2021. This lead single features black midi's Morgan Simpson on drums and James Mollison on saxophone. This is a great cut. Builds very nicely on the foundation set by her debut while throwing in new bits that make things feel fresh. I especially love the oscillating synths towards the end and how they pair with Mollison's saxophone. If this song is any indication, we're in for a treat when Endlessness drops.

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"INSTANT TRANSFER" - E L U C I D feat. billy woods

◇ released: Aug. 7, 2024 ◇ featured on Revelator (not yet released) ◇ genres: experimental hip hop, abstract hip hop

ELUCID and billy woods reunite for this single taken from the former's upcoming album. These two just have some of the strongest chemistry of any rap duo in recent memory. "INSTANT TRANSFER" is an intense banger with an almost ominous beat. It's arresting, like a lot of their work is. I'm not super well-versed with ELUCID's solo work, but I'll definitely have to give this record a listen when it drops.

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"Lullaby" - Ichiko Aoba

◇ released: Aug. 8, 2024 ◇ featured on Luminescent Creatures (not yet released) ◇ genres: chamber folk, singer-songwriter

No surprises here. This new Ichiko Aoba song is stunning. You know what you're in for when you dive into one of her songs, yet it never ceases to amaze. She writes some of the most gorgeous, serene, and intricate songs you will ever hear. Everything sounds meaningful. Every word she sings, every note she strums, every piece of the arrangement has a purpose. All of this to say, "Lullaby" is amazing and I can't wait for whatever we hear from her next.

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"Coyote (Live at the Forum, Montreal, QC, Canada 12/4/1975)" - Joni Mitchell

◇ released: Aug. 8, 2024 ◇ featured on Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980) (not yet released) ◇ genres: progressive folk, singer-songwriter

Joni Mitchell is preparing to release another volume in her Archives series, this one focusing on her material from the late 70s. This excites me as Hejira is my favorite work of hers and I'm stoked to hear more stuff from that era. The first taste we're getting is this early live performance of "Coyote," one of her best songs. There's an urgency to this version, it's just Joni and her guitar. No Jaco Pastorius bass playing to be found. It's an interesting version, but if you're not a Joni superfan like I am, your mileage may vary.

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"For Cryin' Out Loud!" - FINNEAS

◇ released: Aug. 8, 2024 ◇ featured on For Cryin' Out Loud (not yet released) ◇ genres: pop rock, indie pop

I've never really listened to FINNEAS' work outside of his work with his sister Billie Eilish and sadly I can't say I'm too impressed by this new track, the lead single to his upcoming album. It certainly sounds great, everything has a punch to it, but nothing else stands out. It plays into the tropes you would expect. The horn arrangements are also a bit flimsy, which is wild because everything else has a bite! That should too! This song is just fine at best.

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"Sunshine" - Kelly Lee Owens

◇ released: Aug. 8, 2024 ◇ featured on Dreamstate (not yet released) ◇ genres: progressive house, progressive trance

I lose track of Kelly Lee Owens every couple years, but I managed to catch this new single "Sunshine." This is a pretty good house cut, really showcasing her talents as a producer. Everything sounds so euphoric, very easy to get lost in, which is a quality I admire in a lot of house music. I want the music to sweep me off my feet. One of these days I need to go back through and catch up on her stuff.

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"Don't Get Me Started" - The Smile

◇ released: Aug. 8, 2024 ◇ genres: indietronica, ambient pop, post-punk

The Smile have returned months removed from their second album with a new single. "Don't Get Me Started" sees the band getting very electronic with it, which does obscure some of the best aspects of the band, but it's still a pretty solid track. I always love how Thom Yorke sounds against very electronic sonic palettes, so this is like ear candy for me. Who knows if this is just a throwaway or a teaser to yet another album from the band? Either way, this side-project continues to be very fruitful for everyone involved.

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"Lifetimes" - Katy Perry

◇ released: Aug. 8, 2024 ◇ featured on 143 (not yet released) ◇ genres: dance-pop, garage house, diva house

After her last single "Woman's World" crashed and burned, Katy Perry is back with the second single to her new album, 143 - her big play at being relevant once again. Unfortunately for her, "Lifetimes" is a miss as well. I've seen the word "stale" be thrown around in regard to these new songs and I couldn't agree more. Her desire for this to be a comeback for her is so noticeable for any listener with half of a brain that it reeks of desperation. This is the album rollout equivalent of the Titanic sinking.

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"People Need People" - JOBA

◇ released: Aug. 9, 2024 ◇ featured on unnamed JOBA album (not yet released) ◇ genres: baroque pop, psychedelic pop, piano rock

BROCKHAMPTON alumni JOBA has released another really good single in anticipation for his debut solo project. This shift into more traditional pop sounds doesn't sound like it should work on paper, but he pulls it off very well. "People Need People" ditches the glam rock of the previous single in favor of more mellow baroque and psychedelic pop. The string arrangements and those bouncy synth riffs during the second verse are also very nice touches. This is a really good track, I can't wait to hear what else he has in store for us. JOBA is making the most interesting solo music out of all of his former boyband members.

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100 GIGS - Drake

◇ released: Aug. 10, 2024 ◇ genres: pop rap, trap, atlanta bass

When I saw the words "Drake" and "100 GBs" in the same headline, I feared for the worst. Luckily, he just dumped 100 GBs of stuff onto the internet. This includes songs, videos, unused album art, and a whole bunch of stuff. Three of those songs made their way to streaming and they're all pretty unremarkable. "It's Up" sounds the most finished and it features 21 Savage as well as Young Thug, it's nothing stand out though. The other two tracks feel pretty lazy, rife with boring hooks and poor mixing. Definitely sounds like stuff that needed more time in the oven. I don't really know what his rationale was for dumping all of this on us, but it certainly isn't the best look after the beef he decisively lost against Kendrick Lamar over the last few months.

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[therealmrpositive]

The Kennedys: After Camelot (2017)

In today's review, I carry on looking at a political dynasty as I attempt a #positive review of the sequel miniseries The Kennedys: After Camelot #MatthewPerry #DianaHardcastle #KristenHager #KristinBooth #AlexanderSiddig

After Kennedy’s assassination, that dream he helped spearhead may have been snubbed, but it didn’t die. As others in that prolific dynasty carried on with their ambitions, and their dreams, However, the curse of the Kennedys remains ever strong. In 2017, following the release of the sequel novel, a sequel to the miniseries was quickly put into action, chronicling the other family members in the…

[callsign-magnolia]

Undiagnosed // Ch. 9

Mature Content 18+

Jake Seresin x Neurodivergent OC

Summary: Katie Blair grew up trying to be the perfect daughter. She always struggled to be the prim and proper little girl her parents wanted. Big personality as a kid, but now at 25, she's the shy admiral's daughter who just keeps her head down and tries to get through law school. So what happens when she's had enough and with help from a certain Lieutenant, she gets out.

Warnings: Emotional abuse, trauma response, abusive parents.

Word Count: 6.9k

Chapter 8 | Masterlist

I eventually fell back asleep on the couch before waking up and making breakfast. I changed out of my pajamas and into some yoga pants Kelly convinced me to buy and a soft shirt. I attempted to watch a movie, but without glasses or contacts I couldn’t see clearly. I had to stand smack in front of the tv to see and it was annoying so I gave up. Once the movies were over I got bored and the thoughts crept in. What if my dad knew and confronted Jake at work? What if something happens to his jet and he crashes? What if I didn’t cut the stove off and catch the house on fire? At that thought I jumped up, going into the kitchen and making sure I did in fact, cut the oven off. I sighed in relief when I did and walked away, but suddenly stopped, turning back around and looking again because I forgot what I just saw. I huffed, turning back into the living room. I tapped my foot, and looked at my phone seeing it was only noon. I huffed, laying my head back. You’re nothing without us. My mother’s voice echoed in my brain. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing it to go away. I decided to distract myself by looking for eye doctors in the area. I looked through reviews finding a handful that I would consider until I finally found one. I stared at the number, it practically glared at me. Maybe I could have Jake call? God no. I need to do this myself. I’m a grown woman, I can do this myself. I dialed the number and it rang twice before a friendly voice answered. “How can I help you?” She asked. “Hi um… my name is Katie Blair and I need to make an appointment.” I heard typing on the other end and she hummed. “Have you been with us before?” I shook my head. “No.” More typing. “Okay, the next opening we have is Wednesday at four-thirty.” I nodded. “That works.” I agreed. “Great. We’ll see you Wednesday. Have a nice day.” She said and hung up. Once that was done, my mothers voice crept back into my head. You’re an ungrateful little shit. You’ll die out there on your own. You’re hard to love. Tears welled in my eyes and I grabbed my phone, pulling up Bradley’s number. 

Can we talk when your free?

I text him, hoping he would respond eventually. I laid back on the couch, taking deep breaths and trying to clear my mind. Eventually my breathing evened out and I slipped into unconsciousness. “Darlin’.” I jumped awake, startled by the voice and the hand on my arm. “Hm.” I sat up as Jake sat next to me. “How long have you been asleep?” He asked and I glanced at the clock. “Shit. Four hours.” I said, face planting the soft couch. He chuckled, rubbing my back. “Must’ve been tired.” He said and I scoffed. “Something like that.” I said. “Well, I’m gonna go shower. I’m thinking steak for dinner? I put some in the fridge to thaw this morning.” He said as he got up, heading to his room to shower. “I can start it." I said as I sat up. "You sure?" He called down the stairs as I nodded, stretching. "Yeah." He's letting me live here rent free, the least I can do is make him dinner. I went into the kitchen, pulling out the steaks, then rifling through his freezer for sides. I found some asparagus and some potatoes in the pantry. I was halfway through cooking the steaks when he came in, shirtless. He didn't notice but it took me a second to avert my eyes. "Is it just us tonight?" I asked and he hummed. "Yeah, Kelly is working late tonight." I nodded as I finished the steaks, letting them rest as I tossed the asparagus into the same pan with some garlic. 

"Damn that smells good." He said, coming to stand next to me. I smiled, practically keeping over the compliment. "My mom wasn't completely useless." I remarked and he laughed. "Guess not. Anything I can do?" He asked. "You can go ahead and cut the potatoes open. Give them a chance to cool a little before I burn the shit out of my fingers." He just chuckled and sliced them open. Soon dinner was done and I made him go sit down. "I can make my own plate." He said. "I can make my own plate." I mimicked. "No shit. But I'll bring it to you." I said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You're not winning this one Jake. Go sit down." I said with a more stern tone and after a second he did as I asked. I smirked, plating everything and walking it out. "See. Not that hard." I remarked and he rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah." I waited patiently with a smirk on my face as he took the first bite and his eyes went wide. "You're telling me that we ate out the past two nights and you can cook like this?" I laughed as he ate more. "And it's even medium rare! How did you know?" I shrugged. "It's the only way my parents eat it, so it's the only way I know how to cook it." I said, starting in on my food. "Yours medium rare too?" I nodded. "That's the only way I've ever eaten it. Mom would make steak and she refused to cook it differently for me."

Dinner was great and we talked about our day, but once we were done the mood changed. "I have something to tell you, but I need you to not freak out." He said, sitting up in his chair. My heart started racing a million miles a second. What could he possibly have to say? "We overheard your dad talking to Cyclone." Why would he be talking to Admiral Simpson? He doesn't like him. "He's going around asking everyone to keep an eye out for you. Apparently when they came home and saw that you were gone, they called the police and tried to say that you were kidnapped." My chest started heaving and I was trying to calm down. But now not only were the police looking for me, so was practically everyone on base. "Oh my god." I said as tears built in my eyes. "Hey, no darlin'." Jake said as he took my hand, squeezing it in his. "The police say you probably just left. You packed a bag and took your purse, so they think you just walked out of there. They aren't looking for you." I sighed in relief, feeling better about that. "But you should lay low for a while. If anyone from base sees you, then your dad will know." I nodded, taking deep breaths. "I can do that. I can lay low." I muttered. "Good. I'll clean the kitchen." He said, grabbing my plate and standing. "I can help Jake." I said as I stood. "You cooked, I'll clean. Go do something." He joked and I huffed but did as he said. I went up to my room to plug my phone in, setting it on the small white bedside table. But something light blue caught my attention. It was in my suitcase, wadded up at the very bottom. I grabbed it, feeling the soft material in my hands but even in the dark I knew what this was. My favorite Tiffany blue dress, and the one Blake ripped. I could still see the droplets of blood that fell on it.

Do you have any idea how this makes us look?

Sometimes giving people what they want makes life a lot easier.

The words flooded my brain, remembering every moment of that night. Including the way his hands felt on me, the way they practically slithered under my dress. I felt disgusted with myself. I should've done more than punch him and I should've walked out of that house no matter what. But I couldn't. I was a coward and I fell right back into their trap like an idiot. Tears filled my eyes as anger grew within me like a fire being fed oxygen. The rip in the dress reminding me just how close I came to having my own choices ripped away from me. I turned rushing down the stairs, stomping on the way down. Hard enough I probably shook the house. "Katie?" Jake asked from behind the couch. I attempted to blow past him, but he caught my arm and I stopped. "Jake. Let me go." I said calmly, trying not to have a breakdown. I was so tired of crying, I wanted to be done with my emotions. "Darlin', let me see it." I shook my head. I couldn't let him see it, he'd absolutely lose it. "No. Just let me throw it away." He shook his head. "Trash wouldn't have you this upset." We stood in silence for a moment, me not looking at him, when he suddenly yanked me towards him and he snatched the dress from my hands. "Jake!" I yelled and he held the dress up, furrowing his brows in confusion. “What is this?” He asked, he looked close at the blood stains, his jaw clicking in anger. “Is this yours?” He asked lowly. I shook my head. “No, it’s Blake’s.” He looked at me for a second. “When you broke his nose.” He said in realization. “But the rip…” 

“That was when I managed to get out from under him and he grabbed the neck line. It ripped when I got out of his truck.” I muttered. “What?” His eyes flashed to me and I could tell he was angry. I opened my mouth to respond but he stopped me. “What do you mean, ‘Get out from under him’?” He asked. “When my dad forced me on that date, he stopped just before taking me home. He stuck his hand under my dress and I smacked it away. He said that Coop told him I could be difficult and then he yanked me down in the seat and-” I took a deep breath, looking at the ceiling to keep the tears at bay. “He pushed my dress up…” I was trying not to sob and took another deep breath and suddenly my face was grabbed. This was different from any other time my face was grabbed. Jake’s hands were gentle as he held my face, making me look at him. “Did he hurt you?” I wanted to shake my head no, but he kind of did. “Sort of.” He furrowed his brows. “What do you mean, sort of?” He growled. “When he grabbed my leg, he left some bruises.” I muttered, not meeting his eye. “So he didn’t force you into anything?” He asked. “No.” I shook my head. “I didn’t give him the chance.” I saw his lips twitch, as if he wanted to smile but he didn’t. “Can I please throw the dress away?” He looked at the dress in his hand and smiled. “I have a better idea.”

So he dragged me outside and off the back deck to a small fire pit in the yard. He handed me the dress and started up the fire. Once it was roaring he stepped back, looking over at me. “Ready?” He asked and I nodded, looking down at the dress in my hands. I took a step closer, stopping just in front of the fire before tossing it in. I watched as it went up in flames, burning away until it started turning to ash. Jake’s arm went around my shoulder, tucking me into his side. “How you feel, darlin’?” He asked and I took a deep breath. “A little better. But it’s gonna take some time.” He hummed, catching me off guard as he once again kissed my head. “Take all the time you need, darlin’.” We stood in silence until a thought crossed my mind. “Fuck.” I muttered and Jake looked down at me again. “What’s wrong?” He asked. “There are some pictures on my old phone that I need. If I access my old iCloud do you think my parents could get my new number or track me?” I asked and he shrugged. “You have a new email and everything so personally I’d delete the old one. One less thing your parents have to track you down with.” I nodded and rushed upstairs, grabbing my phone. I quickly got into my old account and grabbed the pictures I needed from storage and saved it to my phone before deleting it. I was sitting in a chair not far from the fire, looking at the pictures when I felt a presence behind me. I looked up to see Jake looking at my phone. “Is this after?” I nodded, allowing him to see the pictures. “I took them, just in case. I didn’t think about it when I left my phone at my parents.” He hummed, swiping over one. The bruises on my thigh glared at me. They weren’t bad but they were noticeably finger shaped. 

Jake inhaled deeply before disappearing inside. I felt bad, these pictures seemed to bother him a lot and I didn’t want anyone worrying about me. I stared into the fire, my eyes locking on to the last piece of the dress burning. The beautiful blue color turning black from the immense heat, but I was brought out of my thoughts by something cold and wet. I looked over to see Jake offering me a bottle. I took it with furrowed brows, looking at the label. “Decided I needed one, so I thought I’d offer you one too.” He said as he pulled the other chair closer to me, sitting back in it as we watched the fire. He twisted the cap off, and set it on the arm of his chair, taking a sip. I looked down at my own bottle, attempting to twist the cap off but to no avail. “Oh, sorry.” He said taking the bottle from me. Irritation built in me at the action. I could’ve done it if he gave me another chance. “Kelly always needs me to take hers off. Didn’t think about you possibly needing it too.” I huffed. “I almost had it.” I muttered. His head snapped to me and his brows furrowed. “You okay?” Don’t let him know you’re mad, it never ends well. I looked at him with a smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. Why?” I asked and he leaned back in his chair again. “You just sounded mad.” I shook my head. “Oh, no I’m good.” I took a sip of the beer immediately spitting it out. “Oh my god! How do you drink that shit?” I asked and he laughed, attempting not to spit his own beer out. “Do you not like it?” I shook my head, handing him the bottle. “God no!” He set the bottle down next to him as I attempted to get the taste out of my mouth. “Have you ever drank before?” I nodded. “A few times but it’s only ever been wine. Mom doesn't drink anything else so that’s really all I’ve ever had.” I said and he nodded. “I’ll get you some when I go to the store next time. What’s your favorite?” He asked. “Chardonnay.” He chuckled. “Fancy.” He said in a posh tone, making me laugh. 

The next day Rooster agreed to talk to me and came over once him and Jake were done for the day. I slipped on a square neck floral dress and opted for some of the white platform sandals Kelly bought for me on Sunday. It was weird to put on shoes that were flat but they were so comfortable. I grabbed my purse just as the doorbell rang and rushed downstairs. “Rooster? What are you doing here?” Jake had been home all of twenty minutes and I had been getting ready so I hadn’t even spoken to him yet. “He’s here for me.” I said as I walked over. “You?” Jake asked, looking at me and I nodded. “I asked if we could talk and he agreed.” Jake nodded, motioning Bradley in. “Oh, then come on in, I'm cooking and Kelly will be here soon.” I bit my lip, wondering how to tell him we were leaving. “Uh, Jake?” I asked and he turned to me. He looked at me with a wide smile. “It’s a private conversation.” I said, pointing out the door. “Oh, then y’all can sit out front, I don’t care. I have a porch for a reason-” “We’re leaving.” I said and he stopped again, looking at me once more. “Leaving?” I nodded. “Bradley thought it would be a good idea for me to get out of the house so we’re going for a drive.” Bradley nodded. “Figured we’d stop for dinner too.” He said with a wide grin. “But I’m cooking.” He said and I immediately felt bad. “Well… you and Kelly haven’t had much alone time since I got here!” I suggested. “We’ll probably be gone for a few hours so that’ll be good and if there’s leftovers I’ll eat them tomorrow for lunch.” I suggested. “Uh yeah. Yeah, that works. Um, Rooster? Can I talk to you for a second?” He nodded and stepped inside. “I’ll wait out here.” I said and stepped outside, closing the door. 

After a few minutes Bradley and Jake came outside. “Ready?” He asked and I nodded. “I’ll see you later.” Jake said, kissing my temple and dipping back inside. The door shut and I stared at it for a second. “You have quite the protector there.” Bradley said as we walked out to his car. “I’ve come to see that.” I said. “Oh, I love your truck.” I said as he opened the passenger door for me. “Thanks.” He helped me in and he shut the door as I buckled the seatbelt. He got into the driver's side, smiling at me. “Jake was going on and on about how I had to be careful that no one from base saw you, as if I haven’t been hearing the same things he has.” He said as he started the truck. Once we started down the road, the wind picked up and it felt nice. He had the top off, allowing the sea breeze to blow by as we drove along the coast. The sun blinded me as we drove, my hand resting on my forehead to shield them. Rooster reached into the glove box in front of me and produced a pair of raybans identical to his. “You sure?” I asked and he nodded. “They’re my spares.” I smiled, taking them from him and putting them on my face, getting instant relief. “So what’d you wanna talk about?” He asked as he pulled up to a red light. “Um…” I said, not knowing how to start. “Shit, this is harder than I thought.” He chuckled, looking at me. “Lay it on me.” He said, his smile making me feel more comfortable. “I hear my mom’s voice in my head.” 

He nodded slowly. “I do too.” I was a little shocked at his statement, looking at him from across the bench seat. “What does she say?” I asked and he smiled. “That she loves me. If I'm struggling she reminds me I can get through it.” I nodded, just wishing those were the things I heard my mother say. “What does yours say?” He asked, glancing over to me as if he already knew. “Basically that I’m a fuck up. On Sunday I thought I pissed off Kelly and I heard her voice in my head saying, ‘you probably did. you’re good at that.’.” I huffed, playing with my fingers in my lap. “Katie, I’m sorry.” He said and I shook my head. “I’m used to it.” I said and he shook his head. “But you shouldn’t be.” He was completely right. I shouldn’t be used to it, but I am. “Jake suggested therapy. He said his was mostly work related, but you have experience with personal things.” He hummed, nodding. “I do. My dad died when I was two in a training accident here at Top Gun. Mom died when I was seventeen. Brain tumor.” My heart broke for him. “I wish I could trade with you.” I said, leaning my head back against the seat. He didn’t say anything, but a part of me felt like he agreed. “When was your first time?” I asked and he was quiet for a moment. “I was six. Dad had been gone four years at that point. I got off the school bus and mom met me on the porch. She had on one of his naval academy jackets. It still smelled like him because she never washed it and when I hugged her, I had a panic attack. She decided at that point I should see a therapist.” I nodded. “Did you ever stop going?” He nodded. “Around high school. But I started again when mom died.” I nodded. “Did you know Mav is my godfather?” I looked at him wide eyed. “Really?” He nodded. “My dad was his RIO and they were best friends. Mav was there the day I was born and he was there the day mom died. We had a falling out when he pulled my papers for the naval academy.” I frowned. “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to Bradley.” He chuckled. “But I wanted to, plus it’s easy to open up to you.” I smiled at him, happy he felt comfortable enough to share this with me. “I used to be so angry at the world, people around me, for things they had no control over. Being in therapy has made me a better person. I used to be hot headed and I can still be occasionally, but I’ve learned I don’t have to be mad anymore.” 

“What’s therapy like?” I asked. “A lot of talking. In my case a lot of yelling, a lot of tears but I always feel a hundred times better coming out than I did going in.” I nodded. We drove a little longer till we got to this pier and he pulled into a parking spot. “What are we doing here?” I asked. “Getting dinner.” He said with a smirk before he got out. “Oh.” I unbuckled and opened my door. “Woah.” Rooster said, coming over and helping me out. “I can do it myself.” I said and he chuckled. “I know. But my mom is probably rolling in her grave because I didn’t open your door.” He said and I giggled. “She seems great. I wish I could’ve met her.” I said as he placed his hand on my back, guiding me to the pier. “She would’ve loved you,” He said, making me blush. “I can hear her now, ‘Oh, Bradley! She’s just adorable!” I laughed at his imitation. We quietly walked over to this little shack and we stopped outside of it. “This place has the best burgers.” He said as he looked at the menu. “What do you want?” He asked and I looked at the menu. Everything looked good, but I stuck with the safe bet and got a burger and fries. The conversation was light and fun while we ate, but as I was finishing my fries it took a turn. “So, when you hear your mom in your head, what’s the most common thing she says?” He asked.  You’re so hard to love, Katie. I took a deep breath, wiping my hands on the napkin. “The night I went on that stupid date with Blake,” His hand tightened around his cup, practically squishing it. “I attempted to leave. But my mom forced me to sit down and was telling me they did the things they did because they loved me.” I scoffed at my own words. “Just after that she told me I was hard to love.” I said, my eyes falling to my lap as tears formed in my eyes. 

“Sorry, I shouldn’t be crying about this.” I said as I wiped my tears. Bradley got up, coming around and sitting next to me. “They’re still your parents, Katie. A part of you is always going to want their love.” I sighed shakily. “I don’t want to want it.” He sighed, pulling me into a hug. “Trust me, I wish you didn’t either.” He held me for a moment until I calmed down. “You done?” He asked and I nodded. “Come on. I got something that’ll make you feel better.” I stood and we went back up to the window and he ordered two chocolate milkshakes. “Glad I like chocolate.” I said and he laughed. “I had a feeling.” We walked back over to the bronco and he stopped, taking my milkshake. “Take your shoes off.” I furrowed my brows at him. “What?” He motioned to my shoes. “Take them off.” I knew there was no point in arguing, so I did it anyway. He handed me my milkshake and took his off before we tossed them into the bronco. "Come on." We made our way to the hill that the parking lot was perched on and he started down. I followed behind very slowly and very cautiously. "Need help?" He asked, holding out his hand for me and I lunged for it as I tripped. I grabbed it and he helped me steady myself as we continued down. "Don't let me fall." He just chuckled. "I won't." Once we were on flat ground he let go of my hand, chuckling at me. “You’re not gonna trip over your own feet are you?” I shook my head as we started walking down the beach. “It’s so nice out here.” I said as we walked along the beach. The sun was setting, there weren’t many people and the breeze was warm. “I like coming out here when I’ve had a hard day, or if I’m missing my mom.” I smiled at him. “And when you're missing your dad?” I asked and he chuckled. “I spend every day doing what he loved. I get up in that jet and I feel close to him.” It was nice knowing he had some way of feeling close to his parents.

We spent the next few hours sipping our milkshakes and walking along the beach. My parents never brought me to the beach the few times we’ve lived close to one so this was really my first experience. “So where did you grow up?” He asked and I shrugged. “Everywhere. We moved almost every year it seems like.” He nodded. “I never really got the chance to make friends, but we moved out here when I was sixteen and we’ve been here since.” He hummed. “Where were you born?” I chuckled. “Coincidentally, here. My dad was stationed here for a while and my mom went into labor with me.” I sighed. “She called it the worst twenty one hours of her life.” He scoffed. “She deserved the pain. But I’m happy you’re here.” He said, nudging me with his elbow. We made our way back up the hill and Bradley dropped the tailgate on the bronco. “Sit up here.” He said and I placed my hands on the tailgate behind me. As I jumped he grabbed my waist, making sure I got up and seated. “What are you doing?” I asked as he pulled a black bag closer to him, looting around in it. “Aha!” He said, pulling out a container of baby powder. “Baby powder?” I asked with a quirked brow. “Yep, helps get the sand off.” He sprinkled some on my legs and his before grabbing a towel and wiping them off. Once he was done there was no sand to be found on my skin. “Remind me to get some of that if I go to the beach.” I said, hopping down from the tailgate. Once he closed the tailgate, Bradley helped me into the car and shut my door before we took off down the road. It was dark now but the wind was still warm. It blew my hair around as we drove in silence, nothing but the radio on. But a few miles before we got back he turned to me. “So… gonna go to therapy?” He asked, looking over at me. “I think I’m going to try. I’m just scared.” I said and he smiled, grabbing my hand and holding it up. “You’ll be okay. It may take a few tries to find the right therapist for you, but when you do, it makes a world of difference.” Once we got to the house I noticed the lights were still on, which was odd. Jake seems strict about his sleep schedule and he should be heading upstairs by now. Kelly’s car wasn’t in the driveway so I assume she went home. Bradley helped me out, taking my hand in hopes I wouldn’t fall out. 

The bang of the front door made me jump as Jake threw the front door open. “WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!” He yelled as he stormed off the porch and towards us. “Oh my god. Oh my god.” I whispered, quickly moving behind Bradley to shield myself. “I’VE BEEN PACING FOR THE PAST TWO HOURS!” He yelled and Bradley held his hands up. “Jake-” “I have tried calling and got no answer! I had no idea where the fuck she was, if she was still with you!” My hand gripped Bradley’s shirt as my heartbeat thrummed in my ears. “Hangman-” “No! Do you know how stressed I have been? I had no idea if someone saw you, if you ran into her parents-” “Hangman!” Bradley yelled and I became light headed, my adrenaline flooding my body. “She doesn’t need someone controlling her life! What she does need is someone who lets her have her freedom!” Bradley yelled back. Jake’s eyes shifted to me and immediately a look of guilt crosses his face. He sighed deeply, as if letting go of all the tension he’s felt. “Fuck.” He muttered, running his hands through his hair. “You’re right.” He said and it was like all the anger disappeared. “You can’t spend all your time worrying about her. She’s an adult.” He nodded, smiling at me. “I’ll be inside.” He said, motioning to the door before walking that way. “You okay?” Bradley asked, turning around to face me. “Yeah… he just really scared me.” He hummed. “I could tell. If your grip on my shirt was anything to go by.” he joked and a blush covered my cheeks. “Sorry.” He laughed before pulling me into a hug. “Don’t worry about it.” As if he could sense my emotions, he squeezed me tightly and immediate relief washed over me as I squeezed back. After a few seconds he let go and I felt a little better. “Something else your mom taught you?” He beamed with pride at my words. “Yeah, it’s something she did to me when I was stressed or overwhelmed.”

“Well, I’m tired so I’m gonna go in and go to bed.” I said and he nodded, yawning. “I’m gonna go crash in my bed.” He said, walking around the bronco. “Goodnight, Katie.” He smiled at me and I waved as I walked towards the porch. “Goodnight, Bradley.” I replied. He got in the bronco and started it, but waited until I was inside to leave. I triple checked that the door was locked before making my way through the dark house and into the guest room. I immediately stripped out of my clothes and grabbed some of the pajamas I packed when I left. It was a tank top and shorts combo. They were emerald green and satin and so comfortable. The little ruffles on the hem on the shorts made it cute, not that that really mattered. Once I changed I sat on my bed, pulling out some of the lotion I bought and started putting it on my legs. I thought back to Jake out in the driveway. He scared me so bad with all the yelling and when he rushed over, it was like my dad was stalking towards me and I just wanted to bolt in the other direction. Tears streaked my cheeks and my chest constricted. I sniffled, trying to stop my tears, but of course I couldn't. So I sat there on the bed, rubbing lotion in my legs as tears dripped onto the white sheets. “Katie?” Jake’s voice caught my attention as he knocked on my open door, breaking my dead stare from the chipping polish on my toes. I quickly wiped my tears, not wanting him to see me upset. “Oh, darlin’.” He said, coming over and sitting next to me on the bed. “Katie.” I didn’t want to look at him. I knew if he did I would just start crying again. “Katie. Please look at me.” He said and I didn't move. I was startled as his hand gently touched my face, turning me to face him. “Katie, darlin’. I’m sorry.” I shook my head, turning away from him. “No, it’s my fault. I should have looked at my phone and called you back.” 

“No, Katie. It wasn’t your fault. I was just so worried and when I saw you get out of the car I was so… relieved. Then I was angry at Rooster.” I furrowed my brows. “Rooster?” He nodded. “Why Rooster?” I was the one that asked if we could talk, not him. “I know you’re safe with him, I know that.” He said, flopping back onto the pillows. “But just the thought of something happening to you, and I’m not there to…protect you? It kills me.” I chuckled. “Aw, do you care about me Jake?” I joked and I felt him grip my tank top, tugging on it to catch my attention. “It’s not a joke, Katie. Of course I care. I worry about leaving you here alone, when you left the house with Rooster.” He sighed, looking up at the ceiling. “When I woke up that morning, and you were gone, it was like pure panic took over. I was ready to go over to your parents house and kick the door in.” A feeling swelled in my chest at his words as I looked back at him. Having someone who cared for me was a new feeling and it’s gonna take some getting used to. I sighed, flopping back next to him, resting my hands on my stomach. “I wish you did.” I muttered and he turned to face me as I continued to look up at the ceiling. “I was stupid to think anything would change. But they played the part of loving parents so well.” I said as anger swirled inside me. “That’s one of the first times I remember my mother hugging me. I know damn well it was the first time my father did.” I started pulling on my thumbs, wondering if I would pull one out of socket. 

“They apologized for everything. For the first time in my life they told me they loved me.” I said through gritted teeth. Jake sat up, leaning on the wooden bedframe. “Then I wake up the next morning with a lock on my door, my mother telling me i'm an awful daughter and that they could no longer handle me.” Tears filled my eyes again, but this time out of anger. “That feeling of hopelessness when I pulled and pulled on that door. I finally stopped beating on it when my hands started to bleed.” I wiped the tears, not wanting them to fall. “I begged and begged them to let me out. I leaned against that door for three days, hoping they would change their minds. I gave up on hoping it was a dream, I knew better. It didn't matter how much I begged and pleaded, all it got me was a day without food.” I felt his fingers thread through my hair, and it felt so good. “Katie.” I looked up at him through my lashes and he stared down at me in silence for a moment. “You didn’t deserve that. You know that right?” His words made my bottom lip quiver and I started to sit up when he stopped me, pulling me into him. I had never been held like this, but it was so comforting and I couldn’t help but wrap my arms around his waist. “What’s so wrong with me, that they couldn’t love me?” I asked as the tears flowed freely now, soaking his t-shirt. “Nothing, darlin’. Absolutely nothing.” He said. His words soothing me until I drifted off to sleep. 

The next day when Jake got off work, he was swinging by to pick me up for my eye doctor appointment. But I was so distracted watching a show that I was running late, that being signaled by the sound of Jake’s horn on his truck. “Dammit!” I yelled, grabbing my shoes and hopping to slip one on before putting the other on at the bottom of the stairs. I rushed towards the door, purse in hand and I barely remembered to lock the door on my way out. I ran through the yard, yanking open the door and climbing in. “What’s going on? We’re gonna be late.” He said as we back out of the driveway. “I know we’re gonna be late.” I snapped, buckling and sitting back in the seat. “Gee what’s got you in a mood?” He asked and I scoffed. I wanted to snap at him again, but I thought better of it. He might just leave me on the side of the road, I joked to myself. We were silent the rest of the car ride, which was nice. I just couldn’t get it together today, which was odd for me. My hair was up in a bun with my bangs hanging loose, I didn’t put on any makeup or jewelry, not having any time. I just managed to slip on a sundress and sandals. Once we were there, I didn’t even wait for Jake. I just got out and walked up towards the door. “Katie. Katie!” He hissed and I stopped, turning to him. “Wait, let me go in first.” He said. “Why?” I asked in an irritated tone. “What if someone from base is in there?” He asked, walking in with me on his heels, ignoring his words. We went in and I pushed past him, going up to the front desk. “Katie Blair.” She immediately pulled up my info and I looked around. There was no one in the waiting room, making me feel a little better. “Hi, you must be Katie.” I looked over to see a very tall, very built man about my fathers age standing before me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, the fear settling in the pit of my stomach. “H-hi. yes… I’m Katie.” He just smiled at me as he shook his hand. “Well, if you’ll follow me.” I immediately turned to Jake, hoping he wasn’t so mad he wouldn’t come with me. “Would it be okay if my friend came with me?” I asked and Dr.Sparkman smiled.

“Of course.” We went into an exam room and I sat in the chair, Jake taking the chair beside me. We went through the usual motions of testing my eyesight, including dilating my eyes. “Well Miss Blair. It looks like from the last prescription you brought me, your eyesight has in fact gotten worse, and that goes for your astigmatism as well.” I sighed, hating that it got worse. “Do you want contacts and glasses?” I immediately shook my head. “Glasses only.” He nodded. “Very well, if you go out here we can get you set up with frames.” I grabbed my bag and Jake held my hand as we walked out, seeing as my eyes were still dilated and I felt unsteady on my feet. “Can you even see these?” He asked and I nodded. “Up close I can.” I said, grabbing a set of frames and holding them close to look at them. He chuckled as I looked around, holding each set close. I quickly noticed a pair of Kate Spade ones. They were a metal frame and the lenses were back and mostly rounded and rimless on the bottom. The stems were gold in color and the tips were black on the outside, but white on the inside with black polka dots. I looked at the price before quickly putting them away and moving on, but nothing caught my interest like they did. “See anything you like?” Jake asked from behind me, startling me. I sighed, setting another pair back on the rack. “No. I can get the prescription and order some online.” I said and he hummed, nodding. When I didn’t find anything I got my prescription, and we headed out. “Anything else you want to do while we’re out?” I smirked, rolling my head to look over at him. “Yeah, actually. Can we go to the bookstore?” He just smiled at me before busting out laughing. “Anything you want, darlin’.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taglist: @wkndwlff @alltimereverie @cherrycola27 @daisydaisygoose @rosiahills22 @deanoheartspie @cornishkat @high-speed-r @fogle97 @mygyn @ohgodnotagainn @emma8895eb @senjoritanana @genius2050 @sandaltoesocks @mayhemmanaged @dempy @itsdesiree86 @callsign-athena @jstarr86 @brooke-stinson @rachkon @topguncultleader @bethbunnyy @topgun-imagines @clancycucumber230 @seitmai @kkrenae @djs8891 @shanimallina87 @wildxwidow @eugene-emt-roe @hisredheadedgoddess28 @littlewhiterose @formulapierre @wade-wilsons-chew-toy @bethabear12 @halstead-severide-fan

[itsm3m00n]

Music thingy

(thank you @murderoushagthesequel and @shipsgaysfordaysfor the tag)

so the rules are: you put your playlist on shuffle. for each question, choose a lyric from the random song that comes up (if the song has little to no lyrics you can skip) also make sure to put the name of the song and the artist

how would you describe yourself in one sentence?

"even in the dust, we shine with fire and gold in our eyes" (fire and gold by bea miller)

2. what kind of (scorpio) are you?

"im sure that i could be a movie star if i could get out of this place" (piano man by billy joel)

3. you're visiting your favorite spot, what are you thinking about?

"in another life" (the one that got away by katy perry)

4. if your life was a movie, what would the first review say?

"i swear this town's a battlefield" (weapons by ava max)

5. what would you title your memoir?

"well, then you might not like me" (might not like me by brynn elliott)

6. what would you say about your best friends?

"Divas, queens, we we dont need no man, salute" (salute by little mix)

7. what was your life motto when you were a teenager?

"nothing ever hurts when you feel no pain" (fighter by the score)

8. describe your current aesthetic

"paint your lips that way...you are a monster from hell" (michelle by sir chloe)

9. whats a lyric they will quote at you eulogy?

"this is brave, this is bruised, this is who i'm meant to be" (this is me by keala settle/the greatest showman)

10. what would your soulmates first impression be upon meeting you?

"watched my favorite shows on your tv" (fingers crossed by lauren spencer smith)

lightly tagging my friends (optional ofc) @romanticeulogizingelegies, @silentwillowwhisperer, @rhmis-user-2020, @siriuslybea, and @not-rab

[edwinspaynes]

Written by Katie Rose Rogers, The Grays is a contemporary take on the Oscar Wilde classic about our fascination with eternal youth set against the backdrop of the modern beauty industry. In a twist on the gothic novel, the series revolves around siblings Basil and Doran Gray.

I just want you all to know that Matthew Fairchild and I are best friends on the astral plane. I can see him AND communicate with him in my head. He is not pleased. He weighs in:

"This affront to Art and culture is a direct byproduct of a consumerist culture that lacks both taste and sophistication. I shall be eagerly awaiting the dismal reviews of critics and aesthetes alike when all goes skew-whiff and the production is unfortunately as dull as the blockheads who create it."

(Art by @thorndale)

I personally think that it will be funny for the memes, but I will let Matthew speak on this one.

[lostinaflashforward]

SNOWPIERCER - Recensione 4x05 "The Engineer"

La stagione finale di Snowpiercer si riprende dopo lo scivolone della scorsa settimana, con un buon episodio, che risponde a qualche domanda e orienta il tutto verso la fase finale della serie.

RECENSIONE 4x05

[hells-greatest-performers]

Ozzie, were there any other civilian injuries? I know the Vees and most of their colleagues deserved it, but there were others like Angel and Husk there too...

Ozzie: Uh…I mean, there weren’t many innocent people. I mean I feel bad for the kids and babies but everyone else were there for bad reasons.

666 News Plays on the TV…

Katie Killjoy: Good evening, Hell! I'm Katie Killjoy, and tonight we bring you shocking news from the Pride Ring. Earlier today, tragedy struck at the highly anticipated birthday celebration for Verena, daughter of VoxTek Founder and CEO, Vox. The grand event, attended by Hell’s royalty, the sins, and many Overlords, was ruthlessly attacked and completely destroyed by the Sin of Lust, Asmodeus.

Tom Trench: That’s right, Katie. The V Tower, known for its state-of-the-art design and lavish accommodations, now lies in ruins. What was supposed to be a joyous occasion has turned into a scene of chaos and devastation. We’ve received reports that dozens of people are dead or injured, and rescue efforts are ongoing.

Katie Killjoy: Among the missing is the birthday girl herself, one year old Verena. VokTek employees are working tirelessly to locate her amidst the debris. The question on everyone’s mind is: why would Asmodeus target such an event? What motive could he have had to inflict such destruction on a one-year-old’s birthday party?

Tom Trench: Witnesses describe a sudden, violent incursion by Asmodeus and his forces, leaving little time for guests to react. Many high-profile figures, including the King of Hell, Lucifer, and his family, were in attendance. The immediate aftermath saw a frantic search for survivors, with emergency services and demonic first responders working through the night.

Katie Killjoy: Vox has yet to make a public statement, but sources close to him say he is devastated and is personally involved in the search for Verena.

Tom Trench: Security footage and eyewitness accounts are being reviewed to piece together the sequence of events. Asmodeus, already a notorious figure, now faces even greater infamy and potential retribution for this heinous act.

Katie Killjoy: Stay tuned to 666 News for the latest updates on this developing story.