#may be my favourite episode in television history

[myheadphonesareneverloudenough]

joe and kit kept talking about how episode 4 would be The Moment of the season and it was unlike anything the fans would be used to and boy were they RIGHT

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

New Taskmaster lineup announcement! That’s fun, isn’t isn't it? Let’s go over some of the new people.

I first learned the news the day after I booked tickets to see Emma Sidi in Edinburgh this summer, so that was good timing. I booked those because I like her in some other people’s Radio 4 things, she was good in Pls Like, she does amusing characters on YouTube, I read some good things about her stand-up show this year for which she’s currently doing WIPs, and she hangs out with Rose Matafeo so she has to be all right, hasn’t she? Oh, and I’ve spent too much time trying to get my hypocrisy-averse brain to reconcile my dislike of the dominance of socio-economically elite institutions over the arts, with how many of my favourite comedians were in Cambridge Footlights. I’ve done the work of reconciling that already, I may as well use it a few more times.

I'm much less pleased about Jack Dee, but it could be worse. I’m pretty strongly biased against Jack Dee because one of the first things I ever saw him do was be on the QI Girls Versus Boys episode, which was the first episode of QI to ever feature two entire women. They had Ronnie Ancona on with Sandi Toksvig, and they discussed gender-based topics, and it was terrible. A lot of Fry-era QI was pretty bad; panel shows got a lot funnier when they invented diversity in 2014. Also Stephen Fry is annoying and Sandi Toksvig should be Prime Minister, but I’m getting off topic here.

The point is that the first time QI had two women on at a time, it was so they could make those two women listen to a bunch of gender essentialist bullshit that they used as answers to the gender-related questions. At one point, Stephen Fry explained that the gender pay gap isn’t real because women play fewer sets than men in professional tennis. One of the questions was “Why are there more men than women on panel shows?”, and I thought the answer would involve one of the 300 levels of casual and institutionalized sexism that women tripped over on the path from making jokes on the playground to getting spots on television comedy shows. Nope. The answer Stephen Fry was looking for was “according to an American study”, audiences don’t find women as funny as they find men.

Through this, Ronnie Ancona in particular did a great job of walking the very thin line between trying to point out a bit of the bullshit, while not being the "argumentative feminist", and being funny at the same time so she’s not a killjoy feminist proving that women aren’t funny. She did this funny riff about female comedians locked in a paddock, and then she went back and forth with Sandi a bit about it, in literally the first moment in QI history of passing the Bechdel test, and Sandi started to say something about how rare and nice it is that she gets to sit next to a woman on a panel show, and Jack Dee interrupted Sandi mid-sentence to ask whether the reason they don’t have more women on panel shows is “once you get them started they don’t shut up”.

Now, obviously he was joking. The gruff, curmudgeonly persona is his thing, and this was meant to be part of that. But he got in a lot of "joke" sexist comments throughout that whole episode, a lot more than anyone else did even though this episode was essentially dedicated to comedic sexism. It doesn’t help that the YouTube comments are full of people unironically agreeing with Jack Dee’s comment that women don't shut up.

I saw this relatively early in my time watching all the long-running panel shows, so that was the lens through which I saw all Jack Dee's other appearances, and maybe because of that bias, I noticed that he interrupted women a lot on panel shows, and picked a lot of inappropriate moments for sexist jokes, often aimed at women in general on an all-male episode, or at the only woman in an episode, always a woman who was used to always being the one woman on panels and hearing jokes like that constantly. But at least when most of the men made those jokes they’d have laugh to suggest they didn’t mean it, Jack Dee would just glare at the women like it was their fault. And yeah, being grumpy is his persona, but he would sometimes break that and have a laugh with the men. Never women.

I don’t even mind a good ironically sexist joke. Honestly, I probably mind them less than I should. I enjoy a lot of comedy where a better feminist than me would reasonably say “irony is not a good enough excuse for how offensive this is”. I know irony is used to mask genuine bigotry and I hate that, but also, if I’m convinced enough that the person isn’t masking genuine bigotry, I can laugh at some pretty harsh stuff. You need to build up some cred before I’ll trust you with sexist jokes. If Nish Kumar went on a panel show and said all women should shut the fuck up, I’ll be pretty sure he’s kidding and it’s all right. But if Jack Dee has enough feminist cred to make those jokes okay, then I sure haven’t heard about it.

Also, Jack Dee showed up on Catsdown a lot and did the grumpy thing similar to Sean Lock, but was much much less funny about it, and yet everyone else on the show treated him like he was hilarious, and that annoyed me. Also, after Sean died, Jack Dee sat in for him as a guest team captain once, doing his significantly less funny version of Sean Lock's shtick (yeah it was probably Jack Dee's shtick first, I don't care), and I had a strong visceral reaction of

All right, that is way more words that I’d meant to write about Jack Dee. Honestly, after all that, he’s probably not that bad. He was mildly funny in Josh Widdicombe’s mildly funny sitcom. I heard some of his recent stand-up recently, and a bit of it made me laugh. I just don’t like him because I saw him on too many panel shows.

Babatunde Aleshe I know almost nothing about, except that he’s supposed to have been particularly good on Off Menu once (I wouldn’t know, don’t do food shows), and sometimes he does reality TV. I’ve seen him on Catsdown and WILTY and Rhod Gilbert’s Growing Pains, where he was never particularly memorable, but he was probably fine. I hope he’s entertaining.

And then there’s seat number five, and that’s sure an interesting one. Of course I'd thought about Rosie Jones as a potential Taskmaster contestant before, but I didn't expect it to happen. Not that I didn't expect them to have any physically disabled people. They've had Jonnie Peacock and Lenny Rush and one of these days they’re definitely going to cast Adam Hills and he’ll win and then Australia will annoyingly pull ahead of Canada in the competition for who has the most UK Taskmaster champions (it’s currently 2-2). But all those people are able to do most of Taskmaster without disability accommodations. I didn't expect them to cast someone who'd need significant accommodation.

Having said that, I was very happy to see they’d proved me wrong and are, in fact, going to do that. I think she’ll be great. There are lots of ways to make Taskmaster accessible – just because I thought they wouldn’t do it doesn’t mean I thought they couldn’t.

Rosie Jones’ style of humour will go great on Taskmaster. Some recent seasons have lacked a bit of spark of contestant interaction in the studio, and Rosie Jones is always going after people. She won’t leave anyone alone, which I think will work great on the show. She can be the chaotic wildcard ball of energy that Taskmaster needs to really get going. And she is very funny. That’ll be great. I'm excited to see her get into it with Greg and Alex as well as the other contestants. And to see her yell at people when anything happens during tasks.

So that’s the new lineup announcement. Have I covered everyone? I think that's all the important stuff. It’s good to have the lineup out there.

[pinkievie]

Six controversial F.R.I.E.N.D.S opinions that I formed during a re-watch

Today marks 30 years since the Pilot episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S first aired. Happy Anniversary to one of the best show's of all time!

A few years ago, when I learned that my partner hadn't seen a single episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S, I forced him into watching the whole series, every single night, for months.

Obviously, he was critical at first. However, I soon witnessed what the true magic of this sitcom was - the characters. Once the viewer understands and connects with each of the six main protagonists (which may take a season or two), suddenly the comedy and the warmth becomes so much more brilliant.

I could see a brand new fan in the making as we watched the show together, and it became obvious to me just how important the long-term watching was. The show is riddled with running inside jokes based on the character's distinct personalities and their history in past episodes.

This is why you constantly hear of people saying that they watched one or two episodes of F.R.I.E.N.D.S and "didn't find it that funny", or the that the classic laugh track is annoying, or maybe that the characters were insufferable.

A casual viewer probably doesn't understand what is so funny about Joey sabotaging his own audition, Phoebe revealing something crazy about her past, Ross explaining how many divorces he's had, Monica tensing up at any sign of disorganisation, Rachel getting emotional over trivial things, or Chandler always having to have a sarcastic comment for any situation. But, for a fan who really knows these people, these running personality traits and archetypes are a result of the character's shared experiences and adorable friendship, getting funnier the more you watch the same jokes being developed.

However, it has now been three decades since the very first episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S first aired on 22nd September 1994, and society and popular culture has changed a lot since then. I, myself, had a bunch of realisations after re-watching the show with fresh eyes, which I didn't expect at all. I now feel that the typical fan-favourite aspects of the show in the nineties and noughties are no longer as beloved as they once were.

Of course, there are new viewers of the Z generation who would argue the show is problematic, and, in some ways, they're not wrong. Ross's ex-wife and partner are constantly labelled as lesbians even when there is no need for it to be mentioned, and the earlier seasons imply that their relationship is unusual. Monica is fat-shamed, and Chandler's Dad is vaguely genderfluid and made fun of for it. However, comparing it to media published much later, I would say F.R.I.E.N.D.S holds up as a mostly non-harmful show. (But I will get to the Ross and Rachel issue later!)

I will only ever see F.R.I.E.N.D.S as comforting and non-malicious. Plus, let us not forget the waves that the show did make during the nineties. In season two, F.R.I.E.N.D.S became the first show to air a lesbian wedding on U.S television. It also portrayed single motherhood, blended family dynamics and same sex parents, homelessness, unemployment, vegetarianism, divorce, fertility treatment, surrogacy, adoption, casual sex. Most of these themes are still stigmatised and controversial today so, for 30 years ago, this was progressive.

However, I had my eyes opened when I watched the show again, this time not as a seven year old but as a fully-fledged adult in their twenties, with all the experience of this modern, improving world.

Here are the 6 conclusions I made that may make you re-think the long-standing view of the stories and characters:

Phoebe becomes a horrible friend

Don't get me wrong, in the early seasons Phoebe is very much the stereotypical warm and loving "hippy" friend, and she is seen cleansing people's auras, giving to the poor and supporting her loved ones. Her troubled backstory also meant she was able to shed perspective on the other character's trivial problems, particularly when it came to family.

However, mid-way through the show (around the time she gives birth to surrogate triplets for her brother) her character becomes more unpredictable and unfair. She continues to do good things, of course, but specifically in terms of friendship goals, I think later season Phoebe lacks a lot. She lies constantly, uses her childhood trauma to get what she wants, is flaky, ghosts people and cuts them out, gets angry when she's not getting attention, and is occasionally insulting and violent. She's definitely a strong and confident bad ass who doesn't take any crap, but in terms of being a good friend, Phoebe is at the bottom of the list of six. (Read on to see who's at the top of my list!)

Rachel is the "main character"

People may disagree with this but, when I was growing up and being raised by this show, despite Rachel essentially being the character who initiates the series by moving to New York in the Pilot episode, I saw all the protagonists as equally important. There was no main character. They were all the star, and they still are. As was reflected in the backstage bond between the actors all agreeing to be paid the same money throughout the show's run, every character is loved and an integral part of F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

However, there's a couple of things about Rachel's character and story that make her unique. Firstly, the way she is presented in the Pilot episode is that of an outsider coming into the friendship group, just like us as the viewer. So, for that important first season, Rachel becomes the viewer's eyes and ears, which is really special. As we are finding out about these characters, what they like, don't like, what they do for a living, their fears, so is Rachel. She is the closest to the audience in that respect. Rachel also goes through arguably the biggest transformation and character development on the show, going from a rich daddy's girl with no job and no responsibilities, to a mother with a fierce fashion career.

Another huge thing I noticed on a re-watch is that Rachel bonds strongly with each of the other five protagonists in ways I think is individual to her. She develops romantic crushes on all three of the boys (albeit, the Chandler one was only for one short flashback episode), and falls in love with two of them. She is also the only protagonist who has kissed everyone in the group, and she has also been room mates with everyone in the group. Whether you agree with Ross and Rachel or not, you could also see the 10 season show as a long love story or a "how I met your father" chronicle. During the last few episodes of F.R.I.E.N.D.S Rachel decides to say teary goodbyes to all the other friends individually, further showing up as the bridge between viewer and show, and coming full circle from Season 1.

Joey was the best friend, and was actually the most progressive

My listing of worst to best friend on the show would be Phoebe, Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey. Although, the real discovery is just how different Joey feels re-watching the show in the 2020's, compared to the nineties.

When the show first aired, it would be right to assume that Joey was presented as a "ladies man", regularly dating different women, sleeping with them and not calling them back. However, in the current age of dating apps and more normalised casual sex, this behaviour no longer feels awful. Yeah, so Joey might be care-free and forgetful, however when it comes to his long-term friends and people he loves, he is one of the most attentive, caring and forgiving characters. Joey is confident to be romantic, spoil and compliment a woman when he dates, and, unlike some of the other characters, he never cheats when he does get into a committed relationship.

Another huge realisation is just how progressive Joey was, even when he was made fun of for it by the other friends in the group. Being an actor, Joey was confident to wear or do unusual or "ladylike" things, including wearing male lipstick, ladies' underwear, and a male purse, and he doesn't flinch at drinking breast milk either in an early episode. The real loving side of Joey is emphasised during his crush and relationship with Rachel, where he behaves with so much sensitivity, patience and respect, even though it's his first proper love and heartbreak (more on that storyline later!).

Monica and Chandler were underrated and should have been the main romance

I actually think this opinion isn't controversial, and when I say "underrated" what I mean is that the the writers and show runners were blind-sided and unprepared for the huge positive reception this romance had from the fans of the show.

The famous episode where Monica and Chandler first sleep together in London was originally meant to be the start of a small, short fling romance, however it really was by the power of the F.R.I.E.N.D.S audience, who cheered so loudly in the studio during filming of that episode, that the writers were forced to develop the couple into the real deal - marriage, kids and happily every after.

Obviously every romance on the show had ups and downs however Monica and Chandler felt like such a stable, comfort couple, who found love amongst their own insecurities and flaws, and they become better people together. In the nineties and noughties, people will remember that Ross and Rachel were the more famous couple, however their constant break ups, low blows at each other and mind games, makes the re-watches hard to sit through. Monica and Chandler, on the other hand, radiate love and acceptance and a true healthy relationship. A relationship I look for.

Ross was very controlling

Whilst his storylines make for great comedy, it's obvious to most people during re-watches that Ross is borderline emotionally abusive. The Ross and Rachel love story which was once the centre piece of the show has been abandoned by most modern viewers, because of how Ross continues to sabotage their relationship and then place blame on Rachel, being overly jealous of her career, and of other male prospects. He is particularly unnecessarily angry when Joey reveals his crush on Rachel, as if he's got some kind of ownership on her despite not dating her for 8 years out of the 10 season show. And yet, he can move on and get married too quickly to someone else whenever he wants.

There was a time when Ross was the hopeless romantic of the show, seemingly having constant bad luck with the ladies and being awful at flirting. However, in hindsight, he is problematic. He moves on too fast and ruins his own wedding by saying the wrong name at the alter, gets involved with one of his student's, and deceives Rachel into thinking they are divorced when they are still married. Similar to Phoebe, Ross lies and has regular tantrums, to the point where other characters have to tip-toe around him to save his feelings.

Maybe once upon a time, Ross's intense undying love for Rachel would have been seen as sweet and adorable, but when I re-watched Rachel getting her dream job for the first time and Ross suddenly getting jealous and feeling inferior, wanting Rachel literally all to himself and to not have her own life, leading to the breakdown of their relationship (where it should have stayed, if I'm honest), it was clear Ross is a horrible boyfriend.

Joey and Rachel should have ended up together

I'm going to say it - Joey was too good for Rachel.

Following all my other realisations, I think this relationship should have been endgame, and something that I think if the show was made today, would have come true. Friends to lovers and unpredictable relationships are so popular on TV today, however in the noughties we were hit with the typical "red herring", when Joey and Rachel kiss in the Season 9 finale setting up the final season of the show in a new direction.

In a big whiplash moment, however, the romance was halted in just one, arguably silly episode, where Joey and Rachel find that they can not bring themselves to have sex because they are too close as friends. This was potentially all the fault of the main cast who were strongly against the Joey and Rachel romance, and felt it was wrong. Obviously, the actors do have some ownership over the authenticity and integrity of their characters, (and, for the most part, the actors did protest unfaithful storylines on many occasions), however I don't think anyone expected that future viewers would have rooted so heavily for Joey and Rachel.

Compared to Ross's controlling and toxic attitude, Joey has a heart of gold, and always gives Rachel the space and time she needs. He never throws tantrums, despite being completely heart-broken for most of Season 8, and always does the right thing by his feelings whilst respecting Rachel. Just the idea of these two being in a relationship is all we have, as the love story didn't have time to leave the ground. However, you have to admit, if a modern viewer could pick between Ross and Joey, I think it would be an obvious choice.

What are your (controversial or otherwise) F.R.I.E.N.D.S re-watch opinions??

[justi-faiz]

"Justice For Kaixa" is the rawest depiction of trauma in Tokusatsu History.

Hello, I am Wil Justifaiz and this is my first ever attempt at structuring something for Tumblr so please be patient with me. Faiz has been my favourite show in all Tokusatsu, maybe my favourite piece of television ever, despite is very notable flaws. The story of finding your place in a world that refuses to accept you and will villainize you, that will treat you like a monster no matter what you do, the story of overcoming trauma that Faiz represents really speaks to me.

Every single character in Faiz is a victim of severe trauma that shapes their story throughout the entire show but none of them manages to foil and progress the show in the way that Masato Kusaka does. In my completely honest opinion, Kamen Rider Kaixa is the best anti hero the franchise has ever seen and no other character has ever managed to even remotely capture the complexity of his character. A complexity that is on full display in his focus episode, Episode 37: Justice for Kaixa

//SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRETY OF KAMEN RIDER FAIZ!!!

Justice for Kaixa takes place shortly after Takumi's secret identity as an Orphnoch is revealed to the rest of cast, an event that fundamentally shakes up the dynamics of the tightly knit friend group that Faiz is known for. The episodes prior to this primarily focus on how this impacts Takumi's relationships with Mari, Keitaro and Yuji as they all struggle to truly adjust to this change. However prior to this episode, there is very little exploration of what Kusaka, Takumi's biggest detractor and the primary hater of Orphnoch's, thinks beyond it just being a justification for his hatred. This is addressed directly in this episode as Justice for Kaixa serves as an explanation and an elaboration of WHY kusaka is the way he is, why he has all those unexplained quirks and why he tends to get defensive and begins to gaslight people whenever he feels like his control over a situation is questioned.

During the following conversation with Kiba, Kusaka accidentally slips up when talking about Takumi, his hatred of Orphnoch distracting him from the possibility that Mari and Keitaro could take offense from that. This is unusual of the always reserved and calculated Kusaka who tries to always appeal to Mari and Keitaro in order to sustain a social control over them, something which shows to us as the audience just how deep Kusaka's hatred of the Orphnoch goes. But why...

Kusaka during the rest of the scene tries to reassert his dominance over the discussion by comparing Takumi to Sawada, even if his point is very much false, something he may or may not be aware of (depends on how you interpret his view on orphnochs, he could genuinely mean this, I am not sure), however Kusaka's logical stance and well worded points that directly draw from Mari's personal struggles is exactly what Kusaka thrives on. The reason he gets away with everything he does in the show is because he can CONSISTENTLY make a good case for himself and KNOWS how to justify his place there depending on who he is talking to. This is Kusaka's strong point, the core of Faiz's drama and THE MOST IMPORTANT DETAIL OF KUSAKA'S CHARACTER THAT SO MANY PEOPLE GET WRONG, Kusaka's need to be in control of everything in his life is the DIRECT RESULT of his trauma and it's what shapes him into the toxic and controlling piece of shit that he is. (and why I really like his writing 98% of the time.) Kusaka, as well worded as his points were, slowly comes to realize that, he didn't succeed in persuading Mari that Takumi needs to die. This is the set up to what I believe to be the best depiction of trauma induced panic attack that I've ever seen in a piece of media. Mari calling Takumi even if Kusaka's told her to stay away is what makes Kusaka realize he is losing control over the situation, a situation which hits VERY CLOSE to the most traumatic moment of his life.

The next shot we see of Kusaka is him aggressively cleaning his hand, a trait that he has displayed ever since his debut, as he mumbles in frustration as to why Mari can trust an Orphnoch so willingly, the very thing that got them all killed all these years ago. Kusaka is very much aware that Mari has no recollection of the event but the irony of it all, how she shows such unconditional love to the very thing he has been trying to protect them from just sets something off in him. Along with that Kusaka begins to feel frustrated that all his efforts to impress Mari, the only person Kusaka seems to have any real feelings of affection for, the only person who Kusaka is willingly to do anything for and the only one who he desires affection from, is seemingly betraying all his efforts without even acknowledging ANY of them. This is the part of the essay where I need to point out, Kusaka's entitlement to Mari's affection is OBVIOUSLY a toxic trait that is very much KUSAKA'S FAULT, just because I will rationalize WHY he has this tendency doesn't mean that Kusaka is JUSTIFIED in any of this. Kusaka's mommy issues and desire for Mari's affection often times has Kusaka disregard Mari's feelings for the sake of comforting himself. Kusaka isn't exactly an incel like Micchy gaim but his unhealthy obsession with Mari is very much a fundamental character flaw.

This is where it happens, one of my favourite scenes in the entire genre, Kusaka PTSD triggers as we finally receive the pay off to his little hand washing quirk as the blood of that night is covering his hand. Seeing this scene for the first time gave me chills, everything about the way things unfold, the score setting in the panic, the build up to it, the eventual "jumpscare", the incredible directing work and of course the highlight that makes it all work together so nicely, the sheer horror in Kusaka's face, an absolutely phenomenal performance by Kohei Murakami that manages to PERFECTLY portray just how scary this hallucination is to Kusaka, just how desperate he is to suppress that night from his brain. All of it is simply brilliant. The show does not try to soften or stylize or shyly draw an allegory to it, Kusaka's panic attack is raw, it's scary and it's very real. They did not shy away from showing just how helpless the all powerful and calculated Kusaka becomes during these episodes, being "reduced" to a screaming and panicked mess, lashing out at his surroundings as he smashes anything his way in this panicked state, trying everything in his power to convince himself that this night never took place.

The scene is chaotic, Kusaka violently trying to scrape the blood of his hand but no matter how hard he scrubs it the blood just won't come off, he fidgets he tries to look away, his breathing becomes heavy and erratic, the sharp violin and the thuds keeping you at the edge of your seat as we see this character who has always been in control breaking down as all his efforts accomplish nothing. No matter what he does, nothing will ever scrape off the warm, crimson blood from his hands and that is terrifying. It's a constant reminder that no matter what Kusaka attempts he will never EVER be able to overcome this event, he will never be able to clean off that blood from his hands. This scene explains EVERYTHING about why and how Kusaka is the way he is, this moment of sheer panic ends as abruptly as it started but it's message is still clear, the blood is something only Kusaka can see, a trauma he can't clean off, even if it's not visibly there anymore, his hand will never be rid of the blood it touched that night, Kusaka will NEVER be able to get rid of what happened to him that night. That's what makes Kusaka's character so tragic, that no matter what he does, he will never find peace.

Even if his hand is clean, Kusaka has been so shaken up by this very moment that he is still manic and unable to compose himself no matter how hard his tries as his panic attack continues. Kusaka looks disgusted and completely shaken up during this entire sequence as he gets up and begins to just smash shit up before he spots the only other thing in existence that acknowledges that he was there that night, the poster with his name written on it. Nothing and no one else in the entire world knows what happened but that poster, the only thing that forces his to acknowledge that night AND THUS if he destroys it, then nothing else can force him to acknowledge that night. The way Kusaka drops on the floor as he desperately tries to erase his name from the poster with a box character almost makes you feel bad for him because he isn't angry, he is desperate and that's what makes it feel so sad. Kusaka is reduced to a complete mess that is completely alien from his usual self because of how debilitatingly traumatic this memory is for him.

The roughness of how he gets to cutting up the poster is pure directing brilliance that is exclusive to it's time, the very wide shots that make Kusaka look small, the way Kusaka can't even compose himself to place it on the table, throwing everything around in his attempts to place it on the table, the messy and very rough attempt to tear out his name. All of it is genuine scary and sad to watch.

Mari catching him during this episode is another great choice to really add onto just how hard it is for Kusaka to control himself during one of these episodes, Mari confronting him as he fails to properly compose himself for long leads to one of the only moments where Kusaka gets violent with anyone that isn't an orphnoch, Takumi or Yuji as his composed and friendly facade COMPLETELY dissipates when confront with his trauma. Not even Mari, the most important person in his life is safe from this need to repress that memory at all costs. This shows Kusaka's need for control in full display because it provides us with the reason, Kusaka losing control of a situation reminds him all too much of that day where he was too helpless to save Mari or himself. Kusaka's need for control is a self defense mechanism, that night left him incapable of ever being vulnerable again whether its socially or physically, Kusaka is a character which every bit of his backstory serves as a reminder to the audience that this is a man who has gone through INDESCRIBABLE trauma without ever receiving any professional help to mend his broken psyche. This is why I find myself able to like Kusaka's character because, even if his actions are unforgivable they are all very rational once you understand who he is and why he is like this. Kusaka is an asshole who was forged through trauma. A narrative that often gets overlooked in recent media is how not every traumatized character is innocent and soft and just needed a big ol' hug to become a good guy. Don't get me wrong, I love characters like that too but Kusaka portrays a really ugly truth that genuinely makes me question why he is such a rarity. He is a traumatized person that never got the help he should have received, he never resolved his traumas and if I may mention a previous episode, his only guidance in life, his adoptive father enable and directly leads him into his path of self destruction, a topic I could and probably will go on about in my inevitable Kusaka deep dive, however the core of this message is how Kusaka is a bad person because he never resolved the issues he had, he never got the help he needed and he has never felt safe since that day, his entire life is a series of unfortunate events. A lot of people forget that Kusaka is an orphan as well, the reason he cares for Mari so much is because she provided him with the protection that he was looking for from his deceased(or maybe she just left him) mother.

Kusaka is what happens when a traumatized person never finds a way to healthily resolve his problems, that gets encouraged to indulge in his darkest thoughts in order to feel safe. This is what makes him such a perfect foil and anti hero. Takumi is also traumatized and yet, while takumi resolves his issues by finding people that will unconditionally love him and bonding with others like him while Kusaka isolates himself further and tries to find a way to be above others so he doesn't get hurt.

This is also why I get so pissed when people call Kusaka a villain, he is very much not that. A big part of kusaka's appeal to me atleast is how he is an anti hero because, much like you and me, he is a normal human. He isn't some sort super villain, he consistently fights for a just(on paper) cause, he is a hero who is a bad person. That's what makes him so unique. He is a bad person that isn't evil.

I'm running out of images so I won't go into as much detail about the rest of the episode + this is what I wanted to talk about mostly but yes, Mari telling Kusaka that Takumi could be the orphnoch that ruined his life is a vital piece of information that in his mind justifies all his hatred against Takumi but in order to assure this theory he needs to calm down, this is where we see Kusaka slip back into his usual persona to ease Mari into sharing the information he needs.

The drama sparked from this episode is just phenomenal and the character work it does for Kusaka is equally as good, I do heavily suggest to people that feel like they still don't fully understand Kusaka to take a look into his 2 character songs, Existence~KAIXA-nized Dice and Red Rock. Both of these songs delve deep into Kusaka's ideology, Existence explores his belief that only he knows the reality of the world, that only he can change fate for he is the only one who is truly "aware". To simplify it, Kusaka sees himself as the main character and everyone else is an npc he has to befriend or take down, that only he knows what's best. Meanwhile Red Rock explores Kusaka's need to be the victor in the end along with the previously stated inability to be vulnerable around others, in a world where people can betray you, Kusaka finds it impossible to confide in anyone for he may be caught of guard and be hurt once again by it. Kusaka wants his peace and does not trust ANYONE to help him with it. So until he wins, he will keep on fighting, he will fight until he has full control over fate itself. That's what makes Takumi such a good foil for him, because Takumi questions said authority while displaying no real drive of his own. It's a fight between the most driven and determined man who is set on revenge vs a man who has no ambition beyond maybe seeing tomorrow. Their rivalry is peak.

The reveal of the blood not being shed by Kusaka and instead being Mari's blood that Takumi supposedly shed is just a great touch, it recontextualizes Kusaka's protectiveness of Mari during the events of faiz while being a genuinely shocking and REALLY well shot scene.

The episode ends in Kusaka trying to resolve his problems by avenging mari's life along with his. In his mind executing Takumi is the only way he can find peace as he prepares to kill him, only held back by Yuji's attempt to rescue Takumi.

This episode is quite honestly one of my favourites in all tokusatsu and what makes Kusaka go from just an asshole that brings forth REALLY GOOD drama, to a tragic, three dimensional character who I can understand and empathize with while rooting against him at every turn. He is truly the most nuanced anti hero in the franchise and there will never be a character like him. I'm so glad that Kohei Murakami thinks so too, often referencing his role as Kaixa and celebrating KAIXA-day every September. He is a one of a kinda character that I genuinely think people should genuinely take another look at and try to see more to him that just how much of a dislikeable asshole he can be. How kaixa's belief that he determines fate is the grave act of hubris which leads to his eventual demise... Thank you all for reading! Faiz is my favourite piece of tokusatsu to ever come out of Toei and it means a great deal to me. I only now realized I never took a deep dive of it before so I thought I should give it a go by analyzing one of my favourite episodes. If you liked it please let me know, I really appreciate all the support! Also kusaka in my mind is 19 and no ancient site from 2003 can convince me that he is actually 21, that's stupid and weird. THANK YOU, BYEEEE!!!!!

[nortism]

6 :)

6. What is your favourite moment from each series?

This one is so tricky to narrow down but I'll give it a go.

Series 1: Pat explaining cameras to Mary. Perfectly highlighted what I love about this show: it showed how much has changed since the ghosts died, how two people from different times can get on and it was also just really funny.

Series 2: This was incredibly hard but a tiny moment I love would be in episode 6 when Kitty realises that the wedding is between two women and she exclaims, "Two brides! Wonderful!" Just very wholesome and the Captain's little smile is heat warming. I wrote a whole fic about this moment, I had to choose it. Honourable mentions for the opening montage of episode one showing Alison's daily routine with the ghosts, it serves a great transitions between the series and all of the Thomas Thorne Affair.

Series 3: This is my favourite series so this was super hard but I'm going to go with Alison photoshopping a picture of her and Kitty together and giving it to her. The whole dinner the ghosts had together was brilliant, perfect found family stuff but that little detail was super sweet and marked a real turning point in Kitty and Alison's relationship. Honourable mention to all of The Woodworm Men, the best filler episode in television history.

Series 4: The moment in episode 2 during the Mary flashback where she hears the man calling a woman a witch and she suddenly finds her voice. I love the Mary/Annie flashbacks and this was such a pivotal moment for her. Honourable mention Mike and Alison's kiss in the rain and also to Robin picking a star for Mary but Im saving that for the most touching moments ask.

Series 5: The scene in Pineapple Day where the ghosts have finally figured out Kitty's death and they rush in to tell her that her sister didnt kill her and Kitty says, "I know she didn't silly, I told you that." the other ghosts look so ridiculous doing their little gay runs and they are so pleased with themselves for solving the mystery while she simply isn't that bothered. Its funny and it just showcases how much the other ghosts care for her. Honourable mentions to "Merci Sophie" and all the April Fools pranks

There may be a theme here...

[papaya2000s]

Ensign O'Toole

I typically do not share content regarding American television shows or films; however, I consider the series Ensign O'Toole to be an exception. Throughout its airing, the show featured numerous special guests, with my favourite episode being the fourth, titled "Operation: Benefit," which included an appearance by the Kim Sisters.

Ensign O'Toole is an American television sitcom featuring Dean Jones in the lead role as a naval officer on the USS Appleby, a United States Navy destroyer, set in the early 1960s. The show was broadcast from 1962 to 1963 and was directed by a range of individuals including Hy Averback, Richard Kinon, and Jackie Cooper, among others. The series drew inspiration from two works by William Lederer, namely All the Ships at Sea (1950) and Ensign O'Toole and Me (1957), with Lederer serving as a consultant. The fictional USS Appleby was represented by the destroyer USS Frank E. Evans (DD-754).

Synopsis

Ensign O'Toole serves as a junior officer on the fictional destroyer USS Appleby during the peacetime era of the early 1960s in the United States Navy. The crew includes Lieutenant Commander Virgil Stoner, the executive officer; Lieutenant (junior grade) Rex St. John, the wealthy and often confused supply officer; and a variety of eccentric crew members, such as Chief Petty Officer Homer Nelson, who frequently seeks poker games and clashes with O'Toole, along with Seamen Gabby Di Julio, Howard Spicer, and Claude White. O'Toole, characterized by his laid-back demeanor, possesses intelligence, multilingual abilities, and a knack for trivia, yet he tends to shirk responsibilities in favor of pranks and outshining the ambitious St. John, often with the crew's enthusiastic support. The commanding officer of the Appleby remains off-screen, with Lieutenant Commander Stoner typically conveying orders, although the commanding officer's voice occasionally emanates from the ship's "squawk box."

The destroyer USS Frank E. Evans (DD-754), seen in April 1963, portrayed the fictional USS Appleby.

Broadcast history

Ensign O'Toole debuted on NBC on September 23, 1962, and concluded after one season, with its final episode airing on May 5, 1963. The series, which consisted of 32 original episodes, continued to be rerun in its regular Sunday 7:00 p.m. time slot until September 15, 1963. Subsequently, from March to September 1964, ABC broadcast reruns of the show on Thursdays at 9:00 p.m., with the last episode airing on September 10, 1964, before Bewitched replaced it the following week. As of April 2023, the series has been available in the United Kingdom on Talking Pictures TV.

Cast:

The ensemble cast of Ensign O'Toole features Dean Jones in the titular role of Ensign O'Toole. Supporting him are Jay C. Flippen as Chief Petty Officer Homer Nelson, Jack Mullaney portraying Lieutenant (junior grade) Rex St. John, and Jack Albertson as Lieutenant Commander Virgil Stoner. The cast also includes Harvey Lembeck as Seaman Gabby Di Julio, Beau Bridges as Seaman Howard Spicer, and Bob Sorrells as Seaman Claude White. Recurring roles are filled by Stuart Margolin as Lieutenant Miller, Skip Ward as Lieutenant Ferguson, Ken Berry as Lieutenant Melton, Gerald Trump as Crump, Andrew Colmar as Naismith, and Eddie Peterson as Selby.

Episode 1-12 List:

The list below presents the first part of a compilation detailing episodes 1 to 12 of the US series Ensign O'Toole, which includes the titles, air dates, and summaries of the events occurring in each episode. Enjoy ;)

Episode 1 - "Operation: Kowana," directed by Hy Averback and penned by Bill Davenport, premiered on September 23, 1962.

In this episode, the crew of the Appleby is cautioned to maintain decorum during their shore leave in the Japanese port of Kowana, following a previous incident where a U.S. Navy crew inundated the town with counterfeit currency. Tensions rise when a local resident mistakenly believes he has won the Appleby in a poker game. The episode features guest appearances by Victor Sen Yung and Mako (マコ).

Episode 2, titled "Operation: Model T," was directed by Hy Averback and penned by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, premiering on September 30, 1962.

In this episode, Lieutenant (junior grade) St. John inadvertently damages a French doctor's Ford Model T while trying to fix it on a South Pacific island in French Polynesia. Subsequently, O'Toole acquires the vehicle and instructs the crew to camouflage it in parts aboard the Appleby. Upon the ship's arrival in California, he has the car reassembled for sale; however, before the intended buyer can inspect it, an admiral with a passion for antique cars spots it at the dock. The episode features guest appearances by Don Beddoe, Susan Silo, Emil Genest, and Alberto Morin.

Episode 3, titled "Operation: Daddy," was directed by Hy Averback and penned by James Allardice and Tom Adair, premiering on October 7, 1962.

In this episode, Seaman White's wife is on the verge of childbirth in Omaha, Nebraska, while he remains stationed on the Appleby in San Diego, California. With Lieutenant Commander Stoner unavailable to intervene, O'Toole is confident that he can promptly secure leave papers for White. The episode features guest appearances by Molly Dodd, Merle Pertile, and Davis Roberts.

Episode 4, titled "Operation: Benefit," was directed by Hy Averback and penned by Sheldon Keller and Howard Merrill, premiering on October 14, 1962.

In this episode, O'Toole intends to allocate the funds generated from the "Foster Father's Follies," a talent show organized by the crew of the Appleby, to support the girls residing in a South Korean orphanage. Notable guest appearances include Cherylene Lee, Grace Lee Whitney, James Hong, The Kim Sisters, and Dick Powell, who was serving as the head of Four Star Television during this period.

Episode 5, titled "Operation: Jinx," was directed by Hy Averback and penned by Sheldon Keller and Howard Merrill, premiering on October 21, 1962.

The narrative follows Seaman Jerome J. "Jinx" Johnson, who joins the crew of the Appleby. Chief Petty Officer Nelson warns the sailors of impending misfortune, as Johnson is regarded as a harbinger of bad luck within the U.S. Navy. Consequently, the crew experiences a series of mishaps shortly after Johnson's arrival. The episode features guest appearances by Soupy Sales as "Jinx" Johnson, along with Sandra Gould, Sid Gould, Clyde Adler, Harvey Perry, Michael Adair, and Ed Craig.

Episode 6, titled "Operation: Holdout," was directed by Hy Averback and penned by Sheldon Keller and Howard Merrill, premiering on October 28, 1962.

In this episode, the Appleby responds to a distress call from two American soldiers stationed on a remote Pacific island, who assert they are under attack by Japanese forces. Upon arrival, the crew discovers both American and Japanese soldiers entrenched in combat, unaware that World War II concluded in 1945, and that it is now 1962. The episode features guest appearances by Mako, James Hong, Davis Roberts, Tige Andrews, and Eddie Ryder.

Episode 7, titled "Operation: Birthday," was directed by Don Taylor and written by James Komack, Bill Davenport, and Charles Tannen, airing on November 4, 1962.

In this episode, the crew seeks to purchase a watch for Chief Nelson's birthday; however, they find themselves lacking sufficient funds. To resolve this issue, O'Toole formulates a strategy to win the necessary money from Nelson through a poker game, as the crew is financially constrained while only Nelson possesses any money.

Episode 8, titled "Operation: Dinner Party," was directed by Robert Gordon and written by Sheldon Keller and Howard Merrill, airing on November 11, 1962.

In this episode, Lieutenant (junior grade) St. John misplaces the funds entrusted to him by Lieutenant Commander Stoner for a diplomatic gathering. In response, O'Toole offers to assist St. John by organizing the event at no cost, intending to procure food from other vessels in the fleet and enlisting Chief Petty Officer Nelson to concoct a beverage that could pass for "wine." The episode features guest appearances by Jay Novello, Jan Arvan, Veola Vonn, Norma Varden, Ramsey Hill, Irwin Ashkenazy, and George Baxter.

Episode 9, titled "Operation: Mess," was directed by James Komack and penned by writers Sheldon Keller and Howard Merrill, airing on November 18, 1962.

In this episode, O'Toole grapples with the growing dissatisfaction regarding the deteriorating quality of food on the Appleby, despite the fact that the ship's cook, Charlie, had previously earned a reputation for his culinary skills. The episode features guest appearances by Harry Morgan, Les Brown, Jr., Stafford Repp, Herbie Faye, Joe Higgins, Larry Perron, and John Kahn.

Episode 10, titled "Operation: Impersonation," was directed by Don Taylor and written by Bill Davenport and Charles Tannen, airing on November 25, 1962.

In this episode, Lieutenant Commander Stoner finds himself in trouble after consuming excessive amounts of Malayan punch, leading to his arrest for recklessly driving a truck through a Malayan general's cherished garden. In an effort to secure leniency for Stoner, O'Toole takes on the role of Appleby’s superior officer to appeal to the outraged general. The episode features guest appearances by Edgar Barrier, Pamela Searle, Ben H. Wright, and Alan Caillou.

Episode 11, titled "Operation: Hypnosis," was directed by Lawrence Dobkin and written by Bill Davenport and Charles Tannen, airing on December 2, 1962.

In this episode, O'Toole employs hypnosis on Chief Petty Officer Nelson to curb his gambling habits and on Lieutenant (junior grade) St. John to instil a belief in his superiority as a naval officer, leading to a series of chaotic events. The guest appearance features Michael Adair, highlighting the comedic turmoil that arises when O'Toole transforms St. John into a strict adherent of regulations and alters the Chief's attitude towards gambling.

Episode 12, titled "Operation: Potomac," was directed by Hy Averback and written by Sheldon Keller and Howard Merrill, airing on December 9, 1962.

In this episode, while the Appleby is docked in Washington, D.C., Ensign O'Toole begins receiving mysterious gifts from an unknown admirer. The situation escalates when one of the gifts, a dress, prompts teasing from the crew, leading O'Toole to investigate the source of the gifts. His inquiry reveals the existence of another Ensign O'Toole at the base, who is female. The episode features guest appearances by Carolyn Kearney, Norm Alden, Dee Carroll, John Newton, Tyler McVey, Mike Mason, and Richard Eastham.

[bookclub4m]

Episode 195 - Pop(ular) Culture Non-Fiction

This episode we’re discussing the topic of non-fiction Pop Culture books! We talk about cult classics, the Disney channel, the futch scale, and being Eldritch Millennials. 

You can download the podcast directly, find it on Libsyn, or get it through Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast delivery system.

In this episode

Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | Jam Edwards

Join our Discord Server!

Things We Read (or tried to…)

Street Unicorns: Extravagant Fashion Photography from NYC Streets and Beyond by Robbie Quinn

Poisoned Chalice: The Extremely Long and Incredibly Complex Story of Marvelman by Pádraig Ó Méalóid

Part 0: Introduction

I Am the Law: How Judge Dredd Predicted Our Future by Michael Molcher

And Don't F&%k It Up: An Oral History of RuPaul's Drag Race by María Elena Fernández

The 2000s Made Me Gay: Essays on Pop Culture by Grace Perry

Note: Anna didn’t have the Disney Channel because she lived in the woods in Alaska. It also did not exist in Canada until 2015.

The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel by Jenny Nicholson

That's So '90s!: A Pop-Cultural Guide to the Raddest Decade by Jo Stewart and Lisa Gillard

The Bizarre World of Fake Video Games by Super Eyepatch Wolf

Junk Film: Why Bad Movies Matter by Katharine Coldiron

Other Media We Mentioned

Attack of the New B Movies: Essays on SYFY Original Films edited by Justin Wigard and Mitch Ploskonka

Introducing Postmodernism: A Graphic Guide by Chris Garratt and  Richard Appignanesi

FRUiTS by Shoichi Aoki

Wikipedia

Miracleman: The Silver Age by Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham

RuPaul's Drag Race (Wikipedia)

The Pit Stop S16 E01

Glee (TV series) (Wikipedia)

Euphoria (American TV series) (Wikipedia)

Abbott Elementary (Wikipedia)

The Simpsons is Good Again by Super Eyepatch Wolf

Taskmaster: Series 17, Episode 1

Plan 9 from Outer Space (Wikipedia)

Every Frame a Painting

Links, Articles, and Things

Follow our Twitch channel!

Jam and Matthew will be streaming Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp on Saturday, June 8th at 3pm PT/6pm ET. 

Jam made an image to promote it.

Jam’s Top Ten Video Essays About Media They Haven’t Experienced

Mood board (Wikipedia)

Blockbuster (Wikipedia)

Walkman (Wikipedia)

Milk caps/Pogs (Wikipedia)

Tamagotchi (Wikipedia)

Webring (Wikipedia)

Which Pokémon are the most goth?

20 Pop Culture Non-Fiction Books by BIPOC Authors

Every month Book Club for Masochists: A Readers’ Advisory Podcasts chooses a genre at random and we read and discuss books from that genre. We also put together book lists for each episode/genre that feature works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) authors. All of the lists can be found here.

A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib

Indigenous Celebrity: Entanglements with Fame edited by Jennifer Adese & Robert Alexander Innes

The Male Gazed: On Hunks, Heartthrobs, and What Pop Culture Taught Me About (Desiring) Men by Manuel Betancourt

Carefree Black Girls: A Celebration of Black Women in Popular Culture by Zeba Blay

The Pretty One: On Life, Pop Culture, Disability, and Other Reasons to Fall in Love With Me by Keah Brown

She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson

Can't Stop Won't Stop: A Hip-Hop History by Jeff Chang & Dave Cook

Producing Sovereignty: The Rise of Indigenous Media in Canada by Karrmen Crey

Wannabe: Reckonings with the Pop Culture That Shapes Me by Aisha Harris

Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones

K-Drama School: A Pop Culture Inquiry into Why We Love Korean Television by Grace Jung

Superfan: How Pop Culture Broke My Heart by Jen Sookfong Lee

Indiginerds: Tales from Modern Indigenous Life edited by Alina Pete

Nerd: Adventures in Fandom from This Universe to the Multiverse by Maya Phillips

The Dead Don't Need Reminding: In Search of Fugitives, Mississippi, and Black TV Nerd Shit by Julian Randall

Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong by Katie Gee Salisbury

First Things First: Hip-Hop Ladies Who Changed the Game by Nadirah Simmons

Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop by Danyel Smith

Making a Scene by Constance Wu

Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now by Jeff Yang, Phil Yu, & Philip Wang

Give us feedback!

Fill out the form to ask for a recommendation or suggest a genre or title for us to read!

Check out our Tumblr, follow us on Instagram, join our Facebook Group or Discord Server, or send us an email!

Join us again on Tuesday, June 18th when it’s time once again for One Book One Podcast as we each pitch a book we think we should read and you (the listeners) get to vote!

Then on Tuesday, July 2nd we’ll be discussing the genre of Law/Legal Non-Fiction!

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay Visuals: In The Air Tonight

Now this is a song that many people know, at least partially! Even if the name doesn't ring a bell for you, you almost definitely know the part that some people call "one of the most iconic drumlines in music", so really it's no surprise that this was an arrangement from The Human Drumkit himself, Mr Layne Stein! Voiceplay's cover of In The Air Tonight premiered on YouTube on the 17th of June, 2023, and features J None, back again! I will of course say more about the video when we actually get into it, so let's go!

Apparently the style/aesthetics of this video plays homage to a classic 80s cop show called Miami Vice, which used the song "In The Air Tonight" in its pilot episode, in a scene which (so I've heard) has been referred to by some as one of the most iconic in the history of television.

(Also the car belongs to Layne's dad, and likely would have been sitting in the garage since the early days of 4:2:Five, at least)

J looking very cool and fresh in that red blazer! (Reminds me of the Walk Like A Man section of the Boy Band Medley!)

Geoff is, once again, the only bare-shouldered/sleeveless one of the group! (A back-to-back occurrence if you don't count the Peaches video!) (Also peep the necklace!)

A cool audiovisual effect thing to transition into the "modern-day" filming style!

Cesar is vibing, and Eli is back at it again with the unworn-sunglasses-as-accessory!

Cool necklace! And he's got earrings, too!

I won't lie, this may be one of my favourite Geoff Looks of 2023. It's not even anything particular about the outfit, he just looks so pretty in this one! (And his hair is looking very nice here, too 👀😁)

"Well if you told me you were drowning, I would not lend a hand"

Of course I had to acknowledge Cesar's powerful side-eye here! Like seriously, if anyone ever asks you what a side-eye is, just show them this moment! 👌

Group shot!

I believe I read a comment somewhere saying this was filmed outside PattyCake Productions or something, like outdoors? And apparently it was a bit warm outside, especially with the lighting rigs, but if they were sweating/partially melting at all during this, you really can't tell! They did great!

(And shoutout to both Layne and Tony for set design and direction!)

Cesar never fails to put his whole self into his performances, and I love it every time

Voiceplay love adding brief little moments like this into their videos sometimes, just to keep things interesting and/or keep viewers on their toes 😄

Get it, Layne! Go off!

I wanna post screencaps from Geoff's little vocal solo and/or Layne's epic drumline-recreation immediately after, but still images don't do either justice! Go (re)watch it yourself!

"I been waiting for this moment, for ALL my liiife!"

The retro filming style/aesthetic is back! Happening so quickly and smoothly that you would be forgiven if you didn't immediately pick up on it! (*cough*)

Sure, why not?

"Well I been waiting for this moment, for all my life, oh loooooo o r r r d d"

(Pretty Boy!!!!!)

J None is freaking amazing, and I really hope he becomes a permanent Voiceplay member again someday; both he and Cesar are fantastice vocalists and performers, and they both have vocal ranges wide enough that they can both easily take the role of baritone and/or tenor!

In my opinion, the original song does not really start getting interesting until the "bass drop" drumline like 3 minutes into the song, but Voiceplay's cover is not even close to dull for a single moment! We get incredible vocals from everyone in this one (and I didn't talk about Eli much at all here, but vocally he was of course phenomenal), and the arrangement has a fair few complexities and interesting stuff to it, like the stomp-clap-click percussion moment which I still struggle to actually keep in time/on beat with! Definitely a very strong cover from Voiceplay, and frankly it's a crime that it "only" has 500k views on YouTube! It deserves a million! At least!

[cfgravenpast]

(—) ★ spotted!! NIKOLAI DELACRUZ on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 25 year old looks like BENJAMIN WADSWORTH, but i don’t really see it. while  the STREAMER/YOUTUBER/ACTOR is known for being RELIABLE my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be RECKLESS i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song SHE KEEPS ME UP by NICKELBACK  he/him / male} - penned by Sushi

BASICS

Name: Nikolai Mattias Delacruz Nicknames/Alias: Niko Face Claim: Benjamin Wadsworth Age: 25 Gender: Male Sexuality: Heterosexual Date/Place of Birth: May 9, 1997 in Tampa, Fl Currently: Los Angeles, CA Nationality: Latino, Iranian, Swedish, American Occupation: Youtuber/Streamer/Actor

PERSONALITY

Positives/Virtues/Skills: dauntless – not frightened or discouraged resilient – the ability to recover from failures or setbacks adventurous - willing to take risks or to try out new methods, ideas, or experiences. charismatic -  exercising a compelling charm which inspires devotion in others. persuasive - good at persuading someone to do or believe something through reasoning or the use of temptation. sensitive -  good at persuading someone to do or believe something through reasoning or the use of temptation.

Flaws/Weaknesses: arrogant - having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities. compulsive - resulting from or relating to an irresistible urge, especially one that is against one’s conscious wishes. impulsive - acting or done without forethought. truculent - eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant. cantankerous - bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative. aggressive - ready or likely to attack or confront; characterized by or resulting from aggression.

Likes Favourite colour? Black Favourite foods? TBD Favourite music? Reggaeton, Hip-Hop, R&B Favorite books? TBD Fears: TBD

RELATIONSHIPS

Parents:  Unknown Delacruz (Biological Father) Unknown Delacruz nee David pronounced Dah-Veed (Biological Mother)

Siblings: N/A

Children: N/A

Other family: TBD Pets: TBD Spouse: N/A Current Partner: N/A Ex-Partners: TBD Co-Workers: TBD Co-Stars: TBD Friends: TBD Enemies: TBD

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Build: 5'9", 158 lbs, muscualr build Hair Colour: Dark brown  Eye Colour: Dark Brown Distinguishing Marks: Scar down left brow and eye

Accomplishments: TBD

Regrets: TBD

Secrets: TBD

HISTORY

Niko was born in Miami, Fl in 1997. His parents passed away when he was 6 years old in a car accident. 

This left Niko to be placed into the system, bouncing all over from foster home to foster home. Some were okay but others were absolute terror. 

At the age of 12, Niko was moved to Tampa, Fl, still bouncing from foster to foster but fortunately for him he met Theodore Beckett at this time and he became a permanent fixture in his life. One of the few people to really know the real Nikolai.

At 14, Niko ended up in the hospital after a severe beating from his alcoholic foster dad. A scar remains running down his left brow and eye from that day, a reminder of the hell he’s endured through his childhood. 

His active celebrity career began with the making of youtube videos, mainly of him doing walk throughs of games and eventually joining twitch and streaming alongside Teddy.

At the age of 19, he landed his first role in one episode of Girl Meets World.

His acting career really shot off when he joined the cast of Teen Wolf as Alec and has been growing ever since.

Leaving this short so I can plot more out with everyone

RESUME

Youtube claim

https://www.youtube.com/@HollowPoiint

Twitch tag: @gamingwithniko

Television Career

Girl Meets World: role; Jordan, age; 19

Teen Wolf: role; Alex, age; 20

Deadly Class: role; Marcus Lopez Arguello, age; 21-22

Your Honor: role; Rocco Baxter, age; 23

Tell Me Lies: role; Drew, age; 24

Movie Career

Unhuman: role; Randall, age; 24

Teen Wolf: role; Alec, age; 25 (Current Project)

[eg-writtenthoughts]

While You're Waiting...

An intermediary post while I’m reading the next book... A plug for my favourite true crime podcast - True Crime and Cocktails. 

Produced by Art19, this podcast is hosted by Lauren Ash, most well known for her role as Dina in NBC’s hit show Superstore and her cousin/best friend Christy Oxborrow. 

What started out of a guest appearance on Lauren’s old podcast, became a lockdown passion project for the pair. Starting off with a running time around an hour and a half, the episodes got to the point much quicker than they do these days. Mainly, Christy researched the cases of Netflix's first season of the “new” Unsolved Mysteries. 

Now on their 132nd episode, the running time passes the two hour mark with at least one episode sitting at three hours. With enthusiasm and humour that’s made me snort in laughter a time or two, they discuss their lives and current or twenty year old pop culture to warm up their audience for half hour to forty-five minutes of the episode.

In my personal opinion, Christy Oxborrow might be the best researcher in audio media at the moment. I understand that on television shows or fancy network podcasts, like Dateline NBC or Crime Beat, their researchers must be more careful with what they say or where they look for details. Nobody wants to get sued. Christy however, will do an occasional social media search or a search of a town’s archives. It adds much more to the episodes, and gives credence to the moments when the pair essentially calls some of the suspects ‘idiots’ (in their own educated opinions).

Christy and Lauren are just as entertaining, even more revealing and connected to their invested listeners on their Patreon. True Crime and Cocktails is the first patreon I’ve ever subscribed to and I think it’s a worthy choice. They provide three tiers of content, all at different and reasonable prices. 

Many cases covered on the podcast are familiar, like Nicole Brown, Heaven’s Gate, or Whitey Bulger. A majority of the cases are a medium level familiarity for anyone who’s dabbled in true crime along with cases that are next to unknown. These tend to be Christy’s and Lauren’s specialty. A particular series I find unique is titled ‘Missing’. Christy presents Lauren and the audience with a range of cases with little information available. As there’s Unsolved Mysteries. 

Sticking to their roots, Lauren and Christy have covered the two newest seasons of Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries. 

At the end of an episode, Lauren (and when they occasionally reverse positions, Christy) goes over the diligent notes she’s taken, often with the loving interruption of one or multiple pets. The pair spend half an hour discussing the case and theories they’ve come up with for the unsolved episodes. Lauren often gives her “psychologist’s hat” opinion. As she reminds the listeners, she does not have a degree, only a history of true crime fascination.

In conclusion, True Crime and Cocktails is a podcast anyone can listen to if they’re interested in getting more true crime into their brains. In my opinion, you won’t be able to listen to any other true crime podcast without feeling like you’d rather hear it from your Canadian, quirky friends. The oldest episodes may be a little rougher to get into especially if those are the ones you chose to start with, but soon enough, the two get their stride and have grown a podcast that I anxiously wait for every Tuesday morning. 

[g-kaur13]

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1970) -William Hanna, Joseph Barbera

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is an American animated comedy television series which is created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears. This series was premiered as part of the network's Saturday morning cartoon schedule on September 13, 1996 and aired for two seasons until October 31, 1970.The complete series is available on the Boomerang, HBO Max, and Tubi Streaming services. The series spawned the famous Scooby-Doo franchise, which continues to this day, over fifty years later, outliving both its creators and the studio that produced it.

Technique Section:-

Scooby-Do, Where Are You! was created through a process called 'limited' or 'panelled' animation' which was devised a decade earlier by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera. Limited or panelled animation does not require an entirely new drawing for every frame of film. This is accomplished by splitting up the character onto different 'cels' (sheets of acetate) or 'celluloid' onto which the figures are painted and then photographed. The bottom cel may contain the character's body, while the cel laid over it contains the arm or head, or whatever part is required to move. the episode is broken down into shots on paper. This phase of production includes staging the action and designing the sets, props and any new character the episode requires. Then later on, the director passes the work onto animators, who draw the scenes and lip-sync the mouths of the character to the voice tracks.

Representation Section:-

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is a story of a group of teenage friends and their great Dane (Scooby Doo) travel in a bright green van solving strange and hilarious mysteries, while returning from on going tom regular teenage function. First episode of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is What a Night for a Knight. In this episode the teenage group and scooby doo himself goes to have fun movie time on fine day. On their way back from the movie Shaggy (main character, scooby-doo's best friend) and Scooby finds the abandoned vehicle of a missing archaeologist, and the only thing inside the car at all is a mysterious suit of black armor in the seat. After research, the gang learns that superstition tells that the armor can come to life.

Reception Section:-

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! was the result of CBA and Hanna-Barbera's plan to create a non-violent Saturday morning program that would appease the parent watch groups that had protested the superhero-based programs of the mid-1960's. Originally titled The Mysteries Five and later Who's S-S-Scared?, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! underwent a number of changes from script to screen. On November 9,2010, Warner Home Video released Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! The Complete Series. The eight-disc set features all 25 episodes of the series plus the 16 episodes produced in 1978 which aired as part of Scooby's All-Stars. While a successful series during its three separate tenures on Saturday morning. Scooby-Doo won o awards for artistic merit during its original series runs. The series has received only two Emmy nominations in its four-decade history. Scooby-Doo has maintained a significant fan base, which has grown steadily since the 1990s due to the show's popularity among both young children and nostalgic adult who grew up with the series.

Personally, Scooby-Doo cartoon was my childhood favourite cartoon. I use to love watching Shaggy's and Scooby-Doo's friendship a lot. Me and my siblings used to make the room dark as much as possible so make the cartoon more intense4. It was fun watching it again and remembering good old days.

Reference:-

[fitzsimmonsdaughter]

Well, I just watched the season 5 finale and to say I am an inconsolable mess right now would be an understatement.

I knew it was coming but Fitz's death absolutely destroyed me. I've seen edits and the second he, Mack and May ran into that building I realised what was going to happen. So I was already crying long before the roof collapsed.

The moment Mack realised was pure pain. One of the last one on one conversations they had was Mack basically telling Fitz he was becoming a bad person. But remembering them when they first met and everything they have been through since... PAIN. As one of the bus kids, May is his mother, so having her there was equally as heartbreaking. They've never been really close but they have been with each other through so much and after both being Hydra in the framework, I like to think they bonded a little more.

It was the most devastating scene I have ever witnessed but all I can think is thank goodness Jemma wasn't there because if she was I would not stop crying for weeks. Or Daisy because imagine the emotions after everything that has happened this season.

I think we also need to take a second to appreciate Iain's phenomenal acting. In this show he has proved time and time again just what an incredible and compelling actor he is and I think the authenticity of this scene really made it. Every tear, every crack in his voice, every gasp for breath was deliberate and a sign of pure talent and skill that is simply unmatched. The way he delivered each line and how he portrayed each emotion was so raw, so real- it was breathtaking to watch.

Anyway I know they are off to retrieve frozen space Fitz but it was still the most heart shattering thing I have ever seen (even surpassing the scene where he screamed at the monolith which I think is one of the best acting performances in the history of television). Also, who is going to be having the 'you cut into Daisy's brain in your Doctor persona' conversation with him because HOW do you tell someone that. AND he won't know he married Jemma. Or about Deke.

All in all, one of my favourite episodes of the show and definitely one of the saddest (I haven't even had time to think about Coulson's goodbye). They better get him back quickly in season 6 because he is my comfort character and I heavily rely on him :D

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

I listened to a few episodes of the Trusty Hogs podcast, as per a recommendation I got here. Heard both Nish Kumar ones and thought they were both extremely funny. Nish Kumar is great in an environment like that, isn't he? And by "an environment like that", I suppose I mean among very outspoken women. Although probably the funniest thing in both episodes was Catherine Bohart trying to argue everyone to her side about everything.

I listened to the David O'Doherty one too, which was great for a number of reasons, the main one being Catherine Bohart being very sweetly star struck at the Irish star. I've got to admit I'm not such a big fan of Helen Bauer (not for any particular reason, just not my favourite style), but I could have happily listened to Catherine Bohart and David O'Doherty chat about jazz music and Ireland all day.

And of course we got this from that episode, because it's not a podcast episode ft. David O'Doherty without him launching into Chocolate Milk Gang-era stories. He really is the best for being the CMG member most likely to bring those stories out, and I think his favourite is the summer that he and Josie Long traded victories in new act comedy competitions.

I've heard both sides tell this story so many times, and I do not get tired of hearing it. David O'Doherty is being slightly disingenuous by saying that "to this day, Josie brings up that she beat me in the BBC New Comedy Awards", as though he doesn't also tell that story every chance he gets. It's a good story. And I'd heard it quite a few times already, when last year, my friend dug up a video of that BBC award final, which, as DO'D said, was televised:

Absolutely adorable, all three of those videos. Look at those tiny adorable children. Look at that weird eclectic mix of judges. The 90s. What a time.

I so wish that So You Think You're Funny Final were also on video, I'm pretty sure it was never recorded. That is a quite star-studded final. If you go to the Wikipedia entry for it, I recognize more names from 1999 than I do from the years around it. From 2000, it's Mark Dolan, Francesca Martinez, Jason Manford, and some people I don't know.

Now, here's something interesting about that Wikipedia page. They mentioned on the podcast episode that Jimmy Carr was in the final, but isn't on Wikipedia. And I thought that might make sense, because I did notice, a couple of months ago, that he was left out of the Chortle article. When Chortle announced the Taskmaster season 18 contestants, they said that Andy Zaltzman had been a 1999 finalist in So You Think You're Funny, along with Russell Howard, David O'Doherty, and Josie Long. I mentioned in a Tumblr post at the time that it was weird that Jimmy Carr was left off that list, I joked that this may be Steve Bennett getting a subtle dig at him that he's not important enough to be on the list of famous finalists.

But after I heard this podcast episode, I thought that maybe he was left off the list because Steve Bennett got his information off the Wikipedia page, and Jimmy Carr's not there. However, when I went to that page to check, I saw:

The people of that podcast were right, though, when they said you can go back through the Wikipedia edit history to check on that. The above screenshot is from today. Here's a screenshot from August 10, 2022:

And here's a screenshot of the edit history:

On September 1st, 2022, someone edited the "1999" section. That podcast episode came out on September 1st, 2022. I really enjoy how little time that took. Someone listened to that podcast and fixed the Wikipedia error that same day. No one can pretend that Jimmy Carr was never young/human.

Having said that, I don't think it was, as DO'D implied, a conspiracy to pretend Jimmy Carr was never human, as I went back to the earliest versions of that page in the Wikipedia history, and it appears Jimmy Carr was never listed there, until that podcast came out. And it does appear that whoever wrote Andy Zaltzman's Wikipedia page was using the pre-2022 So You Think You're Funny Wikipedia page for reference, as it says this:

Which I now realize is why Chortle left out Jimmy Carr when listing Andy Zaltzman's co-finalists in the article about the Taskmaster season 18 contestants; Steve Bennett would have been getting his information from Andy Zaltzman's Wikipedia page. It is probably that, and not another Jimmy Carr-based conspiracy in which Steve Bennett thought it would be funny to say "here are the people from that final who are important enough to mention" and intentionally leave out Jimmy Carr.

Although you never know with these things - who's important enough to get mentioned by name can change in a flash. Did you see Russell Howard got relegated to "and more" in the latest Big Fat Quiz?

This post has hit quite a lot of different topics, for one post. I think the main takeaway is that I would happily listen to Catherine Bohart and David O'Doherty chat to each other about Ireland and jazz music all day. That was pretty good. Don't worry too much about the unnecessary Wikipedia information.

Oh! And I almost forgot, David O'Doherty followed the podcast clip I posted above with an absolutely adorable story of how he'd recently taken Josie Long's young daughter to see a theatre show, while Josie and her partner were both busy performing (this was recorded at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival). She got excited to see pictures of her mom all over town on posters. What a good story. Great podcast episode.

[oleworm]

Tagged by @yvehattan, @discworldwitches and @fairybumpkin, thank you!

Tag 9 people you want to get to know better!

Favourite colour: Every time I’m asked this question the answer changes. I don’t think I can have a single favourite colour, rather a set of them, such as the Marian blue used in the Middle Ages as well as the strong yellows and reds that feature so strongly in works reminiscent of that era, if not necessarily created in it.

Currently reading: I’m reading “The Third Reich. A New History” by the historian Michael Burleigh. This was a book I impulsively asked to be bought more than a decade ago but never felt the need to read until now. I have a tendency to buy or ask to be given books that are very long and comprehensive and not deigning to touch them for a very long time, like with “The History of the Peloponnesian War,” which I actually finished recently, and “Anatomy of Melancholy,” the famous 17th century monograph on, well, melancholy.

I’m reading this book now right after “Peloponnesian War” because nazi Germany is a subject of which many of us know the generalities, bits and pieces here and there, but have not taken the time to actually study, and with these turbulent times we are living, I suppose that it is the way in which I cope! Some people read escapist romances to cope, others deep-dive into worst case scenarios. But it is also true that I want to understand. The political landscape is not identical to how it was after the First World War, and how could it be? But it is not insignificant that in certain regions you see some similarities. Economic crisis, middle classes falling into the lower class or fearing that they will be absorbed by it and share their standard of living; scapegoating of foreigners, Jews, the disabled, and other minorities for these economic problems, to a greater or lesser degree.

More disturbing is that extremist groups in certain countries are explicitly emulating the nazis not only in their spirit but in the strategies that they used to come to power. I remember reading an article a couple of years ago that it had been leaked some of them had admitted to it themselves. But it’s different to read an article than to read a whole book about it. The more I learn about this the more I understand how much the far-right is taking from the nazi proselytism playbook, from infiltrating neutral interest groups (remember cottagecore?) to turning everything into a rage-and-panic inducing matter of life or death. That is something that they were doing back then with very clear intention. A difference is that in the early 20th century they had to print these things out and distribute them or talk to people face to face, and with the internet it can be so easy for them as posting or programming bots to share their views.

The next thing I should read ought to be something that may more directly affect me. Something about US imperialism in Latin America, ha!

Last song: “Little Dark Age” by MGMT

Last series: A couple of weeks ago I watched The Sandman up to the third episode, it’s very pretty so far! I was sleep deprived when I watched the second and third, though, so I don’t think that I remember very much!

I’ll have to admit that I don’t watch much television. Before The Sandman the only shows that I remember watching in the past four years or so are The Terror (2018) that I rewatched ten times and never again and Оттепель (The Thaw), a Russian series about Soviet filmmakers in the time of Khrushchev, when attitudes to censorship became more relaxed. The main character was such a piece of shit! How shit he was impacted me until now. I’m still mad that such a man exists even in the mind of the writers, though it is worse that many like him exist in real life. I was intrigued by the drama of the other characters, but by God. The show was good and I enjoyed it, but it was instrumental in the choice I've actively made since then not to give my time to media that gives too much prominence to abusive straight men. My friend sometimes reads to me from Reddit relationship advice threads and it’s sad and cringe that men like this are still alive and that women can’t seem to let them go. Perhaps it’s inappropriate to see it this way when I know it’s because of patriarchy and abuse, but I don’t want to see something that in real life is so horrifying in what is supposed to be fun.

I realise it is the opposite of the reason I gave to the previous question about why I engage with certain material. Do I contradict myself? I suppose it is that I feel relatively safe from one thing, and with the other, I feel that I have to prepare myself in some way, though there are others that know a lot more than me and feel just as powerless.

Last movie: I don’t watch many movies. I don’t remember, sorry!

Sweet/savoury/spicy: All three! Together.

Currently working on: I’m writing a novel with my friend, which I won’t elaborate on because if I do my mind will take it as a sign that it is finished; I’m also working on a couple of other stories, though not they’re not as important to me as the first one. I’ve also been teaching myself Javascript and doing coding exercises daily; bracing myself to do this type of work in exchange for currency, ha. The social aspect is always more frightening to me than the actual work. There are a couple of important things that I need to research, also. This question reminds me that I need to fold my laundry, study and clean my room... I’m working on becoming stronger, so I guess I must do some weights as well!

Tagging @bacchanalium, @winking-owl ​, @plantpretender, @elbiotipo, @osmanthusoolong, @trying-something-old, @surumarssi, @panikpanikpanik, @lliona if you want to!

[ianbbl]

My Top 10 BL Series of All Time

1. We Best Love: No. 1 for You

a. The chemistry between Sam and Yu is absolutely out of this world. b. I ranked this as my number one show immediately after watching it week-by-week so it is entirely possible I am biased but…their chemistry!! c. I like the plot of enemies to lovers anyway and this version of it with added reluctance just floats my boat.

2. Word of Honor

a. Not technically a BL. This wuxia drama is based on a BL novel but was censored for Chinese television which has banned any BL content. b. Any show about a “bromance” that can convince me the leads are in love is a win. c. This show also made me feel feelings about many of the side characters, which is a big thing that very rarely happens when I watch shows. And given just how many side characters this show had is a particularly impressive feat.

3. Bad Buddy the Series

a. Ohm and Nanon flexed their acting chops and showed off why they are both such in demand actors. b. Like WBL I watched this week-to-week and then immediately put it on my list so my bias may once again be showing, however I loved this series. With the exception of two weird time jumps I thought it was incredibly well paced. By that I mean each episode had enough action to warrant the decisions that were made and to not get bored waiting for the next exciting part of the show.

4. History 3: Trapped

a. I love the non-traditional BL setting of a Mafioso and the cop out trying to get him and bring him in, only to fall for him in the process. b. I also appreciate that there is a mystery being unraveled throughout the course of the show. It means that if I ever lost interest in the main couple’s dynamic (which I never did, but others might) there was an actual plot catching my attention as well.

5. Seven Days

a. Not technically a series, more like a movie divided into two, but my god, it’s wonderful. b. I watched this due to AbsoluteBL recommending it at every chance they got and I regret absolutely nothing about that decision. c. These boys have chemistry up the wazoo, they have a heartwarming naivety in completely different ways, and their story just makes me smile.

6. Cherry Magic

a. I love this series. I love that you get demi-romantic representation, I love that you get asexual representation, I love that you get fantasy sequences about what the main couple could be but those fantasies are like “I wanna see this person eating a dinner I made for him”. b. Adachi is too good for this world, even as he flails about in distress at every turn, and Kurosawa absolutely wants to win the “world’s number one gentleman” award.

7. Light on Me

a. I hate love triangles because I think they are too obvious- most of the time you can tell who will end up with the lead by the end of the second or third episode. Light on Me, however? That absolutely was not the case. They used BL tropes in a way that gave equal weight to each potential love interest and gave both characters reasonably well developed back stories. b. I love all of the male characters on this show and want to give all of them hugs because they are doing their best. So yeah, love this show.

8. I Told Sunset About You

a. This one. Oh ITSAY. I have never felt more seen as a queer person than watching this show. The way the director and actors were able to capture how awkward teenage romance is? The way they were able to capture identity crises that come from realizing you like someone of the same gender? b. It hurts so good.

9. Until We Meet Again

a. I don’t cry at television very easily, and everyone talking about how much they cried at this series made me roll my eyes. But the ending of the penultimate episode and beginning of the finale had me weeping. Fluke Natouch did an absolutely fantastic job in those scenes in particular and shot to the top of my favourite Thai actors list as a result. b. The plot itself is incredibly unique to television (but not fanfiction, lol) and I thought the script writer did a good job balancing the time between the past and the present to make you invested in both couples even when you knew exactly what happened in the past.

10. Long Time No See/Gaya Sa Pelikula

a. Yes I cheated and picked two, but some of my options above might not qualify to your standards so, sue me.

LTNS

i. The plot of this show is so interesting. I love that the leads were interested in each other before even really knowing each other and yet that interest never waned as their secrets unfolded. Give me a lover who will fight for me! ii. I also love the awkward realness of the intimate scenes in this show.

Gaya Sa Pelikula

i. Had me on the edge of my seat to see where the couple was going ii. I loved that this series addressed being gay as normal. No [metaphors]. Loved that the two female characters were likeable.

[hurremsultanns]

Poison is Queen: What Made Livia such a Fantastic Villain in I Claudius (1976)

(TW: Mentions of sexual assault and incest)

The miniseries I Claudius (1976) took the historical figure of Livia and her portrayal in Roman histories (by authors such as Tacitus, Suetonius and Cassius Dio) and how Graves adapted that for a novel and then turned her into a charismatic, well written, entertaining and memorable soap opera villainess. She is one of the most memorable characters on the show due to how she is written and acted. Personally, she’s my favourite character on the show, even though I sympathise more with other characters. She was the smartest character on the show and someone who always achieved her goal, she embodies the show’s dark humour, and she straddles the line between a pure evil and a complex evil villain without losing character consistency. Overall, she is a well-rounded and well-written character

One of the most important reasons why she was such a villain was how intelligent and effective she was. The best example of this can be seen in how she killed Augustus in Episode 4 (Poison is Queen). In this the show takes for its inspiration an accusation that Cassius Dio made of Livia. According to this story, Augustus refused to eat any food that anyone else had prepared. Therefore, in order to poison him Livia painted the poison onto the figs on a tree that he would pick himself. Even though though this owes itself to historical sources written decades after the events they describe (and is apocryphal), it is an incredibly creative and clever method of killing someone. In addition to this, she clearly embodies patience and uses time to her advantage in order to get what she was. Not only can this be seen in the Prophetic Chickens speech in episode 1 (which is a brilliant introduction to her strategic insights and political awareness, as she could see how things were eventually going to turn out, gambled and patiently waited in order to see the results of her decisions take their course) how she waits for the right moment to kill people (such as Agrippa and Augustus), but Siân Phillips herself discusses it in her interview in I Claudius: A Television Epic. She may not achieve her goals quickly, but she succeeds in the end. Her strategy is the definition of playing the long game. And using her brilliant foresight and strategic political abilities, she accomplishes what she sets out to extremely well. She played a risky game, but ultimately for better or worse Tiberius did become emperor, the Republic never returned and she was eventually deified by Claudius. And even though there are implications that the corruption that the choices she makes brings risk destroying the empire and will bring about the fall of Rome, ultimately the final word on this is said at the end of the final episode (Old King Log) by the Sibyl to the dying Claudius. She says that there will be many emperors in the future and they “won’t all be a bad lot”. This, and Livia’s argument that keeping the Republic would have doomed Rome contribute to the possible argument that ultimately while what she did was unethical and immoral, in a sense Livia was right at the end of the day. It is certainly unclear whether or not she doomed Rome or saved it. There are obvious pitfalls of this, however. It is important to acknowledge imperialism, monarchy and dictatorship are deeply flawed political systems. Of course, because they are examples of absolute power, corruption and the abuse of power tend to be at their very core. And this also reinforces the misogyny of Graves’ original book because it shifts the blame from Augustus being responsible for the political decisions which he took that allowed him to set himself up as the answer to the crisis of the late Republic and the slow accumulation of more absolute power in the hands of individual strongmen. Although, these problems don’t in my opinion take away from the way in which Livia is set up to have far more political savvy than the men around her, as she is the character who sees the clearest how the winds of history are blowing. This makes her a compelling character because it makes her truly awesome: her methods are terrifying, but her intelligence and her effectiveness are impressive.

In addition to this, she embodies the link which the show makes between its most horrific moments and it’s funniest moments. This is contributed to by the employment of dry humour and dramatic irony in her dialogue. One of my favourite examples of this is when Marcellus telling her that cooking his food for him personally is a good thing for her to do and she replies that “Goodness has nothing to do with it.” This is a good example of how well the show used dramatic irony, especially in respect to Livia. While Marcellus thinks that she is simply doing something kind but smothering for him, both she and the audience understand that there is more to this (i.e. she’s going to poison him in order to free up Julia in order to marry Tiberius). Not only is this simultaneously a shocking moment (since as far as the audience is concerned she has practically admitted what she’s going to do, even though Marcellus is unaware of what she meant), but the fact that this is hidden behind what would otherwise appear to be a kind but empty platitude is both clever and hilarious. This is an important moment because it sets the bar for the dry wit, sarcasm and dramatic irony that often accompany Livia as a character, even in her most horrifying moments. Other examples of this include the “food poisoning” scene between Livia and Musa in the same episode after the death of Marcellus, the “don’t touch the figs” scene, and her brilliantly hilarious speech to the gladiators. Not only does this add to the characterisation of her intelligence, but it also adds to the entertainment quality of her as a character. As villainous and evil as she is, she is also genuinely entertaining and fun to watch, which makes her show version so enjoyable to watch and memorable in comparison with the version of her character in the book (This is a comment that other fans of the series, including Prof. Mary Beard herself, have made and I fully agree with it). By contrast, in the book, there is often very little ambiguity as to what Livia’s schemes and activities are, and there is very little dialogue. This means that one of the things that show!Livia is most memorable for, her one liners, were added in Pulman’s script, and they make for a far better character than book!Livia. Through the dramatic irony, we get a far better sense of her intelligence because the audience has to work out on our own what she has done before it is confirmed (which adds to the perception of her intelligence as we have to think it through for ourselves) and that and her humorous moments make her a far more enjoyable character than her book counterpart. Therefore the dramatic irony and humour that characterise Livia as a character make her a great villain because they make her more memorable than she otherwise could have been.

She goes between being a pure evil villain and a complex villain, although this is never made to feel contradictory as it is completely within her established character. She is perfectly willing to the lengths of murdering Augustus’ heirs and disappearing other people in order to get her way, but when she finds out how bad Tiberius has become and Caligula is, she calls their behaviour “disgusting” and refers to Caligula as a “monster”. Since their villainous actions are so different from what Livia does. She’s OK with herself murdering people in order to get what she wants, but she draws the line at incest, sexual harassment and assault. This also works well because it highlights her self-serving narrative: that she is doing everything for the good of Rome. Which is even emphasised by her outrage at finding out what happened to Lollia. She does not want to admit her role in turning TIberius evil by separating him from Vipsania (forcing him to divorce her and marry Julia, the original Disaster Marriage) and Drusus (by murdering him when he was injured, the one thing she can’t admit to Claudius), his two anchors. In episode 1 when he is speaking to Drusus, Tiberius says that they are the only two people whom he loves and describes his brother as his “lifeline into the light”. Therefore, by murdering Drusus and also forcing Tiberius to divorce Vipsania, Livia has a role in turning him into the evil person he becomes later on, and her outrage could be interpreted as a way to avoid the consequences that her toxic behaviour has had. I am not saying that she is responsible for his actions (that’s all on him), but she is responsible for turning him into the type of person who would do them, and that this is a fact that she conveniently ignores as a part of her self-serving narrative. While in some ways she is willing to revel  in evil, there are things that she cannot bring herself to admit to. So she both has the motivations of a complex villain and the entertainment value of a pure evil villain, and this works flawlessly.

What makes Livia such a great villain is that she is such a well-rounded and intelligent character.This can be seen in the characterisation of her intelligence, the humour that accompanies her and the way in which her depth as a character does not diminish her evil. She is a more interesting, entertaining and enjoyable character than her counterpart in Graves’ original book at least in part due to these reasons.