#my dad is an incredibly smart man and an absolute dork

[gennianydots]

Hi, what's your 30 favorite Asian BL characters from dramas or series you've watched? (unless you don't have that many)

Thanks.

30?!

Nonnie? Are you okay? Reblog if you’re okay. 30 is a lot! Alright. I’m going to try my best. Just for YOU. And because I love you so much, I have also given you my reasons WHY.

I also created parameters for myself, so this is the MEN. If you want to find out my top 30 WOMEN from Asian BL's/QL's, just ask!

1. Pran from Bad Buddy

He’s my son, my baby, the absolute love of my life. I would marry this man in a heartbeat, if he were not already betrothed to Pat.

2. Pat from Bad Buddy

He’s such a green flags guy, my clueless baby with horny-for-Pran-only/would-kill/die-for-him vibes. Don’t forget the man got shot!

3. Tinn from My School President

Need I say more? No. Tinn is goofy and cheesy and literally the best. He loves Gun so much he is willing to risk his school presidency just to get the chance to date Gun. I love him!

4. Gun from My School President

Is he smart? No. Is he clueless? Yes. Does he have a heart of gold and strong ambition? YES. He’s my full heart, empty-mind, music-loving, can’t-lose dork and he’s a close contender for #3 behind Tinn, an even bigger dork.

5. Tiw from My School President/Our Skyy 2

Oh boy. Mark Pakin is him, he is Mark Pakin- I loved him so much. I love his willingness to stay by his friend through high school crushes and that we got to see him dating Por in Our Skyy 2. Big feels. 😍

6. Heart and LiMing from Moonlight Chicken

You cannot make me choose. These two stole the whole show and gave zero fucks about it.

7. Kurosawa Yuichi from Cherry Magic JP

This man stole my heart in the first several minutes of the show. Love his attentive nature and softness.

8. Jang Jae Young from Semantic Error

This chaos gremlin motherfucker is my favorite. He pined HARD for his underclassmen and I adore him for it.

9. Wei Wuxian from Mo Dao Zu Shi/The Untamed

I haven’t seen the Untamed but have watched the animated series and read the story for Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation. I don’t think I’d be here if I hadn’t first fallen in love with this Bisexual Disaster. A true KING.

10. King from Bed Friend

Speaking of KINGS, King is the ultimate Green-Flags Doe-Eyes Fabio of my dreams.

11. Tinn’s Dad from My School President

The most Dad to ever Dad - ever.

12. Pi from Fish Upon the Sky

An autistic son of mine. Phuwin made me laugh when I needed it the most. This show was a disaster but I loved this character!

13. Yok from Not Me

First crushed it in this role and he made Yok incredibly sexy the amazing, diverse character we see on screen.

14. Porsche from KinnPorsche

I joined the BL fandom with the KP group! I love when Porsche throws himself off the boat to get away from Kinn, peeing in the Koi pond, the sacrifices he made to protect Chay and every moment before and after.

15. Kinn from KinnPorsche

Daddy. I don’t think I need to say anything else. 😈

16. Gao Shi De and Zhou Shu Yi from We Best Love

Holy hell, these men can act! They both really won me over in season 2, but I rooted for these boyfriends throughout the whole thing.

17. Akk and Ayan from The Eclipse

I can’t separate these two, either. I really loved First/Khaotung in these roles too. I can't picture anyone else who would have done them justice.

18. Team from Between Us

I just realized recently how much I enjoyed Between Us, and Team is so cute in this - I can't explain, I just like him a lot.

19. Win from Between Us

Team's boyfriend was also a highlight of Between Us for me.

20. Tsuge Masato from Cherry Magic JP

He made me laugh a lot. I loved him as the neurotic friend.

21. Gun from A Boss and a Babe

I love Force, Actually? He did a good job with playing an older role, even though he is younger than Book IRL.

22. Longtae from Tale of Thousand Stars

It was so CUTE seeing baby Khaotung in this role, and I cheered every time he was on screen. (I enjoyed Longtae more than Tian or Phupha - though I do think Mix did an excellent job as Tian the teacher).

23. Jedi from The Warp Effect

Does this count? It’s a very gay show. I say it counts. Again, a Mark Pakin role that he crushed.

24. Bosston from Until We Meet Again/Between Us

We are sticking with Green Flags only guys here. It was a tiny role but I loved it.

25. Klabkluen from Star and Sky: Star in My Mind

Have you seen Joong PINE over Dunk? He's the best PINER I've ever seen. This was mostly a fluff watch but I enjoyed Joong's performance.

26. Dew from 609 Bedtime Story

Well, this show was all over the place. I thoroughly enjoy time shenanigans in my shows so I stuck with it to the end, even if it ultimately made no sense. I have always thought Fluke Natouch was very talented though, and I found his performance here better than in Until We Meet Again, or Between Us. (He just "P'Dean"-ed all over the place and was too much of a blushing maiden for me).

27. Khondiao from Cutie Pie

I liked him better than the mains. 🤷‍♀️

28. Kim from KinnPorsche

My sad little meow-meow who ghosts a child. Also it's Jeff.

29. Ki Tae from Our Dating Sim

This show was so cute. I am a big fan of characters who pine for a long time before their crush finds out.

30. Payu from Love in the Air

Lots of controversy here as many folks didn't enjoy this show. I say credit where credit is due, Payu is the bisexual hottie I was looking for. The chemistry between Payu and Rain was also off the charts.

Thanks for reading!! Again, if you want my top 30 females you will have to ask me! Thank you to all the gif-makers who made the gifs I stole for this post. You are the true heroes of my heart. Muah Muah!

[millionsknives]

gosh the x-files pilot really is PEAK subtle romance…… cryptid chasing in woodsy oregon with a newly-assigned cute partner……ecstatic laughter in the pouring rain after the car dies and time skips……… mulder gently holding scully after she’s afraid she found marks on her body………. scully lying on the bed listening to mulder tell the story of his sister’s abduction while he sits on the floor and leans against the bed…… arguing over the case in the rain in the graveyard & laughing when they think they solve it …… running to find each other breathless in the forest after the attempted abduction….... take it to the bank boys that’s exactly how want to meet my soulmate

[verfound]

WIPWed: Festering Folder Edition: Legally Blonde AU

@mintaka14 asked about the Legally Blonde AU, which the Disco witnessed the birth of and was briefly mentioned in the notes for "Move Like Jagged". So. Yeah. This is the latest crack AU I've been working on. 😂

See, for my last project for those unit classes I had to take for work, I was talking about different reasons conflict can pop up in your kitchen and how to deal with them. And one of the ways to deal with conflict is by staying positive - you can't control what other people do/what happens, but you can control how you react to it. And that got "Positive" from the Legally Blonde musical in my head, which got me thinking who would be who in a LB AU, and...it all just ran away from me so hard. We have a Plunny Adoption channel in the Disco, and I dropped it there because I did not want another WIP, and the next thing I knew I was 1700 words into the Bend & Snap scene and no one else had adopted the plunny come on guys. 😂

So. Yeah. This is happening. I'm maybe a third of the way through the outline with about three scenes fully written out. 😂

The setup: Marinette is an aspiring fashion designer in her senior year at UCLA. Her life is all set up: she's going to graduate and marry her perfect boyfriend Adrien Agreste, who's on his way to becoming a lawyer and future president of the United States. Everything's perfect until he suddenly dumps her, claiming he needs someone more serious. He moves back out East to start at Harvard in the fall, where he's now dating childhood friend and fellow Snobby Harvard Girl Kagami Tsurugi. Marinette realizes that if she's gonna get her man back, she's got to be someone serious, too - someone lawerly! Someone who wears black when nobody's dead! So Marinette follows him out to Harvard, where she's...let's face it. The laughing stock of the school. But with a little determination (and the help of her super sweet TA Luka Couffaine, who's convinced she's not as Dumb as the others paint her) she's going to show everyone she belongs there - and win her Adrien back in the process!

So Marinette's Elle, Adrien is Warner, Kagami is Vivian, and Luka is Emmett. I'm putting Gabriel as Callahan, with the idea that part of the pressure on Adrien is that his father is this super successful lawyer & professor at Harvard who's expecting him to follow in his footsteps. (Also there's a line in the finale of the musical that says "Warner quit / Says he makes more modeling anyhow!", so while he's at UCLA I have Adrien modeling on the side and he totally goes back to it. 😂) Mylène is Paulette and Ivan is Kyle (the UPS guy). Rose and Alya are Marinette's Delta Nu sisters/best friends, and Juleka is still Luka's sister; Rose and Alya come out and the end to cheer Marinette on at the final trial, where Rose and Juleka meet.

Jagged is Brooke. He's being accused of murdering Bob Roth, his former label owner. He's innocent, but he refuses to give Gabriel his alibi (he was...getting...botox). He was Marinette's neighbor back in LA, and she designed his favorite leather jacket - so he freaks when Marinette walks in with his Estranged Son as part of his legal team. Luka and Jagged have a...tenuous relationship. Jagged is Luka's father, and Luka used to love music/want to be a rocker. He toured with Jagged for a year or two when he was younger as his opening act, but it really disillusioned Luka to the Music Scene. So he ended up pursuing law (thinking he could get into the legal side of things, and Anarka's always in and out of jail anyway so she'll need a good lawyer?), and finds out he's good at it & really enjoys it? It wasn't the career he thought he'd have, but he's happy.

I'm still kicking stuff around & writing the outline, but that's the bare-bones. 😂 And as much as I love the LB movie, the musical is one of my favorites. There's...guh ok I'm not gonna start gushing on how perfect the musical is bc we'll be here all day. 😂 But it is absolutely perfect, and this AU is going to be a blend of the movie and the musical.

Case in point: the song "Take It Like A Man", where Elle repays Emmett by giving him a makeover. It's the scene where Emmett realizes he's fallen in love with Elle and absolutely adorable ("God, I love shopping for guys - watching them change right before my eyes!" "...stop watching me change.").

As for a scene y'all haven't seen yet...I think you've seen a handful of sentences from this one? It's all new for Tumblr, but I think I shared a few sentences on the Disco. 😂

“Hey, Luka, what are you doing tonight?”

Luka looked up, his eyebrows lifting at the smile Marinette was giving him. Her chin was propped in her hand, her eyes looking over him like…well, a little like she was undressing him, if he was honest, and he wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about that.

“Er…prepping for tomorrow?” he hazarded. “Big day in court? Opening statements? Have to make sure we’re ready so my dad doesn’t swing.”

She rolled her eyes, and then she rolled her chair over to his. He jumped when she laid her hands over his.

“You’re ready,” she said. She squeezed his hand, and he swallowed thickly as she continued to look at him like that. Why did his throat suddenly feel so dry? “Can we go somewhere? I…I want to do something. To thank you. For…everything, really. Please?”

“You don’t need to thank me, Marinette,” he said, wondering what exactly she had in mind. Maybe dinner? He was getting kind of hungry, and he’d be lying if he said he wouldn’t mind spending more time with her away from the law books…

“I do, though, Luka,” she said earnestly, squeezing his hand again. “You…you’re the only one who’s believed in me this entire time. You’ve done so much to help me, and…I just wanted to do something for you, too.” She took his hand and held it to her chest, pouting her lips and batting her eyes at him, and when had the heat kicked in? It was almost May – it shouldn’t be so hot in the old, draft library! “Please?”

“I…um…ok?” he finally squawked out. He cleared his throat when she hit him full-force with her mega-watt smile, hoping his face wasn’t as red as it felt as she squeezed his hand tighter. She gave an excited little squeal-giggle-bounce that had him smiling fondly. “What…what did you have in mind?”

“Well,” she said, releasing his hand and turning towards the table. She began gathering the files they’d scattered over the surface, tidying up. “You know I used to want to be a designer – you’ve heard Jagged go off about that coat.”

“His little frock star,” Luka snickered, and she gave him an exasperated little smile.

“If I had the time, I’d love to design you something,” she said, tapping the folders against the table to straighten them, She turned to him, hands on her hips. “But given we need you ready by tomorrow, that’s not possible. So, Luka Couffaine, I am going to give you…a makeover.”

That…was definitely not what he’d been expecting.

“Er…thanks?” he asked, because by the little hitch in his voice he was definitely asking, because he was definitely confused. A…makeover? But…why? Her expression fell a little, and he coughed as he reached up to loosen his tie. “I mean…it’s just…I didn’t think I needed one?”

And I was kind of hoping you’d suggest dinner?

“Luka,” she sighed, still exasperated. She grabbed his hands and hauled him to his feet before dragging him over to the fireplace. She gestured to the mirror sitting above the mantle, where he could clearly see his…ok, yeah, he looked a little disheveled, but they’d been in the library all day! He was expected to look rumpled! “Look at yourself.”

“I am,” he said, trying not to sound offended. She smoothed her hands over his shoulders, trying (unsuccessfully) to even out the wrinkles in his shirt. He tried to ignore the shiver that wanted to race up his spine at her touch. Focus, Couffaine, he thought. She sighed, turning him towards her, eyeing his clothes rather critically.

“Luka, you know I adore you,” she said, and he tried to ignore the way that made his stomach flutter, “but look at you. This is a high-profile, celebrity case. It’s going to be televised, and you’re going to show up looking like your only suit came from a Goodwill?”

“Hey,” he protested, weakly. He could feel the heat rising on his cheeks again. He looked at the floor and rubbed the back of his neck. “I have two suits, thank you very much, and only one came from Goodwill.”

He glanced up at her to find she had lifted one of those perfectly sculpted brows at him, and he grinned sheepishly before adding: “…the other came from Salvation Army.”

“Luka!” she laughed, squeezing his arms, and his grin warmed into a smile. He liked making her laugh like that. He… “That’s my point, you dork!”

Her laughter petered off, and she started fiddling with his tie. He glanced down at his outfit and tried to see her point, but he honestly thought he looked fine? Rumpled, sure, but that wasn’t anything a good tumble in the dryer or some ironing couldn’t fix. The gray slacks weren’t bad, and the white dress shirt with the thin, dark blue check matched his dark blue tie. Sure, his shoes were a little scuffed, but no one was going to be looking at his shoes. Marinette sighed again, and he looked back up at her.

“Luka, do you remember what I told you I did? Back at UCLA?” she asked. He nodded.

“You had a 4.0 in fashion merchandising,” he said, making her smile. “You wanted to design clothes.”

“So let’s just say this is something I’m actually good at,” she teased, and he frowned as he reached up to lay a hand over one of hers. He squeezed, making her look up at him.

“Hey…you’re good at this, Marinette,” he said. Her smile said she didn’t believe him, so he squeezed her hand tighter. “I mean it, Marinette. I may have helped you study, but all of this was you. You got Agreste’s internship all on your own. You went from the bottom to top of your class on your own. You put the work in, Marinette. You’re so incredibly smart, and you’ve got this…this…gift. You see things others don’t. You aregood at this.”

He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but it certainly wasn’t for Marinette to throw herself at him in a bone-crushing hug. He stood there for a moment, dazed, but before he could move or think or respond she was already pulling away and wiping at misty eyes. She smiled up at him, and he wondered if it would be ok if he hugged her again. He kind of felt cheated out of the last one.

“Thank you, Luka,” she said, shaking her head to clear it. “Ugh, ok, but seriously! This is what I was originally good at – so let me shine, ok? Look. You’re good at this, too. You’re such a talented lawyer, and if Agreste gives you half the chance you’re going to blow them away in court – but no one’s going to be thinking about how brilliant you are if you show up looking like a bum. Luka, it’s…it’s me showing up to a costume party dressed like a bunny!”

He blinked at her, remembering all too well that night he’d bumped into her at the bookstore and she was dressed in nothing more than a one piece, bunny ears, and tail.

“The look is half the fight,” she said, taking his hands in her own. “Don’t give them a reason to judge you just because your shoes are old. Please? Let me buy you a suit. Let me do this for you, Luka.”

He still didn’t get it – not really, if he was perfectly honest – but when she looked at him like that…

“…ok,” he said, and the smile and second hug she gave him made it all worth it.

[misteria247]

Favorite Twst Characters that I personally like because why not? I'm bored:

While I enjoy all the characters there are quite a few who hold a soft spot in my soul and who I literally fawn over like an absolute moron. (Not including the main group of dumbassess that we've all grown to love and adore known as Ace, Deuce, Jack, Epel and Sebek).

Riddle Rosehearts: Okay so this character had become number one baby from the moment I saw him and saw his past. He speaks to me on a certain level and to be blunt I'd die for this angry, angry little boy and I'd do it in a heartbeat. Riddle deserves all the love don't even @ me. And plus when Riddle does that adorable little smile laugh thing when he's happy it makes me wanna hug him and squish his cheeks.

Trey Clover: This dude right here, is an absolute mom friend. He bakes cakes and watches out for his younger dorm members and helps Riddle out when he needs it. He's honestly a pretty cool dude and I love him a lot.

Leona Kingscholar: Okay bare with me. I like Leona a lot because he's an absolute mood. Taking naps and just wanting to be left alone in general to just do his own thing is literally the adult mood in one dude and I honestly vibe with that. Not to mention when he interacts with his nephew and looks like he's bothered and is actually clearly caring for the young boy it makes me go awhhhhh.

Ruggie Bucchi: This boy right here, he's a prankster and a little shit and by default I love characters who are both of those qualities. Not to mention that he's a pretty hard worker when he wants to be and being broke as a joke is very relatable.

Azul Ashengrotto: Okay Azul, the major big guy who is like living in my head rent free. Azul is a character that I relate to quite a lot, to a point where learning his backstory lowkey made me a bit uncomfortable sgdgdgdgg. As someone who's been in his shoes at one point I understand why he's the way he is which makes his character growth even better when it happens.

Jade Leech: Other than for obvious reasons why he's a favorite SebastianMichaelis I find his personality to be quite interesting considering how he's usually deathly calm and it makes me lowkey wonder what he'd look like if he went completely apeshit. That and dorks who grow little gardens and talk about mushrooms makes me old heart soft.

Floyd Leech: The reason I like Floyd? Dude's got that crazy vibe to him. Floyd Leech is literally a bottle of chaotic energy and I adore characters who have that. Not to mention I also find his personality interesting, the way he acts like he's not paying attention when he actually is and is incredibly smart is honestly incredible to watch.

Kalim Al-Asiam: Sunshine child is literally the baby boy who owns my heart. This beautiful little shit could literally just breathe and I'd be fawning over him like a proud mom showing off her newborn. That and the fact that he's still a pretty good friend despite all the bullshit he went through with his best friend made me lowkey respect him. And seeing him grow to become a better friend and person is honestly goals.

Vil Schoenheit: He's beauty, he's grace, he's a hard working man who's extremely hard on himself and pushes himself to the point where he should of had at least one breakdown from stress. Okay Vil is a big favorite of mine because he's a really hard working dude who basically says fuck gender roles, men can be beautiful too and honestly he's earned mad respect from me just for that. Not to mention the mom friend vibes he gives off they're just *chief's kiss*.

Idia Shroud: As someone who's a socially anxious mess myself I feel this dude on a spiritual level. He's awkward and a nerd and has no idea what the hell he's doing when he interacts with others and if that ain't a big fat mood. Idia is just that one dude that I adore because he's a sassy dork and he's a mess of a human being.

Lilia Vanrouge: Big dad vibes with this man. I love this mischievous bastard, he's honestly one of the best. The way he plays tricks on others just because he's board is honestly hilarious and seeing him being the unofficial dad of the group of his dormitory is what waters my crops and feeds my soul.

Malleus Draconia: And finally, the man of the hour, the one who's also living in my head rent free, Malleus. This fae is one of my favorites, mainly because despite the whole polite imitating vibes he gives off, he's actually a huge ass dork who likes gargoyles and ice cream and hanging out in an abandoned places. That and him being lowkey somewhat lonely is relatable and I honestly feel it deep in my soul.

And there you have it, my completely unnecessary post about my favorites from Twisted Wonderland. I just wanted to rambling for a bit because I'm bored and I was thinking about my boys and I ended up with this post. I regret nothing and I apologize in advance for rambling mindless all over your dashboards.

[lesbianrobin]

If you had to rank all the 14 ST characters in the main group from most to least fav what would your ranking look like? (And by main group i mean the characters including murray and erica, and excluding karen, basically everybody involved in the final battle in 3x08)

ok let me preface this by saying that i literally love all of these characters i don't hate any of them okay?? let's go... ascending order for the drama!!

14. murray. no explanation needed. no offense to brett gelman he's phenomenal and i honestly think murray is really funny, but he's more or less just a plot device with some comic relief slapped on top.

now things get spicy <3

13. erica. love her to death! but she's fairly one-dimensional, once again primarily a comic relief character. maybe in s4 she'll get some more depth like the older kids have, but for now she's sort of a default next-to-last :/

12. will... no tea no shade but the kid's barely in the show! i absolutely want good things for him but like. i barely even know him. yknow? he’s only above erica bc he’s gay and she’s a capitalist. also that scene in s1 right before he gets snatched by the demogorgon when he just runs straight to the shed and grabs a goddamn shotgun and loads it fully ready to defend himself... that shit slapped good for him!!

11. this Will be controversial among some and i Know this character is many people's favorite... if you follow me already this is probably not going to surprise you but. nancy. i just think her character is kind of inconsistent, so i have a hard time really clicking with her :/ sometimes i love her and i think she's so cool and funny and hot (that hospital scene in s3... my GOD what a badass!) and other times i would like to fistfight her.

also let me get this out of the way right now: i'm aware that jonathan's character is ALSO super inconsistent!! i know okay??? i know!!!! please nobody judge me for how high rat boy gets on this ranking okay i'm literally making this up as i go along so idk if he's next or if he's like in the top five but i have a disease called Unreasonably Invested In Wildly Speculative Meta-Analysis Of Stranger Things which makes it impossible for me to be normal about jonathan and this is my ranking so i pick the bad taste!!!

10. joyce! i love her bro she's MOM and she tries so fucking hard all the goddamn time and she's so STRONG and kind and adorable... joyce is honestly a very unique and refreshing character ESPECIALLY if you’re considering stranger things within the horror genre which is often defined by these very specific archetypes of mothers and motherhood that i can get into if anyone is interested but like basically. love her <3

9. dustin <3 what an icon... i love him i love how he straight up killed a man and hardly flinched because it was to protect his friends and i love how he and his little girlfriend have a song they sing together and i love how he either has an insanely warped perspective on things due to low self-esteem or he just sometimes flatout lies to gain sympathy either way he’s a BABY and he’s so FUNNY and KIND and even when he’s scared he keeps going... ugh god and i love how even when he doubts his friends’ devotion to him he NEVER ever questions his devotion to them and he never ever considers leaving them behind or not stepping up to help them... he’s so brave!

8. mike is such a fucking BITCH but even more than that he is an ANGEL... literally his range who is doing it like him??? nobody!!!! graffiti’d the bathroom stall at school... hates cops.... what a legend. also i like how fucking goofy and dumb his hair looks in s3. also he’s very soft with his friends and it makes me cry. ALSO he literally stepped off a fucking CLIFF he was ready to DIE FOR DUSTIN and i know all the kids have risked their lives for each other but this wasn’t even a monster yknow this was just... bullies.... threatening his friend..... and mike couldn’t fucking let it happen bro he was ready to just step off the edge to keep dustin safe and it’s SO MUCH... and god the kindness he showed el when they first met!!! he’s a total angel and a total shithead and it’s amazing.

7. lucas my tiny baby hero.... he’s so strong and cool and capable yet at the same time he’s such a COMPLETE dork!!! he very seriously believes his slingshot wrist rocket is a lethal weapon and then he ACTUALLY USES IT AS A LETHAL WEAPON TO SAVE HIMSELF AND HIS FRIENDS!!! he hacks off a giant monster’s freaky tentacle arm thing with an axe to save his friend AND he keeps a bunch of action figures and random dice on his bedside table bro he just thinks they’re neat!!! like... i genuinely love him so much god he cares so much about his friends and he’s so brave and smart and loving... i know he is not tiny anymore but he is my tiny baby hero okay...

6. hopper! big man care for little girl... protect and love kids... dance to dad music... be goofy and hot... have trauma.... admit his faults and attempt to grow from them.... what's not to love?

5. jonathan... look i can’t explain it except that he loves his goddamn baby brother so much and i’m a sucker with extensive headcanons alright!

4. el!!! feral little darling girl!!! i literally cannot articulate the love that floods my heart whenever i see her face or think about her for too long she’s just... so strong but more than that she’s so incredibly KIND!! when she has every reason to be selfish and cruel and yeah at times she does let herself get a little mean but on the whole she’s always so goddamn kind and loving and selfless no matter how afraid she is or how she’s hurting... and i hope that with her powers gone in s4 she’ll maybe learn how to see herself as more than a tool to protect those she loves yknow but that’s off topic skdncmn i just think that el is such an incredible character with such depth!! she can be so grave and mature yet she’s still such an innocent child at the same time, and i think that both the writing and mbb’s acting are handled such that both of these things WORK and feel real and they make el (and her trauma) so believable. i just love her to death.

3. robin, light of my lesbian little life!! unfortunately she's wayyy too much like me to snag the top spot lmao. maybe once we get another season with her she’ll trample the competition but for now my baby is in a solid third place <3 i’ve never seen a lesbian on screen who i felt so accurately represented me and my experiences!! she feels so real and in just one season she’s become one of my favorites on the whole show, and i cannot fucking wait to see what else we learn about her and what development we see from her in s4. 

2. as u may have guessed... max!! i know i said this was my subjective opinion but here i’ll just say it: max is objectively one of the best characters on the show. she’s so strong and funny and quick on her feet while harboring some real pain and insecurity at the same time, and both of these aspects of her character are married perfectly, logically connecting to one another and joining with sadie’s incredible acting to create an amazing character who feels just... so real!! i absolutely adore her and i CONSTANTLY tear up just from thinking about her skdncmn...

1. what if my number one wasn't steve. like can y'all imagine???? if i just said like will or some shit???? genuinely i did consider giving max or robin top billing here but i just Can't i've dedicated too goddamn much of my life to steve harrington to deny that he's my one and only. is there anything to say that hasn't already been said? look at the bitch. just look at him. 

what other answer could there be?

[babyboy-cody]

Dad Roman going to a parent teacher conference and the teacher says all amazing things except maybe his little girl is really shy, and the teacher thinks she needs to step out of her shell. Roman slightly loses it asking what being outgoing has anything to do with being a good student or person? He has her class switched and tells her if anyone gives her shit for being quiet he will end them. I LOVE the thought of over protective dad Roman lol

quick note: i kept looking back at this ask and kept smiling like a dork because i absolutely ADORE this concept.

–

Roman Godfrey was a man on a mission. A mission to speak with his daughter’s teacher about her academic performance, whether or not put her in tutoring if she needs or to enroll her in better classes. His whole attire spoke of business. Black dress shirt tucked into his expensive Gucci slacks with a black tie resting against his sternum. He looked incredibly intimidating, all dressed in black and over six feet - which is an amazing comparison to his little girl Lilian who’s dressed in a pretty white dress with her white Mary Jane’s and her hair in a tight bun that you did before you left for work.

As Roman’s daughter, most would think that Lilian would be an exact replica of him - overly confident, arrogant, rough around the edges, and just plain mean. But she’s the complete opposite. She’s just a dainty little flower in the hands of a monster. With a soft giggle just like yours and light green eyes so wide and bright and filled with life and the childlike innocence that’s so rare these days.

Every single staff member of Hemlock Elementary School knows who Roman Godfrey is. They were shocked to know that he applied Lilian to a public school rather than a prestige private school miles away, and certainly not in a town like Hemlock Grove. They feared him. They knew his family, especially his mother, whom shall not be named. They were nervous to hear that Lilian Godfrey, the official offspring of Roman, was enrolling to their school.

“Right down this hall, daddy!” Lilian softly tells her father as she holds onto his index finger with her tiny hand. “And we gotta make.... a left - no, right!”

“You’re a smart girl, bug,” Roman grins as he passed by the occasional parent and child, to which they both looked away when he caught them staring.

“Uhhuh!” She skips beside him and stops in front of a large oak door that has a window that overlooks the classroom.

Outside on either side of the door are bulletin boards that contain decorated papers and drawings from different students. Roman catches sight of a particular paper that has Lilian’s scrawly handwriting of her name in glittery pink pen. He can make out his mammoth height and two green dots for his eyes and his black shirt and poorly drawn blue pants. He smiles at the bottom of the paper that says, “MY DADDY IS SMART AND HE COOKS GOOD.”

“Mr. Godfrey,” he hears from the side, and he snaps his head to the voice to see a professionally dressed woman, probably in her late 30s. “I’m Miss Avery.”

“Hello,” he curtly replies and outstretches a hand to shake hers, and she does so hesitantly.

“Hi Lilian!” Miss Avery smiles politely at the small girl.

“Hi,” Lilian quietly replies and trails closely behind her father as he follows her teacher.

“Sweetheart, why don’t you go to the reading area while I talk to your daddy?” Miss Avery smiles as the little girl runs to the polka carpet and immediately grabbed one of her favorite reading books. “Shall we began?”

Roman sat in one of the bigger chairs in front of the oak wood desk. He crossed one leg over the other and crossed his arms over his stomach. His expression remains blank as the young woman pulls out a stack of papers and straightened her obviously fake reading glasses.

“Now, Lilian’s academic performance has been quite outstanding. In my professional opinion, I would say that she’s more advanced compared to most of my students. She exceeds reading levels and usually picks up books that are a bit more difficult for children her age,” Miss Avery says as she hands Roman some book review papers that Lilian has written.

He looks down at the papers with a small grin as he feels heavy pride fill his surprisingly warm heart. He knew how incredibly smart and talented Lilian is. He believes that his little girl inherited your intelligence early on. He couldn’t be more prouder.

“So, there’s no problems, right? There’s nothing particularly bad about her being smarter than the rest,” Roman says and sets the papers down as he stares deep into Miss Avery’s eyes.

She squirms uncomfortably from his steely gaze as she softly clears her throat. She fidgets with her fingers and lowers her voice as she gives Lilian a slight glance.

“Lilian isn’t exactly... open with the rest. She’s not overly outgoing and she doesn’t have at least one friend in class. And that deeply worries me as her teacher because every child is supposed to have a friend in school,” she states. “In my opinion, I feel like she has to step out of her shell in order for her to succeed in the social aspect of her academic progress.”

Roman’s demeanor changed completely as he hears this. He uncrossed his arms and legs and leaned in closer to the desk. Miss Avery subtly scoots back as Roman’s gaze turns dark and mean. When it comes to his daughter, no one gets away with saying things like that.

“What the fuck does that have to do with her being smart?” He lowly asks, watching as Miss Avery’s eyes widened from his vulgar language, and she noticeably turns pale. “Who gives a flying fuck if she doesn’t have a goddamn friend? I don’t give a shit. As long as she’s doing what she needs to do to succeed in this shithole, then I’m fine with that. My daughter is the best fucking kid in this entire school, and for you to say that she has to be more outgoing really makes my blood boil. It’s people like you that are the reasons why these fucking kids can’t make friends. You’re lucky my daughter is in this room.”

Roman abruptly stands, causing the chair beneath him to screech against the ground. Miss Avery flinched as Lilian’s head snaps to observe the scene before her. She could see the hurricane beginning to form in her father’s muddy green eyes. She hurried to put the book away right when Roman walks over to her with a small smile. He reaches a hand down and gently pulls her up, making sure her dress is pulled down before he pulls her out of the class. When they’re down the hall, Roman stops and kneels down before his daughter. Even when he’s kneeling, he still towers over her.

“After today, you’re gonna be in a better class with a better teacher and cooler friends, okay?” He lightly tugs on Lilian’s light pink cardigan.

“Was I bad?” She softly asks as she plays with Roman’s black wedding ring.

“No, bug,” he whispers and lightly knocks his finger under her chin to make her look at him. “You made me so proud today. Your teacher told me that you’re very smart and you love to read and write.”

“Sometimes,” Lilian shrugs as she begins to blush.

“Hey,” he brings back her attention on him. “If someone every tells you shit for being too quiet, you know I’ll end their lives, right?”

“Uhhuh!” Lilian enthusiastically nods and giggles as she wraps her tiny arms around Roman’s neck, laughing a little louder when he stands up with an exaggerated groan before wrapping his own arms around her.

“I can’t wait to tell mama about today,” Roman comments quietly as he makes his way outside the school.

“Hmm... me too,” Lilian replies quietly in the crook of his neck, one of her tiny hands clutching onto his tie as the other grips the lapel of his trench coat.

[turqrambles]

I watched all 26 episodes of an obscure Australian cartoon in one week and I’m not okay - My journey with Wicked! (2001) PART 1

Here it is, the reason I started this blog in the first place. I need to talk about this cartoon I ran into completely by chance. 

It all started, like you would, with Tubitv.

Good ol’ Tubi, the free streaming service that makes you either an expert at being able to find diamonds in piles of garbage or a connoisseur of said garbage. It’s thanks to Tubi that I put down that I watched Alpha and Omega: Family Vacation on Letterboxd for all to see and judge, but it’s also thanks to Tubi that I finally ended up watching Killer Klowns from Outer Space.

Anyhoo, one day I was browsing their family film selection when I ran into this selection. And that was the day my life changed forever.

What you see before you, posted to a streaming service accessible in the United States, is the movie adaptation of an Australian TV show that never made it to the United States, which is based off a series of Australian children’s books from the 90′s that also never made it to the United States. It made it to other territories like Germany and the United Kingdom (and it apparently did super well in France but don’t quote me on this) but the TV show ran for one year and then disappeared without a trace after one 26 episode season.

How obscure is this franchise? Well, for starters, at the time I’m writing this in 2020, the books, the TV show, and the movie all don’t have a single Wikipedia page to call their own, and the easiest way to get info about this thing is to find the (rather tiny) TvTropes page. 

Let’s just get right into this shall we.

What is Wicked!?

Before you try to be all cute and make any references to the hit musical, there’s a reason I’m putting that exclamation mark there.

Wicked! started out as a series of six children’s books written by Paul Jennings and Morris Gleitzman. I actually grabbed a kindle copy of all six books (because I’m in this thing too deep and I wanted to see how the cartoon compared with the source material) and I gotta say, they’re very charming.

The best way I can describe them is that they’re in the kid horror genre, but they’re less Goosebumps and more The Weenies book series by David Lubar in terms of gore and child endangerment. Wicked! has some artful depictions of blood and gore, but in a way that can be digested by the grade school crowd.

Being a former child, I can proudly proclaim that I would’ve adored this series when I was younger. Just look at these covers!

The plot of the books is that there’s a widower with a daughter and a divorced wife with a son who get married, and the two new step-siblings Rory and Dawn absolutely hate each other. They can’t stand the fact that their parents are getting married! Gross!

But then, on the day of their wedding, creepy things begin to happen after Rory receives an appleman doll in the mail, and then, over the course of six books, a deadly single-minded virus that feeds on hate and is targeting Rory’s bloodline begins to spread across wildlife, creating crazed mutant animals that try to kill everyone in the household. It’s up to Rory, Dawn, and Dawn’s grandfather Gramps to stop this virus before it kills Rory and his mother, and to do so, they have to seek out Rory’s father, who seems to be the mysterious cause and/or the solution to the virus.

I’m not sure how well these books did, on account of the whole “not Australian” affliction I seem to suffer from, but they seemed to do well enough to get a TV show adaptation.

And surprisingly, the TV show is a very close adaptation of the books, only they changed the plot in two big ways so that it fits an animated series with a “monster of the week” setup.

The first big change was that, of course, they toned down the blood and gore and removed the deadliness of the virus, choosing to go with a more cartoony mutagenic approach. Rory gets infected by the virus several times in the show, just like how he does in the books, but unlike the books, he never thinks that he’s going to die from it and it’s definitely treated as a more temporary thing. There’s no race against time either. Everyone is trying to live their lives except every so often, the virus shows up. A wacky cartoon virus with cartoony stakes.

That brings me to the other main change that they make in the show. Unlike the books, where the main villain is a mindless virus that feeds off of hate, an invisible foe that can only be defeated at the end of the last book with the help of Rory’s father, the TV show decides that that’s no fun and instead makes a main villain out of one of the main plot points in the books. Say hello to The Appleman. (Apple-Man? Apple Man? Fuck it, I’m going with the first one from now on)

Instead of having the virus mutate mysteriously and having the main characters constantly hypothesize what’s going to happen next, the TV show made a main villain who constantly reinvents new strains of virus in a laboratory that he set up in an abandoned refinery.

What then happens is a basic plot set-up that the show follows pretty consistently in every episode. The family is trying to do something, we get the theme for the episode, and The Appleman, who is a spiteful bastard who is trying to ruin this one family in particular (and I’ll get to that), decides to make a virus that will infect the theme of that episode.

Pretty standard cartoon stuff, right? Ah, but then you don’t realize the beauty of this show. But first, I gotta introduce the main stars of this show.

The Characters

(quick note: this bus is incredibly important to the plot, but only in the books)

First we have Rory (the boy holding up the tin) and Dawn (the mad red head).

Dawn is the step-sister who lost her mom, a bus driver, in a gruesome bus accident, Rory is the step-brother whose parents got a divorce and then his dad went missing, believed to have run away from his whole family. Both of them are meant to be the dual protagonists, but I feel that there’s just a tiny bit more focus on Rory. There’s a reason for this that I will mention later.

What is interesting to note is that they make Rory the smart, non-athletic little nerd that gets picked on a lot at school for being a dork while Dawn loves sports, is failing science, gets made fun of for not being as girly as the other girls in her class, and likes violent computer games. I wouldn’t exactly call them “fleshed out” but they did enough to make these kids feel like actual kids.

Also, they fight. Constantly. This is the main complaint of anyone who actually looks into this show judging by my brief skimming of Internet comments because these two constantly bicker and insult each other and that makes up like 40% of the dialogue in any given episode. While this is one of the main story conflicts and they’re like this in the books too, it just feels super exhausting to see these two constantly at each other’s throats in every single episode.

They get mean too. Which, surprisingly, makes them both more realistic (I babysat multiple times and kids can be pretty verbally awful to each other) while also making them just a tiny bit unbearable at times. Here’s some actual dialogue.

"My dad sent it to me!" "Gee, he must think a lot of you to send you a doll full of worms." "Your mum thought so much of you she drove this bus over a cliff and into the river to get away from you."

GEEZ, guys...

Eileen, Rory’s mom.

It feels out of the three adults in the family, she gets the least amount of character development, but she does get a fair amount of screentime, so you can’t really say they’re intentionally ignoring her. She divorced her previous husband and works as a mail courier. Instead of owning a car, she drives a motorcycle, and, in the first episode, even drives it to her own wedding while dressed in a bridal gown. Rory’s mom rules.

She tries to bond with Dawn because she always wanted to raise a daughter, but Dawn clearly doesn’t like her new stepmom very much. Dawn is also afraid of the motorcycle and it comes up a couple times in the show.

Eileen is the adult that gets targeted the least by The Appleman’s schemes. There’s a very pointed reason for this, and I swear, I’m getting to it soon.

(quick note: yes, the show uses real photos to put in picture frames in the backgrounds and it’s real weird and never addressed)

Jack, Dawn’s dad.

Jack is a sheep shearer, just like in the books, and he’s a big easy-going dope that is hard not to love. Look at him hammer in this carpet. A true champ.

Out of the three adults in the family, he seems to be the one that nearly dies the most, with The Appleman going out of his way to specifically target Jack in some episodes. If you know Appleman’s backstory, this reads as absolutely petty spite and I love every minute of it.

Gramps, Dawn’s grandfather and Jack’s dad.

He’s an aging WWII veteran (one that has killed people in combat no less) who radiates constant Boomer vibes and, unlike Eileen and Jack, he actually sees some of the crazy shit that happens and will sometimes sense when something is infected with virus when the other two adults can’t.

In the books, he’s suffering pretty badly from dementia, but thankfully the cartoons drop that completely. I’m glad too, because I don’t have the confidence that they would’ve written it with enough sophistication to make it not seem ableist. Instead, he’s just your typical kooky cartoon grandfather.

He’s probably the adult that gets the most screentime because he will actually help Dawn and Rory out. Again, this ties into the books, where he was the main adult ally for the kids.

He says a lot of army-themed catchphrases. It’s a tad overplayed but it never really gets to a point where I would call it “annoying”. Also, instead of living in the house, he lives in a tiny granny flat on the property. Sometimes Rory spends the night there.

Last but not least, we have the star of the show, and the reason why the easiest way to find information of this show is to google “Wicked The Appleman”.

The Appleman, as explained, is the main villain of the story. Dressed in a very fancy suit complete with dress shoes and a nice blue tie, he lives in an old refinery full of rats, bats, and giant worms (called Slobberers), and he’s rocking a voice that can be best described as “Australian Mark Hamil” with an absolutely heavenly evil laugh. He has gross clawed hands, a rotten apple for a head, and likes making people miserable, because he’s basically the living puppet for a virus that feeds off of negative emotions. The main goal of each episode is to either defeat him or to stop the mess he’s made. Usually both.

Since all of his minions are non-sentient animals, a lot of his dialogue is him lurking behind something while he monologues to himself, sometimes turning it into a creepy little rhyme. He’s a pretty lonely guy, so him hanging out with this family can be seen as a very non-subtle cry for help.

The best episodes are the ones where he tries to lurk about in public with a very poor attempt at disguising his hideous features. Somehow it always works, you know, despite the fact that he has yellow eyes, the skin like a moldy apple, and no ears.

What Makes Wicked! Unique

(no, The Appleman doesn’t actually use that axe)

The first thing this show does that most of the formulaic shows don’t do is that it does, in fact, have a beginning, a middle, and an end. That’s why this show was packaged into a full-length movie - you can glue scenes together and actually make a pretty decent narrative, even if the resulting movie definitely had a “glued together TV show episodes” feel ala some of the bad Disney sequels like Cinderella II and Atlantis II. 

This show even has some plot-heavy episodes that dive into just why this whole Appleman situation is going on and why he seems to have it out for this one family in order to flesh out the characters more.

Because that’s a thing that this show does. The Appleman is a cartoon-y villain who cackles in his lab and constantly invents new strains of viruses that can mutate things like animals and household appliances, but he doesn’t do it to take over the city or to “destroy the world”. He does it purely to inconvenience this one Australian family, who he stalks pretty regularly. This is a thing that comes from the books and honestly, it’s a thing that elevates Appleman from “ugly-looking cartoon villain” to “pretty damn creepy, if also still cartoony in execution”.

Sure, a lot of cartoon villains target the main protagonist in their evil schemes, but this one is definitely more personal.

He regularly follows Rory and Dawn to school and, when the family goes on a camping trip, he comes too. If Rory decides he’s going to hang out in the wrecker’s yard, The Appleman will be cackling and hiding behind totaled vehicles. If Gramps takes the kids out to the bay to go fishing, The Appleman will pull an ice cream truck out of his garage and follow them there. That’s how the main conflict is really set up.

I think if a scarier cartoon tried, they’d make him out to be this grotesque stalker, but instead, since this show is kinda goofy in execution, he’s like the shittiest cryptid in the world, constantly crouching behind trash cans and on top of rooftops while constantly cackling about how clever he is and how, miraculously, no one notices anything’s amiss.

This alone would make this villain interesting, but then they set up something about this show at the beginning if you watch the intro and the first episode and put two and two together.

Right from the start, the opening shows that The Appleman was once human by depicting his transformation by the virus. They don’t even try and pretend that he’s some demon or some sort of supernatural monster - he’s specifically a blue collar worker who had a nasty run-in with fate and mutated into this hideous apple-headed creature that now has to hide out in an abandoned refinery. You see why he’s dressed like that - he’s still wearing his work uniform.

Right after you watch that intro, the first episode of the show has Rory receiving a mysterious package from his father on the day of his mother’s wedding. It’s the first time that Rory and his mom Eileen have heard from their dad after he mysteriously vanished years ago. 

What’s inside? An apple-headed doll, which contains the first virus-infected monsters, The Slobberers.

When The Appleman makes his first dramatic appearance, he never says Dawn’s name, but he does know Rory’s name.

And, in case you didn’t pick up the hints from the first episode, the fourth episode really drives it home without spelling it out. Then the last episode of the series decides to say it out loud.

That’s right. Rory’s father, the man who mysteriously vanished from Eileen and Rory’s lives, is still an important part of the cartoon’s storyline, but instead of being the man who appears in the last book that knows how to cure the virus while also being the first victim of the virus, he’s the main antagonist.

The Appleman is Rory’s father.

And honestly, because of this little plot point, this show becomes a much richer experience once you look at the unhinged appleman who keeps unleashing horror on these kids and realize that he’s a divorced dad who constantly keeps tabs on his ex-wife's unstable dysfunctional family in order to make them more pissed at each other because that feeds the virus that mutated him.

This is a very cool concept. This is where Wicked! shines when, for all intents and purposes, it is otherwise a pretty average turn-of-the-century Australian cartoon that can be best described as “it’s okay, I guess” in terms of quality.

Because that’s really the rating I can give this show. It’s Okay.

It’s a very solid Okay, but I think any adjective more powerful than “Okay” is really pushing it. It’s not Great, it’s not Amazing. It’s Okay. Alright. Kinda Good.

But man, is it a wild ride.

Next time, I’m going to start discussing the actual episodes as well as this show’s pros and cons. Dividing this up into multiple parts partly because I feel like these things are more easily digested in smaller chunks and partly because I’m pretty sure tumblr now has a size limit on posts soooo...yeah.

Follow this handy link for Part 2 - The Actual Review!

[alphabees-writes]

Glee - S1 E1 (Pilot)

Is it a smart idea to rewatch glee again? No.

Am I going to do it anyway? You bet your sweet bippy I am!

Am I going to liveblog my garbage monkey brain thoughts along the way even though nobody asked for it? Hell yeah.

Here goes!

Wow. The first frame of this entire show is literally of a woman who looks like she’s about 10 years above the natural lifespan of a Cheerio. Then again, I’m sure Sue’s not above holding back her best recruits for multiple years because Ohio high schools are apparently just Like That™

I also never notice this opening song was a remix of Keep Me Hangin On, wow. That’s actually kind of interesting foreshadowing of sorts, like, kind of smart. I’m glad I’m watching the part of Glee that was kind of smart.

This scene also doesn’t feature any of the Unholy Trinity as far as I can see. Are they a JV squad? Am I putting too much thought into this?

Sign #1 That Mr Schuester Is An Asshole: Really, my guy? Driving around with your muffler dragging on the ground so bad it’s making sparks? That’s not very Road Safety of you. Fuck off. 

Sign #2 That Mr Schuester Is An Asshole: Wow, there’s going to be a lot of these, huh? Anyway, anybody with working eyes would clearly see how scared Kurt is right now. “Making some new friends Kurt?” Fuck off. 

KURT. FIRST SIGHTING OF THE BOY. What a delight. But also, not a delight, because he’s being bullied and he deserves better. Look at his outfit. Iconic from day fucking one. 

Finn, you’re a himbo. What’re you doing with these assholes?

Puck’s first line in the whole series is “It’s hammer time!” What a fucking dork? Who made this boy popular. 

DO MORE THAN TAKE HIS COAT, FINN. LET HIM GOOOOO!!!

I paused while they were tossing Kurt in the dumpster and, wow, got the most hilarious frame where the guy who isn’t Puck is getting a meticulously polished boot to the face. Netflix let me take screenshots, you coward.

The first shot of Quinn... My wlw bones are shaking.

Why would they use that photo for Lillian Adler...? WHO WAS BORN IN 1937, MIGHT I ADD. THAT’S NOT A REAL YEAR. 

It’s weird to see Mr Schue actually speaking competent Spanish. Why did they veto that later? The ONE likeable thing about him was his competence as a school teacher, and they really threw it out the window huh?

WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO THE MEMBERS OF SANDY RYERSON’S GLEE CLUB??? This kid seems to really like singing. Also, welcome to the beginning of Ryerson being annoying as all hell.

Oh my gosh, the background choir stuff. This show really had style back in the day!!!

R A C H E L B E R R Y Y O U R M A K E U P ! ! !

Ken Tanaka walked so incels could run.

Jane Lynch you beauty. You absolutely impeccable beauty. 

“Since when are cheerleaders performers?” Uh... Emma...? I get that Sue’s going ham on her budget but, like, be nice to the students? They perform their butts off!

Sue really just BRAGGED about having an iPhone. I was 9 when this came out. Why do I feel old...

Sign #3 That Mr Schuester Is An Asshole: He hears his coworker, presumably of several years, just got fired and doesn’t even ask why. He just jumps on the glee club like a frog on hot asphalt. 

He really wants to Make The Glee Club Great Again, huh? 

MySpace was really a thing, huh? And why does this grown-ass male teacher know so much about the students having them?

I know nothing about actual American schools, but I do know that they sure as shit don’t work like this. Why does a club have to win EVERY competition to be considered an asset?

Mr Shoe really lying awake at night half-naked next to his wife thinking about the glee club already? Yeah sounds about right. Also, of course you’d think up Nude Erections for a name, you asshole. Put some clothes on.

R E S P E C T MERCEDES YES!!!

Brad the piano player was really here from day ONE... Icon.

Cellophane, Mr Cellophane... Yes Kurt bby you killed it. 

Chris Colfer looks so YOUNG here!!! 

The hair fix... I C O N I C !

Tina really wrote her stutter down, huh? And nobody ever saw through it? Amazing. 

The goth Tina look, too... Perfect... Never change...

Say what you want about Rachel Berry being generally insufferable, but I really fucking feel it when she sings On My Own. The monologue kind of kills The Drama of it, but they really solidly established her character by layering them. She really is a gold star right now.

The first-ever on-screen slushie!

The way she walks down that hall. My God you can just see how terrible she is to be around.

Never forget Rachel staring at photos of her with two men who turned out to not be her dads. Who are they? What are their stories? We’ll never know.

God, I love this stupid scene of Quinn, Santana, and a bunch of Cheerios cartoonishly typing hate comments on Rachel’s MySpace video and laughing like knock-off Disney villains. 

I like watching season 1 Artie because season 1 Artie was a good character. Mostly. And he KILLED Sit Down, You’re Rocking The Boat. Rachel wasn’t asking for a male lead who could keep up with her vocally, she was being straight up ableist and that’s a fact. I love Cory, but Kevin McHale was always a better singer.

Mercedes picking up and spinning Rachel for this little routine is something I never really appreciated before, it’s cute even though they don’t like each other yet!

I really don’t get why Rachel says they suck. Yeah, sure, she’s gunning for a solo, but the vocals were solid there. The choreo was just a little janky, possibly because it’s their first EVER rehearsal?

“There is NOTHING ironic about show choir!” Incredible.

How long did it take Mr Shoe to find Rachel out on the bleachers? Did he search the whole school first?

ARTIE! CAN! KEEP! UP! WITH! YOU! VOCALLY!

I never understood Rachel quitting so soon. How long was she in the old glee club for? Surely they were never popular either?

Ah, the first “My hands are tied” for the series. Mr Figgins is a garbage principal. 

Not going to advise the principal against referring to Artie as a cripple, William Shoestir? Alright. 

How did the Schuester marriage last as long as it has? Do Will and Terri’s insufferable personalities just cancel one another out?

Sandy Ryerson really just openly brags about cheating the system for medical marijuana and dealing it? 

Matt Morrison 100% has lip fillers. Nobody’s smile curls like that naturally.

“Terri and I are trying to get pregnant” What a weird way to phrase it. What is it, a race? Who’s going to get knocked up first!

A FIFTH OF BEETHOVEN, HOW I’VE MISSED YOU... The sound design of this show at this point is just... *Chef hand kiss*

“What you’re doing right now is called blurring the lines” Oh just wait until season 4, Sue... Just you wait.

WHY is Mr Schuester so ridiculously sweaty? I didn’t need to think about that?

EVERYONE on the football team is 30.

William Schuester you can’t just watCH TEENAGE STUDENTS SING IN THE SHOWER YOU ARE A TEACHER WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR LICENSE?! 

Hearing Cory sing this always makes me emotional. What a talent!

Sign #4 That Mr Schuester Is An Asshole: I don’t think I need to say why using the weed to blackmail Finn is a shitty thing to do, do I?

“I’ll pee in a cup! ...I’ll pee...” I love Cory’s delivery. 

PRIORITY #1: HELP THE KIDS Oh season 1... I love you so.

Mr Schue you WISH you were anything like Finn Hudson. You never will be.

Ah... Finn’s first monologue. He’s such a sweetheart. AND SO IS CAROLE. Carole is a queen I will stan forever. YOU THROW THAT MILK BB!!!

All Finn wants to do is make his mom proud. What a sweetheart. Mr Schue you do NOT deserve him.

These POV shots really enhance things, why the fuck did they stop using them?

Subtly having Kurt look at Finn in the same shot as Rachel was a nice touch indeed!

RACHEL WAS REALLY DOWN WITH ROLLING ARTIE RIGHT OFF THE STAGE HUH?

Terri’s a straight up hoarder, huh? Like a raccoon but instead of collecting edible garbage, it’s monogrammed garbage.

Surely you can’t just... BECOME an accountant, right? You need some serious qualifications for that right?

Also say what you want about how insufferable Terri is but her actress is ridiculously talented and absolutely steals every scene she’s in.

Now the background choir is doing Soul Bossa Nova and I am L I V I N G why didn’t they keep that motif!!! It was so ICONIC!

I don’t need my prostate removed. RIP Carole Hudson but I’m different :/

NO MEANS NO, KEN! TAKE THE L AND MOVE ON! Way to take out the fact that a girl won’t date you on everybody else around you! Toxic bastard. The absolute stench of melodrama on this bastard is noxious.

I was going to ask why Rachel didn’t know about Finn and Quinn if they’d already been together for 4 months, but then I remembered gossiping requires friends...

“Terri rides me. Hard. And I’ve always appreciated it!” Why don’t we talk about how this line sounds more. Why doesn’t Emma bat an eye at it oh my god

HERE COMES VOCAL ADRENALINE!!! And Jesse St. James is nowhere to be seen. How convenient. Also, they’re all 30. I’m sensing a pattern.

Sorry VA, all songs popularised my Amy Winehouse legally belong to Santana Lopez

Puck, if you were stupid enough to fall for the prostate excuse, that’s on you. Or maybe it’s on the education system...

You can do better that Mr Schue, kids. Don’t mourn him.

Ok, what the fuck is this scene where he’s filling out the job app to become an accountant? There’s a dude in the row in front off him just throwing crisps around? What is this place?? Why are you here sir??? 

“Accounting is sexy” shut up you horrible married man

The Cheerios sure did have straight ponytails for like, one episode, huh?

Finn is such a good boy. He doesn’t know it yet, but he is, and saving Artie from that portapotty is his first step to figuring it out.

This shot of Finn just wheeling Artie out of there... Ugh. My HEART.

KURT WHAT ARE THOSE LAYERS? SWEATER SHIRT SWEATER? HELLO???

Pee balloons. Nailing the lawn furniture to the roof. Finn, you’re better than that!!! Stop your dudebros. 

They really had Artie be a guitar player, and a pretty good one at that, but they never mentioned it again? Artie had such potential SMH. (Also, Netflix subtitles are telling me it’s Arty, but I categorically refuse to spell it that way.)

Whyyyyy didn’t he go to KURT for the costumes as well? Look at his outfit, Finn. He clearly wants in on that job. 

Will Schuester really is just desperately clinging to his glory days in high school. I’d feel bad for him if he wasn’t such a creep about it. 

Emma, meaningfully: Do you know who that is? That’s you, Will... [FRANTIC DISCO MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND]

I find it hilarious how the audio of Don’t Stop Believin’ just DOES NOT match the characters except for the solos... Also wow, autotune city. Am I awful for genuinely not liking this cover? 

I like watching them perform it though. Kurt’s adorable little shimmy... Rachel and Tina smiling at each other like that... Everybody having a blast... I’m here for it

LOOK AT MY BABIES TILTING THOSE MIC STANDS...

Ok the way Rachel and Finn look at each other here is making me FEEL

I know Puck’s about to join anyway but WHY is he there watching... Just to have a mysterious bad boy moment? Lol you dramatic bastard

Please let them win nationals without you, Will.

So, yeah! There’s that! Those are my thoughts and feelings, basic though they may be. Episode one is fantastic, the kids are fantastic, and William Schuester can suck a toe. 

[shikai-the-storyteller]

Back from being out of town SO: Cyberverse Season 2 episode 7, 8 and 9 watch!

SO MANY EPISODES CAME OUT WHILE I WAS OUT OF TOWN, THAT WAS SO CRUEL!!!!

Cyberverse 7!

MACCADAM!!!! OMG OMG HES FINALLY BACK

OH NO ITS THE MEGAOP BREAKUP SCENE 

oh nevermind, it’s just breakup scene #513214

I wonder what Megatron asked Optimus to do :O

Optimus: I just cant seem to make progress on these peace talks Maccadam: That sucks. Aren’t my drinks AWESOME? Optimus: yeah....

Aw Maccadam has such a cute smile. It’s really nice to see someone giving Optimus advice, usually he’s the designated dad of the group. Glad he has some support in this continuity!

OHOHO THEY’RE GONNA WORK TOGETHER TO BRING DOWN STARSCREAM

Man I frickin love it when Megatron and Optimus are forced to work together against a “greater evil”

Also: I love that Optimus is still so full of hope for that “one success” even though he’s failed so many times. Good characterization

I really love the animation style in Cyberverse. Also that Opening is STILL incredible, I can’t get enough of that (but oh Starscream, buddy, yellow is not your color)

Starscream, petting a Scraplet: Don’t you recognize her? This was the great Solus Prime! Slipstream: Can I PLEASE go home Starscream: Wait I’m not finished showing you my bug collection

“This is the noble Megatronus!” hrGHHH WHY DOES THAT MAKE MY HEART ACHE

The Seekers have only one brain cell and clearly Slipstream is the only one in possession of it

Soundwave: Together? That’s ridi— Megatron: *raises an arm to silence him* Me: HOW DARE YOU SHUSH MY BOY

The way Megatron says “let us discuss” while leaning forward makes me cautiously suspicious, but also I wonder if Megatron is as anxious to come to an agreement with Optimus as Optimus is with him, in his own way...

Shadow Striker’s surveillance got blocked by Prowl’s massive chest lmaooooo

Shadow Striker has such a good voice, I KNOW I MENTION THE VA’s IN EVERY LIVEBLOG BUT MAN!!! CYBERVERSE HAS SUCH GREAT VOICE ACTORS

It’s so tragic that Bumblebee and Rodimus are utterly indifferent to the peace talks because they happen so frequently and always fall through :( yet again, good way of showing without getting into too much detail. I admire the way cyberverse tells their stories

OMG SOUNDWAVE AND WINDBLADE ARE ABOUT TO GO AT IT

Grimlock: quit staring at me Shockwave: illogical Grimlock: I’LL SHOW YOU ILLOGICAL GUYS PLS lmao that cracks me up, they sound like CHILDREN

Lmao @ Megatron yelling at them all, “LEAVE ME ALONE IM TRYING TO TALK TO MY EX”

tfw you’re trying to make up with your ex but your disaster children have absolutely zero chill

OH GOOD SLIPSTREAM IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE MOST COMPETENT DECEPTICON

“Must we?” SOUNDWAVE C'MON MAN

HE HAS A GUN ON THE BOTTOM OF HIS FOOT IN SUCH A WEIRD SPOT LMAO

SHE SHOT HIM AND I CANT EVEN BE THAT MAD, SOUNDWAVE YOU’RE BEING A BUTT

“The biggest mistake I made was underestimating Starscream” story of Megatron’s life in every series

OMG….SHADOW STRIKER AND PROWL ARE HANGING OUT…THAT’S UNEXPECTEDLY ADORABLE

wHEELJACK AND SHOCKWAVE HANGING OUT WITH THE SHOCKLETS IM SHRIEKING WITH JOY THATS!! SO!!! CUTE!!!!

Shockwave’s little expression before it cuts back to Megatron and Optimus :’)

*whispers* and they were LAB partners!

Megatron: We should have talked like this ages ago, Prime Optimus: So much history between us… *meaningful shot of them sitting on either end of a very long table* Megatron: …and yet, so little trust Me, wheezing in agony

“Most roads on Cybertron are one way” FRICKIN

MEGATRON YOU DORK. I have no idea if he was being serious or being metaphorical but either way I laughed even while my heart ached

WINDBLADE ITS YOUR GIRLFRIEND SLIPSTREAM

Slipstream: Who’s the second most competent person I know. Slipstream: Well, it’s definitely not gonna be a Decepticon

SLIPSTREAM NO!!!!! WTF

Wheeljack: Well, it was fun while it lasted! Shockwave: No it wasn’t Snorts

MAN THIS IS KILLING ME, FATE REALLY NEVER CUTS MEGATRON AND OPTIMUS A BREAK HUH???

AGAIN, TFW YOU’RE TRYING TO MAKE UP WITH YOUR EX BUT YOUR KIDS HAVE ZERO CHILL

OK BUT THEY’RE NOT GONNA LEAVE SLIPSTREAM LIKE THAT ARE THEY???? Jeez louise. I mean I know she’s not dead dead, my guess is she’s going to manipulate the All Spark from within later on to screw up Starscream’s plans, there’s no way they’d write her out like this.

EPISODE 8

Kitty cat no!!!

“They’re not here anymore!” Thank you captain obvious lmao. I love him. I bet Cheetor would get along well with Teletraan

“I know you told me not to interrupt anymore but—” lmao

OH NO A DISTRESS CALL FROM MEGATRON??? A last desperate attempt to warn Prime against a great danger??? Suspicious yet sweet

“Sounds extra forboding!” Teletran you’re such a DORK

Ohhh I really do love the way they animate Windblade’s expressions

“Well, this isn’t creepy at all!” Lol me 2 Rodimus

UHHHH ARE THOSE THINGS IN THEIR CHESTS BUGS??? IS THIS GOING TO BE AN ALIEN VS PREDATOR THING oh no ok, it’s just their sparks, I WAS GONNA SAY

*Ominous thunking ends abruptly* Well that’s not ominous at all

I mean at least they’ve still got their sparks?

OH MAN they even got Shockwave and Shadow Striker, jeez

SOUNDWAVE NO!

Optimus: Starscream’s forces managed to overwhelm everyone, even Soundwave I love that he said “even Soundwave”, like, yes, good, that’s right Optimus, thank you for acknowledging that my boy is no pushover

YO HOT ROD HAS HIS FLAME POWERS THAT’S SO COOL

I love the way they animate Windblade’s sword, that looks awesome

OH NO THEY’RE GETTING OPTIMUS, JEEZ THAT LOOKS BAD

MEGATRON OH NO

Starscream’s dramatic frickin reveal killed me, I can’t believe he didn’t say “Megatron has fallen

AW The frat boys trio working together is so cute :’) I love them

“We got your back, Cheetz!” RODIMUS YOU ARE PRECIOUS

HECK YEAH RODIMUS, YOUR FIRE POWERS LOOK SO C

NO THEY”RE GETTING BUMBLEBEE AND HOT ROD OH NO NONO!!!!

RUN KITTY RUN!!!

ALPHA TRION....Good lord

“Alpha Trion says he’s very disappointed in you, Optimus” STARSCREAM PLZ, HE REALLY IS LIKE A CRAZY PET OWNER

Ohhh they’re talking about the Matrix

WINDBLADE NO!!!!! NOT MY GIRL

OH SNAP THEY’RE ACTUALLY GOING FOR IT??? NO ONE’S GOING TO JUMP IN TO SAVE OPTIMUS???

THAT’S SO GRUESOME WTF, THEY’RE ACTUALLY TEARING HIS CHEST OPEN TO TAKE IT OUT

“The Matrix looks really pretty” I say in a small voice, mortified beyond belief

CHEETOR IS SO CUTE....

“You do not understand who and what you are fighting” SICK LINE CHEETOR

THANK YOU FOR RIPPING THAT HIDEOUS YELLOW ARMOR OFF STARSCREAM

THE FRAT BOY FRIENDSHIP TRIO IS SO CUTE

Megatron: I will...permit you to leave now Optimus: You are welcome Ughhhh Megatron’s expression while they’re walking away is so good thIS KILLS ME...........

Cyberverse 9!

OH NO THUNDERCRACKER, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, ARE YOU OK???

WHY IS SLIPSTREAM SUDDENLY THERE AGAIN, WHAT’S GOING ON (NOT THAT I’M NOT GLAD TO SEE YOU)

Wait I forgot there’s another purple Seeker, that’s probably not Slipstream RATS

What exactly is Cheetor doing, WAIT I think these are all old memories he’s seen, these are just flashbacks ALRIGHT WE’RE COOL I GOT IT NOW

GOSH I LOVE MEGAOP BATTLES NO MATTER HOW BRIEF THEY ARE

Cheetor: I hope they one day settle their differences so that we may one day take our place among them Somehow that makes him sound like an alien, which is ironic since they’re ALL aliens

Very nice group shot right there

aw, Cheetor is right at Rodimus’ hand level when he’s in his cheetah alt mode, I half expected Rodimus to pet him

"Won’t someone please pet me??”

Man, this makes me miss Ravage. I’d love to see him show up in Cyberverse too. We know Lazerbeak is here at least though!

Hot Rod: How can we find Starscream if he ghosted us? Bumblebee: “Ghosted us”? LMAO nice slang Hot Rod

Aww poor Cheetor, me too buddy

RATCHET RATCHET RATCHET!!!!

LMAO HE SCREAMED, I LOVE YOU RATCHET YOU’RE SO CUTE

Oh no Cheetor, don’t go help Wheeljack

LMAO Cheetor you’re just so sneaky like a kitty cat, no one can hear you coming

OH NO DEFINITELY DON”T HELP PROWL

“YOU”LL NEVER TAKE ME” PROWL PLEASE

AW BUMBLEBEE SCARED CHEETOR that’s sweet that he went to go make Cheetor feel better :’) Best buddies

WAIT WTF

FRICKIN CYBERVERSE, YOU SCARED ME FOR A SECOND, I HEARD THAT SOUND AND I WARPED BACK TO FRICKIN 2005, HOW COULD YOU SCARE ME LIKE THAT

This frickin series is made by a bunch of MEMERS

BEE SAVED THE KITTY CAT!!!!

UH OH jeez louise they got caught

“I was so hoping to never see you again!” I love you Bumblebee

SPARK MERGING??? STARSCREAM BUDDY....

“I have no fight with you. We are soon to be one” Not creepy at all Starscream

OH NO IS HE GOING TO PUT BEE’S SPARK INA SCRAPLET??? JEEZ THAT’S NEW

SMART THINKING CHEETOR

CHEETOR AND BEE ARE SUCH CUTE FRIENDS GOSH

wait Episode 10 is out too??? OK I CAN”T HELP MYSELF, IM GONNA PUT IT IN A NEW TEXT POST THOUGH

MAN I LOVE THIS SERIES!!! I LOVE CYBERVERSE

[derpyslurpy-da-derp-master]

I love Akiba’s Trip with a passion, to demonstrate why here’s the main cast rated by how much I love them

Nanashi (MC) 9/10. Can be the funniest dork that ever dorked and incredibly sweet when he (the player) wants to be. Seriously some of his lines are actual comedic gold and make me cackle just thinking about them while others give me diabetes. Canonically accepted a sketchy job application with expensive anime figurines as payment. Almost turned into what is basically an artificial vampire and just rolls with it like it’s just another Tuesday. I love him.

Nana 5/10. Real funny lil sis to Nanashi. I honestly don’t know much about her considering she’s like a rare monster spawn. Really fun when she’s on screen, calls Nanashi literally every variation of ‘Bro’ under the sun, Brofessor, Brotato, and my personal favorite; Brotagonist. Constantly asks for him to do shit for her or give her money. Funny but not much to love on a deeper level.

Yuto Tachibana 7/10. A very good boy, very smart, the brains of the squad. Soft lad that’s very underappreciated. I literally have nothing else to say. I love him.

Rin Tokikaze 7/10. An actual Tsundere who’s an idol and spokesgirl for a Pharmaceutical company. Puts on a cutesy act for her fans but is pretty sassy and snappy offstage. Does have an actual soft spot sometimes in rare instances and she can be absolutely fucking adorable when she wants to be. Will actually kick your ass if you try to start shit. Will also kick your ass if she doesn’t want to deal with your shit. Also just doesn’t give a shit. Looks cute but will fucking kill you if it suits her. Probably tried to bludgeon god at some point. Basically if a honey badger had a human body. Tried to kill a man with a keyboard guitar. *slaps Rin* This bad boy can fit so much fucking rage in it. She may be a little gremlin but she’s my little gremlin okay?

Kaito Tachibana 5/10. The biggest loser to exist. Big bro to Yuto. Useless. Garbage boy. Fights using an anime figurine. Knows every route to every dating sim ever made and will brag about it. Claims to be a hit with the ladies but literally all of them but the two really nice ones hate him. *holds him up* stinky. *waves him around* stinky bastard man. Is pretty funny, breaks the 4th wall. Like Nana, not much on a deeper level, very one dimensional so while he’s hilarious I don’t feel super attached to him.

Tohko Sagisaka 8/10. Childhood friend of Nanashi. Sassy as all hell, can and will mock Nanashi whenever possible. Really gay for Rin, like, REALLY gay. They literally kiss at one point. Honestly yeah they’d make a good couple and would get along swimmingly considering Tohko probably punched the sun at some point or tried throwing hands with god before. Will not take anyone’s shit. Punches actual vampires on a daily basis. Very done with all you people at all times. Can be a softie sometimes and it’s precious. All in all I love her she’s great.

Kihachi “Pops” Sugiyama 7/10. Is the only responsible one here. Local single father of six adopts two more kids who are actually supernatural beings. Loves all his children equally. Needs a freaking break. Just wants someone to buy something at his game bar for gods sake. A bad cook but real good at making Coffee. “I’m not a kid person.” He says followed by a hoard of children. Is actually a badass but didn’t want to steal Nanashi’s thunder. A very good dad, I love him.

Kati Raikkonen 9/10. Swedish waitress at the game bar the squad uses as an HQ. Very soft gal and precious bean. Does not understand sarcasm very well and has difficulty speaking Japanese so half the time what comes out of her mouth is grammatically incorrect or like, she mixed up some words in a saying and it’s the funniest thing ever, Yuto’s always patient and gently corrects her/translates what she just said for the gang. Like, an example (not from the game but just how she talks sometimes) would be ‘Let us all just do the claming down!‘ instead of ‘Let’s all calm down!’ I think it’s adorable and really funny, she’s a precious bean and I love her. 

Shion Kasugai 2/10. BUY A SUIT JACKET THAT FITS FOR FUCKS SAKE. STOP TALKING SO CREEPILY TOWARDS NANASHI HES WAY YOUNGER THAN YOU. STOP BEIN SUPER SKETCHY. STOP MAKING RIN THINK YOU ARE KIDNAPPING HER SISTER. JUST. STOP.

Shizuku Tokikaze 10000/10. Is doing her best. Very sad. Needs lots of hugs. Familial issues off the wazoo. Starts out cold but grows to love Akihabara and the people in it. Says both real deep shit and real nerdy shit. Turns into a serious anime fan. Seriously she falls in love with an anime and it’s Adorkable AF. Speaks very calmly except for one scene where she’s super embarrassed and it’s the cutest thing ever her voice is so pleasant oml- Okay but seriously all joking aside someone give her a fucking hug please she’s depressed and bottling up so much and she hates herself like girl please stop you’re amazing you precious bean. Love her with all my heart. Best girl. No contest. Protecc.

[bluering8]

TNG S02

TNG S02 roundup let’s do this let’s make it happen!

Data - I still love Data!! That’s it that’s all you’re getting on the topic because I love Data so much that if you let me talk about him at all I’ll Talk Forever and there are non-Data things in this show which  need to talk about.

Geordi la Forge - I’m glad that Geordi’s the chief engineer now. Last season was kind of weird in that there wasn’t a dedicated engineer character so they were pulling out a new random yellowshirt every time they needed someone to explain a thing to the main cast. If I’m yelling something at the screen (use a shuttle! fly in a different direction! fate is bullshit shut up riker!) then usually Geordi will be the one to say it. This is like, one of the fastest ways you can possibly endear a character to me.

Anyway, I love Geordi and I love his friendship with Data and honestly, you could give me an entire show entirely about these two being bros and I would adore it. I forgot that Geordi likes to build model ships, but now I remember and it delights me that he’s just like, a huge fucking dork in his own right.

...it occurs to me that I’m better-disposed to characters when I know what their hobbies are. Part of the reason I love Data and Geordi so much both as individuals and as a brotp is that the show devotes a lot of time to showing them fucking around and getting into shenanigans outside of their duties. Contrast that with the characters I’m more ambivalent towards, such as Riker or Dr Crusher, and it becomes really obvious that part of the reason I’m ambivalent towards them is that I have no real idea what they do when they’re not doing their jobs.

Kate Pulaski - I hated Pulaski the first time I watched TNG and now, several years later, it turns out that I still hate Pulaski!! I talked about her before and tl;dr: my issue with her isn’t how she treats Data or that she’s decided he isn’t a person, but that she thinks treating someone that way is acceptable as long as she’s decided they’re not a person. Listen, mate, I’m not here to insist that everyone should be a perfect morally-pure cinnamon roll (all my faves are problematic as Hecke). I hate Pulaski because it would be so so easy for me to love her as a character, but she simply doesn’t fit the universe. In a grittier setting? Fantastic, splendid, superlative, I’ll take ten. In spacefuture utopia? I can believe in Pulaski as a person who might exist, sure, but I cannot believe that the rest of the Enterprise crew would stand there and watch her treat Data the way she treats Data, and not respond by hauling her off for sensitivity training. I hate Pulaski not because there’s anything wrong with Pulaski, but because the way the rest of the characters let her get away with it feels like a betrayal of everything I believed in about Star Trek.

Wesley Crusher - Alias FUCKING WESLEY THE WORST CHARACTER, because he is the absolute worst. Why is he wearing a uniform now? I am not usually a guy with strong opinions about wardrobe choices, but I actually really liked his collection of ugly-ass sweaters. If Wesley adds anything to the cast it’s his identity as someone who, despite all his smarts, is still just a teenaged civilian, and as a result lacks both the experience and the training of the other characters. Once you stick him in a uniform you start to lose the impact of that difference. I mean yes the difference will inevitably be lost as he embarks on his Starfleet career but at this point he’s still not even a real cadet yet, let me have the one thing I actually kind of like about the character.

Also why is he on the bridge. Seriously why. Why why why. Stop this!!

William Riker - Somehow it took me until halfway through this season to realise that Riker is mostly just a clone of Kirk? I think this contributes to how bland I find him, all Kirk’s philosophical inclinations got given to Picard instead so Riker ends up feeling super flat and underdeveloped. He’s, like, generally a decentish person (sometimes), and he’s good at his job (sometimes), and he flirts with pretty ladies (often), and his dad is a piece of shit? That’s all I’ve got on him. Dude could use another personality trait or three.

S02E02 Where Silence Has Lease - I have very mixed feelings about this episode. The first half was excellent horror, the kind of thing I love about the SCP Foundation or the Sick Land, that scenario where you’re trying to look at a thing from the perspective of a researcher but you’re in a situation where research simply doesn’t work because the thing is a fundamental violation of the way you interact with reality, and you’ve reached the point where all you can do is look at it and describe what you’re seeing and hope really, really hard that someone will figure something out eventually maybe. (The exploration of the Yamato reminded me a lot of House of Leaves, which also has that delicious sense of nightmarish slowburn reality-breakdown even if it lacks the desperate attempts to Do Science to something which completely resists the application of the scientific method.) Horror is an incredibly subjective genre, but for me a vital part of it is denying me any explanation while maintaining the illusion that if I go just a little further, learn just a little more, suddenly I’ll have my explanation and everything will make sense.

This episode not only gives an explanation, but salts the wound by giving an incredibly shitty explanation. See, something something rats in a maze and then there’s a face in the sky and I don’t give a shit. It was Whatsisface all along!! All it achieves is making me super super confused about what are Whatsisface’s capabilities even. He can make fake ships and fake people and instakill a dude, but he can’t deactivate the ship’s autodestruct or prevent Picard from activating the autodestruct in the first place?

S02E03 Elementary, Dear Data - What the fuck is up with the holodeck? My friend pointed out that “bear in mind they probably have a thousand problem free uses of the holodeck for every freak issue” but like, that’s not the fucking issue here, the issue is that regardless of how many problem-free uses they’ve had, they’ve also had an alarmingly high number of potentially-fatal malfunctions in a relatively short span of time. Why is overriding the mortality failsafe even a thing which is possible?? I can completely buy the holodeck being too useful as a training tool to get rid of it, but they should really have some kind of restrictions or guidelines on the thing for recreational use. You’ve had it demonstrated to you multiple times over that holodeck malfunctions can end in corpses, why are you not doing something about this! Why is there apparently no Health & Safety department on this ship!!

S02E07 Unnatural Selection - Philosophical argument time: do transporters kill people? Normally I’m happy to put this question in a box labelled “let’s not think about that too hard” but the ending of this episode makes more sense to me if the answer is yes. Instead of some bullshit technobabble de-aging nonsense, what they’re actually doing is replicating a new body using the hair as reference and jamming Pulaski’s memories into it then destroying the old body.

S02E09 The Measure of a Man - See, Bruce Maddox is Pulaski done right. I’m straight-up incandescently mad that this episode was Pulaski-free, because whenever she never misses the opportunity to remind Data that he’s not a person, and I super wanted Pulaski and Maddox to interact. Pulaski’s absence here makes the issue with how casually the show treats her attitude towards Data even worse. I feel like if you’re going to spend an episode debating whether Data counts as a person you should at least have the decency to acknowledge the cast member who comes down firmly on the “no” side. You can’t have Data’s personhood as a serious topic for serious debate while simultaneously shrugging your shoulders and going yeah well Pulaski’s just Like That I guess nbd. It doesn’t work that way!

S02E10 The Dauphin - “She’s perfect, absolutely perfect,” says FUCKING WESLEY THE WORST CHARACTER about a girl he’s only met once and barely exchanged a dozen words with, and then he gets super super mad when it turns out she’s a weird space alien shapeshifted into a human which just goes to prove that her personality mattered to him not one iota and he only liked her because she was hot and gave him a boner. And... that’s it, that’s the episode. There’s no subplot, nothing else happens, the entire episode is about FUCKING WESLEY THE WORST CHARACTER having a crush. In conclusion: FUCKING WESLEY THE WORST CHARACTER.

S02E15 Pen Pals - If anyone ever attempts to fight me on the topic of Does Data Is Emotions?, this is the episode I’m pointing them to. I’m pretty sure there’s not a single action Data takes in this entire episode which can be justified from a completely unemotionless point of view. He goes from “I’m too focused on my personal project to spend two seconds stacking this crap neatly so I’ll just leave it lying around as a trip hazard” to “hey Captain remember when you said I could break the Prime Directive a little bit, is it okay if I break it twice that much? actually I broke it ten times that much sorry not sorry” to “so I know this kid has no memory of me or our interactions now but I stole Pulaski’s weird space rock to give to her anyway because sentiment is important to me”.

S02E17 Samitarian Snare - The a-plot of this episode is that multiple people tell Riker that sending their chief engineer over to some random alien vessel is a bad idea while Riker tries to insist that it is a great idea and will be totally fine and then is completely fucking blindsided when it turns out to have been a terrible idea. I’m pretty sure this is the first time Troi’s said anything useful so of course Riker ignored her because she’s not allowed to be a worthwhile character.

The b-plot is that Picard and Wesley take a shuttle trip together and Wesley is so incapable of taking a fucking hint that even when Picard gets up and moves seats to be away from him Wesley doesn’t realise that his constant stream of personal questions might not be welcome. In conclusion: FUCKING WESLEY THE WORST CHARACTER.

S02E18 Up the Long Ladder - Oh my god it’s like they listened to my complaints about S01E17 and somehow managed to fuck it up even worse!! WHY ARE YOU ALL SO WEIRD ABOUT CLONING.

tl;dr: Direct from my liveblogging of S02E03: “DATA CHANGED HIS OUTFIT data my boy my son my precious cinnamon roll how many sherlock holmes cosplay outfits do you own”. I know the reasonable explanation would be that he replicates one fresh each time, but I choose to believe that Data owns an entire closetful of Sherlock Holmes cosplay outfits.

[lilietsblog]

so much sailor moon liveblog

oh my god is that sound Usagi's alarm clock no fucking wonder she's late every day, I could barely hear it

Umino is it really that hard to tell that when someone's crawling between the rows you shouldn't loudly greet them like for one you aren't really supposed to loudly greet ANYONE in the middle of the lesson, even if they just came through the door normally is he doing this on purpose

I love that Usagi actually noticed the lack of a line to the fortune teller and stopped to chat to him about it the queen is taking care of her kingdom

I wonder if Motoki realizes Usagi's got a crush on him... also Luna wtf rude okay I know saving people but like. they were having a good time and then you just bite Usagi's hand. rude and you don't fucking get to impose your 'mission' on Usagi, her getting home late or not is her issue with her mom, not your 'mission' problem

"You'll never have a boyfriend if you don't act more ladylike" and thus, my hatred for Mamoru was cemented

...I love Usagi's shoes, they are so pretty...

"It's not good to be hanging out after school" wtf why

Umino didn't even get the answer to his 'date' question before he walked away also man Usagi's teacher is really young huh

I have no fucking clue how to manage a full class of kids tbh, this is like a legit nightmare scenario to me

and then Usagi actually runs and confronts the boys breaking windows even after she saw how they acted now. holy shit this girl is nothing if not brave and lol she knows exactly how to handle Umino getting too handsy crying WORKS

and Usagi has been paying enough attention to connect their behavior to the House of Fortune as soon as Luna mentions them being controlled when it's something she actually cares about (like her classmates, god bless this little queen) you can damn fucking well COUNT on Usagi

when I was rewatching Sailor Moon for the first time (at ~17) I was completely of the same mind as Luna, so I didn't notice anything off about her treatment of Usagi but she pretty much bullies her into situation Usagi's rightfully scared of, and like... no fucking wonder Usagi blows her off at any opportunity she gets, Luna has NOT been kind to her

also I absolutely love that this anime doesn't subvert anything, that Usagi sees nothing off about the key phrase to activating her brooch and that she made up her catchphrase herself on the spot because NOBODY fucks with Usagi's friends

also man it's NOT true that Tuxedo Kamen does nothing here. Like yeah he doesn't fight but he gives Usagi the break she needs so much, and she sees her the way she wants to be seen - as a brave warrior who's doing her best. And he distracts her from fear and makes her feel like she can do anything, which, yeah, is what makes all the difference here.

omfg Jadeite signs off as "J-dite" subtle

again and again, Luna starts with reprimanding Usagi for habits that are actually bad for her school perfomance and then veers sharply into "You're a chosen warrior with a very important mission"... without ever actually even explaning what the mission is. She's completely 100% failing to sell Usagi on this. It sounded kind of romantic and cool when Usagi first heard it, but since then Luna only managed to make it sound like a chore and something Usagi must rearrange her entire life for. Propaganda fail.

Usagi's parents are adorable, and her dad is super relatable. I, too, wish to get an illness that would let me just sleep for a while -_- omfg their sweetness defies words im cryin

"What? Usagi's still here?" "I forget" OKAY MAYBE THEY ARE SWEET BUT THEY AREN'T TERRIBLY GOOD PARENTS ARE THEY

"Self study: just study whatever you want" that's a neat trick omfg I gotta remember that

I love how all of Usagi's classmates have completely unique faces. There is definitely a touch of 'recognize the protagonist by her hair', but you can easily tell the others apart, too.

"I hate it. Usagi never listens to what I say" actually Usagi listens to you all the time, she just doesn't LIKE what you're saying. You could maybe put some more effort into that jfc Luna if YOU treated Usagi better maybe she would be happy to see you and offer you milk too -_-

omg Haruna-sensei falls asleep and Usagi's question is "is it that exhausting to be a teacher?" my sweet child <3 Usagi is very, very, very emotionally intelligent and I will fight anyone (yes. yes it is)

Naru you didn't notice Usagi about to walk into the telephone pole either -_- Mamoru why do you have to be an asshole just why

and I love that where Naru instantly falls for his looks and doesn't notice how rude he is Usagi reacts appropriately to his words and actions which every single time are incredibly, annoyingly rude

oh my god I love how Luna is animated sooo much. I never really paid attention before but man there's a spectrum for anime cats and Luna is at the top. the beanies <3

you know Jet is always making fun of how Kunzite is an expert on the teenage girl condition, but Jadeite p much nailed the whole 'midnight DJ' gig too

...nobody other than Usagi noticed that Haruna-sensei wore the flower brooch the queen looks after her kingdom (even if she's failing math)

holy shit the brooches are getting less subtle this WOULD have been noticed before if people were falling asleep from putting them on immediately oh it looks like they get people who get close too, that explains part of it

man no wonder I was head over heels for Jadeite the first time I watched, his voice is AMAZING

okay Usagi's first reaction to Jadeite is that he's dreamy too, glad I'm not alone in that pffft

omg I love how the first thing Usagi does upon arriving this time is not attacking or announcing herself but making use of the radio to warn everyone against the brooches this girl is smart and I will fight

I love that while Usagi ends up screaming and running and not remembering her attack, she has ALREADY saved everyone. Didn't need Tuxedo Kamen for THAT part <3 oh hey looks like he didn't come today at all huh okay and I also love that when Jadeite stops Usagi's tiara her reaction is to charge into melee she sucks at combat, but cowardly she's not <3 ah and HERE comes Tuxedo Kamen right on time to snap Usagi out of her stupor omfg he literally did nothing this time he just scared off Jadeite okay but SARAMADA HO HO HO HO HO HO i can't with this dork omg <3

"Let me read it too" OMFG SENSEI HOW OLD ARE YOU

oh my god Usagi's family SUCKS at being encouraging they don't realize how bad they are making Usagi feel at all (well her brother probably does but he's just an ass) emotional intelligence is nOT a hereditary ability here

...looks like Usagi's classmate friendgroup has an aro ace kid and she's teased for it? idk huh

Umino is a little creep. canon. like in the first episode there was room left for doubt like 'socially clueless' but tbh there's no way to be socially clueless that following a teacher around and taking photos of her in revealing outfits is icky

does Usagi not recognize Jadeite just because he's wearing glasses? okay to be fair they do murk up his face shape

USAGI WHY WOULD YOU TRY TO BULLY A LITTLE KID INTO GIVING YOU HIS FOOD JFC SHE'S REALLY REALLY HUNGRY

why does Mamoru take such a liking to bullying this particular teenage girl good thing Usagi can take this and give back some just jfc WHY

LUNA WHY THAT'S NOT HOW MATH WORKS WHY DO _YOU_ LIKE BULLYING USAGI SO MUCH YOU MAKE A SHIT MENTOR NO WONDER SHE NEVER LISTENS TO YOU

I mean jfc literally Luna first pokes at Usagi's weak point then wonders why she can't get her attention while Usagi is too busy despairing

and Luna literally threatens Usagi into submission with claws x face shit mentor? shit mentor.

"If you fight, you will lose weight!" I mean Luna isn't wrong, fight is a lot of physical exertion but also JFC this is a cheap shot. she is REALLY desperate to get Usagi under her control isn't she

omfg Usagi definitely gets some super strength with her transformation she's not bad at fighting when she tries to she just generally doesn't because they 'WHY AM I HERE WHAT IS THIS' sentiment prevails I can relate to that

hm, so it looks like Jadeite DID get to keep all the energy he harvested, he just stopped getting any more of it