#netflix deserves death for cancelling that one

[abracazabka]

damn i miss american vandal now..

[alexwilltellyouthings]

Hi queer fans of queer stuff! How are we feeling with today's TV industry? How about really bloody angry?

Look, the recent cancelation of Dead Boy Detectives is obviously personal for its fandom, but it's also one more nail in the coffin and I think we have to start doing something about it together.

I went through this with Sense8. With Our Flag Means Death. With smaller but also amazing shows like The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself. Not to mention when it's not cancelled yet but it's boycotted with seasons cut in half or zero marketing. *I am tired*.

If you are too, I ask you to join the campaign. This is specifically about increasing views and attention, not because Netflix is necessarily going to change their minds (we know that's unlikely), but because we want to prove that we exist as a group.

So even if you don't feel like actually watching right now, we ask you to give it a stream if you have a Netflix account, with headphones connected or low volume. If you don't have a Netflix account, and honestly good for you, you can help by boosting us in social media.

I do recommend Dead Boy Detectives for real, it's REALLY good, but this is more about joining forces. They want numbers, so we give them numbers in the most petty way: after they cancelled so that other networks will get interested. At the very least, the crew and creators might get some royalties and they deserve it after busting their asses for years to give us this season.

TL;DR: stream dead boy detectives as a community to shove it in their faces

[homoquartz]

🩷❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Still on my soapbox about how the cancellation of queer shows is tantamount to book bans. While 1 in 4 queer-inclusive shows are cancelled after only one season, the average streaming cancellation rate is only 12% (including shows with more than one season). It's part of the anti-LGBT sentiment sweeping the nation. This isn't a new phenomenon, but its impact is becoming more and more important.

When queer shows are cancelled, it sends the message that our stories are not valuable, are not wanted. It also steals away representation which not only normalizes queer people for straight audiences, but also allows queer people to feel seen and affirmed.

Queer folks still have dire mental health outcomes. It gets worse as more anti-LGBT laws are passed. There are mountains of evidence that representation improves mental health for and cultural attitudes towards queer people.

🌈 If you want to help, you can start by streaming the hell out of queer series on any platform. Get your friends and family in on it. Heartstopper, Dead Boy Detectives, and Our Flag Means Death are a solid place to start.

You can sign DBDA's petition, fill out Netflix's request form with specific queer shows you want renewed (once per day per device), and rate your favorite queer shows and episodes on IMDB. If you're on Twitter, check out the #CanceledByNetflix tag and the account @CancelNetflix. You can tweet at or message your preferred streaming platforms on most social media too (Facebook, Tiktok, Insta, Twitter, Tumblr).

And spread the word :) Our stories deserve to be told.

[deadboyagency]

I didn’t want to have to address this again here but please stop associating Neil Gaiman with Dead Boy Detectives.

Neil Gaiman doesn’t own the copyright or trademarks to Dead Boy Detectives. The IP (intellectual property) was back-shelved from Neil in the early 2000s up until when DC Comics wanted to expand on them (because Neil didn't) so DC Comics hired new writers and create their own series for them starting with Ed Brubaker and Bryan Talbot. All copyright that Neil owns is public knowledge and listed here on the US Goverment Copyright and also shared above.

Neil Gaiman owns SANDMAN. Dead Boy Detectives appeared in ONE ISSUE. Neil owns the Sandman comics. Every time you see his name attached is because they included DEATH and DESPAIR to make a connection to SANDMAN. This was Netflix wanting to attach it to Sandman. The show originally set to air on Max had no attachment to Sandman.

Associating that man with the comics or show now is giving him credit for something he DID NOT CREATE.

Toby Litt and Mark Buckingham created Crystal Palace (who are also the reason why Litty and Kingman are named after them in the show! because it ties into THEIR comics!) 2013-2014 ordered a full comic series written by Toby Litt and Mark Buckingham.

Steve Yockey created Niko, The Cat King, Esther, Monty ect. All of whom are original characters for Dead Boy Detectives The Show. They are all original characters that appear no where else in the comics or story

STEVE YOCKEY OWNS THE IP RIGHTS TO DEAD BOY DETECTIVES NOW. Yes, as in Charles Rowland and Edwin Payne are Steve Yockey’s Dead Boy Detectives. Steve works for Warner Brothers and copyright is under them. Not Netflix, Not Neil. WARNER BROTHERS.

They are Steve's characters, no one else’s. Zack Ogle (Dead Boy Detectives writer) has confirmed this on Twitter, US copyright law has confirms this, Neil himself has also confirmed this.

Netflix canceling the show has nothing to do with Neil. They could easily state that in the articles as they have with other shows who have issues regarding him. There is absolutely ZERO correlation between the two.

Dead Boy Detectives had viewership Netflix didn’t like; that’s it. Netflix's horrific streaming model values only hit shows only and #1’s on their chart are the only thing that matter to them. Baby Reindeer blocked them from getting their #1 and Netflix only cares about that.

Netflix also doesn't care about who they employe. They have been working for years with Dave Chappelle, Steve Blackman and others. Netflix’s CEO Ted Sarandos has defended transphobia from Dave Chappelle and hid details of what was happening on the set of The Umbrella Academy about Steve Blackman's abuse from the public for years.

Dead Boy Detectives was unjustly and unfairly taken from us because Netflix only cares about what hits #1 and could care less about what happens to the cast, crew and writers of the show.

By continuously attaching that man's name to the show you are discrediting the actors, writers and creators of Dead Boy Detectives who deserve the praise for the show and comics they have created for the last 22 years.

[moralofallthestories]

CK s6 part1 spoilers‼️

This is going to be mostly my rant on ep5 and some plots from the previous episodes

- My heart BREAKS for Tory, it’s like the writers just decided to add more on top of the misery from her story last season. S5 the girl broke up with someone she loves and cares about for Kreese’s plan, ended up hurting herself badly and had no one by her side the entire season, and now they just decided to kill off her mom just when her life is starting to get better. What did she do to deserve this??

- Look how quickly Daniel and Johnny moved on to Hawk for their selections literally after they all learned about Tory’s mother’s death, like if you both are such good senseis, wouldn’t it be nice to actually give a shit about Tory and her grief?? Instead of making if about yourself, how about we actually go console her and making sure she’s okay or at least be there? Both of them are such bad mentors for the kids, first is how they handled Kenny’s situation after he got humiliated with the accident, Johnny only spoke up when he’s fighting for Devon and Daniel rlly favors his kids than his other students. If any of these two even showed the same attention and support to Kenny and Tory, I’m sure neither of them would actually quit Miyagi-Do so quickly on the spot. Some sensei they really are huh.

- Robby my man, I get that going to the Sekai Taikai is important for you but are you really gonna do nothing after your girlfriend’s meltdown about her mother’s death? At this point this show’s writing is so bad I don’t wanna hear about any “they probably did this off-screen” kinda bullshit no more. I swear if part 2 has any point of showing him standing on the moral high ground accusing Tory of switching sides like what he did to her in s5 imma riot, cancel my Netflix subscription along with my family plan :))

- Based on s5 and what we’ve seen so far, my headcanon for Robby & Tory is that he’s the one that usually texts her first and he texts more but she’s not good with it, she’s not good with expressing her emotions either so sooner or later they’re gonna face this communication problem in the relationship (of which the problem was clearly shown before in s5 when they “broke up”)

- While the privileged kids talking about their top colleges and applications, what Robby and Tory had was the Sekai Taikai - underdogs in the top 4

- Devon, my girl…not a good decision…why you choose to go on that path

- I can never like Anthony he really gets on my nerves

- Bad writing with all those conflicts overall, hated how they handled Kenny’s character especially trying to embarrassing him for the flag fight. I was hoping to see him and his brother in more action but you can never expect too much from Cobra Kai writers I guess

- The baby storyline continues…the most boring and unnecessary storyline that ruins Johnny’s character as a father and a sensei

- CK really has this type of half assed writing throughout all seasons why am I surprised lmao

The good part:

- Sam & Tory’s reconciliation and their apologies to each other, the sleepover pillow fight was so cute and I love seeing both of them are so done with Johnny’s instigating

- Robby and Tory’s promise of standing together

- How Robby found himself & his confidence again after seeing Tory showed up, this is what partners influence each other

- Robby & Tory’s little nod to each other whenever one of them is fighting someone else, no words but it means so much more

- Johnny & Mike’s fight - it has to be purely a fan service kinda fight but I’ll take it

- Hawk & Demitri’s fight, unnecessary but it surely was entertaining

- Kyler’s redemption, I’m actually happy they didn’t give him a glamorous redemption and try to change him completely to let him join Miyagi-Do, it’s nice to see that his frat boy personality is still there

- Kwon’s fighting skills are some real deal

[scientistservant]

Ancient vulture-like alien creatures once benevolently ruled over mice elves until they drained the essence of one of them as an experiment. They sadly got obsessed with that essence and eventually started an entire genocide in order to increase their own lifespans out of their understandable fear of death, wiping out the mice elves they once cared for. THAT is complex. ValAngel isn't.

Actually begging Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss stans/Vivziepop defenders to start watching other shows and movies because holy shit, many of you have a disgusting view on SA and media literacy.

Speaking of which, watch The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance on Netflix, it's a gorgeous show with elaborate puppets and set design. It's sadly cancelled, which the Jim Henson company didn't deserve at all, but I'm not losing hope for some kind of revival.

[horrorhussy]

I am a major Mike Flanagan fan, and I am also a funeral services student. That is to say this is probably a bit niche haha but it’s just something I’ve noticed that I find very interesting. I can not tell you the amount of times I’ve read “society’s growing denial of death” in one of my various textbooks and it’s something that is very true and since starting school I’ve noticed it more in more whenever I look around me. Now onto Mike Flanagan, I love all of the series he did for Netflix and I find it very interesting how much attention all of them get, with the exception of the midnight club.

I understand why to some extent considering Netflix canceled it before many things could really come to a satisfying conclusion like the four other shows. But I still can’t help but think that maybe part of the reason it’s not as popular is because it is such a blatant acceptance of death. Thats what it’s all about, accepting death. Looking at death and taking its hand when it reaches out to you, understanding that there is no shame in that, it is the most human thing that can happen to a person because it is the one thing we all have in common.

People have a hard time accepting death, and I completely understand why, there is nothing wrong with that, but I just don’t think the midnight club gets enough love for being such an honest and incredible portrayal of what death really is, and how we look at it as something to try and run away from even though it’s impossible and the consequences of that. I just love the Midnight club a lot, it has a lot to say about death and it just feels so important in this modern day world, it deserves more love and appreciation.

Thank you for coming to my little rant sponsored by some midnight gardening.

[exactlydopetrash]

I've been wanting to throw my thoughts out into the void now for quite some time, and kind of forgot I had this. So here's what's been on my mind for the first 40-ish hours of 2025.

On IWTV: When I catch you Armand. Armand when I catch you!!!! Claudia and Madeline deserved so much more time together. And every time I hear To All of You by Syd Matters I cry coz of Claudeline edit I saw that used that song

On JayVik and MelJayVik: The hexstrap is genius and should never leave the fandom. Also, Mel is defs the nonchalant one who would never admit she's in a throuple. Not coz she's ashamed, she just doesn't really care, imo.

On Netflix in general: I swear if they cancel one more animated show that I love, I'm booking a ticket to there headquarters and fighting the CEO myself (not to the death; i dont want to be on a watchlist)

That's all i have for now. See you when I see you.

[roenters]

Thirteen reasons why is a cinematic masterpiece.

**SPOILERS BTW FOR THE ENDING OF THE SHOW AND STUFF SO BASICALLY IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED IT MAYBE DONT READ**

Thirteen reasons why is a show that knew exactly what it was doing. Sure, it might've taken me a couple years to get around to watching the last two episodes but I've crossed that line now and I think it's safe to say that I thoroughly love this show with my whole heart.

From the get to they do not shy away from harsh, cruel and upsetting topics that for many people: that is their life. The entire show is about all these devastating experiences and how the characters, how these kids/young adults will deal with the situation presented to them. They look at real responses, real issues. The events happen to the characters, the characters aren't just slotted in. There are real, damaging and lasting consequences. As we see in the finale, the horrific events of season one have continued to carry through the entire story. That central point of what started it all. And it was twisted into a good outcome.

The last episode contains Justin's death. I'll admit, I was having a full on breakdown. That shows you how well they get you emotionally connected to these characters. They make you feel as if they're real people because of how relatable they are and it's not the same sort of relatable as 'haha yeah they like the same things I do'. No. It's: they went through a severely traumatic thing and now they've got depression. They're currently dealing with events bigger than themselves and don't know how to cope. And the show explores that in a way that encapsulates the raw emotions people experience when these things happen. And yet, by the end, they'd managed to show the characters graduating. Living life. Surviving. And the end didn't leave you in tears. Instead you saw two friends connecting with each other again. Rekindling their love that had dimmed due to the events, unable to truly be free from the disasters that plagued their minds and emotions. They could just: be. With no worries that we're too big for them. Able to just be together.

It's unlike TV shows nowadays. There's nothing else really like it. Netflix did not cancel it after the first season (long live Dead Boy Detectives) and they most certainly didn't force the creators to shy away from the topics they wanted to involve. That's the nature of the show. It couldn't be done unless Netflix gave it the time and energy it deserved. The episodes are lengthy. The last episode is at least an hour and a half! But that's exactly the time it needed to take the audience through a fulfilling and satisfying ending. No stone unturned, no plotlines left unfinished. We don't see that a lot these days. They also didn't make it run on for too long - neatly wrapping it up and piecing their puzzle together until they had a full picture.

Additionally, I'd like to add a big part of the show is the amazing diversity they showcase and it is integral to how we percieve the characters. I'm not talking race, or sexuality, (although that is very diverse itself) I'm talking about the character's backgrounds. Some come from rich families, some come from poor families, some are close with their parents while others are pushed away and hurt by them. Things like a good security net and positive influences heavily impact a person and that is clearly shown in the show by making characters vastly different and using their backgrounds to show this. We also look at their own personal struggles and how they make characters individual, shaping them into who they are. How they find help, support or lackthereof and what they do as a result of that. It leaves us with a set of very well developed people who will each want to react differently to the situations presented in the show and many, many strong personalities. Each varying and unique.

I could not recommend this show enough. Of course, it's sad. That's because it's real and isn't scared of digging into the truth. But, at its core, you develop relationships to the characters on the screen, caring for them and relating as you watch them tackle the story one step at a time. They become a flurry of emotion and love and hate and actions and impulse and connections and thought and beliefs. They become people. And I think that is a very special thing.

(However, I will admit I didn't really like Ani in season three but- I digress.)

[dragynkeep]

So Jaune killing Penny is in the same place as Yang knowing Raven is the Spring Maiden - the show just never touches on it, leaving the audience to guess whether blondie told the others (who don't care) or are keeping it a secret from them? Do I have that right?

it pretty much seems that way. either they did a really bad job of handling it with ruby knowing — considering all she was told in the show was that penny was dead, not that jaune killed her / helped her khs — or they did a really bad job of making it clear that this facet of it is being hidden & will be handled in the soon to be cancelled next volume.

either way, it's disgusting how penny's death was never given the seriousness it deserved, especially in the manner of her death & how the same vein of suicidality was exploited yet again in this volume & solved in one episode. rooster teeth somehow managed to outdo netflix & thirteen reasons why. good job dumb dumbs.

[charliethomascoxuniverse]

Marvel Star Charlie Cox Took Massive Pay Cut to Work With Snyderverse Legend Ciaran Hinds: “It’s definitely in my top 5 experiences”

by Shazmeen Navrange  March 31, 2023 (X)

Many actors take the risk to work for less pay just to reflect the best experience in their acting resumes. Well, Charlie Cox is one such actor, who doesn’t regret doing a film with the Snyderverse legend even with a pay cut. Cox is popularly known for his role as Daredevil in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He starred in the marvel series for almost four years and did three seasons. The show was then canceled for another season due to the rights issues between Disney+ and Netflix.

Charlie Cox will be returning to MCU with a stand-alone series of his own named Daredevil: Born Again. Apart from his franchise work, he has also been a part of films like The Merchant of Venice, Legacy, Eat Locals, The Maiden’s Conspiracy, Hello Carter, and others.

Why Charlie Cox Took The Pay Cut?

Ciaran Hinds is considered one of the most well-known actors in the industry. He has also been a part of DCEU and played the role of the supervillain named Steppenwolf. His character was a part of the 2017 Justice League as well as the Snyder Cut of 2021. He has been a beloved villain of the DCEU and who wouldn’t take a chance to work with him? That’s the reason Charlie Cox took this opportunity and was ready to work even with a pay cut. Apart from Hinds’ work in the DCEU, he has been associated with big films like Harry Potter and The Death Hallows: Part 2, Ghost Rider, Munic, Persuasion, and many others.

Charlie Cox played the lead role of Michael Kinsella whereas Hinds’ had the supporting role of Eamon Cunningham in the Kin series. The Stardust actor didn’t regret his decision as he thinks it was one of the top experiences of his overall career.

“Oh Yes. Yes I did. But it’s definitely in my top five experiences of all time. I thought I was doing a small low budget gritty series. I never thought we would have some of the other actors we got like Aidan Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy, and Ciaran Hinds, etc. A lot of those guys can demand very high paychecks on American jobs. The fact that they wanted to do this says a lot about them. Putting all of us together led to an amazing dynamic.”

Ciaran Hinds has also won the award for Best Supporting role in the series at Irish Film & Television awards. The show was worth Charlie Cox’s experience and also was a delight to the Irish Audience. The team did an incredible job in creating something so great on a tight budget. There are in total eight episodes in season one. The show was also renewed for a season 2, this year. The first two episodes are already streaming on RTE.

Marvel’s Big Paycheck To Charlie Cox

Well, Charlie Cox might not get the deserving pay in some other films, but he gets a good payday at Marvel. Even before the announcement of Daredevil: Born Again, Charlie Cox appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home which was a complete surprise for fans. It was known that the Stone Of Destiny actor was paid an amount of at least $4M. Other reports also suggested that he may have got up to $7M.

Well, Charlie Cox is now getting his own stand-alone masked superhero series. So it can be expected that he will get even more than the amount he was paid for a film like Spider-Man: No Way Home. Daredevil Born Again will be an 18-episode-long series that will stream on Disney+.

As of now, the release date isn’t confirmed but it’s known the series will be released in 2024.

~*~

[cyarskaren52]

These shows deserve a second chance.

Here are some tv shows who’s cancellations are so unfair

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TVLINE'S YEAR IN REVIEW!

The Most Unjust Cancellations of 2023

BY TEAM TVLINE

DECEMBER 9, 2023 10:00 AM

Courtesy of Netflix, ABC, Prime Video, Hulu

Just as death is an inevitable part of life, so too are cancellations an unavoidable part of being a TV fan — but that doesn’t mean we have to like it.

As with every year, dozens of shows aired their final episodes in 2023. But before we start singing “Auld Lang Syne,” we want to pour one (or perhaps 15) out for the undeserving shows whose shocking, shortsighted and deeply regrettable cancellations will stick with us well into 2024.

Our picks for 2023’s most unjust cancellations include the revival of a popular Nickelodeon sitcom, the reboot of a coming-of-age classic, plus three series based on iconic films about baseball, wizardry and musically inclined gangs.

Other lamentable losses include a seven-time Primetime Emmy Award-nominated comedy, a promising superhero drama and a handful of other series starring several household names. It’s certainly a diverse collection of shows, but they all have one thing in common — they all deserved to see at least one more season.

Read on for (in alphabetical order) the 15 shows whose cancellations we would reverse immediately, if only we could, then drop a comment with your own additions to the list. Which of this year’s cancelled shows will you still miss in 2024?

American Auto (NBC)

Photo : Courtesy of NBC

We’re still scratching our heads over why the automotive industry comedy, which was just as smart and funny as creator Justin Spitzer’s previous NBC sitcom Superstore, didn’t click with viewers. Be it bad marketing or a lack of audience interest, the show’s sharp satire — the abortion-themed “The Letter” was one of the best episodes of any show this year — and its stellar cast, led by Ana Gasteyer, deserved so much more.  

A League of Their Own(Prime Video)

Photo : Courtesy of Prime Video

We’re not sure it gets more unjust than this, seeing as Prime Video had initially renewed this series adaptation for a second and final season… but the renewal was later rescinded after Hollywood’s simultaneous strikes delayed production on Season 2. Reversed renewals are always heartbreakers, but the sting of this one still lingers: In addition to ending on a forever-unresolved cliffhanger, A League of Their Own shined a refreshing spotlight on communities and topics that are woefully underrepresented on television.

The Company You Keep(ABC)

Photo : Courtesy of ABC

The romantic con drama seemingly had it all: A fun, sexy premise, a pairing with solid chemistry in Milo Ventimiglia and Catherine Haena Kim, and an impressive supporting cast (Sarah Wayne Callies, William Fichtner, etc.) Too bad ABC effectively killed one of its most promising new shows in years with a bad timeslot and a lack of faith in its potential to grow an audience.  

East New York (CBS)

Photo : Courtesy of CBS

This CBS drama, led by Amanda Warren and Jimmy Smits and boasting a wonderfully eclectic and diverse array of supporting cast/characters, endeavored to offer a contemporary spin on the usual cop show — in that it spoke to the need for reform, and better policing. Alas, when S.W.A.T.‘s cancellation was reversed by the network, it was East New York that seemingly paid the price.

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Paramount+)

Photo : Courtesy of Paramount+

Not only was Paramount+’s Grease prequel fizzy good fun, it delivered some of the season’s best musical numbers — and earned two Emmy nods for its fleet-footed choreography (see video above). On top of all that, the Season 1 series finale left us with approximately a bazillion unresolved cliffhangers.

The Great (Hulu)

Photo : Courtesy of Hulu

We might’ve thought that — spoiler alert! — killing off a character as hilarious and dynamic as Nicholas Hoult’s Peter would signal the end for Hulu’s alt-history comedy. But the bold twist actually reinvigorated the series midway through Season 3, inspiring some of Elle Fanning’s finest work as Catherine and opening up all kinds of storytelling possibilities. So we were royally ticked off, then, to see Hulu drop the axe after three criminally underrated seasons.

Gotham Knights (The CW)

Photo : Courtesy of The CW

Doesn’t it always happen this way? Just when a new show that got off to a wobbly start starts firing on all cylinders, it turns out to be too late. At first handicapped as being yet another “Batman-less Batman series,” Gotham Knightsspun a haunting Court of Owls tale and gave Misha Collins a deviously delicious dual personality arc, all while serving #Tuernla and #StephHarper ‘shippers oh so well.

Home Economics (ABC)

Photo : Courtesy of ABC

The supremely underrated Topher Grace-led ABC comedy never got its due during its brief three-season lifespan, so its unceremonious — and painfully drawn-out — demise did not come as a complete surprise. But it stung, nonetheless.  

iCarly (Paramount+)

Photo : Courtesy of Paramount+

This cancellation felt like a slap in the face, and not in a fun way. We’ve been following Carly and Freddie’s friends-to-lovers journey in real time for 16 years, and the Paramount+ revival’s third season finale put them at the altar, where they nearly swapped vows. In a cruel (but also exciting!) twist of fate, Carly’s estranged mother interrupted the ceremony, much to her daughter’s surprise. We were dying to see what the future held for #Creddie, as well as which sitcom actress would be tapped to play the elusive Mama Shay. Sadly, we’ll be getting answers to exactly zero of those questions, thanks to the streamer’s highly debatable decision to pull the plug early.

The Other Two (Max)

Photo : Courtesy of Max

Max’s wickedly funny showbiz satire had such a sharp eye for the absurdities of celebrity culture that it seemed like it would never run out of material. But alas, co-showrunners Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider abruptly pulled the plug on all the fun after three seasons, calling it a creative decision. Was the show actually scrapped due to the reported HR complaintsabout Kelly and Schneider? We’ll never know for sure… but we’ll never stop missing Cary and Brooke, either.   

Reboot (Hulu)

Photo : Courtesy of Hulu

Hulu’s razor-sharp sitcom about a sitcom was a TV lover’s delight, packed with meta gags about vain actors and clueless network executives. It also boasted a stacked cast including Keegan-Michael Key, Judy Greer, Rachel Bloom and Paul Reiser, with scripts from Modern Family‘s Steven Levitan. But some of those clueless network executives work at Hulu, apparently, since they cancelled one of the year’s most promising new comedies after just one season. 

Shadow and Bone(Netflix)

Photo : Courtesy of Netflix

Another season of this fantasy series should have been a slam dunk given its popularity and passionate fanbase. After an eventful Season 2 finale, which teased a King of Scars storyline as well as the proposed Six of Crows spinoff, fans were left as stunned as the Darkling getting ran through the gut with this unexpected and unjust cancellation.

Willow (Disney+)

Photo : Courtesy of Disney+

There was plenty of magic left in Disney+’s under-appreciated series adaptation of this 1988 cult classic fantasy movie, and we would have loved for the streamer to conjure up a second season. The show was mostly well-received by fans, and creator Jon Kasan considers the show to be more “on hiatus” than officially “canceled.” Kasan is hopeful that he can reassemble the Willow team for “Chapter II” sometime down the line, reminding his social media followers that the original movie “didn’t get its well-deserved sequel for 35 years.” So, you know, it’s something to look forward to with your future grandchildren.

Winning Time (HBO)

https://tvline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/cancelled-shows-winning-time.jpg?w=1240

Photo : Courtesy of HBO

The demise of this ’80s basketball drama belongs in the Hall of Fame of boneheaded TV decisions. HBO’s vibrant retelling of the L.A. Lakers’ rise to NBA dominance wrapped up Season 2 with the Lakers suffering a crushing loss to their hated rivals the Boston Celtics… and thanks to HBO’s cancellation, the story ends right there, with only a tacked-on epilogue to tell us that the Lakers went on to beat the Celtics and win three more championships that decade. Why tell the tale of the Lakers’ glory days if you’re going to end the show before the glory days even start?

The Wonder Years (ABC)

Photo : Courtesy of ABC

We thoroughly enjoyed the first two seasons of this ABC reboot, which is why its premature cancellation makes us feel deflated, like an impotent balloon. With effortlessly funny writing and a charming, multi-talented ensemble, this solid comfort-watch deserved to live on for much longer, like its predecessor.

READ MORE ABOUT:

TV SHOW CANCELLATIONS

YEAR-IN-REVIEW

Sent from my iPhone

[xoteajays]

See? And this is what Choi, Yang and Lee were trying to explain to the younger generation. Myeong-gil and In-beom are people who were in prison for who knows what crimes they've committed before Myeong worked for Choi at his company. They will kill people to get what they actually want, no matter what it takes to get it. That's how villains are.

Okay.. So I can't confirm or deny who dies in the webtoon, I may even read the webtoon to really know what happens in the original story of Bloodhounds. And maybe that would help me write my BH story too.

The Bloodhounds webtoon is about eighty-five episodes or chapters, however webtoons are. So I might combine the comics and the show.

I'm happy that Gun and Jin are alive. And I expected deaths in a story like this. But killing just about everyone in one episode though? That.. I still don't know how to feel about that even though I've watched this whole series repeatedly. I don't know if they will make another season after this. But if they do, hopefully there will be interesting characters like these ones - not including Gun and Jin. Don't know what to think.

Spoilers.

If you read the complete webtoon, you will find out that the original plot of Bloodhounds ends with more clarity: we see Myeong-gil in prison, confirming that he was arrested. Meanwhile, Geon-woo, Woo-jin, and Hyun-ju will start a sort of bloodhounds agency, focusing on good clients. So, in general, we could say that the plot of Bloodhounds could continue, both in the original webtoon and the Netflix series. However, the two stories could take different directions: the webtoon could focus on the new adventures of the three young people with their new agency, whereas the Netflix series could still propose some plot twists that would let Myeong-gil and In-beom be back in the game.

~

Exactly! There are so many actually good shows that deserve a lot of seasons but end up cancelled for whatever reason. And then you end up with horrible shows like Shameless having eleven seasons. Shows like that remind me of reality television.. I don't know why people ever watch shows like this. I will only watch what seems interesting to me.

I knew you were INFx. But I couldn't remember if you were INFJ, INFP or what.. I did definitely remember most of your personality though.

~

Yeah. That makes me curious.. Just to see what the boys would really look like if they were apart of another gang. Just out of any curiosity.

But they also have pride. So one of them asking for help, for whatever reasons, might seem like a weakness to them.. Like with Rocky. Since he was willing to die fighting Ranmaru to protect people with only the White Rascals, rather than having help from other gangs before every gang appeared to fight. So Rocky's definitely someone with his pride.

~

I don't know if I would use AleXa as face claim for Alice In Borderland.

Maybe. I don't know. Like I may use her for more than one fandom if I have ideas.. And she does have plenty of different styles for her being used as a face claim. Bomb, Do Or Die, Tattoo, Girls Gone Vogue, and even Juliet as just some examples right there. So that gives diversity.

I do like her Wonderland appearance. But I also wouldn't want to even over use her either. So I do not know if I would use her for Borderland. I'm not saying yes or no yet. But... I think the main reason why I would have thought of her as a face claim for AIB was the Wonderland era in the sense of Alice In Wonderland theme. I'm definitely using the song for the playlist at the very least. So many Alice themed songs do even seem fitting enough since Borderlands in Wonderland in the concept.

AleXa even has the card suits tattooed on her shoulder too.

I know you mentioned a feminine style compared to Ju's style since it is obvious she's a tomboy, but I think she kept her hair long in comics.

Yeah. This character's style is more casual, mostly punk, maybe some athletic clothing like tights and sweat clothes during her exercising or training scenes. Between punk, punk goth, occasionally preppy punk.

I don't know what she'll look like in the timeskip yet. I know the timing is six months later. So appearances can change in six months for a lot of characters, especially original characters. She might look different.

At the very least I might want her to know some basics with any hand to hand combat, whether boxing or martial arts, just so she's actually able to defend herself if there's no weapons around in that situation.

I might even try doing some research about boxing techniques so I'm able to see if she may use some boxing techniques. I don't know yet... But it's a thought. And there could be a situation where the boys may teach her some basic moves, just for in situations for any self defense reasons. Because it's obvious these villains would actually kill anyone.

I think the reason why I do get attached to a lot of the celebrities I will use for face claims is because most of them have alternative styles to them. They're attractive, certain styles and many have modifications.

In my experience.. Platform boots are completely different than some platform heels. Boots and sneakers have more balance than heels do.

I'm adding a bit more to my Bloodhounds character. Just some minor details from what I said you yesterday. So no major details for her yet.

Obviously the very first time Gun and Jin met was at their final boxing tournement. I don't know why.. But I keep thinking she might actually be a friend, like a childhood friend, to one of them. I'm not sure who it is yet. But if she has brown hair (like in the pictures I sent you), I could imagine that someone would jokingly say she and Jin look related like the scene with Ju and Lee. Don't know if I would use that idea or not.

And I already told you that she's a glutton with food in the same ways that Gun and Jin are. But I can't really imagine her being a good cook, maybe she does know how to cook. Good thing Gun's mom can cook.

~

I'm not surprised. But I know you mentioned that you were excited to watch the new season for Squid Games before I mentioned any other shows. Actually.. If the new seasons for All Of Us Are Dead is released next year. Do you think certain characters lived? Like the hybrid ones.

"Death for me." I don't know if it's because of the way I read that... But I can't stop laughing. Which is bad for me because I have a migraine.

choi, yang and lee were all trying to teach the kiddos how dangerous myeong gil was and then they all ended up dead anyway. hate it. well the trio definitely know how dangerous myeong girl can be now. so they got at least two lessons about it.

i’ve never really gotten into webtoons or comics that much. i started buying the aib manga series but i haven’t started reading it yet.

they just killed them one, two, three with no pause. like slow down! i was just getting over what happened to lee and now yang’s dead and then immediately choi’s dead and jin’s stabbed??!!! SLOW DOWN!!! MY EMOTIONS!!

not reading the spoilers, i’m going in blind.

~

i know it’s because they’re popular, but can we maybe get less shows like riverdale and shameless that get so many seasons but kinda suck, and maybe let some good smaller shows have more season? like i understand watching ‘trashy’ shows just for relaxing, background noise, non-think-y shows. but there are better shows out there.

i think the inf parts are still accurate to me, but maybe the last letters changed over the years. i has been a while since i took that test originally.

~

gimme murayama in all the other gangs styles. i want cobra is rascals fashion and rocky in sannoh’s. smokey/takeshi in daruma red and oya blue. hyuga in rude green, but also in rascals white because i think he’d hate it.

dudes are always like that. never asking for help. stop being so prideful and let your friends help you out! end of sky and final mission are so good. i love seeing all the gangs working together. love the alliance.

~

i do love a ‘girly aesthetic’ fightgirl. kuina kind of fell into that trope. oop so does yui a little actually, it’s fine yui and eun bi are different enough. i’d have to do away with a lot of aleXa’s earrings tho because she wears a lot of hoops and those are. not good in a fight. that’s how you end up with ripped lobes.

for my oc, she was trained by her dad, so she’s got some pretty good combat skills in addition to her knife skills; because yang wanted her to be able to protect herself if he wasn’t around.

she’s actually still at the house when choi dies and jin’s stabbed. she manages to get out alive with smoke inhalation issues, blood loss, a lot of bruises, a concussion, and a pretty gnarly head wound (im thinking face scar, through her eyebrow and up her forehead). and ykno. the trauma.

i was watching some of her music videos. she seems to manage well enough in both heels and platforms. i, on the other hand, would break so many bones in addition to both my ankles. also she literally gets picked up by two of her dancers in one of her videos (i think it was do or die) and she’s. so small. like ok i can see it now.

is she flattered to be compared to jin/take in stride or is she bothered by it? i also think it’s funny to compare them because jin is one of - if not the - tallest in the cast and aleXa is so short.

maybe if she can’t cook big, complicated meals, maybe she could be a big fan of ready made meals? like those noodles and rice cakes you can get from convenience stores? i watch a lot of korean convenience store tiktoks.

since we’re sharing details! episode specific stuffs!

i planned for eun bi (just running with that name now) being introduced first in ep4, meeting the boys when they return to choi’s house after the underground fight. she helps them clean up their injuries better than whatever they did at the bookshop. she also joins them on the money moving mission, but gets tasered by jang-do while trying to stab him to rescue hyeon ju. she gets handcuffed and left behind while he takes ju, and fights alongside ju after she escapes him.

also she has a little bit of a rebellious phase. lee is like her fun uncle. if she goes out and gets a lil too tipsy, she’ll call him to pick her up so her dad doesn’t find out. lee accidentally lets this slip when they’re in the car driving to go have drinks with choi; and results in her sharing a bed with ju for the night so her dad can’t scold her.

i also imagine that she’s a big fan of kids. she originally wanted to be an early-elementary teacher or a school nurse before she later went to nursing school and started working for choi. her dad mentions to lee that he should invite them around after lee’s daughter is born because eun bi loves babies. im so sad. also she was supposed to go to the orphanage with gun, his mum and ju, but ends up staying back to re-heat breakfast for jin and help choi with her regular duties. that turned out real well…

~

i know at least the main hybrid girl survived, but i’m not sure about the other ones. i think they were setting up to introduce some new hybrids with nam-ra’s whole situation in the last episode. but idk about the others that were introduced in s1. i don’t remember enough about what happened in the last few episodes.

death for me! no apocalypse survival!

[benefits1986]

Houston’s Robyn

“Will you stay or will you run away?” Let’s tweak it a bit to something like: Choose to stay and make your own runway. YES?

From Gary Vee to Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody real quick because when I rewatched his interview with Steven, he said that his feed looks like a fuckin’ sunshine. Yeah?  Been more intentional in my own Netflix time because 2023 has been filled with a good number of urgent life matters plus deadlines and pivots. Mother Dragon loved Whitney and Madonna, too. So, I’ve been a silent fan of her songs, too. [Perhaps, one of the things I noticed during her duet with Mariah Carey is how she seemed to bow down to the diva. I didn’t understand why she had to tone her totality down. So weird for a 12-year old, right? Or is it because I dislike Mariah to bits?]  As I love documentaries since my elem days (Nat Geo during Health and Science class is my go-to because we don’t have cable.), Whitney Houston: As I Am hit home... hard. The storytelling is not as biting as that of Anthony Bourdain. Both ended their lives but, Anthony’s stories are celebratory and poetic. Whitney’s story seemed too flawed to the point that she was shrunken to a victim of race, of gender, of religion and the list goes on.  As I was watching her 2021 documentary, I can’t help but see how her story can be made better. She deserves it, given that she shattered silos even when she had to bow down and bend over too many times to pay everyone’s bills. She had to carry her cross that she chose because stereotypes and archetypes sell. There’s something so painful when there reports said that the cause of her death is OD that led her to slip in her bath; her last one.  Perhaps, one of the things I didn’t like is the angle where Robyn seemed an anti-hero, a distraction, a major fault. I keep shaking my head because for a world where queers rule, why the hell do women like Whitney and Robyn be taboo. Why can Freddie Mercury and Elton John get away with brandishing their vibe? Why can’t Whitney do the same or something even better? Why not?  Fast forward to 2023... I Wanna Dance With Someboday biopic seems to be nowhere near how colorful Bohemian Rhapsody is. Both are trending; but, I hoped it could have been a level up. Storyline is really good; however, it seemed to be another story peppered with SORRY. It could have been more slanted to social activism. It could have fleshed out the monologues inside the characters especially Whitney and Robyn.  Don’t get me wrong. The female gaze is definitely my cup of tea. I don’t know much about the director who is a female. Perhaps, she wanted to tell her story as it is. Perhaps, she wanted to see how the world crucified not only Whitney but all her derivatives from then until now. Perhaps, she wanted this movie to be a wake up call to the universe of capital gain rooted on muting women and their innate power. 

Some takeaways in the 2021 documentary and I Wanna Dance With Somebody are:  1 The world celebrated her but, her universe, her hood, cancelled her out.  2 Health in all aspects is wealth. PERIOD.  3 While blood is thicker than water, choosing your friends, your circle, your significant other is your salvation or your crucifixion.  4 Don’t run after goals that are not aligned with who you really are. Keep your goal list closest to you and let it be your Polaris.  5 The noise DOES NOT matter even though it may sound like a trance, a paradise, a promise of forever.  6 OD will never numb the pain. Feeling the pain when you’re numb is probably the saddest story in this lifetime and even the next.   7 No matter how powerful your voice is, make sure that it is yours, not anybody else’s.   8 Beating The Beatles & Elvis Presley is one for the books; but, the true battle is staying true to who you are, especially when no one is watching.  9 The spotlight is blinding and binding. Beware. Be very, very aware.  10 The ladder? Fuck the ladder. Make your runway. Run, fall, walk on your runway. It’s not gonna be easy, but it’s the road ought tot be taken.  11 Being a woman is both a gift and a curse. Use it well. Use it to tell YOUR story. Do not be but a character in the story that is forced upon you.  12 Set boundaries as you break boundaries.  13 Fuck Disney princess mindset. Women are queens, leaders, and influencers. Stay in this lane; and bring in other women, too, while at it.  14 Ask for help. Ask hard questions. Be comfortable with embracing your vulnerability.  15 Get a good lawyer and a good account, too.  16 Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.  17 Diamonds, especially the biggest ones, are usually not forever. Buy yourself flowers and diamonds instead of waiting for them to be gifted to you. Better yet, burn them if you want to, if you need to.  18 Strangers can change your life. Keep traveling to keep the strangers and fresh perspectives coming.  19 You need time off the grid to stop feeding the greed.  20 Be loyal to no one but yourself. 21 “Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.” 

Let this be the start of finding women who craft stories that are worth sharing. While I usually go back to the roads of Plato, Aristotle and Socrates’ derivatives, let this Gemini szn onward be for intentionally curating women who are unmuting themselves one message, one step at a time. 

[chaos-deimos-et-eris]

I dont know a bunch, but I do pick up a bit now that my sister's moved out and asking for similar advice from the adults in the family.

Main one is budgeting. Figure out how much you currently have, how much u get per week, and how much you're spending and where. Take a month or two of regular spending to get your base numbers. Taylor Budgets has a good video explaining how to do a budget and also uses a cash stuffing method, which is basically money out of ur bank account and thats it. thats your spending money for that area, which makes it harder to overspend, then if youre just using your card for everything

Figure out if u have any subscriptions you forgot to cancel or for some reason just realized you're not using and get rid of those first.

See if you're over spending somewhere. I'm not taking about the nice shirt your spent a little extra on last month or that slightly more expensive almond milk you buy because you're severely lactose intolerance but the store brand tastes like crap damn it, I'm talking about you going to the mall every weekend to just browse and it turns out you've been walking out of hot topic every week with a new pair of socks. You need groceries every week. You do not need new socks every week.

See if you can make entertainment less expensive. Go to the library. the books are free, they usually have ac and sometimes have other things for lending, like video games, sewing machines and basic tools. Do you live with someone? see if they're willing to set up the communal tv with their Netflix account. use your sibling's Spotify account. cry when they kick you off for ruining their favorite marker back when u were four. my local movie theater sells tickets for 6.50 vs amc's 25. Curse the gods when you prick urself while darning your favorite pair of socks. beat bread dough for an hour. circle square pieces of fabric as you figure out how you want your quilt's arrangement (some people buy quilting fabric for their quilts. i cut up old clothes and use thread and a needle). decide whether or not the artist of the 1000 piece puzzle u bought deserves a slow death by your hand while trying to figure out the pieces' placement by the size of the snowflakes they painted. I can assure you there are cheaper ways out of boredom if u go out to look for them

thrifting!!! buying second hand is a great way to save money. if you live in a poorer neighborhood with no thrift store or a store that has no good things (low quality materials, things are stretched out, thin, patched badly, not your size ) and you have access to a train station, go to richer cities. I got a 3 dollar irish linen button down that actually fits. they were selling hardcovers and crystal glassware for 2 dollars. they have no idea what they're selling and all the rich people want to feel good by donating their unwanted things to these stores instead of throwing them out. take advantage

Want older/fancier things? estate sales. someone died. someone else wants to sell the house fast but doesn't want to pay to trash everything. sometimes you get old clothes, furniture, and movies. sometimes someone is desperate to get rid of heavy leather-bound books and their grandfather's collection of swords. usually things are cheap because the people selling want things gone more then they want to make a profit. estatesale.net is a good place to start looking to see if there are any around around your area. Colleges on move out day are great to get things for free

You can sell things!!! Used but still in good condition clothes can go to places like thread up. They sell second clothing and give you part of the cut. their second hand clothing isn't the cheapest, but percentage wise can save you a lot of money, especially on brand names. and you can send them stuff for free. for undergarments knickey is the best I've found. they recycle the fabric into insulation, and give u store credit. their stuff is ridiculously expensive, only for women and u have to pay shipping but what I've gotten so far from them is good quality and honestly better then nothing.

some places you regularly shop at have online websites and apps. look at them before buying something, but only check once you're already done inside the shop and ready to go pay. they usually have coupons and deals, so check quickly to make sure if they apply to anything in your cart before getting on the check out line. use coupons as a way to help you save money on what you're already going to buy, not to see if anything is on sale.

Finally for insurance, can't really help you. I'm convinced no one really knows what the fuck is going on. BUT ask around to see if a friend you have used to work in the industry and is willing to help out. The best video I've found is from Brian David Gilbert, who doesn't usually do videos like this but apparently already did the research while getting new insurance so might as well.

If I get better info I'll be sure to update. Good luck!!!

I'm looking to learn about financial literacy, does anyone have any pointers or suggestions on folks to get my information from?

There's a mega sea of info out there, but I would like to learn from people who aren't assholes or just total capitalists. Just :) nice people doing what they need to to survive In capitalism, who Wouldn't exploit me at the drop of a dime if they could. It's okay if that doesn't exist yet, but if it does I'd love to avoid having to comb through a million shitass "entrepreneurs" looking to be as rich as possible no matter what I just wanna learn how to live here

[on-a-lucky-tide]

Eskel's struggling to make ends meet as a single father. He cuts back on everything, but he stills ends up in front of a cashier without enough money in his account to feed his daughters. Luckily, a brightly clothed stranger steps in...

Warnings: past character death (implied, not explored); single dad Eskel; poverty; potentially second-hand embarrassment? But no one should be embarrassed for this. It happens. A lot of us have been there.

“I’m sorry, sir, but your card was declined,” the cashier said, her heavily lined face drawn in a tight, pitying smile that barely concealed her underlying impatience. The queue behind was stretching into the stationery aisle and this was the second of Eskel’s cards she’d rung up. “Perhaps you could ring your bank? There might be a mix-up.”

Eskel’s teeth clenched at the back, his jaw twitching. “Gimme a sec,” he grunted, pulling his phone from his back pocket. When you lived below the bread line, you counted every penny. There was no being caught short. There were no frivolous purchases and no expense unaccounted for. Eskel had a scant few megabytes left on his phone contract before he would have to stick it out in a technological black hole for the next week. He used them to check his bank balance.

Eskel glanced down at Ciri. She stood on the other side of the trolley, her fifteen-year-old hands gripping white-knuckled on the bar, and she offered an uncomfortable frown as he ignored the ogling eyes of the patrons around them. They had left Angie at home to enjoy the last few days of their Netflix subscription; the last bastion of their old life to hold out until the bitter end.

Eskel had cancelled everything. Every subscription, every nicety.

When they had foreclosed on the house and he had to move what remained of his small family into a dingy council flat, he had promised himself they would keep something. Anything to remind them that they were still living, not just surviving. But when the bills had started piling up, and Angie had started needing school uniform after kicking about in the playground with the boys, and Ciri had needed new bras and…

Ten pounds.

A lump formed in Eskel’s throat. One part shame, two parts misery. Shame that he couldn’t provide his daughters with the life they deserved, and the misery? Knowing that a year and a half ago he wouldn’t have even thought twice about twenty-five pounds worth of groceries in fucking Aldi. And now he was standing at the front of a puffing, wrist-tapping queue trying to work out how he was going to feed two teenage girls on ten quid, while still having the energy to work his two jobs, only to cash the cheque at Cash Converters and lose ten per cent of it straight away.

Eskel looked at the contents of the trolley and then dragged his gaze up to Ciri. Her eyes glistened even as she rolled her lips into her mouth. It wasn’t the going without that upset her—no, Ciri was too good for that, too mature, well beyond her years—it wasn't the fact that she couldn't have the latest Stephen King novel or the branded crisps in her lunchbox, it was watching the father she loved struggle in the middle of a crowded budget supermarket, knowing there was nothing she could do to help. Fuck, she shouldn’t have to even think about it, she…

“Excuse me,” called her a mellifluous voice from behind a stocky builder in a yellow high-viz, “will you just—yes, thank you, god, have a shower, yes, excuse me, ma’am!”

A startling figure emerged from the mire of grim faces watching Eskel’s predicament with morbid fascination. It was the too-tight skinny jeans and designer that caught Eskel’s attention first. It was such a stark contrast to the washed-out, austere poverty of their surroundings, not to mention Eskel’s faded jeans and red checked jacket.

“Here,” the new arrival proffered a card at the cashier, whose eyebrows had lept towards her neatly permed hairline. “It’s on me. All of it.”

Eskel swallowed, fingers clenching around the edges of his phone. The screen went dim and he felt his eyes burn again. A lesser man might have tried to decline out of some ill-placed pride, but the thought didn’t even occur to Eskel. He waited for the man to change his mind, to glance at the contents of their shopping and decide to whisk the offer back. In fact, Eskel waited so long in his disbelief that his saviour offered a wry smirk. “You know, usually, this is where you start packing manically before she lobs them off the end of the belt.”

“Oh, uh.” Eskel blinked back into focus and shuffled around the end of the counter so that Ciri could move the trolley. The stranger helped them pack and Eskel noted the can of deodorant, travel toothbrush and box of Weetabix that followed.

By the time they were outside, Eskel had gathered some of his wits back. He wasn’t usually one to shock easily, but no stranger had ever extended such kindness in his direction and acted as if it were nothing. Eskel left Ciri to lift the bags into the boot of the car and jog-walked to the stranger as he climbed into an old Peugeot. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself,” the man paused long enough to dump his three items on the passenger seat before standing up, forearms propped on the top of the open door, “get everything you need?”

“Yeah, I… look, thank you, I’m… I’m grateful.”

“Don’t sweat it,” the man shrugged. “I know what it’s like to be there with just me, let alone with a kid as well.”

“Kids.”

“Kids, hmm. Okay.”

Eskel reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone. “I get paid in a week. Can pay you back, for all of it.”

“There’s no need. It’s… what? Twenty quid?”

Eskel pressed his lips together and tried not to let the flippant comment cut too deep. It was well-intentioned from a man who had just allowed him to feed his daughters for one more week. “Please,” Eskel swiped through to his contacts and pulled up a new entry, “I insist. Gimme your number or an email. Can always PayPal it across.”

“Jaskier.”

“What?” Eskel looked up and was met with another of those mischievous smiles.

“My name. And you are?”

“Eskel,” he said and got the distinct feeling he was being appraised as Jaskier’s head tilted to the side.

“I’d prefer to meet in person if that’s okay?” Jaskier plucked his phone from his back pocket, thumbs fluttering over the screen with learned precision.

“Yeah, sure.”

“How about at that new place in town on Saturday? Zoltan’s.”

“The craft beer place?” Eskel figured it was plenty public and, judging by his current apparel, Jaskier probably had a prior arrangement there. He could pop out, grab the cash from Eskel, and his friends would be none the wiser. “Uh, sure.”

“Okay, number?”

Eskel read his own out and received a text message barely three seconds after finishing. A winking smiley face. Eskel saved it under ‘Jaskier, Aldi, £25.00’ to remind himself of what he owed and tucked his phone away. “Thanks again.”

“A bargain as far as I’m concerned. I’ll see you on Saturday.”

Before Eskel could ask what the hell that meant, Ciri called him away. Jaskier ducked into his car and soon the non-descript silver Peugeot was passing them by on its way to the exit. Eskel dropped into the driver’s seat and inhaled a deep breath through his nose. The tightness that had seized his chest in the supermarket had finally loosened; the fear of having his children go hungry because he wasn’t a good enough father dispersed.

“Did you give that man your number?” Ciri asked innocently.

“Mhm,” Eskel buckled into the driving seat as he shifted the car into reverse and tucked his hand behind her headrest. “Gonna pay him back after I get paid on Saturday.”

“He’s quite good looking.”

“He’s too old for you,” Eskel replied without missing a beat.

Ciri glowered and then rolled her eyes. “I meant for you, dumb arse.”

Eskel cast her a sideways glance as he pulled out of the car park, thumbs tapping on the steering wheel. He may be tired, but he wasn’t blind. Jaskier had been exceptionally good looking, but a glance in the rearview mirror quickly blunted Eskel's hope. The gym membership had been one of the first casualties, and Eskel could count on one hand the number of times he’d eaten in the last week. He went hungry quite willingly so that Ciri and Angouleme could eat. So, gaunt, with dark circles beneath his eyes (and that was before a discerning eye reached the pitted wreckage of his face), Eskel wasn’t exactly ready for the dating scene.

“Yeah, I’m outta his league.”

“Hmm,” Ciri sank back into the seat, elbow braced on the door, jaw against her knuckles. “Whatever you say, smooth operator.”

Eskel smirked, shoved their Bowie CD into the radio and sang “Heroes” with Ciri all the way home. They had dinner tonight, and Eskel had learned over the last eighteen months to celebrate the small victories.