#rob finally got his emmy :’)

[andromedism]

Rob McElhenney, winner of Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program for "Welcome To Wrexham," poses in the press room during the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on January 15, 2024

[eregyrn-falls]

Gravity Falls Revival Prospects Teased by Disney TV Boss (Exclusive)

By Russ Milheim Posted: June 05, 2024

(From "The Direct", original article linked above.) While Gravity Falls may have ended in 2014 on the Disney Channel, fans are still hoping for a revival—thankfully, that doesn't look too far out of reach, at least according to an update from a top Disney executive. The series may have ended in 2014, but since then, creator Alex Hirsch has published several books in the universe. This included Gravity Falls: Tales of the Strange and Unexplained, Lost Legends, and Journal 3. In fact, another book is even coming out later this year, called The Book of Bill, which tells the story of the show from the perspective of the big bad. However, while books are great and all, a continuation of the show would absolutely thrill the franchise’s fanbase. In an exclusive interview with The Direct’s Russ Milheim while promoting the release of Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation, Executive Vice President of Television Animation and Disney Branded Television Meredith Roberts gave a hopeful update on a possible Gravity Falls revival. She confirmed that they’re “in conversations with [creator] Alex [Hirsch]” before ending with an encouraging “never say never:” “You know, we're in conversations with Alex. He's about to publish a book with Disney on his project. And we also do some shorts. So never say never.”

What Could Be Next for Gravity Falls? While the update is a small one, plenty of fans will be thrilled to see even a slight glimmer of home. Sure, the new book releases are exciting, but not nearly as much as having the show back. If the show were to return, creator Alex Hirsch would likely want to introduce a new threat other than Bill. Admittedly, that's a high bar to clear. Perhaps a continuation would also age its leading characters, Dipper and Mabel. However, having older leads could transform Gravity Falls into a much different, more adult-based narrative. Either way, there's plenty of demand from fans to see the world of Gravity Falls again. Hopefully, that's something Disney can capitalize on sooner rather than later.

Since this is going around, and I haven't seen it posted here... well, here you go. What does it mean? Nobody knows! It may not mean anything. It's hard to tell whether this is just a Disney exec making noises for promotional purposes or what. I honestly would take this with a grain of salt until or unless Alex himself posts or tweets about it.

(My own thoughts: to be worthwhile, I strongly feel that any new Gravity Falls content would need to have the involvement of Alex Hirsch AND a good chunk of the other folks who worked on the show. People like Rob Renzetti, and others like Matt Braly, Alonso Ramirez Ramos, Emmy Ciceriega, Dana Terrace, Matt Chapman, Jeff Rowe, etc. etc. It would probably be difficult to impossible to get everyone back, unless it was for a very limited project, like a TV-movie or something.

I'm not saying they would ALL need to be back, and I do also think you could find some new folks to work on the project who would be very good replacements for some of the original crew who might not be able to come back. But, I've said many, many times: Gravity Falls was not the work of only one man. I respect the hell out of Alex Hirsch, but, the show that we love had contributions from a lot of other people that went into creating the final product. If what we want is something as good as the original show, then I think it would need input from those people.

And even then, we still have to keep in mind that it can be difficult to recapture lightning in a bottle. Even if they got back a majority of the original team, it's 10 years later (ish), and all of those folks have been through a lot, and most haven't been working with each other. There's a groove that the crew of the show got into at the time, and they'd have to recapture that groove. It would be different in at least SOME ways. Maybe a GOOD different! A lot would depend on the enthusiasm they had for doing it.)

So, we'll see! Keep an eye out, though, for more news.

[missezramay]

ted lasso, post-finale thoughts.

I went into the finale thinking yeah, if the writing serves, I can accept any outcome even if it's not exactly what I want. Instead, I was hit with a plethora of mixed emotions I didn't expect to have. Confusion, anger, hurt, annoyance, small bursts of joy in between, and just deep sadness. Almost 20 hours later and I'm still incredibly dissatisfied and processing. For the most part, finales should provide a feeling of celebration and relief. I... don't feel any of that.

I'm just really trying to pinpoint why I'm so sad.

Of course everything inevitably has to come to an end. Of course Ted was always going to reunite with his kid. Of course it's not about winning or losing. Of course Tedbecca can remain platonic if that was always the plan. Of course that's the way life goes, but...

For a show (and this season particularly) that constantly encouraged us to 'believe' and 'hope' in the idea that 'everything will work out', all those 75 minutes did was take me on an unsettling, emotional journey for no concrete reason other than to mess with the audience (the opening scene was just adding salt in the Tedbecca wound I've had since S2). Because everything in a macro sense, "worked out". But the WAY it "worked out" does not sit well with me?? And it's supposed to? For a lot of people (on Reddit/Facebook, lol), it was enough?? Richmond not technically winning and Ted leaving like that without so much as a tear? What am I missing??

When I tell you I'm trying to embrace the good parts, I'm really trying. Yes to KBPR & the women's team, Yes to Colin kissing his fella, Yes to Rebecca & Mae & the guys owning the club, Yes to Roy becoming Manager.

So... why am I still so upset? Hmm, let's see.

The boys' musical number? The cutest. Ted didn't think so.

Nate's apology? Heartbreaking. Ted didn't bat an eyelash.

Rebecca begging twice for Ted to stay? Ted, absolute silence.

Beard staying/getting married in London to his toxic gf? Comic relief, haha, fine. Except Ted wasn't there as Best Man.

Don't even get me started on the huge disservice to the Roy/Keeley/Jamie triangle.

Now listen, I get that he misses Henry & Henry misses his dad. I'm not that cold. A father/son's love is important. It was always the catalyst for this show; for him to work on himself so he can be a better father unlike the one he grew up with. That's fine.

But on this particular week. His last week with his Richmond family. There was NO sense of him being sad to leave them. He can be sad about missing Henry but he can ALSO be sad about leaving. No, he just completely checked out. He let everyone pour out their hearts (Hannah's getting her third Emmy, mark my words) to him, and he just stone-faced the entire time.

THIS DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME.

The argument is that he was internally processing, he was overwhelmed, he was trying to distance himself so it would hurt less. Fair points, okay. But this is a television show, moreover, A FINALE. TV characters, while relatable, are heightened versions of ourselves, there so we can better process our emotions and learn to handle things better in our real lives. Ted deserved MORE dialogue and displaying MORE emotion than whatever this was.

We're never going to see him again. We're over here crying along with Rebecca, Nate & Beard, but he didn't sob once. Even though he spent three years building a family with them. I even thought, hey at least he left his legacy with Trent's book but newsflash, he wanted his name taken off that too! Complete erasure.

I just feel so robbed of better moments. Like there were nice moments here and there. But they could've been BETTER. Honestly, Nate & Rebecca's breakdowns were close to perfection, so much love there. But the lack of dialogue and Ted not reciprocating? Broke ME.

I just cannot. understand. this. choice.

Massive sigh. I'm just truly baffled by the way everything wrapped up and not getting the satisfied feeling that one half of the viewership got. Maybe I'm in the minority, but that means something. It carries weight. Also, for a "three-season arc" that was planned well in advance, why all the rewrites and parallels and fakeouts... it's just cruel. But as the theme says (and maybe this was a warning all along), yeah, I guess this might well be it.

This show has given us so much and the last season flailed for the most part. I don't want to disrespect the show by being negative and cynical (looks like I failed!!) or cast blame on anyone in particular. The cast/crew are amazing people and I'll be grateful for being a part of the journey but I'm just so sad and this feeling sucks and I will never get over it.

Going to miss them. x

[gingerylangylang1979]

Male identity: Carmy and Richie

I’m finding that a certain demographic of fans have a much harder time relating to Carmy but very much relate to Richie. Granted, a lot of this has to do with what fandom platform you observe. I actually kind of hate The Bear subreddit but continue to browse it periodically because it’s super interesting to hear what “the others” are talking about. I rarely engage anymore because it’s mostly nonsense and a totally different vibe than Tumblr. The contingent is definitely very anti-Carmy x Sydney and seems to hate Sydney. I’ve also noticed that while there is a lot of love for Carmy there is even more love for Richie. I’m very intrigued by this perspective. 

This season Richie was definitely a standout. I think Ebon is an amazing actor and am glad he is finally getting nominated for his role. I thought he got robbed with the non-Emmy nominations. But even before S2 I noticed that Richie was the most favored character among the Reddit demo and perhaps a big part of the general audience. That’s fine, people can favor who they like. I know that doesn’t represent everyone but I do think that speaks for what I consider general audience and makes sense considering how society still views manhood despite social progress. This season even a lot of the reviews were kind of meh about Carmy. I get it, I initially was writing him off too, was pissed, and thought he had the worst arc. Then once thoughts settled he went back to being my hero. Deeply flawed, but I just relate to him so much and he’s fascinating to watch. I’m a woman, so maybe that helps my empathy. I also don’t think The Bear would work with Richie as the lead as some have suggested. 

The thing is Carmy is a more difficult character because he has multiple layers of trauma, his work is so specialized and niche, he is a sensitive soul, he’s artistic, and he doesn’t fit the mold of the working class male models he was surrounded by. Your typical man can’t relate to him. And most likely your typical conservative leaning woman can’t either. At the Christmas party he was appalled at how the other guys were talking about Claire. And this is a woman he had a crush on and is present day attracted to. He could have easily been superficial and macho and laughed at the jokes as expected. He didn’t let Richie get away with calling Syd sweetheart. Richie says he’s “woke”. He employs a woman in a leadership role. He’s built different. 

He is struggling in many ways that are hidden and he also lashes out. The hidden ways and the lashing out are interpreted as whiny and annoying by people that can’t relate. He’s been cited as not growing but people can’t acknowledge that his healing won’t be linear. But how can it be when his trauma was collected in overlapping seasons for most of his life? The pain didn’t develop in a linear path. He had a stutter when he was young. There are hints that there is a learning issue of some sort (I’m not going to try and diagnose). He was always the “different” one in the family. The other guys call him “weird”. His father was absent. His mom has mental health issues and is an alcoholic. He witnessed the traumatic incident at Christmas and I’m sure it wasn’t the only such incident. His brother was an addict that pushed him away, then killed himself. He went into a chaotic, highly demanding field that required him to isolate to excel. He is shy and has trouble forming close bonds. He had a mentally abusive boss. He was always super competitive. He comes back to own The Beef and it’s problem after problem. How are people expecting him to be “fun” and have an easy comeback like Richie? 

Richie has issues, too. Stagnant in mid-life, spent years devoted to an addict, failed marriage, feeling disillusioned and displaced, also an absent father. But when we meet Richie he’s not as wounded as Carmy. Carmy is literally sleep cooking, almost starting fires, dissociating, having panic attacks. Richie is sad but it mostly manifests as him being kind of nasty and grumpy. He’s like a sour old man with dated and offensive jokes. His behavior is dismissed because he’s grieving. Which yes, he deserves a pass. But why does he deserve a bigger pass than Carmy who is dealing with so much more or Sydney who seemed to bear the biggest brunt of his outrage and was also struggling? Carmy is literally on the verge of a breakdown and has the weight of trying to keep the staff, the business, and himself afloat. Despite all this Richie gets a lot of indulgences for his bad behavior that Carmy isn’t. 

Richie is easier for a lot of people to digest because he’s funny, he’s the working class representative, he’s tall (yes people have height bias, especially with men). Carmy is viewed as the pompous prodigal son that’s trying to ruin Richie’s delicate ecosystem by gentrifying and kicking out “the working man”. There are people posting in disgust that he dare change The Beef despite it being a hell hole money pit. 

It’s just so interesting that in reality we are dealing with an unprecedented numbers of men who report extreme loneliness, depression, hopelessness. Richie and Carmy both fit that profile. Yet, a man like Richie is broadly understood and accepted and a man like Carmy isn’t. It goes back IMO to the continual coding of masculine/good vs feminine/bad. Richie is the stereotypical red blooded American male. He wants the stripper’s panties. He has a gun. He needs to be alpha. He views anything outside the norm as a threat. He wants to preserve tradition at all costs. Carmy is his foil. Carmy is viewed as feminine. 

I see it even on Tumblr with the persistent identification of Carmy as somehow feminine. Like he can’t be soft and traumatized and just be a man. So what does that say when even people who would probably consider themselves progressive still classify a man in feminine terms if he isn’t a MAN? We accept all types of gender identities but still struggle with a man not fitting the correct paradigm. Society still has issues accepting that men can be vulnerable and struggling without being feminized. People also make assumptions about Carmy’s gender identity and sexuality based on his trauma. Like, of course he has to be XYZ because well, look at him, he’s sad an pathetic. What does that say about men’s sexuality and identity? Are only queer men accepted as sad? Carmy could be a queer character, cool, representation matters. But I just find the semi-automatic equation of queerness with an atypical male to be odd and a bit regressive. 

Edited to add on above: I hope what I’m saying doesn’t get interpreted as dismissing queer people who identify with Carmy. I get it, I support it. What I’m speaking to is the insistence that canon Carmy is queer because of his interests, aesthetic, and mental health as if that is the only identity option. Granted, he could be bi. I also think some people are insistent on this, just as they are on Syd not being into men, as a way to negate the possibility of them being romantic. Again, I’m saying some people. Also, proximity and shared struggle doesn’t equal identity. This makes me think of once when a white gay male bestie claimed we are the same because I’m a black women. I had to kindly correct. We share the same haters, we are both marginalized, but he will never know my experience just like I will never know his. We can bond on the commonalities but we aren’t exactly the same. IMO, it would be a disservice to both of us to claim different.

I’m really rambling, but just thought I would share my thoughts and open a conversation about this. 

[weclassybouquetfun]

Awards season is inching to a close with the last gasp of screenings coming up the week of January 8th. My favourite movie of the year is SALTBURN and Amazon-MGM is holding three screenings of it on the same day to end its FYC run. The same night Disney finally remembers THE CREATOR exists and is having a screening/Q&A with its director Gareth Edwards.

Notable award season dates:

Jan. 6th-7th: The Creative Arts Emmys. This is the portion of the Emmys that awards the winners of the Outstanding Guest Star category. TED LASSO has four in this category: Three who have all been previously nominated for their roles on the show: Harriet Walter, Sarah Niles and Sam Richardson; and newbie Becky Ann Baker as Dottie Lasso.

If James Lance wasn't promoted to regular, surely he would have received and likely won a S3 nomination in this category.

James and his hair situation with his fellow voice-over artists for the BBC Radio 4 show "We Forced a Bot to Write This Show".

Jan. 7th: The Golden Globes

Prayer circles for Barry Keoghan and Rosamund Pike for their work in SALTBURN and TED LASSO, Jason Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham.

Wed. Jan. 10: The SAG-AFTRA awards nominations

Sun. Jan 14th: The Critics Choice Awards . Hate that there was no love for TED LASSO and that SALTBURN actors and the script was ignored (but at least the artisans were recognized).

They were robbed!

Really pulling for Da'Vine Joy Randolph of THE HOLDOVERS, Charles Melton of MAY DECEMBER and for Young Actor/Actress, Milo Machada Graner for ANATOMY OF THE FALL.

If Milo wasn't this category, I would be rooting for THE HOLDOVERS' Dominic Sessa who is in the same category. Though, Sessa will very likely win.

Mon. Jan 15th: The Primetime Emmys. We have nods for Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Phil Dunster, nods for outstanding writing, directing, editing,production design, VFX, hairstyling, original music & lyrics and series. I am just hoping for some wins.

Thurs. Jan. 18th: The BAFTA Film Awards nominations.

Tues. Jan 23rd: The Academy Awards nominations

During this time Sundance Film Festival will be live (Jan 18th-28th) ,there we will likely get a couple of presumptive nominees for 2024-2025 film awards season.

Tues. Jan. 23: Academy Awards nominations. I'm a broken record. I'm all in on SALTBURN, especially hoping for nominations for Barry Keoghan and Rosamund Pike.; and one for Best Film. But as I was all in on BABYLON last year and it got goose eggs, no film should want me as a fan.

I'm hoping for JA Bayona's SOCIETY OF THE SNOW gets a nom and win for Best International.

And as France didn't submit ANATOMY OF A FALL (I assume there's too much English spoken for it to qualify), I hope it gets the same love last year's ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT received and it's put up for Best Picture.

Sun. Feb. 18: BAFTA Awards.

Sat. Feb. 24: Screen Actors Guild Awards

Sun. Feb. 25: Spirit AwardsSun. Mar. 10: Academy Awards

Then we pause until late April and Emmy season kicks right up again and we continue the dance.

[jarita123]

I have been a part of MCU fandom since it started in 2008, watched comic book movies way before it (X-Men were kind of a thing), Keaton´s Batman is still my Batman (I know, DC, I had no idea in the early 90s there was such a thing :D ).

But I don´t remember it ever being so toxic as it is lately. Admittedly, I kind of started to "fan" Tom himself more past few years, I still love RDJ and all the original guys from Phase 1 but my God, people went insane with social media.

And what is going on in Loki fandom? Or around Tom personally? Like people don´t believe he is in a relationship, and I only wait for first crazy to say "It is not his baby!" like they keep doing with poor Benedict. So he found himself a partner, good for him and he is obviously happy!

I loved all the red carpet content we got, I love that he is *finally* getting out of his shell after years of random appearances (granted, we were robbed for red carpets for Loki, first because of Covid and second because of strikes) and The Essex Serpent had some but most interviews were done by video (still not enough of them). So he is going to conventions, which is a fantastic thing. He meets fans, he loves meeting fans and it is great that we are not just waiting for Bobby/baby walk pictures. He can do whatever the hell he wants. And getting paid for it? He is a performer and is paid to perform. It is simple as that.

He just wrapped a movie in October and had a highly successful show in November. And he is still praised for it, may get some more nominations, will campaign for Emmy. Yes, he can do other stuff and he does but it takes time to make something and get things into productions is not easy. He obviously loves Loki and what actor can say they still can work with a character this long and still find something new? He basically created the character on screen and now will be forever remembered and anybody coming after him will be compared to Tom. That is no small achievement.

When it happened that "fans" think they know what is the best for a person they don´t even know in person? Give the guy a break.

And don´t get me started with those crazy "shipping wars", which is something I had now idea existed before (yes, I am a boomer already). Loki even did not kiss or stayed with anybody at the end, so what is the deal? Stop insulting each other, and stop projecting Tom and Sophia as Loki and Sylvie. Yes, it was probably only one or two cases but it is not normal. Sorry.

*Rant over*

[cpopnatural]

15x19 Notes

-literally everyone’s dead???

-handprint still on his stupid baka handprint shoulder

-JACK KNOWS ABOUT THE DEAL HE KNOWS WHY HIS FATHER DIED HE HAS TO LIVE WITH THIS NOW

-like the set design and background this episode are crazy good. Great environmental storytelling

-whooshing sound but it’s not angel wings it’s a nephilim boy mourning his father

-written by Buckleming…

-YOU GOTTA BRING BACK EVERYTHING INCLUDING CAS

-MIRACLE THE DOG

-LMAO

-that’s actually so camp of Jack

-MICHAEL

-lol God snapped Michael’s boyfriend too. Rip

-that’s me in the corner. That’s me in the spot light. Losing my religion

-NOOOOOOO

-HE RUNS ON HIS OLD MAN KNEES

-Betty is kinda iconic it’s a shame we only got 2 episodes left

-we can still wring enough camp outta this show to have Lucifer call Michael a cuck

-let’s go Michael!!!

-it’s just a spell to kill God lol

-Michael lmaoooooo

-they’re taking on God one at a time fistfighting them

-what are we doing

-how did he even do that. What

-deus ex Jack. Jack ex machina

-GOD POWER

-what the fuck

-I’ve seen shonen anime with more plausible worldbuilding

-SEE THAT’S NOT WHO I AM

-yo this is like the end of Steven Universe

-the way they dramatic walk away is so funny

-Rob Benedict going for the Emmy LMAO it does make this scene seem more gratifying

-Cas should be here

-JACK BROUGHT BACK THE DOG DEAN BARELY KNEW BUT NOT CAS

-“I’m not coming back home” wahhhh

-Castiel…

-THE FADE OUT HAHAHA

-Running on Empty? That’s what the show’s doing

-don’t show me the fucking names in the table you asses

-they couldn’t bring Cas back but they could add a clipshow??? With a only a couple shots of Cas?????????

-someone had it out for Misha Collins

Honestly. Not that great but I’ll give it a 6 because I know the finale will be worse

[22drunkb]

Hi, sorry to bother you. Wanted to ask if you've watched/heard of House of the Dragon by any chance? I remember reading your masterful fairytale analyses on Hannibal back in the day, and having watched Hotd recently your blog was the first that came to my mind when I thought of reading some juicy after-viewing meta and analysis. Apologies in case you have already mentioned the show before and I missed the post. I would be also very interested in your tv and film recs. Any recent favorites?

Hi! Thank you for thinking of me; that is a real compliment.

I got off the GoT train around s3 or 4 (some discussion of that here) and, to be honest with you, endured the next several years of its dominating the culture pretty long-sufferingly, so I have not watched HotD. Sorry I don't have anything to offer you on that!

Recent favorites will also be slim pickings because I've been too slammed/burned out (and recently, sick) to watch much of anything lately, but:

For TV, right now it's pretty much Andor. I had also given up on Disney Star Wars, but heard so many interesting things about Andor specifically that I decided to give it a try and it is very good. Like, confusingly so. If you had asked me a year ago whether "psychosexual drama" (as opposed to like, props or design) was a phrase I would ever use in relation to Star Wars, I would have laughed, but here we are. It's received a lot of deserved praise for...pretty much everything (acting! set and production design! writing! political engagement!), but I still feel that some of the thematic aspects of the writing are underappreciated. It's not just politically intelligent, but it's experienced and funny in the ways it portrays activists, revolutionaries, and fascists. It shows you multiple sides of every character and sets them up to echo each other in interesting ways that make sophisticated, understated points about how people pursue their aspirations under their particular constraints. It has very quietly built an entire theme around the idea of "climbing" that links beautifully into Rogue One without having to announce it or wink about it. I am always a sucker for drama that is interested in responsibility and complicity, and this one is very interested in those things.

It was a couple years ago now, but I loved Station Eleven. Interestingly, in very different ways, this show and Andor share an interest in the theater troupe as storytelling device--which I always like, probably due to having imprinted on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at a young age. But it has a lot to say about surviving, and how to do it, and why. It handles time and memory and referentiality in interesting ways. All the technical aspects were excellent, but this show was specifically and especially robbed of an Emmy for costume design.

Speaking of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, I rewatched the movie version early in the pandemic and I think it's deeply misunderstood and underrated. I hadn't thought about this before, but I would bet it would appeal to a lot of Hannibal fans. Abstruse dialogue, tragic confrontation with inevitable Fate, self-awareness about being caught in the narrative, codependence, what's not to like.

I have not yet gotten myself together to watch the new Interview with the Vampire series, but I am 90% sure I and any Hannibal fan would love it.

Besides Hannibal, my standbys remain Black Sails, Person of Interest, and Leverage. Fleabag isn't a standby in the same way but is excellent in its entirety.

Some series I never finished for a variety of reasons but thought were great: The Expanse (still want to finish it!), GLOW, The Good Place, The Americans, Doom Squad, Killing Eve (though I hear they fucked up the ending). I think Mr Robot is very much worth watching for the first two seasons, after which point one should pretend it ceased to exist; same for Legion, except that the s2 finale also doesn't exist.

As far as reality TV goes, I genuinely love Blown Away. (Think Top Chef or GBBO, but for blowing glass.)

Movies: last year all I saw was Nope and Top Gun: Maverick, and I just watched Glass Onion the other night. Nope is wonderful (wrote something short about it here). I was already a stan for the original Top Gun (#problematic? yes! camp classic? also yes!), but even if you're not, it is an unbelievably layered and interesting cultural artifact in relation to Tom Cruise's Star Image, Whither America, and Whither the Film Business. Glass Onion was fun!

I feel the same way about The Green Knight and The Menu as I do about the IWTV series.

Some friends of mine have started asking me to recommend a classic 60s film every time I go over there, so I have recently had occasion to rewatch The Court Jester (spoof on medieval period pieces--there is no The Princess Bride without this movie--astoundingly clever songwriting, virtuoso comedic performances from Danny Kaye, Angela Lansbury, and Basil Rathbone, interesting gender and queer dynamics) and The Odd Couple (absolute comedy classic about two divorced friends who move in together and cannot handle it. Also much queerer than I realized as a child.) They both remain magnificent.

Hope something here hits for you!

[souredfigs]

ALRIGHT HOTD FINALE AND OMGGG here are my tHouGHtS and spoilers ahead ofcc

❗️❗️❗️❗️

• I mean it wasn't as shocking for me coz I've read the book so I obviously knew what was about to go down but with that being said

• Emma D'Arcy I love you so much . Their acting as Rhaneyra was outstanding, life changing , freaking amazing and I am in absolute awe. The shot of Rhaneyra at the end as Daemon informs her about Luce's demise , and she turns around and just by looking at her you sense her pain and rage and how the real dotd is gonna start and shit will go down was goosebump inducing . I mean I'm by no means an expert in acting but Holy SHRIMP THAT WAS POWERFUL . WHAT A STELLAR PERFORMANCE , ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS ! AND IF THEY DONT GET AN EMMY I WILL GO APESHIT BECUASE WHAT THE FUCK?

• Rhaneyra's coronation was by far my favourite scene in the episode along with Daemon singing to vermithor , absolutely beautiful and you bet I'm learning that song

• speaking of lucerys

• MY BOY

• I was dreading this moment ever since episode one and it was just all around heartbreaking , despite knowing what will happen the scene still made me sit at the edge of my bed and tense up . We will miss you king 😔

• Otto hightower , this bitch in itself is a warning

• fuck him that is all I can say

• also the fact that Alicent kept that page Rhaneyra tore and kept it safe , it even has creases in it , meaning that she opened it multiple times whenever she missed her best friend ... *screams* they were both victims of the patriarchal society they were born to and this is something I will always stand by .

• JACAERYS MY BELOVED , He was all around the best this episode , the way he confronted Daemon and stood up for his mother was so pure, and it makes me so sad thinking about what will happen to him in the end . He was too good for the world of ice and fire .

• speaking of ice and fire , I'm really excited to see my beloved the Starks and winterfell next season , the pact of ice and fire and the theory of dragon eggs being in the crypts always intrigued me

• Daemon .. I am honestly surprised most of yall were shocked , like literally everyone of the characters in hotd and in asoiaf are unhinged and need counselling. If you are looking for right vs wrong you've come to the wrong place 😭😭😭😭 wait till you read f&b 😭😭😭

• the black council scenes in which Rhaneyra constantly reminds everyone that she has a duty to preserve the realm and keep it safe from bloodshed and that her ambition isn't the only thing that matters further proves to me that she would have been an great ruler

• Even Rhaenys admits to Corlys that Rhaneyra is holding it all together and keeping the realm from dissolving into madness and destruction .

• And I think the show was good when it came to Rhaenys portrayal as well , she too was a capable intelligent woman who was robbed of her deserving position.

• overall , there are some issues I do have , but regardless of that I am so excited for season 2 , this really did heal the wounds that I have from got season 8 and hotd really brought back the once epic Game of Thrones calibre of acting , dialouge and plot . Squeezing 20+ years of storyline into 10 episodes is hard for any production I think, and they executed it so smoothly .

• the costumes and cinematography and overall attention to detail was such a delight to see , so refreshing and it really showed you how much thought and effort they put into this spinoff, unlike the shitstorm that game of thrones became from season 5 onwards . Asoiaf franchise was practically dead with the end of game of thrones , I remember how everyone pretend the finale didn't even happen and people on tumblr removed game of thrones hashtags from their profiles , twitter was fuming and the reddit page for asoiaf turned into a fan page for lotr😭😭😭😭 like everyone was thaT fed upp

• hotd Sundays are over now and the fact that I have go wait for two years ( I think) to see my psychotic war criminals again is killing me 😭

• PHEW WHAT A SEASON . ILL BE WAITING FOR THE NEXT ONE 🤌😌

SORRY FOR ANY TYPOS BESTIES

[pimento-playing-hopscotch]

Manifesting who I want to host sometime during season 48 for SNL- (a lot of these have hosted before; but they did such a good job and I’ve watched their episodes so many times I want them to host AGAIN.

People who should host SNL this year:

Leslie Jones- man I miss Leslie on SNL, and it’s been enough years she really ought to come back and host. She’s been long enough her “honey bunches of Jost” is married and has a child! That update appearance would be amazing.

Rob Lowe- so I was surprised once I finally broke down and got stupid Peacock that Rob Lowe has in fact hosted SNL three times! The most recent was in 2000 so it’s been a while but y’all, this ageless man is a delight. He has a show on a network right now so he has shit to promote and because his sons should be there to heckle him during the monologue.

Courteney Cox- I think she has a show right now, something with Greg Kinnear? Eh don’t quote me on that but I think she would be great on there and as far as Friends cast members go I still feel she is an underrated one.

Chris Evans- this is one where I feel he’s been asked and he didn’t want to do it. And that happens, like when Oscar Isaac hosted he mentioned in his monologue that he had turned them down when they first asked him to host in 2015. And cause Chris Evans has mentioned his struggles with anxiety in interviews it makes me think he wouldn’t be totally comfortable with this kind of gig? I don’t know there’s a chance he just hasn’t been asked but that seems unlikely to me, and also I want him to come on and tap dance.

Zendaya- this is the one I feel most like this could actually happen- she’s the youngest person to win an Emmy she could very well win another one in a few days, her career is on fire and she would be sensational.

Colson Baker- I want to see him host as well as be the musical guest, which I don’t know how likely it is since Pete has left, but he did say he was gonna release two albums this year and the European leg of his tour is scheduled to end in October so there would be time after that if he was on and then put his next album out. Cause come on he would be so much fun on there!

Allison Janney- this is another I’m surprised this hasn’t happened already. She’s been on literally so many shows and has I think like 62 Emmys? Like we need to make this happen!

Craig Robinson- WHEN I SAY PREHEAT, YOU SAY OVEN! Sorry that probably seemed weird- Craig Robinson made a show called “Mr Robinson” where that’s a line from a song he sings. The show isn’t that good and they only made six episodes but seriously- this man is so much fun! He has a current show in Peacock to promote! Andy Samberg could possibly pop in! This is another one where I don’t know if it will happen BUT IT SHOULD.

Emma Stone- this is one where she has hosted, in fact she’s hosted four times. But she should host again for the big five times! She’s one where even in the first episode she hosted she fits in so well, and her episodes are rewatchable AF.

RuPaul- another one where yes he has hosted but he needs to do it again! I need him to read more children at the library!

Taylor Tomlinson- oh sweet lord I LOVE THIS GIRL SO MUCH. Seriously please watch her Netflix specials if you haven’t yet- I want this one to happen more than anyone in this list I am such a simp for this girl. Okay this one and MGK are the two I want the most.

Sebastian Stan- I have no idea how this would go. But he’s done a lot of stuff this year and he is someone I could see them asking and him turning it down cause he does seem more shy and awkward in interviews. Maybe he wouldn’t rock it but I’m curious.

Taylor Swift- I do wonder why she hasn’t hosted again. She’s been on as the musical guest so many times but she only hosted once when she was 19, and as we all know, that is a very different Taylor. I want grown up Taylor to host dammit! Also she has a new album coming out so you know, shit to promote and what not.

James Marsden- Honestly either he or Patrick Dempsey could be on here cause both have a movie coming out in Disney plus this year. James Marsden though seems more able to access off the wall wacky between the two of them though.

Stephanie Beatriz- is there anyone less like the character that made them famous than this lady? Which speaks to how kickass of an actor she is. She definitely seems like someone who wouldn’t hide in the back with one line a sketch, she would be front and center and I want to see her take over.

Christopher Meloni- yet another in the how has this not happened yet? I don’t know but here’s why it should happen now- he’s got a current show so shit to promote, anyone who has seen wet hot American summer/this man’s social media knows he is fucking hilarious and doesn’t show that as much as he should, and they could do the soul cycle sketch again (because have you seen this man’s arms- like HOLY HELL. SIR HAS ANYONE TOLD YOU THAT IN FACT YOU ARE SIXTY ONE YEARS OLD! LIKE GOD DAMN!!!!)

Ariana DeBose- did she literally host not even a year ago? Yes, yes she did. Is this one super likely? No, no it is not. Is it just because her and Kate McKinnon and are fucking magic together and Kate has left the show and I’m in denial over this? Was I watching the Sappho sketch while typing this? Why do you ask?

Zachary Levi- should I stop saying why hasn’t this happened yet? Cause it’s like he starred in a show where he was the title character for five years- but that show was and still is underrated AF. And now he has a sequel coming out where he also plays the title character! And he is just the sweetest human alive if his social media is anything to go by and he’s lovely and needs to be in more stuff.

Vanessa Bayer- how long has she been off the show? Would this be found easily if I looked it up? You know probably. Still- she was always great on SNL and she has that all important shit to promote and she also should appear in more stuff, and because she is as her Miley impersonation would say, she is pretty cool!

Terry Crews- for real though why no asking people on Brooklyn nine nine to host? They would be so good at it! Terry would kill a hosting gig and have more energy than anyone in the building and they can do the soul cycle sketch again!

Sydney Sweeney- I remember seeing her on Ellen and Ellen was going on and on about how Sydney plays such different characters and she answered “yeah.. I’m an actor”. Which I mean it seems like a silly thing to point out but a lot of people just play the same type of character over and over and Sydney is so good in every role she’s played I would love to see her do comedy.

That is who I came up with now- I’ll check in a year to see if any of these came true.

[egcdeath]

checkmate

summary: you’ve always refused to lose, and love was no exception. (gone girl-ish au)

pairing(s): ransom drysdale x dark!reader, a special mystery guest ;) 

word count: 3.7k

warnings: 18+ because of heavy themes! faked death, framing of crimes, manipulation, alluding to sex, alluding to cheating, terrible relationship dynamic, very loose usage of the word crazy/psychotic, implied mention of self harm, brief choking & slapping (in a non sexual way lol), pregnancy trapping (idk if thats the right term), the reader is a very bad human being, overuse of italics  *please let me know if i’m missing any warnings!

author’s note: this is my 2nd submission for @stargazingfangirl18’s 5k soft dark challenge, i decided to make the reader dark >:) but ransom is also not a good person. I used these prompts: “I’ve waited a long time for this, sweetheart.” & The town golden *girl isn’t as sweet as everyone thinks.

this is definitely the most unhinged thing i’ve ever written, but blame @literate-lamb for making me write this because when i pitched this to her and said that i’d probably never write it, she enabled me. 

okay that's enough from me. join my taglist if you want :D

“I know women whose entire personas are woven from a benign mediocrity. Their lives are a list of shortcomings: the unappreciative boyfriend, the extra ten pounds, the dismissive boss, the conniving sister, the straying husband. I've always hovered above their stories, nodding in sympathy and thinking how foolish they are, these women, to let these things happen, how undisciplined. And now to be one of them! One of the women with the endless stories that make people nod sympathetically and think: Poor dumb bitch.” Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl

Your whole life, you’d considered yourself a competitive person. Constantly overcompensating for one thing or another, whether it was the chronic desire to achieve perfection that had been installed in you since you were a little girl, or your persistent internalized sense of inadequacy. You realized early on that it was much better for you to win than for you to lose, no matter the physical, emotional, or mental cost of the prize of perfection.

For the most part, this mindset worked out for you. You graduated as Valedictorian from your high school, neared the top of your graduating class at Harvard. God knew you earned it, all those tears you shed into overpriced textbooks, all the popping of unprescribed Adderall, and robbing yourself of the parties and social events that the rest of your peers gladly indulged in. 

You were just different, which was why you gained a job nearly immediately after your exit from school, quickly climbing to the top at the Blood Like Wine publishing company after only a few years of being there. 

And one night, at the party celebrating the release of A Thousand Knives when you laid your eyes on Hugh Ransom Drysdale, the grandson of your boss, you knew that you needed to have him. Rich, hot, a bit of an asshole. You deserved to finally complete your image, and that socialite flavored eye candy seemed to fit the part perfectly. Luckily for you, he was desperate. It only took a few tugs on your dress’ V-line, and a number of knowing smirks to find yourself being finger-banged in his family manor’s bathroom.

From there, you wormed your way into his life. Leaving belongings at his place as an excuse to come back, and offering booty calls in the middle of the night. Ransom must’ve been much more desperate than you originally thought, as it really only seemed to take one night of stroking his hair while he vented about his family to make him want to be with you. Men with mommy issues were always so easy. 

Except, he wasn’t that easy. The longer you got to know Ransom, the more fucked up you realized he really was. He had no boundaries at all, became jealous and enraged at the drop of a pin, and occasionally told you things that made the hairs on your arms rise. 

This of course all came to a head after the night of Harlan’s 85th birthday party. When the news broke of his tragic death, you’d immediately known it was the works of your Hugh. If your intuition wasn’t enough, his confession in the shower, where he’d demanded you take off your clothes to display that you were without a bug, certainly was. 

You were completely devastated. The man that you’d invested so much into for years had thrown both his and your reputations down the drain in just a matter of hours. Of course, you felt bad for Harlan too. He was a good guy (when he wasn’t instigating a family fight).

Still, you showed up during the funeral in your best mourning clothes and dawning your biggest crocodile tears. You rubbed Linda’s back while she mourned the loss of her father, and the new truth about her husband. You played dumb when interrogated by some Southern private investigator, even giving Ransom an airtight alibi. You testified on his behalf in court with enough conviction to grant you an Emmy. 

You’d gotten so far, devoted so much energy into him, that you simply refused to lose now. 

To your friends, you’d seemed to lead a near perfect life. Dream job, dreamy boyfriend, dream bank account, but it wasn’t enough. You wanted more, you just didn’t know what. 

It dawned on you while sipping mimosas at the country club, Ransom playing tennis with his friends just a few yards away from you while Danielle showed off her brand new engagement ring, a .59 Carat Asscher Diamond, that if you heard her speak of again, would probably make you lose your shit.

You zoned out as she droned on and on about the shape, and how Matt proposed to her in their own private room in one of the most exclusive Parisian restaurants, instead focusing on how you could find yourself in the same position as that airhead next to you. In all honesty, you couldn’t stand the idea that someone was doing better than you, let alone someone in your own social circle. Dani got all the bragging rights of being engaged to the heir of some tech giant, being the first in your friend group to get eloped, and worst of all, Matt wasn’t even making her sign a prenup. 

You blankly watched Ransom from afar, taking occasional sips from your sweet drink, while you thought of how you deserved all of that and more, and you were going to get it one way or another. 

——

It didn’t take much to come up with something, your first and most obvious plan being to simply ask Ransom when he was going to propose to you. Of course, this wasn’t the first time you’d tried to approach him about this subject, you just wondered if maybe this time things would be different.

Panting heavily after a rather rough night in bed, you rolled off of your boyfriend’s chest and gave him a messy, yet sincere kiss. You knew your man well, and if there was any time to pop the question, it was in his post-nut haze.

“Baby,” you said breathily, “I wanna ask you something.”

“Shoot,” he responded casually, glancing over at you. 

“When’re you gonna propose to me?” you hummed.

Ransom groaned and shook his head, rolling his eyes, “this is about Matt and Dani, huh?” he tutted, then extended a hand out to your warm cheeks so he could gently caress one with his thumb. “Thought we agreed marriage is just a piece of paper and it’s stupid.”

You huffed in response.

Of fucking course.

“I never said that,” you muttered, setting a hand on his broad chest. “Besides, it’ll be good if you get pissed and decide to like, kill your dad or something. Y’know, spouses don’t have to testify against each other in court.”

Ransom chuckled as if this whole thing was funny, like your feelings were some kind of sick joke to him. “You know my lawyers, babe. They could prove that bees don’t make honey. That bears don’t shit in the forest. I appreciate your attempt, though. This has been some really nice pillow talk.” 

“Whatever,” you muttered, pinching his nipple in retaliation before turning your back to him and yanking the blanket onto your side. 

You weren’t sure why you were so surprised that he was being stubborn, most of the time you felt like you were pulling teeth from the man. But that’s why you had a backup plan! You always had a backup plan. That’s what separated you from your boyfriend. Where Ransom was extemporized and impulsive, you were calculating and prudent. 

Although you devised your plan that very afternoon while watching your partner backhand small green balls, you were going to need some time to get everything in order, to prove Murphy and his stupid law wrong in making sure that everything that could go wrong wouldn’t. 

After all, love was a game. And you sure as hell weren’t losing to Hugh Drysdale. 

——

You sacrificed too much to have your plans ruined by some trust fund baby with impulsivity issues. You deserved your dream marriage, the stability you wished you had as a child. You wanted the white picket fence, and everything that came along with it. Your desire to be the best, to be perfect was what drove you to poke holes in every condom in the box, what led you to draw liters of your own blood in hopes of staging a fake crime scene, to buy a cheap getaway car and burner phone off of Craigslist, and reach out to a high school boyfriend who you knew was in a position as desperate as you. 

You planted seeds of doubt in your friends throughout the following weeks, feeding them lies about Ransom’s behavior, how you were afraid of telling him that you did in fact see two faint red lines on that damn plastic stick– only half of the statement truly being false–, telling them that he was behaving erratically lately.

It all was going without a hitch. Ransom didn’t seem to notice anything was off, despite your frequent visits to the bathroom and newfound affinity for true crime documentaries. 

You almost felt guilty, knowing the world of pain you were about to throw the man into. Granted, he deserved the pain. You were in a relationship with a genuinely terrible person, and that person had made a conscious effort not to commit to you. You tried to make this easy for him, give him a chance to say a few words to you and slide a ring on your finger, but no, he always seemed to take the hard route.

You slept like a baby the night before you were setting your plan in action. You made sure to uphold the facade of everything being fine, making Ransom a nice breakfast before sending him halfway across town to the hardware store with an oddly incriminating list.

Once he was out of the house, you hurried off to the fridge in the garage where you’d been keeping a small stash of your own blood. It wasn’t pretty, but it had to be done. You poured the blood throughout the kitchen, splattering bits of it on the counters and cupboards. You poorly cleaned the mess, just as he would.

You put your next move in motion, falsifying a home invasion. You tossed over a table and some chairs, throwing books and photos onto the floor, but left some aspects slightly untouched, like an upright picture frame to give yet another hint that things were not exactly what they appeared. 

You left a tiny blue post-it note on the nightstand of Ransom’s side of the bed, a quick and simple doodle of a ring along with the first initial of your name inked onto the tiny piece of paper. 

With that, you were off. Technically missing, soon-to-be presumed dead.

----

 The days following your disappearance had gone even better than you’d initially planned. Local news coverage had been all over you, search and rescue groups were assiduously looking for you, your parents had opened a tip line, and begged for you to get home safe on news segments. But the best part of it all was that Ransom had been briefly found himself in police custody, only to be released shortly thereafter. His past of an accused murder quickly made your disappearance even more of a national story, and you watched the whole thing unravel from the safety and comfort of your high school boyfriend, Andy Barber’s Newton home. 

Of course, you fed him the same lies you’d given to your friends, and seeing the rather lonely position he was in, he gladly let you stay with him. You were absolutely having a hay-day with it all, dedicating hours of your day to watching Ransom slowly unravel. Maybe it was a bit sadistic of you to enjoy torturing your partner so much, but he needed to learn his lesson. You deserved better. You needed Ransom to rise up to your level, allowing you to finally complete your image. To let you two appear to be the perfect couple. Really, this was all on him.

Andy, for the most part, had been a good host. He was gone for the majority of the day, dedicating himself to his work while you lounged around on his dangerously cozy couch. Around two weeks into your stay, you were sharing a box of pizza in the living room with your old lover when something interesting on the television caught your eye.

Ransom, broadcasted on CBS, being interviewed on your disappearance. 

You watched with wide eyes as Ransom begged for your return on national television. It was one thing seeing your mother plead for you to come back, the same woman who had installed such toxic behavior in you sob for your return, but Ransom. You’d never loved him more than in that moment.

“Hugh, if you could tell Y/N one thing, what would it be?” the interviewer asked.

Ransom turned, looking straight at the camera, directly into your soul, “Y/N, I love you so much. More than you’ll ever know. I need you to come back safely, to see you, to hold you again. I’d give anything in the world for that right now,” he looked down, a tear falling down his cheek. “I can’t live without you in my life, I-”

His sentence was cut off by Andy grabbing the remote, and turning off the TV. You turned your head and frowned deeply at him.

“Why’d you do that?” you asked with a bit of a pout.

“I just couldn’t stand listening to him talk about you like he hasn���t treated you like shit for the past few years. C’mon, let’s get ready for bed.”

Your blood boiled. Andy was once a means to an end, but now he was interfering. He was clearly much too selfish to see that you and Ransom were quite obviously soulmates. A match made in hell. 

You followed him to bed regardless, curling up on what had been your side of the bed for the past few days, and staring at the wall until Andy’s breaths moved from a soft and rhythmic pattern to loud snores. God, those snores were obnoxious. 

You slipped out of bed and to his dresser, grabbing two soft ties from the drawer, and daintily tying his wrists to each side of the bedpost.

“What‘re you doing?” he mumbled, instinctively yanking both of his wrists as he awoke.

“I’m going back home,” you whispered.

“You can’t be serious,” Andy huffed, tugging on the restraint attached to the headboard.

You shook your head, “I am.”

“I should’ve known. Why would you do something like this? Do you know how much trouble you’ll be in with the law?”

“Do you know how much trouble you’ll be in when the world finds out that you kidnapped me?” you retorted.

This threat seemed to wake him up right away, “what about this was kidnapping? I gave you a nice home, fed you, I didn’t even make a pass at you. I didn’t do shit to you,” he hissed. “You think I can’t prove that? I’m a lawyer, for god's sake!”

You nearly laughed, “Okay, Andy,” you paused for a moment, “As a lawyer, who do you think everyone’ll believe? Someone who the world was on a wild goose chase for in the last two weeks? Or the man with a family history of violence? Must I remind you that your father and your son have killed people?”

Andy shook his head, face pinched in sorrow at the mention of his deceased son, clearly a low blow. “You’re insane,” he muttered.

“Swear to god that you won’t tell a soul what happened here,” you leaned over him, getting right in his face. “Or I promise, Andrew Barber, I will ruin you. You’ll spend the rest of your life behind bars, or disbarred, or whatever the hell I decide to do with you. So keep your goddamn lips shut.” 

You pulled away and he solemnly nodded, not bothering to put up a fight. You loosened the fabric around his left wrist and walked out of the room. You picked up the keys to Andy’s Audi on your way out, checking the time as you adjusted the driver's seat. 

9:45 PM. Fatherhood really changed the man.

You pushed that thought aside and began your drive home, which turned out to be a surprisingly short trip. When you pulled up in front of your home, you were met with a slew of reporters outside of the house, along with a police car that seemed to be permanently camped there.

As you slowly got out of the car, a gasp, followed by a loud silence fell across the crowd. You limped for dramatic effect up the driveway as cameras followed you, and glanced back at them pathetically. From your peripheral view, you noticed the officers get out of their vehicle.

You finally got to your door, ringing the doorbell and waiting. You blinked harshly a few times, conjuring up the tears you needed to really make a spectacle of the event. After a few minutes, Ransom opened the door, eyes widening as he looked at you. He stepped out, and you wrapped him in as big of a hug as you could manage, genuinely missing his embrace. It was possible that you even let out a few real tears in the moment.

Your emotional embrace was interrupted by the man you recognized as Lieutenant Elliott, the same officer who’d been assigned to Harlan’s case. 

“Ma’am,” he began, only to be shut down by you. 

“Please, just let me be with my boyfriend,” you pleaded, crocodile tears streaming down your face as you spoke with the officer. You still needed time to get your story straight.

“Just give us the night, Lieutenant. We’ll come in first thing tomorrow morning,” Ransom added, furrowing his brows at the officer that he’d come into contact with far too many times. 

He looked to his partner, who shrugged, then to you, “enjoy your night.”

Cameras flashed around you as civilians, journalists, and newscasters alike attempted to catch your attention. You grabbed Ransom’s hand and dramatically pulled him inside, insincerely attempting to hide your face by ducking and covering half of your face with your arm. 

As soon as you were in the privacy of your own home, Ransom threw you against a wall. 

“Why. The fuck. Would you pull a stunt like that,” he hissed through gritted teeth, eyes wild, and a hand around your throat. 

You whimpered as he tightened his grip, rage clearly flowing through his system uncontrollably.

“Do you know what you did to me? You almost had me thrown in fucking jail. Do you understand that?”

You nodded weakly, “Ran,” you whispered, “the baby,” you glanced down at your stomach.

He paused, dropping his grip on your neck and staring at you in awe, “no…” 

You nodded again. 

“How…? You told me you were on the pill… You- you made me use protection…”

“Surprise?” you said weakly. 

“You’re a psychotic bitch.”

“I’m your psychotic bitch. And no child of mine will be born out of wedlock,” you taunted. 

“That’s what this is about?” Ransom laughed manically. “You did this all because I won’t fucking marry you?”

You didn’t even have to respond.

“I should send you to the loony bin right fucking now.”

“What happened to all those things you said to me on TV?”

“You’re fucking delusional. I can’t do this.”

“Yes, you can. And you will. I’ve had to put up with you and your stupid little antics for way too long. How do you think I felt when you killed your own grandfather?”

Ransom scoffed, throwing his hands up in exasperation, “you are so fucked up.”

“I’m the fucked up one? You killed your own blood in cold blood! You’re unhinged!” 

“You faked your own death for attention, and got pregnant while doing it! Is that baby even mine?”

“The fuck are you trying to say, Hugh?”

“I asked if it’s even mine.”

“Really. You’re accusing me of cheating on you. That’s rich considering Mia, Layla, and whoever the fuck else. You’re being ridiculous.”

“I’m being ridiculous? You couldn’t have a normal adult conversation with me!”

“Are you kidding me? I asked you time after time to marry me and it was always some bullshit excuse!” you wagged a finger in his face as you spoke. “Oh, commitment scares me, oh, marriage is just a piece of paper, oh-“ you mocked his voice in a deeper tone before you were cut off by the sting of his hand against your cheek.

“Can you shut the hell up?” he growled at you as you held your own cheek, before you reached out and slapped him back, “I can’t believe that I’m stuck with such a deranged bitch for the rest of my life.”

“Maybe work on your vows a little, dear. I don’t think that those words are as charming to me as they’d be to the rest of our family and friends.”

“You can’t be serious,” he groaned.

“But I am,” you hummed, rubbing your cheek softly once again. “Look at how fast your life fell apart without me here. How quickly the public turned on you. Imagine how upset they’d be if you left me. I love you, Ran. I really do. You and I are perfect for each other, can’t you see that now?”

Ransom took a step away from you, pacing slowly in front of you. He ran a stressed hand through his hair, and took a long and drawn out breath, clearly at a loss for words.

“So when should we have the wedding? I’ve always wanted a Spring wedding, and I know it’s a little short notice, but I don’t want to be showing too much in my wedding dress,” you grabbed Ransom’s bicep gently, as if you were just having a regular old day with him, as if you hadn’t been choked and slapped moments ago. “But we can make it work. We always make it work, right?”

Your now fiancé stared vacantly at the wall ahead of him, giving you a slow, empty nod of agreement. 

“It’s settled then,” you smirked. “I’ll start looking at venues. You find me a nice ring, okay Honey? One that puts all those other bitches’ rings to shame,” you sighed pleasantly to yourself, “I’ve waited a long time for this, sweetheart.”

You pressed a soft kiss to his cheek before hurrying up the stairs and into your bedroom. You heard a distant shriek of  “fuck,” from Ransom, but you truly could not care less. 

You hopped into bed, grabbing your laptop from its charger and promptly opening it. You couldn’t help but to smile at your own reflection on the empty black screen. This wasn’t how you imagined your engagement, but you did the impossible. You tied yourself down to Hugh Ransom Drysdale, he went down kicking in screaming, and you were likely in for a lifetime of cheating and resentment, but you did it nonetheless. 

You finally won.  

[scotianostra]

Happy 76th birthday, hard working Scottish actor Brian Cox.

I just spent a good hour putting a post together about Brian only for my computer to decide to play up and I lost it all, so I apologise for the copy and paste job from last years post, with a wee add on at the end.

It’s often said, oor wee country Scotland punches above it’s weight and it is certainly true with the number of quality actors we have, Brian Cox is certainly up their with them.

The youngest of five children, he was born on 1st June 1946 to an Irish and Scottish descent family in Dundee. His father, a mill worker, died when Brian was eight, after which his mother suffered a series of nervous breakdowns and was eventually hospitalised.

Brought up by his eldest sister and an aunt, Brian was drawn to acting after he got a job helping backstage at Dundee Rep. He worked there for two years, then trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. After a spell in regional repertory, he made his London stage debut as Orlando in As You Like It in June 1967.

Cox first came to attention in the early 1970s with performances in numerous television shows and films including the role of James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell in a TV movie Bothwell, the shows Sutherlands Law, The Master of Ballantrae, in the 80’s he was in Minder, Crown Court and Scotland’s Story, we also saw Brian head for the USA as the first Hanibal Lector in Manhunter and in Scotland he was in the excellent film Shoot for the Sun with Jimmy Nail.

His first big break was as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the aforementioned Manhunter . The film was not overly successful at the box office, although Cox’s career prospects and popularity continued to develop. Through the 1990s, he appeared in nearly 20 films and television series, as well as making numerous television guest appearances. Two Scottish roles in Rob Roy, as Killearn, then Braveheart as Argyle Wallace brought Brian to a much bigger audience.

Hollywood roles followed, the most notable were in The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy as well as Super Troopers and the sequal Super Troopers 2 as well as 25th Hour. Cox never turned his back on Scotland though, making appearances on our small screen in Bob Servant and Shetland, he was also in the film The Flying Scot about cyclist Graeme Obree.

In his personal life he has 4 children two to his first wife, and 2 his second wife, he is a patron of The Scottish Youth Theatre and an “ambassador” for the Screen Academy Scotland, he was twice elected Rector of the University of Dundee by students in his home town, as well as holding an honorary doctorate from Napier University in Edinburgh, awarded in July 2008. Finally on 14 April 2012, Cox was the 10th grand marshal of the New York City Tartan Day Parade.

Brian has won an Emmy, for the role of  Hermann Wilhelm Goering in  Nuremberg, 2002, and a Golden Globe in 2020 for Best Actor in a TV Drama, for Succession.

He has over 235 acting credits and shows no signs of slowing down, with 6 projects o the go, as well as season four of Succession.

The final pic is a “cheeky” pic of Brian and his son, Alan, who is also an actor, at a Dressed to Kilt event, showing what us true Scots wear under our kilts. 

[circumstellars]

well i finished it

holy shit what’d i just watch all day lmao

some off the cuff thoughts:

- its hilarious how little most of the sparrows spent in the whole season, like really really existed for the dance battle and that’s that looool

- Allison definitely stole the show this season, no doubt Emmy gave her best performance yet

- I was really uncomfortable for like 3-4 episodes before it got a bit more organised and had more narrative in the second half, i felt like the abject silliness was toned down a tad

- big mad they didnt address Five’s aging, i was hoping for that for 2 years!

- For all of Allison’s complexities laid bare this season, they left me hanging on her thread with Luther. The scene in the hotel was !!!!!!!!! and then .... nothing. we never really address whats going on there for better or worse.

- admittedly, the sloane/luther plot is not as repelling as i might have thought if i was spoiled, and dare i say cute at various parts

- why does five get the tattoo and its never addressed after that, is it only so his old self will have it? whats its purpose we never see it.

- i’m immortal! 12 years apart from nathan was cute. cant not watch and not think of misfits, feels almost like an easter egg even though its purely coincidence

- fei has the best wardrobe of any character this season hands down.

- wish there was a bit more woven into the coming out for viktor, such as a reason for coming to that name or something, it felt abrupt and rushed in the first episode but otherwise became natural as it went on anyway.

- its interesting how they just gave up straightening rob’s curls??? just threw in the towel or something?

- not thrilled about the pregnant lila thing? is that only me?  I was relieved when she was like nah stan’s just a kid

- lmfao they obliterate his character for convenience after serving no purpose plot wise which is kinda funny tho

- klaus being immortal is both expected but can we agree it’s a retcon? at least of sorts, according to s1 canon. Also feels like he was nerfed a bit to highlight reggie’s ‘training’ aka bus ball when we’ve seen he has some control over ghosts and communication with them already, and conjuring them up when needed like in the s2 finale.

- why more fart jokes

- more fucks were dropped this season tho so ++ grade on that

- also what did i just watch all day?

[fortune-maiden]

Well... Chapter 15 probably could have gone better. I feel like I missed out on a ton of experience points (maybe I should redo?), but I was very paranoid about superboss Baruke (though I don’t think he actually attacks himself??) Thank god for Arielle and her Prayer Staff! Also... thanks Multichance for one again proc’ing when I don’t want you and robbing Laffine of a very poetic kill!

(I feel like Laffine is supposed to be this game’s version of Merida? Except... she just makes me miss actual Merida T_T)

(Zade got the skill in the end and... okay from a story perspective, it’s also fine. And he a Strength & Agility level out of it so...)

I also had a few moments in this chapter where I could have sworn my unit should have doubled but then... didn’t? Can’t really prove anything though. I heard this is one of two chapters that actually got harder in the remake because of Canto and... yep. Those first few turns were brutal! I had to resort to equipping my weakest weapons to avoid killing the foot soldiers so that they would keep my units surrounded from the very dangerous Canto-ing Cavs with Cavalry Lances. Also thank god for Claude and his Iron Duke.

Claude is this game’s Prody. I liked Prody.

Speaking of Prody, FINALLY THE MISELIE ARC IS OVER (mostly) AND WE CAN MOVE ON TO REDESSA! Which is apparently doing terribly! And Theo & Emmie were finally mentioned!! Aaaaaand they’re imprisoned in their own castle. Theo, friend, at this point I really think you should just ditch Frall entirely. Nothing good has ever happened to you in Frall.

Meanwhile in the (mostly) corner... Family Drama ahoy!

Phoeve is not taking her father’s near death experience well at all :(

Her super young stepmother is having a Time.

The father in question is being nursed back to health by his also super young ex-fiancee.

Where the heck is Laffine in all of this???

[tcm]

The Oscar Effect on Careers By Susan King

Does winning an acting Oscar change the career of the recipient? The answer is yes and also no. Take Brad Pitt, who won Best Supporting Actor last year for ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019). He’s a veteran superstar with over three decades in Hollywood. So, the award is more icing on the cake for his career. But that wasn’t the case when he earned his first nomination for Terry Gilliam’s 12 MONKEYS (‘95). Pitt was on a hot streak since gaining attention for his roles in THELMA & LOUISE (‘91), A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT (‘92), INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (‘94) and LEGENDS OF THE FALL (‘94), and his first Oscar nominations gave his career an even bigger boost.

Similar to Pitt, many young actors discovered their stock in Hollywood with Oscar gold, but nominations and wins have effected various stars’ careers in different ways. Here’s a look at various Oscar winners and how the award affected their careers.

Martin Landau

The Oscar has changed the career trajectory of many veteran actors. Martin Landau was making such TV movies The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island (’81) that just squandered his talents. But that all changed when he earned his first Oscar nomination for Francis Ford Coppola’s TUCKER: THE MAN AND HIS DREAM (’88), followed by a second for Woody Allen’s CRIMES & MISDEMEANORS (’89), eventually winning for his poignant performance as Bela Lugosi in Tim Burton’s ED WOOD (’94).

Ironically, Landau told me in a 2010 L.A. Times interview he didn’t think he could play the Dracula star. “It’s a Hungarian morphine addict, alcoholic who has mood swings,” he remembered telling Burton. “That would be hard enough, but it has to be Bela Lugosi! I said I don’t know if I can do this, but let’s do some tests.”

Makeup artist Rick Baker transformed Landau into the elderly frail actor. Burton, he recalled, looked at the tests and thought he was 50% Lugosi. Landau believed he captured the icon in fleeting moments. “I said if I can do it 10% of the time, I can do it 100% of the time. They have to accept me as Lugosi in the first five minutes or we don’t have a film. It was not an impersonation for me. He had to be a human being.”

Melvyn Douglas

Similarly, Melvyn Douglas, who was best known for his comedic roles in the 1930s and ‘40s in such films as NINOTCHKA (’39), had seen his career slow in the 1950s because of his liberal political leanings. But he came back to the forefront in 1960 after winning a Tony Award for Gore Vidal’s THE BEST MAN, and then receiving his first of two supporting actor Oscars for his turn as Paul Newman’s hard-working Texas rancher father in Martin Ritt’s HUD (’63). Seven years later, he received a Best Actor nomination as Gene Hackman’s father in I NEVER SANG FOR MY FATHER (’70), ultimately winning his second Oscar as the president of the United States in Hal Ashby’s BEING THERE (’79).

Luise Rainer

The German stage actress was signed to an MGM contract in the mid-30s. But the free-spirited Rainer, who considered herself an actress and not a movie star, was always at logger heads with studio head Louis B. Mayer. She told me in a 2011 L.A. Times interview, Mayer “couldn’t make me out. You know it was a little bit difficult for him. I wasn’t the type that he was used to. So, the poor man didn’t know what to do with me. For my first film, ESCAPADE [‘35], William Powell said [to him] you got to star that girl…My first film made me a star.”

Rainer won Best Actress as famed performer Anna Held in THE GREAT ZIEGFELD (’36) and as a Chinese peasant in THE GOOD EARTH (’37). All but one of her subsequent films didn’t do well at the box office and she left Hollywood. She made one film, HOSTAGES (’43), guest starred on some TV series including a voyage on The Love Boat and had a small part in indie film THE GAMBLER (’97).

Art Carney  

One of the greatest comedic actors, Carney came to fame in the Honeymooners sketches on The Jackie Gleason Show and The Honeymooners series as Ralph Kramden’s (Gleason) best pal, the clueless sewer worker Ed Norton. He won five Emmys for his work with Gleason. Carney also originated the role of neatnik Felix Ungar opposite Walter Matthau’s Oscar Madison in the 1965 Broadway production of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple.

Well-known that he had a drinking problem, Carney wasn’t working that much in film or TV in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In fact, he tried to convince Paul Mazursky he wasn’t right for the filmmaker’s heartfelt dramedy HARRY & TONTO (’74) about a curmudgeonly old New Yorker who travels with his cat across country after he loses his apartment. Mazursky told me in a 2011 L.A. Times interview that no one wanted the part. James Cagney, Laurence Olivier, Cary Grant and even Danny Kaye were among those who turned him down. 

He had seen Carney on Broadway in 1957 in a dramatic role in The Rope Dancers.  “Of course, I had seen him in The Honeymooners. He didn’t want to do it,” noted Mazursky. “He said ‘I’m 59 years old and you want this guy to be in his 70s.’ I said, ‘Art, this is the first time I met you and you look like you are in your 70s – you’re balding, you wear a hearing aid and you have a bum leg.’ He told me, ‘You don’t want me, I’m an alcoholic.’ He had one bad night then nothing else. He had been out on a binge and he showed up on location in Chicago in a taxi in the morning loaded. I took him up to his room, put him in the shower and made him a pot of coffee. He was easy to direct.”

Carney won both the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for his turn, beating out the likes of Jack Nicholson for CHINATOWN and Al Pacino for THE GODFATHER PART II. And he did some of his best work post-Harry including as an aging Los Angeles private detective in the charming THE LATE SHOW (’77) and as a senior who teams up with his buddies (George Burns and Lee Strasberg) to rob a bank in GOING IN STYLE (’79). He earned his sixth Emmy for the TV movie Terrible Joe Moran (’84), which was James Cagney’s last film.  Carney’s final film was the 1993 Arnold Schwarzenegger disaster LAST ACTION HERO. “I’m outta here” was the last line Carney ever uttered on film.

[annaliesegrace]

So I was a little slow to this show, not sure why...Fringe is one of my favorite shows of literally ALL TIME. So I ended up watching the first 10 episode straight through. After the finale I think I'll rewatch again.

In the meantime a couple notes:

It seems clear to me that whatever injections Bryan is getting means he is immune to the Debris. 1) in "Caroline" Finola could sense the Debris did not want them there but Bryan couldn't and 2) the finale where the brain wipe didnt work. But you could also make the argument since Bryan wasn't under the Debris control the wave wouldn't have worked anyway. But more likely 1 since George seemed convinced Bryan's memory would be toast.

JOHN FREAKING NOBLE. That is all.

The Influx guys seemed...concerned maybe about the ball of light. So it seems to be working against them somehow? And about weird grey blob that seemed to be slowly stalking them.

Brill! Another Fringe vet but seemingly on the "good" side?

Oh, Maddox. I sorta thought he was on the good side for a while, dude seems very family oriented

Finola/Bryan. I enjoyed that we just got dropped 3 weeks into their partnership but we don't get any context for why these people to "investigate" aliens stuff. It just feels like something is missing to me. But over the episodes you see them bond as they trust each other more than thier respective governments. The Icirus eps are particularly good, showing how much they've come to lean on each other. And it's interesting to me that most of the second half of 1x10 involves Finola just...believing this strange man she's never met (and a teenage girl) that the reality she's in is wrong. I mean, she must have felt down deep that she knew him or else why continue jumping to fix it?

CaveFinola. What the fresh hell was that? When did that happen? Is Our Finola a clone? Is one of them from a different reality? When did she get suspended?

JOHN NOBLE. God, I love him. He was robbed of an Emmy for his work on Fringe.

Renewal: I am am avid ratings nerd and have had many of my shows taken down (still pissed about Pitch y'all and this year Prodigal Son). This one has me concerned for sure - the ratings are below the NBC average but they've also shown patience with Manifest which I thought was very odd (I expected that to get cancelled 2 seasons ago). But I also don't see NBC going with 2 high concept shows. Maybe they shuffle this to Peacock as an "Original" series there, that seems most likely to me. Or as a summer series. Crossing fingers!