#sara talks umbrella academy

[romeowho]

i'm thinking about how sparrow!ben is probably used to surprising people with his fucking tentacles, but then five knew exactly how to get around him because they used to train together

[sparrow-mask22]

The Umbrella Academy Story of The Mothers (4/8) umbrella edition: Rachel

TW: childbirth, mentions of stillbirth/pregnancy loss, mentions of religious trauma, signs of Klaus being a cult leader from the minute he was born, grief (also the whole "village is being invaded" quote is a reference to an AO3 story called 'The Dragon and the Butterfly' it’s an Encanto meets How to Train Your Dragon story)

October 1, 1989. Lancaster Pennsylvania. 40 seconds before noon.

Rachel Herschberger, a 25-year-old woman, lived in an Amish village since she was a child. She had a deep connection with nature and simple life, which was why she chose to stay in the village even after she came of age. Rachel was sitting on a wooden bench outside her house, watching the sunset paint the sky with vibrant hues of red and orange. The air was filled with the sweet smell of freshly baked bread and the sounds of horses clopping on the cobblestone street.

Rachel’s younger sister, Sara-Beth, walked up to her, a basket of freshly picked apples in her arms. "The harvest was bountiful today," she said with a smile, setting the basket down beside her sister. "The applesauce will be sweet this winter." Rachel nodded, her gaze still fixed on the breathtaking sunset. "Jah," she replied softly, her voice filled with contentment.

As the colors of the sky deepened, the village began to quiet down. The horses were taken to their stables, children were tucked into bed, and the adults retreated to their homes. Rachel stayed out a little longer, enjoying the peacefulness of the night. She leaned back against the rough-hewn wood of the bench, hazy memories still haunted her: Waking up and feeling no kicks from the baby inside her, the village doctor feeling no signs of life. It was as if her child had vanished into thin air.

Faraway words rang in her ears: “I'm sorry….no movement…no heartbeat…thirty-five weeks….”

Rachel couldn't shake the feeling that her child was still out there somewhere, waiting for her. She knew it was against the Amish way to question the will of God, but she couldn't help but wonder if she had done something wrong. Maybe she should have prayed more, been a better example to her unborn child.

"Sister, you look like you have seen a ghost," an elderly woman said, approaching Rachel and Sara-Beth. Her name was Katherine, and she had been the midwife at Rachel's birth. "Is there something you'd like to talk about?" she asked gently, sitting down on the bench beside Rachel.

(Yay more foreshadowing! :D)

Rachel hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond to the elderly midwife's gentle prodding. She glanced at her sister, then back at Katherine, and finally decided to confide in her. "It's about my child, Katherine," she said softly, her voice trembling slightly. "I...I lost it. The baby died inside me, and I just don't understand why. I feel like I've done something terrible, and I can't stop thinking about it."

Katherine reached out and patted Rachel's hand reassuringly. "Oh, my dear," she said, her voice filled with sympathy. "I am so sorry for your loss. It is not your fault. These things sometimes happen, even among the Amish. We must have faith that God has a plan for us, even when we cannot understand it."

Rachel looked at Katherine, her eyes filled with hope. "Do you think so?" she asked hesitantly. "That God has a plan for me and my baby?" The elderly midwife nodded solemnly. "Jah, I do. You must trust in His wisdom and know that He will guide you through this difficult time. He does not give us more than we can bear."

Sara-Beth, who had been sitting quietly beside them, spoke up. "You should come with me to see the wise woman, Rachel. She has helped many of us find peace after a loss. Perhaps she can offer you some guidance." Rachel considered her sister's words for a moment, feeling a small spark of hope ignite within her.

The next day, Rachel and Sara-Beth made their way to the wise woman's cabin. It was nestled in the woods outside of the village, surrounded by a garden full of herbs and flowers. As they approached, they could hear the gentle hum of her voice as she chanted, her words carrying on the breeze.

The wise woman was an elderly woman named Esther, with kind eyes and a knowing smile. She invited them into her cozy cabin, where the scent of sage and lavender filled the air. "Come, sit down," she said, gesturing to a pair of comfortable chairs by the fireplace. "Tell me what brings you here today."

Rachel hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to begin. She took a deep breath and forced the words out. "I lost my child," she said, her voice barely audible. "I don't understand why it happened. I feel so lost and confused."

Esther nodded, her eyes filled with compassion. "I'm sorry for your loss, my dear. It is a great sadness that no one can truly understand until they have experienced it themselves." She reached over and took Rachel's hand in hers, offering her a small measure of comfort. "Please, tell me more about your child and your pregnancy. It may help you to find some clarity."

As Rachel spoke, Esther listened intently, her eyes never leaving Rachel's face. She asked about the pregnancy, the birth, and the time leading up to the loss. Sara-Beth added her own observations and memories, as well. When Rachel had finished, Esther took a moment to collect her thoughts before responding.

"It seems that your child was born with a rare condition," she said solemnly. "One that made it impossible for them to survive outside the womb. This was not something that you could have prevented, Rachel. It was simply bad luck. There is nothing you could have done differently."

Rachel nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "I know," she whispered. "But it doesn't feel like luck. It feels like punishment."

Esther gave Rachel's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I understand," she said gently. "It can be hard to accept that sometimes these things happen without any clear reason. But we must remember that we cannot always understand the ways of God. We must have faith that there is a purpose to our suffering, even if we cannot see it now."

"Perhaps," she said, "your child's short life served a greater purpose. Perhaps they were meant to be a blessing to you and your family, even if it was only for a brief time. They brought love and joy into your life, even if it was cut short. And now, as you grieve, you have the opportunity to honor their memory by living a life that is worthy of them. By being the best person you can be and sharing your love with those around you."

However, in the middle of Esther's speech, Rachel's heart hardened. She felt as though she had been told to simply accept her child's death as part of some grand plan, as though their short life had no meaning beyond serving as a lesson or teaching tool for those left behind. The thought made her angry and resentful. She looked at Sara-Beth, hoping her sister would understand, but Sara-Beth's face was filled with something Rachel had never seen before: peace.

But then, the clock struck twelve. Rachel immediately began writhing on her knees, clutching her stomach as she did a month ago. Sara-Beth's eyes widened in horror as her sister's belly swelled before their very eyes. It was as though Rachel had been impregnated by some unseen force, a bizarre twist of fate that defied all logic and reason. The pain was excruciating, and Rachel could feel something moving inside her, fighting its way out. Her screams rent the air, piercing the silence of the night.

"Oh my God," Sara-Beth whispered, her face ashen. She reached out to her sister, but hesitated, unsure of what she could do to help. The pain in Rachel's eyes was worse than any physical agony she had ever witnessed. It was as though her very soul was being ripped apart.

Esther, too, was frozen in place, her mind racing to understand what was happening. This couldn't be real. It couldn't be happening. And yet, there it was, unfolding before their very eyes. She tried to speak, to offer some words of comfort or reassurance, but nothing came out.

"Sara-Beth, get help!" Rachel gasped between contractions. "Get Katharine or someone, please!" Sara-Beth stumbled back, her eyes wide with fear and disbelief. She looked to Esther, hoping that the older woman might have some explanation for what was happening. But Esther's face was filled with the same confusion and horror.

The pain in Rachel's abdomen grew more intense with each passing moment, and she could feel something pushing its way out. She clutched her belly, her fingernails digging into her skin as she fought against the overwhelming urge to scream. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her body shuddering with the effort of expelling whatever it was that was growing inside her.

Sara-Beth returned to the cabin, her eyes still filled with disbelief. She found Katharine, who was a midwife, and frantically explained what had happened. Katharine hurried back to the cabin, her face a mask of professional calm. She knelt beside Rachel, feeling her abdomen, checking her pulse, and listening to her breathing. The pain in Rachel's eyes was unbearable, but she forced herself to focus on Katharine's voice, telling her what to do, how to breathe.

"I can’t lose another child, Katharine," Rachel whimpered, her voice barely audible above the pain. "Please, you have to save it." Her words were desperate, pleading, as though her very life depended on the survival of the child she was birthing. Katharine nodded, her expression grim.

Chancellor Jory, the leader of the village, stood near the cabin, watching in horror as Rachel struggled through labor. He had never seen anything like it, and the realization that she had somehow become pregnant just a month after losing her child sent a shiver down his spine. He glanced at the midwife, Katharine, who was doing all she could to save both mother and child. He wished there was more he could do to help, but he knew that it was best to leave them alone and let the experienced midwife handle the situation.

Rachel screamed in agony as another contraction gripped her, her body arching back in pain. She felt something warm and wet slide out of her, and she knew that it was the baby. She forced herself to push one more time, her muscles burning with the effort. With a final, guttural cry, she expelled the child from her body. It landed on the ground with a wet thud, its tiny limbs twitching spasmodally.

Katharine raised the child to the heavens, her eyes filled with wonder and disbelief. "A boy!" she exclaimed, her voice breaking with emotion. The villagers, who had gathered around the cabin, gasped in shock and awe. They had never heard of such a thing happening before.

Rachel lay there, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she stared down at the tiny form that lay beside her. The pain had finally begun to subside, but exhaustion and shock were quickly taking their toll. She reached out a trembling hand and gently touched the baby's downy hair. "My sweet child," she whispered, her voice hoarse from the ordeal. "You are a miracle."

Chancellor Jory knelt beside her, his eyes filled with a mixture of awe and disbelief. "Rachel, I don't know how this is possible," he said, his voice barely audible above the soft rustling of the leaves in the breeze. "But I am glad that you and the baby are safe." He glanced over at Katharine, who was still cradling the child in her arms, examining him carefully.

The villagers, their faces a mix of shock and wonder, began to gather around them, whispering amongst themselves. They had never seen anything like this before, and they knew that it was a miracle that both mother and child had survived. Some of the women in the village, their own children held tightly to their sides, began to weep silently, unable to comprehend the magnitude of what had just happened.

Rachel gently lifted the tiny form to her breast, guiding his mouth to her nipple. She closed her eyes, her face a mask of tenderness as she began to stroke his downy hair. The air was filled with the soft sounds of suckling, as if nature herself was trying to soothe them after the ordeal they had been through.

Chancellor Jory watched the scene unfold before him, his heart swelling with a mixture of pride and disbelief. He had never experienced anything like this in his life, and he found himself struggling to find the right words to express his feelings. He glanced over at Katharine, who was still examining the baby, her face a mask of wonder.

The voices of the villagers, normally soft and hushed, began to rise in alarm as they realized that someone unfamiliar was in their midst. Children's eyes widened with fear, and adults instinctively drew their families closer, watching the stranger with suspicion. Even the livestock, normally docile and unafraid, began to stir restlessly in their pens and stalls.

"Supposedly there's an outsider in the village…"

"There's an invader in the village?"

"THE VILLAGE IS BEING INVADED?!"

A young boy, no older than ten, sprinted through the center of the village, his voice shrill with fear. The words echoed through the village, causing a stir among the gathered crowd. Some of the women began to wail, clutching their children to their chests as they scanned the horizon for any sign of an invading force. The men, their faces set in grim determination, formed a loose perimeter around the group, eyes darting this way and that, searching for a threat.

The outsider, an elderly man with a British accent, took a step forward, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "Now, now," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "There's no need for alarm. I mean no harm to anyone here. My name is Reginald Hargreeves, and I'm searching for a child born in this village several hours ago." He glanced at Chancellor Jory, who nodded in confirmation. "The mother has given stillbirth last month, and she has been... concerned about the child's well-being ever since."

The villagers, slowly beginning to relax, exchanged uncertain looks. The young mother, still cradling the baby, stepped forward. "You're here to take him away?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Yes," Reginald replied, his voice gentle. "I assure you, I only mean to give the child a loving home. His mother's situation is... untenable, to say the least. And he deserves a better life than she could ever give him."

Rachel, tears streaming down her face, nodded slowly. She looked up at Chancellor Jory, then back at Reginald, her hands still clutching the baby to her chest. "I-I don't understand," she stammered. "Why would you want him? He's not even yours."

Reginald's expression softened. "No, he's not mine by birth," he said gently. "But he is one of many special children born today of mothers like you, Rachel. Women who were not pregnant when the day began, but who found themselves with a child to care for at the end of it. He is a miracle, Rachel, and he deserves a life filled with love and opportunity. You've given him the best start you could, and now it's time for him to move on to the next stage of his life."

The old man's words hung in the air, each one like a weight on the villagers' shoulders. Some looked relieved, others angry, but no one could deny the truth in what he was saying. Rachel, her face still streaked with tears, slowly released her grip on the baby, handing him over to the outsider. As she did so, she felt a strange mixture of sadness and hope welling up inside her.

"Your son will have a wonderful life with us, Rachel," Reginald assured her, cradling the baby in his arms. "He will grow up with a well education, around the clock nanny care, and siblings of his own age. He will be loved and cherished as our own." As he spoke, the other villagers began to nod in agreement, some even offering their own words of comfort.

The baby, swaddled in a soft blanket, let out a small coo, his eyes fluttering shut. The sight was enough to bring a small smile to Rachel's face, despite the knot in her stomach. She looked up at Chancellor Jory, who seemed to be studying her expression intently. "It's all right, Rachel," he said softly. "You've done the best you could."

Reginald, the man who had come to take her child, nodded in agreement. "Yes, you have been a wonderful mother to him," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "But now it's time for him to move on to the next stage of his life." He paused, and Rachel could sense the threat underlying his words. "I must remind you, Rachel," he continued, "not to contact him or attempt to find him in any way. If you do, it will not end well for you."

Her heart sank at his words, but she knew there was nothing she could do. She had no choice but to let her son go. As she watched them walk away with her precious child, her body trembling with the weight of her loss, she tried to focus on the good that would come of it. At least he would be safe and loved, she told herself. At least he wouldn't have to grow up in poverty and hardship.

But there she was, reeling from the loss of another child, unable to shake the fear that the man's warning was nothing more than an empty threat. She tried to find solace in the fact that her son was now safe, but the ache in her heart only grew more unbearable with each passing moment. As she watched them disappear into the crowd, she felt as though a part of herself was being ripped away.

[stickyrelish]

get to know me!!!

intro post

hey! online i go by iszak for like privacy purposes so yeah, i’m iszak. here’s a little get to know me post if i ever get any followers lol.

i’m seventeen, pansexual, mexican + salvadoran - american, and some other stuff that really don’t come to mind. any pronouns are good i guess, but i mainly use they/them. i like to role play, haven’t done it really since almost a year ago but i’d love to get back into it. more info about that here. not much really comes to mind about myself, once i start writing it’s like i don’t even exist. but messages and asks are more than welcome, i love talking to new people and all that stuff. 

i have a whole lot of interests so here are some —>

✮i make jewelry (beaded specifically but I’m trying out new mediums!!!)✮i paint✮i draw both digitally and traditionally, usually my subjects are people✮i sculpt but i’m still fairly new to it so i kind of suck✮sometimes i do embroidery but i’m also new to it so my work isn’t the best

Music

✮mcr✮system of a down✮tegan and sara✮the weekend✮bts✮caifanes✮blink182✮michael jackson✮waterparks✮green day✮eminem✮weezer✮nirvana✮jack stauber 

these are just some, my music is way more diverse i swear

Movies

✮it(2017+2019)✮coraline✮the nightmare before christmas✮corpse bride✮edward scissor hands✮the craft��� the mask✮earth girls are easy✮ace ventura✮the book of life

Television

✮schitts creek✮ruby gloom✮scrubs✮how i met your mother✮the good place ✮the umbrella academy✮raising hope✮rick and morty✮community✮stranger things✮anything with shane and ryan

[gonnagowherethedreamersgo]

I posted 438 times in 2022

62 posts created (14%)

376 posts reblogged (86%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@dailywilliams

@searchingforjunecarter

@tattoos-n-puffers

@still-into-paramore

@melindasordinos

I tagged 413 of my posts in 2022

Only 6% of my posts had no tags

#tegan and sara - 70 posts

#paramore - 40 posts

#hayley williams - 35 posts

#elliot page - 32 posts

#kristen stewart - 31 posts

#the umbrella academy - 29 posts

#taylor swift - 22 posts

#a league of their own - 22 posts

#the umbrella academy spoilers - 21 posts

#tegan quin - 19 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#confirmed actually her baby from the liked comments on twitter and the podcast released today where she mentions installing a car seat cause

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

So, I took this guy’s information and maybe about a year later I emailed him and told him I was moving to Montreal. It was February the week I moved there and it was fucking freezing, the kind of cold where you know that if you stay out too long you’ll actually fucking die. Anyway, we began to hang out and go out for dinner, but I started to get the sense that maybe those dinners were like dates or something. I don’t know that to be true, and he seemed really cool and sweet, but after nine days or so I knew I had to just be straight up with him. I asked him if he knew any gay people and he said, ‘Actually I’m in art school with a girl and I think you’d really like her,’ and he took me over to introduce me to her. Her place was in a brownstone, kind of like in New York, and we climbed all the stairs up to the top apartment, and when we got inside there was what sounded to me like a horrible racket. The kind of music where you’re like, ‘What in the fuck is this?’. Then this girl comes around the corner and I was immediately kind of intimidated, because she was clearly gay and super cute. She took us into the living room and gave us a beer and then went to get ready because we were going to go to some kind of lesbian Meow Mix kind of event. I’ll never forget Antoine and I just looking at each other and I was like, ‘This song, right? Crazy!’ and it was “Fuck The Pain Away” by Peaches. Anyway, the end of that story is that I ended up dating that girl and she became our band’s art director, and has been our art director for almost 20 years. She absolutely fucking loved Peaches. I was so not ready for that electroclash sound at the time, but because I desperately wanted to be cool and I thought she was the coolest person in the world, I started to love everything that she loved. And so I became obsessed with Peaches too.

Sara Quin talking about meeting Emy for the first time

28 notes - Posted November 28, 2022

#4

I felt so supported by everyone. We were shooting right after I disclosed that I’m trans, in total isolation. That was definitely an overwhelming period, but I feel so lucky that I was going to work and getting to be with so many supportive people. I’m so lucky to work with this cast. And in any moment that I did express fear and anxiety, I felt listened to and cared for. And obviously, that should be the case all the time, but we know how things are. So, it’s special. And that Steve, you would make the choice to do this and commit to doing it the right way. I feel like that’s the kind of showrunner you are and have been doing that the entire time we’ve been making the show, including last season with Sissy. So it was just building on already that you’re so wonderful because you have your distinct singular vision mixed with being so collaborative and I’m really grateful for that, always.

Elliot Page

30 notes - Posted June 26, 2022

#3

See the full post

31 notes - Posted March 29, 2022

#2

See the full post

58 notes - Posted June 8, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

“I am deeply gay - sorry concerned, deeply concerned. It just feels like this is gonna make kids gay and trans - sorry depressed and suicidal, and I just think these laws are lesbians - sorry unconscionable!”

88 notes - Posted March 6, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[sidekick-archer]

To get to know him better, you can see what he adores below:

Interest.

Currently eyeing for movies/series; tv shows, anime, music, games, youtube, and sports.

Movies & Series.

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), DC Extended Universe (DCEU), BumiLangit Cinematic Universe (BCU), The Conjuring Universe, Insidious, The Hunger Games, Jumanji, Enola Holmes, Jurassic Park, Dark, Stranger Things, The Crown, Fate: The Wings Saga, All of Us Are Dead, Lost in Space, Alice in Borderland, Wednesday, The Umbrella Academy, The Last of Us, Queen Charlotte, Cleopatra, RWRB (Red, White, and Royal Blue), Game of Thrones, and so on.

K-Drama.

The Heirs, Pinnochio, 49 Days, Missing You, The Legend of the Blue Sea, School 2013, School 2015, Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth, Descendants of the Sun, Reply 1988, Cheer Up, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, I'm Not a Robot, Hotel Del Luna, The Eternal Monarch, The Tale of Nokdu, The World of the Married, The Penthouse, My ID is Gangnam Beauty, Extraordinary You, True Beauty, 18 again, and so on.

TV Shows.

F.R.I.E.D.S, Brothers & Sisters, Modern Family, The Vampire Diaries, Days of Our Lives.

Anime.

Clannad, Love Live! School Idol Project, Bakuman, Sword Art Online, SpyxFamily, Chainsaw Man, etc.

Music .

Kpops: (Girls' Generation, TWICE, Blackpink, Dreamcatcher, Secret Number, WJSN, LE SSERAFIM, New Jeans, ATEEZ, THE BOYZ, TXT, Stray Kids and Seventeen, etc);

Western: Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Bring Me The Horizon, Why Don't We, New Hope Club, 5 Seconds of Summer, Keenan Te, James Arthur, Khalid, Bruno Mars, Troye Sivan, The Weeknd, Rex Orange County, DPR, XGALX;

2000s Indonesian songs: the one that is now currently on music festivals. NIKI, JKT48, V1RST, Vierratale, Yovie and Nuno, Juicy Luicy, and many more;

Japan: Yoasobi, Vaundy, and Back Number.

Games.

Currently plays Mobile Legends & Plato.

YouTube Channel.

Diary Misteri Sara, Kisah Tanah Jawa, Nessie Judge, Nadia Omara, Aurel Val, Hirotada Radifan, Kok Bisa?, Sepulang Sekolah, BW, TS Talks, Pita’s Life, Keluarga Bahagia di Jerman, Ibu RT di Belanda, Breakdown Channel Universe, Invoice Indonesia, Arif muhammad, Warintil, and many more.

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Important Information. This account values inclusivity and respect for all and prohibits anyone with racist, homophobic, or patriarchal views from following. It welcomes individuals who share the same values and offers a semi-private space for a more intimate online community. If you have known the account owner before, you can send a direct message and ask for permission to follow.

[actuallysara]

The hiatus already made my dash kinda quiet so I'm looking for new blogs (and possibly new mutuals 👉🏻👈🏻) to follow. If you post about 911 lone star or if you have a multifandom blog and post about any of the shows listed here please like/reblog/follow if you want.

A signal boost would be much appreciated <3 

[umbrellas-be-falling]

five is scared of spiders. that's it. that's the post.

[romeowho]

honestly, i’m surprised viktor and allison have been the only two to snap so far

Are we never going to talk about the fact that the umbrella academy is just two steps away from becoming villains?

[strawberryjamsara]

Your Turn To Die Umbrella Academy AU

Basic premise: A bunch of children are born on the same day to a bunch of women who weren’t pregnant at the start of the day and they all have superpowers. Mr Chidouin decides he wants the kids to have them form a crime fighting team and tries to get as many as he can.

No 1: Sara

Deemed the leader and golden child of the group, and very loyal. She can talk to ghosts. Her best friend is a boy who died in his teenage years named Joe, and she can help the dead have physical conduits to the world if she wills it, meaning they can pick things up, punch you in the face, etc. her power grows traumatic with time as people she’s seen die come to her blaming her for their deaths and try to physically attack her

No. 2 Mai

Mai has the power of telepathy. She can have a private conversation without opening her mouth. The way she was taught to use this made her begin to engage in manipulative behavior even when not on missions since she had methods of turning conversations on their heads.

No. 3 Kurumada

Kurumada has superb healing abilities. A blow that punches a hole in the stomach, he would have no problem surviving after a few days. He can still feel pain though and often had to go through rigorous “training”

No. 4 Qtaro

Qtaro can create copies of himself. It’s often used for overpowering enemies, but sometimes he works with Mai using plays to outwit the enemies. At one point he sustained a huge injury and agreed to experimental care to heal himself.

No. 5 Keiji

Keiji can magnetically attract any gun into his hands. But he fell into a depression and was unable to use his power anymore after one incident.

No. 6 Hinako

Hinako has super strength. When this is paired with her lack of growth spurt it makes it hilarious. When it’s paired with how violent she is it’s terrifying. She developed that violent streak fearing she’d be thrown out for not being useful and sure enough, she died on a mission

No. 7 Shin

Shin (whose birth family had a sister he never got to know) has no powers. He gets told he can’t come on missions or stand in line ups because of this and gets left out by his siblings growing to resent them. Also jsyk, Mr Chidouin has a machine that can erase memories hidden around hint hint nudge nudge.

[romeowho]

Omggg yesss like it is also one of my headcanons that five and Ben used to train together, like I always imagined it was klaus and Diego Luther and Allison and Ben and five training. Hc that Ben and five were book buddies and were pretty close before he left

YES

[lulabo]

tagged by @obiwankencbii (thank you!)

five songs on repeat:

once upon another time (sara b)

circles around this town (marren morris)

babylon (david gray, currently touring the 20th anniversary of white ladder and playing THE WHOLE ALBUM IN ORDER and I can't gooooooooooo)

cowboy like me (tay)

julianna calm down (the chicks)

last movie: i literally don't remember!, attack of the clones I think, I have been doing The Background Reading on the new sw series

currently watching: so many many things, Stranger Things, the Umbrella Academy, the King's Affection, kinnporsche, ER, star wars stuff, Ted Lasso, literally whatever when I'm sitting down to do something else (kdramas/bls get full attention because: subtitles)

currently reading: Hayley Mills's autobiography Forever Young, which is a TREASURE, she literally explains the entire plot of the Parent Trap like anyone reading the autobiography of Hayley Mills would not know the plot of the Parent Trap intimately, as well as referring to many old-Hollywood glamor people by nicknames (calling Sir Richard Attenborough, John Hammond himself, DICKIE) or just talking about how lovely they were to her when she was a child; Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts, the entire Harry Bosch series, a plethora of other library books

[afaimscorner]

5. Legends of Tomorrow

I actually wasn’t going to put the show on this list, when I first planned it, because I thought the show finally made it – everyone was talking about it and it got recognition everywhere, even had its very first own comic coming out, and … then of course The CW had to go and cancel it after a Cliffhangar, teaming up with Warner to tell us: Yes, everyone who is not a hetereonormative white male superhero, who never makes mistakes, deserves to end up in jail forever. So yeah, here it is again. The best Superhero Show ever made ,that is not actually about Superheroes and is not named „The Umbrella Academy“.

2016-2022, 7 Seasons, 110 Episodes

Created by: Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Phil Klemmer, Andrew Kreisberg

Main Cast: Caity Lotz, Victor Garber, Brandon Routh, Arthur Darville, Ciara Renee, Franz Drameh, Amy Pemberton, Dominic Purcell, Wentworth Miller, Matt Letscher, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Nick Zano, Tala Ashe, Jes Macallan, Matt Ryan, Courtney Ford, Ramona Young, Olivia Swann, Adam Tskehman, Shayan, Sobhian, Lisseth Chavez, Keiynan Lonsdale, Falk Hentschel, LaMonica Garrett, Neal McDonough

What it is about? A bunch of Time Traveling Non-Conforming DC Characters protect and improve the Timeline, while they are finding themselves and learn to love who and what they are. The ones, who were in Season 7, still ended up going to Time Jail at the end with only Sara Lance confirmed to ever get out again by the Comic, which everyone who works for The CW, Warner, and DC deems as a fitting ending it seems.

„Sometimes we screw thing up for the better.“

[granolabird]

6, 7, and 8 for the legends ask game! 💖

6. Tell me about your favourite legends headcanon

7. If you could have legends crossover with any other show, what show and why?

8. When did you start watching legends?

Alright, I have so many ideas for this one so buckle up- For 6, my favorite headcanon (and it's a close competition) besides Wally and Behrad being besties is probably that the Legends go and visit Lily Stein and her son Ronnie whenever they can. They feel bad for her father not being able to be there for her, and so they actively invite her to the ship for family gatherings. She's an honorary member of the family. She swaps baby-raising tips with Lita and they probably actively talk to eachother, they're probably actually good friends. Just wholesome second-gen legends things!

For 7, I know it'll never happen but I'd die to see a Legends crossover with The Umbrella Academy. The vibes would be unmatched. Klaus would probably never leave if I'm being honest, he'd just be another misfit on the team. Five and Luther would both clash with Sara on who deserves to lead, and who has the better ideas and plans. Diego would be wary at first but I could see him and Nate being close and Diego becomes one of the bros with him and Behrad. Vanya is quiet, but Spooner and Astra instantly take a liking to her and bring her into their friend group and help her become more confident. Sara, because of her connection to the death totem, can see Ben and they chat about how much work it is caring for the team. Idk I just love the idea very much.

For 8, I've been here since S1! I actually started on the second or third-last episode? And then caught up before the finale. It was on one night when I got home from acting class and it was the episode with Vandal Savage's daughter. I had watched the flash and was already attached to Leonard so seeing him in the show got me hooked. From there, it's history.

[cloveroctobers]

SEBASTIAN “SEB” KATSAROS —

IG bio/info: @/s3bgl00m | 17.4k followers | i hate it here. i hate my username name too. Listen to my podcast wth my mate here...open.Spotify.com/podcast/?!.doomngloom

28 years of age

Born & raised in Liverpool, England...don’t ask if he’s met the Beatles he will completely ignore you if you do

Music shop owner in the heart of town

It’s called, “Kicking Kettles”

loves collecting vinyls, cassette tapes, & cds sorry, what did you expect?

His mother is a children’s illustrator

She’s Ashkenazi Jewish

His father is a graphic designer

And is from Nafplio, Greece

They’ve been separated for about a year now, with seb’s father living in France

His mother was skeptical on dating around while she was in a place of uncertainty in her marriage but with a deep discussion with her husband, then her children, she slowly went forward just to see what was out there & found that she wasn’t sure if she’d be open permanently with other beings

Seb was similar to his mother in many ways...

Has a older sister by 2 years named, Xenia...she’s very bossy, a busy-body, & is very vocal. The opposite of seb

she used to beat up guys just for them to turn around and ask her out on dates, a few of them tried to bully seb but Xenia was not having that ofc

very close to his family, even if things are a little off between mum & dad

I feel like he went through a buzzed hair phase & when he finally made the choice to start growing out his hair, going on 4-5 years now, everyone seemed to approve

Even if they didn’t? It be no matter, sure he’d feel a little awkward if someone he cared about didn’t like it but he was sure they would get over it OR get used to it

The hair only comes out when he’s showering or going to bed

His best friend who’s a barber (and a bit of a douche) tells him he’s got to let his hair breathe more often or he’ll have breakage, seb doesn’t think it’s that serious? He’s not sure how much longer he’ll keep the bun now anyways...

This same friend encouraged him to get a “Pompadour” haircut & seb’s never been so offended before in his life, “I wouldn’t want to look like the rest of you knob-heads.”

Anyways, he takes care of his hair the best way he knows how and it seems to work for him...some slightly expensive haircare products here and there & a trimmer & he’s good to go

When he first started growing his hair out, he felt like he needed to go to the salon to know how to manage it. After awhile he learned how to do it on his own + you save $ that way

uses his hands to talk or holds one hand in the other when having a conversation since he doesn’t know what to do with his hands exactly

He’s a chapstick kinda guy who always loses his before he can finish it (been there)

Absolutely loves Japanese food and eats it almost everyday

Japanese Mayo is the superior condiment, bill can stfu!!

probably watches anime

owns a bunch of vans, beanies, and hoodies

smokes hookah every now & then but isn’t too crazy about it

canon: catlover! I feel like he would have a Sphynx, Abyssinian, Ocicat, or oriental shorthair + was over the moon when his baby had babies !!!

He wanted to keep all 5 of the kittens but knew he probably couldn’t, at least not forever but he was going to wait until they were all at least a few months before he decided to put them up for adoption...which sucks but would ultimately be the best choice, maybe???

tried eyeliner again outside of the villa & finds pencil or pomade is better than the standard liquid liner

likes black nail polish but is slightly embarrassed to be seen out with it, it’s the same thing with the eyeliner...he’s not that confident

the guy is a huge blusher & he despises the fact that his face betrays him 80% of the time

often gets nosebleeds

loves red wine especially if it’s on a rainy day and he’s home to fully enjoy it, he feels like he’s on his grown man shit when he does so

I feel like he’d be a fan of the umbrella academy & thinks it’s way better than stranger things...him & nick have argued over this on doom n gloom!

Five is his favorite

Everything he owns is in either black, red, gray/grey, or green

His main phobia is emetophobia (fear of v*mit) & he won’t share why, that’s just what it is

Introvert!

Canon: he’s not a Aquarius

So wtf r ya? Nick & I would like to know plz

Virgo sun? + Taurus moon? + Pisces rising?

I feel like he’s one of those people that feels the need to bring a backpack with him everywhere and you can imagine it to be black ofc

“Who tf are you Linus? But with a backpack?” His sister often jokes (I do this with my sibs, both of them love carrying backpacks. Me on the other hand? I don’t have time for the shit)

He drives a shitty car from the 90s that’s Engine sounds as if it’s about to blow

but 100% perfers to drive his moped, Atticus around

played football (soccer) growing up to help get rid of his asthma

Cannot sleep with the tv on or any form of light around him, it has to be completely dark & quiet!

He’ll only do so if it’s with Genevieve since you know they’re trying this whole long distance thing out

Are one of those couples that will fall asleep on the phone/cpu together

Genevieve might be the, “no you hang up first” & seb will actually hang up the phone and get into bed lmao

Just for vieve to call back like?!! “I can’t believe you’ve done this!

“Well you said—

“Never mind what I said, sebz!!! It’s extremely rude...”

his last relationship before Genevieve lasted 6-8 months (there was a time when he felt like he was unsure if he was still in a couple with that person, isn’t that a shame?)

his love language is acts of service, he’ll do things for you to ease your worries out of love and not obligation so that you feel valued as his partner & I believe he wants this in return as well

I think he’s a bit of a worry wart too when it comes to certain things even if his exterior might show him trying to hide it

He was super nervous to get his first tattoo on his chest, “if words fail, music speaks” but he found that the slight pain was worth it? And quite nice! then he kept going back monthly and soon enough his arms were completely covered

mum hated it, her baby boy was becoming a man! (It’s not like he’s almost 30 but you know how moms are)

Deff has a collection of silver rings, he’s tried out necklaces but he thinks he looks better with his rings

The slit in his brow came from trying to squeeze thru the broken patio glass door with his sis as if it were some booby trap (not exactly, but a safety hazard forsure!) & a piece of glass fell from above slicing his brow and left him with 4 stitches

Secretly into watching those dating shows before and after experiencing it himself

people he enjoyed seeing on the Telly from previous seasons: jen, jake, talia, erikah, lottie, Noah, Carl, Kassam, Priya, & Hannah

AJ is his best girl friend (besides vieve) they FaceTime quite a bit & chat shit to each other on the daily

Feels like she fits in well with his friend group, which just contains his barber friend — they put up with his banter & give it right back to him but he can also be vulnerable & comfortable with those around him so that’s always a plus

It’s the same with nick, except they share a hobby together, their podcast & that’s what seb wants to keep it as, a hobby, for fun & giggles yet nick is thinking about getting paid for what they do. He thinks it’s a great idea whereas seb doesn’t want this to turn into a career/chore

He’s perfectly happy at kicking kettles

He feels strongly about his stance while nick is on both sides

They’ll figure it out, soon.

How are things outside of the villa & since the boat party? They all have a group chat that they randomly speak up in, in the beginning they would do morning and goodnight texts but that became tedious so they settled for either or. Or simply just checking in to see how each other’s days went with seb secretly being the most curious to everyone’s days

Things are awkward between him and Yasmin, he kinda avoids talking to her tbh & not because he doesn’t want to...its just yeah it’s not the same with him and aj where they can easily move forward, it feels like pulling teeth with Yasmin since they’re some what similar & it seems like she’s waiting on him to take the lead on fixing some imagined issue they have with each other? It’s weird idk

Lives in a cramped studio apartment, it works for him so he doesn’t need any inputs thank you

celeb crushes? Demi lovato, Hwasa, Amanda Seyfried, & Birgundi Angel Baker

as for music? Sleeping with sirens, pierce the veil, teagan & Sara, the pierces, panic!at the disco, all time low, twenty one pilots, x-ambassadors, awolnation, jon bellion— listen when atl dropped? Seb felt like he was reborn okay?! , Japanese breakfast, & great grandpa

Anthem = The Postal Service, “Such great heights”

[yourwannabekpopidol]

Project 15

Apprenticeship Program Name: Radio Campbuzz Project Name: RJ for Rangdhonu and script writer for shows Program Date: Fall 2017 – Fall 2018 Program Description: I joined this program when Kashfia Ma’am was the advisor for the program. She assigned me to a RJ position for a weekly show called, “Rangdhonu”. And I had to write the script for the show as well. What I had to do was be a host for the show and the show is about pop culture and entertainment. So we had to talk about any new update on Hollywood and Bollywood. Program Justification: What the show provided was to let the students know about any pop culture and to let them enjoy some entertainment before going back to class. There were other shows but this show made me realize how fun it is to be a RJ. Due to this show, I was even awarded the best RJ in Radio Campbuzz of Spring 2018. Program Name: Rangdhonu. Program Time: Every Wednesday from 12 pm to 1 pm.

Picture 1: This is me before the show of Rangdhonu at the station.

Picture 2: This is the poster that declared that Nabeela apu and I were the host of the show, Rangdhonu, on social media.

Picture 3: This was the award and the certificate of me winning the best RJ.

Script for the 5th Rangdhonu show: Written by: Wangkhem Thonglen

Link 1

Sonam Kapoor ties the knot! Celebrity marriages are always the talk of the town, especially when it is the much-awaited wedding of one of Bollywood's most beloved stars, Sonam Kapoor. In an event of grand celebrations, Sonam Kapoor has finally tied the knot last Tuesday, May 8, with her long-time boyfriend Anand Ahuja. For those who don't know, Anand Ahuja is a businessman who has founded his own fashion brand named Bhane. His Delhi-based business has made him quite successful despite his young age, and fans know him well for always being addressed fondly in Sonam's online posts. The couple is active on social media, and has never failed to win hearts through their messages of adoration and love. Radio Cambuzz wishes the couple a happy conjugal life!

SaRa May 12 marked the grand opening of SaRa's first showroom in Mirpur. The fashion house made a huge statement with endorsements from stars like Sara Zaker, Oyshee, Shahtaj, Pritom, Xefer, Azim, Doyel and many others. They were present during the opening, along with the owner S.M Khaled.

RABINDRA FESTIVALS AROUND THE COUNTRY The celebration of 157th birth anniversary of Tagore in Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka. Artistes performed in a programme by Jayita Rabindra Sangeet Shomillon Porishod in Mymensingh. Artistes did a cultural show in Rabindra Mela, Channel i premises, Dhaka. Artistes from Bangladesh and India performed in Rabindra Festival in Shelaidah Kuthibari, Kushtia. Also Sirajganj.

30 years of BAMBA - More than just bands After a break of almost four years, Bangladesh Musical Bands Association, better known as BAMBA, recently arranged a mega concert, 'BAMBA Live Chapter 1', in Dhaka. The turnout was huge, with the spacious hall room of the International Convention Centre, Bashundhara, filled to the brim with fans eager to get a glimpse of their favorite bands and listen to their all-time hits. 11 of the 27 bands under the umbrella of BAMBA, including Warfaze, Miles, Shunno, Aurthohin, Nemesis, Vikings, Feedback, Dalchhut, Maq O' Dhaka, Pentagon and Arbovirus performed at the concert. Star Showbiz recently invited BAMBA to participate at a roundtable discussion at The Daily Star Centre. Hamin Ahmed, President of BAMBA; Sheikh Monirul Alam Tipu, General Secretary; Fuad Naser Babu, Vice President; Maqsoodul Haque (Mac), Executive Committee Member; Mohammad Ali Shumon, Treasurer; and Doza Alan, CEO, SkyTracker Limited, took part in the roundtable discussion. It was facilitated by Star Showbiz Editor Rafi Hossain. The discussion focused on BAMBA's current activities and the way forward in the face of the challenges confronting our music industry.

Link 2

Zoe Saldana on the Hollywood Walk of Fame After smashing success as the alien warrior Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy films and more recently, Avengers: Infinity War, Zoe Saldana is on a path to eternal stardom, literally. She joins the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin and her co-actor Chris Pratt, by receiving her very own star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Zoe Saldana took to Instagram to express her gratitude, saying she is blessed and honored to be a part of the history of Hollywood. “May this open more doors for Latinx and all other under-represented community!” she further stated. Zoe Saldana has also appeared in James Cameron's 2009 film Avatar and the recent Star Trek trilogy. Being a constant presence in blockbuster sci-fi and fantasy films, Zoe Saldana is expected to become a top name in this specific genre quite soon. 2018 71st Cannes Film Festival From Tuesday May 8th til Saturday May 19th. Australian actress Cate Blanchett has been named as the President of the Jury. Asghar Farhadi's psychological thriller Everybody Knows, starring Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz and Ricardo Darín, opened the festival and competes in the Main Competition section The Han Solo spinoff Solo: A Star Wars Story touched down Tuesday at the Cannes Film Festival, bringing its cast and a full-sized Chewbacca to the French Riviera extravaganza. Director Ron Howard, wearing a hat that read “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” introduced his cast before the film’s international premiere at Cannes. Sonam Kapoor wows at the red carpet of Cannes Film Festival 2018. Bollywood superstar Aishwarya Rai Bachchan once again stole the show as she walked the prestigious red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, this time in a stunning ultra-violet, blue and red gown that reflected the metamorphosis of a butterfly. History was made at this year's 71st  Cannes Film Festival on Saturday as 82 women, representing the limited number of women filmmakers selected over its more than seven-decade history, made a symbolic walk up the red carpet. The stars, filmmakers and other professionals ascended the steps of the Palais des Festivals at the Cannes Film Festival, protesting for the solidarity of the women in the industry who are struggling for a voice, equal pay, as well as a safer work place. The five female members of this year's Cannes jury-- Cate Blanchett, Kristen Stewart, Ava DuVernay, Lea Seydoux and Burundian singer Khadja Nin, along with Jane Fonda, Salma Hayek and Marion Cotillard were among the group of women.

Link 3 Mim Mantasha Superstar in the making Winning the country's biggest pageant is not an ordinary feat. Mim Mantasha has won not just a crown, but also the hearts of millions. Awaiting a new journey, the Lux Channel i Superstar 2018 winner shares her story with The Daily Star. A final year student of Fine Arts at Jahangirnagar University, Mim has always been a creative and curious soul. She was an avid follower of the contest for a long time. This year, she finally took the decision to compete. Taking part in the competition was certainly not a cakewalk. “We went through vigorous training sessions. We did yoga in the mornings,” explains Mim.  Before the task rounds, the contestants went through fifteen days of training for ramp walk, acting, dancing, and many other skills. The photo shoots, acting, and improvisation rounds were Mim's favourite tasks in the competition. “I was nervous but in a scene, I got to convince people through my acting that my child was lost. I enjoyed it,” Mim smiles, adding that the competition was an overall memorable experience. Although she is highly enthusiastic about working in the media, she wants to take more preparations before doing so. She is now Lux Bangladesh's brand ambassador and has also won the opportunity to work on television and feature film projects of Impress Telefilm. Before hitting the silver screen, Mim wants to explore the world of television. Being a painter at heart, Mim also wants to continue painting and have her own exhibition in the future. Further to this, she intends to work for children who need special care. “I am in a fortunate position and it is our duty to take care of those in need.” says Mim. With great intentions, we hope Mim Mantasha excels at every step of her future endevours.

Link 4

Avengers Infinity War Review The plot itself is pretty simple. There are six stones that possess mystic powers and he/she who possesses all the stones is by default the most powerful being in the universe. Our Marvel superheroes must forget their own conflicts and join forces against Thanos to restore the fate of the universe and its inhabitants. Of course, watch the movie to know how things pan out. Avengers: Infinity War is the movie of movies, and let me tell you why. Most, if not all, the characters of the MCU are present in this film and bring their own flavour into the mix. Thor is mourning the loss of his home and hammer, Stark feels he needs to take a break from saving the world, Captain America is still out to bring justice the right way, and Hulk has no control over himself. I don't know what formula the Russo brothers have applied in their direction but I watched in awe how all the characters blended to deliver multiple storylines within a movie. Yes, I have also compared this movie to a mega three-hour episode of your daily soap opera. Avengers: Infinity War is the comprehensive Marvel movie; it is the beginning of an end. It lifts you, it hits you, and leaves you with a cliffhanger extraordinaire. See it to believe it and it'll still be unbelievable. By next weekend, Infinity War will top $1.78 billion and could sit around $1.8 billion, ensuring Marvel's year-to-date tally exceeds $3.1 billion by next Sunday.

Deadpool 2 Marketing Right off the bat, you see how Deadpool has scratched out the 20th Century Fox logo and put “TBD,” which is a sly allusion to the ongoing Disney/Fox (and Comcast?) merger drama. The content of the letter is exactly what you might expect from the Merc with a Mouth. Pop culture references, silly puns, bad language, and Ryan Reynolds bashing. Then, at the bottom, instead of the #ThanosDemandsYourSilence, we get #WadeWilsonDemandsYourSisterSorryStupidAutoCorrectSilence. See, you guys, it’s funny! And not at all trying too hard. Kidding aside, the marketing for “Deadpool 2” has been pretty top notch, but perhaps not as great as the first film. Recently, the film premiered a music video for the soundtrack featuring Celine Dion singing an over-the-top ballad while a high-heel-wearing Deadpool does an interpretive dance around the diva. It’s ridiculous and fun. And also, the most recent trailer seems to have struck a chord with fans, who are coming down off their ‘Infinity War’ high.

Link 5

Top 10 Hollywood Box Office Weekend 1. Avengers: Infinity War - $62,078,047 (Total Grossing – $548,090,150) 2. Life of the Party - $17,886,075 (New) 3. Breaking In - $17,630,285 (New) 4. Overboard - $9,864,415 5. A Quiet Place - $6,455,396 (Total Grossing - $169,608,030) 6. I Feel Pretty - $3,805,437 7. Rampage - $3,462,442 (Total Grossing - $89,827,105) 8. Tully - $2,248,945 9. Black Panther -  $2,077,207 (Total Grossing - $696,331,818) 10. RBG - $1,188,186

Billboard’s top 10 Hits 1. This Is America – Childish Gambino (New) 2. Nice For What – Drake (Last Week: 1) 3. God’s Plan – Drake 4. Psycho – Post Malone Featuring Ty Dolla $ign (Last Week: 2) 5. Meant To Be – Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line 6. The Middle – Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey 7. Look Alive – BlocBoy JB Featuring Drake 8. Never Be The Same – Camila Cabello 9. Perfect – Ed Sheeran (Last Week: 12) 10. No Tears Left To Cry – Ariana Grande Learning and reflections: This program made me realize the inner potential I had to be so extrovert and be a good host. I learned what to do or say after getting stuck during a live session. I have improved my speaking skills and the flow of a RJ host on how to talk and say because they have a different tone when it comes to a live session. I have taken all these skills from this program and I even got selected and did a short commercial video for Spice FM Radio. I also learned how to write a script for a radio show.

[carolinesiede]

Reflecting on 2020

The strangest thing about 2020 was how familiar much of it felt: Working from home, extended periods of isolation, weeks and months blending together. To a much lesser degree, those are things I experience each year as a freelancer. And while I suspect it will take awhile before the full extent of the trauma we’ve all lived through this year fully sets in, right now I’m mostly focused on gratitude. I’m grateful for the health of my loved ones. Grateful I already had a work-from-home routine to maintain during the pandemic. And grateful that I was able to quarantine with my family for much of the year—which had its challenges but also its rewards too.

In my 2019 year-end post I wrote about feeling like my career was finally on an upward trajectory after several years of plateauing. This year obviously offered some new wrinkles in that regard. I made significantly less money and felt familiar fears about how sustainable this career actually is. But having less work also gave me more time to focus on the actual craft of writing. I feel like I reached a new level in terms of voice, clarity, and the ability to self-edit. I'm the sort of person who constantly (arguably, obsessively) strives to be better, and it’s rewarding to feel like that hard work is finally slowly starting to pay off.

In addition to devoting my quarantine time to mastering a favorite curry recipe, getting really into the Enneagram, finally learning to French braid hair, and rewatching all of New Girl, I also had some really cool opportunities scattered throughout the year. I interviewed John Barrowman about his surprise return to Doctor Who, which felt like a real milestone for me. I also contributed to the Los Angeles Times’ list of TV shows to binge-watch during quarantine, which appeared both online and in print. And thanks to everything going virtual this year, I was able to attend a press panel for the fifth season of This Is Us, which is the sort of thing I’m not usually able to do as a Chicago-based critic. 

My career is always a juggling act between film and TV, and this year made me appreciate how valuable it is to be able to move seamlessly between both worlds. I took on new TV assignments covering the first season of Stargirl and the second season of The Umbrella Academy, both of which were a blast to write about. And while I didn’t watch quite as many films as I did in my insane catch-up year last year, I did fill in some more major blindspots. I also contributed to The A.V. Club’s list of the best films of 2000 and shared my own ballot over on Letterboxd. Oh, and I set up a Letterboxd this year too!

Elsewhere, I made my debut on Bustle and The Takeout, and ended the year with a Polygon article about “Kind Movies” that pretty much sums up my entire ethos on storytelling. I was also named a Top Critic by Rotten Tomatoes, which was a real honor. But the pride and joy of my career remains my rom-com column, When Romance Met Comedy. I devoted a whopping 49,000 words to analyzing 25 different romantic comedies this year. And I’m really pleased with how the column has grown and with the positive feedback I’ve received.

I have to admit, I sometimes worry that year-end highlight reels like this one can make my life seem easy or glamorous in a way that doesn’t reflect what it’s like to actually live through it. I'm tremendously lucky to get to do what I do, but I also struggle a lot—both with the logistics of this career and with bigger questions about what value it brings to the world. My goal is to approach 2021 with a greater sense of intentionality. I want to be more thoughtful in my career choices, more purposeful in how I use social media, and more active in my activism and politics. I’d also like to do 20 push-ups a day everyday for the whole year, but we’ll see how long that resolution actually lasts.

Finally, on a sadder note, one other defining experience of the year was the loss of my dear internet friend Seb Patrick, who I’ve known for years through the Cinematic Universe podcast. Seb created a wonderfully positive nerd space online, and was a big part of my early quarantine experience thanks to the Avengers watchalongs I did with the CU gang in the spring. I’m so grateful for all the fun pop culture chats we got to have throughout the years, several of which are linked below. Seb is tremendously missed, and there’s a fund for his family here.

As we head into 2021, I’ll leave you with wishes for a Happy New Year and a roundup of all the major writing and podcasts I did in 2020. If you enjoyed my work, you can support me on Kofi or PayPal. Or you can just share some of your favorite pieces with your friends! That really means a lot.

My 15 favorite films of 2020

My 15 favorite TV shows of 2020

Op-eds, Features, and Interviews

Women Pioneered The Film Industry 100 Years Ago. Why Aren’t We Talking About Them? [Bustle]

2020 is the year of the Kind Movie — and it couldn’t have come at a better time [Polygon]

Make a grocery store game plan for stress-free shopping [The Takeout]

What’s Going On: A primer on the call to defund the police [Medium]

Doctor Who’s John Barrowman on the return of Captain Jack Harkness [The A.V. Club]

Episodic TV Coverage

Doctor Who S12

This Is Us S4 and S5

Supergirl S5

Stargirl S1

The Umbrella Academy S2

The Crown S4

NBC’s Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical!

When Romance Met Comedy

Is The Ugly Truth the worst romantic comedy ever made?

Working Girl’s message is timeless, even if the hair and the shoulder pads aren’t

You’ve Got Mail and the power of the written (well, typed) word

Love & Basketball was a romantic slam dunk

How did My Big Fat Greek Wedding make so much money?

America eased into the ’60s with the bedroom comedies of Doris Day and Rock Hudson

I can’t stop watching Made Of Honor

Notting Hill brought two rom-com titans together

It’s time to rediscover one of Denzel Washington’s loveliest and most under-seen romances

Something’s Gotta Give is the ultimate quarantine rom-com

20 years ago, But I’m A Cheerleader reclaimed camp for queer women

On its 60th anniversary, Billy Wilder’s The Apartment looks like an indictment of toxic masculinity

The Wedding Planner made rom-com stars out of Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey

After 25 years, Clueless is still our cleverest Jane Austen adaptation

William Shakespeare invented every romantic comedy trope we love today

Edward Norton made his directorial debut by walking a priest, a rabbi, and a Dharma into a Y2K rom-com

The forgotten 1970s romantic comedy that raged against our broken, racist system

His Girl Friday redefined the screwball comedy at 240 words per minute

Before Wonder Woman soared into theaters, the hacky My Super Ex-Girlfriend plummeted to Earth

Dirty Dancing spoke its conscience with its hips

The rise of Practical Magic as a spooky season classic

In a dire decade for the genre, Queen Latifah became a new kind of rom-com star

Years before Elsa and Anna, Tangled reinvigorated the Disney princess tradition

Palm Springs is the definitive 2020 rom-com

Celebrate Christmas with the subversive 1940s rom-com that turned gender roles on their head

The A.V. Club Film & TV Reviews

Netflix’s To All The Boys sequel charms, though not quite as much as the original

The Photograph only occasionally snaps into focus

Jane Austen's Emma gets an oddball, sumptuous, and smart new adaptation

Pete Davidson delivers small-time charms in Big Time Adolescence

Council Of Dads crams a season of schmaltzy storytelling into its premiere

In Belgravia, Downton Abbey’s creator emulates Dickens to limited success

Netflix’s Love Wedding Repeat adds some cringe to the rom-com

Netflix takes another shot at Cyrano de Bergerac with queer love triangle The Half Of It

We Are Freestyle Love Supreme is a feel-good origin story for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first troupe

Sara Bareilles’ melodic Apple TV+ series Little Voice is still finding itself

Netflix’s sexist rom-com sensation gets a minor upgrade in The Kissing Booth 2

With Howard, Disney+ movingly honors the lyricist who gave the Little Mermaid her voice

The Broken Hearts Gallery tries to find catharsis in heartbreak

Netflix’s ghostly musical series Julie And The Phantoms hits some charming tween high notes

After We Collided slides toward R-rated camp—but not far enough

Holidate is a bawdy start to Netflix’s holiday rom-com slate

Kristen Stewart celebrates the Happiest Season in a pioneering queer Christmas rom-com

Isla Fisher gets her own Enchanted in the Disney Plus fairy tale Godmothered

Podcast Appearances

Debating Doctor Who: “Orphan 55”

It Pod To Be You: The Wedding Singer

Reality Bomb: Defending Doctor Who’s “Closing Time”

The Televerse: Spotlight on Doctor Who Season 12

You Should See The Other Guy: The Ugly Truth

Only Stupid Answers: Stargirl’s season finale

Motherfoclóir: Ireland and the Hollywood Rom-Com

Called in to Nerdette’s Clueless retrospective episode

Cinematic Universe Appearances

Cinematic Universe: Superman IV: The Quest For Peace

Cinematic Universe: Birds of Prey

Cinematic Universe: Infinity War watchalong

Cinematic Universe: Endgame watchalong

Cinematic Universe: Terminator 2

Cinematic Universe: Josie and the Pussycats

Cinematic Universe: The Cuppies 2020 (Cuppies of Cuppies)

And here are similar year-end wrap-ups I did in 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013.