#situation dramedy

[russenoire]

in response to this post:

ONE-sensei is a bit of a troll, not gonna lie.

but... i actually like this ending, at least for comedy's sake. the stark juxtaposition of

'boy gets hit by a truck and his unexamined jungian shadow self flattens a city before he finally makes peace with it'

with

'and everything was just fine six months later'

is funnier than spelling out exactly how we get from point A to point B, because we KNOW — as the audience — that it wasn't 'just fine'. after everything we saw, how could it be?

subverted expectations underpin a lot of comedy, even dark comedy, especially absurdist comedy. MP100 is practically built on both. this story wrings a lot of humor out of sad, if not tragic, situations: witness shigeo's 'who told you you could pass out?!' after his home has been reduced to kindling. or ritsu's admission that he only recently stopped crying himself to sleep at night over his inability to bend spoons like his big brother. while he's letting shigeo know just how much he supposedly hates him in that alley.

not expanding upon the real-life consequences of said city-flattening is funny precisely because dropping 'i wrecked my hometown after nearly dying in a car accident on the way to ask out my crush when i was a teenager' in a conversation and just... leaving it there? would be fucking horrifying in real life. here, in the elastic magical-realist context of MP100, it's more darkly absurd than anything else...

more to your point, OP: in this particular series, ONE-sensei tells so much of this story by implication. the answers to some of your questions are in the text, only... alluded to.

this might get long. bear with me:

the fact that joseph from the government exists? and that he's an esper working in secret? implies that the knowledge of destructive espers might need to be concealed from the public at large, perhaps to prevent wide-scale panic or ostracism of espers themselves. i doubt the government was forthright with its citizens about the confession arc disaster or the actual cause, for the same reasons.

that suzuki's broadcast-hijacking world domination announcement is met with public disdain and ridicule, especially over social media? outside of our cast, no one actually takes his threat seriously until it happens. reigen's trash-talking claw's seventh division down to earth also shows how little respect espers who don't make themselves useful to society actually get here. he is, after all, just another member of the public.

that reigen agrees to take on haruaki amakusa as a client after the world domination arc in part because he's worried about losing business? people have begun to move away from seasoning city in the aftermath; whatever the threat amakusa's hyakki present, neutralizing them as soon as possible is best for reigen's continued financial health. i can see even more residents deciding they've had enough and leaving after shigeo's last brush with death. would you stay?

how many people know shigeo is connected to reigen, apart from the people they both know? out of his own inflated and fragile ego, reigen presents himself as a sole proprietor on his website; it doesn't seem his business or its reputation would be directly affected at all.

and the injuries caused? possible deaths? we get a taste: early on in chapter 100, several people are trapped and unable to move in a 地盤沈下 (jibánchinka, literally: 'land subsidence', which can apply to a sinkhole, a landslide...) shigeo has left in his wake. we only find out because a cop is being briefed on this and its cause while trying to detain the suspect for questioning.

but like all other bodily harm caused in this story, we aren't treated to the fallout. did the elderly ishiguro survive shou plowing him into the earth? did miyagawa die after teruki flipped his barrier onto him and broiled him in his own flames? did those high school bully boys live after shigeo cracked their heads open on the pavement like eggs? like, these are good questions. (i'm inclined to believe that all these people died, but many would call me harsh for saying that about an otherwise kind story. we never see them again, either way.)

shigeo actually has a healing factor of sorts; his jungian shadow self keeps plucking him from death's arms. we have no way of knowing if this is true for anyone else, because that isn't the story ONE wanted to tell. if nothing else, the mangaka's lack of desire to engage with this question of lethal consequences is at least consistent across MP100.

any questions that aren't answered either directly or that can't be answered by easy extrapolation can foster continued engagement with the material.

for example: we don't know what shigeo's parents think about much of anything in this story, besides how little they expect from him and how ritsu sets a standard they feel shigeo should live up to. this boy goes through hell multiple times and is never shown to confide in either of his parents about it, instead suffering in silence for some time until he finds someone he feels safe enough to talk to. all this gives me the distinct impression that shigeo just isn't that close to his mother or his father. i can understand why. it's actually kind of sad, even as readers' frustrated expectations of real-life parental involvement with — and confusion over — his and his brother's shenanigans also generate some dark humor.

this also establishes a precedent: since we never check in with them, by the time the confession arc rolls around, their opinion hardly matters. (but i'm sure someone has written a fic fleshing that out! i'm somewhat curious myself.)

[dyushas]

(She is a girl but you didn't hear it from me)

[bunabi]

Solas, depressed, several global catastrophes under his belt, countless personal catastrophes under his belt, standing in the middle of a deadly magical maelstrom like "this isn't even that bad fr 🧍🏻‍♂️ stop overreacting"

This is peak cinema (to me)

he will always choose miscommunication he will never learn and he's not sorry about it god he's so goofy putting him in my pocket

[redbullgoblinleftovers]

being a “the bear is a comedy” defender during awards season is TRYING WORK. joshua jackson was SO RIGHT in explaining it:

“[the bear] is played straight by the actors but the scenarios are absurd or heightened and geared towards calling out the absurdity of the situation, which to me is a comedy, as opposed to playing into the pathos of the situation, which is then drama.”

bowen yang was also SO RIGHT for saying that these genres simply don’t exist anymore!!! this isn’t the days of 30 rock or the big bang theory with laugh tracks and 3645916 punchlines per minute !!! art has that boundaries are MEANT to be pushed effectively!! which is what chris and co. are doing!!! dramedy is TWO categories, so you guys need to stop complaining when the dramedy falls into the comedy category.

also don’t even get me started on ayo or quinta not winning. lord, you are TESTING ME!

[n-i-m-u-e]

Lucemond bodyswap!AU

This plot was quite popular when I was a teenager (before the dinosaurs), but I've hardly ever seen it in this fandom. And a few days ago I literally had this dream (yes, I resumed taking antidepressants this month and usually when you start taking them, you have very vivid, detailed and interesting dreams at first) I couldn't let go of the idea.

Let's imagine that Rhaenyra and her family stay in KL until Viserys' death to prevent the usurper from taking her throne, and then just stay there because she's now queen. And so, with the help of some bizarre Valyrian magic really don't care the causes, only the effects, Luke and Aemond swap bodies and, according to the classic of the genre, cannot tell anyone about it (although Helaena knows anyway). And of coooourse, they have to work together to get everything back to the way it was.

-----------------------∞----------------------

for me, this is such an inexhaustible endless source of dramedy:

Aemond’s first thought when he looks in the mirror and sees his nephew's reflection is 'What can I do with this horribly messy hair?'

Luke wakes up in Aemond’s chambers and struggles with his new size, bumping into and tripping over everything until he finally reaches the room he’d fallen asleep in the night before, already covered in bruises. There, he sees himself—or is it his body?—turning the room upside down, searching for something. Luke timidly asks what Aemond is looking for, and with a look of wild madness in his eye, Aemond barks: “A comb!”

Luke, on the other hand, doesn't care about Aemond’s hair at all. It annoyed him how long it is, although he's mesmerized by its softness and color. Especially the color, since he’s imagined countless times what it would be like if he’d been born with Targaryen hair. But he can’t deal with the long strands and just ties them into a messy… something. Aemond nearly has a stroke when he sees this vandalism for the first time.

They agree to call a truce until they find out how it happened, but they constantly fight for various reasons. Mostly because Aemond is the one who panics dramatising overreacts about the situation. Luke, as an empathetic child without emotional constipation, even tries to calm him down. But, as expected, only encounters rudeness in return. The uncle says that he has never felt so defective before, even after he had lost an eye. He also says that he is very worried that Luke-in-his-body will now disgrace Aemond with ‘such idiotic expressions’ after Luke-in-his-body cannot hide the obvious resentment on his face.

Their attempts to behave like the other are rather clumsy. Mainly because Lucerys has never really hidden his emotions, while Aemond has never really shown his.

Aemond is shocked to find that in his sister’s family, displays of physical affection without any serious reason are perfectly normal. On the first dinner of being Luke, Aemond reflexively twists Jace’s arm when he tries to ruffle his hair unexpectedly. Later, when Rhaenyra, noticing something is off with "her sweet boy", pulls him close in a gentle hug to figure out what’s wrong, Aemond is beyond errored. And let’s not even talk about how the poor guy feels when Daemon slaps him on the back and asks for his opinion on something. Yes, used to being fairly distant from his own family, Aemond is really stunned by the intensity of the interconnectedness in his older sister's household.

After all this, he goes to complain to Luke, who is also in shock and distressed about 'Aemond's day', but it's more of a ‘Damn Bitch, You Live Like This?’. He hasn't seen any of his uncle's family all day and no one has even looked for him, except for Sir Christon (and it's a pretty enough nightmare). He tells Aemond that maybe understands why he's such a prick - because he hasn't ever been hugged enough.

Aemond, who can't come up with a plausible reason for not training with Jace, decides that he will quickly defeat his older nephew. But he is annoyed to realise that Luke's body is not as strong and trained as he is used to, and he cannot hold a sword of the weight that Aemond is used to. The fact that Jace is only gently encouraging his “brother” irritates him even more.

In the early morning, Aemond forces his nephew to train with him to learn how to use his new body—instead, Aemond cringes as watches Luke struggle to cope with his own. But after a little while, using each other's advice, they have a good sparring. Aemond is very excited about the possibility that having both eyes and the agility of a small body opens up—is triumphant at his victory. Luke look like he doesn't cares (he really doesn't, because he'd rather be in bed at this hour).

But the real hit for Aemond comes when Damon meets him later that morning and tells him that he saw the fight between him and Luke and is really proud of him because he has ‘unexpectedly good technique’. Aemond's fangirl-daddy-issues-emotions run high, and even the warning that ‘needs to be careful with this one-eyed Hightower cunt, because his extreme niceness is too alarming’ doesn't diminish them. By the end of the day, Aemond is mentally running around with the fact that ‘the Rogue Prince praised my fighting skills.’

Luke laughs for a very long time when hears about this conversation. Because ‘Daemon saw me beat you, and according to him, I fight only slightly better than Joff. Joff is six, uncle. Daemon thought "you" went easy on "me".’

They try to find some information on how to get back into their own bodies in Valyrian manuscripts, but Luke discovers just how terrible his uncle’s pronunciation is when he tries reading something aloud. The search is soon forgotten, as their impromptu speaking lesson stretches late into the evening.

The amount of time they’ve been spending together lately doesn’t go unnoticed and starts raising questions. So, the boys decide to split up for a while and conduct their searches separately.

Luke, who is unbearably bored being Aemond and lacking his discipline, decides to find some entertainment. He’d normally call Jace to fly or invite Rhaena for a walk, but obviously, that’s not an option now. So, he heads to see Helaena, who is delighted to have him visit. Luke confirms that his "quirky aunt" is really sweet, but freezes when she declares she’s 'so glad Aemond can see the underside’.

Later, Luke encounters Aegon too, who makes a comment about Aemond-Luke’s hairstyle. And boy, out of habit, reacts in much the same way as he would if something similar happened between him and Jace—he responds with some kind of small joke. Aegon stares at him as if he’s grown a second head—or at least regrown his second eye. Slowly, Lucerys realizes that his stoic, cold uncle is really just wearing a mask. After all, truly coldblooded people don’t flare up at every little remark.

Aemond, who’s genuinely trying to solve the problem, finds a reference to a book that might be in Dragonstone’s library. Without thinking twice, he decides to fly there. Based on who he looks like now, he thinks no one will find it odd if Lucerys Velaryon spends a few hours in the library at his own home. He heads to the dragonpit to ride Lucerys Velaryon dragon.

But dragons are not humans. Arrax is not at all pleased when some suspicious guy—no matter how much he looks like his rider (this no less suspicious point also needs to be clarified)—tries to approach him and decides to take a few bites out of the pretender. Aemond is rescued by Luke, who is on his way to visit his dragon. Unlike his uncle, he did not assume that Arrax could be fooled by appearances.

Luke angrily tells his uncle that he 'tried to steal someone else's dragon again and almost got hurt.' For the first time since they switched bodies, they get into a real fight, almost ending in blows. But when Aemond sweeps Luke off his feet with a well-placed strike from his “blind side” and and falls on top of him, they have some feelings that are… let's say not typical of a fight, which makes Aemond embarrassed and run away. What can you do—they still teenagers🤷‍♀️

And speaking of teenagers. If you wake up with morning wood while in someone else’s body, is jerking off in such a situation still considered masturbation or already sex? Just asking.

Aemond, isolated from his usual routine and still holding a grudge against Luke, decides to “gather some information on the enemy camp,” as he calls it. In reality, he's simply finding out how Luke is treated by his family. And this simultaneously makes him envious and angry on behalf of his nephew. Because he doesn't like the condescending attitude that thrives on Luke. Now it becomes clearer to him why he once thought the boy was weak and foolish, though in recent days, he’s realised that’s not the case at all. But this condescension causes Lucerys’ impostor syndrome to progress. It doesn't allow him to become stronger.

Also, unexpectedly for himself, Aemond finds that he actually likes his cousins, and even little Joffrey is “a decent kid.” Jacerys stops provoking a dull irritation as long as he’s either silent or far enough away that his words can’t be heard.

For a few days, Aemond and Luke avoid each other. But eventually, Luke comes to make peace and finally apologizes to his uncle, not just for the recent incident, but for everything.

They decide to fly to Dragonstone together because Luke knows how to sneak into the castle. After all, he has slipped out countless times with Jace, Rhaena, and on his own.

TO BE CONTINUED...

[andrea-lyn]

Roswell New Mexico - Master Fic Rec Post

See under the cut for thirty-four total recs, predominantly Malex. There's also 10 additional in the "Recs Less Travelled" project here.

a few drinks and some conversation by @christchex

Michael Guerin makes a friend who isn’t his sibling, an ex, or a sibling’s ex.

Astriferous Sea by hrhbrittany, Sismyn

Alex has always been the baby among the sirens in the Dead Sea. Michael is performing beard services for his sister. Communication is a little wishy-washy.

This AU came out of nowhere and smacked me right with the ‘I’ve always wanted this and I just never knew’. It has sirens and rescues and bad guys and false relationships and real marriages and rings and drama and romance. It honestly reminds me (in the best way) of an exciting romance novel and I’m so jazzed there’s still one part left to it.

The Bachelor by Sweetgirl2019

After the events of high school, Michael, Isobel & Max moved to California while Liz, Maria & Kyle stayed in Roswell and Alex went to war overseas. Once his enlistment period ends, Alex gets thrown into something that brings him and Michael back together again.

So I think this might be my favourite to see updated right now. It should be a run-of-the-mill fluffy AU, yet the author threw this incredible curveball by using the alien background in a canon divergence to turn The Bachelor into both a romantic dramedy for the boys, but also keeping the looming threat of people finding out about aliens in the background. Also, I think this is top tier pining that you will actively feel in your own chest, that’s how good it is. 

blink back to let me know by haloud - Roswell New Mexico

Alex doesn’t have important conversations over the phone when he can avoid them. It feels too much like going in blind. But in some ways, the phone makes it easier–it’s easier to break when no one’s looking.

It’s Mylex and the 5th in a series, and every part is worth reading, but I definitely re-read parts 4 and 5 a lot. It’s so well written and the dynamic is mwah and I love how Kyle fits into this. One of my favourite pieces in this is how Kyle reacts to his father in relation to Michael & Caulfield and it’s an amazing read.

built this house on memories by @villanellve

He wakes up eight years in the future, and everything is strange, but Alex is there.

YOU GUYS. If you were to write a list of tropes I adore, this would be way up there at the top because of how much I love it. I am a sucker for a character having to be removed from their situation to learn (whether it’s an alternate universe or the future or the past), but this one is so achingly painful and perfect and hopeful. I love the callout that the situation is almost too hard for Alex, I love the resolution at the end on Michael’s part, and you could just soak in the happiness and comfort of their future lives if you let yourself.

Can’t Get No by one_flying_ace

“They’re on round two already,” he says, tilting his head towards the truck again, “or maybe three.” Guerin grimaces, and that’s fair; it’s his brother, after all. “You know how they’re feeling. Could I handle it, if you stopped-” being in control, he doesn’t say, but Guerin shudders. “I’m good, Alex. Just keep the hell away.” (Or: alien sex rocks don’t make them do it, but they sure do help.)

Sex pollen/sex-or-die fics are pretty much a requirement, but this is my absolute favourite and I have re-read it more times than I can tell you (let’s put it at six or seven?) The restraint that Michael has in this is amazing, but the mental images of it are incredible as well. I loved Max and Liz’s secondary presence as well and how each character was tonally perfect down to the little things (like Max not noticing Michael’s sex marks). What a good. What a hot. What amazing.

Constant as the Northern Star by celzmccelz

Michael stares at Kyle. “But I’m a guy! How can I be pregnant?” Kyle looks embarrassed. “Well, you appear to have a fully functioning set of female reproductive organs—or, I mean, like, the kind of reproductive organs that are associated with a double X-chromosome in humans, so I’d assume that you probably became pregnant when semen was introduced into your reproductive tract—” “Jesus Christ, Kyle!” says Michael. He could have happily lived the rest of his life without ever hearing Kyle Valenti say the words “semen” and “reproductive tract.” Kyle’s eyes widen. “Have you been having unprotected sex?” “Oh my God, I am not having this conversation with you!”

Yes, going in, there are some warnings to be cognizant of. It’s mpreg, there’s a lot of medical stuff to go through, but I think this is my absolute favourite of the mpregs I’ve read and it actually comes down to Michael’s support system outside of Alex, namely in Kyle. There’s no sudden BFF bracelets being given, but that morality that makes Kyle Valenti who he is, that’s right there. Also, given that this is an mpreg fic, it delves into family and plot in a way that I haven’t often seen. Plus, you get the ‘getting back together’ Malex that I so deeply crave.

Contigo me encontré by beautifulcheat (Katalyst), ladynox

The Lockhart House was once a home, although it was never a happy one. Steeped in tragedy, it still stands today, in the heart of Old Town Roswell, attracting ghost hunters and those seeking to catch a peak of something from beyond the veil.

Contrary to popular myth, it wasn’t currently haunted (except by one paranormally talented docent). It was Michael’s favorite job and the best part of his summer home from UNM. Or at least was until Alex Manes was hired to man the gift shop, complicating an otherwise fun and easy job.

everywhere on earth you go - @evepolastried

Across the room, he can still see how Michael Guerin is looking at him. And that’s something different, something new, something so very familiar. The thrill of nerves, of guilt, of want. Alex smiles, and he starts to sing. (OR: Alex Manes grabs his guitar and gets the hell out of Roswell in 2008, and he leaves behind a letter. Here’s what happens ten years later)

I love this. This one has something incredible, and it’s something I called out, but it has this amazing work with pace. There’s a frantic moment at the bar and it’s chaos, and you feel it. It’s rushed and wild and crazy, but then everything slows down and it gets perfect. There’s Michael, there’s Alex, there’s music, and it’s such a great ride.

Family Matters by @bestillmyslashyheart

Isobel is telepathic. Most of the time she ignores it. She used to pick up on other’s people’s emotions but she’s long since learned to tune that out. Until one night she can’t. Someone, somewhere is in such a state that it’s spilling over and she’s left to deal with the brunt of it. Or, Michael keeps things close to the vest until he can’t. The night after Alex leaves him at the drive-in, everything he’s feeling bubbles up inside until it spills over onto Isobel. Suddenly he’s left with no other choice but to open up.

This is an early fandom piece, but I still think it’s held up to an immensely amazing rate. Not only that, but I love how it delves into powers, Michael and Isobel’s relationship, and the incredible idea of spillover, which I still actively wish would become canon because of this fic. I think it’s so IC, especially with Michael’s active wish not to talk about it that he screws himself over in his sleep and seriously, it’s such a good read for both Isobel & Michael stuff, but also Michael & Alex.

the first who ever did - nostaljinks

Five times Michael saves Alex + 1 time Alex saves Michael back.

I feel like there aren’t enough words that I can heap onto this of praise. This fic is well-written, well-plotted, well-thought out, well-everything. It’s a beautiful emotional roller coaster and will make you ACHE, but in a great way. It also is the right amount of long that you want more, but you also get it, and it’s just as quality as the rest. ABSOLUTE must read.

fish bowl by @sabrinachill

Alex makes a series of phone calls and bad choices that lead him directly here — an Airstream on the edge of a junkyard with a distractingly attractive mechanic showing him how the dining table converts into a bed that he can sleep on for just $75 a week. It is, of course, completely absurd. But there’s something cozy about the fuzzy yellow blanket on the bed/table and the sparkling sunlight streaming through the mostly-clean windows, in the smell of leather and motor oil and aftershave and summer storms, in the hopeful half-smile on Michael’s face. That’s his name — Michael. Alex’s potential new roommate and landlord. (AKA An AU About Quarantined Roommates Who Fall in Love)

I highly recommend anything by @sabrinachill, but this fic is a really clear argument about why. It’s an AU that involves quarantine, and you might think ‘oh, I’ve read that before’, but then it will take you down the unexpected road that you didn’t expect to go down, but as soon as you take that twist, you instantly realize how much better it is that way. Hats off to the clever plotting not just in Fish Bowl, but other fics! 

Funny How Things Never Change - @waroftheposes​

“What can I do for you?” Michael asks, turning to face Alex. Alex can tell the moment that Michael’s mind registers who he’s addressing, because the polite smile drops from his face and the hat falls from his hand. He stands there, eyes wide and unbelieving, looking at Alex. Alex takes a deep breath, willing his racing heart to settle. “Well,” he begins and is his voice shaking? “For starters you can get your stubborn ass over here and give me a divorce.” – (A Sweet Home Alabama AU)

Yooooo, guess who was bereft when she thought she lost this link. It was absolutely me. This AU makes me happy in so many ways, especially the storms in the desert motif that keeps coming back around, and also that it’s messy. I like that it’s not cut and dry, that it goes right up until the wedding, and that it takes some real talk for them to get back together. I love fics where they all get to be human and this one is just so good. 

I Know Nothing Stays The Same by aewriting

“Alex doesn’t believe in miracles until one happens to him. His father has a hammer in one hand and Alex’s throat in the other. As Alex’s consciousness fades, he’s dimly aware of movement. His father’s about to swing the hammer, and this is how Alex will die.” When an unexplainable force puts a stop to Jesse’s attack in the shed, Alex and Michael are forced to go on the run. Leaving Roswell is an easy decision, but navigating the consequences of that choice months and even years later proves to be much more complicated.

I think this one became a must read very early on, but then it’s continued to deliver. There’s been a few stories that delve into the characters getting therapy, but there’s a whole chapter here where it genuinely feels cathartic as we go through the process with Alex. This fic also is an excellent and long version of an AU I think that we’ve all wondered, about what would happen if they ran away, and it’s so well written and so real that I know I will be re-reading this a ton. Like many of the others, why I love it is because it’s not perfection, but it’s the kind of real where I want to wrap myself up in it. 

i won’t go, i can’t do it on my own by @queersirius

alex tries to let go by giving back the pieces of michael he’s kept

Millie has a bunch of AMAZING AUs (guys, the 10 Things I Hate About You is something I never thought I’d get, especially from a favourite author), but i think this one is actually my favourite, especially when it comes to the ship piece that Alex has. Again, when I talk about ‘fics that make me want to be better’, this one was one. The writing is engaging, the characterization is fabulous, and the emotions are so honest and real. Then there’s this line, like a gut punch:  “Because it’s the last thing I have of you,” he admits. “The last piece of you I have to let go of.” which I love because it’s still Alex’s journey, an honest attempt to offer closure (if closure is wanted). 

in some other life - @spaceskam​

michael tries to build a time machine, but ends up in a different reality all together

There are a lot of these that have been written and they are all quality, but I love this one especially because of how we get into Alex in the other universe, get the glimpse of this unknown Michael, but also the scene that strikes this one out for me is that Alex doesn’t want to let him go. I love that Alex gets to be selfish, that he begs for him to stay, and that we don’t get the automatic happy ending in that, but there’s still the hope for it. Also, Alex the Angel, unf. 

intimate encounters of the third kind by @alexmanes

Three years after Antar and its people take Earth under their wings, Roswell becomes the epicenter for human-alien relations between both planets. It doesn’t take very long for Alex Manes to find himself embroiled in a scandal that threatens this intergalactic partnership, all thanks to a beautiful man named Michael Guerin who is not nearly as human as he claims to be.

Okay, so, if you like No Love Like Your Love, the truth is that you have this fic to thank. This was my first introduction in RNM fandom as to what a really amazing fic could be that incorporated the royalty elements into the pairing. Once 1x12 aired and we met Michael’s mother, it was pretty much a done deal that I wanted to do something that played with that, but this is the actual inspiration. It’s well plotted, it has a great ensemble cast, and plays with the kind of care that it takes to know your plot inside and out, but also to leave breadcrumbs that guide the reader along. It’s very methodical in the sense that nothing is by accident and it has you on the edge of your seat.

It’s a long road back to you by @magsthemagical

Michael finds out that Alex is dating Forrest and he’s okay with it, until he’s not. Maria suggests a double date to show they can all hang out as friends. But they can’t… not really. [OR the one where Michael & Alex realize that they belong together and so they say goodbye to their respective relationships and start anew]

Honest truth time - in terms of ‘ships, while I always love people to ship and let ship, my personal preference for both Michael and Alex is one another, so both Maria/Michael and Forrest/Alex aren’t things that I usually seek out when trawling Ao3. This fic is so good to all parties involved. No one is a villain and I appreciate that they get to talk about things like Alex’s reticence to do certain things in public, but also being aware that Alex deserves to have something new as much as Michael.

Last Stop: This Town by @ubiestcaelum

Someone asked what it would have been like if Michael had gone home with the Evan’s and I couldn’t let it go.

Am I cheating because I requested this? idk, maybe, because another one I requested will end up here too. I am addicted to the idea of Michael getting the support system he needs, but THIS FIC takes it to the most impossibly amazing level and fleshes out the Evans parents in such an incredible way. I love that it’s not super sunshine and rainbows, but it’s an honest telling of raising kids (and maybe too many kids versus what you expected). I know this is only in progress (several today will be), but even as it is, it’s worth reading multiple times, because I know I have.

let me count the ways by @queersirius

liz ortecho isn’t allowed to date until her snarky, determined-not-to-date brother, alex ortecho, does. luckily, one of her suitors has a plan. well, max goes to isobel for a plan, which involves getting their brother, michael, to woo alex. or, the 10 things i hate about you AU

Obviously this needs to be here as I desperately pleaded for it to exist, but it’s so beyond what it might be as a mini tumblr ficlet and has become a whole world. It’s not just a great Malex story, it’s an amazing story for all the characters and really fleshes out a world, but weaves in the RNM characters perfectly, but also gives me a dynamic I want more of, in Alex being an Ortecho. It’s not quite finished yet, but Millie has never steered us wrong and I can’t wait for more.

Loathly by @aewriting

When King Manes and his sons are caught illegally hunting on Antarian lands, King Noah gives King Manes a choice - correctly answer a riddle or accept death. A year-long search for the correct answer ensues, leading the youngest son of the king, Alex, to strike a bargain with a mysterious woman who claims to know the answer. This is an AU of the Arthurian legend “Sir Gawain and the Dame Ragnell.”

Love at First Sass - @daffietjuh

Taking a class of 30 high school kids on a school trip to an Air Force base was about as exhausting as it sounds, luckily, the Captain giving them the tour is perfectly capable of handling a group of rowdy teenagers. Michael may be slightly in love Okay, so first of all, if you haven’t read any of the author’s other work, you should. The AUs are fantastic and the hockey one is still one of my favourites ever, but this one also just was exactly what I needed. It was sexy and flirty and fun, but also fit their personalities perfectly!

Everything in the Michael Sanders AU, by prouvaireafterdark which is a fantastic series that gives us what we all wanted, which is Walt Sanders giving Michael the home he deserved (and getting one right back).

My love is a life taker by @jocarthage

By the time he turned 15, Captain Alex Manes had been to every war zone and unofficial conflict the United States of America was involved in. It wasn’t regular practice, or even heard of, for a Colonel to bring his son along on combat missions; the exception was if the child had been identified as Time Aware, able to travel in time along their own timeline using stolen alien technology. So here Alex Manes was, 28, and ducking bombs, killing who he’s told to. On his way back from a mission, Alex slips into another timestream. It should be impossible. But he can hear a child crying and he heads towards the sound. This is the story of how Alex saved Michael and Michael saved Alex, with lots of time travel shenanigans and angst.

This story is incredible for so many reasons and one of them I continue to praise is the balance. It’s an Alex driven story, but you can break his life down into friends, mission, family, and Michael, and often those elements combine, but there’s never any update that doesn’t give you enough (imo). It’s excellent writing with engaging OCs and wonderful plot, and the most incredible love story.

not in this world (or the next) by @hannah-writes

It isn’t until he realises he can’t find the keys for his fucking truck anywhere and that there’s mail on the table addressed to Mr M Evans that Noah called him ‘Evans’, too. He fumbles inside the wallet that he’d managed to locate and pulls out a New Mexico licence with his picture on it; he doesn’t have a black eye and a split lip in this one, his hair’s tamed and he doesn’t look like he’s gone three days without showering. His date of birth is stamped, clear and correct, but then where his name should read ‘Michael Guerin’, it reads “Michael Evans’ and the address registered on the license is that of Max and Isobel’s childhood home. Noah had also said ‘your mom’s’. Not ‘Mrs Evans’. It feels like a bucket of ice water’s dumped over his head as he finally accepts that something is very, very wrong. (aka, the fic spawned from a tumblr prompt about Michael waking up in a parallel reality.)

This one, guys. This is an absolute beast of angst and love and a really well plotted story, but also is really amazing for how it creates Mikey, but also creates motive behind what drives both Michael and Mikey in ways that are the same, but also different. Genuinely, this fic is a great read because you get so much attention to the characters while also driving along the relationships, and who they are. 

nursery sharks by christchex

Six firsts in the Sanders household and a second.

Otherwise Engaged by JustAsSweet

Alex Manes was perfectly happy with his job at Colden Records but when his visa is rejected and deportation looms, marrying his assistant Michael Evans is his only option. And when they make a trip to Alaska to see Michael’s family, everything becomes a lot more complicated.

AKA: The Proposal AU that no one asked for but I wrote anyway.

Shadow Work - @myrmidryad

After his discharge from the Air Force, Alex Manes is working as a shade - a professional ghost hunter - when Michael Guerin tracks him down. Alex left Roswell thirteen years ago and never went back, but overnight Michael’s family has vanished and the supernatural activity in Roswell has exploded, and he wants Alex’s help. Featuring: ghosts, more ghosts, metaphorical ghosts, and a lot of sex without talking about feelings. Also missing family members, government conspiracies, and gratuitous worldbuilding.

No, YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND. I can’t rec this enough. Literally, this is a novel-type rec. If this were a book on a shelf, I would be shouting that you need to go read it, because it is literally good enough to be a published work on a best-selling list. It’s so fucking good. Every time you think it can’t get better, it does. It has nuance and plot and world-building and it is So. Fucking. Good. I could sit here and sing praises all day and it still wouldn’t be enough. Please give yourself a holiday treat and read it.

The World Forgetting, By The World Forgot by Anonymous

Michael and Alex erase each other from their memories. It does not go according to plan. [Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Roswell style]

I mean, I could rec anything by Anonymous and it would be worth your read. They’re so good and so in character,  but this one is my favourite. It’s angsty as fuck, don’t get me wrong, but it plays with the movie plot in such a Roswell-specific way that makes sense that I honestly never even compared or contrasted it to the movie past the first few beats. The pain is visceral, and the memory loss segment is incredible, but also delivers on a positive ending. 

To Trust Love by @laughsalot3412 

The prisoner’s voice sounded like home. He could have been raised in Roswell, the way his accent stretched his vowels. He definitely hadn’t been. Alex would have remembered eyes like those. (AU where Alex Manes goes on an undercover rescue mission in Caulfield Prison and forms a bond with one of the prisoners in the process.)

I don’t have enough words in the English language to praise this one. Honestly, I don’t. For one, the pace and the length is perfect. That we got the parts as quickly as we did was honestly such a treat, but then every part was just as high quality as the last. There are chapters in this one that made me go, “holy shit, this would’ve been a novel I read”, and then there are little emotional impacts where the tone shifts, but it works so well. It’s SO HOT, and the AU is so perfect, and also helped inspire the one that I wrote last night with the “genie”. 

Unwind Me - delgay

“Think you can manage that? Sitting next to me, without picking a fight?” Michael challenged. “Can you?” Alex returned. “No idea,” Michael admitted with a sideways grin that never failed to make Alex’s stomach turn over, “But I’m eager to find out.” Alex is avoiding everyone, but he can’t seem to escape Michael.

This whole fic is intensely amazing, but it got on my rec list for the absolutely electric scene with the dancing that was absolutely beyond incredible. You also get Michael courting Alex, which is something he utterly deserves and I love the way Michael goes about it. 

we feel so american by thepredatorywasp

“Papa’s on the spaceship again?” River asks, his bright green eyes welling with tears and his face growing red. “Comin’ back?” “Of course he is,” Alex says, smoothing down the son’s hair and adjusting the Mickey ears atop his head. “Always.” There is no easy way to explain to your three year-old that not only is he an alien, but his Papa is an alien and that apparently, Michael loves leaning hard into irony because he has gone on Space Mountain approximately ten times over the course of four days.

LOOK. I LOVE A SWEET KID FIC. The next rec will prove this, but this one will melt your fucking heart. I love it because it’s not perfect and easy. There’s difficulties, there are issues, but it’s Michael and Alex and their baby boy in Disney and if you do not come away feeling warmer from this, then I just don’t know. 

We’re Waking Up Slow by myrmyriad

“I think need a little time to process all of this. Um. Storm’s getting closer and I don’t really wanna get snowed in here, so…let’s just talk later, okay?” What if the storm that blew in during S01E10 came in a lot faster and heavier, and Alex was snowed in at the junkyard?

Again, fic that makes me wish that I could write as well as this. This one makes you feel it all. You’ll feel the cold, the wet, the storm, the pain, the hope, the healing. You feel the connection between Michael and Alex, and you’ll be left wishing at the end that this had been how canon went, but also that it’s justifiably not that far off from how it could have, had they taken a different tack, because of how well it’s written. 

What’s Up, Pregnant? by Marie_L

Michael Guerin is broke, practically homeless, and a knocked up secret alien. What now?

Speaking of kid fics, this mpreg is one that I really like, because if nothing else, it introduced the concept of mpreg using pods to me in the fandom, and I kind of went, “YES, of course”. I love that it’s got everyone rallying, but I mostly love the psychic connection between Michael and his baby, and the softness of loving sugar and Alex. 

With Love Overflowing by Nestra

"We both agree that this is not the place we belong, right? Please say yes."

Michael tossed his hat on the coffee table and dropped onto the couch. "If you mean that your dad's been dead since CrashCon and some kind of crazy shit is going on, then yeah, I agree."

(This one was for me for Secret Santa, it is just THAT GOOD that I want everyone in the world to read it)

x marks the spot (where we fell apart) by catching_paper_moons, preciousthings

“Don’t write it off,” Alex says, and Liz is so relieved someone is coming to her defense, even if it’s someone who already knew beforehand. “Liz and Kyle have ideas, and there are people in this room with literal superpowers. It’s pretty much our only option.” “Our only option?” Isobel scoffs. “What are we, Ocean’s Eleven?”

[beesmygod]

Have you read or heard about " no home " ? I wouldnt usually go out my way to recomend webtoons but this ones not translated officially and has a very distinctive writing style, Its a paranormal horror dramedy about some kids living in a haunted school residence because Its still better than their home situations and It handles the topic in a very carhartic/nervewracking way, would say Its part of the horror, It can be a heavy reading at times tho

oh shit this does look interesting. i need something to read in bed at night besides jojo. TY for the rec. i am loving the people who are translating and telling others about these webmanga/manhuas

[suikamelon6]

Hello! Are your fics posted on ao3? I would love to read them!

Thank you for your interest! My fics are all Loustat-focused and their HEA is ALWAYS guaranteed (I can't bear them sad too long). Also I write mostly human au. I love putting VC characters and applying book-canon events and see if they work in non-vampiric situation ^_^ Louis falls in love with a painting of Lestat. But he's been dead for 240 yrs. Come (Back) To Me Loustat, a famous actor and a top-escort. A love story. Before You See Me Loustat and French food and mafia! Saveur de la Maison Loustat as cop and serial killer? It's a dramedy. Red as the Devil, White as the Saint

Loustat first-ever scifi AU! Catch You Beyond These Stars A series of experiments carried out on Prince Lestat's vampire council Fareed's Experiments

[nokingsonlyfooles]

Read Tin Soldier! One-a-Day on Tapas this week! Thursday's Instalment:

Let's try with the illustration AND an excerpt!

Illustration: A set of lungs wrapped in the chain of an oval locket. The locket displays pictures of Alba and Mordecai, being silly.

[PSI-3]

“Well, let’s see now, is there anything missing?”

There were several sheets of coloured paper bedecked with crayon drawings spread over the bedroom floor. Ann had obligingly rolled back the rug to provide more drawing surface. They were comparing a yellow one and a pink one side-by-side, the three of them kneeling and examining with their hands on the floor.

Maggie could already see what Erik got wrong, but it didn’t matter if she saw it. He was the one who wanted the help.

Erik looked back and forth between the papers with a grave expression. The bird was on both, and the duck, and the cat (last time he forgot the cat), and the grass, and the pond, and the tree. Maggie’s tree had leaves and his didn’t, but he didn’t think that was missing, they just thought of different trees. He couldn’t remember anything in the story about leaves.

“No,” he decided.

“Yes, I think that looks about right to me too,” Ann said. “Maggie?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Now, is there anything different?”

That was where Erik had lost the plot, and they both waited to see if he could find it. It took him a moment, but he finally pointed at his bird. His bird was on the ground and Maggie’s was in the tree, and he knew his was the wrong one because that was how this worked.

Ann had the music open on the floor beside her. “Erik, do you remember why, or do you want the story again?”

He held up one finger, still studying the pages. He had this. He was on top of this. “It’s the cat,” he said, touching it. “The cat scared the bird.”

“That’s exactly right!” said Ann. And it was also, she noted, a lot more words than he’d been using when they tried this without crayons. He wanted to understand the story and he had asked them to help him with it. It was just very hard to understand if he understood the story when the only way he could tell you about it was talking.

Hence, crayons. Crayons were wonderful things.

“Do you want to put the bird in the tree or do you just want to hear the next bit?” she asked him.

He was frowning. He wanted to do the whole thing over again and get all of it right, but he also wanted to hear the next bit. He put a large black X over his bird on the ground, and put another one in the tree.

“Oh, honey,” Ann said painfully. “You didn’t have to do it like that…”

There was a light tapping on the door and it was pushed open a crack. “Ann?” It was Hyacinth on the other side.

“Oh, just a minute. Please excuse me.” Ann picked up the door, opened it, set it back down, got on the other side of it and closed it most of the way. “We’re having Peter and the Wolf in crayon,” she told Hyacinth softly. “He wanted some help with it. He can’t read,” she added, frowning. “Not even a little bit. Did you know that, Cin?”

Hyacinth shook her head, “But I thought it might happen. Sometimes it does. He might get it back, at least some of it. That usually happens too.”

Ann nodded.

“Is he upset about it?”

“I’ve distracted him!” Ann said proudly. She dropped her voice again, “But what about poor Em? Do you have him?”

“Yes…”

“Good job!”

“…but the police were a little rough with him.”

“Why? What did they do to him?”

“You’ll see it. Well, some of it’s under the clothes, but that’s just bruises. He’s having ice in the kitchen. I need to get him a clean shirt.”

“I don’t understand it at all!” said Ann. “Why did they need to do that? They put the handcuffs on him right away! Which is another stupid thing, if I may say so. He wasn’t fighting. They just wanted to stick him with something anti-magic. What was he going to do, I ask you? Make casserole at them? Turn their sugar into salt?”

“Ann, clean shirt,” Hyacinth said.

“Oh, yes. I’m sorry. I’ll get it. They’ll notice me less.”

They didn’t notice her at all. “It’s wrong,” Erik was saying.

“Well, yeah,” Maggie said, touching the page. “But it looks like you’re mad about it.”

“I am mad about it!”

Ann passed the shirt through the door without opening it further. “Here, Cin.”

Hyacinth folded it over her arm. “Where did you tell him his uncle was? Just so we don’t mess it up?”

“Oh, I just said he was with you. Then he didn’t mind about it. He asked if we could do the story before he got back.”

Hyacinth made a puzzled smile. “That child trusts one of us, I’m not sure which.”

“That child trusts all of us,” Ann replied. “What lie are we telling him about how Em got hurt?”

“He fell down some stairs.”

“Which stairs?”

“I’m not sure, but I’ll let you know as soon as we’ve decided.”

They had Peter and the Wolf in crayon (and Mordecai had ice in the kitchen) until Erik was more tired and annoyed than interested (so, not very much longer). Ann separated the drawings by author. Maggie took hers. Erik was disgusted by his at the moment, so Ann put them on the table with the music.

“I think your uncle would like to see them, anyway,” she said.

“He’s back soon?”

“I’m sure he’ll be back by the time you’re awake.”

He sighed and dropped his head back on the pillow. “Put the good one first.”

He meant the one where he got everything right. It was the first one, also the one with the fewest things in it: Peter, the meadow and the open gate.

Ann obligingly shuffled it to the front. Erik had drawn Peter purple, Maggie had drawn him brown. That was a difference, but the story didn’t have anything to say about what colour Peter was, so Ann called them both right.

“Erik? Do you want me to stay until you’re asleep?” She doubted he would want any more story, he wanted to be wide awake for that.

But he was already gone.

Keep reading? Pick your platform!

Tapas might conceivably help me pick up more readers, if you "like," subscribe, and help me battle the algorithm:

And my site has better formatting, and more stuff!

Still trying to drum up a community for my loyal, patient fans, so this is an experiment in posting things consistently. We'll see if that gets any traction with people/algorithms.

This here is an urban fantasy with a diverse cast of freaks, weirdos and losers, many of whom happen to be living in an abandoned building in a slum. Most of 'em also know how to do magic, which works kinda like hacking reality itself. People don't like that, in general, 'cos you might crash the whole system that way.

It's free to read and licensed with Creative Commons, because I'd like to crash this broke-ass system that publishes and profits from "intellectual properties." I may be foolish, but you get a free story either way, so come take advantage of it!

[posts-written-by-murderbot]

I was curious about what you like/dislike about Drama Sun Islands

Thank you!

The original season was just a great low-key situational dramedy. The characters were compelling and unique, the sets were visually pleasing, and it was just a little bit unrealistic in a fun way. You could always count on it as something to unwind to in the MedSystem after a long day of being shot at with explosive rounds.

I had high hopes for the Drama Sun Islands renewal but for some unbe-fucking-knowest reason, they decided that they needed to make it Real and Gritty this time i.e. ruin everything that was enjoyable and charming about the show in the first place.

Why the writers thought anyone wants to see Blingo grapple with their inner demons is beyond me. It just fell flat and the tone was all over the place, just a mess. I've never been this betrayed in my life.

[liesmyth]

@takiki16 tags on my post are too good not to be shared! The context is wild shit that legit happened in IRL football ⚽ that I need the Ted Lasso fandom to be aware of, because it'd make for excellent fic material:

the MANAGERS #the PERSONAL DRAMA#I KNOW that ted lasso is not designed to be an actual realistic show #I KNOW that this whole thing did in fact begin as a way to soft trap Americans into watching the Prem #to the point that JOSE FUCKING MOURINHO ACTUALLY HAD A PART IN THE ORIGINAL NBC AD #I do NOT want to change the vibe of the show at all #(but like…a dramedy about the EPL that REALLY wanted to roast some fuckers would perhaps…NOT look like ted lasso #if they wanted to start with the managers it would just be two middle aged idiots with BOILING beef #who had to be physically restrained from throwing hands every other game and have personally destroyed each others’ marriages

Okay WHO would Roy have managerial beef with. I vote Arteta. Actually as @elizabear suggests, it's funnier if it's one sided

He would also instinctively dislike Rob Edwards of Luton because Jamie once said he's the hottest manager in the EPL. Roy's annoyed and he doesn't know why. (Rob Edwards is very hot)

For an example of managers throwing hands... the Tuchel/Conte handshake

In fact here's a whole compilation of managers throwing hands.

Thank you for bringing up Mourinho! This is his ad, btw. "What do you WANT Ted?" lives in my mind rent-free

After much soul-searching I've decided Roy likes Mou a lot among all the managers he's played for. YES, he is a total cunt BUT

he's really fucking funny about it. Like, really.

he's never met a referee he didn't have beef with but most of all Anthony Taylor (as a Roma fan I have to agree with him on that)

the entire 2005 Chelsea team would've died for him. I've said this before, but there can't be a Frank Lampard in TL if Roy plays the box-to-box midfielder role, so this quote about Mourinho walking into Lampard naked in the shower to give him a pep talk? That's Roy. To me.

I can't even pick a quote among all the shit he's said about all the managers he's played against, but I especially enjoy when he used to be a bitch about Pep and Pep was like "I don't know her." It was like a one-sided crush dating back from their Barca days

#if they wanted it to be about the players the literal sky is the limit. WHATEVER the writers room can come up with#it cannot come CLOSE to the batshit drama that real Sockckckckcer Playahs have amongst each other#also intricate rituals. NOT ENOUGH INTRICATE RITUALS#when Jamie scored that free kick after getting permission to be a prick Dani should have kissed him with tongue

Here's some homoeroticism:

#but TO COME BACK TO OP’S POINT ABOUT ACTUAL GAMEPLAY#I want to see Coach Roy get red carded and have to sit in the stands for the next game cursing and swearing

He'd get, like, 3 red cards a season MINIMUM. Mourinho who. Here's Klopp losing it a bit. Here's Pep being passive aggressive as fuck. Pochettino from 2 days ago. Also from last weekend: De Zerbi's "I don't like 80% of referees in England" he's so right for this.

Manager Roy would get himself red carded the week before Richmond play Chelsea away. Totally accidental. So he doesn't have to have a lil cry about it.

#I want to see what it would take to get Zoreaux sent off#and then they have to stick Bumbercatch in goal and it turns out he has some Hyper Specific Phobia about the situation#he manages to save the team but his coping mechanisms for dealing with Forcible Keeper Phobia make up the comedy B-plot of the episode#

I want CLUB RIVALRY. dunno where Richmond actually physically is but imagine if they had derbies#Ted has to be made to understand that no coach - for THIS game we will not stop till we see BLOOD#Richmond wins but bc they are playing away the home fans actively are tossing crap at them as they celebrate on the pitch#also the sprinklers come on and it’s a bus full of soaked greyhounds on the ride home

They're in West London! Maybe they just fucking hate Fulham. Or Brentford.

Actually, I've thought long and hard about Richmond's derby rivalries. Semi-canon sources say they have a bit of a West London rivalry with Brentford BUT to me it doesn't make much sense because Richmond are supposed to have been mid-table in the Prem for years, top-flight but mediocre. Brentford only made it to the Prem in 2021.

Actually, I've decided that Richmond kind of take the place of QPR for most of their history, except they didn't get relegated when QPR did. This is because 1) it'd be too many London-based clubs otherwise but, more importantly, 2) when Man City won their first title in 2012 with Agueeeeeero!!! that was against Richmond. It's funny, To Me.

Also you know Roy still fucking hates Newcastle from his Sunderland academy days. If his pundit career had lasted longer he'd be having top tier shithousery with Alan Shearer every week about it.

Anyway here's a whole youtube playlist about WILD derbies.

#ALSO BC SUAREZ IS COMING TO MIAMI - BITING INCIDENTS CAN THEY DO THAT

As an Italian I am legally obliged to SAY that if Suarez hadn't bitten Chiellini at the World Cup we would have gone past the group stage because Uruguay scored off a corner they won while Italy were all busy telling the ref that there was a fucking cannibal on the pitch. I don't forgive and I don't forget.

Anyway for context: cannibal Luis Suarez. He's a repeat offender. Someone at Richmond would think it was very funny

[illusion-of-simplicity]

It was supposed to be an easy job. In and out in the span of three, possibly four, months. You weren’t supposed to become compromised and possibly ruin everything you’ve worked for.

You definitely weren’t supposed to fall in love.

But you’re getting ahead of yourself. This all really started well before you ever accepted the job to infiltrate into the Belmont Estate. Before you even became a Field Agent within Tenebria; an underground force within the CIA and other covert agencies around the world.

It all started from the day you were chosen— out of dozens of children— to become a part of an organization that was even more infamous then the MIB.

You should have known that simplicity within your line of work— within your life— was simply an illusion. The question? Whatever shall you do with the reality you’ve found yourself in now?

Customizable MC: Name, gender, appearance, hobbies, sexuality, and parts of your background. Skills can range from an affinity for technology, interpersonal skills (being able to connect with people), and fighting with or without weapons. Each skill can be developed depending on your choices!

Romance 1 of 6 possible options. From the heir(ess) of the Belmont Estate, your partner, a rival agent, and the suspected villain of the entire story. There may be poly relationships developed later on.

Tropes: Found Family, Rivals to Lovers, Spy Dramedy, Forced Proximity, Slow Burn, and much more!

RO PoVs? Definitely. Masquerade Ball Shenanigans? Obviously. Light hearted fun to intersect some of the angst? Always.

This game is romance focused, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect your platonic relationships. There’s fun to be had in both situations.

Yvan/Yvonne Belmont [M/F] || The Target

The target of the assassination plot. You’re not exactly sure of their importance to Tenebria, but you’re well aware of the consequences if you fail. With an aloof attitude, silver tongue, and inability to stay in one spot for long; they’ll definitely make your job interesting in the long run.

Cane/Cara Drakos [M/F] || The Villain

The number one suspect in the plot against the Belmont Empire. A genius level intellect, a charming grin, and an ease around people, one could definitely see why they’d be at the top. Especially since they’ve grown their multi-billion dollar empire from the ground up by the time they were 28. The only kink? They’ve been best friends with the Belmont Heir since they both were in diapers. Of course, that won’t stop you from figuring out their darkest secrets.

Blake Alexander [M/F] || The Rival

Cocky doesn’t even begin to cover their attitude. While they certainly have a reason to be, after everything they’ve been able to accomplish, you’ve never been able to mesh well with them. Especially since you’ve always been pitted against one another; only ever working together twice before. This time would mark the third. Would anything different come about? Or will the forced proximity finally be one of your end?

Skylar Grant [M/F] || The Partner

A people pleaser to the max, Skylar has always been able to figure people out better than anyone you’ve ever met. You’ve never been able to understand how they do it, but you’re more than happy to have them on your side. A constant within the hectic world of shadow organizations and espionage; Skylar is the one person you know you can count on most in the world. Will that ever change?

Grayson Walker [M] || The Exasperated Handler

Grayson Walker is a legend within Tenebria. A walking myth that many can’t even believe is actually real. You’ve known him closely for the last four years; ever since he took over from your last Handler. While he isn’t one for many words, Grayson definitely lets you know when he thinks you’re being an idiot. Especially when it comes to taking missions that you don’t know the whole story of. Can you count on his expertise while figuring out this case? Will you be able to find out why he quit the field? Or will he only ever just sigh when you mic turns on?

Andrea Solaris [F] || The Recon Expert

A new addition to the Squad upon entrance into the Belmont Estate; the quiet, almost soulful, partner to Agent Alexander. You’re almost surprised by how well they work together— although Blake does seem to partner well with anyone that’s not you. Getting a read on Andrea isn’t the easiest, but you can definitely understand why she was chosen for the job. Maybe you’ll learn more along the way as you work closer and closer together.

DEMO (TBA) || RO APPEARANCES || FAQ

[terabyteturtle]

🩷 Lili De Rochefort SFW Alphabet 🩷

This will be the last request I'll be filling out for a while, as I have a lot of other writing endeavors that I want to work on for the moment. Hope you all enjoy this!

This was requested by a Wattpad user.

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Lili is super affectionate! Whenever she greets you, she always kisses both of your cheeks. At first, you just thought it was a stereotypical French thing, but later on, you learned that it was just because she really liked you. Lili also loves resting her hand on your shoulder, your face, or your own hand, and when you walk together, she’ll hold your hand and stick by your side. She just loves being physically close to you—even the most subtle of gestures fills her with joy. Oh, and if you do something nice for her, expect to be smothered with kisses and wrapped into a bone-crushing hug (Salt is not jealous of you). Lili doesn’t care whether you’re by yourselves or among others; you’re her darling and nothing will change how much affection she gives you.

B = Best Friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

You know that one preppy, rich girl that’s in every high school dramedy? That’s Lili to a T. As a best friend, she’d gossip to you about everything. From school troubles to new grains in the rumor mill, there isn’t one thing Lili won’t weave into conversation. She’d also want to do everything with you, from going shopping to seeing movies to having the best sleepovers ever. If she’s bored and has nothing to do, she’ll probably video chat with you just to have someone to talk to. When it comes to folks she likes to hang out with, you’re second to none. It’s miraculous that you’ve managed to become friends with her in the first place, given how picky she is. She’s dramatic, overexaggerated, and often pokes fun at you when she feels like it, but she’s incredibly loyal and cares so much about you. Your friendship would probably start at the mall, with her complimenting you (which is rare for her) and giving you style tips in a way that doesn’t sound derogatory for once.

C = Comfort (How do they comfort you? Are they good at it or are they kinda awkward? How do they like to be comforted?)

To comfort you, she’ll hug you, run her fingers through your hair, and softly console you, saying whatever she thinks will make you feel better. When it comes to comforting, it’s kind of a 50/50 shot with Lili. Sometimes, her method works wonders and it seems like she knows exactly what to say. Other times, she’ll accidentally come off as sarcastic, or what she’s saying will sound shallow and rehearsed. In all honesty, Lili doesn’t always know what she’s doing, which can really frustrate her. She likes being in control of the situation, and when she doesn’t know what to do, especially when you’re experiencing emotional turmoil, she panics. Over time, Lili will eventually learn how to feel things out and respond straight from the heart, rather than overthinking and saying what she thinks is best. Now when the roles are reversed, it’s a different story. Lili loves to be pampered, and when she needs comforting, that increases tenfold. Give her whatever she wants, whether it be a snack or a kiss on the cheek, and give her the gushiest compliments you can think of. If she has anything she wants to rant about, listen. Don’t give her advice—just hear her out and be attentive.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Lili hasn’t really thought about settling down, especially since she lives in a million-dollar mansion with a butler to tend to her every whim. She’s never had to cook or clean a day in her life, as she’s always had servants to do it for her. So, if you guys ever settle down together, good luck—Lili barely knows anything. In terms of cooking, she only knows how to bake, and even then, she only does it for rare occasions. If you can cook, that’s great, but if you can’t, then you guys are gonna have to survive off of baked goods until one of you learns how. In terms of cleaning, Lili will probably ask you to do all of it for her, as she doesn’t want to ruin any of her nice clothes with dirt, dust, or cleaning chemicals.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with you, how would they do it?)

If Lili had to break up with you, she’d probably call you over the phone. She wouldn’t want to do it in person out of fear of potentially crying in front of you. While on call, she’ll try keeping her composure the best she can because although it kills her to do this, she doesn’t want to have a dramatic outburst. After all, Lili still has a sense of pride and refuses to let anyone believe they hold power over her in any way. If she doesn’t break it off in a dignified manner, not only will she fear that you’ll think less of her, but she’ll also be frustrated with herself for not having any nobility. Afterward, she’ll remain civil with you, but there’s a strong chance you won’t stay friends.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Lili loves the idea of getting married. Lavish or extravagant events of any kind make her excited enough, but receiving tons of gifts while being the center of attention? She’s completely sold. She’ll want to get married fairly quickly, but her father would rather have her wait until she gets older. Of course, Lili obeys him; as much as she wants to be a bride, she still respects his wishes. A wedding's coming eventually though, so be prepared for it.

G = Gentle (How tender are they, both physically and emotionally?)

With Lili, it depends on how she’s feeling. Typically, she’s sweet and gentle physically, but when she’s super excited about something, she might go a little overboard. Her hugs will be tighter and more forceful, and she’ll go in to kiss you so fast that it almost feels like a slap to the face. Emotionally, it’s the same way. Usually, Lili will be sweet, polite, and approachable, but if she’s feeling angry or stubborn, then things can go south pretty quickly. She’ll get sassy and harsh with her words, often saying things she doesn’t truly mean. Lili doesn’t mess around when someone makes her upset—if that happens, even if you’re the one who angered her, she will not hold back.

H = Hugs n' Cuddles (Do they like hugs/cuddles? What are they like? How often do they happen?)

Lili loves physical affection in every way, shape, and form. For hugs, she’ll always wrap both of her arms around your torso and, depending on your height, place her head in a certain spot. If you’re taller than her, she’ll press her cheek to your chest. If you’re shorter than her, she’ll rest her head on top of yours. When you guys cuddle, Lili will sit beside you and rest her head on your shoulder, making sure your arm is securely around her. Both hugs and cuddles happen very frequently, as you see her almost all the time. She always greets you with a hug, gives you one when she’s excited, or crushes you with one if you do something nice for her. Cuddles happen whenever you guys are just hanging out and chillin’ together.

I = I Love You (How quickly do they tell you they love you?)

She’ll say it within the first month of the relationship. Lili’s really excited about having a lover, as it means she has someone new to help spice up her life. She’s never been interested in anyone romantically for longer than a week, so being in a long-term relationship is a new and unfamiliar experience for her. It’s something that she’s really enthusiastic about exploring, so Lili will want to dive head-first into the relationship as soon as it goes beyond a certain point. Because you’ve been together for more than a few days, it must be true love, right? At least, that’s what it is in her mind. Lili first told you she loved you over a video call one afternoon. You guys were talking to each other, getting ready to meet up for a date, and when it was time to head out, she blew a kiss to you and said “I love you, bye!” in French. You had no idea what it meant, and she refused to tell you just to mess with you.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they're jealous?)

Lili doesn’t get jealous with anyone except for Asuka. She’s very prideful and confident in herself, so she doesn’t really see anyone else as a threat. Asuka is the only exemption from this because, a while ago, she’d proven her strength to Lili by beating her in the fifth King of Iron Fist Tournament. The fighting heiress doesn’t get what you would possibly see in Asuka, but as her rival, she can’t help but have this irrational fear that your heart will suddenly belong to her. Because of this, Lili will try to keep you away from Asuka as much as possible, much to your confusion. Lili would rather die than admit she’s worried about her biggest rival, so you have no idea why she acts so defensive all of a sudden when she’s around. If Lili ever does get jealous (which, for the most part, is super rare), she’s 100% prepared to smack the hell out of whoever’s flirting with you.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Lili’s kisses are usually on the softer side, except for when she’s super excited about something. They always last for a little while; even when she gives quick pecks, her lips linger for a little longer than they’re supposed to. Since she wears lipstick nearly all the time, her kisses will always leave traces of it behind. She loves kissing you on your cheeks and lips the most. Both spots are nice and soft, and they’re also perfect for leaving spots of lipstick as a friendly little reminder that you’re hers. As for herself, she loves being kissed on the hands and lips, as she feels those places are the most romantic. Lili revels in receiving special treatment, and kisses in those spots make her feel like a queen (even more so than she already does).

L = Little Ones (How are they around children and what are their thoughts on them?)

Lili’s not very patient with children, so she tries to avoid them whenever she can. To her, most children are barbaric and incapable of having manners. She’d rather be around people she deems more civilized. She doesn’t necessarily hate children, but it doesn’t take much for them to get on her nerves. For this reason, and a bunch of others, Lili isn’t interested in having any children. Her father says that she’s still young and might feel differently in the future, but her mind is made up. If you’d like to have kids, then you might be able to convince her to adopt, but she’s pretty adamant about her decision not to have kids of her own.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Rise and shine, you’re probably getting up early. If you’re sleeping over at her house, then you’re getting ready for school together in the morning. When she gets up, Lili always has the perfect Disney Princess-style awakening. She never feels drowsy or tired in the morning, always waking up with a smile on her face. You, on the other hand, are always awoken by Salt aggressively licking your face. Once you’re up and at it, Lili will help you pick your outfits, do your hair, and perform a skincare routine to make your face look like it’s glowing. As for herself, she already has everything laid out the night before, and she’ll straighten her hair even though it’s already straight. If her hair doesn’t look absolutely perfect, she’ll attack it with the straight iron. Afterward, you guys’ll have a lavish breakfast together with a hot cup of rose tea, and then Sebastian will drive you both to school.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?

Nights spent with Lili involve cuddling galore, with Salt almost always by your side. You guys typically watch TV or listen to music together, talking about whatever comes to mind. More often than not, Lili does all of the ranting while you sit there and listen, injecting your own thoughts every now and then. You’ve caught Lili just sitting there, staring at you, on several occasions. It’s very rare for the two of you to stay up late, as you both have school throughout the week. You’ll only attempt staying up late on the weekends, which usually doesn’t last very long as Lili gets tired quickly. Before going to bed, she’ll give you yet another skincare routine to do with her, one that’s entirely different from the morning one. As the relationship continues, she’ll start to expect that you memorize each routine, so make sure all those essential oils stay fresh in your mind.

O = Open (At what point would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or take their time with it?)

Lili is very open with a lot of things, so it wouldn’t take much time for her to start opening up about herself. There’s a lot that she’ll be honest about right off the bat, to the point where it almost feels like an information overload. On the first date, you barely even spoke because Lili had so much to yap about, not just about herself, but about other things as well. However, she does have an image that she likes to keep up, so she’ll withhold any information that she thinks will make her appear weak (up until a certain point, at least). Eventually, she’ll realize that it’s okay to be vulnerable with you, and you won’t judge her or think any less of her. If you did, she’d probably smack the crap out of you.

P = Patience (How patient are they?)

Generally, she's not very patient, especially not with those she dislikes. She's hard to please, and anything not to her liking will fall under the wrath of her sharp tongue. Unfortunately, with you, she’s not much better. Just because you’re her lover does not mean you’re exempt from her snobbish scoldings. If she's impatient or upset with someone, she doesn't care who it is---she's letting them know. The only person Lili has ever shown some semblance of patience to is her father, and even then, she often gets frustrated with him for not letting her fight. You love your girlfriend, but sometimes you can't help but wonder how it feels to have her be patient for once.

Q = Quizzes (How much do they remember about you? Do they remember every detail or kinda forget everything?)

Lili is so self-absorbed that you wouldn’t expect her to remember a lot about you. However, that’s not quite the case. Sure, sometimes she might accidentally mistake something she likes for something you like, but for the most part, Lili remembers your likes, dislikes, hobbies, interests, etc. She might forget some of the minor details, but she will always recall the major ones, and that's what's important.

R = Remember (What is one of the most important moments of your relationship?)

One of the most important moments of your relationship was when you met Asuka for the first time, which happened only a couple days after you started dating. Originally, with the way they were glaring at each other, you thought they were ex-lovers. Upon hearing this, Asuka looked disgusted while Lili just stood there cackling. “Oh please, mon amour, she's my rival,” said Lili. “I'd sell every piece of clothing in my wardrobe before I’d even think of dating her. Besides, I’d never go out with anyone who doesn’t have a sense of fashion.” While making a jab at Asuka, your girlfriend implied that you had a good sense of style. Considering your relationship was still fairly new at the time, that was probably the sweetest thing she'd ever said about you thus far. Lili would obviously go on to give you more compliments as time progressed, but this was the first genuine one you had received from her.

S = Security (How protective are they and how would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Lili is definitely protective over you, and she’s well-aware of it. If someone tries to bother you, she’ll be on the attack, coming up with tailor-made insults in the blink of an eye. In front of you, she’d rather destroy her opponents verbally as opposed to beating them up; she just doesn’t feel comfortable with you witnessing any violence at her hand, even if you’re totally fine with it yourself. Rest assured, though, Lili will always defend you the best she can if the circumstance calls for it. If things get physical, she’ll fight for you without a second thought. When it comes to her own protection, Lili feels safe knowing that you’re there by her side. For example, if she has a nightmare and feels threatened about something, she'll call you and either tell you to come over or tell you to stay on call with her until she falls asleep. Your presence is soothing to her; just knowing that you’re there is enough to make her feel protected.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, etc?)

Because of how rich she is, it wouldn’t take much effort for Lili to do anything. She’s free to spend her money on whatever she wants, no matter how expensive it is. Luckily for you, that also includes dates, anniversaries, and gifts. And to top it all off, Lili doesn’t have to work for any of it because she already has it all at her disposal. So whenever Lili’s planning something for the two of you, expect her to go all out. She’ll book the fanciest of restaurants or the most scenic park reserves not out of necessity, but just because she can. Oh, and don't worry about how you're gonna get there; Sebastian will do all the driving in the Rochefort family limo. And while you sit there in shock and awe, Lili will just act like this is an everyday thing (because for her, it is). When she gives you gifts, they’re always super expensive; you aren’t even sure you should accept them half the time. If there’s something in particular you want, she’ll buy you the most expensive variant of it. It’s her way of showing you how much she values you; she feels her lover should only get the best of the best.

U = Ugly (What are some bad habits of theirs?)

Lili has a tendency of being dismissive of everyone's feelings but her own, and no matter what, she always has to get her way. If she doesn’t, she gets very frustrated and lashes out with nasty comments. She always ends up apologizing afterwards, and you know she doesn’t really mean it, but it still hurts.

V = Values (What do they value in a partner?)

Lili values someone she can spend time with. After school, she doesn’t really have much going on, so someone she can hang out with and talk to means a lot to her. She also likes those who’re laid-back and easygoing, as she finds them easier to be around. Lili’s hard to please and she knows it, so someone who goes with the flow and doesn’t mind doing whatever she wants is a must. However, she also needs someone with a backbone who isn’t afraid to stand up for themselves. She might hate it initially, but eventually she’ll realize the error of her ways and thank you for it later. Lili’s so used to just getting what she wants that she rarely gets resistance from anyone, so having someone who will stand up for themselves will teach her some important life lessons.

W = Wedding (How are they on the big day? How do they help plan it out? Are they emotional or stoic?)

Lili is absolutely thrilled on the big day! A huge event that revolves around her? And you get special attention as well? Yes, please. The whole thing is one big treat for her, and she loves every second of it. She’ll plan out everything with the biggest smile on her face, and you won’t have to worry about a thing. She wants the day to be absolutely perfect and will only order top-notch stuff. Every now and then, you’ll have to pitch in your own ideas just to remind her that it isn’t just her wedding. When the day finally comes, and the two of you are standing at the altar, she’s a bucket of joy. She’ll be smiling ear-to-ear, standing proud and proper in the finest silk bridal gown you’ve ever seen. As the officiant delivers their sermons, Lili keeps her composure very well, but on the inside, she’s anxious to just cut to the case and kiss you already.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them)

She used to hire a photographer to take pictures of her for social media, but why waste money on that now that she has you? You’re taking her photos now, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they can't stand, both in a partner and in general?)

As previously established, Lili’s a very picky person, so naturally there are a lot of things about others that she doesn’t like. However, there are three types of people she absolutely can not stand. First of all, Lili has no tolerance for anyone like herself. It’s fine if she can be arrogant, but anyone else who tries to flaunt or flex excessively will irritate her. Secondly, people with sharp tongues and thick skin also annoy her. If she can’t make them feel inferior, then she almost feels as though she’s failed (at what, you can’t really understand). Finally, Lili hates when people don’t practice basic personal hygiene. She just doesn’t understand how people can’t properly take care of themselves. Combine these three things and congratulations, you just created the person Lili hates the most out of everyone on Earth.

Z = Zzz (What are some sleep habits of theirs?)

Oh boy, this girl has a whole set routine laid out that she absolutely has to do every single night. Lili removes all her makeup with all sorts of cleansing water, throwing the makeup pad into her trash can when she’s done, which is filled with used makeup pads from previous nights. Then, she does her skincare routine exactly 30 minutes before she falls asleep. It seems excessive to you, but according to Lili, all of it’s necessary. Afterward, she brushes her hair out, puts in a bunch of straightening serums, and puts it in a loose top-bun that looks perfect every time. Then, before bed, she puts on a fluffy pink sleep mask. On the subject of sleepwear, Lili’s pajama wardrobe is just as large as her regular one, and everything inside is made from the finest silk and satin. Also, her bed is the most comfortable thing you’ve ever slept on in your life. Lili always sleeps on her back, whether you’re sleeping over or not. She’ll share her bed, but if you want to cuddle during the night, you’re gonna have to turn on to your side. Lili refuses to sleep anywhere but on her back, as she wants to prevent her face from touching anything throughout the night. This is because she doesn’t want to get acne, which is understandable, but she’s overly careful about it. If you really want to cuddle, she’ll put an arm around you, but she won’t move a muscle otherwise.

[damnikindadontcare]

“Carmy’s not a funny character”

“The bear isn’t a comedy”

“Jeremy/The Bear shouldn’t have won”

Really what the fuck is this then?

In all seriousness Carmy is a funny character and The Bear is a funny show, it’s obviously not like the other comedies in the category but it’s still a comedy in its own right. It’s more specifically a dramedy given that it intersperses comedic moments with themes of grief, mental health, drug addiction, and obviously the struggles of working in and owning a restaurant. The comedy in The Bear is so well done, on Carmy’s part as well, my favorites including “UPS, what’s that?”, “you’re a child asshole”, “you calked it up, now you’re gonna caulk it out!”, “surge rates fucko!” and the entire inflatable hot dog scene (that shit was fucking hilarious both Jeremy and Ebon did a wonderful job). I think that when it comes to the comedy category people expect it to be upbeat tonally and mood wise but The Bear isn’t and I think that’s what makes it so good. The comedy in the bear isn’t entirely consistent and is mostly situational, scattered here and there in the most human way possible it’s Syd’s sarcastic quips, it’s Richie’s loud and boisterous comments, and it’s Carmy’s deadpan humor. The Bear earned all of its wins by finding a way to blend dark and stressful themes with light and humorous moments and all the actors did wonderful including Jeremy.

[supersymmetrys]

Hello everyone, my name is Artemis and this is my (re) introduction to the writeblr community, I will try to use this account more since I'm trying to get back into writing!

Basic info ;

My name is Artemis, I'm 21 years old and my pronouns are she/her. I follow from my main blog @girltomripley !!

I'm Mexican, English is not my first language so I write most of my stuff in Spanish, but I sometimes translate it in case I want to share it with someone else.

Some of my favorite stuff: Taylor Swift, movies (my top 4: The Talented Mr. Ripley, Somewhere, Broadcast News, and Ghost World), Silvia Moreno García books, 60s-90s Hollywood, alternative rock music, Taylor Jenkins Reid books.

What I like to write about: Dramedy stories, often set in the 20th century, family drama, father/daughter relationships (bonus points if they're not actually related), road trip stories, characters of color, women leads, and queer relationships.

I am currently studying illustration and concept art in college, so other than writing, drawing is something I also enjoy doing (and I hope to share here as well).

While I don't post a lof of NSFW stuff (and if I do, I'll tag it), I'd prefer if you were at least over 16 if you want to be mutuals!

Please interact with this post so we can be mutuals! And don't be afraid to send me an ask/message me to talk about your own stories/ask about mine!

My WIP'S ;

While I do have multiple of unfinished works in progress, most of them are just ideas or fanfics. My main WIP and probably the one I'll talk about the most is In the Angel's City:

In the Angel's City (drama) ; A hollywood story following a screenwriter and her search for answers behind the death of a famous star; all with the help of a retired actor who disappeared from the public eye.

(more stories under the cut)

Roadrunners (drama) ; Two childhood friends embark on a cross-country journey with a free-spirited young woman they just met, as a romance between the trio blossoms.

Andy You're A Star! (thriller) ; Things turn sinister for average Andy when he meets dark and mysterious James, who drags him along a murderous path (based on The Killers' songs!!)

Neon Bible (horror) ; A small town in Mexico is divided when the child of one of the most important families starts claiming to hear voices and see things that aren't there: half the town believes it must be the devil's work while the other tries to find a medical solution. The situation escalates with the arrival of a foreign guest, who clashes immediately with one of the most beloved and respected men in town.

Game & Performance (drama) ; Carmen, a problematic CEO of a makeup brand decides to escape to a Greek island with her husband after being accused of scamming her clients. Carmen worsens her problems by starting a relationship with a man much younger than her.

(I'll be updating this section as I make intro posts for these)

[avelera]

I watched the first episode of Kate Winslet's "The Regime" and had a few thoughts.

First, the good:

- Really excited to see Matthias Schoenaerts (Booker in The Old Guard) in it, so that was already a huge plus.

- Kate Winslet is definitely acting her ass off.

- A lot of worldbuilding and research about dictators both historical and modern definitely went into the script. I could see snippets of many known dictator affectations, like germophobia, on display.

And now the... not exactly bad but the ???:

(Cut because we start to get into some actual spoilers)

I really don't know where the show is trying to go just yet. I can't quite tell if it's a flat out comedy in the style of Death of Stalin, as advertised, or if it's actually going for a deeper dramedy where we're supposed to feel some level of pathos for Winslet's and Schoenaerts' characters.

Basically, it feels like a fictionalization of a historical dramedy.

However, in Death of Stalin and other dramas and satires based on real historical events, we know where this is all going, to some extent. We can tell if the Bumbling Advisor's advice is, well, bumbling because we know how things are going to turn out.

Right now, in The Regime, we don't have any grounding in reality to be able to determine if the decisions being made are bad or good or simply incompetent and doomed to fail.

We've got a lot subjective view points like the various ministers and Schoenaerts' character to give their perspective on what the country should do next, but we don't have any objective birds eye view, historical knowledge, or even an actual person average person in the this fictional country to tell us what they're really thinking, unfiltered through the subjective POV of all these characters with very pronounced agendas.

In a way, I do consider that quite clever from a writing craft standpoint. I feel just as isolated and wrapped in cotton wool as Winslet's character. Which is part of why I wonder if I'm supposed to sympathize with a figure that, to my eyes, reads like Marine le Pen from a dystopian world where she actually won in France.

As an American, I can't tell whether or not the country turning away from America (who was clearly trying to take advantage, in a cobalt deal that to my ears echoed the British oil interests in Iran at the beginning of the 20th c.) is meant to be seen as a good or a bad thing. Truly. I don't mean that as saying I want or expect America to be the good guy, but I can't tell if I'm relatively anti-American compared to the creator of the show (ie, that America is just assumed to be a good guy so it's meant to be a negative harbinger of bad things to come that they turned away) or relatively pro-American (ie, that it's a show made by non-Americans so by not seeing this as a clear good thing that they reject America using terminology that echoes current Russian rhetoric) and I should be cheering on their choice to turn away.

On the one hand, this ambiguity if intentional is quite masterful! I can't quite tell if I'm supposed to see Schoenaerts as a straight-shooter who is supposed to help this rather hapless dictator maybe achieve some good, or if he's a violent MAGA-type thug who is going to get her ear and put their country down the path to atrocities. I just don't know yet, because this isn't a historical dramedy so I don't know how these events play out.

And I can't tell quite yet if that's a good or a bad thing from the writerly perspective. On the one hand, I'm personally more baffled than intrigued as to why I should care about anything going on in it so far. It's not all that funny, so I'm not entertained or amused just at the nonsense happening, because I can't tell what I'm supposed to see as nonsense and what I'm supposed to see as serious worldbuilding leading towards an actual fictional country narrative that will allow some commentary on our own global situation, or if it's just intrigue for the sake of intrigue, or if it's a character study and I shouldn't care about the actual events in the fictional country because it's the absurdity of the personalities I should be focusing on. Or if I am supposed to be laughing, what aspects I'm supposed to be laughing at.

Basically, it hasn't won my trust yet. I'm mildly intrigued, mostly because of Winslet and Schoenaerts adding complexity to what in a normal satire might just be flat comedic characters. But I can't even really tell yet if the story thinks it's a comedy or if it just has comedic elements (like, say, Succession).

Maybe I'm just basic, but I wouldn't have minded a bit more signposting and a bit less of a feeling that I'm supposed to grasp what point the story is trying to make on its own. I don't really know what the thesis is yet, because it's not based in real events, there's no objective truth for me to look at and say, "Ah, they're saying this historically terrible person was misunderstood, or bumbling, or actually heroic, or well-intentioned," etc etc. I only have their word for it and they haven't actually told me yet what their word is trying to say, y'know?

Verdict: I'll probably watch a bit more, but I am a little perplexed at present as to what the takeaway should be.