#storm e always creates interesting relationship dynamics

[bundlessnugglestuff]

^ forest

Forest's crush on Storm E. in We're Lalaloopsy is so funny to me because what do you mean Forest 'just us guys' lives in the woods because he prefers solitude Evergreen saw an alternative girl in town once and caught feelings THATS SO FUNNY

How would he even begin to navigate that he wouldn't have a frame of reference! Ace is kind of oblivious so he's no help. Forest is going to be fighting for his life grappling with the brand new never before seen feeling of liking someone more than platonically for once

Forest 'This is Beavers fault' Evergreen

[lemonlyman-dotcom]

September August July June

Note: these are not in any order!

The night before Halloween by @ladytessa74

M | 21k

This is the cutest thing ever!! And also spooky. TK & Carlos and their five-year-old Elijah celebrate Halloween, go to a pumpkin patch and receive some unwanted visitors. Tessa’s TK & Carlos are as syrupy sweet as ever, but add on the cuteness of Elijah, aka Koala Bear, and I’m ���

Suddenly, in the Silence by @carlos-in-glasses

E | 10k

Another banger from Cig. TK & Carlos ride out a storm at Andrea’s house and are visited by a specter (maybe?). This is a beautiful look at faith and spirituality, and how people cope with the question of what happens after when you lose someone. Things I love: TK knowing nothing about cars but making them go vroom, Andrea and Tía Lucy with their seances, Carlos being a grumpy kitten, TK sashaying around in his fancy silk pajamas, the family dynamics of Andrea, TK & Carlos. They’re just so comfortable with each other in this fic, it feels so natural.

Road Rash by vaguenotion

T | 12k

Wow!!! The tension in this one. TK and Judd take a trip to visit Judd’s dad and encounter some nefarious characters on the way home. The Judd & TK brotherly dynamic is top notch here. The action, the pacing, the twists! All done so well. Cliche as it sounds, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

The Shadow by @itsrandomnobody7

T | 4.5k

Tarlos as pirates! I loved this concept! A very sweet story with one of my favorite visuals: Judd and Nancy fighting back to back.

Even if the World Ends Tomorrow by @bonheur-cafe

T | 12k

In this post-apocalyptic story TK & Carlos remember to celebrate their anniversary when the bluebonnets bloom 🥹 Carlos is injured and TNT has to treat him with limited resources. Lots of beautiful imagery here and sweet Tarlos moments.

come what may, I'll still stay by @strandnreyes

E | 26k

This is a very interesting and probably realistic look at what Carlos would be like if he did become a detective. He is so like Owen, and I love the way that aspect of his personality is explored here. Lots of juicy Tarlos tension. The story gives TK a lot of room to really feel his feelings in a way that feels true to character.

The Knave of Hearts . . . brought back the tarts by @liminalmemories21

E | 60k

Another incredible installment of the beloved art heist series! I highly recommend reading the first two before this one. The first two stories were so much about Carlos coming to terms with his past and learning to trust TK. This part TK has to grapple with insecurities stemming from his own history. And there’s another really fun heist!! Also spotting the Easter eggs and twists on canon is a lot of fun too.

Made it Easier Somehow by @paperstorm

T | 1.6k

Soft little moment of Carlos coming home after a late shift to find his husband asleep on the couch, having tried and failed to wait up for him. TK through Carlos’s eyes is always very sweet, but especially when Carlos is reflecting on what their relationship means to him.

RWRB

Where There Are Octobers by @iboatedhere

E | 51k

I was delighted to see Rae doing her daily October prompt fills again this year, even if it’s not for my favorite boys this time. Every day is a different little adventure, from doctors to strangers in the park to assassins on the run. The characterization and the dialogue is so, so spot on in every universe.

As always, this is not in any way a comprehensive list of all the good stuff that came out in October. This is the stuff that I was able to read and vibed with. This is a way for me to hype the stories that got me excited this month, and I encourage everybody to be intentional in reblogging fics and screaming about the stuff you’re reading and enjoying all month long. Let’s work to build this fandom into a more inclusive and encouraging place to create! Also, caveat that the Gabriel grief stuff is tough for me, so I’ve been avoiding and/or very slowly making my way through those ones

[casperrscapes]

pokemon anime fanfic rec list !!

hii!! i’ve compiled some of my favourite pokeani ao3 fanfics to create this rec list. i hope that this is helpful, enjoy!! ( •̀ ω •́ )✧

be careful, and always check tags/warnings before reading!!

this is loosely made in order of my favourite to my least, though all of these are spectacular. other than that, there isn't any particular order to this.

(moon phases are used to represent partial star ratings!!)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ You Can Always Count On Me by driftveil (G) 7,281 words, 4/4 chapters [no ships] --- Ash has a soft spot for the bruised and the broken. When he says "I choose you," he means it for life. (Brock doesn't understand it at all — until, one day, he does.)

i'm a HUGE sucker for fics focused on ash's relationship with his pokemon. i am also a sucker for fics that kind of focus on brock and ash's brotherly-dynamic. i absolutely adore this fic, dear gosh, it's just a combination of all my favourite pokeani fic aspects in one!! basically, this is a character study fic from brock's perspective as he watches ash taking care of his abused/traumatized fire pokemon.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Promises by CGJ (NR) 3,940 words [no ships] --- Ash leaves on a journey, and each time he comes back different. Brock watches, and waits.

this fic is absolutely beautiful!! this fic is very warm and fuzzy, but also quite angsty and sad, sort of hurt/comfort i guess?? but not exactly. features brock pov, along with brock and ash's brotherly dynamic again!! brock's guilt(?) over not being able to protect ash is written spectacularly. i hold this fic to the highest regard, definitely give this one a chance!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amor Pietasque by driftveil (T) 2,716 words [no ships] --- Froakie’s looking for more than just a trainer. It’s a shame, then, that Kalosian children make such terrible partners.

this potrayal of froakie is absoluely spectacular, and it is exactly how i imagine it. the backstory for froakie in this makes so much sense, and is written beautifully. froakie's feelings are written so amazingly, i swear. the moment froakie met ash?! absolutely perfect. this fic is flawless, please read it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐🌗 A Professor and a Student by LeDiz (G) 136,026 words, 23/23 chapters [no ships] --- Ash seemed determined to stay in Alola, and Kukui had a loft going to waste. He'd boarded students before; he didn't expect anything special out of the experience. As it turns out, Ash isn't the only one who's going to be learning a lot this year. Snippets and fragments of life during Ash's stay in Alola.

i'm almost positive absolutely everyone in the pokeani fandom has read this one already, but just in case you haven't, please read this. it's a spectacular potrayal of ash from kukui's perspective, and it's written amazingly. a good amount of just general fragments, and plot. it's always so interesting to see how people/character's view ash, especially when the character is unaware of ash's previous journeys.

and thus the earth by imaginaryinspiration (T) 1,997 words [no ships] --- Olivia leaned over the table, an unreadable smile on her face, and her eyes flicked to Ash. And the words she said next— well, they put him on very high alert. “I heard that it’s not just a story. During that time, there were sightings of all four legendaries,” she said. “They were fighting all throughout the storm!” In other words, Olivia picks up on some things Ash wished she didn't on their visit to Akala. Everyone else is just confused.

this fic is based off of a moment in the fic mentioned above this (A Professor and a Student by LeDiz), but it's absolutely amazing. it's a further look into what might've happened if my favourite scene in that fic had gone on a bit longer.

⭐⭐��⭐🌘 The 48: Pokemon by LeDiz (T) 359,963 words, 15/? works [a bit of prof.burnet/prof.kukui]

this is a really great series with a whole bunch of great character studies and oneshots. mainly just a bunch of one chapter fics, with a few multichapters. great potrayals of all the characters, and it expertly explores some of the best and most interesting apsects of the pokeani. my personal favs are The Wallet, As long as no one asks, Left Behind, and Nice job, but all of them are absolutely spectacular!!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the light of the moon by imaginaryinspiration (T) 995 words [no ships] --- Pikachu wants to form a truce, just for one night. Meowth decides it's worth it, once he hears the reason. or: an electric rat and criminal cat put aside their differences to teach a death-defying ten-year-old how to say f ck.

(the f ck in't censored in the fic, nor in the actually summary, i was the one who did that for this post.) amazing. beautiful. exquisite. perfect in every way. exactly what i needed in life. okay, okay, jokes aside, this is very much a crack fic. this is incredibly funny, and exactly what you need after reading a whole bunch of angst, assuming you read all the recs above.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ together is better than apart by imaginaryinspiration (T) 8,670 words, 4 works [a little satosere] --- Ash loves saving the world, he really does, but sometimes it's too much. Sometimes, afterwards, he needs a little more support than he's used to.

a super nice and sweet series. focuses on ash's relationship with each of his kalos companions, and it's honestly just very nice. it does have satosere in the second work, but it can definitely be skipped if you're not a fan of that.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Caught, catching by grainjew (G) 1,470 words [no ships] --- Coda to Best Wishes episode 7, “Snivy Plays Hard to Catch!” Soon after her capture, Ash and Snivy sit down for a sunrise conversation about trainers and the having thereof.

such a spectacular potrayal of snivy, and i adore her and ash's bond throughout this fic. snivy's skepticism is written wonderfully. this is just a really cool fic!!

⭐⭐⭐🌖 put your arms around me by kopycat_101 (G) 1,255 words [no ships] --- Ash ponders about his journeys, the friendships he made during said journeys, and the unique way that everyone has hugged him.(Essentially, a fluffy fic full of headcanons plus Ash love and appreciation.)

gahhhhh!! this is so sweet and nostalgic; this fic is simply full of fluff, and i love it. the kinds of hugs each character gives fits them so well, and honestly, ash deserves all the hugs in the world. the only reason this isn't 4 stars is 'cause the way they write 'prof.' instead of 'professor,' annoys me a bit, which is just me being a little prick.

⭐⭐⭐🌖 Aspects of Ash by caspiiann (T) 5,201 words, 6/? chapters [no ships] --- A collection of episodic styled oneshots, depicting different AUs of Ash <3 Chapters do not follow one coordinated plot

just a bunch of really great oneshots, that as the title suggests, are about the "aspects of ash." it's got both crack-y oneshots, and more serious ones. some of the chapters are really great deepdives into ash's character, and those chapters are written spectacularly.

⭐⭐⭐🌗 What it's worth by CGJ (NR) 1,776 words [satogou] --- And he wonders, is this how he made everyone else feel? Is this how mama felt everyday, as he went on a journey and left her waiting? How his pokemon felt, unable to do anything but stay at a lab waiting for him to come back? Goh is leaving on his new journey, and Ash realizes a few things.

ash realizing how everyone else felt when he himself left them behind for a new journey is written spectacularly. how different goh is to all of ash's other friends is potrayed quite nicely, and this is just generally a nicely written fic!!!

⭐⭐⭐🌗 Sparkly Things by grainjew (G) 1,458 words [no ships in tags, but the fic has a bit of satosere] --- Coda to XY episode 64, "Battling with Elegance and a Big Smile!" After nightfall, Ash and Serena discuss Serena's double battle with the mysterious pokemon performer who was definitely not Kalos Queen Aria. Also, Contests.

i adore the kalos gang so much. this fic is very nice, and i love ash mentioning contests,,, it isn't often that he talks about his past adventures/things he's directly learnt from them, so seeing fics about it is always a treat. also, i loved the end note so much!! i, too, am a firm believer that serena and clemont would rant to each other about how much they liked ash.

⭐⭐⭐🌘 Static (Ability) by grainjew (G) 3,357 [no ships] --- Five times Ash Ketchum is ten years old.

ash can't age. that's it. that's the fic. anways, it's good!! ash doesn't believe in aging, nor does he physically age, so it's sorta funny.

i hope that you find these fics are just as amazing as i think they are. feel free to give some of your own recs!! maybe i'll continue this post in the future??

anyways, hope this was helpful!! o(*￣︶￣*)o

(this post was edited on 1/7/2023 in order to remove (accidental) negative comments i made about the pokeani writing community as a whole. it was not my intention to hurt anyone, and i sincerely apologise to anyone who was hurt by my ignorant and careless comments.)

[salmonshirtsforeverprod]

The X-Files: Squeeze review

(Warning: this review contains spoilers for the episode Squeeze.)

Squeeze continues The X-Files' early run of strong episodes that ably define what to expect from the show on a weekly basis. The Pilot gives us our first contribution to the series' long, twisted mythology. Deep Throat gives us the first of what I call "witness" episodes, stories in which Mulder and Scully bear witness to events they're ultimately unable to thwart or change. Squeeze gives us our first true "monster of the week" and our first true character-centric episode, effectively finalizing our introduction to the series. Squeeze is also our introduction to writing team Glen Morgan and James Wong, and their vision of The X-Files as a quasi-anthology series driven by genre homage and visceral body horror. Finally, Squeeze establishes Morgan and Wong's powerful push/pull dynamic with series creator with Chris Carter. Their willingness to prod the foundations of Carter's work, question his assumptions and explore his implications, is the core of one of the most fascinating working relationships in television history.

If Chris Carter's early work on the series is defined by his encyclopedic knowledge of UFO and conspiracy lore, Morgan and Wong's work is defined by pop-cultural pastiche. The two create tightly structured riffs on popular media, while always keeping their attention to character in sharp focus. In this case they primarily draw inspiration from Dan Curtis' 1973 film The Night Strangler and Stephen King's 1986 novel It. King gets a shout-out right from the jump as the teaser begins with a man walking into an office building, unaware he's being watched by a yellow-eyed man in a nearby storm drain. The dim lighting and slow truck-in make for an extremely creepy image, one of the best of the episode. The intruder sneaks into the building through the elevator shaft, and uses the ventilation system to reach his target's office. He unscrews the air conditioning grate from the inside, kills the man, and leaves the way he came. Cue opening credits. Just like that, we're off to the races. It's a fascinating teaser, challenging our expectations and presenting us with a delightful, X-Filesy twist on the locked room mystery.

The first act begins as Scully has lunch with Tom Colton, a former classmate at the FBI Academy. It's really a brilliant scene. Colton is a remarkably catty careerist, played with slimy zeal by a young Donal Logue, and each seemingly friendly exchange drips discomfort and venom. He's as contemptuous of those above him as those below, and he fully expects Scully to participate in the backbiting. When he turns his withering attention to Mulder and the X-Files, Scully defends her partner and asks if he really views her work with such disrespect. He defers, but bristles at her objection, angry and unwilling to meet her eye. It turns out he actually brought Scully to lunch in order to ask for help, he's just physically incapable of displaying even a modicum of decency or respect. He's been assigned what's seemingly a serial murder case, three men murdered and their livers removed by hand, the teaser being the last of the three. Even more confounding, none of the crime scenes have any identifiable entry points. Scully picks up that Colton is really asking for Mulder's insight. Colton confirms, careful to frame it as a favor he's granting Mulder in order to protect his own ego. He also suggests Scully's assistance on this investigation could be her ticket out of the X-Files by saying she won't have to be "Mrs. Spooky" anymore, leaving Scully to ask herself what she's looking for long-term.

Scully brings the offer to Mulder, who acts offended Colton wouldn't approach him, but really he's having a powerful reaction to the thought of losing her. He still accompanies her to the crime scene, where he immediately begins antagonizing Colton. He leans hard into his spooky reputation, spouting off-the-cuff nonsense about the importance of liver consumption to extraterrestrials from the Zeta Reticuli star system. It's another example of Mulder using sarcasm to cope with the animus over his tattered reputation, and it's humorous just how hard Colton bites on the obvious bait. Scully is understandably uncomfortable with the dick measuring going on in front of her, and has no tolerance for it. When they actually start looking around the scene, Mulder notices the ventilation grate and understands it could be a possible point of entry for the killer. In another of his patented intuitive leaps, Mulder dusts the grate and lifts a ten inch long print, much to Colton's chagrin.

Mulder takes the print back to the basement office, confirming its similarity to elongated prints lifted by police during two separate murder sprees, one in 1963 and one in 1933. This is another callback to The Night Strangler and It, both of which center around multiple sets of murders occurring decades apart. Since the earlier sprees contained five murders each, he tells Scully to expect two more. She's angry at first, tired of Mulder jumping to the conclusion of extraterrestrial activity with every case they work. He confirms he was only teasing Colton at the crime scene, and doesn't actually see any evidence of extraterrestrial activity in this case. Something else is happening here, and though the exchange is a little obvious it's important to signal to the audience not to expect aliens in every episode. Scully then decides to play ball in Mulder's old court, and tries her hand at building a profile. She follows sound technique, treating it like a mundane investigation, though the creepy fingerprint weighs on her mind.

She presents her profile to Colton and his team the next day. After a few gratuitous jabs at Mulder the team accepts the profile, Colton even stares at her with a discomfiting mixture of envy and sexual attraction while she reads it. Central to her profile is the idea the killer will return to the scene of previous crimes, so she organizes a stakeout of the three crime scenes.

Mulder joins her but doesn't take the stakeout, or her profile, very seriously. He views the perpetrator as a master B&E artist, driven more by the thrill of entry than the murder, and won't bother to return to a puzzle he's already cracked. This casual condescension will become a staple of Mulder's character going forward. Despite his radical ability to assume other points of view and his insistence on broadening the horizon of investigative theory, once he personally decides on something his mind is made up; he doesn't have much consideration for other possibilities or viewpoints. Scully's profile is quickly proven accurate, however, when they discover a man in a duct, emerging backward as if being defecated from the bowels of the building.

The man they apprehended is a young animal control officer named Eugene Victor Tooms, played perfectly by veteran character actor Doug Hutchison with only the barest hint of personality and a stare somehow both vacant and predatory. He passes a polygraph test but does get flustered when asked, at Mulder's insistence, questions referencing the murders in '63 and '33. These questions are poorly received by Colton and the rest of the team, and Mulder gets dressed down by the agent in charge. His excitement over Tooms' response is dashed, and he's clearly wounded by his ideas being dismissed.

Scully asks why he'd pursue his theory so overtly in front of the other agents and Mulder cracks an evasive joke about his desire to mess with people's heads outweighing "the millstone of humiliation." Scully sees through this and, despite some trepidation, asks why he's been so territorial. It's a great moment, with Scully trying to frame the question in a way that won't offend him then immediately turning away to downplay her discomfort. Mulder responds intimately and honestly, gently touching her necklace to keep her from turning away. He tells her how much her respect means to him and that he'd understand if she wanted to move on from the X-Files. He recognizes and treasures her talent, insight, and potential. This plaintive honesty stands in sharp contrast to Colton's sneering mendacity, and this is what wins Scully over.

Tooms is released with an apology, and he immediately sets out to commit another murder. He stalks a man home, deciding to enter through the chimney. We finally see Tooms' abilities firsthand, as his arms stretch and his joints pop out of place to fit inside. Meanwhile, the target goes about his evening, putting things away and going to light his fireplace. This gives us an inkling of hope, hoping he'll light it in time to smoke Tooms out. It's a good, tense sequence, reminiscent of Hitchcock with it's cross-cutting, misdirection, and use of color. Unfortunately it ends in tragedy: the guy is too late, Tooms is already inside. The scene ends with Tooms awkwardly grabbing the guy in slow-motion, kind of a lame way to pay off a good sequence.

Mulder and Scully visit the new crime scene. Mulder can't help himself and needles Colton yet again, who threatens to have them removed. Scully doesn't stand for this, reminding them they're here to find justice for the victim. It's another great Scully beat, showing that though she's sided with Mulder personally and professionally, she still has no time or interest in their schoolyard antics. They lift more elongated fingerprints and find a small object missing from the mantle. After leaving the crime scene they struggle to turn up any significant documentation on Tooms, so they decide to visit Frank Briggs, a detective who investigated the previous two sets of murders. Briggs is old now, living in a retirement home, but he's still haunted by the case, counting the days until someone calls about these new murders. Briggs sees Tooms as the human embodiment of mankind's potential for evil, comparing the murders to the Bosnian genocide and other atrocities. He produces a scrapbook with photographs proving Tooms hasn't aged since 1933, and directs the Agents to Tooms' old address: 66 Exeter Street. The conversation with Briggs is a weird scene that doesn't quite work. The exposition, at least, is intriguing. It's at once clarifying and elusive, building up to that ominously poetic address, 66 Exeter Street. Otherwise, it's a mess. Mulder vacillates between childlike interest in Briggs' grim story and quiet objection to his characterization of Tooms as a monster. Actor Henry Beckman does the best he can with the material, but Morgan and Wong just haven't really rooted the possibility that Tooms is the human manifestation of evil in the story. This could be another shoutout to It, where the titular villain's evil affects the mood and prejudices of an entire community.

Mulder and Scully go to Tooms' now condemned apartment complex. It's a creepy, well-lit sequence, culminating in the iconic image of Mulder and Scully walking into his apartment, a shot immortalized in the opening credits. They poke around, considering the possibility that Tooms sustains his youth by consuming human livers. This is another reference to The Night Strangler, in this case the film's villain Dr. Richard Malcolm.

The Agents soon make a gruesome discovery. They find an odd nest, constructed by Tooms out of newspaper and an odd, brownish-yellow adhesive. Mulder reaches out to touch it, rubbing the liquid between his fingers before Scully realizes it's bile. Mulder is disgusted, and makes a classic joke about how to get it off his fingers without betraying his calm exterior. This will be the first of many times Mulder instinctively reaches out to touch something gross, and it's a good example of Morgan and Wong's penchant for picking up on an aspect of a previous episode (in this case Mulder's imprudent excursion into the Ellens Air Force Base in Deep Throat) and running with it. The Agents also find the missing trophies from the previous murders. They decide to put the apartment under surveillance but not before Tooms, hiding in the rafters, snags Scully's necklace, suggesting he's found his fifth victim.

Colton goes behind Scully's back and calls the surveillance off in an effort to ingratiate himself to his superiors. When Scully objects to this Colton's mask finally slips, and he treats her with the same venomous contempt he's already spit at everybody else. Scully leaves him to his empty careerism and heads home. She gets home, runs herself a bath, and a huge drop of bile drops from the ceiling, landing on her hand. Tooms has broken in. Gillian Anderson's horrified gasp at this disgusting violation is a great little moment, one of my favorites in the episode. Mulder, meanwhile, heads to 66 Exeter Street, surprised to find the surveillance detail is gone. He finds Scully's necklace among the trophies Tooms took from his other victims, and races to her house. Now it's Scully's inaugural turn as damsel, except when Mulder gets there he really only acts as a diversion long enough to give Scully a chance to jump into action as well. The agents ultimately apprehend Tooms together, Scully handcuffing him to the tub while Mulder trains a gun on him. It's an effective sequence, ending with Tooms cuffed to the tub, jerking around like a cornered animal before relaxing, realizing he's caught, while Scully catches her breath against the window.

We have a few more quick scenes: one with Detective Briggs reading about Bosnian war crimes before seeing a headline about Tooms' apprehension, and crying in relief. We then move to Tooms in his cell, creating a new nest. Mulder and Scully watch him build, and have a conversation about the inability of society to find true security, and how the presence of anomalies like Tooms in the world undermines our conception of what it means to be safe. The conversation is a little heavy-handed, though these capstone conversations will become a regular feature to lend closure to subject matter that inherently resists it. They will improve as the show goes on. Sure enough, the episode ends with Tooms grinning at the realization that his cell door has a food slot. Even our most secure institutions are unprepared for a creature like him.

And there you have it. Squeeze is another solid early episode, introducing us to several more long-running narrative and thematic elements of the series. We're introduced to Glen Morgan and James Wong and their willingness to question Chris Carter's assumptions and test his foundations. We get our first outright horror episode, and our first classic villain. Tooms is a fascinating creation, beautifully realized by Doug Hutchison. He's a tangle of predatory urges, almost totally devoid of humanity, and he's constantly associated with the body: his excretion of bile, his sweaty skin, his consumption of liver, he's even introduced in a visual metaphor for a bowel movement. Seeing him onscreen is almost a tactile experience, reminiscent of the bracing somatic filmmaking of Gaspar Noe. Squeeze is definitely flawed. It isn't as scary as it could have been, probably due to the infamous behind the scenes issues with episode director Harry Longstreet. Longstreet didn't even make an attempt to shoot a piece of horror (perhaps indicative of how unthinkable horror on tv was in 1993), which resulted in his removal and significant last-minute reshoots directed by Morgan and Wong. Squeeze still has a strong story, however, exploring why Scully would continue to work with Mulder despite their disagreements. It shades in their character dynamic immensely, adding several aspects to Mulder and Scully that will become baked into the premise going forward. It also does a great job defining Mulder and Scully's relation to the FBI in general, not just shady arbiters of conspiracy like the Cigarette Smoking Man. It's also the first episode to be character-centric, rather than focusing on narrative or thematic exploration like the Pilot and Deep Throat. This episode essentially acts as the finale of a three-part pilot, completing the pitch of what The X-Files can be.

[wazafam]

Parks and Rec may be about the parks department of Pawnee... but fans know that's just a fraction of what makes the show great, and it's the relationships (romantic and otherwise) that are the real heart and soul of the series. That said, not every romantic choice made on the series was one the audience could get behind. While some couples had everyone rooting for them from the start (like Ben and Leslie), even they occasionally made some bad choices.

RELATED: The Main Characters Of Parks And Rec, Ranked By Power

And other relationships (like Tom and Mona Lisa) just had everyone rooting for them to end, and as fast as possible. But from individual dates to whole romantic connections, which decisions of the Parks and Rec characters were the most eyebrow-raising?

10 Ann Pursuing Mark

Ann, unfortunately, made a lot of questionable relationship decisions - and actively pursuing Mark was definitely one of them. It was clear from the start that Leslie had a huge crush on Mark, and it wasn't always an unrequited one, as they had hooked up in the past. Even though Mark was not interested, for Leslie's best friend to try and start something with him was always going to be awkward. And, of course, it didn't work out anyway.

9 Leslie's Scavenger Hunt With Ben

Leslie's enthusiasm and thoughtfulness is inspiring, but also a little terrifying - as Ben found out, when she created a massive and elaborate scavenger hunt for him that would reveal the location of their special date. Of course, Ben was terrified he wouldn't get all the clues, and enlisted Ron's help to get him there. This ended well, but Leslie's decision to turn something that should have been a fun evening into a source of so much work and stress for her partner just wasn't a good one.

8 Chris And Millicent Grinding

Another somewhat inappropriate connection to begin with was between Chris and Millicent Gergich - which was slightly awkward, as it meant that Jerry's daughter was dating his boss! However, this could have been fine (Chris and Jerry didn't work closely together, and Chris approached him about it ahead of time).

RELATED: 5 Times Chris Was Just Heartwarming On Parks And Rec (& 5 When He Was Just Plain Annoying)

But Chris and Millicent definitely took things to an uncomfortable place at a Halloween party, where they decided to grind on each other right in front of Jerry. They were all adults, sure, but right in front of your father might not be the best place to dry hump on the dancefloor.

7 Ann And Andy

Pretty much everything about Ann and Andy's relationship dynamic was questionable, start to finish! From Ann's willingness to take care of everything for Andy, to his later obsession when they broke up - squatting in the pit and trying to lie to her to win her back, their time as a couple was just awful. Add in Ann's decision to kiss Andy in the hospital, and this was just a relationship made of red flags.

6 Ann Chasing Down Chris

Another situation that was all-round questionable was after Chris and Ann broke up... and he was just so darn nice about it that she didn't even realize! Instead of actually communicating with him openly (which is, admittedly, difficult given his over the top positivity), Ann sent Leslie on a mission to snoop in his house, and then stormed down there herself to confront him over 'cheating' on her, in front of their colleagues. All in all, this was just not handled well by anyone involved.

5 April & Andy Marrying So Quickly

This actually turned out e extremely well, with Andy and April making one of the cutest couples on the show, and becoming a great partnership and great parents in the end. However, fans were definitely wondering about the wisdom of these two getting married as quickly as they did, and 'surprising' everyone with a wedding at a housewarming! At first, most fans felt the same way Leslie did - that this was a terrible decision that should be stopped for the good of all involved... thankfully, Leslie, and everyone else, was wrong.

4 Ann's Fling With Kiley

After her breakup with Chris, Ann goes through an interesting time, personally. She dyes her hair bright colors, she struggles with a little soul searching... and she decides to make out with a patient while working in the medical tent at the Harvest Festival.

RELATED: The MBTI® Types Of Parks And Recreation Characters

This is with Donna's encouragement, who sees the patient as a way for Ann to 'get over' Chris, but instead, she ends up hurting his feelings, too. Using a person to get over another person was never going to be a smart move.

3 Leslie And Ben Dating At Work

Much like Andy and April, this is a decision that may have been questionable, but fans were still rooting for it, because everyone loves Leslie and Ben. However, their decision to risk both of their careers in order to date at work, knowing it was against the rules, is the definition of a questionable one. Thankfully, this all worked out when Ben took the fall for them both, but it was still a risky move.

2 Tom Dating Mona Lisa

Tom makes quite a few less-than-brilliant relationship and dating decisions on the show, but his worst has to be his decision to date Mona Lisa. For one thing, she is his best friend's sister, which was just bound to get weird (especially given the siblings in question), but for another, she was a terrible person who just wanted him to buy her things. Later, she convinced her father that Tom had wronged her, which led to massive issues with his business, too.

1 Everything About Ron & Tammy (One And Two)

It's impossible to narrow this down, because Ron's questionable decisions when it comes to his first two wives are so painfully numerous. Essentially everything about these relationships was eyebrow-raisingly toxic, although it's certainly the most difficult to get the image of Ron in a robe, with cornrows, in jail, married to Tammy again, out of any fan's head. Ron and the Tammys are the definition of terrible romances, and there was barely a decision in these relationships that fans weren't left questioning.

NEXT: 5 Ways Michael Scott & Leslie Knope Are Literally The Same Person (& 5 Ways They Are Definitely Not)

10 Of The Most Questionable Dating Choices On Parks & Rec from https://ift.tt/3ct9ssl

[slowlydriftingdream]

~Top 17 books of 2017~

I read 80 books in 2017 (yay I reached my Goodreads goal!!) and these are my favorites from this year! (Not all of these were published in 2017, I just read them this year)

1-3) ACOTAR, ACOMAF, ACOWAR

The A Court of Thorns and Roses series stole my heart and knocked my breath out.

E M O T I O N S like crazy but a super lovable cast and a badass main character whom I loved, envied, and wanted as my best friend. I literally do not have words to describe how much I loved these books ESPECIALLY ACOMAF. They really made me feel not alone at a time I needed that most, and I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE AHHHH.

4-5) Code Name Verity, Rose Under Fire

I listened to the audiobooks for these books and they were absolutely fantastic. The narrators brought the characters to life in such a lovable and energized manner, and the stories were so heartwrenching and REAL. I tend to get bored reading historical fiction, but this duology has made its way into my heart as one of my ~Forever Favorites~.

6-7) An Ember in the Ashes, A Torch Against the Night

This series is another one that I listened to, and I was honestly not expecting to like them at all--boy did they prove me wrong and then some. The voices of these narrators were perfect for giving life to the characters, and I loved how intricate the story became at times, and how the plots only ever seemed to get more and more interesting!! I cannot wait to read the rest of this series. (Also Elias is everything I have ever wanted in a man please and t h a n k y o u)

8) Rebel of the Sands

I really loved this book because of the legends and myths it incorporated from a culture I am admittedly unfamiliar with. While I have heard that others disliked it for the very reason that I enjoyed it, I also felt empowered by the strength of the main character, and I loved that her talents and abilities are so different from my own. I am currently reading the second book in this series, and anxiously awaiting the release of the third!

9) Eliza and Her Monsters

OKAY. This book made my heart melt over, and over, and over again. I enjoyed reading about the artistry and creativity that surrounded the main characters, again because they were talents different than my own. I also LOVED loved loved the romance in this book. LOVED. I finished this book in one sitting and was instantly dying to reread it for those FEELS.

10) The Raven King

I read the entire Raven Cycle series this year, and while I thought they were all good, this one really stuck out to me in the end. I thought it was a fantastic ending to the series, and solidified my feelings for the characters and the relationship dynamics in the story. I heard that some people did not like that a new important character was introduced to the story in this book, but I really loved the character and how he fit into the group dynamic, so if anything, I would say he added to my love of this book.

11) On the Jellicoe Road

I won't lie, I listened to the audiobook for this, and the Australian accents may have biased my love for this story just a teensy bit. I listened to this story over the summer, and I felt that it was the perfect summer read (listen?) because of how the scenery was described, and how light the story was, even when addressing darker topics. I loved how two stories were told throughout the book, and I loved how the mystery of the two stories' relationship unfolded. This book also reminded me of feels I got from We Were Liars, which I listened to in summer '16.

12) Legend- Marie Lu

This is one of the first books I read in 2017, so I honestly don't remember much about the details that made me love it. I do remember finishing it within a couple of days though, which is really hard for me to do when I'm at school. I also loved the "beat the system" themes and plans that created the story, as I too see myself as a rather rebellious person *hair flips* *punches "the man"* *eats badassery for breakfast*

13-15) Heir of fire, Queen of Shadows, Empire of Storms

Sarah J. Maas making her second appearance on this list with some of the books from the Throne of Glass series. Unfortunately, I didn't love TOG as much as ACOTAR, mostly because I felt like the story was choppier, and I was less crazy about the characters and their dynamics. That being said, I obviously still loved parts of it (I mean, REALLY loved parts of it) that made these three books some of my favorites of the year.

16) Caraval

This book I felt so conflicted about when I read it, but here I am two months later still thinking about it, so it clearly did its job. If I'm being honest, I wasn't crazy about the way the story was written, and how it unfurled. The first few chapters leading up to the characters arriving to the game were kind of awkward and choppy?? I really felt that they were unnecessary. BUT THE PREMISE OF THE GAME. Wow. I essentially only rated it on how the game was explained and how it played out, because it was such a creative, whimsical, and DARK telling. I also loved the Hispanic elements that were thrown in since Latino culture is not something I have ever seen in a fantasy book and this little Latina girl was here. for. it. I am so excited to read the second one to see if I learn more about how the game is at is it, because I still think about some of those twists after all this time. (After all this time? Always. *I'll see myself out*)

17) A List of Cages

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, this book. This book melted my heart, made me laugh, then made me SOB, then rebuilt my heart only to SHATTER IT, then left me in a puddle of tears and excess love for these characters. 9/10 times, if you give me a story about brotherly/sisterly love, I'm going to love it way too much. This is absolutely one of those times. This book does discuss some really heartbreaking and potentially triggering themes, but I felt it did so leaving such a positive feeling in my heart, and if a heavy book can end lightly, I feel that an important message is told that the entire world should learn.

TY FOR READING THIS SUPER LONG POST ABOUT ALL OF MY 2017 FEELS!!!

If you read any of these books and loved or hated them, I would LOVE to discuss with you about them, and if you have any recommendations for me for 2018 PLEASE SHARE!!

Happy New Year everyone!! ☺️🎉

[rollyjogerjones]

Thoughts on OUAT S7 regarding Killian and Captain Swan.

I’ve been meaning to write something up about this for a while, as the hate has become overwhelming and certain individuals are being rude towards those who are remaining positive on season 7. Frankly, I’ve lost any will to not get involved. Here are my thoughts for those who care.

I don’t believe on any account that the writers will pull CS apart through divorce, death, falling out of love, *insert dumb idea here*. Emma is A&E’s creation. They have spent six years developing her and creating an entirely reversed definition of strength to what we have seen in female characters before. Emma has grown through allowing herself to love again and pushing her walls low enough for those loved ones to come into her life and potentially hurt/let her down. She has grown strong in finding vulnerability through her maternal role as Henry’s mother, daughter to Snow and Charming, friend of Storybrooke and Killian’s wife. Her romantic development with Killian has been crucial to her growth, hence the stress of importance on the wedding in 6x20. They will not jeopardise Emma’s growth like that. They have too much respect for Jen’s performance, their character and us, the fans. CS’s love and Emma’s strength in Killian’s partnership is safe.

After yesterday’s panel at D23 and Eddy stating, “the Hook we know only has eyes for Emma,” admittedly, I am now hesitant to say I’m confident Hook will not get a new LI (I’m wording ‘love interest’ in such a way as trolls latch to that and I’m game for some amusement. Also, I’m talking about cursed Hook). In that response, Eddy has confirmed though that Killian will not stop loving Emma. Look, we’ve known the dude for (almost) six seasons now. Emma is his world. Should cursed Officer Rogers get a new LI, the minute he comes out of the curse, he’s thinking of Emma and set on getting her back. He’ll fight tooth and nail for his wife. And is that really a horrid thing? It shows despite the curse and other lady friend, no one will compare. They’re true loves, for god’s sake.

Look, I don’t want to see a new LI either. But it will be a direct consequence of the curse. It will be fake, just as Whale’s dabble with Mary Margaret was. The writers will be playing directly off of a curse under which that relationship was formulated. It won’t last. If anything, this strengthens CS’s love story, and I’m big on that. 

Next topic, CS kid, woo! Eddy says, “We can’t say whether or not they have a child, but we can tell you we will answer that question in the beginning of the season.” Sure, it’s Kitsowitz’s typical cryptic answer, but should it be true, I am here for this! It’s no secret that I am trash for Daddy!Killian (I’ve written enough fics on it) but can you imagine the angst? I’m imagining the newly cast Rose Reynolds as Emma and Killian’s daughter. Killian has their daughter with him and they are both wrapped up in the curse, away from Emma. Killian is a single father who knows his wife as dead. ANGST. The curse is broken and Killian realises Emma is alive and he has to find her! MORE ANGST BUT HURRAY, REALISATION! Killian knows he cannot go barking to his daughter about her mother being alive, so he has to sit by and allow her to continue to believe it until he, Henry and Lucy find Emma or restore the kid’s memories. AAAAAAAAAAAAANGST. I would be so here for this - a single father Killian, working as a police officer with the knowledge that he is a widow, until a nutty young man swoops into his life with his daughter and turns his life upside down. GIVE IT TO ME.

JMo. Let’s talk JMo. Jen has said that she is returning for one more episode. The majority initially assumed that this would be for the premiere. I never believed this would be the case. Similarly to how we have seen in the past week with Lana and Jared’s scenes they shot in Steveston, Jared is returning for flashbacks and small snippets. It is likely that Jen will do the same, and so I believe she said she was returning for one episode in order to prevent disappointment among fans by assuring more, just in case her schedule doesn’t permit later down the line. In fact, I find it much more likely that she will appear in snippets in the upcoming Hook centric episode, 7x02. It is my personal belief above anything though that she will also return for the finale, if she is to film any episode in full, like she confirmed. That would make the most sense, if the curse was broken and Emma is reunited with her husband and kids.

Now for the part that will be most likely to create anger, Killian/Colin. My social media accounts leave nothing a secret. Colin is my favourite actor and Killian is my favourite character. Should I have to choose between Killian and Emma, I’m choosing Killian. That’s just my opinion. I love Emma, but Hook is more entertaining to me. It sucks that we won’t have frequent CS anymore. I hate that. But I for one am thrilled and relieved that I’m not losing both of my favourite characters at once. If I were to choose between having no Colin/Hook on my screen or having the show end entirely, you better believe I’m pushing for more of Colin doing his thing. 

Killian has become one half of a ship in the past few years. Even Rumple has referred to him as “the Saviour’s lapdog” or “a puppy chasing after the object of his affections.” Sure, they’re lines intended as jokes, but really, I cannot remember a time in recent seasons where Killian has had his own plots, not directly tied to Emma. We got a glimpse of it in season 6 regarding David’s father, but even that was overridden with the angst of the first engagement, Emma’s feelings and Gideon being a little bitch. I miss Killian doing his own thing. I miss his plots not directly tied to Emma or written in order to develop Emma’s character. I miss his emotions being considered and not shoved aside because “everyone in Storybrooke cares for Emma and Killian is just the redeemed villain who is dating her.” Killian has become a plot device, and as much as I don’t like to think about it, I’m excited to see who Killian is and the plots he is given without Emma looming over him. Sure, you can argue, “But they’re married! They will always be tied!” But when you have a character whose emotions, personality and development is pushed aside in order to further another character, you’re going to have issues. Seeing a cursed Killian will allow for a few episodes of looking inwards on Hook, not just Emma’s Hook. 

I love Colin. What he puts into Hook and his work on this show astounds me. Every performance increases my admiration for him tenfold. I want more. I want to see another side to Hook in his cursed self and a paternal dynamic towards a possible child. I need it all. Now that he is one of three remaining regulars from the original cast, I’m excited for more of that screen time, development and plot. 

Finally, before I release this monstrous post into the world, I want to reiterate some things before I get an unjustified shit storm in my inbox. Just in case the first two points were lost on some people: 

1. I ship Captain Swan. If you look through my account, that is clear. I love Emma and Hook, both as a couple and their own characters. They are the healthiest example of a relationship I have seen in television and film and likely always will be to me. 2. I adore Emma. I am so proud of her growth and Jen’s performance as her speaks to me on a much more personal level than Killian does. The writers have written and Jen has breathed life into a character that will eternally inspire young girls to allow help and care from loved ones. They have given a new definition to what is considered strong.  3. I am not pleased that we are losing so many of our beloved characters. I will miss regular appearances from Jen and the others to no end, particularly Josh. Farewell, Captain Charming! The bromance to end all bromances.  4. I do not believe for a second that those who are choosing to stop watching the show now are not fans. I don’t believe that those who will not watch because their fave has left are lesser fans of Once Upon A Time than myself. We all have our reasons to continue watching shows, and if yours has gone, I understand that! Hell, if Colin left, I likely wouldn’t watch.

That addressed, I will allow you all to drink this in. 

[living-the-fastlife]

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by the Broke and Bookish and hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl where we get a new topic for a top 10 list.

Book adaptations are the latest trends in Hollywood, so it seems anyway. Reports of Netflix looking to buy the rights to 50 literary titles took twitter by storm recently, and they already have a Grishaverse series in development, so there’s no telling what they’ll grab ahold of next. However, a book adaptation comes with a lot of excitment, but also a sense of trepidation for fans who are anxious to see how their favourite books are portrayed on the big screen. Nevertheless, here are 10 books that, in the right hands, would make brilliant TV shows and films.

#gallery-0-5 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-5 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 20%; } #gallery-0-5 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-5 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

1. Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson: There is nothing like a road trip flick that will get you in the mood for summer. Amy & Roger’s epic detour is the perfect fit for a summer flick. You have an adventure, a budding relationship, interesting family dynamics, and a whole lot of character growth. Plus, every road trip needs a good playlist so the soundtrack to this film would be epic. 

2. Wolf by Wolf duology by Ryan Graudin: This duology explores the terrifying “what if” scenario of Hitler winning the Second World War. This series has a lot going for it. You have the cross-continental motorcycle race, a quest for vengeance, and the search for an identity. Our main characters face a number of challenging experiences, and the way they react to the circumstances they face is so interesting. The character growth is astonishing in this series and in the right hands would make an incredibly compelling film series.

3. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta: Let’s take a trip to Australia for this film. In what remains to be one of my favourite books, Jellicoe Road is an emotional journey about flawed and realistic characters. It’s a book that is understated and moving. It’s a story that explores how past actions have a lingering effect on the present. I am fiercely protective of this book, but I can also see its potential to become a moving movie.

4. Vicious by V. E. Schwab: We know the Shades of Magic film franchise has been given the green light, but if you wanted to create an action-packed film this is the one to go for. This story explores the breakdown of the friendship between Eli and Victor. They went from best friends to mortal enemies, and now that Victor is out of prison, vengeance is the one thing on his mind. The beauty of this story is that it blurs the lines between villain and hero. The cat and mouse chase between these two would be a scene stealer.

5. The Wrath & the Dawn Duology by Renee Ahdieh: A story inspired by the events of the legendary tale A Thousand and One Nights that features hate to love romance and conflicts of the heart. Not all is as it seems in this book, as Khalid the “monster boy king” responsible for the deaths of his new brides, hides a tragic burden that weighs on his heart in what can only ever be a lose-lose situation. The beauty of this book is in the way it emphasises the ways that Khalid and Shahrzad are equals in this relationship and could be beautifully explored in a film or TV series.

6. The Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson: Fans of Game of Thrones could definitely get behind the idea of a Mistborn TV series. If you are a fan of complex magic systems, political manoeuvrings, and rich world building, then you would definitely back this adaptation.

7. The Hard Count by Ginger Scott: Sports flicks are always a hit, and the Hard Count does a fantastic job at exploring the ways a sport can tear a family apart and also bring them together again. It also explores the impacts of social judgements with the focus of the new starting quarterback, Nico Medina. There’s a lot of depth to this book as it explores social divisions, racial tensions, family, and a sense of brotherhood. Fans of the Blind Spot would easily love this adaptation.

8. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys: Think about a historical film that spotlights an overlooked tragedy in World War II; the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff. It focuses on the lives of four individuals and how their paths are intertwined by this tragic event. It’s a book that focuses on the horrors of war and the desperation of a population that is tired of living in fear.

9. Penryn and the End of Days by Susan Ee: This would make a brilliant film or tv series as it explores the day the angels came to Earth and brought the apocalypse with them. The imagery in this book series is, at times, horrifying, but it’s also a demonstration of humanity’s resilience and their downfall. Similar to the likes of the Walking Dead, it explores the extreme extents humans are willing to go to to ensure the survival and how those survival instincts can turn them into the real monsters.

10. Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta: Melina Marchetta has a way with words that just captivates you and transports you to new worlds. Finnikin of the Rock would make an incredible film franchise as it explores the themes of identity in a fantasy setting. She grounds these characters in their humanity whilst also exploring the various dynamics within a community that has already broken, and how a flicker of hope can ignite a spark within it.

Which books would you like to see adapted into a TV series or movie?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Would Make Great Films/TV shows. Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by the Broke and Bookish and hosted by…