#stranger things francine

[fairyrona]

SIX and Max

Francine & Maxine

It doesn't have to mean anything of course... But it's really interesting if we put all the similarities/references/visual clues together. Even if it's just that SIX was inspired by Max and/or vice versa.

However what if these comics actually turn out to be canonical in the end? And this is just a different timeline? Something like the OA?

I have more thoughts but there are only as many photos I can fit into a post lmao there might be a part 2

All the comics are on this site btw, if anyone's interested.

[ghostie-cola]

FRANCINE NUMBER SIX MY FAVORITE STRANGER THINGS CHARACTER I LOVE MY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER SHE DESERVES THE WORLD

[miwiromantics]

I was watching a stranger things edit on pinterest and i just noticed something

screenshot from edit by tomhqe, found on pinterest.

the scene looks like nothing at first but i noticed that the two discs land exactly on the numbers 6 and 8. and if there was no significance of this scene, there would be no reason for them to show it at all.

number 8?

Kali???

number 6?

Francine from the comics???

Is it just a coincident that the discs landed on those two numbers or is it foreshadowing???

[justmoreocs-edits]

Name Meanings: Multiple Perspective Characters

Inspired by this.

Lucy Hartley from A Few More Hours (Until Dawn); Claribel 'Belle' Burrow and Ximena 'Mia' Moreno from A Knife's Edge (Stranger Things); Chizoba 'Chizzy' Duncan, Alina Driscoll and Montgomery 'Monty' Sanderson from A Matter of Blood (A Discovery of Witches); Francine 'Frankie' Alverez from Crime, Friendship and Other Things (Detroit: Become Human); Cassandra 'Cassie' Verona from Dearest Verona (Deadly Class).

[thegayhimbo]

Stranger Things SIX Review

Warning: The following review contains MAJOR SPOILERS from Stranger Things Six, as well as Stranger Things Season 4.

Out of all the tie-in comics, this is the one that caught my attention just by the cover and premise. When it comes to Stranger Things, I’ve always been invested in its mythology (i.e. the Upside Down, the monsters, the secret lab, the kids with special abilities, etc). So a comic like this, which centers around Hawkins Lab and Dr. Brenner (who’s one of my favorite villains from the show) was something I was looking forward to.

And the results have been..............mixed.

The story focuses on a girl named Francine/Six who came from an abusive home where she was exploited by her parents for her gift of seeing into the future. One day, she meets a boy named Ricky (AKA Number 3) whom she ends up developing a friendship with. After finding out about Francine's situation and how her dad beats her, Ricky introduces her to Dr. Brenner, who encourages both Ricky and Francine to come to Hawkins Lab under the guise that their gifts could help countless people if they were given an environment to develop their powers. However, during their time at the Lab, they realize Brenner and the people working under him don’t have their best interests in mind, and are attempting to weaponize them and the other kids. Meanwhile, Six/Francine begins having visions of a monster (AKA the Demogorgon) from the Upside Down. While she doesn’t understand what the monster is, she fears it’s part of a dark future for her, which only motivates her desire to break out of the lab before it’s too late.

Observations:

As far as comics go, it’s adequate. The artwork is decent, and the plot moves at a brisk pace. It should be a fast read for most people.

The characters aren’t as fleshed-out as they could be, but it’s still cool to see other psychokinetic kids get expanded upon besides El, Kali, and Henry/One/Vecna. Ricky/Three is the boyfriend of Francine/Six and has the ability to emotionally manipulate others into doing what he wants them to do. Jamie/Nine is gifted in pyrokinesis/heat generation. Jamie also has a twin sister named Marcy, who isn’t gifted but was brought to the lab since she and Jamie are orphans and as another way for Brenner to keep control over Jamie.

Francine/Six’s visions about the Demogorgon turn out to be a red herring. She never physically encounters the monster, nor does she ever discover the mystery behind it or the Upside Down. It’s mostly there to serve as a call-back to the show, and as one more motivator for Six to escape the lab.

There’s an implication that Six’s powers, as well as the powers of other psychokinetic kids, may be connected to the Upside Down. This is something that’s also explored in the novel Stranger Things Suspicious Minds where Alice Johnson (one of Terry Ives’s friends) was being experimented on at Hawkins Lab and began having similar visions of the Upside Down and the Demogorgon. I’ve had a theory for a while that the Upside Down is somehow linked to the powers that individuals like El, Kali, and Henry/One/Vecna harness. I especially think it could be true in Henry’s case when he moved into the Creel House with his family and began developing his abilities. I don’t know if there was some sort of crack between the Creel House and the Upside Down (not big enough that anything like a Demogorgon could get through, but small enough that a malicious presence on the other side could have influence a young Henry) but I believe something happened that activated Henry when he was near the clock, which allowed him to start using his powers.

I also find it convenient how El later banished Henry/One/Vecna to the Upside Down of all places once she tapped into her full strength.

I don’t know whether or not the Upside Down is directly responsible for these kids having gifts, but I believe there's a link between them. I wonder if season 5 will expand on this, or if it’s just a theory that won’t come to fruition.

The comic itself takes place in 1978, about a year before Vecna’s massacre. It's mentioned in an interview by the Duffer Brothers that when they first began writing the show, they already had the idea that all of the kids with special abilities (with the exceptions of El and Kali) were dead prior to the start of season 1:

MATT DUFFER: We always knew that the other kids with the exception of Eight were dead. We always wanted to explore that and exactly what happened. It became a challenge because we knew we wanted to tell that story but it’s basically an origin flashback story. How do you keep that feeling relevant to what’s happening in the season, so when you cut to it, you feel like there’s some sort of forward progression and a connection? We knew it was going to connect ultimately to One.

There was also this tidbit regarding the comics and Henry/One/Vecna:

ROSS DUFFER: It’s funny, because there are various comic books and side merchandise and whenever they come to us with those ideas, we would say, you can take any number but you cannot take One. One is ours. So, that’s been ongoing for the seven years we’ve been working on it, that just don’t do anything with One. We’ve been protecting that [revelation]. It is a relief to finally get him out into the world.

Based on this, I assume the Duffer Brothers told Jody Houser and Dark Horse Comics that if they were going to do a story focusing on the psychokinetic kids at the lab, it had to be set before 1979.

This remark from Jamie/Nine caught my attention when I was reading:

The implication I took from her "babies" comment is there were different generations of gifted people at the lab........which makes sense. It's been mentioned Brenner founded the MK Ultra program in 1953. Henry Creel would later fall into Dr. Brenner's care in 1959, Terry Ives and her friends wouldn't be experimented on until 1969, and El wouldn't be born until a year or two later. I'm assuming there were separate age groups in the 25+ years since MK Ultra was started, and that the "babies" Jamie/Nine was referring to were a group of special kids younger than them.

On top of that, the comic presents the idea that not all of the kids at the lab were kidnapped the same way El and Kali were. Ricky was initially a willing participant in the program, Francine was persuaded by Dr. Brenner to join them, and both Jamie and Marcy were taken in after a fire destroyed their home and killed their parents.

Brenner also claims that the United States isn’t the only country developing programs like the one at Hawkins Lab:

I'm assuming Brenner was thinking about the Russians when he said this, and (incorrectly) believed they also had kids with dangerous powers who were being weaponized against the U.S. It adds another layer to his motivations for pushing the kids at Hawkins Lab beyond their limits.

There is a major continuity error that bugs me: At the end of the comic, Francine, Ricky, and Marcy attempt to escape the lab. The reason they're able to is because Terry Ives (El's mom) breaks into the lab on the same day to rescue El:

The problem is that people who’ve worked on the show, such as makeup artist Amy L. Forsythe, have confirmed that Terry's failed attempt to rescue El took place in 1974. This is also supported by the twin actresses who played El in the season 2 flashback being about 3-4 years old when they filmed that scene (which canonically lines up with how old El should have been during that year). I can't tell if this was a screw up from the comic book writers, or if it's a retcon that came from the show. Regardless, it’s still a glaring plot-hole.

There’s also the fact that in season 4, all the kids (with the exception of Kali/Eight) are accounted for. Numbers 3, 6, and 9 are different from the ones presented in the comic. This is Six from Season 4:

And these are what the other test subjects on the show look like:

So unless Brenner somehow replaced Ricky, Francine, and Jamie with other kids who would take the positions of Numbers 3, 6, and 9 within a year before Vecna’s massacre of the lab, the implication is the events in this comic (as well as its sequel Into the Fire) never happened.

And this brings me to my biggest problem with Stranger Things SIX: Because it’s likely not canon given the direction the show went in season 4 (as well as the continuity errors present in the comic itself), it makes it hard to get invested in the story. Characters like Ricky, Jamie, Marcy, and Francine aren’t going to play any important roles in the show, and it’s doubtful they’ll appear in season 5. It’s possible to view this story as some sort of existing legend surrounding the lab if you’re looking for a way to tie this comic into the overall franchise (similar to the folklore stories present in the novel Hawkins Horrors) but that’s about it.

I do think it’s important to view this comic more through the lens of what it tells us about the ideas the writers had surrounding Hawkins Lab, Dr. Brenner’s treatment of the kids at the lab (which is just as abusive in the comics as it is on the show), and whatever connection supposedly exists between the psychokinetic kids and the Upside Down. On top of that, the Duffer Brothers have stated they plan to give more insight into the MK Ultra program under Brenner in season 5:

DEADLINE: Did Dr. Martin Brenner not know that this kid killed his family and framed his father, or did this kid’s sociopathic potential offer Brenner an opportunity to really mold a weapon without a conscience?

MATT DUFFER: The second, really. He knew what this kid did and also what he was capable of when he was young. Brenner’s going, how can I mold this character, but not just into a weapon? That’s really how he sold it to the government, but for him as a scientist, it’s like, what other worlds can this kid show me about how our universe works? So, he’s really just that scientist who’s not really thinking about the consequences. He just keeps pushing, pushing, pushing, and he’s using the government’s money by saying hey we can fight the Soviets with this kid. It’s something we will get into in Season 5. What happened to that program once Henry became involved and how Brenner evolved it into including multiple kids. We’re going to go back and see some of that in Season 5.

I am definitely looking forward to that.

Overall, I’m glad I read this comic (though I wish I’d gotten it for a cheaper price), but it’s not my favorite.

[uncle-jj]

Chrissy! Wake up! I don't like this!

(PLEASE UNMUTE)

[hellowhisperingstars]

The Question

Summary: After starring in the fourth season of Stranger Things, you are at convention and get asked an awkward question at a Q&A. Cue Jamie and you pretending to almost fight over Joe.

Pairing: Joseph Quinn x Costar/Fem!Reader 

Words: 869

Warnings: Fluff, Jamie being a dork. Brief mention of nudity. Awkward questions.

A/N: This is the second one shot I wrote for Joe! Please let me know what you think!

You can find more of my stories on my Stranger Things Masterlist!

Or read this story on AO3!

It was an early Saturday afternoon at the convention that you and a few of your castmates are currently at. Right before the pandemic, you had been cast in Stranger Things where you played Francine “Frankie” Lewis, the love interest to Joe's character Eddie Munson. Your time on the show had shot you and your costar Joseph into the bright lights of fame right alongside all of your other costars and to say it was overwhelming was an understatement. Everyone has been so kind, from the cast and crew to the fans. This was your first convention and you were shocked to see how many people had come to see you, given you little trinkets that you will treasure forever, and some have even cosplayed as Frankie. After having spent some time talking, taking photos, and signing autographs for fans you were pulled into a Q&A that also had Jamie and Joe in it. The boys had kept you laughing the whole time easing some of the anxiety you had been feeling.

You threw your head back in a gleeful laugh as you listened to the story Jaime was currently telling about what the weirdest experience he’s ever had on a set was. “I was just laying there, naked, and there were just so many hands.” 

Joe laughed as he slouched in his chair giving you an amused look as the rest of the audience laughed with you. Bringing the microphone up to his lips he quipped, “I don’t think anyone's story can beat that one mate.”

“We need to stop letting Jamie go first.” The interviewer said with a laugh as she flipped through a couple of cards in her lap. “Our next question is on the left, I believe. Hello!”

The young lady who stood at the microphone was nervous, her stance told you so. “Hello, my name is Lucy. My question is for Y/N.”

“Hello Lucy,” You leaned forward in your seat, your elbow resting on your knee with your hand holding up your chin as you brought the mic to your lips with your other hand. “I am so ready. Bring it on.”

The girl giggled a bit as she looked at your eagerness to answer her question. “Your character Frankie and Joe’s character Eddie are very close in this new season and even start dating towards the end. I think the chemistry between the two of you is just amazing, so I was wondering if you would ever consider dating Joe?”

The question made your eyes widen for a moment before you blinked your shock away. Of course you had considered dating Joe. You had a crush on him since you both had met at your chemistry reading during the audition process. Taking a deep breath you bit your lip trying to think of something to say. 

“You’re awfully quiet Sweetheart,” Joe chuckled at you into his mic. “Making me nervous.”

“I mean,” You laughed scratching the back of your neck as you looked over at Joe. “If Joe was into it. Of course, I would consider dating Joe. Have you seen the man?” You asked, gesturing to Joe who was sitting next to you, making him blush a little. “But unfortunately, if I did it would then become a Scott Pilgrim vs the world situation. Where instead of Joe’s evil exes. I would have to fight Jamie.”

The entire room went up in laughter at your words. Jamie leaned back in this chair as his own laughter joined those around you. Joe was chuckling at the situation you had found yourself in. 

“And Jamie has like four feet on me.” You continued with your own laugh. “I mean I’m scrappy but I don’t think I have what it takes to take down Jamie.”

“I’ll give you a fair fight, love.” Jamie said into his mic as he got up off his chair mimicking his rolling up his sleeves. 

“You wanna go?” You asked laughing at Jamie as you stood up as well, “Okay, let's go.”

Joe laughed loudly at the display in front of him before he got up stepping between you two holding his hands up. “Alright, alright. Put them away.”

Jamie pointed at you in fake warning, before he smiled at you and Joe before taking his seat. 

Joe turned towards you giving you a hug before he pushed you gently back towards your seat. Looking behind him he winked at the girl who asked the question, giving her a smirk. “You almost started something Sweetheart.”

Turning back towards you Joe moved his and your mic out of the way before he leaned down to whisper in your ear. “And for the record. I would be extremely into it.”

You felt your cheeks heat up as you looked at him with a shy smile. Giving you a little nod he kissed your cheek and sat down in his chair again looking over at Jamie with a grin. “You’re a troublemaker.”

“No one’s touching my Joseph without a fight.” Jamie said in a playful way as he looked over at you with his own wink. 

Oh these boys. Giggling, you looked back over at Lucy. “Thank you for your question.”

[slashthrashandcrash]

I've been looking at the slasher x final girl oc's (and I love all of them) I was wondering if you'd give us anymore details about them, their first interactions and basically any thing interesting you'd be willing to tell us?

(I'm obsessing over your characters and knowing what little I do about them is making me mentally ill, especially the stranger, he reminds me of my favorite slasher (Jason) quite a bit)

I'm so glad you're enjoying them!! It's been a while since I've used 'em so it's been fun dusting them off from time to time--

Ashley and the Stranger are meant to be a homage to 80's horror in general, both the classics and the cheesy. The first time they met was during freshmen year at a frat party, although Stranger had seen her around campus a few times prior. She was drunk, but still friendly and wanted to get to know him a bit, even warning him to be careful because frat hazings these days were getting so ridiculous and she'd hate to see him get hurt.

By the next day after she sobered up, she completely forgot about the interaction and probably didn't even bother to get his name. The fact that all records of him being a student disappeared shortly afterwards didn't help, it was like he never existed to her after that night. But he never forgot their brief time together, that pretty little cheerleader who was the only one ever concerned for him...

Constantly dying and coming back as a vengeful killer only worsens his insanity with each "sequel", including his warped obsession for her. Each time, he's more hellbent on having Ashley, convinced they're meant to be for no other reason than she was nice to him for like 10 minutes years ago. He doesn't even register her fighting back or stabbing him or setting up traps, he's so blinded by his infatuation despite Ashley having no clue that they've met before.

Francine and Ripper are newer OCs, but they're a lot of fun because my girl is just so great to torment (:< I've braindumped so much about them to Blob--

They met while Francine was working on the scripts for that latest series of a semi-popular true crime podcast about the unsolved slayings of the Northshire Ripper (about 3-4 episodes). She started getting these emails from an anonymous account that was praising her writing and storytelling, so impressed with her level of research and details and how well she wove everything together, especially the observations she made on the murders. It was genuinely her first piece of fanmail, some actual recognition for all the hard work that goes into being a weekly ghostwriter that's often overlooked. She's thankful and beyond appreciative that someone would take the time to send her a thoughtful email, how sweet! (:

And of course, eventually the segment about the Ripper ends and the show moves on to cover another killer or disappearance or solved case, and Francine is back to researching at the whims of the cohosts. Her favorite fan starts emailing her again, asking why she's stopped writing about the Ripper when there's still so much more she could cover, more things she could go in depth on. These new cases are so overdone. The podcast hosts butcher her show notes half the time anyways (she posts the full version on their blog which is the only place she has a shred of credit listed), can't she just write more episodes for the Ripper instead? Please? No?

Well...good news, little lady! You know that serial killer you covered a while back, the one who was never caught, the one who seemingly disappeared after years of bloody terror? Wouldn't ya know it, he's finally come back after a near decade hiatus, creating human art pieces with newfound inspiration! Isn't that great, now there's so much new material Francine can work with to write show updates about him, especially while it's such a hot topic in the media. Now write. What's holding you back? Is this not good enough? Do you need more inspiration of your own? More personal? A demonstrative interview?

Anything to help out his favorite fellow creator~

[nicejewishcharactershowdown]

Steady yourselves, jumblr. The bracket for round one of the Nice Jewish Character Showdown is live. Place your bets, pick your faves, and get ready for the first round of voting, which starts Saturday, Feb 11, 6pm EST. Image description under Read More.

Your Competitors:

The 9th Doctor (Doctor Who) VS James Wilson (House MD)

Christina Yang (Greys Anatomy) VS Susan Ivanova (Babylon 5)

Avigdor (Yentl) VS Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof)

Samwise Gamgee (LotR) VS Clark Kent/Superman

George Costanza (Seinfeld) VS Kermit (Muppets)

Rebecca Bunch (Crazy Ex Girlfriend) VS Schmidt (New Girl)

Lily Moscovitz (Princess Diaries) VS Cher Horowitz (Clueless)

Barbie VS Edna Mode (The Incredibles)

The Addams Family VS The Baudelaires (ASOUE)

Tommy Pickles (Rugrats) VS Francine (Arthur)

The Strilondes (Homestuck) VS Ferris Bueller

Frankenstein VS Magneto

Truman (The Truman Show) VS The Baker (Into The Woods)

Cecil Palmer (WtNV) VS Will Byers (Stranger Things)

The Lorax VS Wall-E

Data (TNG) VS Worf (TNG)

[Image description: a bracket of 32 competitors for the Nice Jewish Character Showdown. The left side has the 9th Doctor from Doctor Who against James Wilson from House MD, Christina Yang from Greys Anatomy against Susan Ivanova from Babylon 5, Avigdor from Yentl against Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof, Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings against Clark Kent/Superman, George Costanza from Seinfeld vs Kermit the Frog, Rebecca Bunch from Crazy Ex Girlfriend against Schmidt from New Girl, Lily Moscovitz from The Princess Diaries vs Cher Horowitz from Clueless, and Barbie vs Edna Mode from The Incredibles. The right side has The Addams Family vs The Baudelaires from ASOUE, Tommy Pickles from Rugrats vs Francine from Arthur, The Strilondes from Homestuck against Ferris Bueller, Frankenstein vs Magneto, Truman from The Truman Show vs The Baker from Into The Woods, Cecil Palmer from Nightvale against Will Byers from Stranger Things, The Lorax vs Wall-E, and Data vs Worf, both from TNG. Text says Nice Jewish Character Showdown on top, and bottom text is Round One, followed by the @ for the account, @nicejewishcharactershowdown]

[a-shadowedvales]

so… in the additional media of stranger things (specifically the comics i’m mentioning), it was initially brenner’s idea/plan to kill off the other test subjects because they weren’t performing as well as eleven was. it was his best solution because that way, all the resources, time, and money could instead be placed only to her. and i just…. sure henry is a fine character and the massacre makes a lot of sense to me, but i think i am once again gonna change up my canon to actually fit this potential narrative instead.

i genuinely think the comic canon of the lab and brenner is far more intriguing than the show. everything with 9/9.5, ricky, and francine. eleven being the only one who grew up completely in the lab. those other kids were either volunteers, well into their teens, or had some semblance of a home life. eleven was the only one practically moulded from the womb. and they all had such a range of interesting powers. i firmly stand with the idea that jane is the only one who can contact the void.

brenner’s entire point of view on the lab subjects changed the second he found out terry was pregnant. he discovered he could steal this baby and make her his own. there would be no convincing the child because it’s all she would have ever known. because of this, i would not put it past a man like brenner to kill the other subjects for the sake of the “greater good” in this case, eleven.

eleven’s gifts just continue thriving beyond his wildest expectations. brenner would never dare assume that having moulded her from the womb, she would still be able to grow into her own person, her own mind, and one day be able to see him for exactly who he was.

back before season four aired, it was obvious there were other test subjects because jane was 011. so there were at least ten kids before her. but i always liked the idea/assumed that she was the last experiment because she was the most successful. that they didn’t need anyone after her because she was fulfilling everything they set out for her to do. with flying colours.

i just think the whole rainbow room idea, pitting the kids against each other thing… been there, done that. boring and predictable. i think at this point my portrayal of her time in hawkins lab really stems from the complete isolation she endured. where having the rainbow room, although eleven was obviously the most isolated out of the kids, brings that sense of community and sister/brotherhood. albeit extremely warped and toxic. knowing that she wasn’t alone in that experience just. doesn’t sit well with me. i think it’s important to note that she was alone, physically and mentally. which is why kali is also so important to her growth. i thought a lot of the flashbacks of her time in the lab during season four was really boring, repetitive, and just very predictable. although peter becoming vecna was a surprise to me, and was a nice little twist, the idea of her having an ally on the inside was really interesting.

maybe they did get as far as they do in canon, peter ballad was telling the truth about everything, about some of the workers there being prisoners like him, and he really wanted to get her out and to safety. but before they can escape through the pipes, they’re caught. peter is shot on the spot, and eleven is put into the isolation room for a few days as punishment. in this timeline, henry would be vecna, but henry would not be peter ballad.

when eleven turned seven, and was already showing extreme promise, where the other children were average at best, brenner had the eight children killed. kali had already escaped. this was the main cause for peter to gain eleven’s trust and try to get her out. because if brenner could murder his “children” in cold blood, there’s no way eleven was safe even in spite of her power.

when eleven is allowed out of the isolation room, her testing becomes more rigorous in attempt to distance and make her forget about what she attempted to do with peter. brenner begins gaslighting her, saying that there was never a peter, that she must have been dreaming. eleven does ask “papa” about “mama”, given peter told her of the day terry broke in the lab, but brenner is convincing enough to make eleven believe it was all in her head. say she is around eight years old, meaning the same timeline of season fours canon flashbacks.

i still do wanna keep the henry creel canon, and keep him as 001. brenner didn’t have him killed alongside the other test subjects, because who knows, one day he could become an even better asset than 011. brenner definitely wants to be able to control henry, but keeps the chip in him because, for the moment, doesn’t know how. killing him would be too big of a loss.

when eleven is ten years old, henry’s concealed powers break free and he manages to get the chip out himself, and unleashes hell onto hawkins lab. he almost kills brenner by snapping his bones, but eleven manages to stop him. her extreme abilities are unleashed, and she sends henry to the upside down. she does fall into a coma due to the extremity of the situation, but she does not forget what happened. brenner believes she’s the perfect weapon as she stepped in to save him without a second thought, was able to defeat henry, and opened a door to something he never thought possible. eleven is rewarded for her efforts. although she remembers the entire battle / confrontation, her memories regarding the portal are very hazy.

brenner decides not to focus on the portal straight away, instead gets her training harder and harder to see what else she can accomplish. also loved the idea of brenner sending her into the void to “look for him” so that will definitely be kept.

by the time she escapes and season one begins, her knowledge of the upside down is basically what we see in canon. because she passed out the moment after she sent henry away, she was once again gaslighted into believing she merely threw him through the glass and killed him. for two years she believed this, until making contact with the demogorgan, and those memories return completely.

due to her saving brenner’s life, (it was pure instinct. she happened to be there. saw her “papa” hurt and knew she had to make him better.) brenner constantly thanks her. but in a very condescending way. tells her: “you saved me so i can continue saving you.” aka, harness your abilities and see what else i can achieve from you. despite the fact that she saved his life, these words and phrases make her feel indebted to him. that she owes him something further.

i don't realistically see her thriving with her speech improvement until she's well into her twenties at least. her slowed development, sensory and social deprivation causes a serious delay in language. surrounded by other children she would have overheard conversations, some would have spoken to her. her conveniently forgetting her upbringing pre the battle with henry just isn't good enough for me anymore. it makes more sense for her to have been raised alone.

it also helps indicate why she gravitated towards the boys when they found her in the woods. they would have been the first people her age she ever remembered seeing. as far as she knew, during the lab there was no one like her. everyone was much older, they were adults-- although she stayed with benny, i'm not sure if she would have stuck around very long. where she followed the boys home without thought.

also it's important to note that after time, jane does understand that peter ballad was a real person, and was truly the first person (aside from terry) who wanted the best for her. when she remembers him, knows that brenner was lying, she deals with immense guilt regarding his death. he was shot right in front of her eyes, because he was trying to help her. this is another catalyst as to why after season two, jane never refers to brenner as papa. she does not give him that sort of credit.

[bolllywoodhungama]

Critics Choice Awards 2024: Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer, Barbie, Succession, The Bear lead the wins

The Critics Choice Awards 2024 celebrated cinematic and television excellence on Sunday night, January 14, 2024. Chelsea Handler returned as the host for the evening. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer shone, securing eight wins, including Best Picture and Best Director though Cillian Murphy missed the Best Actor win. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie claimed six awards, winning in categories like Best Comedy and Best Original Screenplay. Emma Stone earned Best Actress for Poor Things. On the TV front, Succession, The Bear, and Beef led the wins.

FILM BEST PICTURE American Fiction Barbie The Color Purple The Holdovers Killers of the Flower Moon Maestro Oppenheimer - WINNER Past Lives Poor Things Saltburn

BEST ACTOR Bradley Cooper, Maestro Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon Colman Domingo, Rustin Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers - WINNER Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

BEST ACTRESS Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall Greta Lee, Past Lives Carey Mulligan, Maestro Margot Robbie, Barbie Emma Stone, Poor Things - WINNER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer - WINNER Ryan Gosling, Barbie Charles Melton, May December Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple America Ferrera, Barbie Jodie Foster, Nyad Julianne Moore, May December Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers - WINNER

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS Abby Ryder Fortson, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Ariana Greenblatt, Barbie Calah Lane, Wonka Milo Machado Graner, Anatomy of a Fall Dominic Sessa, The Holdovers - WINNER Madeleine Yuna Voyles, The Creator

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE Air Barbie The Color Purple The Holdovers Killers of the Flower Moon Oppenheimer - WINNER

BEST DIRECTOR Bradley Cooper, Maestro Greta Gerwig, Barbie Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer - WINNER Alexander Payne, The Holdovers Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Kelly Fremon Craig, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Andrew Haigh, All of Us Strangers Cord Jefferson, American Fiction - WINNER Tony McNamara, Poor Things Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Samy Burch, May December Alex Convery, Air Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer, Maestro Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, Barbie - WINNER David Hemingson, The Holdovers Celine Song, Past Lives

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Matthew Libatique, Maestro Rodrigo Prieto, Barbie Rodrigo Prieto, Killers of the Flower Moon Robbie Ryan, Poor Things Linus Sandgren, Saltburn Hoyte van Hoytema, Oppenheimer - WINNER

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Suzie Davies, Charlotte Dirickx, Saltburn Ruth De Jong, Claire Kaufman, Oppenheimer Jack Fisk, Adam Willis, Killers of the Flower Moon Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer, Barbie - WINNER James Price, Shona Heath, Szusza Mihalek, Poor Things Adam Stockhausen, Kris Moran, Asteroid City

BEST EDITING William Goldenberg – Air Nick Houy – Barbie Jennifer Lame – Oppenheimer - WINNER Yorgos Mavropsaridis – Poor Things Thelma Schoonmaker – Killers of the Flower Moon Michelle Tesoro – Maestro

BEST COSTUME DESIGN Jacqueline Durran, Barbie - WINNER Lindy Hemming, Wonka Francine Jamison-Tanchuck, The Color Purple Holly Waddington, Poor Things Jacqueline West, Killers of the Flower Moon Janty Yates, David Crossman, Napoleon

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP Barbie - WINNER The Color Purple Maestro Oppenheimer Poor Things Priscilla

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS The Creator Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Oppenheimer - WINNER Poor Things Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

BEST COMEDY American Fiction Barbie - WINNER Bottoms The Holdovers No Hard Feelings Poor Things

BEST ANIMATED FILM The Boy and the Heron Elemental Nimona Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - WINNER Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Wish

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM Anatomy of a Fall - WINNER Godzilla Minus One Perfect Days Society of the Snow The Taste of Things The Zone of Interest

BEST SONG “Dance the Night," Barbie “I’m Just Ken," Barbie - WINNER “Peaches," The Super Mario Bros. Movie “Road to Freedom," Rustin "This Wish," Wish "What Was I Made For," Barbie

BEST SCORE Jerskin Fendrix, Poor Things Michael Giacchino, Society of the Snow Ludwig Göransson, Oppenheimer - WINNER Daniel Pemberton, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Robbie Robertson, Killers of the Flower Moon Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Barbie

TELEVISION BEST DRAMA SERIES The Crown The Diplomat The Last of Us Loki The Morning Show Stark Trek: Strange New Worlds Succession - WINNER Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Kieran Culkin – Succession - WINNER Tom Hiddleston – Loki Timothy Olyphant – Justified: City Primeval Pedro Pascal – The Last of Us Ramón Rodríguez – Will Trent Jeremy Strong – Succession

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Jennifer Aniston – The Morning Show Aunjanue Ellis – Justified: City Primeval Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us Keri Russell – The Diplomat Sarah Snook – Succession - WINNER Reese Witherspoon – The Morning Show

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Khalid Abdalla – The Crown Billy Crudup – The Morning Show - WINNER Ron Cephas Jones – Truth Be Told Matthew MacFadyen – Succession Ke Huy Quan – Loki Rufus Sewell – The Diplomat

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Nicole Beharie – The Morning Show Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown - WINNER Sophia Di Martino – Loki Celia Rose Gooding – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Karen Pittman – The Morning Show Christina Ricci – Yellowjackets

BEST COMEDY SERIES Abbott Elementary Barry The Bear - WINNER The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Poker Face Reservation Dogs Shrinking What We Do in the Shadows

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Bill Hader – Barry Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building Kayvan Novak – What We Do in the Shadows Drew Tarver – The Other Two Jeremy Allen White – The Bear - WINNER D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai – Reservation Dogs

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Rachel Brosnahan – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary Ayo Edebiri – The Bear - WINNER Bridget Everett – Somebody Somewhere Devery Jacobs – Reservation Dogs Natasha Lyonne – Poker Face

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Phil Dunster – Ted Lasso Harrison Ford – Shrinking Harvey Guillén – What We Do in the Shadows James Marsden – Jury Duty Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Bear - WINNER Henry Winkler – Barry

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Paulina Alexis – Reservation Dogs Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Janelle James – Abbott Elementary Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary Meryl Streep – Only Murders in the Building - WINNER Jessica Williams – Shrinking

BEST LIMITED SERIES Beef - WINNER Daisy Jones & the Six Fargo Fellow Travelers Lessons in Chemistry Love & Death A Murder at the End of the World A Small Light

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial Finestkind Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie No One Will Save You Quiz Lady - WINNER Reality

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Matt Bomer – Fellow Travelers Tom Holland – The Crowded Room David Oyelowo – Lawmen: Bass Reeves Tony Shalhoub – Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie Kiefer Sutherland – The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial Steven Yeun – Beef - WINNER

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Kaitlyn Dever – No One Will Save You Carla Gugino – The Fall of the House of Usher Brie Larson – Lessons in Chemistry Bel Powley – A Small Light Sydney Sweeney – Reality Juno Temple – Fargo Ali Wong – Beef - WINNER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jonathan Bailey – Fellow Travelers - WINNER Taylor Kitsch – Painkiller Jesse Plemons – Love & Death Lewis Pullman – Lessons in Chemistry Liev Schreiber – A Small Light Justin Theroux – White House Plumbers

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Maria Bello – Beef - WINNER Billie Boullet – A Small Light Willa Fitzgerald – The Fall of the House of Usher Aja Naomi King – Lessons in Chemistry Mary McDonnell – The Fall of the House of Usher Camila Morrone – Daisy Jones & the Six

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES Bargain The Glory The Good Mothers The Interpreter of Silence Lupin - WINNER Mask Girl Moving

BEST ANIMATED SERIES Bluey Bob’s Burgers Harley Quinn Scott Pilgrim Takes Off - WINNER Star Trek: Lower Decks Young Love

BEST TALK SHOW The Graham Norton Show Jimmy Kimmel Live! The Kelly Clarkson Show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - WINNER Late Night with Seth Meyers The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

BEST COMEDY SPECIAL Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool Alex Borstein: Corsets & Clown Suits John Early: Now More Than Ever John Mulaney: Baby J - Winner Trevor Noah: Where Was I Wanda Sykes – I’m an Entertainer

[aimmyarrowshigh]

List of Jewish Characters for the Panfandom Hanukkah Bingo

I've gotten a few requests for a list of Jewish characters to help people brainstorm for the bingo -- just as a reminder, Jewish headcanons and fanons are totally allowed for the event, so if you don't KNOW whether your character is Jewish, it's totally fine to make them Jewish for your fanwork! :)

But, since people asked, here is a little starter-list of 225 fictional Jewish and Jew-ish characters (characters who are "nebulously Jewish," played by Jews, are Jewish in at least one variation of the character, only make sense if they're Jewish, etc.)

Feel free to add! This list is alphabetized by first name.

Abbi Abrams (Broad City) Abby Stevenson (The Baby-Sitters' Club) Adam Birkholtz (Check Please!) Adam Sackler (Girls) Alec Hardison (Leverage, Leverage: Redemption) Alex Kerkovitch (Happy Endings) Alexis Rose (Schitt's Creek) Amy Green (FRIENDS) Amy Matthews (Boy Meets World) Angela Wexler (The Westing Game) Angelica Pickles (Rugrats) Ann Perkins (Parks & Recreation) Anna Stevenson (The Baby-Sitters' Club) Annie Edison (Community) April O'Neill (Rise of the TMNT) Arnie Roth (Marvel) Arnold Perlstein (The Magic School Bus) Aunt Gayle (Bob's Burgers) Bail Organa (Star Wars) Barney Guttman (Dead End Paranormal Park) Ben Geller-Willick (FRIENDS) Ben Grimm | The Thing (Fantastic Four) Ben Solo | Kylo Ren (Star Wars) Benjamin Sisko (Star Trek) Bernie Rosenthal (Marvel) Billy Kaplan | Wicca (MCU, X-Men) Breha Organa (Star Wars)

Bruce Wayne | Batman (DCU) Carl Foutley (As Told By Ginger) Cassie Howard (Euphoria HBO) Cassie Lang (MCU) Catherine Frensky (Arthur) Charles Deetz (Beetlejuice) Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Sex and the City) Cher Horowitz (Clueless) Chuckie Finster (Rugrats) Cindy Hayes (Orange is the New Black) Cole Tillerman (Central Park) Cory Matthews (Boy Meets World) Craig Manning (Degrassi: The Next Generation) Cristina Yang (Grey's Anatomy) Cyrus Goodman (Andi Mack) Darcy Lewis (MCU) David "Gordo" Gordon (Lizzie McGuire) David Rose (Schitt's Creek) Desi Harperin (Girls) Dil Pickles (Rugrats) Dipper Pines (Gravity Falls) Dodie Bishop (As Told By Ginger) Eddie Munson (Stranger Things) Edward Teach | Blackbeard (Our Flag Means Death) Elaine Benes (Seinfeld) Elijah Krantz (Girls)

Emily Deetz (Beetlejuice) Emma Geller-Green (FRIENDS) Eric Matthews (Boy Meets World) Erik Lehnsherr | Magneto (X-Men) Felicity Smoak (Arrow) Finn (Star Wars) Ford Pines (Gravity Falls) Fox Mulder (The X-Files) Fran Fine (The Nanny) Fran Parker (Girls) Francine Frensky (Arthur) Frankie Landau-Banks (The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks) Gene Belcher (Bob's Burgers) George Costanza (Seinfeld) Gert Yorkes (Marvel Runaways) Ginger Foutley (As Told By Ginger) Gomez Addams (The Addams Family) Grace Adler (Will & Grace) Grace Windkloppel Wexler (The Westing Game) Greg Universe (Steven Universe) Gretchen Weiners (Mean Girls) Hal Jordan | Green Lantern (DCU) Han Solo (Star Wars) Hannah Horvath (Girls) Harley Quinn (DCU)

Harold Berman (Hey Arnold!) Harold Hooper (Sesame Street) Helen (Central Park) Holly Wheeler (Stranger Things) Howard Wolowitz (The Big Bang Theory) Ilana Wexler (Broad City) Isabella Garcia-Shapiro (Phineas and Ferb) Jack Geller (FRIENDS) Jack Zimmermann (Check Please!) Jake Berenson (Animorphs) Jake Peralta (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) Jake Wexler (The Westing Game) James "Bucky" Barnes | Winter Soldier (MCU) James Tiberius Kirk (Star Trek) Jane Foster | The Mighty Thor (MCU) Jane Kerkovitch-Williams (Happy Endings) Jane Smith (Mr. & Mrs. Smith) Janet Perlstein (The Magic School Bus) Janice Littman nee Hosenstein (FRIENDS) Jean-Ralphio Saperstein (Parks & Recreation) Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld) Jessi Glaser (Big Mouth) Jill Green (FRIENDS) Jillian Holtzmann (Ghostbusters: Answer the Call) Jimmy Brooks (Degrassi: The Next Generation) Jobal Naberrie (Star Wars)

Johnny Rose (Schitt's Creek) Jonathan Byers (Stranger Things) Josh Lucas (Clueless) Josh Lyman (The West Wing) Joshua Matthews (Boy Meets World, Girl Meets World) Joyce Byers (Stranger Things) Jude Lizowski (6teen) Judy Geller (FRIENDS)

Kady Orloff-Diaz (The Magicians) Karen Wheeler (Stranger Things) Kate Bishop | Hawkeye (MCU) Kate Kane | Batwoman (DCU) Kaydel Ko Connix (Star Wars) Kelsey Pokoly (Craig of the Creek) Kes Dameron (Star Wars) Kimi Finster (Rugrats) Kit Snicket (A Series of Unfortunate Events) Kitty Pryde (X-Men) Klaus Baudelaire (A Series of Unfortunate Events) Krusty the Clown (The Simpsons) Kyle Broflovski (South Park) Leah Birch (Big Mouth) Leia Organa (Star Wars) Lemony Snicket (A Series of Unfortunate Events) Lenny Briscoe (Law & Order) Lenny Bruce (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)

Leo Markus (Will & Grace) Leonard Green (FRIENDS) Lexi Howard (Euphoria HBO) Libby Stein-Torres (The Ghost and Molly McGee) Liberty Van Zandt (Degrassi: The Next Generation) Lilly Moscovitz (The Princess Diaries) Linda Belcher (Bob's Burgers) Lorna Dane | Polaris (X-Men) Louis Stevens (Even Stevens) Louise Belcher (Bob's Burgers) Lydia Deetz (Beetlejuice) Mabel Pines (Gravity Falls) Macie Lightfoot (As Told By Ginger) Marc Spector | Moon Knight (MCU) Margaret Simon (Are You There God? It's Me Margaret) Max Blum (Happy Endings) Michael Moscovitz (The Princess Diaries) Michelle "MJ" Jones (MCU) Midge Maisel (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) Mike Wheeler (Stranger Things) Min Green (Why We Broke Up) Missy Foreman-Greenwald (Big Mouth) Moira Rose (Schitt's Creek) Molly Tillerman (Central Park) Mona Lisa Saperstein (Parks & Recreation) Monica Geller (FRIENDS)

Moose Pearson (Pepper Ann) Morgan Matthews (Boy Meets World) Mort the Mortician (Bob's Burgers) Morticia Addams (The Addams Family) Ms. Frizzle (The Magic School Bus) Nadia Diamondstein (The View from Saturday) Nancy Wheeler (Stranger Things) Natasha Romanov | Black Widow (MCU) Nick Birch (Big Mouth) Owen Tillerman (Central Park) Padmé Amidala Naberrie (Star Wars) Paige Hunter (Central Park) Paris Geller (Gilmore Girls) Penny Hartz (Happy Endings) Pepper Ann Pearson (Pepper Ann) Peter Parker | Spider-Man (All variants) Pietro Maximoff | Quicksilver (MCU, X-Men) Poe Dameron (Star Wars) Pugsley Addams (The Addams Family) Rachel Berenson (Animorphs) Rachel Berry (Glee) Rachel Green (FRIENDS) Rachel Menken (Mad Men) Ray Ploshansky (Girls) Rebecca Rubin (American Girl)

Ren Stevens (Even Stevens) Riley Matthews (Girl Meets World) Ron Stoppable (Kim Possible) Rose Krensky (American Girl) Ross Geller (FRIENDS) Roza Wasserstein (The Diviners) Ruth bat Seraph | Sabra (MCU) Ruwee Naberrie (Star Wars) Ryoo Naberrie (Star Wars) Sam Manson (Danny Phantom) Sam Windkloppel Westing (The Westing Game) Schmidt (New Girl) Scott Lang | Ant-Man (MCU) Sebastien LeLivre | Booker (The Old Guard) Sergei "Sam Lloyd" Lubovitch (The Diviners) Seth Cohen (The OC) Shara Bey (Star Wars) Shirley Cohen (A League of Their Own) Shoshannah Shapiro (Girls) Sola Naberrie (Star Wars) Spock (Star Trek) Stan Pines (Gravity Falls) Stanley Uris (IT, IT: Chapter Two) Steven Universe (Steven Universe) Sunny Baudelaire (A Series of Unfortunate Events)

T.K. Strand (9-1-1) Ted Moseby (How I Met Your Mother) Ted Wheeler (Stranger Things) The Children (How I Met Your Mother) The Goldbergs (The Goldbergs) Tina Belcher (Bob's Burgers) Tina Cohen-Chang (Glee) Tish Katsufrakis (The Weekenders)

Toby Isaacs (Degrassi: The Next Generation) Toby Ziegler (The West Wing) Tommy Pickles (Rugrats) Tommy Shepherd | Speed (MCU, X-Men) Tsabin | Sabé (Star Wars) Turtle Wexler (The Westing Game) Velma Dinkley (Scooby-Doo) Violet Baudelaire (A Series of Unfortunate Events) Wanda Maximoff | Scarlet Witch (MCU, X-Men) Wednesday Addams (The Addams Family) Will Byers (Stranger Things) Willow Rosenberg (Buffy, the Vampire Slayer) Yelena Belova | Black Widow (MCU) Yitzhak (The Old Guard) Zed Necrodopoulous (Disney Channel ZOMBIES) Zevon Necrodopoulous (Disney Channel ZOMBIES) Ziva David (NCIS) Zoey Necrodopoulous (Disney Channel ZOMBIES)

[creative-but-hairy-man]

An idea for an animated series I had and I'm reviving now

Name: GUARDIANS OF TEMPRICIA!

Setting: A city called Tempricia. The city has colonial Brazil architechture, and the technology is some of a steampunk kinda thing but has some in betweens. Magic exists and is really proeminent in the world.

In Tempricia, there lives 4 heroes, a family of sorts, inside a mechanic's workshop.

THESE HEROES ARE:

FRAN (short for Francine) a mechanic who specializes in robotics and smashing shit with her mechanical boots. She won't spend a penny of hers in anything but the necessary, but still, she will help those in need and will do anything to protect the people she loves, even breaking a lotta laws in the process.

Automaton Lancer #254 (or AL for short), is an old automaton (that's just what they call robots) from a kingdom wich fell millenia ago with a busted memory core, all his memories before being found by Fran are either murky or lost. Other than being the only automaton who can feel, he is also a pacifist.

Braza, the teenage fire elemental, he's really timid and sometimes freezes (hehe, fire freezing) when talking to strangers. He's got a lot of repressed feelings, specially anger, wich sometimes can make him explode into his true elemental form. Even though he has this emotional bagage, he strives to be a great warrior and to use his powers for good. (He's doing his best ok?)

And at last, Jacy, the prodigy, she has natural purple hair, and unusual, almost unnatural magic powers, even stronger than of the greatest wizards in the city, with some sorts of time or space warping (she can also do normal magic). She is really young, and is to be taken special care (though who in this family doesn't need special care?) specially since she can't control her powers, that's why Fran made a special amulet for her to not just start messing with space time out of nowhere, but sometimes, big threats call for great risks!

That's all for now, hope you liked it!

I have so many cool ideas that I can share with only like 2 people, so I'll start to use tumblr as my super cool ideas reminder!

[thegayhimbo]

Ranking The Stranger Things Tie-Ins:

Now that I've finished the reviews (for the time being), I wanted to do a ranking of all the tie-in comics, graphic novels, and books. Originally, I was just going to do a Top 5 Best and Worst List, but I figured it would be more fun to make a complete list of all the tie-ins while also giving my brief thoughts on each one (especially for those who don't want to read my lengthy reviews). Please note this is all in good fun and just my personal opinion, which can be subjected to change.

Also, this list will NOT include any of the show's episodes, video games, tabletop games, children's tie-in books, the Choose Your Own Adventure book, the Stranger Things Experience, or the stage play The First Shadow.

With that out of the way, let's begin in order from Worst to Best:

#26: Stranger Things Summer Special (See Review Here)

I never cared for Powell and Callahan as characters. They barely have anything to do with the show's main arc, they're NOT funny, and the "bumbling cop" trope is something I've grown tired of in recent years.

The premise of this short, where both of them are conveniently present at key events during season 3 in their lousy pursuit of being "good cops," all the while having constant near-misses with the Upside Down, the Flayed, and the Meat Flayer, is a repetitive joke that quickly grows old. That's not even getting into the huge continuity errors plaguing the short and creating a bunch of plot-holes. Completely unnecessary. Hard pass.

#25: Stranger Things The Bully (See Review Here)

This only ranks slightly higher than Summer Special because I like the artwork better, and it doesn't mess up the show's continuity like the previous comic did. However, that's all this really has going for it.

For whatever reason, they decided to make an entire graphic novel focusing on Troy and James (the bullies from season 1), and all I could think about while reading it is "This is a huge waste of time." I already didn't like Troy to begin with, this comic does NOTHING to improve my opinion of him, and considering that neither James nor Troy have appeared on the show since (and probably aren't coming back for season 5), I don't see what the point of this story was. This paragraph from my review sums it up best:

#24: Stranger Things x TMNT Crossover (See Review Here)

I'm sure there are fans who enjoyed this bizarre trip while embracing its absurdness and surrealism, but I am not one of them. I like TMNT and I like Stranger Things, but I draw the line at saying both properties exist in the same universe. That's not even getting into the haphazard attempts by the writers to make this comic canon with the show. Knowing the Duffer Brothers, that's likely not going to happen.

#23: Stranger Things Tales From Hawkins (See Review Here)

The idea of doing an anthology comic focusing on Hawkins residents was intriguing, but the end result was disappointing. They should have broadened their horizons regarding which characters to focus on, and not just set the stories exclusively in the first 2 seasons.

Murray's story (Issue #2) and the Pumpkin Patch Rivalry (Issue #4) are arguably the best ones. The rest are either forgettable or derivative.

#22: Stranger Things Six (See Review Here)

My first venture into Stranger Things comics. I've come a long way since then! :)

I remember looking forward to this particular comic to learn more about Hawkins Lab, Dr. Brenner, Project MKUltra, and the special kids............only to feel underwhelmed when I actually read it. I wanted to like Francine/Six, but I didn't find her interesting or compelling as a character, and the attempts to include other aspects of the show's lore (i.e. The Upside Down, Terry Ives, El and Kali, etc) felt shoehorned. Combined with the direction season 4 went, and it's a safe bet to say this comic is NOT canon (if it ever was).

#21: Stranger Things Suspicious Minds (See Review Here)

Suspicious Minds ranks slightly higher that Six for doing a better job fleshing out the experiments that were taking place at Hawkins Lab, as well as giving more details about Kali, Terry Ives, the test subjects, and El's biological father Andrew. It helps that Brenner is a threatening presence in this book, and that the narrative excels in maintaining suspense.

However, similar to Six, the events of season 4 render most of this book non-canon. That's not even getting into a major continuity error regarding El's date of birth that sticks out like a sore thumb.

Suspicious Minds serves as a cautionary reminder that if you're a creator and you've planned out a major twist for your show, then you either need to have a direct hands-on approach to how tie-ins are written and approved, or you need to be willing to share that twist with those you've hired to write tie-ins for the universe you're managing.

In any case, it is PAINFULLY CLEAR the Duffer Brothers didn't share information about Henry/One/Vecna with Gwenda Bond when she worte this book (or Paul Dichter for that matter when he helped oversee its development), and boy does it show in the final product. 😖

#20: Stranger Things Kamchatka (See Review Here)

Another example of a comic where the premise sounds intriguing, but they squander it on characters who aren't going to play a role on the show while also giving very little (and in some cases, contradictory) information about the show's lore.

While I liked the darker tone, the Cold War setting, and the spy thriller aspects, the characters didn't do much to impress me, and I was also frustrated by the lack of canon characters (Hopper, Dmitiri, Yuri, etc) who could have been in this comic and weren't. It's not bad, but it is mediocre when it didn't need to be.

#19: Stranger Things Into The Fire (See Review Here)

A sequel that improves on its predecessor (Stranger Things Six). While the comic likely isn't canon for the same reasons Six isn't, I appreciated the personal stakes this time around, I loved the creepy gothic aesthetic they did with Jamie/Nine's hallucinations, and it was nice to see Kali utilized in this story in a meaningful way. Here's hoping the Duffer Brothers wise up and bring Kali back for season 5 because she deserves so much better!

#18: Stranger Things Creature Feature (See Review Here)

One aspect of Season 4 that was disappointing was how little we got to see of the family dynamic with El and the Byers once they moved. It's hinted at, but not explored deeply. Creature Feature dives a little more into that, as well as El's struggles with PTSD, and gives a nice heartwarming scene between El, Jonathan, and Will towards the end that makes the short stand out.

However, the one-shot comic is sadly brief, and it may leave people frustrated about why they didn't go for a longer comic/graphic novel about El and the Byers adjusting to life in Lenora. I would've been interested in seeing that!

#17: Stranger Things The Game Master (See Review Here)

A one-shot comic where we get to see Steve and Nancy back together after the events of season 1 while also getting a surprisingly sweet interaction between Steve and Mike that isn't them griping with one another. I don't care much for Steve and Nancy's relationship, but I did like their attempts to help Mike feel better after El's apparent death. That was enough to elevate this short.

#16: Stranger Things Erica's Quest (See Review Here)

Not a fan of the artwork, but I was happy to witness the Scoop's Troop back together again. I also love how this short confirms Steve has played D&D before, which gives context to that scene in S4 when Dustin calls Steve asking him to be a substitute player in Eddie's D&D campaign.

#15: Stranger Things The Voyage (See Review Here)

Major improvement on Stranger Things Kamchatka. It's highly doubtful the show will include any mention of this comic (though if the Duffer Brothers decide to bring back the Russian arc for S5, I hope they incorporate Dr. Karine as the main antagonist), but the story is scary, suspenseful, and has the kind of gruesomeness you'd expect from an R-Rated horror film.

#14: Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town (See Reviews Here)

Having grown up reading a lot of murder mysteries, I have a soft spot for the genre. Hearing that Hopper's backstory involved him tracking down a deranged serial killer in New York City back in the 70s while also dealing with a dangerous cult was enough to get me on board with this book.

This novel isn't perfect, but it makes up for its shortcomings in creative ways. Hopper's backstory with the NYPD is fascinating, the story's focus on issues related to poverty, crime, mental health, law enforcement, and societal woes works well (even if they drop the ball towards the end), Hopper's interactions with El in the present are a highlight, and the narrative is effective in keeping the reader invested.

#13: Stranger Things Erica The Great (See Review Here)

A light-hearted graphic novel that bridges Erica's arc between seasons 3 and 4 while expanding on her growth as a character and development as a D&D play. It was cool seeing Erica's friends get their day in the limelight (one of whom might be making an appearance in S5), and the story has enough funny moments to keep the reader entertained.

#12: Stranger Things Flight Of Icarus (See Review Here)

I know fan reaction towards this book was cold when it was first announced, and I'll admit parts of it were hard to read given we all know how Eddie's story ends. I'm not a fan of media that teases false hope to the audience, only to cruelly yank it away.

That being said, I will go to bat for this book: It's well-written, and does a good job expanding on Eddie's character and his relationships with others (Wayne, Al Munson, Jason, etc). I also appreciate the book's themes regarding "forced conformity," and its scathing criticisms towards individuals and institutions (school teachers, law enforcement, students, residents, etc) who scapegoat and punish people like Eddie for existing while allowing (or in some cases, enabling) truly vile people to get away with being vicious and cruel towards "acceptable targets."

Considering how certain individuals on Tumblr and varying social media platforms have been treating others for the past few months, this book couldn't have come during a more relevant time.

#11: Stranger Things Halloween Special (See Review Here)

A delightful Halloween comic taking place before season 1 which centers around the Party telling an urban legend about the Child Eater of Hawkins, which coincidentally has eerie parallels to Vecna. Creepy artwork, an unsettling atmosphere, and a fun twist at the end! :)

#10: Stranger Things Hawkins Horrors (See Review Here)

Same deal as the Halloween Special, except it takes place between Seasons 3 and 4, and features multiple horror stories told by Steve, Robin, Nancy, Max, Lucas, Erica, Dustin, and Mike while they're all trapped in the Video Store during a power outage. The stories are scary and reminiscent of horror anthologies like Tales from the Crypt and Goosebumps, and some of them even cheekily foreshadow certain events that occur in season 4.

#9: Stranger Things Runaway Max (See Reviews Here)

Like Flight of Icarus, this book is hard to read, albeit for a different reason: I don't enjoy stories with characters trapped in abusive situations, and this book does not pull its punches in depicting the utter hell Max suffered through living with both Neil and Billy.

That being said, I grew to have a new appreciation for Max's character because of this book, and I liked seeing her backstory, her perspective on the events of season 2, and her thoughts about the characters she interacts with. I loved seeing her relationship with Lucas develop, I liked her brief interactions with Steve, and there was a satisfying payoff in her standing up to Billy and finally regaining some control over her life. If you love Max's character, this book is for you!

#8: Stranger Things Winter Special (See Review Here)

The closest Stranger Things will ever have for a Christmas Special (not counting the endings of the first two season finales). So many little details (i.e. the way the Party explains different Christmas stories to El and how she visualizes them, the revelation about what happened to the demodog in Joyce's fridge, etc) that make this an enjoyable read.

#7: Stranger Things Lucas On The Line (See Review Here)

One thing I will say for the tie-ins is that I appreciate how they expand the perspectives of characters from the show. Such is the case with Lucas on the Line. It takes place between seasons 3 and 4, and explores Lucas's attempts to come to terms with his trauma, the growing rift between himself and Max, his attempts to balance his strained relationships with his friends and his desire to play basketball and break out of the "nerd" stereotype, and it gives a very brutal but effective portrait of what it's like for Lucas to be one of the few black kids in Hawkins constantly surrounded by people who are either outwardly racist or project their biases and prejudices in truly insidious ways.

There are two reasons I'm not ranking this novel as highly even though it's a fan-favorite: 1.) There are continuity errors that took me out of certain moments while reading it, and 2.) The third act (which is when S4 begins) does a clumsy job tying in with the rest of the book and its themes. I really wish the book had continued with Lucas's story up to the end of S4 instead of stopping halfway through.

#6: Stranger Things The Other Side (See Review Here)

I always wanted to know what was going on with Will in season 1 when he was taken to the Upside Down. This comic thankfully elaborates on that and doesn't disappoint. Will's journey to survive is both intense and terrifying, and the way the comic seamlessly connects itself with the events of season 1 is to be applauded.

I have no clue what the Duffer Brothers plan to reveal in season 5 about the Upside Down and why time froze in 1983 when Will was taken, but considering they talked with the writers and artists for this comic and gave their stamp of approval, I'm hopeful the events of The Other Side won't be retconned.

#5: Stranger Things Science Camp (See Review Here)

Who knew that when Dustin went to Science Camp, he walked right into a Friday the 13th movie? 😂

Don't want to spoil too much about this one, but I had a blast reading it. Dustin's perspective is always entertaining, the comic works as a brilliant introduction for Suzie, and the mystery plaguing the camp is genuinely interesting and has a good twist. High recommendation.

#4: Stranger Things Zombie Boys (See Review Here)

I'm still bitter that the character of Joey Kim never made an appearance on the show despite the camaraderie he had with the Party, as well as how he gave the boys some catharsis from all the shit they were put through in season 1.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the premise of the Party making a zombie movie, and I appreciated how it handled the characters' trauma without being patronizing. The artwork was also impressive and beautiful to look at. Here's hoping we get more comics and graphic novels like this in the future!

#3: Stranger Things Tomb Of Ybwen (See Review Here)

At its core, the comic manages to explore an aspect that wasn't given much coverage on the show: Will's reaction to Bob's death and his attempts to come to terms with it. All of which culminates in a quest Will undertakes when he finds a map from Bob that (allegedly) leads to an ancient Viking treasure buried in Hawkins.

I don't want to give too much away in terms of spoilers, but the story is both emotional, sad, and heartwarming, and it does an excellent job reinforcing the friendship between all 4 boys while also demonstrating the impact Bob had on Will's life.

#2: Stranger Things and Dungeons and Dragons (See Review Here)

Speaking as someone who's occasionally crafted various fantasy scenarios in my head to cope with the stresses of life, this comic was deeply relatable. The show never shied away from emphasizing the importance of D&D to these characters, and this comic expands on that by illustrating why they became interested in D&D in the first place, how they've used D&D to cope with living in Hawkins, how the events of the first 3 seasons factor into how they play D&D, and how the game evolved with them as they continued to get older. It's like the piece of media from your childhood that stays with you as an adult. Arguably the best comic in the series (so far).

#1: Stranger Things Rebel Robin (See Reviews Here)

My favorite book and tie-in of the series. Speaking as someone who's gay, this story spoke to me on a personal level, and there were a lot of parallels I was drawing between Robin's experiences in high school and my own: The fear of being outed and ostracized. The desire to break free and explore the world. Recognizing the injustices that exist in society and wishing you could do something about them. Getting a nasty dose of reality that people you thought you could trust aren't reliable, and may even be more awful than you anticipated. Been there, done that, still dealing with some aspects of it.

It's funny because even if you take out the plot elements relating to the Upside Down, you still get a great coming-of-age story, and one that speaks to many people, LGBT+ or otherwise.

That concludes the ranking and reviews for right now! Thank you again for those who've been reading them! :)

[thelastgreatsimsdynasty]

Episode 3

Sabrina Townsend and Francine Farthing were the best of friends during high school despite their fundamental differences. Sabrina values academia and shattering glass ceilings, whereas Francine values love, chivalry and soft femininity.

When Francine asked Sabrina if she'd be okay with her dating Elias, Sabrina's elder brother, she was hesitant, but gave her blessing. After a few months, it was evident the pair were in it for the long haul. Sabrina felt a rift grow between herself and the couple as they gradually spent more time with one another.

On Elias and Francine's wedding day, Sabrina sobbed to her younger brother in a quiet moment away from guests.

"Chase, what am I supposed to do? We used to be so close and now she's our sister and moving into the manor but she feels like a stranger," she lamented. Tears fell from her cheeks, landing on the peonies in her bridesmaid bouquet.

"Things will settle down, Sabs. I know they will. And, if they don't, you've always got me to make fun of their gooey PDA with. Now wipe your face, you're starting to look like a raccoon." He handed her his handkerchief, she looked from him to the handkerchief and back. "It's clean, I promise."

She chuckled softly and accepted it.

"Now let's go out there and show them the ol' Townsend Two Step that never fails to please."

"You're such an idiot." Sabrina rolled her eyes and rejoined the party on her brother's arm.

Next Episode

Last Episode

First Episode

[thesmithsbackyard]

TOP TEN: i m p o s s i b l e

Really though I’ve been sitting here marveling at the fact that, this show has been on since 2005, it has either 17 or 20 full seasons with two more on the way, (the episode counts are weird) I can pop in Season 2 or Season 16 still have a grand old time. They just do...whatever the hell they want, and it works!

I wracked my brain for several months, I made some painful cuts, here’s my top ten lol. In no particular order. Just barely managed to figure out what my fave ep of all time is

Spoilers!! Kind of. I don’t want to spoil these in case people wanna watch them. But who am I kidding; I’m screaming into a void over here. ANYWHO:

The Life and Times of Stan Smith 12-15

Okay. So one set up in this show is, Stan is against something. Turns out he can’t avoid that thing or it’s a Good Thing Actually. He gets waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too far into it. Shenanigans!! It’s great, I love it. My favorite example is this episode. He gets addicted to dying. Like...like actually dying.

Meanwhile, Steve goes to Arizona State University and does not have a good time

Daddy Queerest 4-19

This episode just warms my heart. Greg and Terry are a gay couple that live across the street. Terry’s dad is visiting for the weekend and doesn’t know Terry’s gay. Dramaaaa!! Oh my god, the ending of this one is so cute and good.

Meanwhile, Roger buys beer for Steve and his friends at a party. For $12 profit.

I feel like i should acknowledge something. *sigh* So yeah. Greg and Terry *are* that stereotypical gay couple where almost every joke with them is that They're Gay. But i dunno, I never got the sense of any malice behind it. They're never put down by other characters for it and there's never any theme or joke that it's bad to be gay and over the top like them?

I understand why it is annoying to only see that portrayal and that the joke being HAHA GAY is bad though so...Your Mileage May Vary

Hayley Smith, Seal Team 6 11-3

Eps like this one make me so happy this show got a second chance on another channel. Hayley ends up mentally regressing to age six. Jeff and Klaus try to get her back to normal. I love all the little bits they do that show how her relationship with her parents was like.

Meanwhile, a weird stranger convinces Steve and his friends to use a slow cooker while making pork. He’s not even a real pervert!

There’s this adorable part when she does patty-cake with Roger which shows they used to like each other too.

EXCEEEEEEPT!! [extra nerdy glasses on] In season 2, Roger sings a song about how he used to be close friends to Steve. And in that, when they first met, Roger is shown to be given to Steve as a birthday present.

While Hayley and Francine freak out, and the design they use for Hayley is her mid-puberty design in a later ep

THEREFORE they did not meet when she was six. Episode recalled

[i’m kidding it’s delightful and I’m just a freak about this show go watch it lol. it might not even be exactly how they were, just showing how they would be if they met back then]

Lost in Space 8-18

Jeff is trapped on the ship of Roger’s people. Pretty much every episode about Jeff going to, being in, or result of space is really good. I could shove them all into this...part of this non-numbered list

It's adorable! Like almost painfully so. Whenever I hear people say this show is too mean or gross I can think of several episodes where they're not lol

Haylias 3-5

This one was my top fave for the longest time. Hell it still might be. Turns out Hayley was trained to be a CIA sleeper agent. Stan re-activates her so she’ll be independent in the way he prefers...kind of. He actually feels a little guilty about it.

Meanwhile, this is also the ep when, the myths, the LEGENDS, Wheels and the Legman are born!! Fantastic [Steve and Roger pretend to be detectives and half the joke is they're making it up as they go along. it's one of my favorite plot threads ever in this show]

Flirting With Disaster 6-18

Soooo...Stan and Francine. I love them so much. They're insane. Ohhhh my god. In this one, it’s revealed that Stan flirts with other people at work. Nothing that leads to an affair or anything. Francine ends up working there and everything’s fine until something happens that renders her horrifically scarred. Now they gotta learn how to flirt with each other again.

It starts with an...homage? Parody? Of “The Office”, but with who Stan works with at the CIA. They keep with that parody in how the scenes are shot and the general humor, until the first commercial break. They also explain that in-universe in a funny way that isn’t too meta. (Oh man, I could go ON about how this show does meta humor) The humor they do isn’t too far off from how the show generally is, so when it goes back to how the show is normally shot it’s not too jarring.

Meanwhile, Steve builds birdhouses as a hobby and Roger starts a business with that. There’s this one part with birds that leaves me in shock and awe every time like jesus christ it’s just soo...the efforts they go to just for A Bit in this show. I need to make a separate post about that I just sfhdjsjfhsdklghdslkgds

Yule. Tide. Repeat. 15-22

The Christmas eps of this show. SHIT GETS WILD. Almost every one that’s come out has been in my top fave episodes. Stan wants to have a normal, “Norman Rockwell Christmas,” because every one they’ve ever had has been very bad and very weird. His words, not mine. Something goes terribly wrong, and Stan ends up caught in a time loop where he has to pick the right path to find his family.

There’s a part with gore, and honestly gore jokes are one of my least favorite parts of this show. BUT. It’s used effectively in this story. (and I will acknowledge that even though I don’t like gore jokes. at least when they happen on this show it’s actually a joke or part of the plot sooo whatever)

The Two Hundred 11-10

It’s the apocalypse for some reason. Stan wanders the earth with tattoos feeling real bad about how he treated his family. Greg is there too. He’s fun, I like Greg

West to Mexico 12-22

So every once in a while there will be an “au” episode, where the characters aren’t related to each other but still do a Thing. (I mean every once in a while; there’s only been like two or three over 300 eps and I’m not sure if one is even ‘canon’)

In this one, Stan’s an outlaw in the United States after the civil war. Wild west stuff happens. I think it's based on a movie. But when this show does movies they don’t just do a movie scene but it’s the characters and they’re meta about it, they’ll just do a scene or something similar to it. Like no one turns to the camera and says “heeey this is just like Djanjo Unchained!” or whatever it was. It’s based on something but it’s still done in the style and humor of the show, which is neat.

One Little Word 4-3

Oh god. THIS ONE. You know what, I’ve finally decided. This one is my favorite. This ep is like a culmination of everything I love about this show. The cringe AND the good shit. This was an ep that when it came on I’d feel like YEESSS IT’S THIS ONE. You know that feeling?? Like you know you’re gonna have an excellent time for the next half hour. I just...there’s so many little details and bits that are expanded upon later and little cute character moments and everything just builds to this hilarious payoff and AAAAAAH

There’s a couple jokes that are kinda...well not the worst thing ever but I can see why today people might be like...mmmm No. But mostly I just. Oh god. I just love I was able to fall in love with this one all over again. Christ I haven’t even said what it’s about yet.

So Stan wants to be Bullock’s number one at work. (there’s already Layers here) He goes so far to bring back his wife from being captured overseas. Meanwhile Francine wants to celebrate with Stan up alone at a lake. Unfortunately Bullock’s family ends up staying at Stan’s house…

(Lake Fraiser. I havent seen much of that show but recently I’ve been wondering if this episode is a parody of either an episode of it or just its style of writing in general?? I’ve wanted to watch Fraiser but never got around to it. The syndicated channel I watched reran this show, Two and a Half Men, and Friends instead. Baaarrff lmao)

Oh dear god I've done it. Kind of. See I’m looking at this list and there’s STILL sooooooo many I love where I’m like “what about this ep. And this one. And this one. Technically there’s infinite numbers between one and ten” There’s at least on ep per season in that top five list I did where I KNEW I’d be like “why isn’t This one on the list goddammit”