#tgws spoilers

[stars-irises]

A list of details and bits in Peter Pan goes wrong that I really like

Trevor and Annie interaction in the intro (it's literally like three seconds but their friendship means so much to me so I don't care)

Trevor trying to light a cigarette over a bucket that says "Gunpowder, DANGER EXPLOSIVES"

Trevor saying that Dennis's headset won't be noticeable, and then Dennis entering the stage with a giant headset

Dennis reading out all of his lines with no emotion whatsoever

"Liza, the Darling's housekeeper. Different in every way from Mrs. Darling" Enter Annie who plays both Liza and Mrs. Darling

Everyone completely ignoring Robert desperately reaching for his dog ears

Annie having to sing louder and louder as the background noise gets louder and louder (That bit will never not be funny to me)

Trevor giving both the other stage hands (played by Bryony Corrigan and Niall Ransome) a comforting pat on the shoulder after they help cut Robert out of the door

Nancy Zamit's singing voice

Annie accidentally pulling Trevor unto the stage when she jumps in her Tinkerbell dress (They're besties your honour)

Trevor's scream after the blanket lights on fire (Can you tell who my favourite character is??)

The way Sandra looks at Max during the entire play (I love them)

Sandra checking if Lucy is okay

The fact that Dennis actually can remember lines, just not his own

When Trevor is holding up the cards for Dennis all of them are written in a way that makes Dennis insult the show or his cast members, but you can see that the cards clearly have enough space on them to avoid that sort of thing. Which implies that either Trevor is actively trying to insult the show or he is just a himbo.

Dennis wears inflatable armbands when swimming

Just how happy Robert and Chris sound whilst gossiping about their cast members

Robert checking Trevor's pulse because they're all scared that he just straight up died

"Not you Dennis walk away", followed by Dennis holding up his hands as if he's being arrested

Chris insisting on pulling of the cork of the flask with his hook rather than just placing the bottle on the table and pulling it off with his other hand

Everyone's horrified screams when Annie wakes up

Vanessa/Bryony looking incredibly happy after Annie wakes up

The sea shanty. Just that. I love it. It's a great song

When the stage won't stop revolving and we see the stage crew, all of them turn to Trevor because he's the only one of them who's had to deal with everything going completely wrong

Bryony and Niall's characters trying to tape down the stage

Trevor leaping of the stage the moment he hears Chris yell his name

Sandra and Annie actually getting along and not fighting over Annie's kiss with Jonathan. Annie repeatedly apologises but Sandra says that it's not Annie's fault and that it's okay (And the fact that this was a detail added by Charlie and Nancy)

Trevor saving the day

Trevor and the BBC guy still arguing whilst there is an actual fire

Trevor yelling "Happy Christmas mate!" as he sprays the BBC guy with the fire extinguisher

I also really like the fact that we see Trevor and the BBC guy arguing and then the next thing we see of them is them hugging and screaming over the fire

The BBC news guy saying that the BBC has cancelled their Community Choice Project (a.k.a the only reason the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society were even on BBC) as the boat goes by in the background

When Sandra and Max kiss the camera deliberately move so that you can see Trevor and the BBC guy in the background with their arms around each other, and Trevor looks at the BBC guy in such a loving (and gay) way and then he realises that there are cameras and immediately pulls away

Trevor helping the BBC guy down from the bunk bed and then looking after him as he runs of stage (Your honour they're gay)

When the credits roll a bunch of names start falling off and apart, except for the Lightning designer's whose name flickers instead

[personallbest]

wendy 

an evening with the good witch (x)

[personinthepalace]

Percy Jackson is Jesus Christ! - The Goes Wrong Show/Percy Jackson and the Olympians

thanks to @notanerdyprude for the idea!!

[laufire]

I'm not without sympathy for the writers in gotham war because it's VERY obvious this storyline was rushed past what any of them could reasonably deal with (at one point, you can see they literally copypasted a character design from one comic to another añsldkfjasf. something you can see because the art is completely different and does NOT work well together, btw!). but. well. that was very typical "great concept, appallingly terrible execution" dc nonsense. it was less than ten issues total, they SHOULD have coordinated this better, sns, especially characterisation-wise.

[lonely-night]

Kalinda: Peter did well in his debate today. Alicia: Yeah, I know. Kalinda: Do you want him to win? Alicia: Yes. I just don't wanna go back to the way things were. Kalinda: Well, why would they? Alicia: I don't know. Life.

Kalinda's face after that conversation with Alicia.... WHAT WAS THAT

[allcheers-allfears]

The Star Beast!

:0 The whole episode was brilliant and funny and I'm v happy with DT and such's return:-)

However, the "women are better than men" vibes were uncomfy (please I'm not saying this as a butthurt man, I'm a lil queer nonbinary). I'm slightly on the fence with the binary binary nonbinary thing but I think they meant well. Highlighting gender (esp. nowadays on BBC) was brave and they did well. In terms of getting over the actual crisis of the metacrisis, would I have leant more on the child aspect - like Amy/Rory and River - yes, but I'm not the writer🤷 I'm not upset about it!

Can totally see they're Using. That. Budget. and as much as there's that meme of dw budget📉=quality📈 but! RTD has used it in the right way! Not to cover up poor writing or anything but to actually enhance what they have! like dude. The Meep. Those practical effect were stunning. The explosions and costumes were fab and mama don't get me started on that Tardis (shh yes I do prefer the 8th/12th cosy vibes but just because one is my favourite don't mean I can't love others).

I probs have more to say, like Yasmine and Ruth were brilliant! As was the music. But that's all I can think of right now <3

I'm so happy Doctor Who is BACK BABEYYY!!

[justsomeguycore]

[flockofdoves]

just watched the first episode of season 7 of the good wife

throughout a lot of the second half of season 6 i kind of felt like the show didn't care about some of the stuff it had set up throughout season 5 and early season 6 with florrick agos/cary's feelings about lockhart gardner and motivations for starting florrick agos/etc.

like there was interesting drama while cary was in jail in having everyone make decisions counter to his ethos and diane getting into a position of power/etc. but its so weird. its like once he got out of jail there was no more opinions from him to the point that he had no objections to even fucking. howard and david lee joining the firm

and like i could dismiss that all as like 'oh he's just really relieved to not be in prison and to still be able to have a job so he's not pushing anything right now' but at this point in the story he's not a character that we just have to guess the motivations of like that we see his opinions and motivations in other plotlines so it did feel kind of disappointing that his feelings about whether florrick ago lockhart was becoming just like lockhart gardner weren't being engaged with in the writing

i get that serialized tv shows will inevitably drop plot threads but its always disappointing when its something i really cared about that was a focus of a whole season. it makes it feel like if i'm being uncharitable. why did you even do all that just to bring things back to status quo without engaging with any of the interesting things that superficially bringing back a status quo would entail. was one of my favorite seasons just a plot device to neatly write will out of the show with some temporary drama but that you didn't actually care about any of the novel stuff developed to get to that point...

and then the email hacking episode really made that feel like the case for me. like i get that sometimes plot devices don't hold up to strict logical scrutiny i don't want to sound like cinemasins but the fact that julius came back from lockhart gardner canning's [honestly no idea what that law firm would even be called at this point?? just canning?? lol] new york office and shows up working at florrick agos lockhart no questions its just "julius, you're back!" "we closing the new your offices" as if those offices are at the same law firm and he's always worked here is so weird.

and again that could be done in an interesting way like. sure. he's been an ally to diane in votes and stuff before. she could've gotten him the job here and the fact that he's wording it in this way could be used to symbolize how this firm is just lockhart gardner all over again the same problems with partners the same old methods and all those people established in that old firm now that its in the same office space again are just literally seeing it as their old firm. and that could be used dramatically if we got to see cary's reaction to that attitude. but we don't.

and then the rest of the episode makes it clear that the writers want us to just gloss over the fact that florrick agos ever existed for this plot to work. this is Literally just lockhart gardner with cary as a named partner now for all thats all they seem interested in writing in the long term. how the fuck do these hackers hack florrick agos lockhart's email system and get access to a 2 year backlog of emails. this firm literally hasn't existed that long. there was a whole conflict when florrick agos was being formed about how they got locked out from their old lockhart gardner work emails (and actually another episode plotline involving diane having separate work emails at these two firms, one of which she no longer had access to earlier this season). how do they have emails exchanged during people's times at lockhart gardner. how do they have will's emails about cases he's working on together with alicia. it makes no sense unless this is literally supposed to be the same firm and we act like florrick agos never happened.

also sidenote robyn isn't in season 6 and i guess the implication is when diane brought kalinda they let her go but its crazy theres not even like. a mention of it.

and now in this first episode of season 7 its exciting to finally see it engaging with cary being unsatisfied with the structure of the firm again. but even the way they're doing that as of this first episode doesn't really nod to the existence of florrick agos. cary's disappointed the firm is old and stuck in its ways and the partners are disconnected from the associates. but then its like wait. literally where did all the preexisting younger partners like carey zepps go that literally formed this firm before diane/david lee/julius/howard/etc got here. am i just supposed to assume that literally all of them left with no mention of it leading up to them finally engaging with cary's conflict about this????

lmao. maybe they didn't do anything with it til now because they had to spend so much time with cary's emotions surrounding their plotline to write kalinda out of the show :(

season 6 was kind of unpleasant to watch for a lot of it which isn't a commentary on its quality but just everything was so dreadful even at its best. but it was also a mixed bag for me in how i feel about it too. it had a conflict in it that didn't feel entirely plot driven on whether it wanted to shake up the status quo that was kind of exhausting in going between being excited about the potential of where it could go with the leaps it was taking even if they were anxiety inducing to watch, and then taking it back in a kind of tired way. i do think part of it might be its a sort of transition season to whatever they want to do with the last season so i still want to be patient and am interested in where it will go but i wish a lot of it felt slightly less sloppy

mostly i am just so so so sad about kalinda leaving. so upset with whatever the fuck julianna margolies did in real life to cause archie panjabi to want to leave. its dreadful seeing how clearly they never ever had scenes together anymore and i'm mourning what could have been in their dynamic if real life actor conflict didn't get in the way. its crazy despite how little they interact anymore how their one last scene together (even if they filmed it separately lmao) reignited every bit of kalicia truthing in me so strongly. like it is still so real it hasn't died and i absolutely will be thinking throughout all of this last season how kalinda could possibly come back into alicia's life and have them actually address the romantic tension between them.

for favorite parts of season 6. the cary being in jail stuff was really interesting. and i'm really obsessed with all of alicia and frank grady's discussions with each other.

i don't necessarily think the whole extended lemond bishop plotline with kalinda was good and it mostly felt like what it likely was, an easy way to get kalinda out of the show, but i do really enjoy mike colter's (and wallace shawn's!) acting, so it was fun to see him a lot and then have charles lester pop up scarily again at the end.

for random little thing i didn't like. i really hated how they had elsbeth reciprocate feelings for that fucking creep AUSA. she is so fun but its just so dreadful seeing her just like. not address his literal sexual harassment of her. i much preferred her dynamic with him (if he needed to be there at all) last season

but yeah. its not necessarily what i wanted the show to be forever (i just want them to engage with it more as having happened!). but god. imagine a Real florrick agos firm with kalinda and robyn there and no previous partners from lockhart gardner... god its so sad what couldve been....

edit: OH just remembered one other small thing i was disappointed in this season. its not like i expect this show to have good politics (and especially wrt palestine i know julianna margolies is a zionist in real life). but there's always been an intriguing thing kind of looming over any discussion of israel and palestine in this show where anyone being pro palestine isn't dismissed on an actual rhetorical level by any other character, but its just always about political expediency. and i loved seasons ago little middle schooler baby leftist grace arguing with politicians about palestinian rights and reading whole books about it to learn more. i reminded me of myself in middle school. and i guess this could be because she's not really into that one progressive pastor youtuber anymore and now has moved on to more generic (and presumably more conservative) christian circles to continue finding community after not being allowed to see him anymore, but thats never really engaged with. so it makes me sad to not see her talking about basic leftist politics anymore and that especially became apparent when she was talking to marissa and just was like 'whoaaaaa thats so cool i want to live in israel!'

i just want the plotlines of grace being a baby gay leftist implied to be getting into religion partially bc her best middle school friend she had a crush on was one of those fucking 'come to my church retreat' type middle schoolers again so bad..... she was so sillies i miss her. be a lesbian communist grace!!!! ruin your parent's political ambitions!!!

[andreal831]

No Humanity Analysis

If you're caught up on The Great War, you know why I am analyzing the No Humanity storylines in TVDU. I think there is a lot of confusion about what 'turning humanity off' means. And I think a lot of the confusion stems from the writers/characters not really knowing what it means.

The characters, when their humanity is off, will often throw around comments about not having emotions, but that's not realistic. If they had no emotions, they wouldn't feel anger or annoyance, which we clearly see from each NH character. Characters who actually experience no emotion would be very calm and logical. We see NH Caroline wanting to party and have fun -- all emotions. NH Stefan gets annoyed, a lot, with everyone wanting to turn it back on. Even NH Damon gets annoyed and vengeful with Lexie in the flashback. NH Elena is petty with Caroline based on emotions. So it is clearly different than turning emotions off.

Rather, to me, it seems more like they lack empathy. They feel the emotions but just don't care how they impact those around them. The show calls it humanity because the way humans can empathize with each other is a core part of humanity. NH characters can act ruthlessly because they do not fear consequences or how their decisions affect those around them. But throughout this, they still want to live their lives and experience emotions -- just without the guilt that comes with humanity.

Now, if you are caught up on TGW, you know I've added something that we are told is not possible in TVD, *spoiler* an Original turns off their humanity *spoiler* We are told by Rose that the older vampires cannot turn off humanity because their humanity is already so blurred. But older vampires still do have humanity, if they didn't, the audience wouldn't root for them. For a big part, they do not care how their actions impact humans, but they definitely care how their actions impact each other. It may be a selfish humanity, but there is still empathy/guilt there. And we even see moments of the Originals showing empathy to people outside of their family. Meaning they still have something to shut down. It may be a less dramatic change than seeing someone as compassionate as Elena or Caroline shut their humanity off, but there would still be a difference.

[wrongcaitlyn]

very random question but what do you think is "THE" nico lyric in tyt? like, the one that would go trending in those tiktoks that are just someone lying down sad or stuff (idk if im explaining myself, i mean like this) or like the lyric 90% of angels have tattooed?

also i need you to know that my mind has been occupied w the idea of sadie, alex and nico winning best new artist, best alt album and aoty at the same grammys awards (graveyard, tgw and alex fierro would all be released in time for the same grammys, right? idk im so bad w this stuff) for the past week. (i feel bad for thinking abt nico on a grammys setting but hey he mentioned assisting on chapter 18 and i need him to have a healing positive experience /nf)

OKAY OKAY SO SORRY THAT THIS TOOK SO LONG TO RESPOND BC I HAD TO PROPERLY THINK ABOUT IT THIS IS IMPORTANT

my first instinctual thought is "always an angel, never a god" which i do think is definitely one of THE lyrics. like. everyone knows it. it's everything to the fandom. it's everything to nico. i honestly think that lyric sums up nico's lyricism in general so well like??

but that was only recently released, so im gonna choose a lyric from each album,,, just bc i can

for haunted, the forever underrated album, i think it'd either have to be from long sleeves, the fandom favorite, or for symbolism, "i'm your ghost right now your house is haunted" from i know it won't work. for long sleeves i think it's less so of a standout lyric, more just a standout song, but also "it's been a long time coming" just fits a lot of different scenarios... very healing acceptance sorta vibes

then from doomsday, i don't think there's necessarily a lyric that i feel like a lot of people would get tattooed, but i DO think that this is me trying is like. THE song from that album. i think it's just such an easy song to resonate with, especially in nico's depressed as hell fandom. so this one is less so they have a tattoo of it and more so they have a wallpaper with the quote "i've been having a hard time adjusting, had the shiniest wheels now they're rusting" bc yk that'll always hit hard. and also "you're a flashback in a film reel" which is soooooo

then for future albums... no spoilers okay but im just gonna count them in my head. 2 from nda4. 1 from nda5. 3 from nda6. 6 from nda7.

but final final answer: always an angel, never a god

(also this has me cackling thinking about people who may have gotten tattoos in relation to apollo in the past, and he's just like. wiping all of that from existence. well not LITERALLY but like he's making it very very clear that anyone who supports all his old music is a shithead and so you've got old fans being like shit shit shit)

and then OH MY GOD??sdLFKJSDF THAT WOULD BE SO FUN AGHHSDFJSD you have actually just made me realize that. yes. they will be in the same eligibility period... for some reason i was convinced that graveyard was a year before tgw and alex's self-titled so that's like... WOAH. THEY'RE ACTUALLY COMING SO SOON?? i write down these dates in my outline and im like haha yea that's months away and then like. its actually coming soon. anyway im not entirely sure if alex's will make the cut (as in, i think i may have been planning on him releasing it in fall of 2020, which would be past the eligibility period,,,, but then the thought of them all being nominated for stuff..... god thats so excitingskdljf)

unfortunately i do have some plans for like which albums/people will be winning things, HOWEVER... i will definitely be excited to write the 2021 grammys bc. grammys shenanigans with the iconic trio. love them sm.

[peachdues]

Hi Peach!

I have been trying to spend less time on Tumblr right now but I got some very bad family news and decided to treat myself to your blog and I’m really cheered up!

That teaser you posted and the fact we are getting a super emotional reunion✨second time✨ in TGW as well as a ✨first time✨ before we get to the aftermath of Tengen’s spicy lessons. Thank you for the meal

‘You’ve no idea, while I was gone I thought endlessly of you’ - I’m sorry it’s so emotional I won’t be able to take it I love him so much 😭

This may be spoiler territory (if it is tell me to shooosh) but will we see any of Giyuu’s POV thinking about reader in the infinity castle? 👀👀

AND NETHERWOOD Sanemi j*rking off and you saying we will be mad at him, reader about to leave him to go to a new village my heart is breaking, Peach you are such an awesome write - I’m still having fun trying to decipher your teaser images btw.

I was wondering between Kanae and Reader did Nemi have other girlfriends in between as he is super experienced with women

I know your inbox is sky high and even if you just see this message, I’ve seen that you’re struggling with your depression a lot recently, I hope you’re doing alright and taking time for yourself, doing what makes you happy and what helps clear your mind ❤️

-🫧🫧

(PS died when you mentioned Seelie Kyojuro as I am from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿)

MY BELOVED BUBBLE ANON!!

Hello my love!! I adore seeing you in my inbox, always!

I’m so sorry you’re going through a rough time right now. I really hope you’re able to take some time and get some rest and indulge in a bit of self care. I’m sending you lots of hugs, and since you’re in Scotland, some tea as well. I’m partial to crumpets so if you like them, I how you get to eat them however you like them! (I’m a slather it in butter girl myself)

As for TGW — hehehehehe I’m so glad you enjoyed the teaser!! TGW has been a lot of fun to write (even if I have to stop and research some new historical fact every two seconds). Sam said it reads more like a romance story (a smutty one ofc) and that makes me happy since that’s relatively new territory to me.

As for a Giyuu Infinity Castle POV — as of right now, I don’t have plans for one! There is a brief POV from him in a flashback from the night of his and Reader’s ✨first time✨ that will appear in Part II. The first time scene occurs during the Hashira training arc/right before infinity castle begins, so you will see a certain sun breather trying to get Giyuu to train with him as he makes his way toward the shrine to see his girl and pop her cherry

As for Netherwood…

😈😈😈

I will say, I know I have y’all stressed but many of you all commented on the strength of Sanemi and Reader’s love in Part III — just remember that! And remember how hard they both fought to get back to one another. That matters!

Regarding whether Sanemi had any “girlfriends” between Kanae and Reader — I’m not so sure he did. One, because he was pretty isolated in the Wood at his cabin, guiding strangers. Two, I think his “experience” is probably less than you’re thinking — he might not have been a virgin but he also wasn’t a sex god by any means. Reader has no experience prior to Sanemi, so I imagine she’s a bit biased when it comes to him — it probably seems like he’s much more experienced than she is by comparison. I think he knows enough about the mechanics and then just goes by pure instinct.

I’ve joked with a couple of mutuals that were she to talk to Kotoha she’d probably be like “what do you MEAN it’s not normal for your partner to have a knot?? How else does he keep all that cum insane??”

Thank you for the kind message, my friend!! I love when you all pop in and ask questions about the fics or even share your reactions. It truly makes my day. And thank you for checking in! Depression has been a bitch lately but I’m focusing on trying to make it MY bitch.

Please take care of yourself! I’m sending love and light your way.

PS — my head refers to you as my “Bublé” anon — like Michael Bublé.

🤍🤍🤍

[personallbest]

the way I want to scream about wendy so bad but I don’t know if it counts as a leak or not !!

[personinthepalace]

It’s Star Wars - There Is No Escape

Happy Star Wars Day!

[ysuft]

(tgw deluxe spoilers)

my fave is definitely the last one!! it's so cute and it's got sweeter than fiction energy

[florrickandassociates]

TGF Thoughts: 6x03-- The End of Football

This will probably be a short one. This isn’t a bad episode, but it’s a case heavy one, and, y’all, I have so much to say about episode four (which I’ve already seen*) that I just want to get through this one. 

*I have also now seen episode 5 oops

This episode’s title makes me happy. The Kings used to say that there was exactly one big thing CBS wouldn’t let them do on network*, and that was go after the NFL. This seems to no longer be an issue on Paramount+. 

* That they actually attempted to do; obvs they couldn’t have the characters swear, because hearing the word “fuck” is much more detrimental to society than gritty violence! 

I am not a big sports fan. Tbh, I held a grudge against football for a little while there because it was “that thing that meant TGW would start at 9:17 some weeks and 9:53 other weeks” when games ran over. That was so infuriating. While I’m walking down memory lane, here are the two worst things football ever did to me: (1) A game went into overtime the night that they killed off Will, meaning that the episode aired in Canada in its entirety before it started in the US. This meant that spoilers found their way to me, like, fifteen minutes before the episode aired. My fault for being on twitter, but I did not like that experience and I blame football. (2) There was one episode, I think it was the season six premiere, that was delayed nearly a full hour because a game went into DOUBLE OVERTIME over a touchdown that happened with literally one second left on the clock. That’s just cruel.  

So yeah football is bad and we should ban it because it used to get in the way of me personally enjoying my show when I wanted to. There are no other reasons it is bad. Just those. (I kid. I will likely “case stuff happens” nearly all of the football-related scene of this episode, but the traumatic brain injury stuff really is a big deal.)  

Carmen has moved into, but not furnished, her big new apartment. She’s watching a reality TV show that seems horribly delicious and working out when – you guessed it –  Charles Lester knocks on her door. This time, she’s got a gun. She puts it away when she recognizes Lester’s voice. She also notes that she didn’t buzz him in and he says the doorman let him up. It only took thirteen seasons, but I’m glad the writers have finally realized that doormen are a thing in fancy apartment buildings in big cities. It used to drive me crazy that people would just show up at Alicia’s door.  

I want to understand how Carmen’s compensation works. I assume that as a lawyer at what I believe is a prestigious firm, she’d be making enough to afford that apartment, but did she get a raise? Is her salary tied to the work she brings in, and if so, does that kick in immediately? Why is this a thing that I care about? I think it’s part of a broader question I have about Carmen’s status at the firm. To echo something @antiphon said about episode 2, does the rest of the firm know or care that Carmen’s bringing in these unsavory elements? Ri’Chard clearly does, but how does STRL feel? Liz? Diane? Why does everyone accept it like it’s a given that this firm would take on these clients? And how is Carmen allowed to operate so autonomously? Also, what is she getting out of being part of a firm if she’s a team of one and not using the firm’s resources (other than Jay, I guess)? I think this episode answers some of these questions, and Carmen was flat out asked why she stays at the firm last year, but I think the writers could’ve done a better job here. It feels like Carmen’s off on her own island and it doesn’t really make sense that this could, like, happen in the first place.  

Carmen is being summoned to something called a “Crypto-Prom” which sounds either like hell or the most amusing thing in the world.  

It’s a weird move to just bring someone a dress to wear, but I guess Charles Lester is a weird person.  

I would watch Carmen observe things for hours tbh.  

Carmen and Lester talk about Lester’s backstory; it’s mildly interesting. He flips the question around on Carmen and asks her why she’s doing this, because, quote (this is so ridiculous I need more than quotation marks to indicate these are his words), “Liz and Diane are lawyers. You’re the law.” WHAT? I mean, I get what he’s saying, but what a way of saying it.  

This scene is a little heavy-handed in its attempt to get us to understand that Lester is the future version of Carmen (in terms of career, at least).  

Ben-Baruch determined Carmen’s dress size, because he is “good at sizing up women.” BARF.  

The crypto prom is cut short by an undercover cop and Lester’s subsequent arrest for the murder of the CI embedded with Ben-Baruch last episode.  

Diane wakes up from her latest trip to a hallucination of a sexy shirtless man painting. Did you get that the drug makes her really horny? I think the writers are really being too subtle here. We need more elves with erections to make the point.  

Diane’s developing, or should I say DEEPENING, her obsession with flowers. The colors, apparently, “tickle her brain.”  

“I worry that I don’t see enough of the beauty of the world,” Diane says. Bettencourt asks why. Diane says it’s the “curse of the progressive” and I find this hilarious. I don’t doubt that she feels this way, but wow, is it a privileged thing to say. She’s cursed with not seeing the beauty of the world because sometimes in her cushy life filled with arts and luxury... she has to think about the suffering of others? I PITY HER.  

I get where she’s coming from, of course, it just sounds so PRIVILEGED. If she’d just said she doesn’t see enough of the beauty of the world, fine, but to call herself cursed? Okay, sure.  

“If one person is suffering, you can’t enjoy your life,” Diane says. Come on. I’m sure she loves to think of it that way, but, come on. If she really felt that, there are things she could be doing to help... like working on pro-bono cases...  

To continue making the point that Diane doesn’t see enough beauty, she begins to reference art. Compelling case, Diane, 10/10.  

Bettencourt, of course, knows the painting Diane’s referencing before she says its title. I appreciate (but maybe don’t need?) the visual of the painting. I appreciate it because I was going to look it up. 

Bettencourt tells Diane she is a “lifeguard” based on her analysis of the painting (she sees the suffering magnified while the painting shows it off in the corner with everyone ignoring it). Huh, that sounds familiar... 

Diane has her shoes off lollol  

I think the reason I like this high!Diane is that I feel like these scenes are actually just showing me who Diane is when she isn’t working. Like, sure, she’s high, but also this kiiiiiinda just feels like a less inhibited version of who I imagine Diane is in her free time.  

Diane worries she won’t be able to go to court after her treatment because she isn’t angry enough. “Maybe you’ll be better at your job if you’re not angry,” Bettencourt says, and that shakes Diane to the core.  

Bettencourt gives Diane homework, and she’s like OMG YAY HOMEWORK I LOVE HOMEWORK in a tone that sounds somewhat sarcastic but mostly serious. 

Diane saying, “I do. Guilty.” and raising her hand sheepishly when Bettencourt asks her if she knows what doomscrolling is is (1) adorable and (2) extremely cringe. I’m so here for it. 

Bettencourt tells her to stop doomscrolling for 72 hours, which is advice I could use, too. He says that it’s not just the treatment that can change her mood – it's also her behaviors.  

CASE STUFF HAPPENS!!! (sorry I'm very excited to get through this recap) 

Ok something I care about is happening now; this case is interesting in that Ri’Chard and Liz are working together. Liz acknowledges that Ri’Chard is good. He says arguing in court is his fourth favorite thing, after sex, food, and music. Literally why are you mentioning sex, dude?  

In her extremely gray and bleak office, Diane watches protests out the window. She gets a news alert about how the protests keep going on, then scrolls through a bunch of horrible news articles about guns, climate change, killer gators, skin cancer... there’s one that says “Texas politician sues own daughter over abortion” which is either a real thing or something that will be a real thing in the next year, and mandated school prayer. Then her phone chimes with a news alert about gun violence, a literal plague, “body odor definitive sign of rare genetic disease,” warehouse employees being overworked to death... she decides to unplug. So, on the one hand I really think there’s some truth to all of the “stop doomscrolling” stuff – I haven’t really checked Twitter today and I do feel better for it* -- but I also am not sure it works so well when there are actual protests outside of Diane’s (verrrrrry fake) window. So, Diane is just supposed to tune out the literal protests outside her office because it makes her feel the same way that... clickbaity headlines designed to encourage more engagement do? That’s a stretch. The problem with doomscrolling is that there is no point to it. Getting more enraged in an echo chamber and then spending more time on websites (and thus getting said websites more ad money) is a thing you can easily cut from your life. Paying attention to your surroundings is... not the same. I’m not sure what the point here is – that you can make yourself feel better personally but the world literally outside your window is going to be shit?  

*this is also, in large part, because when I use Twitter specifically, I feel like I have to see how every conversation or topic goes, even if I’d be perfectly fine never knowing about it. I get very obsessive about it and it turns into a huge time suck. 

Marissa, the newest member of her dad’s legal team, is looking obviously bored during a meeting. Diane grabs her and tells her to shut off access to the news, Twitter, and Facebook. Chumhum is ok though! Marissa wonders how Diane will keep track of the protests without any of this, to which I have two responses. (1) Diane could simply LOOK OUT THE WINDOW WHY IS NO ONE ACKNOWLEDGING HOW WEIRD IT IS THEY ARE ALL STILL IN THE OFFICE and (2) What’s there to keep track of with the protests, anyway? No one seems to know what they are about, so what information is there, other than their physical location? And if it’s just their physical location, please refer to (1).  

Also... preventing yourself from doomscrolling and cutting yourself off from the news are different things. There is a medium between obsessively refreshing Twitter and living under a rock. 

Wait guys I have to tell you this story about my mom because Diane just said something that sounds like the serenity prayer. So my mom and I were going through an old box of stuff and we found a necklace with the serenity prayer on it, and I was like, “uhhh why do we have this?” (you all don’t know my mom but believe me, this is not something it would be like her to own). I’m fully expecting her to say a friend gave it to her or it was sent in the mail by some charity, but NO. NO. She tells me, “Oh, I think I got it for you at Goodwill or something when you were really into Desperate Housewives and Bree was going to AA meetings.”  

I was twelve when that plot aired. So my mom bought me a serenity prayer necklace as a reference to a TV show plot about alcoholism... when I was TWELVE. This story says so much about my relationship to television.  

Carmen tries to convince Lester to find new representation. She’s Baruch’s lawyer, so she can’t be Lester’s. I know how this plot ends, and it surprises me that Lester can’t see it five miles away.  

I feel like we have seen a lot of these cases where the financier of the case has interests that are at odds with the person who’s actually in court.  

Case stuff happens. 

Carmen wakes up on the floor (??) to find her gun box empty. Ben-Baruch has broken in to threaten her! A lot of drama happens but basically he is scary and requires her to make Lester the fall guy by giving him shitty representation. 

Credits at the 17:20 mark! I’m sad there isn’t any sort of cute warning message over the skip button like there is for Evil.  

Thanks to Diane Lockhart’s patronage, flower stands are THRIVING despite the protests.  

After buying as many flowers as she can possibly carry, Diane boards the work elevator with Carmen (have these two interacted before? I genuinely don’t remember.). She offers Carmen flowers, and Carmen declines but asks if she came from a funeral.  

Diane says she didn’t, but she wants to make the downstairs cheerier. Remember in TGW when the floral budget was one of the first things to go? In a plot about the 2008 recession? Man this show has history.  

Okay, Diane, stop showing off how much more knowledgeable you are than everyone! You’re making me feel inferior! (I have seen, and very much liked (though I remember some parts being hella weird and the central theme being very heavy-handed), Metropolis. And it is not that deep of a cut. But it’s not enough for Diane to have art and literature?! She knows her film too?!)  

Carmen’s opposition in court is her former teacher. He seems like an asshole. He tries to throw her off by acting like she wasn’t memorable in class and it’s surprising she’d do well.  

Carmen returns some flowers to Diane and says her meeting is too serious for flowers; Diane offers to help. Carmen declines.  

Carmen must have a great memory because she’s able to quote this guy’s lectures. She could also be bullshitting (at least in terms of her certainty about when he said things).  

Diane’s office is still gray but now it also has flowers. I love having the flowers in every shot.  

Without doomscrolling to keep her busy, Diane realizes that she is... not doing work.  

She goes out into the open seating area and comes across a pack of associates discussing the news – women are being outlawed in Texas (one of those absurd headlines that you’re meant to, I think, take as a dark joke? Because even in this day and age that would be quite alarming?). Diane wants to know what’s happening! 

The associates all play along with Marissa and refuse to tell Diane, a partner, the news. I did not realize they all had that kind of relationship with her! Marissa, watching this, smiles to herself and tries to leave the room.  

Doesn’t Diane need to know SOME news to do her job?  

Marissa refuses to turn social media and news back on.  

There’s footage of Lester leaving the crime scene; he insists it’s a fake. 

Oooh a little moment continuing the tension between Carmen and Marissa when Marissa drops a vase of flowers off on Jay’s desk and Carmen tenses up.    

Carmen wants to know if the video is fake but doesn’t know if she’ll do anything with it... since she suspects Ben-Baruch faked it. Jay seems worried for Carmen. 

I guess people can get used to anything but it’s very alarming how little anyone seems to care about these protests.  

CASE! STUFF! HAPPENS!  

I don’t know why I love the detail of Liz having an Apple Watch, but I do.  

Marissa dumps a bag of toys on Diane’s desk to distract her. It’s pretty funny (though not as funny as when Kalinda read Diane Vampire Diaries fanfiction). Wild to do to a partner, but we all know Marissa has no boundaries.  

Diane decides to pour drinks for herself and Carmen since she’s picked up on Carmen’s stress. Look at Diane actually being a mentor!  

Carmen says she’s waiting for Liz; Diane notes that Liz probably isn’t coming back to the office this late and asks what she needs. Carmen gives Diane a thinly veiled summary of her predicament. Diane asks for more information, listening attentively, then says “With more drinking comes more clarity.”  

Carmen’s equally stressed the next day in court. Diane surprises her by showing up as co-counsel, which... like, actually, this is new ground for Diane? And probably an appropriate, good use of her time, given the profile of the clients and her status? (This is, of course, setting aside that I don’t think anyone at Reddick & Associates actually would want Ben-Baruch as a client in the first place.)  

Diane says she’ll do her best and Carmen can do her worst. Feels like a doomed plan, but, okay! 

Case stuff happens. 

Case stuff happens for the other case. 

Case stuff happens for Diane and Carmen’s case again. It’s done pretty well but I don’t have much to say about it.  

Ben-Baruch is pretty scary. 

I love that Lester says that Bishop “accepted Jesus after he left prison” and that’s why he’s not active anymore. Nice little wink at Evil, where Mike Colter plays a priest, right there. 

Football case stuff happens. 

Turns out the guy financing Liz and Ri’Chard’s case doesn’t want the same thing as the actual client. (This feels familiar.) 

Rivi shows up to get Carmen out of this mess. Ben-Baruch wants Carmen killed (or at least roughed up tbh I am not really paying attention to this right now and don’t want to rewind 10 seconds) and Rivi is like, I am more important than you and I want Carmen to be okay! Clever—also, scary. Rivi might be slower to turn on someone but Rivi absolutely WOULD turn on Carmen if needed. So this is... just getting Carmen in deeper.  

Diane is at Bettencourt’s office when a window explodes and the episode ends. Sorry, this is way less dramatic when you know how it ends. (I will say I was mildly worried they’d wind up kissing.) 

[mcheung]

GUYS PLEASE FILTER #elyn listens to tgw IF YOU DONT WANT THE GOOD WITCH SPOILERS