#the more i rewatch this episode the more i love it. sci fi is so fucking back

[thetatardis]

dot and bubble’s commentary on modern day upper middle/upper class corporate life is really interesting to me. like lindy’s “job” description and title not really making sense and having the most frilly fluffed up wording possible (like most corporate titles and descriptions), lindy not really being able to explain it outside of what is clearly the exact description she was told, spending her “work” time screwing around with her friends on her bubble, whining about her “long hours” even though she is clearly spending them doing nothing and was paid through to get the job by her mother/parents and is wealthy enough to just go out and party after just two hours of working, even dr pee telling her when to go to the bathroom like a scheduled work break. this episode man

[bellamyblake]

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[melefim]

This is about Dead Boy Detectives but also applies elsewhere:

I know it can be hard to just talk to random people you meet about things you’re passionate about, but legit it works. If you can push past the social anxiety (I know it’s hard, I struggle with it too) you’ll be surprised how receptive people can be!

One of the best things we can do to up the chances of getting the show renewed is to get the views up, and while rewatches are great, more and newer viewers are even better. So whenever I can, I’ve been talking the show up to everyone I see.

I just checked my car in for service and the gal taking my info was STOKED when I told her about it because she was looking for a new show to watch. Grabbed her phone and added it to her Netflix list as I was standing there.

The little old lady who does safety inspections at work apparently loves Halloween and all things spooky.

The new security guard mentioned his husband and was excited when I told him about how refreshing the queer normalization is in the show (and showing him a pic of Lukas Gage as the Cat King definitely didn’t hurt either).

The head of Facilities has been watching Doctor Who since the first episode in the 60s and was intrigued by the quirky, campy aspects of it.

There are so many aspects to this show, so many angles of interest, you’ll be surprised how quickly you can sell people on it sometimes!

For me, the ‘opener’ I’ve found most effective is something along the lines of “Hey, I know this is super random, but do you like Sci-fi/fantasy/spooky stuff?” From there, a yes leads into “There’s this show I absolutely love called Dead Boy Detectives on Netflix, you should check it out!” And a bit of info on the show. (It’s about two ghosts that solve supernatural mysteries! It’s fun and weird and funny and so well made!) If there’s time, I’ll pull up the trailer or the teaser for them to watch. Far more often then not, they’re interested.

And if they say no? “Yeah, the genre’s not for everyone. But if you know anyone who does like it, you should have them check out Dead Boy Detectives, it’s super good.”

They may or may not be interested. They might watch it or they might not, could recommend it to others or forget about it completely. But they definitely won’t do any of that if they don’t know it exists.

Right now, I know of 21 people that I’ve told about the show who have come back and told me they loved it. 7 of those have also told me they told their friends and family about it and they’re now watching it too. (And those are just the ones who’ve come back to me about it- there could be even more!)

If there’s one thing I learned from being on a competitive Gish team for a decade, it’s that you never know who will say yes when you ask them something random!

It can be scary to put yourself out there. I really, truly get that. But if you’re able to push past it, it’s truly an effective way to spread the word.

[pestorik]

I got an ask from someone saying they are interested in watching adventure time but I accidentally deleted it :( anon if you are reading this here are some great reasons to watch it!

the later seasons are really awesome bc they start going really heavy on the lore and start to develop more of an overall plot. it's like watching the climax building in a movie but spread out over multiple seasons. it is 100% the best lore ive seen in a cartoon.

the show is really convenient to watch bc each episode is only 11 minutes but there are so many of them you dont get sad about finishing it too soon. this was back in the days of cable so theres anywhere from 20-50 episodes per season (yes, 50).

it's one of the only shows ive known that keeps the same voice actor for the entire series. the actor started around the age of 12 so you can literally hear him getting older throughout the show and the character gets older with him, voice cracking a lot and slowly deepening. i find it cool that they chose to do that instead of keeping the character eternally young.

you get attached to characters in ways you dont expect. as more things are revealed about them you begin to feel their loneliness, their insecurities, their desires. since the show lasted so long they had really amazing opportunities to develop the characters over a prolonged period and didnt need to rush it.

easter eggs! concept art! backgrounds! if you are an artist it's hard not to become obsessed with this show. and all these things are very well recorded online. even at the age of 26 i can think of ways that adventure time has influenced my art.

the idea of a post-apocalyptic setting being fantasy instead of sci-fi is so creative and unique. im personally not a fan of sci-fi but love fantasy and they did so many amazing things with this universe and it worked so well.

it is genuinely so funny. I think i actually laughed more rewatching it as an adult than i did as a kid.

you will gain a new appreciation for tom kenny if you've only ever heard him in spongebob. (also the VA who plays princess bubblegum played starfire, and jake's VA played bender)

if you do end up finishing the show (that will take a while) you have even more to look forward to! Distant Lands and then Fionna and Cake! the wiki also reveals some amazing stuff about each episode and you learn a lot of things you didn't know before (i dont recommend reading it while watching the main series bc it wont hide spoilers)

[dreamweaversfavsandthoughs]

Rick and Morty S7 Ep. 10: Fear No Mort

(A bittersweet end to a great season)

If you are not ready to conquer your fear of spoilers, go no further…

My Favs

Diane!

Overall, I’m pleased with how the writers handled the character of Diane and Rick’s interaction with her. They don’t portray either Diane or their marriage as flawless. There is definitely a bite to her personality and we see them have conflict like any married couple but there is still a lot of love and affection there, assuming Morty’s version of the relationship is accurate. It is certainly open to interpretation. In my mind, the only thing that was inaccurate is Diane’s disdain for her grandson. In actuality, I think she would have loved Morty to death and have absolutely spoiled him rotten as a grandmother should.

I also love that the writers confirmed that she was a scientist or was on the path to become one. She was definitely some sort of biologist, maybe a zoologist or a ornithologist. I don’t know about you but my heart went pitter-patter when Rick said her master’s thesis inspired him to create a ray to hear duck’s talk.

Lastly, I’d like to say that while I thought we might have somehow had the real Rick interact with the real Diane through some sort of sci-fi resurrection or afterlife break-in, I’m ultimately glad this is the work around the writers came up with. Anything else would have cheapened Diane’s death and Rick’s grief.

Rod Serling/Twilight Zone homage

Confession time. I’ve never seen the original Twilight Zone or the reboot, but I’m aware of the premise of the show and how it ties with this episode. I know I’m missing out and it’s on my list of shows to watch. Sometimes, I wish I could get a Night Person to watch all the television shows I don’t have time for in my waking hours.

Tide and Time

Really enjoy the newest Ryan Elder song. He is incredibly skilled at finding or creating the perfect soundtrack to convey the emotion we need for a particular episode.

Morty’s fear of relying on Rick

I will expound on this further in “My Thoughts”

Rick choosing Morty

Not only does he do it once, but twice. Once in Morty’s fear simulation and once in the real world.

Not my Fav

Product Placement

I know capitalism has got to capitalism, but could we please leave ads for shitty restaurants out of my story of a grandfather and his grandson navigating the human condition in a infinite, nihilistic universe that is incapable of caring! Thanks.

Besides, the fear hole should have been at a Shoney’s

My Thoughts

Morty’s codependency, fear of change, and learning to not live for the dead but to live for the living.

Seasons 6 and 7 has seen a gradual shift from Rick being a drunk asshole who is incapable of creating any real attachments because there are infinite versions of everyone (except for the one person he most cares about) to someone who is less drunk, ever so slightly less of an asshole, but a little more willing to open his heart to the version of his family he has chosen to live with. Unmortricken closed the chapter on Rick’s life purpose of getting revenge on Rick Prime and now with Fear No Mort we see Rick resist the temptation of clinging to the past and choose the grandson living in the present. The finale doesn’t give us much to chew on in regards to what is in store next for Rick, but in some way, I think the show is taking a bit of a pause on Rick as it shifts to Morty.

As the twist reveals, this episode focused exclusively on Morty’s psyche and his recognition and fear of his codependency with Rick. I recommend if you haven’t, to rewatch the episode a second time with this knowledge in tow. What sticks out to me is the antagonist relationship he has with Diane. They never speak to or acknowledge each other. I don’t think she even makes eye contact with him and in the scene at the school play, Diane belittles him and delivers an ultimatum to Rick. Choose her or choose Morty. Maybe the show wants us to take this literally, and it is really Diane he resents and that Rick will never choose the family in the present. Rick will never choose Morty. In my mind, I have a more metaphorical interpretation. I think Diane is symbolic of a future Rick that is, at last, happy and mentally healthy. Morty fears that if Rick gets better he will need his grandson less and that scares the shit out of him. He can’t imagine a life without Rick by his side, even envisioning a future where Rick follows him into adulthood, de-aging himself so he’s around forever. Both interpretations work and they both reveal the incredibly unhealthy mindset that Morty harbors.

We see a sort of ships passing in the night as Morty accepts that Rick will never see him as irreplaceable and he should just rely on himself at the same time Rick is finally ready to claim this Morty and only this Morty as his grandson and a legitimate part of his family on equal footing as Diane and Beth C-137.

The finale doesn’t give us much insight into what we might focus on in season 8, but I suspect it might be more Morty-focused. We have seen Morty start to develop some independence in the past, but it would be nice to see Morty develop an identity outside of Rick while also learning that Rick truly sees him as part of his family.

Also, the boy desperately needs some friends his age.

[bagog]

Star Trek: Discovery Narrative Highlights

So I really like Discovery, but differently than I like other Star Treks. My love for Voyager, for instance, is based off the sense of found-family in the face of sci-fi shenanigans. I could pick out favorite episodes, but my favorite episodes don't necessarily represent the epitome of what I love about the show, y'know?

It's different with Disco. There are concrete moments from through out the show that made me go "Okay, I like this, I want this. More of this." Here's some of them! This is indulgent and all from memory

Season 1 - Klingons Speak Klingon

In a story about Klingons fearing the Federation as an institution which will irrevocably alter their culture, the Klingons actually speak Klingon. Love it. Season 1 - Gabriel Lorca

I loved seeing a Star Fleet captain who seemed to have ascended because of his skill at war: a trait which ordinarily would not elevate one within Starfleet service, per se. It made him interesting. Your mileage may vary on where this went, but. He's still a big appeal on rewatch.

Season 2 - Queer People Helping Queer People

The introduction of Jet Reno is one of my favorite hallmarks in the show. I love Jet, and I love the way she serves as a foil to every other character. But best of all, I loved the scene when she is talking to Hugh Culber about how distant he's been from his husband (since coming back from the dead, so, you know) and helps him by relating her own story about her wife, who is now passed. To say I'm happy to see queer stories on Star Trek is a massive understatement, but this was the moment it locked in for me. In the world of the Federation, there's no difference between being queer or straight and anyone could've talked Hugh out of his funk. But in our world, it's usually queer people helping queer people make sense of their experiences. Recognizing the importance of that distinction and going with the queers-helping-queers take is a really big deal for me.

Season 2 - Amanda

This is hands-down the best representation of Amanda we've ever been given and she is so wonderfully human and warm that it helps you understand Spock and Michael so much better. I don't know what to say other than that, I love her.

Season 3 - The Future

I love that they went not just into the future, but further into the future than any mainline trek lore has gone. Hell yes. I'm bummed it's kinda a post-Utopian mess, but I get storywise why that's the case. I love the future starships, I love the future technology, I like that we just "BZP" to wherever we want to be in the ship now. In a show increasingly steeped in centuries of canon lore, it's smart and challenging to try to do "a millennium in the future."

Season 3 - Queer Family

Queer Family! Queer Family in Star Trek! This is my queers-helping-queers point but dialed up to 11. Love it, would do anything for it.

Season 4 - Artificial Intelligence

The ship is alive and she's named herself. This comes to a head in an episode in Season 4 where Paul Stamets feels very hesitant about this, after the plot of Season 2 was trying to stop AI from destroying the galaxy. There's this whole Measure of a Man but Not Quite Because Its the B Story thing going on, but at the end of it, there's a twist. Paul eventually learns to accept his new crewmate, but then he asks the person in-charge of the inquest "What would you have done if I said I wasn't comfortable serving with an AI?" and the dude goes "I would've assigned you to another ship. This was never about whether she has a soul or whatever, it's about if you can learn to accept that with you 22nd century brain." And that's.... that's great.

Season 4 - Mental Health

Mental Health is a thread running through some of Discovery (Season 2 flirts with Spock's neurodivergence, for instance) but never more than in Season 4. Hugh Culber, the ship's ray of sunshine and de facto counselor, is in bad shape, mentally, and he needs help. But the best moment is when the away-team is beset by chemical memories of panic and basically rendered useless with fear... except for Detmer, who helps them all get through it. When asked why she was unaffected, she says "Oh I totally was affected, but after my grievous injury during the war, I went to therapy for the PTSD and learned some coping strategies" AND THAT'S WHAT SAVES THE GALAXY.

Anyway, this is very indulgent and probably nobody reads this, but thanks if you did.

[autistic-ben-tennyson]

How Steven Universe Changed my Life

Aside from Ben 10, the one show I've posted the most about on this blog has been Steven Universe. I know my story may not be that unique but SU has meant a lot to me which is why I've defended it so passionately. For me, SU helped me become a better person, pushed me to explore different interests and helped me realize who I am.

I first watched the show when it was airing and I didn't know how to feel about it. Sometimes I liked it especially episodes like 'Jailbreak' or 'That Will Be All'. Other times, it felt too much like Clarence or Uncle Grandpa with the rougher episodes like 'Frybo'. As time went on I slowly stopped caring about it, partially because of the long hiatuses and because I started to think it wasn't good. At the time, I held some homophobic beliefs because of the culture I was raised in. I, thankfully, never watched Lily Orchard's video but I did watch a similar essay by Misanthropony which was just as bad.

Around 2 years ago, I started getting back into the series. At the time, I was a lot angrier and was a bit of an edgelord. A lot of that was anger at the evangelical community I was raised in and anger at feeling helpless. Kids and teachers at that school held a lot of homophobic beliefs and would often make gross jokes or talk about beating up trans people in the bathroom. I felt like a black sheep at the time, being one of the few poc there and being a dinosaur lover when many kids were creationists who'd lecture me about how wrong that is. Talk about parenting was what got me interested in SU again with the episode 'Mr. Universe'. I never finished the show so I decided to give it another chance. I started watching SU clips on YouTube and one of the first I watched was "Stronger Than You". For someone who felt angry and helpless, that song gave me something to feel happy about in that homophobic environment.

SU soon became my favorite show and I began rewatching it all the time. Characters like Lapis, Garnet and Steven quickly became my favorites because I could relate to them and because Ruby and Sapphire were important to me like most lgbtq youth. 'Mindful Education' became important to me because it helped me control a lot of my anger issues. Before, my interests were "edgy" guy things like the Star Wars Prequels and Jurassic World. But, I began to be more comfortable with enjoying "girly" things. A Wrinkle in Time became one of my favorite sci-fi books because it made a cameo in SU which pushed me to read it. By that time I had moved to a different school and was able to connect with other kids at a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) and was able to figure out more about myself without shame or as much fear.

SU was the jumping point for a lot of my current interests. Since many in the fandom liked The Owl House for its similar themes and queer rep, I decided to watch that and came away loving it with Luz and Willow being characters I could relate to. I got back into Ben 10, which I also watched growing up, because of its similarities to SU, being a anime inspired show about a magical alien boy protecting humanity while dealing with normal adolescent issues. SU was also very anime inspired which pushed me to give it another chance as I used to think it was cringe or dumb. Thanks to SU, I became a fan of Makoto Shinkai's films like Suzume and Weathering With You as well as ghibli films like Spirited Away and Kiki's Delivery Service. I also started watching magical girl anime with Madoka Magica and Princess Tutu being my favorites and am slowly getting through Sailor Moon. Some of my other favorites include Neon Genesis Evangelion, A Whisker Away and Ghost in The Shell. I do have an interest in watching Revolutionary Girl Utena, which was a big inspiration for SU, and The Promised Neverland as well. I also fell in love with Lisa Hannigan’s (Blue Diamond’s VA) music. All that was because of SU.

Over the past year, I've been figuring out my gender identity, starting with that GSA, and started to realize I was trans (MTF), which may have not happened without SU. It's why seeing the SU critical community bash the show for its representation not being good enough or calling it fascist makes me sad as it's been important for a lot of people like me. It's also why right wing fans, who do exist, irk me so much when they weaponize the message of acceptance and characters like Andy to demand people accept their homophobic beliefs. The show has shaped a lot of my philosophy about issues with relationships, seeing Greg and Rose leave their toxic families or Connie helping her mom, Priyanka, learn to let go and stop worrying. Some may hate him, but Future Steven is an important character for me as I can relate to his anger and once being a cheerful child before growing up more bitter and weary. I know that SU isn't perfect and there is some stuff I wish was written differently but I still love it because of how it changed and possibly saved my life. It helped me get through high school and gave me something to feel happy about in a world that's filled with hate and violence.

In short, thank you Steven Universe and thank you Rebecca Sugar. I wouldn’t be who I am without you.

@ankle-beez @love-takes-work

[phantasmiafxndom]

Out of all the animes you’ve watch what ones are your favorites

...you know what, you get the serious answer. I used to track my anime watching, so out of the 450+ completed ones on my list, here are some of my top recommendations! (In terms of quality, more so than what I've spent the most time dwelling on.)

. . .

One Piece — I haven't technically watched all of this one, but after falling back into the fandom after an 8-ish year break, I really can't understate the quality. One Piece's story is amazing, and I'm consistently impressed by the author's characters/worldbuilding.

Dominion Tank Police (1988) — I have FEELINGS about the villain in this one... Overall, 80s sci-fi vibes mix with themes of ethical responsibility and societal peacekeeping, and the "don't you just want to go apeshit? :)" protagonist (who's also extremely aromantic-coded) is a hilarious, yet wonderfully earnest little menace!

Kyousougiga — I've been rewatching this one recently, and the sheer detail in every scene is STUNNING. I keep having to pause to mentally scream about the symbolism, and tbh, knowing the plot from my original watch is only improving the experience.

Tekkon Kinkreet — This one's a movie, not a series, but SKLJKHS IT HAUNTS ME. Absolutely chilling, by the time the big plot twists roll around... Beyond that, the overall aesthetic/vibe is impeccable, and the exaggerated, messy art style only adds to that.

Kemonozume — Monster/human forbidden romance with stunning art and a great soundtrack. The plot started out a bit confusing, but all of the scattered story elements came together nicely in the end!

The Tatami Galaxy — The "get your shit together and start enjoying your life" anime. It's plenty good as just a story, but I got some excellent life lessons out of it too. Solid mix of comedy, drama, and charismatic-yet-extremely-bizarre characters interacting.

Monster — Excellent slow-paced, psychological horror packed with ethical dilemmas, traumatic backstories, and so many Extremely Depressed Men. In other words, there's a very good reason why Johan Liebert used to end up on so many "best anime villains" lists.

Paranoia Agent — I have nothing but praise for Satoshi Kon's work, in general, and Paranoia Agent has been my favorite of the ones I've seen so far. Compared to his movies, it really benefits from the extra space for plot development, and the big emotional twist hits hard.

Revolutionary Girl Utena — A true classic. <3 There are enough tumblr essays about this tragic yuri masterpiece that I won't go into detail myself, but yes, it's every bit as good as you've heard.

Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail — The entire Black Lagoon series is excellent, but Roberta is my special girl. Unfortunately, the OAV adaption compresses the manga's version of her arc pretty heavily (and the altered ending is kind of dumb), but I still have to recommend it. Babygirl's breakdown is a REAL mess kjshghs

Claymore — Excellent pseudo-medieval fantasy with badass female characters, lots of body horror, and top-tier monster design. The manga is MUCH better than the anime after a certain point, however.

Kuuchuu Buranko — An episodic series about an eccentric psychiatrist interacting with his troubled patients. The mixed-media animation style and bizarre characters are what sold it for me, along with the exploration of mental health through storytelling tropes.

Cannon Fodder — An artistic short movie that's twenty minutes of aesthetic experience and fascinating worldbuilding implications. I love the vibe, and the "one, long horizontal frame" style is neat.

Flowers of Evil — The art style. The VIBES. The whole thing is incredibly eerie and off-putting, with a plot that's pretty much: "congrats! two shitty teenagers are tearing each other's lives apart!".

[gretchensinister]

Babylon 5 rewatch, S1 E14: TKO

I don't think petty drug dealing deserves a fistfight, but did it in the 90s?

I do like Walker Smith right away though

Oh thank goodness, food that looks like food on a space show. I watched Star Trek TOS recently and it was ALL mysterious colorful cubes

Aw, I thought that guy might be there to visit Ivanova

:( Ivanova, you need to grieve (now: what is the time off/leave policy for officers on Babylon 5?)

Huh...I wonder what kind of company one can use "snake heads" around

The compassionate leave policy is present/working! Whether Ivanova will like that is up in the air

You know all the rabbis in space love arguing about which alien foods are kosher

Ah, no, did not go over well with Ivanova.

I know I've said this a lot, but I LOVE the number of background/minor aliens on Babylon 5. The makeup is impressive, it's a massive undertaking of time and talent, and I think it sometimes gets overlooked amidst the sci-fi geek complaint of "why do all the aliens look like people in makeup, real biology blah blah blah."

Hey, if the fried tree worm tastes good, why not keep eating it?

I wonder about the logistics of setting up a place like this on Babylon 5. Like, because B5 is sort of a city but also a military/diplomatic base, so there's going to be a certain amount of space for recreation, which this would fall under, but there would doubtless be permits/insurance concerns for a venture where people HAVE died

I do like that it took more than just that one conversation several episodes ago to resolve Ivanova and her father's relationship

Do you think they grow the peanuts on the station?

Local B5 news would be such a combination of like, little local interest stories and galaxy-changing incidents.

(Now it's my pedant moment [I contain multitudes]--none of this fight/the culture around it should be taking place in English) (I do understand the practical reasons why it's not subtitled with a spoken alien language.)

They're both going to have concussions from this

[thesoftboiledegg]

"How Poopy Got His Poop Back" was OK. The plot was generic, but after 61 episodes, I'm not going to expect every outing to be a mindblowing sci-fi spectacular. Sometimes, it's nice to have a lowkey episode that catches up with old characters, especially since we thought two of them died in season two.

"Squanch! Told you he wasn't dead." The writers knew what we were thinking. I also thought Gearhead died at the end of "Mortynight Run," but I guess he's harder to kill than he looks.

I enjoyed checking in with Bird Person and Bird Daughter--looks like he's got his hands full--and was glad that Rick continued his character development from season six. He's still a hot mess, but he tries to do the right thing for his friends and even the robot ("Hang on, let me go upstairs and grab the business finisher.") The subtext gave the episode some depth so that it wasn't just twenty minutes of pointless hijinks.

Rick's new voice actor nailed his characterization, too. His voice stood out a little at first, but I'd forgotten about the new actor by the second act, and his voice sounds "normal" upon rewatches. I guess it just takes a short adjustment period.

Whatever the case, any drunk guy at a bar can burp and stutter like Rick, but the new actor (whoever he is) picked up right where Roiland left off. He might not sound exactly like Rick 100% of the time, but combining Rick's trademark blunt raspiness with his lower, gentler tones from the past few seasons is more impressive.

Speaking of actors: who voiced Mr. Poopybutthole? He sounded EXACTLY like Justin Roiland. Maybe it was the same actor who voiced Morty, who also did well.

On another note, I loved seeing Space Beth eating breakfast with the family. Ditching your kids to be a pirate/rebel/space badass/whatever isn't the feminist act that a lot of shows seem to think it is, and I'm glad that Rick and Morty subverted that trope. Space Beth can love her family AND save the universe. She's a modern woman who wants to have it all!

On to Morty. I don't have much to say about him, and this review suggests that he doesn't have much to do next week, either--which hints at a continuation of season six's biggest issue. Season six was great, but half the episodes were The Rick Sanchez Show. When Morty did appear, he didn't have much to do until he finally lost his patience in the finale.

I won't dive into his dynamic with Morty because you could write pages of meta on that one, but in summary: their dynamic is the core of the series, and I hope the writers don't keep separating them. C-137 Rick's attachment to his Morty is a sharp contrast to the other Ricks who treat theirs like disposable toys.

Back to this episode: Rick's doing better--he's dressing and showering, he's communicating with his family, and he's even willing to abandon his search for a few hours--but Prime's still the center of his universe. Season five also started small and concluded with insane twists that turned the show inside out, and I'm betting that this laid-back opener is the start of a similar acceleration.

This episode alone made up about a fourth of the trailer scenes, so goddamn: what aren't we seeing?

[ilatians]

I love Miles Edgeworth and his brain sososo much but like…. he’s so much sillier than people give him credit for and I feel like we need to appreciate this… like sure he dresses and speaks like a Victorian man but he’s also just a BIG SILLY NERD. Miles Edgeworth canonically doesn’t know anything about flowers, the music he listens to ISNT classical, it’s more like Japanese early disco, and he probably writes OERs on law for fun (and bc he’s a nice person). Not to mention ofc the whole Steel Samurai obsession, which btw I BET he was a huge Doctor Who fan and goes crazy over sci-fi stuff in general. Yes yes yes he’s super smart but he’s not PRETENTIOUS he’s just a closeted autistic nerd who likes cows and reading up on evidence law. I just feel like I see a lot of fics with Edgeworth being knowledgeable about everything and being in general very upper-class in his knowledge and preferences but I just believe that’s Not True; at home he snuggles with his dog and rewatches his favorite Steel Samurai episode for the 200th time that night while studying up on his case for tomorrow.

[eponymous-rose]

So I've been rewatching Star Trek: TNG as comfort TV during/post-move and just got to Yesterday's Enterprise, which I remember liking well enough, but man, it's really unusual in the context of the rest of these early episodes. For one thing, the violence shown is a lot more stark than we've seen in the show thus far - Riker with his throat cut, Captain Garrett with the metal shrapnel in her head, lingering close-ups on dead faces. It's dark and moody and the "happy ending" resolution (as far as we know at this point, anyway) is saving the few survivors of a brutal battle, patching them up, and then shipping them straight back into that battle to be killed.

Given the show's not-so-great track record with its female characters, it's weirdly refreshing that we get a re-do for Tasha Yar. And yeah, she falls in love with a dude and goes off with him on his ship, but she was ready to say goodbye to him and that would've been that - what finally prompts her to step willingly into the meat-grinder is the realization that she had an "empty death" (Guinan had some really raw lines in this one) in the other timeline, and that now her death can have some meaning. It's nicely done, if a bit of a self-flagellating "mea culpa" on the writers' parts.

The alternate timeline isn't the gleeful, campy evil of the Mirrorverse, it's just an exhausted grind through the final days of a losing war. Lots of little touches show how desperate things have become - Wesley's been fast-tracked to a full ensign, Picard is a tactician first and foremost (he takes officers' opinions under advisement, yes, but he's also keeping from them the inevitable, imminent surrender), the bridge is laid out so the captain is front and center with everyone else in the background. As a contrast with the actual Enterprise's chill 90s living room lounge vibe, it's pretty striking. It's like a sneak preview into the bleak and war-heavy sci-fi that would start saturating pop culture a decade or so later, and then it's a firm rejection of that premise - "This isn't a ship of war. It's a ship of peace."

I have a long, long history with TNG - DS9 is my favorite Trek on balance, but TNG is encoded in my DNA. From around ages 3 and 5, my brother and I were watching and rewatching TNG constantly. (My parents would laugh over the fact that my brother didn't know how to read yet but had memorized the episode titles of the first couple seasons.) We had pajamas. We scoured every garage sale and had a giant metal can full of action figures and phasers and tricorders and ships and even, shockingly, that transporter toy that made things disappear using mirrors.

The tactile experience of those toys is burned in my brain - the loose nacelles on the Enterprise model, the click of the left phaser button, the little hole at the bottom of the Borg cube that we once stuck a pencil in and had the tip of the graphite snap off and rattle around forevermore. My brother and I played incessantly with our action figures, to the point where most of them had the paint at least partially rubbed off - we created hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of new episodes over the years. The first time I ever used a touchscreen was at some sort of Star Trek exhibition in Canada in the early 90s that we stumbled across on our way to visit my grandparents.

I'm always fascinated by how kids interact with fictional media - my brother and I were so young, but we obviously knew Star Trek wasn't real. Except... I just always assumed that important people watched it, realized "well, that seems nice", and were actively working to make that future happen. I was (perhaps a little embarrassingly) older when I realized that no, we weren't gonna be out there on science missions to the stars during my lifetime. At least, not in an Enterprise kind of way.

At any given time, there's just this Star Trek filter over how I experience the world - when I got to go to college thanks to scholarships, I had that weighty feeling of responsibility and awe that came with daydreaming about Starfleet Academy. I saw my career shift from the gold of engineering to the blue of science to the red of command. And the older I get, the more I appreciate a show that, for all its flaws, managed to make a utopia interesting and complex.

Because TNG was such a phenomenon when I was a little kid in the early 90s, a lot of my family relationships also have TNG tied up in them. I remember going to my grandparents' apartment and my uncle showing us a fan magazine about the show. I remember another uncle who didn't really "get it" but gifted me and my brother astronaut ice cream because he knew we liked that space stuff. I remember watching most episodes curled up on the couch or my parents' bed with my brother and my mom and dad. When Mom got sick and we talked about death, I remember the way she wistfully brought up the Nexus from Generations or how she hoped she could see the next season of Picard (she didn't, sadly, but she really enjoyed that first season). Hell, one of the first real bonding moments I had with my otherwise hyper-professional and businesslike PhD advisor was when she made a TNG joke, I laughed at it, and she said, "I just love that show, everyone's so nice to each other."

It's just been a lot of fun coming back to this show, is all. I think I periodically forget how much it's affected me and the extent to which it was a fundamental, formative influence. While a lot of it either hasn't aged well or fails to hold up to modern media analysis, so much of it is still lovely, and occasionally there are these moments of shockingly good storytelling.

Star Trek good.

[lostyesterday]

In honor of finishing my first rewatch of Voyager, here’s a list of my favorite episodes (more below the cut because this got incredibly long):

Eye of the Needle: I love how this episode captures the early-Voyager optimism and hope that a lot of the crew feel, and the dashing of their hopes – made more devastating than in later episodes because it’s one of the first times there’s a chance of getting home.

Dreadnought: Both an incredibly tense, heart-pounding episode and a great B’Elanna character study. I love B’Elanna’s interactions with the AI so much and her desperation to undo the mistakes she made in the past.

Deadlock: This is such a fun sci-fi concept, while also being surprisingly emotional. I love Janeway interacting with herself so much, and the terrible decision she has to make.

Resolutions: Everyone talks about this episode for the Janeway and Chakotay interactions, which I absolutely do enjoy, but for me, the real strength of this episode is how it also provides a lot of depth to other characters – particularly Harry and Tuvok. This is probably the episode that cemented the Voyager crew as my favorite crew in Star Trek.

Worst Case Scenario: I just find this episode so fun, and I think it’s genuinely really well-structured narratively. I love the alternate-reality story within a story idea. Mostly, all of the character dynamics are incredibly fun – especially those with Tuvok.

Scorpion: Obligatory inclusion as the Seven introduction episode, but I genuinely think Scorpion is one of the best Borg episodes in Star Trek, and a great way to introduce the Borg to Voyager. The plot is incredibly engaging, and the central conflict between Janeway and Chakotay is compelling.

The Gift: A more character-focused continuation of Scorpion, so obviously I love it. Both the Seven and Kes storylines in this episode make me very emotional, and the contrasting between the two throughout is so interesting. I also love the incredibly turbulent beginning of Janeway and Seven’s relationship.

Year of Hell: I’m sorry to be boring, but this is probably my overall favorite episode of Voyager. It’s fundamentally just an excellent story, and I always love to see the darker and more desperate side of Janeway, and of the rest of the crew too.

One: I have a weakness for stories about characters stranded alone and having to fix problems by themselves while struggling with their own inner fears. This is a great exploration of Seven’s perspective, and a very engaging story.

Hope and Fear: A pivotal episode for Seven, and for Janeway and Seven’s relationship. Seeing Seven finally turn away from the collective and admit that she never wants to go back is so good.

Night: This is the episode that, to me, most deeply captures the common feelings of despair and hopelessness that pervade the middle seasons of Voyager. I love how this episode truly captures the emotions of the crew. It’s also a pivotal episode for Janeway – all of the internal doubt and guilt finally coming to the surface.

Timeless: Just a truly iconic episode – as close to perfect as a Star Trek episode can get. I stand by my opinion that the opening scene of the episode is the single best intro to any piece of Star Trek content. The whole episode is terrifically paced, each scene engaging and filled with emotional weight. It’s without question the best Harry episode – I love older, jaded harry so much.

Counterpoint: This is another episode that I find incredibly fun. The mounting stakes and the manipulation games – the constant question of who trusts who and who is lying. The ending is one of Janeway’s most iconic moments.

Dark Frontier: Voyager’s second spectacular Borg episode, and the only time that Star Trek ever used the Borg Queen perfectly, in my opinion. I love the way Seven’s backstory is juxtaposed with the events of the episode. I love the parallels throughout – the repetition of lines spoken by different characters giving events a disturbing feeling of inevitability. I love how Seven has so clearly and fundamentally changed from the person she was in the beginning of season 4.

Relativity: This is another episode that I find to be so well-structured and paced. What could have easily been a deeply convoluted plot flows in a way that’s incredibly engaging, and every plot twist is delightful.

Equinox: Like I said, I really love when Janeway gets dark. Janeway’s cold rage in this episode is my favorite thing, and the plot is really engaging as well.

Survival Instinct: This is a highly underrated Borg episode, in my opinion. It establishes so many fascinating details about the Borg, and the storyline with Seven and the other drones from her unimatrix is heartbreaking.

Barge of the Dead: This is my absolute favorite B’Elanna episode. I love the ambiguity of reality and unreality here, from B’Elanna’s perspective and that of the audience. This is also in my opinion the episode that most clearly grasps B’Elanna as a character – her deepest struggles and doubts. It’s also probably my favorite Klingon episode in all of Star Trek.

[mai-komagata]

more sneak peak speculation

ok no more being defensive about this jam, gonna talk about things that i think are interesting/could go places. Feel free to reply with your own theories, just no outright negativity? pls? (I dont mind saying you don't like certain things in the context of analysis, just maintain the basic assumption that the writers are trying to tell a story in good faith).

1. In Charades, Spock learned that being fully human would not solve his problems. Any gains he got in connection with his crewmates, or greater emotional availability had tradeoffs: losing who he fundamentally was. Him not being able to connect telepathically with his mother must have felt like losing a limb if that limb was a childhood memory.

I'm seeing how the crew is seeing all these supposed benefits to being Vulcan. But I think faced with the prospect of being Vulcan forever, greater work efficiency is gonna take a huge backseat to completely losing your identity and sense of self.

2. I commented before on ethan peck's acting, but I love how he always does these subtle things in the vulcan centric episodes. Like in Spock Amok, how he became Gia Sandhu with changes in micro expressions. In this one, it is amazing how he goes from feeling extremely vulcan in his demeanor to just "switching" a vibe and feeling so much more human. His exasperation at his colleagues being rude fucks that think they know more about Vulcan than he does was incredibly well played. Can't wait to see how he unpacks it for them and teaches them to do better -- im sure they will get backlash from other humans, too. He is like the only Vulcan "acting normal" in a room of other Vulcans that don't do it right.

3. I love La'an especially how she looks in askance to the things she does to spock, like "am i doing this right?" sorta how spock looked for his crew on tips about how to behave like himself in "Charades". I need to rewatch it, but it feels like they are all play acting what they think Vulcans should act like, and not quite getting it. People are right, they are playacting Vulcans, because that is what they think is expected of them.

4. I love the depiction of the increased sensory perception, almost like they are tripping. I love these investigations into neurological differences, as a person with a lot of sensory overload/sensory seeking behaviors, I appreciate those being displayed in characters. The neurological differences not being "just culture" is what I loved about aliens being portrayed as aliens. How does culture evolve from the material realities?

5. I do like that Pelia and the rest of the bridge crew didn't expect them to complete tasks faster. But they do. The purpose of them being vulcan was not to be hyperefficient. It was a side effect that is tempting to this workaholic crew, but not the purpose of the transformation. I especially want to see how La'an reacts to this long-term.

6. WTF is up with the lirpa? Why do they have one? How is it required to contain radiation? I mean it looks badass but I need more context to their mission.

7. bonus: scotty is so cute. we are so lucky he got added to main cast. This has nothing to do with the episode. I was just so happy to see him.

8. secret bonus thing: I mentioned this in another post, but the fact that their hair grows/is braided/is different is such an amazing visual language. I like them being willing to play with costuming to tell a story here, instead of just having ears/eyebrows. It is a very novel storytelling technique. It reminds me of the end of "These old scientists" where the cartoon aesthetic is used to depict the feeling of orion drinks. SNW being willing to play with the medium of the message is so unique to modern sci fi.

[bardinthezone]

Rewatching the 9th Doctor after this marvelous video, and I have so many thoughts already. So prepare for an unfiltered string of thoughts about Doctor Who like it's the early 2010s again

S1E1:

I never gave Rose enough credit as a kid. I loved the cool settings and the wish-fulfillment of "run away from your responsiblities into fun sci-fi worlds." I saw myself more in Donna, the sardonic, no-nonsense not blond and pink and lame and feminine companion. But Rose is so wonderful. She's a 19 year old retail worker, with a normal relationship and normal mom. Not a genius, but she's surprisingly quick to act under pressure. And where she truly shines is her heart.

Because the Doctor is the brains. He's quippy and pragmatic and carries so much experience with him that he's become a bit distanced from the people he's trying to save. He's come to view people as dumb apes who just get in their own way and need someone like him to help him.

But the show doesn't portray this as a good thing!!! We don't start with the Doctor being Cool and Sarcastic, and Rose isn't introduced as some dumb bimbo. Rose is our POV character, the one we follow without a sign of the Doctor for the first 5 and a half minutes of the episode. She's the everyman, the one asking the questions for the audience, and the Doctor is seen as a whirlwind man of mystery, one whose only constant companion is death. The Doctor has to learn to trust Rose, but the audience doesn't.

Rose is so compassionate. She gets caught up in little things the Doctor doesn't, like finding out if her boyfriend is dead and getting her mom to safety and evacuating a restaurant full of people. She cares, she brings the Doctor back to earth when he gets too in his own head, and the show supports her for it from the start. This is one of my favorite New Who episodes, I think

Side note, I feel so bad for Clive. Poor bastard was just an average guy trying to figure out something strange (Like Rose), but he got shafted HARD. I'm glad they included Mikey and Rose both showing caution when meeting him, but also didn't turn him into a complete joke. Again, it really adds to the theme of "everyone has rich internal lives and its not up to any one person to decide if they're important". Also so does the Doctor not jumping straight to "poison the fuckers an kill em dead!!"

Also I'm never gonna get over "~pete-zzaaaaaa~"

Or the Doctor being so ace

[stitching-in-time]

Voyager rewatch s3 ep20: Favorite Son

Oh dear, this one. What a camp fest. I can't believe they actually did an episode like this in the 90s, since this plot is 1950s pulp sci-fi to a T. If they'd have made it a little more subtle, it might have worked, but they really went over the top with the whole 'planet of beautiful deadly women' trope.

It actually started out pretty well, with Harry somehow knowing that an alien ship was going to fire on Voyager, and mysterious spots appearing on his face, which the Doctor can't explain, and then the crew having to figure out why. Harry has some good scenes of being conflicted over his choice to fire on the alien ship without provocation, and he plays it especially well with B'Elanna and Kes in sickbay. We don't see Harry and Kes interact a lot, so it was nice to see her give him an encouraging pep talk, and see that they're friends, which I think they would be, as the two youngest crewmembers on the ship, and Voyager's resident pure cinnamon rolls. I wish we'd have seen more of them together on the show. (Why did no one think of Harry and Kes as a romantic pairing?? They paired her with literally everyone else, you'd think Harry would have been the most logical choice- but I guess logic is only for Vulcans, not Star Trek writers!)

And then we get an unbearably sweet scene between Harry and B'Elanna, wherein he feels responsible for the injuries she suffered in engineering during the battle he started. He tries to apologize to her, but B'Elanna doesn't even know he started it, and she's in such good spirits once she sees him that he can't bring himself to upset her just because he feels guilty. She tells him the spots on his face make him look cute, like a spotted targ, and she teases him by calling him 'Spot' as he leaves, and it's the cutest shit I've ever seen. I love their friendship so, so much!!!

The Doctor eventually finds that Harry has some non-human DNA that could explain what's happening to him, Harry has a dream sequence that includes flashbacks to his childhood and his mom, which doesn't seem to serve a lot of purpose (plus the kid they cast as young Harry looks nothing like him), and then they find the planet that he seems to have an instinctual connection to- Taresia. The Taresians tell them that Harry is one of their own species, and welcome him back.

Harry and an away team go down to the planet, and they're greeted by a horde of beautiful women in slinky dresses, who immediately fawn over Harry. It's so cheesy, and such obvious male fantasy nonsense, but the actors somehow manage to keep a straight face as the Taresians explain that their species reproduces by implanting embryos in alien hosts, and that when they're old enough, their Taresian DNA awakens and leads them home to mate. Harry, as a rare Taresian male, is highly prized, and expected to take three wives from the fawning gaggle of seductive women who won't keep their hands off him. (It's all pretty creepy tbh, but somehow no one in the away team is like, 'hey, in our culture, kissing and caressing strangers is rude!' Wtf??)

Harry, being a good Starfleet lad, would rather hear about the science aspect than have strange women fawn over him, but the Taresian DNA taking over makes it more difficult for him to resist them- to the point that Tom is like, 'chill, dude!' when Harry starts stroking the faces of his adoring groupies. (And honestly, what a glow up moment for Tom- from being the guy who used to say inappropriate shit to strange women, to being the guy calling out his buddy when he sees him behaving innappropriately to strange women- that's character growth baby! We love to see it!!)

They leave Harry on the planet to get to know the Taresians, and Harry strikes up a conversation with his fellow prodigal male, Taymon. (Who's played by Patrick Fabian, who I will never be able to disassociate from his role as Professor Lasky on Saved by the Bell: The College Years.) Harry feels weird about finding out his parents aren't his real parents, and tells Taymon how he never thought he deserved all the love and attention his parents heaped on him (which is weird considering he knows they wanted a kid for ages before they had him, like of course they're going to adore you, especially when you're a purehearted, talented, perfect genius lol. Even his freaking Captain thinks of him as her perfect baby son!) but Taymon responds with total clueless male entitlement- he's all 'yeah, we're totally gods dude, we deserve to be waited on by all these hot women! Come see me get married to three hot chicks tomorrow!'

So Harry stays on the planet for Taymon's wedding, and the Taresian women keep coming into Harry's bedroom to try to seduce him and give him drugs, which you'd think would be a clue that they're Up to No Good, but apparently not?? Somehow?? I guess his parents never taught him about stranger danger!

Meanwhile back on Voyager, the Doctor discovers that Harry wasn't born with Taresian DNA, it was a retrovirus he picked up on an away mission- leading the crew to wonder why the Taresians would lie, and why the other aliens hate them so much.

Harry attends the creepy wedding, where everybody's dressed in red and they tie up the groom, and Harry finally gets creepy vibes from that, at least! Afterward, the Taresian girls sneak into his room to beg him to choose them as his brides, and they give off such strong 'Brides of Dracula' vibes in their red dresses and insistance that they must have Harry, that he finally figures out there's something shady going on. He manages to trick them into playing a kinky game so he can tie them up (how is this even a real plot?! of a real episode?!) and he tries to find Taymon to help him escape the scary hot girls, but he finds Taymon dead, his brides having drained the life from him in order to get the genetic material they need to reproduce. (We don't find out exactly how, thankfully- I don't want to know!!)

Harry has to escape the hot women, who chase him down and surround him in the most hilariously pulpy 50s sci-fi scene imagineable, but luckily, Voyager has returned, and beams him up just in time.

Back on Voyager, now free from the Taresian DNA, Harry celebrates his lucky escape, but laments wishing he was more confident with women (what?? how is that relevant to the theme of this episode??) and says he wishes he could be more like Tom, to which Tom replies that he's been trying to be more like Harry, aww. It's totally not relevant to the story we just watched, but it's cute, so okay, I'll go with it! This episode was completely bonkers, embarrasingly oversexualized, and so full of dumb cliches, I don't know where to begin, but hey, at least we got some cute character moments! and Harry in a v-neck top!

Tl;dr: A ridiculously campy episode that was impossible to take seriously, despite trying to give us some backstory and character moments for Harry. There were a few cute scenes with Harry and various friends that made it worth watching.